Club in Profile – Exmouth Bowling Club
Exmouth – jewel of the north Exmouth, situated on the picturesque North West Cape in Western Australia, is not only the gateway to the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area, it is also home to some of the most amazing scenery and underwater wildlife WA has to offer. Nestled in the town of Exmouth is also a very welcoming bowling club, which plays host to many WA, interstate and overseas tourists each and every year. For those looking for a getaway, but still close enough to home, the drive into Exmouth is wonderful. Off the main road you are greeted with the beautiful sights of Coral Bay, before making your way into Exmouth where the National Park and Marine Park are simply stunning. The Exmouth Bowling Club boasts two sand-filled synthetic greens and provides the local community, as well as tourists alike, a wonderful opportunity to play our great sport all year round. With particular attention to the winter period, which doesn’t really feel like winter in Exmouth, the club hosts social bowls events five days per week, as well as conducting carnival events in both July and August. The numbers certainly swell during this period as the southern part of the state shivers through cold temperatures, and people jump in their caravans and head for warmer weather. Regional Bowls Manager Clive Adams visited the club recently. “I was so impressed at the welcoming nature of the club. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and was immediately embraced into their social bowls activities. The rules were that we played until the sun went down, and it was great fun. Bonus points were awarded for touchers – it was just wonderful to see a club embracing the fun side of our sport, and really enjoying themselves.” “I was then able to stay on for Presentations of the club events held throughout the year.
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It was just a wonderful celebration done in a very warm, friendly and informal style that suits the Club to the ground”. Club President Warren Sargisson, the current Club Singles Champion, and recently part of Gascoyne Games winning team, is very proud of the club. “We pride ourselves on our welcoming nature. There’s so much to do and see in the area, and we love it when people stop in and see us – whether they are new to the sport, or they’ve been bowling for years, there’s so many people that look forward to spending time with us at the club.” The club has an active presence on Social Media where its Facebook page advertises its barefoot bowls programs, including some wonderful food offerings. Another offering is the annual Caravan Park Challenge where the local tourist parks in the area square off in a battle on the greens. With the club currently looking at options to refurbish or replace its synthetic greens with new surfaces, it is certainly looking towards the future. Certainly, if your future includes a trip to North West WA, put the Exmouth Bowling Club on your list for a visit – it won’t disappoint. And in the words of Club Captain Neil Taylor, better known as “Hippie”, “make sure you shut the gate…we’ve gotta keep the emus out…they’re impossible to get out of here once they get in.” We guess every club has its challenges.
BowlsWA • Jack Hi • Spring 2021
