Chapter 01
We remember.Literature & History: The Voices of Our Heritage
Voices in Stone reminds us that every monument has a story, every statue has a memory, and every generation must understand the past it inherits.
Since 1844
182 years, one estate
A timeline of the Mauritius Gymkhana Club, from a polo ground under the British Military to a living private club today.
Timeline
Milestones
A short walk through the moments that shaped the club as it is today. Scroll to follow the thread through 182 years.
1834–1849
1834–1849
The early days
Golf is introduced to Mauritius by officers of the British Military — the fourth country ever to receive the sport, after Scotland, England and India.
1844
1844
The course is laid out
The land at Vacoas is set aside for golf. The course remains the oldest of the Southern Hemisphere.
1849
1849
The Club is founded
The Mauritius Gymkhana Club is formally constituted, primarily as a polo and golf club house.
1922
1922
First flight from Mauritius
On 2nd June 1922, Major F. W. Honnet undertook the first recorded flight from Mauritius, taking off from the gymkhana golf course.
1935
1935
The Men's Ireland Cup
The trophy, still contested today, is inaugurated in 1935.
1940s
1940s
First tennis courts
The first grass tennis courts are laid -still the only grass courts of the Indian Ocean.
1976
1976
Modernisation of the course
The layout is converted from a mixed polo/golf ground into the modern 18-hole course.
1991–1996
1991–1996
Renovations & expansion
The clubhouse is expanded and additional sporting facilities added over the decade.
Today
Today
A living heritage
Eleven sports, one estate, and a community of members that spans generations of Mauritian sporting life.
Beyond the timeline
Gymkhana Heritage Series
The milestones above record what the club has lived through. The Heritage Series is about what it carries forward - six chapters on the memory, the landscape and the voices of Mauritius.
- Chapter 02
We protect.The Ocean: Our Shared Heritage, Our Common Legacy
Our lagoons are our treasures. The sea that surrounds us is not only our environment; it is part of our identity.
- Chapter 03
We preserve.Photography: Preserving the Memory of a Nation
Images become the eyes of future generations, allowing them to discover the Mauritius we knew and loved.
- Chapter 04
We express.Music & the Arts: The Heartbeat of Mauritius
Through music, painting, dance and creativity, a nation reveals its emotions and its diversity.
- Chapter 05
We build.People & Leadership: The Builders of Tomorrow
Heritage is not only what we inherit; it is also what courageous people choose to create.
- Chapter 06
We tell our story.Mauritian Literature: The Soul of a Nation
Because ultimately, a country lives forever through the stories it tells.