Part 1: Anyone for tennis with a million-dollar view

High on a spur of the Great Dividing Range 30 kilometres north-east of Toowoomba, the rural community of Ravensbourne - population 270 - can now lay claim to Australia's most scenic tennis site.

Perched on the eastern escarpment 700 metres above sea level, the two new courts overlook a picturesque tapestry of red volcanic soil, fertile farmland and native bush stretching across the lower Brisbane valley to the placid waters of Lake Wivenhoe.

Local tennis enthusiasts serve and volley to the crack of whipbirds and plaintive mews of catbirds in the Ravensbourne National Park just 200 metres away, with an occasional wallaby watching on from the edge of the remnant rainforest.

This tennis facility is a shining example of how the Queensland Government is working with communities to increase public participation in sport and recreation.

It all started in 2002 when agricultural consultant Andrew Somervaille and a couple of like-minded mates decided the local area needed some kind of sporting facility.

Mr Somervaille said they picked tennis because it was a very social game and allowed broad participation from children to seniors.

"The whole idea was to bring people together, so we asked around to gauge public support and there was plenty of enthusiasm right from the start," he said.

"We approached Sport and Recreation Queensland and staff there provided lots of useful information about the criteria for securing a government grant.

"The first step was to incorporate, so we called a public meeting in February 2003 and set up a small working group, which eventually grew into the management committee of the Ravensbourne Sporting Association."

Mr Somervaille said they also received strong support from the Crows Nest Shire Council, which approved their use of the recreation reserve, paid the association's incorporation fee and contributed $36,000 towards the cost of the new courts.

"In 2004 the Association was approved $69,000 from Sport and Recreation Queensland under the Minor Facilities Program," he said.

"The funding from the Queensland Government and Crows Nest Council covered our original cost estimate of $105,000 and we also raised some additional money with an avocado-packing contest to cover a few thousand dollars in unforeseen expenses."

Mr Somervaille said a couple of small clay courts had been developed at the site during World War II and were used off and on until the late 1980s, but had since fallen into total disrepair.

"Site preparations and earthworks for the new courts were undertaken in August 2004.  Over the next couple of months we prepared a foundation of compacted road base and then laid the artificial grass surface to contemporary specifications," he said.

"Tennis Queensland had already provided us with a lot of technical advice when we were preparing our funding application and also helped manage the project.

"We reached practical completion in November 2004, but it took another couple of months to finalise ancillary work like the electricals, because our local contractors were just so busy with other jobs in the area.

"We're now considering new projects like extending the site for boules, building a shelter for community gatherings and establishing a stopover camp for the national horse trail, which passes through Ravensbourne."

Mr Somervaille said the process had been very rewarding, despite the occasional setbacks, and encouraged other communities considering similar projects to contact the Department.

Offices are located throughout the State, including Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Warwick, Dalby, Maroochydore, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Emerald, Mackay, Townsville, Mt Isa, Cairns and Atherton.

The Queensland Government contributes more than $50 million each year to the development of sport and recreation facilities and programs that help Queenslanders become more physically active.

The Minor Facilities Program provides organisations with funding assistance for approved projects such as extensions or upgrades to sport and recreation facilities, to a maximum of $75,000.

Read more about how the Ravensbourne Sporting Association built its tennis courts.

Part 1: Anyone for tennis with a million-dollar view

High on a spur of the Great Dividing Range 30 kilometres north-east of Toowoomba, the rural community of Ravensbourne - population 270 - can now lay claim to Australia's most scenic tennis site.

Perched on the eastern escarpment 700 metres above sea level, the two new courts overlook a picturesque tapestry of red volcanic soil, fertile farmland and native bush stretching across the lower Brisbane valley to the placid waters of Lake Wivenhoe.

Local tennis enthusiasts serve and volley to the crack of whipbirds and plaintive mews of catbirds in the Ravensbourne National Park just 200 metres away, with an occasional wallaby watching on from the edge of the remnant rainforest.

This tennis facility is a shining example of how the Queensland Government is working with communities to increase public participation in sport and recreation.

It all started in 2002 when agricultural consultant Andrew Somervaille and a couple of like-minded mates decided the local area needed some kind of sporting facility.

Mr Somervaille said they picked tennis because it was a very social game and allowed broad participation from children to seniors.

"The whole idea was to bring people together, so we asked around to gauge public support and there was plenty of enthusiasm right from the start," he said.

"We approached Sport and Recreation Queensland and staff there provided lots of useful information about the criteria for securing a government grant.

"The first step was to incorporate, so we called a public meeting in February 2003 and set up a small working group, which eventually grew into the management committee of the Ravensbourne Sporting Association."

Mr Somervaille said they also received strong support from the Crows Nest Shire Council, which approved their use of the recreation reserve, paid the association's incorporation fee and contributed $36,000 towards the cost of the new courts.

"In 2004 the Association was approved $69,000 from Sport and Recreation Queensland under the Minor Facilities Program," he said.

"The funding from the Queensland Government and Crows Nest Council covered our original cost estimate of $105,000 and we also raised some additional money with an avocado-packing contest to cover a few thousand dollars in unforeseen expenses."

Mr Somervaille said a couple of small clay courts had been developed at the site during World War II and were used off and on until the late 1980s, but had since fallen into total disrepair.

"Site preparations and earthworks for the new courts were undertaken in August 2004.  Over the next couple of months we prepared a foundation of compacted road base and then laid the artificial grass surface to contemporary specifications," he said.

"Tennis Queensland had already provided us with a lot of technical advice when we were preparing our funding application and also helped manage the project.

"We reached practical completion in November 2004, but it took another couple of months to finalise ancillary work like the electricals, because our local contractors were just so busy with other jobs in the area.

"We're now considering new projects like extending the site for boules, building a shelter for community gatherings and establishing a stopover camp for the national horse trail, which passes through Ravensbourne."

Mr Somervaille said the process had been very rewarding, despite the occasional setbacks, and encouraged other communities considering similar projects to contact the Department.

Offices are located throughout the State, including Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Warwick, Dalby, Maroochydore, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Emerald, Mackay, Townsville, Mt Isa, Cairns and Atherton.

The Queensland Government contributes more than $50 million each year to the development of sport and recreation facilities and programs that help Queenslanders become more physically active.

The Minor Facilities Program provides organisations with funding assistance for approved projects such as extensions or upgrades to sport and recreation facilities, to a maximum of $75,000.

Read more about how the Ravensbourne Sporting Association built its tennis courts.