Backpackers

Backpack the Games

Melbourne's biggest party

The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games are the biggest cultural and sporting festival ever staged in this city. It's not only a great sporting occasion but a great excuse for a party.

The Games are accompanied in vivid sound, colour and performance by Festival Melbourne2006. As well as the atmosphere generated by over 90,000 visitors arriving in the city, Melbourne's buzzing with film, music, dance, street theatre, circus and exhibitions on every corner. Best of all, it's all free during the Games period.

Crowds of people at the Formula 1 Grand Prix

Crowds of people at the Formula 1 Grand Prix

Melbourne's on a sporting high, having just hosted the Australian Open Tennis Championships, and it's hotting up this month. The Games are followed by the Formula 1 Grand Prix and there's a huge youth and arts festival accompanying the Games. Stick around for a belly laugh or two with the Melbourne Comedy Festival and then head down to the world-famous Bells Beach for the Rip Curl Pro Surfing Carnival.

And of course, if you hang around in Melbourne after the Games leave town you'll Melbourne also enjoy the usual Melbourne experience of good food, budget accommodation, great partying and rockin' live music. Suburbs like Fitzroy, Richmond, South Yarra and St Kilda are perfect for that non-stop buzz or relaxing over coffee and newspapers with the locals.

Be part of the action

You can purchase your tickets online on this Website or pick them up at Federation Square.

You'll be able to catch the events you don't get tickets for at 'live sites' around the city and the state of Victoria. Get a group together to watch the Games coverage broadcast on giant screens and cheer your teams on to gold. Festival performances and exhibitions will also be taking place at live sites, so they'll be the places to be during Games time. You can also catch the Triathlon, Marathon and Cycling for free as some of the world's top athletes make their way around the circuits.

Find out more about city live sites on this Website.

Working the Games and where to stay

There's always lots of work in Australia's events capital. With the Commonwealth Games kicking off a heap of events from March onwards, there's bound to be even more opportunities.

Visit backpackvictoria.com for more info on accommodation, work opportunities and tips on visas, CVs and bank accounts, as well as the low-down on the what, the where and the how to do things and get around in Melbourne and Victoria.

This Website is closed and for reference purposes only. To guarantee the stability of Games data, all external links are being removed.

See you at Delhi 2010

Fireworks at the MCG at the closing of Melbourne 2006.

After eleven fun packed days, Melbourne 2006 is now over and all thoughts turn to the next Games - Delhi 2010. Nameste! See you in Delhi 2010! Swagatam!
Revisit the Incredible India Closing Ceremony gallery.

Festival Highlights Gallery

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Australia's biggest free cultural festival during the Games.
View the festival highlights gallery.

View great merchandise in the Online Shop.

Wear, swap, give and live to be part of the Commonwealth Games.
See great gifts in our Online Shop.