Victoria Park, Adelaide

"Victoria Park Racecourse" redirects here. For the racecourse in Sydney, see Victoria Park Racecourse, Sydney.

Coordinates: 34°55′59″S 138°37′12″E / 34.933°S 138.620°E / -34.933; 138.620

Victoria Park, also known as Park 16, is a park located in the Southeastern Parklands of the South Australian capital of Adelaide.[1] It is bordered by Fullarton Road, Greenhill Road, East Terrace and Wakefield Road. It hosts a variety of major events throughout the year.

The park's most prominent feature was the Victoria Park Racecourse, formerly the home course of the Adelaide Racing Club prior to its amalgamation with theSouth Australian Jockey Club; the main track was 2,360 metres long, with the longest home-straight of any horse racing track in Australia.[2] The park remains one of the venues for the Adelaide International Horse Trials.

Part of the Adelaide Street Circuit was built in the northern portion of the park. Temporary grandstands and other facilities are erected whenever motor racing events are hosted there. The circuit hosts the Adelaide 500 and formerly staged the Australian Grand Prix, from 1985 to 1995, and a one-off Le Mans series event, the "Race of a Thousand Years" on 31 December 2000.

Following the rejection of a proposal to upgrade horse and motor racing facilities in early 2008, the SAJC vacated the premises, moving their home course to Morphettville Racecourse. The 1950s-era SAJC grandstand was demolished, as was a large brick wall adjacent Fullarton Road and other utility buildings. The heritage-listed 1880s-era grandstand will be refurbished as part of a $16 million upgrade of the park's facilities.[3]

In August 2008, the Adelaide City Council announced plans to turn Victoria Park into a "people's park", incorporating wetlands, community sporting facilities, walking tracks and temporary motor racing facilities.[4]

Horse racing track along the eastern edge of Victoria Park, adjacent Fullarton Road.

References


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