Dear Members & Supporters,
On 7 August 2026 the Club received an email from the Moonee Valley City Council (MVCC) requesting our attendance at a meeting “to discuss the future use of Aberfeldie Park East by Moonee Ponds Cricket Club”. Geoff Norrish and I attended this meeting on 13 August 2026.
At this meeting we were advised the following:
- The Essendon Cricket Club (ECC) and the Essendon Football Club (EFC) have been in dispute for some years over football’s encroachment into use of Windy Hill at the start of each cricket season. More particularly, the EFC are playing AFLW games at Windy Hill in September, October & November leaving ECC only able to play games at Windy Hill from late November
- ECC were likely to be prepared to leave Windy Hill as their home ground and Council had identified Aberfeldie Park as their preferred venue for ECC’s new home ground. This would entail both MPCC and the Dog Club being forced to vacate the East Oval. This will also impact tenants on the West Oval including Aberfeldie Juniors and Woman’s Football Program, Essendon Woman’s Cricket Club.
- The plan would be that ECC’s 1sts & 2nds would play on the current women’s ground on Saturdays, their 3rds & 4ths would play on our oval on Saturdays and the women play on both ovals on Sundays.
- No immediate alternative options were offered to us other than we could consider merging with another club. When directly asked whether we could use Cross Keys Reserve (where Essendon’s 3rds & 4ths play), we were advised this was “an option”.
- The current season is unaffected, and any impact would take place in the 2027-28 season and beyond.
- MVCC would arrange another meeting with us in the next month or so where they may have greater information available.
On 21 September both Geoff & I, together with Life Member Andrew Tyrrell, attended a subsequent meeting with MVCC and Cricket Victoria. Unfortunately, this meeting was no more positive than the earlier one, probably even less so.
MVCC started off by giving a patronising PowerPoint presentation suggesting we were not sustainable as a cricket club and that we should look at merging with another club. The implication was that if we were a bigger club we may not have been targeted the way we have. Andrew Tyrrell then asked the direct question if we had 8 senior sides, 3 female sides and a full complement of juniors would we be in the position we are. MVCC conceded it would make no difference.
MVCC were asked, if the problem was ECC’s 1st & 2nd XI’s access to Windy Hill, why they couldn’t play on the Aberfeldie Park West Oval and their 3rds & 4ths continue to play at Cross Keys. Their response didn’t make any sense. They stated that ECC wouldn’t leave Windy Hill unless they had two adjoining ovals. Our suggestion that that was their problem, not ours, got nowhere. The Council appears committed to removing us from Aberfeldie Park.
MVCC also gave no guarantees that we or even a merged entity would be allocated Cross Keys. It may very well go to another cricket club, or, we believe, be allocated to the Essendon Royals soccer club.
The Committee’s point of view is that MVCC’s position is completely unacceptable and one that will be resisted strongly. We are talking to the other affected clubs. As soon as we know more, we will update everyone. We do, in the very near future, foreshadow a campaign where we seek your and your family members support in contacting MVCC Councillors and local MP’s.
For now, we ask that everyone continues to support the Club, our players and our volunteers, and most importantly, enjoy the season ahead. Our four senior sides are determined to make this a memorable and successful season, and we look forward to sharing it with all of you.
Thanks as always for your support,
Leo Cullia
President
Moonee Ponds CC
