By Lyn Skillern

COUNTRY communities have always enjoyed their sport and many sports we enjoy today were established in the pioneering days.

This week as part of ‘history month’, Leongatha historian Lyn Skillern focuses attention on sport, the formation of some of the local sporting clubs and the important role they played in establishing a community’s identity… still do!

• SHOOTING: One of the first organised sports was shooting. The pioneers had to be good at shooting, so practising was important. Rifle clubs were formed in many small communities and competitions were held. Several men, who were members of rifle clubs in South Gippsland, volunteered for service in the Boer War. This was in South Africa during the late 1890s. The war was before Federation and our men served in units with names like ‘The Victorian Mounted Rifles’. Women were also keen shooters and were involved in rifle clubs.
• TENNIS: In Leongatha tennis courts were established near the railway station, on the site of the railway houses, in 1892. The club ran competitions and both men and women played. Other small communities also established tennis courts which tended to be located next to churches and halls. The popularity of tennis continued on from these early beginnings with many small communities still fielding tennis teams in local competitions today.
• BOWLS: Before retiring to Leongatha, surveyor John Lardner had lived in Bairnsdale where he played the sport of lawn bowls. On arriving in Leongatha in 1906, he was keen to see a bowling club established. At a public meeting in June 1906, John Lardner produced figures estimating the cost of establishing a bowling green. A bowling club was formed and the land next to the tennis court was acquired from the Victorian Railways for £4 a year. Funds were soon raised and work began on the green. A large amount of soil filling was required to build up the sloping site. One hundred yards of filling was obtained from land near the butter factory and spread at the bowling green site. This was all done under the supervision of John Lardner who took all the levels and laid out the green. His expertise probably gave the town a very level bowling green. After the grass was sown and established the green was suitable for a game in January 1907. This game was between the smoking and non- smoking members of the club. The non -smokers won.
• CROQUET: Another sport requiring a green is croquet. A supporter of this game was Annie Mesley, the wife of Leongatha High School founder Arthur Mesley. When the school was built in 1912 Mrs Mesley made sure a croquet lawn was established in the front garden. The official opening ceremony for the school in early 1913 was held on the croquet lawn. Later Mrs Mesley established the Leongatha Croquet Club at the recreation reserve.
• ROUNDERS, BASKETBALL, CRICKET: Sports such as rounders, an English game played on a diamond with a bat resembling a small cricket bat, was popular at picnics and family gatherings. Rounders was also played at schools as was the other English game, basketball (netball). The name was changed to netball in the late 60s so it would not be confused with the American form of basketball which was becoming popular. The boys at Leongatha High in the early days played football and cricket and the girls played rounders, hockey and basketball. A women’s version of cricket, called vigaro, was also played by the girls. Interschool competitions were difficult as Leongatha was the only High School. In those early days. students travelled by train to Dandenong twice-a-year to play team sports against schools from Dandenong, Warragul, Traralgon and Sale.
• GOLF: A golf club was first established in Leongatha in 1909. There was adequate land at the recreation reserve for a course and the club set about developing one. Much volunteer labour was needed to establish the first course, but it slowly took shape. Melbourne professional Rowley Banks gave lessons to new players for 3 shillings an hour. The official opening took place on May 18, 1910. A foursome handicap over 11 holes was won by Mr W P Lardner and Miss E McPherson. Working bees continued and eventually an excellent course was formed. The course has been very well used ever since.
• FOOTBALL: In 1994, Leongatha Football Club celebrated its centenary. In 1894 a cup was presented by Hugh McCartin to the secretary of the Leongatha Football Club, C M Schonell, in recognition of his service as Secretary. This is confirmed evidence that the club existed in that year. The Great Southern Football Association of these days consisted of The Black Diamonds (a team of coal miners), Leongatha, Korumburra, Strzelecki, and Outtrim. In a match against Strzelecki Leongatha demanded a count of the Strzelecki players midway through the last quarter. When it was found that they had the correct number, Strzelecki demanded that the Leongatha players be counted. There were in fact 19, so Strzelecki won the game 2.9 to nil, as Leongatha’s entire score was wiped out. Shortly after this incident, Leongatha could only find eight players for a game against Outtrim so the match was cancelled. Leongatha continued on playing mainly against teams to the west of the region from as far away as Koo Wee Rup. From the 1920s Leongatha had two teams, the Leongatha Imperials and the Leongatha Rovers, playing in different leagues. By the 1930s one of the teams was competing in the Central Gippsland League against teams from the Latrobe Valley.
• OLD SPORTS PHOTOS: The Leongatha Historical Society welcomes sport photographs and stories. Please contact the Society if you have contributions to make. https://www.leongathahistory.org.au/