It is fair to say....
that if not for the passion of 50’s style Rock'n'Roll dancing in the hearts of Heather Hunter and John Jarman, Lakeside Rockers would not have been born.
Heather and John had attended numerous Rock'n'Roll dances, lessons, workshops, and were often asked to help out with demo's and promotions. In the local scene in NSW where they lived, they became affectionately known as CJ and the Babe.
Early in 1995 the couple moved to Sale and were disappointed to find that there was nowhere to participate in their favourite free time activity, so in April 1995 they hired the Sale Uniting Church Hall and demonstrated their 50’s Rock'n'Roll dance style to real Rock'n'Roll music. The initial response was so enthusiastic that regular weekly lessons commenced with social dancing afterwards.
In August 1995 the group of regular rockers who attended the Rock'n'Roll lessons and social dances, banded together to form a club and all agreed to call this club the Lakeside Rockers. The first stirrings of a club newsletter titled 'Rock'n'Roll News' rolled off the press and soon the proposed club logo was going through its finishing touches. Already there was talk of T-shirts, banners, promotional materials.
The idea of the club having its very own Elvis dance met with huge acceptance and the the decision to hold the first Elvis Memorial Hop was made.
The club was off and running.
Heather and John had attended numerous Rock'n'Roll dances, lessons, workshops, and were often asked to help out with demo's and promotions. In the local scene in NSW where they lived, they became affectionately known as CJ and the Babe.
Early in 1995 the couple moved to Sale and were disappointed to find that there was nowhere to participate in their favourite free time activity, so in April 1995 they hired the Sale Uniting Church Hall and demonstrated their 50’s Rock'n'Roll dance style to real Rock'n'Roll music. The initial response was so enthusiastic that regular weekly lessons commenced with social dancing afterwards.
In August 1995 the group of regular rockers who attended the Rock'n'Roll lessons and social dances, banded together to form a club and all agreed to call this club the Lakeside Rockers. The first stirrings of a club newsletter titled 'Rock'n'Roll News' rolled off the press and soon the proposed club logo was going through its finishing touches. Already there was talk of T-shirts, banners, promotional materials.
The idea of the club having its very own Elvis dance met with huge acceptance and the the decision to hold the first Elvis Memorial Hop was made.
The club was off and running.
Timeline of Lakeside Rockers' early history....
1995 |
|
August |
Inaugural Elvis Memorial Hop (19th August) |
September |
First Rock'n'Roll workshop with Werner, all the way from Sydney, NSW (16th September) First official club newsletter, complete with the Lakeside Rockers Gippsland logo. |
October |
First club T-shirts and Polo tops with the club logo |
November |
The club started alternate lessons in the supper room of the much larger Sale Memorial Hall. |
December |
First Annual Christmas Hop |
1996 |
|
January |
The club committee was formed, the founding members being:
|
February |
The first of regular monthly Rock'n'Roll dances held on a Saturday night in the supper room of the Sale Memorial Hall with CJ the DJ First Annual Valentine’s Hop (10th February) |
April |
Lakeside Rockers Gippsland Inc. officially becomes an incorporated club. Incorporation No. A0032941R The first shipment of club jackets arrived with the three colour embroidered logo on satin, wool or leather combinations. Three colour screen printed T-shirts, and Polo shirts were also in this first shipment. The first lessons held at Bairnsdale by CJ and The Babe with 68 people attending that evening.(29th April) |
May |
Guest instructor, Fred Robertson from the Gold Coast, was invited to Sale for a club workshop. This was the marking point for regular workshops with instructors from Queensland, NSW and Victoria. The first public Rock ‘n’ Roll demo performed by Lakeside Rockers members was at St Mary’s School Fete and was a huge success. (19th May) |
June |
Club Membership reached 100 (26th June) |
August |
The clubs first dance with a live band was the Elvis Memorial Hop with 'The Jokers'. More than 200 Rockers attended. (17th August) |
November |
The first 'out of Sale' hop was the Halloween Hop at Bairnsdale, with live band 'Stay Tuned'. (2nd November) |
1997 |
|
January |
Wednesday night classes exceeded 100 for the first time, with special guest instructor Jimmy Ray. (29th January) The following Saturday a workshop was held also with Jimmy Ray, followed by a Saturday night Rock 'n' Roll dance featuring Jimmy Ray the Dancing DJ. |
February |
The transformation of the clubs DJ CJ, to DJ Dr Rock. Now affectionately known as DocRock. Club Membership reached 200 (5th February) The first Lakeside Rockers lapel pins arrived |
March |
First of the monthly social dances at the Sale Bowls Club (1st March) |
April |
The club celebrated its first birthday - with a Birthday Hop 0f course! The Jailhouse rocked when the Lakeside Rockers performed a demo at the opening of the new Fulham Correctional Centre. |
June |
Twenty-one Lakeside Rockers took off for the first time to the Gold Coast to be involved in the Wintersun Festival in Coolangatta. |
July |
The clubs first go at fund raising for charity when it held a 'Dance-a-Thon' and raised $1730.90 for the 'Make A Wish Foundation' |
August |
Kid’s lessons were introduced (6th August) |
September |
Club membership reached 300 (24th September) |
1998 |
|
April |
First colour edition of the club’s newsletter and second Birthday. |
May |
Lakeside Rockers hosted the fourth heat of the Victorian Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Association Championships for the first time. (May 9th) |
June |
First Rocker Profile in the club newsletter - Norm Lyons (Club President 97/98) Lakeside Rockers won the best float in the Wintersun parade at Coolangatta when 45 rockers went north to Wintersun and decorated a truck, among other things! |
August |
Elvis Hound Dog Hop was the first of the annual hops used as a fundraiser, with $1 from every ticket, plus additional monies raised, donated to a selected charity. The RSPCA was the recipient of the $400 raised for the Elvis Hound Dog Hop in 1998.(15th August) |
September |
The club obtained its own website and domain name. |
1999 |
|
April |
Lakeside Rockers, with the help of the local community and businesses, staged the first 'CRUISE'n'ROCK FESTIVAL' weekend. The weekend began with a 'Krooze to Gippsland' dance on Friday night featuring live band 'Encore'. Saturday morning saw a street parade including 50's & 60's bikes and cars followed by dancing in the street including demonstrations from visiting rockers. Saturday afternoon included a Rock'n'Roll workshop by visiting Gold Coast Instructor Fred Robertson. The big dance on Saturday night featuring the VRRDA 4th heat and live band 'Flashback' On Sunday there was a market, sausage sizzle, and more dancing in the street. |
Past and Present Club Presidents
Pat New, Norm Lyons, David Monash, John Jarman, Kevin Cocks, Heather Jarman, Mike Richards, Darrell Jarvis, Janet VanDeelen. Rama Gardner-Dickinson, Peter Burslem
Pat New, Norm Lyons, David Monash, John Jarman, Kevin Cocks, Heather Jarman, Mike Richards, Darrell Jarvis, Janet VanDeelen. Rama Gardner-Dickinson, Peter Burslem
Committee Members - Past and Present
Pat New, Paula Clooman, Tammy Koolan, David Monash, Joc Monash, Rowan Currie, Kath McKimm, Mark Shulz, Bronwyn Shulz, John Jarman, Heather Jarman, Norm Lyons, Bryan Cummings, Darrell Jarvis, Mike Richards, Janet VanDeelen, Kevin Cocks, Peter Cutts, Wade Domagala, Libby Collins, Lisa MacDonald, Sharyn DeWinter, Iain MacLachlan, Garry Hoffard, Michael Gibney, Helen Hopkinson, Brian Peerless, Trish Cronin, Robyn Bourke, Glenn Crawford, Les Meddings, Ray Vaughan, Mark Camp, Neville McHarry, Val Wright, Jan Potter, Greg Salmond, Robyn Hirst, Aleysha DeWinter, Ian Potter, Andrew Camp, Linda Penny, Lorry Kemp, Marguerite Byrne, Peter Burslem, Rama Gardner, Christabel Peters, Annette Martinuzzo, Janet Shaw, Justin Maxfield.
