Sir George Dibbs, a three-time Premier of New South Wales was one of the instigators of a public meeting held in July 1879 at Milsons Point to consider the prospects of establishing a rowing club on Sydney harbour's north side.

The following month at the School of Arts in St Leonards a committee was elected and an enrolment program for members was commenced.

[2] The first boatshed was built on the western side of Careening Cove at the bottom of Willoughby Street and an opening ceremony took place on Saturday 15 November 1879, when a Regatta was held.

[2] A third location was secured in 1903 at the head of Careening Cove after the Committee negotiated a lease with the Harbour Trust.

Ferry traffic, choppy water and the site's exposure to Sydney's southerly winds made the site less than ideal for preparing racing crews and in 1929 the club built a branch clubhouse and training facility at its current location just above Longueville Wharf on the Lane Cove River.