Take a deep dive into Bathurst Bulldogs' 150 years of rich history

And this year, the Bathurst Bulldogs will celebrate a significant birthday.

Founded back in 1874, the blue and golds will celebrate 150 years of rugby in Bathurst.

Bulldogs president Phill Newton said he's looking forward to what will be a memorable year for the club.

"The history that goes with the sport in Bathurst is unbelievable. Through that time, the culture and the community that's developed around it is massive," he said.

"I've always said to the guys that are involved now, 'We're only here as custodians. We've got to continue that on and then pass it on'.

"I think we're doing a really good job at the moment. Not only on the field - the results speak for themselves over the last few years - but off the field we do a lot of really good stuff. We're heavily involved in the community."

Formed in 1874, the club is one of the oldest clubs in NSW and the second oldest outside of Sydney, behind Goulburn in 1872.

Back in those days, travelling between towns wasn't as easy.

There were no cars and the railways were only just being developed, so horseback was probably your best mode of transport.

So instead of region-wide competitions, like the ones that exist today, Bathurst clubs would compete amongst themselves.

St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst High School and the old All Saints' College were just some of the teams that made up the local competition, as well Experiment Farm, Boomerangs.

It was during the 1950s that the Central West Rugby Union competition began to emerge, with the first season kicking-off in 1956, which was ultimately won by Orange Wests.

While there were some familiar names such as Orange Emus, Orange City and Dubbo all competing, clubs that have now folded or moved to lower tiers such as Blayney, Cumnock, Goolma, Lithgow, Mitchell College (now CSU), Molong, Mudgee, Orange Ag College, Rylstone, Wellington and Yeoval all competed at one stage.

Bulldogs won its first senior title in any grade in 1969, when the blue and golds won second grade, before claiming an inaugural first grade title in 1977.

ANN Ashwood Park has been the home to Bathurst Bulldogs since 2007.

Named after Bathurst's first female mayor, who was elected in 1989, the venue on Hereford Street replaced the Bulldogs' previous home at Walmer Park.

Opened in 1980, Walmer Park was owned by Bulldogs, and it was christened with a match between NSW Barbarians and a Bathurst Presidents XV side on March 22 of that year, with the visitors claiming a 42-23 win.

By 1999, the club had commenced a process to move away from the ground.

And in 2006, after seven years of hard work, the club received both state and federal grants and sold Walmer Park to Bathurst Regional Council, which resulted in the construction of the Bulldogs' new facility which it calls home today.

Newton said the move came about due to the club outgrowing Walmer Park.

"We had one field up at Walmer Park, but we were getting to the stage where we had up to five grades and we were running out of space," he said.

"Council wanted us to move, it was just finding the right place. There was talk at one stage of the hospital park [Adventure Playground], but that never eventuated.

"Through the work of John Maynard, a former president, and Bob Roach, who was the finance manager at council, this occurred. It's a great precinct."

Prior to Walmer Park, the Bulldogs were based at the Bathurst Sportsground and Morse Park, with an old club house once existing near the Driver Reviver building on Havannah Street.

THE Bulldog emblem that is emblazoned on the club's blue and gold jerseys is one of Bathurst's most famous logos.

But it was nickname that only came about in the 1960s, when Mack Trucks came onboard as a sponsor.

The truck manufacturing company's logo is a bulldog too and it no longer sponsors the club, the nickname would stick forever.

While the club is officially the Bathurst Rugby Club, it was also known as Bathurst City at one stage.

There was even a time when the club didn't wear blue and gold, with old team photos indicating the Bulldogs wore red, white and black during the early 20^th century.

OVER the years, the Bulldogs have developed a number of high-profile players that have gone on to represent their country at junior and senior levels.

And one of the most famous players to have played rugby in Bathurst is someone more remembered for his career in politics.

Ben Chifley, the city's one and only prime minister, not only played for Bathurst but even represented Western Districts.

The club still has a copy of a 1911 team photo, which features Chifley.

Some of the early representatives were Jess Dibley, Bert Reid, Tom Palmer and George Anelzark, just to name a few.

In modern times, the club has fielded Wallabies such as Ron Graham, Lars Hedberg and Marty Roebuck, as well as Australia under 21s players Matthew Stocks and Nick Lavelle and Australian Schoolboy and under 20s representative Sam Robertson.

Bathurst local James McLaren also played for Scotland at the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cup.

In recent years, 2023 Rugby World Cup Wallaby Tom Hooper played juniors at Bulldogs before he went to St Stanislaus' College, as well as his younger brother Lachlan.

Jacinta Windsor, a current Super W Rugby player with NSW, Claudia McLaren, son of the aforementioned Scotland international, Jakiya Whitfeld, a former Australian women's rugby sevens star and North Queensland Cowboys footballer, and Marita Shoulders, who represented the Australian women's police team, are some of the club's best female exports.

TO celebrate 150 years, the Bulldogs will host a ball at the Goldfields on Saturday, May 11.

Tickets are $120 a head and can be purchased online at TryBooking.

Welcome drinks will be held at the Kings Hotel on George Street from 6pm on Friday, May 10, with Bulldogs to clash with Orange City on the Saturday afternoon before the ball.