The Territory's first bowling green opened at the Memorial Club in Alice Springs 60 years ago this year. More than 100 people gathered for the inaugural round of matches at a facility described in the local paper as "a boon for Alice Springs and the Territory as a whole". And it was certainly a great afternoon for local jeweller and watchmaker Gordon Armstead, who won a spoon for being "the first man to rest his bowl on the jack". A Darwin club wasn't too far behind, overcoming the challenges of tropical greenkeeping, with local enthusiasts having written to New Guinea and South Africa for advice on synthetic greens. The Darwin club opened a year later with a green made from shredded rubber.

Image: Memorial Bowls Club

Published: 30 September 2018