After years of campaigning for better facilities, the Campbells Creek Football Netball Club (CCFNC) is celebrating a win with the announcement of $250,000 in state government funding and a further $300,000 from the Mount Alexander Shire Council to build new netball courts.
The funding for new courts is welcome news following the club’s recess in 2021. Unable to field Senior football side CCFNC spent the time furiously fundraising, lobbying and recruiting, resulting in husband and wife duo Kris and Jordan Bagley coming on as senior football and senior netball coaches. Actively recruiting through media interviews and word of mouth the club was able to recruit a number of new senior football and netball players and last year the club sided their first A Grade team since 2018 and had their first Under 11s netball team.
Netball Manager May Pratt told the Mail that the Under 15s made finals last year, the Under 11s netball team hasn’t lost a game this year and the Under 13s and C Grade sides are sitting in the top eight in their respective grades.
“We are definitely building momentum as a club. We have full Senior and Reserves footy sides, as well as an Under 11.5s footy team who’ve had a couple of wins,” May said.
The proposed design for the new netball courts will feature a full-sized court, a half-court, lighting, new shelter sheds, and footpaths. While the new netball facilities are gratefully received there is still quite a way to go to improve the sub-par conditions at the 159-year-old club’s community sporting venue.
Most notably the change facilities for netballers are still less than ideal, with club netballers changing inside toilet facilities and visiting clubs changing in old, run-down portable buildings.
“We are so excited to get this funding. The courts that we have now are not up to code, with no room for the umpires, water pooling on the court, and players and visitors walking through the mud to access the courts,” May said.
“We just need the facilities to match our growing success and hopefully entice even more players over to the Creek!”
While making the funding announcement Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards noted that the CCFNC has been so passionate about getting development for the facility.
“CCFNC has a powerful history, including a lot of ups and downs over the past 10 years,” stated Ms Edwards.
“This is on the back of a lot of hard work from all of you. There is always a lot more to do but this is a good start.”
Mayor Rosie Annear spoke of when she first visited the reserve and how horrified she was to think how the club had survived so long with the facilities they had. She noted how much heart and passion the club and the community have put in to achieve the upgrades.
“Historically it feels like Campbells Creek gets forgotten about. This is the start of things falling into place and more can be done. The new netball courts, shelter, and lights are an actual game changer – to have somewhere that is safe and accessible for everyone,” commented Mayor Annear.