The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct is a series of sports stadiums and venues, located in Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia. The precinct is situated around 3 km east of the Melbourne city centre, located in suburbs of Melbourne and Jolimont, near East Melbourne and Richmond.
It is considered to be Australia's "premier sports precinct", and regularly hosts some of the biggest domestic and international sporting events, including the AFL Grand Final (Australian rules football), Australian Open (tennis) and Boxing Day Test (cricket). The venues have also previously hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics (for which the Precinct served as the Olympic Park) and 2006 Commonwealth Games. For the 1956 Games, the venues hosted the track cycling, field hockey, soccer, and the aquatic events.
Sports venues and stadiums
The precinct comprises three areas: Olympic Park, Melbourne Park and Yarra Park. Olympic and Melbourne Parks are jointly managed, and Yarra Park is managed separately. The precinct is bordered to the north by Wellington Parade, to the east by Punt Road, to the south by the Yarra River, and to the west by Batman Avenue.
This zone was known as 'Olympic Park' long before the Olympics were awarded to Melbourne, and was named for Olympic Park Stadium which was contained within this zone.
AAMI Park (capacity 30,000; outdoor), the premier purpose-built venue for rectangular field sports (rugby league, rugby union and association football), and used for large outdoor stadium concerts.
Holden Centre (Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre) (indoor), a training facility used by the Collingwood Football Club, but formerly a 7,000 capacity stadium used originally for swimming, then later for basketball.
Olympic Park Oval, a public playing field & running track, now primarily used for training purposes by the Collingwood Football Club.
Gosch's Paddock, a public playing field, previously used for training by the Collingwood Football Club, and now used by the Melbourne Football Club, Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club & Melbourne Victory FC for training purposes.
Eastern Sportsground (aka No. 2 Oval)- Stadium that hosted the preliminary rounds of the field hockey competition of the 1956 Summer Olympics. Afterwards was used for greyhound racing then demolished for the first Collingwood training ground in the precinct and at the end the site was used for the new rectangular stadium.
Motordrome -a former speedway and Australian rules football ground. Demolished 1951 and replaced by Olympic Park Stadium.
Olympic Park Stadium (capacity 18,500; outdoor), formerly the premier venue for track and field and rectangular field sports. The stadium was superseded for rectangular field sports by AAMI Park in 2011, and was demolished in 2011/12.
Velodrome -A 4,400 seat, 333 metre long velodrome that was used for the track cycling events of the 1956 Olympics.This venue was located at on the northern/ Swan Street side of the Olympic Park
Rod Laver Arena (capacity 15,000; retractable roof), the premier venue for large indoor stadium concerts, and centre court for tennis in Melbourne Park. Also used in the past for basketball.
Hisense Arena (capacity 10,500; retractable roof), the premier venue for basketball and netball, the second largest court for tennis in Melbourne Park, and a venue for indoor stadium concerts. Can be converted to a velodrome for major track cycling events.
Margaret Court Arena (capacity 6,000; retractable roof), the third-largest tennis court in Melbourne Park.
Melbourne Park Tennis Complex including two outdoor show courts, five indoor courts, 4 indoor courts next to Rod Laver Arena and twenty eight outdoor Plexicushon courts, 8 clay courts (which are not used professionally),all which are used for professional matches and available for public hire.
Melbourne Park Function Centre
Melbourne Cricket Ground (capacity 100,000; outdoor), the premier venue for cricket and Australian rules football, and occasionally for other high-drawing field sports events.
Punt Road Oval (capacity 15,000; outdoor), training facility for the Richmond Football Club, but formerly used for Australian rules football and premier grade cricket.
National Sports Museum, located at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
East Melbourne Cricket Ground, located in the north-western corner of Yarra Park, and used for Australian rules football and premier grade cricket. Demolished 1922 to make way for the Jolimont railyards.
The precinct is located adjacent to both the Richmond and Jolimont railway stations; every train servicing the eastern side of Melbourne passes through one of these two stations. The precinct is also serviced by three tram routes from the city centre. Three footbridges are provided to cross the railway lines which divide the northern and southern halves of the precinct. The area in Yarra Park surrounding the Melbourne Cricket Ground is made available for ticketed car parking during major events in the precinct; free parking in the surrounding streets is available but limited.
