Our Story
A club built by its own members
From a 1959 land grant to six floodlit mod-grass courts today — the story of Burden Park has always been written by the people who showed up to play.
- 1959
Springvale City Council makes land available at Burden Park; the tennis club, bowling club and a croquet club are all founded on the same grant.
- 1960
First two courts completed in August; the first competition match is played in October.
- 1961
First clubhouse built by volunteer labour from the remains of an old Volkswagen crate, ready for the club's first AGM on 25 August.
- 1962–64
Four more courts built, bringing the total to six.
- 1967
Subsidence on the original site (an old tip) forces relocation to the current Olympic Avenue site.
- 1976
Six new en-tous-cas courts and a clubhouse officially open on Olympic Avenue on 15 August, built at the council's expense.
- 2008
Lighting installed to all six courts, enabling night tennis.
- 2009
A water bore installed to cope with water restrictions.
- 2022
All six courts converted to synthetic mod-grass, with new lighting and fencing.
A changing community
Still writing the next chapter
Historically strong through the 1970s–80s in junior and senior men's, ladies' and mixed competition; the clubroom still displays championship flags won over the years. Demographics shifted in the late 1980s–90s as Springvale's population diversified — today's membership reflects that change.
Since 2022
All six courts have been converted to mod-grass (synthetic grass), with new lighting and fencing — keeping Burden Park a comfortable, modern place to play while holding onto more than sixty years of history.