The Academy will have access to the following high quality, integrated facilities including:

FIRST CLASS TRAINING FACILITIES – ON-FIELD

MURFC’s facilities: HG Smith, Walker Ovals and Brens Pavilion in Royal Park, Parkville. These facilities are located within a short walking distance to the MUS off-field sporting facilities and the accommodation options. These facilities include the following:

  • Two separate rugby fields. Smith Oval will have upgraded professional standard floodlights in 2007.
  • Changing facilities that were refitted in the mid-1990s including four separate change-room areas, showers and toilets.
  • High quality clubrooms, built in the mid-1990s, which include a large screen projector and 2 metre screen for game analysis and team meetings. There are also catering facilities for post-training lunches etc.
  • Outdoor and indoor lock-up storage areas for team equipment.
  • State of the art scrum machine.
  • Ample off-street parking.

FIRST CLASS TRAINING FACILITIES – OFF-FIELD


The Academy will have access ti the existing sports facilities at the University of Melbourne at the University’s Parkville campus. These facilities, managed by Melbourne University Sport, include the following:

  • Gym: The two-storey gym complex was redeveloped in 2004 at a cost of $5.3million. The complex now contains a warehouse-style air-conditioned strength and fitness gym spanning 850m2 floor space with a mezzanine stretching area and fully appointed club-style changerooms. Separate space is devoted to heavy weights training including Olympic lifting areas.
  • Indoor training areas: The Sports Centre houses a variety of multi-purpose indoor training spaces, including basketball courts and rooms currently used for group fitness classes.
  • Pool: The Beaurepaire Swimming Pool, a 25-metre indoor pool currently in use as a lap pool, is adjacent to the Sports Centre.
  • Athletics track: There is an all-weather synthetic athletics track of international standard located adjacent to the Sports Centre.
  • Synthetic pitch: In the centre of the athletics track is an all-weather synthetic surface set up as a hockey pitch.

FIRST CLASS SPORTS MEDICINE & SPORTS SCIENCE

Melbourne University Sport already provides a sports medicine service to its users which include physiotherapy and sports massage. The University of Melbourne has a well-established School of Physiotherapy based at the University’s Parkville campus. The School has established the Centre for Health Exercise and Sports Medicine which is a world-class sports medicine research centre. We are looking to involve the School of Physiotherapy in meeting the Academy’s sports medicine requirements.

Renowned Exercise Physiologists Prof Mark Hargraeves and Assoc Prof Gordon Lynch are located within the Department of Physiology in the Faculty of Medicine, and would be available for sports science testing and advice.

ACCOMODATION OPTIONS FOR TRAVELLING TEAMS

Carlton and Parkville have a wide range of accommodation for students and also, because of the area’s proximity to Melbourne’s CBD, for business and tourist market.

Suitable accommodation in the Carlton and Parkville area include the following:

  • University of Melbourne Colleges: during semester breaks.
  • Park Squire Serviced Apartments: These apartments are located at 94 Flemington Road, Parkville, just south and west of the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus, and have full kitchens, laundry facilities and undercover parking.
  • Anston Apartments: These apartments are located at 528 Swanston Street, just south of the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus, and are advertised as good value modern studio and one-bedroom apartments which are furnished and have full kitchens.
  • RMIT Village Old Melbourne: Formally the Old Melbourne Hotel, these apartments are located at the corner of Flemington Rd and Elizabeth St in walking distance to the University campus and Royal Park training facilities.