In June 2021, Bass Coast Shire Council acquired the land adjoining 'Hilton Chadwick Reserve'. The land was purchased with the intent of developing a recreation precinct that will meet the growing population of Phillip Island and surrounds.

Development of the Cowes Recreation Reserve Master Plan forms part of Councils 2022/23 operating projects and is the long-term vision for the new Cowes Recreation Reserve. The Master Plan will be designed to incorporate the future needs of sporting, recreation facilities and public open spaces on the corner of Ventnor Road and Phillip Island Road, Cowes known as ‘Hilton Chadwick Reserve’ and the adjoining site. The aim of the master plan is to provide Phillip Island and surrounds with the essential recreation and aquatics facility to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community and visitors.

Simon Leisure Consulting has been appointed as the consultant to develop the Cowes Recreation Reserve Master Plan.

Community consultation was open for feedback until 17 May 2023.

Next Steps

We will review all the feedback and may consider as part of the update prior to going to Council for final consideration.

Facility Projects

Numbers align with numbers on map

1. Two-way reserve entry (signalled intersection in the long-term) to service the car park and ambulance and maintenance vehicle access to Oval 1
2. Fenced dog off-lead area to include agility equipment, bench seating and water points, and divided to include a smaller compound for smaller/ young dogs and programming (such as dog obedience training), with the balance for larger/ active dogs
3. Dog park entrances (double-gates)
4. New lake with pedestrian path circuit (including a boardwalk), and water outflow when required
5. Sealed car park (351 spaces) with passive irrigation solutions for tree watering
6. Main entry gate into Oval 1 precinct
7. Enclosed cricket practice nets (4 lanes, synthetic surface), with power bollard
8. Oval 1 with sub-surface drainage and irrigation, a perimeter fence, concrete cricket wicket, LED floodlights (200 lux), player boxes, and goal nets
9. Electronic scoreboard
10. Construct spectator viewing berm along the west side of Oval 1 with three spectator shelters and an elevated broadcasting booth
11. Concrete path with bench seating around the oval perimeter fence
12. Overflow car parking area for Oval 1, when required
13. Pavilion raised approx. 1.0 metre and incorporating change rooms to service both ovals and the netball courts, a community social room with kitchen/ canteen/ bar, internal and external storage, external public toilets, and an extended verandah towards both ovals for spectators
14. Vehicle access to the pavilion for deliveries and Accessible car parking
15. Local level playground available for public use on non-event days through the adjacent perimeter fence
16. Netball courts with player/ scorer shelters and LED floodlights to competition standard (200 lux)
17. Oval 2 with sub-surface drainage and irrigation, unfenced, potential turf centre wicket table, LED floodlights to training standard (100 lux), player boxes, and goal nets
18. Little Athletics field events area (2 x shot put circles, long/ triple jumpo, throwing cage)
19. Open space area that can function as an Events Space (and incorporate Oval 2, if required), with two water connection points and two 3-phase power connection points at locations to be determined
20. Community Open Space incorporating a Township level playspace, BBQ/ picnic shelter, public toilet, a multipurpose court (tennis hit-up wall, basketball, netball), and a Sub-Regional level skate facility and pump track in line with relevant Council strategies
21. Existing dam to be fenced with adjacent vegetation for habitat
22. Tennis courts with sand-filled synthetic grass surface provided in two 4 court enclosures, with 4 courts floodlit
23. Two soccer pitches: the east (main) pitch with a 1.0 metre high perimeter fence and LED floodlights to competition standard (100 lux); the second pitch unfenced and with LED floodlights to training standard (100 lux)
24. One multipurpose unfenced rectangular pitch capable of accommodating soccer, the rugby codes and touch
25. Shared pavilion for tennis and field user groups and incorporating change rooms, a community social room with kitchen/ canteen/ bar, internal and external storage, external public toilets, and an extended verandah towards the tennis courts and the main soccer pitch
26. Sealed car park (360 spaces) with passive irrigation solutions for tree watering
27. Aquatic Leisure Centre to be delivered in two stages (aquatics facilities and stadium) in line with relevant Council strategies
28. Two-way reserve entry from Phillip Island Road (signalled intersection in the long-term)

Reserve-Wide Projects

• Prepare a stormwater management plan for the reserve that investigates the viability of collecting and storing rainfall in the proposed lake (No. 4) for use to irrigate the main oval and other selected open space areas
• New reserve perimeter fence along Ventnor Road and Phillip Island Road boundaries
• Retain the existing post and strand-wire fence along the western and southern boundaries
• Undertake revegetation of existing bushland areas shown on the plan
• Connect the reserve to all necessary services