Boost for community groups as upgrades to Bendigo Stadium and Showgrounds begin

Sports and events in Greater Bendigo have received a major boost, with works commencing on major upgrades to Bendigo Stadium and Bendigo Showgrounds.

The Bendigo Stadium upgrades include:

• a new annex for 2 netball courts
• the refurbishment of 2 existing courts
• the installation of 200 lux lighting to all 12 outdoor netball courts.

Bendigo Strikers Board Member Ben DeAraugo welcomed the development of the facilities.

‘It will reduce barriers for young female athletes, who no longer need to travel to Melbourne to take part in high performance netball,’ he said.

President of the Bendigo Volleyball Association John Sheen said the development at Red Energy Arena over the next 12 months will be extremely beneficial to the club.

‘Our sport has grown about 40% since the pandemic and we’re really excited to have access to extra courts for our junior competition,’ he said.

Other upgrades at the venue include a new backup generator and solar panels on the roof of the new annex, minimising disruptions during outages and adding to the venue’s green credentials.

Upgrades to the Bendigo Showgrounds include:

• the construction of a new multipurpose pavilion featuring an event space
• improvements to the grass arena with upgraded lighting
• upgrades to entrances and fencing.

Works at Bendigo Stadium and Bendigo Showgrounds are headed up by contractors Fairbrother Pty Ltd and AW Nicholson respectively.

The redevelopments will support local jobs and businesses throughout construction and strengthen Bendigo’s reputation as a vibrant venue for sports and events in northern Victoria.

Works at both venues are expected to finish in late 2026.

These upgrades are funded through our Regional Sports Infrastructure Program. They are 2 of the 3 projects in Bendigo and are included in the 16 projects across regional Victoria that are part of the program, making our communities even better places to live, work, stay and play.

For more information about the Regional Sports Infrastructure Program, visit  the Sport and Recreation Victoria website.