Major win for Len Shearer Reserve! 

They've been well loved and used by thousands of community soccer and athletics participants every week for years, but the Len Shearer Reserve Clubrooms were tired and badly in need of an upgrade.

A while back, when I attended MUFC’s junior soccer season wind up, parents and community members told me they wanted new, modern facilities. So as Member for Bateman, I committed to delivering exactly that.

Now, I'm proud to announce that the new and improved sporting facilities at Len Shearer Reserve are open and already being used by Bateman locals.

With the Cook Labor Government, I delivered $1.2 million towards the refurbishment, through the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) as part of the PlayOn initiative.

PlayOn WA is an ambitious new initiative shaping investment in community sport and recreation infrastructure across the State through to 2030.

The State Government provided a further $300,000 through the Legacy Grants for Women’s National Premier Clubs.

The project was delivered in partnership with The City of Melville.

The redevelopment of Len Shearer Reserve will benefit the whole community, but will especially form a modern, fit for purpose home for Murdoch University Melville Football Club (MUMFC) and Melville Roar Little Athletics.

Key improvements include:

• Four new change rooms – doubling the previous number – designed for use by either male or female teams

• Larger clubroom with an extended footprint to better accommodate players, officials and community events

• Increased storage capacity to support club operations

• Modern umpires’ room with updated amenities

• Brand-new canteen, enhancing the match-day experience for players and spectators

The new change rooms feature lockable individual showers, private toilet cubicles, and non-slip flooring to ensure a safe, inclusive environment suitable for full-sized teams.

Both MUMFC and the local athletics club have recorded a sharp rise in female participation in recent years. The delivery of these upgraded facilities is expected to further encourage and support that growth well into the future.

Murdoch University Melville Football Club Kicking Goals

In addition to the $1.2 million Cook Government funding for Len Shearer Redevelopment, MUMFC also received $300,000 in State Government funding to ensure a lasting legacy to support women’s participation in football following the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in WA.

MUMFC contributed these funds to the redevelopment of Len Shearer Reserve, bringing the total State Government contribution to the redevelopment to $1.5 million.  The new, upgraded facilities at Len Shearer will enable the MUMFC Women’s National Premier League (WNPL) side to relocate to Len Shearer Reserve, and provide top quality training and clubroom facilities for the elite women’s team.

Find out more about this funding.