Park Street Reserve (Brunswick East)

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Park Street Reserve
Park Street Reserve (Brunswick East)
Former namesPark Street Oval
Address494 Park St
Location Brunswick East, Victoria
Coordinates 37°46′45″S144°58′17″E / 37.779173°S 144.971511°E / -37.779173; 144.971511
Owner City of Merri-bek

Park Street Reserve is a public park located in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick East. [1] It was formerly an Australian rules football and cricket ground, known as the Park Street Oval. [2] [3]

History

The Brunswick Football Club (BFC) was formed in 1865 and competed in the Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA). [4] It joined the Victorian Football Association (VFA) for the 1897 season, continuing to play its home matches at Park Street Reserve. [5]

In early 1907, the BFC announced its intention to move to Brunswick Park, located 5.3 kilometres (3.3 mi) away in Victoria Street. [6] It was rumoured that Victorian Football League (VFL) club Carlton was considering moving from Princes Park to Park Street because of strained relations with the Carlton Oval Committee. [7] The Coburg Leader wrote that "it would be a godsend to Brunswick and the local council if the Carlton team were to play on the Park Street Reserve". [8] Carlton ultimately remained at Princes Park. [9]

Park Street hosted its final VFA match on 7 September 1907, which saw Brunswick defeat North Melbourne by 67 points. [10] After the BFC moved to Brunswick Park for the 1908 VFA season, some of the club's practice matches were still played at Park Street Reserve, including one against Carlton District in 1919. [11] [12] Other non-VFA matches were played at the ground until at least 1937. [13] [14] The ground also continued to host cricket matches. [15] [16]

As of 2025, Park Street Reserve has been significantly reduced in size and no longer includes an oval. [17]

References

  1. "NORTH MELB v. BRUNSWICK". The Coburg Leader. 25 April 1908. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  2. "BRUNSWICK FOOTBALL CLUB". The Coburg Leader. 28 March 1908. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  3. "FIRST GRADE FINAL". The Argus. 27 March 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  4. "BRUNSWICK v. ALBION UNITED". The Coburg Leader. 13 May 1891. p. 4. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  5. "Park Street Oval". The VFA Project. Archived from the original on 30 April 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  6. "BRUNSWICK RECREATION RESERVE". The Age. 27 February 1907. p. 9. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  7. "1907". Blueseum. 25 September 2024. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  8. "News and Notes". The Coburg Leader. 31 August 1907. p. 1. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  9. De Bolfo, Tony (22 June 2022). "125 years ago: History in the making at Princes Park". Carlton Football Club. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  10. "Brunswick v North Melbourne". The VFA Project. 7 September 1907. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  11. "BRUNSWICK FOOTBALL CLUB". The Coburg Leader. 11 April 1908. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  12. "1919 Reserves". Blueseum. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  13. "Drapers' Final Tomorrow". The Sun News-Pictorial. 28 August 1936. p. 27. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  14. "Drapers' Grand Final". The Sun News-Pictorial. 4 September 1936. p. 38. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  15. "FOOTSCRAY PREMIERS". Record. 15 April 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  16. "RAMBLERS v. SOCIABLES". The Herald. 26 April 1920. p. 10. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  17. "Park Street Reserve". Merri-bek City Council. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.