NT’s home of cricket DXC Arena in need of federal support

Cricket NT has called for federal support to rejuvenate its home of cricket and cement the Top End as a place to bring elite matches into the future. Read what’s been proposed.

NT Cricket chief executive Gavin Dovey has called for federal support for DXC Arena. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Cricket NT is seeking federal government support for a masterplan that will rejuvenate its primary cricket facilities and cement the future of the sport in the Top End.

The DXC Arena Masterplan aims to transform Darwin’s home of cricket into a boutique facility that is not only fit for purpose for the community, but can host high level cricket.

As it stands, the original change rooms at the site have not been updated since 1993 and are not up to modern standards, particularly for female participants, while DXC 2 is in need of lights.

At a community level, DXC Arena services local cricket and footy matches and is the home ground of both the PINT Cricket Club and PINT Football Club.

NT Cricket is seeking $6.5m from the federal government to go towards the total project cost of $8m, with the change room upgrades among the 12 steps of the masterplan.

Cricket NT chief executive Gavin Dovey said the plan would also allow the ground to keep pace with others across the country in terms of attracting high level cricket content.

“The change rooms were built in 1993 and have offered really poor, basic amenities for our community and aren’t as inclusive as they should be in 2025,” Dovey said.

NT Cricket is calling for investment into DXC Arena to upgrade the ground and build new change rooms.

“We don’t want to see women cricketers or footballers not be able to use the change rooms, we want to be a facility that offers an acceptable standard of amenities.

“The amount the facility has been used in the past few years has tripled with with huge growth in local cricket and AFL football, as well as the Top End Series and more high performance teams making use of the winter.

“This facility needs investment to meet the basic needs of our community, as well as continue to be a destination of choice for elite cricket.”

Gardens Oval, Cazalys Arena and the Tracy Village sporting precinct have received commitments ahead of the federal election, but a similar promise has yet to come for DXC.

“Don’t forget DXC Arena, it needs investment and plays an important role in a community becoming more multicultural,” Dovey said.

“Trends show the Southeast Asian community is growing significantly in the NT and cricket plays an important role in these communities but we need better facilities to meet that demand.”

NT Cricket is calling for investment into DXC Arena to upgrade the ground and build new change rooms.

It comes as international cricket makes its return to Darwin later this year with two T20 matches between Australia and South Africa to be played at TIO Stadium on August 10 and 12.

DXC Arena is just across the road and is a likely training facility for the international squads so will want to impress against grounds such as the Great Barrier Reef Arena to secure future elite matches.

More than $20m in federal government and Queensland government funding was committed to a stadium in Mackay in Central Queensland last year, and that’s what Darwin is up against.

“We need to be able to accommodate and cater for these elite teams otherwise it makes it harder to advocate for more content,” Dovey said.

“Mackay just hosted the National Indigenous Competition, which was in Alice Springs, and more of these types of national championships will continue to go elsewhere if we can’t offer a great experience for elite teams and our community.”

NT Cricket ambassador Amy Hetherington has played for PINT for the past three years and despite being her home ground she said she and her squad did not use the change rooms.

“I do think there is a lot more that can be done to make the facilities more comfortable and inclusive for women and girls,” Hetherington said.

“To be honest our women’s side don’t use the change rooms at all because they don’t feel like a female friendly space.

“We tend to get ready at home and only use the bathroom at the venue as public toilet facilities.

Amy Hetherington from PINT. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Many of our players are also new parents and it would be great if the facilities catered more to families.

“The majority of players at PINT CC are new to cricket and the more we can do to make them feel welcome and a women friendly sport the more likely we can retain them and build their confidence.

“I’ve got no doubt that an upgrade to the Marrara facilities would help with the narrative and allow us to grow our women’s competition.”