Theatre seats: The Mildura Sporting Precinct stadium. Photo sent in by a Greater Shepparton family.
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As the community eagerly awaits Greater Shepparton City Council’s revised plan for an upgrade to the Shepparton Sports Stadium, other facilities across the state continue to shine a light on how far behind we are.
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Recently, a junior Shepparton Gators team travelled to Mildura to take part in a basketball tournament.
Whenever our juniors travel to other towns to participate in these tournaments, they often play at stadiums 20 years more modern than Shepparton’s, being at least two courts larger and, well, just much better overall.
The Mildura Sporting Precinct was no exception.
According to the Mildura Shire Council’s website, outside of the stadium, the precinct includes two ovals, three beach volleyball courts and four netball courts.
It has been upgraded as recently as last year.
First class: Views from the second story, with seats for spectators.
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The basketball stadium is two stories, with six courts (two more than the Shepparton Sports Stadium), change rooms, a foyer, a reception, administration offices, public amenities, storage, spectator seating and a cafe on the ground floor.
The second floor features function rooms, club rooms, more public amenities and more storage.
The $47.4 million Mildura Sporting Precinct was jointly funded by both the state and federal governments, Mildura Rural City Council, the AFL, Cricket Victoria and local user groups.
The first stage of construction was completed in July 2021.
The project's second stage was completed towards the end of 2023.
The full funding breakdown includes $18.8 million from the Federal Government, $13.9 million from the state government, $13.7 million from Mildura Rural City Council, $525,000 from the AFL and Cricket Victoria, and $484,060 raised by the community.
Greater Shepparton City Council’s plan for a knock-down rebuild of the Shepparton Sports Stadium was a $60 million upgrade that would require at least $20 million from both tiers of government.
Making the most of it: Mildura’s actual stadium is not much more advanced than Shepparton’s. It’s just had continuous investment while Shepparton’s has grown more and more outdated.
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Now, they have gone back to the drawing board to look at more realistic options after Shepparton’s mayor Shane Sali said the state government had indicated there would not be tens of millions available to Greater Shepparton anytime soon.
Mildura’s population is within a few thousand of Shepparton’s.
If Mildura was able to secure six new courts and a state-of-the-art facility for $50 million, it begs the question, how much less four courts added on to the existing Shepparton Sports Stadium might cost.
