Warragul Basketball Association
Our History
Est. 1972 · West Gippsland's Basketball Home
From humble beginnings in a local assembly hall to the largest basketball association in the Gippsland region — over 50 years of passion, community, and elite development.
Founded 1972 300+ Teams Weekly 8 Courts · 5 Venues Big V Return 2026
Warragul Basketball Association (WBA) is located in West Gippsland and is the largest basketball association in the Gippsland region, with over 300 teams competing every week across our Junior and Senior domestic competitions.
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Location
West Gippsland
Baw Baw Shire
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Courts & Venues
8Courts at 5 Venues
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Weekly Teams
300+Teams Competing
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Weekly Visits
~4,000Venue Visits
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Established
1972Over 50 Years
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Member Clubs
7Local Clubs
WBA is managed by a board of directors that provides strategic direction for the conduct, encouragement, promotion and administration of basketball throughout Gippsland and surrounding areas. The association conducts introductory programs including Aussie Hoops, and supports representative pathways through our Warragul Warriors teams competing in VJBL, CBL, and JCC.
Headquarters: Warragul Leisure Centre — opened 1986 and expanded to meet growing demand, our home for over 35 years. WBA also operates courts at Bellbird Park Drouin, St Paul's Anglican Grammar, Neerim South, and Bunyip.
Basketball in Warragul began in the early 1970s when John Vickerman returned to the area and found no basketball being played. A committee was formed and operated for about two years before securing a suitable venue to launch the first competitions.
1972 / 73
Association Founded
The Warragul and District Amateur Basketball Association (WDABA) was officially formed under founding pioneers including Lester Mason, John Vickerman, Peter Juratowitch, Brendan Beasley, and Daryl Donaldson (first secretary). The community even conducted a doorknock fundraising campaign across the town over a weekend to support the growing sport.
Early 1970s
First Competitions Established
Early competitions were held at local venues before the association moved to the Assembly Hall, which provided five nights a week of court time. The junior competition became more structured and squad teams began to form under the guidance of John Vickerman, Peter Juratowitch, and John Gilchrist.
Early 1980s
Gippsland League Formed
Through collaboration between Peter Juratowitch and Jack Vanstone from Pakenham, the Gippsland League was established as a home-and-away inter-town Sunday competition for senior men's and women's teams and U16 divisions. The league initially included Pakenham, Sherbrooke, Warragul, Poowong, Korumburra, Leongatha, Phillip Island, and Wonthaggi, later expanding to East and West Gippsland divisions.
Founding Clubs
🛡️ Gladiators
Led by John Vickerman
🍺 Pubtrotters
John Gilchrist & Lorraine Moss
⚔️ Vikings
Led by Peter Juratowitch
☘️ Celtics
Led by Lester Mason
✊ Rebels
Led by Brendan Beasley
Association Founders
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Lester Mason
President (~8 years)
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John Vickerman
Co-Founder
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Peter Juratowitch
Co-Founder
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Brendan Beasley
Co-Founder
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Daryl Donaldson
First Secretary
The 1980s and 1990s were transformative decades for WBA, marked by new facilities, expanding competitions, and the association's growing reputation for developing quality basketball talent.
1986 — Major Milestone
Warragul Leisure Centre Opens
The opening of the Warragul Leisure Centre marked a turning point for the association, providing three full-size courts and establishing the headquarters that continues to serve as WBA's home today. The venue has since been expanded to meet growing demand.
~1987
Tournaments Begin
The association began running tournaments, initially featuring senior competitions in February. In a testament to the quality of basketball in Warragul, the tournaments occasionally attracted NBL teams including the Coburg Giants and Nunawading Spectres.
~2000
Facility Expansion Across the Region
This period saw significant facility growth with Bellbird Park receiving its second court, the construction of the Neerim South stadium, and the building of St Paul's Anglican Grammar courts — expanding basketball access across all of Baw Baw Shire.
Warragul developed a reputation as a legitimate breeding ground for elite basketball talent. Representative basketball began to take shape around 1977, growing steadily into a proud tradition of developing players who progress to state and national programs.
First Representative Team (c.1977): An U18 boys team featuring Greg Jefferies and Jack Taylor marked the beginning of WBA's representative pathway — a legacy that continues today through our Warragul Warriors teams in VJBL, CBL, and JCC.
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1992 — Country Champions
U14 Girls Div 2
Country Championship title — a landmark moment for junior girls basketball in Warragul.
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Ongoing
State Representative Pathways
Numerous WBA players have progressed to state representative programs and elite competition beyond Gippsland.
From 2001 to 2009, Warragul competed in the VBL/Big V competition with remarkable success — and in 2026, WBA proudly returns to Big V as an independent entity, building on that proud championship legacy.
VBL / Big V Competition · 2001–2009
Championship Legacy
Warragul achieved standout success at the highest level of Victorian club basketball, including a Division Two Championship in 2006. The association returns to Big V competition in 2026 as an independent entity.
2026 Return 2006 Champions Div 1 Runners-Up 2004 & 2005
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2004 & 2005
Division One Runners-Up
Back-to-back runner-up finishes at the top level of Victorian club basketball.
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2006 — Champions
Division Two Big V Championship
Defeated Maccabi in 3 games to claim the Division Two championship title.
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2003–2006
Mike Santo — Individual Honours
3× All-Star · League MVP 2005 · Scoring Title 2005 · Finals MVP 2006 (54 pts in Game 1)
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2026
Big V Return
WBA returns to Big V as an independent entity, continuing the tradition of elite competition in the Gippsland region.
WBA has a proud tradition of developing basketball talent that reaches the highest levels of the game. Our most notable graduate is a testament to what a strong community association can produce.
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WBA's Most Notable Graduate
Dean Vickerman
Dean Vickerman progressed through Warragul's junior basketball system — the product of the very community the association was built to serve. He went on to become the head coach of NBL club Melbourne United, and in March 2025 was appointed Associate Head Coach of the Australian Boomers national team.
NBL Head Coach — Melbourne United Australian Boomers Assoc. Head Coach
WBA entered the 2020s with renewed governance, an expanded facility, and a clear strategic vision for the future of basketball across Baw Baw Shire and the wider Gippsland region.
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New Constitution (2020)
The association's constitution was updated and a new board of seven members was adopted in October 2021, modernising WBA's governance structure.
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Strategic Plan 2023–2028
A comprehensive Strategic Plan was developed with the vision "To provide high quality and inclusive basketball experiences" guiding WBA's direction through the decade.
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Two-Court Expansion
WBA successfully advocated for a two-court expansion at Warragul Leisure Centre, reflecting the association's continued growth and ambition.
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Big V Return 2026
Warragul Basketball returns to Big V competition in 2026 as an independent entity, building on our championship legacy and continuing the tradition of elite development in Gippsland.
Today, WBA operates 8 courts across 5 venues throughout Baw Baw Shire, supporting 7 local member clubs and over 300 teams competing weekly — generating approximately 4,000 venue visits every week across the region.
From a single assembly hall in 1972 to 8 courts across 5 venues today — WBA has grown to provide accessible basketball opportunities throughout the entire region.
Headquarters
🏟️ Warragul Leisure Centre
Opened 1986. Expanded to meet demand. Our home for over 35 years.
🏀 Bellbird Park
Drouin. Second court added c.2000.
🏫 St Paul's Anglican Grammar
Built c.2000.
🏘️ Neerim South Stadium
Regional venue serving the Neerim community.
🌾 Bunyip
Providing access to basketball in the broader Baw Baw region.
