Dubbo paddlers amphibious on the Namoi

NARRABRI Shire will soon have a new sport and recreation club – the Namoi Dragons dragon boat club.

On the weekend, 19 members of the Dubbo Outback Dragons club came to Narrabri to introduce interested people to the sport and donated a dragon boat to launch the new venture.

The visitors put their boat, with Dubbo and local crew members aboard, through their paces at Narrabri Lake on Saturday.

“There was tremendous interest,” said Narrabri spokeswoman Karen Kirkby.

“The visitors introduced people of all ages to the sport.”

It didn’t take long for first timers to learn the ropes and get into the rhythm of team paddling, slicing across the calm waters of the lake.

When the new club is formally created Karen and local enthusiasts see a huge future for dragon boating in the shire.

“We are calling the club Namoi Dragons because we want to embrace the whole shire,” said Karen.

“Dragon boating is fantastic for fun and fitness

– it is already well established in city, coastal and country Australia and we are confident the Namoi Dragons will just grow.

“We see local sporting team members becoming dragon boaters, clubs like Rotary and Lions, corporate crews, individuals – anyone from 12-years-old (accompanied by an adult) with no upper age limit.”

Dragon boating is not only fun and great for fitness, it is a competitive sport which sees crews from around Australia contesting races regionally and nationally and in places like Singapore and San Francisco.

The Dubbo dragon boaters will be coming back to train locals.

PHOTO: NARRABRI COURIER Aboard the Outback Dragons boat on Narrabri Lake, Dubbo visitors in blue tops from back, Graeme Board, sweep, Robyn Diamond, Heather Ayson (left), Anna Mclaughlin, Joy Mcallister ( left), Sue Miles, Chris Robinson (left), Mark Bouchier, Deb Garden (left), Marg Collins and Corrina Board. Local ‘trainee paddlers’ from back, left to right, Karen Kirkby, Yvonne Forbes (obscured) Trudy Staines, Sam Dixon, Kirk Harvey and Julie Dixon.

PHOTO: NARRABRI COURIER Right: Dubbo Dragons club paddlers in blue, from back,president Graeme Board, Robyn Diamond, Heather Ayson (left), Anna Mclaughlin, Joy Mcallister ( left), Sue Miles, Chris Robinson and Mark Bouchier. Local paddlers are Louise Tout, Nicky Shields, Joan O’neill, Jessica Lauritsen, Bailey Lymar and Paul Bushby.

PHOTO: NARRABRI COURIER Onshore paddle instruction from Dubbo’s Trish Taylor for Beau Laws, Charlie Butler and Stella Laws.