Getting to Waverley Park in it's early days.

[newcs]

To anybody who went to Geelong's first game at Waverley Park (then VFL Park) in 1970 of any time near there.
According to a few things I have studied.
- The West Gate Fwy had not been opened, you had to get to the city via Footscray.
- The Monash Fwy only existed between Punt Rd and Toorak Rd, the rest was just a vacant corridor of land, not even a road.
- The road to Melbourne was not classed as a freeway but just a four lane highway (similar to what Torquay Rd is like today).
My two questions are -
- how did you get there.
- how long did it take.

 

[Meow]

Lived in Melbourne when Waverley was first built but still remember having to travel through Footscray, down Spencer Street, and onto St Kilda Road. When they built the West Gate and the Monash it was down St Kilda Road then through the main street of Prahran/Armadale, and after the Monash was extended later on you turned onto Alexandra Ave then Swan Street. Was an absolute nightmare to say the least, but the worst thing about going to Waverley was getting out of the carpark and onto the freeway.

As for travel times, it probably took around 2 hours on a good day from Geelong (in heavy traffic add anywhere up to another hour). When there were other games on at the Whitten Oval and MCG that day it wasn't uncommon to be stuck in traffic jams as far back as Werribee.

The Melbourne Rd was actually a four lane road right up until 10 or so years ago, but much more similar to something like the Hume Highway than Torquay Road. Used to be one of the deadliest stretches of road in the entire country.

 

[Bobby_]

use to love Waverley Park. The atmosphere was not anywhere near as good as today's venues but you always got a seat, was a very laid back atmosphere and for us in particular, was only a 40 minute drive and you could leave late in the day, take your time and still get in a find a good seat to watch the footy.

 

[Jon Douglas]

My local footy ground. Saw a heap of Geelong games there when I was a kid.

generally most people caught a train to Glen Waverley station and then there were buses that went direct to Waverley ground.

My mate had a bad day at the footy one day and then had a dispute with the bus driver on the homeward journey back to Glen Waverley station. The following argument resulted in him leaning over and taking the keys of the bus and running off with them ! Stranding the bus and its passengers !

Great ground to get a seat and we played pretty well there - huge surface.

 

[The rabbi]

I hated Waverley. It was a cold hole built in a rain belt and was too far away from Geelong.
Personally, at the time I thought that it would have been a good place to conduct nuclear testing.
Now that Hawthorn reside there I am now convinced it is.

 

[BlitzenTrapper]

My mate had a bad day at the footy one day and then had a dispute with the bus driver on the homeward journey back to Glen Waverley station. The following argument resulted in him leaning over and taking the keys of the bus and running off with them ! Stranding the bus and its passengers !

Classic. What ended up happening to him?

 

[Vdubs]

I walked.
From Mannix College on Wellington Rd Clayton, opposite Monash Uni. Cheap, not too far, but often bitterly cold.
Until I could afford a car.

 

[supahoops]

My trek's to Waverley didn't start til the mid to late 80's - bus in to town, train to Spencer St, try our luck at the Savoy Hotel, train to Clayton, bus to the ground - heck me that was a journey and a half but at around 15-16 we got up to a lot of no good.

Lax security in the corporate boxes was always a favourite post game.

Can't believe we were made to play 'home' games so far away.

 

[Jon Douglas]

Classic. What ended up happening to him?

Of course I and my other mates were stranded as well. Had to get off and get another bus - but as most were full it took a lot longer to get back to the station. Not sure what happened to the bus - was still sitting there when I left. Suppose hey just brig out a spare key ?

 

[Goggin Our Best]

To get to Waverly by public transport was a bit of a nightmare

In the early 90s ( Geelong had a pretty good side ) i used to come down to Melbourne for the weekend about 3 times a season

Friday night youd get on the train about 9 oclock at Central station in Sydney - at Central - they had this shop called the Toot shop - where they had all the old lollies in the jars - so youd get a big bag of sweets to guts down on the train trip- the railway dics allways use to check my ticket - because alot of things i do are last minute decisions - and i normally bought the ticket 5 minutes before departure which they thought was suspicious

Youd arrive saturday morning 7am at Spencer St - talk about skid row corner - magnified by about 1000 - every no hoper -down and outer - 3 time losers - you name it - they were there- and it was freezing cold

Getting out to Waverly - seemed to take for ever - train to Glen Waverly - but then how many times the buses were cancelled was beyond belief

To complete the weekend - on the Sunday id usually go to the mcg - where either Richmond or Melbourne had a game - i can remember one occasion - where i went to a Footscray West Coast game at the western oval - it was good back then - you could just rock up to ground - pay your money at the gate - and in you got

Then it was back to Spencer St - Sunday night the Sydney train left about half past 6 - got into Sydney about 9.15am Monday morning - youd slept in the seats - and it was straight to work - unshaven - and excited as you were Friday night - god you were flat Monday morning

 

[Hot Tin Roof]

I also walked to Waverley. Then one fateful evening, heading home following a game, I stumbled upon an abandoned bus

But seriously, I hated driving out to Arctic Park in the early years. Would leave from Moonee Ponds, pick up the GF in Brighton, and if the traffic didn't have my skin crawling by the time we hit Wellington Road, her 'warts-n-all' operating theatre stories would.

The return journey was always better. Kick-to-kick in the carpark with mates until the masses cleared, then home for a refresh and out again.

Still sticks in my gut that were it not for Sir Kenneth Luke's family owning the land Waverley Park was built on, we may have had a major stadium in the outer west, still in use today,.. with no need for Jihad Stadium.

 

[James1970]

Oddly enough, a trip to VFL Park meant walking through the lower end of St.Kilda, along Elwood Beach to catch the bus to Monash Uni, then another bus to the ground - took about 90 minutes, or two hours if we were playing the Pies. Would shit me no end getting back home, as the buses after the game either left right on the siren, or just sit around for an hour. It was quicker to get back home from Kardinia Park.

 

[vinum coupe]

There's a real old thread on the main board about waverley that will answer every question you have.
We didn't start going until 76.

So long ago. But yes, we went through Footscray.
I cant remember how long the trip was. But it took forever

 

[Partridge]

I hated Waverley. It was a cold hole built in a rain belt and was too far away from Geelong.
Personally, at the time I thought that it would have been a good place to conduct nuclear testing.
Now that Hawthorn reside there I am now convinced it is.

I didn't mind Waverley at all. It was great to have a ground 25 minutes away instead of having to go all the way into the city. Of course the great mass of inner city sophisticants continue to be morally outraged that they were ever forced to go further east than Camberwell but tough shit.

It was cold when it rained? That kinda makes sense. Pretty sure every other ground is cold when it rains too.

 

[Partridge]

There's a real old thread on the main board about waverley that will answer every question you have.
We didn't start going until 76.

So long ago. But yes, we went through Footscray.
I cant remember how long the trip was. But it took forever

Did a similar trip in reverse. Grandparents lived in Seddon so sometimes we went via Footscray Road and sometimes via the West Gate.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I also walked to Waverley. Then one fateful evening, heading home following a game, I stumbled upon an abandoned bus

But seriously, I hated driving out to Arctic Park in the early years. Would leave from Moonee Ponds, pick up the GF in Brighton, and if the traffic didn't have my skin crawling by the time we hit Wellington Road, her 'warts-n-all' operating theatre stories would.

The return journey was always better. Kick-to-kick in the carpark with mates until the masses cleared, then home for a refresh and out again.

Still sticks in my gut that were it not for Sir Kenneth Luke's family owning the land Waverley Park was built on, we may have had a major stadium in the outer west, still in use today,.. with no need for Jihad Stadium.

Snap Hot Tin Roof !
Always seemed to be a narrow band of stormclouds over the ground , well named as Arctic Park
Apart from taking forever to get to and from the navigation skills were well and truly tested trying to find the car after the game , especially when you got to a big game early and thousands parked after you.
How far away from the action were you with that ridiculously wide boundary ?

 

[Catdog]

I didn't mind Waverley at all. It was great to have a ground 25 minutes away instead of having to go all the way into the city. Of course the great mass of inner city sophisticants continue to be morally outraged that they were ever forced to go further east than Camberwell but tough shit.

It was cold when it rained? That kinda makes sense. Pretty sure every other ground is cold when it rains too.

The ground was a lot more open with the seating not as step which made it a big arse wind trap!

If was nick named Arctic Park for a reason. And i won't even start on the car park/paddock which
could also be a challenge after crap weather.

I remember after a night game in the 80,s we had to get a taxi as the bus service had stopped before
the game had .

Im not disagreeing with rain/cold comment but i found it be be very dam cold @ Waverly compared to other grounds.

 

[El Dubya]

I didn't mind Waverley at all. It was great to have a ground 25 minutes away instead of having to go all the way into the city. Of course the great mass of inner city sophisticants continue to be morally outraged that they were ever forced to go further east than Camberwell but tough shit.

It was cold when it rained? That kinda makes sense. Pretty sure every other ground is cold when it rains too.

I live in Richmond, so anything that isn't in a box at the MCG is too exposed and distant for me.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I think alot of Geelong supporters hated Waverly because Geelong had so many lamentable performancesout there

Take aside the 89 prelim -which was a very good win - the ground was generally a disaster for Geelong

Lost all finals in 80 and 81 out there - and in 82 i went to a Geelong Richmond game there- Goggins last year as coach - the team had given up - 20 20 to about 5 5

I think Geelong would have a paltry 20% winning strike rate at Waverly

 

[supahoops]

I think alot of Geelong supporters hated Waverly because Geelong had so many lamentable performancesout there

Take aside the 89 prelim -which was a very good win - the ground was generally a disaster for Geelong

Lost all finals in 80 and 81 out there - and in 82 i went to a Geelong Richmond game there- Goggins last year as coach - the team had given up - 20 20 to about 5 5

I think Geelong would have a paltry 20% winning strike rate at Waverly

Don't forget the second semi v Carlton without our midfield - didn't think we were that bad out there, though you tend to forget the losses a bit quicker than the wins..

 

[vinum coupe]

Used to take care of the saints out there in finals too. But it was a graveyard for me.

Dont even want to discuss the 91 semi

 

[Hot Tin Roof]

Snap Hot Tin Roof !
Always seemed to be a narrow band of stormclouds over the ground , well named as Arctic Park
Apart from taking forever to get to and from the navigation skills were well and truly tested trying to find the car after the game , especially when you got to a big game early and thousands parked after you.
How far away from the action were you with that ridiculously wide boundary ?

Sitting in the rain belt, Waverley was well crowned as 'Arctic Park' and 'The White Elephant', but I thought the place had loads of character. I actually loved the ground,.. come rain, hail or shine .

Had to love that carpark as well . Arriving near game-time for a big match, on a rain-soaked day, was the stuff made of nightmares. "Sure mate, we have a few spots left but it's a little wet down back. So, at your own risk." - 'At your own risk' generally meant you would be wise/lucky enough to not get bogged, yet dumb enough to park near a helpless family who did. Can't say I ever misplaced the car at Waverley. I seem to reserve those mental lapses for the 'G' of all places

The wide boundary you mentioned was always a great talking point. It allowed the players to run harder at the line with greater safety. I'd have it at every ground if that were practical (apparently there has never been a rep from the P.A. or Worksafe attend a game at the SCG). The actual problem at Waverley was poor stadium design. The back third of the stadium was simply too far from the playing surface. The extra room from fence to boundary only added to the viewing problem - Viewing from the outer, I suspect there may have also been a portal from half back to half forward, members side, where both player and ball would disappear and reappear on a sunny afternoon

 

[Hot Tin Roof]

Most memorable moment for me came from, not getting to Waverley Park in the early days, but the return journey.

Walking through the carpark following a game, a few boys were having a kick. They sprayed one in my direction, so I booted it back. We got talking, I joined in, and the competition eventually got a bit willing,.. all in good fun though.

One of them put a floating torp up into the breeze and three of us ran back into long grass to contest it. I remember the smile inside as I came down with the ball, then the agony of landing in a deep rut with one of them falling across my lower leg. Both of us ended up with only a buggered ankle, luckily.

It was dark heading back toward the city. The ankle was giving me grief. The GF (not the theatre nurse mentioned in a post above) suggested heading to St. Vincents and having it checked. I parked outside St. V's and was just about to open the car door as I noticed two figures run across from the tramline. The GF was half out of the car as these idiots tried to smash through the driver side rear window. I pulled her back in, just as she woke to what was happening. I can't admit to collecting these guys as I spun the tail end out of the gutter, as I couldn't hear a thump above the GF's screaming. But I'll bet they didn't pull that stunt again in a hurry.

Happy to know she was safe inside the car and heading out of harm's way, we motored on toward Geelong Rd. Then 'Miss I Know Better' suggested pulling in to Western General Emergency - Footscray? Saturday night? Emergency department? Good hospital now,.. meat factory back then

Four and a half hours later, a nurse finally led me from the waiting room to a bed. "Doctor will be with you in a moment", she said. Forty five minutes later, no doctor in sight,.. the waiting room erupted. Men shouting, women screaming, chairs and tables crashing... I got off the bed and was hopping toward the curtain partition when a doctor came in full of apologies. "I'm sorry, we need to get a couple of patients in here. If you feel uneasy we will move you to another area." I replied, "No problem. I'll check on my girlfriend and come back." Just then she opened the curtain, looking like she'd been to hell and back, and exclaimed, "We have to get out of here! You won't believe the scene outside!"

A nurse came and ushered the GF away, then in walked 2 cops with hospital security, followed by 2 more cops. In between them were 3 roughnut types, covered in blood from head to toe. The situation eventually calmed. Cops and security went outside. The doctor again made his apology, then left. He returned later with a couple of nurses.

While the four of us were left alone I noticed the one closest to me appeared to be almost devoid of flesh on his face, arms and upper body. Not a great sight. The other two were cut up and beaten, but nothing like the first. After a minute with two of them hurling hushed abuse at eachother, everything went reasonably quiet once more. Then one turned to me and apologized for the situation, adding, "Why are you in here mate?" Hell, of all the things to ask about! The boys told me they were just being stupid at a party, threw a few at eachother and crashed through a window. I'd be more confident that was part 3 of a 5 or 6 part story.

Booze, drugs, adrenalin, shock?... I had no idea what was keeping the one guy ticking. He was rushed away while I was there. I stayed around for 30 minutes while the other two were being treated, then left with no hope of seeing a doctor any time soon. Got home as the sun was rising and threw the foot in an ice bucket. Had it seen to a few days later.

Following that day at Waverley I always figured - If you kick a ball my way, don't complain when I put it in the car and drive off

 

[James1970]

Sitting in the rain belt, Waverley was well crowned as 'Arctic Park' and 'The White Elephant', but I thought the place had loads of character. I actually loved the ground,.. come rain, hail or shine .

Had to love that carpark as well . Arriving near game-time for a big match, on a rain-soaked day, was the stuff made of nightmares. "Sure mate, we have a few spots left but it's a little wet down back. So, at your own risk." - 'At your own risk' generally meant you would be wise/lucky enough to not get bogged, yet dumb enough to park near a helpless family who did. Can't say I ever misplaced the car at Waverley. I seem to reserve those mental lapses for the 'G' of all places

The wide boundary you mentioned was always a great talking point. It allowed the players to run harder at the line with greater safety. I'd have it at every ground if that were practical (apparently there has never been a rep from the P.A. or Worksafe attend a game at the SCG). The actual problem at Waverley was poor stadium design. The back third of the stadium was simply too far from the playing surface. The extra room from fence to boundary only added to the viewing problem - Viewing from the outer, I suspect there may have also been a portal from half back to half forward, members side, where both player and ball would disappear and reappear on a sunny afternoon

You suspect there was a portal? Pretty sure there was a report one day that another boundary line on the other side of VFL Park had been found, but I still don't believe it.

 

[Hot Tin Roof]

There was that invisible train line thing, and possibly a line of coke from a Rod Stewart concert.
As we all know - things go better with Coke.