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Back left J. Cawley, Tom
Prosser, Kevin Cooper, Stan Joiner, ? , Gordon Zappelli, Cyril Varcoe, Herloir
Craddock, Bill McNaughton. Second row Derryl Towers, Jim Pearce, Wally Tannock,
Harold Balcombe, Sid Young. Front Arthur Brown, Joe Brown, George Bellchambers,
Ron Brown, Roy Stephens, Ossie Bellchambers. Child mascot is a Tannock boy.
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The Early Years of football in the Otways
Travelling to away games in the early 1900s was an adventure in itself. Players relied on horses or, when available, trains. Pioneer settlers carved ovals out of dense timber country. Former player Fred Hauenstein recalled travelling to Johanna around 1908 when worsening conditions meant the team could only make it as far as the top of Blue Johanna Road before the journey became impossible. They spent the night in an old shed before continuing the following morning. Players regularly battled snow, torrential rain, hailstorms and flooded roads. On many occasions, matches were abandoned, cancelled or opponents simply could not reach the ground, as was the case in 1925 when the August 22 round was cancelled when a heavy snowstorm blanketed the ridge.
For more than seven decades, Beech Forest Football Club stood as one of the enduring institutions of the Otways. Through premiership triumphs, heartbreaking grand final defeats, and some of the harshest playing conditions in Victorian football, the club built a proud legacy that remains an important chapter in the region's sporting history.
Local butcher John Cardilini became the club's inaugural president when it was formed in 1902, while R. Boyd was appointed captain. The club's first recorded match was played against Lavers Hill at Ditchley Park. Beech Forest emerged victorious by four points.
The Beech Forest side was - Schmidt, R. Boyd (Captain), Maloney, Ward, Mulhare, Caruthers, McDevitt (2), Mulgrove (2), Higgins, Stevens, Brown, Mamel, James and Andersides.
Lavers Hill won the return fixture, and later played Gellibrand, where Otway football was founded, together with clubs such as Johanna, Wyelangta, Lardner, and Carlisle.
Prior to the First World War, Beech Forest entered the local football association. The club wore maroon and gold and played on a ground situated approximately 200 metres north of the present oval. Although records from this period are incomplete, known players included – A. Gardner, A. Milkins, B. Milkins, Clyde McAdam, Moore, James Cooper, Jones, and Hall.
In 1909, Beech Forest won its first premiership by defeating Lavers Hill. James Cooper captained the side, while star footballer and axeman Charles Tyrrell claimed the Best and Fairest. The club added another premiership in 1914, defeating Wyelangta. In this same year Beech Forest travelled down the mountain to play a charity match against Colac to raise funds for the Colac Hospital delaying the Beechy train schedule on its return to ensure the players and supporters could attend their post-match functions.
The War years
Football flourished before the Great War, with both Beech Forest and Lardner fielding senior and under-19 teams. Richard Brooks captained the club during the pre-war period. Following the war the club reformed in 1918, playing a match against Weeaproinah. In 1922, reports in the Colac Herald recorded the club's annual meeting, where, A.W. McKenzie was elected President and C. Robertson and T. Fleming were appointed Joint Secretaries. The secretaries were instructed to organise a delegates meeting to establish a football association, which was held on 30 May 1922.
During this period the club changed their colours, adopted the Tigers nickname and moved to a ground south of the township, an area now known as Football Break Road within the Forest Commission pine plantation. Although Beech Forest lost the 1922 Grand Final to Wyelangta, the club bounced back to win the 1924 premiership, with Foote recognised as Best on Ground. Players of this era included – Wright, Lehane, Chidgey, Coakley, J. Birrer, H. Birrer, Deppeler, Foote, Robe, B. Meehan, L. Meehan, Baird, Hobill, and Robertson. By 1927 the club fell into recess and could not field a side for the 1928 season due to a dwindling town population.
Until around 1930, the famous ‘Football Special’ trains transported players and spectators along the ridge and from Gellibrand for major matches. These services became an important part of football life throughout the Otways.
Although the site of the current ground had been purchased by 1922, it was not first used until 1929. That same year the club adopted its famous blue jumper with a white V, colours it retained until disbanding in 1956. Following Lardner's inability to field a team after 1929, Beech Forest gained access to a larger player base.
The 1930s were marked by extraordinary persistence and heartbreaking disappointment. Beech Forest lost grand finals in, 1926, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937, and 1939. Finally, in 1940, the club broke the drought by defeating Gellibrand to secure its first premiership in 16 years.
Notable Players of the 1930s included – Tom Prosser, Tom Fry, Cooper, Robertson, George Holien, George Bellchambers, Mulgrew, Bill McCallum, Leslie Rollings, Rush, Leslie, Sprague, Haigh, A. Brown, L. McCabe, the Deppeler brothers, Woosman and Machbanks.
Throughout much of this era, J. C. Gardner served as president of both the football club and the association.
Post-War Glory
The club again reformed following World War II and entered the Otway Football Association in 1945. A remarkable era followed, with premierships in 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953. The 1946 side completed an undefeated season under Captain-President Frank Woosman, with Vice-Captain Bill McCallum playing a key leadership role. In 1952, under George Bellchambers, Beech Forest claimed another premiership after the previous year's drawn grand final against Hill Imperials. The club successfully defended the title in 1953, defeating Johanna, with Bob Jenkins awarded Best on Ground. Between 1949 and 1953, the club temporarily played home matches in George Bellchambers' paddock while redevelopment works were carried out on its own ground.
Players of this period were Frank Woosman, Murray, Bailey, Zappelli brothers, White, Boyle, Bob Jenkins, George and Ossie Bellchambers, Harold Balcolme, Alf, Ron, C, Bob, Ernest Brown, Cyril Varcoe, Jimmy Pearce, Bert Minchington, Derryl Towers, Wally Tanock, Dave Vesey, Abbie Sprague, Tom Fry, Tom Prosser and Don Marchbank.
Known Best and Fairest winners were:
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Known Best & Fairest |
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Association Best & Fairest |
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Tom Prosser |
1935 & 1951 |
Cyril Joiner |
1932 |
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Bob Brown |
1946 & 1955 |
A Doak |
1935 |
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Ron Brown |
1952 |
Tom Fry |
1938 |
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George Bellchambers |
1954 |
Bert Deppeler |
1939 |
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Derryl Towers |
1956 |
Bob Brown |
1947 |
The End of an Era
At the conclusion of the 1956 season, Beech Forest merged with Hill Imperials and Johanna to form Otway Rovers. The new club immediately enjoyed success, winning its inaugural premiership in 1957 being proudly represented on grand final day by Dave Vesey, Derryl Towers, and Joey Brown. Football continued at Beech Forest until 1974*, marking the end of organised football on the Otway ridge. Beech Forest Football Club was the first, longest-running and most consistent football club in the Otways. Its history is one of resilience, community spirit and determination against the odds.
From horse-drawn journeys and railway specials to premiership celebrations and wartime rebuilding, generations of players, volunteers and supporters created a sporting legacy that remains an enduring part of Otway history.
Further club histories to follow…
NB: Not all of our football records are complete, if you are able to fill in the gaps, with first and lasts names that are missing, and do you know or have evidence of the final year of the Beech Forest Football Club – 1974 or 1975? - please email otwayhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
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