National Trust Lists Jubilee Oval on its Register

Unique status for Jubilee – it’s now the only NRL ground with National Trust listing!

There has been an extraordinary public response to the listing of Jubilee Oval / Kogarah Park, Kogarah on the Trust Register. Kogarah Park is historic in its own right as a very early Sydney metropolitan park originally designed by Sir John Sulman. The listing heralds the approach of the 2008 National Trust Heritage Festival Theme “Our Place” which will highlight the range of places which are important to today’s community.


Statement of Significance

Kogarah Park has historic significance, as the first park gazetted within Kogarah Municipality for public use, and contains vestiges of important historical phases of its growth and development, including remnant Monterey Pines, Canary Island Date Palms, Brush Box, Hoop Pines, open playing fields, Jubilee Oval, the War Memorial and the recent Rugby League Legends Walk.

Kogarah Park has historic significance due to its direct association with prominent early Kogarah settlers, the English family and local community leaders and for its association with Sir John Sulman, who prepared plans for improvements to the Park in the 1920s.

Kogarah Park has aesthetic significance as a large urban park with an attractive setting and landscape features comprising mature trees (particularly around the perimeter of the park) and notable elements including the World War One War Memorial and Rugby League Legends Walk which contribute to the visual appeal of the place.

Jubilee Oval has social significance at a State and potentially National level for its ongoing and historical relationship with the St George Rugby League Football Club as its home ground and for historical, social and spiritual values within the Rugby League fraternity and wider community.

With further research into the influence of Sir John Sulman in the development of the Park in the Inter‐war years, Kogarah Park may potentially provide evidence and a further understanding of the work of the eminent architect and town planner at a State level of significance.

Jubilee Oval is likely to be rare at a State and potentially National level of significance as the site of the St George Rugby League Football Club’s unprecedented 11 successful premierships in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966 which is thought to be a world record in any elite sporting achievement, and supplemented by 13 successive years without defeat at Jubilee Oval between 1954 and 1966.

Jubilee Oval is culturally significant at a State and potentially National level due to the high esteem the place holds by Rugby League supporters and potentially the wider community for its sporting memories created by the achievements of the St George Rugby League Football Club from 1950 to the present day.

   Some interesting facts about Jubilee Oval

  • Jubilee Oval stands on part of an original grant of 87 acres given on the 23rd of December, 1853 to Archibald McNab. Edmund English purchased the grant on the 23rd of May, 1854 for 400 pounds. It became known as Kogarah Park when acquired by the Department of Lands on the 1st of July, 1896 and dedicated as the first public park in Kogarah. Control of the park passed to the Council of the Municipality of Kogarah on the 29th of August, 1906.

  • As part of the Kogarah's Jubilee celebrations, St George Rugby League 1st grade team were invited to play an exhibuition match at the new oval on the 14th March, 1936 against Newtown.

  • In the north-eastern end of Jubilee Oval the c1950s scoreboard still exists today.

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