The National Facilities Audit of community rugby club facilities undertaken during 2010 provided valuable club-specific facilities data and identified a number of key findings. A total of 219 surveys were submitted, however, only 206 surveys were completed. The 206 completed surveys represent a 27% sample of community rugby clubs, and audit responses were used for data analysis and to identify key audit findings.
The audit findings identified the following trends:
- Nearly half of clubs surveyed (48%) have one (1) field for playing and training while 36% of clubs have two (2) fields for playing and training. 11% of clubs have three (3) fields in total, 2% of clubs have four (4) fields in total, and 2% of clubs have 5+ fields. Of note, there were 2% of clubs that did not have access to a field for playing and training.
- More than half the clubs surveyed (56%) have only one field that has lights, while 24% of clubs have two fields with lights. 10% of clubs have three fields with lights and only 1% of clubs have four fields with lights. 8% of clubs surveyed have no field lights at their facility.
- The majority of clubs surveyed (75%) have some type of tenancy arrangement of their facility; including 25% of clubs with rental/hire agreement, 22% of clubs with a leasehold, 12% of clubs with an annual contract, and 10% of clubs with a licensed agreement. Of the other clubs, 5% do not have any tenancy agreement in place and 4% of clubs use school-owned land. Less than 4% of clubs own the land on which their facility exists.
- Local Council representatives maintain fields for 63% of clubs surveyed and other club amenities for 38% of clubs. Volunteers maintain fields for 19% of clubs and other club amenities for 41% of clubs surveyed.
- 80% of clubs surveyed share their facilities with one or more other groups including cricket (43%), schools (27%), football (23%), touch football (22%), rugby league (19%), other rugby clubs (12%) and hockey (2%). 22% of clubs cited ‘other’ groups which shared their facilities included baseball, athletics, netball, oztag.
- The amenities that clubs surveyed are most dissatisfied with are lighting (39%), spectator seating (32%), onsite parking (30%) and public toilets (27%). The amenities that clubs are most satisfied with are playing fields (56%), onsite parking (45%), lighting (42%), canteen (42%) and player change rooms (42%).
- The top three immediate priorities that surveyed clubs recognise as important for improving their facility are: lighting (51%); club house (49%); and playing fields (44%).
- Nearly half of all clubs surveyed (44%) believe their ability to expand/grow is hampered by access to sufficient field space. Some clubs have even ceased to grow as they are currently at their full carrying capacity.
- In the last three years, more than half of clubs surveyed (54%) have not applied for grant funding to contribute to the improvement of facilities. Of those clubs that did apply for grant funding in the last three years, nearly half of clubs (48%) did not receive any grant funding. Of those grants received, government grants were the main source of grant funding with 27% of clubs receiving state government grants, 25% of clubs receiving local government grants and 14% of clubs receiving federal government grants.
- Most clubs surveyed indicated that capital to improve facilities (87%), facilities grant funding opportunities (85%), personnel to apply for facility grants (70%), and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with key stakeholders (64%) were the most important facility-related issues for their clubs
Further detailed information is available in the National Community Rugby Facilities Strategy.