The Melbourne Cup kicked off this year’s festivities with a Welcome to Country ceremony that sparked a divisive reaction among fans. Local elder Uncle Colin Hunter performed the traditional welcome at Flemington on Tuesday afternoon, setting the tone for the event. While Hunter’s dignified address was met with applause from the live audience, viewers at home were less impressed.
In a departure from his more elaborate speeches at AFL events, Hunter delivered a notably shorter welcome, which led directly into the next phase of the entertainment, featuring pop star Ronan Keating. “The Wurundjeri people are part of the Kulin Nation. You are welcome to the traditional lands and waterways. Enjoy your afternoon. Thank you,” he said.
Despite the classy delivery, the Welcome to Country faced backlash on social media, with many fans expressing their dissatisfaction. One Twitter user lamented, “When does the madness end? The welcome to country becomes so meaningless after the first couple of times.” Another criticized the timing, stating, “How to ruin the cup? Do a Welcome to Country when the day is more than half over.”
Comments continued to flow, with one fan pointing out, “So Uncle Colin says a welcome to country before race 7 on Melbourne Cup day. Were we not welcome for the six races before it? Hypocrisy.” Others noted the stark contrast in audience response, with one posting, “Ronan Keating gets a cheer & the welcome to country gets nothing but crickets; tells you all you need to know.”
As the festivities shifted focus to Keating, who performed a duet with beloved Aussie singer Ricki-Lee, the atmosphere remained upbeat under the perfect, sunny Spring weather. All general admission tickets were sold out, with 90,000 spectators present at the iconic Flemington venue.
The pre-race entertainment took a more somber note when racing legend John “Patto” Patterson OAM was honored inside the mounting yard. The 86-year-old, who was the longest-serving Clerk of the Course in Melbourne Cup history, passed away last month. His sons, Peter and Shane Patterson, carried the Cup into the venue before handing it over to Ariarne Titmus.
The Australian National Anthem was performed by Greta Bradman, the eldest grandchild of cricketing icon Sir Donald Bradman, adding a further touch of national pride to the day.
𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥!
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