St Stephen's Harriers

On this page: Welcome · About the club · Our history · Club records · Life members · Reports & journals · The merger · Help us

Welcome, St Stephen's

In 2024, St Stephen's Harriers merged with Sandringham Athletic Club. With that, Sandringham did not simply gain members: we inherited one of the great names in Australian distance running, a club whose history stretches back to 1908. To every St Stephen's athlete, family, life member, coach, official and friend, you are warmly welcome at your home at Glamis Avenue, Hampton.

This page exists to honour that legacy and to keep the St Stephen's story alive: the people, the records, the championships and the spirit that have been more than a century in the making. We are proud to carry it forward.

St Stephen's Harriers athletes in the club singlet — the red, white and blue now part of the Sandy Aths family.

About St Stephen's Harriers

St Stephen's Harriers Athletic Club, founded in 1908 and first based at St Stephen's Anglican Church in Richmond, built a long, rich and distinguished history, producing a remarkable string of athletes across all disciplines at national and international level who all contributed to the story of Australian athletics. In its later years the club was based in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, affiliated with Athletics Victoria, with a focus on the AV cross country season and the middle distance events of the summer track and field programme.

The club understood that not everyone can be a champion. One of its core principles was to create an inclusive environment where members could enjoy the fellowship of the sport at either the elite or the recreational level, and above all have fun, stay fit and have a positive experience. Run by volunteers, for members, its stated mission captured it well:

To build on the strong foundation established over the past 100 years of competition, and to provide an opportunity for athletes of all ages and abilities to reach their full potential.

Our history

A summary of 90 years of history, prepared by the late Jack Biggins, Life Member. Lightly edited, and reproduced here so the St Stephen's story is preserved.

St Stephen's Harriers was formed from a group of young lads who were members of the St Stephen's Church of England Bible Class in Richmond, looking for a recreational sport to occupy their spare time. Parents vetoed football as too rough, cycling equipment was too expensive and tennis lacked courts, so athletics was the sport adopted. At a meeting held in March 1908 St Stephen's Harriers was formed and office bearers were elected. George Langford was appointed Secretary, a position he held until his untimely death in 1942, aged 53.

It was under George's leadership that the club rose to being one of the largest, best known and most successful clubs in Australia. Over his lifetime he held, at various times, the positions of President of the Victorian Athletic Association, Australian Athletics, Richmond Cricket Club and the Australian Olympic Council, among others. He was appointed Track Referee to the British Empire Games in Sydney in 1938. Richmond Cricket Ground was the club's training venue.

Success was not easily achieved until 1910, when the club won the C Grade Cross Country teams race. This immediately attracted more members, and in 1911 the B Grade 5 and 10 mile teams won the Victorian Championships. The first member to win an Open Championship was Thomas Vines, who won the 1913 10 mile title in 58 minutes 23.5 seconds.

The club continued with varied successes until war broke out in 1914, bringing most sporting activity into recess. 81 members, plus 14 former members, enlisted. 13 were killed in action and 8 received medals for bravery. After the war competition resumed and the club continued to be successful in the winter season, being Cross Country Champions from 1919 to 1960 (except 1927 and 1929, when Malvern Harriers were victors).

Always looking for ways to promote the club and to create interest with the newspapers, it was decided to attempt long distance relay runs, a first in Australian athletics. The first event ran from Melbourne to Sydney on 18 September 1929. There were 23 runners, each covering 5 miles daily, and the 565 mile distance was covered in 54 hours 56 minutes 49 seconds. The baton carried messages from the Mayor of Melbourne and was handed to the Mayor of Sydney on arrival. Next came a 24 hour relay on 11 September 1931, using the Church Hall as a base and the streets of inner Melbourne as the course. The total distance of 262 miles 125 yards was achieved, with most of the 78 runners covering a one mile section two or three times. This created a World Record. In 1934 the club sent a team to Adelaide for the State 10 Mile Cross Country Championship and won the teams race, and on 30 September 1934 the team of 23 runners set off for home by relay, which took 54 hours 9 minutes 29 seconds. In 1931 St Stephen's Harriers created a record attendance of 116 members at the opening Cross Country run of the VAAA. In 1948 the club ran another 24 hour relay around Melbourne, this time covering 271 miles.

Weekends away

1928 started the club's famous Queen's Birthday weekend (June) holiday relay run to Sorrento, in mile sections, with the club staying at the Oceanic Guest House before relay running home on the Monday. After the 1939 to 1945 war the weekend relays continued, with a sports meeting held at the Sorrento Football Ground before returning home by car. This continued until 1951, when the club ran around the Bay in a day, Queenscliff to Melbourne to Sorrento, for the weekend. The weekends continued in different areas, Ballarat, Cowes, Warburton, Tidal River, Lorne and Marysville, until 1980 when the weekend trips were voted off the winter programme.

On the biggest stages

The British Empire Games (now the Commonwealth Games) came to Sydney in 1938 and the club made the most of the occasion. Fred Barry-Brown, Fred Colman and Gerald Backhouse were selected in the Australian team and George Langford was appointed Track Referee. A party of 54 members travelled by train and spent seven terrific days at the Oriental Hotel in Kings Cross. Gerald Backhouse ran second in the Mile in 4 minutes 12.0 seconds; the winner was Alford of Wales in 4 minutes 11.6 seconds, the margin between first and second being four tenths of a second.

The 1956 Olympic Games were held in Melbourne from 22 November to 1 December, and, as usual, many members became involved in the organisation in the years before and during competition. Twenty-three members served as officials, with Edgar Tanner ("Zack") the Secretary of the Australian Olympic Organising Committee. On Sunday 2 December the club organised an Olympic church service at St Stephen's Church, packed with overseas athletes, many in their national dress. Barclay Palmer, British Shot Put Champion, and the club's own Australian Record holder for the 110m Hurdles, Ray Weinberg, read the lessons. The Reverend Bob Richards of the USA, Olympic Pole Vault Champion, gave an inspiring sermon, and the choir was made up mainly of club members. Under a priority booking system the club purchased 966 tickets on behalf of 66 members, to the value of 1280 pounds (the club treasurer almost had a nervous breakdown handling the purchases).

In 1967, club member Derek Clayton set the world's fastest time for the Marathon, in Antwerp, Belgium: 2 hours 8 minutes 33.6 seconds. It remains one of the proudest moments in the club's history.

More than a running club

St Nicholas Boys' Home, Glenroy: in 1926, through Canon Lamble, the club held a run from the Boys' Home, then home to 52 boys, mainly orphans. It was such a success that the 5 Mile Club Championship was conducted from there for many years. In 1927 thirty members gave the boys a Christmas party, beginning a close affiliation, and the treasurer opened a special fund for donations. The club built a concrete cricket pitch in 1930 and a recreational hall, complete with concrete floor, windows, sliding doors and a full-size basketball court, in 1939, returning in 1947 to do the painting. One of the lads brought up in the home, George Pearson, became an international rugby player, studied theology, and later became Vicar of St Stephen's Church and the club's President. The home at Glenroy closed in 1953 and moved to Newhaven, Phillip Island; as the distance was too far, the club made one last visit, donating sporting equipment including a full-size table tennis table and a trampoline.

Warburton House: in 1973 the club purchased a house in Warburton as a training camp, a base for weekend runs and holiday accommodation for members. For many years it was a great success, but as interest waned the house was sold.

Many members attained distinction in their lives beyond athletics. Among them were Sir Edgar Tanner (Member of Parliament and head of the Australian Olympic body), Sir Charles Moses (head of the Australian Broadcasting Commission), Reginald Talbot (Lord Mayor of Melbourne), the Very Worshipful Fred Head (Archbishop of Melbourne) and Dr Carl Wood (head of the IVF research programme).

Training grounds, coaches and the club journal

In 1965 the club, with the co-operation of the Melbourne City Council, obtained the use of a brand new training track at Yarra Park, alongside the railway line almost opposite Olympic Park. In 1991 the club relocated to Hawthorn, training at Auburn Quarry Reserve as well as Olympic Park.

The success of most clubs rests on coaches capable of bringing out the best in a member at the critical time. Four stand out for ability and length of service: Tom Vines, a foundation member, followed by Geoff Leete, then Bob Osborne, who handed over to his son Norman. Norm held the position from 1962 to 1984 before going to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, later coaching the Australian team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

The first issue of the club journal, named "Cross Country" (Facts and Fancies concerning St Stephen's Harriers), was printed by Whitehurst Printers of Bridge Road, Richmond, on 28 April 1923. It continued until June 1953, when the club began producing roneo copies. From 31 July 1991, when the women's and men's clubs amalgamated, it was renamed the "St Stephen's Hawthorn Athletic Club Inc. Cross Country Journal".

The women's club

Wal Robinson and Barry Tregenza, St Stephen's Harriers members, were instrumental in forming a sister club. Wal, a teacher at Burwood Primary School, was coaching a Little Athletics club and was keen to create a senior club for girls as they turned twelve and aged out of Little Athletics. On 8 May 1969 the St Stephen's Women's Amateur Athletic Club was formed, with the first affiliation fee paid by Barry Tregenza. At that time the men's and women's clubs were controlled by separate governing bodies and competed at different venues, Royal Park being the women's first interclub venue. In 1982 the men's and women's associations amalgamated and, for the first time, men and women competed at the same venue. On 31 May 1991 members of St Stephen's Harriers and the St Stephen's Women's Athletic Club Inc. agreed to amalgamate, forming a new combined club known as St Stephen's Hawthorn Athletic Club Inc. In the 1991/92 season, as a combined club, the men and women competed at the same venue, Doncaster, for the first time.

Since 1983, older members have held a reunion every six months, a testament to the strong friendships created over years of competition. During the 1939 to 1945 war, a full record of those who enlisted and did not return was not kept, but two stained glass memorial windows were installed and dedicated in St Stephen's Church.

General statistics

Club records

The St Stephen's Harriers club records, preserved here as published by the club. Among the highlights: Derek Clayton's marathon mark of 2:08:33.6, and a sweep of distance records by Olympian Stewart McSweyn. Times marked h were hand timed and e electronically timed.

Men's club records

Women's club records

Life members

Life Membership of St Stephen's Harriers recognised long and outstanding service to the club. We record every name here with gratitude.

• G.E. Langford*
• M.W. McMillan*
• F.W. Page*
• R.G. Riches*
• E.G. Leete*
• W.D. Brown*
• M.V. Boyd*
• R.W. Osborne*
• T.N. Vines*
• A.H. Lonnquist*
• J. Biggins*
• O.E. Davies*
• R.D. Young*
• J. Draper*
• R.W. Field*
• B.K. Tregenza
• N.R. Osborne*
• R.A. Turner*
• D.W. McNair
• F. Coldrey*
• H. Stanton*
• M. Goerke
• A. Franzke
• B.R. Mee
• P.J. Robinson
• L. Jachno
• P. Westwood
• S. Young*
• A.W. Robinson
• D. Clayton
• R. Mitchell
• M. Hillardt
• G. Puopolo
• G. Schofield
• S. Cooper

* Deceased.

Annual reports and journals

The club's annual reports and cross country journals, an invaluable record of its later decades, preserved by the club and linked below.

Annual reports

• 2021-2022
• 2020-2021
• 2019-2020
• 2018-2019
• 2017-2018
• 2016-2017
• 2015-2016

Cross country journals

• April 2019
• July 2018
• April 2018
• November 2017
• August 2017
• April 2017
• October 2016
• July 2016

Coming home to Sandringham

St Stephen's Harriers merged with Sandringham Athletic Club as of 2024. The St Stephen's committee at the time of the merger was: Tom Thorpe (President), Simone McInnes (Vice President and Club Captain), Whitney Sharpe (Secretary and Zone Delegate), Jamie Wagstaff (Registrar and AV Delegate), Luke Frazzetto (Treasurer), with Ben Buckingham and Kevin Cragie on the general committee. Our thanks to them, and to everyone before them, for entrusting St Stephen's proud history to Sandringham.

Two clubs that have always believed in welcoming athletes of every age and ability are now one. The St Stephen's name, records and people are part of the Sandy Aths story from here on.

Help us complete the story

If you ran, threw, jumped, walked, officiated, coached or administered for St Stephen's, we would love your help. Photos, results, journals, names for the honour roll and memories are all welcome, and any corrections to the records above are gratefully received. Use the form near the top of this page, or email sandyaths@gmail.com.