Brief History

Brief history of bowls at Sandy Bay

Lawn bowls began in Sandy Bay at the Beach Tavern on 1 January 1845. The Hobart Town Courier and Van Diemen’s Land Gazette reported the first game – “Old English Recreations – The first game of bowls ever played in Van Diemen’s Land, or perhaps in the Southern Hemisphere, was played at Mr Lipscombe’s Sandy Bay residence, on Wednesday last, 1st January 1845”.

The game of bowls was put on a more organised basis in 1846 as part of the Bowling Green Hotel on the corner of Fitzroy Place and Byron Street, Sandy Bay. Again the newspapers reported that the club was formed on 28th October “with upward of 50 subscribers of the highest respectability”. The club lasted until 1853 when the hotel was sold and the sport ceased at that location.

The current Sandy Bay Bowls Club was founded in 1907 and has occupied the present site at 16 Margaret Street, Sandy Bay since that time.

On 8 December 1931 the Sandy Bay Ladies’ Club was formed.

The Ken Gunton Green was dedicated on 5 October 2003 as a tribute to the late Ken Gunton, who passed away during 2003. Ken was a Life Member and past President of the Club.

In 2006, the Men’s and Women’s Clubs voted to become one Club for all members.

In 2022, Sandy Bay Bowls and Community Club converted its bottom green to a synthetic green enabling bowls to to be played year round by members and the community.

Sandy Bay has had a great deal of success in pennant competitions over the years, both in the men’s and women’s competitions. Our Division 1 women’s team in 2018-19 won its  9th consecutive BTS premiership.

At the end of the 2019/20 season we had about over 320 members. 170 of these were men;  60 full and 110 social members with  140 women;  50 full and 90 social members.