Seabrook Reserve, Broadmeadows

Spurred by the growing popularity of rugby league in an otherwise AFL-dominated state, NRL Victoria needed a high-performance training facility and home base for its administrative staff. 

And, as part of Hume Council’s $443 million capital works program, it found it at Seabrook Reserve, an existing sports field in Broadmeadows.

The master plan? To make Seabrook Reserve a centre of excellence for young talented players, the new home of Touch Football Victoria, and the base for the Northern Thunder team and, eventually, the Melbourne Storm women’s team.

There were a few reasons driving NRL Victoria’s decision to award Joslyn Group the tender. Our experience working on similar multimillion dollar projects, our strong capabilities and our attention to detail were all factors, as was the fact that, as locals (our base is just 45 minutes’ drive from Broadmeadows where the reserve is located), we had an in-depth understanding of the site conditions. 

It meant we knew the challenges of developing an existing site like Seabrook Reserve into a state-of-the-art facility – and were able to offer solutions throughout the design and implementation phases.

We believe that being involved in the initial phases of development is integral to the success of any project, and we work closely with our client and their consultants to mitigate any potential problems as early as possible. 

At Seabrook Reserve, issues with the retaining wall design meant we were unable to build the playing fields where they were initially designed to be located. Every level had to be changed and altered before work could commence to build the 1.1 kilometres of retaining walls the development required. 

It was also apparent from the get-go that the site had seen better days. The ground was soft and unsuitable for carrying in heavy-duty equipment – and that issue was compounded when we unearthed rock, which meant the correct levelling couldn’t be achieved. The rock was removed – a time-consuming process made easier by the fact that we have our own equipment – and the ground was remediated.

Throughout the construction of sports field lighting, concreting, access ramps and more, Joslyn Group’s ability to work closely with our clients to resolve issues enabled us to deliver on time and on budget.

Once a neglected site in Melbourne’s north, NRL Victoria’s Seabrook Reserve now boasts three NRL-certified rugby fields, an open space area and an excellent range of facilities for today’s players to become the stars of tomorrow.

• End-to-end project management of civil works
• Civil construction and earthworks
• Natural turf
• Concrete paving
• Disabled access ramps
• Fencing
• Drainage
• Irrigation system installation
• Night-time sports lighting
• Gas, water, sewerage and electricity

To find out how we can help you deliver a top-notch sports development, get in contact.