Melbourne Sports Pavilion Redevelopment
Melbourne Sports Pavilion Redevelopment
Client
Melbourne University Sport
Location
Parkville VIC
Architect
Cox Architecture
Budget
$6.7 million
Traditional Custodians
Wurundjeri
Reimagining one of the University of Melbourne’s most recognisable sporting landmarks, the $6.7 million Ernie Cropley Sports Pavilion redevelopment delivers a high-performance, multi-use venue uniting sport, heritage and community life. Known affectionately as The Pavvy, the transformation creates a flexible platform for year-round student, alumni and community engagement within the Parkville campus sports precinct.
Blending restoration and contemporary design, the upgraded pavilion integrates restored heritage spaces with modern function rooms, commercial kitchens, bar infrastructure, AV systems and fully accessible facilities. The redevelopment retains the iconic 1906 social room and turret while introducing expanded terraces, elevated viewing decks, change rooms, training suites and multi-level hospitality infrastructure. Maytrix shaped the approach to hospitality, commercial zones and operational alignment—ensuring the facility supports both elite competition and social engagement across university, alumni and community uses.
Informed by extensive stakeholder consultation, Maytrix delivered the operational framework and commercial model to address complex multi-user scheduling, precinct activation and revenue generation—ensuring sustainable utilisation and long-term operational performance. This included scoping design and operational arrangements to diversify utilisation and delivering operator procurement to secure a long-term delivery model aligned with campus and community priorities.
Adaptive spaces accommodate diverse uses beyond match days. Event rooms, elevated terraces, heritage social spaces and landscaped decks enable seminars, club functions, alumni gatherings and public events alongside intervarsity fixtures. Kitchen infrastructure and configurable event layouts support seamless transitions across sporting, civic and commercial functions.
“The Ernie Cropley Pavilion is more than a building; it’s a gathering place that celebrates our sporting heritage and brings our community together.”
The pavilion supports year-round campus activity, with meeting rooms, terraces and event spaces connecting students, staff, alumni and community audiences across sport, hospitality and university programs. Commercial catering capability, integrated kitchen infrastructure and flexible event layouts provide operational flexibility across a wide range of uses.
The Ernie Cropley Pavilion defines a contemporary model for sport, education and community activation at the University of Melbourne. Our approach builds on collaborations with Melbourne University Sport and extensive experience across sport, education and civic venues — including operational planning, tenancy scoping, hospitality design and procurement strategy. The commercial framework supports sustainable utilisation, long-term financial resilience and enduring community value.
Ernie Cropley Sport Pavilion Redevelopment
Image - Cox Architecture
Ernie Cropley Sport Pavilion Redevelopment
Image - Cox Architecture
Ernie Cropley Sport Pavilion Redevelopment
Image - Cox Architecture
Ernie Cropley Sport Pavilion Redevelopment
Image - Cox Architecture
Awards
– 2014 AIA (VIC Chapter) – Heritage Architecture (Commendation)
– 2014 Master Builders Victoria – Excellence in Construction Awards ($3M–$6M)
– 2014 AIB – Professional Excellence in Building Awards - High Commendation ($1M–$10M)
