This view of the sporting precinct and Jolimont was taken circa 1973. It shows the extensive changes that have happened to the area since.
Starting at the bottom of the image and working south towards the river, the first thing to notice is that on the site of the landmark Cliveden Mansions construction of the Hilton on the Park, now the Pullman Hotel, is still underway.
The next thing to strike us is the that the entirety of Yarra Park is covered in parked cars. The photo was obviously taken on the day of a big cricket match, and in this era this was a common sight. The MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) has been transformed with none of the shown built structure remaining.
In the bottom right hand corner of the photo is Jolimont. An ethereal wireless tower rises above the other buildings, now replaced by a more intrusive modern equivalent. The notable feature here is that the Bedggood shoe factory still stands, recognisable by its size and zig-zag roof-line, The factory itself ceased operation in 1964 but the building lingered on until the early 1980s when it was replaced by apartments.
Moving further south to the area between the railway lines and Swan Street the first structure we notice is the brick building immediately south of the MCG. This was an electrical substation erected in 1917 at the time the Jolimont railway line was electrified. Immediately to its south is the Old Xaverians Oval and to its right, or west, is the Old Scotch Oval. The triangle of leftover land to the east was a regular home for visiting circuses. All now given over to the National Tennis Centre’s public courts and under-cover carparking
South of Swan Street Gosch’s Paddock remains much the same. However, moving east, is the Swan Street Army Depot a military facility built in 1935 for the Royal Australian Engineers' militia troops after its previous premises were resumed. It operated there until 1991 when it was demolished to make way for city link works. It is now a carpark.
Next door is Olympic Park, a redevelopment of the previous Friendly Society Gardens. Curiously the park was given this name in 1933, well before the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Stadium No 1, as it was known, was also the home of Melbourne’s greyhound racing until 1996. To its immediate north is a carpark created on the site of the old velodrome in 1972. These two sites are now occupied by AAMI stadium. Next door to the west is the old Stadium No 2 which has been replaced by a new oval.
The date of the photograph can be sandwiched between 1972 when the velodrome was demolished, and 1974 when the Hilton was completed.
Purchased eBay