Sunbury will celebrate the 150th anniversary of The Ashes following a decision by city councillors Monday, 27 October.
Councillor and city mayor Jarrod Bell said: “Sunbury holds a unique and internationally recognised place in sporting history as the birthplace of The Ashes, cricket’s most celebrated rivalry.
“The anniversary represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to celebrate Sunbury’s role in the origins of The Ashes and to reconnect the local community to this proud legacy.”
Speaking to his notice of motion, Cllr Bell highlighted Sunbury’s history of community celebrations around cricket milestones. Noting that the former Shire of Bulla staged a large-scale centenary event in 1982 with re-enactment matches, exhibitions, and visits from cricketing legends, an event he described as “a fondly remembered moment in Sunbury’s history”.
Looking ahead, Cllr Bell said the anniversary in 2027 presents opportunities to “champion Sunbury’s contribution to international sporting history, foster local pride and community participation, create opportunities for tourism and economic benefit, and strengthen partnerships with key sporting and government organisations ahead of a major international event hosted in Victoria”.
Council officers will now develop a program of community-led activities, including school projects, local club events, exhibitions, and historical displays, to ensure Sunbury’s story is “recognised, celebrated, and shared with new generations both locally and around the world”.
History of The Ashes
The Ashes began in 1882 after Australia defeated England at The Oval, prompting a satirical obituary in The Sporting Times declaring that English cricket had died and “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”.
During the subsequent English tour of Australia in 1877, the team visited Rupertswood Estate in Sunbury, where Lady Janet Clarke presented captain Ivo Bligh with a small urn said to contain the symbolic ashes of English cricket.
This gesture gave birth to the enduring Ashes tradition, one of sport’s greatest rivalries, played between Australia and England over Test series that have captivated generations worldwide.
A street sign and a clock tower in Evans St are two permanent reminders that Sunbury is the home of The Ashes.
