Taking with one hand, giving back with the other, the NSW Government has announced it is returning — in concert with PCYC NSW — more than $10 million from the promised near $50 million offer made by the previous Coalition Government, for major upgrades to Dubbo PCYC youth sports centre.

The announcement follows the current Government having withdrawn the original funding after delays, cost blow-outs, proposed venue changes, and design issues with a proposed state-of-the-art indoor sports centre to be known as the Dubbo Sports Hub project.

The NSW state government officially withdrew the $48.6 million in funding for the Dubbo regional indoor sports hub (often referred to as the Dubbo Sports Hub or PCYC project) in December 2024 citing an increased likely spend of up to $70 million to make the project a reality.

The Government announced on Monday, February 23, however, that the new $15 million spend will aim to deliver major upgrades to the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Dubbo Sports World by contributing $10.4 million toward the new project from the Regional Development Trust Fund with the PCYC funding $4.9 million of the new project.

The partnership aims to deliver:

• Upgrades to the existing two sports halls to meet specification standards for multi-sport competitions

• Equipment upgrades including new mechanical backboard systems, scoreboards and audio-visual fit outs

• Construct of new “Front of House” amenities, including foyer/reception/café, staff offices, storage and compliant amenities

• A large “youth hub” and fitness gym

• Police “Youth Engagement” office, multi-purpose program rooms, and learning/meeting spaces

Nearly $50 million under the previous Coalition Government had been promised for the futuristic facility, however, the then-new Labor Government showed little enthusiasm for the proposal, canning it completely after estimates suggested cost blow-outs in initial costings for the project.

This was despite offers from proponents and council to change the site from CSU to Dubbo Sports World to reduce costs and rework the infrastructure to fit under the funding cap.

In December 2024, Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty, stunned the region by issuing a media release clawing back $48.6 million of government funds earmarked for the long-awaited Indoor Sports Hub, outlining cost blow-outs, delays, and scope revisions as the reasons why funding had been withdrawn.

“Not once has our community been provided with a clear explanation on why the Sportsworld site was not a suitable variation for approval,” Dubbo mayor, Cr Josh Black, fumed at the time.

“There hasn’t been a guarantee that all the funding will stay in Dubbo, and we have heard nothing on where nearly $50 million in funding is going,” he added.