At Yumaro Nursery in Ulladulla, something small but powerful happened recently. A fence came down.
For years, Yumaro Nursery and the Milton Ulladulla Tennis District Association (MUDTA) shared a boundary – close in distance, but divided by a physical barrier. That changed when Debbie from Yumaro and Daniel Jones (Venue Operator at Milton & Ulladulla Tennis Centre) and MUDTA committee members started imagining something different: not two separate spaces side by side, but a shared one.
Daniel and the MUDTA committee have a strong interest in accessibility, inclusive sport, and creating welcoming community spaces. Through simple, everyday interactions – stopping in for a coffee, having a chat – relationships grew, and with them, a bigger idea emerged: what if this space could be opened up instead of closed off?
So the fence came down.
Now, Yumaro and MUDTA are “true neighbours”, with a shared gate, shared access, and shared trust. The space between them is no longer a boundary. It’s an invitation.
Although the change is brand new, the possibilities are already easy to imagine. Families spread out on picnic blankets while kids move freely between the courts and the nursery. Parents catching up over a coffee while the kids play. A picnic table here, a lawn game there. A place where it doesn’t matter if kids are a bit loud or a bit wriggly… where community life is welcome exactly as it is.
For Debbie and the team at Yumaro, the excitement is palpable. The vision is clear: a relaxed, accessible outdoor space where tennis, nature, and community overlap.
It’s a simple reminder that community-building doesn’t always require big funding or formal programs. Sometimes, it starts with a conversation. Sometimes, it starts with a neighbour. And sometimes, it starts by removing a fence.