Melbourne Cricket Ground, MCG, or The 'G'

Melbourne's largest sports arena, it comfortably seats 100 000 spectators and thanks to Melbournians passion for sports, it often fills.

About the MCG

Wembley Stadium, Camp Nou, Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden are considered among the greatest sporting arenas in the world, but for history, pure drama and emotion, it's hard to look past the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The MCG was built in 1853 and, since then, has established a marvelous history that compares favorably with any other in the world.

Known colloquially as "the G", Australia's favourite stadium is the birthplace of Test Cricket and the home of Australian Football holding more than 80 events annually and attracting close to four million people. It has hosted more than 100 Test matches (including the first in 1877) and VFL/AFL Grand Finals.

The MCG was the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games hosting all track and field events, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. In 2006, the MCG again played this role, this time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Other sporting spectacles that have been held there include Australian World Cup soccer qualifiers, rugby league home and away matches and State of Origin, international rugby union and Austral Wheel Races.

The MCG is a 365-days-per-year function facility that is as versatile as any stadium in the world. Apart from its sporting events, the MCG has staged many blockbuster music concerts, including Madonna, U2, Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones and The Police, and even Pope John Paul II held a mass there when he visited Melbourne in 1986.

The MCG is home to the National Sports Museum, Australia's finest repository of sporting artifacts and history.

It holds a world record for the most people to ever attend a baseball match during the 1956 Games, the VFL/AFL Grand Final record attendance was an amazing 121,000 people for the 1970 decider between Carlton and Collingwood.

With the recent redevelopment of the northern side of the stadium complete, the MCG now boasts of a total capacity of 100,018.

Another fine feature of the MCG is its close proximity to the Melbourne Central Business District, with just a short train or tram ride required to reach the arena.

WALK

Although the walk incorporates some of the nicest areas of Melbourne, at approximately 3.5 Km, it is not a short stroll, allow approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
From the hotel, walk left into Bourke St. and walk 4 blocks to Swanston St., turn right into Swanston St, go past the Melbourne Town Hall, and past St. Pauls Cathedral and you are at Federation Square, cross the square to the Yarra River banks and turn left along the river bank, in a minute or so, you will be at Birrarung Marr Park, follow the path, but please stop to enjoy the sculptures and the gardens. As you walk on, you will come across Rod Laver Arena, (Tennis Stadium) and the MCG is just a few meters beyond it.

TRAM

From the hotel, walk right into Bourke St and walk approximately 80 meters to the Tram Stop at the corner of Spencer and Bourke St. Catch Tram No. 75, it will travel down Spencer St, turn left into Flinders lane, past Federation Square and then along Wellington Parade to East Melbourne. Hop off at the corner of Clarendon St. East Melbourne, here you will find the Hilton Hotel on the Park and opposite it, the entrance to MCG park.

TAXI

Taxis from Alto Hotel to Docklands should cost around $14 and take approximately 15 minutes, please allow at least double that time if travelling in peak time.