Click on year to see 1st Bowls game: 1905    Club Photo: 1924  etc.  

1903 THE BEGINNING.
It was during 1903 that the suggestion of adding a Bowling Green to the town’s attractions was spoken of amongst the then residents and subsequently mentioned in the Municipal Council. The latter approved of the idea and a sum of 30 pounds was voted for the purpose of putting down three rinks on the recreation ground. Couch grass sods were lifted from some of the by-streets, and in a remarkably brief space a rather rough playing green resulted. An informal meeting of members of the Council (who by the way were eager to become bowlers) and those interested, was held in the Council Chamber on 28th September 1904, at which a provisional committee was formed to secure information relative to the formation of a bowling club, and arrange details.
On October 11 1904,the provisional committee’s report was adopted, and the club actually came into existence on that date. At a meeting of the Municipal Council held next day the club was given a tenancy at £10  per year.
 

FRIDAY JANUARY 20 1905...
Now that the holidays are over members of the local Bowling Club are infusing a littler more energy into the game and are assiduously practising for the contest with Bunbury on the 30th inst. With the idea of getting the calibre of the players, three teams of four players each have been formed to engage in scratch contests.
The club affiliated with the WA Bowling Association

FEBRUARY 3 1905.
Bunbury versus Busselton. On Monday morning last the members of the local club visited Bunbury and played their first match on the latter’s ground. The Bunbury green proved rather fast for the majority of the local men, and was, in a measure, responsible for their defeat. 

FEBRUARY 27 1905...  First bowls match inBUSSELTON.
What might fairly be termed the real inauguration of the game of bowls in Busselton took place today, when the Masonic (Perth) andBUSSELTON teams played an “all day match”. Until 11am the visitors protested that they were returning to Perth by the afternoon train, but as the morning game wore on their decisions began to waver, and eventually only one member of the team returned home on todays train. By todays performance both the Busselton and Masonic teams lay claim to a record hitherto unheard of in Western Australia, viz. an “ all-day match”.
From a bowling standard the games were for the greater part one sided, the visitors being far too strong a combination for the locals. Considering, however, that of the Busselton team of twelve, eleven were novices of a few weeks experience, they played some very good heads, which drew forth the plaudits of some of the “old uns”
At the conclusion of the morning games, the visitors were entertained at dinner at the Esplanade Hotel. His Worship the Mayor (Mr F Cammilleri) presided, and quite an enjoyable couple of hours were spent. On play being resumed at 3.30pm it was decided to transpose the position of players in each team ie. leaders to take the positions of captains, and vice versa. This innovation caused considerable merriment to everyone excepting the unfortunate skippers, whose directions were very often of an amusing nature.
              
Bsn Carnival 1908          Bsn Carnival 1910         Shield winners 1912        1st game Bsn 1905

                                     Click on photographs to see enlarged           

Feb.9 1917. FIRE ATBUSSELTON. Bowling Club's Pavilion Destroyed. Just before 1 o'clock on Wednesday morning a fire was discovered in the Busselton Bowling Club's pavilion on the recreation ground. Mr W Rose, who lives on the opposite side of the grounds, was awakened by the glare of fire in his room, and with all speed came into town and rang the fire bell. The members of the brigade responded smartly but owing to the flames having obtained complete mastery, the building and the whole of its contents were completely destroyed. How the fire started, is so far unexplained.
The pavilion, which was built by arrangement between the Club and the Municipal Councl in 1908 was of jarrah, and contained dressing and refreshment rooms with a large open space for the convenience of spectators. Under the arrangement with the two bodies , the Council repays the Club £6 per annum for 10 years and at the expiration  of that period the building becomes the property of the Municipality. The pavilion was insured with the Norwich Union Insurance Coy for £100 by the Club.
The most of the Club members are losers by the fire, it being roughly estimated that about £75's worth of bowls were destroyed. In addition the Club lost all the Championship Pennants won in the past years, as well as a quantity of sundries of value. A valuable lawn mower belonging to the council was also destroyed, and two or three garden seats met with a similar fate.
The loss is particularly distressing at the present juncture, as the annual Bowling Carnival is only a month distant, and temporary arrangements will have to be made for the convenience of numerous visitors who have expressed their intention of being present.
The Pennant Matches....Busselton defeats both Bunbury Clubs.....Although the unfortunate conflagration at the bowling green deprived most of the members of the Busselton club of their bowls, two rinks left by motor before the fire had burned itself out, to fulfil the club's pennant engagements with the Bunbury and South West clubs. The visitors relied on that generosity-- which is part and parcel of the game of bowls---of their friends to borrow sufficient timber to see the game out, and of course they were not disappointed.
The first game commenced immediately on arrival, with South West. This club's green is playing better than it has ever done, and a most interesting and exciting game resulted, ending in a tie of the last head. In the play off Busselton won by a single point. Jack Bignell's team was up 27-18, while Percy Bignell's men were down 21-29.

Busselton Bowling Carnival....At a meeting of the committee of the Busselton club held during this week it was decided to hold the annual carnival from March 12 to the 17th. The WABA has recognised the fixture and Saturday, the 17th, is free of fixtures, so that Perth men can visitBUSSELTON. On this occasion, at the wish of the Association, certificates will take the place of prizes, and any profits accruing will be devoted to charitable or patriotic purposes. It was also decided not to hold the annual smoke social this year, but to entertain the visitors in a manner more in keeping with the times.