History

Eastwood has had many outstanding players representing the Club in State and even National competitions. Most ‘capped’ member is Edna Gibson, Captain of the New South Wales Interstate team in 1963.

MacRobertsonShield The MacRobertson Shield.

Edna also played in the coveted Interstate Cup held in Queensland, winning the 'English Bronze Medal'. She went on to represent Australia in the MacRobertson International Croquet Shield held in Australia in 1969 between England (winner), New Zealand and Australia. Edna also was a dedicated club member, serving in various voluntary roles, including as President for a total of 15 years between 1956 and 1973.

Another former member who gave admirable service to both the Club and croquet in Australia was Winifred (Win) Dickinson, author of ‘A History of the Australian Croquet Council 1949-1986’, and President of Eastwood Croquet Club for 6 years between 1966 and 1980. She also served on the State and National croquet associations in various volunteer capacities and was vested as a Life Member of Eastwood Club during her membership. For her dedication and achievements, Win was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1984 and entered on the Australian Sporting Roll of Honour in 1996.
The history of competition and volunteer work on behalf of croquet in Australia and Eastwood Croquet Club in particular has continued over the years, with members sometimes achieving state and national representation and even awards, and recognition and appreciation from members for their evident love of the game of croquet, their sportsmanship, and for commitment and service to the Club.

The Eastwood Croquet Club was inaugurated in 1935 and began life at the present site at the beginning of 1936, following the construction of the Croquet members’ pavilion and courts by Ryde Council.

A number of local croquet enthusiasts had for some years been petitioning state and local governments for a croquet centre in the locality and were finally successful with the dedication of a site and an allocation of funds in the early 1930’s to construct two croquet courts and a clubhouse on the north-east corner of Eastwood Park adjacent to Eastwood Town Centre..

Eastwood Park is part of what was long known as “Love’s Farm” named from a very early (1795) land grant. After a varied history, a Crown land public park was proclaimed in 1920 and Ryde Council appointed as trustee. Eastwood Park was finally vested in the Council in 1978. The lower part of Eastwood Park including the courts of Eastwood Croquet Club, formed a small lake in the early 1900's, filled in 1929 in a project partly to alleviate unemployment, but also because the lake had become polluted with run-off from the growing town centre and increased roads and housing in the area.

The croquet pavilion and two courts were constructed during 1935, officially opened in December of that year withtwo Croquet Lawns and a sandstone Pavilion, and the previously established Eastwood Croquet Club took up occupation in January 1936.

Early Crown Lands Department aerial survey photographs taken in 1943 show the croquet courts and members' pavilion, together with five small shelters used by the players, and the rose garden to the south of the courts. All of these features remain today essentially as then, except for one shelter demolished due to termite infestation some years ago, and evolutionary changes in the rose garden.