Albert Park and Lake
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Albert Park and Albert Park Lake are situated in the City of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of the Melbourne CBD.
The park encompasses 2.25 km² (555 acres) of parkland including Albert Park Lake and provides numerous ovals, sporting facilities, the Albert Park Public Golf Course, a 5 km walking track around the lake, and the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. It is bordered by Albert Road, Queens Road, Fitzroy Street and Canterbury Road. Surrounding suburbs include Albert Park, Middle Park, St Kilda, Melbourne and South Melbourne.
The parkland, Albert Park lake, and Gunn Island, provides a grassy wetlands habitat for over one hundred bird species including Cattle Egret, Common Tern, Eastern Curlew, Great Egret, Pomarine Jaeger, Pelicans and White-throated Needletail. Native mammals include Common Bent-wing Bats and Common Brushtail Possums. Several reptiles and amphibians make their home in the park. A vegetation survey in 1992 found 117 species of plants, a mixture of native and exotic species.
Also within the park is the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre and the Bob Jane Stadium, home of South Melbourne FC.
[edit] Events
The Australian Grand Prix is held around the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit around the lake in March each year; usually on the Labour Day weekend. Every May the RSPCA holds the Million Paws Walk to raise needed income for their work with animals.
The Albert Sailing Club holds regular regattas on Saturdays. The Albert Park Yacht club, established in 1871 and the oldest continuing yacht club in Victoria, runs sailing classes over winter months on Albert Park lake and also has competitive sailing on Saturdays.
[edit] History
There are signs of habitation by the Wurundjeri or Bunurong peoples in the Albert Park area including the large ancient River Red Gum Tree, located next to Junction Oval on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Queens Road, St Kilda. It is said to be a corroboree site.
The parkland was temporarily reserved from sale on 22 July 1862, and in 1864 was proclaimed a public park and named in honour of Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert. Originally 3.85 km², major excisions occurred in 1875 with the land between St Kilda and Queens Roads being used for housing allotments.
Prior to its proclamation as a park the area was a rubbish tip and when the park was upgraded in the late 20th century many treasure hunters, with metal detectors, were seen in the park. The lake was drained in the late 1980's and cleared of a centuries accumulation of rubbish including safes, parts of cars, furniture, antique bottle while thousands of illegally introduced and foul tasting European Carp fish were left to die in the empty lake.
First sporting use of the area occurred in 1857 when the St Kilda Cricket Club obtained permission for an oval at the south end of the park, with the South Melbourne Cricket Club gaining occupancy at the other end in 1862. The St Kilda Bowling Club followed in 1865 and the Middle Park Bowling Club in 1903. Tennis courts constructed in 1889 were the site for major championships, such as the 1908 Davis Cup, until the tennis stadium at Kooyong was built. In the early days there was also a straight track for horse drawn recreational vehicles (sulkies) to exercise and even race. In the 1950's the first series of Australian Grand Prix races were held on the old roadway. Australian champion drive, Sir Jack Brabham, race at Albert Park in those days.
The swampy lagoons were used for boating and in 1871 the Albert Park Boat Club was established. Extensive excavation occurred between 1873 and 1880 to form the lake, with the excavated material and Municipal refuse used for land reclamation. The lake was connected to the Yarra River in 1890 to allow the addition of fresh water.
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A series of protests were organised by the "Save Albert Park (SAP) group" from 1994 and 1999, against the decision by Liberal party Premier Jeff Kennett, Premier of Victoria, to hold the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. The protesters claimed that the race turned a public park into a private playground for a most of the year however when Premier Bracks Labour party also supported the Formula 1 Grand Prix race in the park SAP largely evaporated as it was largely, but not exclusively, a front group for the Labour party.[neutrality disputed] The set up for the race starts in late January for the race in early March while the bulk of the Grand Prix pack up takes about 10 days however most of the sporting fields are usable for most of the late January to late March period and park roads are only closed for 5 days prior to and a few days after the race and this is mainly for safety reasons.
