Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston
Encyclopedia
The Inveresk and York Park Precinct in Launceston, Tasmania
, once Tasmania's largest industrial site, is now the major cultural heart of the town. It is home to Aurora Stadium
, the only current Australian Football League
venue in Tasmania
, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
, TAFE Tasmania and Academy of Arts. An Australia Technical College campus is currently under construction at the site and is expected to be opened early next year. The annual Royal Launceston Show
is held every October at the Inveresk Showgrounds. Invermay
Park and other minor facilities are located behind Aurora Stadium and near to the Inveresk Showgrounds.
York Park is a sports ground located in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston
, Australia
, and is the largest capacity stadium in Tasmania
, holding 20,000. Since 2004, it has been known as Aurora Stadium, under a six-year naming-rights sponsorship deal with Aurora Energy
. Primarily used for Australian rules football
, its record attendance was 20,971, when Hawthorn played Richmond in an AFL match in June 2006.
York Park is a sports ground located in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston
, Australia. It has the highest capacity of any stadium in Tasmania
, holding 20,000. Since 2004, it has been known as Aurora Stadium under a six-year naming rights
agreement with Aurora Energy
. Primarily used for Australian rules football
, its record attendance, 20,971, was set in June 2006 when Hawthorn played Richmond in an Australian Football League
(AFL) match in June 2006.
York Park has been used as an international sports venue since 2001. Beforehand, only North Launceston
and state football games
were played. The area was originally swampland before becoming Launceston's showgrounds in 1873. Work started on transforming the area into a sports venue in 1919 and was completed within two years.
Australian rules football has been played at York Park since 1923, with other sports such as cricket, tennis, bowling, cycling and foot-racing also staged. Since 2001, the Hawthorn Football Club
has played between two and five AFL
matches a year at the ground, and the St Kilda Football Club played two games a year from 2003 to 2006. The Tasmanian Government has a A$
16.4-million, five-year sponsorship deal with Hawthorn, meaning that four home and away season games and one National Australia Bank Cup pre-season match will be played at the venue each year. On 21 February 2009 the ground became home of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
. Throughout its history, York Park has hosted major pop concerts and other entertainments. A redevelopment at a cost of $23.6 million was completed in 2005.
It includes a working planetarium and displays related to Launceston's industrial environments and railway workshops.
is held at the Inveresk Showgrounds. The show runs for three days, starting on a Thursday (Which is a public holiday in Northern Tasmania) and ending on Sunday. The Royal Launceston Show is principally an agricultural event which focuses on the primary industries of Tasmania, and rural lifestyle of many Tasmanians with events such as livestock judging, equestrian events, animal breeders competitions, produce competitions and wood chopping, although it also incorporates live entertainment, sporting events, food tasting, and fashion shows. A popular feature of the show is the sideshows which feature showrides, foodstalls, games of skill, and showbag stalls.
The MS fest has been held annually since 2006. The festival started at Launceston's Regatta Ground to mark the 50th anniversary of the MS society, and it was a big success with all tickets being sold. In 2007 the event was moved the Inveresk Showgrounds to accommodate a larger crowd and even with a larger capacity it was again a sellout. During 2008, a record crowd of 11,000 watched acts such as; Hilltop Hoods
, Sneaky Sound System
and Kisschasy
. The event will again return on Saturday 7 February 2009.
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, once Tasmania's largest industrial site, is now the major cultural heart of the town. It is home to Aurora Stadium
Aurora Stadium
York Park is a sports ground in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston, Australia. Holding 20,000 people—more than any other stadium in Tasmania—York Park has been known as Aurora Stadium under a six-year naming rights agreement signed with Aurora Energy in 2004...
, the only current Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
venue in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is a museum located in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. Established in 1891, the Queen Victoria has a strong reputation for its excellent collection, which includes fine exhibitions of colonial art, contemporary craft and design, Tasmanian history and...
, TAFE Tasmania and Academy of Arts. An Australia Technical College campus is currently under construction at the site and is expected to be opened early next year. The annual Royal Launceston Show
Royal Launceston Show
The Royal Launceston Show is an annual event held at the Launceston Showgrounds in Inveresk in October and is hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania. An average of 15,000 attend each year...
is held every October at the Inveresk Showgrounds. Invermay
Invermay, Tasmania
Invermay is a suburb of Launceston, which contains the minor suburb of Inveresk, it is located on the eastern side of the Tamar River and the northern side of the North Esk River, the suburb is most notable as being home to York Park ....
Park and other minor facilities are located behind Aurora Stadium and near to the Inveresk Showgrounds.
York Park is a sports ground located in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and is the largest capacity stadium in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, holding 20,000. Since 2004, it has been known as Aurora Stadium, under a six-year naming-rights sponsorship deal with Aurora Energy
Aurora Energy
The electricity retail company Aurora Energy was formed by the dis-aggregation of the Hydro Electric Commission in Tasmania, Australia, on 1 July 1998...
. Primarily used for Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, its record attendance was 20,971, when Hawthorn played Richmond in an AFL match in June 2006.
York Park
York Park is a sports ground located in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, Australia. It has the highest capacity of any stadium in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, holding 20,000. Since 2004, it has been known as Aurora Stadium under a six-year naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
agreement with Aurora Energy
Aurora Energy
The electricity retail company Aurora Energy was formed by the dis-aggregation of the Hydro Electric Commission in Tasmania, Australia, on 1 July 1998...
. Primarily used for Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, its record attendance, 20,971, was set in June 2006 when Hawthorn played Richmond in an Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) match in June 2006.
York Park has been used as an international sports venue since 2001. Beforehand, only North Launceston
North Launceston Football Club
The North Launceston Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Launceston, Tasmania. Australia. Since 2009 they have played in the newly formed Tasmanian State League.-History:...
and state football games
Interstate matches in Australian rules football
Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition and international matches meant that football games between state representative teams were...
were played. The area was originally swampland before becoming Launceston's showgrounds in 1873. Work started on transforming the area into a sports venue in 1919 and was completed within two years.
Australian rules football has been played at York Park since 1923, with other sports such as cricket, tennis, bowling, cycling and foot-racing also staged. Since 2001, the Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
has played between two and five AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
matches a year at the ground, and the St Kilda Football Club played two games a year from 2003 to 2006. The Tasmanian Government has a A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
16.4-million, five-year sponsorship deal with Hawthorn, meaning that four home and away season games and one National Australia Bank Cup pre-season match will be played at the venue each year. On 21 February 2009 the ground became home of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
The Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame was established to help recognise outstanding services and overall contribution made to the sport of Australian rules football in Tasmania. Any participant of the sport, including players, umpires, media personalities and coaches, may be inducted...
. Throughout its history, York Park has hosted major pop concerts and other entertainments. A redevelopment at a cost of $23.6 million was completed in 2005.
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) has a part of the museum located at the Inveresk Precinct. Its other site is at Royal Park and when combined it becomes the largest museum in Australia located out of a capital city.It includes a working planetarium and displays related to Launceston's industrial environments and railway workshops.
Inveresk Showrounds
Every October the Royal Launceston ShowRoyal Launceston Show
The Royal Launceston Show is an annual event held at the Launceston Showgrounds in Inveresk in October and is hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania. An average of 15,000 attend each year...
is held at the Inveresk Showgrounds. The show runs for three days, starting on a Thursday (Which is a public holiday in Northern Tasmania) and ending on Sunday. The Royal Launceston Show is principally an agricultural event which focuses on the primary industries of Tasmania, and rural lifestyle of many Tasmanians with events such as livestock judging, equestrian events, animal breeders competitions, produce competitions and wood chopping, although it also incorporates live entertainment, sporting events, food tasting, and fashion shows. A popular feature of the show is the sideshows which feature showrides, foodstalls, games of skill, and showbag stalls.
The MS fest has been held annually since 2006. The festival started at Launceston's Regatta Ground to mark the 50th anniversary of the MS society, and it was a big success with all tickets being sold. In 2007 the event was moved the Inveresk Showgrounds to accommodate a larger crowd and even with a larger capacity it was again a sellout. During 2008, a record crowd of 11,000 watched acts such as; Hilltop Hoods
Hilltop Hoods
The Hilltop Hoods are an ARIA Award winning Australian hip hop group, from Adelaide, South Australia. Their members are MCs Suffa , MC Pressure , DJ Debris and formerly DJ Next. They have been at the centre of the Australian hip hop scene for the better part of two decades, originally forming back...
, Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:...
and Kisschasy
Kisschasy
Kisschasy are an Australian rock band formed in Victoria, Australia, in 2002. Since forming, their line-up has consisted of lead vocalist Darren Cordeux, bassist Joel Vanderuit, guitarist Sean Thomas and drummer Karl Ammitzboll....
. The event will again return on Saturday 7 February 2009.