Deakin Reserve

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Location20 Harold St, Shepparton, Australia
CountryAustralia
Coordinates36°22′37.22″S 145°24′28.57″E / 36.3770056°S 145.4079361°E / -36.3770056; 145.4079361
Establishment1875
Deakin Reserve
formerly the Shepparton Recreation Reserve
Interactive map of Deakin Reserve
Ground information
Location20 Harold St, Shepparton, Australia
CountryAustralia
Coordinates36°22′37.22″S 145°24′28.57″E / 36.3770056°S 145.4079361°E / -36.3770056; 145.4079361
Establishment1875
Capacity2,000 seated, overall 15,000
End names
Nixon St end
Grandstand end
Team information
Shepparton FNC (1879)
Shepparton United FNC (1950)
Murray Bushrangers U/18 FC (1993)
Central Park St. Brendan's CC (1981)
Shepparton Sports Carnival (1906-70)
Source: Ground profile

Deakin Reserve is the main sports venue in the Goulburn Valley and is primarily a cricket and Australian Rules Football sports oval in Shepparton, Victoria, Australia.

1969: Alfred Deakin Stamp
Jamaican Olympic gold medal runner, Herb McKenley, ran in the 1954 carnival
Queen Elizabeth II, visited Deakin Reserve in 1954

This sports venue was originally known as the cricket reserve in its very early years,[1] then later known as the Shepparton Recreation Reserve, prior to being officially named the Deakin Reserve in 1947, in honour of former Victorian Water Supply Minister, former Federal politician and Australian Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin[2] who was largely responsible for implementing the Goulburn Valley Irrigation Scheme.[3]

In April 1875 a public meeting was called for in Shepparton for the purpose of appointing Trustees for the Shepparton Park and Recreation Grounds.[4]

The first published mention of the cricket ground was in 1875, when the Shepparton Eleven had arranged a match against the Euroa Eleven and the Shepparton team "were practising hard on their local ground in the township".[5]

Local Australian Rules Football teams, Shepparton and Shepparton Ramblers Football Club both used the Recreation Reserve as their home ground in the early 1890s.

In 1888, the Shepparton Cricket Club advertised for tenders for the erection of a sawn timber fence around the Shepparton Cricket and Recreation Reserve.[6]

In March 1899 a local committee was formed of the Shepparton Athletics Carnival, with Dr. E. Ken Herring as the chairman of the organising committee, featuring athletics and bicycling events, with the first carnival at the Shepparton Showgrounds in April 1899, but was later moved to Shepparton Recreation Reserve.[7]

In 1904, the Shepparton Shire Council approved and funded the erection of the first sports Pavilion on the Shepparton Recreation Reserve.[8]

The original grandstand at the Reserve was erected in 1905[9] and the local Shepparton Athletics Carnival contributed financially to its erection.[10]

The eighth annual Shepparton Athletics Carnival was held at the Shepparton Recreation Reserve for the first time in 1906, with £325 in prize money offered.[11]

Construction of the Deakin Reserve Memorial Column and the installation of ornamental lights on the King George VI Memorial Gates, as well as bronze plaques was completed in December 1952.[12] These gates and plaques were officially opened by Victorian Premier, John McDonald and Mrs Herbert Brookes, daughter of former Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin.[13][14]

When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Shepparton in 1954, an estimated 40,000 packed Deakin Reserve and the nearby streets for the Royal Reception.[15]

The first recorded international cricket match held on the ground came in 1962 when a Victoria Country Eleven side played the Marylebone Cricket Club, when the English cricket team in Australia in 1962–63[16]

A Youth Test match was held in December 1986 when Australia Under-19s played Indian Under-19s.[17]

A Youth One Day International was later held there in November 1997 when Australia Under-19s played Pakistan Under-19s.[18]

A List A match was held there in the 2006–07 Ford Ranger Cup between Victoria and Western Australia.[19]

Australian Rules Football and netball are also played at the ground.[20]

Since 1957, the Goulburn Valley Football League grand final has been played at the Deakin Reserve.

Deakin Reserve has hosted a number of VFL / AFL practices matches over the years, with the last of these being in March 2019 between Melbourne and Richmond.

Shepparton Sports Carnival

References

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