Lake Oval

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Lake Oval

1926 grandstand prior to Lakeside Stadium redevelopment
Location Albert Park, Victoria
Closed 1994
Surface Grass
Tenants
South Melbourne Football Club (VFL) (1878–1941; 1947–1981)
South Melbourne Cricket Club
Old Xaverians Football Club 1993-1994[1]

The Lake Oval (also known as the South Melbourne Cricket Ground) was an Australian rules football and cricket stadium located in Albert Park, Victoria. It was the home of the South Melbourne Football Club from 1878[2] until their relocation to Sydney in 1982 (where they became the "Sydney Swans"), except between 1942 and 1946 when it became a military base. It was also used during the summer by the South Melbourne Cricket Club. In 1995 the majority of the remaining stands and facilities were demolished, and the boutique soccer venue Lakeside Stadium was erected in its place, to accommodate the relocation of football (soccer) club South Melbourne Hellas (now known as "South Melbourne FC" and not to be confused with the Australian rules club) from its former home of Middle Park due to the construction of the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.

Electric floodlighting was installed at the venue during the 1950s, and it became one of the first venues in Melbourne to regularly host night football matches. As the premier location for night football, the venue hosted:

  • The annual VFL Night Premiership each season from 1956 until 1971
  • Night premiership matches in the Victorian Football Association in 1957 and 1958[3]
  • Night interstate matches,[4] including many matches at the 1958 Interstate Carnival.[5]

A remnant of the old Lake Oval structure, a grandstand built in 1926, remains standing between the stadium grandstand and the stadium's car park. It was in a state of disrepair for many years prior to the Lakeside Stadium redevelopment in 2010. Its continued existence was the subject of debate, complicated by the plans of the Victorian Government, who wished to install a running track at Lakeside Stadium in an attempt to relocate Athletics Victoria away from its current base at Olympic Park.[6] The stand's future was secured when it was announced that it would be refurbished to accommodate the Victorian Institute of Sport.[7]

The ground record crowd for Lake Oval was set on 30 July 1932 when 41,000 turned out to see Carlton defeat South Melbourne by nine points.[8]

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://www.austadiums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1118&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
  2. ↑ http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/history/tabid/7210/default.aspx
  3. ↑ "Lone V.F.A. club's 'no' to night football". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, VIC). 2 April 1957. p. 47. 
  4. ↑ Noel Carrick (24 July 1957). "Burst by S.A. crushes V.F.A.". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, VIC). p. 45. 
  5. ↑ Bernie Bretland (3 July 1958). "Big men pave way for WA". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, VIC). p. 38. 
  6. ↑ Australian Stadiums :: Grounds for ill feeling
  7. ↑ http://www.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/our-projects/our-current-projects/state-sports-facilities
  8. ↑ http://stats.rleague.com/afl/crowds/vn_lake_oval.html

Coordinates: 37°50′25″S 144°57′54″E / 37.84028°S 144.96500°E / -37.84028; 144.96500

Main grounds:
Secondary grounds:
Future grounds:
Former grounds:


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