• The pitch at Boilup between Kojonup and Collie. Photo by Les Everett
Last week I spent a few minutes in the ABC Perth studio with Breakfast presenter Ivo Da Silva talking, of course, about abandoned cricket pitches.
A similar chat in October on ABC Goldfields-Esperance led to some great finds around Kalgoorlie, Boulder, Leonora and Coolgardie. This time the audience was statewide and as I listened to flood and fire warnings on the drive to East Perth I realised many would have other things on their minds.
Still, as with each of the radio (and TV and newspaper and social media) spots I’ve done while ‘working’ on this project the response was immediate and wide-ranging.
This time, however, the tips received might have reinforced the point that there are lots of unused cricket pitches in WA – and I’ve seen most of them.
Asha Couch, one of the Breakfast producers, had the task of writing down the names of places she and most other people have never heard of as the calls came in…
Bob from Geraldton mentioned the pitch at Caron – actually there are two with the old school pitch a bit more photogenic than the main pitch. He mentioned Bunjil and yes we’ve been there – the pink ribbons left as a guide by a local farmer ‘Boots’ Canon might still be there. Bob also suggested ‘Badera’ north of Northampton… that might have been lost in translation and I’d love to know what you meant Bob.
Michael from Port Hedland rang in about the airstrip in Whim Creek which was used as a cricket pitch, I think I’ve located that on Google Maps, and an old WW2 pitch nestled among the sand dunes next to Rock of Ages –never heard of that one and would love extra info.
Darren from Beverley said there’s an abandoned pitch west of Beverley called The Dale that still has the old limestone buildings that were once change rooms. On my visit the pitch was surrounded by sheep and I crept up hoping for a bucolic photo. The sheep quietly retreated and finished up 100 metres away. They were around the pitch by the time I got back to my car.
Ross from Butler talked about a pitch in Yanchep National Park that’s barely ever used except for the occasional social game. I saw that one in December 2022. The next day a bushfire ripped through the area.
Ian, who used to be president of the Dalwallinu Cricket Association and now lives in Geraldton had five: Xantippe (a classic near Kalannie), Miamoon (beautiful site favoured by wildflower enthusiasts), Jibberding (couldn’t find it on my first try but reckon I’ll get it next time), Pithara East (local help sent me to this one that few would have seen in 50 plus years) and Pithara (I took a photo of the nets at the old school site but have not been able to find the old town pitch).
And then there were the texts…
• Charlie, from Pemberton knows where the original town pitch is – in his front yard. Please get in touch Charlie, that’s exciting.
• Lee wanted to know if the Yandanooka pitch is still there. I’ve looked and don’t think it is.
• Brett mentioned the concrete pitch in the paddock behind the Ferguson Hall near Dardanup – I had expert local help from Ryan Gibbs in finding that one.
• Someone suggested the pitch at Rosa Brook opposite the hall – have a look next time you’re passing on a Margaret River wine trip. It’s a nice entry-level example for those new to the pitch-hunting game.
• Shay Gap doesn’t exist anymore but the pitch is still there according to an unnamed caller while John from Busso let us know he made 100 at Shay Gap.
• We all think of Marble Bar at this time of year. Darren in Newman said we should look into the cricket pitch there. Actually a correspondent photographed two Marble Bar pitches for us.
• The Whim Creek pitch got another mention from Dave from Port Hedland: “We used to have an annual cricket game there as the Postal Institute, which was the social group of the PMG and Post Office staff from Port Hedland and Roebourne.”
• Chris asked about the ‘Papal Pitch’ inside Belmont Racecourse. There used to be a pitch at Belmont Park but I’m told it’s been removed. But ‘Papal’ what’s that about?
• Cadoux was suggested by an unnamed caller – I made a second visit there a couple of weeks ago as my first was during a short-lived fisheye lens period. New photos were needed.
• Christine called about the Manmanning pitch. It remains despite lots of earthwork at the old recreation ground – MCC is marked on the pitch in bottle tops.
• Bradley from Busselton suggested the Rottnest Island WW2 army pitch on the Buckley Trail. I still haven’t seen that one yet but the Rottnest Guides follow @abandonedcricketpitches on Instagram so I’ll ask them to take me there one day.
• Two very interesting Chapman Valley sites, Nanson and Nabawa, were brought into the conversation by Ron O’Malley and I want more information. I’ve been to Nanson a couple of times and imagine if the pitch is still there then it’s in someone’s backyard. The Nabawa Primary School pitch is in the collection but the main oval pitch is still very much a going concern. Again I’d love to know if there’s another old concrete pitch at this beautiful town.
• The old cricket pitch at the Donnelly River Village was on the mind of Ric from Carine. “It has all the history of bygone classic games, with the sting in the tail of how modern bored youth treat historical venues,” he said in his text. Nannup local Charlie Gilbert took me there in 2021 and enticed a kangaroo onto the pitch to add interest to the photo.
• And Robert, thanks for mentioning it, introduced Kulyaling (above) to the conversation. It’s between Pingelly and Brookton and I consider it one my great finds. The only guiding information was the existence, long ago, of a Kulyaling team so it was exciting to find a pitch in pretty thick bushland. Once had a call from Brookton local Ron Davies who asked if I knew about the pitch. I said I’d been there and asked if he had any information about it. “Bit before my time,” he said. Ron had earlier told me he was 90-plus years-old. His dad played there.
• Clifton Park in Chidlow was in the text from Mark from Chidlow. Great pitch but cricket was short-lived at Clifton Park as a creek runs right through the oval. My informant Greg Hedley says the site is basically a winter swamp. Must have been dry when they laid the pitch.
• An unnamed messenger told a nice story about Beenong, 20km east of Lake Grace and surrounded by salt lakes: “As a kid I remember my feet burning from the salt when walking through a lake while dad played cricket and mum sat in the afternoon tea shed. We did enjoy the nights if Mr Strevett played his accordion and we all sang.” Local artist Michelle Slarke first alerted me to Beenong while Ross Murray and Allan Marshall took me out there during a very fruitful pitch-hunting expedition around Lake Grace.
Ivo asked me to talk about my favourite pitch. I love them all. And I decided not to say Bobalong again. So I described the magnificent setting of the Boilup pitch off the Coalfields Road – it was a pitch I found with the help of Greg and Diana Piani. Simon texted in about that one.
So a five-minute chat on ABC Breakfast prompted responses with suggestions of 28 different abandoned cricket pitches around WA.
Send your photos and stories to lesev@highway1.com.au or via Instagram or Facebook or Twitter.
I’d better get back to work.
More pitches: https://www.instagram.com/abandonedcricketpitches/
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