MOORE PARK CELEBRATES 150 YEARS

By Madeleine Gray on December 1, 2016 in Other

Not many things make it to 150 years old. Time withers away even the strongest of structures. The oldest living woman in the world, Jeanne Calment, passed away at 122 years, 164 days. Hell, even Sydney University’s famous quadrangle jacaranda tree recently gave up the ghost after 88 years.

The so-called “green lungs of Sydney”, better known as Moore Park, is bucking the trend. This December, Moore Park (including all its constituent parts, from Centennial Park, to the SCG, to the Hordern Pavilion, to Moore Park Golf, to the Royal Hall of Industries) celebrates the 150th anniversary of its dedication as a place of public restoration, and there are no signs that it will be slowing down any time soon.

In the 150 years since the park’s public dedication, its uses have continued to expand and multiply.

People often forget, for example, that Moore Park was the site of Sydney’s public zoo for 37 years. Established in 1879, Moore Park Zoo featured elephants, bears, tigers and birds – in fact, 177 animals and 329 birds were transported across the harbour from Moore Park to Taronga Zoo in 1916.

Moore Park has also played a pivotal role in Sydney’s sporting culture, as the home to the SCG, E. S. Marks Athletics Field, Moore Park Golf, and, of course, a plethora of sports fields and tennis, basketball and netball courts used for school sport and community competitions.

Crucially, Moore Park has been, and continues to be, a place where professional and amateur players compete side by side. Across from the basketball courts where primary school teams battle it out over slam-dunks and orange quarters, for example, is the field on which Australia’s first official polo match was played in 1874.

“Whether it is sitting in the SCG watching an Ashes battle, or a Swans nail-biter, Moore Park has been the ultimate place to watch sport for 150 years,” a Moore Park spokesperson said.

Hordern Pavillion has also hosted musical legends, from Eric Clapton, to Frank Sinatra, to Nirvana, and even potential 2020 US Presidential candidate Kanye West. And who could forget that for 115 years the Royal Hall of Industries was home to the Royal Easter Show? Homebush is not to be sniffed at, but for the older generations, Moore Park is synonymous with fairy floss, carnival rides, and the familiar earthy smell of horse dung.

On Saturday, December 10, Moore Park is inviting the public to come and celebrate this momentous anniversary with a day jam-packed with family fun. There will be amusement rides, petting zoos, sports clinics, face painting, special guests, delicious food trucks and more.

There will be appearances by the Olympic gold medal winning Women’s Rugby 7s team, as well as past and present NRL players. The Sydney Roosters cheerleaders will also be giving a special performance at 10:45am, and the Australian Army Roving Band will also be jamming away from 10:15am.

Gather the kids, call your friends, and get the family together for an entertainment extravaganza. For more information about the day’s events, head to www.centennialparklands.com.au.