The Hunter is the pilot region for NSW and the Dungog and Maitland region will be a pilot region within that.

The alliance will be a not-for-profit organisation representing sport and recreation and working within the Hunter community for the good of everyone. 

It will be governed by a voluntary board of directors and work through partnerships with government and non-government organisations to support not only local sport and recreation clubs but the whole community.

It will be run as a pilot program for Sport NSW and will gain extra support and attention from a state and national level.

Ms Battaerd said she is working with Jim Doyle who in turn is working with the community to get the alliance started.

“The Dungog part will be integral to the success of the alliance,” she said.

“We want sport to help deliver good outcomes such as community engagement, physical and mental health, jobs and education.

“We are setting up fundraising to help get the alliance established and the Dungog Regional Sports Council will be a big part of it.”

Jim Doyle said the Dungog Shire area has produced some really good individuals and sporting teams over the years and also very recently.

“Paterson River Netball club won three grand finals as did Dungog Netball Association,” Mr Doyle said.

“Both Clarence Town and Paterson rugby league clubs both won their respective grand finals and Dungog Junior Rugby League won three out of three grand finals too.

“Dungog Pony Club and St Joseph’s Primary School host the annual school pony club day which draws more than 200 riders to the area.

“The Sports Gala Days held in different towns around the shire during the school holidays have also been very successful.

“Sport is very big in the shire and it also unites communities.

“Sporting clubs are often the backbone of communities and their survival is at risk unless sport adapts their sporting products to cater for the changing consumer needs and provide broader participation opportunities.

“The demise of sporting clubs will have a significant impact on the health, economy and social fabric of our NSW communities.

“For this to work it has to be owned by the whole community.”

There will a meeting about the benefit of increasing sport participation in the Dungog area and the first stage of organising a Dungog Region Sports Council tomorrow night.

It will be held at Dungog RSL Club at 7pm on Thursday, October 29 and residents are urged to attend.