SCaRP - Artie Smith Oval Development

With the official opening of the transformed Artie Smith Oval earlier this month, the community has shown a keen interest in how the new facility will be used.

Unlike other sporting fields and ovals across the region, the premier facility has been designed to not only accommodate community sports clubs, but to also attract major sporting, entertainment and cultural events to the Shoalhaven.

Mayor Amanda Findley said she was excited to be delivering a contemporary regional sporting facility for the Shoalhaven but noted the playing surface and surrounding infrastructure requires a higher level of service to maintain.

“The prestige facility has become a major drawcard for local sporting groups thanks to the high-quality turf, lighting, infrastructure and club buildings,” Cr Findley said.

“Council is already receiving enquiries for Local and Country Cricket, AFL clinics, AFL representative matches, as well as other sporting and community events leading into 2025,” she said.

Artie Smith Oval is currently being used six days a week by local clubs, including:

• Cricket clinics
• Local cricket training
• Local pre-season AFL training
• First and Second grade cricket matches
• Representative cricket

“The large investment in the project is clearly evident and Council will work hard to ensure the precinct remains a quality training and sporting facility the envy of the state.”

“Just like our other sporting fields across the region, we currently offer Artie Smith free of charge to local sports group.”

Artie Smith Oval will receive specialised care and attention to prepare and maintain the playing surface, wickets, buildings and surrounds to ensure its status as a premium location.

Access to the sports fields and recreational precinct will be limited to scheduled training, games and events. Sporting groups and event organisers can contact Council’s Booking Officer to enquire about availability and the booking process.

Andrew Ellis, Head Coach for the Bomaderry Tigers Australian Football Club said Artie Smith Oval has been home for the Bomaderry Tigers AFL club since its inception in 1970.

“The men’s and women’s senior playing group have been fortunate enough to commence their 2024 campaigns on the new state of the art surface since December 2023 and the feedback has been nothing short of remarkable,” said Mr Ellis.

“From a personal perspective, as someone who has played AFL for Bomaderry since the age of 11, I still need to pinch myself each time I enter our new arena,” he said.

“The recent upgrades to Artie Smith Oval is a significant milestone, not only for our proud club, but for the broader community as well. The club is extremely excited to have an opportunity to form the foundation of what will become another chapter of our great club.”

At the end of the cricket season in March, the facility will be closed for three weeks for a seasonal renovation to prepare the field for AFL season, which runs from April to September 2024.

In the coming months, the children’s playground will have access enhanced thanks to new fencing to enable community use throughout the day.

The Shoalhaven Community and Recreation Precinct Artie Smith Oval – Southern project is co-funded by Shoalhaven Council, the Australian Government, and the NSW Government's Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. 

The new Artie Smith Oval facilities include:

• AFL/Cricket field and pavilion clubhouse with modern amenities
• Cricket practice facilities designed to foster skill development
• Four meticulously designed croquet courts, complemented by a clubhouse and amenities opening in May 2024
• Open space embellishments, featuring play and exercise equipment, landscaping, pathways, and stylish seating furniture
• Onsite car parking for the utmost convenience of visitors
• Perimeter security fencing ensuring safe pedestrian access

For further information and to make an enquiry about booking the facility, use

Shoalhaven City Council’s website Book a Facility | Shoalhaven City Council (nsw.gov.au).

Photos from the grand opening on 2 February are now available.

The community are invited to watch two Big Bash (BBL) League T20 exhibition matches featuring the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men’s and women’s teams this Friday (2 February).

The teams will be playing as part of the Indigenous Festival of Cricket co-hosted by Council and the Cricket NSW Foundation at the newly completed premier sporting grounds, Artie Smith Oval in Bomaderry.

The festival will begin at 1:30pm with a barefoot circle and smoking ceremony followed by the women’s teams playing a T20 match before the men take to the field at 4:30pm.

Both Sixers and Thunder will have activations and inflatables for the kids to enjoy as part of the free community event.

The grand opening of the transformed Artie Smith Oval in Bomaderry prepares to unveil its new and improved facilities on Friday, 2 February.

This landmark event will showcase an enhanced recreational experience for the community, marking a significant milestone in Shoalhaven's sporting landscape.

The Shoalhaven Community and Recreation Precinct Artie Smith Oval – Southern project is a remarkable collaboration, generously co-funded by the Council, the Australian Government, and the NSW Government's Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund.

Council is thrilled to present an upgraded regional sporting facility for the Shoalhaven. This redevelopment caters not only to the high-quality training and sporting needs of our local clubs and players but also solidifies the Shoalhaven as a premier host for major sporting event.

The transformed Artie Smith Oval is a testament to the power of collaborative efforts and the commitment to community development. This facility will undoubtedly become a key player in the Shoalhaven's recreational scene.

Artie Smith Oval are an example of the NSW Government’s commitment to building stronger more resilient regional economies. The NSW Government is backing community projects in Bomaderry that will boost preparedness for future disasters, encourage economic recovery, aid tourism and bring people together.

The new Artie Smith Oval facilities boast a myriad of exciting features, including:

• AFL/Cricket field and pavilion clubhouse with modern amenities
• Cricket practice facilities designed to foster skill development
• Four meticulously designed croquet courts, complemented by a clubhouse and amenities
• Open space embellishments, featuring play and exercise equipment, landscaping, pathways, and stylish seating furniture
• Onsite car parking for the utmost convenience of visitors
• Perimeter security fencing ensuring safe pedestrian access

The festivities kicks off at 9.30am with a Welcome to Country, followed by a Cricket NSW Foundation Indigenous youth cricket program that aims to make the sport accessible to First Nations youths. This initiative combines cricket experiences with a connection to country and community.

Later in the day, enjoy two Big Bash (BBL) League T20 exhibition matches featuring the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men’s and women’s teams. Since 2015, the Sixers and Thunder Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander T20 Teams have been competing, not only against each other but also against various BBL franchises.

This initiative serves as a pathway for Indigenous cricketers. Those selected in these teams aspire to join the NSW Indigenous Teams, which annually compete in the National Indigenous Cricket Championships held in Alice Springs.

Artie Smith Oval and Sports Pavilion has won the prestigious Vision Award and Public Architecture Award at the 2024 NSW Country Division Architecture Awards.

The sports pavilion is part of the $20 million upgrade to Artie Smith Oval, Bomaderry in the first stage of the Shoalhaven Community and Recreation Precinct, which was co-funded by the Australian Government and NSW Government under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund and Council.

The awards celebrate the hard work of Wes Hindmarsh, the principal designer and director of LocalArchitect South Coast in association with Barnacle, as well as the council staff who created this special building.

These awards are recognition of the efforts of everyone involved in bringing the vision of this new community and sports facility to life. Winning these awards shows Council’s commitment to creating spaces that make life better for the local community and promote our values of being inclusive and welcoming.

The facility will be officially opened early next year, along with the new sports field that will soon be tested by our local cricket clubs during summer.

The building's design uses natural materials and colours that make the spaces welcoming for everybody, and the design respects and connects with the land around it.

Artie Smith Oval, Sports Pavilion, Cricket Nets, Croquet Courts and surrounding open space including play and outdoor exercise equipment is not just a sports facility, it's a place where the community can come together for all sorts of activities and events.

The completion of the contract between Public Works Authority and Joss construction commence on the 4 July 2023 as the construction for Artie Smith Oval has now been completed. The facility has been handed over to Shoalhaven City Council to finalise minor elements and the establishment of the oval before the official opening to the public on Saturday, 25 November 2023.

Council are very pleased with the outcomes of the project and are excited to provide the community with the new multi-million-dollar sports facility for the AFL, Cricket and Croquet Clubs.

Construction highlights for the period of July included.

• Croquet court has been completed with turf and umbrella install
• AFL Oval is complete with Goal post installed
• Score board completed
• Fencing and Wayfinding Signs installed
• Timber seating completed to terrace area
• Carpet Tiles installed to all buildings
• Landscape areas nearing completion
• Asphalting completed to both carparks and Croquet building in defect phase.

Completed construction activities during January and February include:

• AFL building rendering and roller door completed. External cladding is continuing.
• Croquet building rough, window and door installed.
• Cricket building internal framing works and roofing start soon.
• Cricket practice nets strip drain and fence post installed.
• Gabion walls 50 percent completed.
• Oval irrigation and turf installed.

AFL Building - external cladding progressing

Cricket Storeroom - structural frame completed

AFL/Cricket Oval: - turfing completed

Cricket Pitch - nearing completion

The completed construction activities to date include:

• Bulk earthworks on oval.
• Installation of inground electrical cabling.
• Installation of inground services and stormwater drainage.
• Erection of main field light towers.
• Installation of kerb perimeter around the oval.
• Croquet building: Structural Frames and all internal wall frames have been completed.
• Off-street carpark: Asphalt works has been completed, water bollards removed, landscape areas mulched, and zone handed back to the public.
• AFL Building: wall sheets, brickwork and Glazing has been completed
• Croquet building: Rough in has commenced and the roofing works have been completed.
• Off-street carpark: Area has been completed and handed back to the public. Line marking to be completed at the end of the project.
• Water has been connected into site with all inground lines now charged up to the irrigation system.

AFL Building - 21 September 2022

The project arborist has identified that two trees are in poor health and pose a risk. Therefore, the two trees are to be removed.

A process review shows the Punctata Grey Gum, pictured below, has extensive decay/ cavity within the tree and the Haematomas Scribbly Gum has greatly degraded foliage and appears to be dead or dying.

The completed construction activities to date include:

• Inground services are progressing with main electrical loop complete, and sewer, stormwater, fire, gas, and water near completion.
• The AFL building's structural steel erection is complete and the roofing and mechanical has commenced.
• The AFL building's tiered seating is progressing with the first step poured and the ramp and remaining two stairs formed and reo signed off.
• The croquet building has been poured, blockwork erected and steel / timber structures will commence.
• The off-street carpark works have recommenced following the lowering of the water main and rectification of the unsuitable fill.
• RW1 and RW3 are progressing.
• External concrete works to the footpath around the oval is progressing well.

The completed construction activities to date include:

• Bulk earthworks on oval completed.
• Commenced works on main cos park.
• Commenced erection of AFL Club House.
• Installation of inground electrical cabling is underway.
• Commenced erection of retaining walls.
• Installation of inground services and stormwater drainage is progressing.
• Erection of main field light towers.
• Installation of kerb perimeter around the oval.

The project is schedule to be completed in mid-2023.

During the project's construction some trees were required to be removed when they are in the footprint of the works. The project is monitored by a project arborist who utilised a range of inspection techniques to ensure the trees are healthy and not adversely impacted by the project. In a small number of cases, trees were found to be unhealthy, and the arborist made an assessment based on safety considerations. New tress will be planted at the end of the project and the public are welcome to attend a tree planting day.

AFL Building and completed drainage

Croquet building: Roofing works completed, rough in continuing

External footpath, off-street carpark and garden beds completed to Barwon and West Birriley

The southern component of the Shoalhaven Community and Recreation Precinct (SCaRP) project in Bomaderry is currently underway. SCaRP is an exciting project that will meet the future needs of local and regional sports and recreation activities to deliver health, fitness, education, and wellbeing opportunities to the Shoalhaven.

The new sporting facilities will include a State-Level Cricket / AFL (Australian Football League) facility and a four court Croquet facility funded jointly by Shoalhaven City Council and the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Program, that is co-funded by the Australian and NSW Government with an $8 million grant and $12 million investment from Council.

Construction commenced in November 2021 and the project completion is expected by the first half of 2023. Despite several rainy days in recent weeks, construction works have continued. Site excavation works and stormwater works have significantly progressed.

The AFL/ Cricket clubhouse under Slab Plumbing is nearing completion. Surrounding the site, the on-street parking areas have been isolated, and associated intrusive investigations have been completed to facilitate on-street parking works.