Best Public Tennis Courts in Melbourne (Free and Paid)
A working guide to the best public tennis courts in Melbourne, from free council courts to pay-by-the-hour facilities. Where to play, what it costs, and which courts are worth the trek.
By Two brothers in Melbourne, co-founder of RallyHub.
Melbourne is the tennis capital of Australia. Hosts the Australian Open, sells more rackets per capita than any other state, and has more public courts than most countries. This is a working guide to the best public tennis courts in Melbourne by region, with notes on cost, surface, and which ones are worth travelling for.
All info checked against council websites in mid 2026. Verify before driving across town.
Inner Melbourne
Albert Reserve Tennis Centre (Albert Park)
Multiple hard courts in a stunning lakeside location. Bookable online. Around $25 to $40 per hour depending on time. Floodlit. One of the busiest public tennis centres in Australia.
Royal Park Tennis Courts
Free public courts in inner-city Parkville. Two hard courts, walk-in, no booking. Often busy at peak times. The default after-work hit spot for a lot of CBD professionals.
Princes Park Tennis (Carlton)
Two synthetic grass courts in a beautiful park location. Run by City of Melbourne. Free to use, no booking. Lights for evening play (token-operated).
Edinburgh Gardens (Fitzroy North)
Two free hard courts in a popular inner-north park. Walk-in, daylight only, no lights. Setting is the drawcard: the park itself is one of Melbourne's nicest.
Eastern suburbs
Boroondara Tennis Centre (Glen Iris)
Twelve courts, mix of hard and synthetic, bookable through City of Boroondara. Around $25 to $35 per hour. The eastern Melbourne tennis hub. Coaches on site, pro shop, full facilities.
Camberwell Tennis Centre
Eight hard courts, council-run. Online booking. $20 to $30 per hour. Floodlit. Strong adult social scene after work and weekends.
Box Hill Tennis Club
Member club that offers casual bookings to non-members. Twelve courts. $20 to $30 per hour. One of the biggest community tennis clubs in Melbourne.
Western suburbs
Williamstown Tennis Club
Eight courts on the bay. Bookable online. $20 to $25 per hour. Stunning location. Strong weekend social scene.
Footscray Tennis (Footscray Park)
Six courts at Footscray Park, run by Maribyrnong Council. Online booking. $18 to $22 per hour. One of the better-value inner west options.
Northern suburbs
Brunswick Tennis Centre
Six hard courts in the heart of Brunswick. Bookable via City of Moreland. $20 to $28 per hour. Lit. Always something happening, busy nights.
Coburg Tennis Club
Five courts. Casual bookings available. Around $20 to $25 per hour. Less crowded than Brunswick.
Heidelberg Tennis Centre
Twelve courts at this large facility. Bookable online via the centre. $22 to $32 per hour. Coaches on site.
Southern suburbs
Frankston Tennis Centre
Twelve courts in the south. Bookable online. $22 to $32 per hour. Strong recreational scene.
Mentone Tennis Club
Casual bookings available. Around $20 per hour. Quieter alternative to the bigger Frankston centre.
The premium picks
Melbourne Park (Public courts)
Yes, you can play on the public courts at Melbourne Park outside the Australian Open. Around $25 to $40 per hour. Plexicushion surface, exactly the same as the AO courts. Worth doing once for the experience.
Rod Laver Arena precinct
Some public courts in the precinct are bookable through Tennis Australia. Around $30 to $45 per hour. Premium feel.
Free Melbourne tennis courts to remember
For zero-cost casual play, these stand out:
- Royal Park (Parkville)
- Princes Park (Carlton)
- Edinburgh Gardens (Fitzroy North)
- Yarra Bend Park (Fairfield)
- Como Park (South Yarra)
- Aanensens Reserve (Coburg)
These are spread across the city and most are walk-in. Best for off-peak times. Bring your own balls and do not expect a net that is perfectly tensioned.
Booking and access tips
- Most paid courts use ClubSpark or BookATime portals. Sign up with one account and you can usually book across multiple facilities.
- Peak times are 6pm-9pm weekdays and 9am-12pm weekends. Book a week ahead.
- Daytime weekday rates are usually 30-40% cheaper.
- Token-operated lights cost $4 to $8 per hour at most free council courts.
- The Melbourne weather is genuinely four seasons in one day. Have a backup plan or play indoor courts in winter.
The honest summary
For paid Melbourne tennis, Albert Reserve, Boroondara, Camberwell, and Brunswick are the four facilities that cover the most of the city's geography while staying high-quality and accessible. All four are bookable online and used by serious adult recreational players.
For free play, Royal Park, Princes Park, and Edinburgh Gardens are the inner-Melbourne staples. They will not be empty but they will not cost you anything either.
Looking for hitting partners to play at these courts with? See our guide on how to find a hit partner in Australia or browse RallyHub's full Victorian tennis clubs directory.