Deakin Reserve

[12] These gates and plaques were officially opened by Victorian Premier, John McDonald and Mrs Herbert Brookes, daughter of former Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin.

[13][14] When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Shepparton in 1954, an estimated 40,000 packed Deakin Reserve and the nearby streets for the Royal Reception.

Deakin Reserve has hosted a number of VFL / AFL practices matches over the years, with the last of these being in March 2019 between Melbourne and Richmond.

[21] Over the many years of the carnival, the following sports took part, athletics, amateur and professional cycling, wood chopping, boxing, speed coursing (greyhound racing), fire brigade events, national dancing, fireworks, novelty attractions and a large betting ring.

[31] One of the biggest ever crowds at Deakin Reserve was at the 1948 Shepparton Athletics Carnival, where an estimated 10,000 patrons paid a record £920 on New Year's Day.

[32] In 1951, Danish cyclist, Carl Jorgan Koblauch crashed heavily after winning the fifth heat of the Aces Half Mile Derby on New Year's Day at the Shepparton Sports Carnival and was pronounced dead at the Mooroopna Hospital.

[33] At the 1953 night session of the Shepparton Carnival, an estimated 15,000 spectators were present to watch crowd favourite and world champion cyclist, Sid Patterson.