Tennis
11 October, 2025
Peppers Plain Tennis Club celebrates 100 years of community spirit
Past players from Peppers Plain Tennis Club are gearing up for their centenary celebrations to be held at the Horsham Sports and Community Club on October 18.
The reunion will commemorate 100 years since two clay courts were built on the district property of Mr Sprigg in the mid 1920s, where he and Mr Atkins began tennis coaching and competition.
Sprigg was reported to have played on into his 80s, always wearing long trousers and a collared shirt and tie.
Peppers Plain, a rural district virtually midway between Jeparit and Warracknabeal, also boasted a football and cricket team during this era; however, the tennis club was the centre of social activity, successfully competing in the Beulah District and Hopetoun associations.
In the mid 1950s three new asphalt courts were built by volunteers a few kilometres west of the old ones, and the next generation of players opted to join the 10-team Dimboola and District Tennis Association.
Here, the club enjoyed a highly successful period, especially during the 1980s, when both A and B grade teams won numerous premierships.
During those years the club also entered both men's and women's teams in the Warracknabeal Night Tennis Competition.
As with many other small rural sporting teams, however, the club was forced to disband during the 1990s as families and younger players moved away from the district.
In the past year a small committee, headed by former president and captain Alan Obst, has researched the 100 years of club history and performances, culminating in a book to be launched at the reunion dinner.
Up to 60 ex-players representing three generations of families involved over the years will be coming from four different states to renew old acquaintances and relive past achievements.