New pavilion and upgraded football pitch unveiled at Baw Baw Shire’s Bellbird Park

The new multi-use pavilion and upgraded football (soccer) pitch have been unveiled to the community at Baw Baw Shire’s Bellbird Park in Drouin.

The new pavilion, which is home to the West Gippsland Hockey Association and the Drouin Dragons Soccer Club and a new satellite venue for the Drouin Cricket Club, delivers a female friendly multi-use community facility including:

• A commercial kitchen, audio visual equipment, flexible room configurations and access to male, female and accessible toilets.

• Four new player change rooms with access to inclusive amenities.

• Two rooms for officials with amenities.

• Storage spaces.

• First aid room.

• Office/meeting room.

• Two canteens, and

• A drop-off zone.

The facility will also provide a community events space and contribute to the implementation of plans for the Drouin Community Hub.

Construction of the new 186 space carpark commenced in January 2022 and was completed in November the same year. The pavilion commenced in March 2024 and has very recently received its occupancy permit. The football pitch redevelopment kicked off in November 2023 and was used for the first time in June of this year.

The Bellbird Park East pavilion and new carpark project is valued at $4.97 million, with a Council contribution of $2.97 million and a $2 million contribution from the Victorian Government through its Growing Suburbs Fund.

The new football pitch was also delivered thanks to equal contributions of $800,000 each from Council and from the Victorian Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund- Female Friendly Facilities stream.

Baw Baw Shire Mayor Annemarie McCabe enthused "the redeveloped soccer pitch will have amazing impacts for our local sporting clubs and as we can see, is already getting put to great use.

“The female friendly changerooms and facilities also ensure Council is contributing to equal access for all our local sporting stars.

“It’s incredible to see how far these upgrades have come since touring the site in February this year.”

Images. Credit: Baw Baw Shire Council