History of Rowing in the ACT

Celebrating 60 years

17. Closing Reflections

60 YEARS OF ROWING IN THE ACT

As we close the chapter on 60 years of rowing, we celebrate the passage of time and the enduring spirit of rowing in the ACT - a community built on dedication, resilience, and a deep connection to the water. The reflections shared here are a small part of the enduring legacy, with many stories yet to be written.

From the first strokes in April 1964, rowing has had a special place in the history of Lake Burley Griffin and the wider Canberra community. Since then, Rowing ACT has moved from affiliation with Rowing NSW to an individual association, recognised by the Rowing Australia Council. Thanks to the tireless work of the first committees, the countless hours from volunteers and incredible work of many more, rowing in the ACT continues to be a integral part of the legacy of Lake Burley Griffin and beyond.

Over the decades, signature events have become cornerstones of the ACT rowing calendar. Events like the Col Panton Memorial Marathon, the Head of the Lake Regatta, and the Winter Time Trial Series are not just dates on the calendar but regattas that are cherished by so many. Throughout six decades of rowing there have been many remarkable stories of competition and sportsmanship. Our individuals, crews, teams, schools and clubs continue to unite to bring people together through shared interests from grassroots to high performance programs in rowing, coaching, volunteering, umpiring and sports administration.

To everyone who has contributed on the water, behind the scenes, or cheering from the shore - thank you. Your passion has propelled ACT rowing through 60 remarkable years with many more to come.

To our clubs and the broader community who have contributed so much across the years - thank you.

Here’s to the legacy we honour, the stories we share, and the future we continue to shape - together.

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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.