welcome to
NELSON BAY CROQUET CLUB
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Nelson Bay Croquet Club has been established for 30 years. It is located in the Blue Water Paradise of Port Stephens, just north of Newcastle, NSW. Membership is open to all who are interested in the game, and visitors are warmly welcomed.
Members play two the three internationally recognised forms of Croquet – Golf and Ricochet - at present, there are no regular Association games. The Club plays both social and competitive games five days each week on four professionally maintained full sized courts and has a small clubhouse on-site. We also have an active program of social events.
Playing schedule available here:
Division 3 Golf Croquet State Pennants Finals
The 2026 Division 3 State Pennants Finals will be hosted by the club on Sunday 26th and Monday 27th July
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
CLUB COMPETITIONS 2026
Sunday 2nd August
Sunday 13th September
Sunday 25th October
Thompson Trophy - A Grade
Blowes Shield Doubles
President’s Cup
HUNTER ZONE HUB ACTIVITIES 2026
Tuesday 14th July
Hoop Setting & Lawn Workshop @ 1pm
Hunter Zone Hub activities are for all players – if you are interested contact Nancy Ainsworth to register your interest.
Email: nancyainsworth146@bigpond.com
All activities are scheduled at Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale (Toronto Croquet Club).
COACHING DATES 2026
Regular Coaching Sessions
Monday afternoons – all, content as required
State Pennants – as requested by teams
To be confirmed – beginner coaching
Coaching – Pam Barnwell & Derek Bull
Monday 3rd August (morning) – Division 2 Tactics
LATEST NEWS
NSW ADVANTAGE GOLF CROQUET CHAMPIONSHIPS
Doubles: 8th and 9th July 2026
Singles: 10th to 12th July 2026
Ballina Cherry Street Croquet Club
Five members of the Nelson Bay Croquet Club travelled north to play in the NSW Advantage Doubles (8th and 9th July) and Singles (10th to 12th July) hosted by Ballina Cherry Street Croquet Club.
16 pairs entered the Doubles which was played as 2 blocks of 8 pairs in a round-robin qualifying round followed by a knock-out final series. In Block A, Faby Batho & Rosemary Taylor qualified for the finals by winning 3 of 7 games and finishing 4th in the block. In Block B, Rob Batho playing with Paul Coomer (Newcastle National Park) qualified for the finals winning 5 of 7 games and finishing top of the block, with Liz Friend & Sherry Gordon winning 3 games, finishing 6th in the block and moving on to the Plate competition. Rob & Paul lost in the semi-final, but finished 3rd beating Carol & Bryan McMinn (Newcastle National Park) in a play-off. Faby & Rosemary lost in the semi-final but won the quarter final losers play-off beating June Cox & Beverley Philps (Casino) and then Susanne Maher & Marilyn Nelson (East Brisbane). Liz & Sherry lost in the 1st round of the Plate competition. The eventual winners were Donna & Stewart Sinclair (Port Macquarie).
23 players entered the Singles which was played as 3 blocks of 7/8 players in a round-robin qualifying round followed by a knock-out final series. In Block A, Liz Friend won 3 of 7 games to finish 5th in the block. In Block B, Faby Batho won 3 of 6 games to finish 4th in the block; in Block C, Sherry Gordon won 4 of 7 games to finish 4th and Rob Batho won 3 of 7 games to finish 6th in the block. None qualified for the Top 8 championship finals, but Faby, Liz and Sherry qualified for the 9-16 knock-out play-off while Rob moved to the Plate competition. Sherry had 3 wins to finish 9th in the championship with Liz 11th and Faby 13th. Rob finished 3rd in the Plate competition. The eventual winner was Susan Bryan (Sawtell).
Liz, Sherry & Faby
at Ballina
Doubles block players
Doubles block players
THOMPSON TROPHY B GRADE COMPETITION
Sunday 5th July 2026
The intra-club Thompson Trophy Golf Croquet B Grade (handicaps 5 to 8) was played on Sunday 5th July 2026. 5 members entered and the competition was level play single round-robin of 4 games each, over 13-hoops with a 50 minute time limit.
Overnight rain eased to a beautiful winter morning, cool but clear bright. Blue skies …. until just before lunch-time when rain set-in and the final rounds were completed in heavy rain.
The winner was David Wilson, going through undefeated, beating Colin Bailey 7-1, Les Guzowski 7-3. Faby Batho 7-5 and finally Greg Long 7-5. Greg Long 2nd on hoop difference from Les Guzowski with 2 wins each.
A great day despite the very wet conditions.
Ralph Harrison presents to winner David Wilson
Very wet conditions!!
GALA DAY
Wednesday 17th June 2026
Local Federal Member for Paterson and Club Patron Meryl Swanson opened the 2026 Gala Day before playing a few hoops and almost winning a nearest the peg competition.
35 members and 17 visitors from Maitland, Mt Sugarloaf, Newcastle National Park and Toronto croquet clubs attended to play social games of croquet and to try their luck at tests of mallet skills, such as run the hoop tunnel, jump the tyre and hit the hole on the ramp. Players also enjoyed several neatest the peg competitions before and after the BBQ lunch. The meat for the BBQ was sponsored by Guy’s Choice Cuts in Magnus Street, Nelson Bay.
In July 2025, the Club and the wider Hunter community lost a much-loved member, Peter Gordon, to a massive stroke and the Gala Day was dedicated to raising funds for the Stroke Foundation in his memory. The Gala Day raised $2,200 for the Stroke Foundation.
A very successful Gala Day with a great result for the Stroke Foundation.
Margaret-Rose Thompson OAM
cuts the birthday cake
Local Federal MP Meryl Swanson with Rae Black
On the courts at Gala Day
Raffle and BBQ Lunch
THOMPSON TROPHY C GRADE
Sunday 14th June 2026
The Thompson Trophy C Grade competition was held on Sunday 14th June 2026. 14 members entered the competition and were seeded into 4 blocks, 2 blocks of 4 players and 2 blocks of 3 players. The winners of the blocks then played a semi-final and final.
In their respective blocks, Barry Elliott, Frank Orton and Bryce Patterson were unbeaten in the round-robin play to qualify for the semi-finals. In Block B, Prue Patterson and Kath Orton both won 2 games, but Prue qualified for the semi-finals with a better hoop difference, +5 to -1.
In the semi-finals, Bryce narrowly beat wife Prue 5-4 while Frank eased past Barry with a 7-3 win. In a close fought final, Frank prevailed.
Action from the competition
Frank Orton receives the trophy
from Vice-President Marty Quirke
Semi-finalsits
Division 3 Golf Croquet State Pennants Finals
The 2026 Division 3 State Pennants Finals will be hosted by the club on Sunday 26th and Monday 27th July
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
CLUB COMPETITIONS 2026
Sunday 2nd August
Sunday 13th September
Sunday 25th October
Thompson Trophy - A Grade
Blowes Shield Doubles
President’s Cup
HUNTER ZONE HUB ACTIVITIES 2026
Tuesday 14th July
Hoop Setting & Lawn Workshop @ 1pm
Hunter Zone Hub activities are for all players – if you are interested contact Nancy Ainsworth to register your interest.
Email: nancyainsworth146@bigpond.com
All activities are scheduled at Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale (Toronto Croquet Club).
COACHING DATES 2026
Regular Coaching Sessions
Monday afternoons – all, content as required
State Pennants – as requested by teams
To be confirmed – beginner coaching
Coaching – Pam Barnwell & Derek Bull
Monday 3rd August (morning) – Division 2 Tactics
LATEST NEWS
NSW GOLF CROQUET ADVANTAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Doubles: 8th & 9th July 2026
Singles: 10th to 12th July 2026
Ballina Cherry Street Croquet Club
Five members of the Nelson Bay Croquet Club travelled north to play in the NSW Advantage Doubles (8th and 9th July) and Singles (10th to 12th July) hosted by Ballina Cherry Street Croquet Club.
16 pairs entered the Doubles which was played as 2 blocks of 8 pairs in a round-robin qualifying round followed by a knock-out final series. In Block A, Faby Batho & Rosemary Taylor qualified for the finals by winning 3 of 7 games and finishing 4th in the block. In Block B, Rob Batho playing with Paul Coomer (Newcastle National Park) qualified for the finals winning 5 of 7 games and finishing top of the block, with Liz Friend & Sherry Gordon winning 3 games, finishing 6th in the block and moving on to the Plate competition. Rob & Paul lost in the semi-final, but finished 3rd beating Carol & Bryan McMinn (Newcastle National Park) in a play-off. Faby & Rosemary lost in the semi-final but won the quarter final losers play-off beating June Cox & Beverley Philps (Casino) and then Susanne Maher & Marilyn Nelson (East Brisbane). Liz & Sherry lost in the 1st round of the Plate competition. The eventual winners were Donna & Stewart Sinclair (Port Macquarie).
23 players entered the Singles which was played as 3 blocks of 7/8 players in a round-robin qualifying round followed by a knock-out final series. In Block A, Liz Friend won 3 of 7 games to finish 5th in the block. In Block B, Faby Batho won 3 of 6 games to finish 4th in the block; in Block C, Sherry Gordon won 4 of 7 games to finish 4th and Rob Batho won 3 of 7 games to finish 6th in the block. None qualified for the Top 8 championship finals, but Faby, Liz and Sherry qualified for the 9-16 knock-out play-off while Rob moved to the Plate competition. Sherry had 3 wins to finish 9th in the championship with Liz 11th and Faby 13th. Rob finished 3rd in the Plate competition. The eventual winner was Susan Bryan (Sawtell).
Liz, Sherry & Faby
at Ballina
Doubles block players
Doubles block players
THOMPSON TROPHY B GRADE COMPETITION
Sunday 5th July 2026
The intra-club Thompson Trophy Golf Croquet B Grade (handicaps 5 to 8) was played on Sunday 5th July 2026. 5 members entered and the competition was level play single round-robin of 4 games each, over 13-hoops with a 50 minute time limit.
Overnight rain eased to a beautiful winter morning, cool but clear bright. Blue skies …. until just before lunch-time when rain set-in and the final rounds were completed in heavy rain.
The winner was David Wilson, going through undefeated, beating Colin Bailey 7-1, Les Guzowski 7-3. Faby Batho 7-5 and finally Greg Long 7-5. Greg Long 2nd on hoop difference from Les Guzowski with 2 wins each.
A great day despite the very wet conditions.
Ralph Harrison presents to winner David Wilson
Very wet conditions!!
GALA DAY
Wednesday 17th June 2026
Local Federal Member for Paterson and Club Patron Meryl Swanson opened the 2026 Gala Day before playing a few hoops and almost winning a nearest the peg competition.
35 members and 17 visitors from Maitland, Mt Sugarloaf, Newcastle National Park and Toronto croquet clubs attended to play social games of croquet and to try their luck at tests of mallet skills, such as run the hoop tunnel, jump the tyre and hit the hole on the ramp. Players also enjoyed several neatest the peg competitions before and after the BBQ lunch. The meat for the BBQ was sponsored by Guy’s Choice Cuts in Magnus Street, Nelson Bay.
In July 2025, the Club and the wider Hunter community lost a much-loved member, Peter Gordon, to a massive stroke and the Gala Day was dedicated to raising funds for the Stroke Foundation in his memory. The Gala Day raised $2,200 for the Stroke Foundation.
A very successful Gala Day with a great result for the Stroke Foundation.
Margaret-Rose Thompson OAM
cuts the birthday cake
Local Federal MP Meryl Swanson with Rae Black
On the courts at Gala Day
Raffle and BBQ Lunch
THOMPSON TROPHY C GRADE
Sunday 14th June 2026
The Thompson Trophy C Grade competition was held on Sunday 14th June 2026. 14 members entered the competition and were seeded into 4 blocks, 2 blocks of 4 players and 2 blocks of 3 players. The winners of the blocks then played a semi-final and final.
In their respective blocks, Barry Elliott, Frank Orton and Bryce Patterson were unbeaten in the round-robin play to qualify for the semi-finals. In Block B, Prue Patterson and Kath Orton both won 2 games, but Prue qualified for the semi-finals with a better hoop difference, +5 to -1.
In the semi-finals, Bryce narrowly beat wife Prue 5-4 while Frank eased past Barry with a 7-3 win. In a close fought final, Frank prevailed.
Action from the competition
Frank Orton receives the trophy
from Vice-President Marty Quirke
Semi-finalsits