Sydney Rowing Club was established in 1870 and was first located on the site of the famous Sydney icon, The Opera House. In 1873 the Club purchased an additional property at Abbotsford, known then as “The Red Cow Inn”. In 1888 the Club relocated from it’s original site, to the western side of Woolloomooloo Bay, between Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and the Domain Baths. It continued to run activities from the two sites at Woolloomooloo and Abbotsford until 1947, when all activities moved to Abbotsford.
SRC has attracted prestigious members over the years including A.B. “Banjo” Patterson and the first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Edmund Barton. Recent renovations have re-invented the club and we are proud to be providing award winning bar and dining facilities that fully embrace our magnificent waterfront location. Rowing is and always will be our reason for being. Sydney Rowing Club’s goal is to be Australia’s best rowing club achieved through the pursuit of excellence, performance at the highest standards and the development of strength and quality of character within our members. We wish to build and support high quality programs and facilities that promote access to rowing, excellence in rowing, and use rowing as a means to foster physical activity, health, leadership, and community engagement.