I am writing as a local parent and proud member of the Newcastle community to express my strong support for the proposed Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) development. As someone who has seen firsthand the positive impact that sport has on our children, families, and broader community, I believe this project is not only necessary but long overdue.
Our current basketball stadium, while it has served us well over the years, is simply no longer fit for purpose. It is outdated, too small for the growing demand, and offers little protection against the weather — meaning cancelled games and training sessions are all too common. This not only affects the development of our young athletes but also limits opportunities for families to stay active and connected throughout the year.
The new HISC promises to be a true community hub, offering state-of-the-art facilities for a wide range of indoor sports including basketball, futsal, volleyball, pickleball, netball, and indoor tennis. This kind of multi-sport venue is exactly what Newcastle needs — a modern, inclusive, and accessible space where people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities can come together, be active, and thrive.
Perhaps most importantly, the additional court capacity will mean no more turning children away due to a lack of space. As a parent, it's heartbreaking to see kids miss out on the chance to play simply because there aren’t enough facilities. This development ensures that more children can participate, learn teamwork, build confidence, and enjoy the lifelong benefits of sport.
Beyond the sporting benefits, the HISC will contribute significantly to community health, youth engagement, and social inclusion. It provides a positive outlet for young people, supports talent development pathways, and fosters stronger connections within our diverse community.
This project is about more than just bricks and mortar — it’s about investing in the wellbeing, future, and unity of Newcastle. I wholeheartedly support the HISC and urge decision-makers to approve the SSDA and help bring this vital community asset to life.

Newcastle Basketball do need a new complex.

However, the current proposed site of Wallarah Oval and Blackley Oval in Turton Road, Wallarah Road and Monash Road is not a suitable site.

There are a great number of issues with this site. Below are the issues I believe, should be sufficient reason to find an alternate site elsewhere in the Hunter Region.
Loss of Green Space:
• The loss of valuable and irreplaceable green space. The removal of green space will never be returned to the community. These ovals are more than just a sports oval, they are a place a great many people utilise just to enjoy being outdoors, away from concrete structures. With the increase in residential apartments planned for the area, this green space is even more valuable with the increased population in high rise apartments.
• There are many current users of the green space range from sports clubs to Lambton High school students, to parents with their children, to individuals seeking some space, grass and sun to relax. We pass, travel through or use these ovals ourselves regularly, and we are always sharing the green space with others who find this space vital to their daily lives.
• The loss of the green space, somewhere to exercise will have a negative impact on all users mental health when replaced by concrete. Being in and/or around nature helps with mental health issues. The reduction of this green space will have a negative impact on those living in the immediate area to this development.
Impact on other users of the current ovals:
• Lambton High School will lose their play and sports areas as well as their evacuation locations.
• Currently our neighbours’ small children often play in our back lane. However, when they are old enough to cross the busy main road, they will be looking to use the ovals for play instead.
• The older children in our area are seen frequently walking or riding their bikes to the oval for sport and sport practice. Many parents currently take their children to the ovals for sports practice regularly.
• Other sports clubs already utilising the current ovals will be forced to relocate or worse, cease altogether due to a lack of other suitable, available facilities in the area.
Flooding and Drainage:
• The stormwater drainage around the ovals is regularly impacted by wet weather. The area has been declared a flood prone area. The grassed ovals currently assist with the water flow through some absorption however with this natural area being removed will increase the flooding to the neighbouring streets even further.
• I have attached some photos of the flooding that has occurred in the immediate area during heavy rain. With the construction of more buildings and the loss of natural drainage, this flooding will increase in severity.
Traffic and Parking Impacts:
• Currently when there is an event at McDonald Jones Stadium there is major traffic congestion in the streets immediately around the stadium. This will increase significantly with the introduction of the basketball stadium as there will be less parking available due to the basketball centre using the limited parking already available.
• Traffic congestion will significantly increase when there are multiple events at both the basketball centre, McDonald Jones stadium and the Hockey Centre.
• There are a great many issues with people attending the events to park their cars across and in private driveways. I expect that this will increase further with the basketball patrons utilising the already limited parking available in the area. Residents will not be able to park at or near their homes.
• Pedestrian movements in surrounding streets will increase. This will likely increase the volume of littering and trespass on private property. This already occurs frequently with the events at McDonald Jones Stadium.
• Any additional traffic, and people will increase the noise levels to the area. This increase in noise will impact residents from early in the morning to late evenings most nights of the week. Shift workers, elderly and the ill will be more negatively impacted by this change.

Basketball is a popular sport that deserves good facilities, however prioritising one sport over the reduction or elimination of at least 2 other sports is not the best outcome for this community.

Alternate Locations:
• Near the Glendale Bunnings and Costco sites - Munibung Road and Main Road Boolaroo
• The newly proposed Sports Precinct at Maryland
• The old BHP site at Mayfield
• Bower Oval behind the Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale

The current space would be utilised by 1000s of people and not just a few

Newcastle Basketball do need a new complex.

However, the current proposed site of Wallarah Oval and Blackley Oval in Turton Road, Wallarah Road and Monash Road is not a suitable site.

There are a great number of issues with this site. Below are the issues I believe, should be sufficient reason to find an alternate site elsewhere in the Hunter Region.
Loss of Green Space:
• The loss of valuable and irreplaceable green space. The removal of green space will never be returned to the community. These ovals are more than just a sports oval, they are a place a great many people utilise just to enjoy being outdoors, away from concrete structures. With the increase in residential apartments planned for the area, this green space is even more valuable with the increased population in high rise apartments.
• There are many current users of the green space range from sports clubs to Lambton High school students, to parents with their children, to individuals seeking some space, grass and sun to relax. We pass, travel through or use these ovals ourselves regularly, and we are always sharing the green space with others who find this space vital to their daily lives.
• The loss of the green space, somewhere to exercise will have a negative impact on all users mental health when replaced by concrete. Being in and/or around nature helps with mental health issues. The reduction of this green space will have a negative impact on those living in the immediate area to this development.
Impact on other users of the current ovals:
• Lambton High School will lose their play and sports areas as well as their evacuation locations.
• Currently our neighbours’ small children often play in our back lane. However, when they are old enough to cross the busy main road, they will be looking to use the ovals for play instead.
• The older children in our area are seen frequently walking or riding their bikes to the oval for sport and sport practice. Many parents currently take their children to the ovals for sports practice regularly.
• Other sports clubs already utilising the current ovals will be forced to relocate or worse, cease altogether due to a lack of other suitable, available facilities in the area.
Flooding and Drainage:
• The stormwater drainage around the ovals is regularly impacted by wet weather. The area has been declared a flood prone area. The grassed ovals currently assist with the water flow through some absorption however with this natural area being removed will increase the flooding to the neighbouring streets even further.
• I have attached some photos of the flooding that has occurred in the immediate area during heavy rain. With the construction of more buildings and the loss of natural drainage, this flooding will increase in severity.
Traffic and Parking Impacts:
• Currently when there is an event at McDonald Jones Stadium there is major traffic congestion in the streets immediately around the stadium. This will increase significantly with the introduction of the basketball stadium as there will be less parking available due to the basketball centre using the limited parking already available.
• Traffic congestion will significantly increase when there are multiple events at both the basketball centre, McDonald Jones stadium and the Hockey Centre.
• There are a great many issues with people attending the events to park their cars across and in private driveways. I expect that this will increase further with the basketball patrons utilising the already limited parking available in the area. Residents will not be able to park at or near their homes.
• Pedestrian movements in surrounding streets will increase. This will likely increase the volume of littering and trespass on private property. This already occurs frequently with the events at McDonald Jones Stadium.
• Any additional traffic, and people will increase the noise levels to the area. This increase in noise will impact residents from early in the morning to late evenings most nights of the week. Shift workers, elderly and the ill will be more negatively impacted by this change.

Basketball is a popular sport that deserves good facilities, however prioritising one sport over the reduction or elimination of at least 2 other sports is not the best outcome for this community.

Alternate Locations:
• Near the Glendale Bunnings and Costco sites - Munibung Road and Main Road Boolaroo
• The newly proposed Sports Precinct at Maryland
• The old BHP site at Mayfield
• Bower Oval behind the Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale

As a current WNBL player with the Canberra Capitals and a NBL1 Captain for the Newcastle Falcons, I have seen firsthand how vital quality facilities are for both elite athletes and grassroots participants. Unfortunately, the current conditions at Newcastle Basketball Stadium in Broadmeadow are extremely poor. The floors are uneven and slippery, the roof leaks, and the outdated infrastructure poses constant injury risks for athletes. For a community as rich in sporting history as Newcastle, these conditions are simply not acceptable. Soon, we face an even greater challenge - the stadium will no longer be available, leaving us effectively homeless with no safe, reliable place to train or compete.

Newcastle has long been a breeding ground for high-level women’s basketball players, producing athletes who have gone on to play professionally in and for Australia, as well as around the globe. But without proper facilities, it will become harder and harder to sustain that pathway. The Hunter Indoor Sports Centre represents more than just a new building - it’s a lifeline. It will ensure that the next generation of athletes has a safe, inspiring, and professional environment to grow.

This Centre has the potential to be the home that basketball in Newcastle desperately needs, and it opens the door to hosting a WNBL team in our region. Bringing elite women’s basketball to Newcastle would be transformative - not only for athletes but for the entire community. Young girls, in particular, “can’t be what they can’t see.” Having the opportunity to watch top-level professional women’s basketball players compete in their own city would spark belief, ambition, and dreams that could shape their futures both on and off the court.

And it’s not just basketball that will benefit. The Hunter Indoor Sports Centre will be a hub for multiple sports and community groups, giving countless people of all ages and abilities a safe place to play, connect, and belong. Facilities like this are not just about bricks and mortar - they are about creating opportunity, fostering community pride, and ensuring that Newcastle remains a leader in sport for generations to come.

The reality is clear: without the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre, our athletes, coaches, and families will soon be left without a home. With it, we gain not only a world-class venue but also a chance to create legacy, equity, and opportunity across sport in our region.

I object to the construction of the Hunter Indoor Sports Centre on the Wallarah and Blackley Ovals. The site is totally unsuitable.
I believe the proposal has been poorly planned without any community consultation. It has caused serious stress for many local residents, particularly those living in the streets adjacent to the ovals.

My reasons for objection:

* The traffic congestion in the area is already bad. It is exacerbated when the NRL games are played at McDonald Jones stadium. There is inadequate parking and vehicles take over all the surrounding streets. This is also worse when the hockey centre has fixtures as well. The addition of another sports centre will create even more chaos. It was interesting to note that in the original plan for the sports centre it was suggested that vehicles could park at McDonald Jones Stadium if necessary. I believe Venues NSW would not allow this so the current plan for the centre's parking overflow is to just fill the surrounding streets.

* The ovals provide green space which must be preserved, especially in light of the planned Broadmeadow precinct.
The ovals also provide a recreational space for residents and a welcoming environment for local birdlife. The cycle path that crosses
the ovals is well patronised by local families.
These ovals are used by various sporting groups. Why should the Basketball Association be allowed to claim them for their use?
The ovals are also used for outdoor activities by the students of Lambton High School. The revised location of the centre appears to block the access of students and if the need for evacuation in an emergency was to arise the students would have to be taken on foot a number of blocks away to Kentish Oval.

* The ovals also are located next to a drain which regularly fills in periods of heavy rain. The long periods of rain this year have resulted in the ovals being flooded for prolonged periods. I am not confident that the proposed design has adequately addressed flood risk.

* The size of the proposed centre and the hours of operation will impact the well-being of nearby residents and I believe may also
lower the value of their properties.

* I also note that the construction of the Sports Centre on the proposed site is not supported by Sonia Hornery, the State Member for Wallsend, or Ross Kerridge, Lord Mayor of Newcastle.

I would suggest a better location for the proposed facility would be at Glendale near the Hunter Sports Centre.

The Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC) is a key piece of infrastructure that Newcastle and the surrounding area require to support indoor sport in the area. A number of sports & their development are suffering greatly with the lack of quality venues.
In particular, Volleyball has extremely limited access to venues in the Hunter. This lack of access has required Hunter Volleyball to dramatically reduce their available programs at all levels. Players are forced to travel extensively to play competitively in this sport. Our family has spent countless hours & money travelling to Sydney to develop our son as a volleyball player.
The region truly deserves a venue that the volleyball community can continue to create an environment of excellence, competitive development and a facility were individuals of all ages come together.