Sport
12 December, 2025
Cricket club backs Brierly hub
WARRNAMBOOL Cricket Club has thrown its support behind council’s push for state government funding to build a community hub (including accessible changerooms) at Brierly Recreation Reserve.
Club president Matt Colla said the proposed community hub would resolve a “disconnect” between the high quality of the ground and the current portable changerooms.
Mr Colla said the change in the quality of the playing surface was phenomenal and now it needed off-field facilities to match.
He said it was important that players had access to facilities that were purpose-built and could accommodate male and female players.
“It’s a bit of a struggle at the moment, with people having to get changed on the field just because of the disconnect with the portable changerooms,” Mr Colla said.
Warrnambool mayor Cr Ben Blain said the $13 million accessible community hub (that includes changerooms and community meeting spaces) was a key advocacy priority of council.
“We want to continue the partnership with the state government on the redevelopment at Brierly Reserve,” Cr Blain said.
“We’re grateful for the state support so far, which included $1 million for the redevelopment of the playing surface, an amount that was matched by council.
“There’s a high level of participation in cricket at Brierly through the Warrnambool Cricket Club, including a full complement of female cricket teams.”
Cr Blain said the portable changerooms were a temporary solution and the community hub would serve the fast-growing residential area in Warrnambool’s north-east along with those participating in sport.
“We’re seeing now, with that growth, that the portable changerooms aren’t cutting it anymore and there are challenges,” he said.
“We want anyone who wants to, to be able to play cricket. We need a new, accessible, community hub with contemporary changerooms that accommodates the growth that we are seeing in North Warrnambool.”
