Old Sydney Showground to be reborn as Showring Oval
Sydney’s former Showground at Moore Park is set to welcome elite sport once again, with a Centre of Excellence and sports oval capable of hosting AFLW matches for the Sydney Swans.
The $32 million redevelopment of Showring Oval at Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter was announced on Friday in a partnership between the NSW government, AFL and Sydney Roosters, with the state government matching the contribution of $15 million.
The project will create a world-class sports precinct and multi-purpose community space that will serve as the new focal point for women’s sport in NSW. Once complete, the facility will feature a full-size, multi-sport hybrid turf oval with running track and broadcast-standard lighting, catering for elite AFLW matches and capacity for more than 4,000 spectators.
Located adjacent to the SCG, the former Sydney Showground’s history dates back to 1882, hosting rugby league, soccer, world series cricket, harness racing and speedway racing. It also has a rich history with Australian football, as it was previously used by AFL Sydney for finals matches and by the Sydney Swans for training and practice matches in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The precinct was home of the Sydney Royal Easter Show from 1882 until it moved to its new home at Sydney Olympic Park in 1998.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said, “Thank you to the New South Wales Government for its substantial commitment to the reimagined Showring Oval, an incredible development for Australian football in Sydney and across the state.
“We’ve seen monumental growth of women and girls playing Australian football in the region since the introduction of AFLW, initially involving the Giants and followed by the Sydney Swans’ entry into the competition last year, which strengthens the code in New South Wales.
“One of the biggest challenges we face in New South Wales is to meet the increasing demand and great interest for our sport by providing quality facilities, particularly through the growth of female participation. The Government’s support of the Showring redevelopment, which follows funding commitments to upgrade Henson Park and the Giants’ training and community centre at Sydney Olympic Park, shows incredible progress in the area of facility development and will benefit the game immensely.
“Showring Oval will be a place to call home for women and girls football, which will bring an invaluable sense of belonging, purpose and comfort for players from community clubs in Sydney’s east right up to the elite. The Showring Oval sits alongside world-class stadia, including the SCG, and I look forward to its bright future adding to the venue’s storied past.”
The Showring Oval redevelopment project will provide a state-of-the-art home for local community teams and schools, talent pathways, and the Sydney Swans’ AFLW program, while also benefiting local businesses and add an exciting new chapter to the Entertainment Quarter, making it a hub for sports and community activities in the heart of Sydney.
Roosters CEO Joe Kelly said “More than a hundred years later, it is a wonderful reflection of the pace at which women’s participation in sports like rugby league and AFL is growing, that the NSW Government has committed to redeveloping Showring Oval with both the Sydney Roosters and AFL.”
Projects funded through the Centre of Excellence Fund must include multi-purpose facilities, enabling organisations to expand community programs and engage with the community.
