Moomba Park Tennis Club

Our History

The Moomba Park Tennis club, Inc started out as the St Matthew's Tennis Club,  when a group of enthusiastic players moved into the Fawkner area and were keen to pursue their love of tennis. The St Matthew’s Tennis Courts were built in 1975 at the back of the St Matthew's primary school yard. The Parish Priest, who happened to be a very keen sportsman in his own right, helped the cause along considerably.

The courts were officially opened on the 27th of July 1975 and competition commenced in 1976, the same year our first junior team was entered in the NSTA junior competition.

In 1977, our first club coach was appointed (John Hammond) – fees were $22 per term. In April 1977, our mid-week ladies team brought home our first pennant, easily winning the grand final.

The clubrooms were erected in 1978, and in March of that year, our first senior team won the grand final in Saturday afternoon competition.

There was plenty of socialising in the early days of the Club, where Sunday afternoon round-robins were followed by a BBQ for the entire family. Progressive dinners were another very popular pass-time. 1989 was a major milestone for the Club with the erection of lights which allowed teams to enter night competitions. In 1995, the courts were totally rebuilt and extended.

In 1995 Broadmeadows Council gave the Club permission to use the multi marked netball / tennis courts at Moomba Park Reserve.

In 1997, funding was approved to upgrade the two plexi-pave netball/tennis courts at the council-owned facility at Moomba Park Reserve.  The area was extended to facilitate 3 synthetic courts with lights. The work on the courts commenced in mid-2001 and completed in July. In February 2002, a large pergola was built by our members in front of the clubroom, which set the area off nicely. The fact that it is so close to Merri Creek with lots of surrounding trees and shrubs, gives the venue a real country feel.

In December 2006, work started to add a toilet block to our clubroom. The Club obtained an SRV grant for this work with Moreland City Council paying the balance. Renovations to the kitchen were also done at the same time.

In early 2007 the Club went ahead with a much needed extension to the clubroom. Work commenced on the 2nd of April and was completed on the 26th of June. The clubroom upgrade was paid entirely by the Club. The pergola was also extended. A security window shutter was installed to cover the large sliding door.

In May 2009, after speaking with the Moreland City Council and a number of other people, the Club (led by Shirley Peake) applied for a Community Infrastructure Grant put out by the Federal Government, for a further 3 tennis courts.  A quote from John Barton for courts was submitted with the grant. The club volunteered to put $20,000 towards the project.  In August 2009 the Club was successful in receiving the grant. After many delays with plans, permits, an Aboriginal Assessment and Landslide Assessment, all of which cost the Club more than $20,000, everything was ready, but building was delayed due to ongoing rain. The courts were commenced late in December 2010 and completed in April 2011.  It was around this time we changed our name to Moomba Park Tennis Club, Inc; as the tennis courts at Moomba Park Reserve became our main courts.

The size of the clubroom was doubled in 2012 thanks to a $40,000 grant from the Moreland City Council, with the remainder paid by the Club.

In 2014, a partnership grant was obtained from Moreland City Council for $40,000 to re-carpet courts 1, 2 & 3. The Club again paid the remainder of the costs. Work commenced in November 2014.

In 2016 we started looking into getting a new pergola.  This was finalized at the end of 2016.

From 2017 onwards the Club has installed an electronic gate aligned to an online booking system;  replaced  courts 1-3  with LED lights, upgraded the clubroom facilities;  and installed new seating and shelter. The Club continues to apply for grants to enable the Club to maintain the upkeep of the club facilities.  Part of the lighting came from grants from Moreland Council.  Book  court started in May 2017

A crime prevention grant was received which allowed us to put security doors on our sliding glass doors and an alarm system.  We also put security mesh on the front door a little later.

Grant for Defibrillator - later in year 

2018 Crts 4,5 and 6 got LED lighting.  Partially funded by Moreland Council, the rest paid by club.  Ouside water fountain installed.

2018 Dec,  Jan. 2019.  Full maintenance to the courts done privately  

2019 May   Repaired and painted all asphalt  around clubrooms, David and Shirley

2021 May  Concrete path installed in front of crts 4,5 and 6

2021 June  Reconstructed drainage to area near glass doors at end of clubrooms

2022 January  Installed 2 new sheds work done by Ezio

2022 Sept. Shelters over seats on crts 4,5 and 6.    Done by Ezio  

2022 Oct. Spraying algae and maintenance to all 6 crts some funding from Tennis Vict.

2023 Jan   Fence post supports to fence behind crts 4 and 5 due to rotting away of fence poles  Done by David

2023  Outside of the club and in between crts 3 and 4 sprayed for ants and insects

2023 and 2024  several grants received for Women and girls in sport.   Very sucessful to our club with lots of new members and players in comp teams