Morphett Vale Tennis Club

History archives tell us that tennis had been played for many years before 1931. Extracts from newspapers and photos shows the earliest social tennis gathering in 1880, on the grounds where the tennis club is now. Social events also took place often in the early 1900’s.

The Morphett Vale Tennis Club was founded on the 16th of September 1931 with the first inaugural committee Meeting and recorded Minutes. Our first premiership was won by the B grade in 1934-5 season. Many more premierships have come since then in various grades/divisions at senior and junior levels.

Morphett Vale early sport history

Morphett Vale is now the state's largest suburb and is named after Sir John Morphett, a prominent early settler, who arrived in South Australia on board the Cygnet in 1836. 

However the area now known as Morphett Vale was originally referred to as Emu Downs.

One of the more affluent immigrants to settle in Morphett Vale was Alexander Anderson and he built the original Emu Hotel in 1840, from where the first post service and court hearings were conducted.

Just eight years after the Emu Hotel was built the first club out of what is now Sports Complex came the Morphett Vale Cricket Club which was established in 1849. 
The club is considered the oldest surviving cricket club in the state, celebrating its 175th anniversary in early 2025! In the beginning cricket matches were against the local police and army.

In 1864 a second Emu Hotel was built on higher ground to escape the frequent flooding of the area.
The name of the hotel and the creek, which runs south of the Morphett Vale sports complex, was likely because of the area originally being known as Emu Downs.

Morphett Vale Football Club is one of the oldest football clubs in the Southern Football League, established in 1895 who's nickname is the Emu's but we are unsure whether that started from their foundation or later on.
In any case it suprisingly remains the only Australian Rules Football Club to be known as the Emus.

Before our club was formed in 1931, tennis had been played on the same patch of land for many years before. 
Extracts from newspapers and photos shows the earliest social tennis gathering in 1880.

After our tennis club was formed more clubs were established in the following years out of the sports complex including the Morphett Vale Bowling Club in about 1935. Later on in 1947, the Morphett Vale Netball Club was established they plays in the Southern United Netball Association (SUNA) at Wilfred Taylor Reserve on States Road Morphett Vale. Their club rooms and training courts are in the Morphett Vale Sports Complex.

Why the Emu's?

The club has continued to adopt the nickname of the Emu, just like the surrounding football and lawn bowls clubs, the name derived from the area of Morphett Vale originally being known as 'Emu Downs' in early settlement. The Emu name was first used in the area by in 'The Emu Hotel' which was built in 1840. Out of that same hotel the Morphett Vale Cricket club was formed at the current site of the Morphett Vale Sports Complex.

Logo history

Their have been a few different variations in our clubs logo, it is believed to have followed the neighbouring football club's colours, logo and nickname, with minor changes. The colours red and black are written into our consistution to remain for the long term.

	The original Morphett Vale Tennis Club logo. As you can see it is heavily inspired by the football club's logo, we are unsure when this logo first started being used.
	This MVTC logo was used from around 2015-2019
	In mid 2019 the tennis club commitee came together to design a new logo. This was one of the early versions.
	MVTC alternative version 2
	MVTC alternative version 3
	MVTC alternative version 4
	The final iteration and current logo of the Morphett Vale Tennis Club designed by long time member Lleyton Ashwell with assistance from the committee. This has been used since early 2020.

Surrounding Morphett Vale Sports Clubs logos

	Morphett Vale Cricket club logo that to our knowledge have never used the red and black colours or the Emu's as a club nickname. The cricket club was established in 1849.
	Morphett Vale Football club logo that our original logo was based on, the club was established in 1895. We are unaware of when exactly they started using the nickname the Emu's.
	Alternative MVFC logo used more recently.
	MVFC Emu logo used in more recent years.
	Morphett Vale Memorial Bowling Club logo. The club was established in about 1935 and they also use the colours red and black and the Emu's as their nickname.
	The original logo for the Morphett Vale Netball club established in 1947, that use the 'magic' as their nickname.
	The current logo for the Morphett Vale Netball club, who use the colours red and blue.

Merchandise history

Club Forms