Melbourne Cup is one of those things everyone should do once. Be prepared for the prices. $70 general admission on the day, plus, unless you are lucky and are within walking distance of the track, tram fares etc. Mates and I stayed at the Footscray Motor Inn, so only a short walk from Flemington, highly recommend it, although has risen in price considerably from when we were there in 2000.
If you aren't fussed about seeing the race itself from close up, then seats won't matter. It's more the experience than anything else. Expect to pay a fair amount for food, drinks, but if you are lucky, the day may not cost a heap. Simply massive crowds throughout any part of the course, but a great sporting experience. We backed up for the Oaks a couple of days later and its a very different crowd that day. Single blokes will have a ball, single ladies looking for single blokes - this is your day
