The Country Football and Netball Program (CFNP) has celebrated its 500th project
The joint program is funded through State Government via Sport and Recreation Victoria, Netball Victoria and AFL Victoria. It assists country football and netball clubs to develop facilities in rural, regional and outer metropolitan locations.
It has provided close to $30-million of funding towards projects since its inception in 2005, directly resulting in a near $100-million now being invested into 500 spectacular facilities for athletes across Victoria.
These investments have seen sporting infrastructures of all kinds flourish into central locations for social interaction, increased participation and sporting development.
In almost 15 years, the program has addressed aging infrastructure, increased access to year- round playing and training facilities with lighting and over-head coverage, and provided facilities that support rural and regional townships as neighbourhood safer places.
Two townships to have reaped the rewards of the CFNP are Irymple FNC Henshilwood, Mildura and the Anakie FNC in Geelong.
With assurance from the CFNP and Mildura City Council, Irymple FNC were able to relocate their non-compliant and structurally unsound courts to a new location on their reserve with two brand new courts.
The reserve now supports Netball, Football and Cricket for its local community, providing stability for sport in their area as a long-term solution.
Down south in Geelong, the G21 (Geelong Region Alliance) and AFL Barwon strategy identified Anakie as having the most dire facilities in the Geelong & District Football League (GDFL).
In 2016 CFNP funded $100,000 for the club which had been struggling with ageing facilities for more than a decade. With assistance from the CFPN, Anakie has been able to elevate the outcomes for all players in the community and grow its participation rates.
For more information on The Country Football and Netball Program, click here.
