A Little Club and Local Area History.

1802 Matthew Flinders sailed up Spencer Golf and decided the area was too flat and of no interest.

1850 Copper was found in the area.

!860 Wallaroo became the port for loading copper from the smelter here. Grain grown in the area was also loaded at the port. Everything arrived and left by sea.

Many of the grain ships lost crew here. The voyage to Australia was grueling and many did not want to make the return trip. With this in mind its amazing a sailing club ever eventuated .. but it did.

By 1876 a New Years Day Regatta was organised to bring people in from all over the peninsula. Swimming and rowing were the main events. This Regatta was help annually for many years.

In 1964 the Wallaroo Sailing Club was formed by a small group of enthusiasts. The first fleet consisted of a Lightning. a Holdfast Trainer, 2 Gwen 12s, 2 Moths and a Rainbow. Founding member Bill Bollmeyer quipped it was a "handicappers nightmare". Over the next year membership fluctuated but the club did gain a boatshed and a Holdfast trainer for the younger members to learn the art of sailing. As the emphasis changed from single crew to boats manned by 2 or more the fleet gradually grew, so that by the end of the 60s there were 32 boats in 3 divisions. By 1969 3 Regattas were held attracting more than 50 boats. Sailing also became the main event of the century old New Years Day Regatta.

Wallaroo Sailing Club has held State Titles for herons ,Heats for Sharpies, 125s and Rainbows. The club has also held training camps for the Moths in the clubhouse. Members have also done themselves proud. Ian Porteous won the 1981/82 Surf Cat title while Alvin Atkinson won the Tripolis 3 Day event for keel boats between Pt Pirie, Pt Augusta and Whyalla.

Sail Training was and still is an important part of the clubs activities and for many years was nurtured by Jeff Jones. This in turn earned him the South Australian Yachtsman of the Year.

In the past few years the club has expanded its club rooms enabling the club to hire the facilities to the public for weddings, conferences, meetings etc. Friday night it is open to club members and the public for drinks and dinner.

Sailing is still the passion here and on any Sunday through the sailing season (weather permitting) you will find our sailors on the waters of the beautiful Wallaroo Bay.