Craig Watson /
Corio Bay Rowing Club celebrated its 150th anniversary on Sunday, attended by around 120 past and current members. The celebration also included a boat-naming ceremony and the launch of a new book on the club’s history by David Uren.
The club was founded in 1873 at Eastern Beach to provide competition with Barwon Rowing Club, which had been formed three years earlier on the Barwon River. It moved permanently to its present site on the Barwon river in 1965.
Uren details a number of rowers through the club’s history who also played for Geelong Football Club, including Charles Brownlow and Henry “Tracker” Young. Brownlow started rowing in 1879 as an 18-year-old and joined Geelong Football club the following year, leading them to two premierships in 1883 and 1884. Young was captain-coach of Geelong Football club for twelve years, through to 1910, as well as rowing and coaching at Corio Bay for 30 years.
Today, the club has close to 250 members and includes former Olympians and World Championship finalists, including Dick Garrard, Pam Westendorf, Phoebe Stanley, Jeff Sykes, David Ramage and Jeff Watt.
Boats were named at the celebration event in honour of club embers, World Championship rower Leisa Wilson (nee Patterson) and George Upward. A third boat was named Corio Bay 150 to mark the anniversary.
The commemorative book by David Uren, A Good Course, is only available through the club. Contact [email protected] for details.
Image: Supplied