Lawn bowls, bistro and retro-priced pool tables!
Did you know that in the heart of Newport you can play a game of pool for a mere 40 cents?
You don’t even have to be a Newport Bowls Club member or a bowler to shoot pool on the retro-priced pool tables! Everyone is welcome to enjoy all of the club’s facilities.
For instance, the Bistro is a place where you can enjoy a well-priced meal and a wide selection of wine or local brews with friends or family.
The dining-room-slash-band-room also regularly hosts live music (most notably local and international Rhythm and Blues acts), comedy shows and sports on the big screen.
They’ve held engagement parties, birthday parties and even wakes at the Club.
Newport Bowls Club started in 1925 and is one of the longest running businesses in Newport, as well as being one of the oldest lawn bowling clubs in Victoria with premiership flags under its belt.
Foundation members were mostly working class people who hailed from Great Britain who wanted to build a community facility that reminded them of home.
These days, members come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and mostly live in Newport or have some family connection to Newport.
“Not many locals seem to know that they can just visit us for a meal or a drink … once they come they might then give barefoot bowling a go, and who knows, like me they might decide to take up the sport.”
MARK DORIZZI
There’s a large range in age too. The oldest member of Newport Bowls Club is ninety-two years old and the youngest member is in his early thirties. There are a couple of members in their eighties who are still actively bowling.
“What makes Newport Bowls Club unique is that we welcome new members with open arms. We don’t care what gender or race you are, we don’t judge people,” says Mark Dorizzi, the current Treasurer of the Club (pictured).
Mark came to the sport by going barefoot bowling casually with friends and found that he enjoyed it. Being a Newport local, he joined a team at Newport Bowls Club to pursue the sport and has since inspired his wife and his friends to join up as well. He has now been bowling competitively for six years.
“I’d always played competitive team sports - then once I hit a certain age I couldn’t play active sports like cricket or football anymore. Shocking knees,” laughs Mark. “I enjoy the competitive aspect of lawn bowls. It’s still a team sport but without the stresses and strains on your body. And I get to play it outside.”
His future plans for the Club include installing some new kitchen appliances, expanding the Bistro menu and introducing more genres of music to attract a broader cross section of the community to visit.
“Not many locals seem to know that they can just visit us for a meal or a drink,” says Mark. “Once they come they might then give barefoot bowling a go, and who knows, like me they might decide to take up the sport. Our current club champion is only a third-year bowler!”
