The Ongoing Tale of Subiaco Oval

Subiaco Oval has been a home to football players for over 115 years. Its had many physical changes around it over the decades, particularly with the rise of the WAFL and later the AFL, but the oval has remained the same. With the demolition of Domain Stadium, I go through its extensive history, changes and discover what remains today.
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Sources:
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Images:
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Videos:
• DevelopmentWA | The re...
• Final Siren at Subiaco...
• DevelopmentWA | First ...
www.penrithpan...
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• The boys return to Subi
• Subiaco oval re-named ...
• Jack Darling kicks the...
• Farewell Subiaco Oval ...
• DevelopmentWA | Demoli...
• WAFL 2000 Grand Final ...
• Selwood gets sent off ...

[@sunnydaze8]

Oobie Doobie come on Subi…my Dad played for Subiaco Reserves in the 60s and I have fond memories of sitting next to him on the grass hill with a canvas tarp draped over our shoulders to protect from the rain

[@spiltmilk7855]

I’ve caught the same bus for nine years to school and would pass the oval every day. I saw it all change

[@elbarto7420]

All that praise on the Langoulant report to redevelop Subi for under $300 million, then the government just ignored it and built at Burswood for $1.6 billion anyway. Having said that, Optus is a stunning venue and it's nice what they've done with the Subi Oval precinct, will have to check it out one day. I moved to Perth in 2000, so I only ever went to games at Subi in it's final form. Would've been cool to go to a big WAFL game in the pre-AFL era.

[@craigmooney3744]

gruberment corruption and business collusion in a nut shell.all equals tax payers getting screwed

[@jontyfoster6052]

Yeah I agree it would be cool if they redeveloped subi, especially since I live around the corner and have heaps of memories going to the games then getting nandos on the way home

[@trship6274]

I used to go every second weekend all though the 80’s. WAFL was great and it was just a better time.

[@nath-wp7xp]

Subiaco Oval had to go. It was so ludicrously dated, run down and dilapidated that a redevelopment would not have done much to save it. It lasted 15 years too long and I remember major sporting and music events skipping Perth because of how bad Subiaco Oval was for anything that wasn't footy. Not to mention but you also couldn't do much with the available room as it was hemmed in by all the pre-existing houses. Perth Stadium had a the benefit of a blank canvas with nothing inhibiting construction work. Don't let nostalgia cloud your judgement on Subiaco Oval.

[@elbarto7420]

@@nath-wp7xp Oh yeah, it had to go. It was a terrible place to watch AFL footy in its final years, but I never had the opportunity to go to a game there pre-AFL. Nowhere in my post was I suggesting to keep it. The plan tabled was to build a new oval that overlapped the old footprint. I'm saying how it's strange that millions were spent coming up with that plan and it was just ignored anyway.

[@James_7]

Great vid mate. Was sad to see it knocked down. So many great memories there. From the 70s as a kid watching Subiaco Lions and the state of origin games to the late 80s when West Coast joined the AFL to the last match they played there. Seen many other events there over the years from INXS/Jimmy Barnes (1987), Neil Diamond, The Eagles band(2004) and even worked there for a few years. Sad Perth knocks down a lot of old buildings and places so many others I miss.

[@Atom_gun]

That’s why this city has stuff all history

[@theffastreamer1201]

The 250 seats are originals - they were fenced off during the demo and the rest of the stadium brought down around them. Great video, it’s an iconic space in Perth and its legacy lives on even though footy has moved on.

[@AussieTVMusic]

Excellent Job. I went to the 1979 WAFL GF. It was great. Sad to see it go but life moves on.

[@AussieRoos]

Precious memories at Subi Oval, spent a few hours in the Subi FC Club Room Bar, was at the last game 🙏

[@jacksprat1957]

Thanks for this video. I find it sad that once-mighty stadiums like Subiaco Oval, Football Park and Waverley were done away with as major football grounds. Subiaco Oval was given up for an extravagant, expensive new stadium that was never needed, plus a lot of money spent on doing up Leederville Oval because Subiaco FC were forced out of their own suburb and traditional home ground.

[@tdb7992]

The whole 'constructing a stadium from lots of different stands built at different times' is surprisingly common in Australia. That's how the MCG was built, and to this day it's a mess of different stands. I believe Adelaide Oval was the same. Whilst I never really went to Subiaco stadium (I was never really into football) I enjoyed seeing old photos of it - so much nostalgia. I love your channel mate, it's so cool seeing a local retelling the story of our city. Have you seen the old PMH chimney at night? It has a huge art work that lights up at night. It looks great - and I don't mean the mural itself. There's some near sign type thing that lights up.

[@l1a146]

Another Cracking video. I love the fact that the subject matter varies so much each time. Sad to the the Perth and WA of my childhood dissapearing over the decades. But you bring it all back. 😊

[@8ballout]

Love your little history lessons, especially around Perth. Thank you, Brendan.

[@LeTessier916]

Thanks for this. My grandfather was a member of the SFC and used to take us to the game in the members stand in the 70s

[@speedwaynutt]

Part of me wishes it got a massive upgrade instead of being Demolished. Having Perth Stadium,Waca and Subiaco would have been pretty cool.

[@VelvetRiot-hz5mp]

Was a worker at a Melbourne stadium in 2010 and we had a visit from the W.A. Premier checking out that stadium in 'secret' with an eye on building a future Perth stadium. The bowl of the new ground looks quite similar.

[@GayActorMichaelDouglas2]

Why not just say which stadium you worked at?

[@THECRICNUFFY]

That’s crazy, and now that I think about it the dimensions of the ground is almost identical to the mcg.

[@VelvetRiot-hz5mp]

@@THECRICNUFFY Most of the stadium design stuff they are interested in is underneath and at the back. Not the bowl bit. That has been there since the Romans.

[@christheunissen4408]

ThanksBrendan, this is great.my first time at Subi was probably 1970 when I went to see Souths play their first game there with the new 3 tier pavilion. I remember sitting in the top tier feeling quite scared - I was 11 at the time. My favourite memory though is the1970 Garland Final that Souths won. Thanks for your great effort.

[@rivermcgregor2187]

Love the attention to detail. Great job

[@bob_marley1235]

Fun fact about the original bench seating: Outside the Subi library (Evelyn H Parker Library) also has some of the original green seating! This is because refurbishment of the library happened directly after the Oval plans. You can see it quitely clearly out the front of the library overlooking Rokeby Road!

[@jonathanstevens7101]

there's also some of the original bench seating at the south perth footy oval

[@albertmiller2electricbooga897]

Very fun seeing sports content from otherwise non sporting channels

[@bobakett17_]

there was a feeling going to the footy at subi that optus just doesn’t match. I can’t explain it. We definitely needed a bigger stadium but damn I miss Subi 🥲

[@bobgroves5777]

Thanks for the review, Brendan. I attended that 1979 Grand Final with the record attendance, as part of the East Fremantle cheer squad. I was awake for 42 hours.

[@issy7465]

Never forget picking my Mum up from work from Princess Margaret (she’s a nurse) and hearing Elton John belt out Rocket Man. Might take the dog there tomorrow and see what’s up.

[@gapho5198]

I miss WA, and more specifically Perth a lot. I feel I have never really grown out of growing up there, and long to go back, if not to bury my demons, at least to finally grow up, though I can say this, my memories of this great place will never die till my memory passes on...

[@thecarwreckhunter]

I used to go here a fair bit when the stadium was still there and haven't been back since, interesting to see how it looks now.

[@THECRICNUFFY]

Great video. Although it’s sad to see the stadium go, I’d say the new Optus stadium is a massive upgrade.

[@leedosmcgee5521]

Weird piece of trivia but that white line shown at 14:30 was the line that smokers had to cross before they lit a cigarette. I worked there as a kid and my job was to tell drunk blokes smoking that the needed to move to the other side of the white line 😂

[@brendansodyssey]

Don't envy that job!

[@blahblahblahblahblahblahblahbl]

Awesome video! Happy to find your channel through this vid

[@fezspencer]

I really enjoy your videos mate. Very interesting and super well researched. I’ve lived in Perth all my life and so many of the places you do features on I spent significant amounts of my childhood and adult life at. This one on Subi is particularly good …and I shared it into many local community groups as well as many Freo dockers groups …so I hope your views go through the roof mate! 👏

[@brendansodyssey]

Thanks mate. Appreciate it

[@davidbarnsley8486]

That’s a very good video Brendon and all the early history of the oval and how the stadium has grown over time I was very sad to see it demolished

[@user-lu3hc3jw5s]

Best game ever at Subiaco oval was the 1978 wafl grand final.. East Perth winning by 2 points in torrential rain

[@owenhenry4175]

Awesome video should do one on Perth Oval (HBF Park) where the glory has played their whole life

[@ronthornton3466]

This brings back great memories. I worked on that ground in the summer of 80/81.

[@gusbenson8162]

Great Video Brendan, very interesting to look at as a Victorian. I find it very strange how they built that three tiered Western stand in 1969. would’ve made a lot more sense to build a longer two tiered stand that wasn’t behind the goals.

[@charmainesutherland3246]

Decades of footy memories- & as a worker 4 BHC-it is always a proud moment 2 step onto Subi oval-WAFL memories come flowing back & 2 stand by the Footy post is the Best ❤Subi Oval. Great Video

[@danesims6808]

Back in the early 2000's my step father managed to score the original turf from subiaco oval for their acreage in wandi back then it had a top soil and turf make over I think it was about 22 semi truck loads. When truck loads were being dropped on the property we were finding old cans and bottles in the soil

[@JTLSQUAD2]

Great video, I remember watching pav in his last game when we beat the bulldogs on a cold Sunday night brings back some great memories

[@liamwake1583]

Brilliant stuff Brendan, I’m from Victoria but live in Perth now and always wanted to play on Subiaco oval as a kid. Thanks for sharing the history of the place👍

[@shibz_1989]

Thanks so much for this! Subi holds so many fond (and not so fond 😅) memories as a Freo fan since mid 2004. I honestly miss it sometimes.

[@chrisdixon2931]

Enjoyed the history lesson, cheers!

[@user-vv9hc8ly6u]

I grew up across the road from it but still learned a lot from this video. Great job

[@bigdawg-yq5bd]

That intro song has no business going that hard 👀

[@bigfella3243]

I used to do security at the Subiaco members bar. Saw 82, 83 & 84 Swan District premierships and Also saw AC/DC Black Ice tour.

[@matthewlarsen9127]

Absolutely love your work. Please keep bringing out fantastic content!

[@brendansodyssey]

Thanks mate!

[@DJ.LakeSea]

Fascinating insight to an iconic WA landmark. Awesome vids Brendan, really appreciate the hard work you put into them. Not sure if you take requests, but, I've been itching to see a youtube vid about the history of Masons Mill, Masons Landing in Canning River and the railroad that once joined them, which is now about 100 segments of Bickley Road. Also, a video about the history of the 'Sticks' in Canning River, the old wooden pilons that almost span from one side to the other, that'd be so cool. Keep up the great work!

[@jameswilliams1398]

Thanks for a great video! I remember playing a couple of Auskick half time games and the excitement it brought along to me! Seeing this video only just brings back so many more great memories.

[@ricochetgaming7858]

Just have to say love the quality your pumping out, keep it up!

[@brendansodyssey]

Thanks mate

[@spaladon]

Another great video, thanks!

[@chickenjoe9832]

I remember sitting in those bench seats back around 2015, I reckon they are pretty close to their original position

[@Melbournelost66]

It's great to see WA football history. Sad to see the stands gone. Many great battles between West Caost and the Hawks.

[@Elite23440]

Great video! a lot of great memories of Subi especially going on to the oval after games!

[@Mynamenotjeff95]

As awful as Subi was to watch as a spectator, you couldn't deny when you were sat there you felt the history of the venue... Optus Stadium is absolutely world class, but hasn't had the time to develop that yet. That being said, it's quite sad to see how much of a ghost town Subiaco has turned into in recent years, particularly since the stadium was closed and demolished. The area needs new stimulus desperately!!

[@brendansturcke3617]

Great job Brendan

[@seanchristie7150]

Fantastic bit of footy history there, will have to get there in October

[@ww6156]

Couch is pronounced "cooch" although I i did assume this was a joke and I did chuckle

[@patternsinsand]

Great fun nerding out on WA history in this video.

[@Riku006]

I always wondered what the deal was with abandoned station between Subi and West Leederville. Now I know

[@FinchFitness]

Love your work 👍🏼

[@banliveexport325]

WOW they knocked down everything. The main grandstand at Waverly Park is still standing.

[@Pablo668]

Great vid. Went to Subi many times to see Claremont play finals games there. Also went to a State of Origin game there as well. I didn’t like the place much as an AFL stadium though. Too big and impersonal.

[@ellenclancy-millett3329]

Another banger of a video! Have you researched much about when Perth hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1962? The famous Perry Lakes Stadium had been demolished however the scoreboard still stands, as well as Beatty Park which was purpose built for the games

[@brendansodyssey]

I know it well. Spent hours around (what's left of the lakes) doing TAFE pracs. Good idea for a video!

[@Atom_gun]

Part of my childhood went down with this stadium. Will always miss the walk from Leederville station, beer in hand with my old man, and the awe-inspiring moment when you walked up those steps and were met with the sound of the crowd. I truly think the atmosphere at Subi was louder than Optus. The design was much more unique than that of Optus which looks like it could be any generic modern stadium from somewhere else in the world. Even the ground dimensions that once favoured the home teams at the “House of Pain” were replaced with generic Melbournian dimensions that Victorian teams have had a field day at since. They took down Subi because they traded the State’s football history for greed. Now Subiaco, once a buzzing nightlife zone, has been converted into a dull and boring luxury apartment district for the rich. All this being said, I am glad that at Optus I don’t have to wait in a massive queue to chuck a piss.

[@Lukey-D]

I remember going to the last ever game there, I think it was the 2017 wafl grand final between peel thunder and Subiaco if I remember right, a very bittersweet day indeed.

[@morezacsteele5564]

Another great video! Always look forward to the latest upload

[@adrianoconnor4120]

Well done 👍 very interesting

[@darrenoatesfinefurniture3648]

Great video and nice history lesson and just a little humour

[@daniellaugesen8355]

Another Awesome Video! 🎉

[@PlayOnFooty]

Thanks for doing this 🙏

[@twentysevenlitres]

"A well advanced carpet of Couch grass". I expect that means it was "Couch" grass, which is a type of grass (pronounced "Kooch"), not a seat in your loungeroom! Couch is resilient, sun tolerant and good for use on sports fields. Looks like Subiaco has shared a similar fate to VFL Park in Melbourne. The Oval and one of the Grandstands have been preserved there too. I remember Subiaco in the late 90's. Never foresaw its fate back then!

[@user-qr3db2li3s]

Love the videos! Keep it up from a local perthian 🎉🎉

[@cybergothiche2]

Good video, very informative, filled with you usual flair. Seeming as you brought it up, would you consider a video about the rise and fall of the Princess Margaret Hospital.

[@warpo007]

Great work Brendan!

[@xSnappa]

Great video mate

[@ALObtuse]

Great, that’s what we need in the western suburbs, more flats. You really notice it at the local shops, it’s a freak show now. Good vid.

[@crazymusicchick]

My Dads a mad subi supporter so much when I was little he dress me in merch n tool a photo it was pre my brothers haha. Very instresting video

[@mikyyy3276]

Hey legend, did you know we use to have a Lion safari type park thing up near Atlantis Marine Park in the 80's / 70's maybe it was near that Horse place El Caballo or whatever it was called. Little bit before my time but just want you to know, Great Work!

[@brendansodyssey]

Indeed I do. It was near Wanneroo and is now Benara Nursery!

[@l1a146]

Hi. I remember the Lion Park. El Caballo was on the Great Eastern Highway, between the Lakes and Northam. Most of it is still there, except the spanish Performing Horses.

[@1toonhead]

Awesome video on such a icon mate.

[@jimpikoulis6726]

I was thinking that subiaco was knocked down and rebuilt as Optus stadium, I think.

[@oldajtap1361]

I’m sure you’ve got a lot of stuff planned out, but would you ever consider making a vid on the south freo power station before it eventually (if ever lol) gets pulled down? Lotta interesting history behind those walls and a brilliant online archive documenting most of it. Another cracking vid btw mate, if I ever see you out and around I’ll be sure to buy you a beer 😂

[@Muffin_Masher]

On the note of the dimensions of the ground, Subiaco was indeed the longest ground, and narrower than the MCG, it meant Melbourne teams who play most of their games at home had no idea how to play on it, and Sydney, who play on a half size ground that shouldn't even be allowed for anything other than cricket or Auskick, were useless in WA. Optus stadium was built to match the MCG (a cricket ground not a football ground) and even the cricket pitch was designed to be again.... like the MCG...... So we destroyed Subiaco Oval AND the WACA all to put 60 thousand people on the doorstep of Crown casino every week..... such a criminal scam

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

Would have liked him to expand on this a little as it was news to me. I just assumed all footy ovals were the same size! 🤯 Makes it even more of a shame that Subi is no longer used for the AFL.

[@jasond3918]

Thank the NIMBYs.

[@Muffin_Masher]

@@rhythmandblues_alibi Yeah it is a real shame they didn't at least keep the dimensions the same. Most big grounds around the country are cricket grounds, that they just started using for footy later on. The C in MCG or SCG is a big clue. Whereas Subi was always a footy oval, it was part of what sealed it's fate since no other sport wanted to use it. No interstate team liked playing at Subiaco, and not many cricketers enjoyed playing against WA/Aus at the WACA, we had unique dimensions and one of the most famous cricket pitches in the world, the keeper and the slips would stand almost at the boundary and the ball could literally bounce for 6 without the batter touching it. But Crown casino needed more victims pumped to its doorstep so the Government pissed on sport and families to make it happen :(

[@beebeenyneeee7692]

Optus is 10x better than subiaco oval and the WACA, you are stupid if you think otherwise.

[@donna25871]

My mum went to see Led Zeppelin when they performed at Subiaco Oval in February 1972.

[@jefftoll604]

Awesome video. well done!

[@theLiveChive]

Remember going to afl games in the mid 90’s and sitting in the eastern end before the stand was built. It was hot! The old three tier stand was a tight squeeze, not great seats. Also saw Pearl Jam there in 2006. Have the poster featured in this video still 👍🏼

[@albertmiller2electricbooga897]

I need to fact check this but I’m pretty sure Curtin Uni’s south oval has a few of the old Subi benches

[@JohnGambleOfficialYouTube7247]

Request: The Ongoing tale of Princess Margaret Hospital

[@1JTGaming]

23 seconds ago? Perfect timing!

[@Muffin_Masher]

Skip forward to today, and NOTHING has changed, Subiaco is still a giant car park because none of the houses or businesses have parking. And the greatest sporting stadium in the country is abandoned because the snobs who bought those overpriced dog kennels with no off street parking didn't like the noise once a week :(

[@VelvetRiot-hz5mp]

They should have left it untouched for the people in a thousand or two thousand years from now to see how man lived in the 20th century.

[@Auxodium]

The "couch grass" you pronounced would be pronounced as "kooch". There is a street in Portland Oregon that is spelled like a couch to sit on bit isnt spoken that way. ;)

[@joelyeldon8316]

My earliest memory is the 1980 GF. I saw many changes over the years. By the way your statement 'the railway has always served the oval' is inaccurate. The Fremantle Railway was suspended during Charlie Court's government between 1977 and 1983. It was slated to become a Busway.

[@brendansodyssey]

That's true! I'm glad they brought it back. I use it all the time

[@damon8541]

Great video, can you do one on princess margeret hospital next?

[@ceeemm1901]

Thanks Brendon, I'm down in the bush now and was wondering what's been going on with the oval. Seen many a game and sad WAFL Grand final there with East Perth.I saw Slade/Status Quo/Lindisfarne there in Jan '73. The skinheads ripped down the fence. Halcyon days when you could go to rock concert by yourself as a 14 yo.Got slapped in the face by a women one day, as a 13 yo, at a game because me and my mate making jokes about Austin Robinson carrying a handbag.....and we didn't know why that was a slur, haha.....PS..."Couch" grass is actually pronounced, our bog-standard, died-in-the-wool-WA, "Cooooch" grass. PPS ...don't forget that any aerial shot from the 50's on, will show a lot of cars parked in Subi.Y? Because there are still ,today,... no driveways, carports or garages...so ALL residents had to park in the street.........PPPS...I'd love to know how they sidetracked all the ASBESTOS during demolition, when Perry Lakes caused such a Drama!!!...End of story...plus PMH...the area turned out to be Primo Development Area for non tax-paying Development Hustlers who either got on Council or ingratiated themselves with Councillors to build over-priced housing. God bless Perth, the "Supply Depot for The Mine"........and phark the tax...eh, Santos?

[@beebeenyneeee7692]

Nostalgia aside, optus is infinitely superior. No regrets demolishing it.

[@fijiancrestediguana]

That landgate imagery isn't just any old game, it's the 1964 WAFL grand final with a crowd of 45k

[@brendansodyssey]

I figured it must have been a final!

[@drbwalker]

I think the park that got replaced by Bob Hawke College was still called Kitchener Park, interesting the whole thing started as Mueller then got renamed then part got renamed back!

[@PEPcessna]

Try Maylands aerodrome next

[@andrewsmart2949]

im more worried about all the public housing they have shut down and demolished along the side,made many people homeless

[@huckscout5601]

Remember watching the Wallabies beat South africa here in 2012

[@shanemac1111]

My claim to fame I played little league on it in the 80s

[@cosmicdib4823]

Why did they close Subi? They could've at least downsized it.

[@Magpie_Mark92]

It should've being expanded instead of building Optus stadium

[@beebeenyneeee7692]

Hell no

[@rivermcgregor2187]

How do you get the historic imagery off landgate? Do you have to pay for it?

[@brendansodyssey]

Only if you want it without watermarks. You can view the historic imagery through the Landgate Map Viewer Plus