When Charles Eng first imagined a space like The Rally, he wasn’t immediately thinking business plan or floor layout. He was picturing people. People who’ve felt a little more isolated the past few years, people who miss the simple joy of gathering, people who light up when they find a place that feels like theirs.

Bringing people together seems to come naturally to Charles. Even still, pioneering something is, as he calls it, a “happy/scary feeling.” You’re happy about the potential, yet scared about what could go wrong. But fear aside, it was clear… if Melbourne needed a place to rally, someone had to build it.

And so he did.

The Rally opens as Melbourne West’s newest NPL partner venue — a purpose‑built space designed for play and connection, promising an atmosphere that makes you want to stick around a little longer. If you love pickle, the colour orange, and breakfast cereal… well, you just may never leave.

Doors open January 17th. Keep reading for a sneak peek of what you’ll find inside.

Meet the founder and CEO

Charles grew up in Singapore, where stability is prized and the idea of quitting a secure job to chase a dream isn’t exactly encouraged. He followed the expected path: studied accounting, became an auditor, and built a steady career. On the side, he also ran a custom suit business. Running that business gave him the confidence to branch out even further.

“I was selling custom suits on the side, which was random, but people needed suits in Australia,” he laughs.

Pickleball arrived almost by accident. He started playing with friends at the start of 2025 and soon after had a realisation that this might be the key to bringing more people together. “In my humble opinion, Melbourne’s becoming more insular,” he says. “It’s time to bring the joy and peace back to the city. Pickleball is the right vehicle for that.”

With that idea already brewing, Charles found support in an unexpected place. His manager at work asked him a question that shifted everything:

Are you sure you want to be an auditor for the rest of your life?

The advice that followed has stuck with him since…

“If you’re going to fail, make sure you fail spectacularly. Don’t be afraid of failure. Go all in.”

His manager’s blessing, along with Charles’ own quiet, steady faith, helped him find the courage to take the leap.

“My faith is important to me. It’s the foundation of why I do what I do.” Charles says. “Stepping out to do this was exciting but scary, and believing in something bigger than myself is what keeps me grounded and focused on what really matters.”

So, in October 2025, he resigned from his audit job and went all in on The Rally.

“I pictured it as a beacon of gathering in the city. A place for people to come, rally together and unite as one, because there’s power in unity,” describes Charles. “I found that it was a great way to bring people together. I realised quickly how much people love it, and felt like ‘this was it.'”

A bold, visual identity

The Rally was created to be a pickleball space unlike any other in Victoria. For starters, the courts are orange.

While traditional pickleball courts stand out from the rest of the floor surface, The Rally has chosen something different. A creamy orange foundation runs seamlessly from the base of the walls to the kitchen line, interrupted only by white lines marking the court boundaries. The kitchen itself is washed with a cool green.

“No one in Melbourne has chosen the colours this way. It was a huge risk that we took, and I just hope people love it,” beams Charles.

Beyond the showstopping colours, there was also plenty of intention behind optimising the player experience.

“In a lot of commercial venues, the spacing between courts can be quite tight, especially if you are trying to factor in spectator seating,” says Charles. “At The Rally, the quantity and location of each court have been carefully calculated to ensure there is enough space between them. We want people to bring their village to come see them hit some balls,” he laughs.

The Rally features professional competition-grade spacing along the side and baselines of every single one of the six courts, in addition to plenty of spectator seating.

And if that wasn’t enough, the arguable pièce de résistance may just be The Rally Lounge.

A premium mezzanine area above the courts, fully decked out with an entertainment centre, a work/study area, and an open kitchen, which promises to provide the goods (i.e., plenty of cereal on tap… the good kind). The kind of space where you come to stay, made even better by the fact that this space can be reserved separately from court bookings for a low day-rate.

Throughout the venue, look out for more special little touches to come, like a planned “Rally memory wall” to house photos and memories of players rallying together. Charles and his team have even planned a The Rally-exclusive paddle, marked with a special Bible verse that’s near to his heart. (You’ll need to check that one out in person).

The partnership with NPL

They say every good player needs a good partner… enter Charles 🤝 National Pickleball League.

“I had a hit at The Jar and started chatting with one of the founders. That’s how we got introduced. The entire team is incredible, and NPL has been a real blessing for me. This journey has been hard at times, but we make it work,” Charles reflects about the partnership.

The partnership between The Rally and NPL started off merely as conversations, visions, and sharing common dreams. “It’s clear they love the sport. From there, we thought, why not make it official and get married?” laughs Charles. It grew out of a shared vision for what pickleball can become.

Through this partnership, the NPL’s experienced team offers varied support to Charles and The Rally. Marketing, optimisation of courts, consulting on industry-specific knowledge, and the like. To Charles, it has helped alleviate a lot of the stresses of opening up a new business.

“As the Australian pickleball infrastructure landscape looks to boom in 2026, just like 2023 in the US, NPL wants to continue to find like-minded partners that want to push the sport and the venue experience forward similarly and cohesively,” states Ron Shell, CEO of NPL. “NPL-powered venues won’t be in every corner, but they will prioritise quality experience and good times over crammed courts. We love what Charles and the team are building and look forward to helping them grow their amazing community.”

Looking ahead

The vision for The Rally was to create a place to gather, for people from anywhere and everywhere. A place for people to find community, purpose, and enjoy playing pickleball along the way.

Beyond the hopes and dreams he has for this venue lies a much bigger purpose.

“Pickleball ventures can be seen as a commercial thing, but for me, it’s just an avenue,” Charles says. “I want to use the money to build other places and help people. Pickleball is a platform, formed by the belief that we’re all part of something bigger.”

“This is a beacon of gathering and community. The money will fade, but people are what you take along with you. That’s what’s important to me. I want everything I do and touch to show that. Because He can do what I can’t do. It’s not just pickleball… it’s belonging, joy, peace, and a little more love.” – Charles Eng, Founder and CEO

Opened 17 January

The Rally officially opened its doors on 17 January with a ribbon‑cutting at 10am, cookies, coffee, matcha, half‑price annual memberships and a full day of play.

Be sure to check out The Rally website for your court bookings, and stay tuned for open plays and new programs rolling out in the weeks to come.

82 Drake Blvd, Altona Vic. Catch ya at The Rally.