Nhulunbuy tennis club faces last serve as Rio Tinto mine closure looms

As the remote Northern Territory town of Nhulunbuy prepares for the early departure of mining giant Rio Tinto, long-standing local institutions such as the Gove Peninsula Tennis Club face an uncertain future.

Rio Tinto currently holds the lease for Nhulunbuy but will soon cede control to the traditional owners and withdraw completely from the area by 2030.

The picturesque coastal town of Nhulunbuy, around 1,000 kilometers east of Darwin, is home to more than 30 different sporting clubs serving its 3,200 residents.

Once prosperous thanks to the mining sector, the tennis club and others like it now fear for their survival.

Pushed beyond breaking points

Long-time resident Nicky Mayer moved to the Gove Peninsula in the early 90s after meeting her Nhulunbuy-based husband on an overseas holiday.

She described it as “love at first sight” and, having grown up in regional Victoria with a tennis racket, she wanted to give young people the same opportunities as she did.

Ms Mayer is the 53-year-old president of the Gove Peninsula Tennis Club, which she describes as “struggling” despite its legacy of recognition.

“We currently have no running water or electricity to the clubhouse,” she said.

The tennis club is connected to the Arnhem Club, a venue which has recently been sold to new owners.

“We have an agreement with them (the new owners) until 2032 to keep the courts…what the future holds after that, I don’t think the tennis courts will exist at all,” Ms Mayer said.

Tennis Australia has previously awarded the club top honors, including two Newcombe Medals for outstanding contributions to tennis and the community.

Ms Mayer said the uncertainty and lack of transparency had impacted their club, with membership numbers falling from 600 people in 2013 to 280 today.

Other sports club presidents, such as the BMX club, told the ABC the city’s complex property and development rights meant different sports faced different challenges, with some at risk of disappearing once their leases expired, while others faced an exodus of volunteers and a decline in participation numbers.

Rio Tinto, in a statement, acknowledged the stress and anxiety their departure was causing the community, but said it was working with key stakeholders, including the Gove Peninsula Future Reference Group and the Northern Land Council, to ensure a smooth transition.

“This collaborative effort involves a detailed review of asset and infrastructure transfers, future city governance and asset ownership arrangements,” a spokesperson said.

We need to do more

Tennis Northern Territory chief executive Tania Tandora urged patience.

“What we’re doing… is providing feedback and collaborating with government around the community master plan as it evolves over time and providing advice… (on) potential locations for a future publicly accessible tennis facility,” she said.

Back in Nhulunbuy, Ms Mayer says the impact of a sports club extends well beyond the field.

“Unfortunately, I think tennis is a component of sport in the city…if there’s no sport…it’s going to have a huge impact on why someone would want to move here,” she said.

“Sport is also often used as a tool to keep people busy, which means less anti-social behavior.”

Ms Mayer is urging the NT Government and Tennis NT to invest more funds into remote and regional communities.

Ms Mayer said “one of the biggest hurdles” Nhulunbuy clubs faced was trying to get a community grant from the NT to repair the facilities, as many were privately owned and therefore ineligible.

“Clubs can’t apply for grants in this situation, so it’s like the city feels like it’s being neglected or being listened to or cared for from a government perspective,” she said.

Northwest Territories Sports Minister Jinson Charls has been contacted for comment.