The Range continued its newsletter approach of collecting snippets from weekly reports for Maleny's local paper.

In January the club attended the 2026 Hinterland Australia Day Expo at the Showgrounds, joining other sporting, community and creative groups to promote croquet and the club. After attracting new players in 2025, The Range aims to do the same in 2026.

A visit to the Australian Sports Museum in Melbourne found little about croquet beyond Tom Howat's name on the national sports Wall of Fame. Further reading showed Thomas Howat was the best Australian croquet player of his generation, with nine Australian Championships between 1955 and 1968, and Queensland singles titles in 1966 and 1970 and doubles titles in 1966 and 1972. He was a left-hander with an Irish grip and a distinctive stance, and contributed as player, authority, administrator and coach.

In late February, Sarah Widin and Dianne Horsman represented The Range Maleny at the Darling Downs Regional Tournament at Laurel Bank, competing for the Joy Gardner Trophy in Division 2. They did not take out the trophy but look forward to returning next year.

Dianne Horsman and Sarah Widden at Laurel Bank CC.

The club also drew a croquet history connection with Chartwell, Winston Churchill's former home in Kent, which featured a croquet lawn.

In March, the Sunshine Coast Regional Development Squad worked on building and maintaining breaks across four sessions. Players from Caloundra, Bribie and Maleny were instructed by senior coach and representative player Greg Whymark, with technical skills, sports theory and systems thinking explained and practised.

Despite wet weather, The Range's well-drained courts hosted six Division 2 AC players in a round robin over two days. Murray Tinker from Caloundra won, pegging out in all games and dropping his handicap. Local player Sarah Widin came second.

Division 2 regional AC champions, Murray and Sarah.

The club also hosted Division 4 AC, with six players. Bob Wilson from Point Lookout won, with Penny Wilson second. Point Lookout in Maryborough was formed in 1898 and is the oldest club in Queensland.

Division 4 regional competitors.

SCRCC squad.

In Ricochet, The Range players performed well in Division 2 regional championships, with Sarah Widin and Dianne Horsman taking first and second. Golf Croquet pennants began with good results for Lynette Evans, Wallace Roy, Sarah and Dianne.

Sarah Widin is continuing intensive practice for the AC nationals and the Eire Cup in Western Australia, while also coaching club players and serving as club president. Wallace Roy achieved a milestone in social play, winning by a two-ball peg out for the first time.

The club credited tournament manager and umpire Wallace Roy and referee, club captain and treasurer Donna Manning, and noted that the lawns are playing well. Sarah and Wallace have also gained further accreditation as coaches and umpires.

The club recently lost valued player, friend and treasurer Stuart Craig. His style on and off the courts will be missed.

By David Kerr, The Range. From the Croquet Newsletter, March/April 2026, pages 31-35.