Redevelopment plans “finally” in the works at Princess Park

The Goulburn River that hugs the ground adds to the natural beauty, while also being the catalyst for the damage that has kept Princess Park aching for the past two years.

Clubrooms that once housed Shepparton Swans during winter and Cricket Shepparton's Shepparton Youth Club United throughout summer have remained severely damaged since the devastating 2022 floods.

However, in a boost for the Swans and those that call Princess Park home, plans for redevelopment have been put to tender by Greater Shepparton City Council.

Swans president Jarrod Sutherland said news of redevelopment plans being tendered was an exciting moment for the club.

“Finally, (council) have put out a design and construct tender, which it has been two-and-a-half years since the flood went through, so it has been a while in the making, but it is finally good to see some progress,” Sutherland said.

“The next step then is to get some builders to submit some designs and hopefully build within the budget that council has allowed.

“It’s a step in the right direction that is for sure.”

Council director of infrastructure Gary Randhawa said the tender process was currently being evaluated.

"It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded at the May council meeting 2025, with construction expected to be completed by June 30, 2026," Randhawa said.

The redevelopment of the clubrooms won’t be a simple scrape, oil and varnish as insurance companies are not willing to insure the clubrooms, given their proximity to the river.

This means the clubrooms have to be elevated and protected against potential future flood damage.

Sutherland said the money received from insurance companies in 2022 would go a long way to the redevelopment.

“The council did receive over a couple million dollars for our existing rooms, which they are putting back towards (redevelopment) along with some other insurance money they received, council is putting in a little bit and our club is putting in a bit as well,” he said.

“They will be trying to build a mound and then the rooms on top of that, so it will be above flood level."

Despite having makeshift change rooms and an open-air clubroom nicknamed “The Dome” for the past couple of seasons, the Swans have still found success throughout their junior football and netball grades.

The 17-and-under netballers won last year's grand final against Mooroopna, while the under-18 footballers fell at the final hurdle against Echuca in last season's decider.

Sutherland said he was pleased with how his club had performed since the floods.

“It’s never easy when you don’t have clubrooms, but I am pretty proud of the way our club has responded,” he said.

“Everyone has chipped in and all the young footballers and netballers have been pretty positive about it.

“A lot of those juniors in football and netball, their parents have played here and they are regulars around the club."

The Swans’ footballers and netballers have been told that redevelopment plans for Princess Park are moving forward, but the club is taking a slow approach in terms of building excitement given work on projects such as these can be slow and often delayed.

Sutherland implored fans or members of the community hoping to support the club to get involved.

“The best way to help out our club is to come down and watch a few games and buy a membership and be a part of it,” he said.

“It is pretty exciting times at the minute and it would be great to get a few people along.

“I don’t think I have seen a tighter-knit team.

“They are all close mates in the football and netball, they are always around each other and enjoy being around the club.”

News photographer Megan Fisher took some incredible photos of how the floods affected Princess Park in 2022.