Sport
19 December, 2025
Talbot awards life membership to Jackson
One of the region’s most respected lawn bowls legends recently added another remarkable achievement to his storied resume as Robert Jackson was awarded a life membership to the Talbot Bowls Club.
After receiving a life membership to the Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields Bowls Region last year, Jackson was given the same honour by the Talbot Bowls Club at a surprise induction ceremony at their clubrooms last Saturday.
Jackson was recognised for his constant dedication not only as a key premiership player, but as a crucial cog in the off-green upkeep of the club during tenures on the committee and as president.
“It was a complete shock to me and it brought a tear to the eye,” Jackson said after the presentation.
“You don’t do things for the glory of them. It’s great to receive this, but I do it because I love the game and I love the club.
“The game gives you a lot, but it’s good to give something back to the game, and that’s the only reason I do it.”
Jackson was a key fixture in the Goldfields Lawn Bowls scene before he joined Talbot in the 2007/08 season, named in the Maryborough Highland Society’s Saturday Men’s Pennant Team of the Century after winning seven division one premierships in the space of over 20 years.
Now with 504 games at Highland and 289 matches with Talbot under his belt, Jackson’s longest-standing career in lawn bowls started in rather peculiar fashion.
“I broke my leg playing football, and started playing a lot of bowls,” Jackson said.
“I used to work behind the bar at the Highland and they rang up and said can you fill in on Saturday? I said I will have to see the boss to get Saturday off.
“They put me on the side and from there I missed two games in 22 years.
“As long as I am physically fit enough to play the game, I will play the game because it’s a great game.”
Jackson’s willingness to assist with anything around the Talbot Bowls Club hasn’t waned after nearly two decades, always offering to take on jobs like maintaining the greens alongside Matthew Vernon.
According to Jackson, the friendship of the local lawn bowls community, coupled with his love for the game and his club, continues to fuel his passion for lawn bowls.
“It’s just the people you meet, especially in smaller clubs,” he said.
“You can go out and play a game of bowls and get belted by 30 shots, but you still enjoy your game whether you get beaten or not.
“We play against a lot of smaller clubs and the comradeship and the friendship are absolutely brilliant.
“At a region presentation night when I was due for re-election at the board and I didn’t stand, I said to people in the room you learn a lot about the game of bowls by playing the game, you learn a lot about the game by being involved on committees.”