Top 5 Sporting Locations in Australia
Sports are a big part of the Australian culture, with many major sporting events being held at various locations around the country.
Listed here are some of the main sporting venues in the state of Victoria that host major events.
Melbourne park
Since 1988, Melbourne park has been home to the Australian Open Grand Slam Tournament. The venue used to be called Flinders Park but was changed by the Victorian Premier in 1996. The main event takes place at one of the 4 main courts, the Rod Laver Arena, which has a capacity of nearly 15,000 people and has a retractable roof which was the first of its kind for a tennis court in Australia. The 3 other main courts are the John Cain Arena (capacity 10,500), the Margaret Court Arena (capacity 7,500), and the Show Court Arena (Capacity 5,000). There are also 2 Show Courts which have a capacity of about 3,000 people each.
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The MCG is the largest sports stadium in the Southern Hemisphere and is located in Yarra Park in Melbourne, Victoria. It was built in 1853 and over the years and has had many upgrades and renovations. The venue has hosted many major events over the years including the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and the 1992 and 2015 Cricket World Cups. The ground mainly hosts Cricket and Australian Rules Football sports, with the ultimate AFL match, the AFL Grand Final being played there every year in September. The stadium has a capacity of 100,024 and has a field size of 171 meters x 146 meters.
Flemington Racecourse
Home to many world-famous thoroughbred horse racing events, Flemington Racecourse was opened in 1840 in Melbourne, Victoria. The track is pear-shaped with a total circumference of 2.312 kilometers. The Victoria Racing Club has had control over the racecourse since 1871. The biggest race held there is the Melbourne Cup which was inaugurated in 1861. Another notable racecourse is the Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, South Australia. The Morphettville races that run there include the Australasian Oaks and the South Australian Derby. That track has a circumference of 2307 meters and is roughly triangular with long easy corners and 3 straights.
Albert park
Albert Park is located just south of the Melbourne CBD in Victoria. The main event hosted there is the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, although there are other events that take place including 5 kilometer park runs and the Million Paws Walk held every May. At the center of the park is Albert Park Lake, which the Formula 1 race track circles around. The circuit is 5.303 kilometers (3.296 miles) long with 16 turns in total. The Australian Supercars Championship is also held there and is a lead-up to the main Grand Prix event.
Sydney Showground Stadium
This popular sports venue is located in the Sydney Olympic Park in New South Wales. It is host to many sports throughout the year including being the home ground of Australian Football League’s Great Western Sydney Giants. The venue is renamed the Giants Stadium during the football season. The stadium is also the home ground of cricket team Sydney Thunder. Other sports that are played there include rugby, baseball, and soccer. Australia is no stranger to a good sporting event and it’s no wonder with such an incredible collection of venues in which to host them.