Mrs Tate said it has been purchased by a family from Port Macquarie keen to restore the building and surrounds by opening a restaurant/function centre. The family currently owns a restaurant in Port Macquarie and has a number of investments in the Barrington Coast area, Mrs Tate revealed.

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Mrs Tate said there was significant interest in the property, although she added the fact that it is flood-prone turned a number of potential buyers away. The property is next to Browns Creek and was submerged in the March floods this year.

Taree City Bowling Club ceased operations in the early years of this century. It was the first bowling club established in the Manning and was once the most successful club in what was then the Manning District Bowling Association. The current clubhouse was opened in 1954.

The introduction of random breath testing had an impact on the club's trading. It was taken over by Taree RSL in the late 1980s when the RSL was looking to move from its then premises in Pulteney Street.

However, nothing further eventuated with the takeover and the club eventually closed. In the years since the club has been a pizza restaurant and more recently, a church.

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