Fearon Reserve

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Fearon Reserve
Map
Interactive map of Fearon Reserve
Former namesGarden's Reserve (1870s–1936)
AddressGarden St and Osborne St
LocationWilliamstown, Victoria
Coordinates37°52′01″S 144°53′42″E / 37.86702479495746°S 144.89487012511748°E / -37.86702479495746; 144.89487012511748
OwnerCity of Hobsons Bay[1]
Capacity1,000
Record attendance5,000 (Williamstown vs South Melbourne, 25 September 1886)
Construction
Opened1870s; 154 years ago (1870s)
Tenants
Williamstown CYMS Football Club (VAFA)
Williamstown Imperial Cricket Club (NWMCA)
Williamstown Lacrosse Club

Fearon Reserve (formerly known as Garden's Reserve) is an Australian rules football and cricket venue in the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown.[2] The name also refers to the wider public park in which the main oval and lacrosse field are located.[3]

As of 2025, it is home to the Williamstown CYMS Football Club in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), the Williamstown Imperial Cricket Club in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association (NWMCA), and the Williamstown Lacrosse Club.[4][5]

History

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Garden's Reserve (sometimes stylised Gardens Reserve) was established in the 1870s.[6] The Williamstown Football Club (WFC), which was established in 1864 and initially competed in junior[a] competitions, was granted permission by Williamstown Council to play its home matches on the ground in 1872.[8]

In 1884, Williamstown was elevated from junior status and entered the Victorian Football Association (VFA) as a senior side.[9] The club sought to play its home matches at the Williamstown Cricket Ground (WCG), located approximately 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) away, but were not granted permission owing to a dispute with the Williamstown Cricket Club, and WFC was forced to continue playing at Garden's Reserve.[10] Because the ground was unfenced, WFC was unable to charge for admission to its home matches.[11]

Players wishing to play on the cricket ground ultimately established a rival senior club, the South Williamstown Football Club, which contested the VFA in 1886 and 1887.[12] The dispute was settled in 1888 and South Williamstown amalgamated with Williamstown; and, through an organisational affiliation with the cricket club, the WCG was established as the football club's permanent home ground.[13] The final VFA match at Garden's Reserve was between Williamstown and St Kilda on 17 September 1887, in front of a crowd of 400 people.[14]

The Williamstown CYMS Football Club played at Garden's Reserve as early as 1909, while the Williamstown Lacrosse Club moved there in 1910.[15] At this time, the ground (nicknamed "The Gardens") was described by lacrosse players as a "cow paddock" because it did not have a proper playing field.[16] When the ground was redeveloped in 1936, it was renamed to Fearon Reserve in honour of James Fearon (1863–1944), a harbour pilot who served as the president of the Williamstown Lacrosse Club between 1901 and 1943.[17][18]

Until the late 1970s, the player changing room and the social clubrooms were located in the same area, forcing supporters to wait outside while the players showered.[15] A wooden pavilion stood on the western side of the ground (shared by Williamstown CYMS and the Williamstown United Football Club) before it was replaced by a brick building.[15]

Notes

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  1. ^ At the time, the term "junior" was used to describe open age football of a lower standard than senior football, rather than under age football.[7]

References

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  1. ^ May, Brayden (25 June 2024). "VAFA club Williamstown CYMS forfeit under-19s after Fearon Reserve party". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  2. ^ Min, Alisha (21 September 2019). "Four Flags for Fearon Reserve". VAFA. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  3. ^ Smokie (1 April 2022). "The Fearon Reserve: Our Field of Dreams". The Footy Almanac. Archived from the original on 13 July 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  4. ^ "2023/2024 Senior Premiers". Williamstown Imperials Cricket Club. 20 March 2024. Archived from the original on 10 August 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  5. ^ "Fearon Reserve, Williamstown box lacrosse court renewal". Hobsons Bay City Council. Archived from the original on 19 July 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  6. ^ "Fearon Reserve". Australian Football. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  7. ^ Gigacz, Andrew (5 June 2023). "Still snarling: 140 years on". Western Bulldogs. Archived from the original on 4 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  8. ^ van Wyngaarden, Geoff (17 May 2025). "Flight of the Seagulls: 160 Years of Williamstown Football Club". Williamstown Historical Society. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  9. ^ Q. B. (9 October 1886). "Review of the Season". Williamstown Advertiser. p. 3. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  10. ^ "1880s". Williamstown Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 June 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Williamstown Cricket Ground (Downer Oval)". Stadium Base. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  12. ^ "The Football Season". The Argus. 30 April 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Amalgamation of the Williamstown and South Williamstown football clubs". Williamstown Advertiser. 11 February 1888. p. 3. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Fearon Reserve". The VFA Project. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "History of Williamstown CYMS" (PDF). Williamstown CYMS Football Club. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  16. ^ "A Brief History of the Williamstown Lacrosse Club (1898-2021)". Williamstown Lacrosse Club. 2021. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  17. ^ "Williamstown Notable - James Henry Fearon". Williamstown Historical Society. 23 February 2025. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  18. ^ "CAPTAIN JAMES HENRY FEARON (19 JULY 1863 – 7 AUGUST 1944)". Williamstown Lacrosse Club. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.