Dating back to 1969, this year we are celebrating 55 seasons of Yarra Ranges Athletics.

Yarra Ranges Athletics Club was incorporated in 2012 when the former Little Athletics centre, known as Lilydale and Yarra Ranges Little Athletics (LYRLAC), affiliated with both Little Athletics Victoria and Athletics Victoria, and became the first Athletics club in Victoria to have a combined membership for athletes of all ages.

Little Athletics caters for athletes from U6 to U17, while Athletics Victoria caters for athletes from 11 years and older.

The Early Years: In 1971-72 there were 5 clubs participating for the Lilydale Little Athletic Association, Mooroolbark (Blue), Montrose (Brown/Gold), Mt Evelyn (Red), Pembroke (Green/gold) and Lilydale (Blue/gold). In 1973 they were joined by St Peter Julian who participated in white tops. In 1989 another club, Yarra Valley, joined. In 1994 the clubs changed again, this time to Yarra Valley (Light blue), Mooroolbark (Blue), Montrose (Brown/Gold), Mt Evelyn (Red), St Peter Julian (White), Healesville (Green) and Lilydale (Yellow). Over the next 10 years some clubs folded or merged, by 2001 we were back to 4 clubs Mooroolbark (Blue), Mt Evelyn (Red), St Peter Julian (White) and Lilydale (Yellow).

These four clubs remained until 2005 when they all were united into the current one club format.

Prior to 2012 Lilydale and Yarra Ranges Little Athletics Club was only affiliated with Little Athletics Victoria. The club was formed in 2005 when four local Little Athletics clubs, Lilydale (Yellow), Mooroolbark (Blue), St Peter Julian (White) and Mt Evelyn (Red) merged.

The colours used at our weekly Little Athletics club competitions are legacies of these original clubs in our area. All Little Athletics members are also a member of one of the “clubs”, Redbacks (Red), Mustangs (Blue), Comets (Yellow) and Jaguars (Green). Regular “interclub” competitions, club captains and overall champion club are highlights of the intra club competitions.

In 2013 the Morrison Reserve Regional Athletics Facility was completed. The upgraded home of Yarra Ranges Athletics now includes state of the art athletics facilities including an all-weather 8 lane athletics track, 8 light towers, new clubrooms, grandstand, an ever improving gym, 2 grass warm up areas and boasts one of the most picturesque venues in Victoria.

Our club offers athletics competition and training year round, with track and field dominating the summer months and cross country / road / trail running over the winter months.

There is weekly competition with the track & field program running from early October to March and cross country each Saturday morning from April to the end of August. Our “senior” athletes have the opportunity to compete in the various Athletics Victoria competitions including track & field, cross country, road racing, trail running and other events spread throughout the year.

The club is continually upgrading and renewing equipment to ensure the best facilities and equipment are available for the club members and wider community. The venue has and continues to host major events including school championships, regional athletics championships and a variety of other sports events and clubs.

The addition of the Athletics Victoria affiliation has introduced a new athletics offering to the local community. Athletics no longer ends at Under 17s, when the little athletics program ends. Seniors now providing an avenue to continue, commence or re-commence an active interest and participation in the sport of athletics.

The ability for all members of a family to participate in athletics, either as an athlete or official has created a very inclusive and family orientated environment, where the over-riding emphasis is on participation. A simple philosophy, where every athlete or official is encouraged to have a go, supported and congratulated regardless of the result leads to a very enjoyable and rewarding experience and motivation to keep trying and improving.

Our club is now renowned throughout Victoria for having the loudest, most vocal, supportive members of all clubs. Regardless of who, where, when or why you are competing you are guaranteed to get plenty of support from fellow YRA members.

We look forward to you becoming a part of writing the next chapter of the Yarra Ranges Athletics history.