Melbourne Park

Melbourne Park is the centre of action for many of Melbourne's sporting events. The park encompasses some of Victoria's most prominent stadiums and arenas and frequently welcomes sports legends from around the world.

The Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena are the venues for The Australian Open, one of four Grand Slam tennis tournaments of the year. This is also the venue for concerts, shows and other sporting events.

The hypermodern Aami Park (or Melbourne Rectangular Stadium) was opened in 2010 to accommodate rugby league, rugby union and soccer matches. The latter has seen a great rise in popularity since Australia's participation in the world cup in 2006 and 2010. The stadium also includes a sports campus with a training centre, gym and lap pool. The building was designed under environmental criteria and to be highly energy-efficient.

The former Olympic Park Stadium has recently been demolished and construction of a modern training complex and football field is underway.

Northeast of Melbourne Park and just across the train tracks lies Yarra Park, another important venue in Melbourne's sporting scene. This is the home to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), arguably Australia's most famous stadium. Its colourful history dates back to its establishment in 1853. It has since hosted an unparalleled number of matches and finals, both in cricket as well as in Aussie Rules Football. 'The G' – as it is commonly known amongst Melburnians – was also the place of the opening ceremony of the 1956 Olympic Games and its main stadium.

If you're a sports lover, don't miss the National Sports Museum, which is also part of the MCG. It features permanent and temporary exhibitions of Australia's most loved sports as well as an interactive gallery where you can test your own goal kicking skills against some Aussie legends. It's also home to the Champions gallery, which highlights Australia's racing heroes.

Opening hours: Daily 10am – 5pm
Admission: Adults: $20 - Concession: $16 - Children (5 - 15 years old): $10

360* Views of Rod laver Arena and 2012 Australian Open.