East Fremantle Oval is an Australian rules football ground located at the corner Moss & Marmion Streets, East Fremantle, Western Australia. Before the ground was opened in 1906, it was a traditional camping ground for the Whadjuk people.
It underwent a large redevelopment in 1953. It current serves as the home ground of the East Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League. The Club is known variously as the blue-and-whites (with ‘Angels’ sometimes added), Old Easts (to distinguish us from Young Easts - East Perth) and now the Sharks. While not listed on Inherit as a Heritage Site it has great cultural value for the history of East Fremantle. It was known as the 'windiest' oval…
1906 The Oval playing ground measures 192 x 130 yards, and the East Fremantle footballers who now train on it say it is equaled by few and excelled by none. The local Parks and Ovals Committee headed by its up-to-date Mayor (Mr. W. C. Angwin), are still determined to maintain the splendid condition of the East Fremantle Oval. Mr H.H Parker, Town Clerk (1906) (reference)
TIMELINE:
1897 Fremantle East Ward Municipality
1898 Fremantle Football Club formed 1898
The Easts played the first WAFA game played in June 1906
1946 Unbeaten season, From "Angels" To "Old Easts" To "Sharks" By Jack Lee. (reference)
1953 East Fremantle Oval redeveloped. Capacity 15,000
14 April 1979- 21,317 crowd for the WAFL game- East Fremantle v South Fremantle
1988 - Pink Floyd played a huge concert (26,000 people) at the ground on 24 February 1988 as part of their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour.
1990 East Fremantle Women’s team plays premiership
1997- centenary year.
2021 The East Fremantle Council commits $20 million towards the East Freo oval precinct redevelopment (reference) The goal is to unite the precinct’s various clubs with shared facilities while also opening up the park to the public.
Located inside this ground are two stands; the member's WJ (Nipper) Truscott Pavilion, with the members' bar, corporate facilities and plastic seating for the members and the publics WG (Merv) Cowan stand, with its wooden benches- a popular place for the away supporters to watch the action. The rest of the oval is surrounded by a grass hill with "shed" style cover behind this at both goal ends. The ground also caters for the "die hard" supporters with covered terracing behind the goals at the Southern End.
Comments from Facebook post 2 March 2021:
Scott Berryman- I was working for East Freo council parks and gardens at the time. Went to the show with a bunch of friends. Great night! I believe a lady living on Allen St. charged people to sit on her roof to watch and listen and unfortunately had it partially collapse under the weight! Lots of holes cut in the oval fences on the night and a monumental cleanup over the following week. Brett Lovelock- I remember the constant joints being passed around the crowd......Was an awesome show. Ross Haigh- I was a stage hand. Spent three or four days building the stage etc, 12 semi trailers full of gear. I also remember the promoters gave free tickets to all the local residents Paul New-I was supposed to work it but stuffed my wrist the week before working at Ch 7 ! We walked round to watch it though ! Good times !! Penelope Johnson- I was in that crowd all those years ago. My 1st really big concert, it was AWESOME. Dave Whuntunna- We got offered free tickets or movie tickets for the night if you wanted to go out instead, the oldies in the street didn’t want ether so we got 20 free tickets off them. Anne Tunnecliffe- It was a fantastic night. I remember mum and dad said they couldn't hear the concert from 400m away, but people were complaining about the noise in Claremont. I vividly remember the giant pig bouncing over the crowd. Graeme Bright- Best concert production ever. Dave Gilmour legendary guitarist. Sharks supporter always but this was the best thing I've ever seen at that ground. Andrea Jean- I lived in Hope Road, Palmyra at the time and sat on my verandah and listened to the concert. Jennifer Kerridge- Stephen Pickford I remember watching this concert from your roof. Stephen Pickford Jennifer, and it seemed that there were 26,000 in the street too! Zeta Mather- If I remember Arthur was works foreman I don’t think he enjoyed it. Scott Berryman Zeta, he certainly was. David James- I remember it but no photos! Imagine locals approving that now lol.
See video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH0TszWBuO0
