Published 22 December 2025, updated 24 December 2025
The City of Bunbury has been awarded the Most Accessible Community Award WA in the Major Infrastructure over $1.5M category for the transformative redevelopment of Hands Memorial Oval.
The prestigious award was presented at this year’s Most Accessible Community Western Australia (MACWA) Awards, where six local governments were recognised for their efforts in creating accessible and inclusive communities.
This recognition belongs to the entire Bunbury community – particularly the City's Co-Design Access Panel (CoDAP), whose expertise and lived experience of disability shaped every aspect of the project from the very beginning.
By working alongside CoDAP members, we didn’t just meet accessibility standards, we exceeded them.
This is what co-design looks like in action. When we centre the voices of people with lived experience of disability, we create spaces that work better for everyone.
The multi-million-dollar redevelopment has created a state-of-the-art, inclusive sporting facility featuring:
- 22 wheelchair-accessible viewing spaces with 40 companion seats in the 750-seat undercover grandstand
- A Changing Places facility designed for people with high support needs – a first for regional sporting infrastructure in the South West
- Lift access to all levels, including media and officials’ areas
- Nine ACROD parking bays, with eight located at the closest entry points
- Assisted listening systems for hearing-impaired spectators
- Six gender-neutral changerooms for players and umpires
- Accessible pathways and amenities throughout the facility
The redeveloped facility has removed barriers, creating a welcoming environment for players, officials, spectators, and community members of all abilities.
Since opening, Hands Oval has resulted in numerous benefits for our community including enabling Bunbury to host AFL matches, attracting thousands of spectators, creating opportunities for increased participation in women's and community sport and providing a hub for cultural events, school programs, and community gatherings.
The project received strong support from the Commonwealth and Western Australian Government, WA Football Commission, AFL, South West Football League, West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers, demonstrating the collaborative effort behind this transformative infrastructure.
The City’s Co-Design Access Panel comprises community members with lived or professional experience of disability who work alongside City staff to ensure accessibility and inclusion are embedded in projects from the earliest planning stages. CoDAP’s involvement in the Hands Oval redevelopment was instrumental in achieving outcomes that go beyond compliance to create genuine inclusion.