The long-awaited female friendly changeroom upgrade for the Longwood Football Netball Club is set to go ahead after the local club received $686,825 in funding through the Regional Community Sports Fund.
The fund was established to deliver projects in regional towns following Labor’s shambolic failure to deliver the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The project will include a changeroom area with adjoining toilets and showers, umpires change facilities with an administration area, and a publicly accessible all abilities bathroom with associated ramp access.
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said the funding was a long time coming for the Redlegs, who had tirelessly campaigned to get the project underway.
“I want to congratulate Club President Ricki Shiner and the entire Longwood Football Netball Club on this exciting news,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Building female friendly changerooms will be of great benefit to not just the local sporting club, but visiting teams, and the entire community.
“Improving accessibility for women in sport is a crucial part of growing participation, and increasing the health, wellbeing, safety, and comfortability of girls and women across our region.
“This project has been the result of dedication and perseverance by all involved, and I look forward to seeing the benefits this project brings to our region.”
Ms Cleeland had advocated for the club to receive funding through this program, writing letters of support to the Strathbogie Shire Council encouraging them to apply for the Regional Community Sports Fund on Longwood’s behalf.
“This is a project I was extremely happy to support due to the significant benefits it will bring to our region,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Our local sports clubs are providing people with a strong sense of community, belonging, and an active lifestyle, and deserve all the support they can get.
“Many of our region’s clubs are still in desperate need of new and fit-for-purpose equipment, as well as amenities that can best serve the community, and I will continue to advocate for them to receive the funding they deserve.”
