The Pearlers’ start …

In 2009, Max Smith, had the vision to start a Dragon Boat Club in Forster and placed an ad in the Advocate, seeking other people interested in making it happen.

A short time later, a meeting was held and a Steering Committee formed. On this Committee were Max Smith (who became the first President), Anne Ditton, Andrew Blatch, Brenda Taute (who is still with us!!), Kerry Anne Hays, Rejane Chapman, Marg Smith and Steve Power.

Approval was sought and received from DBNSW to form a Club and action was quickly taken to organize amongst many things, an area of land for use as our base (where we remain), and the lease of a dragon boat from DBNSW (at a cost of $1000 per year to be paid within 12 months), plus the purchase of the first shipping container to store the boat.

Nine years later, in 2018, an application was made through the Stronger Country Communities Fund, for a grant to enable the building of a 20 x 15 metre Colourbond shed to house the three boats (two 20s and one 10s), two outriggers and trailers. 

Fundraising has been a strong part of the Pearlers’ programme. It has contributed to the purchasing of shipping containers, dragon boats, OC1s, paddles, life jackets and all other peripherals required in the setting up and general running of such a club.

To this day, we have now received approval and a Licence to extend our base even further – more shipping containers – to cater for our ever expanding Club. Work is nearing completion, after several years of seeking permission and having plans approved – all of which has required an immense amount of work from our members working tirelessly behind the scenes. The first application was submitted in 2018 by the then President, Denise Marr, and since then, two more Presidents – Laurie Haydon and Wendy Burdekin, along with the current President, Michelle Richardson and successive Executive Committees have continued to progress plans and permissions.

Great Lakes Pearl Dragons held their first ever regatta on 24 and 25 November 2012! Melanie Cantwell was head of DBNSW at that time and stated she thought Forster Keys was the best site in NSW for a regatta, due to the combined features of a wide, relatively protected waterway, shady areas for marshalling and a long, broad clear area for team setups and spectator viewing.

Robyn Macintosh remembers that the Club had the Naval Cadets come to the regatta for many years and they competed using the wooden paddles. She also stated that the first regatta motivated members in the Club to start training as officials for other regattas.