by Rhia Daniel

Hidden behind hedges in a corner of your Park Lands are two remnants of 19th century English gentility.

Croquet hit the peak of its popularity in England in the 1860s, not long after the invention of the cylinder lawn mower.

It was also one of the few traditionally mixed-gender sports, being a leisurely paced, non-contact game that could be played in long dresses.

In fact, croquet was one of the first sports in which women were allowed to competed at an Olympic level – way back in the 1900 Summer Olympics.

As Eileen Ferguson, the former president of the South Australian Croquet Association, tells us, this aspect remains a plus for the sport.

“Today the gender distribution of croquet players is approximately two-thirds women and one-third men.

“Croquet is a gender-neutral sport, with men and women able to compete against each other on equal terms.”

Your Park Lands have two croquet lawns, both located in Carriageway Park / Tuthangga (Park 17). One is leased from the City Council by the SA Croquet Association and the other one by the South Terrace Croquet Club.

Stumbling upon them is like a journey into the past.

There are many sporting fields throughout your Park Lands. Most of them, (like most of those used for football, cricket and soccer) are not fenced.

Although many sporting fields are licensed to sporting clubs, schools or universities, the majority are still Open, Green and Public. The public can make use of those fields when the licensees are not using them for organised games.

Croquet (and lawn bowls, and most of the tennis courts) are different. Their playing fields are fenced and secured. Only paying members (or those invited) can enter and play. So, in effect, they are privatised areas of the Park Lands – no longer open or public.

Neverthless, the sport of croquet has had a long history with your Park Lands.

As Eileen shares: “Since its inception, croquet has always had a presence in the Adelaide Park Lands.

“The lawns in Park 17 were established in 1926, although they were first situated further north on Hutt Road from their present location.

“Being situated in the Park Lands provides a central location. Croquet SA is fortunate to have a clubhouse and lawns in the beautiful Adelaide Park Lands, and the location is ideally suited to promote our sport.”

The SA Croquet Association lawn, tucked away in the southeast corner of Carriageway Park / Tuthangga, is like an idyllic piece of Victorian England.

A red clubhouse is partially obstructed by a bordering hedge, and the entrance to the lawns is marked with a beautiful wrought gateway.

The South Terrace Croquet Club is just as eye-catching, with a white, blue and gold sign sticking up through a hedge.

A deep green clubhouse blends seamlessly into its surroundings, reminiscent of an English cottage surrounded by a garden.

Birds are ever-present in Park 17, including rosellas, galahs, wattlebirds, corellas, and magpies.

However, even the birds seem to respect the suspension of time and space around the croquet lawns.

Eileen notes: “Croquet SA has been fortunate that, to date, it has not been impacted by the many birds which inhabit the Park Lands.

“If large flocks of birds, especially galahs and corellas, were to land on the croquet court, looking for food, the impact could be devastating.”

Unfortunately for the sport’s history, the popularity of lawn tennis in Europe in the 1870s dwarfed the fever for croquet in the decade prior.

In 1926, there were 47 registered clubs across South Australia. Today, there are 33 clubs registered with Croquet SA.

The clubs remain welcoming to anyone who wants to give the game a try. As Eileen enthuses: “On warm and balmy summer evenings, the atmosphere created by people enjoying a light repast, sipping a glass of wine, and enjoying a social game or two of croquet, with friends in the twilight, is amazing and reflects the nature of life in SA.”

For those considering a new hobby, this is a good time to approach either of the clubs in your Park 17 about giving croquet a whirl.

The weekend pennant season runs throughout the year, with games played on Saturdays and Sundays.

For those looking for a shorter time commitment, other pennants are played during the year.

Rhia Daniel has moved to Adelaide from Kapunda, and deeply values community and green spaces.