Beneath our feet lies a tapestry woven from sport and entertainment. This is Olympic Park in Melbourne, a place where champions have been made. It attracts over 2.5 million people each year for around 600 events.
Olympic Park’s story starts long before the Olympics. The Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation first inhabited the Yarra River Valley. Surveyor-General Robert Hoddle surveyed Melbourne in 1837. He set the boundary for “Government Paddock”. This area now includes Melbourne and Olympic Parks.
In 1861, the riverside pasture became home to Melbourne’s Zoological Gardens. It was the first zoo in Australia. However, the swampy site led to the zoo moving to Royal Park after only one year. The land then hosted athletic carnivals and social events. One curious event was the “Festival of the Druids”.
Flooding was a constant problem until the Yarra Improvement Act of 1896. This realigned the river. It allowed for more sports like running, football, and tennis. The League of Victorian Wheelmen built a cycling track in 1897. It had grandstands, bars and amenities.
In 1909, the area was proclaimed Crown land. Its charter was for “the recreation, convenience and amusement of people”. It also served as a children’s playground. There were two ovals. One was rough and ready where AAMI Park is now. The other is where Olympic Oval stands today.
Melbourne Carnivals leased the site until after World War II. They opened the “Melbourne Motordrome” in 1924. It cost 30,000 pounds. The 629-yard concrete drome was dangerous. It featured bizarre novelty events. Racing ostriches imported from South Australia were a fiasco. They scattered in all directions. “Motor Push Ball” and children pulled by billy goats were other strange attractions.
Motorbikes raced around the steep banks. Sadly, five riders and two teenage spectators died. The track earned grim nicknames like “Suicide Track” and “Murderdrome”. Officials once found a five-foot length of barbed wire on the track.
The site hosted three VFA Grand Finals from 1925-27. Junior cricket was played in summer. About 1000 people used the fields each week for training. Melbourne played three home games here due to resurfacing at the MCG.
An untenable safety record and financial decline led to the Motordrome’s demolition in 1933. Twenty charges of dynamite reduced it to rubble. Plans for a school were dropped. The venue was rebuilt as the “Olympic Park” sporting arena in 1933.
Cycling became popular during the Great Depression. Sir Hubert Opperman covered 100 miles in 90 minutes. He also broke the world record for the five-mile motor-paced event. The Austral Wheelrace was hosted here five times. The “Melbourne Thousand”, the world’s richest footrace, started here in 1928.
Olympic Park’s name came before the 1956 Games. It was chosen to better reflect the site’s use. Football returned in 1935. Richmond and South Melbourne drew 25,000 spectators. Midget car races filled the breaks.
The Australian Imperial Force took control of Olympic Park in 1940. One last speedway meeting was held on April 1, 1946. It aided St Vincent’s Hospital. Petrol rationing ended speedway after World War II. The venue was wrecked in 1946.
A fire destroyed a grandstand in 1951. This started the Olympic Games transformation. A new sports arena was built. It became the Eastern Sportsground or No. 2 Oval. It was used for Olympic soccer and hockey competitions. A velodrome was built on the Swan Street side.
In 1956, Australian runner John Landy stopped mid-race to help fallen rival Ron Clarke. He still won the race. A statue across the road commemorates this moment.
Today, Olympic Park continues to evolve. It is a place for sports, entertainment, and community. AAMI Park, Olympic Park Oval, and Gosch’s Paddock stand as testaments to its enduring legacy. The park honors its century-old commitment. It provides for the community’s recreational needs.