Marg Tait, Craig Druitt and Deb MacKnight were honoured for their commitment to the club during celebrations which started in the Deniliquin CBD and finished by the Edward River.
Proceedings started with a boat parade through the CBD in the morning, with some of the town’s best known boats included.
Festivities then livened up on the Edward River and at the Deniliquin Boat Club in the afternoon.
From 2pm, a crowd packed the club’s embankment by the Edward River to watch an array of on-water displays of boats and skiing.
Visitors also got to explore a static display of boats and a historical exhibition inside the newly established ‘Moroco history room’, reflecting the club’s evolution since 1946.
People with various connections to the boat club also shared stories with each other and roaming hosts over the PA system, as well as keeping the bar busy consuming refreshments as the afternoon’s displays took place.
In the evening, formal speeches and presentations took place with Deni Boat Club Commodore Craig Druitt speaking to the crowd about the significance of the 80 years of the Deni Boat Club, acknowledging the people who made it possible and enjoying the club now and into the future.
He then called on the life members to take part in the cutting of the 80th anniversary cake.
The boat club raffle ended the formal events before the lively celebrations shifted into enjoying the rest of the night with wood fired pizza and live music from Melbourne band Bedrock.
More photos from Saturday’s celebrations are on pages 6 and 7.
More on each of the life members will be included in Friday’s Pastoral Times.