Australia’s tennis boom of the 1950s and 1960s.
The story starts with two modest but vibrant clubs: the Palmyra Tennis Club, featuring four grass courts at the corner of Adrian and Cleopatra
Streets, and the Melville Tennis Club, and six grass courts and a small club house on the corner of Canning Highway and Prinsep Road.
In March 1963, the City of Melville initiated discussions to unite the two clubs, recognising the potential for enhanced facilities and a stronger tennis community. On 4th June 1963 the first meeting was held between the two clubs and the Melville City Council to discuss the merger.
Throughout 1963 and 1964, members from both clubs forged connections through various social events, laying the groundwork for a successful
merger. This culmination of community spirit led to the official establishment of the Melville-Palmyra Tennis Club on January 20th, 1965.
The club’s name thoughtfully preserved both original identities, with “Melville” taking precedence to reflect the location of the merged facility. The inaugural event on November 1st, 1964, saw 74 enthusiastic players sharing just six courts, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in local tennis history.
The merged club flourished, expanding to feature 12 grass courts and later adding two hard courts. Our original clubhouse, inherited from the Melville Club, served as the heart of our tennis community for many years.
A significant turning point came in early 1996 when the City of Melville presented plans for an extensive redevelopment of the Melville Reserve. This comprehensive project included:
- Relocating the Palmyra Rugby Club to Tompkins Park
- Moving our tennis facilities to the former Rugby Club site
- Establishing a shared clubhouse arrangement with the Football Club and Cricket Club
- Developing a new Community Recreation Centre on our original site, complete with a library, meeting rooms, gymnasium, indoor sports courts, crèche, and café.
Our club negotiated carefully to maintain our high standards, securing 15 courts in the new location: ten grass courts and five hard courts under lights. This configuration allowed for year-round tennis while accommodating the site’s unique characteristics, including the sand bank along Prinsep Road. The grass courts were thoughtfully designed with space for lateral movement to manage wear and tear, while the hard courts found their home along the Kitchener Road boundary.
On October 19th, 1997, we proudly inaugurated our new premises, marking the beginning of another successful chapter. The formation of the Melville Sporting Association brought together the tennis, cricket, and football clubs, creating a unified approach to managing our shared facilities. Today, our club stands as a testament to the power of community and adaptation. We continue our proud tradition of providing outstanding sporting programs and social events for the community. The recent addition of Padel West demonstrates our ongoing commitment to innovation and expanding racquet sport opportunities for all members of our community. We now have eight fantastic grass courts, 5 hard courts and 2 Padel courts. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to fostering the same spirit of community, sportsmanship, and excellence that has defined our club for over half a century.