.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On January 18, 1966 the Stawell Times News reported that a team of seven boomerang throwers from Stawell Technical School had set off to compete in the Australian Boomerang Throwing Championships at Rosebud.
They were protegees of Ralph Sinclair, who was a science teacher at the school.
Mr Sinclair was himself a former Australian champion, having won in 1963.
The team consisted of Mr Sinclair, Graham Carr, Ricky Addinsall, Michael Dosser, Alan Clark, and Bryan Giles. Also making the trip was Ray Addinsall, who was Ricky's father. They flung their boomerangs in varying wind conditions with great success and four of the team ended up in the final.
Alan Clark finished finished fourth, leaving Graham, Mr Sinclair and Rick still in contention to win the coveted championship. In a closely fought final, 17-year-old first-year apprentice baker and pastry cook Graham reached the pinnacle of this hobby by being crowned the Australian open and junior boomerang throwing champion of 1966.
In doing so, Graham fought off contestants from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and beat his tutor and former champion, Mr Sinclair. At the time, Graham was known to have said: “Better luck next time, ex-champion Ralph Sinclair.” Graham learned the art while at school, when hundreds of local schoolboys watched Mr Sinclair practicing with boomerangs he had manufactured. Many local youngsters became adept at the sport.
Adding to the thrill of throwing a boomerang and it returning for one to catch it was throwing it in the dark. This was achieved by setting flares into the boomerang. Dozens of locals were known to have stopped to watch these exhibitions.
Boomerang throwing is a highly developed art. The thrower scores points by sending his weapon outside a circle and returning it. Bullseye is when a thrower has the boomerang return to him and he catches it within a certain circle.
As a coincidence, at the time of the championships, Prince Charles was studying at Geelong Grammar's Timbertop campus. Graham was asked to make three boomerangs which were given to the Prince. So, somewhere in the many rooms of Buckingham Palace in London there may be three boomerangs made in Stawell by Australian champion Graham Carr.
In recognition of his generous action, and on behalf of Prince Charles, Graham received a letter of thanks from Squadron Leader David Checketts.
Stawell Historical Society is open from 10am-4pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Phone 5358 3789 or email stawhist@bigpond.com
While you’re with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday morning from the Stawell Times-News. To make sure you’re up-to-date with all the news from across the Northern Grampians shire, sign up here.