A long-awaited sports complex has opened in West Ryde, delivering 33 new courts for the growing Ryde community.
The Bennelong Sports Centre, unveiled today on the former Marsden High School site, transforms what was once a vacant education campus into a 33-court sporting hub designed to serve one of the region’s fastest-growing communities.
Delivered in just over a year, the project brings together a 5,000-square-metre indoor stadium with four multipurpose courts alongside a striking 29 outdoor netball courts—one of the largest concentrations in metropolitan Sydney.
Why the shift matters for local sport?
For local players, the scale matters. Netball remains one of NSW’s most played sports, with participation numbers consistently ranking among the highest nationally, yet infrastructure has struggled to keep pace—particularly in areas like Ryde, where clubs have long flagged overcrowded and aging courts at Meadowbank.
NSW Government said the new facility reflects both the popularity of the sport and years of advocacy from the community. “Netball is one of the biggest sports in our state, with thousands of people taking to the courts every weekend, and it deserves world-class facilities which is exactly what we’ve delivered,” they said.
That local push has been central to the project’s delivery. The Eastwood Ryde Netball Association (ERNA), one of the region’s largest grassroots organisations, has long campaigned for improved facilities to support its growing player base.
Beyond the new courts
Beyond the courts themselves, the precinct has been designed as a broader community space rather than a single-purpose venue. Landscaped lawns, picnic areas and nearly 300 parking spaces aim to make it an all-day destination for families, while bicycle parking and open green zones nod to active transport and environmental planning priorities.
The Y NSW will handle day-to-day operations, building on its experience running a network of community sports centres across the state. CEO Rob Kennaugh said the organisation sees the site as more than just a place to play.
“The state-of-the-art Bennelong Sports Centre is an exciting new community hub for grassroots sport and creates meaningful opportunities for locals to stay active and reach their potential, while strengthening connection across the community,” he said.
From a school site to community hub
The redevelopment also significantly shifts how authorities are using the former Marsden High School site. After the school relocated to the Meadowbank Education and Employment Precinct in 2022 as part of a broader state government push to modernise education infrastructure, planners earmarked the vacated land for community use.
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car positioned the project as part of a wider pipeline of infrastructure tied to population growth in Sydney’s middle ring.
“The new Bennelong Sports Centre is a major investment in community infrastructure, giving local families access to quality facilities they deserve,” she said.
Although the government originally promised the project in 2018, delays pushed back delivery until a period when participation in sport is rebounding strongly post-pandemic and local councils and state bodies are driving renewed demand.
For Ryde’s sporting community, the true test will come over the next few seasons as clubs, schools and social competitions begin to fill the courts. But for the time being, officials have readied the whistles and freshly painted the lines to welcome thousands of local players.
The Y Bennelong Sports Centre is now open at 22a Winbourne St, West Ryde.
