One of south-west Victoria’s most used Australian rules football and cricket facilities within the Surf Coast Shire, the Spring Creek Oval in Torquay near Geelong has awarded the tender to Victorian Sports Group for the full reconstruction of the oval.

The oval is one of the most used facilities in the region, with cricket and football all-year round and has hosted state level VFL matches previously. The 1.6 hectare ground has one turf cricket square accommodating five decks but rapid growth of participation (estimated to be 30 hours a week) has meant the ground is no longer able to provide a fit for purpose surface.

Works on the reconstruction are expected to begin this month and be completed by March 2026. Oval turf works are anticipated to be completed by December 2025, allowing three months for the establishment of new turf ahead of the 2026 football season. Other works including line marking, and bench seating which will be installed in January 2026. The oval area will be unable for community use during this time and the cricket club will play home games elsewhere this summer as the centre wicket table and outfield currently do not meet turf profile standards with a poor range of grass species.

Other features of the reconstruction include new irrigation and drainage systems. Water from the nearby Spring Creek flows directly into the oval on high with the slow discharge resulting in significant damage to the oval’s surface.

Based on the findings of geotechnical reports conducted by council and the potential presence of a high-water table, council is hoping to minimise excavation. As a result, a Perched Water Table profile has been selected, which allows for high infiltration rates of approximately 45 per cent and provides additional water storage. This could allow an additional 100mm increase in height but could impact on existing infrastructure surrounding the oval.

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Story by Nick Creely/ Picture by Nearmap