$250,000 Grant Secures Lighting Upgrade For Conna Wilson Reserve
Ararat Rural City Council has secured a $250,000 grant to upgrade lighting at Conna Wilson Reserve in Mininera, supporting local sport and a much-loved community meeting place.
The funding, provided through the Victorian Government’s 2026–27 Local Sports Infrastructure Fund, will help deliver four new light towers and energy-efficient LED lighting for the oval, home to the SMW Rovers Football Netball Club.
Council will also contribute funding to the project, which includes an upgrade to the reserve’s power supply.
A lighting audit undertaken as part of Council’s project business case recorded readings of zero lux in parts of the oval under the existing lights. Lux is the unit used to measure how much light reaches a surface. The new lighting will address these gaps, improve visibility, and support safer training conditions for junior and senior players. It will also give the club greater flexibility to schedule training sessions after dark and support its efforts to attract more players.
Ararat Rural City Council Chief Executive Officer Phuong Au said the project would make a substantial difference to the club and the wider community. “Conna Wilson Reserve is a place where people come together, whether they are playing sport, supporting their club, or attending a community event,” Ms Au said. “The lighting audit gave us a clear picture of the improvements needed. This funding means we can address those shortcomings and provide better conditions for the people who use the oval.
The reserve is home to football, netball, and tennis facilities, with clubrooms that also serve as a community hall. SMW Rovers compete in the Mininera & District Football Netball League. Named after local postmaster and club stalwart Conna Wilson, who lives across the road and operates the Mininera Post Office, the reserve has a strong connection to the surrounding farming community.
Like the post office, it provides a place for residents from across the district to meet and stay connected. That role extended beyond sport when the reserve hosted the region’s annual harvest ball after its usual venue, Carranballac Cricket Club, was destroyed in the Skipton bushfires earlier this year.
“We know how much this reserve means to the Mininera community. Investing in its facilities will help ensure local people can continue to make the most of it.”
