Macleay Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Macleay Park |
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Macleay Park looking east
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| Location | Melbourne, Australia |
| Operated by | City of Boroondara |
| Paths | Mix of formal and informal pathways |
| Terrain | Open ovals surrounded by vegetation |
| Vegetation | Australian Native |
| Connecting transport | Bus routes 302 and 304 |
| Facilities | Playground, 3 sports pavilions, baseball pitch, netball courts, barbecues, toilet Soccer pitch, AFL ground |
Macleay Park is a fun place in Balwyn North, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It's a big park, and sometimes the western part is called Myrtle Park. You can find it between Severn Street and Buchanan Avenue, in a valley where Glass Creek used to flow. Now, the creek mostly runs through underground pipes.
Park History
Macleay Park has a cool history! In 1923, the local council, which was then called the Camberwell City Council, bought the land. When it first opened, people knew this parkland as Myrtle Park.
Sports quickly became a big part of the park. The North Balwyn Cricket Club started here in 1927. A few years later, in 1937, the North Balwyn Baseball Club also began playing at the park.
After World War II, in the 1950s, many more people moved to Melbourne. This meant more families and kids started using Macleay Park. Even traveling circuses would visit! The first sports building, called a pavilion, opened in 1962. It was later rebuilt in 2007 to be even better.
Getting to the Park
You can drive into Macleay Park from two different spots. One entrance is directly from Belmore Road, and the other is from Gildan Street. Just remember, you can't drive all the way through the park from one entrance to the other.
If you prefer public transport, buses are a great option. Bus routes 302 and 304 stop right near the park on Belmore Road.
There are also many ways to walk into the park. A path crosses Buchanan Avenue to the east, connecting Macleay Park to Hislop Park. You can also walk in from Severn Street in the west, from Balwyn High School, from Cobham Street to the north, and from Belmore Road in the south.
Paths for Exploring
Macleay Park has lots of paths for you to explore. Some are gravel, and others are more informal tracks. There's a main path that goes around the edges of most of the sports fields. This path is perfect for walking, jogging, or even cycling!
Sports and Activities
Macleay Park is a very active place, home to nine different sports clubs! These clubs use the park for training and games.
Here are some of the clubs that play at Macleay Park:
- Balwyn Saints Cricket Club
- Balwyn Blasters Junior Cricket Club
- North Balwyn Cricket Club
- North Balwyn Baseball Club
- St Barnabas Cricket Club
- Boroondara Cricket Club
- Melbourne Baseball Club
- Boroondara Netball Association
- Boroondara Eagles Football Club
The park is a busy hub for sports. Sometimes, people living nearby have discussions about new sports facilities, like netball courts or lights for night games. These discussions help make sure the park works well for everyone in the community.
