More than 1,000 people gathered in Bangalow in September for one of the strongest demonstrations yet of community support for the return of the Bangalow Bowlo.
Families, sporting clubs, bowlers, musicians and supporters filled the grounds for the Save Bangalow Bowlo rally, raising around $50,000 towards the community campaign and its legal and professional costs.
Save Bangalow Bowlo spokesperson, Greg Nash described the rally as a “red letter day for Bangalow.”
“We expected a big turnout because our community is very loyal. We care about our community assets, and we want the Bowlo back on reasonable terms,” Mr Nash said.
“I was overwhelmed by the very heartwarming attendance. There were over 1,000 people there, and we had all of the local sporting organisations represented,” he said.
Children took to the grounds for demonstrations of soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis and other sports, while local musicians performed throughout the day and into the evening, donating their time to the campaign.
The event was hosted by the Bangalow Lions Club and organised by the Save Bangalow Bowlo Steering Committee, with an enormous contribution from local volunteers, sporting groups, musicians, businesses and supporters.
But organisers say the biggest thank you belongs to the Bangalow community itself.
“People turned up in droves, with open wallets and open hearts,” Mr Nash said.
The generosity was extraordinary, but just as important was seeing the whole community together. Kids were playing sport, the bowlers were there, local musicians gave their time and people of all ages came along because they care about what happens to the Bowlo,” he said.
Bangalow’s bowling community was strongly represented, with both men and women bowlers supporting the event and contributing to the campaign’s fighting fund.
The rally comes almost 11 months after Norths Collective closed the Bangalow Bowling Club in October 2025. Since then, the community campaign has sought a pathway for the property to be returned to community ownership, and for the Bowlo to reopen as an established sporting, social and cultural hub.
The campaign has also raised concerns about reports of some Bangalow members being unable to access their Norths membership accounts.
Subsequent inquiries confirmed that Bangalow membership numbers had been changed without notification and that membership renewal was no longer offered.
This is just the latest example of a carefully curated process designed by Norths to negate the rights of Bangalow members.
Practices include not responding to correspondence, demanding unreasonable settlement terms, ignoring agreement commitments, and failing to maintain the Bowlo property, now accumulating mould behind closed doors.
Despite the ongoing dispute, organisers say the rally was overwhelmingly about community connection rather than conflict.
The turnout brought together generations of Bangalow residents, and demonstrated the continuing role the Bowlo plays in the town’s sporting and social identity, even while its doors remain closed.
“The message from Saturday couldn’t have been clearer,” Mr Nash said.
“Bangalow hasn’t forgotten its Bowlo. This community is still here, we’re organised and we want our Bowlo back,” he said.
