Melbourne Cup through the years

It’s the race that stops a nation and has done for decades. See incredible images of Melbourne Cup revelry from the Herald Sun archives.

The Melbourne Cup is the day to remember at Flemington.

All the historical images of the Melbourne Cup.

Crowds look on at the Melbourne Cup in 1896.

Punters arrive to the grandstand enclosure in horse drawn carriages in 1903.

Crowds on the lawn at Flemington racecourse circa 1912.

A standing start at the 1937 Melbourne Cup.

Thousands of racegoers attend a packed-out Flemington in 1963.

Women’s fashion in 1963.

Crowds watch the race in 1963.

The champagne flows in the Flemington carpark in 1968.

Men watch the race from the members area in 1969.

Trackside fashions in 1969.

Top hats and tails in 1970.

1973’s winner Gala Supreme returns to scale.

Vintage inspired fashions on the field in 1974.

A punter drinks champagne from the bottle on a flooded betting ring in 1976.

A woman holds her shoes as she makes her way through a flooded carpark in 1976.

Punters celebrate despite the weather in 1976.

A jockey waves to a spectator dressed in a swim suit and cape in 1978.

A woman dressed in a hessian sack complete with dangling vegetables attends the race in 1979.

People enjoy lunch by candlelight in 1979.

Peter Coventry, of Cheltenham, shows off his outfit while standing on an esky in 1981.

A man drinks from a beer hat in 1984.

Punters wearing extreme costumes attend the race in 1984.

Diana and Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales share a joke with businessman John Elliott during their visit in 1985.

Punters Mark Ward, Rhonda Ward, Sue Cleland, Caroline Mornane, Robert Ward and Laura Huntley enjoy themselves in the Flemington carpark in 1986.

A woman wears a large hat adorned with a horse in 1986.

Racegoers dress up in striped outfits in 1987.

The clean-up begins after the races in 1987.

Potato sack ladies Kathy Matthews, Chris De Souza, Meredith Muller and Julie Kemp show off their outfits in 1990.

The Duchess of York – formerly Sarah Ferguson — speaks with Bart Cummings and John Elliott while attending the race in 1990.

The Polish my Helmet crew pose for a photo in their matching outfits in 1991.

Fans wear Bart Cummings masks in 1992.

A punter wears a hat adorned with beer cans in 1992.

Michelle Box and Ivana Crump show off their marine inspired outfits in 1995.

Women wear bathers and balloons in 1995.

Contestants line up for the Fahions on the Field competition in 1995.

Punters Marc Quinn, Mick Davies, Damian Murphy and Paul McKenzie enjoy the day from the comfort of their convertible in 1996.

A man wears a Richard Nixon mask in 1996.

Racegoers Lisa Hajncl, Jenny Trudinger, Chris Quonoey and Tom Hajncl dress up as characters from the Wizard of Oz in 1997.

Helen Campbell, 82, cleans up the Flemington carpark after the last race in 1997.

Piere Bell enjoys a ute full of beer in 1997.

Frill-necked lizards Rose Chafer and Sonia Newnham ahow off their costumes in 1997.

Adrian rossetto, Jason Graham, David Berry and George Kyritsis enjoy a spa in the carpark at Flemington in 1997.

Amanda Upton enjoys a drink from her Porsche Boxter esky in 1998.

Caught in the middle of the carpark, this couple had nowhere to run when a storm swept through Flemington in 2004.

A couple kisses among a sea of empty champagne bottles in 2002.

Snoop Dogg dances with girls in the Lavazza marquee in 2008.

Racegoers pick each other up in 2010.

Prince Charles greets people during his visit to Flemington in 2012.

Racegoers make the most of wet conditions by setting up a slip n' slide in 2012.

Geoffrey Edelsten and Gabi Grecko walk through the Birdcage in 2014.

Usain Bolt performs the Mumm tap tap challenge in 2019.

Punters race home after a long day at Flemington in 2019.