Sports

The birthplace of Australian Rules Football, Melbourne’s passion for sport is legendary. Each year the city celebrates the Melbourne Cup, one of the world’s most famous horse races and the peak event in the Spring Racing Carnival, with a public holiday.

Other major sporting events held in and around Melbourne throughout the year include:

• Australian Open Tennis Championships

• Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix

• Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island

• Rip Curl Pro surfing championships at Bells Beach

• International cricket matches