Drouin Dragons Soccer Club is celebrating its 50th birthday this year after forming back 1975.
The Dragons celebrated with night games at Bellbird Park on Saturday night, taking full advantage of the club's new pavilion which was opened late last year.
A number of life members, sponsors and past players attended, with celebrations kicked off with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony performed by Kurnai elder Aunty Cheryl Drayton.
Club president Jason Beer said it was a great achievement for any sporting club to achieve a major milestone and celebrating 50 years at Drouin Dragons was an amazing milestone for the club".
"Drouin Dragons SC has had large growth over the past six years with over 400 players in 2025 and we appreciate the Bellbird Park facility upgrades during the same period.
"Our club is no longer the small club we once knew, however it's important to remember our history and ensure it's documented for future members to read," he said.
Formed in 1975 by Stan Andrews and Leo Bouyen, the club was approved to play at Drouin High School at a fee of $1 per game and the call went out to potential members with 29 players registered in their first year.
Two years later, work began on a soccer pitch at Bellbird Park in Drouin and in the same year, the juniors requested a special meeting to formally adopt the name Drouin Dragons Soccer Club.
After many years of conducting committee meetings at the Drouin Primary School, Bellbird Park Leisure Centre and even at the BP Service Station, a committee was formed to investigate the purchase of portable buildings.
In 1991, the club purchased "portable buildings" for its new clubroom and was still in use 30 years later, albeit in very poor condition until the new pavilion was built in 2024 and the old clubroom sadly demolished.
Change rooms were built in 1996, extended to support female participation in 2018 and are still in use in 2025 which supports large competition days when Drouin Dragons SC host up to 14 games across four pitches on the one day.
Fifty years on in 2025, Drouin Dragons has 14 teams playing in the Gippsland Soccer League plus 170 MiniRoos.
Mr Beer said the future at Drouin Dragons SC with its community attitude, focus on development of coaches and players, great facilities and increasing member base certainly looks promising for the next 50 years.