One of the most famous stadium’s in the world, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), referred to as “The G”, is the 10th largest stadium in the world and the largest in Australia.
Originally built in 1853, the stadium has undergone a number of renovations to bring it to its current capacity to just over 100,000 – making it the largest cricket ground in the world. The MCG is the home of the cricket teams of Victoria (playing in the Sheffield Shield and One Day Cup) as well as the Melbourne Stars of the Big Bash League. Australia play a number of international cricket matches at The G, with the first ever Test Match (1877) and One Day International (1971) played here, both against England. It has become a regular event for the stadium to host the ‘Boxing Day Test’ annually, with the Finals of both the 1992 and 2015 Cricket World Cup also played here.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is also the primary venue of Australian rules football, with the AFL Grand Final played here annually in September – the world’s highest attended league championship event. The MCG is also the home venue of 4 of Melbourne’s 9 football teams.
The MCG was the main venue of the 1956 Summer Olympic Games, as well as the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Other major events to of been hosted at The G include including international rules football matches between Australia and Ireland, international rugby union matches, State of Origin (rugby league) games, and FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Tenants: Victoria (Sheffield Shield/One Day Cup), Melbourne Stars (Big Bash League), Melbourne Football Club (AFL), Richmond Football Club (AFL), Collingwood Football Club (AFL), Hawthorn Football Club (AFL)
Opened: 1853
Capacity: 100,024
Address: Brunton Avenue, Richmond VIC 3002
Tickets at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground Tour and Australian Sports Museum
75 minute guided tours of the the MCG take place every 15 minutes between 10am and 3pm, offering a unique chance to go behind the scenes of the one of the world’s most famous sports venues. The MCG is also home to the Australian Sports Museum, with a combined ticket available to visit both. Prices for the tour are:
Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) – $75 ($95 Combined Ticket)
Adult – $30 ($40 Combined Ticket)
Concession – $24 ($30 Combined Ticket)
Child (5-15) – $15 ($20 Combined Ticket)
Child (Under 5) – Free
Further information and booking is available through the official MCG website here.
Victoria Tickets (Sheffield Shield)
The Sheffield Shield takes place between October and March, with entry to Sheffield Shield matches at the MCG costing $6 for Adults and $2 for children aged under 15 and concessions. Tickets are available from Gate 2 on matchdays.
Melbourne Stars Tickets (Big Bash League)
Ticket prices to see the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League 2022-2023 season started at $23 for Adults, $5 for Kids and $46 for a Family (2 Kids and 2 Adults). Further information and booking is available through the official Melbourne Stars website here.
Melbourne Football Club Tickets (AFL)
Tickets to see Melbourne in the AFL are available through their official website here.
Richmond Football Club Tickets (AFL)
Tickets to see Richmond in the AFL are available through their official website here.
Collingwood Football Club Tickets (AFL)
Tickets to see Collingwood in the AFL are available through their official website here.
Hawthorn Football Club Tickets (AFL)
Tickets to see Hawthorn in the AFL are available through their official website here.
Australia International Cricket Tickets
Tickets for Australia International cricket matches played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will be available through the official Cricket Australia website here.
Location & Travel to Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is located in Yarra Park in Melbourne, close to the city’s centre.
Air – Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine Airport) is the second busiest airport in Australia, with international and domestic connections to many of the world and Australia’s destinations.
The airport sits approximately 25km north of Melbourne CBD, with Skybus being the most convenient option of getting to the CBD. The shuttle buses run 24 hours a day one way tickets starting from $18.
Thinking of flying? Search & book your flights through Skyscanner here.
Bus – The number 246 bus stops along Punt Road, just a few minutes walk from the MCG. This route runs from La Trobe University in the north of Melbourne to Elsternwick Station in the south.
Parking – There are car parks available at Gate 3 (via Wellington Parade South), Gate 5 (via Punt Road), Gate 6 (via Punt Road) and Gate 7 (via Brunton Avenue). All car parks cost $10, however demand is often high. To check which car parks are open, check the official MCG website here.
Train – The MCG is served by both the Richmond and Jolimont railway stations. Richmond station is about a 5 minute walk away and can be reached from the city by any train on the Lilydale, Belgrave, Alamein, Glen Waverley, Dandenong, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston or Sandringham lines.
Jolimont station is less than a 5 minute walk away, from any station in the CBD you can take the Hurstbridge or Epping lines.
Tram – The number 75 and 48 trams go to Jolimont station, less than a 5 minute walk away. The 75 (City-Vermont South) travels along Flinders St and connects with the east of the city via Wellington Parade. The 48 (Docklands/City-North Balwyn) travels along Collins Street and connects with the east of the city via Wellington Parade.
Tram number 70 goes to the MCG stop, a 2 minute walk from the stadium across a footbridge. The 70 (Docklands/City-Wattle Park) travels along Flinders Street then detours via Melbourne Park.
Walk –The MCG is within walking distance of the City Centre, with the central Flinders Street Station just 15 minutes away via William Barak Bridge. The bridge rises from Birrarung Marr (near Federation Square) over Batman Avenue, the Jolimont Railway corridor and Brunton Avenue before descending into Yarra Park.
Hotels near Melbourne Cricket Ground
Use TripAdvisor to find some great places to stay in Melbourne by clicking here.
Further Information & Events
Melbourne Cricket Ground Official Website
Australian Sports Museum Official Website
Victoria Cricket Official Website
Melbourne Stars Official Website
Melbourne Football Club Official Website
Richmond Football Club Official Website
Collingwood Football Club Official Website
Hawthorn Football Club Official Website
Sports Tourist Melbourne City Guide
Last Updated on January 1, 2023 by Sports Tourist