Lismore and District Netball Association officially reopens beloved clubhouse, ditches port-a-loos and shipping container

A Northern Rivers sporting institution running for almost 80 years is back on its feet after its clubhouse was smashed by flooding and members operated out of a shipping container. Check out the new premises.

A much-loved Northern Rivers sporting institution running for almost eight decades is back on its feet after its clubhouse was smashed by historic flooding in 2022.

Lismore and District Netball Association, which is marking 77 years, finally swung open the doors of the Ballina Rd clubhouse again at the weekend.

Lismore and District Netball Association‘s clubhouse in the floods. Picture: Supplied

Supermarket giant Woolworths pitched in $30,000 to help the club, which was forced to operate out of a shipping container and use port-a-loos after the record natural disaster swamped its two-storey structure.

Catherine Cox opens the doors at the clubhouse reopening.

It’s been more than two years since the northern NSW floods and more work is needed in the slow recovery, which has also resulted in questions about the future of flood-prone cities and towns, like Lismore and Murwillumbah.

Each new business or organisation reopening has been cause for celebration.

Shirley Donovan, club secretary and life member, says you cannot fully understand the impact of 2022 flood unless you lived it.

Netball Association secretary and life member Shirley Donovan said she walked into the clubhouse after the floods, among the mud and debris, and thought “where do you start?”.

“They (the club) started by throwing everything out because nothing was salvageable,” she said.

The new clubhouse.

Ms Donovan said she spotted Woolworths offering grants and had a light bulb moment.

“I remember we looked at grants and the Woolies grant was there and I thought ‘I wonder’ … and that’s probably the best thing I’ve done in my life,” she said.

Damage in the clubhouse canteen after the floods. Picture: Supplied

“We received $10,000 worth of equipment. They had balls and hoops – because we didn’t have enough to go around … and the kids straight away were able to play.

“Another $10,000 was used to subsidise and pay for fees for our five to ten year olds so they could come and play, and this actually helped our membership base grow.

Woolworths Net-set-go ambassador and former Australian Diamond Catherine Cox with Lismore District Netball Association president Melissa Dundas at the reopening of the clubhouse on Saturday.

“The final $10,000 was put towards rebuilding and refurbishing our flooded clubhouse.

“The clubhouse took two years to build and we only got the keys in December.

“There’s still a few things to do so and some work to be done, but for the most part it is functional and will help us significantly on game days.”

Flood damage upstairs after the 2022 disaster. Picture: Supplied

Ms Donovan said the clubhouse now has canteen equipment, benches, seating and a TV.

“We now have somewhere our members can go and sit comfortably and watch the netball,” she said.

The club, a fixture in the local sporting community, will not leave its home, despite future flooding risk.

The clubhouse was smashed. Picture: Supplied

“This has been our home since we moved from over where the caravan park was,” Ms Donovan said.

“We’ve been around since 1947 – we wouldn’t go away from our home. This is us, this is Lismore netball.

“Yes we have floods, yes the courts get covered — but we have never had what happened to us in 2022.”

Lismore and District Netball Association NetSetGo kids back on home turf after their clubhouse was rebuilt, with help from a grant from Woolies. Picture: Supplied

Ms Donovan said epoxy flooring and refurbishments to facilities like the toilets should make the club more resilient to floods.

Catherine Cox, Woolworths NetSetGo ambassador and former Australian Diamond, said it was “incredible” to see the club’s recovery.

“You can hear the whistles, hear the footwork, you can see all the smiles on the kids’ faces and that’s really special.”