History of Ballarat Head of the Lake rowing regatta

1913 Ballarat Head of the Lake

The second Head of the Lake was a victory for Ballarat Grammar.

The popularity of the sport within the schools was significant. Rowing in schools started well before the first regatta in 1912. St Patrick's College commenced rowing in 1903. By 1911 it was reported in the St Patrick's College Annual that it was the most popular sport at the College and he ...never saw such enthusiasm about boating in SPC as there was in 1911. Everybody seemed seized with a duck-like proclivity for the water ... The 'kiddies' especially were smitten by the nautical fever ... the unalloyed delight of being able to guide a real boat gave to them a joy too deep for merriment ...

Organising Committee and Officials

Organising Committee: Ballarat Public Schools' Association

Course

Mile course. The course on Lake Wendouree that was used for the Head of the Lake was the course formally surveyed in 1902 and marked with bluestone markers permanently placed to assist in aligning the course. It ran from the Garden’s side of the Lake to the boatshed on the eastern shore. The official distance was 5,735 feet. With the races finishing just off the jetties of the boatsheds, this made them the ideal viewing place for spectators, which is why they were built with balconies facing the Lake. View Point also was the perfect place to view the racing. This course was used from the first Head of the Lake competition until after 1960 when it moved to the 2000 meter or Olympic course surveyed for the 1956 Olympic Games. (Information from The History of Ballarat Regatta, Australia’s Inland Henley 1862-2002, Kathryn M. Elliott)

Head of the Lake

Time: Not known

1st Ballarat Grammar School - Bow: O Lamplough, 2: G Lewin, 3: D Kaneen, Str: L Campbell. Cox: G Woolcott. Coach Dr Robin (Headmaster of Ballarat Grammar School)
2nd St Patrick's College

Ballarat Grammar Crew

From '100 Years of the Head of the Lake' published by The Courier in 2012.

Principal researcher: Kat Elliott

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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.