Molong Bulls Rugby League Club first to play Friday night footy under lights at The Rec

Following the announcement of its $400,000 lighting project in September of 2021, the prior 25-metre-high lights at Molong's Dr. Ross Memorial Recreation Grounds were replaced with the taller towers in early January of 2022 - which will hit the pitch at 300 lumens.

Paving the way for both cricket and rugby match-standard lighting, the upgrades now allow for after-dark events and - after some tough bush footy setbacks over recent years - the Molong Bulls Rugby League Club will be the first of the sporting codes to play under them at their very own home ground on May 27.

"I feel like it's a reward for all of the hard work we've put in, because we had no footy in town for such a long time and we worked hard to get it back," Molong Bulls' president, Jenny Barrow said.

"I've lived here my whole life and I don't remember there ever being a game under lights, not to my knowledge. So, to be the first club to play under the new lights is just like the icing on the cake - we can only go forwards from here."

One of the key players in getting the original funding ball rolling, Cabonne councillor and president of Molong Advancement Group, Peter Batten has been anticipating the upcoming evening for many months.

"I'm definitely coming down to watch, I think it's going to be brilliant," Cr Batten said.

"Setting up when we had the last markets, I turned the lights on at 5:30am in the morning and the buzz that were going out of those lights was just brilliant, as well.

"It's something that the community wanted and we delivered and it's just going to bring so much to town; we can play semi-professional rugby and Twenty20 cricket under those lights and the location of Molong is also going to be so convenient for other towns to meet halfway."

Cr Batten also says the town's two local pubs, RSL club and its new restaurant-in-the-works will also be able to host post-game celebrations, providing meals and entertainment, generating further boosts across the village's economy and its attraction of people to town.

With future upgrades to The Rec's other facilities on the cards as well, the possibility of hosting professional games is a realistic idea, with added talks of double-headers between local sporting groups, evening markets and nighttime entertainment gigs.

"Because of our central locality, it's the perfect in-between spot for many people in the Central West and they're the perfect grounds for events," Mrs Barrow said.

"It's very exciting and I think it's opened up a lot of opportunities for Molong and not just for footy, because I can just see future night markets or music in the park down the track. We're still working on upgrading our facilities as the next biggest thing to happen, but these lights are a huge, huge start to all of this."

Entry to The Rec grounds this Friday night starts from 5pm, where the Molong Bulls will face-off against Bathurst's CSU Football Club.

Cabonne's Mayor Kevin Beatty and general manager, Brad Byrnes will address the crowd before the women's league tag game kicks off at 6pm, with first-grade to follow at 7:15pm.

Both entry gates to the venue will be opened up, with spectators able to park the nose of their vehicles right up to the ground's picket fence encasing.

"It's great because people can sit in their cars if the weather's cool and a lot of people love watching night games, especially on a Friday - everyone's finished work for the week and there's usually a bit of music going," Mrs Barrow said.

"The atmosphere with night games, it's just different - it's relaxed, people have a good time and it's really a night out with entertainment. We'll hopefully get a fair few visitors to town, as well, so I think it'll be wonderful."

Major sponsor of the Molong Bulls, The Telegraph "Top Pub" Hotel on Bank Street will host live music entertainment from Orange duo, 'The Two Bros' for extra post-match unwinding until late.

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