History of Olympic Park

Prior to 1834, the Yarra River Valley was inhabited by the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

In 1837 Surveyor-General Robert Hoddle surveyed Melbourne and set the boundary for 'Government Paddock', the area now encompassing Melbourne & Olympic Parks, as well as Yarra Park. It became known as the Friendly Society's Gardens.

In 1861 the riverside pasture became the first location of Melbourne's Zoological Gardens, the first established in Australia and one of the oldest internationally. Its aim included "the introduction, acclimatisation and domestication of all innoxious animals, birds, fish, insects and vegetables”. After just one year, reluctantly, the Government moved the Zoo after rumours of neglect began to circulate as site was too swampy.

The land was used for athletic carnivals and social events such as the World 300 Yard Championship, in addition to the curious “Festival of the Druids” and Eight Hour Day – which became the annual festival held the same weekend as the current day “Moomba” Festival.

The Yarra constantly flooded until the Yarra Improvement Act of 1896 realigned of the river. This broadened use of the land for running, football, tennis, rugby union and women's cricket and cycling. Tthe League of Victorian Wheelmen completed a track in 1897 with grandstands, bars and amenities.

Still part of Yarra Park, the area was proclaimed Crown land by the State on 24 August 1909.

In its charter, the Committee of Management stated it "for the recreation convenience and amusement of people and as a children's playground".

The 'Amateur Sports Grounds' consisted of two ovals - one rough and ready (where AAMI Park Stadium is situated) and the other where Olympic Oval is today.

Melbourne Carnivals leased the site until the conclusion of World War II, opening the 'Melbourne Motordrome' of motorbike mayhem, on December 13, 1924 at a cost of 30,000 pounds.

The treacherous 629 yard concrete drome's primary attraction was supplemented by novelty events bordering on farcical.

Racing ostriches imported from South Australia were labelled 'a complete fiasco' by The Argus; the confused and terrified beasts (with cardboard cutout 'jockeys') scampering in all directions or simply standing stupefied.

'Motor Push Ball' was another bizarre affair, as were children being pulled by billy goats in two wheeler carts.

Motorbikes tearing around the steep banks, it was little surprise that five riders and two teenage spectactors lost their lives.

The track earning nicknames the 'Suicide Track' and the 'Murderdrome'. Riders contended with foolish attempts at sabotage; on one occasion, officials spotted a five foot length of barbed wire.

During this time, the site hosted three VFA Grand Finals from 1925-27, as well as the popular mid-week industrial competition. In addition to rugby union representative matches, junior cricket was played during the summer and it was estimated that 1000 members of the public used the fields each week for training and recreation.

The ground made VFL/AFL history when Melbourne played the first of three home games owing to the MCG undergoing resurfacing works.

An untenable safety record and declining financial viability, saw 20 charges of dynamite reduce the 'Drome to rubble.

Plans to build a school on the site in 1933 were aborted and the venue was reconstructed as the ‘Olympic Park’ sporting arena in 1933.

Cycling also became popular as the Great Depression took hold. The nature of this unique 'velodrome' lent itself to motor-paced feats such as Legendary cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman covering 100 miles in 90 minutes and in a world famous performance, 1000 miles in 28hrs 55 mins.

He also broke the world record for the dangerous five mile motor paced event.

The historically significant Austral Wheelrace was also hosted here five times and inaugurally in 1928, the world's richest professional footrace 'The Melbourne Thousand'.

Interestingly, Olympic Park's name predated the ’56 Games, chosen to better reflect the use of the site than ‘Amateur Sports Grounds’ and deemed “prophetic”.

Football returned on 30 March 1935 when Grand Finalists Richmond and South Melbourne remarkably drew 25,000 spectators (causing player Jack Dyer to walk to the ground, unable to get on the packed trams).

The practice match was interspersed with midget car races in the breaks. Amid some controversy, around this time, a deal was almost closed for Richmond to relocate to Olympic Park.

The Swan Street Army Depot was built at the location of Gosch’s Paddock the same year, to be used by the Royal Australian Engineers' (RAE) militia troops.

The Australian Imperial Force assumed control of Olympic Park in 1940, although permission was granted for one last speedway meeting held on 1 April 1946 in aid of St Vincent's Hospital.

Continued petrol rationing spelled the death knell for the speedway in the aftermath of WWII. The venue met with the wrecking ball in 1946, but few local residents lamented the demise of the noisy motorsports.

A fire destroying a large wooden grandstand in 1951 prompted the start of the Olympic Games transformation, with construction of a new sports arena subsequently known as the Eastern Sportsground or No. 2 Oval.

Encircled by a track to be used for athletics, the field was also used for the preliminary rounds of the Olympic soccer and hockey competitions.

A 4400 seat and 333 metre long velodrome was also constructed, one of the fastest tracks in the world, situated on the northern/Swan Street side at a cost of around £120,000.

The most famous sporting moment occurred prior to the Games, in the 1956 Australian Mile Championship. Australian runner John Landy stopped mid-race to help fallen rival Ron Clarke to his feet.

Coming from 55-metres behind, the former-world record-holder chased down the least and still won by nine metres to claim the title. A statue across the road is a permanent reminder of one of Australia’s most memorable sporting moments.

Reverand Alan Moyes, a witness, described it as 'the most incredibly stupid, beautiful, foolish, gentlemanly act’ he had ever seen.

During the 1960s the Western Sportsground or No. 1 Oval (where AAMI Park now stands) attracted up to 900,000 people annually for athletics and soccer.

As the only FIFA recognised soccer stadium in Australia, it hosted a number of international football matches. In total, Australia has played 34 internationals (including six World Cup Qualifiers) at Olympic Park for 11 wins, 11 draws and 12 losses.

During this period, the Victorian Rugby Union competition regularly played against touring nations and the Australian Equestrian Federation held championships.

A contraversial moment saw hundreds of protesters against the 1971 Springbok rugby tour, clash with mounted police armed with batons. Several court cases ensued with accusations of assault towards and against police.

Three Victorian Soccer Federation teams and even teams such as Chelsea, Everton and other top European teams also played the Aussies. One of the best attended games was held in 1966 when an inconceivable 37,500 soccer fans turned out to watch Roma FC defeat Victoria.The predominately Italian crowd sang 'Arrivederci Roma' after each Victorian goal.

The velodrome was demolished in 1972, becoming a 800 space carpark. The following year saw a new $6 million and 2200 seat grandstand built for greyhounds, soccer and rugby. Regular crowds of 5000 were also entertained by athletic races on Monday nights and other community events.

Following a $4.2m improvement in 1981 to coincide with the World Youth Championships, Olympic Park received a $1 million facelift for the 1985 Australia Games.

The highest attendance at Olympic Park was achieved in 1987 when over 40,000 attended a Michael Jackson concert.

The 2.43ha stretch of Army land was purchased from the Commonwealth by the Victorian Government in 1988 for $15 million.

A ‘Swan Song’ ceremonial march was conducted in 1991 to mark closure of the facility used by Royal Australian Engineers' (RAE) militia, as an important tactical base during WW2, by Vietnam National Servicemen and a security headquarters for national events such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (1981) and Pope John Paul II's 1986 visit.

Billowing smoke permeated through the greyhound track grandstand full of 2000 enthusiasts, moments after the last race in 1991. Forty firemen were dispatched to the blaze.

Olympic Park Management and the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association then committed to a 20 year licence, unaware that the planned Burnely Tunnel/CityLink project in 1994 would necessitate the competition moving and the last race run in 1996 far sooner.

The Stadium served as Melbourne Storm’s home ground between 1998-2009.

It became known as 'The Graveyard' for opposition sides with Storm’s relentless wins.

Champion A-League team Melbourne Victory made the stadium their home in 2005. Meanwhile the old Eastern Sportsground was reborn as Edwin Flack Field and used by Collingwood Football Club as their training ground from 2004-06, ironically, given their legendary patron John Wren had built the Motordrome on the same patch of turf.

Plans for a new stadium were originally conceived when Melbourne bid for a new Super Rugby franchise. Upon being beaten by Perth, it didn’t take long for the ambitions to re-emerge.

In April 2006, the Victorian Government announced a new 20,000-seat stadium would be built at Olympic Park to host Rugby League and Football.

Melbourne Victory, with A-League crowds averaging significantly higher than that figure, pushed for the capacity to be increased. While delaying construction of the venue, its capacity was eventually increased to just over 30,000. Construction commenced in late 2007.

Meanwhile Gosch’s Paddock’s AFL oval, alongside Punt Road, became the training ground of Collingwood FC.

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium officially opened its doors on 7th May 2010, hosting the Rugby League ANZAC Test Match between Australia and New Zealand. The game attracted a near sell-out crowd of 29,442.

The new venue struck a naming rights sponsorship deal was the company AAMI prior to its opening. As well as the Victory, Storm and Rebels; the Melbourne Demons Football Club (AFL) also have their training and administrative base at the venue.

Built at a cost of $267.5 million, it features a distinctive cutting-edge Bioframe design, enabling spectators to enjoy unobstructed views. This required 50 per cent less steel than a typical stadium roof of the same size.

Located on the exterior of the roof is a LED lighting system that enables the stadium to display numerous patterns and colours.

Officially opened on April 11, 2013, Olympic Park’s AFL training ground and public sport and recreation space is the latest phase in the site’s considerable history.

A magnificent $25 million addition to the Holden Centre was opened in 2015, making superb new training and community facilities available for high-performance athletes and grass-roots level leisure and sports initiatives alike.

It encourages more opportunities for women, along with a wellness and fitness centre.

This would be the new base of Collingwood FC, with the Melbourne Demons Football Club taking over its Gosch’s Paddock ground just the day after the club’s departure.

The redevelopment included a running track around the oval's perimeter and public amenities.

This also benefits the many joggers who frequent the nearby Royal Botanical Gardens track and Yarra River paths.

Olympic Park – Gosch’s Paddock, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and Olympic Oval - remains public parkland used by the entire local community, continuing to honour the site’s century old resolution to provide for the community’s recreational needs.