St Kilda Petanque Club

Petanque is one of the family of games that involves throwing or rolling a ball towards some point. The family includes the Italian Bocce, the English/Scottish Lawn Bowls, Irish Road-Bowls, skittles, and American Ten Pin Bowling. This family evolved from some of the earliest games played. Petanque involves throwing a heavy metal "boule" on a "piste" (a rough gravel surface) towards a small wooden ball, over distances of 6 to 12 metres.

Prior to 1910, the version of the game played in France was Jeu Provencale, where the player is permitted to take two steps before the boule is played. In 1910 Jules LeNoir, a very well known Jeu Provencale player suffered severe injuries in an accident, leaving him permanently in a wheel chair. To enable him to continue to enjoy his favorite sport, some of Jules' friends modified some of the rules, introducing the concept of playing the boule from a fixed point (now a circle scribed on the gravel, in which both feet must be firmly planted). This new game was given the name of "pieds tanque". As the popularity of the new game increased, it evolved into what is now "petanque". It is played throughout the world, but is strongest in France and in those countries where the french have had influence. Worldwide, the number of regular players is in the millions. There are a number of clubs in Victoria , with numbers growing. Some clubs are associated with wineries, reflecting common additional interests of petanque players. The game is characterised by a casual atmosphere, and is very inclusive. Often whole families play.

Petanque arrived in St Kilda in 1992, when the "St Kilda Petanque Club"was formed and combined with the St Kilda Bowling Club and the Emerald Hill Cricket Club to form the St Kilda Sports Club. A "piste" was constructed on a disused bowling green. In 1996 the Australian Championships were held at the St Kilda Sports Club. Since its formation the club has been very successful; in 2003 a St Kilda member was selected in the Australian team to play in the world championships.

Members play socially every Friday afternoon/evening at St Kilda. Beginners are most welcome. On Sundays there are generally formal games at St Kilda or one of the other petanque clubs. The game is played throughout the year.