About
About Us
Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club (MWGC) was formed in 1978 by a local couple, Neville and Sue Marsh, who identified a need for a gynastics club on the Northern Beaches. They formed the club as a not-for-profit to ensure the club was for the community, by the community.
MWGC began renting space in a local high school hall and operated 5 days a week as a set up and pack down community club. It wasn’t long before the club began to grow where more space and equipment was needed. The club was packed up and moved to Allambie Heights Community Centre, where again it was required to set up pack down everyday. Interest in Gymnastics continued to grow and with gymnast numbers exceeding 100, it was clear that a permanent gymnastics set up for girls and boys was needed.
20 years after forming, MWGC proudly opened its own doors in a small, rented factory unit in Centre Industries in Allambie Heights with thanks to significant community assistance. The move to more space and improved equipment allowed growth to reach 250 members. By December 2007 memberships had increased to 500.
Over the 2007/2008 Summer holiday break, a group of members and the committee met to discuss what options existed. A large warehouse was found in Aquatic Drive. It wasn’t long before a team of local builders and volunteers rallied together to fit out a new club that would over the next 3 years reach capacity with 900 budding gymnasts involved in programs running 7 days a week.
MWGC was now recognised as a serious contender at State and National podium events, it's coaching team was considered as one of the best, and the club was on its way to becoming one of the most successful Gymnastics Clubs in Australia, and once again demand called for another move.
In October 2011 a new lease was signed in Middleton Rd Cromer, and within 2 years memberships had passed the 2,000 mark. Despite all this growth and success, it was clear the club neede a permanent home.
In 2019 Northern Beaches Council released a public request for organisations to provide concepts for how the vacant North Manly Bowling Club site could be best utilised for the local community. The community spoke, and the outcome was a subsequent Expression of Interest directed at six sports, one being gymnastics.
In May of 2021 MWGC submitted a detailed proposal to build a 4,000m2 purpose-built gymnastics and multi-sport Centre of Excellence, and on the 24th of August 2022, MWGC’s new facility was announced as the successful bid. Since that moment MWGC has been awarded grant funding of $5.15 million through the NSW Office of Sport Center of Excellence Fund. MWGC is finally on the way to the world stage, and the people of the Northern Beaches are set to receive the biggest boost to local sport in more than 20 years. The $10.3m state of the art facility will become home to an estimated 3,500 members by the time the Olympic Games are held in Brisbane 2032.
There is still the challenge of sourcing the final part of the funding. The Office of Sport grant and hard-earned savings total 60% of the project, the remaining 40% remains to be secured.
With your support we will write the next chapter of this incredible story, we hope you will be part of that journey.
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