The Optus Stadium Tour

Optus Stadium reveals its working side on this 90-minute walk through one of Perth’s newest major venues. You’ll enter the West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers and Perth Scorchers changerooms, sit near the field on the players’ benches, and see the rooms where coaches, media and VIPs do their jobs.

I like the access to the highest viewing points, where the field looks remarkably small and the Swan River and Perth skyline provide the backdrop. I also like the guides’ personal touch. Bruce, Terri, Rocco, Keith, Lindsay and others are praised for mixing useful facts with patience and humor.

The main consideration is pace. There is a lot to cover in 90 minutes, and one extra 15 minutes would give the group more breathing room. The tour operates in all weather, so dress for the day and wear shoes suited to walking.

Key points to know before you go

• Three major team changerooms: See facilities used by the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles and Perth Scorchers.
• High stadium views: Look down on the field from one of Optus Stadium’s highest visitor vantage points.
• Behind-the-scenes access: Enter coaches’ rooms, media areas, press spaces, recovery facilities, lounges and corporate rooms.
• Friendly, fact-filled guiding: Guides including Bruce, Terri, Rocco and Keith bring practical details and an easy sense of humor.
• Accessible walking route: Lifts connect levels, and the tour is designed for all ages and abilities.
• Small group format: The maximum group size is 25 people, making it easier to hear the guide and fit into each room.

Why Optus Stadium is worth seeing from the inside

From the outside, Optus Stadium is an impressive sports venue. Inside, the more interesting story is how many separate operations must work together before a match or concert can begin.

This tour takes you beyond the ordinary spectator route. You are not simply shown a grandstand and sent back outside. You move through the areas used by players, coaches, broadcasters, media teams and corporate visitors, gaining a better sense of how the venue functions on event days.

That practical focus makes the tour useful even if you are not committed to AFL. You can learn how a modern stadium changes between sporting events, how teams prepare, and how media coverage and hospitality fit into the building. The sports memorabilia adds a Western Australian angle, connecting this new stadium with the state’s sporting past.

I would allow the full 90 minutes and avoid treating this as a quick photo stop. The value comes from the explanations along the route, especially when your guide points out details you would never notice from a public seat.

Starting behind Gate D

The meeting point is behind Gate D, underneath the City View Cafe. This is a useful detail to note before you arrive, since a large stadium can make a vague meeting instruction frustrating.

You receive a mobile ticket, and confirmation is provided at booking. The tour has a maximum of 25 people, which is a sensible limit for rooms such as the changerooms, coaches’ spaces and media areas. A smaller group also helps when the guide is explaining how the stadium operates.

The tour is led by a host who keeps the group moving through the building. Guides are an important part of the experience here. Names praised for making the route friendly and informative include Bruce, Terri, Rocco, Keith, Lindsay, Bob and Crystaline.

You might have a guide who leans toward sporting stories, venue operations or behind-the-scenes logistics. The strongest guides are described as patient, funny and willing to answer questions, so do not be shy about asking when a particular room or facility catches your attention.

The changerooms used by Perth teams

One of the clearest highlights is access to the changerooms for the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles and Perth Scorchers. These spaces give the tour a more personal feel than a simple walk around the seating bowl.

You can picture the different rhythm of AFL and cricket preparation. Players use these areas to get ready, regroup and recover, while coaches and support staff handle the many details that spectators never see.

For a child who follows sport, this may be the moment that makes the tour worthwhile. Sitting in or viewing spaces connected with familiar teams gives the building a sense of place. It also works for adults who have attended games at Optus Stadium but have never wondered what lies beyond the public concourses.

The changeroom visits are not just about taking pictures. Your guide explains how the areas fit into the wider event operation, helping you understand that the action on the field depends on a large support system behind it.

From the players’ benches to the Victory Lounge

The route includes ground-level seating on the benches normally used by players and staff. This changes your view of the field. From the stand, you watch the game as part of a crowd. From the bench area, you can imagine the closer, more pressured view available to those preparing to take part.

You also enter the Victory Lounge, which offers some of the tour’s better views of the field. It is a useful contrast to the changerooms and working spaces because it shows how the same stadium serves spectators seeking a more polished hospitality setting.

The tour also includes the Coaches Room. Here, you get a clearer idea of the areas used for planning and decision-making rather than play itself. The guide’s commentary matters most in places like this, since an empty room can otherwise look much like any other meeting space.

The mix of practical rooms and field views keeps the visit from feeling repetitive. You move from player preparation to coaching, then to hospitality and public-facing areas.

Seeing the media and broadcast side

A modern stadium must serve broadcasters and reporters as well as players and spectators. The route gives you a quick look into the press box, commentary box, broadcast and television areas, and press conference rooms.

This section is valuable because media coverage can seem effortless when you watch a match at home. Inside the stadium, you see the spaces that support that coverage and begin to appreciate the planning required for a major event.

You also visit areas linked with corporate functions and VIP use. These rooms show another side of the venue, one that operates alongside the sporting event but serves a different purpose.

I would pay close attention here, especially if you enjoy architecture, event management or television production. The tour is not limited to famous team spaces. It shows the stadium as a large, adaptable facility designed for many kinds of gatherings.

Warm-up, recovery and player support areas

The tour includes warm-up areas, preparation rooms, recovery facilities, spas and related player spaces. These rooms help explain what happens before and after the part of the event that the public sees.

A stadium tour can sometimes focus too heavily on famous names and trophy displays. Optus Stadium’s route also gives attention to the work that supports performance. You see places connected with preparation, treatment and recovery, which makes the visit feel more like an operating tour than a simple photo opportunity.

This part should appeal to anyone interested in sports science or the routine behind professional competition. You do not need to be an AFL expert to understand the basic point: players require carefully planned facilities before they step onto the field and after they leave it.

The tour also includes memorabilia about Western Australian sports history. That material gives the modern building a wider setting. Optus Stadium opened in 2018, but the teams and sporting traditions connected with it reach back much further.

The highest viewpoints and Perth scenery

The stadium’s upper vantage points provide a memorable change of scale. Looking down from high above the field, you can see how the seating bowl, playing surface and internal spaces fit together.

You also get views toward the Swan River and Perth city skyline. These are not the only reason to book the tour, but they add a pleasant outdoor sense of place to a visit that spends much of its time indoors.

If you are taking photographs, this is one of the better moments to have your phone ready. Still, listen to the guide before turning the stop into a photo session. The explanation of the building’s layout helps you make sense of what you are seeing.

The height may not suit everyone, but the tour is designed for all ages and abilities, and lifts are used between levels. Several people specifically value the lift access when stairs are difficult. You should still expect a walking tour rather than a seated attraction.

A 90-minute route with a manageable group

The advertised duration is about 1 hour 30 minutes. That is long enough to cover the major backstage areas without taking up an entire day in Perth.

I think the timing works best when you treat the tour as one substantial activity, not something to squeeze between several fixed appointments. The route includes many rooms, level changes and explanations. A little flexibility helps if the group takes longer in a particularly interesting area.

The group limit of 25 is another practical advantage. Larger groups can make stadium tours feel distant, especially in rooms where everyone must gather around one guide. Here, you have a better chance of hearing the commentary and asking a question.

The only slight weakness is that the itinerary sounds full for the time available. One extra 15 minutes would allow more time for photographs or unexpected delays. If you like to linger, you may feel hurried at a few stops.

Is the $25.10 price good value?

At $25.10 per person, this is a reasonably priced way to see the stadium when no match ticket is involved. You are paying for a guided look at areas that ordinary spectators generally cannot enter, not just a walk through public seating.

The value is strongest if you are interested in sports, stadium design or event operations. You see team changerooms, the coaches’ room, media areas, hospitality spaces and player support facilities in one visit. Buying separate access to anything similar would not be practical, so the bundled route makes sense.

I also think the price works for families. Children must be accompanied by an adult, but the tour caters for all ages, and the variety of rooms keeps the experience moving. Young sports fans get recognizable teams and field access, while adults can focus on logistics, construction and venue management.

If you have already attended many stadium tours, the experience may feel familiar in places. Its strongest selling point is the combination of Perth teams, high city views and access to the working parts of Optus Stadium.

Food and drinks are not included. You might find the City View Cafe convenient before or after the tour, but plan to pay separately for anything you eat or drink.

Weather, access and what to wear

The tour operates in all weather conditions. Dress appropriately for the forecast, since parts of the route may expose you to conditions outside the enclosed interior spaces.

Wear comfortable shoes. The route is described as suitable for all ages and abilities, and lifts are available between levels, but you will still be moving through a large building for around 90 minutes.

Service animals are allowed. Most people can participate, and children must be with an adult. If you have a specific mobility concern, the available lift access is encouraging, but you should still consider the length of the walk and the number of stops.

The mobile ticket keeps entry simple. Keep your phone ready at the meeting point behind Gate D, underneath the City View Cafe.

Who should book the Optus Stadium Tour?

I would recommend this tour first to anyone who follows the West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers or Perth Scorchers. Seeing the changerooms and sitting at field level adds a physical connection that a match in the stands cannot provide.

It also suits sports fans who enjoy several codes. The tour covers AFL and cricket facilities, and the venue is presented as a multi-event building rather than a place built for just one team.

You do not need to be a sports enthusiast. The press, broadcast, coaching, hospitality and recovery areas give the route enough variety for people interested in buildings, television, event planning or Perth’s modern development.

Families, older visitors and mixed-interest groups should find the format workable, especially with lifts between levels and a group capped at 25. Just keep in mind that children need adult supervision and that this is a walking visit.

Cancellation and booking flexibility

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Canceling or changing the booking less than 24 hours before the start is not accepted for a refund.

That policy is worth noting if your Perth plans may shift. The mobile ticket and confirmed booking are convenient, but you still need to protect the 24-hour cutoff.

My verdict: book it for access, not just the view

You should book the Optus Stadium Tour if you want to understand how a major sports venue works from the inside. The best parts are the three team changerooms, the player benches, the coaches’ and media rooms, the recovery areas and the high views over Perth.

I especially like that the tour goes beyond football celebrity. It shows the less visible labor behind a match, from coaching and broadcasting to player preparation and corporate hosting. Guides such as Bruce, Terri, Rocco and Keith add much of the warmth, and the strongest commentary combines facts with a bit of fun.

Skip it only if you want a short, self-guided look or if a 90-minute walking route feels too full for your schedule. For $25.10, though, the access is strong, the group size is sensible and the experience offers more than a standard stadium photo stop.

FAQ

How long does the Optus Stadium Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 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.

Is a mobile ticket available?

Yes. The experience includes a mobile ticket.

What areas can I see inside Optus Stadium?

You can see the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles and Perth Scorchers changerooms, the Coaches Room, Victory Lounge, player benches, media and broadcast areas, press spaces, corporate rooms, warm-up areas and recovery facilities.

Can children join the tour?

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

Is the tour suitable for people who have difficulty with stairs?

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

Can I cancel for a full refund?

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