After negotiations with Shell Cove FC senior club, the junior club will leave their spiritual base at Barrack Heights for Myimbarr, allowing Shell Cove to fulfil its obligations to Football Illawarra.

This allowed the juniors to take their place in the Premier League competition after winning promotion last year.

Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba said the ground swap was a great result for both clubs.

"Under Premier League rules, Shell Cove needed a ground that was fenced, while the Shellharbour juniors desperately needed more room as their numbers grew, so we were delighted to see both clubs sign a memorandum of understanding to allow this to happen," councillor Saliba said.

"We believe Myimbarr is the premier sports complex in the area and, with great facilities and ample parking, are confident that the club will continue to grow.

"The lighting will also give the club the ability to play and train under lights, while there is an area at the back of the grounds that could also make an extra ground for training or games in the future."

Shellharbour Junior Football Club (SJFC), formed in 1967, had a long and successful history at Barrack Heights Sportsfield and originally included a senior arm, which was dissolved in the early 1990s.

The club functioned as a junior club until 1998, when it merged with senior club the Warrawong Barbarians.

However, in 2001 it was decided to again have separate committees for junior and senior players and so the club was rebranded once again under the junior banner. SJFC is still structured this way today.

According to its president, Yani Sekuloski, membership has expanded significantly over the last few years, and now has about 650 registered players.

"We were at absolute capacity at Barrack Heights and, as the club grew, it was clear that the original Barrack Heights ground had insufficient playing space, amenities and car parking to cater for a club of our size," Mr Sekuloski said.

He said the move to Myimbarr was a new chapter in the club's history.