01/05/2026
NBBC Club member inducted into the World Bowls Hall of Fame
It is with immense pleasure we inform you that NBBC Life Member, Betty Collins OAM, has been inducted into the World Bowls Hall of Fame. This great honour caps a wonderful contribution to the sport of lawn bowls over many decades. Not only a great player, Betty was an exceptional administrator of the game and a great mentor. Her conferment will be awarded during the World Bowls Indoor Championships to be held in Ocean Grove from 11th May.
The official announcement from World Bowls records the following information.
“Betty was the first female president of the unified world body and is a life member of World Bowls. Only those intimately involved in the 1990s and early 2000s will be aware that the effort to get one unified world body agreed was a very challenging task.
It took several years and Betty was the key leader on the women’s side of the sport who supported the change. There were many who did not! First Betty played a key role in the unification of the Australian Women’s Bowling Council with Bowls Australia, before undertaking the same task with World Bowls, resulting in the formation of World Bowls Limited, based in Scotland.
Betty was initially Deputy President and on becoming World Bowls president, Betty was instrumental in getting approval for there to be one uniform set of Laws of the Game (previously there were three versions). She also got Board approval for New Zealand’s application to host the first combined World Championships in Auckland in 1988.
Betty was a gracious but strong president whose leadership over two terms played a big part in the modernisation of the game. During her presidency there were many new events introduced including the World Champion of Champion Singles, and other innovations like rankings.
Betty was honoured with the Order of Australia Medal in 2002. She was inducted into the inaugural Bowls Australia Hall of Fame in 2011.
Previously, Betty was president of both the Australian Women’s Bowling Council and the Victoria Ladies Bowling Association. She was a Victorian State selector, Committee member, and Councillor.
Betty was an Australian team manager at the Commonwealth Games and Chair of the Women’s World Championships in 2000 held in Moama, New South Wales, Australia.
In retirement Betty continues to enthusiastically support our sport, and the Betty Collins Trophy is awarded to the top performing women’s team at the Australian Senior Sides event”.
We at North Balwyn are immensely proud that you call NBBC home and wish you a great evening for the presentation. We pass on our warmest congratulations for being inducted into the World Bowls Hall of Fame and thank you for a lifetime of service and contribution to the sport of lawn bowls.
