The Optus Stadium Tour

Optus Stadium is more than a place to watch football. This 90-minute behind-the-scenes walk takes you into the changerooms, coaches’ room, media areas, recovery spaces, and field-level benches, then up to a high viewing point with Swan River and Perth skyline views. It gives you the working side of Perth’s major sports venue, not just a seat in the stands.

I like the way the tour connects several sports, with access linked to the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers. I also like the guides’ clear passion: Bruce, Terri, Keith, Rocco, Lindsay, Bob, Frank, and Crystaline are among the guides praised for keeping the tour friendly and informative. The main consideration is pace. You cover a lot in 90 minutes, and one extra 15 minutes would make the route less hurried.

Key points to know before you book

• See three major teams’ changerooms: The route includes spaces used by the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers.
• Reach the stadium’s highest viewing point: Look down over the field and out toward the Swan River and Perth city skyline.
• Go behind the broadcast operation: The tour can include the press box, commentary box, media rooms, and press conference spaces.
• Sit at ground level: Use the benches normally occupied by players and team staff.
• A manageable route for many abilities: Lifts connect levels, and most of the walking tour suits all ages and abilities.
• Small group format: The maximum group size is 25 people, which helps the guide keep everyone together.

Why Optus Stadium feels different from a normal match day

On match day, you see the finished performance. On this tour, you see the machinery behind it: player preparation, coaching decisions, media work, corporate hosting, crowd management, and the many rooms needed to stage a major event.

That change in viewpoint is the real value. You learn why a modern stadium needs much more than seats and a playing field. It must handle athletes, officials, broadcasters, corporate groups, media, staff, and different sports, often within the same large building.

Optus Stadium opened in 2018, so the venue still feels modern and purpose-built. The tour also places the building in Western Australia’s sporting story through memorabilia and displays. You do not need to follow Australian rules football to get something from it. The operation of a large multi-event venue is interesting in its own right.

The tour is led by a host who explains what each area does and answers questions along the way. The strongest guides bring their own personality to the route. Bruce and Keith are praised for making the information fun, while Terri, Rocco, Lindsay, Bob, Frank, and Crystaline are also noted for clear explanations and a friendly manner. Guide quality can vary from one departure to another, but the repeated praise for the staff is a good sign.

Starting behind Gate D

Your meeting point is behind Gate D, underneath the City View Cafe. This is useful to know before you arrive, since Optus Stadium is a large venue and a little planning will save you from circling the exterior looking for the group.

You receive a mobile ticket, and confirmation is provided at booking. The tour operates in all weather, so dress for the conditions even though much of the route is indoors. Comfortable shoes are sensible because this is a walking tour through several levels and rooms.

The group limit is 25 people. That is not a private tour, but it is small enough for the host to speak to the group without the experience feeling like a crowd transfer. The trade-off is that some rooms may feel full when everyone gathers inside.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Service animals are allowed, and the tour is near public transport. Food and drinks are not included, though the City View Cafe is at the meeting point, making it a practical place to consider before or after the tour.

The changerooms: where match day begins

The changeroom section gives you a more tangible sense of the players’ working routine. You visit the spaces connected with the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers, three teams with different sporting seasons and requirements.

This is one of the best parts for families and sports fans because it turns a familiar team name into a real place. You can think about the preparation that happens before players walk onto the field, rather than seeing only the final contest.

The tour also includes warm-up and recovery areas. Those rooms show the less glamorous side of professional sport: preparation, treatment, recovery, and repetition. You might not spend long in every space, but the route gives you a useful picture of how much work surrounds the actual game.

The sports connection is not limited to football. The Perth Scorchers bring cricket into the story, and the wider tour explains how the stadium can host different events. That makes the experience a stronger choice for a mixed-interest group, especially if one person follows football and another prefers cricket or large venue design.

The coaches’ room and field-level benches

The Coaches Room is a highlight because it shifts your attention from players to decisions. From here, you can imagine how a coach watches the action, studies patterns, and communicates with the team.

You also get to sit at ground level on benches normally used by the stars of the game. This is a small moment, but it works well. Instead of simply being shown a room, you are placed in the setting where team staff and players actually prepare and watch.

The route includes views of the field from several positions. The Victory Lounge gives another attractive angle over the playing surface, while the field-level stops help you understand the scale of the venue from below.

I would not expect unrestricted access to every room or a long pause at each stop. The tour needs to keep moving, and event schedules can affect which areas are available. Still, the mix of coaches’ spaces, benches, lounge areas, and field views gives the experience plenty of variety.

The media rooms, press box, and corporate spaces

Optus Stadium is also a workplace for sports media. The route can take you through the press box, commentary box, television and media rooms, and press conference areas.

These spaces are useful even if you are not interested in broadcasting. They show how a match becomes a public event for people who are not in the stadium. Commentators, reporters, camera crews, interviewers, and production staff all need dedicated working areas, and the tour gives you a quick look at that system.

Corporate suites and function spaces add another side of the building. They explain how the stadium operates beyond game tickets. A major venue needs areas for business events, hospitality, private functions, and sponsors as well as ordinary seating.

This section is especially worthwhile for anyone curious about event planning. You start to see the logistics behind a stadium that can shift between sporting events and other functions. The tour does not simply show attractive rooms. It explains how each space supports the wider operation.

The highest viewpoint and Swan River views

The stadium’s highest viewing point is the clearest visual payoff. From above, you look down onto the field and across toward the Swan River and Perth skyline.

This gives you the broadest sense of the venue’s scale. At field level, the stadium feels tall and enclosed. From high above, you can judge the shape of the seating bowl and see how the venue fits into Perth.

Bring your phone if you want photos, though the tour’s pace may not allow long stops. The views are an important reason to choose this experience over a basic stadium walk, particularly if you have already seen Optus Stadium from the stands.

The high point also makes the tour more than a series of interior rooms. You get an outside reference to the city and river, then return to the stadium’s working areas. That contrast keeps the route from becoming repetitive.

What the 90 minutes really gives you

The advertised duration is about one hour and 30 minutes. That is long enough to cover a surprising number of areas, but short enough to fit into a day of sightseeing in Perth.

The route is full rather than leisurely. You move between levels and rooms, listen to explanations, take in views, and keep up with the group. One person who enjoyed the tour felt another 15 minutes would help with delays and allow more breathing room. I think that is fair. If you want a slow architectural study with long photo stops, this may feel brisk.

The upside is strong coverage. In one visit, you can see changerooms, warm-up areas, recovery facilities, spas, coaches’ and media rooms, VIP lounges, commentary areas, press conference rooms, function spaces, and field-level positions. The exact order can vary, but the range is impressive for a 90-minute visit.

Lifts are used between levels, which helps people who have trouble with stairs. The tour is described as suitable for all ages and abilities, though you should still expect walking and dress for the weather. Most people can participate, and children need an accompanying adult.

Is $25.10 good value?

At $25.10 per person, this is reasonably priced for a guided stadium experience of about 90 minutes. The value comes from access, not simply duration. You are paying to enter working areas that a normal match ticket does not show, with a host explaining how the venue functions.

It is particularly good value if you already plan to visit Optus Stadium for a match. The tour lets you return later with a better sense of what sits behind the public areas. It can also suit a family because the route includes changing rooms, benches, high views, sports memorabilia, and plenty of movement.

The price is less compelling if you have no interest in sports, buildings, media, or event operations. Even then, the river and skyline views and the stadium’s scale provide some appeal. Just do not expect a general Perth sightseeing tour. The focus stays firmly on Optus Stadium.

Food and drinks are not included. If you want lunch or coffee, plan that separately at the cafe or elsewhere around the venue. The tour itself is an activity, not a meal package.

Who should take this tour?

I would choose it for sports fans who want to see the places behind the match. It works especially well for supporters of the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, or Perth Scorchers, since the changerooms and team spaces give the visit a personal connection.

It also suits families with children interested in sport. The route is hands-on in the simple sense that you can sit on field-level benches and stand in spaces normally kept away from the public. The guides are used to questions, and the tour does not require specialist sports knowledge.

Architecture and event fans should consider it too. The media, corporate, coaching, recovery, and function areas show how a large modern stadium operates. You get practical information about the building rather than only a polished public presentation.

I would be more cautious if you want a quiet, photo-focused visit. A group of up to 25 people moves together, and the guide has to keep the schedule. The highest viewpoint is attractive, but this is not primarily a city panorama tour.

Practical details that make the day easier

Meet behind Gate D, beneath the City View Cafe, rather than simply arriving at the stadium and asking for a tour. Your mobile ticket is accepted, and booking confirmation arrives at the time of purchase.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. The tour runs in all weather, and even with lifts available you will move through a large venue. If you have mobility concerns, the use of lifts is helpful, but the information provided does not promise that every part of the route will suit every need, so raise specific questions before booking.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the experience are not refunded, and changes inside that period are not accepted. The cut-off uses Perth local time.

Should you book the Optus Stadium Tour?

Book it if you want access rather than just another stadium photograph. The strongest features are the three team changerooms, coaches’ and media areas, field-level benches, high viewing point, and the chance to see how a large venue handles different sports and events.

The guides are a major part of the experience. Names such as Bruce, Terri, Keith, Rocco, Lindsay, Bob, Frank, and Crystaline appear across the tour team, and their friendly, clear approach helps turn technical details into an enjoyable walk.

Skip it if you want a relaxed architectural tour with no sports focus, or if you dislike moving through a set group schedule. For most families, sports fans, and curious first-time visitors to Optus Stadium, $25.10 buys a useful look at the venue’s working heart.

FAQ

How long does the Optus Stadium Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

How much does the 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 teams’ changerooms can I see?

The tour includes the changerooms of the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, and Perth Scorchers.

Can I see the field from high up?

Yes. The tour includes the stadium’s highest viewing point, with views down onto the field and toward the Swan River and Perth city skyline.

Does the tour include the media and commentary areas?

The experience includes access to areas such as the press box, commentary box, media rooms, and press conference spaces.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Yes. Children can take part, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

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

Lifts are used between levels, and the tour is designed for all ages and abilities. Most people can participate, though you should ask the provider about any specific access needs.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.