Frequently asked questions
What is the Baranduda Fields project?
Baranduda Fields has been part of Wodonga’s growth story since the land was purchased in 2012 and identified as the city’s next sporting precinct, located at the heart of Wodonga’s major growth area.
It will be a precinct of major regional significance offering unique and inclusive spaces for a variety of social interactions and recreation activities.
In 2020, with an injection of federal funding, the first stage is ready to break ground.
The project will be a multi-stage implementation informed by the sport participation and demand outcomes, as well as the need to achieve a balance between the provision of fields of play and associated infrastructure, buildings and landscape.
Why do we need another sporting precinct?
Wodonga is experiencing increased pressure from aging and non-compliant infrastructure, the current demand for facility provision, changing sporting trends such as extension of seasons, and environmental and funding constraints.
Our facilities in Wodonga are at or over capacity with rapid growth being experienced locally in soccer and female Australian Rules, putting further pressure on existing venues and increasing the need to develop additional training and match facilities.
A netball facility at Baranduda Fields will support the growth of complementary football-netball competition while incorporation of a cricket wicket in the oval will service local growth in cricket. There is presently an undersupply of cricket pitches within the region which has the second highest participation to population ratio across Victoria.
This project ultimately provides Wodonga with a much-needed additional football (soccer), Australian Rules and netball facility.
But what about all the other sporting fields across the city?
The council will continue to invest in existing infrastructure that serves the current population now and into the future.
In the past 10 years, there has been more than $10 million invested in sporting and recreation infrastructure across the city with more than $1 million to be invested in the next 12 months alone.
So what will be built first at Baranduda Fields?
Stage 1 works at Baranduda Fields will include the following.
- Services - power, water, sewerage, gas and communications infrastructure; construction of the main access road and intersection, lighting and intersection lights; two formal car parks including drainage and lighting
- Soccer pavilion, including seating; with ground capacity for 5000 people; two grass soccer fields including lighting, fencing and irrigation
- An Aussie Rules and cricket oval, including irrigation and field lighting
- Two netball courts with lighting
- Change rooms and public amenities to service Aussie Rules and netball
- Recycled water management system elements
- Shared paths for walking and cycling throughout stage 1
- Cultural heritage and interpretation stories and signage and landscaping, including trees and grasses
When will it all happen?
Several parts of stage one are presently in detailed design including the civil works for the services and the soccer fields and pavilion design.
Civil works are due to begin in January 2021 and will take about six months, subject to weather and ground conditions, although some preparation works may be undertaken at the end of 2020.
The construction of the soccer pavilion should begin in late 2022 and take 12 months with the Australian Rules and netball facility to be construction in this time as well.
The soccer and Australian Rules fields will be under construction over the spring-summer of 2022-2023.
So when will we actually see a team train or play at Baranduda Fields?
This is a three-year project and the first ball kick at the precinct is anticipated in mid-2023.
Where is the funding coming from for this project?
Baranduda Fields has been a part of the council’s long-term capital budget for several years. The Australian Government provided $10 million in funding and the council has $10 million over three years in the capital works budget.
The council continues to pursue other funding opportunities for the precinct.
Have any clubs contributed to the project?
No. There has been no additional funding received from specific sporting clubs, programs or associations - locally or at any other level.
Will any clubs be involved in stage one as the individual projects are developed?
A stakeholder group was set up with members from the sports associated with the proposed first stage. These included Australian Rules, netball, athletics, rugby league and football (soccer). That stakeholder group will now be refined based on the sporting facilities that will now be delivered as part on stage 1 with representatives to be drawn from a state and local association level.
So who will use the facility when it is complete?
Baranduda Fields will be used by a variety of sporting clubs, associations, and school groups. This precinct will also look to host and attract a wide range community activities and events. All of our present facilities are at maximum training load capacity, in particular through winter, and these new facilities will assist in reducing those training loads and ensuring junior, senior, male and female sporting teams have access to suitable facilities for training and matches.
At this point in time, no one club is earmarked to be housed at Baranduda Fields.
But who will manage the Baranduda Fields precinct?
Baranduda Fields will be council-managed and operated. Future management models will be considered during the construction of stage one and finalised once the facility is in operation. This is line with many facilities of this size and significance.