Sport

Mooroopna and Stanhope netball clubs to potentially receive new change rooms

By Marcus Beeck

Apr 15, 2025

Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell has promised to build new change rooms at Stanhope Recreation Reserve (pictured) and Mooroopna Recreation Reserve under a Coalition government.

Two Goulburn Valley netball clubs could receive funding for new amenities and change rooms come May.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell has promised to invest $550,000 to support the building of a new block of netball change rooms and amenities at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve if a Coalition government is elected at May’s federal election.

Birrell said it was important for women and girls to have appropriate and up-to-date facilities for training and match day.

“I have trained with football and netball clubs across the electorate and so many facilities are not fit for purpose, especially with the growth in female participation,” Birrell said.

“Netballers playing in Mooroopna are currently changing in shipping containers without showers and toilets and they deserve better.”

He has also pledged to provide $500,000 in funding for new netball change rooms and amenities at Stanhope Recreation Reserve.

Birrell suggested using modular construction — buildings constructed off-site and then brought together at the location and fitted as modules — as the best way to implement the new change rooms at the two clubs.

“Modular construction uses the same building codes and standards of a traditional build, but because it is done in a controlled environment (it) is cheaper, greener, smarter and faster,” Birrell said.

“There is a huge shortfall of appropriate change facilities across Australia and I believe we need to embrace different building methods to meet the demand while keeping facilities as affordable as possible.

“So many sporting clubs are crying out for updated or new change facilities and only the Coalition government has a plan to invest in local sporting infrastructure and get Australia back on track.”