Melbourne Cricket Ground

You’d be hard pressed to find an Australian who doesn’t have at least one fond sporting memory of an event that was held during their lifetime at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (or MCG as it is more popularly known). Having been host to such significant sporting events as the 1956 Olympic Games, the first ever cricket Test match, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 1992 World Cup and countless VFL and AFL Grand Finals, the MCG is a historic and permanent fixture in Australian sports (as well as the scene of numerous blockbuster music and celebrity performances). Melbourne has one of the proudest sporting cultures of any Australian city, and the MCG is a true reflection of that fact, being a venue that is huge but still manages to maintain a feeling of friendly intimacy. The sheer roar of a maximum-capacity crowd of 100,000 and communal atmosphere of Australia's largest stadium during a major sporting event is hard to match, and thus witnessing a match here is akin to experiencing a an essential part of the essence of Melbourne.