In 1981 he was selected to cox the Victorian men's youth eight who contested the Noel Wilkinson Trophy at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships.

[1] In 1983 he took hold of the ropes of the Victorian men's senior eight contesting the King's Cup at the Interstate Regatta.

[4] He also steered the 1988 Vic eight to a King's Cup win.

Barns made his Australian representative debut as coxswain of the 1981 coxed four who contested the Junior World Rowing Championships in Sofia.

[10] In 1983 he was in the stern of the Australian lightweight eight which won the silver medal at the 1983 World Rowing Championships in Duisburg, Germany.