sport
Perth Sports Facilities and Venues Drive Local Participation Growth
Upgrades to key Perth venues reflect sustained investment in infrastructure that underpins community sport across the metropolitan area.
How we reported this
Perth City Council endorsed a $45 million package on 8 July for maintenance and capacity work at Optus Stadium and the WA Athletics Stadium in Mount Claremont.
The timing aligns with rising registration numbers in local leagues after the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals drew global attention to Australian teams. Perth residents have increased use of public facilities by 18 percent since January, according to City of Perth records, creating pressure on existing pitches, tracks and seating.
Named Sites Receiving Work
Optus Stadium on Victoria Park Drive will see new turf panels installed in its northern stand and additional floodlighting added to the adjacent training fields used by the Fremantle Dockers academy. At the same time, the WA Athletics Stadium on Stephenson Avenue will receive a resurfaced 400-metre track and two new throwing circles, funded jointly by the state government and Athletics West. Both projects are scheduled to finish before the October school holidays.
Further north, the Joondalup Sports Complex on Joondalup Drive has already opened two additional netball courts this month after a six-week build. Local clubs report that the extra courts have allowed an immediate increase from 42 to 58 junior teams in the northern suburbs competition.
Numbers Behind the Spending
City documents show the Optus Stadium turf work will cost $12.8 million, while the athletics upgrades total $8.4 million. Attendance data from the past financial year indicates Optus Stadium hosted 47 matches or events that drew more than 1.2 million spectators, underscoring why the council chose to prioritise these two sites. Maintenance logs also list 312 pitch bookings at the Joondalup complex in June alone, up from 219 the same month in 2024.
Residents can check updated booking calendars on the City of Perth website or contact venue managers directly for training slots that become available after the current works. The next round of public consultation on further upgrades opens 20 August at the City of Perth offices on St Georges Terrace.