What started with a simple idea of supplying locals with sporting equipment has far exceeded even what owner Neville Eathorne expected, when he first opened the doors of Eathorne’s Sports Village in 1974.
A born and bred Burdekin local, Neville looks back at the growth of his sporting store with pride, explaining that the last 50 years has been “a ride and a half”.
It all started in 1973, when Neville was playing a lot of cricket and basketball, and realised that he couldn’t buy locally what the professionals were using, and thought it was a good idea to bring this standard of equipment to Ayr.
“And with absolutely no business experience, I opened Eathorne’s Sports Village,” Neville explained.
“At first it was a rough store, with rough presentation, but I was always reinvesting back into the shop.”
As much as it was Neville’s dedication and hard work, the longevity of Eathorne’s Sports Village also rested upon the support of the local community, something that Neville continues to value implicitly to this day.
“In the early days, we had accounts running, and people would put their equipment on the account and come back later to pay for it,” Neville explained.
In fact, Neville can remember vividly a time when he was in the store and a man walked past the counter with a tennis racquet.
“’Nev! Put this on my account!’ the man said. I couldn’t remember his name, but the next week, he was back to pay for the racquet!” Neville explained.
Understanding the value of community, Neville joined every sporting committee that he played on, and learnt how the clubs were run, and the equipment they needed.
For Neville, looking back over the years, he is most proud of the team members that helped build up the shop.
“How we achieved all that we have achieved is through the great staff and team members we have had over the years,” he said.
By 1983, buying groups and franchises boomed in popularity.
“And I knew that to survive against them, I would have to join them,” Neville explained, and Eathorne’s Sports Village transitioned into Eathorne’s Sportscene.
During this time, Neville expanded the shop’s offerings, bringing on trophy engraving, which increased in popularity before long, and Neville was moved to bring on a permanent engraver.
In 1997, Neville’s two sons returned home to Australia, following a career of playing college basketball in America, with Brett staying on in the family business, and Wade deciding to pursue a financial planning career.
By 2001, with Brett on the books and computers at the counters, Neville and his wife Karen were able to purchase a premise on Queen Street in Ayr, which continues to host the business now.
The business went through another transformation in 2003, when it transitioned into Eathorne’s Sportspower, as Sportscene and Sportspower came together under the ARL Group.
Neville was invited to join the Sportspower Board, which saw him travel to Melbourne regularly to move the Sportspower brand forward.
“I was on the board for five or six years, and I enjoyed it so much. It gave me this great insight in the business and the brand,” Neville explained. “But it was really hard to be away from my family for days at a time.”
Following an injury, Neville took a step back from the business, and Brett transitioned into a managerial role where he continues to be a key partner in the business.
In 2024, another key moment in the business’ evolution occurred when it moved across to the Intersport brand. Neville continues to be a part of this business and Brett continues to take a bigger role.
“This venture would never have happened without the support of the Burdekin people,” Neville shared.
“They have supported a small business trying to grow and I hope they have enjoyed the ride. We are proud to have been supporting the Burdekin district, with us sponsoring just about every club during the 50 years. It has created some lifelong friendships.”
“I am so proud to have started way back in 1974 and am still trading 50 years later. I am also proud of what I will be leaving to Brett and his family to work with for how many years they want.”
Without a doubt, Neville’s legacy will continue to prevail throughout Burdekin history, even though he is vowing to not go anywhere anytime soon.
1. Eathorne’s Sports Village, in 1974
2. Eathorne’s Sportscene with Neville Eathorne in 1983
3. Eathorne’s Sportspower in 2020. Photos supplied
4. Three Generations: Neville, with his son Brett, and his twin grandchildren
5. Eathorne’s Sportscene, making waves in Ayr
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