About Us

About "The Gully"

GALLOPING GULLY POLOCROSSE CLUB

A big part of Narrabri - the 'Sportiest Town' in the country !

The Galloping Gully Polocrosse Club is a member of the NSW Polocrosse Association Incorporated. The Club was formed in 1968 and held its first annual carnival in 1969, at the old sporting grounds at Bellata. Practice days were held on the stock route between Spring Creek and Bobbiwaa Creek on the Couradda/Bingara road on an area known as Galloping Flat. The Club moved to its present location "Murrumbilla", in 1976, after a wet winter which made the Bellata grounds unusable. We have been at this location ever since and in 1999 we were able to take out a lease on these grounds. The Club boasts a strong and loyal membership listing, with some of our founding members still registered players. We have a wide range of players with all members of the family able to play, with the age group spaning from 7 years old to 63 years old. We also have a strong contingent of non-playing members. At present there are some 4,500 players of all ages and from all walks of life registered in almost 250 clubs participating in the sport throughout Australia. The Club Grounds are approximately 18 kilometres from town on the property "Murrumbilla". Our Club holds many sporting 'get-togethers' throughout the year, commencing in March/April with Club polocrosse practice days. The grounds are also used by the local Narrabri Pony Club for polocrosse week-ends, and Trail rides. As the Galloping Gully Polocrosse grounds are centrally located in the North West Plains Polocrosse Zone, many of the Zone functions are held on these grounds. The Polocrosse season continues until mid-Sept.
Since taking out a lease on the grounds in 1999, we have been able to improve our facilities knowing that they will be a part of the Narrabri Community for many years to come. Over the past few years we have been able to fully complete all our major projects set down in our long term goals for the continued improvement and strength of polocrosse in this Zone, and also in NSW. We are indebted to the Narrabri Shire Council for the valued support they have given us over recent times. It has definitely enabled our club to make some of the much needed and long overdue improvements to our grounds which we otherwise would have been unable to even contemplate. These improvements have now been recognised by the NSW Polocrosse Association with our selection of hosting the NSW State Championships in 2003, and also with the invitation to host the Inaugural Interstate Challenge series in 2005. Our Club would have been unable to contemplate hosting such State events had it not been for the improvements we have put in place. We hope this is only the start of many more years of sporting and family fun to be had at the Galloping Gully Polocrosse grounds. Over the past years and the years to come, families and friends involved with horses will have the grounds and facilities available to use at their leisure. Many thanks to the hard work of all of our members and the Narrabri Shire Council.

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LIFE MEMBERSHIPS AWARDED TO CLUB ICONS

President Ed Paas presenting Bones wih his Life Membership

At the recent Galloping Gully AGM no less than four Life Memberships were awarded to some of the Clubs founding members. Bones & Jenny Falkiner and Robert & Jan Guest were presented with Life Membership badges in a total surprise at the October meeting.

"The Gully" club was formed back in 1968, with the first practice day on the stock route on the Bingara Road, near Bobbiwaa Creek, at an area known as Galloping Flat. There was no B-B-Q for the first practice so Robert cooked lunch on a shovel over an open fire. The Club was unable to hold a carnival on the Stock route, so the first carnival was held at Bellata on "the second weekend in August" - 1970. Club members cut rails in the Pilliga forest and a new arena was built at the Bellata Sports ground. Facilities were pretty basic - no refrigeration, pan toilets and with 12 teams we thought we were run off our feet!! Raffle takings of $43 and $90 on the B-B-Q for the weekend.

Some interesting trivia over the years -

The 1970's - in 1971, the Gully won the B Grade competition against Burren in a hard fought final with the score finishing at 8-7. In 1973, Jan missed attending the only carnival she has missed, as Roberta was born 2 days before the weekend. (another Gully tradition) The Gully Club was the first in the Zone to have Junior players, and Bones would do a "milk run" around the traps to pick them up and take to carnivals. In 1976 due to a very wet year, the Bellata grounds on the black soil were unusable. It was then that The Gully moved to the Falkiner property "Murrumbilla" where it has been ever since. 1977 saw 11 teams at the carnival and four of those were Gully teams.

The 1980's - In 1981 Lynne Tapp (Kirkby) won Best Lady Player and Jo Hamilton (Falkiner) Best Junior. I982 and Gully was Runners Up in B Grade with the team made up of Nigel, Robert & Bill Guest, Lynne Tapp, Doug Lilliebridge & Ray Jensen. 1984 - Carnival price list - Breakfast $1, Lunch $2.50 and B-B-Q Dinner $3. 1985 shopping included - 800 rissoles, 1 x 600kg beast, 20 bags of ice, 15 cases Cordial, 2 pigs on Spit, 80kg Sausages, 300 hot-dog buns, 60 loaves bread and Boolcarrol won the A Grade against Gully 9-8 on the bell. 1987 and The Gully finally won the A Grade competition after 19 years of trying - the team was Lach Melbourne, Bill Guest, Jane Melbourne (Tapp), Charles Melbourne, Robert Guest, Doug Lilliebridge.

The 1990's - 1990 saw Jane Melbourne (Tapp) first selected to play for NSW at The Sydney Royal Show (and she has been consistently competing for NSW ever since). 1993 was a big carnival, with around 39 teams attending, and around 1994 the current Gully logo was created. 1998 was the year of the floods for the northwest and no carnival for The Gully. 1999 saw our first article published in a glossy mag - The Australian Horseman.

The 21st Century - 2003 the Club hosts its first State competition - The NSW Club Championships with 53 teams attending and in 2005 we again host a State Competition with the Interstate Challenge Carnival - NSW v QLD State of Origin. 61 teams total attending with the State sides competing over 3 days. Raffle takings of $1370.00

Since the late 60's, the club has grown in strength and size, but the same amount of fun has been had every year with the great group of people that the game of Polocrosse involves. The history and strength of the Club is its family like qualities, fun and hard work, which these Life Members have instilled into the members over the past 37 years. Congratulations to four very special people on receiving these awards, and on the creation of such a great Club.

The time and effort, fun and games, Bones, Robert, Jenny & Jan have put into the Club over the years is immeasurable.