Queen Elizabeth Oval
QEO | |
| Full name | Queen Elizabeth II Oval |
|---|---|
| Former names | Upper Reserve (?-1953) |
| Location | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Coordinates | 36°45′20″S 144°16′32″E / 36.755644°S 144.275562°E |
| Capacity | 10,000[1] |
| Field size | 168 m x 124 m (Australian rules football) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Renovated | 2001 |
| Tenants | |
| Bendigo Football Club (VFL, 1998-2014) Richmond Football Club (AFLW) (2020) Bendigo Pioneers (TAC Cup) South Bendigo Football Club (BFL) Sandhurst Football Club (BFL) Bendigo & District Cricket Association | |
Location of Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo area | |
| Ground information | |
| International information | |
| Only women's Test | 25 January 1985: Australia v England |
| As of 8 September 2020 Source: CricketArchive | |
Queen Elizabeth Oval is a sports stadium located in Bendigo, Australia primarily used for Australian rules football and cricket. It was opened in 1897 as Upper Reserve before being renamed in 1954 in honour of the Queen of Australia, Queen Elizabeth II.[2][3]
History
Cricket
The Upper Reserve hosted touring cricket teams as early as 1897.[2] It was renamed in April 1954 in honour of Queen Elizabeth's visit to Bendigo earlier that year.[3] The ground hosted two World Series Cricket exhibition matches in 1977 and 1979.[2] During the 1990s one List A and two first-class matches were held at the ground.[4][5] It also hosted one Women's Test cricket in 1985 between Australia and England.[6] In June 2025, it was announced that a statue of Barbara Rae, the highest scorer at Australia's first ever women's cricket match in 1874, would be erected at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.[7]
Australian rules football
Bendigo Football League (BFL) teams Sandhurst and South Bendigo play home games at the stadium. The ground is also used for BFL finals series. The Oval hosted the Bendigo Football Club throughout its time in the Victorian Football League (VFL), from 1998 until 2014.[8]
Other uses
In 1988 the oval hosted an international association football match between Australia and New Zealand.[9] The venue also played host to the Rugby sevens competition at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games.[10]
Facilities
On 29 February 2008, at an NAB Challenge Cup game under lights, there was a blackout in the final quarter.[11]
In 2011 the ground was redeveloped at a cost of A$2.2m. The upgrade included a new terraced seating section, capable of holding 900 people, the installation of all-weather grass, lighting being upgraded to Australian Football League (AFL) standard, and a new electronic scoreboard and big screen being installed. Asbestos in the grandstand was also removed.[12]
See also
References
- ^ "Queen Elizabeth Oval". Austadiums. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ a b c "Other matches played on Queen Elizabeth II Oval, Bendigo". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Premiers Downed in B.F.L. Opening". The Riverine Herald: 3. 26 April 1954.
- ^ "List A Matches played on Queen Elizabeth II Oval, Bendigo". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ "First-Class Matches played on Queen Elizabeth II Oval, Bendigo". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ "Women's Test Match played on Queen Elizabeth II Oval, Bendigo". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Groundbreaking monument of female cricketer progressing". Bendigo Times. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025 – via Times News Group.
- ^ "The rise and fall of Bendigo in the VFL". Code Sports. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "International Soccer Australia v New Zealand" (PDF). National Sports Museum. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ "Games Program". 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games Committee. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ QEO left in the dark – Local News – News – General – The Advertiser
- ^ Scopelianos, Sarah (1 June 2011). "QEO set for rival showdown". Weekly Times Now. News Limited. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
External links
- Queen Elizabeth Oval at Austadiums