Speaking to my sister the other day, she told me that Gerringong Church of England was having its 150th anniversary this year. Now I know that other people better qualified than me will be writing about the history of the church at some later date. However, I wanted to recall a funny moment 52 years ago.

As a child the Church of England was a big part of my family’s life. I can distinctly remember going to church and Sunday School every Sunday. My Mum was poached from the Methodist Church to be an organist when she married Dad. You had to get dressed up in your ‘Sunday best’, clothes you only ever wore once a week. One enduring memory I have was going to Church on a windy night, as we have a lot of in Gerringong, and not being able to hear a single word the minister was saying.

There were so many great people in the church community. Some in particular I remember were Tony Britten, a kind gentle, man who was superintendent of the Sunday School among other things. He lived in a lovely old house with beautiful grounds just out of Gerringong on the Princes Highway. Lauris Buckman was a lovely human being who always had a smile on her face. She lived by herself in what was then, the last house in Gerringong along the road out towards Weir’s farm. Greg Wishart was another that comes to mind. He and his wife Gwen ran the chemist's shop. He was a dynamic man and the sort of person you need to have in an organisation if you want things done. I seemed to recall he had a son who was a handy league player!

The ministers like Canon Wesley Gurvin, Rev Len Harriss and Canon Dillon were men who did not just conduct sermons on Sunday. It was not a ‘job’, it was a passion. They were on call to administer spiritual advice whenever needed, for example providing benevolent comfort for a person at the end stage of their life. They always had a smile and a positive attitude.

Back row G. Wishart, L.Buckman, M, Wrigley, D. Weir, E. Cullen, C. Emery, N. Parrish. Front O.Young, K.Johnson, Rev, L.J.Harriss, Canon W.D. Girvin, T. Cuthbertson, T. Britten. The Church committee 50 years ago

But of course this church was an integral part of what was, and still is to a lesser degree than 1972, a dairying town. At the Xmas party every year, little kids, including myself, would eagerly await the arrival of Santa in the church hall. We would sing Christmas carols and he would always walk in the door as we sang ‘Jingle bells’. It was consequently my favourite. I always noticed that Santa wore gumboots and thought they must be cold in the snow.

Speaking of gumboots. Every year the church would have an annual picnic as most churches would do. It was a highlight of the year with lots of entertainment for the entire church and town community. Of course a big attraction was always the hayride behind one of the farmers with their tractor. 

But the church committee in 1972 wanted to come up with something a little different that year. Being a farming community, someone came up with the idea of a gumboot throwing competition.

Some of the young members with Ivy Parrish on the right

Organisation for this great competition began in earnest. A strict set of rules was written. This was not going to be a ‘hit and giggle’ affair. It was serious business. Maybe it might take off and even be an Olympic event!

The church fair was a great success on a beautiful night in November that year. The gumboot throwing competition was indeed a crowd favourite with stiff competition for the glory of being number one. There may have been howls of laughter from the spectators watching grown men hurling a regulation sized gumboot like a hammer thrower in the Olympics but for the competitors, most of whom were dairy farmers, it was a matter of honour. 

I do not recall who was the ultimate winner. Maybe somebody out there in the Gerringong community has an old dusty trophy on the mantelpiece from 1972.

Despite the intense work on the part of the church committee and the success of the competition, I do not recall it becoming an annual event and it quickly died out. I do remember reading, however, that Taihape, a town in New Zealand, no doubt a farming community, took on gumboot throwing as a serious sport and hosts a festival every year. 

The Anglican Church of Gerringong has a long history and has always been an important part of the local community. I am sure that it will continue to do so for many years into the future. 

Photo credit: Emery Archives