It has taken decades but Bermagui's netball and basketball players have competition-fit outdoor courts.
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To celebrate they held an open day on Sunday, July 23, complete with sausage sizzle and raffles and Welcome to Country.
After a few years applying for grants, they finally succeeded in 2020, in collaboration with Bega Valley Shire Council.
They received $160,000 from the NSW Stronger Country Communities Fund plus $45,000 from council.
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Mums cutting grass, filling rabbit holes
Norma Reid was one of the original drivers of the push to get proper courts.
She said it all began when Cheryl Brady approached her 35 years ago.
Ms Brady and her young family had just moved to Bermagui from Victoria where netball was really big.
"She said to me there is nothing here for girls and ladies to play netball," Ms Reid said.
Ms Brady, Ms Reid, along with Nerida Holzhauser and two or three others met and decided to do something about it.
"For many years the main court was grass.
"Rhonda Drakos, Michelle King and I used to cut the grass and we would have to find the people who had parked their cars there when we wanted to play.
"Before each game I would dash to the beach to get buckets of sand to fill the holes where the rabbits had been," Ms Reid said.
There was a bit of a slope to the court and it flooded at high tide.
Prefer playing outside for the exposure
After the Bermagui Indoor Sports Stadium opened in 1995 they had access to a court but the floor was slippery and they preferred playing outside where people could see them.
By then there were two grass courts although they still had to cut the grass and mark the lines with diesel.
More recently they were very grateful for the use of Bermagui Country Club's facilities in the interim.
Ms Brady's daughter, Amy Holdsworth, and Ms Reid are delighted they now have two fenced courts for the wider community and tourists to enjoy.
They wanted to acknowledge all the work of the committee and dedicated mums over the past 35 years.
Next on their wish list are lighting, seating and bathroom facilities so that kids don't have to walk the distance to the Surf Life Saving Club's facilities.
To register your interest in playing visit Bermagui and District Netball Club's Facebook page.
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