Bunbury is gearing up for its inaugural AFL premiership game, set to take place on June 8, 2025, featuring a matchup between North Melbourne and the West Coast Eagles at Hands Memorial Oval.

This historic event marks the first time an AFL home-and-away game will be held in Western Australia outside the Perth metropolitan area.

With this match, Hands Oval will become the 52nd venue to host an AFL/VFL game, taking over as the western-most location from Subiaco Oval.

The venue has undergone upgrades to increase its capacity to 15,000 for the match, although the actual attendance may be slightly lower due to seating access restrictions.

All tickets for the match sold out rapidly, with general admission tickets disappearing in less than half an hour after their release in March 2025.

Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel has described this event as a 'huge moment' for the region, expecting a significant turnout from both locals and visitors.

The Bunbury Big Weekender is designed to bring together footy fans, families, and visitors to celebrate the city and the sport.

On match day, free shuttle buses will operate from Bunbury Bus Station to Hands Oval, with gates opening at 11:30 AM and kickoff scheduled for 1:20 PM.

Pre-game festivities will commence at Bicentennial Square at 9 AM, featuring food trucks, a big screen, and family-friendly activities like face painting and a wheelchair football exhibition.

Leading up to the match, a Footy Panel Trackside Lunch will be held at Bunbury Turf Club on June 5, featuring sports commentator Tim Gossage and former Eagles players Andrew Embley and Ross Glendinning.

On June 7, open training sessions for both AFL clubs will take place at Hands Oval, with North Melbourne's captain's run in the morning and West Coast's in the afternoon.

Additionally, on June 6, community members can engage in a hands-on painting activity at the Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault FC club rooms, with appearances from North Melbourne players.