TA_sports

G’day, sport! Why Australia is the place to visit as a sports tourist

She may be biased but Australian sports journalist Melinda Farrell reckons her country rules when it comes to all things sport. Whether you want to watch it, play it or simply talk about it, Melinda says her home nation has all you need for a memorable sporting stay. And she knows all the spots to visit to tick off your Aussie sports bucket list too…

Melinda Farrell

Swimming

Cycling

Surfing

Footy

Cricket

Rugby Sevens

The quintessential moment

On September 15, 2000, the world’s gaze turned to Sydney’s Olympic Stadium for a race that was a defining moment for Australia as a sporting nation. Fifteen days earlier Cathy Freeman, the undisputed poster child of the first Olympics of the new millennium, had lit the flame that now burned above 110,000 lucky spectators inside the stadium. The weight of expectation on Freeman was unlike any ever seen in Australia and was etched on her face as she walked to her starting position. Of all the events in the competition the women’s 400 metres was the only one that mattered. When the starter’s gun fired, the roar of the crowd echoed across homes and pubs across the nation. Freeman later said she could feel it vibrating through her body. When she crossed the line to complete a stunning gold medal run Freeman sank to the ground in sheer relief, leaving the joyful celebrations to those watching. Australian sports broadcaster Gerard Whateley believes the Freeman race is arguably the quintessential moment in the history of Australian sport. “It tied together a whole lot of things,” he says. “A home Olympics, the rise of recognition around Indigenous Australians and how white Australia had been lax historically on that front, so it came in a period of awakening. “Ours is a country that prides itself on these moments that stop a nation and that was as big a moment in the television era as there's ever been. “Everybody was gathered around radios and televisions to observe that and there's never really been a universal yearning like it for an individual to win. “Which is why in the aftermath, as well as the swell of satisfaction, there was this incredible palpable sense of relief because so much had been invested in that moment and that she was able to carry that and deliver it and sate a whole nation. Her name and her presence will forever hold a special place for us.”

Visit... Queensland, Cathy Freeman territory

Cathy Freeman is from Mackay, Queensland, a stunning part of Australia to visit – home to Australia’s longest stretch of subtropical rainforest and a host of breathtaking national parks, beautiful beaches and tropical islands. Airlie Beach, just 150 km to the north, is the mainland gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands, which provide a stunning backdrop for swimming, snorkelling and a host of water activities.

Visit... Olympic Park, Sydney

Where the incredible 2000 Games took place – the legacy of the Games meant the Park became a hub of sports and entertainment which, almost 25 years later, is thriving today.

Taking part

Australia has two natural advantages that make it, in the opinion of many, the best place in the world to participate in sport; climate and space. Yes, it can be oppressively hot in the summer in some regions, but relatively mild winters allow for year-round outdoor sport. Even the smallest rural towns often boast tennis, netball and basketball courts, skateparks, ovals for the various football codes and the ubiquitous lawn bowling club and swimming pool. City parks provide venues for boot camps along with beaches, shared with the swimmers and surfers who take to the water. With such an abundance of choice it’s no surprise that widespread grassroots participation, starting with schools and junior clubs, provides the bedrock of Australia’s sporting success on the world stage.

Apollo Bay in Victoria is a great place for kayaks

According to the most recent AusPlay report from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC),

17.4 million

adults aged 15 and up participate in sport or physical activity at least once a week

Almost half the nation’s children (or 2.3 million) take part in organised sport (or physical activity) outside of school. In a country with a total population of 26 million, these are impressive numbers

“There's been a really big uptick in the type of sports that Australians exposed themselves to through Covid,” said ASC Chair Josephine Sukkar. “Ones where they could participate safely. The AusPlay survey highlighted running, cycling and swimming, sports that you could do individually, and we saw a big spike for women, like yoga – fitness was huge – recreational walking, tennis and golf. So, how we participated changed. “One of the major reasons that Australians are participating in sport is for mental health. There’s the positive influence that it has mentally, physically, socially and then you have the halo effect that somebody's going to find out, ‘oh, I'm better than I thought I was’.”

Hikers exploring Mount Buffalo Road in Victoria

Learning to swim is a rite of passage for most Australians, both for personal safety and recreation, and the Olympic pool is where the country has most often tasted gold-medal success. While several Australian cities boast enviable swimming facilities, it’s hard to top Sydney for a dip. The famous Bondi to Coogee path – an enormously popular running or walking route – comprises five swimming beaches and the snorkeler's haven of Gordon’s Bay. But the northern beaches, from Avalon to Manly, are equally enticing and a myriad of hidden gems such as Little Bay and Shark Beach (don’t be alarmed by the name) dot the harbour. If waves aren’t your thing, many beaches have ocean pools. Bronte Baths, Wylie’s Baths and MacCallum Pool are just a few places where you can have a salty experience without the surf while one of the most magnificent places for a few laps is undoubtedly North Sydney Olympic Pool, situated next to Luna Park in the shadows of the Harbour Bridge.

Swimming

and McCallum seawater pool in Cremorne

...Wylie's Baths in Coogee

There is great swimming in Sydney and its immediate surroundings including: Bronte Baths...

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Cycling

Along with swimming, running and athletics, cycling rounds up the top most popular sports among adults. Here are the best spots to go biking when you visit Australia:

Adelaide has hosted the Tour Down Under each January since its inception in 1999 and, according to former national road-racing champion and Olympian John Trevorrow, Australia’s premier bike race is a uniquely accessible event for tourists and race fans. “The riders love it because they're staying in the one venue for the whole week,” says Trevorrow. “And it works so well for the spectators because all of the races are within riding distance. It's very hard to do that in any other city. “You see huge groups riding out to the starts and riding back from the finishes each day. It's a combination of wonderful countryside and good weather and also the accessibility. Even in the week before, because teams come over a bit earlier, you see people out riding with their heroes.” Race watching, let alone riding, can be thirsty work and Adelaide’s status as one of Australia’s premium wine producing regions gives visitors plenty of tasting options at vineyards that provide the backdrop for the peloton as the riders zoom past. The first stage of the 2023 men’s race circled the Barossa Valley’s magnificent Chateau Tanunda, but the route has also passed through McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills and other famous wine trails.

Adelaide

Great Ocean Road, South Australia and Victoria

Victoria’s High Country

East coast of Tasmania

Gippsland, Victoria

The 650km (404-mile) stretch of road starts at the surfing haven of Torquay and takes riders past the famous 12 Apostles rock formations, stunning coastal scenery and laid-back beach towns.

The state has several rail trails, making it a popular destination for cyclists. The Murray to the Mountains traverses North East Victoria with more than 100km (62 miles) of sealed off-road trails while the Great Victorian Rail Trail is Australia’s longest at 134km (83 miles).

The island state is home to some of Australia’s most pristine wildernesses and is widely considered the country’s best mountain-biking destination. The Blue Derby Network opened in 2015, with 125km (78 miles) of purpose-built trails descending through the mountain range.

A huge range of options is available in Gippsland, from road cycling to mountain biking and rail trails. East Gippsland Rail Trail runs 96km (60 miles) from Bairnsdale to Orbost.

You can’t really say you’ve been to Australia unless you’ve hit the surf, and here are five of the best places to give that a go:

Surfing

Bondi and Manly

The big daddies of Sydney’s beaches. They may be popular but the sweeping curves of Bondi and Manly beaches offer the iconic city beach experience north and south of Sydney Harbour.

Bells Beach

For experienced surfers only. Internationally renowned and regarded as Australia’s best surfing location, the legendary Bell’s Beach hosts the world’s best surfers at the Rip Curl Pro held annually in March or April. The nearby town of Torquay is one of the most popular stops on the Great Ocean Road and just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne.

Byron Bay

Movie stars and influencers have joined the hippies in northern NSW’s most glamorous seaside town, so it must be good.

Rottnest Island

A ferry from Perth takes you to the home of the ridiculously cute quokka and more than 60 beaches. Stark, Strickland and Salmon Bays are the best known for surfers. And the added bonus? On this side of Australia you can watch the sun set over the water.

Noosa Heads

The Gold Coast is more famous than its neighbour to the north and serious surfers may prefer to head to Snapper Rocks but the town of Noosa has a sophisticated, laid-back vibe and a vibrant cafe scene in its favour. A place to be seen.

Footy

While rugby union has pockets of popularity and football (often called soccer in Australia) has grown significantly in recent years, the country’s two premier competitions are the National Rugby League (NRL) and the Australian Football League (AFL). NRL is most popular in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, while AFL is the sporting religion of choice in other states. "Aussie Rules is our indigenous game,” says Whateley. “It's gloriously unique and it has its quirks which don't marry up with the rules or the trends of other sports. And I do think there's that sense, more than any other sport, that this is of us and this represents us. “The entree into any conversation in Melbourne in the winter months is any knowledge or willingness to know about the footy and that's true in a cab, it’s true in a pub, it’s true on a worksite, in the boardrooms of the biggest companies in town. It is the universal language that binds us through the months that it's played.”

Played on an oval-shaped field (which is why major venues such as the MCG and SCG host both AFL and cricket, depending on the season), two teams of 18 players aim to kick an oval ball through four goalposts at each end. If the ball passes between the two middle posts the team scores a goal, worth six points. If it passes between one of the middle posts and the adjacent outer post the team scores a behind, worth one point. Players pass the ball to teammates through kicks or by punching the ball out of their hand but throwing is not allowed. One of the sport’s most spectacular sights is a player taking a ‘mark’, an aerial catch, after which a player cannot be tackled but is given space to make the next play.

AFL explained (in simple terms)

Heath Shaw won an AFL Premiership with Collingwood during his seven years with the club before continuing his career with Greater Western Sydney, eventually retiring in 2020. As part of a famous footballing family, Shaw was indoctrinated at an early age, an example of AFL’s intergenerational fandom. “Australians love it because they grow up with it and it is unique to Australia,” says Shaw. “When I moved to Sydney and gave NRL people tickets to the game, they love the fact that it's 360 degrees, they love the fact that it's always moving, there's always something happening. “They love the atmosphere around it, they love the supporters. It's actually easy to watch. It’s structured chaos in a way but once you watch one or two, and even better if you have someone sitting next to you who knows about it and is explaining it to you, it's really easy to pick up.”

Visit... Victoria, home of AFL

Many AFL clubs conduct tours and house museums while specialist sports tour operators include many of the city’s iconic venues. If you can tear yourself away from the footy and travel further afield, Victoria’s high country offers skiing in winter and bike riding and walking during the summer. The Grampians National Park and the Great Ocean Road are two of VIctoria’s biggest natural draws.

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While football is largely divided along state lines, cricket is a sport that unites the country. The Baggy Green retains a sporting reverence, invoking the history that has become legend: from Donald Bradman and The Invincibles through the genius of Shane Warne to the modern day mastery of Steve Smith. The Australian Women’s team is arguably the country’s – perhaps the world’s – most successful national team in any sport and has won every major title and all the series they’ve played over the past five years. But while new rivalries have grown, particularly between Australia and India, the men’s Ashes remains the most coveted prize and greatest cricketing rivalry in hearts and minds.

Cricket

The Australian men’s Test team is the most successful in cricket’s history. They have won 405 Test matches, more than any other country, with a 47.47 winning percentage.

The Don Bradman cricket museum at the MCG

[Source: ESPNcricinfo, minimum 10 matches]

“In Australia, we measure so much of our worth through sport,” says Whately. “And our national sporting team is our cricket team, and always has been. At the peak of that is the colony against the mother country. “We understand what Australia and England represented at the time when all this started and, while the modern context might have changed, we still see ourselves as the giants of the Commonwealth together. When Australia and England play in any sport, there's a certain frisson that comes with that. But in cricket, it’s the original.”

The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is steeped in tradition and a wonderful venue to spend an afternoon

Visit... New South Wales – home of the Don

Indulge your sporting passion at The Bradman Museum in Bowral – and explore the southern highlands region from there. Away from Sydney, explore the Central or South coasts, try bushwalking in the Blue Mountains and hit the wine trails in the famous Hunter Valley or the emerging region of Orange.

Visit... Tasmania – home of Ricky Ponting

Ponting, another Australian cricket legend, hailed from Tasmania. Head to the Bellerive Oval where it all began for him, in the historic capital of Hobart, browse the Salamanca Markets and don’t miss the Museum of Old and New Art – Tasmania’s most popular tourist destination. Further afield lie Cradle Mountain, Cataract Gorge, the convict settlement ruins at Port Arthur and the Tamar Valley vineyards.

Melbourne sporting heaven

It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect sports precinct than the one that lies just to the south-east of Melbourne’s CBD. It’s easily accessible by public transport but the best approach is on foot, the 15-minute walk from the city along the Yarra River as the looming colossus of the MCG rises ahead to dominate the skyline. Nearby, Melbourne Park hosts the Australian Open each January while AAMI Park is home to the NRL’s Melbourne Storm and local rugby and A League teams and John Cain arena is the city’s premier netball and basketball venue. “Depending on the season, you can stand on one street corner and you can hear the punctuated roar of the MCG or you can hear the pock of the tennis ball or a soccer crowd with the raw tension that engulfs it all,” explains Whately.

The incredible sports precinct in Melbourne at dusk

MCG IN NUMBERS

But there is even more to Melbourne for sports fans beyond the area surrounding the MCG (or simply ‘the ‘G’, if you want to sound like a local). You can join the city’s joggers by tackling The Tan, a 4km (2.4-mile) loop track around the Botanical Gardens or, if you prefer watching four-legged runners, the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington Racecourse is a week-long festival of horse racing and fashion in November. Melbourne also heaves with experiences beyond sport: this place takes its coffee seriously, whether in the city cafes tucked in Degraves Street and Hardware Lane or suburban haunts in Richmond and Fitzroy. Check out the street art that is an Instagrammer’s dream in Hosier Lane and ACDC Lane, hunt vintage bargains on Brunswick Road and Smith Street or, after strolling through one of the city’s art galleries, catch a tram to St Kilda beach and take in the famous Luna Park facade.

St Kilda Beach is hugely popular with locals and tourists alike

Hardware Lane, one of Melbourne's best-known 'foodie' streets

The iconic Degraves Street in Melbourne is at the heart of the city's coffee culture

Other sports

While the A League men’s soccer competition is a little eclipsed by the NRL and AFL, the Australian teams are embraced enthusiastically by the public, particularly during World Cup years. The Socceroos ‘Golden Generation’ ensured Australia ended a 32-year exile when they qualified for the 2006 World Cup and sparked a renewal of interest in the sport that peaked during the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Australia reached the Round of 16 for the first time and live sites across Australia were abuzz with fans gathering overnight to watch the games on giant screens, and video clips of wild celebrations when the Socceroos won their group matches against Tunisia and Denmark went viral on social media.

The Socceroos, Australia's men's team have enjoyed great success in recent years, losing in the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup to eventual winners Argentina

The Matildas are one of Australia’s most popular sporting teams, with Sam Kerr the undisputed star and possibly the highest-profile sporting professional in the country. In July and August 2023, Australia will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in conjunction with New Zealand and matches will be played in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.

Australia's women's team, the Matildas, have the chance to showcase their excellence at a home World Cup in 2023

Visit... Perth – Home of Perth Glory

When you’re not watching Perth Glory, the AFL’s West Coast Eagles or the nearby Fremantle Dockers, you can hire a bike and seek out those smiling quokkas on Rottnest Island, sip a craft beer overlooking the ocean at the Little Creatures Brewery in the historic seaside port of Fremantle, venture further afield with an expedition to the eerily beautiful Pinnacles or take in a winery tour in the Margaret River.

Other sports have their moments in the sun here, often punctuated by individual or team success. The recently retired Ash Barty’s reign as the world’s number one women’s tennis player, capped off by victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, ensured the nation’s love affair with tennis continued, while Cameron Smith’s success at The Open and Minjee Li’s victory at the US Women’s Open in 2022 reflected the country’s passion for a round of golf, witnessed at courses on any given weekend. The ASC is embracing and encouraging emerging sports as the landscape changes with a new generation, with a particular emphasis on cultural and gender diversity. “What we're hoping to do is ensure that there is sufficient opportunities for every Australian child to find their sport, whether it's artistic gymnastics, taekwondo – it doesn't matter what it is, so long as they're participating and benefiting from those broader skills that come at a younger age,” says Sukkar. “Personal attributes like self-discipline and focus, being a team player, learning how to be a good role model or leader.”

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Women's sports

When Australia’s women lifted the T20 World Cup trophy in front of 86,174 fans at the MCG in 2020, it cemented women’s sport as a genuine drawcard in the country. Cricket has led the way in professionalising women’s sport and the Women’s Big Bash League is the fourth-highest-rating league on television in the country, after the Men’s BBL, AFL and NRL.

The Australian women's cricket team celebrating another T20 World Cup victory. They have now won the tournament six times out of the last seven it has been staged

Other sports have followed, with the AFL, NRL and A League all investing in women’s competition and, while some of the new tournaments are still in their nascent stages, women’s sport represents an enormous growth market. Netball and basketball leagues have strong fan bases while Australian women have blazed a trail in world surfing, swimming and cycling. And when Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015, riding Prince of Penzance, it was perhaps the most significant moment for an Australian woman in sport since Cathy Freeman’s Olympic race.

The Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse is one of the highlights of the Australian sporting calendar

The torch Freeman lit at the Olympic Opening Ceremony in 2000 before lighting up the stadium and the nation with her heroic run was as as much figurative as it was physical; the legacy of that flame picked up by each new generation and carried across a country that was seemingly designed, both in its natural climate and the construction of its cities, for people to play and watch sport. No other destination in the world can possibly compete with that. Come and see for yourself.

Produced by Telegraph Media Group Project Manager: Tom Gadd, Commissioning Editor: Hannah Hopkins, Sub-editor: Tim Cumming, Video and Photography Manager: Cat Costelloe, Lead Designer: Victoria Griffiths, Web Editor: Katherine Scott

It’s been a while since you last took a holiday; head Down Under to a place where the water’s warm and the welcome even warmer. So come on, we’re waiting for you to come and say G’day.

Plan your trip at Australia.com

Every great adventure begins with G’day

Swimming

Cycling

Surfing

Footy

Cricket

Rugby Sevens

CF - Centre half-forward HF - Half forward FP - Forward pocket FF - Full-forward

R - Ruck C - Centre RR - Ruck-rover Rv - Rover W - Wing

CB - Centre half-back HB - Half-back BP - Back-pocket FB - Full-back

FORWARDS

MIDFIELDERS

DEFENDERS

DIRECTION OF PLAY

Heath Shaw

Australian rules footballer

Hikers on the The Great Ocean Walk

The Great Ocean Road Walk showcases beautiful beaches

Beautiful vistas in the Grampian Mountains

The Great Ocean Road Walk takes in some beautiful beaches

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Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

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Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Make an enquiry

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Make an enquiry

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Make an enquiry

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Make an enquiry

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Make an enquiry

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Find a store

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Find a store

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Find a store

Start planning your perfect Australia adventure with the help of a dedicated Audley specialist and experience their award-winning expertise and trusted service

Visit website

Order a brochure

Make an enquiry

Rugby Sevens

Perth (Boorloo) will host the Australian leg of the HSBC SVNS (formerly known as HSBC Rugby World Sevens Series) in 2024 and 2025. This global rugby event will take place from 26 to 28 January, 2024 and again in 2025 at Perth's rectangular stadium, HBF Park. A fan festival will surround the event and provide a carnival-like hub for visitors and locals to enjoy before, during and after the matches.

Rugby Sevens

Other Sports