Chadstone Bowls Club queens channel Beyonce in fight against new Stonnington stadium

THE classic Aussie movie Crackerjack has nothing on the ladies from Chadstone Bowls Club — they’ve gone global in their fight to keep their greens.

• Bowls club stands firm on move
• Bowls club refuses to roll over for stadium
• Stadium sites to be explored

THE classic Aussie movie Crackerjack has nothing on the ladies from Chadstone Bowls Club — they’ve gone global in their fight to keep their greens.

Three “Bowling Ladies”, aged from their 60s to 82, became international stars overnight when their take of a Beyonce hit went global with more than 300,000 views.

In scenes that resemble a modern-day take on Crackerjack, the trio posted a “Single Ladies”-inspired video on social media in a bid to stop their beloved club being ripped up for a $25 million sports stadium.

'All the Bowling Ladies’, Terry Foster, 82, Janine Halls, in her 60s, and Wyn Hewett, 72. Picture: Tim Carrafa

“Stonnington, please pay attention,” the lyrics in the two-minute video urge. “This is our life, now we’re in strife, you can’t be evicting me.”

Terry Foster, Janine Halls and Wyn Hewett admit they don’t have the moves of Beyonce, as exclamations of “I hurt me hip” and “I nearly pulled my shoulder” echoed down the greens while re-enacting their dance video.

But the new queens on the block will keep dancing if it means their club, with 600 members, won’t be demolished by Stonnington council to make way for a four-court stadium.

“It stinks,” said Janine of the plan to rip up their club and the neighbouring tennis club for the indoor centre.

“For a lot of elderly people this is their community centre, it’s their social life and their reason for getting up in the morning.”

Terry, 82, said: “This is our home.”

”I hurt me hip”. The Bowling Ladies fought through injury to create their choreographed video. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Their campaign follows an eight-month stoush with the council, which faced fierce opposition to its motion passed in December that confirmed the bowls club as the preferred site for the new stadium.

Despite strong support for “All the Bowling Ladies”, Stonnington mayor Jami Klisaris said “no final decision has been made” on the club’s future.

“An analysis of potential participation in indoor court sports shows that Stonnington requires at least four additional courts to meet current demand, a new indoor facility is particularly important to meet the needs of women’s sport,” Cr Klisaris said.

“Council is engaging all stakeholder groups and is working closely with the Chadstone Bowls Club and its members to develop a plan that caters for their future needs, should the project go ahead.”

A feasibility study will be completed in November.

But the Bowling Ladies have promised they won’t go away until they win the fight. “Maybe for part two we’ll come back in fishnets,” Wyn, 72, said.

To sign a petition in favour of the Bowling Ladies, go to www.change.org.

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