But now anyone can “pay $5 and get in” at the Dubbo City Bowling Club.

The Dubbo City Women’s Bowling Club celebrated its 40^th anniversary on Tuesday and it was a chance to not only celebrate but also look back at how far the female game has come.

And while some things have changed more than those original members could have imagined, some things stay the same.

“It’s changed drastically in the 40 years,” City’s Gloria Young said.

“The dress, it used to extremely formal and we’d come in dresses and jackets and all sorts and today a representative of the state president came over from Tamworth and she turned up in bowls short and a t-shirt.

“But the code of ethics has not changed that much. On the green, it’s still upheld and there’s that etiquette which we uphold.”

The Dubbo City Bowling Club was established in 1904 but it took more than 70 years for the then “gentleman’s club” to allow the women in.

The male bowlers at City took longer to allow the women to join than their counterparts at both Macquarie and Railway, those clubs have already celebrated their 50^th anniversaries.

Young said the men’s club eventually caved in because they needed the extra numbers for financial reasons.

“They said if we were allowed to be members then they needed us to cook, and clean, and cater and over the years there’s a been a culture of us doing that,” Young said.

“It took the men here that much longer to admit the ladies. Back in those days the gentleman’s clubs were paramount in Dubbo.

“I got here in 1966 and I’m one of the fist lady members at Macquarie, I’m number 91, but even to get into the RSL club you had to be sponsored and be of some standing in the community.

“Now you can pay $5 and get in.”

The inaugural meeting of the Dubbo City Women’s Bowling Club was held on November 30, 2017 but it wasn’t until the next year the organisation began to function.

Alma Blackett chaired that first meeting and she and many other key figures in the club’s history were recognised on Tuesday.

Joan Hill is one of the more interesting figures give she was never a member of the club.

As a member of the Macquarie club, Hill came across and coached players at City and to this day to the two clubs still play for the perpetual Joan Hill Trophy.

The same goes for Maggie Currie, who was a member at Macquarie but was named the first patron at City.

As well as growing in size since that first meeting in November of 1977, the club has also developed a strong tradition when it comes to success at regional and state tournaments.

The club members, and those from around the region who also joined in Tuesday’s party, got to see all the club’s success with a display table showcasing some of the club’s standout achievements.

The club won its first district pennant in 1981 and while many other victories were scored after that, few years were as succesful as 2011.

That campaign included winning the state title in grade two and a second-placed finish in grade three.

As well as that, there was district regional singles, pairs, triples and fours titles.

This year also saw a a major award won as the club collected the fours state championship.

While Tuesday was a joyous occasion and one to relive all that glory, Young confessed there is a tinge of sadness and uncertainty around the club at the moment.

A 50th anniversary celebration at the current club may not be a possibility with the City bowling club having agreed to amalgamate with the Dubbo RSL.

“Things are going to change. This wonderful precinct could be gone unless a miracle happens in the next three years,” Young said.

“That was inconceivable in times past because the epicentre of any city was the bowling club.”