Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence announced LB Davern Reserve in Wandong, home of Wandong Warriors Junior Football Club, will receive $195,000 to upgrade and reshape the sporting oval and install new drainage.
Mitchell Shire Council will also contribute $65,000 in the project, totalling $260,000.
The project is one of 11 new projects across the state to share in more than $2.5 million in funding from the 2022-2023 Country Football and Netball Program.
The program has invested more than $37.5 million into more than 560 projects across the state since 2005.
“This really is a terrific announcement. Not just for this community but for football and netball right across the state of Victoria,” Ms Spence said.
“It means that for the growing number of footballers here, you’ll have a more reliable surface to play on – an oval that’s more reliable all year round.”
The project will install level drainage to eliminate the current ponding and flooding leaving the oval muddy on match days. Currently, trainings are cancelled during heavy rain and sections of the oval are cornered off due to flooding.
Wandong Heathcote Junction Sports and Community Committee of Management president Rob Telfer said the much-used oval needed the upgrades to ensure continued use.
“The oval will be able to support more use and give more flexible program scheduling,” he said.
“We do have senior football clubs during pre-training here and obviously the Kilmore Cricket Club use this as their second home, so you can see it’s well and truly getting well used.
“We are very lucky to have a reserve that has character and if you look around we’re very lucky. It’s a great reserve and we do fight for this community.”
Minister for Yan Yean Lauren Kathage said Wandong residents had advocated for the project.
“There’s something about Wandong. It just inspires such protective love from everybody who lives here. They just want to stand up and fight for the best in our area,” she said.
“We’ve got such an active community here. The people on committees around town give so much of their time to projects but all for the benefit of the whole community.
“Whether you’re a player or a fan – these new facilities will be enjoyed by the whole community and encourage even more locals to come and join the fun.
“I’m really glad that we’re going to have this investment in our oval, which I know is used beyond the town, and I’m excited for some of the other things we have coming with the Tiny Towns funding – an additional grant funding program, which is for small towns like us here in Wandong for things that will help us and continue to make us one of the great places to live.”
Ms Kathage also announced $5000 for each Wandong kindergarten to buy more sensory toys.
