Flemington Accommodation, Hotels, Tours & Information

Flemington

Flemington, of course, is the focus of the entire world of racing on the first Tuesday in November when one of the great horse races on the international calendar, the Melbourne Cup, is decided.

But there is more to this inner-Melbourne suburb than thoroughbred racing. It sits cheek by jowl to the Melbourne Zoo and nearby Royal Park, home to a superb butterfly collection which visitors can marvel at from a walk-through viewing area.

The visitor-friendly zoo was opened in 1861 - the year, coincidentally, in which Archer won the first ever Melbourne Cup - and is the oldest zoo in Australia and the third oldest in the world.

Royal Park hosts a residential enclave known as Parkville, whose signature terraced houses are richly decorated with wrought-iron lacework. The Mt Royal and Royal Children's Hospital flank the zoo.

Flemington is just a few minutes by road, tram or train from the heart of Melbourne and the city's shops, restaurants, galleries and theatres.