Women’s sport in Mildura grew in popularity following World War 2, with the most popular associations being netball (originally referred to as Woman’s Basketball), softball and hockey.
Mildura Recreation Reserve was at capacity at the time, with the Netball Association taking the lead in lobbying Council to find new grounds that could accommodate women’s sport.
In 1957 Council developed Mansell Reserve to meet this demand. The grounds were utilised for hockey and netball in the winter, and softball in the summer.
Council donated the Old Mayors Room for a pavilion on the condition that clubs pay for the refurbishment, with the pavilion opened in 1959 by Cr Syd Mills.
This building later relocated to Aero Oval to become the home of the Mildura West Cricket Club following a new pavilion upgrade in 1979.
The reserve was also popular for Little Athletics and marching girls, who were able to have lights installed for evening practise.
The continuing growth and popularity of hockey, softball and netball forced Council to look at planning and investment at Aero Ovals. Hockey and softball were attracted by the opportunity to relocate due to the additional space provided.
A group of woman started to plan netball on Monday evenings and provided a crèche in the pavilion. Twilight competitions soon commenced, leading to the Sunraysia Netball Association being formed.
A grant for extra lights on the railway lease gave the twilight competition room to expand to Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
The use of the courts was in high demand for netball, but with Sunraysia playing summer and Mildura Netball Association playing winter, the grass courts couldn’t be rested.
When croquet relocated to the upper terrace at Mansell Reserve this reduced the number of netball courts available. Consultants suggested relocation to Aero Ovals, but this would have resulted in less courts, no pavilion or lights.
The Association turned their sights on the leased railway portion of the reserve. However no grants were available for land that was not owned by Council.
With the support of then sitting Mildura MP Russell Savage, the Mildura Netball Association and Sunraysia Netball Association undertook a merger in 2004 to strengthen its position, raising $400,000 to match Council funds to purchase the leased land.
With that purchase, netball’s future at Mansell Reserve was secured.
A Masterplan was undertaken in 2004, with one of the key actions to build 12 synthetic netball courts on site. This work was completed in 2005.
In 2021, the Mildura Netball Association relocated to the new Mildura Sporting Precinct – ending a nearly 65-year connection with Mansell Reserve.
Historical timeline
1906: Lot 6 Section 31 Block D subdivision plan No.21444 (on and near corner of Eighth Street and Ontario Avenue) was purchased by Herbert Ransome. He also owned and built his house on Lot 5 which is located on the corner of Ontario Avenue and Eighth Street.
1920: Lot 5,6, and 7 were purchased by John Oxley (the father-in-law of S.R Mansell) on 8 November 1920 from the secretary of the FMIT Herbert Ransome. An extract from the Sunraysia Daily on Saturday 2 October 1920 reads: “The home of Mr H Ransome, secretary of the First Mildura Irrigation Trust, which is situated on the corner of Eighth St. and Ontario Ave. has just been sold through Messrs DeGaris and Co. to Mr John Oxley Senior of Irymple. The price received for the property, 7 acres, was approximately £500 per acre, the record to date for Mildura horticultural property. Mr Oxley sold his own place in the morning and bought the Ransome property in the afternoon. He will make his home at the newly purchased place.”
1924: Mr Oxley died 19 March 1924. His son-in-law Stephen Robert Mansell continued to manage the property for the family .
1926: Herbert Ernst Ward bought the land on 19 March 1926.
1945: Herbert Ernest Ward died 1 February 1945. Probate of his Will was granted to John Ernest Ward and Herbert Rowland Ward both of Rockbank Farmers and Addess Martin Aldous (sic) in November 1945.
1946: Lot 5 and 6 were transferred to The Mayor, Councillors and citizens of the City of Mildura.
1951: Women’s sport come of age after World War 2 and three associations were looking for grounds. In 1951 Mildura Netball Association met with Council and stressed the need for grounds for women’s sport.
1954: In February 1954 Council informed local women’s sporting organisations that sufficient areas would be available to meet their needs and that Council was making provision for a women’s sports oval adjacent to Rio Vista Park for future use. In December 1954 a tentative approval was given to develop land at the corner of Eighth Street and Ontario Avenue.
1955: In January 1955 the City Engineer was authorised to proceed with the construction of the sports area.
1957: S.R Mansell dies.
1959: To meet sporting club needs the Old Mayors Room was relocated to Mansell Reserve to be refurbished as the main Pavilion. The building was opened by Cr Syd Mills in April 1959. The building also served as a health centre for the community. On 10 October 1959 Council passed a resolution: “that the girls recreation ground be named S.R Mansell Recreation”
1979: Council builds a new Pavilion with a grant provided by Sports and Recreation Victoria.
1991: Mildura Croquet Club relocates to Mansell Reserve, while the Hockey Association relocates to Aero Ovals.
1993: Council, through negotiations with V/Line, leases the northern portion of what is now Mansell Reserve.
1995: A recreation facilities feasibility study in 1995 identified the need for Mansell Reserve to have durable hardcourt sports surface to meet demand.
2004: In 2004, Mildura Netball Association and Council bought the VicTrack Leased area for $800,000. Following the purchase of the land Council commissioned a masterplan for future upgrades.
2005: 12 Synthetic netball courts completed on site.
2021: The Mildura Netball Association relocates to the new Mildura Sporting Precinct.
2024: Work begins on the 2025 Mansell Reserve Masterplan Update.
