Lowlands Bowling Club Wins Club Innovation Award

Lowlands Bowling Club, nestled in the suburb of Cooks Hill in inner city Newcastle, might be small — but it has more than a century of history and it’s recent innovations have seen the Club recognised and rewarded.

“A little club like ours is about being able to have an economic model that works and also respecting 132 years of bowls history,” says Vice President Brett Gemmell. 

“So, we constantly try and walk that fine line between trying to run an economic club and also support the history of bowls in the area.”

This challenge led to a complete overhaul of the Club and its bowling facilities — a job so well done that Lowlands Bowling Club was recently awarded the Club Innovation Award at the 2024 Bowls NSW Awards Night. 

The changes included a new outdoor entertaining area and synthetic greens and moving 150 bowls lockers from the Club to the redeveloped green keepers building. The Club also brought in initiatives such as “how to bowl” classes for ladies.

A new bar area, that opens directly into the outdoor undercover entertainment area, was also added. The beverage selection increased, and a number of craft beers are now available on tap to cater for the area’s younger demographic.

“We get a lot of the young people who rent in the area because they go to the university,” Brett says.

“(The clientele) changes depending on what day of the week you're there. Typically, during the day, during the week you're going to get the oldies that have come down for a game of bowls and maybe some lunch at the Club, and typically in the evenings you'll get a younger crowd. 

“Then when you get to the weekends, the barefoot brigade come in to have some cheap drinks and a nice easy game.”

Keeping everyone happy — and coming back to the Club — is the focus. With just 11 gaming machines and no TAB facility, the food and beverage side of the business is vital for Lowlands Bowling Club. 

“We couldn't survive on our poker machines alone,” Brett says. 

“So, we've got to ensure that we've got all those other doors open for us.”

Brett himself is known to be too humble to take credit for his overseeing of the changes at the Club, but his colleagues are quick to give him his much-deserved praise.

“When travelling to other bowling clubs in the area I am sometimes asked what they would need to do to achieve the results Lowlands have,” says fellow board member Ian Brown. 

“My answer? Find yourself a Brett Gemmell!”