When it isn’t being frequented by lost marine life probably relocated by Southern salmon producers, this expanse of Launceston is the domain of somewhat more positionally-aware land-based young mammals.

Squeezed between Mowbray, the North Esk River and the industrial innards of Invermay is the ancestral home of Launceston soccer. 

Since 1986 it has been the headquarters of the Northern Tasmanian Junior Soccer Association but before that it staged the city’s school soccer roster indicating plenty of heritage adjacent to Heritage Forest.

Later this month it will host its 27^th consecutive Launceston Tournament.

The 83 teams entered is 18 more than any previous edition, meaning more than 1000 players plus parents, coaches and supporters will be flocking to the city for the weekend of September 22-24.

Not bad for a former landfill site.

The tournament has attracted teams from NSW and Victoria, several of which return every year, plus most of National Premier League Tasmania, Northern and Southern Championship clubs.

So big has it become that Launceston United’s Birch Avenue will stage some matches with the city’s other resident clubs also likely to be called upon for hosting assistance.

Last month, the State Government and Launceston City Council jointly pledged $1 million towards the next phase of redevelopment at Churchill Park.

To be carried out in summer off-season, the work will see the car park relocated and upgraded so its 500 places are entirely outside the fenced off soccer grounds, with the intention to improve both parking and safety and free up room for more pitches.

A planned second stage would involve converting the former hockey pitches (currently used for car parking) to two more full-size grounds, taking the total number (of varying sizes) to 16.

That figure is double anything anywhere else in Tasmania with Wentworth Park in Clarence and Devonport’s Meercroft Park the next biggest but dwarfed in comparison.

That phase would be the ideal time to consider constructing an artificial pitch, something Launceston clearly needs and has proven priceless at Devonport Strikers’ Valley Road home.

The Churchill Park reconfiguration would also allow for junior cricket to be played in the summer, and reduce the encroachment on the softballers that also share the venue.

The president of the NTJSA for the last 13 years has been Dale Rigby, a jovial fellow whose life seems to be dedicated to delighting young children given his day job is a confectionery distributor.

Rigby spends almost as much time at Churchill Park as the resident population of plovers, overseeing a well-oiled operation that caters for about 1850 registered players from eight clubs spanning five municipalities.

Throw in travelling teams from the North-West and close to 2000 players grace the venue every weekend explaining why Football Federation Tasmania introduced a full-time position in the North which has seen players and coaches alike benefit from the guidance of technical manager Anthony Alexander.

Continued investment in the venue is pivotal not just to helping produce the next generation of senior soccer players but, more importantly, to enabling kids to have fun and stay healthy in a safe environment.

“It’s extremely important and will make it more of a regional centre,” Rigby said.

“It’s a great facility but is put under a fair bit of pressure and any money spent there is a bonus for the whole region.”

For every player that makes the transition from NTJSA under-16s to FFT under-18s there will be many more that don’t.

But at least, through a venue like Churchill Park and dedication of people like Dale Rigby, they have been afforded that opportunity.

Just look out for seals.