Australia’s newest NRL club, the Perth Bears, will use the WACA Ground and nearby Waterbank site in East Perth (pictured) as its interim administration, training and high-performance space as the club builds towards entering the national competition in 2027.

While the WACA Ground will host the club’s admin and high-performance space, the Waterbank precinct will be used as the club’s professional training field. 

This forms part of a significant WA government investment to future-proof the historic ground and nearby Waterbank site to build a new training field.

The Waterbank site will be upgraded with new goal posts, additional subsoil drainage and improved soil profile and the installation of higher quality couch grass to improve the reliability of the training surface.

These works will complement the broader WACA Redevelopment Project, ensuring the wider precinct is activated as a multi-use, high-performance hub.

The Waterbank upgrades are part of PlayOn WA: 2030 by 2030 – the WA Government's initiative to deliver 2,030 community infrastructure items across WA by the year 2030. The Riverside Redevelopment Area spans 40 hectares and includes Trinity College, Queens Gardens, the West Australian Cricket Association (WACA), Gloucester Park, and the banks of the Swan River.

Full completion of works are scheduled to be completed by early 2026.

To check out the full WACA Redevelopment Project, CLICK HERE.

Story by Nick Creely/ Picture WA Government