IN 1980, a group of adventurous locals took to the Wonthaggi pool with snorkels, fins, and a lump of lead to push around the bottom of the pool with handmade wooden sticks.
They didn’t know it at the time, but they were launching what would become one of the region’s most enduring and unique sporting traditions.
This year, the Wonthaggi Underwater Hockey Club marks its 45th anniversary, a remarkable achievement for a relatively unknown sport. The founding of the club coincided with the opening of the Wonthaggi Pool.
“I started playing in 1980. The first game of underwater hockey at Wonthaggi was a scratch match between the South Gippsland Dive Club and the South Eastern Area Board Riders’ Club,” Steve Dunn recalls.
“I organised this as I was a founding member of both clubs.”
From the very beginning, Octopush (as it was then known) struck a chord locally. In its first year alone, the Wonthaggi club fielded six or seven teams, including Jaws, Apex Club, Inverloch, Older
Surfers, and Dive Club. Paul Donohue and Mark Haines coordinated the early competitions.
Steve played, coached, and ran the club for decades before stepping aside about ten years ago. Over the years, the club has experienced highs and lows, yet it continues to attract players from across the Bass Coast and South Gippsland, with regulars travelling from Phillip Island, Foster, and Leongatha. Visiting players also often make the trip from Melbourne to join in.
Given the year-round playing schedule, underwater hockey offers a fun and competitive aquatic outlet, especially in winter. It’s a sport that keeps players fit while complementing other water-based activities.
“It makes sense that it’s been so popular here given how the water plays such a big part in many people’s lives,” says long-time member and committee stalwart Karl Scotern, who is coordinating the anniversary celebrations. “The club has attracted surfers, divers, swimmers, spearos, and those from the lifesaving clubs.”
The Wonthaggi club has always punched above its weight in competition, producing a remarkable number of Victorian and Australian representatives. Many junior players have gone on to perform at state, national, and international levels. In many years they often make up the bulk of Victoria’s representative teams.
Some alumni have achieved extraordinary success on the world stage. Kirsteen Reid, who learnt to play in Wonthaggi in the late 1980s and early 1990s, has represented Australia in the Elite Women’s division, winning three World Championship gold medals. She shared her first gold medal, won in 2002 at the Calgary World Championships, with two other Wonthaggi players, Micquel Atkinson and Laura Gilliland.
Now in her 50s, Kirsteen is still competing at the highest level — last week taking gold with the Australian Women’s Masters team at an international event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Rees Quilford, another homegrown player, has won three World Championship gold medals with the Australian Men’s team. He recently returned to the region after more than 20 years away and still occasionally makes it down to Thursday night club games. “I always love getting back in the pool here in Wonni,” Rees says.
“It’s great to see the club still attracting loads of kids. Water is the great leveller, you’ll see women and men playing alongside one another, and juniors often competing against older players.”
Karl hopes the upcoming 45-year celebrations will bring together as many past players as possible. “So many people from across the district have played underwater hockey at some stage. We’d love them to come along to celebrate the club’s legacy and achievements.”
The club is also calling on the community to help uncover any historical treasures, old photos, programs, or memorabilia, to display on the night.
The 45-year celebration function will be held at the Wonthaggi Golf Club on Saturday September 6, from 6pm. Tickets are $20 and can be booked via wonthaggiunderwaterhockey@hotmail.com or 0408 804 028.
