General News
8 November, 2026
Township aces courts
THE historic Lihs Road tennis courts at Euramo have been officially rescued from the scrapheap, with Cassowary Coast Regional Council formally approving a five-year ‘facility use agreement’ to hand over the asset to the newly incorporated Riversdale Tennis and Social Club Inc (RTSC).
First established in 1953, the facility served generations of Euramo locals and nearby Riversdale State School students until the school’s closure in 1968.
Following the former club’s winding down around 2007, the precinct fell into disrepair, prompting council to pass a resolution in January 2021 to rationalise and decommission the site.
Local families rallied to save the space and momentum surged when a community meeting drew up to 60 residents.
Despite setbacks earlier this year – when a vehicle crashed into the courts causing substantial damage – volunteers banded together, spending Monday afternoons straightening fences, clearing debris and restoring the courts to a playable condition.
RTSC president Brendon Evans expressed immense relief over council’s decision, noting that community persistence ultimately paid off.
“Originally they were talking about demolishing it ... but we ended up organising a big meeting with everybody in the Davidson Road community,” Mr Evans told The Observer.
“We had a turnout of 55 or 60 people, from the elders that originally donated the land, to the school, to all the young kids that use it monthly. I don’t think the council realised how many people were wanting to keep it.”
Mr Evans highlighted the dedicated work of locals like Ray Zamora, Aaron and Justin Flegler, alongside support from local businesses and Tennis Queensland, which plans to host youth training sessions.
“It’s been a bit of a mission, but there’s probably a dozen people that really have helped push it forward,” Mr Evans added.
“A lot of the older locals’ kids and grandkids are utilising it now and they were all really happy to see it continue.”
He noted that support from a Tennis Queensland representative will be a big boost for local youth, including his own young family.
“Tennis Queensland have been fantastic as well ... he’s going to start a couple of little training things for the younger kids,” Mr Evans said.
“I’ve got two kids myself, one six and one four, and they’re trying to hit tennis balls already when we’re there … and it’ll be good for them. But there’s a number of kids at that age that are all rolling in there.”
According to the official agenda report presented at council’s monthly ordinary meeting last week, under a five-year agreement running from 1 November, 2026, to 31 October, 2031, the club will pay no lease fee.
The lease only needs to cover nominal outgoings such as the $25 annual Murray Upper Rural Fire Brigade levy.
Ownership of all physical site improvements, including the courts, perimeter fencing and covered club shelter, will transfer directly from council’s asset register to the RTSC.
To execute the agreement without a public tender process, council applied an exception under a section of the Local Government Regulation 2012 for community organisations, officially rescinding its 2021 ‘rationalisation’ decision upon execution.
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