Waterbank is a 6.6-hectare site within the Riverside Redevelopment Area, located between the Causeway Bridge and Trinity College. As a key eastern entry to Perth, the site has been revitalised to improve presentation, amenity and activation while longer-term redevelopment planning continues.

Waterbank will serve as the interim training base for the NRL’s Perth Bears, bringing elite sport into the heart of Perth and helping activate the site while its long-term future is shaped.

This follows the WA Government’s May 2025 announcement to establish a new membership-based, not-for-profit NRL club in partnership with the Australian Rugby League Commission, with the Perth Bears set to enter the NRL Premiership competition in March 2027.

Waterbank was selected due to its proximity to the WACA Ground, which will host the Bears’ administration and high-performance operations. Together, the two sites will help create a vibrant multi-use sporting hub in East Perth, supporting both elite sport and community engagement. Further works are expected on site to finalise facilities for the Bear’s, with training anticipated to commence later this year.

Interim landscaping works at Waterbank are now complete, with practical completion reached in April 2026.

As part of interim landscaping works, temporary playing fields have been created at Waterbank, which will serve as the Bears’ interim professional training base.

Upgrades to the Waterbank field include new goal posts, enhanced subsoil drainage, improved soil profile, and high-quality couch grass to ensure a reliable playing surface. Site management and maintenance during the Bears’ stay will be overseen by the Department of Creative Industries, Sport and Tourism.

Additional enhancements include native landscaping, footpaths, lighting, CCTV and verge upgrades.

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If you have any questions about these works, please contact DevelopmentWA on +61 (08) 6200 4000 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..