About our clubs

Ngati Paoa sold the land, now known as St Heliers, to the Government in 1841.  A year later, the St Heliers Land Company purchased it and in 1889 sold 230 acres to The New Zealand and River Plate Mortgage Company for subdivision into residential sections.  One resident, Mrs Vellenoweth, worked for some years to get the area known as “The Vellenoweth Green” placed in the trust of the Tamaki West Road Board (later in 1928 to be amalgamated with the Auckland City Council) for the people of “St Heliers.”

In 1913, the Tamaki West Road Board initiated proposals to lay down a sports field including a bowling green. The first President was George Campbell, who faced the daunting task of raising $500 of debentures and bowling in St Heliers was underway with the opening of the first green in 1914.  Many prominent Aucklanders have belonged, one being L J Keys who ran the local bus company and who represented New Zealand at bowls. The major tournament for the Club, played each year is named after L J Keys.

In the Club’s archives, there is an interesting invitation. It was to a social for the opening and the time was set to coincide with the 2:15 pm ferry.  St Heliers in 1913 was a very isolated beach suburb with a wharf and ferry connection to the city.  The road connection was a back-country road through St Johns and Remuera.  As St Heliers grew, so did the Club and by the mid-century was the largest bowling club in Auckland, with over 200 male bowlers and two and a half greens.  In 1995, Clem Simich, MP for Tamaki sponsored the St Heliers Bay Reserve Bill and after it was enacted, the Club was granted a permanent tenure lease.  The mix has changed with the important addition of women bowlers in 1997.

In 2011, following the opening of the artificial surface, the Club decided to turn its half green into a top standard petanque court and so the St Heliers Petanque Club was formed as an associated Club with the bowling club.  It also hosts an active bridge club and an art group.  

Find out more on St Heliers Bowling Club by visiting their website.

Back on the green

December events

5 December – Battle of the Bridge
7, 9, 14 & 16 December – Bowls3Five 1-5 Interclub 
27-29 December – Auckland Open 2-4-2 Mixed Pairs

Junior Singles at Kohimarama 

Since the season has started off with a whisper and a lot of our Junior players were looking to get some meaningful bowls in, we've organised our own Junior Singles League.

It is, as the name suggests, for Junior players only and everyone plays everyone else, building to a final. We had 14 entries, so we're playing in two sections, ranging from our more experienced players to some of our newer bowlers, and the idea has been taken up with enthusiasm. The players sort out their own times to meet, so games are played all through the week. We use the club handicaps, but since the lowest was five that was trimmed to scratch and anyone off a ten is now on five, and so on. Any club can do this; all it needs is one person to get it going and then it tends to build momentum. Any number of players from maybe five upwards would make it go, although with more than eight you might need two or more sections.

Given the season is almost half gone and we're still nowhere near getting started, players at other clubs might like to give it a go. With any luck, it will become part of our regular playing programme and not necessarily be a one-off. Good luck with it if you try for yourself. 

Contributed by ​Paul Neazor

Club events