A review of what I found interesting on the tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground – plus the practical details on how to book it yourself when visiting Melbourne.
Yarra River walk and Birrarung Marr
The walk along the Yarra River is considerably nicer than it once was. When the Birrarung Marr park was opened in 2002, it created a green route from Federation Square to the weird modern stadiums of Melbourne Park.
Now it is dotted with arresting sculptures and the odd pop-up event – as I pass through, there’s some sort of vegan food market going on.
Melbourne Park and Rod Laver Arena
The target, of course, is Australia’s high temple precinct of sportiness. Melbourne Park comes into its prime every January, with the Australian Open tennis championship taking it over.
The rest of the year, it’s oddly quiet. The small, weirdly blue outer courts may have people playing, but there’s no-one watching. And the show courts – most notably the bird’s nest-esque Rod Laver Arena – tend to switch purpose to becoming concert and event spaces for the rest of the year.
Australia’s largest stadium
But the real mammoth arena is just over the road. The Melbourne Cricket Ground is a colosseum-esque giant, capable of fitting 100,000 people inside. It also has a special place in the hearts of fans of not one, but two sports.
One of these is quite obviously cricket – the first ever Test match was held here, and now it’s a tradition for the MCG to host a Test match starting on Boxing Day every year.
Melbourne Cricket Ground tours
But, as the volunteer guide taking avid sports-lovers around says, it’s Australian Rules Football that really pays the bills. Top teams such as Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond all play there, and barring the Grand Final, you can pretty much always rock up and buy a ticket on the door.
The tours of the MCG head through all the key areas – dressing room, press box, Long Room etc – but it’s when you get out into the open and on to the edge of the pitch that the enormity of the thing hits you. It’s not a pretty stadium – size definitely trumps elegance – but it is phenomenally intimidating.
Origins of the MCG
It wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for gold. The Melbourne Cricket Club originally set up near where the Crown Casino is now.
When gold was discovered, the colonial authorities decided a rail link to the Port of Melbourne was required. The tracks went straight through the field, and the club petitioned Governor Latrobe for a new ground. They were given the police paddock, ten acres of Crown land where horses were kept. Good luck getting a horse in there now, though.
Five great things to do while you’re in Melbourne
- 🏙️ Get to know the city’s history and culture on a laneways walking tour.
- 🍷 Take a Yarra Valley day tour with indulgent wine-tasting.
- 🚴 Cover far more of Melbourne’s highlights on an electric bike tour.
- 🛶 Kayak along the Yarra River at sunset.
- 🍽️ Discover Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene on a top-rated food tour.
Olympics history and unexpected moments
Elsewhere on the tour, the highlights come not from the big set pieces, but the little snippets uncovered along the way. There are displays on the 1956 Olympics, which was known as ‘the Friendly Games’.
This was the first Olympics where the athletes from all nations mixed during the closing ceremony – now standard practice, but seen as a major innovation at the time.
Then comes the curveball that the biggest ever attendance there wasn’t for cricket, Aussie Rules, or the Olympics – it was for American preacher Billy Graham holding a rally.
The Melbourne Cricket Club
But the real sense of legendary status swirls around not the ground, but the club itself. “It’s the largest private sporting club in the world, with about 112,000 members,” says the guide.
“There’s a 240,000-strong waiting list, which lasts about 25 years at the moment. People put their kids on it when they’re born.”
You may be able to get in to watch an AFL or cricket match without pre-booking – but forget about sitting in the member’s enclosure…
Practical information for visiting the MCG
| How much is the standard MCG tour? | Adult $37; Concession $25; Child (5–15) $16. |
| How much is the combined tour and museum ticket? | Adult $48 for the MCG Tour plus entry to the Australian Sports Museum. |
| What are the MCG tour times? | Tours run from 10am to 3pm, departing roughly every 15 to 30 minutes. |
| Do tours run every day? | Tours do not operate on match days or major event days. |
| How long does the tour last? | Approximately 75 minutes. |
| What does the MCG tour include? | Access to the players’ dressing rooms, Long Room, media centre and a boundary-edge walk, plus Australian Sports Museum entry with combined tickets. |
| Is the MCG accessible? | Yes. The tour route and museum are wheelchair-accessible. |
| How do I get to the MCG? | It’s a short walk from Jolimont or Richmond stations. Several tram routes also serve the area. |
| Is parking available? | Limited parking is available; on event days, public transport is advised. |
More Melbourne travel
Other Melbourne travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Planning a visit to Melbourne’s Immigration Museum.
- A guide to visiting Luna Park Melbourne.
- Melbourne Zoo visitor guide.
- How to get the best out of a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria.
- Tips for visiting ACMI in Federation Square.
