Located in the heart of the Hunter Sports and Entertainment Precinct at District Park, Broadmeadow Newcastle. The development is a cutting-edge training facility, a home ground for the Newcastle Knights rugby league team and a communal gathering place for the whole community. Importantly, the project supported the revitalisation of District Park in Broadmeadow offering public sporting fields and amenities.
The project aligns with Venues NSW’s vision for the Precinct as the preferred destination for sports, leisure, and entertainment. The architectural design reflects this vision by incorporating elements that enhance the overall aesthetics and functionality of the precinct, providing an attractive and inviting environment for visitors.
A new training field considers factors such as dimensions, playing surface quality, irrigation, and drainage systems. A prominent feature is a two-story building housing a variety of athlete training and rehabilitation facilities. This building is designed with functionality and efficiency in mind, ensuring optimal space allocation for different training areas, equipment storage, and specialised facilities like gyms, physiotherapy rooms, and recovery spaces.
Player-focused facilities include a gym, identical male and female change rooms, a 25-metre lap pool with hot and cold plunge pools, a dedicated player lounge and separate dining area and a fully equipped physiotherapy clinic. Large enough to accommodate full squad training at one time, the athlete gym features dedicated weights facilities, a sprinting track, full-size wrestling room, and bi-fold doors to allow for indoor/outdoor use.
The facility pays tribute to the all-time great players with the inclusion of a grand foyer entrance of impressive stone, featuring past grand final trophies. Administration and support services are accommodated including offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms, player lounges, and facilities for coaching staff, management, and other personnel. A digitally enabled space celebrates the sporting history of Newcastle and the Hunter featuring an outdoor terrace and a 46-seat Theatrette for players, coaches, and community use, making it an optimal space for events.
A forecourt celebrates past achievements of great Knights teams and players along with Newcastle born players who have gone onto greatness prior to the Club’s debut back in 1988. With community use at the core of the centre, an outdoor gym is positioned alongside the training area. Family, friends, and fans alike will utilise a grandstand that is central to future development plans for the site.
