FAQs

The City has engaged Community Planning Consultants, CCS Strategic, to assist with the Challenger Reserve Masterplan / Concept Design project. The City and the consultant worked with relevant sporting clubs and groups during August and September 2025 to provide input into the project and determine what their requirements for the multi-purpose building are.

This is the second stage of engagement for this project. Community and stakeholder engagement was previously undertaken in 2020, leading to the development of a draft Masterplan (Stage 1). You can read more on the City’s website (external link).

Several projects have been completed at Challenger Reserve since the Masterplan was developed in 2020, including new sports lighting for the soccer pitches; tennis court lighting; and installation of a cricket pitch. As a result, the location of the pitches is fixed. This limited where the multi-purpose building could be located. The multi-purpose building has been located to retain existing trees and provide viewing areas to different orientations of the reserve

Materials, colours and other aspects of the multi-purpose building will be considered as part of the detailed design stage of the project. See the location and proposed facilities of the multi-purpose building on the masterplan drawings

Manning Tennis Club has its own building that is in good condition and fit-for-purpose, which Council resolved to retain and enhance.

Council requested the Masterplan / Concept Design incorporate enhancement of the existing tennis clubhouse building, and provision of a multi-purpose building to accommodate both exclusive use and shared spaces for Manning Memorial Bowling Club, South Perth United Football Club, South Perth Junior Cricket Club and South Perth Bridge Club.

Although the South Perth Bridge Club (the Club) is not a current user, the City engaged with the Club as they had previously been considered in a prior Masterplan for Challenger Reserve, and the Club is a compatible and aligned activity to those activities already on site. Inclusion of the Club would also enable the City to consider future options for their current site at 2 Brittain Street, Como.

Bowls WA has expressed an interest in relocating to the site and leasing office area. Council had not previously considered Bowls WA as a user of the site, and it will be open to Council to determine whether this occurs when considering the Masterplan / Concept Design.

The City will likely enter into lease arrangements with the clubs for relevant portions of the multi-purpose building. It is intended that the function spaces on the first floor are available to the public for casual hire, and the lounge / dining room within the bowls club area may be available as determined by the Manning Bowling Club for dinners and other functions, as currently occurs.

Challenger Reserve was a site that was identified as one which would benefit from all-gender changerooms as part of the Australian Government’s Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream Program. Instead of a stand-alone building, all-gender change rooms, accessible to all, will be incorporated into the multi-purpose building.

The City engaged with the clubs to determine their likely car parking requirements. The City is aware that on-street parking can affect residents and will try to provide as many car parking bays as possible to accommodate reserve users without the need for street parking in the road carriageway.

Yes, local residents can use the on-street parking. The on-street parking is not exclusively for use by the Challenger Reserve sporting clubs and user groups.

The City discussed with the clubs the minimum carparking bays required to meet their needs. Currently there 491 car parking bays on the Concept Design, however, it is expected that this number may reduce to approximately 450 once detailed design is undertaken (to allow for accessible parking bays and other requirements).

The City has not investigated whether upgrades to power are required to facilitate EV charging bays as part of the Masterplan / Concept Design. Bays can be modified in future, if a third party is interested in providing charging infrastructure.

Challenger Reserve is already used for cricket, but it doesn’t currently have cricket nets. Adding nets will give players a dedicated space to practise.

Cricket nets are usually aligned North–South to reduce sun glare for players, but the orientation required adjustment for this site. As the Concept Design also includes a new path from Elderfield Road to the multi-purpose building to improve walkability, there was limited space near the existing synthetic pitch for the cricket nets. Protective screens or nets will be installed in front of the cricket nets to allow safe bowling and to protect nearby parked cars if cricket facilities are installed in this location in future.

It is intended that the smaller, enclosed play space is for younger children, while the larger, open, natural play space is intended for older children. Design and construction of the play spaces will be subject to future funding being made available.

All existing trees are proposed to be retained. The City instructed the design consultant to retain as many trees as possible, and provided a tree survey to inform the design. Trees shown in car parking areas will be retained and incorporated into drainage basins, in accordance with water sensitive urban design principles.

• Complete an online feedback form
  Hard copy feedback forms are available at the Civic Centre and South Perth and Manning Libraries. 
• Drop in and talk to the project team
  Monday 20 October 2025, any time between 6pm to 7.30pm at Manning Bowling Club, Cnr Challenger Parade and Griffin Crescent, Manning.

Feedback closes at 4pm, Monday 27 October 2025.

Your comments, along with feedback from other stakeholders, will be presented to Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting in December 2025. Sign up to receive email updates.

The Masterplan / Concept Design, including costings, and the outcomes of the stakeholder consultation, will be considered by Council at its December 2025 round of meetings.

The Community Facilities Reserve in the 2025/26 adopted Annual Budget provides $18,551,340 which is available for the project, subject to Council approval. The City will liaise with Council as to external funding sources and staging of the project over subsequent financial years.

If Council endorses the Masterplan / Concept Design, the City will progress to detailed design and construct stage subject to Council approval, and will liaise with the clubs with respect to staging required and alternative accommodation requirements. The City will plan to minimise disruption to the clubs and surrounding residents where possible.