Chatswood Oval
Encyclopedia
Chatswood Oval is located south of the Chatswood railway station in northern Sydney
, Australia
. It has four small pavilions and seating surrounding the oval. It is one of the Lower North Shore
's largest sportsgrounds, and the home ground of the Gordon Rugby Football Club
and Gordon District Cricket Club. One of the largest crowds was 8,127 when Gordon Rugby played Randwick
in 1976. Gordon Rugby have been playing at Chatswood Oval since 1936. The approximate dimensions of the oval are 145 metres by 112 metres.
with a large well in the centre. The oval was opened in 1900. In the season 1906-07 The Gordon District Cricket Club took up residence, previously known as the Willoughby District Cricket Club.
The heyday of cricket
for Chatswood Oval was up to the 1930s. Of note was Don Bradman's 201 runs scored at Chatswood Oval in April 1932, including 28 fours and two sixes in 171 minutes. Also, the local resident Charlie Macartney who hit a cricket ball over the train line, disrupting a game of bowls
. Macartney was affectionately known by Chatswood residents as "our Governor General". His friend, another local resident Victor Trumper
played here, and was a crowd favourite. The Trumper Pavilion was named in his honour. Bert Oldfield
played regularly at Chatswood Oval. Macartney, Trumper and Oldfield were all Wisden Cricketers of the Year
.
A few first grade Rugby League
games were played at Chatswood Oval in the 1930s. Featuring North Sydney
playing Souths
, Easts
and Balmain
.
In the early 1900s trees were planted around the oval. Many survive to the 21st century, including fine examples of Hoop Pine and Bunya Pine.
in Malaya in 1943. The Paul Harrison Pavilion (1980) is named after a local supporter of sport. And the Jack Donnelly Stand (1980) is named after a former mayor and athlete.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has four small pavilions and seating surrounding the oval. It is one of the Lower North Shore
North Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
's largest sportsgrounds, and the home ground of the Gordon Rugby Football Club
Gordon RFC
Gordon Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based on the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales. The club, known as the Highlanders, play out of Chatswood Oval and compete in the New South Wales Rugby Union grade competition.-Club information:...
and Gordon District Cricket Club. One of the largest crowds was 8,127 when Gordon Rugby played Randwick
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
in 1976. Gordon Rugby have been playing at Chatswood Oval since 1936. The approximate dimensions of the oval are 145 metres by 112 metres.
History
In 1898, the local council approved for five acres of land south of the railway station to be made a public park. This area was formerly a Chinese market gardenChinese Australian
Chinese Australian is an Australian of Chinese heritage. In the 2006 Australian Census, 669,890 Australian residents identified themselves as having Chinese ancestry, either alone or with another ancestry....
with a large well in the centre. The oval was opened in 1900. In the season 1906-07 The Gordon District Cricket Club took up residence, previously known as the Willoughby District Cricket Club.
The heyday of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Chatswood Oval was up to the 1930s. Of note was Don Bradman's 201 runs scored at Chatswood Oval in April 1932, including 28 fours and two sixes in 171 minutes. Also, the local resident Charlie Macartney who hit a cricket ball over the train line, disrupting a game of bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
. Macartney was affectionately known by Chatswood residents as "our Governor General". His friend, another local resident Victor Trumper
Victor Trumper
Victor Thomas Trumper was an Australian cricketer known as the most stylish and versatile batsman of the Golden Age of cricket, capable of playing match-winning innings on wet wickets his contemporaries found unplayable. Archie MacLaren said of him, "Compared to Victor I was a cab-horse to a Derby...
played here, and was a crowd favourite. The Trumper Pavilion was named in his honour. Bert Oldfield
Bert Oldfield
William Albert Stanley "Bert" Oldfield was an Australian cricket player. He played for New South Wales and the Australian cricket team as wicket-keeper....
played regularly at Chatswood Oval. Macartney, Trumper and Oldfield were all Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
.
A few first grade Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
games were played at Chatswood Oval in the 1930s. Featuring North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
playing Souths
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, Easts
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
and Balmain
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
.
In the early 1900s trees were planted around the oval. Many survive to the 21st century, including fine examples of Hoop Pine and Bunya Pine.
Pavillions
It soon became clear that the original 1903 grandstand was too small. And in 1913 plans were made to replace it. This occurred in 1924 with the construction of the Trumper Pavilion, which seats 250 spectators. The Cedric Pike stand (1963), holding 315 spectators was named after a local Rugby figure, who died as a prisoner of warJapanese prisoners of war in World War II
It has been estimated that between 19,500 and 50,000 Japanese military personnel surrendered to Allied forces prior to the end of the Pacific War in August 1945...
in Malaya in 1943. The Paul Harrison Pavilion (1980) is named after a local supporter of sport. And the Jack Donnelly Stand (1980) is named after a former mayor and athlete.