16/07/2026
Helping Buxton Get Out and About on the Courts initiative
People may be aware that recently, through the Buxton Open Spaces Committee, we engaged with Council regarding the poor condition of the old tennis courts at the Buxton Recreation Reserve. We had a very fruitful meeting with Council's Manager for Community Health and Wellbeing, at the courts, which has resulted in some very welcome news this week.
In response to a number of discussions with people using the courts, during the site inspection, we identified four key actions that needed to be undertaken to make the courts safe and enhance their usability: clean the slippery tied concrete surface, clean out the expansion gaps in the concrete and caulk them to prevent grass growing on the court area, rework or replace the existing gates to make them Disability Discrimination Act compliant (basically, get rid of the steps and relocate the gates to a flat even area), and repaint the existing tennis, basketball, and netball court line-markings. In addition, a number of people urged us to add line-markings for pickleball. You might recall that BPA funded and replaced the basketball backboards during Covid.
Earlier this week, we were advised by Councilβs Recreation & Community Development Officer that Council would clean the concrete surface by early October and is investigating options for preventing grass from growing in the expansion gaps. They are also pursuing potential contractors to provide a DDA compliant access and we have discussed a way forward to obtain quotes for that work. We have since received a copy of the Inspection Report prepared by a member of Councilβs Assets team which supports our concerns and the need to implement a program of works to make the courts safer.
As part of an action plan previously proposed to Council, we have already obtained a reasonable quote for the provision of line-marking works to repaint the tennis, basketball, and netball lines and to add a pickleball court on the tennis court side of the court area. In return for the works to be undertaken by Council, BPA has agreed to seek grant funding to assist with the cost of the line-marking works as a community-led initiative. We have identified a suitable Community Fund grant program as an opportunity for this project.
There are two ways people can lend their support to this initiative: firstly, for the next week we have a Support Petition at the Taggerty Post Office and Buxton Hotel that can be signed and, secondly, individuals or organisations might like to provide a Letter of Support to assist with our grant application. If you would like to provide a Letter of Support, please send an email to [email protected], in your own words, indicating your support and how fixing up the tennis courts will benefit you and/or others.
In particular, you might like to comment on the growth in Buxton and environs in recent years and the changing demographics with more younger families moving into the area. Any connection with the surrounding farming community and hobby farms etc would be beneficial; we are seeing more and more people coming from their weekend properties to the Reserve to have a hit on the courts or to throw some hoops.
π· Murrindindi Shire Council
