Kids can unleash their inner Ash Barty at the new and expanded 2020 Australian Open Ballpark this January. Located at the home of the international tennis Grand Slam at Melbourne’s Birrarung Marr, the AO Ballpark has quadrupled in size. Expect to be served a huge range of tennis-themed family activities for all ages!
Ground passes
For just $5, kids aged 3 to 14 years can access Birrarung Marr’s upper and lower terraces and AO Ballpark. Tiny tots enter for free. In fact, word on the street is that ANZ are shouting 7000 kids free ground passes on January 23rd. So jump in quick!
Family activities
Watch the tennis greats battle it out on the outdoor courts and Melbourne Arena, with access included in the ground passes. Rub shoulders with your favourite icons at Autograph Island. Feeling inspired? Grab a racquet and try your own moves at the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Fan Zone and mini courts.
Other family activities in the precinct include a climbing wall, zipline, go-kart racing, stage shows, a water battle zone with supersoakers, movies and a LEGO stage. Check out the new addition of AO Hilltop, designed for wannabe tennis champs aged 10 and over.
The family fun continues next door at Fed Square, where the tennis will unfold on big screens.
Yummy eats
Feeling peckish? Quench your athlete’s appetite with gourmet lobster rolls or fish and chips from Pinchy’s, Melbourne’s new lobster bar. Family meal packs are on sale from 5 to 6pm at Pinchy’s and Grill’d. Cool down with a yummy Blue Ace smoothie from Boost, sold on the upper terrace.
For grown-ups keen on a date night or outing with mates, you can sign the littlies into the AO Kids Club. The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam to offer childcare, located at Deakin Edge.
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Sophie is a die-hard pasta lover, beach-goer and theatre fanatic hit hard with the travel bug. When exploring new places, Sophie loves straying from the beaten path and chatting with locals about the best places to grab a bite to eat.