OUR BEGINNING

THE BLUE SKIES AND TRANQUIL WATERS OF BOTANY BAY PRESENTED AN ATTRACTIVE PICTURE ON A SUNDAY MORNING IN THE YEAR 1952, BUT A GROUP OF LOCAL FISHERMEN IN EARNEST CONVERSATION AT BRIGHTON BEACH WERE OBLIVUIOUS TO THE VIEW.

THE BOATSHED, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY A PART OF THE LONG DESERTED BATHS AND WAS AT THIS POINT QUITE PRENTABLE IN APPEARANCE, DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF OUR FISHING FRIENDS WHO HAD RE-ROOFED, REBUILT AND PAINTED THE OLD DERELICT STRUCTURE. FOR THEIR PAINS THE HOLDER OF THE OCCUPANCY PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE RENT. THEY QUITE CLEARLY TOLD HIM WHERE TO PUT HIS SHED.




THE BEGINNING OF THE "FISHO'S"

OVER A FEW BEERS LANCE STUDDARD SUGGESTED BUILDING THEIR OWN SHED, BUT WHERE? AFTER MUCH ARM BENDING IT WAS MUDDY CREEK APART FROM BEING A REPOSITORY OF RUBBISH, ETC WAS SITUATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A LARGE AREA OF FOUL SMELLING OOZY MUD. BUT THERE WAS NO CHOICE. AN APPEAL TO THE ROCKDALE COUNCIL FOR 300 FT OF WATER FRONTAGE WAS SUCCESSFUL, IN FACT THEY WERE DELIGHTED THAT ANYONE COULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING WITH THE ONLY BLOT IN AN ATTRACTIVE MUNICIPALITY.

EACH MEMBER PUT IN 100 POUNDS, GIVING THEM 2,200 POUNDS FOR MATERIAL AND MEMBERS WERE ROSTERED TO WORK ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS EACH WEEKEND, AND IN ABOUT 16 MONTHS THE WOOD AND IRON BOATSHED, INCLUDING RAMPS WAS COMPLETED.

AFTER A PERIOD OF OCCUPATION IT SEEMED ALL THEY LACKED WAS AN AREA FOR RELAXATION, SO LANCE STUDDARD AND ROY HOCKING DREW UP A ROUGH PLAN FOR A CLUBHOUSE. BUILDER AND MEMBER BUILDERS QUOTED 6,000 POUNDS FOR THE BUILDING, USING A PERCENTAGE OF VOLUNTARY LABOUR. AS NO MONEY WAS IN THE KITTY, OFF THEY WENT TO BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES WHO, (PROVIDING THE LOAN WAS GUARANTEED BY MEMBERS) WOULD BACK THE PROJECT.

THIS WAS FORTHCOMING AND THE CLUBHOUSE WAS BUILT ASTONISHINGLY WITHOUT USING THE MEMBERS MONEY AND THE OPENING DATE WAS 4TH DECEMBER, 1959. THE CLUB CONSTITUTION WAS DRAWN UP, A 30 YEAR LEASE SIGNED WITH COVENANTS, WITH THE COUNCIL. THE CLUB TO CARRY
 OUT BEAUTIFICATION OF THE AREA.




MEMBERSHIP WAS NOW INCREASING RAPIDLY AND WITHIN A FEW SHORT YEARS THE CLUB WAS FORCED TO DREDGE THE CREEK AT A COST OF $85,000. THEY NOW HAD A MEMBER WAITING LIST IN EXCESS OF 250 AND IT WAS OBVIOUS A NEW CLUBHOUSE WAS REQUIRED. FINANCE WAS AVAILABLE AND ON 23RD AUGUST, 1968, THE PRESENT BUILDING WAS OPENED.
 



BUILT AT A COST OF $500,000 AND AT PRESENT PROBABLY BE REGARDED AS THE HEADQUARTERS OF AMATEUR FISHING IN THIS STATE. MOST AMATEUR FISHERMEN HAVE VISITED THE CLUB AND WOULD PROBABLY AGREE THAT THE BRIGHTON AMATEUR FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION, WOULD BE KNOWN THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF AUSTRALIA. ALL THIS FROM A GROUP OF FISHERMEN WHO OBJECTED TO HAVING THE RENT INCREASED ON THEIR BOATS, AND THIS BUILDING NOW STANDS AS A MONUMENT TO THEIR IDEALISM AND INGENUITY.