Let’s get ready to roll again

Bowls clubs around the region start making plans to return to action soon after restrictions were eased.

Bowlers like Zedd Peters could be returning to action soon. Photo: Mike Knott

BOWLS: In less than two months the greens of Bundaberg and the surrounding suburbs could be bustling with bowlers again.

Well, that is the plan anyway.

Burnett Bowls Club plans to return to action on July 10 after the Queensland Government started to ease restrictions after the flattening of the curve in the coronavirus pandemic.

July 10 is when stage three restrictions begin, which allow almost everything to open with limits on people and social distancing and hand hygiene to continue.

“The 10th of July is our potential opening date,” the club’s Kellie Kemp said.

“But that is only going to occur if stage one and stage two of the Government’s road map of opening everything up goes to plan,” Kemp said.

“We’re doing lots of minor renovations around the club, facelifts, hopefully your club looks brand new when it comes back.”

The club could be back next month for roll-ups, which allow members to practice on the greens without scoring,

“We’re going to be in contact with Bowls Queensland and try to liaise with them for when we can start roll-ups,” Kemp said.

“We are looking to start roll-ups at the start of June possibly, or it could be sooner.

“When we start roll-ups there will be very strict guidelines and terms of when you come.

“There will be only a certain amount (sic) of people allowed to roll up at one time.

“We are going to offer two sessions on three days.”

Kemp said members could roll up once a week, unless spots were not filled.

More information from the club will be released in the next few days.

Elliott Heads Bowls Club was also looking to return on the same date.

“We are having a meeting tomorrow,” the club’s games director Verna McMah said.

“If the all clear is (given then) 10th July I say (is when) we will be opening,” McMah said.

Brothers Bowls Club and Across The Waves Bowls Club both told the NewsMail their return would be dictated by what their sports clubs did.

“We still governed a little by the sports club, so not sure whether the sport clubs open yet,” The Brothers Bowls club’s Neil Hempseed said.

“The sports club will make the decision, we’ll follow suit,” Hempseed said.

July 10 is when the pubs and clubs look likely to be opened again.

Across The Waves men’s bowls branch president Keith Jobling said with liquor licenses linked to the sports club, it was hard to separate it from the bowls club.

“That affects us,” Jobling said.

“When they are allowed to open, we will look to open.

“They were talking July 10 on the news so that could be the date.”

The NewsMail contacted Bargara Bowls Club, Moore Park Beach Bowls Club and East Bundaberg Bowls Club but no one was available for comment.