Cumberland Grove Country Club
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Cumberland Grove Country Club formerly known as The Orange Grove Golf Club from 1962 till 1990, then known as The Grove Golf Club from 1991 until January 1998, is located on the Cumberland Highway (Orange Grove Road) in Liverpool, Australia and is the new home to the Rale Rasic International Football Academy.
Origins of Cumberland Grove
The origins of Cumberland Grove date back to the settlement of Liverpool, the 4th oldest town in Australia, founded on 7 November 1810. The Governor Of NSW, Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, CB instituted an order for grazing land to be given to Captain Eber Bunker on the outskirts of Liverpool.
Early industry included a tanning pit on Orange Grove Road across from the site of the Club. Captain Bunker (known as the "father of Australian Whaling"), also the owned the Collingwood Estates. One of the earliest shipbuilding yards was built on the river near its junction with Williams Creek, where ships of up to 40 tons were built approximately 1 km from the Club.
During the Second World War, the United States Army billeted black Soldiers across from the Club. Between 1942 and 1945: the 349th Quartermasters Quartermaster Truck Company; the 91st and 96th Engineer General Service Regiments; the 29th, 48th and the 92nd Quartermaster Truck Companies; and the 810th and 811th Engineer Aviation Battalions were billeted on the Cumberland Grove site. There were also a group of black doctors and nurses under the command of Major Arthur Simmons, USAMC by late 1943.
Orange Grove Golf Club
Orange Grove Golf Club began in 1962 through the dissatisfaction of a few golfers over conditions at their club. They sought fresh fields and called a meeting, at which they unanimously voted to buy land and establish their own club. By the mid seventies the club had through mismanagement and theft reached the brink of closing. In 1976 George Jarrett was appointed Secretary Manager. By negotiating with creditors and suppliers Jarrett was able to trade the club out of difficulties and ensure that the golfing public of Liverpool had access to this wonderful facility. During this time once a week was ladies day and the most famous player on these occasions was Margaret Whitlam - wife of the then recently deposed Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
Cumberland Grove Sporting Educational & Research Institute
On 16 August 2006, former Prime Minister and former Federal Member for Werriwa, The Honourable Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC launched the Cumberland Grove Sporting Educational & Research Institute at the Cumberland Grove Country Club which is to be turned into a $40,000,000 soccer football training complex for the children of Australia. Cumberland Grove became a reality through the efforts of Sydney businessman Edmond M Parilo and the international soccer legend and coach of the 1974 Socceroo's, Rale Rasic OAM Cumberland Grove is now the home of:
- Cumberland Grove Country Club
- Cumberland Grove Sporting Educational & Research Institute
- Cumberland Grove Function Centre
- Rale Rasic International Football Academy
- The Rale Rasic Goalkeeping Academy
- Liverpool United FC
- Southern Districts Soccer Football Association Headquarters
- The Inaugural Australian Football Museum
- Cafe Club 74
The Master of Ceremonies at the launch was Network 10 Reporter/Presenter Frank Coletta and saw 30 children from Southern Districts in their different uniforms playing soccer on the new fields. The launch was highly publicized throughout Australia by Network 10, Nine Network, SBS, the ABC, The Daily Telegraph and the Sydney Morning Herald.