TENTERDEN Tennis Club is a rural sporting association that has beaten the odds, surviving a cyclone and fires among the various other challenges faced by those living in the bush, to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Lifelong member Bill Waldron was one of three men who helped save the club from a fire caused by Cyclone Alby in 1978.
As the fire ripped through Tenterden, Mr Waldron along with fellow tennis club members Clem Addis and Fin Clapin, went to the club to see what they could do to help.
"There was a cricket ground and a lovely old pavilion which the fire burnt across before reaching the tennis club," Mr Waldron said.
"The front of the tennis club caught alight, which we put out, and the front of the roof blew off, but there wasn't much we could do about that.
"One of the guys had a bike crash helmet on to protect his head so when the roof blew off, he didn't even move because he knew he was right."
The three local farmers, whose fathers were founding members of the club, were able to save it from the fire and later took part in a working bee to restore the roof and patch up a hole that had burnt through one of its walls.
This is just one example of the community spirit that has helped keep the Tenterden Tennis Club going, even in the toughest of times.
Mr Waldron, who joined the club in 1968 and is one of four lifelong members, still plays tennis competitively and said he would continue to do so for as long as possible.
"It's a great outlet for farmers around the area to go and have a hit," Mr Waldron said.
"I've been club president, secretary, captain, you name it - but I never actually made it to be club champion.
"I'm turning 74 this year, so I think I've run out of time for that one."
Last month, 120 past and present members donned their best 1920s outfits and wooden vintage tennis racquets to enjoy an afternoon of tennis at the club with live music provided by Andrew Bradshaw, followed by dinner and speeches which shared special memories that had characterised the club over the past 100 years.
Long-serving club member, John Sprigg, Trevelen Farm Wines, provided special commemorative bottles of Tenterden Centenary sparkling wine to mark the occasion.
Club president Rowan Bigwood, who was made a lifetime member at the event after 10 years in the role, said it was a great night with the celebrations continuing on into the wee hours of the morning.
"While tennis has always been a drawcard, it's the social fabric of the club that has kept it alive and players and social members coming back," Mr Bigwood said.
"I think the whole reason the club has survived is because its members have been so generous with their time, helping to build things with their own equipment as we've needed it, cooking for our players and helping run tournaments etc.
"It's hard to put a monetary value on that donated time, but if we did it would be extremely high."
Mr Bigwood said the donation of time and money was evident when the clubhouse was rebuilt five years ago.
Along with funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Shire of Cranbrook, the club came up with $50,000 of its own cash to support the build.
"Add to that the in-kind donations, like doing groundwork for free before the building went on - there would have been over $100,000 worth of services donated by our local members, and to only have 30-40 members - that's a huge amount of money," Mr Bigwood said.
Tenterden Tennis Club came from humble beginnings in 1918, when some local farmers wanted a patch of ground to play tennis on.
"There were no courts around, so I think they crushed a few ants nests and rolled out a court," Mr Bigwood said.
"A couple of years later the group decided to form the Tenterden Tennis Club, and moved it to where we are now."
A grapevine adorns the country clubhouse located in the Great Southern region, which has six courts and is hidden in the bush, surrounded by gumtrees.
"The grapevine is symbolic of our rich and diversified farming and viticulture community that have been involved in the club over its duration," Mr Bigwood said.
"People drive from all over the place to visit the club and I hear a lot of them say it's quite old-fashioned and how they remember tennis clubs used to be."
With about 30 members now, like many small country sporting clubs, its membership is in decline, but Mr Bigwood said he was hopeful its membership would increase.
"Sporting associations are so important in regional areas, and although some people can be reluctant to join clubs these days, it's a quick way for new people coming into towns to get to know people and break the ice," Mr Bigwood said.
"Without sport it would be so much harder."
With social tennis or tournaments held each weekend, numbers in the club's mixed doubles tournament have been supported by players from Katanning, Jingalup, Kendenup, Mt Barker and Albany, with 50 players participating in the most recent tournament.
"Our tournaments are important days for the club and have been well supported by lots of farming families over the years," Mr Bigwood said.
"They usually go all day and people stay for a chat, drink and snacks afterwards."
The club also has a strong junior tournament that has been going for 70 years and saw 90 kids participate last year.
With some talented kids coming through the club, Mr Bigwood said the emphasis had always been on participation, meeting new people, respecting your opponents and having a good time.
"We've had some very good players and strong pennant teams come through, but it doesn't matter if you can hit a ball well or not - in the end the club is here for everyone," he said.
"It has always been a good strong club with a good ethic and people are always happy to take on positions, and that's why it's worked."
