About
WELCOME
Welcome to the friendly club!
The Toorak Burnside Bowling sits in beautiful treed surrounds on quiet local streets with a delightful outdoor sitting area overlooking our premier grass greens. This makes it the perfect place for functions whether it’s a birthday or end of year work Christmas Party. It also makes it a great place to bowl !
Lawn Bowls is a highly adaptable social game for people of all ages and abilities. Toorak Burnside welcomes experienced players looking for a club to enjoy the sport they love. New bowlers are also welcome – don’t be shy! Come and have a go.
To suit everyone casual and competitive bowling options are offered at the club including:
Social Bowls – Tuesdays (Summer) and on Wednesday and Saturdays (Winter).
Come on your own or with friends and we will put you in a team.
Night Owls – a fun competition on Thursday nights for those that want to enjoy bowls with friends in a relaxed environment.
Enter a team or we can put you in a team.
Pennant Bowls – are team competitions played on Wednesdays (Men), Thursdays (Women) and Saturdays (Mixed).
Toorak Burnside has teams at different levels of competition to cater for different abilities.
New bowlers are encouraged to join – there is a place for everyone.
Toorak Burnside also strives to succeed at the highest levels of competition.
The Toorak Burnside Club is a welcoming place for everyone including members and visitors. Come in, say hi and grab a drink but beware – bowls may be addictive!
Our club is run with pride by our members.
OUR HISTORY
Old Scrapbook Diaries maintained since the Clubs inception, record the following newspaper articles regarding the Club’s beginning:
“ When the beautiful suburb of Toorak was originally laid out a large block of land was set aside for recreation purposes. Two tennis courts were made on the land, but, there being no supervisory body, the ground fell into disrepair.In 1918 however, a general meeting held at the residence of Mr George Matthew, decided on the formation of the Toorak Bowling Club. By relinquishing their moral right to the recreation reserve, they were enabled to acquire the present very valuable site. Applications for membership began to roll in, debentures were issued and freely taken up, and assisted by the genial personality and indomitable energy of the President, the committee soon overcame the many difficulties that confronted them.
The clubhouse and grounds rapidly took shape, for which much credit was due to to the honorary architect, Mr EH McMichael.The clubhouse was opened in August 1919, and on November 1, just 14 months after the inception of the Club, they were in the happy position of having enough money in debentures held by members to cover all expenses of construction. They possessed two bowling greens, two grass tennis courts, a croquet lawn, and a clubhouse containing two first class billiard tables and replete with every convenience. The cost of ground, buildings &c and of laying out the greens and flower gardens, including a charming rosery, was approximately 3,800 pounds, exclusive of 1,000 pounds for the greenkeepers residence.”
“The fashionable suburb of Toorak had a great day on Saturday, when they celebrated the opening of one of the finest, if not the best, Bowling Club greens in the whole of the Commonwealth. The colours of the club are black and white, and the members, with their black coats trimmed with white, and the club monogram in white on the outside pocket, looked very nice indeed. I would not be surprised if the other clubs nicknamed the Toorak Club “The Magpies”.”
The first Pennant game for the Club was played in 1920, and the early records indicate Toorak Bowling Club was soon one of the leading Adelaide Pennant Clubs.
Unfortunately, time has seen many changes to the original club, with the tennis courts, croquet lawns, and greenkeepers house sold off along the way. I wonder where the billiard tables went!
In 1994, during a period of rationalisation of many bowling clubs, the Burnside RSL Bowling Club, formerly on Portrush Road opposite Burnside Village, merged with the Toorak Bowling Club to form the Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.
Due to financial pressures on the club and ever increasing costs, it was decided to sell the property to the Burnside Council in 2002 under an arrangement which provides an ongoing cashflow stream to the Club over 15 years and security of tenure to lease the premises at a peppercorn rental. Renegotiation of the lease with the Burnside Council will occur in 2017, by which time the club will be in a strong financial position.
1919
Official launch of club.
1965
Extension to clubhouse.
2002
Sale of club land to Burnside Council.
2018
Centenary year.
1918
First meeting to create Toorak Bowling Club
1953
Formation of Toorak Women’s Bowling Club.
1994
Merger with Burnside Bowling Club to create Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.
2010
Major fire of clubhouse.
1918
First meeting to create Toorak Bowling Club
1919
Official launch of club.
1953
Formation of Toorak Women’s Bowling Club.
1965
Extension to clubhouse.
1994
Merger with Burnside Bowling Club to create Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.
2002
Sale of club land to Burnside Council.
2010
Major fire of clubhouse.
2018
Centenary year.
Management
Patron Hon John Darley MLC
President Jan Riordan
Chair of the Board Vicki Feast
Treasurer David Gamble
Board Secretary Sue Neale
Board Members Katie Gilfillan, John Roberts, Andrew Mackenzie
Chair of Selectors Albert Kruimel
Greenkeeper James Gregory
Administration Manager Andrew Mackenzie
Functions Manager Jan Riordan
Bar Manager John Roberts
Committees and Working Groups
All Committees and Working Groups report to the Board of Management
House Manager Trevor (and Barb) Bairstow
Night Owls John Roberts (Coordinator), David Gamble, Chris Grabczewski, Jacqui Schuller, Ian Brereton
Social Events Barbara Bairstow (Coordinator), Peter Brandon, Mandy van Dyk, Rob van Dyk, Marilyn Weydling, Carol Sullivan,
Gillian Triance, Graeme Litster, Andrew Mackenzie, David Gamble(Board Portfolio)
Tiger Patrol Graham Wright (Coordinator), Leon Gerlach, Brian Kenworthy, Ian Munro, John Loeser, Brian Apps, David Gamble,
Sue Neale(Board Portfolio)
Website/Facebook/Instagram Peter Edwards(Coordinator), Katie Gilfillan, Andrew Mackenzie (Board Portfolio)
Sponsorship Chris Grabczewski, Greg McGregor, Trevor Feast, Andrew Mackenzie(Board Portfolio)
Coaching Development & Mentoring Committee Katie Gilfillan(Coordinator & Board Portfolio) Graham Wright, Trevor Bairstow,
Simon Ketley, Matt Goss, Brian Jenkins, Terry Dean(Arm Coach), Greg McGregor, John Boccaccio, Denis Andrews(Mentor Coordinator),
Alan Walker(Mentor)
Pre-season Planning Working Group Albert Kuimel, Trevor Feast, Brian Jenkins, Mike Hocking, Katie Gilfillan(Coordinator).
Selection Panel see the Pennant Page.
Club Championships Ian Munro, Brian Jenkins
Tournament Directors Curry Cup (Graham Wright), (Digger’s Day), Albert Kruimel,
Club Championships ( Ian Munro and Brian Jenkins), Bowls SA Events (vacant), Andrew Mackenzie(Board Portfolio)
TBBC Constitution Committee Brian Jenkins (Coordinator), Verity Manning, P Roma, Vicki Feast(Board Portfolio).
Strategic Planning Sub-Committee Vicki Feast (Coordinator & Board Portfolio), Carol Dean, Denise Andrews
Womens Working Group Vicki Feast(Coordinator & Board Portfolio, Barb Bairstow, Carol Dean, Katie Gilfillan, Mandy Gilfillan,
Brian Jenkins, June Rae, Jan Riordan, Gillian Triance.
Grants Coordinator vacant, Andrew Mackenzie
Minor Projects Manager Rob van Dyk
Bar Volunteers Leon Gerlach, Katie Gilfillan, Carol Sullivan
Annual Report Corrina Min
Winter Social Bowls Graham Litster
Summer Social Bowls Katie Gilfillan
Taylor Cup Silver Manager Trevor Feast
Taylor Cup Bronze Manager Ian Brereton
Indoor Bowls Jan Milller
MBA / Bowls SA Liaison Vicki Feast
Club Photographer vacant
Club Historian Carl Hopkins
See Admin Manager for further details of roles and responsibilities for Committees and Working Groups
The Womens Working Group
Club Trading Hours
SUMMER BAR TRADING HOURS
MONDAY Closed
TUESDAY Closed
WEDNESDAY 12 noon – 6.00pm
If no Social Bowls 12 noon – 4pm
THURSDAY 6.00pm – 10.30pm
FRIDAY 4.00pm – 7.00pm
SATURDAY 12 noon – 7.00pm
If no Social Bowls 12 noon – 4pm
SUNDAY Closed
Under the Liquor Licencing Act it is an offence for members and/or visitors to bring alcohol on to these premises for private consumption.
Private functions are exempt from this clause in the Act due to the requirement of a special ‘one off’ licence for each function which may include the supply of alcohol of choice and consequently attracts a corkage fee.
ADMIN OFFICE HOURS
MONDAY 9.30am – 4.30pm
TUESDAY Closed
WEDNESDAY Closed ( if playing away )
THURSDAY 9.30am – 4.30pm
FRIDAY 2.00pm – 5.00pm
SATURDAY Closed ( if playing away )
SUNDAY Closed
Club subscriptions
Membership subscriptions for Toorak Burnside Bowling Club (includes GST) are as follows
New members receive 50% discount (first year only)
New members receive a name badge, bowls stickers and club shirt (first year only)
Pennant Player
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New member – pennant player
- (half fee + registration fee – first year)
- .
Pennant players transferring from another club
- (half fee + registration fee – first year)
Associate Members
- .
- .
Permit Player from another SA club
- Registered with another club.
Junior/Student - -
- .
Become a member today
Download our membership form