Gawler & Barossa Pickleball Social Club
Play.Connect.Belong.
The easy-to-learn paddle sport that’s really a great excuse to meet people. First-timers, old hands and the plain curious: grab a paddle and have a hit.
No experience needed
Play • Connect • Belong • Gawler • Barossa • Social club •
Three words. One crew.
Play
All levels welcome. Pick up a paddle and get in.
Connect
Meet locals from across Gawler and the Barossa.
Belong
A social club first. Come as you are.
Pickleball in 60 seconds
New to pickleball? Perfect. So was everyone.
Picture tennis, badminton and table tennis having a very friendly kid. Easy to pick up, hard to put down, and built for a chat between points.
Paddle + holey ball
A solid paddle and a light plastic ball with holes. It moves slower than a tennis ball, so rallies keep going.
Small court, big chats
The court is badminton-sized and games are usually doubles, so you’ve got a teammate from the first point.
Serve underhand
Serves go underhand and diagonal. No rocket serves to fear, no power needed.
Mind the kitchen
The zone next to the net is the “kitchen”. No volleys in there: let the ball bounce first.
- The non-volley zone by the net. Let the ball bounce before you hit it in here.
- A soft shot that drops into the other side’s kitchen.
- Underhand and diagonal, clearing the kitchen.
- The back-and-forth while the ball is in play.
How this club started
Two table tennis players. One new obsession.
Jordan and Craig came to pickleball from competition table tennis — a few social nights in the Barossa, then more in Gawler, and suddenly it was the highlight of the week.
From the table to the court
Competition table tennis players by background, Jordan & Craig found pickleball through a few social nights in the Barossa, which flowed into more social nights in Gawler.
Two tournaments, one big year
In 2026 they played the Inaugural Pickleball Cup at Gawler & Districts Tennis Association (Essex Park), then the Pickleball Cup Adelaide at Voyager Tennis, Playford — and learned how to read a DUPR rating along the way.
Coaching, then Thursday nights
Since then they’ve taken coaching sessions and kept playing — social, non-formal games with other pickleballers on Thursday nights at Voyager Tennis.
The kitchen, dinks & ground strokes
Along the way: a scoring system like nothing else in racquet sports, the “kitchen”, and the difference between a dink, a volley and a ground stroke.
It’s from that journey — learning, discovering, and just having a great time — that Gawler & Barossa Pickleball Social Club exists: a community of like-minded people on their own pickleball journey. Brand new, or you’ve already got a DUPR rating — everyone is welcome, and everyone belongs.
Why it’s so social
Come for the dinks. Stay for the people.
Small court, doubles partners, quick games. Pickleball might be the easiest way to meet people in the region who aren’t already on your street.
Come solo
Doubles means you’ve got a teammate from the very first point. Nobody has to know anyone.
Bring a mate
Two first-timers learn twice as fast. Or at least laugh twice as much.
Mixed levels, one crew
Old hands swap tips, beginners ask questions, and nobody minds a miss-hit.
On court 
The crew 
First hit 
After the game
A real quote from a real player goes here.
More from the courts
The gallery.
Snapshots from tournaments, social nights and everything in between.
Your first hit
Three steps. Zero pressure.
Pick a session
Choose a time that suits you.
Pack the basics
Comfy clothes, water, and a good attitude.
what to bringHave a hit, meet the crew
Say g’day. Everyone was new once.
Casual hit
Free
Session
Thursdays
Membership: no fee, ever Paddle hire: free to borrow at the venue — or ask Jordan & Craig for a spare
The fun side of pickleball · Summer 2026
Under the lights, after the heat.
Summer means more outdoor court time — and both Essex Park (Gawler & Districts Tennis Association) and Voyager Tennis, Playford, offer night-time bookings under lights. The heat of the day disappears, the wind drops out, and it makes for some of the best pickleball conditions going.
Ask about our L.E.D. glow-in-the-dark pickleballs
Have a hit up with the crew under lights, or reach out to Jordan and Craig to bring their glow balls along for a bit more fun after dark.
Where we play
From the water tower to the vineyard rows.
Pack the car, bring a mate and find us here. We also play at Essex Park (Gawler & Districts Tennis Association) and, occasionally, The REX in the Barossa.
Voyager Tennis, Playford
Playford Tennis Centre, 50 Spruance Rd, Elizabeth East SA 5112Take the next step
Join the wider pickleball community.
Our social club is free and always will be. When you’re ready for more, we recommend becoming a member of pickleball.com, and of Gawler & Districts Tennis Association and/or Voyager Tennis, Playford. Pick whichever suits you best.
Pickleball.com
Tournaments, leagues, clubs and ratings, all in one place.
Gawler & Districts Tennis Association
Home of the Essex Park courts in Gawler, where you can book pickleball courts.
Voyager Tennis, Playford
Where the crew plays on Thursdays.
Why join?
Help getting started
Support and help through the early stages of your pickleball journey, especially if you’re new to the sport.
People to ask
A person, or people, you can go to about upcoming sessions, court costs, how to hire courts, upcoming tournaments, scoring questions, and places running sessions.
A bigger crew
Chances to practise, play and socialise with new people, building a community of pickleball players and enthusiasts.
Good questions
Before your first hit.
I’ve never played. Can I come?
Yes. That’s the whole idea. Beginners are the heroes here, and nobody expects you to know the rules on day one.
I’m coming on my own. Is that weird?
Not at all. Pickleball is mostly played as doubles, so you’ll be paired up with someone. It’s the easiest way to meet the crew.
Do I need my own paddle?
No. Most of the venues we play at — Essex Park (Gawler & Districts Tennis Association), Voyager Tennis (Playford) and, occasionally, The REX (Barossa Aquatic & Fitness Centre) — have equipment you can borrow.
If the clubrooms are shut or there’s no one there, Jordan & Craig personally carry spare gear you can borrow for the session.
What does it cost?
Nothing. It’s not a membership, and there’s no cost, entry fee or membership fee to be part of the social club — that’s what makes it accessible to everyone.
We’d much rather you put that money toward sharing the court hire cost, or back into yourself — the fuel to get you to a session.
How do I book a court at Essex Park?
You book the Essex Park courts (Gawler & Districts Tennis Association) online. The booking link is on a QR code on the court gate, so we’ve put the link and the QR code on our Book a court page.
What should I wear?
Comfy clothes and flat, non-marking court shoes are a safe bet.
what to bring
Are kids welcome?
junior policy
How do I get in touch?
Facebook: Gawler & Barossa Pickleball Social Club
Email: jordanvonstanke@gmail.com
Phone: 0400 651 826
Grab a paddle.
Big dill energy. Zero experience required.