Melbourne

Melbourne Entertainment

Melbourne makes it easy to turn a free evening into a proper outing, whether that means a repertory film in St Kilda, live music in a Richmond bandroom, a comedy show in the CBD or a team challenge with friends. Families can choose between rides, wildlife encounters, aquarium habitats and hands-on science, while celebrations can come together with a live band, magician or interactive group experience. The choices below range from established venues to mobile entertainers who bring the fun to your event.

🎬 Cinema & Screen Entertainment

The Astor Theatre

St Kilda’s single-screen repertory cinema makes an occasion of classic, cult and selected new-release films. Sessions may use 35mm, 70mm, 2K or 4K projection, with stalls and dress-circle seating adding to the old-school cinema experience. The adjoining Overlook Café & Bar is handy for a pre-film catch-up or a break during a double feature.

1 Chapel St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia · ☎ (03) 9510 1414 (cinema enquiries)

Cinema Nova

On Lygon Street in Carlton, this independent cinema combines 16 screens with a licensed Nova Bar. Its programme spans Australian, independent, arthouse and international films, with film festivals adding further variety. Most sessions permit alcoholic beverages, so a screening can be paired with a drink from the bar for a relaxed night out.

380 Lygon Street, Carlton VIC

🎭 Theatre, Comedy & Live Performance

Arts Centre Melbourne

Across the Theatres Building, Hamer Hall and Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Arts Centre Melbourne presents theatre, music, dance, spoken word and other live performances, alongside free experiences across the precinct. The Show Room provides a more intimate 150-seat setting for contemporary work by local and international creators, giving audiences another scale of performance to explore.

100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004 · ☎ 1300 182 183 (ticketing enquiries) · ☎ (03) 9281 8000 (administration enquiries)

Comedy Republic

This dedicated CBD comedy venue presents professional comedians in an intimate setting with drinks, toasties and snacks available on show nights. Individual shows carry their own suitability information; the venue notes that mature themes may occur, so audiences should check the details of a particular performance when bringing young people. The venue is currently not wheelchair accessible.

Level 1, 231 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 · ☎ 0435 680 331 (box office)

🎶 Live Music & Nightlife

The Paris Cat Jazz Club

In Goldie Place, The Paris Cat offers a compact CBD setting for an evening of jazz and live music. Its continuing programme includes visiting performers, and the venue accepts artist and band submissions. The direct contact is text-only for venue enquiries, with a separate email available when a prompt written reply is preferred.

6 Goldie Place, Melbourne VIC 3000 · ☎ 0416 210 979 (text-only contact)

The Toff

On the second floor of Curtin House, The Toff brings together a live-music stage and a late-night carriage-side cocktail bar. Its programme includes live jazz, DJs, Latin music and dancing, making the venue adaptable to a midweek drink, a gig or a night spent on the dance floor. It is a useful choice when the evening needs more than one pace.

Second Floor, Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 · ☎ 03 9639 8770 (venue contact)

Corner Hotel

Richmond’s Corner Hotel combines a front bar with a live-music bandroom and spaces for group bookings and functions. Most bandroom shows use general-admission standing arrangements, although details differ between shows. Wheelchair access information is published, and patrons needing seating or other access support are asked to contact the venue before attending.

57 Swan Street, Richmond VIC 3121 · ☎ (03) 9427 7300 (venue, function and general enquiries)

🎮 Games & Interactive Fun

Escape Room Melbourne

Teams can step into cinematic puzzle adventures at South Melbourne and Flemington, taking on scenarios involving a mine crisis, a magician’s assistant or an unconscious veteran’s mind. Each experience gives players 70 minutes to follow clues and escape, while group and venue-hire options support larger celebrations. Large-group bookings for Frida Crouton’s Final Course have a separate contact.

12–18 Yarra St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205; 9 Lee Street, Flemington, VIC 3031 · ☎ 0455 661 777 (general enquiries; email preferred) · ☎ 0407 376 788 (large group bookings for Frida Crouton’s Final Course)

VR World

Near Lygon Street and Melbourne Museum, VR World offers group sessions built around Ubisoft VR escape games, ARVI escape adventures, arcade games, zombie survival and VR laser tag. Age recommendations vary by activity: arcade games are recommended for ages seven and over, while several escape experiences are recommended for ages 12 and over, or 10 and over with an adult.

69 Pelham Street, Carlton VIC 3053

Strike Bowling Melbourne Central

At Melbourne Central, groups can combine tenpin bowling with laser tag, two escape rooms and augmented darts. Food, drinks and a cocktail bar make it possible to extend the visit without changing venues. Under-18s are permitted until 8pm, with younger children asked to attend with a responsible adult before that time.

Shop No L03 305, Melbourne Central, Melbourne VIC 3000 · ☎ +61 3 7003 9612 (Victorian enquiries)

Hole In One

This Melbourne CBD social-play venue combines 18 holes of pop-culture-inspired mini golf with escape rooms, retro arcade games and tenpin bowling. The short games and team challenges suit a casual catch-up or a larger group booking, while food and drinks are available in the same venue for an easy shared outing.

L4, 525 Flinders Street, Melbourne CBD, VIC 3000 · ☎ 03 9460 7989

🎡 Family Attractions & Amusements

Luna Park Melbourne

St Kilda’s amusement park offers family rides, gentler attractions for younger visitors, thrill rides, carnival games and an arcade. Hosted birthday celebrations can include rides and food, while event spaces support broader celebrations and functions. Participation in each ride depends on its published safety requirements.

18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda VIC 3182 · ☎ (03) 9525 5033 (general enquiries)

Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo offers a full-day outing through animal habitats, with bookable experiences adding closer encounters. Visitor activities include reptile, snake and lizard experiences, as well as a guided butterfly encounter with invertebrate experts. The changing mix of habitats and activities gives families plenty to explore across the grounds.

Elliott Avenue, Parkville, Victoria 3052 · ☎ 1300 966 784 (tickets and bookings; 9am–5pm, 7 days a week)

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium brings together penguins, jellyfish, seahorses and tropical fish, with several environments offering different ways to explore aquatic life. Bay of Rays focuses on Port Phillip Bay species, Night on the Reef creates a bioluminescent underwater setting and Penguin Playground centres on its penguin habitat. Shark Dive Xtreme is a separate bookable experience on selected days.

Melbourne CBD

Scienceworks

At Spotswood, Scienceworks turns science into an active outing through the Melbourne Planetarium, Friday-night planetarium sessions and Sportsworks, an exhibition exploring the science of movement. The historic Spotswood Pumping Station adds hands-on science and industrial heritage to the visit, creating a varied experience for families and curious groups.

Spotswood, Melbourne

🎤 Bands, Entertainers & Party Entertainment

Hollywood Groove

Melbourne’s seven-piece Hollywood Groove builds its live set around movie-soundtrack music for venues, corporate events, weddings, festivals and private functions. Where the event setup suits it, the band can add browser-based movie trivia with a live leaderboard, bringing an interactive element to the performance as well as a soundtrack-led dance-floor option.

Melbourne, Victoria

Isaiah

Isaiah can be booked in formats ranging from an acoustic duo to a nine-piece event band. The group performs at weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, corporate functions, community events and other special occasions, with the flexible line-up allowing hosts to match the scale of the music to the celebration. The band is also available to travel interstate.

Melbourne, Victoria

Jukebox Dynamite

Jukebox Dynamite covers party favourites from older classics through to current hits, with five- to eight-piece line-ups for weddings and functions. Drums, bass, keys, guitar and male and female vocals form the core, while horn additions are available for a fuller arrangement. The band also travels for events outside Melbourne.

Melbourne, Victoria

Duck Cameron

Duck Cameron brings self-contained magic shows to children’s parties, schools, fetes, holiday programmes and family events. Performances use props, backdrops, lighting and sound, and fire eating can be included for older children where appropriate. As a mobile act, the show is designed to fit the host’s chosen celebration space rather than a fixed venue.

Melbourne, Victoria · ☎ 0408 388 244 (bookings)

Tim Credible

Tim Credible offers interactive comedy magic, bubble shows and ventriloquism-puppet shows for birthday parties, primary-school and kindergarten incursions, and family events. Audience participation is central to the formats, giving hosts a choice between magic-led comedy, bubbles or a puppet-focused performance for younger crowds.

Melbourne, Victoria · ☎ 0401 556 504 (bookings)

From a film in a grand St Kilda cinema to a jazz night, team challenge, family attraction or live act brought to a celebration, Melbourne offers plenty of ways to make time together memorable. Local businesses, bands, performers and entertainment operators are welcome to create or update a directory listing, and providers with upcoming shows can share them in Events so audiences can discover what is ahead.

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