A key objective for the Community Rowing Club is the development of an indigenous crew as part of our youth program. While the youth program of the Rowing Club will be an inclusive and diverse program, the Community Rowing Club will work towards the development of a representative indigenous Eight crew, as a target to provide additional opportunities for youth members who identify as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander origin.
History
For over a decade, the founding members of the Balmain Para-Rowing Program have been working to develop a true community-based rowing club that would cater for rowers of all levels of ability, and from all backgrounds, in the Sydney Harbour Area.
Long Cove Creek Go Mo Ra Rowing Club
This initiative commenced with the formation of the Long Cove Creek Go Mo Ra Rowing Club Incorporated (LCC), which initially worked to develop a rowing facility on the shores of Haberfield near to the mouth of Long Cove Creek.
Relationships were developed with the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team (LMRDT), the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE), and the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience Program (AIME), all of whom have expressed their support for the project.
Although the concept was given in principal support by the then Ashfield Council, difficulties in securing an appropriate site for the club facilities in the space surrounding the mouth of the Long Cove Creek (also known as Hawthorne Canal), near to the Western Distributor, and the unexpected growth of the Balmain Para-Rowing Program led to a hiatus in the development of this project. Despite this, the Club remains ready to commence delivery of its indigenous program as soon as appropriate facilities are located.
With the Club now in a temporary home on the Lane Cove River, it is actively exploring opportunities to now commence this program – further updates will be posted as we get set up!