Project information

Stage 1 was completed in December 2018 and included the following new facilities to complement our existing lower playing field and baseball diamond;

• FIFA-1 accredited synthetic football (soccer) pitch
• AFL oval
• Pavilion with club rooms, change rooms and a multi-purpose function room with capacity to seat 132 people

Stage 2 of the project, the La Trobe Sports Stadium, was completed in January 2020 and includes:

• A teaching and research building (6 Star Green Star Design and As Built v1.2 certified rating), including world-class sport science and analytics research laboratories
• An indoor stadium, complete with six, multi-purpose highball courts
• Office space for commercial tenants

Sustainable building design

The La Trobe Sports Stadium has been awarded Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star Design and As Built v1.2 certified rating for a sports building by the Green Building Council Australia, recognising ‘World Leadership’ in sustainable building practice.

Key environmental features of the La Trobe Sports Stadium include:

• 1,104 rooftop solar panels which generate 519 kW - enough to meet the entire stadium’s electrical demand with a surplus that will also provide renewable energy to the rest of the campus.
• Structural design that significantly reduces embodied carbon (the greenhouse gas emissions generated upfront to construct the building) with a 15% reduction demonstrated due to the structural efficiency of the court design.
• Accredited sustainable products including furniture, flooring and ceiling panels.
• Water efficient fixtures and controls with rainwater capture and reuse.
• Native landscaping, natural ventilation, water sensitive urban design, an integrated waste management plan, green groundskeeping operations and a white roof which reflects the sun.

In May 2021, Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino; Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula, and Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams announced an investment of $101.1 million into a state-of-the-art facility at La Trobe University’s Sports Park in Bundoora – a key component of the University City of the Future. This investment is in addition to the Commonwealth Government’s earlier commitment of $15 million towards the construction of the new home of the Matildas in Victoria.

Construction begins in October 2021 with the Football Victoria project to be completed in March 2023 so that it can be the training base for the Matildas ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The remainder of the development will be completed in August 2023.

About the new facilities

• Stage 3 of the Sports Park development has seen the facility become the national base for Football Australia's national women's programs, including the home of the Matildas, and the State Centres for Football Victoria and Rugby Victoria.
• New common areas formed part of Stage 3, including an inter-connected road network, a 200-space carpark, a central plaza and landscaped areas.
• A new multipurpose synthetic field was also built at Charles La Trobe College. The Ganbu Djila Multipurpose Sports Field can be programmed for football (soccer), baseball or any general sporting or recreational activity.
• The State Centre for Football Victoria currently includes a marquee pitch with seating, three (soon to be four) other pitches and high-performance facilities including a gymnasium and wet recovery area, medical and rehabilitation centre, meeting areas and player lounge.
• The Victorian State Rugby Centre will include a show pitch with grandstand seating and two additional pitches, along with high performance facilities including a gymnasium, sport science, medical and recovery areas and a training base for elite women’s rugby. Two pitches are now complete and in use.

The project was supported by the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth Government and is a partnership between La Trobe University, Football Australia, Football Victoria and Rugby Victoria.

Read more about how La Trobe archaeology student, Felicity Smolenaers, turned her passion into practice as part of site excavations for Stage 3 of the Sports Park project.

• The pitch is FIFA-1 standard and accredited
• 4,000 tonnes of recycled crushed concrete form the base
• 50,000 tonnes of recycled tyres make up the infill
• 200 tonnes of recycled running shoes were used in the underlay
• 2.5km of synthetic turf was laid for the pitch – this would take you from sea level to the top of Mt Kosciuszko

• The oval is larger than Marvel Stadium
• There is over 4km of subsurface drainage pipework beneath the oval
• The oval light level is above 350 lumens, equivalent to daylight brightness
• 13,000 cubic metres of soil was moved to make the oval
• 19km of Australian grown grass was laid – almost a half marathon’s worth of turf

• 6 Star Green Star Design and As Built v1.2 certified rating
• The high-ball indoor courts have been constructed to netball, basketball and volleyball community competition standard, with a ceiling height of 8.3 meters to the nearest ceiling obstruction and covering approximately 6,500 m2
• In future, three of the high-ball indoor courts can be reconfigured to create a show court facility with seating for 2250 spectators
• Approximately 2,700 m2 dedicated to three sport science and analytics research laboratories: Biomechanics; Strength & Conditioning; and Exercise Physiology Research.
• 1,104 rooftop solar panels which generate 519 kW and could supply energy for up to 90 domestic homes per day
• 500T of steel was installed to structurally support the building and the equivalent to two Olympic swimming pools worth of concrete were used
• End of trip facilities for 50 bikes

• The Pavilion has nine gender neutral change rooms which can accommodate 280 people – equivalent to 10 AFL teams at once
• The Pavilion balcony has 360-degree views
• The Lower Playing Fields can be configured for four soccer fields or two cricket ovals