Kardinia Park facts for kids
Kardinia Park is a large public park in South Geelong, Victoria. It's a busy place with many public and sporting facilities. You can find a major AFL stadium, another football oval, a cricket field, and an outdoor swimming pool here. There are also netball courts, clubrooms for different sports, and a centre for senior citizens. The park is surrounded by Moorabool Street, the Geelong railway line, Kilgour Street, Latrobe Terrace, and Park Crescent.
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Park History and Name
Kardinia Park became a public park in May 1872. Back then, it was called Chilwell Flat. The park was quite large, covering about 24 hectares (60 acres). Local councils from Geelong, Newtown, and Chilwell were in charge of looking after the land.
In 1872, the name Kardinia Park was chosen. The park used to stretch further north to Kilgour Street. However, when the Geelong railway was extended in 1876, a part of the park was cut off. This area was later sold for houses.
A Look Back: The Kardinia Park Zoo
A zoo opened inside Kardinia Park in 1903. It was a popular spot for people to visit. In 1911, a local magazine called News of the Week listed all the animals living there.
The zoo had many different birds. These included black ducks from Australia and Australian boobook owls. There were also Mandarin ducks from China and Mallard ducks from Europe. Visitors could see Peacocks from India, white swans from the Arctic, and Guinea fowls from Africa.
The zoo also had several mammals. There were Monkeys from Africa and four kangaroos. One silver kangaroo was very tall, standing six feet high! Six deer were also part of the collection. Even though deer are from Scotland, many were born right there in the park. Other animals included a Wallaby and a great kangaroo from Tasmania. A Lemur from Madagascar also lived at the zoo. It is thought that the zoo closed down sometime during World War II.
Football at Kardinia Park
By 1911, Kardinia Park had two football ovals. One was on the eastern side, and the other was on the west. The Geelong Football Club started playing their home games on the eastern oval in 1941. They moved here because their old ground, Corio Oval, was needed for military use. The Geelong Football Club still plays at this ground today.
The western oval is used by the local St Marys football club. They play their local league games there. The clubrooms for the St Marys team are located next to this oval, near Latrobe Terrace.
There is also a third oval, mainly used for cricket. This oval is also where the Geelong Football Umpires association trains. Their rooms are located south of this oval.
Swimming Fun at Kardinia Pool
The Kardinia swimming pool is on Park Crescent. The City of Geelong opened this pool in the mid-1960s. It's an outdoor complex, so it's only open when the weather is warm. The City of Greater Geelong now manages the pool.
The complex has five swimming pools. There's a pool for toddlers and another for older children. It also has two 50-metre, eight-lane lap pools for serious swimmers. A diving pool with 1-metre and 3-metre springboards is also available. A waterslide was added in the 1980s, but it only runs during the busiest summer months.
This complex is home to the Geelong Swimming Club. It often hosts swimming competitions. Many people come here for lap swimming because it's one of the few full-length pools in Geelong. Schools also hold their swimming carnivals at this pool.
A big upgrade happened in 2005, costing $4.4 million. A new 10-lane, 50-metre pool was built. This new pool meets international standards. In February 2006, the pool hosted the World Lifesaving Championships. The pool was set to host the aquatics events for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, but these games were cancelled in 2023.
Cricket Matches
A third oval, located north near the railway tracks, is used for cricket. The Geelong Cricket Club plays here during the summer. They are part of the Premier Cricket league in Victoria. In the 2007/08 season, the club reached the First XI Grand Final for the first time. They lost to the Ringwood Rams. Their Second and Third XI teams also made it to Grand Finals that season, but both also lost. The clubrooms are behind the Ford Stand, east of the main stadium.
Other Sports and Activities
Netball courts are located in the middle of the park. These courts are used for local competitions. There is a clubroom right next to the courts. A fitness course runs along the western side of the park. For younger visitors, there's a children's playground in the north-west corner. You can also find outdoor barbecue facilities, picnic areas, and public toilets there.
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
The Kardinia Park Stadium Trust is an organisation that manages the Kardinia Park Stadium in Geelong, Australia. This group was created in 2016 by the Victorian Government. Its job is to look after the stadium as it grows and gets bigger. The Trust makes sure the stadium runs well and can host many different events.
