In the Sydney vs Melbourne battle, many agree we hold the trump card with our natural beauty and outdoor living.
But in 2006, the bleak city serves an ace with five world-class sports events - Australian Open, 2006 Commonwealth Games, Foster’s Australian Grand Prix, Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) and The Melbourne Cup. Sheriden Rhodes reports.
The new year kicks off with some of the most sizzling Grand Slam action around as the world’s best tennis players battle it out in the prestigious Australian Open. Watching it on TV is just not the same as the excitement of a live game: see the sweat on Lleyton Hewitt’s brow, the cool steely reserve of world number one Roger Federer, the flamboyant fashions of the incredible Williams sisters and hear the eardrum-shattering grunt of Maria Sharapova. It’s also a great way to meet people as many fans make the annual pilgrimage to Melbourne Park from here and around the world.
Next year’s Open is set to be another memorable fortnight of world-class tennis action, as the players are put to the test in the first Grand Slam of the new tennis year. The Australian Open sits alongside the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open as one of tennis’ four ‘Slams’. Originally based at the grass courts at Kooyong in Melbourne’s inner south-east, the tournament had started to fade before it was revived in the 1980s with a shift to Melbourne Park, a new hard-court venue next to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
In 2005, the event attracted more than 256 of the world’s best players, which included 92 of the world’s top 100 men and 93 of the world’s top 100 women. The players love the tournament and judging by the record 543,873 spectators, and hundreds of millions of Australian and worldwide TV viewers, so do the fans.
The atmosphere at Melbourne Park buzzes with excitement. The event is superbly organised and the tournament is unique for its Aussie blend of colour and entertainment on and off the court. Bands play in the gardens and there are lots of exhibits, shops and opportunities to rub shoulders with the stars. And forget frozen-in-the-middle meat pies, the Australian Open serves better-than-average sporting event fare: salads, noodles, curry, chocolate-dipped strawberries, even frozen daiquiris to quench your thirst on a January scorcher.
Trams and trains run to the venue (situated on the Yarra River), you can walk from Melbourne’s CBD or take a taxi – an impressive line-up of taxis waits post-match to take you back to your accommodation or one of the city’s many restaurants.
Tickets are available for day and night matches on Centre Court (Rod Laver Arena) during the tournament (although finals tickets get snapped up early) or you can buy a Ground Pass (day only) which allows you access to all courts except Centre. All Centre Court action is broadcast on a giant screen in the grounds so you won’t miss out on a five-set thriller.
For more information or to find out how to obtain tickets visit Australian Open.
Hot Tip
A fun way to get to Melbourne is by road. The main routes are the Hume Highway inland and the coastal Princes Highway. NRMA Motoring & Services’ Travel Planner gives you detailed directions, highlights interesting things to do and see along the way, plus you can locate and book accommodation. It’s the one-stop spot for all your touring needs.
Commonwealth Games March 15 – 26If you loved the party atmosphere of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, get ready for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The Opening Ceremony, in the refurbished MCG, will be one of the largest shows ever staged in Victoria.
The Games start with an anticipated clash between ‘superfish’ Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett in the pool or you can catch the unusual sight of rugby in Melbourne with the Rugby 7s held at the Telstra Dome. The Triathlon – a free event – will be held on the St Kilda Foreshore, while the second week begins with 11 gold medals up for grabs at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, as well as action on the track at the MCG including a return to form by hurdler Jana Pittman.
All major venues are within a few kilometres of each other and public transport services will transfer you between venues and your accommodation. All metropolitan public transport to events is free if you have a Games ticket.
Also, check out the Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival. It starts in the weeks preceding the Games and celebrates the similarities and differences of the 71 participating nations.
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster and the Games hotline: 1300 00 2006. Or visit Melbourne 2006 for tickets, accommodation options and more information.
NRMA Members ca enjoy special packages to the Commonwealth Games
If you love the buzz of the crowd and the roar of Formula One engines, then head for Melbourne’s Albert Park in March. The Foster’s Australian Grand Prix heralds the start of the Formula One World Championship calendar. As the opening round of the season, the F1 teams and drivers get to pit their new machines and drivers against each other after months of testing in Europe.
Drivers such as Michael and little brother Ralf Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, new stars Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, as well as our own Mark Webber, strive to grab the first title of the year. While the speed and glamour of F1 takes centre stage, the four-day event is packed with first-class national racing and off-track entertainment. Heading the bill are the popular V8 Supercars and the BMW Celebrity Challenge. Meanwhile the RAAF Roulettes and the FA-18s pull some amazing Gs overhead with precision flying displays and breathtaking aerobatics.
Fans flock to the track each year and afterwards spill into bars and restaurants across the city to continue the party – especially in the heart of Italian territory, Lygon Street, where the local community shows its support for Ferrari.
The 5.3km track around Albert Park Lake is a short tram ride from central Melbourne or walking distance from St Kilda and bayside beaches. Come race weekend there’s literally no spare hotel rooms in Melbourne, so book well in advance. Adult, concession and family general admission tickets are available, as is reserved grandstand seating. And if you want to beat the hotel squeeze, you can choose from a range of packages that include not only tickets, but accommodation and extras such as access to Pit Straight.
For more information visit Australian Grand Prix.
September sees motorcycle fans descend on Phillip Island to enjoy the action at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) on one of the fastest tracks in the world. Held 120km south-east of Melbourne, beside the waters of Bass Strait, fans stream across the bridge at San Remo, west of Gippsland, for one of the world’s great motorcycling events.
Three categories of racing – MotoGP, 250cc and 125cc – make the GP an action-packed three-day event with Australians in each class. With the long Gardner Straight and sweeping corners, the track provides excellent views from every vantage point, particularly the Bass Straight, to see four-time winner Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi and Aussies Casey Stoner, Anthony West and Troy Bayliss push themselves to the limit. You can also watch a Freestyle Motocross display, aerial display, stunt and drag shows, and a motorcycle trade expo.
Secure a seat in one of four grandstands, or buy a general admission (daily or three-day) ticket and roam the circuit outfield, enjoy trackside viewing and entry to the Support Paddock. Transport options from the city are numerous: car, motorcycle, taxi, ferry, express coach (you must pre-book), even helicopter. Or avoid the commute and stay in one of two GP campgrounds. For more details visit Australian Grand Prix.
Dust off your best hat, put on your fancy clothes and take your place trackside at the race that stops a nation. The Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse is Australia’s most famous horse race and the highlight of the 50-day Spring Racing Carnival.
There is something for everyone: carpark picnics, fashions on the field, trackside breakfasts or cocktail parties in celebrity marquees. There’s a rush on Melbourne’s many fashion outlets for the latest spring designs, while milliners and hairdressers do a roaring trade. One of the great sights is watching the glamour set head off to Flemington Racecourse by car, train, tram or foot on race day – a public holiday in Victoria.
Cup Day draws up to 100,000 punters every year to the wealthiest handicapped horse race in the world. The Melbourne Cup Carnival comprises Derby Day on the preceding Saturday, Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November, Oaks Day on the Thursday rounding off with Stakes Day on the Saturday. There’s a range of affordable general admission and reserved seating options depending on the days and package you choose. For more details visit Spring Racing Carnival.
4WD
