Port Kembla Sailing Club History

The Port Kembla Sailing Club began in 1949 in an old boatshed on the lake foreshore about 1-2 km east of the clubs present location. Local boat builder Stan Dix led a breakaway group of V J Dinghy sailors from the IYC and formed the club on his boat building premises. This location is marked by the remains of Dix,s boat harbour which can still be seen today adjacent to the cycleway.

The club was then known as Northcliffe Drive VJ and VS Sailing Club. Soon after formation of the club the members built new premises with volunteer labour at a shoreline location about 300 metres west of Dix,s boatshed. This location is marked by a protrusion of filled land jutting out into the lake. As the club membership grew parking and rigging areas became clustered so the members of the time (about 1960) decided to reclaim some of the lake. Obviously there was no Lake Illawarra Authority or active EPA in those days as no authority was sought for this exercise. It was carried out with industrial fill from the steelworks.

During the mid 60,s the club changed its name to the Lake Heights VJ Sailing Club and as the fleet diversified into a number of other classes the name was again changed to Lake Heights Amateur Sailing Club. The club fleet at the time always sailed on Sundays and by the late 60,s fleet numbers had started to decline. The remaining members decided to try a Saturday sailing strategy and from this point on membership began to increase markedly. So much so that membership began to outgrow the clubhouse and rigging facilities.

After race refreshments of the time consisted of hot tea and biscuits, which was most welcome as wet suits had not yet been invented. As a fund raising venture the club decided to apply for a function liquor licence. Through life member Harry Bubb an association was formed with Port Kembla RSL Club as a requirement for us to gain the licence and as a source of supply. Hence the club name was again changed and became Port Kembla RSL Sailing Club.

Local government authorities had been exploring transport corridors between the port and other transport connections and it was decided that Northcliffe Drive would become a major transport corridor as it already consisted of 4 lanes at both the Warrawong and Berkeley ends. However the centre section only consisted of two lanes. It was then proposed that the existing 2 lane road would be converted to a one way thoroughfare for eastbound traffic and a new 2 lane thoroughfare was to be constructed along the lake foreshore for westbound traffic.

These plans became the catalyst for the move to our present location and the club had to hastily pursue relocation site options and funding for a new building. After deliberation over a number of site options the present site was chosen primarily because of its proximity to the boat harbour and extensive area available for rigging and parking. Funding was eventually provided via a grant from the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation and a bank loan. The new premises were duly constructed and the club relocated in 1979.

The principle driver for the club relocation project was Harry Bubb with assistance from other members of the time including Wal Curry and John Todner. One could also say that the club was built on hamburgers because, the forerunner to most fundraising activities occurred when Marj Bubb and Flo Curry introduced hamburgers to the canteen at the old original clubhouse.

The RSL was then dropped from the club name and the present Port Kembla Sailing Club name was adopted. Authorities later decided that the Northcliffe Drive deviation along the foreshore was not viable and the proposal was shelved. The cycleway was then constructed in its place.