The Range Tennis Club in Toowoomba, Queensland, the state's oldest continuous tennis club, has reported a significant increase in membership. Since 2020, membership has grown from approximately 12 members to nearly 600, representing a rise of almost 5,000 percent.
Club president and coach Paul Mooney stated that this growth contrasts with a general trend of declining participation rates in regional sports clubs. A key strategy for the four-court club's resurgence involved establishing a strong junior membership base and organizing children's tournaments. The club now has 300 junior members, compared to none in 2019.
Club secretary Tony Brown noted that Toowoomba's tennis scene was struggling a decade ago, and the COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently assisted the club's revival due to tennis being a socially distanced sport.
Upon joining in 2020, Paul Mooney identified an opportunity for growth given Toowoomba's status as Australia's second-largest inland city and its low tennis participation rates. He secured $60,000 in sponsorships from local businesses, which helped maintain low costs for court hire ($10 per hour) and annual memberships ($35 per year). A land lease agreement with the Queensland government for $1 per year also contributed to financial stability.
Pam Kappelides, a senior sports lecturer at La Trobe University, highlighted the rarity of the Range Tennis Club's success, particularly in an environment where regional and rural sports clubs often face challenges with declining volunteer numbers, aging populations, and financial pressures. She emphasized the importance for such clubs to innovate and adapt to changing community needs.