Tennis in the Hills

For those of you who have been glued to your screens watching the Australian Open in Melbourne

this January here are some early photos of our tennis clubs in the Mundaring Shire.

In the early years of the Shire’s history most of the “villages” in the Shire had tennis clubs as both

sport as well as the church was where the locals would socialise.

As well as the community courts some families would build their own courts on their property.

Private tennis court at the Fischer household in Darlington

Mixed Doubles in Darlington early 1900s

Smiths Mill, later known as Glen Forrest started their tennis club in the early 1900s. The cricket ground was opened in 1902 and later funds were raised from dances in the Octagonal Hall to build a tennis court and the courts were officially opened by M.H Jacoby on 9th January 1904.

Many early tennis courts were surfaced with crushed termite mounds but this one was of rolled gravel with hoop iron strips laid down to mark out the courts. Later it was replaced with grass.

Glen Forrest Tennis players 1953

The early community of forest workers at Mundaring Weir worked long and hard but also enjoyed

their sport at the weekend. Tennis was played on a clay court behind the Weir Hall from 1920s