Works to finalise the landscape surrounds at new netball courts in Yarra Bend Park are complete, with the facilities set to open to the public and local sporting clubs soon.
Eight new netball courts and a shared-use pavilion have been built in Fairlea Reserve, providing netballers with a great base for training, community netball and competitions, as well as state tournaments.
While the new facilities were finished at the end of 2022, construction produced a large amount of excess soil which required permits before it could be redistributed on site. The soil has been used to create elevated, grassed viewing mounds around the courts and Fairlea Reserve, to provide visitors with a great view of the action.
All landscaping works, including planting and mulching, have now been completed. Some areas will be temporarily closed to public access while vegetation establishes. Overall the project has planted over 900 trees, which can now be seen maturing throughout Yarra Bend Park.
The new facilities also include competition-grade 200 lux LED lighting, bike racks, pedestrian pathways, increased car parking and a new pavilion. This building – located between the netball courts and the Fairlea West Oval – includes women and girls’ change rooms, spectator viewing areas, a kitchen and meeting rooms.
In addition to netballers, the pavilion will also be available to fly fishers and cricket and soccer players. The courts will be available for school and public use outside of training and competition hours, with one of the courts also line-marked for basketball.
With works now complete, a lease agreement is in place with Yarra City Council, who will oversee the management and operations of the courts and pavilion. User groups can register their interest in using the facilities for organised competitions, training and events at the Yarra City Council website.
The project was funded by an $8 million investment from the Victorian Government’s Opportunities in Victorian Parks initiative.
Nearby in Yarra Bend Park, a $1.6 million project is underway at Corben Oval to install a new major power supply line to the Corben Oval and Golf Course precinct and make improvements to the Corben Oval Pavilion. These works will enable sporting clubs and visitors to use the facilities again, following closures in 2019 due to a significant fault in the electrical power supply line. A further $1 million in upgrades are also planned for Deep Rock Pavilion, to deliver more inclusive facilities, including modern, accessible, and female-friendly toilets and change rooms. Both of these projects are funded by the Victorian Government.
