A determined 14-year-old from Charlestown is preparing to make his case directly to local councillors, hoping to score a win for his community's youth. Lachlan Merchant, a passionate basketball player, will address Lake Macquarie City Council's public forum on Monday, December 8, 2025, advocating for the installation of basketball facilities at a popular netball complex.
The Drive for a Local Hoops Hub
Lachlan, a Year 8 student at St Mary's Gateshead and a member of the under-16s Lakers basketball team, identified a significant gap in local recreation options. While he and his teammates train and compete at Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium and Hunter Sports High School, there is nowhere for them to play socially in the Charlestown-Whitebridge area. The closest available court is in Dudley, a distance that requires parental transport and limits spontaneous play.
"All of my mates live around here and we all complain that there are no really good basketball courts anywhere close to us," Lachlan explained. His solution is a pragmatic proposal to utilise existing space at the Jack Stewart Netball Courts in Charlestown.
A Community-Backed Proposal
To demonstrate local support, Lachlan launched a petition one month ago, which has since gained impressive traction with 573 signatures. He, along with his father Steve Merchant, will present the community's voice to the council. The proposal outlines three potential configurations for the basketball facilities:
- A full court that would overlap part of two existing netball courts.
- A half court featuring an additional racquetball wall.
- A standard half court.
The preferred option is the full court, as it would allow for proper games. The Merchants have been careful to emphasise that their plan is for social use only, after school and on weekends, and would not interfere with netball competitions.
"We don't want to take anything away from the netball association," Steve Merchant stated. "The design we've come up with we want to utilise the space between their courts. They won't lose anything; we're just hoping they might share some of their space with the community."
Political Support and the Path Forward
Lachlan's initiative has already found a champion within the council chambers. After being contacted by the teen, Liberal North Ward councillor Jack Antcliff agreed to submit a formal notice of motion in support of the basketball court proposal at the same meeting.
Cr Antcliff praised the thoughtful approach of the Merchants. "They've been really considerate. They're not trying to steal the netball courts," he said. "It's not for competition; it's just for them to give them somewhere to train during the week and do some recreation. They're not asking for much. I'd like to think we can deliver something like that."
The final decision now rests with the full council. The Charlestown Netball Association, whose courts would be shared, has acknowledged awareness of the petition but declined to comment until after the council meeting. All eyes will be on the Windale Hub on Monday night to see if this grassroots campaign led by a dedicated teenager can successfully navigate the local government process and create a new recreational asset for the area's youth.
