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Key details

Location
Wantirna South, City of Knox
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country

Client
Sport and Recreation Victoria
City of Knox

Project partners
State Sport Centres Trust
Basketball Victoria
Melbourne Boomers
Knox Basketball Incorporated
South East Melbourne Phoenix
Basketball Australia
Knox Gymnastics

Overview

The Victorian State Government’s $132 million upgrade of the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South is now complete.

The project has created one of Australia’s leading basketball facilities that will support the continued growth of basketball and gymnastics at local and elite levels.

The expansion project was originally announced in 2018 with an $83 million contribution from the Victorian Government and $25 million from City of Knox. An additional $22 million was provided in the 2020 – 21 Victorian State Budget bringing the total budget to $130 million. Knox City Council committed a further $2 million.

Stage one of the redevelopment has delivered:

  • 12 new indoor community courts for local basketball competitions for a total of 18 courts
  • Comprehensive training facilities for high-performance basketball including WNBL and NBL teams
  • New gymnastics facilities
  • New administration facilities to support sports organisations and clubs
  • An outdoor town square space and new cafe.

The centre also has new administration areas for Basketball Victoria, Knox Basketball Inc., Deakin Melbourne Boomers (WNBL), South East Melbourne Phoenix (NBL) and Basketball Australia.

These administration facilities will also be used by local sports organisations and clubs to ensure more grassroots clubs have the best facilities and infrastructure to support basketball’s growth in Victoria for generations to come.

The gymnastics centre at the State Basketball Centre will replace the existing facility in Ferntree Gully and address the large waiting lists for training and competition in the region.

The project was a response to increasing demand for quality sporting facilities in the Knox area and will service everyone from local players to Australian representative athletes while transforming the broader precinct into the premier sports park for Melbourne’s South East.

Prior to the completion of the redevelopment, the State Basketball Centre welcomed almost 800,000 visitors annually. With the redevelopment now complete, it is expected that visitation will increase to more than 2 million people a year.

Development Victoria worked with builder ADCO Constructions to use locally manufactured steel on the build with more than 90 per cent of total construction material coming from Victoria.

More than 500 jobs were created during construction, with more than 100 ongoing jobs supporting the centre’s operations.

Stage 2 works complete

Works to upgrade the original six basketball courts and surrounding administration and function spaces are now complete.

The works included upgrades to the existing courts for high performance and community basketball users, and the conversion of some of the old office areas into new hospitality spaces.

These spaces will provide a better patron/fan experience during major events on the main show court, as well as an extra function space on non-event days.

State Basketball Centre - Stage 1 project documentary

2 million visits per year when complete

18 basketball courts

80% participants in gymnastics are women and girls

4% growth in basketball participation annually in Victoria

Take a fly-through of the new-look State Basketball Centre

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Updated on 30 August 2024