Indoor stadium and outdoor sports courts in Mernda

All foundation works for the indoor stadium and outdoor sports courts have been completed.

A major milestone was reached in early August with the pouring of the concrete slab for the indoor stadium.

Work is progressing on the outdoor courts, with crushed rock laid as the base for the court surface, and ground preparation for the northern car park has been completed, providing a stable base for construction to continue.

We’re upgrading the intersection of Everton Drive and Sissinghurst Parade to improve safety and provide access to the sports facility.

The project will convert the existing intersection into a four-leg roundabout, improving safety and making it easier to move through the area.

This follows the completion of the new Plenty Road-Everton Drive signalised intersection, which is now open to traffic.

Construction is officially underway on the indoor stadium and outdoor sports courts, in what promises to be a ‘game-changer’ for sport in the fast-growing northern suburbs.

City of Whittlesea Councillor Blair Colwell and CEO Craig Lloyd joined with Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell to mark the milestone at the Plenty Road site.

Whittlesea local and rising Melbourne Vixens star Tara Watson, junior netballers from the Northern Pride Netball Association and netball and basketball administrators were also in attendance.

Work is progressing to prepare the site for the construction of the indoor stadium and outdoor netball courts.

The earthworks include removing rocks, levelling the ground and preparing the site for installation of sewer, water and fire services.

These preliminary works are being completed in advance of Council calling for tenders in 2025 for the facility’s construction.

The indoor stadium and outdoor sports courts will be built on land at Plenty Road, Mernda, to the north of Bridge Inn Road.

At the Council Meeting on 19 March 2024, we approved a concept design for the indoor stadium and outdoor netball facilities.

The concept design provides for four indoor multipurpose courts and eight outdoor netball courts.

It also includes car parking, landscaping, wetlands development and the installation of associated supporting infrastructure at the site.

The new courts will help boost participation rates across a number of sports, including netball and basketball, and reduce the need for residents to travel outside the municipality.

Artist’s impression

Council’s Active Whittlesea Strategy 2019-2028 outlines some of the health and wellbeing challenges facing residents in the City of Whittlesea.

These include:

• Higher-than-state-average rates of lifestyle conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis

• Higher rate than the state average of smoking

• Increasing rates of obesity and heart disease.

• A lack of conveniently located, accessible and purpose-built sporting facilities is a known barrier to people engaging in physical activity.

Sporting infrastructure, such as the indoor stadium and outdoor netball courts, improves residents’ quality of life by providing a place where people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities can participate in sport and recreation activities.

Council established a community stakeholder reference group in early 2024 to provide feedback throughout the indoor stadium and outdoor sports courts design process.

The group included representatives from Netball Victoria, Basketball Victoria, a local netball association and a local school, as well as a local resident and CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) advocate to ensure the facility met the needs of the broader community.

The City of Whittlesea is committed to providing the sport and recreation facilities its growing population needs to live healthy and active lives.

Netball and basketball are two of the largest participation sports in the municipality, however, the demand for courts currently outstrips supply.

As a result, many players are choosing to play in competitions held in neighbouring municipalities.

Demand is only expected to increase as the population of the City of Whittlesea’s northern communities grows.

A modern, fit-for-purpose sports court precinct at Mernda will help to meet this demand and increase participation.

Council has approved a concept design providing for four indoor multipurpose sports courts and up to eight outdoor netball courts.

Council has approved a concept design providing for four indoor multipurpose sports courts and up to eight outdoor netball courts.