Current season, competition or edition: 2024 | |
Formerly | Bacchus Marsh & Ballarat DFL & Clunes FL |
---|---|
Sport | Australian rules football, Netball |
Founded | 1979 |
Founder | VCFL |
First season | 1979 |
President | Heath Boyd |
No. of teams | 17 |
Country | Australia |
Venue(s) | Grand Final Venue: Eureka Stadium, Ballarat |
Sponsor(s) | Brandt |
Official website | Central Highlands FNL website |
The Central Highlands Football Netball League is an Australian Rules Football & Netball League in the Ballarat region. The league coordinates Senior, Reserve, Under 18, Under 15 and Under 12 grades.
The CHFNL was formed in 1979 as a merger of the Clunes FL and the Bacchus Marsh Ballarat DFL.
In 2011 the league admitted four new clubs from the defunct Lexton Plains Football League, bringing the total number of clubs to 18.
In 2014 Illabarook changed its name to Smythesdale to reflect the town it plays its home games. Smythesdale later entered recess in 2018.
Clunes Football Association - 1931 to 1978
The Clunes FA was formed in 1931 and was initially made up of the following teams - Campbelltown, Clunes, Newstead and Smeaton. [1]
Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in CHFL | CHFL Senior Premierships | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Years | |||||||
Ballan | Blues | Ballan Recreation Reserve, Ballan | BBMFL | 1881 [2] | 1979- | 2 | 1980, 1981 | |
Beaufort | Crows | Goldfields Recreation Reserve, Beaufort | BFL | 1880 [3] | 1994- | 3 | 1995, 1996, 2018 | |
Bungaree | Demons | Bungaree Recreation Reserve, Bungaree | CFL | 1897 [4] | 1979- | 2 | 1991, 2014 | |
Buninyong | Bombers | Buninyong Recreation Reserve, Buninyong | BBMFL | 1874 [5] | 1979- | 1 | 2002 | |
Carngham Linton | Saints | Carngham Recreation Reserve, Snake Valley | LPFL | 1969 | 2011- | 0 | – | |
Clunes | Magpies | Ligar Street Reserve, Clunes | CFL | 1869 | 1979- | 3 | 1979, 1993, 1997 | |
Creswick | Wickers | Doug Lindsay Reserve, Creswick | CFL | 1869 [6] | 1979- | 1 | 1987 | |
Daylesford | Bulldogs | Victoria Park, Daylesford | BFL | 1877 | 2006- | 4 | 2007, 2009, 2012, 2024 | |
Dunnstown | Towners | Dunnstown Recreation Reserve, Dunnstown | BBMFL | 1894 | 1979- | 3 | 1994, 1998, 1999 | |
Gordon | Eagles | Gordon Recreation Reserve, Gordon | BBMFL | 1895 [7] | 1979- | 3 | 1988, 2022, 2023 | |
Hepburn | Burras | Hepburn Recreation Reserve, Hepburn | CFL | 1919 | 1979- | 9 | 1985, 1986, 1989, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2017 | |
Learmonth | Lakies | Learmonth Recreation Reserve, Learmonth | CFL | 1889 | 1979- | 0 | – | |
Newlyn | Cats | Newlyn Recreation Reserve, Newlyn | CFL | 1900 | 1979- | 2 | 1992, 2003 | |
Rokewood Corindhap | Grasshoppers | Rokewood Recreation Reserve, Rokewood | LPFL | 1932 | 2011- | 0 | – | |
Skipton | Emus | Skipton Recreation Reserve, Skipton | LPFL | 1873 | 2011- | 0 | – | |
Springbank | Tigers | Wallace Recreation Reserve, Wallace | CFL | 1925 | 1979- | 5 | 1990, 2000, 2001, 2015, 2016 | |
Waubra | Roos | Waubra Recreation Reserve, Waubra | CFL | 1910 | 1979- | 4 | 1982, 2006, 2011, 2019 |
Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in CHFL | CHFL Senior Premierships | Fate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Years | ||||||||
Darley | Devils | Darley Park, Darley | BBMFL | 1919 | 1979–1985 | 1 | 1984 | Moved to Riddell District FNL following 1985 season | |
Korweinguboora | Korweinguboora Recreation Reserve, Spargo Creek | CFL | 1920s | 1979–1981 | 0 | – | Folded in 1982 | ||
Smythesdale (formerly Illabarook) | (2011-12)(2013-18) | Bulldogs | Smythesdale Recreation Reserve, Smythesdale | LPFL | 1925 | 2011–2018 | 0 | – | Entered recess following 2018 season |
Wendouree | C.E. Brown Reserve, Wendouree | BFL | 1920s | 1979–1994 | 0 | 1983 | Merged with Ballarat YCW to form Lake Wendouree in Ballarat FL following 1994 season |
CHFNL: Senior Football Records | |
---|---|
Highest Score | 436 – Gordon 69.22.436 (Smythesdale 1.1.7) – 2015 |
Most goals in a game | 22 – Paul McMahon – Springbank vs Smythesdale round 17 2016 |
Most goals in a season | 149 – Ian McBain – Dunnstown – 1982 |
Most wins in a row | 32 – Dunnstown – 1994–1995 |
Most losses in a row | 83 – Smythesdale (Illabarook) – 2011–2015 |
2023 CHFL season | |
Football Premiers
| Football Minor Premiers
|
Football Goalkicking Awards
| Football Best & Fairest
|
CHFNL - Best & Fairest | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Geoff Taylor Medal | |||||||||
Year | Winner | Club | Votes | ||||||
1979 | Ian Lyttle | Clunes | 24 | ||||||
1980 | Hans Veerdorm | Buninyong | 23 | ||||||
1981 | Peter Muller | Creswick | 20 | ||||||
1982 | Peter Keep | Darley | 38 | ||||||
1983 | Terry Howard | Newlyn | 32 | ||||||
1984 | Peter Keep | Darley | 27 | ||||||
1985 | Tony Howlett | Bungaree | 20 | ||||||
1986 | David Jenkins | Creswick | 26 | ||||||
1987 | Peter Gervasoni | Hepburn | 24 | ||||||
1988 | Mark Milne & | Gordon | 24 | ||||||
Leigh Mitchell | Newlyn | 24 | |||||||
1989 | Andy Dispirit | Ballan | 22 | ||||||
1990 | Mark Milne | Gordon | 24 | ||||||
1991 | Stuart Richardson | Newlyn | 22 | ||||||
1992 | Chris Parker | Waubra | 25 | ||||||
1993 | David Wood | Learmonth | 22 | ||||||
1994 | Peter Doherty | Beaufort | 29 | ||||||
1995 | Peter Doherty | Beaufort | 32 | ||||||
1996 | Peter Doherty | Beaufort | 23 | ||||||
1997 | Matthew Brown | Hepburn | 29 | ||||||
1998 | Ricky Andrews & | Beaufort | 23 | ||||||
Lynden Henderson | Buninong | 23 | |||||||
1999 | Peter Doherty | Beaufort | 28 | ||||||
2000 | James Hall | Springbank | 22 | ||||||
2001 | Scott Crouch | Bungaree | 28 | ||||||
2002 | Simon Wilkie | Ballan | 22 | ||||||
2003 | Barry Fitzpatrick | Beaufort | 24 | ||||||
2004 | Jason Hill | Clunes | 25 | ||||||
2005 | Joe Gilbert | Buninyong | 23 | ||||||
2006 | Luke Adams | Daylesford | 29 | ||||||
2007 | Luke Adams | Daylesford | 29 | ||||||
2008 | Louis Frank | Beaufort | 24 | ||||||
2009 | Jaye Cahir | Dunnstown | 24 | ||||||
2010 | Chris Eastwell | Newlyn | 22 | ||||||
2011 | Louis Frank | Beaufort | 23 | ||||||
2012 | Andy McKay | Hepburn | 25 | ||||||
2013 | Nick Sullivan | Waubra | 27 | ||||||
2014 | Luke Fisher | Springbank | 29 | ||||||
2015 | Shaun Campbell | Ballan | 34 | ||||||
2016 | David Benson | Bungaree | 21 | ||||||
2017 | David Benson | Bungaree | 28 | ||||||
2018 | Joel Maher | Bungaree | 28 | ||||||
2019 | Rupert Sangster | Beaufort | 22 | ||||||
2020 | CHFNL in recess > | COVID-19 | |||||||
2021 | Mitchell Gilert | Skipton | 17 | ||||||
2022 | Sam Willan | Skipton | 30 | ||||||
2023 | Sean Tighe | Hepburn | |||||||
2025 | Will Henderson | Dunnstown | |||||||
2026 | |||||||||
CHFNL - Senior Football Leading & Century Goalkickers | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Winner | Club | Season Goals | Goals in finals | Total Goals | ||||
1979 | Ian McBain | Dunnstown | 104 | ||||||
1980 | Geoff Bourke - Finn | Ballan | 98 | ||||||
1981 | Ian McBain | Dunnstown | 97 | ||||||
1982 | Ian McBain | Dunnstown | 122 | ||||||
1983 | Ian McBain | Dunnstown | 73 | ||||||
1984 | Michael Hastie | Ballan | 96 | ||||||
1985 | Tony Howlett | Bungaree | 95 | ||||||
1986 | Peter Nikolovski | Hepburn | 96 | ||||||
1987 | Darren Lubeek | Creswick | 105 | ||||||
1988 | Ian Denny | Gordon | 71 | ||||||
1989 | John Heagney | Newlyn | 59 | ||||||
1990 | Justin Conroy | Ballan | 69 | ||||||
1991 | Malcom Scott | Learmonth | 89 | ||||||
1992 | Jason Yean | Creswick | 91 | ||||||
1993 | Ian Denny | Gordon | 114 | ||||||
1994 | Ian Denny | Gordon | 121 | ||||||
1995 | Steven Gallop | Ballan | 106 | ||||||
1996 | Troy Jansenns | Dunnstown | 74 | ||||||
1997 | Ricky Inness | Buninyong | 61 | ||||||
1998 | Paul Mahar | Bungaree | 76 | ||||||
1999 | Dave Thompson | Hepburn | 72 | ||||||
2000 | Sam Basham | Learmonth | 79 | ||||||
2001 | Phillip Jeffrey | Bungaree | 72 | ||||||
2002 | Greg Barass | Hepburn | 80 | ||||||
2003 | Greg Barass | Hepburn | 100 | ||||||
2004 | Owen Weatherley | Clunes | 102 | ||||||
2005 | Owen Weatherley | Clunes | 114 | ||||||
2006 | Lee Brown | Waubra | 104 | ||||||
2007 | Bryce Nicholson | Bungaree | 95 | ||||||
2008 | Lee Brown | Waubra | 100 | ||||||
2009 | Rodney Watts | Ballan | 88 | N/A | 88 | ||||
2010 | Lee Cox | Hepburn | 118 | ? | ? [19] | ||||
2011 | Lee Cox | Hepburn | 79 | ||||||
2012 | Lee Cox | Hepburn | 106 | ||||||
2013 | Lee Cox | Hepburn | 62 | ||||||
2014 | Zach Peoples | Ballan | 83 | ||||||
2015 | Steven Nicholson | Gordon | 66 | ||||||
2016 | Paul McMahon | Springbank | 79 | 10 | 89 | ||||
2017 | Tim Boyle | Waubra | 53 | 1 | 54 | ||||
2018 | Isaac Baker & | Buninyong | 41 | 6 | 47 | ||||
Jack Duke | Beaufort | 41 | 8 | 49 | |||||
2019 | Marcus Darmody | Newlyn | 103 | ? | |||||
Sam Dunstan | Hepburn | ? | 108 [20] | ||||||
2020 | CHFNL in recess > | COVID-19 | |||||||
2021 | Sam Dunstan | Hepburn | 82 | ||||||
2022 | Mitchell Banner | Hepburn | 73 | ||||||
2023 | |||||||||
2024 | |||||||||
The City of Ballarat is a local government area in the west of the state of Victoria, Australia. It covers an area of 739 square kilometres (285 sq mi) and, in June 2023, had a population of 118,137. It is primarily urban with the vast majority of its population living in the Greater Ballarat urban area, while other significant settlements within the LGA include Buninyong, Waubra, Learmonth and Addington. It was formed on 6 May 1994 from the amalgamation of the City of Ballarat, Shire of Ballarat, Borough of Sebastopol and parts of the Shire of Bungaree, Shire of Buninyong, Shire of Grenville and Shire of Ripon.
The Shire of Hepburn is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central part of the state. It covers an area of 1,473 square kilometres (569 sq mi) and, in the 2021 Census the shire had a population of 16,604.
The Division of Ballarat is an Australian electoral division in the state of Victoria. The division was proclaimed in 1900, and was one of the original 65 divisions to be contested at the first federal election. It was named for the provincial city of the same name by Scottish squatter Archibald Yuille, who established the first settlement − his sheep run called Ballaarat − in 1837, with the name derived from a local Wathawurrung word for the area, balla arat, thought to mean "resting place".
The Ballarat Football League (BFL) is an Australian rules football competition that operates in the Ballarat region of Victoria.
Allendale is a town in Victoria, Australia, located north-east of Creswick, in the Shire of Hepburn. At the 2016 census, Allendale and the surrounding area had a population of 166.
Midland Highway is a major rural highway linking major towns in Victoria, beginning from Geelong and winding through country Victoria in a large arc through the cities of Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton, eventually reaching Mansfield at the foothills of the Victorian Alps.
Ballarat East was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. Prior to its abolition, it was a 3,323 km² part-urban and part-rural electorate covering areas to the east of the regional centre of Ballarat. It included the Ballarat suburbs of Ballarat East, Bakery Hill, Golden Point, Eureka, Canadian, Mount Pleasant, Mount Clear, Mount Helen and Warrenheip, and the rural towns of Ballan, Buninyong, Bungaree, Creswick, Daylesford, Dunnstown, Hepburn Springs, Kyneton, Lal Lal, Malmsbury, Meredith and Steiglitz. The electorate had a population of 54,127 as of the 2006 census, with 40,578 enrolled electors at the 2010 state election.
Ballarat railway station is a regional railway station located on the Ararat and Mildura railway lines. It serves the city of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, and opened on 11 April 1862 as Ballarat West. It gained its current name in 1865.
Ballan railway station is a regional railway station on the Ararat line, part of the Victorian railway network. It serves the town of Ballan, in Victoria, Australia. Ballan station is a ground level premium station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 22 December 1886, with the current station provided in 2021.
Daylesford Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in the Victorian town of Daylesford. The club plays in the Central Highlands Football League.
The Beaufort Football Netball Club is an Australian rules football and netball club from Beaufort which competes in the Central Highlands Football League. They previously played in the Ballarat Football League and Lexton Football League.
Education in Ballarat, Australia may be divided into a four groups: pre-school, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. Ballarat is home to two universities and many primary and secondary schools. Entry to tertiary education for most students is through the Victorian secondary school system where students are ranked by the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) upon completion of Year 12.
The Bungaree Football & Netball Club is an Australian rules football and netball club from Bungaree, Victoria which competes in the Central Highlands Football League.
The Hepburn Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Burras, is an Australian rules football and netball club that plays in the town of Hepburn Springs, Victoria and plays in the Central Highlands Football League. The colours of the club are red and blue.
The Creswick Football Netball Club is an Australian rules football and netball club that plays in the Central Highlands Football League and is based in the town of Creswick, Victoria.
The Learmonth Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Lakies, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in the town of Learmonth, Victoria. The club's colours are yellow and blue and play in the Central Highlands Football League.
The Clunes Football Netball Club is an Australian rules football and Netball club that are based in the former goldrush town of Clunes, Victoria. The footballers play in the Central Highlands Football League and the netballers play in the Central Highlands Netball League, while both leagues are separate entities they are synchronise with each other for the fixtures and finals.
Springbank Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football team based in the Central Highlands district of Victoria in the small town of Springbank. The club plays in the Central Highlands Football League.
The Newlyn Football Netball Club is an Australian rules football and netball club from Newlyn, Victoria which competes in the Central Highlands Football League. The Cats are one of the founding members of the CHFL.