Australian Made concert proposed for Thebarton Oval on New Year’s Day
More than three decades ago, Thebarton Oval hosted some of Australia’s best rockers, including INXS and Jimmy Barnes, in an Australian Made concert. Now, there are plans to bring it back.
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Rockers get ready to dust off your leather jackets because plans are afoot for a concert celebrating Aussie bands to be held at Thebarton Oval on New Year’s Day.
The SANFL has applied to West Torrens Council to host an Australian Made festival at the Torrensville ground – more than 30 years since the last such event was held there.
On January 1, 1987, an Australian Made concert, which celebrated homegrown music and featured INXS, Jimmy Barnes and Mental as Anything among other Aussie performers, was held at the Ashley St oval.
That event was a huge success, attracting about 30,000 people.
A council report said the concert proposed for New Year’s Day 2021 would open its gates at 11am, with live performances from 2pm to 11pm from six to eight Australian bands.
Most of the bar and catering facilities would be on Kings Reserve.
It was expected to be attended by about 25,000 people, and would be organised by Weslo Holdings.
The proposal comes more than three decades since the ground played host to some of the biggest names in music.
The Bee Gees performed there in September 1974, Billy Joel in October 1987 and Pink Floyd in February 1988.
Later that year, in October, Mick Jagger took to the stage followed by John Farnham in December 1990. The Little River Band treated locals twice, performing there in September 1974 and October 1982.
West Torrens Council will discuss the latest concert proposal at its meeting on Tuesday night.
A council report said SANFL would provide the council with a “detailed management plan”, outlining traffic, crowd and noise control initiatives for the proposed event, by mid-August.
If it went ahead, it would also have to provide a COVID Management Plan, which would need to be approved by SA Health.
The report said the main stage would face northwest, meaning the main catchment area for sound would be the grandstand on the oval’s southern side.
If an additional stage was to be erected, this was likely to be at the oval’s northern end, facing the Brickworks Market and away from residential areas to the west and south of the ground.
“It is evident that an event such as this is likely to deliver significant economic benefits to the West Torrens business community, particularly for those businesses that lie within proximity to the Thebarton Oval complex, and particularly on proviso that COVID-19 restrictions remain relaxed,” the report said.
SANFL commercial operations general manager Neal Matotek said Weslo Holdings had contacted the SANFL, as lessee of Thebarton Oval, to hold the event.
“However, while we are seeking in principle approval for the event, discussions are still preliminary,” Mr Matotek said.
The event is not only subject to council approval, but future Covid restrictions and the event organiser having an approved COVID management plan in place for such a large public gathering.”
The council report recommends the council approve the proposed event, with conditions.