Mid North Coast High Performance Centre

• Completion Date23 February 2024

Summary

The Mid North Coast High Performance Centre at South West Rocks features a new multi-level grandstand, a function room, amenities and sports training facilities.

Timeframe

Construction began in June 2021

STORY: Construction of Mid North Coast High Performance Centre to begin

STORY: All systems go for Mid North Coast High Performance Centre

The High Performance Centre was officially opened in February 2023.

STORY: The South West Rocks High Performance Centre grand opening

Background and funding

The need for additional sporting and recreational facilities in South West Rocks was identified in the Macleay Valley Sports Strategy in 2017.

The project began as a vision of the South West Rocks Sport and Recreation Committee, with broad support from local sports clubs, community groups, and major regional and state sporting organisations.

Council secured $2,465,268 in funding under the 2018 Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund. The South West Rocks Country Club has also confirmed a contribution of almost $400,000. The additional funds will come from a combination of $1.1 million in grants from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and a Council contribution $1.19 million.

Council selected Lipman Pty Ltd to undertake construction at the October 2020 meeting.

Objectives

This project is something that the community of South West Rocks have been working towards for the past 30 years. It will bring the community together, celebrate a place and space to be proud of, be a facility for all and a facility that caters for the local, regional and state sporting stakeholders.

Kempsey Shire Council and South West Rocks Sport and Recreation Association worked together on the Macleay Sports Strategy and the South West Rocks Sport Masterplan. South West Rocks Sport and Recreation Association represent sport and active recreation as a whole in South West Rocks, including Football, Netball, Rugby League, Tennis, Little Athletics, Rugby Union, Cricket, Swimming, Croquet, Bowls and Golf.

The current version of the High Performance Centre was proposed to Council by the South West Rocks Sport & Recreation Association and South West Rocks Country Club to address the lack of a dedicated facility for junior and emerging elite athletes between Newcastle and the Queensland border. The facility has the support of numerous sporting codes.

The key aim of the Centre is to overcome participation barriers such as cost, time and travel.

The High Performance Centre will increase local participation by:

• Growing the number of registered sporting participants,
• Growing the number and diversity of teams of existing sports,
• Introducing new sporting codes,
• Providing upgraded lighting to allow for increased night fixtures and training opportunities,
• Targeting and hosting indigenous and female participation programs,
• Enabling the South West Rocks Public School and Clontarf Foundation to access a high-quality sporting precinct and
• Increasing community opportunities for active recreation.

The High Performance Centre will increase regional participation by:

• Hosting regional and state events (targeting Women’s AFL initially),
• Participating in pre-elite athlete pathways and programs,
• Enabling indigenous athletes to benefit from facilities that are close to family ties,
• Improving the performance of regional athletes.

Council aims to link the completed high-performance facility to the much-needed South West Rocks sporting field expansion to Trial Street outlined in the South West Rocks outlined in the South West Rocks Masterplan.

This facility will fulfil regional gaps in infrastructure and knowledge capabilities. The High Performance Centre will provide access to high level coaching and support.

Athletes will gain knowledge through high performance programs targeting technical critique using IT platforms, optimal conditioning and recovery, nutrition, sports psychology and resilience training. Currently, regional youth athletes do not have access to these high performance facilities outside of metropolitan areas.

Location

Sportsman Way, South West Rocks 2431  View Map

Photo Gallery