The Real Dill Is Coming To Epping

The community that brought The Real Dill to life in Ravenhall is helping shape what comes next. Now, it’s Epping’s turn.

After a year of building a tight-knit pickleball community in Ravenhall, Joe and his team are bringing The Real Dill to Melbourne’s northside. The second venue marks the next chapter for a place that has grown into much more than somewhere to play pickleball.

The next chapter starts in Epping

The decision to open in Epping didn't come out of nowhere.

As Ravenhall grew, so did the number of players travelling from Melbourne’s north - from Epping, Craigieburn and surrounding suburbs - to be part of the community.

Some made the trip regularly. Others travelled down to compete in tournaments or spend time with friends they’d made through the sport.

For Joe, that was hard to ignore.

“We’ve had some really favourite customers of ours that have come in from the north,” he says. “We just felt that, yeah, there’s nothing over there. A great opportunity.”

Then an opportunity appeared: a warehouse that felt strikingly familiar to the original Ravenhall space. From there, the decision to expand The Real Dill came naturally.

It grew from a community creating demand, an opportunity presenting itself, and a group of people willing to back what they believed in.

Now, that same energy is heading north.

Built by the people who play there

To understand why The Real Dill is expanding, you only need to spend a day at Ravenhall.

There are the regulars who know each other by name. The players who stay long after their matches finish to watch their friends play.

It’s the kind of community that doesn’t happen by accident. And it’s the reason The Real Dill is expanding.

When Joe first started playing pickleball, he had no idea it would lead here. From the beginning, the ambition was never just to build a successful venue. It was to create somewhere people wanted to spend time.

“Our primary pillar here is to have the community and people front and centre. And then I think everything else will take care of itself,” Joe says.

That philosophy has shaped what The Real Dill has become. Competition matters, but so does what happens between games. The conversations, the friendships, the shared obsession with a sport that keeps bringing people back.

As Joe puts it, the measure of success isn’t just the numbers. It’s whether people leave happier than when they arrived.

More than a place to play

What makes The Real Dill different isn't simply the courts, the competitions or the format of its tournaments.

It’s the people who give the place its character.

Joe talks about creating somewhere people can escape the pressures of everyday life, get active and feel welcome - whether they’re seven or eighty, experienced or picking up a paddle for the first time.

That thinking extends to the way the venue operates, too. The goal is simple: make it easy to show up, find your people and enjoy the game.

For the NPL, The Real Dill’s expansion is an exciting example of what can happen when a venue puts people first.

“What The Real Dill has achieved goes beyond pickleball. It’s a genuine community — a place where people find their people, where friendships grow beyond the court, and where turning up to play can become the best part of someone’s week.

“I think Epping is going to be a game-changer. There’s a real opportunity to bring that same energy to the north, but also to let a new community shape what The Real Dill becomes.

“It’s rare to have the opportunity to be there from the beginning — to walk in, meet people, build friendships and help create the culture from day one. I’m excited to see what The Real Dill Epping becomes.”

For those who have been part of Ravenhall, Epping is a chance to see the story continue. For those in the north who have yet to find their place in pickleball, it’s an invitation to be part of something from the start.

The courts are the beginning. What happens around them is up to the people who show up.

Be there from the beginning

The Real Dill Epping will open for a soft launch from 28 October to 2 November, with court hire available.

To celebrate the opening, use code THEREALNORTH for 20% off court hire during the soft launch period.

The official launch takes place on Tuesday 3 November, from 10am to 8pm, with festivities and prizes planned.

For players in Melbourne’s north, it’s an opportunity to get on court, meet new people and be part of The Real Dill from the beginning.

The Real Dill Epping is here. The next chapter starts now.

Come for a game. Stay for the rest.