Australia is one of the world’s sporting capitals, with each year packed with everything from cricket to tennis, Formula 1, horse racing, and everything in between. Here are a few standout events that are well worth travelling for.
Australian Open
The Australian Open is one of the four major tennis tournaments and is the first major of every year. It takes place in January at Rod Laver Arena. As the first big stop for pros on the tours, it is always packed with fireworks and surprises.
The beautiful Summer days are ideal for watching a few games, either in the stands or in the shade watching a big screen. If you haven’t already, learn how to cut down smoking gradually, as your lungs will thank you for all the cheering you will be doing.
Australian Grand Prix
Albert Park is a fan-favourite track amongst many F1 fans, and the race never disappoints when it heads down under. Thanks to the pristine weather the race weekend often enjoys, you can be sure you won’t be short of any race action.
Plus, the race is the third one on the calendar, meaning there aren’t any drivers holding back. Everyone is giving it all, and there is constant excitement from lap one until the chequered flag.
Finke Desert Race
A more unusual event that occurs each year is the Finke Desert Race. This two-day, multi-vehicle, and terrain event starts on the King’s birthday, with participants racing through the desert from Alice Springs to the remote community of Aputula in the Northern Territories.
Many view it as a mini-Dakar, with vehicles ranging from buggies to off-road motorbikes. The relatively short race ensures that there aren’t any points where drivers and riders can take it easy, meaning you are in for a wild experience no matter which part of the race you watch.
State of Origin
The State of Origin is a three-game rugby tournament played between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons. Often referred to as “Australia’s greatest rivalry,” the mini-tournament never disappoints.
Of the 42 State of Origin series that have happened so far, NSW has won 16, while Queensland has won 24. There have only been two draws in the series’ history, with the winner being whoever won the trophy the previous season. It is an exceptional example of rugby excellence and rivalry that needs to be seen to be believed.
Bledisloe Cup
The Bledisloe Cup is another world-famous rugby series contested between the Australian Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks. Locations vary, but you can watch the series in Australia most years.
The series has been contested since 1930, with the frequency of the tournament and the amount of games played varying depending on the World Cup. Of the 63 competitions, New Zealand has won 51 times. However, the tournament is always hotly contested, with bragging rights in the Southern Hemisphere always on the line.
AFL Grand Final
Aussie Rules is another incredibly popular sport in the country, and the AFL Grand Final is where the two best teams duke it out to be crowned champion. The first AFL Grand Final was played in September 1898, and has taken place in September ever since.
It has been held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) all but 11 times, with the near 100,000 seater capacity being filled to the rafters every tournament. If you were to watch only one AFL game in your entire life, it should be the Grand Final.
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is a premier horse racing event held in Melbourne every year. It is one of the oldest sporting events in the country, with the first running happening in 1861.
It attracts horses and riders from around the world, is viewed as one of the social and sporting events of the year, and draws crowds of nearly 100,000 people.
Boxing Day Test
The Boxing Day Test is arguably the best and biggest sporting event of the year in Australia. Held at the MCG, it sees the Australian national cricket team take the pitch for the most popular game of the year.
The excitement gets turned up 100-fold in Ashes years, with the MCG and the Boxing Day Test being the fourth game in the series and, more often than not, the pivotal game that has often decided the victor or been the host to a tournament victory celebration.
Sydney to Hobart Boat Race
Finally, the Sydney to Hobart Boat Race is an annual event that takes place on Boxing Day. Yacht crews from across Australia and the world race 630 nautical miles from the coast of Sydney to the island of Hobart.
The size of the race has varied over the decades, with as many as 371 yachts starting the race back in 1994. It is a true spectacle to watch, and the best place to do it from is the deck of a boat or yacht somewhere along the course.
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