Sydney Cricket Ground and Museum Walking Tour

The Sydney Cricket Ground: history of a great venue

The Sydney Cricket Ground lies in Moore Park, about three kilometres south-east of the city centre, and has been a sporting venue since the 1850s, when the land was used as a cricket field by the soldiers of the nearby Victoria Barracks. The first Test match here was played in 1882, and since then the ground has hosted many of the great moments of Australian sport.

Today the oval is used for international and domestic cricket in summer and for Australian rules football in winter, and over the years it has also hosted rugby league, rugby union and football matches, concerts and ceremonies. The Sydney Cricket Ground tour takes you through more than a century and a half of this history, explaining how the ground grew from a simple field into a modern stadium for about 48,000 spectators while keeping its heritage character.

The Members Pavilion and the Ladies Stand

The heart of the ground is its pair of heritage grandstands. The Members Pavilion, opened in 1886, is a graceful Victorian building with a green roof, a clock turret and decorative iron balconies, and it is still used by members on match days. Next to it stands the Ladies Stand of 1896, with its ornate cast-iron columns and lace-like railings.

On the tour you enter the pavilion and see its long room, honour boards and memorabilia, and hear about the traditions and dress codes that shaped match days for generations. These stands are among the oldest of their kind in the world and are protected as heritage buildings, standing proudly beside the modern grandstands around the oval. Your guide explains how they survived while the rest of the ground was rebuilt, and why spectators still treasure the view from their seats.

Behind the scenes and the famous oval

Is the Sydney Cricket Ground tour worth it? For most visitors the answer is the moment they step into spaces usually closed to the public. Depending on the schedule of the day, the route takes in areas used by players and officials, such as the dressing rooms, the corridors leading to the field and the media spaces from which the matches are broadcast around the world.

Then you stand beside the oval itself, looking across the perfectly kept grass to the pitch in the centre and up at the stands that fill with tens of thousands of fans on big match days. This is where sporting legends have played in front of packed crowds, and your guide shares stories of record-breaking innings, famous finals and memorable spectators. Access to some areas may change on event days, but the guide always adapts the route.

The ground museum

The tour includes entry to the ground museum, which brings together objects from the long sporting history of the venue. Glass cases display old bats and balls, caps and blazers, trophies, programmes and photographs of historic matches, along with memorabilia from rugby and Australian rules football that show how the ground has been shared by many sports.

The museum is a good place to linger at the end of your visit, especially for fans who want to read the details of their favourite moments. Children enjoy comparing the heavy old equipment with today's gear. Allow some extra minutes after the guided walk if you want to look more closely at the collection. Together with the stands and the oval, the museum makes the visit a complete introduction to sporting culture in Australia.

Moore Park and how to get there

Moore Park is a large green area beside the Sydney Cricket Ground and the neighbouring football stadium, close to Centennial Park and the lively streets of Paddington and Surry Hills. How to get to the Sydney Cricket Ground? The easiest way is the light rail from Circular Quay or Central Station to the Moore Park stop, which is a short walk from the ground. Buses from the city also stop nearby, and the walk from Central takes about 30 minutes.

Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour time. After the visit you can stroll through Centennial Park, one of the most beautiful parks in Sydney, or find lunch in the cafes of Paddington. The tour is available on most days, but match and event days may change the schedule, so the morning departure is usually the most reliable choice.