Welcome to the monthly Newsletter of Petanque Australia, the governing body for petanque in Australia. 

I hope everyone has had a positive start to the year and has remained safe and healthy despite the unusually high temperatures and fires across much of the country. It has been particularly pleasing to see clubs implementing effective heat management strategies at their events, helping to ensure the well-being of participants during these challenging conditions.

The 2026 Tournament season officially began in January, with Mt Martha, Ballarat, and St Kilda hosting the first events of the year. These tournaments set a positive tone for the season ahead, showcasing both competitive spirit and excellent organisation from all involved clubs.

A highlight of the season so far was the highly successful Master’s Doubles held at Wollongong, which drew an impressive 53 teams from around Australia.

Congratulations to the Wollongong club for not only hosting such a well-attended and smoothly run tournament, but also for securing coverage on local television via Win News on two occasions. This exposure is a testament to the club’s hard work to grow interest in our sport in their region.

To view a Wollongong Masters video and the Win News items, go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/599069146773641.

In December, there were two changes to the PA Board: Don Collins joined to fill a casual vacancy following the resignation of Rod Gell. We extend a warm welcome to Don and express our gratitude to Rod for his service on the Board.

Helen Bayet, who served as PA Treasurer and Director for many years, has stepped down due to ongoing health concerns. Helen made an invaluable contribution to Petanque Australia, and we wish her all the very best for the future.

Coming up in mid-February is the 2026 Coonawarra Classic Clash, which is always a great weekend of pétanque in one of Australia’s internationally celebrated wine regions. Good luck to all teams registered to compete.

Regards,
Roger Maddern
President
Email: president@petanqueaustralia.org.au

Congratulations to Jessen Soomary and Marc Grimm, the winners of the 2026 Wollongong Masters.

Australia qualified for the 2026 Men's World Triples Championship event at last year’s Oceania Championships.

The 2026 Men's World Triples Championship will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from September 17–20, 2026, marking the first time the country hosts this event. The competition is set to take place at the Arena Petanque in Taman Pudu Ulu. Over 48 top-ranked teams are expected to compete.

The selection process for Australia’s team has commenced. 

PA-licensed players can enter teams for the National Championships from February 1st on My Petanque.

Before you register, please make sure you read the Conditions of Play in the Tournament Details Flyer, especially the changes to eligibility and fee payment. 

There are some very good Facebook pages run by petanque clubs and interested third parties in Australia. Petanque Australia has its own Facebook page.

Another excellent page to keep a lookout for is Aussie Petanque, run by Tim Stephenson. His photos and videos are excellent.

Tim has been commissioned to provide streaming services for the National Championships in Adelaide.

These streams will be available from the PA Facebook page and later on our YouTube Channel.

If you receive this Newsletter by email, the chances are you are a licensed player and a member of a PA-affiliated club.

Licensed players are qualified to play in PA-sanctioned tournaments and also benefit from full insurance coverage. 

If you have a colleague who is a casual player, why not encourage them to take out a PA player licence?  From Easter until July 1st each year, PA Player Licences are FREE! 

There are some new documents on the PA website regarding the running of tournaments, including the use of poules. 

Please click on this link to view the documents  - New documents on Running Tournaments 

The PA Newsletter is sent to all PA-licensed players.

 
If you have friends or colleagues who are interested in petanque, they can also get the Newsletter by subscribing on the Subscribe page of the PA website.