Ownership of a 1.72-hectare sports reserve in Belrose is being transferred to Northern Beaches Council by the NSW Government.
County Road Reserve on Forest Way is a home ground for Wakehurst Football Club’s 2,000 players and has long been identified by local sporting organisations as a key resource to help meet growing demand for quality sporting infrastructure.
The ground currently has no toilet facilities, change rooms or lighting, and inadequate parking after a $6 million upgrade planned for the park was halted in 2023. The project, which was to be funded by the NSW Government, included pitch improvements, additional parking and a playground with disability access.
“County Road Reserve is exactly the kind of community asset we want to see thrive under local ownership, well used, well-loved and ready to grow with the Northern Beaches,” said Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully.
“Putting this reserve in Council’s hands means Wakehurst Football Club and the thousands of local families, players and volunteers who use it can look forward to the investment and upgrades this site deserves.
“This transfer sits alongside our broader push to deliver more open space across Sydney, because growing communities need places to play, gather and stay active, and we are backing that need with real investment.”
Independent Member for Wakehurst, Michael Regan, welcomed the change of ownership for the park.
“I’ve been advocating alongside the club to get this moving, and this transfer is an important breakthrough. But let’s be clear: the job is not finished,” he said.
“We now need a practical plan and funding for modern, inclusive facilities, including toilets, female change rooms, lighting and safer parking.
“Thank you to Wakehurst FC President Greg Dick and everyone at the club who has continued pushing for action. I look forward to working with Council, the NSW Government and our community to turn this long-awaited opportunity into reality.”
The Government has also stood up a Blue-Green Grid Committee to expand Sydney’s parklands network, transferring 28 hectares of surplus land along the Duck River Corridor to Cumberland City Council for permanent protection as public open space.
Subject to passage of the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Amendment (Review) Bill 2026, reforms to the Greater Sydney Parklands Act will set up a long-term sustainable funding model which is expected to support more than 300 hectares of additional parkland.
