Western Suburbs Leagues Club unveils grand plans to redevelop clubrooms and facilities

A major sporting club in Mackay is almost ready to bring its dream plans to life, with discussions in council almost completed.

From the rubble of a ram-raid to transforming cane fields into a premier sporting centre, Western Suburbs Leagues Club is developing a path to grow sports pathways and community connection.

The Wests Tigers home club has lodged plans to expand across 26 hectares of neighbouring land that will allow it to build first-class facilities envied across the region.

Wests board member Mick Baker said the ultimate goal was to create a community hub in Walkerston, rather than just a sporting facility.

“The opportunity for many sports is there, we want to progress the development of the women’s facilities within our club and we’re looking to be more inclusive,” Mr Baker said.

“We’ve got old facilities that need updating so we can service the community more than we currently deal with, we want the whole facility used rather than just being a rugby league field.”

The acquired land will become mainly new sporting grounds, with the potential to field teams in a variety of codes.

The planned developments over two stages come less than a year after a devastating ram raid on the club’s entrance caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.

Proposed plans, initially lodged in 2013, included 173 extra parking spaces and an extension on the existing clubhouse and gaming room, as well as a newly constructed kids room, gym building, and cricket nets.

A covered bowls green was finished in 2019, while the extra parking spaces were sealed and painted in 2018.

Proposed plans for Western Suburbs Leagues Club expansion in 2013.

The plans also included gym facilities and male and female changing rooms, as well as a yoga and aerobics room in addition to a general gym area.

A second story, including a mezzanine floor balcony, was approved on the initial plans for the gym building.

Proposed plans for Western Suburbs Leagues Club expansion in 2013.

Mr Baker said Wests had drawn inspiration from Harrup Park Country Club in its revised plans to go before Mackay Regional Council.

“We’ve met with Harrup Park and gone through where they’ve been and we’ve tried to get that working advice, because we’re about where they were 10 years ago,” he said.

“Harrup Park and other sporting clubs are happy with our proposal because it’s going to release some of the tension on Mackay’s sporting precinct.”

Proposed plans for Western Suburbs Leagues Club expansion in 2013.

Harrup Park’s Great Barrier Reef Arena has officially broken ground on its own redevelopments, with 10,000 new seats and a 1800-person grandstand to be constructed.

The ability for Great Barrier Reef Arena to host future international fixtures, particularly after hosting a successful series between Australia and India, gives Mr Baker hope for the future of sport in the region.

“Those types of sporting fixtures are not only good for the sports community, they’re good for the youth in the community,” he said.

Proposed plans for Western Suburbs Leagues Club expansion in 2013.

“When kids are exposed to these sports, they really do want to participate in them and that’s where your junior heroes are born and bred.

“We want to make sure we’re planning for our community to be healthy and give them an area they can foster their community pride.”

Mr Baker said the club also wanted to provide the community a place to host other events.

Proposed plans for Western Suburbs Leagues Club expansion in 2013.

“There’s also facilities for agriculture days, we’ve got another one coming up next May so it’s important for us to have a facility that can be used for sport as well as for our community,” he said.

“We’re happy to talk to any of the clubs in our community about this project, because it’s a big piece of land and it’s not just about developing competitive sport.”

Proposed plans for Western Suburbs Leagues Club expansion in 2013.