The need for more sporting facilities is weighing on local sporting clubs.
Pennant Hills Oval and its three fields are home to several different sports. During the summer, cricket uses the two oval turf pitches, and athletics uses the athletics track. Winter sees soccer, AFL, Rugby, and Hockey.
Coordination for these sports is left to Hornsby Shire Council. However, with overuse of the facility and conflicting schedules creates a tricky problem.
‘As the change of season starts, it feels like we are encroaching more and more on other clubs needing the space,’ explains Alice Clayton from Hornsby Districts Athletics and Race Director of Whale Rock Trail Run. ‘Winters sports like AFL want to start training, but [Hornsby Districts Athletics] still have our finals coming up and need the space. Same things happen during the switch from winter to summer.’
Other issues involve storage space for equipment and upkeep of the facility. The long jump rubber turf at Pennant Hills Oval is nearing a decade in age and now resembles hard concrete with no bouncy spring left. Refurbishing the turf is imperative to prevent injuries for both adults and juniors. Alice explains that securing an infrastructure grant for Council to complete such an upgrade is difficult. Even receiving a defibrillator on site was an uphill battle as Hornsby Shire initially refused. Council only relented after hearing the pleas of a local father whose teenage son experienced a cardiac event at Pennant Hills Oval in June 2024.
For Alice and Hornsby Districts Athletics, the development of Westleigh Park would salve many of the problems. ‘Westleigh is obviously a cause of conflict,’ says Alice. ‘It would give us two more ovals and an athletics track.’
Westleigh Park is in limbo, as last year the much-needed 36-hectare facility had funds reneged by the state government. A Development Application has been lodged and is currently pending.
All sports continue despite the limited space availability.
The inaugural Whale Rock Trail Run made its debut on February 23, 2025, in Lane Cove National Park. Starting and finishing at Pennant Hills Park, the event featured a 6.5km fun run, 17km challenge run, kids’ athletics event, and community stalls.
The event was the vision of Alice Clayton. ‘I am passionate about enhancing physical and mental health and fostering community engagement through fitness,’ Alice said. ‘I’ve been astonished by how many locals have never stepped foot in these incredible trails and knew I had to make them accessible for everyone.’
Over 500 runners, aged 7 to 80, participated, with a 50% female participation rate. About 70% of runners were local, while others travelled from the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong, and some from Europe. Local sport clubs were well represented, both as participants and through activation stalls hosted by AFL, rugby, and tennis clubs, strengthening community ties and promoting sport participation.
With strong sponsorship potential and opportunities for partnerships with local councils, WRTR 2026 is set to be even bigger.