The Port Elliot Institute, located at 16 The Strand Port Elliot on the South Coast of South Australia, is the home to the Great Southern Table Tennis Association.
This historic hall is owned by the Alexandrina Council and leased to the association.
The large main hall houses five table tennis tables with adjoining kitchen and meeting facilities.
Table tennis was being played on the South Coast as early as 1929 with a meeting called in June of that year to form a club in Victor Harbour.
Table tennis was played at various locations within the district in the following years before formal competitions were set up including an air force team from the wartime base at Mt Breckan. It was not until after WW11 that competition began in earnest across the Victor Harbour and Pt Elliot Districts.
In June 1949, the South Coast Table Tennis Association was formed and later renamed to the Great Southern Table Tennis Association (GSTTA) to embrace other districts in the area. Initially, a competition began with 2 teams from Victor Harbour, the Penguins and the Seahawks, and 2 teams from Port Elliot, the Spartans and the Waybacks. Once established other clubs were formed; firstly Greenhills, based at the Toc H camp, followed by Hindmarsh Valley and Inman Valley.
During the 1950/60s teams comprised 4 men and 4 ladies but by late 60/70s they became mixed 8 person teams. In the 1950s, inter-association matches were established and demonstrations matches with top players from Adelaide were played in the Victor Harbour Town Hall.
By 2005, GSTTA was an active association with Inman Valley Hall, the Church of Christ Hall at Victor Harbour and Goolwa Primary School Hall being used for competitions.
Over the years other teams involved in the GSTTA competition were Lower Inman, Goolwa, Currency Creek, Mt. Compass, Eagles and Church of Christ. Venues for table tennis have included halls and schools within these towns.
In July 2009, the Great Southern Table Tennis Association negotiated with the Alexandrina Council for the lease of the Port Elliot Institute. This has given the association a permanent home large enough for 5 tables and refreshment facilities. Together with the Inman Valley facility competition and social functions are scheduled throughout the year.