Lawn Bowls in Petersham

Barefoot bowls on a green laid in 1920 is the main event at Petersham Bowling Club, a community-run club at 77 Brighton Street that has been part of the inner west since 1896. It removed its poker machines in 2007 and rebuilt around bowls, live music and the arts, and the lower green is open to the public all year.

Bowling days are Tuesday through Sunday, in two-hour blocks that start at 11am; daylight saving adds early-evening games, and the height of summer adds a late one.

How a bowls booking works:

• Each rink comes with bowls, a one-page guide to the rules and a small table at the end for food and drinks.
• A lane suits up to 10 people, so bigger groups spread across several.
• Bare feet or flat soles are required on the green.
• The person booking joins the club with an annual social membership that costs a few dollars.
• If rain washes out the game, move the date or take the deposit as bar credit.

Bowls start from $10 per person, and the independently run Grange Gully Bistro handles catering.