Rodney Stevens

Plans have been unveiled for the redevelopment of the 133-year-old Grafton Rowing Club revealing a three-level contemporary design featuring a large, covered deck overlooking the mighty Clarence River.

A development application DA has been lodged by Grafton Rowing Club with Clarence Valley Council CVC for the redevelopment of their club at 2a Price Street, Grafton.

The history of Grafton Rowing Club dates back to the 1880s when, many towns up and down the coast of NSW that were subject to severe flooding formed volunteer Water Brigades, as boats were the only means to reach isolated towns and communities.

When the Grafton Rowing Club was established in 1882, with an initial membership of 28, they stored their boats in a nearby police shed, until a boatshed was built.

The Grafton Water Brigade was established in 1885 and a boatshed was constructed on the current site of the Rowing Club in 1890, which was shared by the Water Brigade and the rowers.

In 1930, the boatshed in its current guise was built, and the sport of rowing continued to grow in popularity on the Clarence River until in the late 1990s, when extensions to the riverfront elevation were completed to increase storage for additional boats and equipment.

The Grafton Water Brigade was disbanded in 1995 and the Grafton Rowing Club enjoyed having the premises to themselves before lodging the DA to redevelop the club.

Grafton Rowing Club received $1.8 million in funding from the NSW and Federal governments which will see the site redeveloped in line with the Grafton waterfront precinct.

The roof level of the new club will be converted into a ‘club deck’ with seminar space, a rowing focused gym, a lounge area, kitchen and office spaces overlooking the Clarence River.

The ground floor of the new club will be converted with increased storage, unisex amenities and showers and a wider staircase.

The design also reveals plans for a judge’s box, rowing room and coffee cart.

The Grafton Rowing Club has a history of dealing with floods dating back to its inception, so the plans for the new club are designed to cope with floods, but equipment will still need to be relocated from lower levels.

“It is expected that the proposed development will have minimal flood impact to the surrounding area,” the flood risk management report states.

The report shows plans to use the deck as a cocktail bar, but due to its location the new club won’t escape floods unscathed as when the Price Street flood gauge exceeds 2.1m the lower level will begin to be inundated.

“The mezzanine floor, which is the first habitable floor, becomes inundated between the Prince Street gauge reaching the Moderate and Major flood classifications, at approximately 4.8m AHD,” the report states.

“The deck becomes inundated when the Prince Street gauge reaches a flood level of 8.3m AHD.

“It is understood the upper deck may be used as a Cocktail Bar with provision for up to 150 patrons and 10 staff.”

Clarence Valley Councillors voted on whether to waive 50 per-cent of the Rowing Club’s development application DA fee at the June 27 council meeting.