VENUE HISTORY

In 1996 the Royal Park Master Plan was prepared by the City of Melbourne. Under the plan the existing State Netball Centre would be demolished and integrated with the State Hockey Centre. 

In May 1998 funding for the project was announced at $24.5 million and in 1999 a revised budget of $27 was agreed. The approval for the Centre was fast-tracked so it could be assessed by the 2006 Commonwealth Games Evaluations Panel and in in mid-1999 construction began. Construction was completed in November 2000, and the facility was officially opened on 16 March 2001. 

CURRENT RE-DEVELOPMENT PLANS

The SNHC project provides more opportunities for women of all ages to get active and strive for the best, on and off the courts.
The redevelopment will also establish the Women in Sport Leadership Centre, which will kick start initiatives to drive cultural change and grow female leadership in sport through representation 

The major focus of the investment is levelling the playing field for girls and women. 

The $64.6 million SNHC project will deliver the following:

• 6 new indoor netball courts to replace the current 4 outdoor courts, bringing the total number of usable netball courts to 11
• A new indoor hockey facility to support the new and emerging sport of indoor hockey
• A high-performance strength and conditioning gym
• The Women in Sport Leadership Centre
• Sports House 2 - modelled on 'Sports House' at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, and providing a home for the peak sporting bodies Netball Victoria and Hockey Victoria
• Upgrades to amenity and infrastructure including: the development of a new front entrance, providing for improved circulation and improving access to local public transport.

Construction is expected to start in late 2018 / early 2019 and be complete in 2020.