Kardinia Park Stadium Trust is delighted to announce that GMHBA Stadium and Geelong Sports Museum will host the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour. The Cup will be on show for Geelong and Western Victoria locals on Wednesday 30th September, perfectly timed for the school holidays.
The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour has been running since 2003 and provides communities across the world with the rare opportunity to see the prestigious prize up close and feel the magic of Australia’s most iconic race.
Visiting Geelong in 2026 is significant as it is 150 years since Briseis won the 1876 Melbourne Cup. Briseis was bred, owned and trained at St Albans Stud, making her Melbourne Cup victory a defining moment in the region’s racing history and one of the earliest examples of Geelong’s contribution to the Cup.
Geelong also has an association with Phar Lap, Australia’s most celebrated racehorse, who turns 100 this year. During his 1930 Melbourne Cup campaign, Phar Lap was brought to Geelong and hidden at St Albans Stud under police supervision. With threats on Phar Lap’s life, Geelong played a significant role in his protection and preparation ahead of his famous Cup win.
“Geelong Sports Museum at GMHBA Stadium highlights the well–established historical connection to racing and the Melbourne Cup, with links that span breeding, training and racing pathways, so we are delighted to be welcoming the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour in 2026. Being able to see the iconic Cup on the field of GMHBA Stadium will be a highlight and we can’t wait to see kids have this opportunity during their school holidays,” said Gerard Griffin, CEO Kardinia Park Stadium Trust.
“When the Tour first began in 2003, we never imagined it would evolve into such a significant event that deeply connects with communities not throughout Australia, but around the world. Yet year after year, its momentum continues to grow,” said VRC CEO Kylie Rogers
“The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour reflects the enduring connection between the Cup and the communities that welcome it,” said Lexus Australia CEO Jack Hobbs. “The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour is about much more than just a trophy. It’s a beacon of hope and it’s about bringing people and communities together to share in the magic that is the People’s Cup.”
About the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour
Since its inception in 2003, the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour has travelled more than one million kilometers, visiting more than 700 destinations far and wide, including Longreach in central Queensland, New York in the United States, Katherine in the Northern Territory, Deauville in France, Wyalkatchem in Western Australia, Rowella in Tasmania and Streaky Bay in South Australia.
From the remote red dirt towns of outback Australia to iconic racetracks across the United States, the United Kingdom and France, the 18-carat gold trophy, now valued at a record $1 million, will connect communities around the world through the excitement of the 24th annual Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour.
About Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust (KPST) manages Victorian Government land in Geelong, which includes GMHBA Stadium, Geelong Sports Museum, Geelong Cricket Club rooms, Sports House and Barwon Regional Cricket Centre.
KPST exists to inspire moments of connection and joy through sport, entertainment and community activities, with an overarching objective of contributing to the economic, community, and liveability benefits to Geelong and the broader region.
In 2024/25, GMHBA Stadium generated more than $190 million in social and economic value, 1,200 direct and indirect full-time equivalent jobs for the Victorian economy and hosted more than 480,000 visitors across 44 on-field events. The stadium was utilised 286 days of the financial year and the playing surface is considered the most utilised in Australia as it home to training sessions for the Geelong Football Club programs. The list of world class events at the stadium saw 190,000 visitors from outside the local region travel to Geelong to experience the elite venue. Within our community program, more than 21,000 local participants took part in five dedicated community events at the stadium.
