Telstra Stadium Tours
Posted on January 13, 2008 - Filed Under Homebush, Sydney Sport Venues
Tags: Homebush, Sydney Olympic Stadium, Telstra Stadium, Telstra Stadium Tours, things to do in Sydney
Telstra Stadium was built as the main stadium for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. At the time, it was the largest Olympic Stadium ever built and the largest stadium in Australia. It is most famous for hosting the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Games as well as the track and field events. Today it is a multi-purpose stadium that hosts a variety of sporting and corporate events. The new interactive Sydney Olympic Games Tour allows you to view the stadium like never before and relive the glories of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
History Of The Stadium:
Building of the stadium, then known as Stadium Australia, was completed in March 1999. It was built to hold 110,000 spectators and cost $690 million Au to build.
The first sporting event held at the stadium in 1999 was an NRL (National Rugby League) first round double-header, featuring Newcastle v Manly and Parramatta v St George Illawarra. The games saw a record rugby league crowd of 104,583 spectators. Several other events took place later that year including the 1999 Bledisloe Cup and the 1999 National Rugby League Grand Final.
In 2000, the stadium was the centrepiece of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Most of the track and field events took place here, as well as the opening ceremony, the soccer final and the closing ceremony. The highest ever attendance was 114,714 people during the closing ceremony.
In late 2001, extensive work began to make the stadium more suitable for other events. Changes were made to allow the stadium to host events like cricket and Australian Rules football that required an oval field. The athletics track was removed.
The north and south wings were shortened and movable seating was installed. This reduced seating capacity to 83,500. Awnings were also added over the north and south wings, making most of the seating under cover.
In 2002, the stadium was renamed Telstra Stadium. Since then, it has hosted many major sporting events including the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final and the second leg of the Oceania-South America Qualification Playoff game for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Telstra Stadium is now a regular venue for a number of sports including the NRL, State of Origin, Australian football, rugby union and cricket. Concerts are also held here.
The Design Of Telstra Stadium:
Telstra Stadium was designed by Bligh Lobb Sports Architects. It was built specifically with the harsh Australian climate in mind and with the aim of being environmentally responsible. It is one of the few stadiums in the world that effectively protects the spectators from the elements without fully enclosing the dome and damaging the grass.
The roof is suspended from a huge arch structure. It is made from a translucent polycarbonate so is non-reflective. Its shape also allows for the collection and reuse of rainwater.
The design is said to have been inspired by the shape of the akubra, an Australian hat.
Telstra Stadium Tours:
Telstra Stadium’s interactive tours give you the opportunity to go behind the scenes for an inside view of one of the world’s most technologically advanced stadiums. You will be able to follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s finest athletes and relive many of the great sporting achievements from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The tour features a mixture of audio-visual & commentary from your guide. Highlights of the tour include walking down the player’s tunnel onto the field, visiting the changing rooms and warm-up areas, seeing the media areas and standing on the medal podium.
Souvenir photos of you on the medal podium are available for an extra fee.
Important Information:
Admission:
Guided tours cost $27.50 Au for adults or $15.00 Au for children. Admission is free with a See Sydney Card.
Location:
Telstra Stadium is located at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush, approximately 30 minutes west of the city or 10 minutes from Parramatta. It is easily accessible by public transport and by car.
Trains operate regularly between the city and Sydney Olympic Park. The stadium is a short walk from the train station.
Buses 525 and 401/404 travel to Sydney Olympic Park from Parramatta Station, Strathfield Station, Lidcombe Station and Sydney Olympic Park Ferry Wharf.
Ferries operate from Circular Quay and Rydalmere and take you to the Sydney Olympic Park Ferry Wharf. From there, take a bus to the stadium (the bus ride is included in the price of your ferry ticket).
Parking is also available on site for a fee.
During special events, special bus services also operate from numerous locations.
Nearby Attractions:
Nearby attractions include the Sydney Olympic Park Listen Live Tour, the Observation Centre at Homebush Bay and the Sydney International Aquatic Centre.
Opening Hours:
Telstra Stadium tours operate daily at 11.00am, 12.30pm, 2.00pm and 3.30pm. Tours do no operate on Christmas Day and some event days.
Access:
Telstra Stadium is easily accessible by wheelchair.
Contact Details:
You can contact Telstra Stadium directly on (02) 8765 2000.
For more information and to find out about current events, please visit the Telstra Stadium website at www.telstrastadium.com.au
Have You Visited Telstra Stadium?
Please share your experiences of or questions about Telstra Stadium in the comments box below.
This entry was posted on Sunday, January 13th, 2008 at 3:57 pm and is filed under Homebush, Sydney Sport Venues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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i would love to apply for work at telsta stadium i work for royal agricultural socity and manpower i am looking for work i have rsa
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