Bowl with the miners at North Broken Hill

We drove up to Broken Hill from Mildura this morning. We were very excited to see the Outback. While Mal set up the caravan, Jean drove around town to the two bowling clubs. She put our names down at North Broken Hill Bowling Club.

When we arrived we met Ron and Bill at the table who organised the game.

They introduced us to Charlie the licensee at the bar.

Then we sat down and had a big discussion about the the new bowls laws with Peter and Barry.

It's a nice little club. It's quaint inside with a pool table at the back.

Ron and Bill welcomed us as visitors and called the cards. We went outside. We saw the scrub out the back. The club is on a mining lease so the neighbour is a mine.

The club has two greens - one grass and one carpet.

The carpet has a roll-over cover.

We played on the carpet.

They pulled the cover over. It wasn't too hot but it was lovely and cool under the shade.

It was three-bowl triples two games of ten ends. There were four rinks.

The green is the same lovely carpet as Coomealla. Easy to bowl on.

Jean played lead with Bob and skip Dustin

(Bob, Dustin and Jean)

against Tony, Brian and Alan.

Jean thought it was all pretty blokey. They were loud and ribbed each other constantly - though she thought it was friendly. A lot of the members we spoke with are former miners. The club is sponsored by a pharmacy.

It was tough at first to get the weight. It was about 16 seconds. Just let the bowl fall out of the hand.

Jean's team had all red bowls. They got two in the first end then lost two threes. Then they got a six. Jean's bowls went all over the place. No idea of grass or weight. Dustin's team lost by heaps.

Second game they played against Gags, Dennis and Ray.

All the bowls were red.

The mats were interesting, locally made.

Dustin's team won the first two ends.

Jean started to work out the grass and weight and they began to score some shots. Last end it was even. The opposition scored two for a win.

Mal played with Ray and Lloyd. He doesn't remember the names of the people he played against. He isn't sure of whom he took photos.

(Ray, Mal and Lloyd)

Mal struggled with grass. He was far from the star of the show. Nevertheless, at one point the team got six shots. Later they had four, then the opposition came and stole shot.

They won their first game by eight shots.

Second game Mal's lead Ray had a bad back so another Ray came in as a replacement. He doesn't remember the names of people he played, nor did he get a photo. but they won by two. Mal's skip Lloyd put down awesome shots when they were needed.

A local artist Wayne Williams bowls at the club.

He was here today. We might go and check out his gallery.

They gave us a cloth to remember them by.

North Broken Hill - those miners can bowl!