By Anna McGuinness
Copyright abc
In the small Murray River town of Barham, locals admit their astonishment at hosting a World Bowls title event.
The New South Wales border town of 1,500 people does not have a traffic light, but it does have world-class greens, attracting state and international events.
Fifty-seven bowlers from 33 nations travelled three hours north from Melbourne Airport by bus for the 2025 World Bowls Champion of Champions this week.
Each qualified as the best from their country to compete in Barham for a men’s or women’s singles world title.
Switzerland player Thomas Wälti joked there was “nothing there” when he looked up Barham on the map.
Between play on Monday, he said it was a very small town but beautiful.
For some players, the biggest shock was the low spring temperature, just 16 degrees Celsius.
Town prepares for influx
It is the first time Barham has hosted the Champion of Champions after the town’s services club, CluBarham, won an expression of interest process against nations including Wales and South Africa.
Barham Bakery manager Melissa Davis was hoping for a 10 to 20 per cent boost in trade from the week and rostered extra staff.
Ms Davis said she was surprised the town had secured the prestigious event.
Murray River Council Mayor John Harvie said the exposure for the town would be extraordinary.
“Smaller communities such as Barham rarely get events of this size,” he said.
“It’s great for people from overseas to experience rural Australian culture and hospitality.”
CluBarham has invested more than $4 million in its bowls facilities, including synthetic greens and canopies to allow year-round play.
“The investment has been quite massive,” CluBarham CEO Jason Wallace said.
“But what it does for our region and particularly for Koondrook and Barham, it means a lot for our business community.”
Barham is hosting the annual Victorian Over 60s State Carnival for five years, bringing 1,300 bowlers to the town and boosting the local economy by $1.3 million.
Local bowlers up close with world’s best
Avid bowler Helen Jenkin and her husband were among those enjoying the action on Monday, having made the trip up with their caravan from Daylesford in central Victoria.
Ms Jenkin will return to Barham next week to play the same greens among 550 competitors in the Victorian Women’s Country Carnival, and jumped at the chance to see world-class bowlers.
While spectator numbers for the world title fell short of expectations early in the week, Mr Wallace expected a $500,000 flow-on benefit for the town.
It is hoped the finals on Thursday will draw a 500-strong crowd.
“It takes a little while to get here if you’re travelling from Melbourne or other parts of the country, but I think once everyone gets here they’re just really impressed,” World Bowls CEO Neil Dalrymple said.
Australian representative Chloe Stewart grew up a few hours down the highway at Kyneton, where she played bowls with her grandmother.
“It’s a really cool place to come out and be in the country again, it’s a beautiful part of the world,” she said.
The town has secured a World Bowls Series this December and will host the World Bowls Champion of Champions again in 2026.
