East Melbourne Cricket Ground — The Bombers’ Demolished First Home
East Melbourne Cricket Ground was Essendon’s first home, and it’s now the Jolimont rail yards. A heritage cricket-and-footy ground in inner-Melbourne East Melbourne, hosting the Bombers from 1882 to 1921, the East Melbourne Cricket Ground was demolished in 1922 to make way for the expansion of Melbourne’s railway network. The ground hosted the first Test cricket on Australian soil. It hosted Essendon’s early VFL premierships. And then it disappeared — entirely, completely, leaving only memory and a few archival photographs.
The History: 1854 and Melbourne’s Original Cricket Cathedral
The East Melbourne Cricket Ground (EMCG) was developed in 1854, making it one of Melbourne’s earliest dedicated sporting venues. Located in inner-Melbourne East Melbourne, between the modern-day Jolimont rail yards and the Fitzroy Gardens, the ground was the city’s premier cricket venue for several decades — pre-dating the modernisation of the MCG.
The first Test cricket match on Australian soil was played at the EMCG in 1862 (a tour by an English XI). The ground hosted Sheffield Shield, club cricket, and Australian Rules from the 1870s onwards.
Capacity: ~25,000 at peak.
The Footy: Essendon’s Original Home
Essendon Football Club, founded in 1872, made the EMCG their home from 1882. The Bombers played at the EMCG continuously from 1897 (the inaugural VFL season) until 1921 — a 24-year unbroken VFL home-ground tenure. The Bombers won three VFL premierships during the EMCG era (1897, 1901, 1911), establishing the club as one of the league’s foundational forces.
The pitch was ~155m × 130m. Surface: rye-dominant. The ground was open and unprotected from the wind off the Yarra River.
The Demolition: Railway Expansion
By the early 1920s, Melbourne’s railway network was expanding rapidly. The Jolimont rail yards needed land. The EMCG site was identified as the most viable expansion option. The Victorian government compulsorily acquired the venue; demolition began in 1922.
Essendon relocated to Windy Hill in 1922, where the Bombers would play for nearly 70 years.
Famous Moments
- 1862 — first Test cricket match on Australian soil.
- 1882 — Essendon’s first fixture at the EMCG.
- 1897 — Essendon’s first VFL premiership, partly built on EMCG home form.
- 1901, 1911 premierships — Essendon’s continuing VFL success at the EMCG.
- 1921 farewell fixture — Essendon’s final VFL match at the EMCG before relocating to Windy Hill.
- The 1922 demolition — one of the most consequential pieces of Melbourne sporting infrastructure ever lost.
The Site Today
The EMCG site is now part of the Jolimont rail yards. The pitch is gone; the grandstands are gone; the heritage features are gone. Only a small memorial in the Fitzroy Gardens commemorates the venue. Walking past Jolimont station today, you’d never know what happened here.
Trivia for the Pub
- The EMCG hosted the first Test cricket match on Australian soil (1862).
- Essendon played at the EMCG for 40 years (1882–1921), with VFL membership starting in 1897.
- The Bombers won three VFL premierships during the EMCG era.
- The ground was demolished in 1922 for railway expansion.
- The site is now Jolimont rail yards.
- A modest memorial in the Fitzroy Gardens commemorates the ground.
- The EMCG was Melbourne’s premier cricket venue before MCG modernisation.
The Rumours (Posthumous)
The persistent rumour: EMCG heritage memorial. Has been campaigned for over decades; modest markers exist; a major memorial has not been funded.
The other rumour: EMCG plaque relocation. The Fitzroy Gardens marker is small and easy to miss; periodic calls have been made for a more visible memorial.
The Verdict
The East Melbourne Cricket Ground is the most-forgotten major venue in Melbourne sporting history. The first Australian Test cricket; three VFL premierships; an entire city’s sporting heritage — all gone, replaced by railway tracks. If you pass through Jolimont station next time, take a moment. You’re walking on footy history. Pour a stubby for the EMCG.
