The old suburban VFL/AFL grounds

[Geelong 165908]

"One ground hardly mentioned – it was only used for 3 V.F.L. games – is the Motordrome. Used in early-1,932 because the re-surfacing of the Melbourne Cricket Ground was delayed, Geelong only played 1 game thereat (1 win, 0 losses, 0 draws: 100%!)."

 

[FootyGeek]

"One ground hardly mentioned – it was only used for 3 V.F.L. games – is the Motordrome. Used in early-1,932 because the re-surfacing of the Melbourne Cricket Ground was delayed, Geelong only played 1 game thereat (1 win, 0 losses, 0 draws: 100%!)."

From the picture below, it seems like it would have been a unique place to watch footy from. Very elevated and away from the action.

From The Argus 10 August 1925

 

[sverik25]

Great thread guys. Just wondering if anyone had any pictures of Moorabbin back in its heyday (70's or 80's), you can't get a feel of what it was like these days.

 

[Riccardo11]

I made my way to the Box Hill City Oval for the top of the table VFL clash yesterday. It's rather a pretty ground, old pavilion, terracing, old style scoreboard, plenty of outer space. But the ground is very short and wide, rising up in the middle despite several efforts to level it off, which gives the effect of the players on the outer wing looking like they have been buried to the waist when viewed from the other side, and the one old brick and wooden stand is barely worth the name, maybe seating 50 people at a tight squeeze.

Still not my least favorite ground to go to, and at least Port won!

 

[Teagueeee15]

I saw on twitter that Essendon were playing there last game at Windy Hill for 2014 so I went out and had a look at what's happened there since they relocated to Tullamarine. It's a strange area, feels very much like a retirement village with medical clinics, podiatry clinics, chiropractors and the like surrounding the ground rather than pubs/bars, parkland or industrial estates that surround the other old grounds. Looks like a very well off area which makes it unique to the other suburban grounds except probably Glenferrie.

The front reception looks classy and there is just a sign on the door stating they've moved to Melbourne Airport, otherwise you would have no idea that they have left. The "whatever it takes" signs that were around the ground last year are all gone.

Club shop and pokies are all that seems left at the venue.

Old football department buildings are all empty now I guess

Inside the ground, I didn't get there until after the game had started and It didn't take long to work out that it's not a great viewing ground if you can't get a grandstand seat, though it's pretty cool that part of the terrace still exists.

Unfortunately there were only 3 toilet cubicles in the gents that were supposed to provide facilities to the whole crowd and they must have been built by whoever built the ones at Victoria Park as there was piss running along the ground.... I posted a picture of them earlier in this thread somewhere.

There were some old looking artifacts behind the terraces

I also never realized that the bowels club actually backs right up until the fence on the boundary line. Was this always like that or did the bowels club expand when AFL stopped being played at the ground?

Here are some pics from the centre circle looking all around the ground

 

[brisbane13]

I saw on twitter that Essendon were playing there last game at Windy Hill for 2014 so I went out and had a look at what's happened there since they relocated to Tullamarine. It's a strange area, feels very much like a retirement village with medical clinics, podiatry clinics, chiropractors and the like surrounding the ground rather than pubs/bars, parkland or industrial estates that surround the other old grounds. Looks like a very well off area which makes it unique to the other suburban grounds except probably Glenferrie.

The front reception looks classy and there is just a sign on the door stating they've moved to Melbourne Airport, otherwise you would have no idea that they have left. The "whatever it takes" signs that were around the ground last year are all gone.

Club shop and pokies are all that seems left at the venue.

Old football department buildings are all empty now I guess

Inside the ground, I didn't get there until after the game had started and It didn't take long to work out that it's not a great viewing ground if you can't get a grandstand seat, though it's pretty cool that part of the terrace still exists.

Unfortunately there were only 3 toilet cubicles in the gents that were supposed to provide facilities to the whole crowd and they must have been built by whoever built the ones at Victoria Park as there was piss running along the ground.... I posted a picture of them earlier in this thread somewhere.

There were some old looking artifacts behind the terraces

I also never realized that the bowels club actually backs right up until the fence on the boundary line. Was this always like that or did the bowels club expand when AFL stopped being played at the ground?

Here are some pics from the centre circle looking all around the ground

thanks for the pictures, it does feel like a retirement village, specially with that bowls club

 

[brisbane13]

its kinda of sad from what the ground was in its hey day.
here is a video of the ground in the early 80s being used for a strangely richmond vs carlton legends game. but it gives a good view all around the ground what it use to be like

 

[Riccardo11]

Great pics of Windy Hill there. I was there two weekends ago for Port Melbournes game, and for being a venue for AFL games up until 1992, it has been neglected and as such has aged particularly terribly, especially when viewed next to Victoria Park, which has been converted into a lovely suburban park.
The toilets were horrendous on my visit as well, but apparently if you put your name and address down you could go into the social club, which I wish I had known before I went! Also, our boys had to use the cricket club bar for change rooms, apparently they only have one available for the home team!

Hopefully we avoid that particular away trip next year or they make some improvements.

 

[Slax]

Teagueeee15 actually the Essendon Bowls Club hasn't moved an inch, they changed the dimensions of Windy Hill after they stopped playing matches there so the surface area was identical to the MCG.

 

[brisbane13]

Teagueeee15 actually the Essendon Bowls Club hasn't moved an inch, they changed the dimensions of Windy Hill after they stopped playing matches there so the surface area was identical to the MCG.

didnt they sell some of the area off to the bowls club? where that stand on the wing was?

 

[Slax]

didnt they sell some of the area off to the bowls club? where that stand on the wing was?

The bowls club did get some land but that was not adjacent to the playing surface.

 

[brisbane13]

didnt they sell some of the area off to the bowls club? where that stand on the wing was?

K, do you know on the broadcast side of the ground where the camera and commentators sat, where there any stands? I've tried looking for pictures of the side of the ground but cannot find any

 

[Teagueeee15]

K, do you know on the broadcast side of the ground where the camera and commentators sat, where there any stands? I've tried looking for pictures of the side of the ground but cannot find any

If you freeze that video you posted at 5:14 it's showing what I'm guessing is the commentary box. Doesn't look like it's connected to any stands and the croquet club would limit the space available for a stand.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Isn't the bowls club why the Bombers had to leave Windy Hill?

I went there last year while those pricks were still training there. I hadn't and haven't since been to Essendon and it really is one of my favourite parts of groundhopping, to see the surrounding areas. Every ground really has a unique suburb attached to it that just adds to its charm. Essendon for me seemed a weird suburb; is it affluent? The houses are mid-70s, it's not one of those city-fringing areas, and it's not near a beach or anything. I kind of liked it but to see it as anything more than pretty averagely middle class is something I didn't get. Then again I'm not a born nor bred Melburnian so how I am to know? But I liked that. I liked how it seemed an average, middle class but not trashy-middle class locale. You could imagine living there and really loving your suburbia swell with scarfs and beanies on game day.

The way the stands are so glum and soviet looking makes it resemble Moorabbin if anywhere. Maybe that old side of Optus Oval. But there's something a bit more 'amateur' as opposed to derelict about it. The old Hird Stand is quite an asset, though.

And someone should really steal that scoreboard. I can't see it being used or moved to the airport.

I wish they'd have retained that stand where that gym is now. It's pretty cool in isolation but no other grandstand seems to resemble it in Aussie Rules. Does anyone know what era it is? Late 1970s or something? The way it slopes, the roof... surely you could maintain that structure and just reassemble everything underneath it? The gym there now is really gross bland cream brick, something more suited to one of those soulless subdivisions out of town rather than a footy ground with plenty of history.

 

[fabulousphil]

Isn't the bowls club why the Bombers had to leave Windy Hill?

I went there last year while those pricks were still training there. I hadn't and haven't since been to Essendon and it really is one of my favourite parts of groundhopping, to see the surrounding areas. Every ground really has a unique suburb attached to it that just adds to its charm. Essendon for me seemed a weird suburb; is it affluent? The houses are mid-70s, it's not one of those city-fringing areas, and it's not near a beach or anything. I kind of liked it but to see it as anything more than pretty averagely middle class is something I didn't get. Then again I'm not a born nor bred Melburnian so how I am to know? But I liked that. I liked how it seemed an average, middle class but not trashy-middle class locale. You could imagine living there and really loving your suburbia swell with scarfs and beanies on game day.

The way the stands are so glum and soviet looking makes it resemble Moorabbin if anywhere. Maybe that old side of Optus Oval. But there's something a bit more 'amateur' as opposed to derelict about it. The old Hird Stand is quite an asset, though.

And someone should really steal that scoreboard. I can't see it being used or moved to the airport.

I wish they'd have retained that stand where that gym is now. It's pretty cool in isolation but no other grandstand seems to resemble it in Aussie Rules. Does anyone know what era it is? Late 1970s or something? The way it slopes, the roof... surely you could maintain that structure and just reassemble everything underneath it? The gym there now is really gross bland cream brick, something more suited to one of those soulless subdivisions out of town rather than a footy ground with plenty of history.

AFAIK Essendon has always been middle class respectability, go back 120 years and the area had the same demographic, different to other areas, East Perth for EX was originally respectable, gradually fell into being a slum ( Perth Standards) and became Perths Collingwood and now is as trendy as you can get.

I actually remember starting a thread about Essendons complete shortage of pubs, compared to Collingwoods amazing amount of pubs, the poor drink and gamble, the middle class and moral majority go to church, and probably visit pubs in other suburbs

 

[bradrowe#32]

What's the plan for Windy Hill now? Will they demolish it? I recall watching the Essendon league grand finals there a few years back. will they still be held there or are they moving on as well?

And where is the Motordome and what became of it?

 

[Teagueeee15]

Isn't the bowls club why the Bombers had to leave Windy Hill?

I went there last year while those pricks were still training there. I hadn't and haven't since been to Essendon and it really is one of my favourite parts of groundhopping, to see the surrounding areas. Every ground really has a unique suburb attached to it that just adds to its charm. Essendon for me seemed a weird suburb; is it affluent? The houses are mid-70s, it's not one of those city-fringing areas, and it's not near a beach or anything. I kind of liked it but to see it as anything more than pretty averagely middle class is something I didn't get. Then again I'm not a born nor bred Melburnian so how I am to know? But I liked that. I liked how it seemed an average, middle class but not trashy-middle class locale. You could imagine living there and really loving your suburbia swell with scarfs and beanies on game day.

The way the stands are so glum and soviet looking makes it resemble Moorabbin if anywhere. Maybe that old side of Optus Oval. But there's something a bit more 'amateur' as opposed to derelict about it. The old Hird Stand is quite an asset, though.

And someone should really steal that scoreboard. I can't see it being used or moved to the airport.

I wish they'd have retained that stand where that gym is now. It's pretty cool in isolation but no other grandstand seems to resemble it in Aussie Rules. Does anyone know what era it is? Late 1970s or something? The way it slopes, the roof... surely you could maintain that structure and just reassemble everything underneath it? The gym there now is really gross bland cream brick, something more suited to one of those soulless subdivisions out of town rather than a footy ground with plenty of history.

I don't know what that scoreboard was used for, but I'm intrigued by it. Why is it just dumped there when a local club would love to use it? It's pretty big and that timber is nailed on to it and I have no idea why. That stand was the Showers stand, a beautiful art deco stand that was built in 1939, same year as the Tuck stand at Glenferrie, but was condemned on safety grounds had had to be bulldozed unfortunately. The gate and turnstiles for it are still there and I have pictures of them.

 

[Teagueeee15]

What's the plan for Windy Hill now? Will they demolish it? I recall watching the Essendon league grand finals there a few years back. will they still be held there or are they moving on as well?

And where is the Motordome and what became of it?

Essendon must still have a lease because there is still a club shop and social club with Pokies. Cricket is played there during the summer and Melbourne Heart were linked with moving into the old football department buildings. I have no idea why it was the last VFL game there for this year, there was an announcement over the PA that their next home game would be at Highgate Reserve in Craigieburn.

 

[fabulousphil]

Essendon must still have a lease because there is still a club shop and social club with Pokies. Cricket is played there during the summer and Melbourne Heart were linked with moving into the old football department buildings. I have no idea why it was the last VFL game there for this year, there was an announcement over the PA that their next home game would be at Highgate Reserve in Craigieburn.

Cricket wicket works ?.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Cricket wicket works ?.

Well reportedly the Bombers were having to use half the ground in the summer, during pre-season, because the cricket wicket was still up.

Surely Essendon'll stay there for the pokies revenue alone. I couldn't see any point in neglecting the joint when they might even make money off the gym? They have the lease so you might as well keep it. It's certainly being used a lot more than a place like Moorabbin where the Saints still legally have a presence and right to the 'facility.'

I can't quantify how I feel about football grounds aside from Optus Oval and Vic Park because those two are quite meaningful to me, I have my own memories there or I'm making them now. But a place like Windy Hill is full of someone else's memories. I can't imagine how many intense things happened and unfurled at these old grounds. How many people had a life-changing moment there? How many people link it to something they can still remember? How many young blokes had great Saturdays there, winding off a hangover from Friday or winding up for Saturday night? How many times did someone take a girl to a game there and how many of them never saw that girl again or ended up having something there with her? How many people remember people who've died, and how they used to sit at a certain area or engage in the same things for a long time?

It's all brick and concrete. Usually pretty grim and cold. And it is just a football ground but I know there's people who remember it for the times it provided. I go for a kick at Vic Park a lot and you get some old codgers walking around. Or some middle aged guy with his kids having a kick. And they walk up and down the stands, they read those information posts, and then they always stand in one spot for a while longer than any other. It's pretty nice to imagine what those people are reliving when they just stand there for a few minutes. Even in my youth, I'm too prone to indulge in the melancholic, but I've always been like that – and maybe that's why I've always liked old soccer and footy grounds. Because memories and thoughts are important to me. And to not have them, it's nice filling them in with ones you don't have. Does anyone else have any reason as to why they're into this incredibly nerdy little cranny of the game?

 

[Riccardo11]

And where is the Motordome and what became of it?

The Motordome was on the site of the old Olympic Park, it was demolished so that ground could be built and used for athletics and field sports during the 1956 Olympics and was used for football and Rugby matches afterwards, as well as being the home of Athletics Victoria. Of course OP is also gone, and has now been turned into a full sized training oval for Collingwood.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Windy Hill will continue to house a club shop and social venue, and will be home for the VFL team on match day.

It's not all in great condition at the moment but work will be done to make it fit for purpose - the club only moved out of there earlier this year and literally every spare centimetre of space (of which there was little) was in use.

Hopefully they put the hall of fame back in too, it had to be jettisoned in the struggle for space. Though I know they're keen on having the cups etc at Tulla, so not sure how that will all work.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Collingwood, Hawthorn, Essendon and St.Kilda are the only 4 Vic sides that have set up HQ away from their original home.

Could any of the other Vic sides follow?

I guess it depends on if Carlton/North/Bulldogs are satisfied with their facilities.

Geelong/Melbourne/Richmond would be staying put.

 

[brisbane13]

Collingwood, Hawthorn, Essendon and St.Kilda are the only 4 Vic sides that have set up HQ away from their original home.

Could any of the other Vic sides follow?

I guess it depends on if Carlton/North/Bulldogs are satisfied with their facilities.

Geelong/Melbourne/Richmond would be staying put.

no real need for the other clubs to move their facilities as most clubs have already spent huge money in up grading their facilities.
only 2 really
the demons who have admin at the Olympic park facility, which is a nice central location, but train out at Casey fields.
St kilda, seem to be in two minds weather, to stay out at seafood or go back to morabbin oval, as some funding has recently been made available to up grade the facilities there, but St kilda have just used a heap of funding and have a long term contract in place for the facility out at seafood

there was funding made available for upgrades to the junction oval for a team to share the facilities with cricket Victoria, maybe the demons? would look at that, as they where training there a number of years ago, but only to move out to Casey because of the poor facilities at the junction

 

[Teagueeee15]

I went to Princes Park yesterday to check out Chris Judd's return in the VFL and of course I took the opportunity to check out some other areas of the ground that I haven't photographed before. I managed to have a look around inside the new facility and I was quite impressed with what I saw.

The corridor is lined with each player who has played 200 games.

Team of the century picture

Mark of the year winners

The trophy display was excellent. Unfortunately it was so tall that I could only fit the bottom half in my picture. It goes for two stories and there is a spiral staircase that surrounds it, but it was off limits.

The walls in this part of the building is based on Robert Walls handwritten notes from the 1987 grand final which is a cool touch.