Madison Eastmond, Murray Pioneer
Berri woman Wendy Gambling has been recognised for a lifetime of service to Riverland netball, with her commitment to the sport and its players as an administrator and volunteer earning her a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) as part of the 2025 Australia Day Honours.
Announced as an OAM recipient on Sunday, Ms Gambling, 81, said she was feeling “very emotional and very proud” after receiving such momentous recognition.
“I have always had a passion for helping young people in sport,” Ms Gambling said.
“It was always about helping them find a pathway to get better and excel — I wanted to make sure country kids had a chance.”
Playing for her hometown, Ms Gambling’s love for netball began when she was part of the Renmark Netball club as a teenager.
However, her allegiance soon shifted to Berri when she was married, becoming a dedicated member for the next 30 years of her life.
“Because I enjoyed playing the sport myself so much, I wanted to keep being involved and go further,” she said.
Receiving her life membership in 1975, Ms Gambling was a coach from 1969 to 1982, while also umpiring, and organising countless working bees to raise funds for clubrooms, lights, resurfaced courts, and carnivals.
However, Ms Gambling’s role in establishing the sport in the Riverland began when she became a member of the Riverland Netball Association, in 1969.
President in 1986, 1990, and 1994, receiving life membership in 1980, and patroness since 2009. As publicity officer, Ms Gambling has promoted netball for the past 57 years as a key voice on 5RM and ABC radio, a friendly face on WIN SA, from 1979 to 2012, and as score provider to The Murray Pioneer for 20 years.
Ms Gambling was also instrumental in implementing indoor stadium Friday night A1 games to lift the profile of players, coaches, umpires, sponsors, and competition for spectators, continually seeking sponsorships to televise grand finals from the early 1980s.
Becoming a Netball SA Riverland Representative and council member in 1885, only recently stepping down in 2021, Ms Gambling was also involved with state netball as a SA country team manager, from 1985 to 1996.
A representative team manager 24 times with Country Championships,State Championships, Australian Masters and Central Masters Games, and World Masters Games in Brisbane, Mazda and Dairyville Cup series, and as representative team umpire. Ms Gambling’s involvement also extended to being a convenor and selector of the SA Country Squad and teams for 15 years.
“One of my proudest achievements is receiving life membership with Netball SA in 2000,” Ms Gambling said.
“That was huge to me, because I was the only country person outside of a 35km radius from Adelaide to receive it.
“Looking back, it’s a great way to remember my involvement with state netball — lots of things happened in that journey, and what an amazing journey it was.”
However, Ms Gambling’s legacy and working with Netball SA is most notably seen in the establishment of a Murray Region Netball Academy.
Trials co-ordinator and Riverland delegate since 1997, Ms Gambling worked to establish a program in the local area to identify and develop young players in 2006, working to create a legacy of quality players and provide a pathway to progress to state teams and beyond.
“The Netball Academy was a turning point for a lot of Riverland talent and a stepping stone for star players,” she said.
“It’s made them better players for higher competition, and most of our top players are now teenagers, rather than senior women.
“Although Netball SA stopped the program around the state in 2022, the skills have been well established in coaches, and can be passed onto players still.
“Our players are strong, dedicated, and known to work hard.”
When speaking to The Murray Pioneer about one of the community’s most-decorated members, Berri Barmera Mayor Ella Winnall said “Wendy’s dedication to not only netball, but the whole Riverland community is commendable”.
“Wendy embodies community spirit and is such a worthy winner of the OAM honour for her dedication and passion within the Berri Barmera and wider community,” she said.
“There wouldn’t be many local sportspeople who don’t have deep respect for Wendy and all she has done.”
With almost far too many to name, Ms Gambling’s volunteer and community efforts throughout her life also include:
- Gymnastics coach at Paringa and Berri Riverland Youth Clubs for 15 years.
- Riverland Special School netball coach for five years.
- Former Masters Netball Club team manager.
- Riverland Recreation and Sports forum member, 1995 to 2000.
- Riverland Junior Sports Award chair, since 2006.
- Sportsperson of the Year Award judging panel, since 2012.
- Appointed Justice of the Peace from 1989 to 2022.
Ms Gambling has also received a number of awards and recognition for her OAM to sit besides, including:
- Life membership with Paringa Youth Club.
- SA Recreation Institute Country Women’s Award.
- Riverland Contribution to Sport Award, 1982.
- SA Community Recreation, T.B. Prescott Award, 1983.
- Volunteer of the Year Award, 1996.
- Australian Local Hero, 2007.
- Berri Barmera Citizen of the Year, 2007.
Though still currently found on 5RM on the Saturday morning program, The Sideline View, Ms Gambling said she thinks 2025 might be her final year as publicity officer for the Riverland Netball Association.
“It’s been a marvellous experience, and it makes me so proud to think I opened up pathways for young Riverlanders,” she said.
“Young ones have kept me volunteering all these years, and it always makes it worth it when I see them on the court — many of them have been outstanding players who have now been able to go to state teams.
“I would do it all over again, I have enjoyed every moment.”
Murray Pioneer readers are to stay tuned for an interview with another Riverland OAM winner, Cheryle Pedler, in next week’s edition.
This article appeared in the Murray Pioneer, 29 January 2025.