It was then mooted to be staged at the Tweed Heads BC in NSW but Porteous asked why not Hastings, in April this year?
"Since then we've been working on having it and now have it organised."
Porteous says Club Hastings has come to the party with support and funds.
"It'll be held over here but over there as well," he says of Bowls Heretaunga, which is nestled on the wing of the newly built amalgamated clubs complex.
The plan is to take the Australians on a tour of Cape Kidnappers, Te Mata Peak and the wine trail (depending on the timing), among other attractions, between competition.
Both New Zealand and Australia will practise on Tuesday before the competition starts on the Wednesday morning and goes into the night.
It'll culminate with the prize-giving ceremony about 5pm on Thursday.
Bowls Heretaunga is looking at a budget of about $8000, although it may creep up to $10,000.
Porteous says it wasn't easy to embark on that mission.
The challenge was to earn the right to stage it before the club turned its attention to seeking sponsorship.
"We had to have everybody on side so the bowling club will be involved with the tournament while the mother club will prepare the meals and all the general stuff," says Porteous, adding it'll have to hold two evening social functions for a contingent of players and officials from both countries.
NZPBA top seed Murray Glassey, of the Heretaunga club, will spearhead the Scotty's Meats New Zealand team.
He wasn't sure what criteria they use across the ditch for their selections but the Kiwis have a PBA ranking system where points are accrued from qualifying tournaments throughout the season.
David Kaye is a PBA accredited umpire and referee while fellow club members will be markers - Dean Drummond, Colleen Ferrick, Bruce Ferrick, Jim Bentley, Bruce Stewart and Porteous.
The nations will compete for $4000 in prizemoney in a test that will have a qualifying phase before the seeds will be matched against each other. The winners of each round will receive $200.
In the finals, the third placegetters will collect $300, 2nd place runner up $400, 2nd place winner $600 while the 1st place runner up will pocket $700 and winner $1000.
Australia hold all the silverware - trophy salvers for 1st , 2nd and 3rd - which will be up for grabs.
"What's important is that we're hosting it and what we hope to be able to do it every second year, although not necessarily here," says Porteous, adding the plan is to share it with other centres such as Dunedin and Pukekohe.
"We want to say to Australia we'll hold it there one year and have it here the next year but we'll share it around."
It is the brainchild of NZPBA life member Peter Bellis, of Whanganui.
"We won't be getting him here but at some stage we'd like to get him here to promote the PBA."
The PBA struggled for a couple of years but membership had climbed to about 200 in New Zealand although Hamilton has dropped off the grid as a venue from the inaugural five.
"It costs players $175 to play in four tournaments so it's expensive in comparison with other tournaments," Porteous says although there's always the lucrative trip to England each year.
Glassey was the winner last year, making it to the last 16 in England in April this year in the quest for 45,000 ($81,000).
"The PBA is attractive for going overseas but the Transtasman test was put in because it's difficult for us to get enough players to go to England. We only give them $1000 so they have to pay the balance."
Glassey and Ashton are the heavyweights heading to the PBA national playoffs in Dunedin next month to vie for the Kiwi berth to the World Bowls Tours International Singles in England.
The other three venue winners are No16 Paul King (Dunedin winner) and rookies Hamish Simpson (New Plymouth) and Brad Allan (Invercargill).
