Wade Hewitt

Leichhardt Rowing Club (NSW)

The following article appeared on the Rowing NSW following Wade's death.

Rowing NSW is deeply saddened by the passing of Wade Hewett.

Wade’s involvement with rowing came by way of his daughters’ education at Pymble Ladies College, being a big supporter of the rowing program at the school prior, during and after his daughters graduated from the school.

Around the turn of the century, Wade was instrumental in negotiating the partnership between Leichhardt Rowing Club and Pymble Ladies College to build a magnificent new facility shared by the club and the school. The current boathouse has enabled both the club and school to prosper, with well over 400 people rowing out of the facility.

A huge supporter of eight’s racing, Wade helped negotiate the sponsorship prizemoney with DHL for the Super-Eights concept in the mid-2000’s. His support for Eight’s racing was not just limited to his significant off-water involvement as Wade would often be a part of one of the many Leichhardt eights that race annually at the Head of the Yarra in Melbourne.

He held the position of Councillor to Rowing Australia from 2006 until November 2009 and his affable and social nature, along with his seemingly endless time for people, were of great assistance in strengthening the relationship between Rowing NSW, Rowing Australia and all State and Territory bodies.

Wade continued his involvement with Rowing NSW as part of the Facilities and Development Group in searching for areas to build upon or facilities to commence rowing from around Sydney Harbour. This effort to help find homes for school programs without a boathouse of their own as well as for new rowing clubs was part of his strong efforts to continue to grow the sport. He assisted in bringing numerous people into the sport over more than a decade through his work with the Leichhardt Rowing Club Beginners and Learn to Row program and assisted and mentored many members of the club always having time for anyone. In more recent years he volunteered his time as a Boat Race Official.

Leichhardt Rowing Club honoured his enormous contribution to the club by christening a Filippi quad scull the Wade Hewett in addition to having Life Membership of the club bestowed upon him in 2015.

Greg James QC, Barry Moynahan OAM and Wade Hewett at the 2007 Rowing NSW Annual Presentation Dinner

Andrew Guerin
December 2021

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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.

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