Club History
Mannering Park is an isolated peninsula at the southern end of beautiful Lake Macquarie. Early residents were engaged in fishing and dairy farming. The building of the power station at Vales Point and the opening of mines to supply coal brought an influx of people who used the lake for recreation, fishing, water skiing and sailing.
The first regatta at Mannering Park was held on 14th March 1969 and in May 1969 the members of Mannering Park Amateur Sailing club held their first meeting. Fifteen people attended. It was decided to sponsor Sabots, VJs and a third, open class of boats. General sailing was conducted from September 1969 to April 1970. The boats met at the Point where the ladies' auxiliary operated a kiosk. The money raised by the kiosk and from a 200 Club, purchased a rescue boat for $913 in 1970.
The search for a permanent Clubhouse started in 1970. Presentation nights were held at the Mannering Park Progress Hall with trophies donated by local business people. The Club continued to grow. The list of people involved indicates that most of the members of the Club were residents of Mannering Park. Even today several generations of families living in the town have been involved with the Sailing Club at some time.
In 1979 it was agreed to purchase a caravan to be used as a kiosk and sailing clinics were started for children. The block of land at the end of Grace Street was used for conducting the races. The absence of toilet facilities was raised with Council who decided that the Club had to wait until the sewer was connected. In 1985 sailing was organised from the Point. By this time the Club had grown, with 25 people attending the AGM in 1985. The boats had also grown in size with mostly trailer sailers and small fixed keel yachts and a couple of dinghies. After the sewer was completed the Club was granted permission to build a rescue boat shed with toilet facilities on the land at the end of Grace Street.
The current Clubhouse was built with the skill and labour of members and the block is maintained by members. It has a wide view of the lake and the race course.
The Club races on Saturdays and has introduced a successful twilight race on Wednesday evenings that makes a very welcome form of relaxation for members during the week. Many residents gather on the lake edge to watch the boats sail past. It is a weekly event that helps identify Mannering Park with sailing. Several excellent sailors have represented the Club in regattas in Australia and overseas winning State and National titles. This is a great achievement for a small community.
The Club became incorporated in 1997 and the name "Mannering Park Yacht Club Inc." was adopted to reflect the change in the type of boats that now sail with the Club. In the 2002 - 2003 Season Catamarans were introduced as part of the fleet racing on Saturdays.
