Friends and strangers save one of Australia’s oldest bowlos

See how sister clubs-in-arms, the generosity of strangers, and the determination of lifelong members have pulled an historic Lismore club back from the brink.

The Lismore City Bowling Club has dodged the demolition bullet thanks to a team of volunteers and the generosity from bowling associations and businesses too many to count.

At almost 115 years the ‘City Bowlo’ is one of the oldest bowling clubs in Australia.

Lismore City Bowling Club director Dawn Bach has been actively involved with the club for over 40 years.

Despite that long association she said she was still taken aback by the support for the battling bowlo - strangers calling and emailing, asking for the club’s bank account details so they could make a donation to keep it afloat.

“People within the bowling associations, RSLs, have been very generous,” Ms Bach said.

“But Campsie (RSL) have taken us under their wing, if I can say that.”

Licensee Mark Pepper liaised with the Campsie RSL to co-ordinate funds, labour, transport and new equipment for the Lismore club, including tables, chairs, poker machines, and accessories.

Campsie RSL chief executive officer Craig Love was onsite at Lismore on Monday along with fellow official Brendan Bates - and they came bearing gifts, donations from a number of clubs down south to help get Lismore City Bowlo open and running.

“We’ve brought up a whole range of goods needed to run a club and to get the club reopened,” Mr Love said.

“For us it’s all about getting the community together and rebuilding their community asset that has been affected by the flood and ensuring for generations to come there is a facility and somewhere for them to come and use.”

Campsie chief operating officer Brendan Bates was put in touch with Lismore City Bowlo manager Sharon Pepper a few months ago.

“We put together the furniture and equipment they’d need to get open sooner,” Mr Bates said, “getting the electricity back on, getting the carpet tiles down and the painting, that sort of thing,”

Lismore City Bowlo is getting a leg up thanks to Campsie RSL donating time, funds, and new equipment to get the popular bowlo open and running. Pictured are Wayne Robinson, Neville Clarke, Mark Pepper, Brendan Bates and Craig Love from Campsie RSL, and Graham Bach, Dawn Bach, Sharon Pepper, Thelma Doody, Judy Adams and Pat Clark.

Mr Bates said he will be giving as much help as he can to get the City Bowlo through the next 12 months.

“We really want to see this club, especially over the next 12 months while there’s so much stuff closed, to really get back in touch with their community and to get everyone back on the greens.”

Neville Clarke is a life member of the Lismore City Bowlo and thinks it’s his duty to also put his shoulder to the wheel.

“It’s my job to come down and pull my weight,” Mr Clarke said.

“I’ve spent the last three weeks down here. I work from eight till five.”

He said the Bowlo was now travelling in the right direction, and the members were getting back into the swing.

Lismore City Bowling Club life member Neville Clarke said it's his duty to pull his weight in getting the club going again.

The original site of the Lismore City Bowling Club was on Hunter Street below the present day Lismore Base Hospital.

Built by the Caledonian Society, it was opened in 1907.

The Caledonian Bowling Club was then bought out by its members and renamed the Lismore Bowling Club.

Due to travelling demands of the time, a vacant block of land was secured at Spinks Park and a new clubhouse and green were established there in 1916.

Left: Judy Adams, aged in her 90s, still actively bowls. With her is Sharon Pepper, and both are members of the Lismore City Bowling Club.

Judy Adams, who is in her 90s, is keen to get back on the green.

“I can’t wait to get back to bowls,” she said, “meet up with all my friends again.”

The City Bowlo will host parties and bookings again, and is keen for the community’s support.

At present the club has one green open for team and barefoot bowls.