Pelota Mano Court, Trebonne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pelota Mano Court |
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Pelota Mano Court, 2007
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| Location | Trebonne Road, Trebonne, Shire of Hinchinbrook, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1940s - 1960s (post-World War II) |
| Built | 1959 |
| Architect | Ford, Hutton & Newell |
| Official name: Pelota Mano Court, Basque Handball Court, Fronton | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 27 July 2001 |
| Reference no. | 601169 |
| Significant period | 1959 (fabric) 1959-1970s (historical, social) |
| Builders | Idillio Quartero and Ken Duffy |
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The Pelota Mano Court is a special sports ground in Trebonne, Queensland, Australia. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its importance. This court was designed by Ford, Hutton & Newell and built in 1959. Idillio Quartero and Ken Duffy were the builders. People also call it the Basque Handball Court or a Fronton.
Contents
History of the Pelota Mano Court
The Pelota Mano (Handball) Court, also known as a fronton, opened on 28 November 1959. It is located in Trebonne, a small town near Ingham in North Queensland. Jack Williams officially opened the court. Father Tomas Ormazabal, a chaplain for the Spanish community, blessed it. The local Basque community worked hard to create this court.
The Ancient Game of Handball
Handball is a very old game. Ancient civilizations like the Maya tribes, Greeks, and Romans played similar games. The Romans helped spread it across Europe. In France, a game called "jeu de paume" became popular in the Middle Ages. Basque handball grew from this game.
In 1528, a historian named Andrea Navajero visited the Basque region. He noticed that all the men played this game. Over time, different versions of the game developed. After the French Revolution, some games linked to royalty almost disappeared. But handball stayed popular in certain areas. Modern tennis also came from an early outdoor version of this game.
How Basque Handball Changed
Basque pelota mano came from the Roman versions of handball. It spread through Europe, especially in France. The traditional game, "pelota basque," was played in church areas or at village festivals. Now, it is played in big international competitions. The most exciting version today is "cesta-punta." Players use a long, curved wicker basket called a "chistera" on a court called a "jai-alai."
Players can use different equipment. Sometimes they use their bare hand, a wooden bat, or a racket called a "xare." There are also different types of balls. Some are covered in leather, others in parchment, and some are rubber.
The game used to be played face-to-face. But when faster rubber balls appeared, the game changed. Players started hitting the ball against a wall instead of over a net. This is how Basque handball began. You can play it anywhere with a tall, wide wall. However, three main types of courts developed:
- The "plaza laxoa" is an open court with only one front wall.
- The "ezker pareta" has a front wall and a left wall.
- The "trinketa" is an indoor court with four walls.
The handball court in Trebonne is an example of the "ezker pareta" type.
Basques in North Queensland
Basque people started moving to the Herbert River District in North Queensland in 1907. More arrived between 1958 and 1960. The total number was not huge. For example, between 1958 and 1960, 387 Basques came to Australia. Today, very few Basques move to North Queensland. By the late 1960s, about 100 Spanish people lived in the area, and most were Basque.
Most Basque immigrants were men. They came to cut sugar cane. Cutting cane was hard work, but on weekends, they loved to socialize. A popular spot was the Mendiolea family farm. Here, migrants found a warm welcome, homemade food, and a sense of family. In the 1950s, the Mendiolea farm house had a tall, wide back wall. Young Basque men used a tennis ball and this wall to play pelota mano, a traditional way to use their energy.
Building the Court at Trebonne Hotel
Another place to socialize was the Trebonne Hotel, run by Joe and Mrs. Sartoresi. The hotel was popular with Spanish and Basque cane-cutting groups. It was located at an important crossroads. People enjoyed outdoor dancing on a wooden floor and played card games like "mus." These activities helped the Basque people feel connected to their homeland. Eventually, they could play pelota mano in the hotel grounds.
Two brothers, Jose Marie and Felix Jayo, and Albert Urberuaga, convinced the hotel owner to build a proper court. They ran a bakery across from the hotel. Joe Sartoresi was unsure at first. He worried about the cost and had never seen the game played. One afternoon, Sartoresi visited the Mendiolea farm. He saw the energetic game and noticed how many people were gathered. He also saw that a lot of beer was being sold. This changed his mind. He realized the court would bring in more customers and make his business grow.
Designing and Building the Fronton
To build the fronton, they needed a plan. Albert Urberuaga and Agustin Adarraga got a plan from the Basque country. However, it was for a jai-alai court, which was too big. They had to make it smaller and stronger. The court also had to meet building rules. It needed to be able to "withstand winds of over 100 miles an hour." The architectural firm Ford, Hutton and Newell drew up the correct plans. Builders Idillio Quartero and Ken Duffy were hired for the job.
The court was built on strong foundations, two feet wide and six feet deep. It was made of concrete, using river gravel, sand, and Portland cement. About 80 tonnes of cement were used. Both walls were reinforced with steel. The highest part of the walls was six meters tall, and the lowest was three meters. The court was 18 meters long and six meters wide. The playing surfaces were smooth concrete.
The concrete was mixed in a large mixer and moved by wheelbarrows. Workers pushed the wheelbarrows up planks on wooden scaffolding. As the walls grew taller, the planks became steeper, requiring a running start with each full wheelbarrow. The Basque community was very excited about the construction. The two builders, with one paid worker, an apprentice, and some weekend helpers, finished the court in six weeks.
The playing area had six sections called "cuadro," marked with paint. Later, a bricklayer named Jose Badiola added another 10 feet of wall, making seven cuadro. This addition was not as strong as the original and was later removed because it became unsafe. The fronton also had lights for night games.
On opening day, Jack Williams and Father Ormazabal led the ceremonies. They thanked the Sartoresi family. There was also an exhibition game and a barbecue. For special competitions, players wore traditional Basque clothes. This included a white shirt and trousers with a green or red sash, and special shoes called alpargatas.
The Fronton's Popularity
Joe Sartoresi and Gino Manini ran the hotel during the fronton's busiest years. The first advertised event was a "Monster Dance and Barbecue" on 16 July 1960. It featured a handball exhibition and an orchestra. The Spanish Handball Club was started on 24 June 1960. Joe Sartoresi became its Patron, and Pasqual Badiola was elected president. The club held barbecues to raise money for the court's upkeep. They also bought seating and special goatskin balls from the Basque country.
For almost ten years, the fronton attracted many people, especially on Friday nights and weekends. Up to 200 people gathered, especially when the club organized dancing and barbecues. The Spanish Handball Club (also called the Spanish Club or Trebonne Handball Club) was not the only group that benefited. The Trebonne State School, Ingham Golf Club, and Tennis Association also used the court for events. The court was most active from July to December, which were the sugar cane harvesting months.
Most Basques who came to the Herbert River District in the late 1950s and early 1960s did not stay. Many returned to their homeland or moved to cities like Melbourne and Sydney. Today, the Pelota Mano Handball Court is not used for games. It still attracts interest from locals and tourists. It stands as a unique monument, showing the small but important migration of Basque people to North Queensland.
What the Court Looks Like
The Pelota Mano Handball Court is on Trebonne Road in Trebonne. It has two strong concrete walls and concrete ground slabs. The long side wall (on the east) is 18 meters long. The end wall (on the south) is six meters long.
The concrete sections extend six meters beyond the long wall to the north. There are remains of a collapsed brick wall extension on this slab. An electrical box and wires are on the end wall. The court is in the north-eastern corner of the property. A chain wire fence surrounds it. There are no other buildings on the land where the court is located.
Why the Court is Important
The Pelota Mano Court in Trebonne is important for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed.
The court is a rare sign of Basque people living in Queensland. Basque migration to North Queensland was highest in the late 1950s. Even though there weren't many Basques, they greatly helped the sugar industry in the 1950s and early 1960s.
- It is a rare part of Queensland's culture.
There are few reminders of the Basques in Queensland. Many returned home or moved to other cities. This makes the Pelota Mano Court very rare and special. It is also the only court built specifically for this game in Queensland.
- It shows the main features of a Basque handball court.
The Pelota Mano Court has one front wall and one left wall. This shows the main design of an "ezker pareta" court, which is a traditional type of Basque handball court.
- It has a strong connection to a community.
The Pelota Mano Court was a very important place for the Basque community in Trebonne. It was a central spot for their cultural and social activities. It is still important to people of Basque heritage in the area today.
- It is linked to an important group in Queensland's history.
The court is strongly connected to the Basque community in the district. Their small but important migration helped the sugar industry in North Queensland, especially after World War II.
