For a country as vast as Australia, isolation or disconnect in remote, regional towns is not an uncommon occurrence.<\/p>\n
The same could have once been said of the NSW town of Scone, a farming town in the Upper Hunter Region three hours north of Sydney with a population of just 5000 residents \u2013 if it weren\u2019t for one dedicated and driven denizen.<\/p>\n
Kirsty Cole was crowned Volunteer of the Year at Tennis Australia\u2019s 2025 Newcombe Medal Awards last November, in recognition of her visionary leadership and tireless volunteer commitment at Scone Hardcourt Tennis Association (SHTA).<\/p>\n
Cole was spurred to join the SHTA leadership team on a voluntary basis after realising the importance that sport \u2013 and tennis in particular \u2013 has in knitting together a community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say to anyone who is moving to the country \u2013 anywhere really \u2013 but particularly the country, to go and get involved in a couple of sports,\u201d Cole advised.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s the fast way to meet people and make friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the past five years, Cole has been responsible for gaining three major NSW grants totalling $1.86 million to build a brand-new clubhouse, as well as build new storage, a tournament shed, and resurface the courts at SHTA.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis is a precinct designed to improve and increase connection, community, collaboration and competition,\u201d Cole explained.<\/p>\n
\u201c[The clubhouse] creates opportunities to improve one\u2019s mental and physical health, a family\u2019s mental and physical health, [and encourages] a group of friends getting together to enjoy cardio tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn our instance, creating the opportunity to redevelop some of the precinct and construct a new clubhouse \u2013 the Scone Multipurpose Sporting Community Facility \u2013 has seen an investment in the region like no other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole first encountered Scone\u2019s world of tennis in 1992, when a friend took her to the Tuesday summer women\u2019s tennis competition and introduced her to the women who played. Coming from a tennis background herself, Cole was instantly embraced.<\/p>\n
Cole had her opportunity to give back to the sport and town she loved so much when she was offered the role of President at SHTA in 2014.<\/p>\n
When asked what has kept her around at SHTA all these years, the answer was simple: tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cTennis is challenging (great for the mind and body), playing competition is good to improve your tennis skills, great for fitness but probably most importantly for the last 34 years, is friendship,\u201d said Cole.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not only the locals who benefit from Cole\u2019s tireless volunteer work to boost and better the facilities at the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a precinct and infrastructure development that is designed to bring the community together, make access easy, inviting and welcoming for all abilities and CALD groups,\u201d Cole said.<\/p>\n
The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Australians (CALD) are becoming a growing part of Scone\u2019s population.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CALD group in rural communities is becoming increasingly important as the visa regulations allow people from overseas to work in Australia, temporarily. The SHTA has line markings for tennis, hockey and futsal on three courts \u2013 all being international games.\u201d<\/p>\n
The employees at the local abattoir as well as the staff at Scone\u2019s thoroughbred horse studs and racing stables are made up of a diverse group of locals and international workers, who are welcome to use the SHTA facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey too are welcome,\u201d Cole said of the CALD group. \u201c[They] can book and pay online, play when they want or join in on comps or organised groups.\u201d<\/p>\n
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For Cole, there are many points of pride throughout her stint at SHTA, which ended when she stepped aside as President in December 2025.<\/p>\n
In 2018, a $10,000 ANZ Tennis Hot Shots grant \u2013 boosted by support from local contractor Daracon \u2013 sparked an unexpected renaissance in community tennis across the Upper Hunter region. The funding allowed the club to deliver two weekends of free coaching with Sydney\u2011based coaches, opening the sport to newcomers and bringing families, couples, and friends onto the court together. What began as a simple outreach initiative quickly reignited local enthusiasm, particularly among younger players, and set the club on a transformative trajectory.<\/p>\n
Backed by Tennis NSW\u2019s guidance in competition design, coach development, and a confronting but galvanising club audit, the committee went on to secure three NSW government grants worth more than $2 million. The resulting infrastructure has reshaped the precinct into a vibrant, multi\u2011sport community hub used day and night. Collaboration with council, local businesses, politicians, and neighbouring clubs became a defining feature of the journey.<\/p>\n
Among other standout moments for Cole was being named Volunteer of the Year at the Newcombe Medal Awards.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat an extraordinary thing \u2026 [I felt] very overwhelmed and lucky. I felt very grateful that I am involved in a sport where they are able to fund and put back into the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n