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The ‘Big Tennis Racquet’ erected in the Evonne Goolagong Park, Yapunyah Street, Barellan, was unveiled in October 2009 during the Barellan Centenary celebrations, as a tribute to the former Barellan local and great Australian tennis player, Evonne Goolagong Cawley. Local Barellan farmer, David Irvin, was the driving force behind the construction of a 13.8 metre-long Big Tennis Racquet which stands boldly in the main street. The racquet was made to celebrate the 100th year of Barellan and its proud association with Evonne Goolagong-Cawley MBE AO. The Dunlop racquet is a scale wooden replica with Evonne’s autograph.  Evonne Goolagong-Cawley MBE AO (b1951), a Wirajuri woman was born in the Riverina & grew up in Barellan. At age 13 she moved to Sydney to live with her tennis coach Vic Edwards & his family. The completed racquet is an exact 20:1 scale model of Evonne’s battered wooden signature Dunlop racquet. The Big Tennis Racquet measurements are:

    • Length:  13 metres
    • Handle:  7.8 metres
    • Head:  6.0 metres
    • Fibreglass Tennis Ball:  1.25 metres

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Acknowledgement of Country

The Riverina recognises the Wiradjuri people, who are the traditional custodians of these lands. We pay respect to the Wiradjuri people both past and present, and recognise the culture, strength, resilience and capacity of the Wiradjuri people. We also acknowledge the contributions of Aboriginal Australians to this country we all live in and share together.