Some of Australia's greatest sporting events take place in Melbourne's compact Sports Precinct, ground zero for the sports fever that grips the city year-round.
The Sports Precinct's venues are all easily accessible from the city's CBD: the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne Park, Olympic Park and AAMI Park. Walk 15 minutes from the city centre and you could be cheering on competitors in tennis, cricket and rugby matches, or Australian Rules football, cycling and basketball games.
The MCG is arguably the city's spiritual heart. During summer, cricketing nations compete in test matches, T20 and One Day Internationals, with the legendary Boxing Day Test the pinnacle. Between March and September the ground is taken over by Australian Rules Football (AFL). The season closes with the spectacular AFL Grand Final. The MCG is also home to the National Sports Museum.
The annual Australian Open lights up Melbourne Park in January, with stars bashing balls on Rod Laver and Margaret Court arenas. Hisense Arena is the venue for basketball and cycling. Still in Melbourne Park, Olympic Park harks back to Melbourne's Olympic history and is now the home ground of A League soccer team, Melbourne Heart.
Rectangular AAMI Park is the most eye-catching stadium in the Sports Precinct. Melbourne Storm National Rugby League (NRL) team, Rugby Union team Melbourne Rebels, or Melbourne Victory, the city's original A League soccer team, all kick-off at the "bubble stadium".
The Sports Precinct is well serviced by pedestrian bridges. The William Barak Footbridge links Federation Square and the MCG, from where the Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena footbridges lead to Melbourne and Olympic park. Catch tram numbers 75, 48 and 70 to the MCG and the Sports Precinct, or the train to Jolimont or Richmond from Flinders Street Station.
