Downer 103

Downer Neighbourhood Oval is located in Melba Street. The oval was built on the site of the former Dickson Experimental Station, which despite never being granted security of tenure was established in 1940 by D T Dickson in order to test various crops, including opium poppies in 1942-43. The oval has very good quality soil. It is one of the most picturesque grounds in Canberra with mature trees surrounding the ground. There is a large unsealed car park accessed off Melba Street with the locked access gate being opened for hirers. There is additional parking available behind the adjoining Downer Shopping Centre as well as on street parking on Bonython Street which is a quite wide thoroughfare.

The ground has three combination fields and is used primarily in the winter months by junior rugby and is the home ground of the Rosary Rugby Club. In the summer season the ground is used for softball and is the home of the Central Canberra Softball Association.

The ground has a canteen and toilet block located in the south-western corner with a modern children’s playground located beside it. The large Dickson Shopping centre is a five minute drive away