$248,900 grant serves up Australian-first pickleball venue at Noosa

Fans of the fast-growing sport pickleball will soon enjoy Australia’s first all-weather dedicated pickleball courts at Noosa, with Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien announcing a $248,900 grant towards the project.

“Pickleball is the fastest-growing racquet sport in the world with about 100 players in Noosa and thousands throughout Australia, so this is a fantastic opportunity to provide a dedicated venue that will attract players nationally and internationally,” Mr O’Brien said.

“As the first all-weather dedicated outdoor Pickleball courts in Australia, this investment through Round 5 of the Building Better Regions Fund will enable the Noosa Pickleball Club to host multi-day tournaments and special events, boosting the local tourism and hospitality sectors.”

The $497,800 project will include eight new pickleball courts under an all-weather shade structure, and will be jointly funded with $248,900 through the Building Better Regions Fund and the remainder provided by the Noosa Pickleball Club.

Noosa Pickleball Club president Woody Dass said the new facility would provide a significant boost for players locally and further afield.

“Noosa is one of the first locations pickleball was introduced to Australia in 2016, so it’s fantastic to now receive this federal funding that will allow us to further grow the sport, and ultimately create an international standard pickleball facility in Noosa that will attract visitors from all over the country and internationally,” Mr Dass said.

“The Noosa Pickleball Club firmly believes our beautiful region has the best year-round climate, social infrastructure, friendly vibe and tourist potential to become a pickleball mecca, and contribute to the local economy.”

Under Round 5 of the BBRF, the Government has committed almost $300 million to support 295 projects across regional Australia, which will create an estimated 9,900 jobs during the project period.

This latest funding round takes total support through the BBRF to $1.38 billion across nearly 1,300 projects.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the Government is focused on ensuring our regions remain strong.

“The Liberal and Nationals Government is continuing to work hard on behalf of Australians living in regional and remote communities,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“That’s why we’ve committed an additional $100 million under this latest round to take total funding to almost $300 million. This extra funding will support more projects, more jobs and create more economic opportunities in our regions to boost their recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Funding for these projects in Wide Bay is a testament to the dedication of Llew O’Brien.

“Funding under the Building Better Regions Fund supports economic and social infrastructure for the long-term benefit of regional communities.

“Infrastructure upgrades funded in this latest round will ensure our regions remain great places to live and visit, while helping support important regional industries which create jobs.

“Our Government is committed to delivering the best outcomes for regional and remote Australia, which is why we are providing local businesses, industries and families with opportunities to get ahead.”

For a full list of successful projects in Round 5, please visit: www.business.gov.au/bbrf

ENDS

BACKGROUND:

Pickleball is a paddleball sport for two or four players that combines elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis.