About Us
Club History
The Fremantle Swan Dragon Boat Club was started in 1981 when our founding club President, David Blackley was visiting Hong Kong Life-Savers and was introduced to a well know Hong Kong identity. Since 1979, Dragon Boat racing had seen a resurgence among the Hong Kong Fishing community and the local Department of Tourism were inviting overseas teams to compete in a International Dragon Boat Racing Festival and so the Fremantle Swan Dragon Boat Club was born. It was the second dragon boat club to be formed in Australia (but now the longest in existence).
From meagre beginnings training in a converted surf boat, FSDBC was the first Australian team to compete in Hong Kong and Macau. The club then designed and built the first aluminium dragon boat in the world.
Competition
Since those early days, the club has had the honour and privilege to be invited to race in places such as Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Penang, and Taipei on many occasions with some good success. Participation in these competitions is a tradition of the club and we look to send a team overseas at every opportunity.
On the domestic front, we compete at regattas throughout the year in Perth and Bunbury culminating in the WA State championships. In April we send teams to compete in the National championships with a number of members also qualifying to compete for the WA State team at the event.
Of course, we have lots of fun along the way and always uphold club traditions wherever we go. We also make sure that what happens on tour...stays on tour!
A club for all
While we are a competitive club with a heritage of success, we are also a family club. Many juniors and parents paddle, although not together (that wouldn’t be cool!).
The Fremantle Cygnets are our Junior team. They are awesome!
They were National champions in 2013 and 2016.
Between 2013 and 2019, 18 FSDBC juniors have gone on to represent Australia at international competitions in Hungary, Canada, France and Thailand.