The Fight for More Courts in Melbourne’s Inner West
Basketball in Melbourne’s inner west is booming, but our facilities are not keeping up.
For years, players, families, clubs and the wider community have faced overcrowded stadiums, late-night training sessions, limited court access and growing waitlists.
In 2018, Maribyrnong Council identified the urgent need for 4–6 new indoor courts, with 12 courts needed long term to support participation growth. Yet years later, not one new court is yet to be completed.
This page tracks the journey so far, including council decisions, advocacy efforts, media coverage and community action calling for investment in basketball infrastructure across the inner west.
Our community isn’t asking for luxury. We’re asking for safe, accessible and modern facilities that match the growth and passion of basketball in Melbourne’s west.
Together, we stand for more courts.
May 2026: Westgate Rally at Council Budget Meeting for funding for McIvor Stadium design
Westgate Basketball players, families, coaches and supporters rallied at the Maribyrnong Council Budget Meeting calling for funding to complete the design work for the proposed six-court indoor stadium at McIvor Reserve.
The rally followed growing media attention and years of advocacy highlighting the shortage of indoor courts across Melbourne’s west. Community members urged Council to fund the next stage of the project, arguing that without completed design work, State and Federal Government funding opportunities for construction could not be properly pursued.
The rally also coincided with Westgate Basketball’s formal budget submission to Council seeking investment in the stadium project and broader basketball infrastructure planning
The Age
The Age published a major feature highlighting the growing basketball infrastructure crisis in Melbourne’s inner west, focusing on overcrowded facilities, deteriorating conditions at RecWest Braybrook and the urgent push for a new indoor stadium.
The article detailed the strain on players and families caused by the shortage of courts, including late-night training schedules and safety concerns, while also highlighting Westgate Basketball’s campaign for funding to complete the design work for the proposed six-court stadium at McIvor Reserve.
The story brought significant public attention to the issue ahead of Westgate Basketball’s rally at the Maribyrnong Council Budget Meeting.
ABC Drive Interview
ABC Drive interviewed President Glenn Casement on the state of facilities and the need for more courts in the inner west.
2023: McIvor Stadium Masterplan Endorsed
Community engagement on the future of McIvor Reserve began in 2021 after the site was identified for a future indoor stadium. However, despite the Indoor Stadium Strategy being endorsed back in 2018, the McIvor Reserve Master Plan was not adopted until March 2023, five years later.
The Master Plan was ultimately endorsed at a Council meeting on 29 March 2023 at Braybrook Community Hub, passing only on the Mayor’s casting vote following intense community opposition.
Just weeks later, a rescission motion was brought back to Council on 18 April 2023 seeking to overturn the decision. The motion was ultimately defeated 4–3, allowing the Master Plan to stand.
Read the council's announcement here.
ABC
Debate around the proposed six-court indoor stadium at McIvor Reserve received significant media attention as community groups, residents, sporting clubs and advocacy groups publicly weighed in ahead of Council’s decision.
Coverage highlighted strong community concern around loss of open space and trees, while also showcasing the growing pressure on basketball facilities across Melbourne’s west and the urgent need for new indoor courts identified in Council’s own 2018 Indoor Stadium Strategy.
The Age
The campaign for a new indoor stadium at McIvor Reserve gained major media attention after Australian NBA players Josh Giddey publicly supported the project.
The article highlighted the growing shortage of basketball courts in Melbourne’s west, with local clubs struggling to keep up with booming participation and limited access to training and competition venues. It also brought statewide attention to the debate surrounding the proposed six-court stadium at McIvor Reserve and the community divide over the project.
The Age
Plans for a proposed six-court indoor stadium at McIvor Reserve became a major local issue as some Yarraville residents and community groups voiced strong opposition to the project, raising concerns about loss of green space, trees and impacts on the existing dog park.
The article highlighted the growing tension between the urgent need for new basketball facilities in Melbourne’s west and competing community priorities, as Council continued consultation on the future of the site and the proposed stadium development.
Star Weekly
Maribyrnong Council formally approved the McIvor Reserve Master Plan, including plans for a future six-court indoor stadium, following a deeply divided Council vote.
The decision came after months of intense community debate and lobbying from both supporters and opponents of the project. The motion ultimately passed on the Mayor’s casting vote, highlighting the ongoing tension between the urgent need for new basketball facilities in Melbourne’s west and concerns around open space and parkland impacts.
2023: Westgate Rallies at Council Meeting
The Westgate Basketball Community rally at a council meeting to show just how much a new stadium and more courts mean to them.
2018: 12 Court Strategy Endorsed
In 2018, the Maribyrnong City Council endorsed a 12 Court Indoor Sports Stadium Strategy
Maribyrnong Council’s Indoor Stadium Strategy identified an urgent shortage of indoor courts across the municipality, with major facilities already operating at or near peak capacity, identifying that 4 to 6 courts were needed urgently.
The strategy recommended the development of new multi-court facilities, including a future stadium at McIvor Reserve, to meet rapidly growing participation in basketball and other indoor sports.
