BOWLS
The Yallourn Bowling Club will turn over a new leaf soon after it was decided the club would rebrand to become the Newborough Bowling Club.
The decision comes after the annual general meeting last week when the motion to rename was raised and passed by members with the 75 per cent vote needed.
Founded in 1967 and originally named the Newborough Bowling Club, the club was renamed Yallourn in 1978.
Yallourn Bowling Club chairman Spencer Goss said the decision to revert to its original name was one of common sense and a way for the club to “be seen as going forward”.
“It comes down to the fact that we are in Newborough,” Goss said.
“The Newborough Football Club is nearby and the township of Yallourn itself has actually gone.”
Historically, visitors and competition opposition have found it difficult to locate the Yallourn Bowling Club, often confusing it with the Yallourn North Bowling Club.
“We find that people come here for events and they put it in their GPS and end up at Yallourn North,” Goss said.
“It’s a new direction for us and personally I’m really pleased it has happened and we’re really looking forward to it going ahead.”
The motion to change to the Newborough Bowling Club was first raised in 2006 but was defeated by four votes.
Club manager Allan Grubb admitted the official transition of the name from Yallourn to Newborough would take some time but said it was an important move for the longevity of the club.
“Yallourn tends to get lost outside the bigger picture, and someone in Traralgon might not necessarily know where we are,” Grubb said.
“We still get confused with Yallourn North. They get out mail and we get theirs.
“If I said the Newborough Bowling Club, you’d know exactly where it was and it’s pretty important that you relate to your community.”
A working committee has been established to begin the official renaming process.
“The first thing we have to do is register the new name with Australian Securities and Investment Commission,” Grubb said.
“Once we’ve done that we can update our gaming, bingo and liquor licenses and the constitution will have to be changed.
“All the rest of the changes are cosmetic but we’re excited. You don’t lose history by changing your name.”
