The 'G' (and other sports stuff)

Wednesday was an early start to get to Federation Square for 8:30 to be collected. We were a small group - Dave and I, two English girls, an English couple and two older Aussie guys.

Our first stop was Flemington race course, home of the Melbourne Cup. The racecourse was in the north of the city and the approach took us past several stables - a lot of the trainers are based here - and then we parked right under the stands. The guide took us round the parade ring and along the course before heading up into the stands and through the bookies area. The amazing thing about the course was the number of roses - apparently Flemington is known for it's roses and they really were quite spectacular. They looked like a few needed a bit of attention but the guide told us that the gardeners aimed to get them looking perfect for the Melbourne Cup (in November).

We were taken back through the Commonwealth games village, which is still in the process of being converted into low-cost housing and then past several of the AFL teams training grounds including the Kangaroos, Carlton (who were out training) and Collingwood.

At this point we entered Melbourne Park (which houses the MCG, the Australian Open venues and Olympic Park (where the 1954 Olympics were held and now home of the Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory (AFL and Football teams)). We dropped off the two English girls at the tennis centre and the rest of us were dropped off at the MCG where we joined the main tour.

We were first show a video of the MCG and the various events it has hosted and it's appearances over time. Our guide was a lady whose name both Dave and I have forgotten. She was pretty good though. She took us out to the stands (the Great Southern Stand) and told us bits about when the various stands had been built and what had been there before. Can't remember any of it though.

Next up was the members area and Dave and I managed to find where our seats were for the game we were going to see on the weekend. Just outside the members area but still REALLY good seats though. The members area was pretty special with lovely wooden-paneled dining room and various pieces of sporting memorabilia (no Ashes urn though!!!). Even more impressive was that the members toilet had a window (one-way!) so that they could continue to watch the action whilst peeing. I'm sure that would have come in very useful for my old man who has missed several Watford goals whilst answering the call of nature (including two against Crewe!) and his nephew missed a Storm try last week too. Remember the lesson: hold it in!

Took a lift right up to the top tier and (the fitter of us) climbed right to the back row to sample the view from the gods. Very impressive height and you probably wouldn't lose too much in the way of perspective from up there.

Our final stop was the changing rooms. Unfortunately the main changing rooms were closed to the tours for the time being so we went round 3 and 4 which are the permanent changing rooms of Melbourne Demons and Richmond Tigers (who's official home is the MCG). We went through the Demons dressing room which was a bit shabby to be honest and poked our heads into the Tigers dressing room which looked a lot more impressive (unlike their football). From there it was out of the players tunnel and onto the pitch. Got a picture standing on the hallowed turf. The pitch felt perfect - nice and firm with the grass a good length.

From there it was back up the tunnel and into the umpire's dressing room. Dave commented that it was very big until I pointed out that there was about seven umpires for an AFL game!

That was the end of our MCG tour and we were collected by our guide who then took us to Albert Park in South Melbourne which is where the Australian Grand Prix is run. We took a slow lap of the circuit (he was driving a minibus). The only permanent structure on the circuit is the pits (which is used as a sports hall) and it takes them seven weeks to convert the road into the race track. They even have to dig up (and later replace) speed humps. Bet they catch loads of people speeding though.

We were taken for lunch to the Telstra Dome (Melbourne's other major stadium - also an AFL venue). This was included in the price - we got seats with a view over the pitch too.

We were dropped off in the city and Dave headed back home - still feeling ill (probably not helped by the soaking that we got the previous night) whereas I headed to the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Most of the Gaol is no longer there now but one wing (Cell Block 1) does remain. Interestingly, I did find out (ok most of you will not be interested) but there (apparently) is no difference between a Jail and a Gaol. So there you go.

The inside looks like a prison from Shawshank with three levels and a metal walkway on each level rather than an actual floor. The first floor has stories of some of the people who were hung at the Gaol - including Martha Needle who poisoned her entire family with Arsenic and then her second husband's brother before being caught; Emma Williams who was pregnant when her husband tied of TB, forced to become a prostitute and eventually drowned her child in the Yarra; Frederick Deeming who killed his entire family in Liverpool (burying their bodies in concrete under the hearth) and then his second wife in Melbourne. He was only caught when the landlord noticed a bad smell in Melbourne. Of course the main 'attraction' was Ned Kelly, the famous bushranger (although no Canadian has seem to have heard of him). They have his death mask on display (as they do with everyone who was hung - for the study of phrenology) and the gun he used in his infamous shoot out with police (complete with a chip on the butt of the gun).

The second floor showed more of the life of the prisoners including accounts from prisoners and various paraphernalia including a cat'o'nine tails. The top floor had accounts from military prisoners as the Gaol was used as a military prisoner during the world wars. They also had the original beam where they hung people and the original 'triangle' for lashings.

I headed home at this point because I was wearing Dave's shoes as mine were still drenched from the Penguin viewing and he is a size smaller than me!