Why this Illawarra cricket club was voted Australia's best community club

The Butchers secretary perhaps shouldn't be too surprised with the latest honour awarded to the club that plays out of Woonona's Hollymount Park.

Earlier this year the Butchers were awarded the Cricket NSW (CNSW) Community Cricket Club of the Year for 2023-24.

The great work the Northern Districts Butchers Cricket Club has done in encouraging more females to play cricket was the main reason the club took out Cricket Australia's top award.

In fact during the period from 2019-20 to 2023-24 there was an incredible 800 per cent growth in junior female participation at the Woonona-based club.

Cricket Blast female participation also soared by an impressive 225 per cent during this time, while cricket Blast participation across the Butchers club increased by 72.9 per cent.

There was also a 11.4 per cent growth in junior cricket participation during this four-year block as well as an outstanding 60 per cent surge in senior female participation.

CNSW Illawarra manager Paul Brockley nominated Northern Districts for the award because of the Butchers' "unwavering dedication to promoting cricket".

Cleaves thanked Brockley for nominating the Butchers, adding it was "mind-blowing" to beat out so many clubs from around Australia.

"I'm sure there are a lot of great club around Australia doing just as good work," he said.

"We're ecstatic obviously to win such an award.

"We are so pleased that the great work we've done in increasing female participation has been recognised.

"This great work has a lot to do with the fantastic volunteers we have at our club who go above and beyond. It's also a major reason why our club probably has the most junior players out of any Illawarra club.

"We have obviously enjoyed some success in our seniors and juniors in terms of winning titles, but for us it's more important that our players love playing for the Butchers.

"What we want to see is players coming back to the club year after year, which fortunately has been the case.

"I think that shows we are doing something right."

Appointing Janelle Roby as co-vice president and female cricket coordinator was another masterstroke from the Butchers.

"The Butchers is a family-oriented club that believes in supporting grass roots cricket, and instilling strong community values in members across junior and senior teams," Roby said.

"We are extremely proud of the growth of our junior base and the pathway into our senior teams.

"Our amazing Blasters program grows a love for cricket and a stepping stone into the junior competition.

"Our junior base nurtures future cricketers and starts growing good people. From here our juniors have a pathway into the senior teams of club for both males and females.

"It is exciting to see the growth of the girls development league in the Illawarra, supported by a dedicated committee. This league hopes to expand to skill groups this year offering opportunity for foundational and more experienced girls, which then progresses into a growing and strong female T20 competition in the Illawarra.

"We are proud to welcome and support the participation of girls and women of all ages into our club to share a love of cricket, form friendships and engage in physical activity.

"Our ladies team ranges in age from teens to our 50s with first time players through to varying levels of experience.

"Inclusion, opportunity, commitment, mateship and supporting wellness are key to our successful culture across our club.

"We look forward to growing in every way in the future."