Which Australian Stadiums should tourists visit?
Australia is up there as one of the most sports-mad nations in the world, and it has iconic stadiums to match, but which stadiums should a tourist visit?
The sheer size of Australia makes it difficult to travel around the entire country in a relatively short time frame. So, where to tourists generally travel? Stats show they generally flock to Sydney or Melbourne, with the two major cities welcoming 15.2 million and 13.7 million visitors respectively in 2018.
Austadiums now lists 500 stadiums, with the majority of those located within Australia, proving there’s no shortage of venues to visit – big and small, new and historic. While there’s no shortage of events held at the venues either, including an array of world-class sporting events.
The Austadiums website is the only website of its kind, detailing information on every Australian stadium and is the most comprehensive sports events database, which can help those visiting the country decide which sports venues to visit, similar to sites which recommend the best offers and odds. Sports fans can use these sites to bet on outcomes such as the winner of the upcoming T20 World Cup which is to be held in Australia and the hosts go in as favourites.
Sydney is Australia’s largest city and attracts most tourists from overseas. The centrepiece of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, ANZ Stadium, is its largest sports venue with a capacity of 83,500. While it has seen a number of changes since 2000, it has continued to host major events including the Rugby Internationals, NRL State of Origin and the Grand Final, but will temporarily close mid-way through this year for a major redevelopment, to convert it into a world-class rectangular stadium.
The city’s other major rectangular stadium, Allianz Stadium, no longer stands. It was recently demolished and is to be rebuilt, however as yet, construction is yet to commence. Next door is the Sydney Cricket Ground, currently the most utilised stadium in the city for elite sporting events. The 48,000-capacity ground is one of the nicest cricket grounds in the world, boasting new facilities, while retaining some of its history with the old members and ladies stands. Elsewhere, the new Bankwest Stadium at Parramatta continues to impress, with all 30,000 seats on top of the action.
Melbourne is generally regarded as Australia’s sports capital and its iconic MCG is the country’s largest stadium, able to accommodate over 100,000 fans. Each year it hosts the AFL Grand Final and the Boxing Day Test, and will host the T20 Cricket World Cup Final’s for both the men and women this year. It would be fair to assume the Melbourne Cricket Ground is also Australia’s most recognisable stadium around the world.
Melbourne hosts an incredible selection of world-class events each year as well as one-off events. The Australian Open is currently on at Melbourne Park, with the first tennis grand slam of the year showcasing Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Arena and Margaret Court Arena to viewers world-wide. An amazing facility that along with the MCG, is located right on the edge of the Melbourne CBD. The Australian F1 Grand Prix is held at the Albert Park Street Circuit in March, the AFL Grand Final at the MCG in September and the Boxing Day Test at the same venue in December, while the Melbourne Cup is held at Flemington Racecourse in November. The President’s Cup was recently held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, for the third time, and the list of major events goes on.
Marvel Stadium is also located on the edge of the city, on the Docklands side, and the 56,000-seat multi-purpose stadium features a retractable roof and hosts AFL, cricket, football, concerts and more. AAMI Park, with its iconic roof, can be considered an architectural masterpiece, and is one of Australia’s leading rectangular venues, hosting Rugby League, Union and Football. The eye-catching venue was named the world’s most iconic stadium at the Stadium World Congress Awards in 2012. On the other side of the country, Perth’s Optus Stadium is also considered in this category, after it was the recipient of the Project of the Year Award at the Stadium Business Awards in 2018.
View a list of Australia's major sports stadiums >
When it comes to guided stadium tours on non-event days, most major stadiums have them, including the SCG, ANZ Stadium, the MCG and Marvel Stadium. Austadiums also now includes some virtual tours including the MCG and Marvel, while you can view 360 photos via stadium satellite maps.
The stadiums listed above must be towards the top of any tourists' must-see list, but no matter where they visit in Australia, they won’t be disappointed, with such great venues and sports events. Fans should do their research on Austadiums to determine what’s on and where. You can also get directions, book accommodation and get tickets - all in one place.
