OAM for Hedley; honour for service to local tennis

A life-long resident of Parkes, Hedley is married to Pauline (they celebrated 50 years happiness last year), and they have two children, Helen Magill and Leanne Miles.

He was the only local recipient of an Australia Day honour and said he had no idea who had nominated him.

‘You don’t do what you do for awards,’ he said.  ‘You do it because you love doing it, and for the juniors.’

Hedley was introduced to the crowd at the Australia Day ceremony in Cooke Park on Saturday, and later attended a civic luncheon at the Coachman Hotel/Motel.

Hedley has already been widely recognised for his amazing contribution to local tennis, which has seen the Parkes Tennis Club established as one of the best country complexes in Australia.

He received the Australia Sports Medal in 2000, the Jim ‘O’Neill Memorial Award for outstanding service by Tennis NSW in 2005, and last year was honoured for 30 years service to tennis by Tennis NSW.

This latest award has him gobsmacked.

‘Not many people know how much time I spend at the courts,’ he explained, ‘except my wife and a few neighbours around the tennis courts.

‘I’ve been invited to the Metcalfe Street (opposite the courts) Christmas party so they must regard me as a local,’ he laughed.

Hedley retired from a 47 year career as a train driver in 2002 but has been working at the courts for more than 30 years.

For the record, Hedley has been playing tennis since 1952, and still is very active.

He started helping out at the courts in 1978.

‘They’re a lot different now to what they were then,’ he pointed out.

Hedley was president of the Parkes Tennis Club from 1989 to 1992, and has been Vice President since 1993.  He is also a Life Member.

He was instrumental in bringing the Australian Junior Tour Tournament to Parkes and after 20 years, it is still attracting about 130 of the nation’s top players every year.

But it is in the development and maintenance of the tennis court complex that Hedley has made his significant contribution.

There are very few days that Hedley is not at the courts doing something.

The original 11 clay courts, plus four along Victoria Street which were separately owned, are now 15 synthetic courts, complete with lights.

‘We covered the first four courts in 1985,’ Hedley revealed.

‘I rejuvenated the four courts in Victoria Street and they too were upgraded to synthetic courts in 1991.’

Council paid Hedley a huge honour when they named those four courts after him in 1993, and a plaque is in place to acknowledge his single-handed efforts.

In 1998 more courts were covered, and the final ones in 2004.   Some of the courts have since been redone.

Not only though, have the courts been upgraded to the best surface available.

The entire tennis complex has been landscaped, complete with paving and plantings – all largely due to Hedley’s planning and enthusiasm.

More than $1 million has been spent in developing the courts to their present state.

‘We’ve laid more than four kilometres of carpet, and shovelled more than 500 tonnes of sand on to it.    

‘I’ve had helpers of course, but not too many.’

‘You can’t do these things without a decent committee behind you.   The canteen ladies are wonderful.  I’m now on to the third ride-on mower which they purchased.

‘The tennis committee is also really good.  There are seven ladies, and me, and they make what I do much easier.’

The rewards are there for the sport – with the number of juniors increasing from about 20 years ago to more than 260; and there some 140 adults who play three nights a week.

Hedley said he will continue to do what he can, for as long as he is able.

‘I would thoroughly recommend people get involved with community life in some way, even for a just a few hours.  It can be very rewarding.

‘We live in a wonderful town and local residents can do their little bit to make it even better.’

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Hedley also contributes to the community in other ways.

He was involved in the establishment of the Mens Shed six years ago, and been vice president since 2009.

He has been a member of the Parkes Antique Car Club for 15 years and several years ago, when the club’s annual swap meet and car display threatened to be cancelled, took over the running.   It attracts hundreds of people each year.

He is also a co-director of the annual Elvis Festival Street Parade.

Apart from tennis, cars a major interest and Hedley has two vintage vehicles – a 1963 Compact Fairlane and a 1965 Falcon two door Futura.

Hedley said he has not been informed as yet, but expected to received his OAM in April or May.