There’s probably many Kiwis who haven’t heard of the suburb of Green Island in Dunedin.
That’s until you mention a few All Blacks : Greg Cooper, Lyn Jaffray, Brian McKechnie and Ben Smith … they all came from Green Island. The Burnside Freezing Works used to be at Green Island … now it’s the home of Harraways, the rolled oats people. Go back 40 years, and you may remember the catastrophic landslip at Abbotsford ... that’s over the motorway from Green Island.
Funnily enough Green Island isn’t actually an island. It’s named for the ‘island’ of bush on the outskirts of the suburb of Green Island, which in turn took its name from Green Island, an island a short distance off the coast of Dunedin!
You’ll find Green Island Bowling Club here too. In Green Island, the suburb. Not Green Island, the island!
“We’re right in the middle of the Green Island village,” says Green Island Life Member, Lyn Rance. “But unfortunately, the clubhouse backs on to the main road so it’s pretty difficult for passers-by to know there’s a bowling club here.”
Nonetheless, the club’s survived on the same spot since 1887, and still has a membership of over 55 full-time playing members … slightly more men than women.
“It’s not a club that’s too large,” says Lyn. “Everyone works well together, inspired by our Club President, Graeme ‘Prydey’ Pryde. He’s one of the great volunteers … always doing anything and everything.”
However, the club does loom large when it comes to playing bowls, particularly the women’s game.
“We won the Jean Shelton Trophy this year for getting the highest points overall in the women’s interclub. As well as the Stuart Trophy for winning the women’s top sevens.”
“Faye Cosgrove plays here. She’s been a previous National Fours winner with the composite side of Patsy Jorgensen, Winnie McLelland and Daphne Hynes. And a composite team I was in with Marta McEwan, Margaret Malcolm, and Gloria Shine were runners-up in the Nationals in 2002 ... we were beaten by the better team on the day!”
“We may not have picked up national honours recently, but we’re still amongst the medals at Centre events.”
Despite the fact that many tournaments now are mixed events, the club’s signature tournament is now also a women’s-only event. Green Island took over ‘The Grandmothers’ when Tainui relinquished it a few years back.
“It’s a one-day tournament in February,” says Lyn. “It’s a Fours tournament, but you have to be a grandmother to be in the team. No exceptions. We have a waiting list, despite the fact that we borrow a green from Fairfield for the tournament.”
“The winner is the best on points for the three games.”
“People love playing here. I wouldn’t say we’ve got the best green in Dunedin, but we’ve certainly got the second best. Our Greenkeeper, Dave Hutton, picked up Greenkeeper of the Year at this year’s Centre Awards evening.”
“The only downside is the darn roadworks outside which seem to have been going on forever. They make it difficult to access the club. Plus we’ve also found that with indoor bowls being on hold over the past two years because of COVID, people seem to have got used to no longer coming out. So indoor’s suffered.”
“But both the roadworks and (hopefully) COVID, will soon be gone. And we’ll be able to get back to normal. Perhaps even better. We’re aiming to install heat pumps in the clubhouse. Hopefully they will make it a little more welcoming to the indoor players over winter!”
