Club captain Alicia Ivory said it was nice to have old and new members involved in the celebrations.

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"The club is really excited to be celebrating 160 years since Ballarat Rowing Club (BRC) was first established," she said.

"BRC was the first rowing club in Ballarat and then Ballarat City and Wendouree soon followed in the late 1800s.

"In the 70s, which is pretty recent history, Wendouree Rowing Club merged with BRC and that's the club that we know today as Wendouree-Ballarat.

"We've still got members that were part of BRC that are members of Wendouree-Ballarat and we also have members that are from Wendouree as well, so it's a bit of a blend across the current membership which is great."

Members joined together at the Yacht Club to hear from members that were active in both of the clubs before they merged, to celebrate more recent achievements and recognise members that have contributed to the club over the last 40 to 50 years.

Ivory said the club is in a strong position, with numbers increasing during COVID-19 due to learn to row additions and returning members to the sport.

The club encourages anyone interested in starting or returning to rowing to contact it.

"At the event, we (had) members ranging from junior all the way to some of our older masters. Some of the youngest members are 11 and 12-years-old, ranging up to social members that are in their 70's and 80's," she said.

The club will continue with its traditional holding of the Wendouree-Ballarat regatta next year.

"BRC was established to help set up regattas in Ballarat and Wendouree-Ballarat Rowing Club continues that today with our regatta which is held early February every year," Ivory said.

"We're looking forward to racing season recommencing and our regatta, which will be on next year."

Club members will begin racing in Melbourne next weekend as sport enters a sense of normality across the state.

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