Why the Hawkesbury Sports Council Model Could Save Sport Across Australia

Across Australia, thousands of local sporting clubs are struggling. Fields are waterlogged, lights are broken, and maintenance requests gather dust on council desks. Parents pay hire fees, but too often that money vanishes into general revenue, competing against roads, libraries and red tape. For many clubs, it feels like sport is always at the back of the queue.

But in the Hawkesbury, a different story has played out for more than three decades. Back in 1993, the local sporting community came together with Hawkesbury City Council to form the Hawkesbury Sports Council — a community-based body that manages the region’s sporting facilities on behalf of Council.

The Sports Council was officially incorporated, and since then it has quietly delivered one of the most successful models of grassroots governance in the country. While other councils wrestle with bureaucracy, the Hawkesbury model has delivered better facilities, stronger participation, and greater community ownership — all without extra cost to ratepayers.

Community Ownership, Not Bureaucratic Distance

The genius of the Hawkesbury model is simple: decisions are made by the people who actually use the grounds. Clubs and user groups set priorities based on lived experience — they know when drainage is failing, when lights are needed, and where safety upgrades are urgent.

Contrast this with the traditional council-run approach, where decisions are made in distant offices, often shaped by politics rather than sport. In the Hawkesbury, the sporting community doesn’t just get consulted once in a blue moon. They are in the driver’s seat.

Dollars That Stay on the Field

Financially, the model makes just as much sense. The Sports Council receives an annual allocation from Hawkesbury City Council of $1.35 million and retains all hire fees, reinvesting them directly into maintenance and upgrades of 40 sporting facilities across Hawkesbury.

The Sports Council applies for grants and employs its own contractors, often achieving faster, cheaper, and better results than big-ticket council procurement systems as each of the 53 sporting clubs that are members of the Council undertake their own Club fundraising to support infrastructure needed for them to play.

“Every dollar parents and club’s put in comes back out in the form of better turf, lighting, and amenities. The link between contribution and outcome is direct, visible, and trusted.” Says President of the Hawkesbury Sports Council David Bertenshaw

Responsive and Accountable

Responsiveness is another key strength. When a field becomes unplayable, or lighting goes down mid-season, the Sports Council can act immediately. There’s no need to navigate weeks of approvals, quotes, and competing budget priorities.

Yet this independence is balanced by strong accountability. Hawkesbury City Council maintains oversight through service agreements and risk management frameworks. Clubs see exactly how their money is spent. The model is independent where it matters, but transparent where it counts.

Why It Matters Nationally

Community sport is not just about games. It is about health, inclusion, resilience, and the social fabric of our towns. When facilities fall into disrepair, participation drops, volunteers burn out, and opportunities for young people vanish.

“The Hawkesbury Sports Council shows there is a better way. By entrusting local sporting communities with responsibility — while maintaining accountability through partnerships with local government — we can safeguard the future of community sport.” Says David Bertenshaw

“This model has now stood the test of time for more than 30 years. It has delivered efficiency, ownership, and better outcomes. Most importantly, it has kept sport in the hands of the community, where it belongs.” Says Hawkesbury Mayor Cr Les Sheather who is also the Councillor representative on the Sports Council.

Lead by Example Say Mayor Sheather

“Other councils should not see the Hawkesbury Sports Council as an anomaly. They should see it as a blueprint. The challenges of maintaining sporting facilities are not unique to the Hawkesbury. But the solution we’ve pioneered here offers a pathway forward.

If we are serious about making sport accessible, affordable, and sustainable, then the Hawkesbury model should be adopted far more widely. It is time to trust communities with the responsibility — and the resources — to manage the facilities that underpin their sporting life.”

Because at the end of the day, community sport is strongest when the community itself is in charge.

EXPLAINER: A Best-Practice Model for Community Sport

Across Australia, councils grapple with how to maintain sporting facilities that are safe, modern, and affordable. Too often, grounds fall into disrepair or upgrades get delayed because decisions are made far from the grassroots. But in the Hawkesbury, a different model has flourished for more than 30 years — one that puts the community in the driver’s seat.

The Hawkesbury Sports Council was formed in 1990 and incorporated in 1992 to manage sporting facilities on behalf of Hawkesbury City Council. Under this unique arrangement, the Council delegates the care, control, and development of its sporting grounds to a community-based body made up of representatives from local sporting clubs.

The result? A delivery model that is more efficient, responsive, and accountable than the traditional “council-run” approach.

Why the Model Works

• Community Ownership: Clubs and user groups set priorities based on lived experience. They know when drainage fails, when lights are needed, and where safety upgrades should go. Decisions reflect real needs, not election cycles.
• Financial Efficiency: The Sports Council retains hire fees, reinvesting them directly into facilities. It applies for grants and employs its own contractors, often achieving better results at lower cost than council bureaucracies.
• Responsiveness: Problems get fixed quickly. When a ground is unplayable or lighting goes out, local managers act immediately — no waiting for a drawn-out approvals process.
• Accountability: The Council maintains oversight through service agreements, but transparency is built in. Clubs see where their money goes, and every dollar collected is reinvested into sport.
• Long-Term Planning: Two- and five-year planning cycles keep improvements aligned with community priorities, ensuring steady investment instead of stop-start funding.

The Contrast

In most council areas, hire fees vanish into general revenue, competing against roads, admin costs, and libraries. Sporting clubs wait months for maintenance requests, often with little say in how budgets are spent. Decisions are shaped more by politics than by participation.

By contrast, the Hawkesbury model empowers those closest to the fields to manage them supported, but not smothered, by council oversight.

Community sport is not just about games it’s about health, inclusion, resilience, and the social fabric of our towns. When facilities are poorly maintained, participation drops, clubs fold, and young people lose opportunities.

The Hawkesbury Sports Council shows there’s a better way: a partnership model where local government entrusts communities with real responsibility, while keeping accountability strong.

A Call to Action

If we are serious about growing sport, boosting health, and investing in communities, then the Hawkesbury model should not remain unique — it should be the benchmark.