Terry Archer, recently re-elected for three years as President of Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC), where he has been a member since 2004, has been made a Life Member of the Club that he has dedicated countless hours to over the years.
Terry Archer at Whitsunday Sailing Club – pic courtesy WSC
Nominated by member, Ian Davy (Frog), a past president and past rear commodore of WSC, the Executive Committee of the Club voted unanimously to make Archer a Life Member. He joins eight other ‘Lifers’ at the Club.
Archer was appointed to the WSC board in 2007. He had a few breaks in between, but always came back and was made President in 2022.
Appointed Chairman of Airlie Beach Race Week (ABRW) committee last year, unflappable Archer is very hands-on in both his roles, which he undertakes with energy and enthusiasm while still managing to race his Bavaria 42 Cruiser, Africa a Sydney 40, Questionable Logic (now sailing as Mako) and the Grainger 075, Gnome, winning trophies at ABRW and other events through the years with all three boats.
Terry Archer (black hood with blue top jacket) at the helm of his G’Nome at ABRW – Andrea Francolini, ABRW pic
A driving force behind the redevelopment to WSC, completed in 2023, Archer spent considerable time with the committee at meetings, on emails, phone calls and lobbying the Government for a grant of $2.5M.
Once George Christiansen won the election to the House of Representatives for Dawson, Queensland in 2019, the grant was confirmed and then came many hours for Archer, working alongside builder Ray Johannesen, in redeveloping the premises.
To put this into perspective, for the Club to pay a consultant to manage the build process would have cost around $200,000. Archer was able to get the job completed and along the way saved the Club hundreds of thousands of dollars using cost cutting methods and ideas for a better floor plan. These are just two examples of his impact on WSC – and all at no cost to the Club or its members.
There have been countless meetings with politicians, Council staff, external consultations, including those involving the Brisbane Olympic Games and sailing committees surrounding the Olympic Sailing Competition, which will come to the Whitsundays and Townsville in 2032.
Originally from just outside Wellington, New Zealand, Archer left there in 1988 aged 21, then went to Brisbane, aiming to go to Canada from there, but that did not eventuate. In the early ‘90’s, he moved to Sydney before moving to Airlie Beach in 2002.
He operated a successful mortgage brokerage for 20 years, but these days Archer manages land subdivisions and property development, with extensive experience in business management and construction administration.
It is these attributes that WSC have benefitted from, as Archer has been instrumental in many improvements within the structure and management of WSC, which makes him a valuable and valued member of the Club.
“It’s a great honour to be recognised, but particularly to be nominated by Frog, a founding member, fellow Life Member and Club Patron,” Archer said.
“And being re-elected President till 2028 gives me new inspiration to drive forward with our plans for 2032, working with local state and federal governments to recognise the true potential of the Whitsundays as an Olympic Sailing venue.
“Since the Olympic announcement we’ve hosted the Nacra, Sabot and Waszp national titles and we’re receiving approaches from national and international class associations wanting experience in the Whitsundays in the lead up to the 2032 Olympics. These are exciting times,” Archer finished.
Archer has long had the desire for all members to benefit from the Club: “Somewhere good to go sailing from, a place that is pleasant to come back to and have fun with friends and to enjoy a cold drink and hot meal afterwards,” he says.
“We are honoured to have Terry Archer as our latest Life Member,” said WSC Committee member, Mark Beale.
“Terry has and continues to contribute an enormous amount to Whitsunday Sailing Club.”
For more information, visit www.whitsundaysailingclub.com.au
Di Pearson/WSC media
