The Optus Stadium Tour

Big stadiums have small secrets. The Optus Stadium Tour takes you past the public seating and into the working heart of Perth’s 2018 sports venue, with access to team changerooms, coaches’ spaces, media rooms, and the ground-level benches. I especially like the highest viewpoint over the field and the chance to see how one stadium serves AFL, cricket, concerts, and other events. The main drawback is that 90 minutes can feel tight when the group pauses for questions or photographs.

I also like the way the tour works for mixed-age groups. Guides such as Bruce, Terri, Rocco, Keith, Lindsay, Bob, and Crystaline have been praised for making the visit friendly and easy to follow. At $25.10 per person, it offers good value for a major attraction, though food and drinks cost extra and the walking route may feel brisk for anyone who needs frequent rests.

Five things to know before you go

• You enter team areas: See the changerooms used by the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers.
• The highest viewpoint is a highlight: Look over the field while taking in views toward the Swan River and Perth city skyline.
• It is more than a football tour: The route includes coaches’ rooms, broadcast areas, press spaces, suites, recovery facilities, and event operations.
• The tour suits many ages and abilities: Lifts are used between levels, and service animals are allowed.
• Small groups help: The maximum is 25 people, giving you a fair chance to hear the guide and ask questions.

Starting behind Gate D at Optus Stadium

Your meeting point is behind Gate D, beneath the City View Cafe. That detail matters because Optus Stadium is large, and arriving at the wrong gate can cost you precious time before the group sets off.

The experience lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes. It is a walking tour, but the route uses lifts between levels, which is useful for people who have trouble with stairs. Most people can take part, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

The tour operates in all weather. You are mainly inside, but sensible clothing and comfortable shoes still make sense. The venue is near public transportation, and mobile tickets keep the arrival process simple. Food and drinks are not included, so you can plan a cafe stop before or after the tour.

A group limit of 25 is a reasonable balance. It is large enough to keep the tour lively but small enough for a guide to explain the rooms without turning every stop into a crowd-control exercise.

Why Optus Stadium makes a good tour subject

Optus Stadium opened in 2018, so this is a modern sports venue rather than an old ground held together by tradition and fresh paint. That gives the tour a practical focus. You are not only looking at architecture. You are seeing the rooms, equipment areas, access points, and control spaces needed to run a huge event.

The useful question here is not simply how many seats the stadium has. It is how the building changes from a football ground into a cricket venue, concert site, corporate event space, or broadcast center. The tour helps connect those moving parts.

You also get a feel for the difference between what spectators see and what staff and athletes need. The public enters through gates, finds a seat, buys food, and watches the action. Behind the scenes, coaches, players, broadcasters, medical teams, caterers, media staff, and event managers all need separate spaces and clear routes.

That practical side gives the tour value even if you are not an AFL fan. The sports focus is strong, but the building itself is the subject.

Team changerooms used by three Perth clubs

One of the most appealing parts is access to the changerooms of the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers. Seeing several team spaces makes the tour broader than a single-club visit.

The changerooms give you a closer look at the setting players use before and after a match. You can think about the shift from quiet preparation to the noise of competition, then back to recovery and post-game routines.

For children who follow sport, this is likely to be the most exciting part. It turns names and uniforms into a real place. You can also sit on the ground-level benches normally used by the stars of the game, which adds a hands-on touch rather than keeping you behind a barrier for the entire visit.

The experience is not limited to looking at locked doors from a corridor. The route takes you into working areas that ordinary ticket holders do not see. Access can vary with stadium operations, but the advertised route includes the player areas, warm-up spaces, preparation rooms, and recovery facilities.

Coaches, players, and the work before kickoff

The Coaches Room offers a different view of sport. From here, the focus shifts from the athletes on the field to the people planning substitutions, tactics, matchups, and decisions under pressure.

You also enter areas linked to warm-up and recovery. These rooms help explain that a match is not just the two hours you watch from the stands. Preparation begins earlier, and recovery continues after the final whistle.

This part should appeal to serious sports fans, but it has wider value. I like tours that show the jobs behind a public event, and Optus Stadium gives you plenty to think about. The venue needs places for teams to prepare, officials to work, media to report, and staff to move people and equipment safely.

The guides add much of the personality here. Bruce was praised for his enthusiasm, while Keith was singled out for useful facts and a fun approach. Lindsay was described as passionate, and Terri received warm praise for keeping the group interested and well looked after.

Guide quality can vary from one departure to another, but the feedback points to a consistent strength: the hosts know how to turn rooms into stories.

The Victory Lounge and the best field views

The Victory Lounge offers a view of the field from a more polished setting. You can look across the playing area from a position usually linked with premium hospitality rather than a standard match ticket.

This stop helps you compare the stadium from different heights and angles. At ground level, you feel close to the action. From higher areas, you understand the scale of the bowl and the way spectators share the same central view.

The stadium’s highest vantage point is another major feature. From there, you can look down toward the field and out toward the Swan River and Perth city skyline. The views give the tour a welcome break from interior rooms, and they make clear how the stadium fits into Perth.

If photography matters to you, this is one of the moments to keep your phone ready. The tour uses a mobile ticket, and your phone will likely also serve as your camera. Just listen for the guide, since stops can move on once the group has had time to take in the view.

Media, broadcast, and corporate spaces

The route includes areas used by the sports media, such as the press box, commentary box, and press conference rooms. These spaces reveal another side of a live event: the match must be watched, explained, recorded, and distributed to people who are not in the stadium.

For many visitors, the commentary and broadcast areas are more interesting than expected. You can picture the different tasks happening during a game, from reporting and interviews to television coverage and public announcements.

The corporate suites and function spaces show how the stadium works when sport is not the only business. These rooms can support hospitality, meetings, and other large events. That makes the tour useful for anyone interested in venues, event planning, or the logistics of bringing a major crowd into one building.

One practical point: the tour does not promise a long stop in every room. A guide may need to keep the group moving, especially if another event is being prepared. A few people have felt that an extra 15 minutes would allow more time for delays and questions. I would treat the 90-minute schedule as a well-paced introduction, not an exhaustive inspection of every corner.

The stadium as a working machine

The best information comes from seeing how the parts connect. A player’s preparation area leads to access routes and benches. Coaches need their own room. Broadcasters need clear sightlines and equipment spaces. Corporate guests need suites and function rooms. Spectators need safe circulation, food outlets, seats, and exits.

Optus Stadium is also a convertible, multi-event facility. That phrase matters because different events place different demands on the building. A cricket match is not arranged like an AFL game, and a concert needs a different setup again.

You may not see every conversion in action during your visit, but the guide can explain the planning involved. Crystaline was praised for describing the large-scale logistics that most people never consider. This is where the tour moves beyond sports memorabilia and team rooms.

The sports history of Western Australia appears through memorabilia along the way. These displays add local context, connecting the new stadium with the clubs, players, and sporting traditions that came before it.

What makes the tour good for families

The tour caters for all ages and abilities, and the reviews point to strong family appeal. Children who are keen on sport can sit where players sit, enter team areas, and see rooms that are normally off-limits.

Parents may appreciate the clear structure. The guide leads the group through a series of named spaces, with plenty of visual material along the way. It is more active than a museum visit but less demanding than a long city walk.

You do not need to be a football enthusiast. The stadium’s design, event planning, media work, and views give nonfans enough to enjoy. That said, a child who already knows the Dockers, Eagles, or Scorchers will probably get more emotional value from the changerooms.

The route is not entirely effortless. You should expect to walk for most of the 90 minutes, even though lifts help between floors. If someone in your group tires easily, use the guide’s pauses wisely and avoid rushing from one stop to the next.

Price, timing, and overall value

At $25.10 per person, this is fairly priced for a 90-minute guided visit to a major Perth venue. You are paying for access as well as information. A normal stadium ticket may show you the public side, but it will not usually take you into team rooms, coaches’ spaces, media areas, recovery rooms, and corporate facilities.

The strongest value comes if you plan to attend a game or already follow Australian sport. The tour gives you a better sense of the building before you return as a spectator. You will recognize spaces, understand the club connections, and notice the work taking place beyond the field.

It is still a guided walking experience, not a free-roaming pass. If you only want a skyline view or a quick look inside the bowl, the price may feel less attractive. The value increases when you take an interest in the explanations and ask questions.

The tour is highly rated, with a 4.9 score from 524 reviews and 99 percent recommendation. Those figures point most strongly to the guides, access to restricted areas, and the mix of sport and venue operations.

A few useful planning tips

Arrive at the meeting point behind Gate D, under the City View Cafe, with your mobile ticket ready. The stadium’s size makes this more important than it sounds.

Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. The tour operates in all conditions, and you may spend some time moving between exposed or open areas.

Keep the tour’s pace in mind. One guide may pause for questions, while another may move more quickly to fit all the rooms into the schedule. If you have a favorite part, ask about it when the guide invites questions rather than waiting until the final stop.

You can also pair the tour with time at the cafe or a stadium event, but food and drinks are not part of the ticket. The tour itself is the main activity, so plan extra time if you want a relaxed meal afterward.

Who should book the Optus Stadium Tour?

You should book it if you enjoy sports, stadium design, event operations, or unusual access behind public spaces. It is especially good for families, first-time visitors to Perth, and people attending an AFL or cricket match who want more context.

I would also recommend it to nonfans who like architecture and working venues. The media rooms, hospitality areas, recovery facilities, and high-level views keep the experience from becoming a club-only pilgrimage.

You may want to skip it if you dislike guided walking tours or have little interest in how stadiums operate. The 90-minute route is packed, and the tour may feel rushed if you want long photo stops or extended time in each room.

For most people, though, the access makes the price worthwhile. Book it at least 24 hours ahead if your plans might change, since free cancellation is available until that point. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.

FAQ

How long does the Optus Stadium Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

How much does the Optus Stadium Tour cost?

The listed price is $25.10 per person.

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is behind Gate D, underneath the City View Cafe at Optus Stadium.

What areas can I see during the tour?

The route includes the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers changerooms, the Coaches Room, Victory Lounge, player benches, media and broadcast areas, press conference rooms, corporate suites, function spaces, warm-up areas, and recovery facilities.

Is the tour accessible for people who have trouble with stairs?

The tour caters for all ages and abilities, and lifts are used between levels. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.