The Torrensville Bowling Club, one of Adelaide’s oldest lawn bowls institutions, is set to be relocated to accommodate a significant roads project.
The relocation is a result of the River Torrens to Darlington Project, which aims to create a 78-kilometre non-stop, traffic light-free route between Gawler and Old Noarlunga. The project includes twin tunnels, surface-level motorways, and overpasses and underpasses at key intersections.
MP for West Torrens, Tom Koutsantonis, expressed the importance of the Torrensville Bowling Club as not just a sporting venue but also a vital social and community hub with a rich history spanning over a century. He highlighted the government’s commitment to finding a “like-for-like” solution, ensuring the club retains its unique identity.
The relocation, scheduled for early 2025, will see the club, including its impressive 12-rink covered bowling green, move from its current premises on South Road to a redeveloped site on the southern bank of the River Torrens at Thebarton. The new $9.6 million facility will feature modern clubrooms, car parking, synthetic greens, and the reassembled canopy, which is renowned as one of the largest and finest in Australia.
By relocating the Torrensville Bowling Club to a 7,000sqm space bounded by the River Torrens, Dennis Mutton Drive and Murray Street, the State Government ensures the club’s independence and identity without merging it with another club. Additionally, this move contributes to the revitalisation of an underutilised section of the River Torrens, and offsets the loss of land at Kings Reserve due to the motorway construction.
Club president Brenton Rolton expressed his delight at the outcome, stating that the members had been eagerly waiting for this solution. As one of Adelaide’s oldest lawn bowls clubs, preserving their independence and heritage is crucial to the club and the community. They eagerly anticipate moving into a purpose-built new home that incorporates the best aspects of their current base.
