Australian Rules Football has been played in Clunes and District since the gold rush.

The Clunes Football Netball Club has a proud history and has been a centre of community activity for 1000s of Clunes’ residents and their families for generations. The Club was formed in 1886 and played in various local games up until 1917. Games were often played midweek in the early days, with many players being employed in the mines.

 

In 1917, the Creswick District Football League was formed with Clunes being one of the founding clubs. Despite the challenges of World War I and World War II, which disrupted many local clubs, Clunes Football Club remained active, sustaining the community's passion for the sport. In 1931, Clunes was one of the founding members of the Clunes Football Association (CFA) where they reached the competition’s inaugural grand final, but lost by 3 points to Smeaton. The 1978 season was the CFA’s last, and one of the most dramatic in its history as Clunes and Newlyn played out the competition’s first-ever grand final draw. By contrast, the replay was all one-way traffic as Clunes surged to victory by 12 goals.

 

The Central Highlands Football League was founded in 1979, with Clunes among the new competition’s fifteen founding members. To date, Clunes has won three senior flags. 

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VFL / AFL players that have started their careers include Bob Davis, Gary Fenton, Graham Donaldson and Nick Hind

 

Club Jumpers

In 1919 the club adopted the Collingwood colours.  

1931 the strip was changed to black with a white stripe down the middle, 

In 1933 this was reversed to white with a black stripe down the middle

1945 saw the club sporting a black jumper with white collar and cuffs with a CFC monogram. 

In 1973 the club reverted back to the Collingwood stripes. 

1979 White with a black stripe down the middle, 

1982 Black with a white V yolk and 

1987 back to the Collingwood stripes.

2023 the swooping magpie

 

Senior Premierships

1934, 1951,1953,1958,1960, 1963, 1978,1979, 1993 and 1997

 

Netball

Netball used to be called Ladies Basketball till 1976 when its name changed to Netball.

In the 1970s, Clunes girls played in a Maryborough competition on a Saturday. In the 1980s, the netball competition merged with the football to play the same draw on the same day in the Central Highlands Football League, including running the same finals series.

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Over the years, netball in Clunes has been played at several venues around the town. Netball has been played at a court in ‘Collins Place’ in the main street. It has been played at the primary school, training was held on the tennis court where the Bowling Club car park is located, as well as a season at the Wesley campus.

 

For many years, Clunes played at the Caravan Park courts before moving to our current location in the late 2000s. A massive amount of club and community support went into building the courts as well as the Harris Family Pavilion and the new netball shedding. The club has seen much success throughout the years with many premierships, finals and league awards. Records for premierships before 1997 are unavailable.

 

​Premierships

A Grade 

2002, 2003

B Grade

R/Up 2009

C Grade 

2010 

Under 17s 

2001, 2008

Under 15s 

1999, 2000

Under 13s 

1997, 1998

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Bec Robinson and Nicole Discher represented Clunes in every premiership from 1997 through to 2003.