Sportsgrounds and facilities

Harold Stevens Athletics Track

The Harold Stevens Athletics Track is home to the Coburg Harriers, the Coburg Masters and the Coburg Little Athletics Centre. The all-weather synthetic track which has floodlighting for nighttime sports provides a large range of activities in track and field. It is Merri-bek’s only dedicated athletics track. The track and facilities are available for all ages and abilities and can also be booked for school and private usage.

For booking enquiries please contact the booking manager on 0494 029 551 or email cagmc.booking@gmail.com.

Merri-bek has two velodromes where cycling clubs are based, and are open to the public for casual use outside of programs / events. For any queries on the use of velodromes or joining a cycling group, please contact the clubs below.

Brunswick Cycling Club

Brunswick Velodrome, Roberts Reserve, Harrison Street, Brunswick East.

Brunswick Cycling Club caters for juniors, seniors and masters.

The club offers:

• cycle racing and training at the Brunswick Velodrome;
• road racing from April to October;
• cycle racing and training at Darebin International Sports Centre.

Visit Brunswick Cycling Club website for more information.

Coburg Cycling Club

Coburg Velodrome, Richards Reserve, Charles Street, Coburg North

Coburg Cycling Club caters for all ages and genders. Membership is required.

The club offers the following cycling opportunities:

• Ergo spin sessions
• Criterium racing
• Outdoor track sessions
• Recreational rides

Visit Coburg Cycling Club website for more information.

Lawn bowls is a very popular sport in Australia and is accessible to almost everyone.

As well as being a great form of physical activity, lawn bowls is also a wonderful social activity. You can meet more people in your local area and make new friends.

Merri-bek has a number of lawn bowls clubs who are always open to new members. New members are welcome to play casually or socially, or join in the pennant competition.

The lawn bowls season runs September through to May.

Brunswick Lawn Bowls

104 Victoria Street, Brunswick East

Tenant Club: Brunswick Bowling Club

Facilities:

• Bowling Greens (turf) x 2
• Flood Lighting
• Function Hall
• Outdoor Social Area 

Fawkner Lawn Bowls

Corner Lorne and Creedon Streets, Fawkner

Tenant Club: Fawkner Bowling Club

Facilities:

• Bowling Greens (turf) x 2
• Flood Lighting
• Function Hall
• Outdoor Social Area
• Fawkner Food Bowls

Glenroy Lawn Bowls

Ash Court, Glenroy

Tenant Club: Glenroy Bowls Club

Bookings and enquiries: 9306 5180

Facilities:

• Bowling Greens x 2
• Flood Lighting
• Function Hall
• Outdoor Social Area

West Coburg Lawn Bowls

Linsey Street, Coburg

Tenant Club: West Coburg Bowls Club 

Facilities:

• Bowling Greens x 3
• Flood Lighting
• Function Hall
• Outdoor Social Area

Since the introduction of Merri-bek Active Women and Girls Strategy, Council has been working hard to increase the number of netball courts available to the Merri-bek community.

Outdoor courts

Indoor courts

Council offers different locations where casual physical activity can be undertaken. Equipment includes basketball halfcourts, skate parks and outdoor gym equipment can be incorporated into your walking circuit or a trip to the local park with the kids.

Use the City of Merri-bek's park search to locate parks in Merri-bek with recreation equipment, such as outdoor gym and parkour, as well as facilities like playgrounds and barbecues. With more than 100 park pages with photos, you can preview before you visit.

Please note that outdoor gym equipment is not to be used by children under 12 years of age.

Merri-bek Council maintains over 50 sportsgrounds throughout the municipality.

Our sportsgrounds are available for casual hire and personal training.

Brunswick, Brunswick East and Brunswick West

Coburg and Coburg North

Fawkner 

Glenroy and Hadfield

Oak Park

Pascoe Vale and Pascoe Vale South

Council has a number of community halls that are managed by committees of management. Community groups and people use these halls for leisure and other recreation activities.

Brunswick Stadium

6 Gardiner Street, Brunswick

Available seven days a week, day and evening.

The stadium is available for hire by community groups wishing to run activities. It is suitable for sports such as badminton, volleyball, Futsal, basketball, netball and aerobics.

Email Brunswick Stadium or make contact via the Brunswick Stadium Facebook page.

Coburg Basketball Stadium

25 Outlook Road, Coburg North

The Coburg Stadium provides basketball competitions throughout the week.

• The Junior Domestic Competition for boys and girls runs on Saturday 8.30am to 6:00pm. Junior championships are held on Friday nights.
• The Senior Domestic Competition which includes men’s, women’s and mixed teams runs on Monday (men), Tuesday (men and women), Wednesday (men) and Thursday (mixed).
• A beginners netball program runs on Wednesday and competition is on Friday.
• The stadium also offers opportunities for children to come along on Monday and Wednesday after school to casually play basketball without committing to a competition.

Email the Stadium Manager or phone 9355 7200 for bookings.

Oak Park Stadium

9 Hillcrest Road, Oak Park

Gym is regularly used by schools for netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton and indoor soccer.

The stadium is available for hire by community groups wishing to run activities. It is suitable for such activities as soft tennis, gentle exercise groups, aerobics and kinder gym.

To hire the Oak Park stadium email Oak Park stadium to ensure there is availability at the times you require.

Fawkner Community Hall

The Fawkner Community Hall is used by local sporting and community groups for various activities, and is available for private hire

Hire times:

• Sunday to Thursday from 8am – 10pm
• Friday to Saturday 8am – 12am

Facilities and equipment include:

• Tables and chairs (25 trestle/circular tables and 150 chairs)
• Commercial kitchen. Please note that hall hire does not include kitchen access. If you require kitchen access please contact Community Venues, by calling 9240 1111, prior to completing a booking form.
• Line marking for indoor sport activities such as basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton and futsal. Note: the netball and basketball courts are NOT full sized.
• Heating and cooling
• Accessible (entry ramp, handrails, accessible bathrooms, parking spaces).

Conditions

• The appropriate hire fees are assessed by Community Venues under the current policies.
• Chairs and tables are accessible for use.
• Additional fees charged and based on security and staffing requirements as per terms and conditions of hire.
• Public Liability Insurance is mandatory for use of the hall, which can also be purchased through Merri-bek City Council.
• A bond may be required based on the booking type.

If you are interested in the Fawkner Community Sports Hall, follow the link below, or email the Community Venues Team communityvenues@merri-bek.vic.gov.au.

Merri-bek boasts two state-of-the-art synthetic soccer pitches in Brunswick and Fawkner.

The pitches were built by Merri-bek City Council, in partnership with the Federal and Victorian Governments.

They feature fencing and training level floodlighting, providing benefits for students, local teams and social players, to train or play day and night.

Brunswick Secondary College Synthetic Hockey Pitch

33 Dawson Street, Brunswick

In partnership with Brunswick Secondary College, Merri-bek Council share the management of the Brunswick synthetic hockey pitch. The pitch is leased to the Brunswick Hockey Club outside of school hours for training, competition and events. The pitch features fencing and training level floodlighting for training.

Bookings

Avaliable to hire outside of school hours for training, competition and events.

Clifton Park Synthetic Soccer Pitch

Albert Street, Brunswick

The pitch features fencing and training level floodlighting for training and playing day and night.

Clifton Park has a pavillion with change rooms which can be booked.

Bookings

Available to hire Monday to Sunday, 6:00am - 11:00pm.

Fawkner Synthetic Soccer Pitch

79-83 Jukes Road, Fawkner

The pitch features fencing and training level floodlighting for training and playing day and night.
This facility does not have change facilities or toilets. The pitch is on school property and is available outside of school hours.

Bookings

Available to hire Monday to Friday 5:00pm - 9:30 pm and weekends 9:00am - 7:00pm.

During school holidays, the pitch is available Monday to Friday 9:00am - 9:30pm.

Merri-bek has many trails for walkers and cyclists that link to parks.

The two main shared paths in Merri-bek are along the Moonee Ponds and Merri Creeks. These paths link to other trails to the city. This map on recommended bike trails and routes in Merri-bek describes key routes.

Merri Creek Trail

The Merri Creek Trail starts at Dights Falls near where the Merri Creek and Yarra River meet. The trail follows the creek, with most of the path right next to the creek. Along the way it passes Coburg Lake Reserve, the Brunswick Velodrome and CERES Community Environment Park.

Length and connections

The Merri Creek Trail is 21km long. The path joins the Western Ring Road Trail in the north. In the south it meets the Yarra River Trail and the Capital City Trail.

Difficulty

Easy.

Public transport

The path goes past Clifton Hill and Rushall stations as well as St Georges Road, Nicholson Street and Sydney Road trams.

Moonee Ponds Creek Trail

The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail starts at Melbourne Docklands on Footscray Road. It follows the creek and goes under and around the Tullamarine Freeway. After Bell Street it goes north through a series of parks, including the Boeing and Charles Kingsford Smith Ulm reserves. It goes under the large trestle bridge at Jacana Retarding Basin, Glenroy and meets the Western Ring Road Trail.

The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail goes into Willowbrook Reserve near Mickleham Road in Westmeadows and then path continues along the fence line of the Woodlands Historic Park next to Melbourne Airport. 

Length and connections

The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail is 25km long. It meets the Broadmeadows Valley Trail and the Western Ring Road Trail in the north. It meets the Capital City Trail in the south.

Difficulty

Easy.

Public transport

The path goes past Jacana, Pascoe Vale and Flemington Bridge stations.

Capital City Trail

The Capital City Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which circles the Melbourne city centre and some inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne.

It is 29km in length, and mostly consists of sections of other trails, such as the Merri Creek Trail, Main Yarra Trail, Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Inner Circle Rail Trail.

The Capital City Trail uses the same path as the Main Yarra Trail up to Dights Falls, where it continues, using the same path as the Merri Creek Trail, as part of its loop around the city.

Guides and maps

• Google map of off-street shared paths and on-road bike routes in the City of Merri-bek.
• This map of recommended bike trails and routes in Merri-bek describes key routes
• Merri Creek Trail Map has detailed and clear information on trail highlights, public transport, and points to enter the trail.
• National Public Toilet Map