SCG Members Pavilion

Lore & Background

The ground's origins trace back to 1811 when Governor Lachlan Macquarie established the second Sydney Common. In 1851, part of the common south of Victoria Barracks was granted to the British Army for a garden and cricket ground. The first user was the 11th North Devonshire Regiment. The ground became known as the Garrison Ground when opened in February 1854. In the late 1860s, an area west of the Garrison Ground was opened as Moore Park. After British troops left Victoria Barracks in 1870, the NSW Cricket Association began regular use of the Civil and Military Ground. In 1876, the ground was dedicated by Governor Sir Hercules Robinson. The trustees renamed it the Association Ground. In 1894, it received its modern name, the Sydney Cricket Ground.

In Their Own Story

The morning sun filtered through the high windows of the Members Pavilion, casting long shadows across the polished timber floorboards that had creaked under the feet of legends for over a hundred years. An elderly gentleman in a navy blazer adjusted his cap, his eyes fixed not on the scoreboard, but on the pitch below where a young Australian spinner was preparing to bowl against England. The air smelled faintly of old leather and tea, a scent that had permeated these walls since the days when Bradman walked out to bat. As the crowd murmured in anticipation, he felt a familiar warmth—a connection to every Test match played on this ground, from the Ashes triumphs to the heartbreaking defeats. In this quiet corner of the stadium, history wasn't just written; it was lived.

Reader's Guide

The first Sydney cricket test was in February 1882. By then the ground had two grandstands: the Brewongle Stand and the original Members' Stand (built 1878). The Members' Pavilion was rebuilt in 1886. The Ladies' Stand opened in 1896. The Sheridan Stand opened in 1909. The M.A. Noble Stand opened in 1936. The Bradman Stand was completed in 1973. The Hill and Paddington Hill were spectator mounds. The first SCG scoreboard was built in 1895–1896, designed by Ned Gregory. It was rebuilt in 1904 at the top of The Hill. A concrete scoreboard opened at the back of the Hill in 1924.

Did You Know?

• The ground was originally called the Garrison Ground when it opened in February 1854.
• The first rugby union game in the colony was played here on 24 June 1871 between Wallaroo and the Australian Rugby Club.
• In 1896, a concrete cycling track was built inside the ground; one of the carpenters was George Bradman, father of Don Bradman.
• A crowd of 70,204 attended a rugby league test between Australia and England at the SCG in 1932.