The St George Illawarra Dragons Community and High Performance Centre is now open, thanks to joint funding between the federal and state governments and the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The new $65 million centre in Wollongong brings elite training, community programs and new opportunities for women and girls under one roof.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Minister for Sport Anika Wells, News South Wales Minister for Sport Steve Kamper and other local representatives at the University of Wollongong's Innovation Campus for the opening of the world-class facility, which will create sporting legacy for teams, fans and the Illawarra community into the future.
The Albanese Government invested $13.6 million in the facility, alongside funding from the New South Wales Government and St George Illawarra Dragons.
The Centre unites the Dragon's facilities together in one location, laying a strong foundation for the club's future.
The new centre boasts two full-sized NRL playing fields, high performance gym and sports science facilities, medical and treatment areas, and equitable facilities for male and female players.
Dedicated classroom and program spaces, a lecture theatre with an internal 'grandstand', communal function rooms, an allied health area, meeting rooms and office space for football, community and administrative staff and community partners make the centre a community asset.
The centre also features a research and collaboration hub that is shared with the university, reflecting a partnership built on values in health, education and community resilience.
For women and girls in the region, the centre creates greater opportunities for participation in sport and is expected to draw in an additional 6,000 women into sport across the Illawarra over the next decade.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
"This is what rugby league is all about - community, a sense of identity and belonging, learning on and off the field and always looking to improve yourself right beside your teammates.
"Our investment of $13.6 million to the St George Illawarra Dragons' Community and High Performance Centre will provide a world-class facility for the Dragons to deliver the next chapter for the Illawarra.
"Fifteen months ago, we backed this vision for the boys and girls of the Illawarra to be the next NRL and NRLW Dragons, and today we're proud to help make it a reality."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport, Anika Wells:
"This isn't just a training centre for the Dragons - it's a place where the next generations of athletes will develop, where women and girls will have access to sport, and where the community can come together around something they can be proud of.
"Women and girls deserve the same quality facilities as men, and I'm proud the Albanese Government helped make that a reality in this centre.
"High performance sporting centres like this one have launched the careers of champions across this country, and we're giving the Illawarra the facilities to match that ambition."
Quotes attributable to Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes:
"The opening of the Bruce Gordon Centre is a major milestone for the Illawarra and a powerful example of what can be achieved when all levels of government and community partners work together.
"This world-class facility will help nurture the next generation of local sporting talent, while creating more inclusive opportunities for people of all ages, genders and abilities - fostering a lifelong love of sport and community.
"It will be especially important for local women and girls, giving them access to elite facilities close to home and the chance to pursue sport at the highest level.
"I thank the St George Illawarra Dragons and the University of Wollongong for their vision and commitment in delivering this outstanding community asset."
Quotes attributable to Member for Whitlam Carol Berry:
"Whether you're a young person dreaming of wearing a Dragons jersey or someone who's looking forward to greater access to quality sporting facilities, this is a facility our whole community can be proud of.
"We have seen in the NRL that investment into quality sporting facilities and programs is incredibly important for club success and community culture. By investing in our young talent here in the Illawarra, we help build local champions, not only in the NRL but across a wider range of sports.
"When women and girls have access to good facilities, they stay involved in sport longer, step into leadership roles, and become the coaches and role models for the next generation. This is what this Centre will make possible here in the Illawarra."
Quotes attributable to St George Illawarra Dragons Chairman, Andrew Lancaster:
"Today marks a significant moment in the history of the St George Illawarra Dragons. The Bruce Gordon Centre gives our club a home that matches our ambition - not only for our elite teams but also for our pathways, staff, partners, supporters and our community programs.
"We are incredibly grateful to the NSW Government, the Australian Government and the University of Wollongong for their partnership and belief, which have made this possible.
"The Dragons have always had deep roots in the region, and the Bruce Gordon Centre strengthens that connection in a meaningful and lasting way.
"It will help us develop the next generation of rugby league talent, provide equitable facilities for our NRL and NRLW players, and create more opportunities for young people, particularly women and girls, to see a genuine future for themselves in sport.
"The Bruce Gordon Centre is a facility the whole region can be proud of."
