Saving the Tennis Courts

After Nimbin Tennis Club found itself in financial difficulties in 2013, Nimbin Community Centre stepped in to keep the courts in community ownership. Nimbin Headers Sports Club offered to take responsibility for the courts and the process of winding up the tennis club and transferring ownership began. This took longer than envisaged as the NSW government imposed stamp duty on the transfer of title, hard to justify when you consider one not-for-profit community group was transferring ownership of land (donated originally by community members) to another not-for-profit community group for no financial exchange.

Special thanks go to Rainbow Power Company who made a generous financial donation, Lismore Council who waived a significant portion of the outstanding rates, community members who joined the club whether tennis players or not, Nimbin Community Centre and Jungle Patrol who together covered stamp duty and associated transfer costs, Nimbin Law who provided advice along the way and significantly reduced their costs, Fabien Prevost, president of Nimbin Headers, and Diana Roberts, Secretary of Nimbin Community Centre who worked hard to bring this about. Thanks go also to the anonymous donor who contributed significant funds over the past year and to Pixie and his wife Wendy who handled bookings for years and worked endlessly to keep the courts and surrounds looking good. Ownership of the Cullen Street tennis courts now rests with Nimbin Headers Sports Club.