Bowls WA President tours the North
Bowls WA President Larry Bandy joined Bowls Australia’s Regional Bowls Manager (WA – North-East) Clive Adams this week for a trip into Northern WA, catching up with plenty of clubs along the way. Primarily, the trip was to offer support to the damaged areas of Kalbarri and Northampton, hit by Cyclone Seroja last month, but there was also an opportunity for visits to some of our coastal clubs too.
The damage in Kalbarri, in particular, is quite devastating. Many of the accommodation motels are without roofs, and other buildings and houses are just a shell of what they once were. The Kalbarri clubhouse itself escaped too much damage and has been used as a control centre for much of the repair work that has already begun. Kalbarri players were enjoying their new synthetic green, installed 18 months ago – unfortunately it was severely damaged in the cyclone and will need to be completely replaced.
Northampton was actually half way through installation of a new synthetic green when the cyclone hit. The green has come through largely unscathed, except for a couple of damaged areas which have already been repaired. Significant damage around the green, to shade shelters and some to the clubhouse, is a reminder of the strength with which this cyclone hit. The town itself was hit very hard, again with much of the damage clearly visible with a simple drive through the town.
Both clubs are currently working through their insurance situation and counting the cost of repairs. Both will be reaching out to the Bowls Australia Disaster Relief Fund for some assistance, and Bowls WA is fully on board to assist these clubs in any way possible.
Both Clive and Larry would like to thank everyone they visited throughout the trip, for the wonderful welcome they received at each and every Club.
Clubs or officials from clubs visited on the tour were Kalbarri, Northampton, Geraldton, Wonthella, Mullewa, Denison, Jurien Bay, Cervantes, Lancelin and Ledge Point.
