Thwaites, who signed with the Vixens last month after two Suncorp Super Netball seasons with Collingwood Magpies and stints in the former ANZ Championship with New South Wales Swifts and Central Pulse, will play her first games back at Melbourne in a pre-season tournament next march at Bendigo Stadium.

Details of the pre-season tournament, which will involve the Vixens and two other Super Netball clubs, were announced on Tuesday morning at the stadium by Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards and Vixens acting CEO Steven Gatt.

The tournament is expected to attract up to 4000 spectators and will be live-streamed to potentially thousands more on Facebook.

It is being funded by the state government through its Significant Sporting Events Program and Regional Events Fund.

The netball extravaganza the latest sporting coup for Bendigo’s new stadium, which has played host in recent months to international basketball involving the Australian Boomers, NBL pre-season games, a major boxing showcase, and gymnastics, taekwondo and volleyball events.

Thwaites, who was part of the Diamonds’ recent 3-1 Constellation Cup win over New Zealand, said she was looking forward to stepping out on Bendigo Stadium’s new show court early next year.

“It was a little while ago now, but this very stadium is where I got identified within the Netball Victoria pathway, to really make my way into the professional netball world,” she said.

“It was up on court five back in the day when it was called the Schweppes Centre, just purely by having some of the top level coaches here. It was in a curtain raiser match and the coaches popped their head out of a change room and had a squiz of the game.

“It’s an exciting thing to be bringing such big netball to regional towns – it’s very close to my heart.

“Hopefully that same experience can happen to some of the young kids around town here in Bendigo.”

The tournament will be complemented by a range of sporting and community events.

They will include coaching and umpiring clinics, training for junior and senior netballers in the region, a teacher development clinic and an opportunity for local clubs to play during the tournament.

Following a big few months for the stadium, BSL chief executive officer CEO Nathan O’Neill said the organisation was appreciative of the opportunity to host elite netball.

“The strength of netball within the Bendigo surrounding regions should never be overlooked, and I am certain the attendances for the two day event will be evident of the demand,” he said.

“A VNL side based in Bendigo is imminent and the netball pathways for regional Victoria is to always be at the forefront.

 “It will be a great experience to see the Melbourne Vixens on the new showcourt at the Bendigo Stadium.”

The tournament will be played on March 30 and 31.

Edwards said the tournament was a huge opportunity for elite women’s sport in Bendigo.

“(We are) bringing the best of the best to our own backyard,” the Labor MP said.

“Of course Caitlin will be here to encourage and inspire our next generation of netballers across Bendigo.

“It’s great for netball in our region – we know there are so many girls and boys playing netball across Bendigo and beyond.”