Junction Oval holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously used Australian rules football venue, with a history stretching back to 1856. Both St Kilda and Melbourne called the ground home at various points, and it witnessed some of the earliest days of VFL football and the development of the game itself.
The ground's extreme age and central location in St Kilda made it a unique part of AFL heritage. Junction Oval hosted football during the era when the code was evolving into its modern form, making it a living connection to the game's origins and the VFL's earliest seasons.
St Kilda's move to Moorabbin in 1965 and Melbourne's subsequent relocation marked the beginning of Junction Oval's decline as an AFL venue, eventually closing in 1984 after 128 years of continuous use.
Junction Oval's transformation into a Cricket Victoria training facility and heritage site preserved its sporting purpose while acknowledging the ground's historical significance. The venue remains a crucial part of Australian football history, representing the game's origins and the development of the code over more than a century.