Footy Grounds of Tassie

[Bobby P]

Sundowner and Starlight, Starlight was south from memory.

Could be wrong but when the Sundowner was closed, a place called Canberry Village (amusement park)was built on it, or close to it, maybe its where you live now ?.

Yeah I live in the new area called "The Fair" after Canberry Fair. I am not old enough to remember Sundowner or Starlight in action but now I think about it Sundowner is caravan park over near Narrabundah I think. There apparently also used to be a racing track on the site I live now called Mt Gin, my grandfather used to race there back in the 60's from what he tells me. I think the old drive in screen from Starlight is the one that is used at Bigspash in Jammo.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Yeah canberra is not listed :-(. If u want any info email the guy running it. Hes may not even know there was driveins in canberra. He will add them

 

[sherb]

Great thread its depressing to see ground in this state. Covered up or now unused.

It reminds me of a intrest of mine

http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/ there was 280 odd 260 odd have been demolished only about 15-20remain australia wide

I used to live five minutes' walk from the drive-in in Launceston, which (as you would know I guess) was located in the middle of the Mowbray racecourse.

 

[Gibbke]

492 to 1. Haha. That would have been hilarious.

I remember this. In the same season, Woodsdale did something similar to someone else. Their full forward kicked his hundred by May or June, I think...

 

[Gibbke]

1986, mid-way through the first statewide league's first season.
East Launceston controversially gained a spot in the expanded TANFL (Hobart comp) ahead of Launceston when the TANFL went statewide. Possibly because East played out of York Park, as are North Launceston.
East couldn't survive in the state league on their own, merged with City-South and the new club became based at the Redlegs home ground at Youngtown.

Didn't stop the TFL insisting we played out of YP...

From memory, we were actually quite well off financially too, had risen up the ladder from an abysmal 1984 season to just missing out in 1985, and Launceston had caused some problems in a sponsorship battle with the NTFA's major sponsor in 1985...their U19's won the PF but were disqualified, and replaced by PF losers East at the last minute...very turbulent season

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Imo the reason the afl have never went to tas with a club?? The state league is not as rock solid as what it was in the 70's

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Imo the reason the afl have never went to tas with a club?? The state league is not as rock solid as what it was in the 70's

Interesting, given there wasn't a state league before 1986.
In the early-mid 90s the league was struggling off-field but not too bad on it. Even knocked off the WAFL and SANFL with AFL listed players, admittedly at the rather unusal North Hobart Oval. The TSL now seems, from this distance, to be struggling in every way. In some ways, with the way the AFL has completely taken over public awareness, that is inevitable - but the way things are run are making a bad situation diabolical.

Gibbke From memory, Launceston lost a lot of players for the 1986 season to Avoca in that club's final year of existence. Avoca won the flag and folded.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

What i mean is in the late 70's players were poached to the vfl. Which in turn ment tassie foity got a transfer fee. More cash around.

 

[Gibbke]

Interesting, given there wasn't a state league before 1986.
In the early-mid 90s the league was struggling off-field but not too bad on it. Even knocked off the WAFL and SANFL with AFL listed players, admittedly at the rather unusal North Hobart Oval. The TSL now seems, from this distance, to be struggling in every way. In some ways, with the way the AFL has completely taken over public awareness, that is inevitable - but the way things are run are making a bad situation diabolical.

Gibbke From memory, Launceston lost a lot of players for the 1986 season to Avoca in that club's final year of existence. Avoca won the flag and folded.

Everything got turned on its head. North went from minor premiers to the spoon with a virtual NTFA reserves team, East and South merged after Round 7 and they readjusted the ladder, and both George Town and Deloraine made the finals in their third year stepping over the carcasses of those two...lots of uncertainty as the NWFU voted against the inclusion of NTFA clubs to make the NTFL and then changed their minds...by this time, all of the players had made up their minds whether they were going for the big time, servicing the car for a trip to the other side of Northern Tassie every second week, or playing it safe in the local leagues...

 

[madmug]

What i mean is in the late 70's players were poached to the vfl. Which in turn ment tassie foity got a transfer fee. More cash around.

Thats not really how I remember it!! Yes we got transfer fees but also had to pay fees to get the odd ex VFL/SANFL/WAFL/VFA player plus pay them heaps.
At least those sort of players brought new ideas & expertese & crowds to Tassie footy Doesnt happen now.