Outback Rowing Committee (L-R): Toby Ford (1977), Bill Ringrose (1983), Harold Hope (1976), Ian Halligan (son of Brian Halligan (1941)), Murray Stewart (father of Campbell (2017)), Peter Chandler (1974), David Counsell (BGS), absent Rob Chandler (1971)

The Vikings Rowing Club, with its origins in Churchie and now a club for many old boys from different schools, hosted the inaugural Australian Outback Rowing Regatta in Barcaldine and Longreach over the October long weekend. Outback Rowing Australia Vice President, Dr Toby Ford (1977), was excited to see the big rowing VIIIs hit the outback waterways. He said: “This event has been 4 years in the planning after COVID cancellations and the new two-day event was a winner with competitors and spectators.”

The festivities started on Saturday morning with Barcaldine character and past mayor Rob Chandler (1971) welcoming the rowers to the region with a colourful account of the famous Tree of Knowledge, its tragic poisoning and subsequent restoration. Rob said the district was very excited to host more annual regattas leading up to the 2032 Olympics when he felt sure western Queensland would be ready to host a curtain raiser for international rowing crews. 

Eleven Olympic class VIIIs took to the Barcaldine Rec Park for the Outback Sprint series. Over 750 metres the highlight was the running of the Outback Gift. Chief handicapper and local Barcaldine boy, Peter ‘Poonch’ Chandler (1974), cast his trained eye over the crews and after a Henley Royal regatta style side by side knockout it came down to the backmarker Viking men verses the Centenary Rowing Club mixed Octuple (an VIII rigged with 2 oars per rower). With a 23 second start the Octuple set a cracking pace and held the fast-finishing Vikings to win the Gidgee trophy. President of the Barcaldine Rowing Club (Australia’s newest rowing club), David Counsell (BGS) said: “It was amazing to see the big boats on the newly built Rec Park and the feedback from competitors and spectators was fantastic. With rowers from the Tablelands to the Gold Coast this event has a broad appeal. We expect crews from other states and maybe even overseas next year to this truly iconic event”.

On Sunday the boats headed to the Thomson River in Longreach for the 10km Head of the Outback. Trophies were fashioned from local gidgee by Peter Chandler (1974) and John Hill (father of Sean (2004) and Chris (2011)). Toowong women’s crew won the Women’s VIIIs race. The Men’s VIII was split by 0.1 of a second with the Brisbane Grammarians beating the Vikings on raw time, however, being an older crew the Vikings won the Gidgee after the handicap was applied.

Outback Rowing Australia member and Longreach accountant, Bill Ringrose (1983), said: “The Longreach community was excited about this new event and looked forward to it becoming a must-do on the bucket list of all rowers. We hope more of the Churchie community might join us for next year’s reunion regatta”.

For more information, visit www.outbackrowing.com.au 

Flotilla of 11 Olympic Class VIIIs and the inaugural Barcaldine Rowing Club quad.

Vikings 1: Cox Brandon Leong (1995), Stroke Mark Batzloff (1978), Fraser Spencer (1978),
John Hill (father of Sean (2004) and Chris (2011)), Andrew Griffiths (Melbourne Grammar),
Ian Purssey (1978), David Counsell (BGS), Rolf Volert (NC), Ross Schamburg (NC)

Crews rounding the Smithy’s Ferry turn in the Thomson River Head Race.