History of Rowing in the ACT

10. Canberra Grammar School 

Canberra Grammar School’s rowing program began in late 1964, shortly after the filling of Lake Burley Griffin, when our inaugural crews first took to the water. CGS was the pioneer school rowing on the lake, starting with a regular four, a tub four, an eight, and a group of 20 boys. Today, the program has grown significantly, with over 150 male and female rowers participating.

In 1970, the school established its own aquatic centre on the lake, a shared facility for rowing, kayaking, and sailing. Funded by the parent association, this original building was constructed on the same site as today’s CGS Rowing Centre.

The early years of rowing development accelerated under the leadership of Mr. Julian Singh, former Rowing Master at Newington College. Upon his retirement in 1991, CGS honoured his contributions by naming the shed’s first carbon fibre four after him.

CGS rowing has a proud tradition of success. Our crews have earned more than 40 medals at the Australian Championships, with the first national medal secured in 1976 in the Schoolboy Coxed Four. The program’s first national title came in 1978 in the National Schoolboy Coxed Fours in Tasmania, with Scott Prowse—who would later return as Rowing Master—stroking the winning crew.

The momentum continued to build. In 1983, Andrew Fairfield-Smith became the first CGS rower to win the Schoolboy Single at Nationals. From 1997 to 2011, CGS medalled at every National Championship, including victories in the Under 17 Schoolboy Eight in both 2006 and 2011.

In 2019, the school made a major investment in a new rowing centre, which stands proudly on the original site. This state-of-the-art facility offers elite-level boats, advanced technology, and top-tier infrastructure, making it a world-class training hub.

Four years after CGS became co-educational, the girls’ rowing squad made a remarkable breakthrough in 2021, winning four medals at the National Championships, whilst the 2025 squad continued this legacy with medals in the U19 Men’s Four and U19 Men’s single in 2025. Most recently, at the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships, our Under 19 Men’s Coxless Four and Cameron Schmidt in the Schoolboy Single Scull both achieved national medals, further adding to the school’s legacy.

CGS has also made its mark internationally. Nick McDonald-Crowley was the first CGS rower to compete at the Olympic Games in 1992, while Caleb Antill became our first Olympic medallist, winning bronze at the Tokyo Games. To date, more than a dozen CGS rowers have proudly represented Australia on the world stage, showcasing the enduring spirit of our program.

Today, CGS continues to foster a strong rowing program for both boys and girls, built on over six decades of tradition and dedicated to nurturing outstanding young individuals first and foremost.

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