Lakeside Stadium | Austadiums

Lakeside Stadium at Albert Park assumed the mantle of Melbourne's premier athletics venue when it opened in October 2011, taking over from Olympic Park. The venue was originally a football & cricket ground and home of the South Melbourne Swans from 1878 until they relocated to Sydney in 1982. In 1995, the venue was reborn as Bob Jane Stadium – an 18,000-capacity rectangular stadium to host the South Melbourne Soccer Club.

In 2010/2011, the venue was revamped to become the home of Victorian Athletics. Features of the redevelopment included a new IAAF-approved synthetic 8-lane running track with a 10-lane, 110m straight, 50m indoor running track, new FIFA-sized natural grass pitch for soccer, new electronic scoreboard capable of streaming vision, upgraded field and broadcast lighting, and capability for TV broadcasts, six-lane warm up track and training facilities for athletics. A new northern grandstand was built as well as new terracing/hill at either end. The total capacity is around 8,000.

The 1926 heritage grandstand has been restored and is the new home of the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS). The existing main grandstand and function centre has also been restored. This project will also support the current tenants of Lakeside Oval (the South Melbourne Football Club) through improvements to soccer competition and administration facilities.