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Welcome to the official website of the Hills District Athletic Club.
Founded in 1971, the Hills Athletic Club is today recognised as one of the premier athletics clubs in New South Wales. An affiliated member of both Athletics NSW and Athletics Australia, the official governing state and national bodies for track and field and athletics, the Hills Club has produced numerous champions at state, national and international level whilst at the same time, introducing young people to athletics, enabling and encouraging them to pursue healthier lifestyles. Geographically, Hills athletes are representative of a diverse and widely-spread cross section of the Sydney metropolitan region, from the far Blue Mountains, to Richmond and Penrith, the Northern beaches, Sydney's Southern suburbs as well as Bathurst, Grafton and Temora.
It was the intention of the original founders of the Hills Athletics Club that every athlete who competed under the navy and gold strip was made to feel welcome as a member of the Hills family. The spirit of athletic participation embodied by Pierre De Coubertin in the era of the early modern Olympic Games is an ideal that continues to be fostered and honoured at Hills to this day, a legacy to the earliest stages of the Hills Athletics Club.
One of the primary aims of the club is to introduce and provide opportunities for individuals within an athletics-based environment. The Hills Club retains the strong belief that encouragement should be bestowed upon all athletes, regardless of age, gender or ability, from the novice right through to those at the elite level. Hills will always endeavour to support athletes with their athletic needs.
The Hills District Athletics Club is committed to building comradery, friendships and rivalries within the realm of athletic competition. We endeavour to create a positive learning and training environment in which athletes are strongly motivated and continuous individual improvement is valued and provided recognition.
To new members, congratulations on joining our wonderful club and becoming part of the Hills family- you will not be disappointed.
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History of The Club
The first Athletics club based in the Hills District was the Baulkham Hills Womens’ Amateur Athletics Club, formed in 1968 as a division of the Baulkham Hills Sports and Recreation Club. It was founded by Marlene Mathews and Ron White. Ron, a former national jumps representative, is the current Vice President and Coach Co-ordinator at Hills District Athletics Club.
The Hills Womens' Amateur Athletics Club was based at Ted Horwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills, however usage was also made of the Castle Hill RSL grounds for training purposes. The club catered for the athletic needs of individuals of all ages, however it was not until 1972 that the Hills District Little Athletic's Club was founded- also at Ted Horwood Reserve- specifically dedicated to developing younger athletes for the vigour of senior competition.
In 1974, a men’s division was established and continued to function until 1979, when the Men’s and Women’s Athletics Clubs merged, triggering the foundation of the new Hills District Athletic Club, which combined both male and female athletes. The conception of the new single male and female association failed to satisfy or please everybody- consequently, a number of clubs throughout Sydney retained their status as Women-only clubs. This was the case with Baulkham Hills Women’s Athletic Club, which continued to function as a separate entity until 1989 when it finally merged with the Hills District Athletic Club.
In 2005, the Hills District Athletics Club is based at Alfred Henry Whaling Reserve (Roxborough Park), Baulkham Hills, a ground designed by Baulkham Hills Shire Council, and designated specifically for athletics in the Hills Shire.
The level of success achieved by the club has far exceeded that of other similar sized clubs. With an average membership of 120 athletes, we have continued to produce and develop numerous state and national champions year after year. Such consistency is a direct result of the input provided by Head Coach and co-founder of the club, Ron White, who has devoted himself over 25 years to coaching outstanding young athletes in the Hills District.
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Life Membership Honour Roll
Mrs Marlene Mathews (AM)
Mr Ron White
Mrs Lillian Brennan
Mr George Frecklington
Mr William Bradshaw
Mrs Robyn Patrick
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Postal Address
The Club Postal Address is:
PO Box 62, Baulkham Hills, NSW 2153, Australia
