Waterfront Venues for Hire in Melbourne

A waterfront venue or function room is the perfect fit for any function, from a romantic wedding reception or anniversary dinner for a product launch or conference meeting; Melbourne waterfront venues are great for formal and informal occasions. Use our helpful search filter to find a venue that’s right for you. Once you’ve found a waterfront venue that you’re interested in, you can contact the venue managers directly via our website. Venues will then reply to your request via email. We’ve made life easy, right? Before you get started; we have some extra tips and advice for you:

• Formulate your guestlist – Make a guest list before contacting venues is very important. Knowing how many people you have on your guest list allows you to eliminate venues which may be too large or too small. Save yourself time by getting this small but important task done first.
• Does the venue have a view of the water? – If you’re going for a waterfront venue in Melbourne, make sure you’re overlooking the water! It’s no good paying a premium for a waterfront venue and not having a decent view.
• The menu – Think about the type of food you would like to serve at your function. Will it be cocktails and canapes or a multi-course sit-down dinner? If you’re choosing a waterfront venue, you might want to consider a seafood menu to go with the view.
• Have a contingency plan – Many of Melbourne’s waterfront venues have beautiful outdoor spaces to hire. If you are going for this option, make sure you and the event manager have discussed a plan B for Melbourne’s unpredictable weather.
• Entertainment options – If you’re thinking of hiring some entertainment like a jukebox, a band or a photo-booth then you need to make sure you’ll have enough space. Some venues have policies on noise or space limitations, so be sure to get confirmation from the venue manager first.

What about the costs? We’ve gathered information about waterfront venue prices for you:

• A minimum spend is a great option for any event because you don’t pay hire fees. All you need to do is spend an agreed amount on food and drink. Depending on the type of event, this could be out of your own pocket or money your guests spend. The average minimum spend fee for a waterfront venue in Melbourne is around $4,000. So, if you have 50 guests, that’s $80 per person.
• Most venues in Melbourne offer bespoke packages that are priced per person. Function packages are great as they will usually include the function room (or venue hire), catering, and other additional facilities and services. For a cocktail party, prices start at $25 per person while sit-down meals start at around $45 per person.

Got questions? Have a look at the frequently asked ones below:

I’m looking for a waterfront venue overlooking Port Phillip Bay. Any suggestions?
Two fantastic waterfront locations in Port Phillip Bay are Brighton and St Kilda - these charming suburbs are both South East of Melbourne Central. You’ll have front row seats to beautiful Port Phillip Bay!

We’re considering arriving at our wedding by boat, is this possible?
Some waterfront venues will allow you to arrive by boat which is definitely something different and offers guests a fantastic photo opportunity. Discuss this with your venue manager who may be able to arrange a boat at reduced rates.

Where can I find the best waterfront venue for a corporate lunch?
We highly recommend Melbourne Docklands on the Yarra River for corporate lunches. This central location is easy to get to making it convenient for guests from all parts of the city. The panoramic views are sure to impress and might really help you close that big deal.