Eureka Sporting Precinct – Ministerial Response
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Original adjournment matter from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, and it is about the record investment the Allan Labor government is making at the Eureka sporting precinct in my electorate of Wendouree. Would the minister please meet with me to discuss the progress being made on the expansion of Eureka Stadium with an additional 5000 seats and the construction of the new athletics track at the adjacent former Ballarat Showgrounds site?
Sport and recreation are really important to me and my community, and I am so proud of everything that successive Labor governments have delivered for grassroots sport and recreation across the city of Ballarat. We have supported local sporting and recreational clubs and delivered for our netballers, our runners, our soccer players, our anglers, our walkers, our lawn bowlers, our hockey players, our basketballers, our tennis players and our cricketers.
State government projects include upgrades to Alfredton rec reserve, the stage 2 development of Selkirk Stadium, lighting up the Steve Moneghetti Track at Lake Wendouree, the Delacombe Primary School stadium, the new basketball facility at Phoenix college, six new hot shot courts at the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre and the transformation of the Wendouree West rec reserve. We have also stocked Lake Wendouree with fish, funded new cricket nets at Victoria Park in Newington, installed outdoor gym equipment at Doug Dean in Delacombe, switched on lights at Russell Square in Brown Hill and delivered new netball courts at North Ballarat.
But there is still more to do, and that is why we are investing up to $8.4 million at Marty Busch in Sebastopol, delivering for the Sebas footy and netball club, the CFA volunteers, the BMX riders, the cyclists and the frisbee players.
The investment we have made in our new community sporting infrastructure as well as vital upgrades to existing recreational facilities mean that local sport is thriving and, importantly, attracting new participants, young and old. I know firsthand of the huge impact sporting investment has for our local clubs, such as the Forest Rangers Soccer Club in Wendouree.
I am confident that the investment the government is making at the Eureka sporting precinct will not only benefit today’s athletes but help the development of future generations of local champions. The upgrades will also enhance the spectator experience at Eureka stadium, whether it is watching the Western Bulldogs; watching soccer, AFL or rugby; or attending live music events.
I look forward to the meeting with the minister and learning of the progress that is being made to deliver this outstanding project for Ballarat and Western Victoria.
Response from the Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events (1 May 2024) –
I was glad to meet with the Member for Wendouree on 8 February 2024 to discuss the progress being made on the upgrades to Eureka Stadium. I was also delighted to be at Eureka Stadium on 11 April 2024 to announce that an Expression of Interest for a Head Contractor has been released to deliver the upgrades to Eureka Stadium as part of the Victorian Government’s $2 billion Regional Package.
Venues like Eureka Stadium have a history of hosting big games, encouraging community participation, supporting clubs, and nurturing local talent into world champions. In the case of Eureka Stadium, the venue does this and more.
As the member would be aware it’s become a second home to the mighty Western Bulldogs AFL and AFLW teams, while also hosting A-Leagues football and NRL trial matches. This was all made possible thanks to more than $50 million being invested by the Victorian Government since 2014. This contribution to the Eureka Sports Precinct has enabled major events like AFL to come to town and provide a precinct that supports everything from major events to local community participation.
The additional 5,000 new permanent seats, to be delivered through the upgrades which will commence later this year, will enable the main stadium to have 10,000 seats, and improvements to accessibility will ensure that everyone can enjoy the best of sport and major events at Eureka Stadium, continuing to make areas like Ballarat a great place to live, work, stay and play. These works also include a new athletics track located on the current Ballarat Showgrounds land, supporting the City of Ballarat’s long-term version for its major events and sporting precinct.
The upgrades to the Eureka Precinct are one of three projects in the region that are backed by the Victorian Government’s $2 billion Regional Package.
I look forward to continuing to work with the Member for Wendouree to deliver these important upgrades.