Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Football Club and the West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club are based at Campbell Park. The football club, the Lions, was established in 1969, and the cricket club dates back to the 1930s. Since then, both clubs have gone from strength to strength, with tens of thousands of players calling West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook home.

One of the Lions' greatest milestones came in 1985 with the introduction of women's soccer teams. In one year alone they won three premierships, four championships and two pennants. The cricket club, which is one of the largest in Australia, was home to Lisa Sthalekar, a former Australian women's captain, and also to Denise Annetts, who holds the highest test average of any living person: 81.9. The club won Cricket Australia's Women and Girls Initiative of the Year in 2022.

Despite these successes, their facilities are not up to scratch. Great clubs deserve great facilities. After speaking with Keith Everard and Mike Pompeii from the Lions and Ross Anderson from the cricket club, I had a look around Campbell Park recently and saw the need for urgent upgrades. Their hardworking club volunteers know that, with more women getting involved in soccer and cricket, it's essential that there are facilities to support them. Since I was first elected I have taken up the fight and delivered for many local clubs, including funding for new clubhouses, re-turfing, equipment, storage facilities and bathrooms. I've listened to the clubs at West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook and I've started working on a plan for how to support them as they grow and continue their tradition of making our community proud.

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