The idea of starting a new fly fishing club in Tasmania was proposed by Paul Ellis to best mate Ian Donnachy one early January evening in 1996. They planned to organise a new exciting Fly Fishing Club to be based in Launceston. Open to all and rebutting of politics.
Paul and Ian approached friends and fishing acquaintances in Mike Stevens, Jan Spencer and John Walker to meet on 31/01/1996 at Ian Donnachy’s residence at Blackstone Heights and this forming party of five fly fishers became the first club committee.
The five discussed the relevance of staring a new fly fishing club and what criteria and guidelines they thought necessary to establish the clubs future identity. They agreed on the following purposes and objectives of which the club would adhere to, to form its structure:
To offer a friendly family oriented club with which to enjoy and share fishing experiences.
A monthly meeting to be held on the last Tuesday of each month, without getting bogged down with worthless and meaningless agendas. Focus will be on sharing knowledge and fishing experiences.
To organise 2 to 3 club days/weekends per year, family oriented get together’s and outings.
To encourage and support competition fly fishing to those members who desire.
Not to allow the club to become too politically involved, unless deemed necessary by the members.
To have an end of year/season dinner and presentation night.
The committee announced then the first official public club meeting would be held at Ian Donnachy’s residence on 27/02/1996. It was up to the forming five to invite friends and acquaintances of the fishing persuasion to join them and see the new club establish.
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Founding Members:
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16 people attended this first meeting and it was here that current member Michael Porte proposed the club be named the Van Dieman Fly Fishers & Tyers Club. This motion was unanimously agreed upon and accepted by all in attendance. This was also where the club adopted the forming five as the official club committee with Paul Ellis as first president, Ian Donnachy as treasurer, Mike Stevens as secretary and John Walker and Jan Spencer making up the committee.
At the second official meeting (26/03/1996) it was decided with numbers growing they should find a more permanent location to hold their meetings. O’Hara’s Resort at Blackstone Heights got the support of locations put forward. It was here that meetings moved from Ian’s residence, with the third at O’Hara’s Resort in a very nice function room. Unfortunately the location wasn’t available every month and all too frequently were meetings being shunted to all parts of the O’Hara’s complex; this certainly wasn’t ideal. After 4 club meetings at O’Hara’s Paul Ellis organised our club to hold monthly meetings at his and Ian Donnachy’s old Football Club, the Launceston Football Club at Windsor Park, Riverside.
The Club had it’s first meeting at the LFC on 27/08/1996, which was the 7th official meeting. At this meeting a club member’s photo was taken (below). The Van Dieman Fly Fishers Club has held it’s monthly meeting there until 2017, with it being a very friendly and happy environment for over 20 years. A move to the Newstead Tennis and Squash Centre was decided by members and the committee at the beginning of 2017 to a more city central location. The club had it’s first official membership, price being $10.00 for a single membership and $15.00 for a family. The first annual club dinner was held on Friday 06/06/1997 at Matson’s Restaurant in Canal Street, Launceston with Jim Allen being its guest speaker. Jim being a well renowned fly fisherman that started the Compleat Angler fishing stores in Victoria and Tasmania.
The Club became incorporated on 15/01/1998. The matter of a constitution was first discussed at the 4th meeting on May 28th 1996 and was bandied about for many meetings to come. A constitution was forthcoming based on that from the Ballarat Fly Fishing Club in Victoria. The club finally adopted the constitution at the A.G.M. on 26/05/1998.
Written by club founder Paul Ellis, 2016.