Courtworks convey calculated compo for Comm Games canning

BENDIGO Stadium is sporting new upgraded 200-lux lighting across its 12 outdoor netball courts – installed in time for the beginning of the Central Victorian Netball Association’s winter competitions over the coming weeks.

Two hundred-lux lighting means the courts will now receive about 200 lumens of light per square metre, which is viewed as the general standard for community competition level.

The largest netball facility in regional Victoria is home to 22 clubs from the Greater Bendigo region, and the new infrastructure will now afford players extended training and matchplay hours.

The upgrade is part of a broader redevelopment at the stadium – which includes two new indoor sports courts, refurbishment of courts 9 and 10, a new back-up generator and installation of solar panels, plus car parking and accessibility improvements.

Central Victorian Netball Association board independent chair Mandy Hutchison said the new lighting is a significant step forward for for netball in the community.

“It provides a safer, brighter and more professional environment for our athletes, while allowing us to expand competition opportunities during the winter months when daylight is limited,” she said.

“As we introduce our new premier competition, it’s important that our facilities reflect the quality and growth of the game in our region.

“This investment is about more than infrastructure; it ensures our facilities match the quality of talent in our region and supports the next phase of development.”

The works, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year, make up one of three projects in the Bendigo region forming part of the State Government’s Regional Sports Infrastructure Program.

The Program was announced after the cancellation of the 2026 Regional Victoria Commonwealth Games in July 2023 in order to deliver some of the “legacy” facilities slated as part of the event.

If the Games had gone ahead they’d currently be in full swing, with the closing ceremony scheduled for Sunday week at Geelong’s Kardinia Park.

The other local infrastructure works undergoing construction include a new pavilion and arena improvements at the Bendigo Showgrounds, plus renovations at the Bendigo Bowls and Croquet Clubs.