ABOUT WARC
History
The West Australian Rowing Club will celebrate 142 years since its foundation this year, proof the club has stood the testament of time to come out stronger than ever before. In fact, WARC was named Club of the Year in WA for 2007, and won the State Pennant for the first time in fifty years in 2010.
WARC was founded in 1868 and incorporated the West Sculling Club in 1963. It is the only remaining rowing club in Perth’s central business district, the last remaining evidence of the row of clubs which once lined the Swan River foreshore.
The current clubhouse was built in 1905 and has been a feature of the city landscape ever since. It is now on the State’s register of heritage places, despite being condemned and very nearly demolished during the 1960s when a State Government river reclamation program threatened the very existence of the club.
Thirty years later, during the 1990s, the club again fell into difficulty and the building was left in a state of disrepair. Few thought WARC would return to her glory days but the clubhouse was painstakingly renovated and refurbished by team of dedicated volunteers – many of whom are now our valued Life Members – to become a highly respected rowing club and successful function venue.
The current members of WARC recognise and thank the work of those volunteers who refurbished the clubhouse.
Over the years the club has mourned the loss of members to war and narrowly escaped demolition and dissolution yet the dedication of generation after generation of members has ensured it has survived.
The beautifully restored function room now features many original photographs and pieces of club memorabilia which tell the story of the club’s successes over the years and documents the many stages boatshed rebuild.
Present
The overarching aim of WARC is to become the best rowing club in the State, meaning not only achieving the best results on the water but also to be an efficiently-run club capable of catering to the membership in the best way possible.
As a result, WARC has sourced some top coaches to help new and experienced rowers improve in the sport, has a highly successful Junior Development Program which has medaled at a national level and strong adult competitive squad which is currently tallying second on the Rowing WA pennant table.
From time to time, the club also runs comprehensive Learn to Row courses, a corporate regatta called the Lord Mayor’s Cup which will mark its 20th anniversary next year, and the club has organized Skippers Tickets and coaching courses for members to enable them to take their sport further.
WARC has members of all ages, from 13 to 80 (seriously!) and we work to cater to all, tailoring programs specifically for individual demographics.
Many WARC members are professionals who work in Perth’s central business district and rowing programs are tailored to make training as time-effective for professional works as possible.
The club is also working effectively as a function centre and the spectacular River Room is home to a special Wesley College school program during the school term, as well as providing an increasingly-popular venue for all sorts of functions, from weddings to after-work drinks.
Future
History
The West Australian Rowing Club will celebrate 142 years since its foundation this year, proof the club has stood the testament of time to come out stronger than ever before. In fact, WARC was named Club of the Year in WA for 2007, and won the State Pennant for the first time in fifty years in 2010.WARC was founded in 1868 and incorporated the West Sculling Club in 1963. It is the only remaining rowing club in Perth’s central business district, the last remaining evidence of the row of clubs which once lined the Swan River foreshore.
The current clubhouse was built in 1905 and has been a feature of the city landscape ever since. It is now on the State’s register of heritage places, despite being condemned and very nearly demolished during the 1960s when a State Government river reclamation program threatened the very existence of the club.
Thirty years later, during the 1990s, the club again fell into difficulty and the building was left in a state of disrepair. Few thought WARC would return to her glory days but the clubhouse was painstakingly renovated and refurbished by team of dedicated volunteers – many of whom are now our valued Life Members – to become a highly respected rowing club and successful function venue.
The current members of WARC recognise and thank the work of those volunteers who refurbished the clubhouse.
Over the years the club has mourned the loss of members to war and narrowly escaped demolition and dissolution yet the dedication of generation after generation of members has ensured it has survived.
The beautifully restored function room now features many original photographs and pieces of club memorabilia which tell the story of the club’s successes over the years and documents the many stages boatshed rebuild.
Present
The overarching aim of WARC is to become the best rowing club in the State, meaning not only achieving the best results on the water but also to be an efficiently-run club capable of catering to the membership in the best way possible.As a result, WARC has sourced some top coaches to help new and experienced rowers improve in the sport, has a highly successful Junior Development Program which has medaled at a national level and strong adult competitive squad which is currently tallying second on the Rowing WA pennant table.
From time to time, the club also runs comprehensive Learn to Row courses, a corporate regatta called the Lord Mayor’s Cup which will mark its 20th anniversary next year, and the club has organized Skippers Tickets and coaching courses for members to enable them to take their sport further.
WARC has members of all ages, from 13 to 80 (seriously!) and we work to cater to all, tailoring programs specifically for individual demographics.
Many WARC members are professionals who work in Perth’s central business district and rowing programs are tailored to make training as time-effective for professional works as possible.
The club is also working effectively as a function centre and the spectacular River Room is home to a special Wesley College school program during the school term, as well as providing an increasingly-popular venue for all sorts of functions, from weddings to after-work drinks.
Future
The club has the ambition of being the pre-eminent rowing club in WA in terms of attraction and retention of members, success on the water in competitive regattas, participation of members in both competitive and non-competitive rowing and affiliation with corporate partners for both financial support and provision of members. With the creation of the Rowing Manager's position, the club will be the only one in WA to have a full-time Executive Officer and Rowing Manager. The club also is building a strong link with a number of schools to promote a young membership to complement its existing strong veteran's component.
As part of its strategic plan, the club has defined the following goals:
Encourage participation in the sport of rowing and contribute to the fitness and well being of Perth workers;
Develop a strong financial independence based on income from the Function Room and Kiosk;
Develop a strong corporate partnership, leveraging off our unique location within the Perth CBD;
Develop a new annexe to the boatshed, in a more quiescent location on the river, to ensure that river access is maintained, as further development encroaches on the original site;
Reflect a broad cross-section of the community in our membership through affiliation with schools and businesses;
Become a successful rowing club in the ARAWA, as measured by the association in judging the club of the year, as well as the Pennant winner based on regatta success, involvement in the RWA sub-elite program, involvement in club-based, WAIS-sponsored elite rowing program, development of rowing in schools through both the schools-club link program and Project Oarsome and the development of a strong coaching culture within the club.
