TENNIS was played at Nambrok from the early 1920s and the first court was grass-built on the north side of the Nambrok Hall.
There was only one team fielded for a number of years until the Soldier Settlers became part of the community in the early 1950s.
Around 1957, the Bowman family donated wool to the club for members to bale. This increased Nambrok Tennis Club funds by 120 pounds and together with fundraising from a film night and a Christmas hamper, as well as from the hall committee who contributed 100 pounds towards the project, two new courts were built in 1959 on the present site.
This saw two teams (A and B Grade) entered into the Heyfield and District Tennis Association (HDTA).
The courts were opened on October 4, 1959 by Councillor Alister Jones. President of the club was Ted Bowman and Marj Mason was secretary/treasurer. Subs (member subscriptions) was five shillings.
The club grew in the 1960s, with a grant received from the Rosedale Shire in 1964, and under the leadership of Ron Pietersen, a third court was built.
Fundraising included Saturday night dances, street stalls, tournaments and car trials.
Three senior teams and two junior teams were entered in the HDTA, which later became Sale-Heyfield Tennis Association (SHTA).
Two umpire stands were built by Norm Northway. Tennis balls were $8.60 a dozen. Forty children had professional tennis coaching in the school holidays with Bob Leviston from Yinnar. Subs were $4 for gentlemen, $3 for ladies and 50 cents for juniors. Ball money was 40 cents per week.
The Nambrok A Reserve team won premierships in 1968 and 1969. Players were Ray Northway, Roger Bond, Laurie Williams, Marj Mason, Laura Baker and Mary Lees. Marj Mason was made a life member in 1969.
In the 1970s, under the leadership of Rob A’Hearne and Roger Bond, a shelter shed was erected at the club but afternoon tea was held in the supper room of the hall.
Up to three senior teams and two junior teams were competing; subs were $10 for seniors and $3 for juniors.
In 1978, the A Reserve side won the Grand Final.
Ian Kendell led the club in the 1980s.
Fundraising became significant, with street stalls, fashion parades, a footballers day, catering for clearing sales, country and western nights, discos, trips to Oaks Day, bush dancing, dress ups and raffles.
In 1984, the club purchased a bungalow from the Sale Caravan Park in York Street.
This was moved and renovated with two large windows put in the front. A concrete area was built and a pergola with shade cloth was attached.
The area became very well used for the next 10 years.
Nambrok won senior and junior premierships in 1981, 1986, 1987 and 1988. Kendell was made a life member in 1987.
In the 1990s, the number of Saturday teams continued to increase, and the biggest changes took place with a fourth court added. All courts were synpaved, lights were added and the relocation of the clubroom saw inclusion of toilets and a veranda. Junior membership increased with Lyn Bradley and Jan Munckton coordinating the nine teams.
All this went hand-in-hand with the inclusion of two teams in the Ladies Mid-Week competition in 1991 – Annette Field and Barb Yates were the instigators.
The interest just continued to increase and by the end of the 1990s the club had 10 ladies teams competing.
In 1993, Jan Munckton was made life member.
By the 1997-98 season the club had five senior and nine junior teams with Section 5 seniors and Section 4, 5, and 9 winning premierships.
Also in 1997, Sport and Recreation Victoria informed the club they had been successful in obtaining a $13,000 grant, enabling them to relocate the clubrooms to the north side of the courts at Nambrok Recreation Reserve.
Renovation included extensions to include a new kitchen, toilets, a veranda, disabled ramp and an undercover sandpit.
The clubroom was completed under the watchful eye of Jim DeVisser, who co-ordinated the project from start to finish. More than 500 voluntary hours by club members had made it possible. It was opened by Marj Mason in July 1998 with a huge crowd attending. By this stage, membership had grown to 167.
In the 2000s, the club continued to be the hub of social activities, with Twilight Tennis on Thursdays for men and Wednesdays for ladies.
This created an outlet for busy farmers to get together for a chat and a beer, as well as a game of tennis.
Fundraising continued with bus trips to Melbourne, Rodney Vincent Night, catering at the Murray Goulburn Harvest Festival and raffles. Many of the juniors from the 90s moved on and less were available.
In the 2010s, the ladies mid-week comp continued but with only two teams.
The seniors couldn’t field a team and junior numbers reduced, so by 2017 there were no seniors in the Saturday competition.
Still, there was a strong contingency of men and women playing twilight tennis each week and supporting the club through fundraising with a clearing sale, sausage sizzle, raffles and fundraiser at the greyhounds. Twilight tennis subs were $10 per week which included ball money, a meal and one beer. The clubrooms were painted by the Nambrok Rec Reserve Committee and junior coaching was offered in the school holidays.
Come the 2020s, two junior teams were entered into the Wellington Gippsland Tennis Association.
Wellington Shire were looking at upgrading the Nambrok Recreation Reserve by establishing a multi-use facility for netball and tennis.
With the onset of COVID-19 in 2021, play was suspended at times.
There was still one team of juniors playing Saturday comp and coaching for 20 children during the school holidays.
In 2022/23 there was two ladies teams, one junior team and 18 children joined up for six weeks of tennis coaching.
Last year was a big year for the club, with the building of the multi-use facility.
The original facility was transformed into an open flexipave area that consists of two vast netball courts or four tennis courts at a cost of $780,000 from combined funding from Sport and Recreation Victoria, Wellington Shire, local clubs, sponsors and grants.
