Image 1 of 6
Image 2 of 6
Image 3 of 6
Image 4 of 6
Image 5 of 6
Image 6 of 6
The fascinating history of the Castlemaine Football Netball Club can be traced back to the 15th June 1859, and what an extraordinary story it is. For the period 1859 to 2009 the authors of this narrative have painstakingly gathered together the history of the grand old club describing the colour, the conflicts, the tragedies and the triumphs that make up the life of a football club.
This 170 page account of the Castlemaine Football and Netball Club is a limited release publication.
“Australian footy with its unique combination of skills, speed and physical intensity, benefits from a balance of quiet moments to sit and reflect on our game. The history of the Castlemaine Football Club - my father’s first club - will keep the footy fires burning. A lively narrative takes us through the highs and lows of a proud club and local community. Fascinating details of personal performances in individual games from times long past may have jumped straight out of today’s sporting pages. This is a timely reminder of the importance of grassroots football clubs to the fabric of communities through good times and bad.”
- Ron Barassi
“They’re a moody mob at Castlemaine. They can soar to the heavens or plunge into a put of despair. They can link arms to fight those on the other side of Big Hill or cock their fists at each other during a committee-room barney. I don’t know about their claim to be one of the oldest footy clubs, but I do know that if you were playing on the Camp Reserve and you kicked the ball towards the boundary in a particular pocket, the ball bounced right back at you. At Castlemaine the normal rules don’t necessarily apply, and that’s what I like about them.”
- Paul Daffey
“Darren Lewis has written a crackerjack history, plotting the fortunes of the Castlemaine Football Netball Club as a reflection of a dynamic community - rolling with the changes of 150 years, welcoming newcomers, and knitting generations of district families into its fabric.”
- Robyn Annear