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What’s On in Melbourne: Your Ultimate Guide for June & Beyond
Everything to see and do this month in Melbourne (and beyond).
June in Melbourne means Lightscape back at Royal Botanic Gardens, the Winter Night Market firing up every Wednesday at Queen Victoria Market, Friday Nights at NGV pairing the Cartier blockbuster with live music and drinks, and a calendar full of food events, theatre, and winter escapes worth leaving the house for. This guide covers the best things to do in Melbourne this June, from major festivals and free exhibitions to one-off dining events, markets, regional day trips, and shows you will want to book before they sell out.
In This Guide
Editor’s Picks
Four Pillars Martini Collective
Melbourne already knows the martini is never just a drink. This month, the Four Pillars Martini Collective makes the city’s favourite first order smaller, saltier and far more fun, with mini Olive Leaf Gin Martinis paired with bespoke snacks across Reine & La Rue, Dessous, Maison Bâtard, Bar Bellamy, Nomad and Carlton Wine Room. There’s panisse with anchovy, octopus Gildas, steak tartare tarts and that iconic anchovy, fried bread and ricotta situation. Tiny glass, serious room, flawless start.
See the full list of participating venues and their snack pairings here.
Where: Reine & La Rue, Dessous, Maison Bâtard, Bar Bellamy, Nomad and Carlton Wine Room.
When: 21st May to 21st June
Cost: From $19 to $28.50, depending on the venue pairing.
Best For: Aperitivo hour, date nights, post-work martinis and anyone who likes their first drink with a snack sharp enough to match.
Need To Know: The experience is available at participating venues for a limited time, spanning World Gin Day on 13th June and World Martini Day on 20th June.
Fondue Chalet
Fed Square has gone full French Alps, minus the airfare and thermal regret. Fondue Chalet has returned for winter, bringing private timber chalets, fire pits, mulled wine and a choose-your-own-cheese situation to the middle of the city. Go fondue savoyarde with bread and charcuterie for dunking, or commit to raclette scraped over potatoes, pickles and cured meats. Chocolate fondue and marshmallow-toasting handle the après-cheese chapter. Book the chalet, wear the knitwear, surrender to the melt.
Where: Fed Square, Melbourne
When : Until 27th June, 2026
Cost: From $79 per person
Best For: Date nights, group catch-ups and anyone willing to make cheese the main event.
Need To Know: Private chalets are designed for groups of 6 to 8, with guests choosing either fondue savoyarde or raclette for the table. Tickets start from $79 per person and include mulled wine on arrival, with chocolate fondue available as an add-on from $59 per chalet.
Check In to The Lobby by Ellison Studios
Sydney furniture and interiors brand Ellison Studios has landed in Melbourne with its first physical residency, transforming a first-floor space inside South Yarra’s landmark Conways Building into The Lobby. Part design showroom, part creative meeting place, it riffs on the mood of a great hotel lobby, with sculptural Float sofas, curated artworks from Hake House, rare books by Selected Objects and hand-restored parquetry underfoot. By day, designers can meet clients and explore the collection. By night, talks, performances, drinks and DJ sets draw the city’s creative crowd in.
Where: 1/249 Chapel Street, Prahran
When : Until July 2026
Cost: Free to view on Fridays and Saturdays
Best For: Design afficionados, interior designers, trade partners, and the wider creative community
Need To Know: You’ll need to book an appointment to experience the space
The Wind Down with Malin + Goetz
Hannah St Hotel has found the chicest possible excuse to cancel dinner plans. Its winter Wind Down package with Malin + Goetz is built for the night-in girlies: Dark Rum-inspired cocktails downstairs at Bar Hannah, nightly turndown, breakfast for two and a smugly late 2pm checkout. The rooms already understand the assignment, with Flack Studio interiors, low light, good linen and Malin + Goetz in the bathroom. Then, because leaving empty-handed would be rude, you take home a full-size Dark Rum candle that smells like plum, leather, rum and someone with excellent taste.
Where: Hannah St Hotel, Southbank
When : Available nightly until 31 August (minimum two-night stay)
Cost: $353 per night
Best For: Couples; Girls’ nights; Premium experiences; Weekend plans; Nightlife
Need To Know: Minimum two-night stay required. Includes Dark Rum cocktails at Bar Hannah, nightly turndown, breakfast for two, 2pm late checkout and a full-size Malin + Goetz Dark Rum candle to take home.
Festivals & Major Events
Bastille Day French Festival Melbourne
Melbourne’s Euro-dupe era is getting a very convenient French weekend. Bastille Day French Festival is taking over Queen Victoria Market with two days of French food, market stalls, live music, talks, masterclasses and cultural programming, all without the airfare or exchange rate pain. Go hungry for crêpes, raclette, pastries and bring your best and baddest just-one-more-lap energy.
Where: Queen Victoria Market
When : 11 to 12 July, 9am to 4pm
Cost: Free entry
Best For: French food, market wanders, winter dates, families, and anyone romanticising a July trip to Paris.
Need To Know: Entry is free, but food, drinks and masterclasses may cost extra. Go earlier if you want first pick of the best stalls.
Eat & Drink
Builders Arms Hotel Sausage Festival
Fitzroy’s most gleefully unserious winter food event is back, and yes, there will be sausage dogs. Builders Arms Hotel is firing up its 13th Annual Sausage Festival with six snag-led dishes and matched drinks, ranging from merguez sausage with oysters and mignonette to saucisson brioché, wood-fired duck neck sausage and choucroute garnie piled with sauerkraut, smoked frankfurters, Lyonnaise sausage and pork belly.
Pick up a stamp card and work through the menu to score a limited-edition festival tote bag, or swing by the sausage dog meet-up on Sunday 21st June for peak Fitzroy energy. There’s also a sausage-themed trivia night on Wednesday 24th June, hosted by Cam Smith of Triple R’s Eat It.
Where: Builders Arms Hotel, 211 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
When : Thursday 18 June to Sunday 28 June
Cost: Menu items priced individually
Best For: Pub loyalists, sausage tragics, winter date nights, group dinners and anyone with a dachshund.
Need To Know: Book ahead, especially for trivia night
High Cheese at The Westin
The Westin Melbourne’s cult High Cheese is back for winter, turning the polite ritual of high tea into a three-tiered cheese parade at Allegro Restaurant. Executive Chef Apoorva Kunte has teamed up with Richmond’s Supercheese and cheesemonger Jeremy Spradbery on a menu that moves from truffle-laced Mepunga Gruyère soufflé and Pyengana cheddar arancini to baked Normandy Camembert, Comté with smoked almond scones and Basque cheesecake with Alphonso mango. A glass of Punt Road wine is included, with optional flights for anyone taking the cheese-to-wine ratio seriously.
Where: Allegro Restaurant, The Westin Melbourne, 205 Collins Street, Melbourne
When : 26 May to 17 October 2026, Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm to 9.30pm
Cost: From $91 per person
Best For: Cheese tragics, wine-first catch-ups, winter date nights and anyone who likes the ritual of high tea but would rather swap finger sandwiches for baked Camembert, Gruyère soufflé and cheddar arancini.
Need To Know: This is an evening experience, not a daytime high tea. High Cheese runs Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm to 9.30pm, with bookings essential. The $91 ticket includes the High Cheese menu and a glass of Punt Road wine, with optional wine flights available for those keen to make a night of it.
Casa Della Nonna by Bippi x LaManna
Nonno and Nonna’s house is getting the museum treatment, plastic-covered couch and all. Bippi and LaManna have teamed up for Casa Della Nonna, a six-week pop-up at Essendon Fields celebrating Italian family rituals, chilli, nostalgia and the sacred art of the doily. Launch day brings free homemade pasta for the first 100 visitors, Bippi prizes, kids’ activities, tastings and a visit from Hawthorn’s Massimo D’Ambrosio with his Instagram-famous Nonno, who’ll be challenging guests to Briscola. Beat him, win chilli. Melbourne culture, honestly.
Where: LaManna Supermarket, 10 English Street, Essendon Fields
When : Until early July, with key activities from 10am to 1pm. The pop-up runs for six weeks
Cost: Free to visit
Best For: Italian grandkids, nostalgia lovers, food families, Hawks fans and anyone who knows the plastic-covered couch was never for sitting
Need To Know: The first 100 visitors on launch day receive free homemade pasta. Hawthorn’s Massimo D’Ambrosio and his Nonno will appear from 10am to 1pm, with Bippi prizes, tastings, kids’ activities and a Briscola challenge also on the cards. Bring a grandparent on Saturday 13th June for a free coffee
Eat It Up at Prahran Market
Prahran Market is making winter shopping feel far more delicious with Eat It Up, a seasonal series celebrating the traders, makers and produce behind Melbourne’s favourite food market. Across five themed weekends, the program moves from paddock, ground, sea and hands to a final neighbourhood celebration from the 20 to 21 June, with tastings, demos, ticketed workshops, kids’ activities, music and market-wide moments built for slow wandering.
Where: Prahran Market
When : Until 21 June
Cost: Free entry, with some ticketed events
Best For: Food lovers, families, weekend market people and anyone who likes their winter plans edible.
Need To Know: The final weekend, For The Neighbourhood, runs 20 to 21 June, with food, music, conversation, connection and education across the market.
Art, Culture & Performance
Friday Nights at NGV: Cartier
Melbourne’s winter blockbuster is getting the after-dark treatment. Every Friday night, NGV International opens Cartier beyond gallery hours, pairing nearly 400 jewellery objects and archival pieces with live music, film screenings, drinks, dining and a rotating program of city-wide collaborators. This is the rare winter night out that works for art lovers, date nights and anyone who likes their culture with a glass in hand.
Where: NGV International, Melbourne
When: Fridays, 12 June – 2 October, 6pm to 10pm
Cost: From $50 adult; member and concession pricing available
Best For: Art lovers, Couples, Cultural experiences, Exhibitions, Nightlife
Need To Know: Advance bookings recommended — Friday night sessions are expected to sell out.
The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon has returned to Melbourne with its missionary suits, filthy jokes and still-alarming ability to make a packed room howl. The nine-time Tony-winning musical from the South Park creators follows two wildly mismatched young missionaries sent very far from Salt Lake City, with results best not explained to your most religious aunt. It is loud, offensive, surprisingly tuneful and on its final Melbourne mission.
Where: Princess Theatre, Melbourne CBD
When: Now playing until 19 July
Cost: From $69
Best For: Theatre lovers, Comedy fans, Live music fans, Group catch-ups, Girls’ nights
Need To Know: Running time 2 hours 30 minutes including interval. Book ahead — final Melbourne season.
Smoke & Mirrors
Piccolo Teatro is making winter feel deliciously suspicious with Smoke & Mirrors, an adults-only magic and cabaret night inside its tiny Rankins Lane room. The whole thing has after-work drinks written all over it: close-up sleight of hand, mentalism, dark storytelling, a vintage wine-bar mood and just enough strangeness to make a Thursday night feel worth leaving the house for.
Where: Piccolo Teatro, Rankins Lane, Melbourne CBD
When: Thursdays, 18 June & 16 July
Cost: $49
Best For: Couples, Nightlife, Late-night energy, Group catch-ups, Solo plans
Need To Know: Adults-only event. Two shows only — tickets likely to sell fast on a limited-capacity room.
Top Arts
Top Arts is one of the most delightful free shows in Melbourne’s winter calendar. Each year, NGV Australia hands the floor to Victoria’s standout VCE artists, and the result is far more interesting than the phrase “student exhibition” suggests. This year’s show features 43 emerging artists working across identity, landscape, materials and the strange pressure of growing up in a very fast world.
Where: The Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia, Melbourne
When: Until 19 July, daily 10am–5pm
Cost: Free
Best For: Art lovers, Families, Free events, Cultural experiences, Exhibitions
Need To Know: A strong option for school groups and art students — worth planning around a weekday visit to avoid weekend crowds.
Waitress The Musical
Waitress is serving its final Melbourne slice at Her Majesty’s Theatre, with Natalie Bassingthwaighte leading the Australian premiere of Sara Bareilles’ Broadway hit. The story follows Jenna, a small-town pie maker trying to bake herself into a different life, with friendship, bad decisions and a lot of butter along the way. It is sweet, yes, but not soft: behind the diner-counter charm is a musical about starting again when life has gone completely off-recipe.
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne
When: Now playing — must close 19 July
Cost: From $69.90; winter offer available for remaining June performances
Best For: Theatre lovers, Girls’ nights, Couples, Group catch-ups, Live music fans
Need To Know: Tickets start from $69.90, with a winter offer currently listed for remaining June performances.
The Australian Ballet: Romeo and Juliet
The Australian Ballet is taking Shakespeare’s most doomed love story to the Regent Theatre, with John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet turning Verona into a world of feverish first love, family warfare and irreversible decisions. Set to Prokofiev’s score and performed with Orchestra Victoria, this is ballet on a grand Melbourne stage: rich in feeling, fatal from the outset and built for anyone who thinks they are “not really a ballet person”.
Where: Regent Theatre, Melbourne
When: Until 16th June
Cost: From $85 adult; from $68 for 30 and under
Best For: Theatre lovers, Couples, Cultural experiences, Premium experiences, Art lovers
Need To Know: Short season — only 11 days at the Regent. Book early to secure preferred dates.
EONARIUM Enlightenment at Immigration Museum
At the Immigration Museum, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is recast as a luminous 30-minute spectacle of sound, colour and movement. Enlightenment wraps the historic Long Room in sweeping projections and an original sense of drama, carrying audiences through spring, summer, autumn and winter in one beautifully immersive sitting. Fresh from sold-out seasons across Europe and Brisbane, it feels both transporting and intimate.
Book a beanbag seat if you can, then settle in for one of April’s most enchanting cultural outings.
Where: 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne
When: Until July 2026
Cost: $44 GA
Best For: Best for date nights, culture-minded friends and anyone in the mood for a visually beautiful outing
Need To Know: It’s captivated over 2 million visitors worldwide
Bubble Planet Floats Into Brunswick
Global, multi-sensory experience Bubble Planet is landing in Brunswick, and it’s set to be a full-on celebration of colour, light, and pure playful chaos. Eleven rooms are designed to make you forget the real world: bounce on giant inflatables, float through clouds of soapy bubbles, dive into Australia’s largest ball pit, and wander through infinity rooms that twist perception. With VR adventures, interactive games, and surreal landscapes at every turn, each step invites wonder, awe, and yes — a seriously good photo.
Where: Fever Exhibition and Experience Centre, 62 Dawson Street, Brunswick
When: April 1 – June 29, 2026
Cost: $33.90
Best For: Families; School holiday outings; Date nights; Big kids at heart; Photo hunters
Need To Know: Socks are mandatory for the bubble bath, so dress accordingly.
Markets & Shopping
Winter Night Market at Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne’s favourite cold-weather market is back under the sheds, turning Wednesday nights into a full-throttle winter feed. Queen Victoria Market’s Winter Night Market runs with open fires, roving performers, silent discos, local makers and the kind of food that makes leaving the house in June feel like a very good decision. Chase lobster chowder in a bread roll from The Soup Factory, fried pasta cups from Frasta, Berlin-style doner kebabs, mulled wine, hojicha lattes and American Doughnut Kitchen’s hot jam doughnuts.
Where: Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
When: Wednesdays, 3 June – 26 August, 5pm–10pm
Cost: Free entry, items available to purchase
Best For: Food lovers, Food & drink lovers, Locals, Weekend plans, Free events
Need To Know: Wednesdays only — not on during weekends.
CRFT*WRK Market
Melbourne’s maker scene takes over Queen Victoria Market for CRFT*WRK, a monthly craft fair curated by the team behind Rose St Artists’ Market. Set under the market sheds, it gathers independent local artists, designers and small-batch makers across ceramics, jewellery, photography, textiles, homewares, accessories, artisan goods and the sort of clever pieces you will not find in a shopping centre. Browse, commission, gift-hunt or simply spend a winter Saturday admiring Melbourne’s creative brain at work.
Where: Shed C, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
When: Saturday 4 July, 9am to 4pm
Cost: Free entry
Best For: Markets, Art lovers, Locals, Free events, Weekend plans
Collingwood Ceramics Market at Chotto Motto
Ceramics and dumplings are a pairing we can very much get behind, and this Collingwood market makes a strong case for clearing your Sunday. Hosted at cult Japanese diner Chotto Motto, the Collingwood Ceramics Market brings together a line-up of local makers for a browse-and-buy afternoon with far more personality than your standard stall setup, from Yolk Eye Ceramics to Naru Kubota.
Each edition lands on the third Sunday of every month, from 12pm to 6pm, with Chotto Motto’s retro surrounds making the whole thing feel especially charming.
Where: 287 Wellington Street, Collingwood
When: Sunday 21st June
Cost: Free to view
Best For: Design lovers, pottery collectors, handmade homewares, market wanderers, and Sunday browsers
Need To Know: Runs monthly on the third Sunday
Outdoor & Active
Lightscape
Lightscape is back at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, turning the city’s most beautiful after-dark walk into a full sensory hit of colour, sound and large-scale light. The 2026 trail features new installations, new artists and glowing pathways weaving through the gardens, with interactive works, illuminated trees, music and winter snacks along the way. It is one of Melbourne’s biggest cold-weather crowd-pleasers for a reason: easy to book, easy to love and dazzling enough to make a weeknight feel worth the effort.
Where: Royal Botanic Gardens, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne
When: Friday 12 June to Sunday 2 August
Cost: From $28
Best For: Date nights, families, visiting friends, night walkers and anyone who wants Melbourne winter with the brightness dialled up.
Need To Know: Entry is via Observatory Gate near the Visitor Centre, opposite the Shrine of Remembrance. Sessions are timed, and the trail runs Wednesday to Sunday, plus every day during the winter school holidays.
Djaara Lights in Bendigo
Step into the story of the land at Djaara Lights, a mesmerising fusion of art, culture, and technology illuminating Bendigo’s Oscars Walk and Bath Lane Precinct. Through stunning Dja Dja Wurrung artwork and augmented reality, experience the six seasons of Djandak as told by the Traditional Owners. It’s immersive, moving, and a must-see this month.
Where: Oscars Walk and Bath Lane, Bendigo
When: Until 13 December
Cost: Free
Best For: Families; School holiday outings; Regional exploring; Big kids at heart; Photo hunters
Need To Know: On every night from 7pm to 11pm
Free Things to Do
Treaty at State Library
State Library Victoria’s free Treaty exhibition is a powerful stop for anyone wanting to better understand Victoria’s past, present and future. Held in the South Rotunda, the exhibition explores the 1835 Batman Treaty through original documents, maps, John Wesley Burtt’s painting of the signing and video perspectives from Victorian Aboriginal communities. As Victoria continues its path towards Truth and Treaty, this is a rare chance to sit with the archive, the contested history and the conversations still shaping the state today.
Where: South Rotunda, State Library Victoria, 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne
When: Until Sunday 18 October 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: History buffs, thoughtful city wanderers, students, culture seekers and anyone wanting a deeper understanding of Victoria.
Need To Know: No bookings are required. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 6pm.
Coming Soon
Firelight Festival
Firelight Festival is turning Docklands into a blazing winter playground for three nights, with fire performers, flame jets, a laser show across the harbour, glow pickleball, live music, roving entertainers and enough hot food to justify leaving the house after dark. Harbour Esplanade will be the main action point, but the whole waterfront will be buzzing with pop-up bites, winter drinks and fiery installations. It is free, family-friendly and one of Melbourne’s easiest cold-weather wins.
Where: Harbour Esplanade, Docklands
When: Friday 3 to Sunday 5 July
Cost: Free
Best For: Families, date nights, groups, Dockland wanderers and anyone chasing a free winter spectacle.
Need To Know: It starts at 5pm nightly, with Friday and Saturday running until 10:30pm and Sunday wrapping at 10pm. Bookings are not required.
Heartbreak Hotel
After a sell-out RISING season, Heartbreak Hotel is checking back into Arts Centre Melbourne for one week only. Wellington-based company EBKM turns the mess of a breakup into a sharp, funny and strangely comforting show, with Karin McCracken in lavender tassels, Simon Leary playing the exes, classic breakup songs, scientific detours and one very relatable question: how much can you really intellectualise making tacos alone? It sounds sad, but it is built to leave you lighter.
Where: Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, Southbank
When: Tuesday 14 July to Sunday 19 July
Cost: From $64 to $69
Best For: Breakup survivors, soft hearts, RISING fans, solo arts dates and anyone who likes their comedy with emotional damage.
Need To Know: The show runs for 75 minutes, with evening sessions across the week and matinee options on Saturday and Sunday.
Now or Never
Now or Never is returning to Melbourne this August with art, ideas, sound and technology taking over the city. This year’s theme, A Whole New World, is all about slipping into stranger futures, with installations, performance, music and talks turning landmark spaces into something more volatile and electric. The full program is the thing to watch, but based on past years, this is the festival for after-dark art moments, big sensory works and conversations that send you home slightly rewired.
Where: Across Melbourne
When: Wednesday 19 August to Sunday 30 August
Cost: Free to $200
Best For: Art-night people, music heads, future thinkers, city explorers and anyone bored by ordinary winter programming.
Need To Know: Tickets and bookings vary by event, so keep an eye on the official program as individual shows and experiences are announced.
Barbie: The Exhibition
Barbie: The Exhibition is making its Australian debut at Melbourne Museum this summer, charting 67 years of the world’s most famous doll through design, fashion, architecture and pop culture. Created by London’s Design Museum in partnership with Mattel, the blockbuster show features more than 250 objects, including 150 dolls, a rare 1959 first edition Barbie, Totally Hair Barbie, Ken, dream houses, vehicles, accessories and prototypes. It is bright, nostalgic and genuinely fascinating, whether Barbie was your childhood icon or your favourite 2023 personality test.
Where: Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens
When: From 28 November 2026
Cost: From $20 per child; $30 per adult
Best For: Barbie fans, design lovers, nostalgia seekers, families and anyone still emotionally attached to Totally Hair Barbie.
Need To Know: Tickets are on sale now, and this is the exhibition’s Australian debut after a huge run at London’s Design Museum. Expect more than 250 objects, including 150 dolls and a rare 1959 first edition Barbie.
What’s On This Month in Melbourne: FAQs
June is one of Melbourne’s strongest months for events. Lightscape at Royal Botanic Gardens is the city’s most popular cold-weather night out, with new installations and a glowing walking trail through the gardens. The Winter Night Market at Queen Victoria Market runs every Wednesday with open fires, food stalls, and live music. For culture, Friday Nights at NGV opens the Cartier exhibition after dark, and Top Arts at NGV Australia is one of the best free shows of the winter calendar. Fondue Chalet at Fed Square and the Builders Arms Sausage Festival round out the food highlights.
The Winter Night Market at Queen Victoria Market runs every Wednesday from 3 June to 26 August, with open fires, global street food, and live music. Fondue Chalet at Fed Square serves fondue and raclette in private timber chalets until 28 June. The Builders Arms Hotel in Fitzroy is running its annual Sausage Festival throughout the month, with six snag-led dishes, a trivia night, and a sausage dog meet-up on 21 June. The Four Pillars Martini Collective is also active across several Melbourne bars this month.
The NGV’s Cartier exhibition is the standout cultural event of the month, with nearly 400 jewellery objects and archival pieces on display at NGV International from 12 June. Friday Nights at NGV runs every Friday until October, pairing late-night exhibition access with live music and drinks. Top Arts at NGV Australia is free and features 43 emerging VCE artists working across identity, landscape, and materials. EONARIUM Enlightenment at the Immigration Museum is a 30-minute immersive light and sound experience set to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with tickets from $20 for children and $29 for adults.
Melbourne’s performing arts calendar is strong this month. The Book of Mormon is in its final Melbourne season at the Princess Theatre, with the nine-time Tony-winning musical from the South Park creators still selling out. Waitress the Musical is at Her Majesty’s Theatre with Natalie Bassingthwaighte leading the Australian premiere. The Australian Ballet brings Romeo and Juliet to the Regent Theatre with Orchestra Victoria. For something more intimate, Smoke and Mirrors at Piccolo Teatro in Rankins Lane is an adults-only magic and cabaret night running throughout the month. The Bastille Day French Festival also delivers live music to Queen Victoria Market across one weekend in July.
Melbourne has plenty on for families this month. Bubble Planet in Brunswick has eleven immersive rooms including Australia’s largest ball pit, VR adventures, and infinity rooms, with tickets from $33.90. EONARIUM Enlightenment at the Immigration Museum is a calm, visually spectacular 30-minute light and sound experience suitable for all ages, with children’s tickets from $20. The Secret World of Food at Prahran Market on 20 and 21 June is free and designed specifically for kids and families. Top Arts at NGV Australia is also free, and Lightscape at Royal Botanic Gardens makes for an easy, dazzling weeknight outing the whole family can enjoy.
There are several strong free options in Melbourne this June. Top Arts at NGV Australia is a free exhibition showcasing standout VCE artworks across identity, landscape, and materials. The Treaty exhibition at State Library Victoria is a free, powerful look at Victoria’s colonial history through original documents and Aboriginal community perspectives. Open House Melbourne offers free access to buildings usually closed to the public across one winter weekend. The Secret World of Food at Prahran Market on 20 and 21 June is a free, interactive family experience connecting kids with food, farming, and the kitchen.
Several big events are on the horizon. Firelight Festival is coming to Docklands for three nights, with fire performers, a laser show across the harbour, live music, and free family-friendly programming along Harbour Esplanade. Heartbreak Hotel returns to Arts Centre Melbourne for one week only after a sell-out RISING season. Now or Never arrives in August, with art, technology, and performance taking over landmark city spaces under the theme A Whole New World. Barbie: The Exhibition makes its Australian debut at Melbourne Museum this summer, featuring more than 250 objects including a rare 1959 first edition Barbie.
Looking for more fun things to do in Melbourne this autumn? We have plenty to keep you entertained. From Melbourne’s best new restaurants and bars to friendly pubs, cafes and late-night cocktail haunts, here’s all you need for an epic weekend in the city and surrounds.
