sport

Box Hill Upgrades Sports Oval, Partners With Hawthorn College for Enhanced Facilities

Recent venue upgrades and educational partnerships provide enhanced facilities for college-level sport programs in the area.

By Box Hill Sport Desk · Published 25 July 2026

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Box Hill City Oval reopened on May 16, 2026, for the Box Hill Hawks' first home game of the 2026 VFL and VFLW season with a new playing surface, synthetic track and upgraded pavilions.

Venue Reopening Supports Season Start

The reopening directly enabled the Box Hill Hawks Football Club to host matches at the upgraded ground. Box Hill Hawks Football Club and Box Hill Cricket Club have agreed to jointly manage the oval going forward. This arrangement aligns with ongoing work on the $28 million oval redevelopment.

Broader Precinct Upgrade Underway

A wider $25.1 million sporting precinct upgrade accompanies the oval project and is expected to complete in 2027. The combined developments expand capacity for training and competition at the site. Hawthorn College of Sport, a partnership between Hawthorn Football Club and Box Hill Institute, uses these facilities as part of its dual diploma program in Sport and Leadership.

College Program Ties to Infrastructure

The Hawthorn College of Sport launched its first Melbourne cohort in February 2025. An expansion to Launceston is scheduled to begin in February 2026. The program added a pathway to Deakin University in August 2024 that grants students 8 credit points toward Sport Development or Sport Management degrees upon completion.

These infrastructure elements and the college partnership together create integrated support for local sport education and competition. The oval redevelopment and precinct works continue through 2027, with joint club management already in place to oversee operations at the venue.

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