Over the last century Melbourne has proven itself to be the sports capital of Australia due to its success of holding major internationally acclaimed sporting events.

We take a look at some of the key sporting events in Melbourne that captivate the nation's heart;

The Melbourne Cup Carnival – Flemington Racecourse
Billed as ‘the race that stops the nation’, the Melbourne Cup is Australia’s largest annual thoroughbred horse race.  The annual race is run at Flemington Racecourse Melbourne and was inaugurated in 1861.  The race is part of the Spring Racing Carnival in Victoria which last year attracted over 730,000 people.

 AFL Grand Final Day – MCG Melbourne
The 2008 Grand Final proved that this is without a doubt the most cruel and exciting game of the year.  Over four quarters the game decides which football dreams are realised and which shattered.  Fans and players of the Australian Football League have spent the last year watching the teams play it out in the hope that their team, the one who has put them through emotional highs and lows, will run out onto the MCG on Grand Final Day and bring the flag home.

3 Mobile Boxing Day Test
The Boxing Day Test has become a cultural tradition for Victorians.  The Boxing Day Test is the biggest day in the Australian cricketing calendar and has provided the games finest and most memorable moments at the home of Australian cricket, the MCG. 

Australian Open Tennis Championships
Steeped in tradition, the Australian Open is one of the world’s greatest sporting events. The history of the event has spanned over a 100 years, during which time inspirational players such as Pat Cash and Roger Federer have fought to victory on the courts of Melbourne. Originally on grass and in the open at Kooyong, the game is now held in and around the Vodaphone Arena, where last year over 500,000 people came to watch the stars smash it out.

The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park
The Australian leg of the annual Formula One championship season is held on the stunning Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.  Since moving from Adelaide the annual F1 race is enjoyed by many who squeeze around the Albert Park lake to watch the teams compete for the podium.  Arguably one of the most stunning courses due its proximity to the lake, the CBD and Port Phillip Bay, this race attracts a lot of interest from the world motoring media.

That’s quite impressive Melbourne.  These are only the events held in city, how many events are held across Victoria?