Winners of the 2026 Joy Johnson Bowls Tournament were Claire Smith, Kate Bush and Di Hands. Photos by Calum Bennington
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Calum Bennington
For Anne Miles, Joy Johnson’s legacy to the Yarrawonga bowls community will never be forgotten.
“Joy and I were great buddies and very close,” Anne said.
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“We were in the Victorian senior side, and we used to talk about how we would get a woman’s tournament up and running.”
Joy’s legacy remains ever-present in the bowls community, with her daughters instrumental in the continued growth of the Joy Johnson Bowls Tournament.
A successful weekend at the annual Joy Johnson Bowls Tournament. Photo Calum Bennington
“We started very well with $10,000 prize money,” Anne said.
“It’s been amazing; it’s probably the best tournament in the Ovens and Murray,.
“This year we had 84 players from 54 clubs, and roughly 20 players from state and ex-state backgrounds.”
Anne says they are trying to make the tournament different every year, so that it stays modern.
With the tourist hotspot of Yarrawonga, and the backdrop of the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort, players are attracted from this region and from across Victoria.
The 2026 tournament marked the Joy Johnson Bowls Tournament ninth year.
Joy Johnson, whose legacy has not been forgotten in Yarrawonga.
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Supplied
With strong support from the golf club, the local community and sponsors, Anne hopes the event can maintain its stature as one of the premier women’s bowls tournaments in the state, and potentially the country.
“It is about maintaining itself, keeping it going by doing something different,” she said.
“They are fighting to get in; we had 50 expressions of interest this year, and we only have 28 spots.
“It was a high-quality field, probably the best field we have had; (the result) was very close and it could have been anyone’s game.”
Joy’s legacy has never been far from Anne’s thoughts, particularly reflecting on how proud her friend would have been to see the tournament’s success.
“She would be very stoked at how far this has come, and to see this running, she’d be very proud,” Anne said.
“At the same time, she would be saying, ‘No more fuss about me, just keep doing it’.
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