Melbourne Cricket Ground

The famous MCG, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, is Australia's premier sporting venue. It has played host to many of the country's biggest cricket and Aussie Rules matches since it opened in 1854.

'The G', as it is affectionately known by locals, was the centerpiece for the 1956 Olympic Games. Originally designed to accommodate 125,000 people, the introduction of modern individual seating and all-round stands has reduced the figure to about 97,000.

It is an impressive, three-tiered stadium with an unequalled atmosphere when there's a big game on. The people's ground, as it is marketed, prides itself on being right at the centre of a proud tradition of sporting contests and is well worth a look when the willow is whacking the leather, or the big men are flying in an AFL grand final.