Gerringong man pushing for female change rooms at Gerry Emery Reserve

But the reserve has no female changing rooms, and limited toilets.

Resident John Trevenar, a life member of the Gerringong Breakers football club, has spent the past 20 months trying to change that.

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Mr Trevenar said he was at the oval in May 2021 when he got talking to the girls playing there, who told him they got changed behind cars and trees.

The very next day, Mr Trevenar - who was involved in the volunteer effort to build the existing clubhouse 22 years ago - called the council and proposed a project to provide more female and accessible facilities for the community.

On December 19 last year - after more than a year and a half of hard work on Mr Trevenar's part - the development application was approved.

"I was just so excited," Mr Trevenar said.

The work on the site will involve the construction of an extension to the existing clubhouse.

This extension will provide a large entrance foyer with a wheelchair-accessible lift, female change rooms with toilets and showers, disabled-accessible change room facilities for referees, disabled-accessible toilets, and more male and female toilets.

There will also be a new clubroom.

"It'll be massive," Mr Trevenar said.

The works will benefit the members of the Gerringong District All Sports, which includes the Breakers, the Gerringong Jets Cricket Club and the Gerringong Touch Football Club, as well as local schools and the wider community.

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The project is expected to cost over $1.2 million and Mr Trevenar has turned his attention to fundraising, with an online auction featuring a Socceroos 2022 World Cup signed jersey, a signed surfboard from Sally Fitzgibbons, a 1983 State of Origin Blues jersey signed by Mick Cronin and other items now live.

For the women and girls who use the reserve, the improved clubhouse is expected to make a massive difference.

"They'll feel appreciated, and they'll feel comfortable getting changed, having a shower and all that," the Breakers' female co-ordinator Taryn Sams said.

She confirmed that women and girls were always limited in the facilities available to them.

"I've been playing at Gerringong since I was a junior and the change rooms have always been for the boys," Mrs Sams said.

The lack of female facilities was not only a problem locally, she said, but something she had experienced playing throughout the Illawarra and South Coast.

Meanwhile the number of women participating in these traditionally male-dominated sports is increasing.

Mrs Sams said the Breakers had female teams in all ages, and in some age groups more than one.

She stressed Mr Trevenar's hard work in getting the project off the ground.

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"He's greatly appreciated by the community for the effort he's put in," Mrs Sams said.

Mr Trevenar hopes construction can start by the end of next month and finish in spring.

The project has the support of Kiama Municipal Council, with councillors agreeing upon this last year.

"Council currently has no operational or capital budget allocated to this project. We are continuing to explore grant funding opportunities to undertake this project," the council said in a statement.

"If and when funding is secured, and the project is approved, Kiama Council will manage the project."

Last month, the council did resolve to reimburse Mr Trevenar the almost $2600 in development application fees.

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