World City Guide

Sport

Australians are sports mad, both as spectators and participants. Melbourne’s temperate climate means that it is possible to enjoy outdoor sports for most of the year and the city hosts a number of major sporting events covering all seasons. In January, World Series cricket takes place at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Yarra Park, Jolimont (tel: (03) 9657 8879; website: www.mcg.org.au). Victoria’s cricket team in domestic matches is the Bushrangers (website: www.bushrangers.com.au), whose last notable success was defeating New South Wales to take the Mercantile Mutual Cup in 1998/99.

Also in January, the Australian Tennis Open is held at Melbourne Park Tennis Club, now called Australia Open Tennis, corner of Batman Avenue and Swan Street (tel: (03) 9286 1175). The Australian Formula One Grand Prix is now held in Melbourne each March, at Albert Park, Albert Road, South Melbourne. The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (tel: (03) 9258 7100) provides further information.

The Australian Football League (tel: (1800) 266 000; website: www.afl.com.au) season runs until September, when the ‘Aussie Rules’ Grand Final is held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (tel: (03) 9657 8879; website: www.mcg.org.au). Melbourne is the spiritual home of Australian Rules Football, with nine of the national league’s 16 teams based here, among them Essendon (website: www.essendonfc.com.au), which made it to the Grand Final in 2001 but were beaten by Brisbane.

Rugby is also popular, with local team Melbourne Storm (website: www.melbournestorm.com.au) winning the Rugby League (NRL) Grand Final in 1999.

The final event of the year is the most important in the sporting calendar and is a public holiday in Victoria – the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Race Course, 400 Epsom Road, Flemington (tel: (03) 9258 4666). The highlight of the Spring Racing Festival, this event takes place in October and November each year.

Tickets for most major sporting events in Melbourne can be purchased from Ticketmaster7 (tel: 136 166, Australia only; website: www.ticketmaster7.com) or Ticketek (tel: 132 849, Australia only; website: www.ticketek.com).

Fitness centres: These include St Kilda Sports & Fitness Centre, 97 Alma Road, St Kilda (tel: (03) 9510 9409), Collingwood Leisure Centre, Turnball Street, Clifton Hill (tel: (03) 9205 5522), and Waves Leisure Centre, 111 Chesterville Road, Highett (tel: (03) 9553 1038).

Golf: Golf courses that are open to the public include Albert Park Golf Course, Queens Road (tel: (03) 9510 5588), Brighton Golf Course, Dendy Street, Brighton (tel: (03) 9592 1388), and Yarra Bend Golf Course, Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield (tel: (03) 9481 3729). Fees for an 18-hole game start at A$21.

Swimming pools: Melbourne City Baths, 420 Swanston Street (tel: (03) 9663 5888), is open daily. Facilities include a sauna and spa. Melbourne Sports & Aquatics Centre, Aughtie Drive (tel: (03) 9926 1555), has a pool and wave pool together with a gym.

Tennis: Tennis is a great favourite with residents of Melbourne and there are many tennis courts located throughout the city, although many are open to members only. It is possible to book a court at the famous Melbourne Park Tennis Club (tel: (03) 9286 1244), home to the Australian Open.