Waverley Park
Waverley
Location	Mulgrave, Melbourne
Broke ground	1959
Opened	1970
Closed	1999
Demolished	2001
Owner	Mirvac
Operator	Hawthorn Football Club
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	Unknown
Architect	Various
Former names	VFL Park AFL Park
Tenants
Current: Hawthorn Hawks, AFL (training and administration only) Former: Fitzroy Lions, AFL St Kilda Saints, AFL Waverley Reds, ABL
Capacity
2,000 (formerly 78,000)

Waverley Park (formerly VFL Park and then AFL Park) was an often controversial Australian rules football stadium in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of both the Hawthorn and St Kilda football clubs. It was later replaced by the Telstra Dome. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 760 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1267 × 1000 pixel, file size: 917 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Waverley Park User... Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... Hawthorn Football Club logo The Hawthorn Football Club, known by their nickname The Hawks are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. ... Hawthorn Football Club logo The Hawthorn Football Club, known by their nickname The Hawks are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... Brisbane Lions logo The Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) are an Australian Football League club, formed from the post-1996 merger of the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy, the Lions. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... St Kilda Football Club logo The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... The Waverley/Melbourne Reds (now defunct) were the only team to win the Australian Baseball League championship 3 times, the Reds played originally at the home of VFL/AFL Football Waverley Park from 1989/90 until the 1993/94 Championship when they moved to the former home ground of the... The Australian Baseball League (ABL) was founded after the 1988 Claxton Shield; in the summer of 1989/90 the new League took to the field, with the Waverley Reds being the dominant team of the season. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of... The new Wembley Stadium in London is the most expensive stadium ever built; it has a seating capacity of 90,000 This article is about the building type. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... This article is about the present day Victorian state football league. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed The Hawks, are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... St. ... This page is for Telstra Dome, Melbourne. ...

The main granstand and oval are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The Victorian Heritage Register is maintained by Heritage Victoria, part of the Department of Sustainability and Environment a department of the Government of Victoria, Australia. ...

The beginning

Waverley Park (then VFL Park) was first conceived in 1959 when delegates from the 12 VFL Clubs requested the League to find land that was suitable for the building of a new stadium. In September 1962, the VFL had secured a 212 acre (860,000 m²) block of grazing and market garden land at Mulgrave. This area was chosen because it was believed that with the effects of urban sprawl, and the proposed building of the South-Eastern (later called Monash) freeway, the area would become the demographic centre of Melbourne. The VFL reportedly lobbied the state government to construct a train connection to the stadium, but as the stadium was abandoned it never happened. Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the present day Victorian state football league. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Urban sprawl (also: suburban sprawl) is the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area. ... Monash Freeway is a freeway linking Melbournes CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. ... A demographic or demographic profile is a term used in marketing and broadcasting, to describe a demographic grouping or a market segment. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ...

The original plans were for a stadium catering for up to 157,000 patrons, which would have made it one of the biggest stadiums in the world. However, the second stage of construction was never completed and the capacity was set at just over 78,000 patrons.

The playing surface of 200 metres long and 160 metres wide would be the biggest in the League.

Construction

Under the direction of Architect Reginald E Padey, work was started at the site on January 5, 1966 when the VFL President Sir Kenneth Luke turned the first sod. On construction of the stadium, a total of 378,000 cubic yards (289,000 m³) of topsoil was excavated and the surface of the oval was lowered to a depth of ten metres from the surrounding area. The soil was used to form the banks for some sections of the stadium. is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Kenneth Luke (born 11 November 1896 at Port Melbourne, Victoria; died 13 June 1971 at Hawthorn, Victoria) was a self-made millionaire manufacturer and a leading Australian rules football administrator in the Victorian Football League (VFL). ...

The foundations for the K.G. Luke stand were laid in 1969 and more than 20 km of solid concrete terracing was laid around the ground. Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ...

Finally, on April 18, 1970, Fitzroy and Geelong played the first game at Waverley Park, to a crowd of 25,887. However, the stadium was far from completed. In fact, the only section of the actual grandstand that was built was the first level of the K.G. Luke stand. The rest of the stadium had only been completed on the ground level. is the 108th day of the year (109th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fitzroy Football Club, most recently nicknamed The Lions, was an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League (now the Australian Football League) on its inception in 1897. ... Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League with a rich history. ...

The Public Reserve Stands encircling the rest of the stadium were finished at a cost of $4.5 million in 1974 and the car parking was extended to fit a total of 25,000 cars. Lighting was added in May 1977 at a cost of $1.2 million for the first of 1977 night series televised matches. Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

In 1982 a monochrome video matrix scoreboard was in operation at Waverley Park for the first time in VFL history, displaying instant replay highlights. In 1984 the arena was re-turfed and the drainage system upgraded, and two years later a mosaic mural perpetuating many great names of VFL Football was installed on the grandstand facade above the members' entrance. During the 1988 season automatic turnstiles were introduced at the members' entrance. Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...

Memorable Matches

• The first ever final played at the ground was also the first ever elimination final, played between St. Kilda and Essendon in 1972.
• During the 1973 season, 42,610 attended the first interstate match at the ground (between Victoria and Western Australia) and a record 60,072 attended the second semi-final between Carlton and Collingwood.
• In 1977 Fitzroy played North Melbourne in the first night match at the stadium in the Amco-Herald Cup (now the NAB Cup).
• The record attendance was 92,935, who watched Collingwood versus Hawthorn in 1981.
• In 1987 Fitzroy played North Melbourne in the first night match at the stadium for premiership points in the major competition. A total of 183,383 people watched the three finals games at VFL Park and the preliminary final attendance of 71,298 was the largest since 1984. The game was between Melbourne and Hawthorn and it has been described as the most epic played at VFL Park, with Hawthorn winning from a goal kicked after the siren.
• In 1989 a match was played for premiership points on a Sunday at VFL Park for the first time.
• The ground hosted its first and only AFL Grand Final in 1991, which was contested by Hawthorn and the West Coast Eagles because the Melbourne Cricket Ground was at the time undergoing major renovations. Hawthorn defeated West Coast by 53 points in front of a crowd of 75,230.
• In 1996 an unexpected pitch invasion occurred when the lights went out at the stadium in a night game between Essendon and St Kilda, during the third quarter [1]. After declaring the match finished for the evening, the AFL commission held an emergency meeting to decide what should happen, as there was no provision in the official rules for an event like this. They decided to continue the match three days later. Essendon kept their winning position comfortably, starting with a 20-point lead and winning with a 22-point margin. Controversially, the Bombers made five changes to their line-up between the two parts of the match. One of those players, Essendon star James Hird, managed to pick up match votes in some of the media awards. Prior to the match, St. Kilda coach Stan Alves complained about the situation and stated that his team is "not going to go kamikaze" and risk an injury when they don't have much chance of winning. The AFL subsequently decided on a set of rules to be applied if an incident like this arises again.
• The last official AFL game was played in 1999 between Hawthorn and Sydney in front of a sell-out crowd of 72,130.
  

  Last official AFL match: Hawthorn vs Sydney Swans in 1999.
• In 2000, AFL pre-season cup matches were played at the venue, and Victorian Football League games also took place there, including finals and the Grand Final. The 2000 VFL Grand Final was the last ever game of football played at the venue.

Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Carlton Football Club, nicknamed The Blues, is the sixth oldest Australian rules football club and the third oldest club in the Australian Football League. ... Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. ... Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Part of the pre-match entertainment at the 2006 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... “MCG” redirects here. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... A pitch invasion occurs when a crowd of people who are watching a sports game run onto the field, to celebrate or protest about an incident, for example in games of football or cricket. ... This article is about the year. ... Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed The Hawks, are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... Sydney Football Club may refer to the following professional football clubs based in Sydney, Australia. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed The Hawks, are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

Football records

In its life, 732 AFL/VFL matches were played at Waverley Park, 70 of which were finals and one Grand Final.

• HIGHEST SCORE: Fitzroy: 36.22(238) v Melbourne: 6.12 (48) in round 17, 1979
• LARGEST CROWD: 92,935, Queen's Birthday 1981, Hawthorn v Collingwood
• MOST GOALS IN A GAME: Jason Dunstall, 17 goals, Round 7, 1992

Fitzroy Football Club, most recently nicknamed The Lions, was an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League (now the Australian Football League) on its inception in 1897. ... In Jersey the Lieutenant-Governor hosts a reception for the public at Government House to mark the Queens Official Birthday at which he announces recipients of Birthday Honours The Queens Birthday or Queens Official Birthday is celebrated as a public holiday in several Commonwealth countries (usually Commonwealth... Jason Dunstall (born in Brisbane, Queensland on August 14, 1964), is a former Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club of the AFL. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest full-forwards and the greatest Queensland born player of all time. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

Special events

Waverley Park hosted many special events other than Australian rules football. These included:

• Rock concerts: Rod Stewart (1979), KISS (1980), David Bowie (1983), U2 (1998).
• Cricket: World Series Cricket games between 1977 and 1979.
• International Rules Football: Matches between Australia and Ireland.
• Baseball: Home of the Waverley Reds from 1989 until 1994.

The term, rock concert, refers to a musical performance in the style of any one of many genres inspired by rock and roll music. ... Roderick Stewart (rod stewart), CBE (born January 10, 1945), is a singer and songwriter born and raised in London, England, with Scottish parentage. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 1947 January 8) is an English singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the Irish rock band. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the sport. ... The WSC logo. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... International Rules Football match at the Telstra Dome - Australia vs Ireland. ... This article is about the sport. ... The Waverley/Melbourne Reds (now defunct) were the only team to win the Australian Baseball League championship 3 times, the Reds played originally at the home of VFL/AFL Football Waverley Park from 1989/90 until the 1993/94 Championship when they moved to the former home ground of the... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ...

Closure

The decision to close the venue was made by the AFL for a number of reasons. While it was serviced by a major freeway, Waverley Park was a long way from the Melbourne CBD, and lacked sufficient public transport and parking. As it aged, its limitations also became increasingly apparent. These limitations included its lack of undercover seating, poor spectator and corporate facilities, and a two-coloured video screen. The ground itself was very large and spectators felt distant from the game. Moreover, Waverley was located in a rain belt, bringing cold and often wet weather, thus earning the stadium the unflattering nickname "Arctic park." ^{[citation needed]} In December 2001 the land was sold to housing developer Mirvac to assist the Australian Football League to finance the construction of its new home, the Telstra Dome. Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR) is a property investment and management group in Australia. ... This page is for Telstra Dome, Melbourne. ...

While often seen as something of a failure, Waverley Park actually served an important purpose for the VFL/AFL, providing a critical bargaining chip in negotiations with the Melbourne Cricket Club over MCG access. The existence of Waverley as a viable alternative venue for the Grand Final and other events presumably led to a considerably more favourable bargaining position for the AFL. The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. ... Joseph McG McGinty Nichol (born November 30, 1968) is an American film producer and director. ...

Current Status

Following its cessation as a venue for league football, the stadium fell into a state of disrepair. Anticipating complete demolition, the National Trust of Victoria moved quickly to nominate the members stand for heritage listing on the basis that the stadium was the first major stadium purpose built for Australian rules football, that it hosted the 1991 AFL Grand Final and that the members (or K.G. Luke) stand features a mural of football legends by artist Harold Freedman. The National Trust of Australia is a community-based, non-government organisation, committed to promoting and conserving Australias indigenous, natural and historic heritage through its advocacy work and its custodianship of heritage places and objects. ... Harold Freeman (21 May 1915 – 16 July 1999) was an artist from Victoria, Australia reknowned for his work in public murals. ...

Successful lobbying saw Heritage Victoria grant legislative protection to the site, and beginning in December 2002 the entire stadium was demolished except for the members stand and members stand mural. The surrounding parking lot has been replaced by suburban housing, including 1400 new dwellings for 3500 people. The members stand is visible from the nearby Monash Freeway. Under the Australian Constitution, Victoria ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas. ... Monash Freeway is a freeway linking Melbournes CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. ...

The oval itself and the remaining section of the members stand have been redeveloped into a state-of-the-art training and administrative facility for the Hawthorn Football Club and the community. The facility incorporates an MCG-dimension oval (the size of the playing arena having been reduced from its original size), includes a 25 metre heated indoor swimming pool, four refrigerated ice tanks, a gymnasium with a 60 metre running track and a warm-up area with projection and screen facilities to simulate match-day conditions. The grandstand has seating for around 200 patrons, with seating in the top level of the grandstand having been retained. Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed The Hawks, are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). ...

External links

• Waverley Park at Austadiums
• Ballparks.com

Coordinates: 37°55′32.2″S, 145°11′18.8″E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

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Sources

• Greg Hobbs, "A Restless Birth," AFL Football Record, Vol 80, No 28, September 28, 1991, pp. 10-11.