Fritsch Holzer Reserve Update

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 10 February 2026

An update to our community members on the status of our home at Fritsch Holzer Reserve.

South Yarra Football Netball Club (SYFNC) has been in contact with City of Boroondara and Swinburne Senior Secondary College (SSSC) over the course of the redevelopment of Fritsch Holzer. SSSC is the current manager of the Oval facility.

SYFNC began using Fritsch Holzer in 2007, and played matches there until 2019 when the ground was deemed unsuitable for playing use. SYFNC continued to call Fritsch Holzer home for functions and trainings, until the end of the 2022 season, when the redevelopment commenced.

Post-completion of the redevelopment we received indications that the playing surface was not yet ready for the 2024 season. Ahead of the 2025 season, an EOI was put out by SSSC for potential tenants. This process stalled and no primary tenant was awarded use of the facility. There has since been renewed discussions between City of Boroondara and SSSC regarding a Community Joint Use Agreement (CJUA) for the long-term management of Fritsch Holzer.

Unfortunately, discussions on the CJUA have made no meaningful progress due to a funding gap of ~$40k. Goal post storage, a safe runoff distance and cricket related upgrades are required for City of Boroondara to take over the facility.

City of Boroondara have expressed a willingness to take on the facility for a 12-month period once the above works have been complete. SSSC's position appears to be that they will not fund these works.

SYFNC are actively engaged in investigating funding options for this shortfall, but require collaboration from both Council and Victorian School Building Authority (on behalf of SSSC) on the CJUA for this to progress.

The result is that a $24M facility has fallen $40k short and sat vacant for the 2024 and 2025 season, with no Training or Games permitted. 

In the meantime, SYFNC has been without a dedicated facility, sharing training venues (including using soccer pitches in the 2023 season), and has seen a significant drop in our player base including the inability to field a women's side and run an Auskick program.

SYFNC would like to thank John Pesutto for his advocacy on this subject, including raising the matters in question time in November last year. Unfortunately, these matters were referred back to City of Boroondara to respond to.

We thank our community members for their advocacy and drawing attention to this issue. We share your desire to see this ground back in full use by the extended Hawthorn and Camberwell community.

- Rhiannon Russell & Oskar Henderson (Co-Presidents, South Yarra Football Netball Club)