Rod Laver Arena 2027

Rod Laver Arena in 2027: the venue

Rod Laver Arena opened in January 1988 as the centre court of the new National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, and took Rod Laver’s name in 2000. It was the first arena in Australia with a retractable roof, and a long upgrade finished in late 2018 added a new eastern entrance, wider concourses and a faster roof. For most of the year the tennis court disappears under a concert floor, and it is Melbourne’s default room for arena tours: P!nk has played it more than 50 times, including 18 consecutive nights in 2013. In 2027 it carries the heaviest load of any venue in the city, from The Strokes and Bryan Adams in summer to six Radiohead nights in May and Westlife in July. January belongs to the Australian Open, so concerts stop for most of that month.

Rod Laver Arena: getting there and back

Melbourne Park sits between the CBD and Richmond, so you have three easy options. From Flinders Street station, walk east through Birrarung Marr and over the William Barak Bridge; allow 15 minutes. Richmond station is on almost every south-eastern and eastern line and is about a 10-minute walk across Swan Street and Olympic Boulevard, while Jolimont station on the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines is a similar distance on the MCG side. Tram route 70 runs along Batman Avenue and Olympic Boulevard with stops right at the precinct. Parking around Melbourne Park and Yarra Park is limited and expensive when the MCG is also busy, so the train is the sensible choice.

Making the most of a night at Rod Laver Arena

The bowl is steep and fairly compact, so upper-level seats on the side give a clearer stage view than the back of a long, flat floor. General admission floor tickets reward arriving early if you want the barrier. The arena runs a bag-size policy for most events; check the event notice before you leave home. For food before the show, Richmond’s Swan Street and the bars of Flinders Lane are both a short walk away.