Grassroots to coexist with South Sydney Rabbitohs at new Heffron multi-purpose sport facility

August 26, 2020

Randwick City Council has today unveiled concept designs for a new state-of-the-art community sporting facility - The Heffron Centre located in Maroubra’s Heffron Park.

The Heffron Centre will be home to the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club and will feature a new indoor multi-purpose facility with sports halls to accommodate community sports, including netball, basketball, badminton, volleyball and futsal, alongside a dedicated gymnastics facility. A café and plaza area are also included.

As part of the project, Randwick City Council and South Sydney “Rabbitohs” have attracted more than $21 million in state and Federal funding to invest in local participation in sport.

Randwick Mayor Danny Said stated “the concept designs have been informed by community feedback and are the result of more than four years of hard work, research, consultation and planning.

“This is an exciting project that will see grassroots and elite sports co-exist at Heffron Park. It will also see the Rabbitohs move to their supporter heartland in Maroubra.”

The Heffron Centre will house the Rabbitohs’ headquarters, training facilities, a new showcase NRL training field, merchandise store, and a new base for Souths Cares to double their health, education and employment programs for communities across South Sydney and broader NSW.

Designed by leading architects Co-op Studio, the design was inspired by the landscape, culture and people of Randwick through community consultation which shaped the contemporary and relaxed design. The centre features rooftop solar panels, rain and stormwater collection, bicycle parking and native landscaping to blend in with the surrounding park and reduce the impact on our environment.

The design concepts were endorsed by Council at their meeting last night and will now proceed to development application stage and public exhibition.

Subject to development approval, construction is anticipated to commence in mid-2021 and estimated to be open in late 2022.

There will be opportunities for the community to learn more about the project throughout the DA public exhibition process in late 2020.

The project is a shared vision between Council, its key project partner the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club (Rabbitohs) and the NSW Government (through the Office of Sport).

Image: Artist Impression of new Heffron Centre

1st May 2020 - New height-adjustable netball posts installed at Heffron Park in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs

4th October 2019 - Sydney Sports Management Group moves forward with management of new Heffron Park Tennis Centre

22nd December 2017 - South Sydney Rabbitohs welcomes backing for Community and High Performance Centre

8th August 2013 - Federal Government commits $16 million to new high performance base for South Sydney Rabbitohs

31st January 2011 - Russell Crowe defends Star City’s Rabbitohs sponsorship

5th August 2020 - Manly Sea Eagles look to commence redevelopment of Brookvale Oval

6th February 2019 - Opening of NSWRL Centre of Excellence hailed as a ‘game-changer’

21st December 2017 - Seven NSW NRL clubs to share $50 million for ‘Centres of Excellence’

17th August 2016 - Work begins on NSW Rugby League Centre of Excellence

14th April 2016 - Suburban Sydney stadia to benefit under $40 million NRL centres of excellence plan

15th November 2015 - NSW Government backs rugby league centre of excellence at Sydney Olympic Park

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