{{Short description|Rugby stadium in Marsfield, New South wales}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox cricket ground | ground_name = TG Millner Field | nickname = | image = TG Millner Field November.jpg | country = Australia | location = Marsfield, New South Wales, Australia | coordinates = | establishment = | seating_capacity = | owner = | operator = | tenants = | end1 = | end2 = | international = | firsttestdate = | firsttestyear = | firsttesthome = | firsttestaway = | lasttestdate = | lasttestyear = | lasttesthome = | lasttestaway = | firstodidate = | firstodiyear = | firstodihome = | firstodiaway = | lastodidate = | lastodiyear = | lastodihome = | lastodiaway = | year1 = | club1 = | source = }} '''TG Millner Field''' is in the Sydney suburb of Marsfield, Australia. It is currently the home ground of Eastwood Rugby Club however Eastwood Rugby has indicated that it will be relocating from TG Millner.
==History== The land where the main field is now (approximately 4 acres) was bought originally in 1951 by Colonel TG Millner and subsequently sold to Vimiera Recreation Grounds Ltd a company associated with Eastwood Rugby. The clubhouse and oval were built by volunteers and after 1963 and the development of dressing rooms, home games were played at Marsfield. Additional land was bought by Eastwood Rugby in 1967 increasing the site to more than {{convert|16|acre|m2}}.
The complex originally had three full sized playing fields which have been floodlit since 1969 and which were available for games and training. The grandstand was also constructed in 1969.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastwoodrugby.com.au/default.asp?id=80219|title=EASTWOOD DISTRICT RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB - Club History, Part 2 - T G MILLNER COMPLEX|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820154827/http://www.eastwoodrugby.com.au/default.asp?id=80219 |archivedate=20 August 2006 }}</ref>
During the 1990s the North Ryde Soccer Football Club played at the TG Millner Field for a number of years.<ref>[https://www.northrydesoccer.com.au/mission The Early Years] North Ryde Football Club</ref> Northern Districts Cricket also played at TG Millner for a season<ref>{{Cite web |title=stats.acscricket |url=https://stats.acscricket.com/Archive/Grounds/2/14235_misc.html |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=stats.acscricket.com}}</ref> including at least one game with Allan Border playing<ref>{{Cite web |title=Queensland Cricket Archive |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Queensland/Players/1/1572/Miscellaneous_Matches.html |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=cricketarchive.com}}</ref>
=== Australian Rugby Development Centre === On Saturday, 17 August 2013, the Australian Rugby Union announced that TG Millner was to be purchased by the ARU and would be redeveloped to become the '''Australian Rugby Development Centre''':
''TG Millner'' ''Field will be transformed into a high performance sport centre and training facility for Australia’s national Rugby teams including the Qantas Wallabies and will act as the Olympic base for Australia’s Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams .''<ref>{{Cite web |last=AAP |date=2013-08-17 |title=Historic funding for Australian Rugby for world class development centre |url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2016/02/11/historic-funding-for-australian-rugby-for-world-class-development-centre |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=www.rugby.com.au |language=en}}</ref>
=== North Ryde RSL === In 2000 Vimiera Recreation Grounds, the owners of TG Millner, signed a 99-year lease with North Ryde RSL Community Club which transferred control over the entire complex to the RSL. Following this transfer a number of changes occurred
In 2017, VRG advised that the entire complex had been sold unconditionally to North Ryde RSL.<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/eastwood-rugbys-sale-of-tg-millner-field-very-sad-but-necessary-for-clubs-survival-20170317-gv0lrp.html Eastwood Rugby's sale of TG Millner Field very sad, but necessary for club's survival] ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 17 March 2017</ref>
On 25 August 2020 Ryde Council decided not to proceed with heritage listing of TG Millner Field.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Agendas-and-Minutes/Council/2023/Council-Meeting-28-November-2023 | title=Council Meeting - 28 November 2023 }}</ref>
=== Application to Develop the Site === In June 2022, North Ryde RSL the owners of TG Millner announced that an application had been lodged with Ryde Council to "renew the TG Millner Field site by creating 132 low-rise, diverse homes and a new public park for the local community."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marsfield Common |url=https://marsfieldcommon.com.au/ |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=marsfieldcommon.com.au}}</ref>
On 7 December 2022, The Strategic Planning Panel of the North Sydney Planning Panel advised that "The Panel has determined that the planning proposal should not be submitted for a Gateway determination"<ref>{{Cite web |title=146-150 Vimiera Road, Marsfield {{!}} Planning Portal|url=https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/rezoning-reviews/planning-panel-or-commission-decision/146-150-vimiera-road-marsfield |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=Department of Planning & Environment}}</ref>
On 3 May 2023, the Government of New South Wales Planning Portal recorded that SEARS had been issued for a State Significant Development 146-150 Vimiera Rd, Marsfield - Seniors housing. "Relocation of the existing registered club to new premises within the site and construction of a residential aged care facility comprising approximately 670 beds."<ref>{{Cite web |title=146-150 Vimiera Rd, Marsfield - Seniors housing {{!}} Planning Portal |url=https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/146-150-vimiera-rd-marsfield-seniors-housing |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=Department of Planning & Environment}}</ref>
Following the April 2024 State Government refusal of permission for Ryde Council to compulsory acquire the site, North Ryde RSL announced its intention is to now resubmit the Marsfield Common planning proposal for determination by the relevant consent authorities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marsfield Common |url=https://marsfieldcommon.com.au/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=marsfieldcommon.com.au}}</ref> In July 2024 North Ryde RSL advised its members that the Marsfield Common proposal had been re-submitted to Ryde Council .<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.northrydersl.com.au/images/Eastwood_Letter_40724.pdf | title=Update letter to members on TG Millner Field | website=www.northrydersl.com.au}}</ref>
On June 10 2025 the Sydney North Planning Panel advised that it had approved the application to rezone the ground and that it "should be submitted for a Gateway determination because the Proposal has demonstrated strategic merit"<ref>{{Cite web |title=146-150 Vimiera Road, Marsfield {{!}} Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment |url=https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/rezoning-reviews/under-assessment/146-150-vimiera-road-marsfield |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>
On December 4 2025, the Gateway determination was approved<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amendment to allow 132 two-storey dwellings plus new public park. {{!}} Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment |url=https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ppr/pre-exhibition/amendment-allow-132-two-storey-dwellings-plus-new-public-park |access-date=2025-12-07 |website=www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>
On December 15 2025 North Ryde RSL Community Club announced that "This week, the Club completed the sale of TG Millner Field..... to a purchaser associated with Winston Langley and the Abadeen Group" <ref>{{Cite web |title=CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT - NRRSL SPORTS |url=https://tk.ht/1k091t |access-date=2025-12-15 |website=North Ryde RSL |language=en}}</ref>
=== Ryde Council Compulsory Acquisition === On 23 May 2023 Ryde Council resolved to compulsorily acquire the TG Millner Field<ref>{{Cite web |title=Council Meeting - 23 May 2023 |url=https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Agendas-and-Minutes/Council/2023/Council-Meeting-23-May-2023 |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=www.ryde.nsw.gov.au |language=en-AU}}</ref>
On 28 November 2023 Ryde Council resolved that "Council advise the Minister for Planning of a funding allocation by City of Ryde Council of $15 million to the purchase of TG Millner"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Council Meeting - 28 November 2023 |url=https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Agendas-and-Minutes/Council/2023/Council-Meeting-28-November-2023 |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=www.ryde.nsw.gov.au |language=en-AU}}</ref>
On 12 April 2024 the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' reported; "Local government minister Ron Hoenig told the council he had refused permission [to acquire the site] because he was not convinced the council could afford to purchase the land."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Segaert |first=Anthony |date=2024-04-12 |title=Council wanted to save this field from being turned into townhouses. It just lost |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/council-wanted-to-save-this-field-from-being-turned-into-townhouses-they-just-lost-20240412-p5fjc3.html |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>
=== Ryde Council LEP Re-Zoning === On 27 August 2024 by way of a Mayoral Minute, Ryde Council resolved "That Council develop and lodge a Planning Proposal to the NSW State Government for protection of critical public recreation space at TG Millner Field through an amendment to the Ryde Local Environmental Plan (RLEP) 2014 to classify the site as an RE1 – Public Recreation zone"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Ryde |date=27 August 2024 |title=Agenda |url=https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/v/2/council-meetings/2024/council-meeting-27-august-2024-agenda.pdf |access-date=26 August 2024 |website=Ryde Council}}</ref>
The State Planning Minister The Hon Paul Scully on November 28 2024 advised Ryde Council that
''"To be clear: these rezoning documents did not and do not contain any commitment, or requirement, from the NSW Government to either acquire or preserve TG Millner Fields as open space.''
and.
"''the Department will not support a planning proposal to rezone the site were it to be submitted by Council. This position remains unaltered.''
''It is misleading to residents and ratepayers for you to suggest that these documents indicate otherwise."<ref>{{Cite web |title=MO24-13 - Cr Trenton Brown - City of Ryde Council - TG Millner.pdf |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xx07wUgTIGuZn5W_mwhhPUPfevzRdgZ5/view |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Google Docs}}</ref>''
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Sports venues in Sydney Category:Soccer venues in Sydney Category:Rugby league stadiums in Australia Category:Rugby union stadiums in Australia Category:Marsfield, New South Wales
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