Arden Street Oval
Arden Street Oval is the training and administration base of the North Melbourne Kangaroos Football Club. It hosted league matches for the Kangaroos from 1925 until 1953 and as of 2019, now hosts home matches for its VFL team following a redevelopment. The ground hosted a total of 529 AFL/VFL matches with a record crowd of 35,116 recorded in 1949 for a match between North Melbourne and Carlton.
Arden Street Oval, also referred to as the North Melbourne Recreational Reserve, started life as a cricket venue, before the Hotham Football Club, as they were known then, moved there in 1882. The Town of Hotham reverted to the name of North Melbourne in 1887 and the football and cricket club's followed the following year. North joined the VFL in 1925 and the main grandstand was constructed in 1928, with seating for 2,000 spectators. Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association used the venue between 1957 and 1962, with Monday night meetings regularly attracting crowds of 5,000.
The grandstand fell into disrepair and was closed to the public in 1991, before being demolished in 2006. The former social club and administration building were demolished in 2009 as part of the ground’s $16 million redevelopment, which was completed in time for the 2010 season. The new building includes administration, training and recreational facilities. During the 2012/13 summer, the Arden Street Oval playing surface was reconstructed which included removal of the turf cricket wickets. It was again redeveloped in 2019 with the construction of a media tower, coaches boxes, AFLW change rooms, lights and a scoreboard, to allow matches to once again be played at at the ground. The capacity of Arden Street Oval is approximately 3,500, all of which is standing room, with no current grandstand or general seating available.
Arden Street Oval Details
Hotham Cricket Ground
North Melbourne Recreation Reserve
North Melbourne (VFL)