Parramatta Eels unveil $70 million rugby league centre of excellence in Kellyville

Parramatta Eels officially unveiled its centre of excellence at the club’s Kellyville base on 22nd May, opening the doors on the largest facility of its kind in rugby league. The opening was attended by representatives from all levels of government, sporting organisations, and the community.

The $70 million site is spread across 11 hectares and includes five full-size rugby league fields, a community centre, an indoor training centre, a gym and infrared sauna, rehabilitation pools, the club's offices and NRLW-standard match facilities with a capacity of 5,000.

The Centre will be the training base for the Parramatta Eels NRL and NRLW sides, as well as the premier regional facility for junior and women’s rugby league. The venue is the first fully integrated NRL and NRLW training facility in Australia.

The Centre also includes a 1,500-seat grandstand, multi-purpose function and community education rooms, gym, match day media rooms, change rooms, a kiosk and much more.

The community centre and grandstand will allow the Eels to play NSW Cup, junior representative and NRLW trial games at the venue.

Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne said the facility represented a number of important milestones, both for the local community and on a national scale and noted “the facility opens elite pathways for Hills athletes to pursue rugby league at the highest level, giving them access to professional-standard infrastructure right in their backyard. It also provides facilities for spectators and the wider community as the project seeks to give greater access to the Hills community.”

The Centre of Excellence is the result of a strong partnership between The Hills Shire Council, Parramatta Eels, the state and federal governments, as well as the builders and contractors who worked on the delivery of the facility.

Mayor Byrne said this facility was an investment in grassroots sports and the growing Hills community adding “with our population expected to grow by another 140,000 residents over the next 15 years, the need for high-quality sporting facilities has never been greater – and Council is committed to meeting that demand.

“This is one of several premier facilities we’ve helped deliver, including those in basketball, tennis, AFL, cricket, and hockey – and we’re continuing work on future centres for football and rugby union.

“These facilities remove the barrier of long-distance travel for families and athletes, support the development of grassroots sport, and inspire the next generation of sporting stars – the next Mitchell Moses could come from right here in The Hills.”

Images from top: Hills Shire’s first rugby league Centre of Excellence – Parramatta Eels HQ; Mayor Byrne with Eels CEO, Jim Sarantinos, Member for Parramatta, Dr Andrew Charlton MP, Eels Director, Matthew Beach, and PNRL President Greg Monaghan. Credit Hills Shire.