Back in the 1970's (before Linda and I had met) there was a very popular dance at Rockdale Airforce Memorial Bowling Club on the first Saturday of each month (caller Tom McGrath). I was calling for my first club "Ghost Riders" in Wollongong for several years.

As time went by, Tom decided to give it away but the Bowling Club wanted to continue the dance. In late 1977 their committee asked me to take over as caller and after the meeting was over I decided to drop in to Ron Jones' Wagon Wheels club. This was when I was introduced to Linda. Rockdale Airforce Memorial Bowling Club became the first square dance that Linda and I ran together.

After several years we moved the dance to Taren Point Bowling Club and eventually to Beverly Hills Bowling Club. Many people would travel from far and wide to dance with us, and it was not unusual to have visitors from interstate and overseas. Many dancers said this was the best dance of the month in Sydney. This club danced from February 1978 to March 2000.

Linda & I danced regularly at the "Miranda/Sutherland" Square Dance Club on Thursday nights with caller Arthur Gates. During this time we decided to start a weekly Wednesday night club in a small Soccer Club hall at Sylvania Heights. We introduced beginners and at the same time called for the experienced dancers who came along to support. In less than a year we had outgrown this little hall (maximum capacity six squares) and relocated to Jannali Community Hall, which became the home of Knee-Deep Squares.

Over the years we introduced hundreds of people to square dancing, many of whom dance today in other parts of Australia. We taught many people how to square dance, but more importantly we strove to include fun and fellowship. It was this element that made Knee-Deep different and what made us special in the eyes of many. Although it was important to us to provide choreographic challenge and a stimulating dance experience, this would not have been complete without the laughter and smiles.

Like all clubs we had our ups and downs, but over the last two decades of the twentieth century and into 2001 we became one of the most successful clubs in Australia. We shared the fun of many picnics, parties and bus trips. This club danced from May 1978 to December 2001.

In the 1970’s Australia began to experience what was common in the USA. Plus had arrived and many experienced members of the square dance community were responding to the extra stimulation of more complex dancing. Our belief was that new dancers should not be expected to learn so many calls before they could successfully dance at "club level" – after all, learning to dance Mainstream is hard enough. At the same time, it was unreasonable to expect all the dancers of many years experience to be forced to "re-learn" Mainstream as angels year after year. Of course they would always be welcome on Wednesdays to be angels and dance Mainstream with us if they wished.

For this reason we opened a separate Plus Club that danced twice a month on Friday nights. Here the dancers could enjoy a more challenging level and I could spread my wings a bit further by devising (hopefully) interesting yet non-stressful choreography. We also held annual "Introduction To Plus" classes as a bridge between the two clubs and to give others a place to learn Plus if they desired. This formula seemed to work, as once again we experienced wonderful crowds and the fun and laughter continued. This club danced from 1979 to November 2001.

(Footnote: Although over the years I had been approached many times to teach "A1 and A2", I did not take up this challenge. I believed that this would have created too big a gap between "General" dancers and "Advanced" dancers. Advanced dancing in my view is for the dedicated long term dancer and the path from beginner to A2 is a long and hard one. If I were to open up an Advanced Club, some may feel the need to take that journey even if it is not really for them. I could see too many casualties along this path.)