Australian Jackaroos Mark Casey (33), Brett Wilkie (41) and Aaron Wilson (24) have been included in this weekend's 32-strong field.
They are in contention to make the Australian team for next year's World Bowls at Christchurch.
Casey, who made his international debut in 2003, has played in 227 internationals.
He won the World Cup singles in 2005 and a gold medal at the world championship fours in 2012.
Wilkie first played for Australia in 2009 and has played in 158 internationals.
He won the world champion of champions singles in 2009 and a fours gold medal at the 2012 world championships.
Wilson was the Australian open singles champion in 2013.
The Australian players will be accompanied by national coach Steve Glasson, which highlights the significance of the event.
''It is special for us,'' convener Neill Williams said.
''It came from an approach by Steve Glasson. Bowls Australia has paid for them to come to Dunedin.
''It is an absolute coup for us to have them playing in our tournament.''
The fourth newcomer this year is the promising Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Gore), who was recently named the Bowls New Zealand Development Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Bagrie-Howley (20) will be the 150th bowler to play in the prestigious event in its first 25 years.
North East Valley green keeper-manager and former New Zealand coach and selector Terry Scott is the only bowler to have played in every event.
His brother and two-times winner Jim Scott will play in his 24th event this weekend, while two-times national singles champion Shaun Scott (North East Valley) and former international Andrew Curtain (Canterbury) their 22nd event.
Australasian Professional Bowls Association champion Ken Walker (Dunedin) won the inaugural event in 1990 when the total prize purse was $10,000.
The prize money at stake this year is $15,000 and the winner's purse is $5000.
The North East Valley event has the most prize money for an event run by a club in New Zealand.
There are no easy games for the 32 players who must finish in the top two in one of the four sections to reach the quarterfinals.
Williams, Terry Scott and former club member Peter Kean were the original members of the North East Valley sub-committee that dreamed up the idea of staging the event in 1990.
''We thought it would be great to organise a major singles tournament with prize money,'' Williams said.
''The rebellious streak among us thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce coloured clothing to the game.
''In those days Bowls New Zealand had a strict rule and all bowlers had to wear white clothing.
''We originally thought we would run it for five years but we never expected it to last 25 years.''
A lot of hard work is done by club members to make the event a success.
Other club administrators who have been involved for more than 20 years include Alan Black, Colin Adams, Ken Wright and Ken Williams.
