Don Dudgeon

Born 1929: died 2010

Richmond Rowing Club, Melbourne Victoria

1955 - Interstate Men's Sculling Championship - Fifth

1956 - Interstate Men's Sculling Championship - eliminated in repechage

1958 - Interstate Men's Sculling Championship - Fourth

Don joined Richmond as a 17 year old in 1946 and became an officer of the club in 1951. He gave more than 45 years of membership and service to the club.

Don was an outstanding sculler. In the 1950s, he took out the Victorian Open Sculling Championship title over 2 1/4 miles five times and the 2000 metres title four times. He also won the Henley Silver Sculls twice, In 1957, he won the 5 mile Best Boat Marathon and he represented Victoria in the Australian Amateur Sculling Championship.

In later years Don competed in veteran rowing at all levels. he represented RRC at the FISA Veterans Rowing Championships in Toronto, Canada, and the inaugural World Masters Games. Don won gold medals in E Division Double and Quad Sculls, as well as silver and bronze medals.

Don gave countless hours to on and off water activities, coaching beginners and training crews over the years. Following the disastrous fire that destroyed the clubhouse in 1970, Don was instrumental, with Bob Juggins, in establishing the financial structures that proved essential in allowing the club to survive and remain at its present site. Don also manufactured and designed the first sliding boat racks for a Melbourne based rowing club and, with a dedicated team of helpers, installed them at RRC in the 1970s.

Don guided the club through years of rebuilding and held various committee positions: Vice-President (5 years), Executive Vice-President (3 years), Secretary (5 years), President (3 years) and Captain (4 years).

Dun Dudgeon on the left (Victorian sculler) speaking with Steve Roll (NSW sculler) at 1958 Interstate Championships

Photo from Steve Roll's collection

Sources: Celebrating 150 Years, Richmond Rowing Club 2014, Steve Roll and Andrew Guerin.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained in this work.