WITH a little help, the Gloucester Sport and Recreation Association could land a new playing field for the people of Hydeway Bay and Dingo Beach.

Doug Pitt from the Department of National Parks Sport and Recreation was at the association's club house last week to guide the committee through the grants process.

In the wake of Cyclone Debbie, a disaster recovery plan will enable the handover of a $150,000 Get Playing Places and Spaces grant without any contribution needed from the recipient.

Normally groups need to contribute 20% of the total, which equated to about $30,000.

But there is a hitch: The land slated for the playing field is not actually owned by the Gloucester Sport and Recreation Association.

And the grant submission needs to be made before August 11.

It is for this reason and to enable the wavering of responsibility that the association has requested that the Whitsunday Regional Council takes on the grant application.

Association president Warren Hardy said he hoped the council would help the association take advantage of the grant which wouldn't be available next year.

"The window of opportunity for 100% funding is now,” Mr Hardy said.

"If the council did do it before the 11th of August and we tried again next year they will have to come up with $30,000 from ratepayers.

"It's not a great imposition to get some engineering and some levels on the ground done.

"We are not building the Taj Mahal, we are just clearing some land already tenured as sport and recreation land.”

Mayor Andrew Willcox said he was aware of the group's intention to pitch for a new playing field but the matter had been to a council meeting.

"We will provide a letter of support for their funding application,” he said.

However, he said the playing field was not included in the town plan and, for council to sign off on the project, a community consultation process would need to be completed.

Cr Wilcox also questioned if the council would be capable of maintaining the ground.

"There is no water at the site,” he said.

"While the idea sounds good on the face of it council needs be across (the details).”

Cr Willcox said the grants were recurring opportunities and believed a grant of $150,000 without any group contribution would be available at a later date.