MCG goalposts will sit on new AFL oasis in NT desert community of Santa Teresa
OUTBACK NT residents have long dreamt of a lush grassy footy oval amongst the red dust, and now the dream has become a reality because of a project dubbed ‘the MCG of the desert’
Centralian Advocate
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SPORT in a Central Australian community is set to change because of a project dubbed “the MCG of the desert”.
Eighty kilometres from Alice Springs, Santa Teresa residents have transformed a hard, dusty football oval into a green oasis with support from the Melbourne Football Club (MFC), the Melbourne Cricket Club and the MCG.
Before, the ground was so hard and rocky, those played on it often succumb to injury, while the dust presenting difficulties to those with breathing issues and participation in football dropped immensely.
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Locals have long dreamt of a lush grassy oval, and now the dream has become a reality.
Atyenhenge Atherre Aboriginal Corporation (AAAC) consultant, Susie Low said they began discussions with MFC in 2017 and agreed to apply to the NT Government together for funding.
She said the project had thrilled the community.
“People have been extremely patient waiting for it to be finished, and will come to the oval often to see how it’s going. They are extremely proud this is happening in their small community, and proud that MFC want to be our partners.
“To add to the value of the oval the Traditional Owners paid for massive football lights.
“One night during the lockdown we opened our canteen, turned on the footy lights, and people came to eat some good tucker and gaze at the green oval. It was a lockdown highlight!.”
She said the oval will be ready to play in the next couple of months, and the organisation was in discussions with MCG about a very Grand Opening in the first half of 2021.
MFC matched the Territory government’s $100,000 in funding.
Work started mid-2019 and was due to be finished by March 2020, but was delayed by COVID -19.
An MCG spokesman said the Club were proud to be a part of the Oval re-grassing Project and “in turn bringing about sustainable change that will have a positive impact in Santa Teresa and the central desert regions far beyond the oval itself”.
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