Wests sporting club reveals grand expansion

Club details major upgrade plans this year

Work on the $1.4 million bowling green at Wests will be started after the Canegrowers Mackay Ag Trade Expo. Picture: Troy Kippen

EXCLUSIVE: Sporting clubs across Mackay have been investing heavily in facility upgrades recently and now Western Suburbs Leagues Club is about to start on an expansion of its own to become a sports and community hub of the Pioneer Valley.

Harrup Park Country Club, Mackay Netball Association and Magpies Sporting Club have all had recent expansions or are working through multi-million dollar master plans.

But to see how Wests is evolving a person doesn't have to look much further than how it has grown the Canegrowers Ag Trade Expo the club picked up last year.

Despite a wash-out in 2017, the event has expanded and this year there are more than 80 exhibitors, and more entertainment to make it family friendly.

Western Suburbs Leagues Club general manager Kingsley Theiber said the plan was to continue to expand the event into a possible week-long show celebrating the Pioneer Valley.

The trade expo, on this Friday and Saturday, is just one example of the expansions that the club is planning across the board.

"We want to have a PBR-style event later in the year as well,” he said.

Julie Mills will some of the machinery that will feature at the Ag Trade Expo. Picture: Troy Kippen

Once the trade expo closes the club will get under way with its development of an undercover bowling green, to replace the North Eton bowls club that closed down a few years ago.

"It's like nothing Mackay has ever seen before,” Mr Theiber said. "We are starting in June or July on a $1.4 million bowls green.

"We are looking what we can do for the community out here, as it's our role as a community club.

"There are not a lot of sporting facilities out here (in the Pioneer Valley).”

The complex was also an evacuation and recovery centre during Cyclone Debbie, so the club invested $100,000 in a generator.

Wests had about 1000 members five and a half years ago, and the club has grown that now to about 9000 members in a footprint with about 18,000 residents.

Originally published as Wests sporting club reveals grand expansion