Clubs Push Lawn Bowls Towards 2032 Olympics with Historic Match

ADVERTISING

Above — Lowlands Bowling Club's The Long Roll participants

A host of NSW clubs have spurred lawn bowls towards the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games by each hosting one round of an interstate match spanning more than 1000km.

Starting in Sydney and ending in Brisbane, the 16-day event was dubbed The Long Roll — part of a campaign by World Bowls, Bowls NSW and Bowls Queensland to help their sport earn Olympic and Paralympic status before the famed Games next hit Australian shores.

Eighteen NSW clubs, from Sydney’s Inner West to Tweed Heads, joined 14 Queensland venues in taking part in what was billed as the world’s farthest bowls game between Team Australia and Team Rest of the World.

Team Australia was victorious, winning 17 of the 32 rounds.

The Long Roll began at the historic Balmain Bowling Club on Wednesday, 29 April before gathering steam up the east coast, concluding at Windsor Bowls Club in Queensland on Thursday, 14 May.

Mimicking the iconic delivery of the Olympic torch, two sets of bowls made the trek from club to club by various methods.

Lowlands Bowling Club in Cooks Hill, near Newcastle, played host to a standout leg of The Long Roll on Saturday, 2 May, as members turned out in force alongside community groups and VIP guests to create a special atmosphere.

Competitors of all ages and experience combined, with 62 participants stepping onto the green. Lowlands Bowling Club life members Annette Kennedy and John Orrett memorably delivered the bowls on mobility scooters to the Chariots of Fire theme, while Newcastle Lord Mayor Gavin Morris had the honour of rolling the first bowl of the day.

Lowlands Bowling Club President Ian Brown praised the efforts of volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the event ran seamlessly.

“It was a powerful reminder that clubs are more than sporting venues — they are community hubs,” he said.

“For Lowlands, being part of The Long Roll was both an honour and a statement — that bowls is not only rich in tradition, but ready for the global stage.”

The Long Roll organisers said the interstate event reflected the journey from the Sydney 2000 Games to Australia’s newest Olympic city in 2032, featuring 32 clubs that underpin the bowls community.

The full list of NSW clubs that participated in The Long Roll included: