History of Cardross Rowing Club 1947-52

Chapter 5 - 1949-50 Season 

The Mildura Rowing Club, in October 1949 put a proposal to the Australian Rowing Council to host the 1956 Olympics on the Murray River. To that end Mr. Edward J. Kenny, a member of the Australian Olympic Federation went to Mildura to inspect the proposed course. Ray Todd, Olympic Rowing coach was also present and made comments on the suitability of the course for the Olympic rowing.

The Cardross Rowing Club hosted and ran its first regatta on the proposed course, with eighteen crews from Mildura, Cardross and Wentworth racing to demonstrate the suitability of the course. Mildura Rowing Club won the open eights and Maiden eights and Cardross won the Open fours with a crew containing Don Mackay and Jack Harris from the winning Henley four of last season.

While at the regatta Ray Todd had the misfortune to lose his fountain pen presented to him before he went to the Olympic Games.  One hopes it was found and returned to him!

Sunraysia Daily, October 10, 1949, page 6

In November the first Cardross Rowing Club women’s team competed at Dimboola Regatta. The crew was Gay Miller, Edna Pawson Pat Pawson and Lorraine Setford, coached by Bruce Midgley. The crew was one of the three women’s crews competing in the women’s maiden fours with the two other crews being Albert Park Ladies Rowing Club and Dimboola. Dimboola ladies won the event with Cardross placing second.

1949 Henley on Yarra, November 26, more than 400 oarsmen from five states competed in 50 events at the 37th Henley Regatta. The crowd of several thousand was the best for many years. Cardross Junior four again competed for the Elswick Challenge Cup and were unlucky not to win for the second time. They won their heat and semi-final placing second to Banks Rowing Club in the final by 1 length! The Geelong College magazine The Pegasus of December 1949 made mention that “ The Cardross crew at the VRA and Henley Regattas included Don and Bill Mackay and Stan Carmichael, who wore a luxurious beard!” 

(NOTE: Stan Carmichael was also a Geelong College old boy. He was born on 30 September 1930 at Red Cliffs and killed when his RAN aircraft crashed into the sea in 1959. He boarded at Geelong College from 12 February 1948 to December 1948 and had previously attended Mildura High School. He served (No. 0176) as a Sub-Lieutenant (Pilot) for 219 days in Korea with 805 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, RAN, embarking for Korea on 27 October 1953, returning to Australia on 2 June 1954.)

Stan Carmichael, cox of the Cardross Junior 4, Henley on the Yarra, 1949. 
Argus, November 28, 1949, page 6.

The Cardross Junior four: Stan Carmichael, cox and Don and Bill Mackay possibly in 2 and 3 seats.
The Age, November 17, 1949, page 14. 

The club does not appear to have entered crews in the Berri and Renmark regattas of December 1949.

During April 1950 Cardross crews were reported to be training for the Easter double of Henley on the Murray and Henley on the Darling. 

Cardross Novice eight training a week before the regatta at which they were the winners of the Novice eights. Henley on the Murray, April 8,1950.

Henley on the Murray was held in perfect weather this year. The number attending was about 6500 which was down on the previous year as many of the fruit growers were using the good weather to harvest their fruit crops. The conditions on the river were fast and quite challenging with cross currents making it difficult to line up for the start. The swift current was due to the weir being removed a week before the regatta.

At Henley on the Murray, the club again had a big entry with a Novice four, Novice eight, Maiden four and women’s maiden four.

The Novice eight with Jim Simpson (bow), Bob Simpson (2), A. O’Connor(3), A. Skipsey (4), J. Spalding (5), I. Mackay(6), W. Mackay (7) and B. Stewart, stroke, won the final of the novice eights from Mildura Rowing Club. This was the first and only eights race the club won.

The Maiden four comprised W. Mackay, J. Mackay, A. O’Connor and V. Stewart who did not place.

Cover of the 1950 Henley on Murray program
Kate Elliott collection

The Novice four of B. Jeffries, Bob Simpson, J. Simpson and A. Skipsey raced in the first heat against Renmark, Wentworth (No.2) and Ballarat City. The Renmark four won the race and went on to take out the final from Wentworth No.1 four.

The Cardross ladies entered the same crew in the Ladies Challenge four and the ladies Maiden four of Lorraine Setford, Pat Pawson, Edna Pawson and Gay Millar. According to the handwritten recordings in the original program from that regatta, they appear to have scratched and not competed. The Sunraysia Daily said in the report of the regatta that one member of the crew was unable to attend which must have been disappointing for everyone.

 The Maiden eights at the regatta was raced for the Cardross Foundation Cup, probably donated by the club to recognise their foundation and also as a thank you to Mildura Rowing Club for their support.

Original program showing names of crews and also placings.

Event 6: Cardross Novice four with Renmark noted as winners of that heat.

Event 7: Maiden eights - Final for the Cardross Foundation Cup. Torrens took out the cup.

Event 8: Ladies Open Challenge Four. Cardross ladies crew is listed but there is a faint cross through their entry indicating they scratched. YWCA won the race by virtue of a row over.

Event 12: Novice eights final. Cardross crew as listed

Event 21: Maiden fours final: Mildura first, Torrens second and Wentworth third.

On Monday April 10 at Henley on the Darling Regatta at Wentworth, Cardross had two crews entered, a Maiden four, Novice four and the Novice eight. The Maiden four of B. Mackay, I. Mackay, A. O’Conner and B. Stewart finished second in the final to Mildura Rowing Club. The winning Novice eight from Mildura finished second to Mildura Rowing Club and the Novice four finished third in their heat.

Sunraysia Daily, April 12 1950, Page 8

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