Thunderstorms and heavy rain have not stopped racegoers from converging on Flemington for the Melbourne Cup, with huge crowds flocking to the racecourse after a two-year hiatus.
Sporting bold fascinators and ties and clutching umbrellas, tens of thousands of punters have gathered in brightly-coloured frocks and tailored suits to watch the race that stops the nation.
With temperatures set to drop to 11C, the Bureau of Meteorology warned Tuesday's event could mark the coldest Cup Day in almost 30 years.
This year's $8 million Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup marks the event's official return with full crowds for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supermodel Adut Akech and racing heiress Kate Waterhouse led the star arrivals inside the exclusive Birdcage enclosure.
There was almost as much action outside the Flemington gates as animal rights activists turned heads with bold signs calling for an end to the "archaic" sport.
The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses urged people to say "Nup to the Cup", saying 139 racehorses died on Australian tracks in the past racing year.
In an unrelated incident, footage of an unidentified person allegedly breaking into the racecourse ahead of the Melbourne Cup surfaced on social media on Tuesday.
The video appears to show the alleged culprit pouring oil on the racetrack on Tuesday morning to protest the "toxic" racing industry.
Victoria Police is investigating.
"Melbourne Criminal Investigation Unit detectives are investigating after unknown offenders have broken into a racing facility in Flemington and poured an unknown substance over a portion of the track about 6am this morning," Victoria Police said in a statement.
This year's Melbourne Cup Carnival has partnered with local charity GIVIT to support flood-impacted people and communities throughout Australia.
