Before the formation of the Home Hill and District Tennis Association, the “game” was played and nurtured on a number of private tennis courts spread throughout the area on private and school property.

Some of those courts were situated at the following places:

Mrs Heydon’s farm   Sam Gibson

Home Hill State School   Bob Marriott

Inkerman State School   Jim Smith

Iyah State School   Dick Coll

Osborne State School   Red Bennett

Home Hill Convent School   A. Dingle

Home Hill Hospital   Ernie Ford

Home Hill Church of England   Athenia Dean

Home Hill Methodist Church   Rob Warren

George Linton   Carse

Joe Hurney   Lucas

Bill Haller   K. Stockdale

Allan Friend   Fred Evans

Charlie Strike  Bill Klaka

Geoff Barton   A. Morcom

Joe Lockhart   Beckes

Charlie Hanson   Ernis Fenton

Edgar Fowler   Inkerman Mill

Henderson   Ferguson

Woods   Jackson

Even though the association was formed in 1932, the set up of single individual private courts were maintained up to the Second Great War, when organised tennis went into limbo.  After the war the council assisted the tennis fraternity to re-establish itself by erecting two colas courts in the existing showgrounds.

Returned service men and keen Home Hill tennis player, Mick Hetherington, set up a complex of three clay courts in the centre of Home Hill.  These became the hub of tennis in Home Hill for some years.  On his retirement from the district, a Mrs. G. Anderson then ran the courts and on her retirement the courts were broken up for real estate.

The need for a new home then became apparent, and a successful approach was made to the Trustees of the Home Hill Recreation Reserve (Messrs. F.J. Woods, H.V. Hanson S.W. Gibson and others) for assistance.

The foundations of our present complex were laid.  It was an Association effort and some of the stalwarts who assisted in this voluntary project in the laying down of the courts were:  Arthur Morcom, Len Fry, Merv Swindley, Alf Forno, Ron Kay, Norm Linton, Joe Hurney, Jim Campbell and others.  On the fundraising side, the ladies ran stalls every fortnight; their support as always was tremendous.  Some of these dedicated ladies were:- Mary Reed, Jean Reed, Eunice Morcom, Olly Dower, Marion Ypinazar, Annie Stockdale, Cecelia Stockdale. Bertha Kay  and Jacque Davies.

After setting up six clay courts, we shifted the hotel hobo from the other side of the reserve and we had a clubhouse.  The late Bill Miller cemented the floor and set up the showers etc., on a pay when you can basis.  Our toilet block was shocking.  Merv Swindley, Len Fry and Ray Davies dug a well and put in a water supply, and we were in business.

The facilities took an upturn when we had six courts colased, three by voluntary labour and three later on by contract by the Shire Council.

Tragedy struck when the 1959 cyclone flattened our clubhouse and fencing.  Fortunately we had insured it twelve months before.  The shell for the present structure was erected and our toilet block became a fact.  During the period of development the club acquired the franchise to run the liquor bar at the Home Hill races on a fifty per cent net profit basis, the club supplying all the manpower.  This, together with the goose club we ran for a number of years at the Commercial Hotel, created the extra funding which was needed to commence the laying down of concrete courts.

Mr. Jack Woodward laid Court 8, our first concrete court, under contract.  The subsequent eleven courts were laid by voluntary labour of club members under the direction of tradesmen, E. Sciani and A. Murer.  We have a lot to thank the president at that time, Alan Hanson, for organising the construction of these courts, working bees, material supplies and for the use of his farm machinery etc.

Following the laying down of the concrete courts, sophisticated and modern lighting facilities were gradually installed.  Ardent member, Peter Dale supplied a lot of work and supervision, in this regard.  This extension of playing facilities, namely night fixtures, both summer and winter, encouraged more players to the game and besides considerably increasing our revenue, supplied extra funds for expansion.  Improvements to our complex have continued over the years; the kitchen has been modified, and a cold room built.

In 2006 all twelve courts have been upgraded with a new surface and new net posts and nets.  Lighting has also been improved on courts 3, 4 and 5.   Thanks go to the Burdekin Shire Council, Queensland Government Sport and Recreation and Gaming Fund for assistance with funding for this project. A grant from the Breakwater Casino Community Benefit Fund also enabled the club to purchase new chairs.