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Learmonth Ski and Power Boat Club. (LSPBC) – A Short History
By Bruce Campbell (June, 2024)
The Learmonth Ski and Power Boat Club was officially founded in Ballarat in 1958 with the specific aim of fostering an interest in boating and water skiing at Lake Learmonth. It was formed by members of the Ballarat Ski Club which had already co-hosted some boat races at the lake. The club has since operated continuously for over 60 years despite a drought which left the lake almost dry between the years 2000 and 2022. Initially, the members converted an old Airforce hut from the Ballarat Aerodrome for use as a clubhouse and placed it in position in February, 1962. The club has actively fostered family skiing for all of its history as well as powerboat racing and competitive water-skiing in the early years and ski racing during in the 80’s and 90’s. It continues to promote safe boating and skiing on Lake Learmonth and welcomes new members at all times.
The Early Years at Lake Learmonth – before the club was formed. Water skiing began in America on July 3rd, 1922, when Ralph Samuelson rode his homemade skis at Lake City, Minnesota. In Australia, the first person to water ski was Edward Arthur Parker in 1934. This was at the Hen & Chicken Bay, Sydney Harbour. It is quite likely that the first powerboat in Ballarat was owned by Bill Selkirk who purchased it in the early 1930’s. It was a mid-mounted inboard powered by a four-cylinder Hudson terraplane engine. Bill used to race the boat between 1934 and the outbreak of World War Two in 1939. He won first prize in a regatta at Paynesville in 1934 and used the boat for water-skiing at Albert Park Lake in Melbourne and at Lake Learmonth. He built his own water skis which were almost three metres long and one small piece remains in the care of Trevor Chapman. Lake Learmonth was being used regularly, even in the 1930’s. In 1938 there was an “Aquatic Carnival” attended by over 4000 people who turned out especially to see two Seagull seaplanes land and take-off.
It can be assumed that there was a long break in boating activities when the Second World War started in 1939 and for quite a while after it finished in 1945. Lake Learmonth was used for powerboat racing in the early 1950’s. The races were conducted by the Victorian Speedboat Club in conjunction with the Advance Learmonth League and drew large crowds on Australia Day weekends. In 1956 there were 40 competitors from all over Victoria with water skiing displays in between races. There were merry-go-rounds set up for the children and a bathing beauty competition on the foreshore. Elizabeth Walker won the senior competition and she happened to live in the house at the lake in the area now known as Walker’s Point. Her father was President of the Advance Learmonth Association.
In 1957 it was estimated that 8000 people attended the races. The only successful driver from Ballarat was Geoff Robertson (founder of Franklin Caravans) in his runabout, Franklin 2. Elizabeth Walker again made headlines by winning the teenager section of the beauty contest. She was described as a “a slim girl, 5ft 5ins tall, 34-23-34, brunette in a green and white bathing suit.” She had an ambition to take up modelling.
The history of barefoot skiing in Australia is a little obscure. It began sometime between 1954 and 1957. The first state meeting of a Barefoot Waterski Club was held in NSW in 1960 and the first meeting of the Australian Barefoot Water Ski Club was held in Sydney in 1963. Entry could only be gained by skiing on your bare feet for at least one minute. All research leans towards Ray Job being the first Australian to barefoot in early 1955 although there is an amazing story of “Gelignite” Jack Murray skiing barefoot behind a car in a channel in the Riverina in 1941. If it is true, it would make him the first recorded barefoot water skier in the world!
At some time in the mid-1950’s, Trevor Chapman was invited to Lake Learmonth to learn to ski behind Alick Milne’s boat, “Shirley.” It is quite possible that the Milne family pioneered water skiing on the lake. The main boats available then were either Lewis hulls or Everingham’s. Both of these brands were constructed in Sydney and featured clinker-built hulls (long planks layered over each other) and they usually had stunning, hand-crafted wooden decks. The other person known to have boats at that time was Geoff Robertson, the owner and operator of Franklin Caravans at a new factory in Learmonth Road. Geoff’s initial boat was named Franklin and later he had Franklins 1, 2 and 3. However, the main reason for boat ownership at the time was for racing and Max Luhrs, a farmer from Miner’s Rest, had a race boat in the mid-fifties and Claude Campbell was his mechanic. There was at least one attempt made by some of these men to get a boat club off the ground and it was called the Ballarat Ski Club. It would appear that some of its members got together and founded the Learmonth Ski and Power Boat Club we know today.
The first meeting of the Learmonth Ski and Power Boat Club. The first official meeting of the club was held on July 23rd, 1958. It was most likely held at The Builder’s Exchange in Armstrong Street, Ballarat. There were ten people present; Alick Milne, Max Luhrs, Claude Campbell, George Drife (who owned “Ski Queen” which was purpose built for water-skiing rather than racing) Lindsay Elford (who owned “Sundance”), Frank Hill, Dick Curnow, Jack Skinner and two more, one of whom was probably Jack Clarke, an electrician from Sebastopol, and the other, Ray Milne, Alick’s brother. There was also a representative of the Learmonth Yacht Club, Jack Curnow, who came with a proposal to amalgamate the two clubs. Elections were held with Alick Milne being elected President, Max Luhrs Vice President, Claude Campbell Secretary and Jack Skinner as Treasurer. The second Club meeting took place less than three weeks later at the Builder’s Exchange. The first motion put forward was to name the club the Lake Learmonth Yacht and Power Boat Club but the motion was defeated. The second motion was that “the Ballarat City Council be contacted for permission to use Lake Wendouree for tuition of skiers after working hours on weekdays and on Saturday afternoons. Unfortunately, that was rejected by the Council. A month later the meeting was held at the home of Vi and Claude Campbell in Salisbury Avenue and this started a long tradition of having Club meetings in private homes where the wives could prepare supper. By now there were eleven members present including Ray Milne and Jack Clarke. It was at this meeting that the official name of the Club became the Learmonth Ski and Power Boat Club. (LSPBC). Neil Taylor clearly remembers this decision being made. It was also decided that from this point onwards, members’ wives would become honorary members. The main topic of conversation was boat races and three races were planned to be held over the summer months.
Club membership boomed with Bill Oliver (from Beaufort), A. Willian, Geoff Robertson, Paul Sperber, Eric Howell and Trevor Chapman turning up at the October meeting in 1958. Trevor had purchased his first boat which was named “Bassett” and was powered (under-powered?) by a Peugeot 403 engine. It was on this night that the first decisions were made regarding swimming areas, speed limits and dressing room construction at the lake. There were nineteen members in attendance at the December meeting. Summer had arrived and there was a lot of discussion about boat racing and the building of a jetty.
The first meeting of 1959 was held at Alick Milne’s house in Howitt Street on February 2nd. Alick was a honey producer (after a career in the RAAF) and there was always much interest in what was taking place at the sheds behind the house before each meeting. The major topic of discussion at this meeting was the cost of skiing for people who did not have their own boat. It was decided that non-boat owners should pay two shillings for each ski. New member Mick Henderson, who also worked at Eclipse Motors with Claude Campbell, was thanked for his mechanical help with everyone’s boats and Eddie Major was thanked for work on a club barbeque. Nominations were received for Mick Henderson senior and junior, Colin Gorringe, Neil Taylor, Bill Robson, Jack Kinnersly and Gordon Drife. Quotes had also been obtained for the production of blazers and pockets and many were ordered.
A new and long-lasting tradition was started at the next meeting on the 9th of March, 1959. Jack Skinner moved that 50% of the proceeds from the next “carnival” be given to the Ballarat Blind Home. Just to show how some things never change, at the May meeting it was decided to take action against “the excessive noise made by some boats at the lake.” At the same meeting it was decided that plans be obtained for building a ski jump. It was also decided to hold a “wind-up night” at the Anglers’ Hall beside Lake Wendouree and this became an annual tradition. On March 14th of that year, a photo showing John Tersteeg, Ray Milne and Glenys Milne forming a “pyramid” at the lake appeared in the Courier under the heading, “New Sport.”
The very first Annual meeting of the Club was held on September 28th, 1959. The club had grown to 26 members. A large group of new people were nominated for membership at the meeting including John Thwaits, Graeme Barnett, Rev. N. Lee, Tommy Gill (the boat builder based on the south shore of Lake Wendouree), Colin Lowe, Ken Scull and Jan Strick. Claude Campbell gave his first annual report which showed that the Club had a bank balance of 191 pounds, 18 shillings and 8 pence. An election for office bearers was held and all positions were readily filled.
Perhaps the most interesting report submitted to the meeting was by Dick Curnow who suggested “that there was a rumour in circulation that water is being diverted from Morton Cutting into ………. a new reservoir under construction in the Maryborough district.” These “rumours” continued in one form or another for the next 64 years!
The October general meeting was particularly busy with members giving reports about the ski jump which was almost completed and handling a letter from the Begonia Festival committee asking if we would run a carnival on Lake Wendouree during the next festival. With summer approaching the November meeting was particularly important. The members debated and then passed eleven rules and regulations to govern boating from that time forward. It was also decided that all boats had to be inspected and they had to conform to fairly strict safety regulations.
The first general meeting of 1960 was held at the Wendouree Municipal Hall where it was reported that the lake was getting dangerously low and that it had not been really full since 1954. It was decided to employ a “water diviner” to check out the possibility of finding underground streams close to the lake where bores could be established. By the time of the next meeting at the end of February there was a desperate search for skiing water with Lake Wendouree, Newlyn, Haddon and Creswick all being investigated.
In March of 1960 the Club members carried out the first of many working bees to clean out Morton Cutting. Club members had also given skiing demonstrations at the opening of the Twin Lakes theme park near Ballan and the Club received a substantial donation from the proprietor, Mr Max Currie. As a result, it was decided that many club members would return to Twin Lakes during the Easter holidays and put on more demonstrations. This was to become the first of many “Easter camps” that continued for the next 40 years, even though the first one was plagued by wind, rain and mud. Another historic decision taken at this meeting was for the club to put on a full ski carnival on Lake Wendouree as part of the 1961 Begonia Festival.
In May there was much excitement at the general meeting as some ladies were actually present. They were there to help organise the first winter social evening and of course do much of the work and preparation for the event. At a committee meeting just a few weeks later, the first discussion took place about the possibility of getting our own clubhouse at the lake At the Annual General Meeting held in September, 1960, Alick Milne was re-elected as Commodore and Trevor Chapman won an election to become Vice Commodore. The Club also joined the Victorian Water Ski Association thus recognising the growing influence of water skiing rather than boat racing. Stan Farquhar and Murray Lancashire joined the club at the next meeting and began long associations with the club. At that meeting, the first discussions took place about the need for third-party insurance, a matter which came to dominate many future meetings. In a further safety measure, a motion was passed requiring all skiers to wear life jackets. It was even decided to fine anyone not wearing a jacket 10 shillings which was a substantial amount in those days.