About Margaret River Rowing Club

Margaret River Rowing Club is a not for profit organisation run entirely by volunteers. We have a rich club history that started in 1974 and despite devastating loss in the fires, we are forging a new path growing our membership and facilities. Our club house sits beside the beautiful waters of the Margaret River.

We are affiliated with the governing body of rowing in Western Australia, Rowing WA.

As we rebuild, the focus of the MRRC is:

• encouraging members to participate positively in club life
• ensuring our boats and rowing infrastructure are well maintained
• encouraging inclusion
• putting our club first

As well as providing access to a variety of water sports, including kayaking and SUPing; Our goal is to encourage more people in the Margaret River community to experience the wonderful sport of rowing and eventually add to the existing competitive rowing population in the southwest. To achieve this we plan to:

• Offer a schools rowing program in the coming years
• Provide social activities throughout the rowing season
• Provide a well-managed and sustainable entry into rowing for new members
• Provide the opportunity to join a competitive rowing squad or to row socially

Club equipment comprises single and double Spirit and Finn kayaks, SUP boards and rowing shells. We possess specialised single training sculls for absolute beginners and can attach stabilisers to existing craft for those with limited rowing experience or who haven't rowed for some time. Access is permitted any day at anytime before dark, and a keysafe code is provided once payment of membership fees has been confirmed. Committee members are frequently available to assist members and casual or training sessions are scheduled on our website for members information/registration. 

New or returning rowers are welcome.

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HONOURED MEMBERS
...in no particluar order

Tom Roberts
Tom is a founding member.  he was the architect for the original club rooms and supervised construction.  His design is the basis for our new club rooms and is the Knight of Xanadu.  He rowed in the famous crews of teh Club that beat all comers in the early years, Collie, Bunbury, Albany....  He is most remembered for his inspired address to the crew before a race in Bunbury, on a cold and wet afternoon.  His inspiration cam in the form of a bottle of rum.

Teddy Topper-Samson
Ted Samson is a founding member and a long time Insurance Broker for the Club.  He is famous for his trick of blowing his top hat off, using his thumb as a faucet.  He is a Knight of Xanadu, having wone the 'Head of the River' for the Club somtime in the mid eighties.  He has donated a scull trainer to the Club.  He is also admired for his occasional abuse of Shakespeare.

Merv Langley
Merv is a founding member and was the oerall builder of the original club rooms.  His work was oer and above the call of duty at the time.  he not only helped build the Club but he obtained the solid beams that made the founding structure.  Merv also built the Barbecue that still stands today.  He is also famous for his capacity to talk the leg off a chair.  His most remembered victim was poor Judge George Sadleir - Previous Patron of the Club.

John Lagan
Past patron, much revered for his devotion to the Club and the many wonderful 'Pewter Mugs' he presented to the Club Champions over the years.  He aso conucted the annual investiture of the Knights of Xanadu by the euse of a wonderful ceremonial sword.  
He was much admired for his love of and capacity to recite the poetry of W.B.Yeats including Yeats very last poem, which he woud perform immediately after the investiture.    
Our Patron was very keen on lady rowers in bikinis and he thought any regatta should finish wiht a few boxing rounds between the bombatants of his choosing.  The Beloved Patron's wine did not share his enthusiasm for the Club.   
Our beloved patron was also known as 'Dr Death'.

Margie Hohnen
Also known as 'The Haranguer' for her habit of making her wishes very clear.  Marie is the month of the Hohnen brothers, all founding members and was regarded as teh Mother of the Club.  She ruled from a chair on the balcony with a gin & tonic in one hand and a fag in the other.  She was famous for her forthright comments on all matters. All who appeared at her chair took care not to cross her.

Donaldo Drabble 
A founding member and a Knight of Xanadu.  He completed the astonishing feat of winning 'Head of the River' whilst completely ... )  Donaldo's full name is Donaldo-y-Drabble.   He is and remains the Poet Laureate of the Club.  The pseudonym is taken from a great line of Spanish Poets which influenced this sensitive artist.  (he read about them in a surfing magazine).  Donaldo provided many poems to 'The Wake' the Clubs offical organ.
Donaldo would also recite his original work at the Clubs annual dinner.  he was a fine sight with long, uncombed hair, red beard dressing an an elegant dinner suit but stubornly bare footed.
This great poet is also a noted seafarer who has survived two  yacht sinkings.  He is also an explorer and fisherman who fathered many children...  his sons are easily identified by being the only black warriors with red beards.

Rower Thomas
This giant of a man was voted 'President for Life' and held the osition until death.  He was known as 'Rower' as he was never known to row a boa.  He took great care that others follow his example.  This is not to say that he ever lost the 'Spirit' for rowing.
He completed the famous trick of running into the back of a parked truck whilst on the way to a Club dinner.
He devised other competitions for rowers, one of which was to climb u his stone fireplace and then circumnavigate it.
Rower Thomas was the first rower at any regatta and the last to leave.
He was not always a pretty site but neither was his dog, known as 'Killer' who the population of Margaret River had to climb over each morning to buy a newspaper.  Rower Thomas believed in simple cooking and was the first to introduce a culinary custom to Margaret River of never washing a frying pan.

David Hohnen
Famous Club Captain and rigger of races.  The brains behind the Clubs unbeaten record and the 'Heads of the River' regattas.