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We've done three clubs today around Traralgon. The second one we visited was the new little club at Churchill. There's not much to it but we had a little rollup. They share the clubhouse with the cricket club and others. We think it might be the youngest bowling club in Australia - just eight years old. We met Chris - husband of Secretary-Treasurer and general job's man. Chris was rolling up. He said most of the 28 members are over eighty years old so he does most things. The green is synthetic - flat carpet. Mal put one down. Jean was envious of his performance. She did her best. Our bowls went everywhere. Jean wasn't happy with her shot bowl. Still everywhere. Chris had to leave and lock up so we finished up after a few ends. Churchill - bowls everywhere!

We've done three clubs again today. We left Morwell Bowling Club to last because we really looked forward to it. We'd met President Brian Kingsley the other day at Newborough. When we got to Morwell on Friday Brian introduced us to Vice President Pauline and committee member John. Brian (and everyone at nearby clubs) told us the club burnt down last year. It's basically a construction site now. Brian said the CEO has done an amazing job getting it done in the interim. The dining and gaming rooms sit on top of the other green. We walked down the Bowlers' Entrance and met Bill who was rolling up. The club is on Green 2 now. Green 1 is great! The Bill Owen Green. This is the temporary dining and bar area built on Green two. They managed to save some memorabilia. Brian offered us a rollup. Mal was determined. A bit of a bowl-repelling-jack but he got three. Jean put hers down. First end she was happy. " I like this green! " John and Colin were rolling up next to us. They are Lead and Second at home tomorrow in Division Five. They use blocks to practise their draw bowls. Jean knocked the kitty off and said to Mal " You like it off-centre! " He does! Jean had the last word. We promised Brian we'd come here for dinner and spend some money in the club. We did that. Greek Lam Shoulder and Rump Steak. We found the staff pleasant and friendly. While we ate dinner Keith, board member, came to ask about Jean's Helensvale shirt. We chatted about the Gold Coast and the fire. A nice time at Morwell Bowling Club.

There are two clubs in Morwell. We'll visit them both today. Morwell Club Bowling Club green is across the road from the actual Morwell Clubhouse. Roger the President (and everything else) -who we met at Traralgon RSL yesterday - came over to say gidday. One of the ladies Jo pwas pruning. They have their own amenities block. Roger invited us to roll up while they marked the green. Jean had a go. She still had trouble releasing her bowls with her new hand splint . She got shot though! Mal took his turn. He's always a gentleman. Mal got a full count. We made a caterpillar. The boys had a special line marker. Mal almost rested. Jean was happy to be a little consistent. There's just one grass green. It's the Keane Barry Green. The only club life member Geoff came down - as he has done every Friday for the last 30 years - to help out. After they finished line marking Alan and Neil came to greet us. Neil told us the green is only two years old. Good lines from the Morwell boys! POST SCRIPT: Roger told us they lost club member last night - a 92 year old man. Someone went to check on him and found the house in disarray. Next minute a young man tore past. She found the man dead. Home invasion. So sad.

We came to Trafalgar on our way from Yarragon back to Traralgon . We were just going to take a few pics but met some nice people. It's a pleasant little clubhouse. With some impressive Pennant wins. It's only the second bowling club we've been to with a picture of the King. Outside is Smokey's Snack Shack. There are two synthetic greens. The green one is called The Swamp. The other one is called Blue Lagoon. When they first got it they put yellow ducks on it. It's the Bob Munro Green. The club's been around since 1915. The snakes sat on the bank ready to protect the green. Chairman Ian told us about the financial troubles they had from a corrupt Treasurer. They did fund-raising, got the money back and put in two synthetic greens. Their shirts have HMS Victory from the battle of Trafalgar. Helen and Shirley were playing the Women's Handicap Singles. Mandy was marking a game. Mal sat and chatted with Shaun and Ben for a while. Glad to see Trafalgar in the black again!

Yarragon was the first of three clubs we visited today. It was closed so we didn't stay long. It's a little clubhouse. With a nice verandah. And the Sam Mazza shed! There's one grass green. It looks a little Mossy. Wonder how it rolls. It's named for Sam King. There are good permanent shades. We loved the bowlers on the fence. We were in a hurry as Jean had to get to her hand therapy session so we didn't stop for a rollup. We wanted to stop off in Trafalgar on our way . Yarragon in a hurry

This morning we did Yarragon and Trafalgar . We had to rush back for an appointment. After Jean's hand therapy session we drove up to Thorpdale to check the club out. It's a cute little clubhouse in a town of 500. They have photos of work on the green. And some old Pennant photos. There's a long verandah out front. When we arrived there was a bunch of Primary school kids on the green. We thought we wouldn't get a rollup but they finished up. They got funding for solar panels. We liked the curved shades. Secretary Darron was coaching the kids. Darron's wife Marj introduced herself. There's one grass green. Chicken put chemicals down. Mal put one down. The green was slow. Smartarse got himself a Resting Toucher Jean was nervous. At hand therapy Jean got a splint for her hand so had trouble releasing the bowls. Second end she did ok. Chicken had to finish his work so we only did two ends. Thorpdale - at last a little rollup!

We arrived in Traralgon on Tuesday and drove straight to Traralgon RSL Bowls Club to watch the end of Pennants. TUESDAY It's a nice clubhouse. Quite big. It's an RSL so memorabilia everywhere. The bowls club has lots of sponsors. Mid week Pennants was just finishing as we arrived. We were just going to have a rollup but President Russ invited us to the fifth Wednesday Triples game tomorrow. Russ introduced us to the Pennants players. The club has two grass greens. This is the best green. The Norm Howlett Green WEDNESDAY Ross and Titch looked after the money. The players sat in the downstairs bowls bar. Jean sat and chatted with Garry Dick and Bill. Today it's Triples. It was Brian, Jean and Mal First game was against club Secretary Lorraine, Margaret and Vealer. First end Jean was happy. Mal did his favourite and took out shot bowl. It was quite slow. It suited Jean and her stick. Then Jean stole shot. We were one down then Mal blew out their shot bowl for three. We won the first 13 to 8. Then played Ross and Gordon. One of the ladies came and gave Jean two badges for our hats. We got a killing on the fast green. Jean said "I only did one good bowl the whole game!" A Resting Toucher. We came inside to commiserate and see the presentations. Of course we didn't win! Traralgon RSL - no win for us!

We had a bit of a mix-up with bowls days so came to Traralgon to try for a rollup. It's a big, modern clubhouse. With a few outdoor areas. There are pennant photos proudly displayed. With a little bowls shop. We met Brenton the Bowls Manager. Graham Cross (Crossy) the Chair came over to check us out. He gave us the full tour. He told us they will host the Jackaroos on 17th March. Graham introduced us to Club Manager Mark. There are four greens all up. Two grass and one Tiger Turf outside and one synthetic under cover. We met some of the guys at Newborough on Sunday. They are the Angry Lyrebirds. Brenton told us the green got covered in 2018. There's a great indoor balcony that overlooks the indoor green. The Lyrebird is on the wall. Visitors usually pay green fees but Graham kindly offered us a rollup as his guests. Jean had a go. She was pretty happy with her weight. Mal put his bowl down. He did a little better. Jean had a Resting Toucher but Mal pushed her out! She tried to take him out but missed by a nanoskerrick and went into the ditch. She got one back. Because they were so accommodating we made sure to spend some money here. We sat for drinks and watched the bowls on TV. Traralgon - sorry we missed social bowls!

Mal rang Moe Bowls Club when we arrived yesterday before we went to Newborough We rang as we wanted to see if we could get a game in their Australia Day Holiday Fives tournament (Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours) but we were too late. We decided to drive over and hopefully meet people. We arrived through the memorial gates and saw one! We're free-camping so had to charge our caravan battery. Janine and Lorraine said that was fine. It's a smallish but long clubhouse. With Pennant successes proudly displayed. Now they are the Lions but perhaps once they were the Koalas! The extensions were opened in 1992. There are two carpet greens. There were dark clouds and Thunder but Green 1 was in full swing. It's the Fred Caines Green. There were players here from all around the area and further: Drouin , Morwell, Trafalgar, Traralgon, and Cranbourne - probably more we didn't see. We sat and watched a while. There were some great bowls played. Mick who we met at Sale on Thursday came over to say gidday. We met Val who we said we'd seek out when we're in Iluka later in the year. It was getting hot - expecting 40° - so we had to get back and open up the caravan so Jerome didn't get too hot. Dark clouds and good bowls at Moe!

We're staying at a wildlife park. There are three clubs nearby: Newborough, Yallourn North and Moe. Mal rang all three clubs to find out if we could get an Australia Day game. Unfortunately we were too late as they've done the draw. We'll visit them anyway. NEWBOROUGH Today it's Triples at Newborough. When we got there they were just coming in for lunch. A few sat in the beautiful outdoor area by the green. They all sat and waited patiently for lunch. There were people there from all the clubs around. We chatted for some time with the Morwell boys. We met Scotty, Allan and Allan from Newborough. Next table we had a chat with people from Boolarra and Traralgon where we'll be in a few days. Then we met the boys from Boolara and Yinnar which we'll visit when we're at Traralgon. There are three really nice grass greens. They told us they are the best in the district. This is the green outside the clubhouse. Ready for round four. We didn't win the raffles! YALLOURN NORTH On our way back to the wildlife park we stopped in at Yallourn North. We knew there'd be nobody there because they are all at Newborough. Unfortunately it was all locked up so we couldn't get many good photos. We got a photo for our map . It has a nice outdoor area facing the green. We'd met Craig at Newborough. He said " We're a little club. We hope you like it. " The green looks nice. With good, solid shades around the edge. We couldn't see much so left it alone. Newborough and Yallourn North - hooray for the triples!

When we were in Childers Queensland last year we met Jenny and Peter from Maffra who gave us their number and asked us to call when we came to Maffra on our trip. We called and Jenny told us about a Saturday game so we asked her to put our names down. When we arrived we saw the painting on the wall of bowls past and present. We're told they got a grant to paint it. It's a pleasant little clubhouse. With proud photos of past Pennants success. They have a special tournament. Last year they won Division Three. We liked the cartoons. Typical bowlers! They had their century in 2021. There are a few commemorations. The verandah is wide and shady. Brian and Kenny looked after green fees. Geoff and Linda chatted with Jean before we played our game. There are two synthetic greens. They are that flat carpet. In a couple of months they'll get two new Tiger Turf greens. We played the near green. The Dave Coleman Green. We drew cards for rinks, teams and positions. First game Mal and Jean were opposing Seconds. There were twelve of us so we played two rinks, two games of ten ends - two-bowl triples. It was Grant, Jean and Ashley Against Annette, Chris and Mal. First end Grant's team got three then second end Jean took shot for four. Mal did his best. There was zero wind. Perfect for bowls. The boys told Jean it's usually very windy here. It was hot. Then the cool mist came down. Grant won the first game by seven. Ashley took a rest. His wife Shirley joined the team. Jean got new badge for her hat. 2nd game Jean played against Kenny, Craig and Robert. Mal played John, Vicky and John. Jean was having a good game - unlike her previous outings! Mal put in some good bowls but alas - two losses! The opposition needed 11 to win. The team was four down then Jean drew a gentle shot. Jenny was sore from a chiropractor visit so she came after the game to say hello.. We sat down for drinks. Grant (Jean's team) won by one shot! We were having such a lovely time we stay and chatted for an hour! Maffra - nice to see old friends!

We drove half an hour from Sale to Heyfield. We'd met Barry in Sale yesterday and he invited us to Friday Happy Hour. The clubhouse used to be a tennis club. They moved it complete and made it their own. Mal sat and chatted with Snowy and Hayden. Hayden's one of the two young players they have in the club. Barry arranged a quick game for us. It was Bill and Jean Against Barry and Mal. We met a celebrity - Rohan Kelly who was Australian Singles Champion in 2003. There are two greens. A synthetic out front. We played on the grass green out the back. It's the Neil Leemon Green. A little history of Neil Leemon. He was another on of their champions. There are strings above the green to keep the corellas off it. There are good, sturdy permanent shades. Jean loved the green. She got three! Mal was on it! Went to synthetic. Mal enjoyed it. Jean was reminded of her rubbish performance on synthetic at Sale yesterday. She managed one photo-worthy bowl! We came inside for happy hour. The boys were happy to see us (as were the ladies but they were much quieter!) President Maude stood and welcomed us. She asked us to tell our story. Maud presented us with two club shirts which we loved. One guy told Jean they'll host the Vic open later this year. They are very proud of their grass green. Managed by volunteers it's one of the best in the region. We wish them well. Heyfield - what a welcome!