Geelong’s tennis community came together yesterday evening to hear the latest updates on the proposed Geelong Regional Tennis Centre (GRTC), a transformative project designed to strengthen participation, development pathways and opportunities for players across the region.
The Geelong Tennis Community Information Evening brought together 100 people, including representatives from the City of Greater Geelong, Tennis Victoria, Tennis Geelong, Barwon Sports Academy, local tennis clubs, and regional stakeholders, showcasing the collaborative partnership focused on the long-term future of tennis.
Importantly, the evening also welcomed club representatives from across the G21 region, reinforcing the significant role the proposed GRTC could play not only for Geelong, but for the broader southwest of regional Victoria.
The project, which has been in planning and advocacy stages for more than 16 years, is progressing towards realisation. It is designed to complement local club facilities, while providing a regional venue capable of supporting high-quality training, player development and tournament opportunities. Proposed next steps include finalising design plans and securing investment, with anticipated construction timelines to be shared as planning advances.
Key project partners continue to work together to advocate for infrastructure that supports more than 30,000 tennis participants across Victoria’s southwest and meets the needs of one of the state’s fastest-growing regions.
Tennis Victoria CEO Kim Kachel said the project represented an important long-term investment in the future of regional tennis.
“Tennis Victoria is proud to be part of a long-term vision that strengthens the entire tennis ecosystem, from local clubs through to high-performance pathways,” Kachel said.
“The Geelong Regional Tennis Centre is an important step in ensuring regional communities have access to contemporary facilities that support participation, development and the continued growth of the sport.”
Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM said the project reflected strong collaboration across all levels of the tennis community.
“The City is committed to planning and advocating for infrastructure that meets the needs of our growing community,” the representative said.
“This project reflects strong collaboration and future-focused planning, ensuring tennis continues to thrive at both community and competitive levels across the region.
“We are proud to partner with Tennis Victoria and Tennis Australia in advocating for additional investment to support the type of regional tennis venue needed for Geelong and the wider southwest of Victoria.”
Donna Shoenmaekers, a Tennis Geelong representative, said, “Tennis Geelong sees this as a significant opportunity to strengthen our local tennis community.”
“We cannot continue to fragment our tennis community by forcing players and families to leave Geelong, or the sport altogether, due to a lack of local opportunity.”
“A regional centre would attract a range of events, including high-level, creating positive impacts on the community and economy, promoting investment and job creation, while showcasing the strength of clubs across the Geelong region.”
Professional tennis player Amy Stevens said the project had the potential to significantly improve the pathway for future regional athletes.
“Training and competing at a representative and professional level are hard-earned,” Stevens said.
“For regional players, it means constant travel. The closest tournaments are in Melbourne, or further again in places like Bendigo and Traralgon, and that’s not occasional travel. For players like me, that was an everyday reality.”
“This level of commitment impacts your ability to attend school consistently, adds hours of daily travel to an already demanding schedule, and often means losing your connection to your local community.”
“We can do more for the next generation. By strengthening regional opportunities, we can better support families to maintain their day-to-day lives without having to give up on their kids’ dreams.”
“I was fortunate to have a family that was able to adjust to work around my high-performance schedule, but not all families can make this sacrifice. I’m really passionate about ensuring the next generation has a better, more balanced journey.”
The Geelong Tennis Community Information Evening formed part of ongoing engagement with clubs, players and stakeholders as planning and advocacy for the Geelong Regional Tennis Centre continues.
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