Vale David Rattray ASM

Rowing Australia has paid tribute to McVilly-Pearce #184 David Rattray ASM, a towering figure in Tasmanian and Australian rowing whose influence spanned more than seven decades across competition, coaching, administration, umpiring, and community leadership.

David passed away in January 2026, aged 88.

Born on June 2, 1937, David’s early life was shaped by both hardship and the rowing community that would become his lifelong home. His father died when he was just two years old, and school records later listed him as David Rattray-Smith, reflecting the surname of his mother and step-father. His mother’s family included rowers, and she herself was a member of Buckingham Rowing Club. It was within this environment, and within Buckingham especially, that David was raised.

His own rowing involvement began in earnest at The Friends’ School, where he became a talented coxswain, steering the First and Second Fours. But family circumstances required him to leave school at 16 to contribute financially at home, as his step-father struggled with the long-term effects of wartime service.

Despite these challenges, David rose to become one of Australia’s finest coxswains. He steered Tasmanian King’s Cup crews over more than 20 years, achieving podium finishes and representing the state with distinction. His pinnacle as an athlete came in 1970, when he coxed the Buckingham men’s coxed four to a national championship victory, earning selection for the 1970 World Rowing Championships in Canada. That crew, a fully Tasmanian boat, remains one of the few all-Tasmanian teams ever to represent Australia at a senior World Championships in any sport.

David’s coaching career was similarly influential. He guided school crews at Friends’ School and Dominic College, leaving a lasting mark on generations of young Tasmanian rowers.

Yet it is his administrative and officiating legacy that endures most profoundly.

David served Rowing Tasmania for three decades, including long tenures as Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman, and Administration Manager. From 1976 to 1993, he held continuous executive roles, and in 1990 he was awarded Rowing Tasmania Life Membership, recognising his extraordinary contribution. He was also a central figure in the development of Lake Barrington, and as President of Rowing Tasmania ushered through its approval, establishing the venue that would later host the landmark 1990 World Rowing Championships, where David played a key administrative role.

As an umpire and boat race official, David’s service was unparalleled. Beginning in 1966, he officiated at Tasmanian regattas for nearly 50 years, and from 1992 to 2002 he served as an Australian rowing umpire, including repeated appointments on national juries. He also contributed extensively to organising committees for Australian Rowing Championships, Masters Games, Trans-Tasman series, and numerous other events.

His leadership extended beyond rowing. David was a Life Member of Buckingham Rowing Club, Rowing Tasmania, and the Tasmanian Olympic Council, and served as rowing’s representative to both the Olympic and Commonwealth Games associations. The David Rattray Shield, introduced in 1980 as the perpetual trophy for the Women’s Senior Eight, stands as a lasting tribute to his influence.

David also distinguished himself through community service. A foundation member of Meniere’s Australia Inc, he served as its Executive Director (1995-1998) and President (1999-2007), driven by his own decades-long experience with the condition. He was also an active contributor to the Lions Club of Lindisfarne and the Australian Retired Persons Association - Tasmania, where he held leadership and editorial roles.

Throughout all his work, David was known for his humility. He never accepted payment for any of his sporting or community contributions.

David’s second wife, Yvonne, predeceased him in 2010. He is survived by his two daughters.

Rowing Australia extends its deepest condolences to David’s family, the Buckingham Rowing Club community, the broader Tasmanian rowing community and all those in Tasmania who were shaped by his leadership and generosity.