January 23, 2024
The Port Fairy Angling Club is a family friendly fishing club established c.1954. Their clubrooms are located on the historic wharf on the Moyne River. Over many years, the club has successfully introduced many children and other members of the public to recreational fishing, particularly through their junior fishing clinics.
Russell Allardice, a life member of Port Fairy Angling Club, has shared with us the remarkable job the Port Fairy Angling Club has done in holding junior fishing clinics and other fishing activities for the public regularly since the 1970’s.
The club premises is situated directly alongside the Moyne River and is perfectly located for holding junior clinics and other events in a very safe environment. Undoubtedly, the club would have held significantly more clinics for children than any other recreational angling club in Victoria.
Clinics and any other event is fully run and controlled by volunteers from the club and at each Annual General Meeting a member is appointed for the purpose of liaising with schools and other organizations, recording bookings and keeping members informed on when the clinics are scheduled to be held. This same person ensures a sufficient supply of bait is held at the club for the clinics, keeps an eye on the condition of rods and reels used and tees up club members to assist with re-filling line on reel spools from time to time.
The club across the years has held in the order of 15 to 20 junior fishing clinics each year as well as having an involvement in the Moyneyana Summer Festival of events for the public and a good number of “come and try” events, once again for the general public.
Although it is impossible to gauge the number, with so many children being introduced to fishing at an early age, the clinics would have seen some of them at least develop a real interest in fishing which likely continues to this day.
Port Fairy Angling Club are an active fishing club, with members regularly gathering for fishing competitions, social events, award presentations, meetings and working bees.
Learn more about the club on the Port Fairy Angling Club’s website.
Photos supplied by Port Fairy Angling Club
