Sport and recreation is a highly visible and valued feature of Hepburn Shire’s culture and identity. Our local sport and recreation clubs and organisations provide opportunities for enriching our community through the promotion of respect and fair mindedness for all people, while also supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of our community.

Council has developed a draft Hepburn Shire Fair Access Policy that seeks to address known barriers experienced by women, girls, trans and gender diverse people in accessing and using community sports infrastructure. The Policy aims to progressively build the capacity and capabilities of Council in the identification and elimination of systemic causes of gender inequality in policy, programs, communications and delivery of services in relation to community sports infrastructure.

The Policy also reinforces the intersectional gender lens already incorporated into the planning and development of community sport and recreation infrastructure and participation opportunities undertaken by Council.

Developed by the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation in partnership with VicHealth and Sport and Recreation Victoria, the Policy is an Australia-first policy that aims to give women, girls, trans and gender diverse people better and fairer access to community sports infrastructure.

All Victorian Councils are required to have in place a gender equitable access and use policy (or equivalent) by 1 July 2024 to remain eligible for state government community sports infrastructure funding.

Feedback on the draft Fair Access Policy has now closed. Thank you to anyone who provided feedback.

Your feedback will help to further inform the intent and actions of the draft policy to ensure it meets the needs of the Hepburn Shire community and our sport and recreation clubs and organisations.

An overview of the feedback received will be provided following the close of community and stakeholder engagement period.

For further information on the Fair Access Policy roadmap can be obtained from the Victorian’s Government’s Office for Women in Sport and Recreation, VicHealth and Sport and Recreation Victoria.

Fair Access website - Change Our Game | Fair Access Policy Roadmap