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Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre

Coordinates: 37°50′35.2″S 144°57′43.8″E / 37.843111°S 144.962167°E / -37.843111; 144.962167
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Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
Outdoor 50m competition pool (opened 2006)
Building information
Full nameMelbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC)
CityAlbert Park, Victoria, Australia
Coordinates37°50′35.2″S 144°57′43.8″E / 37.843111°S 144.962167°E / -37.843111; 144.962167
Capacity1,800 indoor pool, 3,000 outdoor pool, 1,800 Show Court
Built1997
Opened24 July 1997
Architect(s)Peddle Thorp Architects
TenantsBasketball

Victoria Giants (NBL) (2003–2004)
Melbourne United (NBL; training) (2018–present)
Basketball Australia (2018–present)

Other Tenants

Table Tennis Victoria
Victorian Water Polo
Australian University Sport
Squash Vic
Swimming Victoria
Basketball Victoria
Diving Victoria

Melbourne Vicentre[1]
WebsiteMelbourne Sports Centres
Indoor 50m competition pool at Melbourne Sports Centres – MSAC
Indoor 50m competition pool (opened 1997)

Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre is an international sporting venue located in Albert Park, Victoria, Australia. The centre was opened on 24 July 1997 at a construction cost of A$65 million. The cost was funded by the State Government of Victoria and the City of Port Phillip. The centre has hosted international events including the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 World Aquatics Championships.[2]

The centre has several swimming pools and international standard diving facilities. There is a large multi-purpose sports hall used for sports such as badminton, basketball, table tennis and volleyball, and also squash courts and a gym.

It is one of four sporting facilities in Melbourne - the others being the State Netball and Hockey Centre (SNHC), and Lakeside Stadium, and the State Basketball Centre (SBC) - to be named under the banner of State Sport Centres, and is operated by the State Sports Centres Trust.

The centre is accessible by tram routes 12 and 96 which both pass near Southern Cross railway station and the Melbourne City Centre.

Construction

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Stage 1

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The first part of MSAC's construction was completed in 1997. This included the majority of the facilities currently at MSAC including the indoor pools and the sports hall.

Stage 2

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In 2002, it was announced that MSAC would be expanded in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.[3] A new hydrotherapy pool, a new 50 metre outdoor pool and improved transport links were some of the facilities added in the $51 million expansion.[4] Work began on the Stage 2 project in September 2003.[5] The expansion opened in early 2006. Since then, a movable floor was installed in the 50m outdoor pool which allows the water depth to be varied.[6]

Facilities

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The centre boasts numerous facilities.

Aquatics

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  • Indoor 50m pool[7]
  • 25m lap pool[8]
  • Multi-purpose pool[9]
  • Hydrotherapy pool[10]
  • Outdoor 50m pool[11]
  • Wave pool[12]
  • Diving boards[13]
  • Water slide[14] dismantled as at 31 Dec 2019

Sport

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  • 10 indoor basketball courts
  • 10 squash courts
  • 12 badminton courts
  • 18 table tennis tables
  • 3 volleyball courts[15]

National Basketball League club Melbourne United have been based at the centre since the start of the 2018/19. The team trains in the basketball precinct, which features an 1800-seat show court, and have their club offices and facilities located in the centre.[16]

Events

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MSAC regularly hosts many events including state and national championships. Among the major events MSAC has hosted are:

View of MSAC from Albert Park Lake

Charlene Wittstock, the future Princess of Monaco, won a gold medal for South Africa in the 2002 World Cup held at MSAC. She returned to the MSAC on a royal visit to Melbourne in March 2012.[18]

Light rail station

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Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
PTV tram stop
General information
LocationAlbert Park/Middle Park, Victoria 3206
Australia
Coordinates37°50′43″S 144°57′42″E / 37.845406°S 144.961686°E / -37.845406; 144.961686
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byYarra Trams
Line(s)St Kilda
Platforms2 (2 side)
Tracks2
Construction
Structure typeAt grade
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusOperational
Station code129
Fare zoneMyki Zone 1
History
Electrified600 V DC overhead
Services
Preceding station Trams in Melbourne Yarra Trams Following station
Albert Park
towards East Brunswick
 Route 96 Middle Park
towards St Kilda Beach

A light rail station with the same name servicing the facility is located approximately 100 metres from the facility. It is a light rail station on the former St Kilda railway line,[19] located on Canterbury Road.[20]

Yarra Trams operates one route via Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre light rail station:

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References

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  1. ^ "Melbourne Sports Centres - be Your Best".
  2. ^ "History | MSAC". Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre - Our past projects - Our projects - Major Projects Victoria". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre - Our past projects - Our projects - Major Projects Victoria". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre - Our past projects - Our projects - Major Projects Victoria". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre - Our past projects - Our projects - Major Projects Victoria". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  7. ^ "Indoor 50m Pool | MSAC". Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  8. ^ "25m Lap Pool | MSAC". Archived from the original on 11 November 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Multi-Purpose Pool | MSAC". Archived from the original on 14 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Melbourne Sports Centres - be Your Best".
  11. ^ "Melbourne Sports Centres - be Your Best".
  12. ^ "Melbourne Sports Centres - be Your Best".
  13. ^ "Melbourne Sports Centres - be Your Best".
  14. ^ "Melbourne Sports Centres - be Your Best".
  15. ^ "Stadiums | MSAC". Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  16. ^ "Melbourne United announce Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre as new home". Melbourne United. 1 August 2018.
  17. ^ "About Us - Melbourne Sports Centres".
  18. ^ The Age: "Fairytale in Bendigo" http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/a-fairytale-in-bendigo-as-charlene-enters-with-grace-20120310-1urgh.html
  19. ^ "St Kilda Line". VICSIG. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  20. ^ Victoria, Public Transport. "Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre/Light Rail #129". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  21. ^ "96 East Brunswick - St Kilda Beach". Public Transport Victoria.

37°50′35.2″S 144°57′43.8″E / 37.843111°S 144.962167°E / -37.843111; 144.962167

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