Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
7 JULY, 2026
Waiting for change By Georgia Tacey Female footballers and netballers in Macedon are still changing in cars and public toilets as sporting clubs continue the fight for basic facilities at Tony Clarke Reserve. The five user groups – Macedon Football Netball Club, Macedon Cricket Club, Macedon Tennis Club, and Macedon Ranges Bowling Club – have joined forces to demand urgent upgrades to changing facilities at the reserve. Tony Clarke Reserve has only one changeroom each for home and away teams. Women and men are forced to share facilities that include one big open room with doorless showers.
Our netballers have no changing facilities. Our AFLW participants have no changing facilities, so we need to keep advocating - Ron Rutledge
Macedon Football Netball Club president Ron Rutledge with Sarah Miles, Ruby Watts and Tamara Collins. (Damjan Janevski) 561125_01
and we know that the precinct will not have any remedial updates for at least three to four years,” Mr Rutledge said. “Consquentially, our netballers have no changing facilities. Our AFLW participants have no changing facilities, so we need to keep advocating.” In the same week the masterplan was announced, clubs were informed that the council’s application to the state government for a female-friendly change room upgrade at the reserve was knocked back. Council had sought $250,000 through the Country Football Netball Program and committed a further $380,000 in
its draft 2026-27 budget towards the project. Detailed designs had already been completed to meet AFL and Cricket Australia standards. However, the seven projects announced by the state government were for lighting upgrades, irrigation and an oval redevelopment. Mr Rutledge said he was disappointed that female sport was not supported. “There’s not one project under those grants to do with participation of people playing sport, more particularly women,” he said. “Th is is a project that should have been approved.”
Mr Rutledge said they will go back to the drawing board and continue the search for funding. He worries for the future of the club and female sport at the reserve without appropriate facilities. A state government spokesperson said the Country Football Netball Program was highly competitive and encouraged unsuccessful councils to seek feedback from Sport and Recreation Victoria. The Local Sports Infrastructure Fund is currently open to applications, and Star Weekly understands council will apply on behalf of the club, with Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas backing the bid.
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As a result, men’s and women’s teams aren’t able to play at the same time, with female players being forced to privately change in their cars or public toilets. While the reserve had a recent funding win, the fight for change room upgrades continues. Macedon Football Netball Club president Ron Rutledge said while council’s commitment of $40,000 towards a master plan was welcome, it would do little to solve the immediate problem with football and netball competitions well underway. “We welcome all of the community to engage and be part of that project which will be carried out in the back half of this year,” he said. However, Mr Rutledge said the masterplan may take years to be completed. Council assets and operations director Dom Testoni told Star Weekly in May that the masterplan project was a medium-term priority. “The masterplan will certainly do some good for the whole Macedon community, but we are currently playing football today,