Bendigo: South Bendigo leaves QEO after more than a century

South Bendigo has enjoyed some of its finest moments at the Queen Elizabeth Oval, but believes its long term future belongs elsewhere.

South Bendigo will mark the permanent move from one of regional Victoria’s premier venues with a first round clash in the Bendigo Football-Netball League at its new home, the Harry Trott Oval, next month.

The Queen Elizabeth Oval has been the club’s home for more than century, but in the early 2010s the club realised it was at a “crisis point” with dwindling stocks of junior players and supporters.

Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval has been home to South Bendigo Football Club for 130 years.

South Bendigo was sharing the QEO with rival club Sandhurst and the now-defunct Bendigo VFL team when it made the big call to move.

Harry Trott Oval was used by Kennington-Strathdale before its demise in 1994 and has since undergone a $5 million upgrade in preparation for South’s permanent relocation, beginning against Eaglehawk on April 15.

South Bendigo Football-Netball Club president Rick Townsend, left, and former star player Peter Tyack at the club’s new home, Harry Trott Oval, in Kennington. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

“We saw the opportunity to get ourselves into a community,” South Bendigo president Rick Townsend said.

“We were really struggling with members and a supporter base at the QEO.

“It is a massive move to go from probably one of the best grounds in country Victoria.

“Some people might question it, but for the long-term viability and having our home, this is where we need to be.”

South Bendigo, a winner of 24 senior premierships including the most recent in 1994, will share Harry Trott Oval with Bendigo United Cricket Club.

South Bendigo coach Nathan Horbury, right, battles for the ball with Kyneton’s Louis Thompson at the QEO last season. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The club is handing back its QEO social rooms to Greater Bendigo Council and hopes to display as much of its memorabilia as possible at its new home.

Four-time South Bendigo premiership player and league best and fairest winner Peter Tyack said the move from the QEO would guarantee its long-term future.

“We just didn’t have that community presence at the QEO and that affects your junior program,” he said.

“The club’s sustainability was really at a crisis point.

“When you’re not in a community like (Kangaroo) Flat, (Golden) Square, Strathfieldsaye or Eaglehawk, it’s really difficult drawing juniors.

“Some South people might wonder ‘why the move’, but for the club to be still around and thrive, it was really the only option we had.”