Lucky ticket?

When we arrived in Australia the community clubs in Aussie towns and suburbs were a little daunting. Hotels or pubs here are like pubs in the UK, apart from having a Tab (betting office) next to the bar, so popping in for a shandy wasn’t a problem. Entering a local community club, however, made me feel like a cowboy (ok, girl) entering a saloon in deadly silence with the locals glancing up over their beers, and tumbleweed passing by the door.

The fact that community clubs are often for members only, and are affiliated to a local sports or surf life saving group, made me wonder whether we’d be welcome or indeed allowed through the door, particularly with children. I needn’t have worried…

The longer we’ve been here the braver we’ve become and we’re gradually getting to know the clubs in our area, the ones that do good food and the ones that welcome kids. If you’ve just arrived, we recommend getting out there and exploring community clubs. You might find a few that aren’t worth the visit, but many are great places to spend an evening.

Bistros and bars typically have rules for families i.e. children are only permitted between certain times. If you don’t want to drop in, call the club before arriving so that you understand the protocol.

It was thanks to our newfound community club confidence that we ended up at our local “Bowlo” (Bowling Club) and won a prize in the meat raffle.

Roll up, roll up!

I’m told meat raffles are popular in the UK but this must have passed me by. In Australia they are ubiquitous with a weekend beer, and our kids love it (even if they were a little bemused at first). “Is that what we’re eating?!” gasped our five year old when we entered a club that he’d been told we were visiting for supper, and saw the meat raffle table.

A few weeks and visits later, it was the same son who proudly took our winning ticket to the meat table and claimed his tray of steak. Very good steak is was too, we’ve had several yummy meals since.

Our winnings

Our Bowlo’s meat raffle is small by community club standards but today’s Photo Friday provides a glimpse of what it’s like. We bought raffle tickets on the way in the door and got bonus tickets for buying food and drink. As well as the meat raffle, the Aussie gambling addiction is supported by the chance to find the Joker and win a cash prize. We’re still waiting for our chance to have a go at that.

Have you explored your local community clubs? Found any winners? Had any winning tickets? We’d love to hear your experiences. Thank you.

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