The earliest reports show that the first public tennis courts were in the Palmer Estate, which is now the shops & carpark behind the Newsagency & Festival Supermarket etc., with another court behind the Hotel and a private court owned by Syd Ford in Main Street
The next public courts were made on land donated by Keith Chirnside for that purpose (1936), the area allowed the committee to build 2 gravel courts and a small shed and toilet for the convenience of the players. There is no record of when this took place but by the look of the fence it had been there quite a while by 1951, they were on the site that is now occupied by Telopea Court apartments opposite the Bowling Club.
Tennis was very strong in the 50’s but declined in the 60’s where it reached its lowest ebb in 1967 where it is recorded there was an attendance of nil at the Annual Meeting. The few remaining players then played at Pambula & Bega. There was a revival of tennis in the area when Val Currie, Alan Gale, Dave Funnel with the aid of the Grade 6 children from the local school started chipping the grass from the courts. The main reason being that these parents were keen for their children to learn tennis and needed the court for this purpose.
By 1973 tennis was reborn in the area to the extent that at the Annual meeting a motion was put suggesting that the Club should shift to an area where more courts could be laid out. The result of this was a motion was put to a meeting in 1974 – That the incoming Committee approach the Council with the view of obtaining enough land for 4 courts & a Pavilion from Council land set aside for sporting purposes.
The Telopea site was valuated by the estate agents at $35,000 which was set as the sale price by the committee. It was later sold to Mr A. Young for $33,000 on 8/9/75, this with the bank balance allowed the club to pay the commission and the council rates that had accrued and still have $31,000 to start building the new courts.
Jack Gordon was contracted to move and compact the soil at $2 a cubic meter, and although there was a strong push for concrete courts it was finally decided to leave it as clay courts which would allow them to consolidate and stabilize. Tenders were called for the fencing but only one was received which was accepted at $4,500. Plans were drawn up for a 45ft by 25ft pavilion, this remained the same but trimmings had to be reduced to save the club from going too far into debt.
This was the lead up to Veteran Tennis, a man had to be employed the first 2 years as the courts were still clay and had to be smudged regular. The courts 1-2-3 were all laid in August 1984 while 4-5 were laid 12 months later and 7-8 in 1988