Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas and Birch Ward councillor Kate Redwood announced the funding last week.

State government funding will be supplied through the Female Friendly Facilities category of the Community Sports Infrastructure Fund. 

Ms Thomas said the state government would put $100,000 towards building female-friendly change rooms for players and officials at Hepburn Recreation Reserve.

“Our Female Friendly Facilities Fund is building or upgrading women’s change rooms across the state, meaning female players will never again have to use make-shift areas to prepare for competition and training,” Ms Thomas said.  

Hepburn Shire Council has allocated $200,000 of funding for the much-anticipated project. 

The new facilities will comprise of toilets, showers, storage areas and a medical room. 

Updating the facilities means female sporting teams will have the capacity to attract new members and keep up with the demand of females wanting to be active in their local sporting clubs. 

Netball is still the most popular sport for females in Victoria but the rise in popularity for women playing football, cricket and soccer has seen large numbers of girls and women signing up to play with grassroots clubs. 

Facilities for women, however, have not kept up with the increase in numbers. 

The Hepburn Football Netball Club currently has more than 70 female players. 

Ms Thomas says both male and female players deserve equal facilities:

“Women and girls participation in grassroots footy is soaring – and we believe that every player deserves equal facilities they can be proud of,” Ms Thomas said. 

“With modern, safe and welcoming female-friendly change rooms, more women will be able to take to the courts in Hepburn Springs.” 

Statewide, the funding has delivered close to $10 million to 200 clubs needing to update their facilities.