Talunga Park Oval at Mt Pleasant ‘incompatible’ with football use, threatening use by Torrens Valley Football Club

A country footy club faces a fight to stay on its historic home ground, because the local council says it’s too unsafe and should primarily be used for horses.

Three generations of two families who have played on the Talunga Park Oval with the Torrens Valley Football Club. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Torrens Valley Football Club may be booted from its oval where it has played for more than 60 years, raising fears it will lose its growing junior membership base.

The club had appealed to Barossa Council to increase its usage of Talunga Park Oval, at Mt Pleasant, but instead learnt the oval was “incompatible” for ongoing football use.

The club has shared the oval with equestrian groups and was previously allowed to hold four minor round matches, a finals game and an end-of-season presentation night.

President Michael Ferguson said the club had a growing junior membership base of 60 players and wanted to increase its oval use to include junior trainings and Auskick.

“All we really wanted to do there was train for eight weeks, so 16 trainings per year, now we’re not training at all,” Mr Ferguson said.

“These are seven and eight-year-old kids that are being restricted from running around the oval.”

Torrens Valley Football Club president Michael Ferguson at Talunga Park Oval. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The council considered the club’s request at its July meeting and noted that safety could not be guaranteed on an oval used for both football and equestrian activities.

A staff report stated the council’s insurance status was in jeopardy if dual-use continued and a 2018 oval master plan had identified it as a “significant equestrian venue”.

Elected members accepted the staff’s recommendation to confirm the oval’s primary purpose as an equestrian facility and to explore other options to honour the club’s lease.

Cr Dave de Vries successfully requested the matter of the shared use of Talunga Park Oval be brought back to a future elected member workshop for discussion.

Talunga Park Oval, pictured from the air in 2024. Picture: VAILO

Mr Ferguson said the club had a long history with the oval and was willing to work with the council to ensure it could still use the base.

“We want to continue to coexist with the equestrian groups and we’re prepared to put money into the oval and maintain it ourselves for the period we use it,” he said.

“This oval was developed in the late 1960s by community groups, including the football club, and we just want to continue playing there.”

The Pleasant Valley Football Club amalgamated with Mount Torrens Football Club in 1997 and under the agreement matches were to be split across both home grounds.

Senior matches are held at Mount Torrens, in the Adelaide Hills Council area.

Barossa Mayor Bim Lange said he had spoken with Mr Ferguson last week and there was no formal decision made regarding the future use of the oval.

“I understand we have time to consult with all parties to determine a suitable way forward, given that the club has limited use of the site currently, with Mount Torrens oval being their primary location for many, many years,” he said.

“I can also confirm that we have formally committed to review future plans for the site, taking into account strategic planning principals in accordance with our normal approach for the ongoing sustainability of all council infrastructure in our region.”

Originally published as Talunga Park Oval at Mt Pleasant ‘incompatible’ with football use, threatening use by Torrens Valley Football Club