old bowling alleys

[Brunswick Tech]

Why wont you name the centre? Im interested...

I'm not 100% sure of the centres name.......................otherwise I would

To add to the story...................I do believe the 12 Lawnton lanes and the 12 lanes from Clayfield were purchased by Andrew Frawley!! to form a 24 lane house.........but I'm not sure.............my memory is not as good as it used to be.

 

[jason_doust]

The two best centres in Sydney were Rockdale & Leichhardt. They had real oil on Brunswick Astrolane Urethane surfaces that were lovingly resurfaced by Jim Ball. Big scoring houses for their time, but nothing like the house shots of today. (Nothing like the balls today either.)
Rockdale had a stone facade at the front and was the traditional stadium design, so you could see everything that was happening. (Crap wheelchair access as a result though. You couldn't build it today.) Rockdale had Sydney's best two singles leagues, was home to Stuart Erwin's very reputable pro-shop, where I learned to drill and really was the elite players centre. It was managed into the ground during the 80's and 90's and closed with a whimper. Bowled my first 300 there with a Red Hammer.
Leichhardt - hard to spell, but great to play at. Lots of stairs, as you walked up to a mezzanine and then either up or down to 16 lanes on either deck. I once threw 20 in a row upstairs with a plastic ball (Roto Grip X4) in the blistering heat. Upstairs was damned hot! I learned to bowl as a kid at Leichhardt under the tuition of Ed Kee on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday nights. David & Jenny Hamilton used to run the place and look after anyone who wanted to improve by way of 50c practice games if you bowled league. (I'd bowl 20+ games on a Saturday.) Guess what? Their leagues were full! Tony Rodrick would give me a lift home on the Tuesdays. (Mum dropped me off.) I'd be so exhausted, I'd fall asleep in his car most nights. Some gratitude, hey...
They really were great days...

 

[~Mrs STORM~]

I'm not 100% sure of the centres name.......................otherwise I would
To add to the story...................I do believe the 12 Lawnton lanes and the 12 lanes from Clayfield were purchased by Andrew Frawley!! to form a 24 lane house.........but I'm not sure.............my memory is not as good as it used to be.

The centre is Strikezone and the lanes Frawlz bought are now 1-12 of 24 with 13-24 being our old 12 from Shellharbour Bowl...

 

[willey]

Rev, St Leonard's had 32 lanes, 16 each floor, but I don't recall it having overlanes, only Bankstown had overlanes and 34 lanes the second biggest in Australia.

willey.

 

[Brunswick Tech]

The centre is Strikezone and the lanes Frawlz bought are now 1-12 of 24 with 13-24 being our old 12 from Shellharbour Bowl...

That sounds about right, I'm fairly certain now, the first 12 lanes at strikezone are the old Lawnton machines with the Exhibition lanes.............have they got a synthetic overlay on them?

Those are good machines if they are indeed the Lawnton machines, they were well looked after, very rarely had a problem with em.

 

[jason_doust]

Rushcutter lanes were crap - I don't quite know when it closed, but it wasn't soon enough. I bowled there in 1981/2/3 Friday night league. You also had to pray that your car wasn't broken into and that tyres weren't slashed by the time you finished your games, and nearly every 2nd week there was a theft of the till.
Leichhardt was great. There was something about marking your scores with white pencil, and seeing your ball return above the lanes.
Also, I can't believe nobody has mentioned the recent closure of Ringwood lanes.

Rushcutter lanes crap..? What, you didn't like shooting 5th arrow with urethane and hoping that the ball didn't ski-jump too badly off the heavily sanded lanes up onto the phenolic resin pindecks? If it got airborne, you wouldn't carry the 10-pin!

There's no pleasing some people... ;-)

 

[deaf lefty]

Clayfield was the first Brunswick centre in Queensland............28 lanes with A model machinery.
Clayfield was purchased by the private girls school straight across the road quite a few years ago for a reported $7 million, the building was gutted, all they wanted was four walls and the roof.
From the 28 lanes, 12 were bought by a centre in NSW, whose name I won't mention, the remaining 16 were purchased by a independant bowling proprieter in Brisbane, they remained in storage at Wacol for some time before being re-installed at Strathpine Tenpin around 1998/99.
The first 16 lanes at Strathpine are indeed the old clayfield lanes, lanes 17-20at Strathpine are from the long ago defunct Canberra bowl. The machines on lanes 17 and 18 at Strathpine are very early models in the range of 16,000 series and manufactured Michigan in the U.S.A, lanes 19 and 20 are 45,000 series and manufactured in Berlin, Germany, the machines from Clayfield were manufactured at lane cove, Sydney, Austarlia and are in the 50,000 series.........
Exhibition was a good centre and one of the first 4 centres installed in Brisbane and all of Queensland...............on a quite day they only had one mechanic on duty and he could quite often be seen running flat chat from one side of the building to the other to answer a trouble call on the old 82/30 machines...............LOL
Exhibition bowl was originally managed by a young man known as Brian Kearney and was supervised by a gentleman by the name of Robert Miller, Rob had a long career working for AMF and at one stage in the pioneering days of bowling in Australia was overseeing all of the AMF centres nationwide.
Rob has long since retired and can be found living on his 40 acres of lush rainforeat property in the hills between Eumundi and Noosa.
Some of the lanes from Exhibition were purchased by Brian Kearney and he went on to build, install and establish his very first centre ar Lawnton, the lanes were pretty much worn down to the nails in the middle of the lane bed, so the lanes were flipped over and resurfaced. When Lawnton closed and merged with another owner to form Strathpine the old Lawnton lanes, which in fact were ex Exhibition were sold off to another company in N.S.W, those very lanes are still in use though they may have a synthetic overlay on them by now.
How Brian purchased the lanes without the AMF machinery is a mystery, the machines at Lawnton were Brunswick A models in the 50,000 series and manufactured at Lanes Cove, Sydney, they were originally installed in another southern centre, but she closed down not many years after opening the doors. Brian went on to establish several centres in and around Brisbane and still owns at least 2 centres................he's a good man, Brian and a excellent employer.
Interesting enough, out of the first 4 original centres in Brisbane, Clayfield, Exhibition, Milton and Greenslopes, 2 being AMF and 2 being Brunswick equipped............2 still remain open in their original locations, namely Milton and Greenslopes, however Milton did under-go a total fitout involving brand new lanes and the latest A2 machinery in 75/76 due to being totally under water during the great Brisbane flood of 1974. The water level was so high it completely covered the machines, it was quite a sight to see pins and balls floating around the building, if you ever visit Milton Bowl, imagine standing on the concourse in 4ft of water, this was the water level when staff were allowed access back in the building, it was reported that the flood level at it's peak was just below the ceiling.

deaf lefty think Clayfield Bowl had 26 lanes (not 28)-myself still looking for an our original score book had it was time in 1994

Exhitition Bowl had twin 24 lanes as 48 lanes- myself went to it twice time in our life as played social games.

one 24 lane went to AMF Cannon Hill from Exbitition Bowl in early 1980's ?? if it is true ?

Lawnton Bowl-once time, myself went to this centre for inspected it as it was a original brunswick style where myself like it very much but myself not been playing it what pity !!

In back to old time as 1960's, what Milton Bowl or Greenslopes Lanes which brunswick or amf machine??

myself not sure Milton BOWL would be brunswick machine before great brisbane flood 1974 ?? myself like to say apologies if it would be wrong.

from deaf lefty

 

[Brunswick Tech]

deaf lefty think Clayfield Bowl had 26 lanes (not 28)-myself still looking for an our original score book had it was time in 1994
Exhitition Bowl had twin 24 lanes as 48 lanes- myself went to it twice time in our life as played social games.
one 24 lane went to AMF Cannon Hill from Exbitition Bowl in early 1980's ?? if it is true ?
Lawnton Bowl-once time, myself went to this centre for inspected it as it was a original brunswick style where myself like it very much but myself not been playing it what pity !!
In back to old time as 1960's, what Milton Bowl or Greenslopes Lanes which brunswick or amf machine??
myself not sure Milton BOWL would be brunswick machine before great brisbane flood 1974 ?? myself like to say apologies if it would be wrong.
from deaf lefty

Clayfield was most definetly a 28 lane centre, the biggest Brunswick house in all of Queensland...................I worked as a tech there for a little while many many moons ago............back aisle was extremely narrow and the centre had the tinest little workshop I had ever seen down at the end of lane 28, it was a real bummer running all the way from the workshop to the other end of the house when you had a trouble call down there. If I remember correctly Clayfield had a spare parts room under the building, but it looked more like a rubbish dump.....complete disorganization!!

I worked in a 64 lane centre in the states quite a few years ago, it had a workshop behind lanes 10 to 20 and another workshop behind lanes 40 to 50, both workshops were fully equipped with every tool required..........one mechanic for 64 lanes, was quite a step up from working a 12 lane centre!

I can't answer your question regarding Cannon Hill having some of the other old Exhibition lanes, because, I simply don't know...................that could be correct, but doesn't sound right to me.

Lawnton was indeed very early Brunswick vintage, the Gold crown version, when it first opened it had the Gold crown masking units with the pin lights in the masking units, similiar to the AMF style..........and what about those orange round gutters they had.....WOW!! that was original...........LOL
Good centre, Lawnton, also known as Pine Rivers.

Milton was originally equipped with A model Brunswick machines, after the 74 flood, they were supplied with brand new A2 machinery, good machine, the A2, however the speed at which they rotated was self destructing.
Out of interest the A2 machine is the most popular machine ever built and sold, there are still more A2 machines in operation worldwide than any other machine.
The Brunswick A2 machine running at A model speed is IMO the best machine one could possibly have, built like a tank, simple mechanical design, virtually bullet proof and will still run flawlessly even if its not maintained correctly or regulary. The A model Brunswick machine is now over 40 years old and can still be found working every day in quite a few centres in Queensland and Australia, there is not too many machines built in any field of industry which can boast a track record like that.

Greenslopes is and has always been equipped with 82/30 machines, again out of interest....Greenslopes will never relocate, the 82/30 machine has been classified by the Australian authorities as being too dangerous, the mechanical design of the machine is out dated and a workplace safety risk according to the workplace health and safety, though I'm sure a lot of AMF mechanics will disagree.
The government in its infinite wisdom will allow a 82/30 equipped bowling centres to keep trading in their current location, but the 82/30 machine cannot be imported into this country nor can any 82/30 equipped centre relocate the machines, they have been basically phased out of operation in this country. This is a good fact to remember if your ever going to buy a centre!

Neville

 

[deaf lefty]

neville (brunswick tech) is right about old Clayfield Bowl site had 28lanes, it is correcting one.
Myself found a our old sheet paper where myself played our national deaf championship at the clayfield bowl in 1994 also other thing is a deaf butterfly league with deaf people for one year in early 1990's.
Myself did played our hearing league at Milton Bowl for 14 years until 2001 then moved to Amf Greenslopes Lanes in 2002 season....currently playing it in continue at the Greenslopes Lanes.
Anyway, interesting one about funny thing is walk down on the ramp way into old Chevon Bowl at Surfer Paradise....once time, myself went to it for very first time fun game our life in 1981.Also went to the Exhitition Bowl
Then myself used go to the Old BUNDY BOWL was site of the Bundaberg Sugarland shopping centre once time per every week for one full year during 1981-82 period-myself like it very much.
Note: myself willl go to Illwarra Strikezone Bowl this easter period for our National Deaf Championship and looking very careful at the lanes what different betweeen lane 1 to 12 or 13 to 24
(myself find out this info about one of two different one)- (other one 12 lanes was from old shellharbour bowl) okay
deaf lefty.(smile !)

 

[~Mrs STORM~]

That sounds about right, I'm fairly certain now, the first 12 lanes at strikezone are the old Lawnton machines with the Exhibition lanes.............have they got a synthetic overlay on them?
Those are good machines if they are indeed the Lawnton machines, they were well looked after, very rarely had a problem with em.

Nope. No synthetic overlay as far as I am aware...
All our machines were alright...til our head tech left. From what I remember though, the first 12 lanes ran really well when we first opened. Now they all suck...

 

[Tiger]

If I remember correctly Clayfield had a spare parts room under the building, but it looked more like a rubbish dump.....complete disorganization!!

I remember it having a room off to the left as you walked out the doors at bottom of the stairs that led to the underground carpark, that was turned into a bar during the Nationals and Rachuig when it was at Clayfield in the 90's
It was used as a gear storage/bar area during the fortnight.
I patronized that little bar quite regularly while I was there - nice centre

 

[bman]

Just to fix up some errors in history, Exhibition only had 24 lanes not 48.
The lanes from Exhibition could not have gone to Lawnton as it was open before Exhibition closed. Also the lanes were all sawed into small sections so they could not be used again. Greenslopes has 82/70 machines they were changed in the late 70's.

 

[deaf lefty]

Just to fix up some errors in history, Exhibition only had 24 lanes not 48.

deaf lefty explaining Exhibition Bowl has had twin 24 lanes (total 48 lanes in it)- one left side had 24 lane and one right side had 24 lane so middle floor area is a reception-myself remember it very well in our memory so

This old ekka bowl building site on gregory terrace is the cancer council office now-THIS BUILDING IS STILL ON (ONLY BOWLING LANES AND OTHER THINGS REMOVED).

Thanks Deaf lefty

 

[willey]

Exhibition only had 24 lanes in total, if it had 48 it would have been the second largest in Australia, that title went to Bankstown which had 34 lanes. I did visit Exhibition bowl in the 70's stayed at the Motel next door for a week.

I know because I worked at Bankstown when it had 34 lanes and also the biggest centre at Rushcutter which had 52 lanes. To add a little more history I don't ever recall Rushcutter having Phenolic Pindecks. I worked there 3 times, in the 70's and the 80's and 90's

willey

 

[deaf lefty]

david just looked at our old photo albums about old Exhibition Bowl, found few photos including myself in it so more close look at our old photos....
Old Exhibition Bowl had twin 12 lanes total 24 lanes.
anyway, what happening to Bankstown Bowl reduced 34 lanes to 26 lanes ? when ? for removed 8 lanes off
Old Rushcutter Bay Bowl-myself went to it about 8 time trips in 6 years in late 1980's to early 1990's period-once time, myself checked when myself walked up to the upper lane floor was empty as nothing !! this old RUSHCUTTER BOWL HAD TWIN 26 LANES TOTAL 52 LANES.It was time of 26 lanes on the lower floor when myself visited and played a tournment or practise games in both.
Old Rushcutter Bay closed down in December 1993 ??
want know what about Old St Lenoard Bowl(NORTHERN SYDNEY AREA)-How many lanes is ?? twin lanes or twin floor ?? or not.-myself never visit old St Leonard Bowl !
once time visited old Rockdale Bowl for inspected inside it in 1990's before closed down.

 

[willey]

Bankstown took out 8 lanes in 1987 because ( you will love this )the owners of AMF in America at the time decreed that they were to sell off or get rid of any Centre that was doing less than 27 linage. Fairfield also had 34 lanes at the time and the same thing happened to them, only they took out 10 lanes to leave the original 24 the place opened with in 1961. So the easiest way to pick up linage instantly is to eliminate lanes.

Of course Bankstown had a 28 lane ladies league on Wednesday's, which caused an uproar at the time.

The bad thing about this, is it takes the same amount of staff to run a 34 lane Centre as it does to run a 26 lane centre, without the advantage of creating a lot of revenue when it gets busy.

Sometimes one has to wonder about the wisdom of CEO's and thier Regional Managers, especially when you see some of the decisions that have been made over the years. It really is amazing the game has survived with the decisions I've seen over the years.

willey.

 

[willey]

As for St Leonards, they had twin 16 lanes, I pretty sure the machines went to Belconnon.

willey.

 

[craig]

i got a feeling heidleberg in melbourne had either 40 or 44 lanes, someone else will verify this

 

[porky]

I don't suppose there is anyone on this webpage who would remember the old 3 lane centre in the Marrickville Holdings building which was the test bed prior to Olympic Bowling centres building Leichhardt and St Leonards Bowls around 1962 (?). I remember Eric Jang visited there just after he won the first Brunswick National All Star. I had the house record at 268 with an old conventionally drilled house ball.

Leichhardt was an old favourite with my "Leichhardt Lefties" team mates Johhny Leo and Pappy Millgate. I won a P&O cruise for two in 1966 for bowling a 279.....33 years later I married the Brisbane girl I met on that cruise, so Leichhardt has a very special place in my heart. There were lanes upstairs and downstairs, about 24 each (?) .

St Leonards had a league called the Marville All Stars League made up of 16,5 person teams from the one company, Marrickville Holdings, the people who owned the centre. Steve Mackie, John Everson, Bruce Peel, were all schoolboys bowling there at the time under the watchful eye of Jean Soderlund. There was a viewing area and league function room upstairs but it was only one level of bowling downstairs.

The old Mascot was a real favourite and the Gemcraft Singles League. I had a 289 there which I think was the house league record until the bowl closed?Nellie Schlanger was the Queen of the ladies.

I used to work as a coach at the old Rushcutter after normal work at ETA.
Keith Barnes managed the place along with Guenther Gshodam (Pro), David Hetherington and Terry Wenban's mum, Topsy. I seem to recall there biggest league was the LILY CUPS with all of Sydney's top bowlers fronting up on the night...Jang, Kozaki, Loughlan, Fitch, Phil Leigh, Ron Spiteri, the lovable Yank, Lou Carson, Beryl McCain, Ivy Link.....such a long list of names that probably mean very little to any but our senior seniors.

I left all of the above and headed bush to Orange in 1975....and waited until Aldo Belmonte built the Orange Bowl in 1984 where I was able to pass on a lot of early coaching to Aldo's customers....and little Belmo too !!!!!!!!

 

[Mac Attack]

They really were great days...

Yep.... the good 'ol days Jason.
We should catch up one day when you're down here.
Cheers
Michael MacNamara