The refurbishment and extension of the old amenities building at Harris Park, in Mount Austin, was officially opened today, Tuesday 16 June 2026, paving the way to boosting women’s and girls’ sporting participation in Wagga Wagga and the wider Riverina.
The ceremony was attended by Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr MP, on behalf of the NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper, Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout, and local female rugby league players and club representatives.
The $1.3-million project to upgrade and modernise the facility was funded through the NSW Office of Sports’ Greater Cities Sport Facility Fund, in partnership with Council and Wagga Rugby League (WRL).
The grant program aims to help create spaces and facilities that enable communities to enjoy and take part in sport by supporting the development of well-designed and utilised new and improved sport infrastructure.
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said the NSW Government is proud to back projects like this one that give women and girls the facilities they deserve to get out and play the sport they love.
“These upgraded amenities at Harris Park are exactly the kind of investment that grows participation from the grassroots up, and that’s good for Wagga Wagga, good for the Riverina, and good for rugby league.”
Harris Park is used for cricket and rugby league competitions, as well as by the broader community.
The upgrade commenced in August 2025 and featured new female, male and referee changerooms, upgraded canteen, bar and storage areas, a modern meeting space, and new bathrooms, including accessible and ambulant toilets, for community use.
The Member for Wagga Wagga said the redevelopment transforms old and tired facilities into a larger, more inclusive building suited to the modern needs of our sporting community.
“Importantly, it’s a huge boost to the participation of women and girls in sport and we’re already seeing the benefits of that, with the amenities utilised by multiple grades, including Women’s League Tag, Women’s Tackle and First Grade,” Dr McGirr said.
“As the ‘City of Good Sports’ we are blessed with immense talent among our athletes and new facilities such as these are essential to providing the foundations that will help sports people from all codes to be their best.
“I was proud to help secure the funding for this project and I would like to thank the government, council and Wagga Rugby League for making these amazing amenities a reality.”
Wagga Wagga’s mayor is pleased to see the project come to fruition, delivering modern change facilities that cater for all sporting participants in our community.
“The project has delivered a great upgrade to the facilities at Harris Park, with new female‑friendly and accessible spaces that increase our capacity to host more matches and training,” Cr Tout said.
“It gives players, volunteers, and the wider community a much better asset to use and enjoy.
“The new meeting room will be a real hub for community groups and sporting clubs.
“This project shows what can be achieved when everyone pulls in the same direction; Wagga Rugby League’s trades and volunteers have done a huge amount of the heavy lifting to get us to this point.”
WRL president Warren Barclay said the project brings the facility into the 21st Century.
“There’s been massive growth in the last five years or so of female participation in rugby league, but unfortunately the facilities here, which were built in the early 1960s, hadn’t kept pace with the requirements,” Mr Barclay said.
“Now, we have new purpose-built changerooms that will play an essential role in helping female players feel more welcome and secure in future.”
Funding for the Harris Park amenities project included $955,000 from the NSW Office of Sport, $318,790 from Wagga Wagga City Council, with the final contribution provided by WRL.
Work on Stage 2 of the project, which is funded separately through NSW Rugby League, involves construction of a new upstairs broadcast area, including an area for camera operated live streaming of matches, and a function room area.
