07/05/2026
For our PrimeSCI! School Holiday Program families who have attended one of Ralph Sinclair's physics workshops, this post from the Stawell Historical Society tells the story of his unique talent in Competition-level Boomerang Throwing!
HIS BOOMERANG DOES COME BACK
Little did the students at the Stawell Tech. School in 1965 know that their newly
appointed science teacher, Mr. Ralph Sinclair had a hidden secret. He was a former
Australian Boomerang Throwing Champion, having won the title in 1963.
Boomerang throwing is a highly developed art and the thrower scores points by
sending his boomerang outside a circle and returning it. A “bullseye” is achieved
when a thrower has a boomerang return to himself whilst still standing in the marked
circle.
In January 1966, Mr. Sinclair took a team of seven throwers to Rosebud for the
Australian Junior Boomerang Throwing Championships.
In a closely fought final, 17 year old, first year apprentice baker and pastry cook from
Stawell, Graham Carr, reached the pinnacle of this somewhat different hobby by
being crowned Australian Junior Champion. The art of boomerang throwing swept
through the Tech. School and the community like a disease with many students
becoming adept at the sport, throwing their boomerangs that they had made
themselves, under instruction from Mr. Sinclair, in all the open spaces and parks
around Stawell. Night flying was particularly spectacular with lighted flares being set
into the boomerangs.
As a coincidence, at the time of the championships, the then Prince Charles was
studying at Geelong Grammar’s Timbertop Campus. Graham was asked to make 3
boomerangs which were given to Prince Charles which he took home with him when
he returned to Buckingham Palace.
📸 | Science teacher Mr. Ralph Sinclair demonstrating the art of boomerang throwing to his students and teacher Miss Dot. McGonigal
