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The city of Melbourne is home to some of the biggest international and domestic sporting events. Not just the hub of Aussie Rules, Melbourne is a fiercely competitive in a variety of sports such as NRL (Melbourne Storm), A-League Soccer (Melbourne Victory FC), Netball (Melbourne Vixens) and NBL (Melbourne Tigers). Each year the city hosts the Australian Open Tennis, Australian F1 Grand Prix, Spring Racing Carnival, AFL Grand Final, and cricket's Boxing Day Test.

Although the official AFL Headquarters is at Telstra Dome, the AFL Grand Final is held each year in September at "the G". The MCG is also referred to as the ‘Spiritual Home of Australian Sport’. Over the years, the MCG has hosted the 1956 Olympics, 2006 Commonwealth Games, football, cricket, tennis, rugby and has been used as a rock concert venue for Madonna, Michael Jackson, U2 and Elton John. Even Pope John Paul II has held a service there.

The Australian Open is one of four Grand Slam events and is held in January each year at Melbourne Park. It is just minutes from the city centre, a short 10 minute walk across Federation Square and down along the Yarra River. Another multi-purpose venue, Melbourne Park also hosts rock concerts, monster trucks, ice skating shows and other sporting events. If you're attending a major event at the MCG or Melbourne Park, stay in East Melbourne or Richmond. Try the Mantra on Jolimont for around $160 per night.

The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit at Albert Park hosts a round of Formula 1 championships in March each year. The street circuit curves around Albert Park Lake and as the roads are all public, you can test-drive the track in your own vehicle (mind the speed limits though, Fangio!). It takes about 3 months to erect all the barriers, grandstands and fencing for the event. Stay in Albert Park or along St Kilda Road. Check out the Bayview on the Park for around $140 per night.

The Spring Racing Carnival is a series of Group One horse races held by local metropolitan clubs Caulfield, Moonee Valley, Flemington and Sandown. But the race that stops the nation is the Melbourne Cup, held on the first Tuesday in November. Stay at the Quest Flemington for around $200 per night.

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