The history of Lysterfield Sailing Club

The Lysterfield area was settled early in the 1850's and much of it was cleared for farming. There are remains of an early settlers homestead (Dargon) and an orchard near Monbulk Creek to the north. In the 1900's there were a number of established dairy farms and a Church of England Boys Society training farm called "Boys Farm". These were later converted to eucalypt plantations to protect the water quality in the catchment basin. The Lysterfield Reservoir and associated aquaducts were constructed on the Eumemmering Creek in the 1930's and commissioned in 1936 to supply fresh water to Dandenong and the Mornington Peninsular areas.

As the adjacent Cardinia Reservoir came into operation, the Lysterfield Reservoir was de-commissioned and the lake and the surrounding catchment basin came under the control of the National Parks Service in 1979. On the 19th May, 1981 it was included on Schedule 3 of the National Parks Act. and work began to prepare the facilities to be open to the public.

During November 1978, an article appeared in the Belgrave Free Press. The article stated that the reservoir on the Eumemmerring Creek was no longer required, and called for any interested party to submit suggestions as to its future. A local Boronia resident and member of the Warneet Motor Yacht Club, George McFarlane, placed an add in the same Free Press a week later and asked for anyone interested in forming a Sailing Club at the disused reservoir to attend a meeting at his home. At that meeting 25 people turned up and the Lysterfield Sailing Club was born. George McFarlane was then teaching Surveying and Math's at RMIT and he had a young family all interested and participating in weekend sailing. Warneet was their sailing club but the opportunity of a closer venue was an exciting prospect.

The Lysterfield Sailing Club was formed in September, 1979 and a committee was elected and competitive racing started at Warneet Yacht Club and then later at Frankston Yacht Club.

Commodore - George McFarlane

Vice-Commodore - Peter Hawke

Rear-Commodore - Geoff Snooks

Secretary - Evert De Graauw

Treasurer - Les Twomey

Committee Member 1 - Graeme Bale

Committee Member 2 - Ron Short

Government funding to provide the required public facilities was slow in coming but on the 29th November, 1986 the then Premier of Victoria, the Honourable John Cain declared the Lake open and the ceremonies started with a sailpast by members of the Lysterfield Sailing Club.

Brian Girling