Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will offer greater flexibility for winter sporting user groups to access sportsfields during the offseason, following constructive discussions held earlier this week with sporting clubs.
For the current winter preseason, Council will allow access for the remainder of the preseason period subject to the following:
Bookings must be made through the usual process (i.e. via Bookable) prior to use.
Payment of relevant fees.
Agreement of the seasonal booking holder (where the field is booked by another seasonal user) is required to be provided with the booking request.
Access is dependent on field availability (including planned maintenance and other bookings) and condition, with assessments undertaken to ensure player safety, equitable access, and long-term surface sustainability. term surface sustainability
Field availability/allocation may vary for training, with access to 'home field(s)' not able to be guaranteed.
Mayor Adam Roberts thanked representatives of local winter code sporting clubs for their participation and feedback at the meeting.
He said the approach balances the needs of all seasonal user groups improving access to sporting facilities for the benefit of local community, with Council's responsibility to protect playing surfaces, ensure safety and support longer term field standards also being considered.
Ahead of the 2027 winter season, Council will undertake further engagement with clubs and user groups through the Port Macquarie Hastings Sports Council to develop a clearer and consistent preseason allocation framework which will include.
Defined criteria for field allocation, including field capacity, maintenance schedules, rest periods, and turf health.
Improved communication processes for wet weather decisions and field closures.
Options for managing training intensity and field rotation to support long term field quality.
