best-event-spaces-melbourne

The 5 Best Event Spaces in Melbourne to Set the Scene for Your Celebration!

Versatility of the Space: We looked closely at how easily each venue adapts to different types of gatherings. A great space should seamlessly transition from a formal corporate conference to a lively evening reception.  

Capacity and Layout Options: It’s crucial that a venue can comfortably handle the guest list without feeling cramped or overly empty. We favoured spaces offering flexible room configurations for both intimate groups and large crowds.  

In-House Amenities: We checked for practical features, like built-in Audio Visual (AV) systems, dedicated catering rooms, and accessible facilities. Having these resources on hand makes the entire planning process much smoother for hosts.  

Overall Atmosphere and Aesthetics: The vibe sets the tone for the entire event, so we prioritised venues with distinct, appealing styles. Whether it features a raw industrial look or premium city views, the aesthetic has to be memorable.

Planning a memorable gathering can feel a bit overwhelming, but finding the best event space in Melbourne shouldn’t be.

Whether you’re hunting down wild bucks & hens party venues or need a blank canvas for a corporate event, the right venue can set the perfect vibe.

From intimate rooftop terraces to massive warehouse studios, this city has incredible spots for every kind of celebration.

So, we explored loads of venues to find the best ones. Let’s dive into the top locations that stand out for their amazing atmosphere, flexible layouts, and top-notch facilities to make your next party, corporate event, or wedding an absolute hit.

How much does event space cost in Melbourne?

Costs of hiring an event space in Melbourne can range from $50 to $500 per hour, with per-session rooms reaching $3,000 per session. The final bill will depend on the size of the room and additional services provided. 

Venue TypeAverage Cost
Flat-Rate Room Hire$50 – $500 per hour
Minimum Spend Session$1,500 – $3,000 per session
All-Inclusive Catered Package$80 – $200 per person

1. Alto Event Space

alto-event-space

Website: https://www.altoevents.com.au/

Address: Top Floor, Melbourne GPO Building, Cnr Elizabeth + Little Bourke Streets

Contact: 03 9281 1400

Hours: Monday-Sunday 7:00 AM-1:00 AM

Alto Event Space is a Central Business District (CBD) venue that sits right on the top floor of Melbourne’s historic GPO Building. There’s even an incredible open-air rooftop terrace with panoramic city views.

We attended a product launch here last year. One of the highlights was watching the sunset over the skyline from that terrace, which completely elevated the evening’s vibe.

The space is incredibly versatile, easily handling up to 150 people for a seated dinner or 400 standing guests for cocktail parties.

You also get fantastic amenities, like floor-to-ceiling windows and a polished brass bar. The late 1:00 am licence is brilliant, so the party doesn’t have to end early. 

However, one downside is that you have to use their exclusive in-house catering, which might be a dealbreaker if you already have a specific food vendor in mind.

Pros

  • Central CBD location inside the historic GPO Building
  • Panoramic city views with an open-air rooftop terrace
  • Flexible layouts for up to 400 standing guests
  • Late 1:00 am license for extended celebrations

Cons

  • No external catering is allowed

Customer Reviews

Perfect for corporate parties and events

We always enjoy working at Alto Event Space as they help make our job easy : happy guests = great photos.

Clients are always impressed by the high standard of service by the staff at the venue as well as the sensational food and drinks. Perfect for corporate parties and events.

Alto is a hidden gem in the city and looks different every time we visit with just a few tweaks to the styling. Looking forward to our next visit!

  • Man With A Camera Photography Melbourne (Man With A Camera) | Google Review 

Elegant and modern wedding reception and venue

We recently had our wedding reception at ‘Alto Event Space’ in April and it certainly lived up to our expectations. We were lucky enough to work alongside Tevany from the beginning, and her team on the night were very accommodating. We would highly recommend ‘Alto’ to anyone searching for an elegant and modern wedding reception and venue. Incredible food, and the drinks were certainly flowing! Thank you again!

2. Rubix Warehouse

rubix-warehouse

Website: https://rubix.life/

Address: 36 Phoenix St, Brunswick

Contact: 1300 909 456

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10:00 AM-3:00 AM, Friday-Saturday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

Rubix Warehouse is a purpose-built immersive venue in Brunswick that features state-of-the-art sound and high-production lighting. This venue is specifically designed for live music and artistic events.

The industrial atmosphere immediately sets a unique tone, breaking away from conventional, stuffy function rooms.

And with a flexible capacity holding anywhere from 70 to 300 guests, you can book the place for intimate performances and larger dance events.

They’re also inclusive, creating a genuinely welcoming environment for people from all backgrounds. 

Just keep in mind that this spot operates with a strict no Bring Your Own (BYO) alcohol policy, so all drinks must be purchased through their licensed bars.

Pros

  • State-of-the-art sound and high-production lighting
  • Distinctive industrial atmosphere
  • Accommodates between 70 and 300 guests comfortably
  • Highly inclusive environment

Cons

  • Strict no-BYO alcohol policy limits drink options

Customer Reviews

Great space with separate areas for all activities

Great space with seperate areas for all activities. Two very different types of bars, green room, standby room.

Unique entrance with abilty to sit and eat. Smoking room outside and away from guests.

The stage is large enough for everyone to move around.

Top rankings for this event venue.

The ventilation is excellent

This venue offers a surprisingly spacious interior that contrasts with its modest entrance. It is fully accessible with wheelchair access , ensuring inclusivity.

Inside, there are two well-stocked bars and multiple booths, complemented by open seating areas that partially surround the dance floor—nice for resting or socializing. The ventilation is excellent, with ceiling-mounted fans providing comfort throughout the space. The roof scaffolding is equipped with an impressive array of lighting options, adding dynamic visuals to the atmosphere.

3. 524 Flinders Event Space

524-flinders-event-space

Website: https://524flinders.com.au/

Address: 524 Flinders St

Contact: 04 1615 5568

Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Located right in the city centre, 524 Flinders Event Space is a blank-canvas industrial warehouse that allows you full freedom to choose your own caterers, furniture suppliers, and event vendors.

The facility provides highly practical features for vendors, including a dedicated catering room, three-phase power, and roller door access for easy load-ins. All these features make the place highly adaptable for various events, like pop-ups.

When we spoke with a local entrepreneur who hosted a client appreciation night here, she mentioned how easily the venue team transformed the raw space to match her brand’s exact aesthetic.

You can even host up to 270 standing guests, or opt for a fully customised management package if you don’t want to handle the planning yourself.

Just know that the maximum seated capacity is capped at 130 people, so larger banquets are completely off the table.

Pros

  • Blank canvas design allows complete flexibility
  • Convenient CBD location with an industrial aesthetic
  • Roller door access and loading bays for easy setup
  • Optional customised event management packages available

Cons

  • Maximum seated capacity is limited to 130 guests

Customer Reviews

Highly recommend this space 

Fiona, Austen and Brad were amazing to work with.

From start to finish – the process was seamless and the crew were always available to us at any time of the day and were on site within 15 minutes [at ANY time of the day/night]

As they are experienced in all facets of venue usage and events, they will always make sure that your vision is acheived and/or improved through collaboration.

Highly recommend this space and the amazing team behind it to anyone looking for a venue to host their next event.

Such a great event space!

524 Flinders is such a great event space! It’s the perfect blank canvas for any event, and we were happy with every detail. The venue manager, Brad, was extremely accomodating and helped out with our organisation where possible, and he was great to work with. Would definitely host an event here again!

4. Merlin Events

merlin-events

Website: https://www.visitsealife.com/

Address: Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, King St

Contact: 02 9333 9200

Hours: Monday-Friday 9:30 AM-4:00 PM

Situated inside Sea Life Aquarium, Merlin Events is a venue that offers an incredibly immersive marine setting that totally beats a blank banquet hall. You and your guests will be surrounded by aquatic displays that can elevate the whole party.

To boot, the dedicated events team works closely with you to tailor the experience, offering multiple spaces to fit different group sizes.

You also benefit from their award-winning in-house catering and operations crew, ensuring the food is just as spectacular as the underwater views.

The real catch is that kids’ birthday parties are currently unavailable, which limits the venue’s use for younger family celebrations.

Pros

  • Unique, immersive marine setting inside an aquarium
  • Dedicated events team for customised experiences
  • Multiple spaces available for different group sizes
  • Award-winning in-house catering and operations support

Cons

  • Unsuited for hosting children’s birthday celebrations

Customer Reviews

The food was fantastic, and the unique experience of the venue 

We used the Sea Life Aquarium for a corporate function during a trade show. The staff were fantastic at accommodating us at the last minute, the food was fantastic, and the unique experience of the venue helped us get more customers to our function. I’d happily recommend using the team at Sea Life Aquarium to anyone.

An amazing venue 

What an amazing venue for a ‘Wow Moment’ function.  From our Function Coordinator to all the wait staff on the night, the scrumptious food, the service and set up, not to mention the amazing Fish Bowl vibe with all the gorgeous fish swimming around, Scuba Santa and the Photo Booth, every single part of this event was handled beautifully & loved by everyone who went.  Thank you from all of us at Holmesglen Private Hospital we all had an sensational night.

5. Evoqe Events

evoqe-events

Website: https://evoqe.au/

Address: 123 Queen St

Contact: 03 7020 9000

Hours: 24/7

Evoque Events offers flexible layouts and a massive capacity of up to 1,200 cocktail-style guests. There are two connected venues in the city centre, providing a comfortable space for huge crowds without feeling cramped.

The comprehensive services are another plus. You can receive bespoke planning, integrated audio-visual solutions, and private menu tastings to make the planning journey a breeze.

And I like that you can stick with their in-house menu or bring in your own registered external caterer for maximum flexibility.

Having a 24-hour venue license is a massive advantage too, allowing your celebrations to push well past midnight. 

However, some previous attendees have reported mixed feedback on the food quality, mentioning that meals can occasionally be served lukewarm during massive gatherings.

Pros

  • Massive capacity handling up to 1,200 standing guests
  • Features two connected venues for flexible layouts
  • Holds a 24-hour license for events 
  • Allows external registered caterers or in-house catering

Cons

  • Food temperature and quality consistency can vary

Customer Reviews

A flawless technical experience throughout the entire event

We recently hosted our first corporate conference at Evoque, and the experience was exceptional. The Evoque team provided outstanding support and ensured every detail ran seamlessly from start to finish. A special mention to the AV team at Technical Events, who went above and beyond to deliver a flawless technical experience throughout the entire event. We could not recommend Evoque Events more highly.

Will definitely book here again

We held an annual corporate event here for the first time, 150+ attendees and it was fabulous! Alicia Musgrave managed the event for us and was so thorough and helpful. The event was a success, will definitely book here again. Will book here again.

Loading...
Loading...