More than 150 past and present players, volunteers, supporters and friends gathered to honour the Association’s remarkable journey from its beginnings in the 1920s to the thriving sporting hub it remains today. The celebrations had been more than 18 months in the making, with a dedicated Centenary Committee formed to coordinate the occasion and preserve the club’s rich history.
A highlight of the celebrations was the launch of a commemorative Centenary Book, documenting the story of tennis across the Innisfail district from 1923 to 2026.
Filled with historical photographs, newspaper clippings and personal memories, the book pays tribute to the generations of volunteers, players, spectators and community members who helped shape the club over the decades.
The Association’s history reflects both the resilience of the town itself and the enduring popularity of tennis in the region. In the early 1920s, more than a dozen local tennis clubs operated throughout the district, leading to the formation of an association to coordinate interclub fixtures and tournaments. The first official interclub matches were played in 1923, despite the challenges of Innisfail’s famously wet climate and the maintenance required for grass and dirt courts.
Throughout the decades, the club welcomed several notable tennis figures. Among those attending the centenary celebrations were siblings Billy and Fern Lee Long, both accomplished Queensland tennis players. Billy Lee Long trained alongside Australian tennis legends Rod Laver and Ken Fletcher as part of the Hopman Cup Squad and later built a strong coaching and sporting business legacy across North Queensland.
Three Life Memberships were also awarded during the centenary event, to Leon Awee, Elaine Harrison and Gordon Dilger. The trio have contributed well over 40 years of volunteer hours to help shape the club.
Other distinguished alumni include the late Rod Taylor, a highly successful North Queensland player who competed in doubles at the Australian Open during the 1950s, and former president Sybbie Nucifora, who served on both the Queensland and Tennis Australia boards and received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for his contribution to tennis.
Over the years, the Association expanded from three courts to nine courts, seven now under lights, while the clubhouse constructed in 1976-77 remains a proud symbol of community spirit, built entirely through voluntary labour and donations. The club has also endured significant hardship, including damage caused by Cyclone Larry in 2006.
Today, the Association continues to thrive with approximately 90 members, offering fixtures, tournaments, coaching, social tennis and pickleball.
Kathy Martin, Innisfail & District Tennis Association Assistant Secretary and long-time volunteer of 42 years said she would encourage anyone interested in the sport to come along and “have a go”.
“Innisfail is very friendly town and within our tennis club, the adults and the children all participate in fixtures, tournaments and social days as one.”
In a town known for its resilience, friendliness and strong community spirit, the Innisfail & District Tennis Association remains a shining example of sport bringing generations together.