Kennedy Community Centre

Unyte delivered the civil, earthworks and landscaping packages for the Kennedy Community Centre in Dingley Village, a landmark facility for the Hawthorn Football Club that brings together elite training, administration and community spaces across a 28-hectare site.

Originally engaged to cap the existing landfill and bulk fill the site to design levels, our team supplied and placed 178,000 cubic metres of fill and stripped 147,000 cubic metres of topsoil to prepare the site for construction. Following the successful delivery of these early works, Unyte was awarded the civil and landscape packages, expanding our role across the full precinct.

Building the foundations

The civil scope included the installation of key services and infrastructure to support the facility, with 420 metres of stormwater drainage installed alongside 1,853 metres of swales, 7,730 metres of electrical and communications conduits and 2,246 metres of watermains, recycled water and fire services. Roadworks were also delivered across the site, including 14,920 tonnes of crushed rock and 14,500 square metres of spray sealed pavements, along with concrete footings, structures and two rendered block walls.

A major component of the project was the construction of two new ovals, catering for both AFL and AFLW programs as well as community use. These works included the installation of drainage, irrigation, sand profiles and turf, with 15,100 square metres of irrigation and 39,450 square metres of drainage backfill, topsoil and turf delivered. Both ovals were completed with over 1.1 kilometres of perimeter fencing.

Bringing the precinct to life

The landscape package brought the site together, with 61,385 square metres of topsoil placed and hydroseeded, 5,200 square metres of granitic paths installed, extensive planting of 80 trees and 750 shrubs across the precinct. The team also installed key public amenities, including drinking fountains, benches and bike hoops, helping create a space that is both functional and welcoming for the wider community.

A key focus throughout delivery was the reuse of site-won materials, with stripped topsoil repurposed across the project to support landscaping outcomes while reducing waste and material importation.

The team delivered the project ahead of program and under budget, to a high standard that has been strongly received by the Hawthorn Football Club. Driven by the team’s flexibility in adapting to evolving scope, providing value management solutions and consistently meeting critical milestones on a high-profile project with multiple stakeholders and levels of government involvement.

The completed Kennedy Community Centre sets a new benchmark for integrated sporting and community infrastructure, supporting elite performance while creating a lasting asset for the broader community.