Echuca: $13m Victoria Park upgrade to start in first half of 2025

Echuca’s home ground is regarded as a fortress. See what arrangements are in place for the power club with a major redevelopment starting this season.

Goulburn Valley league juggernaut Echuca will face the added challenge of playing a large number of home matches this season away from its Victoria Park fortress that is about to undergo a $13m upgrade.

Echuca is chasing a record fourth successive GV flag and has lost only two matches at home since its dominant run started in the 2021 season wiped out by Covid.

Echuca will play the majority of its home matches at Echuca United’s ground when works start, but will be able to continue to train at Victoria Park.

“We’re hopeful we will get a round or two in,” Echuca president Justin Hatfield said.

“It’s obviously going to depend on who is awarded the contract and when.”

Echuca celebrates a home ground win against Kyabram in 2023. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The upgrade, mostly bankrolled by federal and state government funding, will include demolition of the Haw Pavilion and grandstand and replacing them with a multipurpose facility including changerooms.

There will also be new netball changerooms and amenities.

“Our clubrooms are hanging on by a thread,” Hatfield said.

“We’re probably fortunate that we’re in a good position on field going into this sort of rebuild, otherwise it might have been hard to retain supporters and sponsors.

“But every year presents new challenges and this will be no different.”

GV rival Shepparton Swans are entering a third season with makeshift facilities following major flooding in late 2022.

Gippsland league premiers Traralgon has been without permanent changerooms for even longer following a devastating flood in June 2021.

Traralgon and visiting clubs have been using temporary changerooms with the condemned, flood-damaged buildings finally demolished late last year.

“We will find a way to make it work again,” Traralgon president Kevin Foley said.

“We’ve had to make it work for three years.”

Rival club Drouin will be playing home matches away from its home ground with major resurfacing works underway.

Home matches will be played at Morwell, Trafalgar and Moe.

Meanwhile, facility upgrades are taking at place two Omeo District league clubs, Buchan and Swifts Creek.