120 Years of Friendly Competition

In 2025, the Hawthorn Tennis Club celebrates its 120 Year Birthday!

The Hawthorn Tennis Club has been in existence since 1905 and is one of the oldest tennis clubs in Melbourne. The Club began with 3 courts in Linda Crescent Hawthorn, near Glenferrie Railway Station, as part of the Hawthorn Sports Grounds, before relocating to Swinburne Avenue Hawthorn in 1962.

A summary of major achievements and milestones over the past 120 years:

  • 1905 - Club formed with 3 asphalt courts

  • 1906 - First pennant match

  • 1908 - Courts converted to grass courts

  • 1909 - Club wins first pennant flag

  • 1924 - Lights on four courts

  • 1940 - Two red porous courts - one of these converted from grass

  • 1946 - Council allowed Sunday play, lights removed

  • 1948 - All four courts red porous

  • 1962 - Move from Linda Crescent to Swinburne Avenue - six courts

  • 1968 - Rebuilding after fire destroyed the Clubhouse

  • 1973 - Construction of the 7th court

  • 1980 - First A grade competition team for 50 years

  • 1981 - Lights on two courts

  • 1982 - 20 sqm Clubhouse extension

  • 1983 - Membership reaches record 530

  • 1992 - Lighting on all four northern courts

  • 1995 - Southern courts rebuilt

  • 2002 - Landscaping of area east of Clubhouse

  • 2004 - Major flooding event - floods over 3 ft deep on northern courts and significant damage to the clubhouse resulted in required renovations.

  • 2005 - Club's Centenary

  • 2008 - Recycled water facilities installed in response to drought/water restrictions. Water from court runoff and Clubhouse roof now used for court watering and toilets.

  • 2014 - Clubhouse undergoes significant renovation

  • 2015 - New Club logo launched

  • 2017 - Court 7 rebuilt

  • 2020 - LED lights installed on Courts 1-3: all 7 courts at Club now lit.

  • 2024 - Clubhouse and surrounds undergo renovation with a new roof, solar electricity generation system, interior upgrades, and a new courtyard deck.