Funding Boost Will See Henson Park Upgraded By 2026

The historic Henson Park in Marrickville has received a landmark funding boost from the Inner West Council and the AFL, bringing the total investment in its upgrade to $20 million.

It’s all part of a 10-year “Master Plan” for the park, which will bring upgrades to the grandstand and scoreboard, improved pedestrian access and upgrades to entrances and parking.

With the Council contributing an additional $5.5 million, and $2 million from the AFL, this final boost will allow Stage 2 of the project to be completed, bringing new toilets, a canteen, coaches’ boxes and media facilities to the park.

The grounds of Henson Park first opened in 1933, and have been the home of the Newtown  Jets since the team started playing there in 1937.

It’s also fast becoming a hub for women’s football, with grassroots and elite teams playing on the fields. It’s hoped that these upgrades will help it become one of the premier AFLW venues in Australia, supporting women’s football locally and across the state. 

“We are increasing our investment in the renovation of Henson Park to make sure that the facilities for spectators and fans will be as good as the modern change rooms we are constructing for the players,” Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said.

“This $20 million investment will secure Henson Park as the home of the Newtown Jets and as a hub for women’s AFL. The crowds we have been attracting to AFL at Henson have been bigger and they’ll only grow as a result of this investment.”

Project to benefit the entire Inner West community

The Inner West Council and the AFL have been upgrading the venue since 2022 with new purpose-built change rooms, gym, community space and an extension of the historic grandstand set to be complete in August, ahead of the NAB AFLW Premiership season.

AFL Executive General Manager of Game Development, Rob Auld, said the investment by the AFL reflected the league’s commitment to grow the game not only for elite matches, but as part of community football too.

“It also speaks to our Women and Girls Action Plan which was devised in 2021 as part of our vision to have women and girls equally represented in our game by 2030, and a key component means providing appropriate gender-neutral facilities to support this growth,” he said.

“Since Henson Park hosted its first AFLW game in 2022 there has been almost 50,000 fans through the gates, while around 200 local footballers play there each week and utilise the facilities, so this project will benefit the entire community.”

The renovation is slated for completion ahead of the 2026 community football season.