Nowra Croquet Club to celebrate its centenary

A special morning tea for current and former members will be held at the club's lawns at Bomaderry from 10am on Saturday, May 14.

The Nowra Club's history dates back to May 1922, where the Nowra Women's Croquet Club was formed.

Members initially played on the greens at the Nowra Bowling Club before relocating to a vacant block, also owned by the club, adjacent to the facility in 1930.

When that land was sold in 1938, the club relocated to a site adjacent to the memorial gates at the Nowra Showground.

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However, that lawn was "always undersized".

In 2008 the club relocated to the Bomaderry Sporting Complex, converting two former tennis courts into full-sized lawns.

Those greens were officially opened in May 2009, with a clubhouse also being built.

Members will be moving again, hopefully by the end of 2023, to a new purpose-built four court facility adjacent to the Shoalhaven Indoor Sports Complex.

Club secretary Karen James said part of the centenary celebrations will also include the launching of a book covering the 100 years of the club's existence by renowned local historical author Robyn Florance.

"The club has certainly seen some changes in its 100 years," Mrs James said.

"And we will hopefully be making another move to our new location by the end of next year, which is very exciting and something the members are looking forward to."

The club currently has more than 70 members, however Mrs James said COVID and the recent extreme wet weather had certainly "played havoc" with the club's activities.

"Like most organisations over the past couple of years, the pandemic has impacted our activities," she said.

"And just as we were starting to get back into full swing, the area copped all that wet weather.

"But with things starting to dry out we are getting back to full attendances, with good numbers at both the morning and afternoon games."

The club is open for play most days, and anyone wishing to try the "challenging" sport of croquet is welcome along to the courts just off Cambewarra Road at the Bomaderry Sporting Complex, or by emailing nowarcroquetclub@gmail.com

"Anyone can come along and try it out," Mrs James said.

"Croquet is a great game and very addictive. It is not as physically challenging as some sports but is mentally challenging.

"We are finding we have a lot of members who can't do the walk of the golf course anymore or the bending at bowls.

"They come along, try croquet and get hooked."