If you’re anything like me, you may be curious about what the sports culture is like in Australia. Sports play a major role in my life in the States, from my work to my education to my hobbies, and I knew that I wanted to get the full Aussie sports experience while abroad.
Here are some of my favorite sporting events that I got to attend!
Day 2 of the Australian Grand Prix! We got to watch the final practice session and qualifying.
The Australian Grand Prix takes place at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne. It usually takes place in March or early April, so this is a great opportunity for people studying abroad in the spring. We purchased tickets and booked accommodations and flights in January. This is a very busy weekend in Melbourne, so I highly recommend planning this trip early if it interests you.
We arrived on Thursday and did some sightseeing on Friday, but spent all of Saturday and Sunday at the track before flying home on Sunday night. Melbourne weather is notoriously bipolar, and we felt it! It was 90 degrees and sunny on Saturday, then 50 degrees and rainy on Sunday, so be prepared for all weather.
Race day was not the most enjoyable weather. We were definitely unprepared for the cold and the rain, but it was still fun!
I didn’t get the chance to attend, but the Australian Open is also in Melbourne in January for any tennis fans!
Gold Coast Titans vs Dolphins game with TEAN
TEAN organizes a rugby game that all students can attend for free, and I highly recommend going! Even if you aren’t very interested in sports, it’s a great opportunity to hang out with other people from your program, and it’s free. This was the sport that I was most excited to see while in Australia!
We attended a matchup between the Gold Coast Titans and the Dolphins, both local Queensland teams. Even though our team wasn’t very good, it was fun to see how invested in the game all of the locals were, and we picked up on the rules pretty quickly. I would definitely attend another NRL game!
Australian Football League
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend an AFL game in person because the timing didn’t work out, but I did watch a game at a pub in Melbourne, which was a very immersive experience. Fans are very passionate about their teams, and in the last twenty minutes or so of the game, fans flooded the pub to catch the end. Everyone was cheering and booing, which helped make it clear who and what we were cheering for.
Even after watching the whole game, I’m still very confused about the rules. After our team (the Tigers) won, the pub played the victory song and everyone sang along. The AFL season runs from March to September, as does the NRL season, so that’s something to be aware of if you want to try to attend a match while abroad. The next time I’m in Australia, I will definitely be attending an AFL game in person.
Day 1 of the Gold Coast Open at Burleigh
Coming from Chicago, I haven’t gotten the opportunity to attend many surf competitions. While in the Gold Coast, I definitely recommend attending one. I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Gold Coast Open, a WSL qualifying series event, through one of my classes, see the behind-the-scenes of the event, and watch a few of the heats with some friends. It was a ton of fun and a great opportunity to get some work experience in the surf industry!
There was also the Australian Boardriders Battle at Burleigh and, in May, the Gold Coast Pro at Snapper Rocks. Even though the Australian Boardriders Battle isn’t a professional surf competition, it draws a huge crowd and shows how important surfing is to the culture of the Gold Coast.
Even the ducks like to watch surfing competitions!
Touch Footy Club at Bond University
Beyond just watching local sports, another great way to get involved in the sports culture is to play! Most universities offer club sports, which are a great way to meet new people and be active. These teams are usually pretty low commitment, so it’s not a problem if you have to miss a game or two to travel.
Getting involved and actually playing the sport will make it much easier to learn the rules of the game and have a better understanding of the sport. If you don’t want to learn an entirely new sport but still be active, universities also offer sports like soccer, tennis, and basketball.