TENNIS Victoria are excited to announce that the AO (Australian Open) on the Road tour will be coming to the Bright community on Sunday, October 22 at the Bright Tennis Club, featuring on and off court activities, live entertainment and delicious food and drink.

Special guest appearances will be made along the tour from the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup and the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, giving a glimpse of what the men’s and women’s singles winner at the Australian Open have the privilege of winning.

Running from 9am through to 12pm, attendees will be treated to an up-close view of Norman and Daphne, while having the opportunity to show their skill out on the court through a variety of different tennis activities.

Food and drink will be provided by High Country Chef and Sixpence Coffee, while the incredible Elissa Pernu will wow everyone with the sweet sounds of her guitar.

This initiative has been co-funded by the Australian Tennis Foundation and Visit Victoria to help support regional areas of Victoria that have previously been impacted by natural disasters including bushfires and flooding.

Bright is the first stop on the AO on the Road tour, with other locations including Mildura, Rochester, Echuca and Wahgunyah.

These events have come off the back of extensive fundraising at the Australian Open following the numerous natural disasters in recent times, with the Australian Tennis Foundation activating some of those funds to help affected regions recover, re-develop and grow.

The AO on the Road helps to showcase regional locations across Victoria through the support of Visit Victoria to inspire people to visit regional Victoria through creative storytelling and enriching events.

A Tennis Victoria spokesperson said the community event being coordinated is another extension of this continued development and growth and aims to bring communities together, allowing them to re-connect and continue their journey of reinvigoration for the future.

It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with the Australian Open trophies and a great chance to bring community together with interested community members able to register their interest in attending via the Facebook event online – Bright TC Open Day.