Fairfield Canoe Club
2019 Centenary Year
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An FCC Christmas tree is not what it used to be
Hamish, our history leader, had a brief phone call with Ken Wilkes (Fairfield Canoe Club member in 1950) to ask him about two boats named the ‘Alf Lucke’ and the ‘Harry De La Rue’ and what may have become of these old craft. Whilst this mystery was not solved, a great story came to light regarding FCC members of that era and a Christmas tree.
In the 1950’s, before the Upper Yarra Dam was created, there were regular significant flooding events which scoured the riverbanks to create lovely sandy beaches on the Yarra. In addition, there were also numerous nurses at the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital, which is now the Melbourne Polytechnic. Unlike today, at this time nurses were resident in the hospital and would cross the Pipe Bridge to relax or study on the beach below.
Needless to say, their presence on the beach caught the attention of the young FCC men who peddled their standard line: “Why don't you come out for a ride with us in our canoes?” The nurses would duly respond: “We've got to study!” But it seems the follow-up line of the aforementioned paddlers was to point-out that: “Well last year, your colleagues who were studying on the beach here, did come out with us, and they all passed their examinations, so you see, we can help!”
Seemingly, a lot of fun was had, friendships were struck up between the club members and the nursing staff and several marriages resulted from these outings. Come Christmas time the lads offered to fell a pine tree for the Nurses Quarters. This meant first persuading the Matron-in-Charge of their bona fides and her consenting to their Christmas gift. Consent granted, they felled a pine tree from ‘somewhere upstream’ and then returned towing it behind their canoe to the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital.
Sadly, the sandy beach has disappeared, the Fairfield Hospital and its resident nurses have gone but the FCC Christmas Tree lives-on. Come and check it out this December!
Perhaps we could re-enact the endeavours of 1950?
