The Merriwa Fitness Community, which operates a small gym for locals, and the Merriwa Tennis Club have constantly applied for government grants – at all three levels, local, state and federal – to repair broken equipment or fix the damaged court surfaces at the town’s facilities.

However, both organisations were left empty-handed again, believing they’re disadvantaged being in a rural area.

What made the situation worse, neither committee received any feedback on why they missed out on the money.

As a result, the Merriwa Tennis Club will close its doors after more than a century of serving it up to the public.

President Robert Smith, a local pharmacist, turned to social media this week to vent his frustrations.

“It is with regret that we must inform the people of the Merriwa district that the Merriwa Tennis Club will cease to operate as an active community organisation,” he posted on Facebook.

“For over 100 years, tennis has been a sport that has brought people of the Merriwa district together to socialise and exercise. 

“The club has been a focal gathering point to welcome and engage people in our community.

“We, as recently as December, have run very popular mixed gender evening competitions, ladies daytime tennis and a very successful junior coaching program.

“Unfortunately, due to a range of factors, the current committee of volunteers feel unable to dedicate the necessary energy to keep it all running. 

“Most committee members also run small businesses, which are also facing challenging times.”

Mr Smith said the members understood the cessation of the club came as a blow to the community already suffering the economic and social impacts of drought.

“But, we all feel like we are spread a bit thin at the moment,” he added.

“The experience of running a local club and giving back to the community has been very rewarding.

“However, the failure of the committee to secure funding for an upgrade to the facility to a multi-sport complex has been a significant disappointment.

“During the past 10 years, while we have been applying for an upgrade, there have been numerous projects of equal or larger scope completed in Scone.

“There is a horrendous imbalance between both the number and scale of liveability projects across the Upper Hunter Shire.

“Merriwa has repeatedly missed out.

“It is very frustrating to try and engage with politicians and bureaucrats who seem to place little value on the role that social sport plays within the Merriwa community. 

“We were given no explanation for our most recent rejection by the NSW Government – perhaps they are spending all their money on stadiums in Sydney.

“The retiring committee would welcome any members of the community who would like to step forward and take on the management of the club.”

His comments echo a similar sentiment Mr Smith aired back in 2017.

“We’ve been trying to receive funding for several years without success,” he said at the time.

“It has been a long-term project that just doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere through conventional channels.

“[Upper Hunter Shire] Council wrote back indicating they were interested in the project, but didn’t have the funds.

“A representative from Barnaby Joyce’s office was surprised that council was not taking responsibility for the upgrade themselves and was going to write to them.

“We received no feedback from Michael Johnson’s office.”

It seems not much has changed in two years either.