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:
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
CLUB COMPETITIONS 2026
Sunday 14th June
Wednesday 17th June
July/October
Sunday 5th July
Sunday 2nd August
Sunday 13th September
Sunday 25th October
Thompson Trophy - C Grade
Gala Day
Ricochet Knock-Out
Thompson Trophy - B Grade
Thompson Trophy - A Grade
Blowes Shield Doubles
President’s Cup
HUNTER ZONE HUB ACTIVITIES 2026
Saturday 13th June
GC High-Low Gala Day
Hunter Zone Hub activities are for all players – if you are interested contact Marion Davies to register your interest.
Email: marion.dawn6@gmail.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
Gala Day & 30th Birthday
Wednesday 17th June 2026
All proceeds with be donated to the Stroke Foundation
Social croquet, games of shill, 3-hoop challenge and 'nearest the pin competition
LATEST NEWS
WINTER DOUBLES
Monday 11th May 2026
The intraclub GC Winter Doubles competition was played on Monday 11th May 2026. All games were advantage handicap play, 13-point with a time limit of 50 minutes.
24 members entered the competition and were randomly drawn into pairs before being seeded into 3 blocks of 4 pairs. The 3-game round-robin block play was followed by semi-finals and a final. In Block A, Greg Long & Bryce Patterson and Iris Maartensz & Geoff Yonge finished with 2 wins each, with Greg & Bryce declared winners on hoop difference. In Block B, Kath Orton & Barry Elliott and Faby Batho & Jan Puckeridge finished with 2 wins each, with Kath & Barry declared winners on hoop difference. In Block C, Gail Brabant & Rosemary Taylor finished on top unbeaten with 3 wins.
The semi-finals featured the 3 block winners plus the best runner-up, Iris Maartensz & Geoff Yonge. Iris & Geoff beat Gail Brabant & Rosemary Taylor while Greg Long & Bryce Patterson beat Kath Orton & Barry Elliott in the semi-finals. In the final, Greg Long & Bryce Patterson ran out winners of the Winter Doubles.
Winners Bryce Patterson and Greg Long
Winter Doubles
MANLY SEABREEZE GC TOURNAMENT
Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th May 2026
The Manly Seabreeze Golf Croquet Tournament was played Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th May 2026. 28 players entered the singles which were played in 4 blocks of 7 players from 7th to 9th May. 34 players entered the doubles which were played in 2 blocks of 6 pairs and 1 of 5 pairs on 9th and 10th May. All games were handicap play, 13-point with a time limit of 50 minutes.
Faby Batho and Liz Friend from Nelson Bay Croquet Club travelled to Manly and played in both the singles and doubles. In the singles, Liz Friend won Block A, the top block with the lowest handicap players, winning 5 of 6 games to finish well ahead of 4 players with 3 wins. Faby Batho finished in the middle of Block B with 3 wins from 6 games. In the doubles, both Liz, playing with Lance Howes (Marrickville), and Faby, playing with Peter Kadar (Hunters Hill) played in Block A – Liz & Lance were undefeated to win the block with 5 wins, while Faby & Peter finished with 3 wins, taking runner-up on hoop difference.
A very successful tournament for Liz and Faby, and the club.
Faby and Liz at the
Manly Seabreeze Tournament
Block Winners and Runners-up
COACHING SESSION
Sunday 19th and Monday 20th April 2026
On Sunday 19th April and Monday 20th April, Nelson Bay Croquet Club were honoured to have a series of coaching sessions run by Kate McLoughlin & Peter Freer. Kate is the current NSW State Coaching Coordinator and an international and state representative player while Peter is also an international and state representative player – both are members of the Canberra Croquet Club. They ran 3 separate sessions for Division 3 players (Sunday afternoon), Division 1 and 2 players (Monday morning) and coaches (Monday afternoon). The sessions were very successful with over 25 members on Sunday afternoon and over 15 members on Monday morning. All those who attended really appreciated the experience of the visiting coaches.
Kate McLoughlin (left) & Peter Freer (right)
Vice-President Marty Quirke thanks Kate and Peter
LAKE MACQUARIE GAMES
Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale
Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th April 2026
The Lake Macquarie Games were hosted by Toronto Croquet Club at the Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre, Glendale, from Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th April 2026. 24 pairs entered the doubles which were played in 4 blocks of 6 pairs on 16th April and the mornings of 17th to 19th April. 48 players entered the singles which were played in 6 blocks of 8 players on the afternoons for 17th to 19th April. All games were level play, 13-point with a time limit of 50 minutes.
Faby Batho, Rob Batho, Sherry Gordon and Marty Quirke from Nelson Bay Croquet Club travelled to Glendale and all played in both the doubles and singles. In the doubles, Rob Batho & Marty Quirke won 3 games from 5 played (+4 hoop difference) to finish 3rd in Block A, while in Block B Sandra Guider/Alistair Torrance (Newcastle National Park) were unbeaten with all other pairs recording 2 wins each with Faby Batho & Sherry Gordon finishing 2nd on hoop difference (+2). In the singles, Marty Quirke won 6 games from 7 played to finish top of Block B. Rob played in Block A with Faby and Sherry playing in Block C.
Block B Singles Winner Marty Quirke with Lyn Baker (Toronto CC)
Block B Doubles Runners-up
Faby Batho (left) and Sherry Gordon (right)