MEMBERS of the Myall Park Croquet Club celebrated the end of another big year with a major Christmas party on Monday 24 November, held at the Tea Gardens Catholic Church Hall.
Up to 26 mallet masters enjoyed a lovely lunch catered by Gaye at Mema’s Bakery in Tea Gardens, including a magnificent charcuterie board, full of lovely cheeses and treats, followed by meats, baked and steamed veggies with gravy and bread rolls, all topped off with pavlova, fresh cream and fruit.
Croquet Club President Andrew Sillar congratulated everyone on another successful year of local croquet, one that was underscored by several interesting developments.
“We had a magnificent hot lunch catered by Mema’s Cafe in Tea Gardens, and special thanks to our members Michelle and Suzie for the hard work organising the day, and to St Stephen’s Parish for the use of the wonderful facilities,” Andrew said.
“We would like to congratulate Garry Bennett on being our club champion for 2025.
“The Croquet Club saw out last summer with a special final round of Twilight Social Croquet on Friday 28 March, the social event of the season, which ran despite the threatening clouds of forecast rain.
“Some played the usual game of golf croquet, while others tried a game of Ricochet croquet.
“On 5 May, the club’s annual Cuppa for Cancer, Ella’s annual fundraiser for the Hunter Medical Research Institute was well supported by MPCC members and visitors, and even the weather was smiling on them with a beautiful sunny morning.
“In June, Tony, Gary and Andrew travelled to the AC Friendship Day hosted by Toronto Croquet Club, with warm thanks to Marty and his fellow Toronto and Newcastle members at Lake Macquarie Croquet Centre for a friendly day of Association Croquet.”
Back in September, the club may have briefly considered changing its name to “Plovers Nest”, after its lawn was invaded by plovers/lapwings exercising their natural right to nest on open ground.
The chicks finally hatched on 28 September, prompting some bricks to be placed around the nesting site near Hoop 1 for their protection.
“Every year we have a pair of Masked Lapwings nesting on one of our lawns, and three of four eggs hatched,” Andrew said.
“It was so funny to watch them take their first steps, like little fuzzballs on legs.”
The club and its members are looking forward to lots more enjoyable games of croquet to follow in 2026, and have an open invitation for anyone interested in the sport to join them at Myall Park on Yamba Street, Hawks Nest on either Mondays, Wednesdays or Saturdays from 8.30am.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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