Bendigo Stadium sees out 2025 with community bash

Home to the WNBL Bendigo Spirit, NBL1 Bendigo Braves and the Victorian Netball League’s Bendigo Strikers, the stadium is the beating heart of local sport in Greater Bendigo.

Bendigo Stadium opened its gates for a special day of thanks to celebrate everyone who has backed the venue throughout the year.

The community open day was a reminder of why local sport matters – giving people a place to show up, connect with others and feel part of something bigger.

Kids, parents, grandparents and first-time visitors came together for the day to give the stadium a memorable send-off for the year.

What started with the final Iddy Biddy Ball session at 9:30am flowed into a full day of free activities before the night’s WNBL showdown.

Santa was a hit from 10–1pm, handing out free magnet photos that families could take home as keepsakes while the kids’ craft corner kept little hands busy between open-court shots and games of basketball and netball.

Pickleball sessions ran from 12:30–2pm and offered a playful taster for people curious about the popular paddle sport.

Capping off the event was the WNBL game between Bendigo Spirit and Adelaide Lightning.

The open day was the perfect thank-you to the people who make Bendigo Stadium tick, setting the venue up for every success in 2026.

The event also marked the opening of the Stage One new car park. The upgrades include 160 new spaces completed ahead of schedule, stormwater upgrades, resurfacing, new lighting and a revised layout, with landscaping and shade trees to be added soon.

The works are part of major upgrades to the Bendigo Stadium made possible through the Regional Sports Infrastructure Program which will also deliver two new courts, 200 lux lighting to outdoor netball courts and accessibility improvements.

Works at the Stadium began in September 2025 and are expected to finish in late 2026.

For more information about the program visit the Regional Sports Infrastructure Program.