Hunter sport facility delivers premium athletics centre and Australian-first Trampoline Centre of Excellence

The $52 million Hunter Sports Centre, Kaiyu Nungkiliko expansion has officially opened delivering a world-class athletics centre and Australian-first Trampoline Centre of Excellence for the New South Wales Hunter Region.

The expanded facility includes a three-level, 4500m2 sport and community centre, with community and function rooms, a health and fitness centre, offices and cafe.

The new Trampoline Centre of Excellence at the western end of the site includes a 1300m2 trampoline hall with ten trampolines, two tumbling strips, a foam pit, warm-up areas and grandstand seating for 400.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said the upgrade meant Lake Macquarie was now primed to host national and international athletics and trampolining events noting “the expanded Hunter Sports Centre will be a magnet for major sporting events for many years to come.

“Not only that, it will nurture sporting talent locally and provides a massive injection for athletics – in particular trampolining – as Australia heads towards hosting the Olympic Games in 2032.”

The expansion was jointly funded by Lake Macquarie City Council, the Australian Government through its Building Better Regions program, its Local Regional Infrastructure program and its Changing Places funding, and the NSW Government through its Centre of Excellence Fund, its Essential Community Sports Asset program and its Regional Sport Facility fund.

Hunter Sports Centre acting General Manager Michelle Preston-Poole said the Centre of Excellence would also cater for training and provide career pathways in other aerial sports, including skateboarding and skiing.

“The centre now boasts world-class facilities from one end to the other, making us one of the premier destinations in NSW for sport, health and wellbeing,” she said.

The expansion’s opening also paves the way for the University of Newcastle’s first permanent presence in Lake Macquarie, including the Trevor Height Athlete Testing Facility and the new sports and community centre.

University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky said he was excited to see the opening of the sports centre and the opportunities that it would provide for students, the Lake Macquarie community and athletes across the region.

Professor Zelinsky added “Sport and university are a great match, and as we celebrate the university’s 60th anniversary, we’re very proud to continue our role in supporting local athletes and our community.

“This remarkable facility will also provide our Exercise and Sport Science students with invaluable practical experience, as they will run an exercise physiology clinic for the community from the centre. We look forward to seeing first-hand the many benefits the clinic and athlete testing facility bring to our region.”

Representatives from all three levels of government cut the ribbon on Saturday 8th March at the site’s official opening, ahead of a community open day to be held on 29th March.

The 29th March community open day will include site tours, trampolining demonstrations and live entertainment.

The expanded centre’s dual name was provided by Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre in consultation with Biraban Local Aboriginal Land Council.

In Awabakal language, Kaiyu means ‘power, skill and ability’, while Nungkiliko means ‘to be successful’ or ‘to obtain’.

Go to hsc.org.au for more information about the newly expanded centre. 

Image top. Aerial view Hunter Sports Centre; image below: Hunter Sports Centre website options