North Sydney Oval
Sydney (North Sydney), New South Wales, Australia
North Sydney Oval, Sydney (North Sydney), Australia — opened 1910, 1,836 rugby league games hosted, home of North Sydney Bears (1910-1999).
Sourcing caveat: No NSWRFL Grand Final at this ground was identified in sources found, and the exact origin/era of the 'Bear Park' nickname was not identified either.
Ground facts
| Opened | 1910 |
| Home club | North Sydney Bears (1910-1999) |
| Closed | 1999 (as North Sydney's top-flight NRL home; last first-grade match, Round 25 1999, North Sydney 24-20 Melbourne Storm, 22 August 1999) |
| Site today | Still an active Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust venue — hosts Sheffield Shield/WBBL cricket (Sydney Sixers), the North Sydney Bears' NSW Cup/Jersey Flegg fixtures, Shute Shield rugby union (Northern Suburbs), and has also hosted AFLW and soccer |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 1,836 |
| Top recorded crowd | 23,089 (23,089 (North Sydney v Manly-Warringah, ARL, 13 May 1994)) |
| Capacity | Approximately 10,000 today (8,000 seated); the historic concrete terrace, built 1935, held far fewer |
| Surface | Grass, with a grass hill/embankment on the outer wing |
| Years used | 1910–2026 |
| Location | Sydney (North Sydney), New South Wales |
Name history
- North Sydney Oval — 1910–present
Rugby league history
Known affectionately to fans as 'Bear Park', North Sydney Oval was ruled unfit for first-grade NRL football in 1998, forcing the club to play most of its final top-flight season, 1999, elsewhere before the ill-fated Northern Eagles merger with Manly-Warringah in 2000, which collapsed in 2002 and permanently shut North Sydney out of the NRL. The ground remains a busy multi-sport venue today, hosting North Sydney's NSW Cup side alongside first-class cricket and rugby union.
Notable games played here
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1998 | 1998 NRL Finals — Minor Semi-Final | North Sydney Bears 2-23 Canterbury-Bankstown |
Only matches we have full, sourced records for are listed here — other historic games mentioned above may not have a dedicated match page built yet (World Cup coverage in particular is still expanding tournament by tournament).
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
← Rugby League · Champions list · All-time records · Grand Final results · World Cup · All competitions · Teams · Players