Netball Victoria and the Melbourne Vixens are Gippsland-bound, with the reigning Suncorp Super Netball champions set to visit hundreds of local students in the region in December and the Victorian Netball League to open its season in Traralgon in March.
The Vixens and Netball Victoria are partnering with Latrobe City Council and the Victorian Government to bring a range of elite, pre-elite and pathway netball activity to the region.
The Vixens will run clinics and meet and greet events with students from a range of local schools and deliver a Train Like a Vixen On Tour clinic at Moe and District Netball Association in Newborough.
The partnership will also bring round one of the Victorian Netball League (VNL) to Traralgon’s Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium in March.
The Gippsland Stars will host three other VNL clubs to launch the 2026 season, along with umpiring and coaching development opportunities for local officials.
Close to half of Netball Victoria’s participants are regionally based, and these exciting activities form part of the organisation’s commitment to connecting with netball communities and supporting the growth of the game right across the state.
Netball participation in Victoria has grown by 28 per cent since 2022, and the records keep tumbling – 2025 has seen Netball Victoria reach an all-time high of over 120,000 members, and the Vixens’ membership tally of 9380 marks a new club and league record.
Netball Victoria also took the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball trophy on tour in the region in September, visiting various events and competitions at local netball associations to share in the excitement of the Vixens’ thrilling one-goal grand final victory.
Netball Victoria chief executive officer, Andrea Pearman is excited to be embracing Gippsland.
“We know Gippsland is a stronghold for netball in Victoria; so many passionate people are driving the growth of the game and fostering welcoming netball communities across the region, we’re proud to partner with the Latrobe City Council and the Victorian Government to make this kind of positive impact possible, building and delivering opportunities that will shape the next generation of Victorian netballers,” Pearman said.
