Women's sport projects in the Illawarra get $6 million funding bonanza

Lakelands Oval Dapto, Flinders Oval, and the proposed Shell Cove Sport and Recreation facility were all recipient of the grants, announced on Tuesday, May 7.

The announcement comes as welcome news to clubs such as Stingrays of Shellharbour rugby league, which has called for more female-friendly facilities for some time.

Shellharbour City Council will receive $2 million for the new Shell Cove sporting complex which is set to accommodate a range of sports and also include parking, amenities, access, and landscaping.

Meanwhile, Lakelands Oval Dapto will receive upgrades to its two football fields, associated lighting, and a replacement of the old amenities building at the site to make way for a larger, new universal-access facility in a cost of $2 million.

The facilities at Flinders Oval will receive $1,857,250 to build a new female-friendly amenities building for players and referees, which in turn will improve access for females to participate in the sport for Stingrays RLFC.

Shellharbour MP Anna Watson said was a project that was sorely overdue for female athletes.

"Sport is a way of life in the Illawarra, but for too long, local women and girls have had to play in facilities that compromise their safety and comfort," she said.

"The funding of these projects will help to create a level playing field for women and girls playing grassroots sport in the Illawarra. But, most importantly, it will ensure more local women and girls develop a lifelong love of sport and enjoy the benefits that it brings."

A total of 26 projects will receive a total of near $30 million of funding from the state. The program, which was inspired by the success of the Matildas at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, will fund the construction of new and upgraded sports facilities, including amenities and lighting improvements in the state.