Eleven of Western Australia’s South West top athletes were inducted into the South West Hall of Fame last Saturday night (3rd of April) in Bunbury. Athletes who reached the top in their careers at State and National level were honoured at a gala dinner and one of those athletes was past Australian Darts Team representative John Burnett.

The inaugural inductees were chosen from across the South West of WA for achieving excellence in a wide range of sports. To be eligible, sports stars had to have lived in the South West for a minimum of five years, made a significant contribution to their sport and have retired from elite participation for at least three years.

John Burnett hales from Bunbury, a carpenter by trade and started playing darts around 1973. He was named Bunbury’s ‘Sportsman of the Year’ in 1979. He won the WA Men’s Singles title on three occasions and the WA Men’s Doubles in 1984 with Emil Derjaha. He also won the prestigious Swan Brewery Medal in 1984. He first represented Western Australia at Australian Darts Championships in 1977 playing continuously through to the late 1980’s.

His first big success came in 1978 when he captured the Australian Singles title. Two years later in 1980 he won the Pacific Masters from Victoria’s Andy Robinson. He won selection in the Australian Team in 1981 to play in the third World Cup in Nelson New Zealand.

In 1986 he partnered Terry O’Dea to lift the Australian Doubles title. At this time he was again under the watchful eye of the Australian Selectors. He was rewarded with his first Australian Team selection in the Pacific Cup Team in 1986 played in Auckland New Zealand with fellow players Russell Stewart, Leeanne Faulkner and Pat Roberts. The following year he represented Australia at the World Cup Vl in Copenhagen Denmark with Horrie Seden, Kevin White, and Russell Stewart where they placed 3rd overall. He also won a bronze medal in the Men’s Pairs event partnering Russell Stewart.

During the years he represented WA at Australian Championships John threw 42 x 180’s.

In addition to his outstanding ability in the sport of darts, John was an innovator in the promotion of the sport around Western Australia.

Congratulations John on being inducted into the South West Hall of Fame.