Introduction to the Club
Bong Bong Picnic Race Club
Limited (the Club) is a Company limited by guarantee.
The basic business of the
Club is to conduct the annual Bong Bong Picnic Race Club Race Meeting which
includes the running of the Bong Bong Cup and which normally is held on the
second Wednesday in November. The meeting is conducted at the Club’s wholly
owned 170 acre racecourse, “Wyeera”, situated on Kangaloon Road, Glenquarry
(sometimes referred to as East Bowral).
Other events are conducted
at “Wyeera” throughout the year for example:
The grounds
are also used for showjumping, polo and other equestrian activities.
The Company is managed by
a Board of Directors elected by the membership. Answering to the Board is an
Executive Committee elected by the Board consisting of a Chairman, two
Vice-Chairmen, a Treasurer and a Company Secretary. The Executive Committee is
responsible for the more immediate decisions required for the Club. A General
Manager handles the day-to-day activities.
The Board meets six
times a year on the second Wednesday of alternate months. The Executive
Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each other month.
History
The
Bong Bong Picnic Race Club was formed in 1886. The first Bong Bong Cup was held
in the grounds of Throsby Park and was won by Don Antonio.
For
many years now the meeting has been conducted at “Wyeera”, an aboriginal
word meaning “turning of the soil”.
In
years past the meeting was held on Caulfield Cup Saturday and often attracted a
greater attendance than the corresponding Sydney metropolitan meeting. It is
interesting to note that the winner of the 1920 Bong Bong Cup, Purser, four
years later went on to win the Caulfield Cup
By
the 1980s Bong Bong was the largest picnic race meeting in the world. At a time
when race crowds were declining Bong Bong’s were increasing reaching almost
35,000 in 1985. However poor behaviour on the part of some of this huge crowd
resulted in the meetings being closed. In 1992 the races were revived but under
strict crowd control by limiting attendance to members and their guests only.
Some
firsts for the Club have been:
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first in Australia to be televised in both black and white and in colour,
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first in Australia to conduct races restricted to lady riders,
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first to have a female Secretary,
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first to offer stallion services as a prize, and...
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first Club in NSW to reintroduce hurdle and steeple races after WWII.
A
proud possession of the Club is the actual 1898 Bong Bong Cup which was won by
Mr Thomas Rutledge’s Record. The Cup is on display in the Club’s Bowral
office. Record also finished second in the 1899 Cup as well as winning the
Tirranna Cup at the Tirranna Picnic Races (near Goulburn).
Wyeera
has developed into a fine facility over the years. Long gone are the days of 2 x
2 posts in lieu of proper running rails, ashes from a local brick works to fill
some of the swampy parts and strand starting barriers. Gone too is the notorious
“drop” just past the winning post where unsuspecting jockeys sometimes
became airborne. These days the course is a professional looking track
but one which still holds its picnic race atmosphere and charm with the famous
hill in the centre of the course the source of many tales about what can happen
out of sight of the stewards.
Membership
Currently
the Club’s membership ceiling is 2,500 which figure includes all life and
ordinary financial members. Financial membership is on an annual renewal basis
and runs from 1 June to 31 May in the following year.
Annual
General Meeting (AGM)
The
Club’s AGM as a rule is conducted on the last Friday of May of each year. At each
meeting four of the twelve directors stand down by rotation but if eligible may
nominate for re-appointment.
All
financial members of three year’s standing are eligible to nominate for
election to the Board. Nominations must be submitted on the form enclosed with
the notice of the AGM and must be received at the Club’s office no later than
5.00 pm on the day of the AGM. Each nomination must be signed by the nominee and
by a proposer and a seconder each of whom must also be a financial member of the
Club.
Privacy Policy
Bong Bong Picnic Race Club is committed to protecting the privacy,
confidentiality and security of personal information provided by you to us.
As a member of the Bong
Bong Picnic Race Club Limited, you are requested to provide personal
information. Except for the purposes of data security and back-up, information
provided by you will not be disclosed to any persons, third parties or
contracted providers of services to the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club Limited
without your permission.
Information supplied may
be used by the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club Limited to contact you as required by
the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club Limited.
You have the right to
access any such information held by the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club Limited which
relates to you and to correct information which is inaccurate.
Access requests may be
made directly, in person, to our General Manager, at Suite 6, 34-36
Wingecarribee St, Bowral NSW.
The information you
provide to us, upon renewing your membership to the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club
Limited, may be used to:
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Process your application or renewal and update details as provided by you.
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Provide members with either mailed or electronic literature pertaining to the
operation of the Club and its activities.
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Conduct research in order to understand the needs and requirements of the
members.
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Remind members of failure to renew membership.
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Contact members in regard to any information required as part of the Registered
Clubs Act and in line with the Articles and Constitution of the Bong Bong Picnic
Race Club.
Bong
Bong Picnic Race Club Ltd. ABN
43 002 275 658
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