Louise is an SEO Writer for Spacer Technology, creating content for the Parkhound, WhereiPark, Spacer.com.au, and Spacer.com brands. Based in the Philippines, she transitioned from her government office job to copywriting in 2012 and has stayed in content production since.
She boasts 17 years of experience across various industries, including startups in market place, retail, B2B SaaS, real estate, and education. Specializing in building out and growing their marketing teams and programs, Lynette has played a pivotal role in the success of small to medium-sized startups.
Born with an innate entrepreneurial spirit and a thirst for all things tech, Mike founded his first business at the age of 14 by developing websites for SMEs in the mid-90’s. Now with decades of hands-on experience building startups, Mike is a seasoned tech entrepreneur with a proven track record of scaling high-growth tech companies.
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The 2024 Melbourne Cup is upon us and, as a major event that draws crowds from all over, anyone thinking to participate and plan to drive to the venue needs to prepare well. As one would expect from “the race that stops a nation”, thousands of attendees flocking to the scene means that finding a parking space at Flemington Racecourse is more challenging than usual.
But you can still minimise stress and enjoy this historic horse racing event to the fullest. Start things off on the right foot with our tips on what to expect on the day of the event and some Melbourne Cup parking and public transport options.
Is it your first time to participate in the Melbourne Cup? Don’t get too overwhelmed amidst the bustling atmosphere even if it’s your first time attending this annual event
While not an official holiday in Australia, the Melbourne Cup is celebrated as a de facto holiday in Victoria. While the 164-year-old event is a thoroughbred horse race at its core, over a hundred thousand Aussie and foreign spectators also participate in other exciting activities at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. This includes dozens of races before and after the main event, culinary delights and soirées, and a chic fashion display – from classic to eclectic.
This means that you can expect a large volume of attendees at the Flemington Racecourse, as well as a great deal of competition when it comes to securing accessible parking options at the venue.
This is why both first-time and veteran attendees need to thoroughly plan their transportation to the Melbourne Cup.
Driving to the Flemington Racecourse may usually be convenient because there’s free public parking available at the premises, but parking spaces are usually limited during peak days – and the Melbourne Cup is the epitome of peak days.
On-site parking at Flemington Racecourse
You can try your luck at the centre car park, which opens at 8:30 A.M., by entering Epsom Road and going onto Flemington Drive. Just know that parking slots are limited so, unless you arrive incredibly early to get a spot, you’re better off parking off-site.
The Victoria Racing Club also offers limited public parking at the showgrounds for $30 per day, accessible via Gate 5 at Lang’s Road.
Off-site parking
There are a good number of free and paid parking spaces available outside of Flemington Racecourse, but you might have to walk a good 10-15 minutes to get to the venue.
There are commercially operated parking garages within a 3-kilometer radius of the racecourse which allows daily parking for a flat rate ranging from $15 to $30. You can also find cheaper on-street parking closer to the venue, but most of them are metered or have time limits.
You can expect some changes to local traffic and parking regulations during the Melbourne Cup because the City of Melbourne suspends some parking restrictions during public holidays.
The city government, if specific days of the week are stated on a parking sign, then the restriction will not apply on a public holiday. For example, a parking sign that says “2P Meter, Mon-Fri, 7am-10pm”, means you can park along that area for free and without a time limit because it indicates a Monday to Friday schedule.
However, if a sign only indicates “2P Meter, 7am-10pm” or “Permit Zone, Area 1a Resident, 7am-11pm”, don’t expect an exemption if you park there and get fined.
Are you looking for last-minute parking for the Melbourne Cup? If you really want to avoid parking stress, book a space with Parkhound.
Parkhound offers a variety of on- and off-street parking spaces across Australia at affordable rates. It’s really easy to search and book a parking space too! Simply head on to Parkhound, type in the location you’re searching a parking for (e.g., Flemington Racecourse), inclusive dates, and choose between daily or monthly parking, and it will provide an appropriate listing according to your conditions.
Once you’ve made your choice, you can communicate directly with the host to know more about the space before reserving the parking spot. Afterwards, you can quickly book your preferred space if it’s still available.
You can also book a monthly parking space with Parkhound so it’s a great option for longer holidays, such as a summer getaway at Brighton Beach or Bondi Beach.
Don’t panic yet even if you can’t find parking close to the venue. There are several to choose from if you think about the Melbourne Cup venue accessibility: Bus, tram, train, taxi, rideshare, and even shuttle services.
Finally, consider our little race day parking advice if you still want to drive to the Melbourne Cup Carnival: you can always park your car a little farther and walk or take other forms of public transportation.
Enjoy Melbourne Cup!
This content is originally published for Parkhound, a Spacer Technologies company, and is protected under the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth). Unauthorised use or reproduction of this article, in whole or in part, without permission is prohibited and may result in legal action.
Louise is an SEO Writer for Spacer Technology, creating content for the Parkhound, WhereiPark, Spacer.com.au, and Spacer.com brands. Based in the Philippines, she transitioned from her government office job to copywriting in 2012 and has stayed in content production since.
Louise is an SEO Writer for Spacer Technology, creating content for the Parkhound, WhereiPark, Spacer.com.au, and Spacer.com brands. Based in the Philippines, she transitioned from her government office job to copywriting in 2012 and has stayed in content production since.
© Parkhound 2025 – ABN: 96 602 017 210 – Level 3, 55 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009 – Proudly part of Spacer Technologies
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