Evans Head is described as the Jewel in the Crown of the Richmond Valley. Situated on the North Coast of New South Wales about 700km north of Sydney and 180 km south of Brisbane, the beautiful village boasts long, sweeping stretches of clean beaches and river estuaries. The town’s population is approximately 3000; however this increases dramatically during holiday periods. Evans Head is a peaceful coastal fishing village surrounded by National parks and beautiful sandy beaches renowned for great surfing.
The tourism industry for Evans Head is based on the river and the beaches. The coastal village is a holiday haven for families and a quiet getaway for all ages, offering a unique blend of cafes, clubs, shopping, fishing and accommodation. During the ‘off season’ the town attracts people from other states, particularly Victoria who are escaping the colder weather. This influx incorporates the volume of visitors whom take part in the Evans Head Bowling Club’s ‘Seafood Carnival’. Many of these people take up residence in town for two to three months with the carnival as their highlight and finale to their stay. The Seafood Carnival has been running since 1968 with a majority of the participants playing in the carnival year after year. They enjoy the friendships made and reacquainting each year on their pilgrimage to the North Coast.
Services available in town include banking, chemist, Medical Centre, laundromat, supermarket, liquor shop, hardware, surf shop, fishing tackle, take-away food, fresh seafood, newsagent, solicitor, physiotherapy, massage therapy, post office, gifts and souvenirs and various eateries. Activities available within the town are fishing, swimming, tennis, bowls, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, touch football and surfing. The town offers many picnic areas with various facilities. The Bundjalung National Park surrounds the town and offers scenic walks and the chance to spot some local wildlife.
Appreciate the whole area by driving from the centre of town across the bridge, past the boat harbour, take the ocean drive and enjoy spectacular views from Razorback Lookout which is also ideal for whale watching.
Walk along the training wall to see the dolphins at the river mouth and watch the trawlers as they cross the bar to bring in their bounty of fresh seafood. Evans Head is the ideal place for the family to spend their holidays.
History of Evans Head Bowling Club
It was late in 1931 when a few enthusiastic fellows, mainly from Evans Head, decided to form a Bowling Club. The idea was that a game of bowls was not only good sport, but also that the clubhouse would be a great meeting place when the fish weren’t biting. Records show that the Bank of New South Wales, in April, 1932, received a deposit in the name of the Evans Head Bowling Club. Early records and minutes of the club have been lost.
In 1932, half a green was put down on the site of the present ‘middle’ green and a bore was sunk close to where the first clubhouse stood. The first clubhouse was, in practical terms, a huge tank stand. Heavy round timber was used for the corner posts, with rough-sawn timber completing the framework with galvanized iron walls. The ground level section had a wooden floor and the section nearest the caravan park was walled-off and used as a bar. The first floor, about 8 feet up, was the caretaker’s bedroom and, above that, forming the roof, was a platform supporting the 10, 000 gallon tank.
In the early years, with no liquor license, it was ‘bring your own’. And when visitors arrived, the honorary bar steward would ‘take a punt’ on the visitor’s intake, hurry to the pub and buy quart bottles of draught beer, to be resold at purchase price.
In 1945 the club went into recess and, during 1946, the half green was dug up and a full green laid. Play resumed late 1946. In 1948, with the bowls and club welfare in mind, a new clubhouse project was initiated. The clubhouse was officially opened on December 5, 1953.
Lack of reliable information makes it difficult to place past-presidents in chronological order. However, sometime during the early years, Les Williams held office. In 1955, Clarrie Kirkland became president and held office until 1959 when Lester Cribb took over, holding office for four years.
The Evans Head Bowling Club has continued to prosper into the successful club visited by many today.
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