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A lighting upgrade at  Henshilwood Recreation Reserve in the Mildura suburb of Irymple, aims to trigger a range of benefits for hundreds of junior and senior players across football, netball and cricket, and for the Irymple community more broadly.

Competition-standard lighting will be installed at the reserve’s netball courts, while lighting on the main oval will be significantly upgraded to meet the current Australian Standard for both cricket and AFL.

Mildura Rural City Councillor for Recreation and Events Mark Eckel described the $810,000 project as a community success story, and an asset for the fast-growing local community, given the strong involvement of the respective sporting clubs.

The Henshilwood Recreation Reserve lighting upgrade has been made possible through $250,000 in Victorian Government funding through Sport and Recreation Victoria’s 2021-22 Country Football Netball Program, and $50,000 from the Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund. The remaining funding is a partnership between Mildura Rural City Council, the Irymple Football Netball Club and Irymple Cricket Club.

Eckel notes “this is a major project that shows what can be accomplished by working side-by-side with the sporting clubs that call Henshilwood Recreation Reserve home.

“It will allow more players to train at their home ground, increase growth and participation in all three sports, and contribute to increased social and physical activity, and the health and well-being benefits that come from that.”

Irymple Football Netball Club Capital Works Coordinator Leon Crisera said this week’s announcement was the culmination of a 15-year journey for the club.

“Our club members have been working towards this outcome for 15 years and now that it’s close to becoming a reality we’re looking forward to the benefits it will bring the entire Irymple community,” Crisera said.

“Sport plays a big role in regional communities, and the enormous growth in Irymple’s population has been matched by corresponding growth in player participation at Henshilwood Recreation Reserve across football, netball and cricket.

“Working with Council and the Irymple community we’ll be able to deliver a project that is truly amazing.”

Irymple Cricket Club Treasurer Ben Hunt echoed the football club’s comments, highlighting the broader benefit of the project for the local community.

“The Irymple Cricket Club has been working tirelessly with the community and fellow stakeholders of Henshilwood Reserve to achieve this fantastic outcome,” Hunt said.

“With very limited open spaces in Irymple, the full utilisation of Henshilwood Reserve is paramount to our expanding population.

“We would like to commend Recreation Development Coordinator Thomas Stevenson and his team at Mildura Rural City Council for their support and input into this project.”

Cricket Victoria State Infrastructure Manager Callum Dean said the lighting upgrades would be a major boost for women’s cricket in the region adding “It’s great news for cricket in Mildura. This project was successful in applying for Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund investment.

“The lighting upgrade at Henshilwood Recreation Reserve will allow more people to play cricket into the evening, which supports participation throughout the broader region.”

“Whilst the financial commitment of $261,000 from the Irymple community to make this project a reality is significant, we believe the impact and benefit to the broader Irymple community for future generations far outweighs any financial cost,” Crisera said.

Work is expected to start on the lighting upgrade this year and be completed within 12 months.

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