The Boatshed Renewal Appeal was launched on Friday 3rd May with a cocktail party at the Br NN Wilson Boathouse.

On what could only be described as an extraordinarily warm Autumn evening, guests arriving at the venue were treated to a stunning performance on the Canning River, with single sculls and jet skis powering through the water under the orange glow of the setting sun.

Inside the transformed Boathouse, Year 11 jazz band “Frankie and the Five “ provided easy-listening background music for guests to mingle, view decades-old rowing memorabilia, inspect the proposed building plans and artist’s impression of the boatshed, bid on silent auction items and purchase fresh honey from the honey bar or a drink from the cash bar.

Auctioneer and Boatshed Renewal Appeal Chair Peter Bowler provided additional entertainment later in the evening with the auction of three oars from the successful ’94 & ’95 crews.

Thank you to past and present rowing community members for supporting the event. All profits from the Launch evening will directly benefit the Boatshed Renewal Appeal. If you would like to support the Appeal by making a donation of money, memorabilia or silent auction items - for our upcoming rowing reunion events in June - please click here for further information.

Thank you to Peter and Robyn Bowler for providing the door prize of four night’s accommodation at their beautiful Gracetown beach house, the O’Hare-Searle family for the delightful honey bar, Christine Bogunovich for the two amazing silent auction hampers, Phylissa Jessop and Julia Schortinghuis for the stunning silent auction flowers and Greg from Liquor Barons for the silent auction magnums.

Thank you to our helpers on the night:

• Head Rowing coach Nick Collins for his enthusiasm and support across all areas
• our trusty P&F volunteers Mat Scott, Louise Jeffees, Una Henderson, Marie Condon and Catherine Martin who gave up their Friday night to run the cash bar
• rowing coaches Ben Davidson, Riley King, Phil Colic, Will Robinson, Cooper Reeves, Cameron Glover, Liam Rafferty, Chris Kilroe, Jono Van den Einden and Joel Kelly who served the canapes throughout the evening and helped with the clean up afterwards
• Year 11 jazz band "Frankie and the Five", comprising Luke Schortinghuis, Bryce Kilpatrick, Thomas Jessop, Samuel Dixon and Luka Humich, for the musical interlude
• Megan Sweeting and the Grounds and Maintenance staff for helping with set up
• Andre Trentini for providing our AV requirements
• Bernard Major and rowing boarders Matthew Clarke, Daniel Bumbak, Tom Johnston, Ben Smith and Jesse Harris who directed parking on the McMahon Oval

Finally, a big thank you to our Launch Committee – Julia Schortinghuis (Chair), Abby O’Hare-Searle, Phyllisa Jessop, Suzanne Teasdale, Helene Long and Christine Bogunovich, Louise Symonds (Foundation Office) and Nichole Rowson (Events & Alumni) - for pulling together a very successful and enjoyable evening.