Oxenham Park

The park has had a relationship with a number of community organisations and sporting clubs, including the Nundah Cricket Club (Toombul District Cricket Club), the Northern Suburbs District Senior Citizens, the Toombul Croquet Club, Nundah Tennis Club, Toombul United Soccer Club and the Mayne Tigers Junior Australian Football Club, since its establishment. 

The Toombul Shire Council purchased the land, now known as Oxenham Park, c.1900 for recreational use and at the time the land was described as being covered in ti-tree scrub. By the end of 1904 the area closest to the railway station was cleared, filled with ash from the Carriage Company, stumped, ploughed and fenced. A pavilion and dressing rooms were erected and a wicket was put down the following year and mains water connected to the site. The oval was ready for the Nundah Cricket Club and the 1906-07 season. The Nundah Cricket Club (now the Toombul District Cricket Club), formed in 1888, had a number of temporary homes before establishing itself at Nundah Recreation Reserve in the early 1900s. In 1921-22 the Nundah Cricket Club amalgamated with the Toombul Cricket Club to form the Toombul Electoral Cricket Club, later renamed the Toombul District Cricket Club.

The Shire of Toombul organised its first Soccer Club in 1922. Together with the Soccer Club, the Toombul Cricket Club petitioned the Shire Council to erect a stand and dressing room accommodation on the oval. The new grandstand was erected in 1923. 

The park was known as the Nundah Recreation Reserve until 1939 when, following a request from a deputation representing residents of Nundah, the Toombul District Cricket Club and the Queensland Cricket Association to the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Alderman W.J. Green, the name of the park was changed to Oxenham Park in recognition of Queensland cricketer Ron Oxenham and the work undertaken on the Park by the Oxenham family. Augustus Emanuel (Gus) Oxenham dedicated much time and energy to cricket administration and to establishing the park and the cricket club. In addition to playing for Toombul Cricket Club, his sons Lionel and Ronald played for Queensland. Ron also represented Australia in seven tests between 1928 and 1932. 

During 1940-41 the Nundah/Northgate Company of the R.S.L. Volunteer Defence Corps used the area as a training ground. 

The overhead railway bridge, later replaced by a tunnel, was used on many occasions as a “free” grandstand to watch the sporting events played on No.1 Oval. On 5 December 1982 this oval was named to honour a Toombul Cricket Club player, Ken (Slasher) Mackay, M.B.E., who played in 100 Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland from 1946-47 to 1963-64 and for Australia from 1956 to 1962-63. Playing in 37 tests he scored 1507 runs, took 50 wickets and 16 catches. 

During the 1967-68 season the grandstand was dedicated as the N.J. Plaisted Stand, named in memory of late member Norman Plaisted. Sadly a fire in September 1982 left only the base of the stand.

In 1984 Oval No.2 was named the La Frantz Oval after Sam La Frantz and his son Errold La Frantz, M.B.E., both successful cricketers, Errold representing Queensland in the 1941-42 season, and both men playing for Toombul Cricket Club and active in cricket administration. 

The Toombul Croquet Club was founded in August 1928 and successfully applied to the Brisbane City Council for an area of land in the Nundah Recreation Reserve to be set aside for the purpose of constructing two croquet courts. The Club was initially granted a twenty year lease at a rental of £5 per court per annum. The Club members developed the grounds and facilities, undertaking a number of fundraising ventures including bridge parties, dances and interestingly, the issuing of £5 debentures, to fund the work. In 1929 a former school house building was acquired and moved onto the Toombul Croquet Club site to be used as a clubhouse pavilion. Erected as the Hendra Day School in the late 19th century, the building was the schoolhouse for the former private school conducted by the Misses Franz in Dora Street, Hendra. The Club continues to be an important social and recreational organisation in the Nundah area. In 2002 the Club, together with a number of other Brisbane croquet clubs, hosted the Australian Croquet Championships.

Toombul District Cricket Club 

Entrance to Toombul District Cricket Club facilities is near the corner of York and Duke Streets through a gateway formed by a pair of stout brick piers supporting a blue-painted metal arch framing “TDCC Oxenham Park” in red-painted metal. A slab on ground masonry kiosk and club pavilion overlook the Ken Mackay Oval which is bounded by a hollow metal tube perimeter fence. A small uncovered tiered timber spectator stand stands to the southwest of the Oval, white-painted timber sightscreens stand to the north and south of the Oval and practice nets stand to the northwest. The Alan Skuse practice nets are located southeast of the Oval.

Australian Football goal posts stand to the north and south ends of the Oval, the grounds accommodating the Mayne Tigers Junior Australian Football Club during the cricket off season.

A second cricket oval, the La Frantz Oval, available for public use, has a practice net to the southeast of the Oval and a small masonry skillion roofed pavilion to the southwest. 

Toombul Croquet Club

The Toombul Croquet Club facilities occupy the southwest corner of Oxenham Park to the corner of York and Melton Streets. The Club facilities include four playing greens and associated lawnside seating and a clubhouse. The area is bounded by a chain wire fence with the main entrance gate off York Street. The clubhouse is a gabled, timber rectangular pavilion set on low timber stumps. A skillion roofed open shelter has been added to the west and a gable roofed open shelter to the east of the clubhouse. A skillion roofed shed attaches to the northwest of the clubhouse. The clubhouse has porch entrances to the east and west and a bank of windows to the south elevation affords views from the clubhouse across the playing greens. A flagpole stands to the east of the clubhouse. A number of skillion roofed timber shelters with bench seats stand to the north and south ends of the playing greens.

Nundah Golden Years Centre 

The Nundah Golden Years Centre is accommodated in a large rectangular masonry building standing to the northwest of the Park adjacent to a play area which occupies the northwest corner. The building has a vivid mural painted to the east end facing onto the play area. 

The Park is important as a collection of dedicated playing fields that have remained in continuous use since the early 20th century.

 

A brief inspection of the Park reveals that the Ken Mackay Oval, fencing and sightscreens are in a satisfactory condition however the practice nets to the northwest are in an unkempt state. The Toombul District Cricket Club kiosk and pavilion are looking fatigued and together with the spectator stand require maintenance and painting. The Alan Skuse nets are in good condition. 

The Toombul Croquet Club appears to be in good condition. The playing greens are well tended and the associated greenside furniture and clubhouse are well maintained. 

The La Frantz Oval is in a satisfactory condition, the rougher surface does not drain well and is more difficult to maintain than the main oval. The Nundah Golden Years Centre suffers from graffiti vandalism but generally appears in a satisfactory condition. The play area appears well maintained.

1. Brisbane City Council - City Assets Branch Conservation Management Study Stage 1 Report. November 2002