Free pads and tampons could become available in toilets and changing rooms at Manly Oval, with the sporting ground among several public facilities being considered for menstrual product dispensers across the northern beaches.
NBC is preparing a report into providing free menstrual products at libraries, comzmunity centres, swimming pools, sports grounds and surf clubs. The investigation follows a motion adopted in September 2026, although no installation sites or rollout dates have been confirmed. The proposal aims to improve access to essential hygiene products, particularly for people who unexpectedly need them while away from home or have difficulty covering their cost.
A Community Campaign For Everyday Essentials
A grassroots campaign has been gathering support across the northern beaches, calling for pads and tampons to be as readily available in public bathrooms as toilet paper and soap. Kitty Taylor launched the FREE2BLEEDNB petition on 23 May 2026, seeking free menstrual product dispensers in bathrooms managed by NBC.
The petition draws attention to a common inconvenience: starting a period away from home without a pad or tampon available. It also raises concerns about the cost of essential hygiene products and the difficulties faced by people who cannot readily access them.
The campaign had collected 573 verified signatures when the petition page was recorded, with supporters working towards a target of 1,000. Taylor also encouraged people to attend a public council meeting as the proposal progressed.
Australian menstrual health charity Share the Dignity has welcomed the investigation and confirmed it had an opportunity to present information about access to menstrual products. The organisation also acknowledged Taylor’s petition and the support behind the campaign. Share the Dignity has been advocating for improved access to free menstrual products across Australia, including through its work with local councils.
How Free Dispensers Could Work
Similar facilities are already operating elsewhere in Sydney, providing examples of how menstrual products could be made available in public bathrooms. Inner West Council has installed contactless dispensers that release pads or tampons when a hand is placed near a sensor. Each machine can hold 36 pads and 50 tampons, allowing people to access products without payment.
The City of Sydney also provides free menstrual products, while NSW public schools already make sanitary products available to students. Share the Dignity operates a separate network of vending machines across the state, providing menstrual essentials at participating locations.
NBC will now examine the feasibility of introducing dispensers across its facilities. Costs, final locations and installation dates remain unconfirmed, with Manly Oval among the possible sites under consideration.
Published 5-October-2026
