A new netball facilities strategy has highlighted the need for future planning for more facilities in Melbourne’s west, especially in Melton.
Netball Victoria has released its Statewide Facilities Strategy (2026–2028), a roadmap to support the continued growth of netball across the state, ensuring equitable access to high-quality venues for Victorian participants.
Netball Victoria said participation in the sport is at an all-time high in Victoria, and with more than 120,000 registered members.
Phase one of the strategy focuses on competition-standard courts and Netball Victoria-affiliated netball venues, competitions and pathway programs.
Phase two, to be released in early 2026, will expand to include training courts, school-based facilities and initiatives such as Woolworths NetSetGo and walking netball.
Netball Victoria identified priority development opportunities for each region that will be transformative for the sport in the long-term.
The report said that Melton is projected to experience the highest growth in female population across the metro region, with a forecast increase of 48.4 per cent.
“This growth trajectory will generate substantial additional demand for netball participation and places increased importance on aligning facility provision with future community needs.
“At present, Melton City has 25 competition level netball courts … However, the effective availability of these courts for netball is constrained by shared use with other sports and activities within multi-purpose facilities.”
“Strategic forward planning should therefore prioritise the future provision of dedicated and accessible netball facilities, ensuring supply keeps pace with population growth, participation trends, and the long-term sustainability of netball in the region.”
The report said in Wyndham that the future provision of netball facilities is a priority for the sport.
“Council has already taken steps to future-proof facilities, with projects underway at Jamieson Way Community Centre and Tarneit Indoor Sports Facility,” the report said.
“Additionally, we will collaborate with the Victorian government on the school-community use pilot, which enables facilities to be shared with sports outside school hours. Continuous monitoring will be critical to ensure netball facilities and programs keep pace with population growth and increasing participation needs.”
Netball Victoria chief executive Andrea Pearman said they want every person who loves netball, from grassroots participants to elite athletes, to have access to safe, welcoming, and inspiring spaces to play and grow.
“This strategy is our commitment to building those spaces, and working in genuine partnership with councils and communities to get it done.”
