Learn more about the process and what we heard
Learn more about the consultation that took place from Monday 2 February and closed on Sunday 1 March 2026.
Project Update (July 2026)
Between Monday 2 February and Sunday 1 March we asked you to share your thoughts on our proposal to develop four new outdoor courts and an inclusive pavilion at JL Murphy Reserve. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.
We brought your feedback together and created a report highlighting the key themes and advice we heard in April 2026. That report is available for download here.
What happened next?
The engagement results and work completed to date were presented at the Council Meeting on Wednesday 15 July 2026. At this meeting, Council endorsed JL Murphy Reserve as the preferred site. The project will now move to the next stage, where designs will be developed for four outdoor netball courts, a pavilion and supporting facilities.
Elder Smith Reserve will be looked at separately, with a focus on community needs for open space and dog off-leash areas.
Want to know more?
To read more, visit the JL Murphy Reserve netball courts project page on Council's website.
Learn more about this consultation (Feb/March 2026)
Council is committed to delivering safe, inclusive and high‑quality facilities to meet the growing needs of netball within Port Phillip. As the most popular sport for women and girls in Victoria, demand for netball infrastructure continues to rise, and current facilities can’t keep pace.
This is why we are looking to develop four new outdoor netball courts and an inclusive pavilion. You may have heard about this project taking place at Elder Smith Reserve. However, after investigating further, Council hasn’t proceeded here due to major infrastructure risks and higher costs. We wanted to hear from you as we consider relocating this project to JL Murphy Reserve.
On this page you could:
Your feedback will help us decide:
- If the netball infrastructure should go ahead at JL Murphy Reserve.
- What additional amenity is required such as landscaping or greenery.
- Whether Council should consider exploring other recreation options in future financial years at spaces like Elder Smith Reserve. This will also need to align with the Public Spaces Strategy.
- If the project proceeds, it will include:
- Four outdoor netball courts facing north to south
- Sports court Lighting to Australian Standards
- Inclusive pavilion (change rooms, toilets, first aid, storage)
- Associated infrastructure (seating, drink fountains, bike racks, landscaping)
- Timelines and budget are influenced by the State Government funding requirements and Council’s project management.
During the engagement period, we asked community members to come along to a community pop-up and share your ideas with us in-person. Information about the two sessions we held are available below
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JL Murphy Reserve
351 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne
Held on: Thursday 12 February 2026 from 5pm to 7pm
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Sandridge Community Centre
1 Tucker Avenue, Port Melbourne
Held on: Saturday 21 February 2026 from 12 midday to 3pm
Our tools to upload your feedback or complete a survey closed at 11.59pm on Sunday 1 March 2026.
Before completing your feedback, you needed to register using this link or login using your existing profile. This will help us make sure that community members are only providing feedback to this consultation once.
