Hammond Park

Nice large green area for dogs or sport. Children's play area appears fairly new. Best part of this park is the single tennis hard court with lighting at night. First come first serve so there can be a decent wait for the court sometimes.

When I observe Hammond Park, what is always brought to my mind is a "Village Green". On 24 July 2023 submissions close for a future Council Plan for Hammond Park. Certainly, Hammond Park did not bring to my mind, nor do I think of its future in terms of, the earliest form of "Village Green" going back to mediaeval times in Europe according to Wikipedia However, my observations of Hammond Park have always brought to my mind, a "Village Green" as a planned common (grassed) area in the centre of a village. A place where people can and do meet, stroll or relax, picnic, participate in mostly unorganised and/or disorganised recreations (like throwing or kicking a ball around with children, kites and frisbees, formal exercises, dance practice, exercising and playing with companion animals, and viewing some local plants, birds and small animals. More of the companion animals should be on leashes as the regulations governing the Park require. According to Wikipedia again, this is broadly in keeping with the character of a "Village Green" in England in the C18/19th and exported to other places where it adjusted and evolved over the years to local nature and conditions - and now being fought to be preserved for the value they have. Hammond Park's overall size, the dimensions of its open grassed area fringed by old large trees, its residential area setting, the grassed land with some areas of shrubs and bushes between the old large trees and the absolute edge of the park and the extent of access into the Park all fit such a "Village Green". So does the rustic soccer field with centre cricket pitch. The slope of the ground from Frederick St to Lucy St and the unevenness of the ground provide context to this organised sport when it comes here - and how and how often it should come here. The "Village Green" often has a sporting field (within) in other places and times, but fitting the overriding character of its setting. Other Parks are for field levelling, spectator stands, club-houses and kiosks and frequent competition games and training. Consistent with the "Village Green" character of Hammond Park, is the public event evidenced by the plaque at the south-east corner: the fact that the balloon involved in the first planned parachute descent in Australia ascended from Hammond Park on the 8th December 1888. So, it might not have been a dance around the Maypole, but it was celebrated 100 years later. Now Hammond Park has never been, and perhaps should never be, some romanticised, storybook, ideal of a "Village Green" - of any era. For one thing, the Park has the very busy Frederick Street, and a fence, running along one side - separating it from the residential houses. Already in Hammond Park there is a tennis court, and a children's play area with equipment, and they are plusses. Near the tennis court are clean toilets in a heritage building and drinking water taps. The border of Hammond Park, outside the soccer field and outside the first line of old large tree framing that soccer field, along the Frederick Street side, does give the scope and proper place for more diverse recreational activities, without displacing what is the essential "Village Green" character of the Park; given that it is not a romanticised, storybook version of one anyway. Alternatively, it could be the site for additional plantings of native plants to provide protective habitat and food for more native birds and animals. Update 2/9/2025. The conversion of Hammond Park from a "Village Green" space to essentially a dedicated sport (esp. soccer) ground is underway. No doubt that change will be please many, though none living in the immediate vicinity I hazard to guess (including birds and animals). Is there any risk in converting more open space parks into dedicated sport (esp. soccer) grounds? Is there a danger of long term irreversible loss from too closely following sporting fashions that may prove to be short term? I'll ponder that at the Bowling Alley this Saturday & at the Squash Centre this Sunday. Time will tell.

Solid park with a sport pitch, a new boundary fence on the Fredrick Street side, a playground, toilets, a tennis court, a netball hoop, multiple tables and chairs, and very old and beautiful trees. The sport pitch is the main draw card when compared to the surrounding parks. The other stuff is a bonus more than a reason to go there per se.

I grew up across the road from this park . Alot of memories. Council seem to of neglected the park the last few years. Very handy park for the locals in the area . It has everything you could ask from a typical park area.

It's a well maintained park, nothing much but good for a stroll. I has a tennis court and few rides for kids.