About our Beginnings

Croquet began in Queanbeyan primarily as a ladies’ game when the Queanbeyan Croquet Club was formed at a Public Meeting held on 20th September, 1934.

The Club took up part of the old Police Paddock in Farrer Place beside the newly-formed Queanbeyan Bowling Club, with whom they became closely associated. The croquet lawn was established by the Municipal Council, and was officially opened for play on 28th November, 1935, by the Mayor and Mayoress. An old shelter shed from Duntroon, purchased for three pounds ten shillings, was brought to the site and fitted up as a Club House. In 1956 the Club House was extended to include a kitchen and change rooms, opened in time for the Club’s twenty-first birthday celebrations that year.

The association with the Queanbeyan Bowling Club continued after the War. In 1945 the Bowling Club obtained the lease of more land in Farrer Place, and in 1947 they put down a new croquet lawn so that they could construct another green on the site of the old lawn. In this year the Bowling Club took charge of maintaining the croquet lawn and its surrounds, and have taken care of them ever since. The croquet ladies, for their part, supplied afternoon teas to the bowlers until 1954, when they handed over this work to the Women’s Bowling Club.

Queanbeyan croquet players enjoyed a number of successes in N.S.W. Croquet Association competitions after the War. They won the A Division Pennant in 1948, and were runners-up in the B Division in 1950 and 1953. Club achievements include the Junior A Grade Gold Medal in 1956, won by Mrs. Alexander, and the Bronze Medal by Mrs. L. Scotter in 1959. Mrs. Collett played in the N.S.W. Champion of Champions in 1958. More recently the Queanbeyan Club contributed to this most strategic of games on both State and National levels. Mrs. E. Emrie was appointed as an official referee of the Australian Croquet Association in 1970; R. Judge was a reserve for the State team at the Australian Championships in 1984; Jose M. Sanz-Tonnelier, who learned to play croquet at Queanbeyan, was a member of the Australian team to visit America in 1984.

Competitive as well as social play is carried on between the Queanbeyan Croquet Club and Clubs in Canberra. Some residents of the A .C .T. are included among the members of the Queanbeyan Club, and though the Club is not a large one, all members take an active part in playing on Club days and events during the year.

Susan Mary Withycombe, "Town in Transition, Queanbeyan 1945-1985", Canberra Publishing and Printing Co; Fyshwick ACT P.161

For information on the Queanbeyan Croquet Club, Susan Withycombe is indebted to Mr. and Mrs. D. Bushby.

"History of the Queanbeyan Bowling Club" P.7