MWKC Club History

MWKC Where the Club Started

In 1982 there were no State Institutes of Sport, no Australian Institute of Sport, in fact no professional support for the Olympic Sport of Kayak racing, in Australia.

Barry Kelly (1980 Moscow Olympian) was in hard training on Narrabeen Lake to achieve his goal to represent Australia at the 1984 Los angeles Olympics. Interested ski/kayak paddlers staged several important races on Narrabeen Lake to gauge interest, from this two public meetings were held at North Narrabeen Surf Lifesaving Club to appoint a working party, to create the only kayak club north of Sydney Harbour.

The inaugural meeting to form the MWKC was held at the North Narrabeen SLSC on the 10th April 1983. Len Turner / President, Chris Luhrman / Secretary, Craig Susan / Treasurer, Brett Worth / Race Secretary, Lin Aitchison / Vice President

Initial races were staged from Narrabeen Caravan Park every 2nd Sunday and North Narrabeen SLSC kindly allowed participants to use the clubs facilities. Then later the MWKC moved to the NSW Dept of Sport and Recreation Fitness Camp, at the western end of Narrabeen Lake.

Mid 1984 Barry Kelly was selected to represent Australia at the 1984 Olympics in the K2 1000m event. To assist Barry, the MWKC donated it’s entire funds of $500, he responded by gaining a Bronze medal with Grant Kenny.

In 1987-88 stage one of the MWKC was commenced and built entirely by voluntary labour. Special thanks for the completion of the original clubhouse goes to: Bill Worth (Former North Narrabeen SLSC President) Paul Munro, Grant Hughes, The Byrnes Boys, Peter Tedesco.

MWKC FORMATION

MWKC was founded on the 10th of April 1983, by a group of 28 kayak and surfski enthusiasts. The first meeting was at the North Narrabeen SLSC to officially form the Manly Warringah Kayak Club, the only kayak club north of Sydney Harbour. Len Turner was duly Elected President of MWKC a position he held for the next 12 years.Chris Luhrman / Secretary, Craig Susan / Treasurer, Brett Worth / Race Secretary, Lin Aitchison / Vice President

Initial races were staged from Narrabeen Caravan Lake every 2nd Sunday and North Narrabeen SLSC kindly allowed participants to use the clubs facilities. Then later the MWKC moved to the NSW Dept of Sport and Recreation Fitness Camp, at the western end of Narrabeen Lake.

FUNDING MWKC’S FIRST OLYMPIAN

When Club Member Barry Kelly was selected for the 1984 Olympic Games he became the MWKC’s first Olympian. In those days athletes representing Australia were not fully sponsored and so funds had to be raised privately.

Lin and Max Tunbridge came up with a proposal to stage a 24 hour non stop Paddle-a-thon around Narrabeen Lake with all moneys raised to be donated to Barry Kelly. Brett Worth competed the gruelling 24 hour effort, narrowly missing out on a Guinness Book of Records entry. The Club raised $500 which was presented to Barry Kelly to help send him to the Los Angeles Olympics. Barry Kelly won a bronze medal in K2 1000m with Grant Kenny.

Further photos and Newspaper articles on the 24 hour Paddle-a-thon in the MWKC Archive section

Right: Brett Worth in the 24 Hr finishing with an individual 212.5km and MWKC Vice-President Lin Aitchison

Building the MWKC Club House

The lack of a set base for the Club saw the foundation of a Building Committee, Bill Worth, Peter Tedesco, Lin Aitchison and Len Turner. After a series of representations to Warringah Council the Club was granted a lease for its current site at Berry Park. Under the supervision of Bill Worth, work progressed on a voluntary basis by club members and skilled tradesmen. 

Bill Worth was the site foreman for the construction of the Club and with Len Turner arranged for all the different materials and trades to help out in the construction. Bill Worth sourced the land our Club now stands on from the Council and Barry Byrnes was the surveyor, also a member of North Narrabeen Surf Club. 

North Narrabeen had built the second storey of their surf club using club labour and tradesmen and at Len Turner’s request Bill Worth managed to get them do the same thing with MWKC. Norm Harvey from the North Narrabeen Shivering Sharks helped to organise the concrete slab of the original Club. Paul Munro from Mona Vale SLSC sourced and installed all the internal steel fabrication for the building and the first kayak racks. 

Throughout the build Len Turner managed to involve many people from Surf Clubs along the Northern Beaches with the project. MWKC is indebted to all these surf clubs and organisations that chipped in to help build our first boatshed with our club members.

The MWKC club house was opened on the 2nd of December 1989 by Dr John Caputo, President Warringah Shire Council, with the sponsorship of the NSW. Department of Sport, Recreation and Racing.

SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CLUBHOUSE build goes to: BILL WORTH (FORMER NORTH NARRABEEN SLSC PRESIDENT) PAUL MUNRO, GRANT HUGHES, THE BYRNES BOYS AND PETER TEDESCO.

The early years of the MWKC will be remembered for the tremendous achievements of a small group of enthusiasts, who built the STRONGEST KAYAK CLUB IN AUSTRALIA, from the humble beginnings 38 years ago!!

Club House Renovation

The club underwent a renovation 2006-2008, with the assistance of the Warringah Council, under its Capital Assistance programme for Sports Clubs and Manly Warringah Kayak Club members who contributed significant amounts of their personal time as voluntary labour. The extended club was officially opened by Mr Dick Persson (administrator for the Warringah Council) on the 2nd of March 2008

In 2010 $10,000 to Manly Warringah Kayak Club towards an upgrade of the female amenities in the club building at Berry Reserve

MWKC OLYMPIC HONOUR ROLL

MWKC has a proud history of producing athletes who have competed at the Olympic level. Listed below are former MWKC members who have gone on to represent their Country

Club House renovation & opening photo gallery

Every care has been made to capture our club history from archives held at Warringah and Northern Beaches council, however should there be more information you would like us to share with MWKC members please contact David Coli on [email protected].