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Clayton Bowls Club History
For the first time in history a Bowls
Club has won both the Premier Division RVBA State Premier Pennant Championship
and the A1 VLBA State Pennant Championships in the same season. Clayton
Members are making
history!
The Club was established in 1961, with an
organising committee established to raise funds
for its establishment. Our humble beginnings
were established on land leased from the
Conservation and Environment Department, managed
then by the now defunct Oakleigh Council. The
land was mainly swampland located next to the
Namatjira Springs. It appears that a clubhouse,
lovingly described as a “shed” and a single
green was built, mainly by volunteer labour and
play was commenced during the 1963-4 season of
bowls. During a violent storm the clubhouse was
uprooted and scattered around the park. Members
gathered the parts and rebuilt the clubhouse.
The Namatjira Springs was a watering hole used
by early horse drawn coaches, such as Cobb & Co,
on route from Melbourne to Dandenong. This was
the half-way point. Springs Road, our address, and
the surrounding parkland, Namatjira Park, are
named as a result of the Springs.
The
Clubhouse
The nucleus of the existing clubhouse was built
in 1982. The area was approximately that of the
existing gaming area and the main hall. The
Men’s locker room and restrooms were at the front,
and an entrance to the Club was through this
area. The ladies’ locker and restrooms were
approximately where the existing cool room is
today. The green was located on the north side
of the building. The club used this clubhouse
for bowls and successful social functions
until 1998.
In 1994 the front section of the Club was
renovated to accommodate the newly acquired
poker machines. The original Bar was located
along the front of the cool room, and serviced
both the Members and the Gaming area.
In 1999, there were major renovations that
established the existing Bar and the addition of
the Bistro. Prior to this time the kitchen was
used as the Bistro, known as the “Bowl Inn”, but
only on a Wednesday night. To allow the
construction of the Bistro, the No 1 green was
moved some 16 meters North. Remnants of the bank
can be seen today next to the grassed area under
the shades, which were added at a later date.
The last extensions, in 2005, involved the
remodelling of the restrooms and Mavis Faull Room
and accommodation for new offices, a Boardroom,
Store Room and more extensive locker rooms for
the Members.
The
Clubhouse 2010
 
The Greens
The
Water Supply
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