Gosford Community Bowling Club has been granted a temporary reprieve by Central Coast Council as its lease with Central Coast Leagues Club nears expiry, preventing an immediate closure.
The local council has offered a six-month seasonal booking, allowing the bowling club to continue operating while it develops a business plan and funding models to present to council for consideration.
“We are really pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to Gosford Community Bowling Club – as we know how important the Club is to its members,” Central Coast Council mayor Lawrie McKinna said.
“We recognise that the Club felt it didn’t have any options, but after Councillors visited the site, and Council spoke to Club members, Council decided to help the Club.
“The Club has many challenges to face, including access, equipment, capital and a viable operating model – and Council’s offer will give them time to explore this.”
Council said that if the bowlo presents a “satisfactory” model, it will consider entering into a direct lease with the club. Currently, the bowls club lease is managed by Central Coast Leagues Club (CCLC) and the council.
But this is not the first time the bowling club’s future has been in jeopardy. Since 1989, when the council-owned land was first earmarked for redevelopment, the bowling club has fought to remain operational.
According to CCLC CEO Bevan Paul, the leagues club has been supporting the venue and the bowlers ever since. The leagues club amalgamated with the bowling club in 1987.
“The club and its activities have needed support for a very long time and the leagues has kept the club going whilst bowling clubs operating in greater Sydney halved over the same period,” he said.
“The bowling club would have closed around 1990 if it hadn’t amalgamated with the leagues club.
“Maintaining this operation has been at ongoing and increasing expense to members of the leagues club to the point where around 50 members were receiving support of $185,000 per annum last year.”
Paul stated that CCLC had proposed supporting the bowlers in relocating, but the proposal was rejected. Instead, the bowlers requested to remain on-site and take on costs over a one-year period.
“The leagues club agreed to this as long as the bowlers took on the operating costs, other than the council lease, and also allowing the bowlers to continue to apply for funding annually – around $20,000 per annum. The bowlers rejected this proposal as well,” he explained.
Paul said the leagues club has yet to receive a new lease from council.
“The current lease expired in December 2024 and the leagues club accepted a three-month extension to consult with the bowlers whilst council was working on a new lease,” he explained.
After the handover, it will be up to the council to determine the site’s future use, Paul added.
In a social media post, Gosford City Bowling Club wrote: “We are grateful for the support that Central Coast Leagues Club has given us over the years, but now it is time to stand on our own feet.
“Will it be easy? Not at all! Will it make us stronger? Hopefully. Thankyou (sic) to all the clubs on the coast that have sent us messages of support. It means a lot to us. As we move forward we are hoping that when the keys are handed over to us that the club will look and feel the same way it does now.”
Club Management has reached out to Gosford Bowling Club for further comment.
A new chapter
Elsewhere in New South Wales, Doyalson-Wylee RSL has amalgamated with Northmead Bowling, Recreation and Sporting Club (NBC).
Effective since February 5, the strategic partnership marks a new chapter for both clubs and securing a sustainable future for the NBC.
“This is a very exciting time for NBC Sports Club and all our members and staff, and a time that sees a future for the club being a very bright one,” wrote NBC in a letter.
“Your board and general manager are extremely pleased with this outcome. It is the result of an enormous amount of hard work and due diligence, we believe it represents without any hesitation, the best opportunity for our club’s future.”