Melbourne, Victoria · Capacity: 15,000
Tennis complex in Melbourne — annual host of the Australian Open.
Melbourne Park is the home of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the tennis year, played on blue hard courts each January under the retractable roofs of Rod Laver Arena and its neighbours — the “Happy Slam,” famed for its heat and party atmosphere.
It's on the edge of the city by the Yarra, in Australia's sport-and-coffee capital.
Below are the Melbourne stays, restaurants and bars fans use around Melbourne Park.
Hotels, bars, restaurants and things to do near Melbourne Park in Melbourne — every pick web-researched and source-cited, closest to the venue first.
An elegant luxury hotel on Southbank with sweeping Yarra River views, a short stroll from the MCG, Rod Laver Arena, and AAMI Park. International cricket and tennis stars stay here during the Boxing Day Test and Australian Open.
Just a ten-minute walk from the MCG and Melbourne Park, Quest East Melbourne offers spacious apartment-style accommodation perfect for fans attending multi-day events like the Australian Open or an Ashes test. The self-contained apartments are ideal for groups, with full kitchens and laundry facilities.
Boutique luxury hotel in fashionable South Yarra with an indoor-outdoor pool, day spa, and suites with private balconies. Sports fans attending the Australian Open, AFL Grand Final at the MCG, or Spring Racing Carnival choose this as Melbourne's most stylish home base.
Melbourne's most famous pub, open since 1875 and directly across from Flinders Street Station, making it the natural meeting point before any sporting event. The upstairs Chloe's Bar named after the iconic nude painting is a Melbourne institution. Overseas fans invariably end up here as part of their Melbourne sports experience.
A sprawling multi-level bar on Flinders Lane featuring a stunning rooftop garden, perfect for pre-game drinks before walking to the MCG or Rod Laver Arena. Melbourne's AFL and cricket fans pack the beer garden on match days.
A hidden speakeasy behind an unmarked door on Malthouse Lane, serving theatrical cocktails in vintage surrounds. Grand Prix and tennis fans celebrate late into the night here, discovering one of Melbourne's worst-kept cocktail secrets.
Iconic Melbourne CBD rooftop bar with outdoor cinema screenings, city skyline views, and creative cocktails. AFL fans celebrating after matches at the MCG and Australian Open tennis supporters catch sunset drinks above Curtin House in one of Melbourne's most beloved open-air venues.
Richmond's Corner Hotel is one of Melbourne's most celebrated live music pubs, sitting a short walk from the MCG and drawing in AFL fans before and after games at the 'G. The band room has hosted everyone from Nick Cave to Arctic Monkeys early in their careers, and the front bar is perennially packed with footy fans wearing their team colours. Cold Carlton Draught, great live acts, and genuine Melbourne pub culture — all in one room.
A Carlton institution near the MCG, The Great Northern is ground zero for AFL fans on game day. With multiple levels, big screens on every wall, and a rooftop beer garden, it fills up hours before the first bounce. The pub also serves solid counter meals and has an impressive craft beer selection.
Embla on Collins Street is Melbourne's favorite wine bar for fans who like their pre-game meal to be as memorable as the sport itself. The open kitchen fires wood-roasted seasonal dishes that pair beautifully with an extraordinary natural wine list, and the easy walk to Marvel Stadium or Crown makes it ideal for event nights. Sports and music fans in the know book early on game days — it fills fast.
Melbourne's most iconic modern Asian restaurant on Flinders Lane draws massive crowds for its bold Southeast Asian flavours. Located in the heart of the CBD, it is perfectly positioned for fans heading to or from the MCG, Rod Laver Arena, or AAMI Park. The caramelised pork jowl is a must-order.
Award-winning Flinders Lane restaurant by chef Andrew McConnell, consistently ranked among Australia's best. A short tram ride from Marvel Stadium, it is a favourite post-game celebration spot for athletes, media, and discerning fans alike.
On Melbourne's famous Lygon Street in Carlton, DOC serves some of the best Neapolitan pizza outside Italy. A short tram ride from the MCG, it is a favourite pre-game ritual for AFL fans on Saturday afternoons. The burrata is flown in from Puglia and the wood-fired pizzas are exceptional.
Andrew McConnell's celebrated pan-Asian eatery on Flinders Lane, famous for its New England lobster roll and prawn dumplings. Pre-MCG cricket and AFL fans treat this as the ultimate CBD pit stop before crossing to the sporting precinct.
Beloved Richmond cafe on Swan Street, the main strip leading to the MCG, making it the perfect match-day breakfast stop. Known for creative brunch dishes and specialty coffee, it buzzes with footy fans before every AFL blockbuster.
Melbourne's retractable-roof stadium transforms on AFL night game nights with a unique atmosphere unmatched in Australian football. The closed roof concentrates crowd noise to an extraordinary level. The Southern Stand bar precinct is the busiest pre-match drinking strip in the city.
The MCG is the spiritual home of Australian sport, hosting the Boxing Day Test and AFL Grand Final in front of crowds exceeding 100,000. The National Sports Museum inside the ground is one of the world's best sports museums. Walking through the Long Room on a packed match day is a genuinely moving experience for any sports lover.
The world's most comprehensive collection of Australian sporting history, housed inside the MCG's Olympic Stand. The Cricket Hall of Fame, AFL Hall of Fame, and Melbourne 1956 Olympics exhibition are essential for any sports traveler. Interactive exhibits let fans test their batting and kicking skills.
The Olympic Park precinct on the banks of the Yarra River clusters Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena, and AAMI Park into one of the world's great sporting precincts. During the Australian Open, the garden squares fill with fan zones, food stalls, and live entertainment around the clock. Year-round A-League, Super Rugby, and NBL events keep the precinct alive.
Swan Street in Richmond becomes the city's loudest pre-match street on AFL match days, with Tigers fans and visitors filling every pub from midday. The two-kilometer stretch from Church Street to the MCG gates is lined with iconic sporting pubs. It is the unofficial home of Australian pub culture at its most vibrant.
Australia's premier sports museum spans 3,000 square meters across three levels within the MCG's Olympic Stand, celebrating cricket, AFL, the Olympics, and horse racing. Interactive zones let visitors test their bowling, goal-kicking, and sprinting abilities against virtual Australian sporting legends.
Melbourne Park in Melbourne is tracked across 4 events and seats 15,000 fans. Here's how fans build a trip around it:
Structured facts on this page (capacity, opening year, architect, ownership) are compiled from public reference databases and verified against venue coordinates.
Check back for celebrity sighting reports from Melbourne Park.
Melbourne Park has a capacity of 15,000 people.
Melbourne Park opened in 1988.
2027 Australian Open, Australian Open 2024, Australian Open 2025, Australian Open 2026 are among the events held at Melbourne Park.
