History of Cardross Rowing Club 1947-52

By Kate Elliott, 2025

Table of Contents
Foreword
Chapters
1. Formation
2. Racing
3. Season 1947-48
4. Season 1948-49
5. Season 1949-50
6. Season 1950-51
7. Season 1951-52
8. Winding up including information on Cardross

Foreword

Kate Elliott continues her excellent work on compiling Victorian rowing history with this work on the now defunct Cardross Rowing Club. Venturing beyond her many works on rowing in Ballarat and WWI rower soldiers, she has not only found this defunct club, but researched its origins and short life. She has also added a rower profile of its founder Donald Mackay.

Whilst this club didn't fill the record books or even trouble the judges too often, it is an interesting insight into the demand for post war sport, and in particular rowing, in the far reaches of Victoria. The community support for the club was heartening. And further, it is interesting how agricultural assets were put to good use for sport. Despite these comments, the club won the Elswick Cup at Australian Henley, the highlight win of the club. The history notes that the Murray River was assessed as a possible 1956 Olympic rowing site.

The sport is indebted to Kate for uncovering this otherwise lost club and the stories of the people behind it.

Andrew Guerin
August 2025

Sources:

Sunraysia Daily 1933-1947,
Cardross and Koolong Community Plan 2011,
Geelong College Journals 1949 and 1981,
Weekly Times 1947-1951.
Regatta programs,
Albie McGuire 1947-1950 (Kate Elliott collection),
Argus 1947-1951,
The Age 1947-1951,
Murray Pioneer, 1948.

> next Chapter 1 Formation

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained in this work.