Pétanque And All That

by Stephanie Williams

Words by Rob Farrington, vice president of the Hobart Pétanque Club

Pétanque in its present form was invented in 1907 in the town of La Ciotat near Marseilles by a French jeu provençal player named Jules Lenoir, whose rheumatism prevented him from running before he threw the ball. The game developed quickly and its popularity rapidly spread throughout Europe and French colonies and ultimately to most countries including Australia.

Hobart Pétanque Club (HPC) was the first official club developed in Tasmania, founded in 1996, but the idea was germinated in New Caledonia. A group of friends who played the game when travelling were impressed by the seeming simplicity of the sport – which belies the complexity of skill that top players develop.

Since the introduction of pétanque in Tasmania, a number of clubs have sprung up around the state, we are the largest and the oldest, but there are other smaller clubs in Glenorchy, Launceston and Bicheno. We also currently share our piste with Bayside Pétanque club at Sandown Park in Sandy Bay.

The game is played with steel boules (balls) around 700 grams but can slightly vary in size and weight chosen by the user. The game is played on a piste usually of small gauge gravel with a minimum dimension of no less than 12×4 metres. The condition of pistes can vary depending on moisture or size of gravel gauge, but no piste is ever the same.

*Winners of the 2026 Triples Championship – Jenni M, Rob, and Julia*

Unlike lawn bowls, the boule is generally pitched and nuanced by speed, elevation and hand position dependent on the situation of the cochonnet (jack). Pétanque competition can be played in singles, doubles or triples. Competitions can be either men, women or mixed. The rules are similar to Lawn Bowls, winning points closest to the Cochonnet.

*Tasmanian team for the Interstate Challenge*

HPC currently have 79 registered members and this year marks the 30th anniversary of the club. We play competition on Sundays and socially on Mondays and Thursdays. As a registered member of Pétanque Australia, we are entitled to play in State and National tournaments. We regularly compete, and recently our members played with distinction in the National championships in Adelaide, with one of the members winning the trophy in a triples combination.

Find out more about the Hobart Pétan que Club at www.hobartpetanqueclub.com.

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Hobart Happenings

by Steph Williams

Bits and Pieces- June 2026

Hobart Happenings

by Steph Williams

Bits and Pieces – May 2026

Bits and Pieces- May 2026

Stay up to date with everything happening at the Hobart Magazine.

Worker shortage is currently universal, there isn’t an industry that’s exempt. For Kelvin Smith, four years ago he decided there was a very obvious solution to the shortage facing the construction industry, and all that was needed was a little time, empathy and a helping hand. Integrate Workforce is a Hobart-based labour company with one requirement: a refugee/ migrant background. He’s also the outdoor piano man in his free time.

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