at a meeting held at Brophy's Hotel,Doveton St.,Ballarat.The club colours

adopted were a blue cap with a red stripe.The Alabama Club (est.1864) now

being defunct it was decided to take over its clubhouse on the shores of

Lake Wendouree.The club has existed on this original site for 130 years but

in three different sheds.

was eventually absorbed by the Ballarat City Club. The first committee

elected were Messers Bryant, Jinks, Smith , Tynan, Copeland, Sweeney and

O'Donnell.Mr.J.W.Graham was appointed Captain and Mr.E.A.Little the

secretary.

Mr.H.B.Chalmers, Mayor of the City and Mr. Robert Lewis were elected

Vice-Presidents of the club and a code of rules was adopted. Mr.Boyd and

Mr. Armstrong were also added to the committee.

Club, Ballarat Rowing Club and the Ballarat City Rowing Club. This was the

start of Ballarat Regatta now held on the Labor Day weekend in March.

In 1873 Ballart City participated in the Inter-Colonial four oared series

and scored a creditable second to a combined crew from the Melbourne

clubs. The race was rowed on the lower Yarra on the 28th of March. The crew

spent a week training on the Yarra before the race.

In 1873 the big change was again City's uniform which "consists of the best

Ballarat flannel and designed like a double breasted coat, bound round the

edges with scarlet braid while to the left breast is affixed the club's

star, forming with the usual pants and cap, a very unique dress". So for a time

City led the colonies in sartorial elegance if not rowing prowess!

1874 saw Ballarat and City combine for a grand opening of the season with a

procession of boats moving in two lines, Ballarat on the south and City on

the north, each line headed by an eight then fours, pairs and sculls. In the

centre a band played on the steamer. Both clubs imported from England a

four-oared boat with all the latest improvements viz; sliding or fixed

seat, right or left hand spoke rowlocks and for steering with or without a

coxswain!!

In 1882 the club changed its colours for a fourth and final time being the

colours we have today-dark navy jersey with white trimming and star, dark

blue cap with white cross bar and letters B.C.R.C in white on the front.

The Coat of Arms for the club was adopted in 1928 with the motto "PRIMUM

SEMPER" meaning always to the fore.

In 1932 a new clubhouse was commissioned to replace the original Alabama

shed the club had taken over 60 years ago. This new clubhouse was double

story federation style that cost 3000 pounds to build and "was the best in

Australasia", a celebration dinner was held on October 8th 1935 to celebrate

the completion of the new club house.

The Second World War saw a scaling down of rowing activities right across

the country and Ballarat City was no exception. Many of our oarsmen made the

supreme sacrifice and many returned unable to participate in the way they

had before. A Welcome Home Dinner was tendered to all returning members in

1945.

Tragedy struck in 1950 when the entire shed along with all the

boats, memorabilia and 80 years of rowing burnt to the water line.

Many would not survive such a total and devastating loss but survive the club did

And built in time for the 1956 Olympics the current clubhouse.

During the Olympics this new shed served as Olympic Head quarters and the Olympic flag

flew proudly from the brand new flagpole. The 1980's saw City move into its most successful

rowing decade in its long history. Under the guidance of coach Mr.D.Elliott the club

won its first ever VRA Premierships, 5 in all, 43 State Championships and 10 National

Championships. Prior to this the club had only ever won a VRA Country premiership and

1 national title with Alan Dixon and Daryl Brown in a lightweight pair in 1966.

In 1996 A. Edwards became the first City rower to represent at the Olympic

games in Atlanta, wining a bronze in the Men's Lightweight Double Scull.