Wilson Park Cricket Centre

Building the Future of Cricket in NSW: Wilson Park’s New Centre of Excellence

Client: Cricket NSW

Project Type: Sport & Recreation

Douglas Partners is proud to support Cricket NSW’s world-class Wilson Park redevelopment with expert geotechnical and environmental services — laying the foundation for a thriving cricket community.

A New Era for Cricket in NSW

The newly constructed NSW Cricket Centre of Excellence at Wilson Park, located within Sydney Olympic Park, is more than a sporting venue — it’s a major investment in community, elite sport, and urban resilience.

With a $50 million commitment from government and cricket authorities, this state-of-the-art facility brings together elite and grassroots cricket under one roof. Designed as a year-round training and community hub, the centre will serve as the new home for major teams like:

  • NSW Blues
  • NSW Breakers
  • Sydney Sixers
  • Sydney Thunder

More importantly, it opens its doors to thousands of community cricketers, school groups, clubs, and fans from across New South Wales.

Project Snapshot: What the NSW Cricket Centre Includes

The development was delivered by Cricket NSW, in collaboration with construction partners and consultants. The result is a purpose-built precinct equipped to support high performance sport and community wellbeing.

Key features of the facility include:

  • Two full-sized, world-class cricket ovals
  • 15-lane indoor practice facility with turf wickets
  • A two-storey training and administration centre
  • Dedicated indoor and outdoor turf nets
  • Change rooms for both elite and community teams
  • Gymnasium, sports recovery zone, and a public café
  • Spectator seating and multipurpose community rooms
  • Permanent headquarters for Cricket NSW

Designed with longevity, access and sustainability in mind, the centre also includes stormwater management systems, landscaped public areas, and inclusive amenities.

Douglas Partners’ Role: Geotechnical and Environmental Expertise

Douglas Partners was engaged early in the project to provide essential geotechnical and environmental engineering services that enabled safe, compliant, and efficient construction.

Our involvement covered the planning, design, and construction phases, supporting stakeholders to navigate site complexity and environmental obligations.

Services provided included:

Historical site investigations: Desktop reviews to understand past land use, contamination risk, and geotechnical context.

On-site sampling and laboratory testing:

  • Soil, rock and groundwater profiling
  • Vapour intrusion assessments
  • Classification of fill materials

Design and construction parameters:

  • Geotechnical design inputs for footings, slabs, and pavements
  • Foundation advice for heavy-use zones like net facilities

Environmental Management Plans (EMPs):

  • Developed site-specific EMPs for construction, soil reuse, and monitoring
  • Provided risk mitigation strategies for ecological and human health

Clean fill verification and placement:

  • Oversight of imported materials for building platform formation
  • Validation of site preparation for safety and durability

Construction phase monitoring:

  • Pile inspection and depth verification
  • Confirmation of compaction and foundation suitability
  • On-site guidance to ensure environmental compliance
  • Our geotechnical engineers, environmental scientists, and project managers worked side by side with Cricket NSW, designers, contractors, and council teams to keep the project moving efficiently, safely, and on budget.

Navigating Complex Ground Conditions

The site presented typical challenges for a large-scale development in a previously disturbed, urban-adjacent zone. Historical fill, variable subsoils, and the site’s proximity to parklands and stormwater infrastructure required careful assessment.

Our approach combined:

  • Detailed subsurface investigation using boreholes, test pits, and in-situ testing.
  • Integration of lab data into 3D soil models for risk assessment.
  • Development of reliable geotechnical design parameters to suit variable ground layers.

This enabled contractors to proceed with confidence on footing design, slab support, and regrading activities across the ovals and built structures.

Supporting Sustainable and Compliant Development

Environmental obligations were a key part of the Wilson Park upgrade, given the site’s location near sensitive areas and its history of varied land use.

Douglas Partners delivered:

  • Soil management plans aligned with NSW EPA guidelines
  • Protocols for soil reuse, classification, and offsite disposal
  • Regular site audits and reporting to support environmental due diligence
  • Ongoing liaison with stakeholders to validate compliance under all relevant approval conditions

Real-World Impact: A Hub for Community and Elite Sport

The Wilson Park Cricket Centre is expected to host more than 35,000 visitors each year, including players, coaches, families, and fans. It provides an all-weather venue that supports:

  • Pathways from junior to elite level cricket
  • Community access to quality training facilities
  • Health and wellbeing through physical activity
  • Talent identification and high-performance programs

 

As a legacy project, it also strengthens NSW’s sporting infrastructure and helps future-proof the state’s capacity to support national and international competitions.

Why Our Expertise Matters

At Douglas Partners, we know that great facilities start with solid ground. Our in-house laboratories, extensive ground data library, and integrated services ensure we deliver insights that reduce risk and enable smarter decisions.

What set our work apart on this project?

Local experience — Knowledge of Sydney Olympic Park geologies and constraints

Accredited labs — Fast turnaround testing from our NATA-accredited facilities

Collaborative delivery — Trusted by designers and contractors to problem-solve in real time

Environmental accountability — Helping clients meet sustainability and planning goals

Supporting Spaces Where Future Champions Thrive

The Wilson Park NSW Cricket Centre is a clear example of what’s possible when collaboration, investment, and engineering expertise come together for community benefit.

Douglas Partners is proud to have helped lay the foundation — quite literally — for a centre that will inspire generations of players and supporters across New South Wales.

As we continue to support major sporting, infrastructure and urban renewal projects around Australia, our focus remains the same: delivering practical, integrated solutions that stand the test of time.

Looking for an Experienced Ground Engineering Partner?

Whether it’s for a sporting precinct, community facility, transport hub or urban development, Douglas Partners brings together decades of data, expertise, and local knowledge to deliver with confidence.

Explore our geotechnical, environmental and groundwater services, or contact your nearest office to talk about your project needs.

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