Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann

The Morrison Government will help create an even more energised and vibrant City of Perth by investing $30 million towards the revitalisation of the WACA Ground in East Perth.

The WACA Ground at the Eastern entrance to the City of Perth is the foundation on which WA’s rich cricketing history has been built.

The Australian Government has committed to support the WACA Ground Improvement Project as a key component of the upcoming Perth City Deal, which we continue to explore with the WA State Government.

The WACA Ground Improvement project aims to create a sustainable community and sporting hub with cricket at its heart. It will provide a further boost to Perth as a great place to work, live and play.

It will ensure the iconic WACA Ground and its rich cricket history can serve the needs of WA cricket and sport into the future, with wide-ranging additional benefits for other sports and the Western Australian community at large.

With the opening of the new Optus Stadium in Perth, the WACA Ground will be reshaped as a 10,000 spectator capacity boutique stadium and a community-focussed sporting hub.

Adjusting the capacity at the WACA Ground will complement Optus Stadium by providing a dedicated first-class venue and year-round training base.

The revitalisation project includes a 10-lane indoor cricket facility for use by all levels of cricket, high performance and administration facilities, a community fitness facility, and a piazza-style space that can be enjoyed by the community year round.

This development will facilitate increased access to the WACA Ground for non-cricket related activity, creating green space and play areas in the East Perth precinct, as well as a range of community facilities.

Through its broad community offerings, the redeveloped WACA Ground will help to energise the East Perth precinct, providing important services and facilities, while providing a new venue for sport, entertainment and community events.

Independent analysis has found the project will support 261 direct and indirect jobs through construction, in addition to securing the home of the WACA’s current workforce comprising approximately 120 staff.

The Federal Government is committed to delivering a high quality ambitious Perth City Deal with the WA State Government, through projects like this, and others to come, which seek to unlock significant economic activity for Western Australia, creating jobs for locals and bringing more energy into Perth’s CBD.

Our Government is committed to finalising the Perth City Deal in the first half of 2020.

The investment in the WACA Ground Improvement project builds on the Morrison Government’s commitment to better sporting infrastructure in Perth, including $16.25 million for the establishment of a new State Football Centre in partnership with Football West.