Waverley Park Park

Waverley Park is a former major Australian rules football stadium in the Melbourne suburb of Mulgrave, originally opened as VFL Park in 1970 and later renamed. It was built to provide a large suburban venue for VFL/AFL matches and large public events.

The site included a large main oval, terraced spectator banks and facilities for match-day operations; it frequently hosted high-attendance games and concerts through the 1970s to 1990s. After the last top-level AFL matches in 1999 the ground ceased to operate as a major stadium and the precinct was redeveloped into residential areas while retaining a smaller community oval and sporting facilities.

The ground was developed by the Victorian Football League to provide an alternative to inner-city venues and to expand the game’s reach into Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Over time changes in league venue planning and commercial considerations led to its replacement by larger metropolitan stadiums and the eventual sale and redevelopment of the site.

Waverley Park is located in Melbourne’s southeast suburbs, in the municipality that includes Mulgrave and adjacent residential areas, approximately 20-25 kilometers southeast of Melbourne’s central business district.

• Stadium history: Opened as VFL Park in 1970 and later known as Waverley Park, it served as Melbourne’s outer metropolitan stadium for Australian Rules football and major concerts until 1999.
• Capacity and redevelopment: At its peak it accommodated crowds in excess of 70,000 for major matches; the site was redeveloped for housing and a smaller sporting complex after 1999.

What to See#

• Main oval (redeveloped): The original large oval and spectator terraces were used for VFL/AFL matches and concerts; much of the infield and stands were removed during redevelopment and the site now contains a smaller civic oval and community sporting facilities.

Waverley Park sits in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. From Melbourne CBD take the M1 (Monash Freeway) east and exit at Police Road; the park is a short drive south into the Mulgrave/Wantirna area. By public transport, take a train on the Glen Waverley line to Glen Waverley station and then a short bus or taxi ride south (routes vary seasonally). On weekends local buses run closer to the precinct.

• Approach the reserve from the south entrance on Police Road to avoid the small car-park pinchpoints used by weekend crowds.
• Most of the stadium precinct has been converted to parkland; look for the subtle grooves in concrete and the faded ticket booths behind the playground - they mark the old grandstand footprints.
• Visit late afternoon when the light slants across the pitch and the eucalyptus smell rises; the place feels less like a museum and more like a neighborhood ritual.