Our Story

Sunraysia Hockey Association (SHA) was formed from Sunraysia District Women’s Hockey Association (SDWHA) when the competition began incorporating first boys, and then men’s teams.
SDWHA was formed in 1953. At that time there were no clubs as there are today. Matches were played between teams. The make-up of the association changed from year to year, although some teams remained as entities over an extended period, for example Kanimblas who won the premiership from 1954 – 1959 inclusive. In those days there was only one grade namely A Grade Women.
A number of teams were Mildura High School-based. The first premiership, in 1953, was won by High School A. Other teams to win premierships in those first years were Irymple, Banda Bandas, Mildura High 1, Neibrem, Tarkurri, Crows, Rivaside, Arsenal and Cardinals.
In 1993, the association changed its format from being team-based to club-based, and became incorporated as Sunraysia Hockey Association Inc. In 1990 the first boys’ competition was held, an Under 15 Boys grade. For the previous few years, a limited number of boys were permitted to play in girls’ teams. Unsuccessful, or partially successful, attempts were made over several years to start a Men’s competition, but the competition became a permanent part of SHA in 1995. Koowinda won the first two Men’s premierships.
In order for the club based competition to be established, the existing teams amalgamated and re-organised to become the four clubs that exist today. Rivaside were an existing team, and Koowinda initially derived its players mostly from Coomealla High School teams. A completely new club comprising players who lived in New South Wales was formed. They trained on the Dareton football oval initially and took their name and logo from the NSW floral emblem – the Waratah. The fourth club had a number of name changes but eventually settled on Mildura United, because it was made up of players from Tarkurri, Cardinals and Wanderers. The name was changed to Mildura Wanderers when the club became incorporated in May 2000. The logo, at times the subject of much derision, is a Wandering Albatross, in recognition of the many names and team amalgamations that gave rise to Mildura Wanderers Hockey Club.
The club leaders who organised the incorporation process were Donna Lovell, Fran Hensgen and Alison Curry. In 1995, Mildura Wanderers won their first A Grade Women’s premiership. From 1994 – 2001 inclusive, every A Grade Womens’ grand final was played between Mildura Wanderers and Rivaside, just as between 1979 and 1992 inclusive, almost every grand final was played between Cardinals and Rivaside.
For the record, it is interesting to note that Mildura Wanderers, playing as Wanderers, won the first Under 15 Boys premiership in 1990. Jamie Pain was a member of that Wanderers premiership team. One of the teams in the competition was entirely made up of students from Mildura Primary School.
SHA has expanded to now comprise A Grade Men and Women, B Grade Men and Women, Under 16 Girls, Under 15 Boys, Under 13 Boys, Under 13 Girls and sub-junior grades for Under 8’s, Under 9’s, Under 10’s and Under 11’s. Mildura Wanderers has teams in all grades, and is excited about the number of players in junior grades as they progress towards the senior grades.