History of Rowing in SA
Help us tell the story of rowing in SA
Rowing SA is commencing a historical archive project and we are seeking memorabilia, stories, photographs and items from across the rowing community. If you or your members have materials that help tell the story of rowing in South Australia, we would love to hear from you.
Please complete the submission form below:
From the Rowing SA photo archive
A brief history
Origins (1830s): One of the earliest recorded rowing contests in South Australia took place at Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, in 1838, when Queen Victoria’s birthday was marked with boat races for whale boats and square-sterned boats, involving vessels including the South Australian Company’s schooner “John Pirie.”
Early beginnings (1860s): Adelaide’s first rowing club, the Black Swan Club, was formed in 1867 after the River Torrens was dammed, giving the city its first stretch of still water suitable for racing. Members bought a four-oared gig named “Edith” and renamed her “Black Swan” at the club’s official opening on 15 June 1867 — the formal start of organised rowing in South Australia.
Growth and Henley-on-Torrens: More clubs followed, including the Adelaide Rowing Club in 1882. Inspired by England’s Henley Royal Regatta, the first Henley-on-Torrens regatta was held in 1910 and became a much-loved fixture on the Torrens for decades, drawing large crowds to watch decorated boats and rowing races.
West Lakes and the AM Ramsay Regatta Course: Rowing moved to its current home at West Lakes in the 1970s, when the South Australian Rowing Association worked with government to build a purpose-built, internationally standard course — now known as the AM Ramsay Regatta Course.
Today: The West Lakes course remains the heart of the sport in South Australia, hosting state, national and masters competition alongside a thriving recreational rowing community.
Who was A.M. Ramsay?
In 1936, the South Australian Housing Trust was established as Australia’s first public housing authority, set up to support industrial development by providing affordable housing for workers. In 1943, Alex Maurice Ramsay was appointed as an economic planner with the Trust, and was involved in the planning and development of West Lakes, including the proposal for a 2,000-metre rowing course designed to meet international standards.
The rowing course was subsequently named the A.M. Ramsay Rowing Course in recognition of Alex Maurice Ramsay’s contribution to the planning and development of West Lakes and the inclusion of the rowing course within the precinct. Alex Maurice Ramsay passed away in 1978.
The A.M. Ramsay Regatta Course today
The A.M. Ramsay Regatta Course is a national-standard 2,000-metre course used for rowing, canoeing and dragon boat racing. Located at West Lakes, approximately 9km from the Adelaide CBD and 5km from Adelaide Airport, the course is home to Rowing South Australia and the South Australian Sports Institute rowing, canoe and kayak programs. The Rowing South Australia complex, at the finish end of the course, includes OAR Café, administration offices, meeting facilities, storage sheds, an indoor training centre and change room facilities.
The course sits within a 4.8km boating lake for warm-up and training, and is a fully cabled course incorporating a Kevlar rope system positioned around 1.5 metres underwater, independent of the adjacent banks. It has nine buoyed lanes at 10-metre intervals, a movable starting pontoon (128m x 4m) anchored at 250m intervals, and a permanent launching pontoon (45m x 5m) with wheelchair-accessible ramps.
At the northern end of the course, the three-level Judge’s Tower accommodates regatta operations including electronic timing and camera systems, umpiring facilities, and a media/commentary level.
Boathouse opening - West Lakes 1978
