Junior footy league begs Andrews Government to find new home before North East Link is built

A north Melbourne footy club with more than 11,000 young players fears teams will be left without facilities as the $16b North East Link project is set to demolish their grounds.

A popular local footy league has begged the Andrews Government to help find it a new home before its grounds are demolished by the North East Link.

Bulleen Park, home of the Yarra Junior Football League, is set to be bulldozed at the end of next season when work on the $16 billion project is underway.

Leaders of the league, which has over 11,000 young players, fear teams will be left without training facilities and organisers will struggle to find grounds for home and away games.

They have petitioned parents to join a public campaign calling on the government to provide certainty on new facilities before the oval is destroyed.

The current plans will bulldoze a footy field at Bulleen along with their headquarters. Picture: Tim Carrafa

YJFL chief executive Tim Murray said the competition was the biggest junior football league in the country but was still unclear where they would move once work on the road begins.

“The North East Link road and tunnel will take all our existing facilities in Bulleen Park,” he said.

“We have grown by 30% over the last three years due to the growth of girls footy, and this is at risk.”

Yarra Junior Football League players in action. Picture: Tim Carrafa

“The North East Link Authority hasn’t told us where we will be long term … That is what our 11,000 players and 40,000 parents & grandparents want to know”

Mr Murray said the YJFL was the first league in the country to run a girls footy competition.

“Now is the time for a once in a generation investment in new facilities to replace what is being lost, and compensate the community for the upheaval,” he said.

“We beg the State Government to instruct the North East Link Authority to find the YJFL a new home.”

NORTH EAST LINK WRECKING BALL TO COME FOR 138 PROPERTIES

BUSINESSES IN NORTH EAST LINK PATH FEAR FOR FUTURE

DAN’S SURPRISING ALLIES IN NORTH EAST LINK FUNDING PITCH

North East Link Project chief Duncan Elliot said his team had been discussing short and long-term options with league over the last 12 months.

“We’ve also been talking with other clubs at Bulleen Park that could be affected during construction, as well as local councils, to explore options,” he said.

“This is a challenging area of the project and we are committed to finding suitable replacement facilities for affected clubs.

“We know that through careful planning and ongoing conversations with clubs, councils, and other landowners we can manage disruptions well and keep local sports clubs operating through the construction and operation of North East Link.”