Cricketers left pitchless

IT CAME as a shock for residents of Wonthaggi, in particular, one life member of the town’s longest established cricket club.

One day the pitch was sitting nestled in Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve football oval as it had for decades, and the next it had disappeared, and all this ahead of the summer season.

“The pitch has been on the oval since the 80s… there was no consultation,” Wonthaggi Club life member and cricketer Rob Geyer stated.

“Pretty much happened for clubs that are not even in our shire. Box Hill Hawks are not ratepayers and the cricket club that has been there forever and, in a day, got booted off…”

Rob isn’t upset about the introduction of outside sporting opportunities, but he is upset that grassroots have had zero say in what is happening in their own backyard, and the greater impact this has on the local clubs.

“They may have changed their tune, but our higher-grade cricket was told not to play at McMahon’s Reserve because of the houses that are close by. Only lower grade or juniors were permitted – that has obviously had to change because our A2 and B grade sides don’t have anywhere else to play.”

Club home junior and lower division games started popping up in Newhaven (26km) and Dalyston (8km) over the season.

“We are a ground short to be honest, which really doesn’t make a lot of sense because a lot of ovals around the country have pitches in the middle of them, I don’t know why Wonthaggi cannot be joint use.

“Plus, it’s disappointing when ratepayers are paying and trying to get local kids involved in junior sports and they are kicked off for a couple of games of football…”

The school oval has been tabled as a backup location, but with it wet underfoot early in the season, no facilities and Little Athletics utilising the venue on a Saturday morning it’s not a reliable solution.

“I really don’t understand why it had to happen, especially as it didn’t get used the whole summer. I’m upset as life member and someone who has been playing cricket there since I was 13 years old, am a former president of the club and suddenly there isn’t a pitch anymore – especially without community consultation first.”

The Sentinel Times contacted the Bass Coast Shire to understand why the pitch was removed and what community consultation was undertaken.

‘The cricket pitch on the main oval at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve was removed in late 2022, creating a dedicated Australian Rules Football oval which is capable of hosting higher level football,” the shire stated.

‘The turf wicket located on the second oval at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve has been maintained and continues to be used by the Leongatha District Cricket Association on a weekly basis. 

‘The removal of the pitch coincided with Council entering into a partnership with Hawthorn Football Club and created an opportunity for Bass Coast Shire to host Hawthorn affiliated teams in a range of community events and training camps. On Sunday, April 30, a VFL Men’s and VFL Women’s match played between Box Hill Hawks and Casey Demons will be played for premiership points at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve. It will be the highest level of Australian Rules Football played within the Shire and is already generating a large amount of interest from the community in attending and supporting the matches.

‘From the removal of the cricket pitch on the main oval at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve, Council invested in the installation of a new synthetic turf wicket at Dalyston Recreation Reserve. The new pitch accommodates local cricket teams who had previously used the main oval at Wonthaggi as an alternate playing venue to their home ground. Council officers have worked closely with the Dalyston

Recreation Reserve Community Asset Committee to maintain a great playing surface at Dalyston and to ensure the local cricket competition has adequate playing surfaces to utilise.’