Key details
Location
Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Policy objective
Economic growth
Client
Sport and Recreation Victoria
Project partners
Melbourne and Olympic Parks
Tennis Australia
Overview
Melbourne Park is one of the premier sports venues in Melbourne. Since 1988, Melbourne Park has been home of the Australian Open, played each year in January.
Thanks to the nearly $1 billion Melbourne Park Redevelopment funded by the Victorian Government, Melbourne Park will remain the home of the Australian Open until at least 2046, providing the best facilities and amenities for players and fans alike, including three operable roof and air-conditioned arenas effectively weatherproofing the tournament.
The redevelopment of Melbourne Park aims to cater for the growing popularity of the Australian Open, and to establish Melbourne and Olympic Parks as an unbeatable sports and events precinct.
The project includes a strong emphasis on the comfort of patrons with more open space and shade, increased seating capacity, better connections to public transport and the city, and easier movement into and within the precinct.
The redevelopment was delivered in three stages. Stage 3 works began in April 2019 and reached practical completion in August 2021, ahead of time and on budget.
Melbourne Park Redevelopment completion
Learn more about the Melbourne Park Redevelopment
Key projects
As part of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment, the southern section of the Tubular Footbridge linking the MCG with Melbourne Park was removed to allow construction works to get underway on Stage 3 of the project.
The bridge configuration was changed in early 2019.
The northern section of the MCG footbridge remained open and continued to provide a pedestrian connection between the MCG and the Rod Laver Arena/Melbourne Park tram stop and Melbourne Park northern entrance.
The bridge is located between Rod Laver Arena and Melbourne Arena, connecting Melbourne Park to the southern end of the MCG concourse.
Alternative pathways for pedestrians and cyclists were developed by Development Victoria and Melbourne and Olympic Parks, including the use of William Barak Bridge and Edwin Flack Bridge for pedestrians and low mobility patrons.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most widely used green building rating in the world.
The National Tennis Centre, Margaret Court Arena,Rod Laver Arena and Tennis HQ have achieved LEED Gold certification. Centrepiece, the new function and media centre, is also expected to achieve LEED Gold certification.
Key initiatives implemented across the precinct include rainwater capture, recycling measures, energy efficiency, on site production, use of selected sustainable materials, waste reduction and public and alternative modes of transport.
Read more about our sustainability initiatives.
Location
Melbourne Park is located on the northern bank of the Yarra River in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct.
Development Victoria acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of the land.
Building Tanderrum Bridge
Tanderrum Bridge is the centrepiece of the $338 million Stage 2 upgrade of Melbourne Park.
'Tanderrum' is a welcoming ceremony by the people of the Kulin nations, featuring song, dance and cultural exchange, and providing safe passage for visitors on country. The name was chosen following a public naming competition.
Tanderrum Bridge will welcome hundreds of thousands of fans annually to the Australian Open - one of the world’s great sporting events - along with many other sport and entertainment productions throughout the year.
Gallery
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The $363 million Stage 1 of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment commenced in 2010 and was completed in time for the 2015 Australian Open.
- A new National Tennis Centre
- A public plaza and multi-level carpark
- New entries to Melbourne Arena
- A new pedestrian bridge connecting the MCG to AAMI Park
As part of stage one, Margaret Court Arena had a major overhaul and now includes:
- An operable roof
- 1,500 additional seats
- A fully enclosed concourse with new retail and food and beverage outlets
Eastern Plaza & National Tennis Centre - January 2013
The $338.15 million Stage 2 of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment began in 2014 and was completed in September 2019, ahead of time and on budget.
- Tennis HQ, the home of Tennis Australia, was completed in October 2016
- Tanderrum Bridge opened for Australian Open 2017 to provide a new primary entrance to Melbourne Park and a direct pedestrian link from Flinders Street Station
Rod Laver Arena
- A new eastern-facing multi-storey main entrance
- Expanded public concourse space
- Retractable and cushioned seating
- Roof modernisation allowing the roof to open approximately six times faster
- Accessibility improvements following universal design principles such as, a new Changing Places toilet, ramp access to the seating bowl, a new DDA compliant lift, and handrails on all stairs within the seating bowl
- Significant back-of-house improvements to ensure that Rod Laver Arena continues to host the best events in Australia
- An expanded loading dock and increased rigging capacity to over 100 tonnes – to attract bigger and better shows to Melbourne
- Enhanced food and beverage offerings and amenities to improve patron comfort
Building Tanderrum Bridge
Watch the video documenting the construction of Tanderrum Bridge.
Gallery
In April 2017, the Minister for Sport announced $271.55 million funding for Stage 3 of the redevelopment works.
- A new 5,000 seat multi-purpose Show Court Arena
- Centrepiece, a new 1,000 seat function and media centre, including: function rooms, pre-event spaces, interview rooms, a 250-seat auditorium, and broadcast studios
- A central logistics hub including a kitchen and loading dock
- Completion of the front-of-house public spaces and back-of-house functions separation
- One new northern match court and one new eastern match court
The old function and media centre was demolished in early 2019. Stage 3 reached practical completion in August 2021, in time for the Australian Open 2022.
Stage 3 Digital Fly-through February 2020
Stage 3 Timeline
Melbourne Park’s central precinct is the main focus of the Victorian Government’s $271.55 million investment in Stage 3.
- Old Function Centre demolished
- Work on Centrepiece at Melbourne Park commences
Work on a new 5,000 seat multi-purpose Show Court Arena commences
Centrepiece at Melbourne Park complete and available
Centrepiece at Melbourne Park and Show Court Arena available for Australian Open 2022
Stage 3 completion
Timeline
- On Australia Day, the Premier of Victoria announces a new vision for Melbourne Park to guarantee it remains a world-class sporting and entertainment precinct and the home of the Australian Open tennis tournament until 2036.
- In January 2010, the Premier of Victoria announces $363 million for Stage 1 of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment.
- In May 2010, the $363 million Stage 1 commenced, with early works on site.
- A 4.5 megalitre rainwater harvesting tank was installed under the oval.
- The extension of the western plaza and Rod Laver Arena concourse and landscaping works were completed.
Work commences on Margaret Court Arena in May 2012.
Works on the eastern plaza were completed in December 2012 and included:
- A new National Tennis Centre, including indoor and outdoor tennis courts
- A public plaza and multi-level carpark
- New entries to Melbourne Arena
- The Edwin Flack Bridge connecting the MCG to AAMI Park.
The $338.15 million Stage 2 of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment commenced.
Stage 1 works were completed in 2015 with a major upgrade to Margaret Court Arena that included:
- A retractable roof which is the fastest of its kind
- 1,500 additional seats
- A fully enclosed concourse with new retail and food and beverage outlets.
- Tennis HQ – a new eight-level building that provides administrative facilities for Melbourne and Olympic Parks and Tennis Australia was completed.
- Works commences on Rod Laver Arena.
- A public process to name Tanderrum Bridge commenced in January 2016 and the name was announced in July 2016.
- Works were completed on Tanderrum Bridge – providing a new primary entrance to Melbourne Park and direct pedestrian access from Flinders Street Station.
- Tanderrum Bridge opens to the public for AO 2017
- In April, the Minister for Sport announces $271 million in finding for Stage 3 of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment.
- Rod Laver Arena artists dressing rooms completed in August 2017
- In September 2017 Rod Laver Arena’s new Southern Annex is opened to the public. The high-capacity truss is installed and the loading bay is completed.
- Rod Laver Arena’s larger bowl seating upgrade and rigging frame are completed in July.
- In November, the Rod Laver Arena roof upgrade and retractable seating are completed.
- The Rod Laver Arena Eastern Annex is open for AO 2019
- Configuration of the tubular footbridge linking Melbourne Park to the MCG was changed in preparation for Stage 3 works.
- The old function centre is demolished in May 2019.
- Works commence on the new function and media centre, Centrepiece.
- Work commences on the new 5,000 seat Show Court Arena.
- In March 2020, work commenced on the new match court in the northern ladder.
- New northern match court expected to be completed for AO 2021.
- Works on CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, the new function and media centre, completed August 2021
- Works on the new 5,000 seat show court arena completed in August 2021
- Centrepiece is available in time for AO 2022.
- The new Show Court Arena is available for AO 2022.