$500,000 invested in facilities at City of Logan's Meakin Park to encourage more female participation in football

Through the Female Facilities Program, the Queensland Government has invested $500,000 in more female-friendly change facilities at Meakin Park, Slacks Creek - located in the City of Logan - to encourage more young girls and women to participate in football. 

The Female Facilities Program has delivered new playing field infra-structure including change rooms, 29 unisex shower cubicles and 10 unisex toilet cubicles.

Local State Member for Waterford Shannon Fentiman notes “having female-friendly change facilities are incredibly important to keeping girls and women active in their local sporting clubs. Women and girls shouldn’t have to get changed on the sidelines or in the car and then head home for a shower.

“Fields like Meakin Park are where there’s opportunity for the committed and determined in the decade ahead to the 2032 Brisbane Games.”

Queensland Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said since 2015, the Queensland Government had spent more than $33 million supporting football in Queensland and advised “we’re continuing to build female-friendly facilities because we know when girls and women feel comfortable and supported, they’re more likely to stick with the sport of their choice.

“More girls and women are taking up traditionally male dominated sport with 15,000 or 20% of all football club players being female.

“The number of female players is soaring and that’s what makes having appropriate facilities so important.”      

Minister Hinchliffe said Queensland was looking forward to being part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 and added “over the next decade, Meakin Park could play a role in helping to discover new Matildas and committed match day volunteers in the lead up to Brisbane’s transformational 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Community sport is where it begins, that’s why we’ve helped local clubs get back on their feet after the 2020 Covid-disrupted season and invested $7.4 million in FairPlay vouchers.

“We don’t want family finances to be a barrier to giving young Queenslanders a spot on the team or a stumbling block to developing their full potential.”   

Football Queensland Chief Executive Robert Cavallucci said investment in new facilities like the new change rooms at Meakin Park will help to accommodate current demand and the expected surge in female participation in the lead-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

“We are experiencing phenomenal growth in female numbers leading up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 which will be held right here in Australia.

“MiniRoos girls participation has increased by 30.6% in 2021 alone.

“Having inclusive facilities like these at Meakin Park will help us unlock the legacy of this global event and continue Queensland’s proud track record of producing Matildas players."

Image: Queensland Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Football Queensland Chief Executive Robert Cavallucci at Meakin Park, Slacks Creek with two women not identified by the Queensland Government press release.