Tennyson Archives - Over The Walter Taylor Bridge

Tennyson Packs The House As Bullets Open With Comeback Win

A packed Pat Rafter Arena got its first taste of Brisbane Bullets basketball with a comeback worth staying loud for, as the home side overturned an 11-point deficit to beat the New Zealand Breakers 88-85.

More than 5,000 spectators filled the Tennyson venue for the Bullets’ first game there, with the roof open as Brisbane began its NBL27 season under new coach Will Weaver. The sold-out crowd watched the contest swing sharply after New Zealand controlled much of the opening half and threatened to spoil the occasion.

Lithuanian recruit Arnas Velička instead gave Brisbane supporters a debut to remember. The 26-year-old finished with 23 points, 14 assists and five rebounds, connecting on five of nine attempts from three-point range in 35 minutes. His 14 assists were the most by a player on NBL debut, while he also became the first player in league history to record 14 assists and five made three-pointers in the same game.

Tennyson Finds Its Voice

New Zealand stretched its lead to 11 early in the third quarter before Brisbane changed the tone of the night. The Bullets reeled off the next 10 points and eventually carried a two-point advantage into the final term, outscoring the Breakers 43-29 over the closing stretch.

Velička later credited the home support with helping Brisbane lift as the game wore on. He said the arena already felt packed before play began and was struck by the level of excitement surrounding the Bullets’ first appearance at the venue.

The atmosphere continued to build as Brisbane clawed its way back. By the time Velička knocked down his fifth three-pointer of the night, the Bullets had pushed ahead by eight with seven minutes remaining. The Breakers still had chances late, but Brisbane did enough to hold on after Max Mackinnon converted crucial free throws and the defence produced the stop needed to close out the game.

Velička and Harrison Click Early

Velička’s night was made more effective by an immediate connection with centre Tyrell Harrison, who finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and four blocks on nine-of-13 shooting. Seven of Velička’s assists went to Harrison, with the pair repeatedly finding opportunities around the basket.

Nate Hinton added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Mackinnon contributed nine points and seven rebounds. Brisbane also pulled down 15 offensive rebounds, an important source of second chances in a game where both sides struggled at the free-throw line.

Velička arrived in Brisbane after an MVP-winning season with Neptūnas in Lithuania, where he averaged 14.4 points, seven assists, four rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 41 per cent from three-point range. He had also twice led the EuroCup in assists before joining the Bullets.

Weaver had recruited him for his ability to control games and create for those around him. One match into the season, Brisbane’s new point guard had delivered a record-setting debut in front of a sold-out Tennyson crowd. The Bullets will next face the Illawarra Hawks at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Published 23-September-2026

Queensland Tennis Centre Set For ITF Action With Australian Open Opportunity On The Line

The Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson is set for a busy month of high-level tennis as it hosts the ITF Pro Tour tournaments, bringing many of Australia’s emerging players to Brisbane. With Australian Open qualifying wildcards on offer across the series, every match will carry added significance for competitors looking to climb the professional ranks.

Read: Confirmed: Queensland Tennis Centre Set for Major Upgrade for 2032 Olympics

From 13 July, the venue will welcome consecutive ITF Pro Tour events, with an added incentive for Australian players. For the first time, the Australian man and woman who accumulate the most points across the three-week series will each receive a wildcard into Australian Open qualifying, creating another pathway to the season’s opening Grand Slam.

The July calendar also reinforces the Queensland Tennis Centre’s role as a regular host of national and international tennis events. Before the professional tournaments begin, the precinct will stage the Rod Laver Lead-In Tournament and the Rod Laver Junior Queensland State Championships, bringing many of Queensland’s leading junior players to Tennyson.

Young Talent In The Spotlight

The ITF Pro Tour forms an important part of the professional tennis pathway, allowing players to earn world ranking points and build experience before progressing to higher-level ATP and WTA tournaments. This year’s Brisbane series carries added significance because consistent performances across all three events can secure a place in Australian Open qualifying.

One player expected to draw attention is Cruz Hewitt, the 17-year-old son of former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt arrives after reaching the boys’ singles final at Wimbledon, the best result of his junior Grand Slam career. The Brisbane tournaments provide another opportunity for him to compete on the professional circuit as he continues his development.

Another player to watch is Alana Subasic, who returned to competition after a lengthy injury layoff. The 19-year-old broke her left wrist after falling on a clay court during a junior tournament in the Netherlands in July 2023, an injury that sidelined her for six months. Since returning, Subasic has said rebuilding her game has helped turn her backhand into her strongest shot. With the goal of improving her ranking enough to qualify for next year’s Australian Open, the Brisbane tournaments offer another chance to earn valuable ranking points.

Among Australia’s leading junior players is Jizelle Sibai, the 16-year-old from New South Wales who represented Australia at the 2025 Junior Billie Jean King Cup. If she competes in Brisbane, the tournaments will provide an opportunity to test herself against more experienced opponents while pursuing additional ranking points.

For local spectators, the July schedule offers the chance to watch emerging Australian players early in their professional careers. Many Australian professionals have progressed through the ITF circuit before moving on to larger international tournaments, making events such as those in Tennyson an important part of the country’s player development pathway.

Queensland Tennis Centre has encouraged members and fans to attend throughout the month, with tournament tennis taking place across July. The combination of junior championships and professional events means visitors can watch players at different stages of their development, from promising juniors through to athletes building their professional careers.

Read: Tennyson Brisbane Open Brings Inclusive Tennis To Pride Month

Every match will contribute valuable ranking points, but the overall prize extends beyond the individual tournaments. The Australian man and woman who finish the three-week series with the highest points total will earn a place in Australian Open qualifying, giving their performances in Brisbane even greater significance.

Published 14-July-2026

Tennyson Brisbane Open Brings Inclusive Tennis To Pride Month

Photo Credit: Tennis Queensland/Facebook

The Tennyson Brisbane Open brought 150 players to the Queensland Tennis Centre for three days of competition, connection and community during Pride Month.

The 2026 Brisbane Open brought players from across Australia and overseas to the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson for a three-day tennis event during Pride Month.

Held from 19 to 21 June, the tournament featured 150 players competing in 259 matches across 17 hard courts. The program included singles and doubles divisions across multiple grades, welcoming players of different identities, abilities and experience levels.

The event formed part of the Gay & Lesbian Tennis Alliance World Tour, connecting the Brisbane tournament with a wider circuit of LGBTQIA+ tennis events.

Tennis players at Tennyson courts — Photo Credit: Tennis Queensland/Facebook

Team Brisbane Tennis Hosts Flagship Event

The Brisbane Open is the flagship event of Team Brisbane Tennis, Brisbane’s largest LGBTQIA+ tennis community.

The club provides a social and supportive tennis environment for LGBTQIA+ players and allies, with a focus on participation, connection and belonging.

Beyond the tournament, the volunteer-led club runs social tennis sessions three times a week across the Queensland Tennis Centre and Southside Racquet Club. Those sessions give players of different backgrounds and experience levels a regular way to take part in the sport.

Brisbane Open Pride Month event — Photo Credit: Tennis Queensland/Facebook

Competition And Community At Queensland Tennis Centre

Across the three days, the Brisbane Open combined graded competition with the social atmosphere of a community tennis event.

Players competed across singles and doubles draws, with divisions structured across multiple playing levels. The event also included the One Shot Wonder competition, where one participant won a $500 cash prize.

The tournament brought together local and visiting competitors at the Queensland Tennis Centre, with Pride Month providing the setting for a weekend focused on tennis, participation and community connection.

Queensland Tennis Centre matches — Photo Credit: Tennis Queensland/Facebook

Pride Month Tennis In Tennyson

The Tennyson Brisbane Open continued Team Brisbane Tennis’s regular connection with the Queensland Tennis Centre, where the club holds part of its weekly social tennis program.

With 150 players, 259 matches and 17 hard courts in use, the Brisbane Open delivered three days of organised competition while keeping the club’s wider focus on social connection and belonging at the centre of the event.

Published 26-June-2026

Tennyson’s Barrett Adolescent School Officially Renamed Millenba, Meaning Place of Many Pathways

Barrett Adolescent School/Facebook

Barrett Adolescent School in Tennyson formally became Millenba on Tuesday 17 February 2026, adopting a new name meaning “place of many pathways” following a consultative process with staff, students and school stakeholders.

The renaming ceremony at the Tennyson campus brought together community members, Elders and dignitaries to mark the transition, with students delivering presentations that reflected the school’s values and purposes. The occasion recognised the history of the school under its former names while stepping forward into a new chapter grounded in inclusion, growth and opportunity.

For those unfamiliar with the school, Millenba occupies a quietly tucked-away site in the back blocks of Tennyson, formerly the grounds of Tennyson Special School. Despite its low profile in the broader community, the work carried out within its grounds is among the most meaningful of any school in Brisbane, supporting young people experiencing serious mental health challenges to transition from hospital back into education.

A School With a Layered History

The story of the school on the Tennyson site has unfolded across several distinct chapters. Its origins lie with the Barrett Adolescent Centre Special School, which operated as part of the Barrett Adolescent Centre before undergoing significant change in 2014. That year, the school separated from the centre and relocated temporarily to Yeronga State High School, a move that allowed it to focus more specifically on the educational needs of students with complex mental health issues.

Photo Credit: Barrett Adolescent School (Millenba)/Facebook

In 2015, the school was formally established as a stand-alone transition school on the former Tennyson Special School grounds, operating under the name Barrett Adolescent School. From that point, it continued its work supporting students in Years 7 to 12 who face significant barriers to accessing education in mainstream settings because of complex mental health needs. The school has served in that role for a decade, building a reputation within specialist education and health circles for the quality of its approach and the depth of its care.

The February 2026 renaming to Millenba marks the beginning of the school’s next chapter, with the new name chosen through genuine consultation with the people who know the school best.

What the Name Millenba Means

The name Millenba carries real significance for the community it serves. Translated as “place of many pathways,” it reflects the core reality of what the school does: it does not follow a single, fixed educational route but instead opens up multiple possibilities for young people who have had their educational journey interrupted or disrupted by serious health challenges. The name acknowledges that recovery, learning and growth rarely follow a straight line, and that the value of the school lies precisely in its capacity to meet each student where they are.

The renaming process was consultative, drawing on the perspectives of staff, students and stakeholders before arriving at a name that the school community felt genuinely represented its identity and purpose. The ceremony itself gave students a central role, with presentations that demonstrated both the quality of the school’s educational programme and the pride its young people take in belonging to it.

Why This Matters to the Tennyson and Oxley Reach Community

For residents of Tennyson, Oxley Reach and the surrounding suburbs, Millenba represents something that many may not have known existed in their neighbourhood. The school sits quietly within the Tennyson area, serving a group of young people whose needs are among the most complex in Queensland’s education system, with very little fanfare or public visibility.

That low profile is partly by design. The students who attend Millenba are navigating serious mental health challenges, and discretion and safety are part of what the school provides. But the renaming ceremony is an appropriate moment for the broader community to become aware of the extraordinary work happening in their suburb. A school that helps vulnerable young people find their way back to education and forward into life represents the best of what a community can offer its most at-risk members.

For families in the area who may have a young person experiencing mental health challenges that are affecting their ability to engage with mainstream schooling, Millenba may be an important resource worth knowing about.

More information about Millenba, including enrolment pathways and the school’s history, is available at millenba.eq.edu.au.

Published 16-March-2026.

Emerson Jones Wins W75 Brisbane Title at Home to Reach Career-Best World Ranking

Tennis Australia

Seventeen-year-old Emerson Jones has claimed her fourth professional title on home soil at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson, defeating former world No.31 Zhu Lin in straight sets to reach a career-best world ranking of No.144 and place herself firmly on course for a top-100 breakthrough in 2026.

Jones won the W75 Brisbane 2 final 6-4 7-5 on 15 February, producing her best performance of the week on the courts where she trains daily with coach David Taylor. The win delivered 18 ranking places in a single afternoon, carrying her back inside the top 150 after she had slipped out of it in the weeks prior. For a teenager who began the 2026 season by defeating a top-50 opponent at the Brisbane International on the same complex, the title confirmed that her performances at the highest level are no longer occasional upsets but a pattern building toward something substantial.

A Week That Required Everything She Had

The path to the W75 Brisbane 2 title tested Emerson Jones at every stage. In the quarterfinals she needed three sets to see off Japan’s Miho Kuramochi, a patient baseline grinder who pushed her well beyond the hour mark. The semifinal proved even more demanding, when Australian compatriot and top seed Talia Gibson served for the second set before Jones reeled off the games she needed to advance in three. By the time she faced Zhu Lin in the final, she had already banked more competitive hours than most players manage across an entire fortnight.

View this post on Instagram

Against Zhu Lin, a player who reached a career-high of No.31 in 2023 and carries the kind of experience that overwhelms younger opponents, Emerson Jones played with the composure of someone entirely at home on the surface. She was: she was on her own training courts, in her own city, in front of family and supporters who have watched her develop since she first picked up a racquet at the Coomera Waters Recreation Club on the Gold Coast at the age of four. The 6-4 7-5 scoreline reflected a controlled, composed performance rather than a scrambling survival.

From the Gold Coast to the Top 150

Emerson Jones grew up on the Gold Coast, attending Coomera Anglican College, and began playing tennis at four years of age. Her mother, Loretta Harrop, won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics as a triathlete, and her father, Brad Jones, was a prominent Queensland rules footballer who won the Grogan Medal in 1999. Sport is not a departure from family tradition for Emerson Jones; it is the family tradition.

After joining the National Academy in 2023, Jones stormed to the top of the ITF junior rankings in September 2024, becoming the first Aussie girl to hold the world No. 1 spot since Jelena Dokic in 1998. Her rise was fueled by a stellar Grand Slam run, where she broke a 16-year drought for local girls at the 2024 Australian Open final before backing it up with a runner-up finish on the hallowed grass of Wimbledon.

The transition from junior dominance to professional results is one tennis produces with far less consistency than it promises, but Emerson Jones has navigated it with unusual efficiency. She made her Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2025 Australian Open on a wildcard, after earning her place through her ITF title at Playford. She is coached by David Taylor, who has previously worked with former world No.1 players Martina Hingis and Ana Ivanovic, and US Open champion Sam Stosur.

Four Titles, One Clear Direction

The W75 Brisbane 2 title is Emerson Jones’s fourth professional title overall, joining Sydney in 2024 and Fukuoka and Playford in 2025. Each has come on a surface and in conditions she handles well, and each has arrived at a moment when her ranking needed the points most. That instinct for winning the right tournaments at the right time is itself a skill that separates developing players from ones ready to compete consistently at a higher level.

Her ranking goal for 2026 is unambiguous: top 100. At No.144 and climbing with the season still young, the target is well within range if the results at Brisbane continue into the clay and grass seasons ahead. The Queensland Tennis Centre at 190 King Arthur Terrace, Tennyson, where she trains and now holds an ITF title, sits as a fitting backdrop for whatever comes next.

Upcoming Australian Pro Tour fixtures and rankings can be followed here.

Published 27-February-2026.

Why Brisbane’s Biggest Summer Tennis Week Belongs to Tennyson

Photo Credit: Stanley Choi/Google Maps

If you follow the Brisbane River through the city’s southern bends, Tennyson can feel like one of those suburbs people “pass by” rather than “go to.” It’s quiet, riverside, and tucked between larger neighbours — until January arrives, and the world starts turning up with racquets, broadcast crews and centre-court tickets. That moment happens at the Queensland Tennis Centre (QTC), home of the Brisbane International each summer.

But what makes Tennyson’s tennis story unusual isn’t only the tournament schedule. It’s what the suburb represents: a place where the former Tennyson Power Station site was redeveloped into a purpose-built sporting precinct.

A river suburb built for a very different kind of power

Before it became the home of top-level tennis in Queensland, Tennyson was linked to another kind of large-scale energy.

The Queensland Tennis Centre was built on the site of the former Tennyson Power Station. The power station was decommissioned, and the site was later redeveloped, including the construction of the tennis centre.

That transformation is part of what gives Tennyson its distinctive identity. Few modern sporting venues are so clearly connected to a former industrial footprint, especially one directly beside the river.

Queensland Tennis Centre: built to host the world

QTC includes a centre court stadium plus 23 International Tennis Federation (ITF) standard courts and supporting facilities. The centre’s focal point is Pat Rafter Arena, a 5,500-seat stadium with corporate suites designed for major tournaments and events.

Surrounding it is a network of courts across clay, grass and cushion acrylic (plexicushion) surfaces. Both the Queensland Tennis Centre and Stadiums Queensland describe this as the first facility in Australia built with all three “Grand Slam” surfaces in one location.

That variety is part of what makes the site useful for both tournament play and broader tennis activity across different court types.

The Brisbane International: Tennyson’s annual spotlight

Every year, Brisbane’s tennis calendar effectively begins here.

The Brisbane International, founded in 2009, is staged each January at the Queensland Tennis Centre as part of the summer lead-in to the Australian Open. It features a WTA 500 event and an ATP Tour 250 tournament, making it a key warm-up stop in the early-season calendar.

For 2026, the Brisbane International ran from 4–11 January 2026 at QTC.

That’s the modern rhythm of Tennyson: quiet suburb most months; international sporting address in early January.

More than a single stadium

Stadiums Queensland describes QTC as a venue that functions as a hub for tennis enthusiasts “of all levels,” not only for elite events.

Rather than being built around a single arena alone, QTC brings together centre-court events, extensive match and practice courts, and Tennis Queensland administration on the same riverfront site.

It’s a modern model for a sporting venue, designed to host major-tournament crowds while remaining an active tennis precinct outside the main event weeks.

There’s a bigger Brisbane story inside this redevelopment as well. The former power station site wasn’t simply replaced by a tennis venue; it became part of a renewed riverfront precinct anchored by the Queensland Tennis Centre.

It’s hard to imagine a more symbolic contrast than a former power station site becoming the stage for professional sport — where the energy is measured in applause, not megawatts.

Why Tennyson matters to Brisbane’s tennis identity

Tennyson’s tennis story isn’t only about where matches are played. It’s about how Brisbane chose to build its modern home for international-standard tennis.

QTC opened in the late 2000s as a newly constructed venue, with Pat Rafter Arena as its centrepiece. Since then, the Brisbane International has helped cement the suburb’s role as a major lead-in event to the Australian Open season.

In that way, Tennyson has become a modern sporting landmark, not through gradual evolution, but through purposeful reinvention.

And each January, as the first serves land on the hard courts at the Queensland Tennis Centre, the suburb briefly becomes one of Brisbane’s most visible stages for summer sport.

Published 15-Jan-2026

Brisbane International: Rising Star Emerson Jones Makes Her Mark

Seventeen-year-old Emerson Jones, who honed her skills at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson, has delivered a masterclass in fearless tennis at the Brisbane International, proving that youth and talent can trump decades of professional experience.

Read: Ash Barty Comparisons Abound as Emerson Jones Rises from Tennyson Courts

The Queensland wildcard dispatched German veteran Tatjana Maria with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory at Pat Rafter Arena, stunning the 38-year-old world No. 45 in her main-draw debut at the tournament. It was a performance that showcased not only Jones’ aggressive baseline game but also the mental toughness of an emerging Australian star.

The age gap between the competitors—21 years—tells only part of the story. Maria entered professional tennis in 2001, seven years before Jones was even born. The German has accumulated a wealth of experience across two decades on tour. Yet none of that mattered once the young Queenslander stepped onto the court.

Jones set the tone from the opening game, playing with an aggression and purpose that kept her opponent on the back foot throughout. She rushed the net, executed precise cross-court shots, and followed through with conviction on every stroke. The world No. 147, a former junior world No. 1, controlled the tempo and never allowed Maria to settle into her rhythm.

Jones acknowledged the challenge her opponent presented. Maria’s game was tricky to face, but the teenager was delighted to secure the win. She praised the German as an amazing player with significant experience—something Jones readily admits she hasn’t accumulated yet—while expressing satisfaction with her own performance.

The second set provided the most compelling evidence of Jones’ maturity beyond her years. After falling behind 0-2, many teenagers might have crumbled under the pressure of facing a seasoned professional. Instead, Jones composed herself at a crucial deciding point that threatened to put her 0-3 down. A clever backhand marked the turning point, and she surged to win six of the next seven games to claim both the set and the match.

Playing in front of family and friends on home soil clearly energised the Sunshine State local. Jones described the Brisbane International as the best tournament with the best crowd, expressing joy that her family could attend to watch her compete.

Jones’ approach to the tournament has been refreshingly pressure-free. She doesn’t put pressure on herself to win and instead focuses on excitement about playing, a mindset that appears to be serving her well.

This victory represents Jones’ second career win over a top-50 player, following her defeat of world No. 37 Wang Xinyu at the recent Adelaide tournament. The consistency of these breakthrough results suggests the teenager is ready to make her mark at the highest level.

The timing couldn’t be better. Jones has been granted a wildcard into next week’s Australian Open main draw at Melbourne Park, where she’s guaranteed significant prize money regardless of her result. First-round participants will collect $150,000 this year—a 14 per cent increase from 2024—as part of Tennis Australia’s record $111.5 million prize pool.

Last year, Jones made her grand slam debut at the Australian Open but lost in the first round to sixth seed Elena Rybakina. She’ll enter this year’s tournament with considerably more confidence and momentum.

Before Melbourne, however, Jones faces another significant challenge. She will take on world No. 17 Liudmila Samsonova in the second round at the Brisbane International—yet another test against higher-ranked opposition. But if her performance against Maria is any indication, the young Queenslander won’t be intimidated by reputations or rankings.

Jones acknowledged that every round at the Brisbane International presents a challenge, with all players ranked in the top 100. She’s willing to give it her best shot, demonstrating the determination that’s propelling her rapid rise through the professional ranks.

Read: Homecoming Queen: Ash Barty Returns to Tennyson for Brisbane International

Australian tennis fans should get used to hearing the name Emerson Jones. The future looks bright for this young Queenslander.

Published 7-January-2026

Brisbane International 2026 Set to Light Up Tennyson Courts

Photo Credit: Brisbane International/Facebook

The Brisbane International will return to Tennyson, with the Queensland Tennis Centre hosting a major international tennis tournament featuring leading ATP and WTA players.

A Major Summer Event in Tennyson

The 2026 Brisbane International will be held from 4 to 11 January 2026 at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson, marking the 15th edition of the tournament. Matches will again be centred on Pat Rafter Arena, using outdoor hard courts as part of the Australian Open lead-up.

The event continues its role as one of the opening tournaments of the Australian Summer of Tennis.

Birsbane International — Photo Credit: Brisbane International/Facebook

Elite Player Field Confirmed

Seven of the world’s top ten women are confirmed for the women’s draw, led by world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. She will be joined by Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, and Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The men’s field includes Daniil Medvedev, reigning Brisbane champion Jiri Lehecka, Tommy Paul, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, Joao Fonseca, and Alexei Popyrin.

Australian players set to compete include Alexei Popyrin, Daria Kasatkina, Adam Walton, and Emerson Jones, with entries across direct qualification and wildcard positions.

Wheelchair Tennis Program

The tournament schedule will again include the ITF 500 Australian Wheelchair International, featuring eight leading men’s wheelchair tennis players competing alongside the main event.

Crowds and Local Impact

Around 63,400 spectators are expected to attend the Brisbane International across the eight-day program. The event is projected to generate approximately $12 million in economic activity, driven by visitor attendance during the tournament period.

Tickets and Key Dates

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster, with prices starting from $30. A Family Fun Day is scheduled for Sunday, 4 January, allowing children to attend for free with the purchase of an adult ticket, subject to availability.

Looking Forward

With a full international field confirmed and competition scheduled across eight days, the Brisbane International will once again place Tennyson at the centre of the early-season tennis calendar in January 2026.

Published 17-Dec-2025

Emirates Serves up Support for Tennyson Kids with New Community Tennis Drive

Children in Tennyson swapped classrooms for tennis courts, as Emirates’ new Force for Good program delivered its first Schools Future Fit event at Pat Rafter Arena, giving 250 primary students from disadvantaged and multicultural backgrounds a chance to learn the game while building fitness and social connection.

A local start with a national reach

The Tennyson gathering on 4 September was one of 11 community initiatives funded by Emirates this year under its five-year, $2.25 million commitment to grassroots tennis in Australia.

The program, created in partnership with the Australian Tennis Foundation, aims to reach around 3,000 children in 2025 across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Organisers expect more than 60 schools and clubs will take part, giving kids over 10,000 opportunities to play.

Community at the centre

The Schools Future Fit Program, delivered by Youth of Tomorrow, included tennis coaching, introductory Pop and Pickleball sessions and workshops on mental health. Students also took home tennis gear and mementos from the day. Organisers described the initiative as a way to break down barriers and provide children with both sport and wellbeing support in a fun environment.

Role models on court

Australian tennis player John Millman, an ambassador for the foundation, joined the event in Tennyson to run coaching sessions. He said the experience showed how tennis could bring people together and give young people a sense of belonging. Emirates staff and mascots were also present, adding to the community atmosphere.

Investment in Australia

Emirates regional manager Dean Cleaver said the airline wanted its relationship with Australia to extend beyond flights, pointing to its history of backing the Australian Open. The Force for Good program, he explained, was about giving children chances they might not otherwise have—building sporting skills while supporting mental and physical wellbeing.

Published 6-Sept-2025

Tennyson Receives Rate Cut and Access Upgrade in 2025-26 Budget

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Tennyson has been marked for a residential rates reduction and nearby infrastructure funding under the 2025 BCC budget.

Read: Parents Coaching their Shy Child to be Brave

Budget Relief and Infrastructure Upgrade for Tennyson

Tennyson is among just three suburbs in Brisbane set to receive a decrease in owner-occupier rates as part of BCC’s 2025–26 budget. Additionally, nearby infrastructure used by Tennyson residents—the Walter Taylor Bridge between Chelmer and Indooroopilly—has been allocated funding for continued restoration.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Suburbs-First Spending Confirmed

The $4.1 billion budget directs 85 per cent of spending into suburban areas. Tennyson residents will benefit from a 0.93 per cent decrease in their average residential rates due to changes in land valuations. By contrast, other suburbs will see rate rises of up to 7.5 per cent.

Walter Taylor Bridge Works Progressing

Although not located within Tennyson, the Walter Taylor Bridge serves as a key access point for the suburb. The bridge will undergo continued restoration works funded in this year’s budget. Planned works include structural repairs, rendering, and repainting, with completion expected ahead of the bridge’s 90th anniversary in February 2026.

Previous structural maintenance was undertaken last year, and this latest funding phase was confirmed following community concerns about the bridge’s condition.

Broader Budget Measures

Across Brisbane, owner-occupier rates will rise by an average of 3.87 per cent, with increases capped at 7.5 per cent. A new $100 annual surcharge will apply to inner-city unit owners purchasing after October 1. Meanwhile, a waste levy of $49.52 will be introduced citywide for green bins, even for those opting out of the service.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Community Response and Implications

Residents in affected suburbs have raised affordability concerns due to increased rates and charges. In contrast, Tennyson’s combination of rate reduction and access to improved transport infrastructure has been regarded by some as a favourable outcome under this year’s budget.

Looking Ahead

Read: Paella Sunday Returns to Botellón in Graceville

With residential rates set to fall and improved connectivity through planned bridge restoration, Tennyson is one of the few suburbs positioned to benefit from the BCC’s 2025–26 budget. While most areas brace for increased costs, the Tennyson community will see both financial relief and infrastructure investment in the year ahead.

Published 20-June-2025

Posts pagination

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Next page