THE president of Mornington Junior Football Club has expressed his disappointment at being “forgotten”, as the fast-growing club struggles with ancient or non-existent infrastructure at its two home ground ovals.
Despite a masterplan being prepared by the Mornington Peninsula Shire for the club’s Narambi Recreation Reserve home ground in 2019, the junior football club is making do with clubrooms that are no longer fit for purpose, and a tiny transportable with two plastic porta-loos, and no running water, at the other oval where the girls teams play.
“It is difficult when our teams play away and see the wonderful facilities at virtually every other team’s home ground,” said president of the MJFC Sam Bramston.
“We’re wondering why we’ve been forgotten.”
The masterplan had space allocated for a new clubroom building that would service both ovals with up-to-date facilities.
“When the masterplan was developed seven years ago, we had 120 juniors playing in our club. That is now 381 juniors, with 120 girls playing from under 12’s to under 18’s; something we are incredibly proud of,” said Bramston.
“We have a fantastic football program, which is evidenced by our huge growth in numbers over the last few years, but we also desperately need facilities to match.”
“To have these girls training in the evenings when it is dark and having only two porta-loos with no lights, so they must use the facilities in the dark, is unacceptable. Added to that, there is no running water to wash their hands.
“If any of the kids want to fill their water bottles, their only option is to go down to the bottom oval and fill them at the tap used to fill the dog bowl.”
Bramston said the club was very grateful for the support they had received from the shire, including funds to complete irrigation and drainage works at the bottom oval, but that the shire’s capital works forward planning for the next four years contained nothing to alleviate the porta-loo and no running water situation at the top oval.
Bramston is calling on the state government to take note of their substandard facilities and consider funding for a redevelopment.
Member for Mornington Chris Crewther visited Narambi Reserve last week and agreed with Bramston’s sentiment.
“This has got to be up there as one of the most urgent needs in my electorate,” said Crewther.
“The Allan Labor government can make funds available to paint murals on the front of tunnel boring machines that not a single human will ever see but can’t provide funds so our female footy players don’t have to go to the toilet in porta-loos in the dark.”
“It is an absolute disgrace.”
Crewther said the junior football club was a model of success for the promotion of junior sport, and was fast-growing and proud, despite the substandard facilities. But that the government must urgently act to address the facilities shortfall.
“Sam was telling me this year is the first time there is an under 18’s girls’ team at the club. The sponsors have provided special jumpers for the occasion with pink trim to celebrate the achievement,” said Crewther.
“This is a model of success and inclusion and I’m urgently calling on the Allan Labor government to step up and help this club that is doing everything they can to help themselves.”
Crewther told The News he intends to raise the issue in parliament again and plans to invite a few of the under 18’s female players, clothed in their commemorative jumpers, to be in the public gallery.
First published in the Mornington News – 19 May 2026
