GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL SPORTING MUSEUM
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GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL
SPORTING MUSEUM
Image 1. Hurstville Oval main grandstand
Acknowledgement of Country
Hawkridge Entertainment Services acknowledges the Darug and Guringai Peoples as the
traditional custodians of the land and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
Georges River Council
Sporting Museum
Feasibility Study
FINAL
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Hawkridge Entertainment Services
Tim Long
Managing Director
Frank Howarth
Associate Consultant
Disclaimer
This report (Study) has been produced independently by Hawkridge Entertainment Services (HES) on the request of George
River Council. The information, statements, statistics and commentary (together the ‘Information’) contained in this Report
have been prepared by HES from publicly available material and from discussions held with stakeholders. HES does not
express an opinion as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, the assumptions made by the parties
that provided the information or any conclusions reached by those parties. HES have based this Report on information
received or obtained, on the basis that such information is accurate and, where it is represented to HES as such, complete.
The Information contained in this Report has not been subject to an audit.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Index of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Index of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Index of Images ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Purpose of this Study ................................................................................................................................ 7 Summary of Services Delivered ................................................................................................................. 7 Context ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 What is a “Museum”? ............................................................................................................................... 8 What is “sport”? ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Can a “Hall of Fame” be considered a sporting Museum? ........................................................................ 9 Council Documentation ............................................................................................................................... 10 CREATE Georges River Cultural Strategy ............................................................................................ 10 Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy .............................................................. 10 Community Engagement Policy .......................................................................................................... 10 Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve Draft Plan of Management ...................................................... 11 GRC: Draft Cultural Infrastructure Needs Assessment December 2019.............................................. 11 Webber: Feasibility study for proposed new Pavilion locations at Hurstville Oval ............................. 12 Georges River Council’s Economic Development Strategy .................................................................. 13 Museum Analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Collection Study .............................................................................................................................................. 19 Demand and Governance ............................................................................................................................ 20 Major Options .................................................................................................................................................. 22 Types of sports covered by the Museum ................................................................................................ 22 To have, or not to have, a permanent collection .................................................................................... 22 A physical museum or an entirely digital option? ................................................................................... 22 Location ................................................................................................................................................... 22 Opening hours ......................................................................................................................................... 23 Size .......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Operating model options ........................................................................................................................ 23 Option one: the minimalist option ...................................................................................................... 23 Option two: the “build a collection” option ........................................................................................ 23 Option three: the “white box” option ................................................................................................. 23 Option four: the “hybrid” option......................................................................................................... 24 Option five: the digital option ............................................................................................................ 24 Governance model options ..................................................................................................................... 24 Design principles of options....................................................................................................................... 25 Front of House .................................................................................................................................... 26 Back of House ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Museums in NSW ................................................................................................................................ 27 Financial Cost Projections........................................................................................................................... 29 Operational budget ....................................................................................................................................... 31 GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 3
Funding Options ............................................................................................................................................. 34
Stakeholder/Community Engagement Feedback ............................................................................... 36
Appendix 1 – List of Organisations contacted ......................................................................................... 38
Appendix 2 - Community Survey ............................................................................................................. 39
Appendix 3 - Full construction cost modelling - 600m² museum............................................................ 42
Appendix 4 – Full construction cost modelling – Hall of Fame ............................................................... 44
Appendix 5 - Loans policy from the National Museum of Australia ........................................................ 45
Index of Figures
Figure 1. Facilities available within Museums in NSW ............................................................................ 28
Figure 2. Income sources for NSW museums.......................................................................................... 31
Index of Tables
Table 1. Museum comparative table ...................................................................................................... 15
Table 2. Entry prices for the Australian Sports Museum......................................................................... 18
Table 3. TEG tickets purchased by ticket-buyers in the Banks electorate in 2018-19 compared to the
national average............................................................................................................................. 21
Table 4. TEG ticket buyers in the Banks electorate who purchased tickets to events held in other
electorates ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Table 5. Total museum floor footprint in terms of type of community infrastructure ........................... 28
Table 6. Museum areas and spatial requirements .................................................................................. 29
Table 7. Approximate cost of a 600m² museum ..................................................................................... 29
Table 8. Construction cost of a Hall of Fame........................................................................................... 30
Table 9. Operational budget for a 600m² museum ................................................................................. 32
Table 10. Operational budget for a digital museum ............................................................................... 33
Table 11. Community and Stakeholder engagement plan ...................................................................... 36
Index of Images
Image 1. Hurstville Oval main grandstand ................................................................................................ 1
Image 2. Sydney Cricket Ground Museum .............................................................................................. 16
Image 3. Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame ...................................................... 17
Image 4. Australian Sports Museum ....................................................................................................... 18
Image 5. Contemporary Museum ........................................................................................................... 21
Image 6. The Attic Wellington Museum New Zealand ............................................................................ 24
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Executive Summary The Georges River Sporting Museum Feasibility Study was conducted between the 4th of February and the 5th of April 2020 to identify the potential for a sporting museum to be located in the Georges River Council area. The study analysed the proposed space for the sporting museum in terms of size and type of function that was able to be delivered. It then assessed the competition and potential competitive position of the museum. Investigation of the potential community and commercial demand for a sporting museum then occurred including a review of some benchmark venues. Following this, an analysis of the potential utilisation of the museum including discussion of the specific issues regarding the cultural and sporting context were outlined. Finally, the study completed a short assessment of the museum outlining the potential costs and revenue as well as the generally viability of the museum operations. For the purposes of this feasibility study we have used a wide and inclusive sense of what constitutes sports so that we maximise potential community engagement as well as the diversity of sports that can be featured. The report analyses the difference between a Sporting Museum and a Hall of Fame which is a key consideration. Halls of Fame are now more common place especially as associations seek to create places for their sports memorabilia. They are however generally static displays that do not necessarily change regularly, and they are not consistent with contemporary museum practises. A Sporting Museum would encompass a range of consistently changing displays, exhibitions and interactive activities that seek to engage the visitor on multiple occasions. This distinction is not necessarily widely recognised with stakeholders. There was no collection found that would be able to form the basis of a collection to include in a Sporting Museum for the Georges River area. Any endeavour to establish a collection would require a lengthy period of time to develop. It is important to note that a high degree of rigour would need to be placed on any items to be added to the collection to ensure that the collection was relevant and not just an assortment of miscellaneous items. The stakeholder consultation was undertaken during the initial period of the COVID-19 crisis which had the impact of reducing the amount of responses to the survey and the engagement. In general, however, there was not a demonstrable demand to build a Sporting Museum in the Georges River area. There was a willingness from the stakeholder associations to assist where possible however they did not have the capacity to do so in a financial way. It is unlikely that there is any proponent other than Georges River Council that would fund the building of a sporting museum. The cost to build a sporting museum of 600m² is approximately $7.2m with an ongoing cost to operate of $465,784. The option to develop a Digital Sporting Museum which has a minimal capital investment cost would cost $164,000 per annum. The spaces at Hurstville Oval that were outlined as potential areas for a sporting museum are unsuitable due to their size, their physical properties and their accessibility. Consideration should only be for a stand-alone facility at Hurstville Oval that has the ability to develop into a destination that includes a range of support functions such as a café. GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 5
An interim measure would be to engage a Project Co-ordinator through the Hurstville Museum and
Gallery to establish links with local organisations, local and state based associations and individuals to
develop a collection based around the sporting history of the region. This could then form the basis of
a digital collection which could, once developed, be exhibited on occasions as part of a special
exhibition. Once the collection and visitation to the digital museum are established, Council may wish
to review the need for a physical structure to permanently display the collection with or without
travelling exhibitions. Alternatively, Council can plan for the development of a Sporting Museum as part
of one of the current projects at Hurstville Oval or the Hurstville Civic Precinct Project.
Recommendations
1. That the space outlined as the “Spectator Shed” at Hurstville Oval is not suitable to be used as
a sporting museum.
2. That the space outlined as the “Players Pavilion” at Hurstville Oval is not suitable to be used as
a sporting museum.
3. That any development of a sporting museum at Hurstville Oval should be a stand-alone venue.
4. That any development of a sporting museum at Hurstville Oval or in the Hurstville CBD include
consideration of additional spaces, such as a café, that would both assist in the attraction to
the museum as a destination and provide an ongoing revenue source.
5. That Council consider the option of a digital museum for the Georges River Sporting Museum.
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Introduction Purpose of this Study The Georges River Sporting Museum Feasibility Study for the establishment of a permanent, purpose- built sporting museum within a new community pavilion as recommended in the Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve Draft Plan of Management. Summary of Services Delivered The study was divided into three key actions which are described in the following detail. Review & Context Project briefing; Documentation review; and Initial site visits. Community and Stakeholder Engagement Development of engagement plan; and Consultation. Feasibility Development Review of sporting museums; Collection Study; Demand and Governance; Development of Design Principles; Financial Cost Projections; Operational Budget; Funding Options; Development of Feasibility Report; Presentation of Report; Delivery of Final Report. Services were delivered by: Tim Long, Managing Director Frank Howarth, Associate Consultant GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 7
Context What is a “Museum”? Mention the word “Museum” and it often conjures up to people a slightly dusty place full of objects that they typically visited as a school kid and probably haven’t been back to since, unless they took the grandkids there. For the best of museums, this description is not remotely fair. The very best of modern museums engage, stimulate, provoke, and often generate a strong sense of wonder. Good museums don’t just bring the past alive they engage us with the present and speculate about possible futures. They help the shape those futures. To be successful a museum must have compelling content and effective ways of engaging that content with actual and potential visitors. Those visitors may come through the door or might engage virtually through the web and social media. Good museums should become the focus for conversation, learning and speculation. The rich sporting tradition of the St George area is a fine base from which to build an engaging sports museum. For a new museum, the opportunity to create a collection is both good, and a risk. Every collection object held by the museum or borrowed must have a compelling story and must add to an overall narrative which engages visitors. Too many museums go for quantity over quality in their collections and as a result spend a great deal maintaining collections that are not working for them, that don’t tell stories, and that don’t engage visitors. The opportunity for the Georges River Sporting Museum is to be extremely discerning in any collection objects that are acquired and to resist the temptation to accept well-meaning but not helpful offers. Museums of the 21st-century engage visitors with stories that are based on a combination of real objects, moving and still images, traditions and ideas. The industry accepted definition of “Museum” comes from the International Council of Museums (ICOM): “A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment” This definition is now considered very dated and ICOM is currently searching for a better definition that reflects 21st-century technology and interests. One of the most contentious areas of this definition is the word “acquires” as there are now a significant number of organisations recognised as museums which do not have permanent collections. One of the foremost amongst these is the widely applauded Art Science Museum in Singapore. For most new museums, the greatest opportunities will come from borrowing the best from others while at the same time being very discriminating about what objects and stories are added to the museum’s own collection. Some new museums elect to work on a “flexible white box” approach, taking the deliberate decision not to build a collection which the museum owns, but rather to borrow in exhibitions and collections from other lending institutions, as the Art Science Museum does. This significantly reduces the set up and operational costs of the museum through not needing to allow as much for collection storage, security, climate control and curation, and gives greater variety of content, thus being more attractive to repeat visitors. In this report we will use the existing ICOM definition but put greater emphasis on a more contemporary sense of engagement and storytelling. We will explore options for a Georges River Sporting Museum that include acquiring and building a collection as well as options that avoid building a permanent collection. GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 8
What is “sport”? With the boom in “esports” (e.g. competitive video gaming) and the greater recognition that some traditional Chinese activities, such as tai chi, can be engaged in competitively, the definition of what constitutes “sports” is changing. One element that has traditionally been considered essential to sport is some sense of competition, however they are strong moves to accept non-competitive activities, provided that they involve some physical activity, as sport. But even this is contentious with the boom in competitive, nonphysical, esports. The Community Engagement Plan for this feasibility study will test community understanding and interest in what constitutes or is recognised as “sport” in the Georges River area. For the purposes of that plan we will test a wide and inclusive sense of “sport” that includes esports and tai chi. Given the boom in competitive esports in the 15 to 30 age bracket we believe it would be unwise to exclude esports from consideration. Similarly, given the strong Australian Chinese community in the Georges River LGA it would be equally unwise to exclude tai chi. In summary, for the purposes of this feasibility study we will use a wide and inclusive sense of what constitutes sports so that we maximise potential community engagement. Can a “Hall of Fame” be considered a sporting Museum? Many competitive sports in Australia have some sense of a “Hall of Fame” where eminent and successful sports people are recognised for their prowess and reputation. In addition, many consider that inductees to halls of Fame must be people of high community standing. Indeed, the website for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame includes a quote from Sir Donald Bradman: “when considering the stature of an athlete or for that matter any person, I set great store in certain qualities which I believe to be essential in addition to skill. That the person conducts his or her life with dignity, with integrity, courage, and perhaps most of all, modesty. These virtues are totally compatible with pride, ambition and competitiveness” There are approximately 62 sporting Halls of Fame in Australia. Not all of these are open to the public; some may be accessible to members only; some are publicly accessible as virtual halls accessible via the internet. In that they are based on collections and tell stories to engage people, Halls of Fame do indeed have many of the characteristics of a Museum. For the purposes of this feasibility study, we will consider Halls of Fame as a source of objects and exhibitions that might be accessed by any Georges River Sporting Museum. Also, any Georges River Sporting Museum may well include some sense of famous sports people from the Georges River area in particular. GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 9
Council Documentation
The following documentation that would inform the Georges River Sporting Museum feasibility study
includes:
• Georges River Council’s Community Strategic Plan;
• Georges River Council’s Operational Delivery Plan;
• Create Georges River Cultural Strategy;
• Georges River Council’s Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy;
• Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve Draft Plan of Management;
• Georges River Cultural Needs Assessment (draft);
• Georges River Council’s Economic Development Strategy;
• Georges River Council’s Communications and Media Management Policy;
• Georges River Council’s Community Engagement Policy;
• Georges River Council’s Events Strategy.
CREATE Georges River Cultural Strategy
The cultural audit conducted for the Cultural Strategy shows that there is no existing sporting museum
or equivalent already in place in the Georges River LGA. The options proposed in this sporting museum
feasibility study draw upon and are consistent with the four key principles in the Cultural Strategy:
Connect; Create; Express; Sustain.
In particular, we take into account the key principles within the “Connect” theme through examining
the advantages of co-locating any sporting museum with other related functions including retail,
production and networking. Within the “Create” theme, we also note that partnerships will be crucial
to the success of any sporting museum. Within the “Express” theme, we note the significance of
Aboriginal culture to the Georges River LGA and that the stories of Aboriginal sports women and men
should be prominent in any sporting museum developed in the area. Similarly, the multi-cultured nature
of the Georges River LGA should also be reflected in themes and programs within any sporting museum.
It will be important to ensure that any sporting museum does not simply reflect an earlier dominantly
white European view of sport.
In more general terms, any sporting museum sits at the intersection of two key areas in which people
use their free time: sports and culture. The Cultural Strategy provides a good basic framework for this
intersection.
Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy
The intersection of recreation and culture is also explored through this Strategy. The strategy discusses
the model of community hubs, clustering facilities together to provide a diverse range of activities for
community members in a central location. Hubs are also tiered depending on their level of infrastructure
development – regional, district and local. The Hurstville Centre Regional Hub is outlined as the premier
destination in this plan however two other spaces have a specific sporting focus; the Jubilee Stadium
Regional Hub and the Penshurst Park Regional Sporting Hub.
Community Engagement Policy
The community engagement approach used in this sporting museum feasibility study is directly
consistent with Council’s Community Engagement Strategy’s first three key pillars of: Inform; consult;
Involve.
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 10Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve Draft Plan of Management
This Plan of Management extensively discussions the values of and options for the Oval and Reserve.
Without any particular background or specific justification, the Plan includes as a “key element”:
• “Redevelop players pavilion as a café and museum with all abilities access” (page 36).
There is no background to the recommendation, except that later in the Plan under the Objective “To
provide, preserve and maintain all facilities fit for purpose and in recognition of the Park’s Heritage and
Historical Values” action BF1 states:
• “Retain and conserve Dunbar Pavilion and grandstand. Rationalise the existing Players Rooms
and Scoreboard and incorporate provision into new pavilion and or Booth Saunders Pavilion.
Use the rationalised space to support the development of the museum and café on the ground
level of the Dunbar Pavilion.” (page 45)
It is also interesting to note the one of the submissions to the Plan process draws attention to the rich
sporting history of Hurstville oval, in answer to the question “are there any values or issues missing:”:
• “Yes, there are many aspects that needs to be addressed. The Oval should be promoted as the
greatest regional sporting ground in Australia's history, and as such give National heritage
status as Hurstville Oval. The cricket team had four players of the Century, Bradman, O'Reilly,
Morris and Lindwall and many more great test cricketers, Cycling has had more than 100
National representatives (the most of any club in the Country including many World and Olympic
champions), Rugby Union had a great array of Test players and captain, Athletics had multiple
National and Olympic representatives including World and Olympic champions, Hockey had Vice
captain of Australia Keith Leeson and Brian Booth represent at Melbourne Olympics with others
added, St George Rugby League played their first four seasons from 1921 to 24 then won their
first two premierships between 1940 and 1949 at Hurstville Oval. St George Aussie Rules were
staged their, massive sporting carnivals featuring the likes of Marjorie Jackson and Fanny
Blankers Koen, St George Aussie Rules played their until the mid sixties, Dunc Gray used the
cinders track in 1932 to train for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, winning gold in 1932. St
George Soccer utilised the ground and in 1974, when Australia qualified for the World Cup for
the first time eight currentplayer made the World Cup team, a record of any club throughout
the World. Hurstville Oval has attracted major games but National Track Cycling championships
have been staged at Hurstville on two occasions. Hurstville Oval has played host to eight Council
Youth Games with athletes from all over the state represented. The spread of so many great
sporting stars across many sports suggests that the name Hurstville Oval should remain and
heritage status pursued.” (page 53).
GRC: Draft Cultural Infrastructure Needs Assessment December 2019
The report discusses the hierarchy of social infrastructure in Georges River and how this relates to
cultural infrastructure. The tiering of infrastructure development into four levels allows for the
understanding that the proposed development is part of a greater network. Each level provides an
expectation of the extent of the scale and population that the infrastructure will service. The levels are
described as:
• Metro;
• Regional;
• District; and
• Local.
The implications for a Sporting Museum would be the type of display that is likely to be exhibited
depending on the level. A metro museum would be a museum of significance with international and
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 11national exhibits focusing on stories and displays about national teams and individuals. A Regional
museum would show national and state based exhibits with a focus on stories and displays about state
based teams and individuals. A District museum would show state and regional based exhibits with a
focus on stories and displays about regional based teams and individuals. A Local museum would show
some regional and local based exhibits with a focus on stories and displays about local based teams and
individuals.
This report also contains useful data on the make-up/demographics of the population of the Georges
River LGA as at 2016 (refer to page 17 of the Needs Assessments). It is worth noting the high proportion
of residents who were born outside Australia, 45%, and the high proportion who speak a language other
than English at home, 53%. Any sporting museum that is designed to appeal to a local population needs
to take into account this cultural diversity. Indeed, the report notes with respect to the Hurstville
“catchment” the need to:
• “Ensure cultural infrastructure is flexible and multi-purpose to support participation by highly
culturally diverse community”. (page 19)
The report also includes significant information from community engagement work undertaken for the
report. While there is strong community demand for exhibitions/gallery space, there is no indication of
a specific interest in more museums, and specifically no mention of any need for a sporting museum.
Research conducted for the Needs Assessment also reflected a strong desire for flexibility and future
proofing in new cultural facilities:
“Groups told us that spaces need to be flexible, multipurpose and accessible including out of work hours
as our work, lifestyle and skills are changing. We need cultural infrastructure to support innovation and
keeping up with the times or even leading it in the future. We need quality facilities that are future
proofed and designed to respond to changing uses, interests and technologies.” (Page 26).
Any sporting museum for the Georges River area needs to take into account this requirement for future
proofing and flexibility.
Webber: Feasibility study for proposed new Pavilion locations at Hurstville Oval
This study includes important conclusions about potential locations for a sporting museum within the
Hurstville Oval area. The report assumes a size of 150m² for the potential museum and notes that:
“Regarding the inclusion of the sporting museum as part of the pavilion build – this is not seen as feasible
for the following reasons in summary:
• Additional impacts on site services and existing conditions (excavation, landscape, site services,
seating);
• Tandem uses of a sporting pavilion and a sporting museum are not compatible within the design
specification and requirements for each of these uses;
• Available footprint for the pavilion project does not support the extra 150m2.
Based on the above, it is recommended that the following alternatives are considered for the sporting
museum:
• Retrofit of an area within the existing Booth Saunders Pavilion;
• Retrofit of the previous players rooms now vacated with the pavilion project under the
grandstand due to its stable temperature and light levels.”
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 12The report in the first instance specifies a museum size of 150m², however it does not take into
consideration any area other than the exhibition area. In this way it is more closely aligned to a Hall of
Fame with local exhibits that are static.
The report also outlines two options that could be retrofitted to build the museum. Both spaces are
seen as unsuitable due to their size, their location within the Oval, their inability to offer any other
service in conjunction with the museum operations and the access implications of their position. They
may be suitable to be a Hall of Fame with local exhibits that are static.
Georges River Council’s Economic Development Strategy
While this strategy does not directly address culture driven economic development, in the SWOT
analysis it does include:
• “Harness opportunities from the number of overseas visitors and friends coming to the LGA”
(page 21)
Also, under the theme “Building on local jobs for local people for a local lifestyle”, Goal 5, Building on a
local community lifestyle, includes the Action:
• “Continue to provide resources, spaces and programs that stimulate social and cultural activities
and support collaboration and creativity by individuals and groups” (page 26)
The theme “Attractive and healthy places to live, work and invest in – day and night” generally stresses
the need to activate the town centres in the LGA, especially Hurstville, and includes the action:
• “Create and support events and initiatives to bolster the local economy, promote each centre’s
unique identity and support local residents, workers and students” (page 30), with the
associated action:
o “Develop and implement a cultural place management and activation program for
Hurstville as the cultural heart of the LGA.”
Arts and culture, including museums, are acknowledged drivers for place activation and economic
development through cultural tourism, and a good sporting museum could form a key part of this,
particularly if it was located in the centre of Hurstville as part of place activation.
Conclusion
While these reports provide useful background guidance that should be taken into account in any plans
for a sporting museum, there is no direct indication in any of the reports that there is noticeable
community demand specifically for a sporting museum. If such a museum is to be created in the Georges
River area, then it needs to take into account the multicultural nature of the community, the need for
flexibility and future proofing, and the role that cultural facilities can take in community, place and
economic development.
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 13Museum Analysis
For the purposes of this feasibility study, we have looked at a wide range of sporting museums and Halls
of Fame in Australia and internationally. Numerous councils operate museums in one form or another
however we have not found any examples that are similar to the type of sporting Museum that this
feasibility study is considering. The nearest example is the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst,
owned and operated by Bathurst City Council.
The museums considered in this study are listed below:
• Australian Sports Museum (including Sports Australia Hall of Fame);
• Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame;
• Cycling Australia Hall of Fame;
• The Oppy Museum;
• Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame;
• The Thredbo Alpine Museum – National Snowsports Museum;
• National Motor Racing Museum;
• Australian National Surfing Museum;
• National Museum of Australia;
• Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences;
• Australian National Maritime Museum;
• Museums Victoria;
• Singapore Sports Museum;
• NZ Sports Hall of Fame;
• NZ Rugby Museum.
Our investigation of the broad range of sporting museums in Australia and in a selection of other
countries has a number of points of significance for this feasibility study. Clearly a significant number of
sport related museums, or more broadly focused museums which contain sports collections (for
example the National Museum of Australia) do lend collection materials and have lending policies in
place.
All of the Museums contacted require that organisations to which they lend collection objects meet
certain standards that are common across the museum sector covering security, climate control and
insurance. Any museum developed in the Georges River LGA that intends to borrow collection objects
would need to be built to meet those standards.
Presuming the standards are met, then it would be potentially feasible to base the museum either
initially or primarily on borrowed in collections and exhibitions.
The National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst is the only sport related museum that we could identify
that is operated directly by a local government entity, in this case Bathurst City Council. However, it
differs in that it is focused on motor racing and is based at the Mount Panorama motor racing circuit,
thus drawing a very specific audience related to the attraction of Mount Panorama itself.
In the following table we briefly describe a selection of Australian and international sporting museums
that may be relevant to the options being proposed for Georges River. For a selection of these we have
made enquiries as to whether they would land objects from their collections to understand whether
this was an option for the Georges River Sporting Museum.
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 14Table 1. Museum comparative table
Name Ownership Sports covered Location Comments
Australian Sports The Museum is Many Melbourne Cricket Loans from the
Museum (including operated by the Ground, Melbourne Museum are
Sports Australia Hall Melbourne Cricket possible
of Fame) Club but the precise
ownership is unclear
Bradman Museum Private charitable Cricket Bowral, NSW Awaiting response
and International trust about lending policy
cricket Hall of Fame
Cycling Australia Cycling Australia Cycling Primarily web based No collection
Hall of Fame
The Oppy Museum Rochester Cycling, specifically Rochester, Vic Does not loan;
Development the cyclist Hubert hosted by Campaspe
Committee Inc Oppermann Council
Australian Rugby The National Rugby Rugby league Web based No collection
League Hall of Fame League
SCG Museum Sydney Cricket Sports played within Sydney, NSW Does not loan
Ground Trust the precinct
The Thredbo Alpine Thredbo Historical Snow sports Thredbo, NSW Awaiting response
Museum – National Society Inc about lending policy
Snowsports
Museum
National Motor Bathurst City Council Motor racing Bathurst, NSW Awaiting response
Racing Museum about lending policy
Australian National The museum was Surfing Torquay, Vic Loans from the
Surfing Museum founded by three Museum are
former surfing possible
champions but the
current ownership is
unclear
National Museum of Australian Many Canberra, ACT Loans from this
Australia government museum are
possible
Museum of Applied New South Wales Many Sydney, NSW Loans from this
Arts and Sciences government museum are
possible
Australian National Australian Maritime sports Sydney, NSW Loans from this
Maritime Museum government museum are
possible
Museums Victoria Victorian Many Melbourne, Vic Loans from this
government museum are
possible
Singapore Sports Singapore Sports Many Singapore Loans from this
Museum Hub museum are
possible
NZ Sports Hall of Private incorporated Many Dunedin, New Primarily a Hall of
Fame not for profit Zealand Fame only with no
association significant collection
NZ Rugby Museum Private incorporated Rugby Palmerston North, Loans from this
not-for-profit New Zealand museum are
association possible
The following pages review four specific museums – the Sydney Cricket Ground Museum in Sydney, the
Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral, the Oppy Museum in and the
Australian Sports Museum in Melbourne.
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 15Sydney Cricket Ground Museum, Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground Museum is a working historical registrar offering all members of the public the
chance to relive some of Australia's most famous sporting conquests and incredible moments. Access
is only via the SCG tour experience.
The SCG Guided Walking Tour, takes guests behind the scenes of the Sydney Cricket and Sports Grounds
including exclusive access to the SCG Museum. It is a 90 minute tour operating Monday to Sunday and
requires booking in advance.
• 10am Monday – Sunday (subject to event schedule and site activities);
• 1pm Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (subject to event schedule and site activities);
• Additional tours during NSW school holidays.
Tour prices
Adult $33
Child (Ages 5-15) $22
Concession (Australian concession card holders) $25
Family (2 adults and up to 2 children) $88
The SCG Museum is dedicated to collecting, documenting, preserving and displaying the unique sporting
and social activities that have occurred on the grounds of the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Sydney Sports
Ground and Allianz Stadium. The SCG Trust has plans for a larger stand-alone museum as part of future
developments.
Image 2. Sydney Cricket Ground Museum
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 16Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame, Bowral The museum brings cricket to life with interactive touch screens, an expanded range of displays featuring original and match used equipment and five huge video screens which place cricket in the context of world history. The Museum is open 10am – 5pm everyday, except Good Friday and Christmas Day. The museum is managed by The Bradman Foundation, a non-profit charitable trust, which was established in 1987. It has a board of Directors and operates under a charter. The current Executive Director is Rina Hore. Entry Prices Adults $20 Children (5 – 15 years) $11 Family (2 adults & 2 children) $50 Concession/Groups over 15 people $15 Image 3. Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame The Oppy Museum Opperman Sports Museum, 43-45 Mackay Street Rochester 9am-5pm Mon-Fri. Entry is by donation The Oppy Museum represents an exhibition dedicated to the life of Sir Hubert Opperman, who was a champion cyclist from the region who broke 58 world records in the 1920s and 1930s. The display includes hundreds of photos, newspaper articles and cycling equipment. The display is currently in the Campaspe Shire Office Building in Rochester. GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 17
Australian Sports Museum, Melbourne
The Australian Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is a one stop shop for celebrating sport
in Australian society. The Museum contains historic artefacts from some of the great moments in the
story of sport, places to learn about the greats of our most popular games, fun interactive moments,
and the opportunity for flat out play.
They collect, research and display all sorts of material that shows what sport means to Australians. From
trophies and examples of sports gear, through to mass produced merchandise and delicate works of art.
The Australian Sports Museum is open daily from 10am and closes at 5pm. It is closed on Good Friday,
Melbourne Cup Day, Christmas Day and some days when the MCG hosts events.
Table 2. Entry prices for the Australian Sports Museum
Australian Sports Combined Museum & Australian Sports Museum
Museum Tour (Event Day)
Adult $30 $40 $15
Concession $24 $30 $12
Child (5-15) $15 $20 $7.5
Family (2 Adults & 2 $75 $95 $37.5
Children)
Family (Additional Child) $5 $5 $5
Child (Under 5) Free Free Free
MCC Member $24 $24 $12
Image 4. Australian Sports Museum
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 18Collection Study For the purposes of this report we have assumed that any sporting museum will cover a wide range of sports rather than a single sport such as rugby or cricket. We have not been able to identify any existing sport related collections within the Georges River LGA that might form the basis for a sporting Museum. However, it is quite likely that individuals have personal collections of sports related memorabilia within the LGA that may or may not be sufficiently significant to seek to include in any future sporting Museum. It is beyond the scope of this study to attempt to find such collections, however, if the museum were to proceed to a next stage then it would be important to seek out any relevant personal or other sport related collections within the LGA, or that might otherwise be available to a sporting museum located within the LGA. We should also note that there is a significant risk in attempting to establish a new museum collection from personal collections that may exist in the area. A common problem with regional museums of all types is the acquisition of material of very little significance and a high rate of duplication or repetition. This usually comes via “gifts” of collections that are for whatever reason not refused if they are of little significance. It will be important that any sporting museum that is established have a very clear and enforced collection acquisition policy based around clear criteria for establishing the significance of any objects being considered for acquisition. Later in this study we explore a number of operating models for a potential sporting museum but in the simplest terms one model assumes that all material exhibited is borrowed in from other institutions and sources. The other assumes that a collection is gradually built up over time. Our contact with a range of other museums that hold sport related collections within Australia and some international clearly indicates that there are significant collections from which borrowings could be made in order to stage exhibitions around particular sport related themes at a potential Georges River Sporting Museum. As noted in the previous section, all the organisations contacted that allow borrowing, and the organisations that have published loan conditions on their website, all have similar lending conditions that involve standards around exhibition space and building security, fire and other risk management, climate control, cost recovery, and insurances. The key implication of this is that any museum constructed will need to be able to meet those conditions. Also, most museums will require the borrowing institution to be “reputable” with a clear mandate, good governance, and sound financial footing. Attached to this report as Appendix 4 is the loans policy from the National Museum of Australia which is typical of most institutions. In summary, we believe that it would be feasible for a newly established sporting museum in the Georges River LGA to borrow sport related collections from the outset that would enable the development of a vibrant and potentially compelling exhibition program, provided that the loan conditions outlined above can be met. GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 19
Demand and Governance
The 2018 Estimated Resident Population for Georges River Council area is 158,411. The Median age is
37 and most predominant group is couples with children which accounts for 38% of the population. This
is 3% higher than the average across greater Sydney (35%) and 6% (32%) higher than the NSW average.
The median weekly household income is $1,650 which is lower than the median of greater Sydney
($1,745). However, the median weekly rent is $459 which is above the greater Sydney figure of $447.
Analysis of the country of birth of the population in the Georges River Council area in 2016 compared
to Greater Sydney shows that there was a larger proportion of people born overseas. Overall, 45.5% of
the population was born overseas, compared with 36.7% for Greater Sydney. The largest non-English
speaking country of birth in the Georges River Council area was China, where 16.1% of the population,
or 23,654 people, were born. Between 2011 and 2016, the number of people born overseas increased
by 10903 or 19.5%.
Between 2011 and 2016, there was a significant change in the qualifications of the population in the
Georges River Council area and the highest change was in those with Bachelor or Higher degrees that
had an increase 8,247 persons. This was also replicated in the increase in the level of Year 12 or
equivalent schooling attained by the population in the Georges River Council area between 2011 and
2016 which was an increase of 13,572 persons. Educational attainment particularly at Bachelor level
and above is often associated with cultural attendance.
In 2016, there were 3,266 people employed across cultural and creative occupations in the federal area
of Banks. They account for 4.5% of the total electorate workforce, compared to 3.9% of the national
workforce.
People in Banks aged 15 years and over are engaged with arts and culture. In 2017-18 they attended a
range of venues and events including theatre, dance and music performances as well as cinemas, arts
galleries and museums. 28% were involved in creative activities themselves, such as performing, singing
or playing a musical instrument, dancing, writing, visual art and craft.
• 56% visit cinemas;
• 46% see performing arts;
• 31% see live music; and
• 26% visit art galleries
The Entertainment Group (TEG) is Asia Pacific’s largest entertainment business and the premier
ticketing company in Australia as well as a significant developer in the data science, digital and
technology space. TEG provides ticketing services through Ticketek to premier venues across NSW and
Australia including the Sydney Cricket Ground, ANZ Stadium, Allianz Stadium, Qudos Bank Arena, and
the Enmore Theatre. The data obtained by ticket purchasers is utilised by the Australia Council for the
Arts to understand attendance at selected events.
The following table outlines the average number of TEG tickets purchased by ticket-buyers in the Banks
electorate in 2018-19 compared to the national average. The figures show that sporting events are
significantly higher however attendance at arts based events match the national average.
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 20Table 3. TEG tickets purchased by ticket-buyers in the Banks electorate in 2018-19 compared to the national average
Of people who purchased Banks electorate National avg. Difference,
tickets for: electorate to
national avg.
Arts events Avg. no. tickets 3.5 3.5 -0.1%
Sport events Avg. no. tickets 6.5 4.7 +37.3%
Any event, arts or sport Avg. no. tickets 5.3 4.5 +17.9%
BOTH arts and sport events Avg. no. tickets 11.3 9.8 +15.1%
Source: TEG Analytics
The following table outlines the proportion of TEG ticket buyers in the Banks electorate who purchased
tickets to events held in other electorates in their own state/territory in 2018-19. The figure was 16.1%
above the national average when compared to the percentage of all Australian ticket buyers
who purchased tickets in other electorates in their respective state/territories. The data shows that
people in the Banks electorate are attending arts events outside of the electorate.
Table 4. TEG ticket buyers in the Banks electorate who purchased tickets to events held in other electorates
Of people who purchased Banks electorate National avg. Difference,
tickets for: electorate to
national avg.
Arts events % ticket buyers 23.4 20.2 +16.1%
Sport events % ticket buyers 29.6 20.7 +42.6%
Any event, arts or sport % ticket buyers 53 40.9 +29.5%
BOTH arts and sport events % ticket buyers 12.6 9.4 +33.9%
Source: TEG Analytics
Image 5. Contemporary Museum
GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 21Major Options There are a number of variables around identifying potential options for a Georges River Sporting Museum. These are discussed below. Types of sports covered by the Museum We have canvassed earlier the very large range of activities that can be defined as “sports”. For the purposes of developing options we are not precluding any type of sport. Rather, we believe that all options considered should assume a wide coverage of what is generally acceptable as sports. To have, or not to have, a permanent collection Whether any Museum does or does not build its own collection makes a significant difference to cost and may make some difference to likelihood of visitation. For the purposes of options we have defined one class of option where a permanent collection is gradually acquired, and a second class where no permanent collection is built. A physical museum or an entirely digital option? While it is normally assumed that a museum must have a physical presence, there are a number of examples of museums for which the public face is entirely digital, for example the Ruskin at Walkley (https://www.ruskinatwalkley.org/), a history museum and the Swedish Internet Museum (https://www.internetmuseum.se/). For such “digital” museums, the normal scenario is that a physical collection does exist but it is typically in storage, and the public face of the museum is entirely digital, typically accessed via a website and often augmented with social media. The main advantage of such digital museums are they avoid the cost of a publicly accessible facility and significantly reduce staffing costs. Digital representation also gives a great deal of flexibility in story telling by using the same objects to tell multiple stories. The main disadvantage is the absence of the compelling sense of “the real”, the ability to see and potentially touch something. This is less of an issue for certain things, especially “born digital” content, but is a greater consideration for charismatic three-dimensional objects. Digital museums may also exist as a transitional operating model while physical premises are developed. For the purposes of this feasibility study we will also include a fully virtual/digital option, noting that a digital version of the museum is a transitional option if the museum is to build its own collection. A digital option can also form part of the option discussed below whereby the museum does not have its own collection but rather borrows in objects and collections from elsewhere. Location The Plan of Management for Hurstville Oval/Timothy Reserve recommends that a sporting museum be built within the Oval/Reserve area, specifically through redevelopment of the Players Pavilion, and also to include a cafe. We will include this as an option. We will look at a further option that is within the Hurstville Oval/Timothy Reserve area. We will also look at a third location option that locates the museum close to the Hurstville Museum & Gallery within the proposed redevelopment of the current Hurstville Civic Precinct. In contemporary museum planning it is common to see the museum as part of an “ecology” of related functions, for example, co-location with thematically similar retail with “makers” and repairers (potentially sport related) and other related businesses. Food and beverage would also be part of the ecology. This logic would argue for a new sporting museum to be part of a retail/civic development such as proposed for central Hurstville. If a Hurstville Oval location is for whatever reason preferred, it suggests that the planning for development within the Oval precinct include planning for an “ecological” approach. So far as we are able to tell, this approach is not contemplated in the Oval/Park masterplan. GEORGES RIVER SPORTING MUSEUM FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE Page | 22
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