FAQ

Moonlight Cinema Melbourne is an outdoor cinema at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, open this season from 2 December 2026 to 11 April 2027. It has been an Australian summer tradition for over 30 years, screening new releases, cult classics and family films after sunset. 

Gates open 90 minutes before each film, so you can arrive for golden hour, settle in and order food and drinks on-site before the film starts. You’re also welcome to pack your own picnic. General Admission is entry, so bring a picnic rug and choose your spot on arrival. If you’d rather travel light, you can upgrade to a premium bean bed experience.

Gates open 90 minutes before the film start time at Moonlight Cinema Melbourne. Start times can shift a little from night to night, and the films kick off earlier across the season as the sun sets earlier. Your booking confirmation shows the gate opening and film start times for your session. 

Arriving when the gates open is the best part of the night. You have time to settle in, choose your spot, and enjoy a catch up and picnic or order from the bar and kitchen by QR code before the film. Orders close 15 minutes before the pre-show starts. 

Moonlight Cinema Melbourne is on the Central Lawn at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter the venue via Domain Road Gate (formerly Gate D) on Birdwood Avenue, near the intersection of Domain Road, and follow the path to the Central Lawn.  

After the film ends, exit is only possible via Domain Road Gate (formerly Gate D) so please keep this in mind when planning your route home or parking. 

• By public transport: Bus: Route 605 (Melbourne Observatory/Birdwood Avenue). Tram: Routes 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72 (Stop 19 Shrine of Remembrance/St Kilda Rd). For detailed public transport information, visit Transport Victoria.  

• By car: Street metered car parking for up to four hours is generally easy to find close to the entry gates, but please keep in mind that exist is only available via Domain Road Gate (formerly Gate D) and parking conditions vary according to nearby events. The City of Melbourne enforces parking restrictions in the area. Disabled parking bays are marked on the Gardens Map.  

• By bike: Designated bicycle paths along the Yarra River and Melbourne CBD lead to Melbourne Gardens. Riding bicycles in the gardens is not permitted. Dedicated bicycle parking is available at Observatory Gate. 

We recommend bringing a torch to help you make your way to and from the venue. For more detail, see the Location page.

Yes, you can bring your own food and drinks, including alcohol, to Moonlight Cinema Melbourne. If you’re a pro at charcuterie, get your grazing boards ready. Alcohol is for guests over 18 with valid ID. 

Prefer to leave it to us? Our licensed bar and kitchen serve drinks, snacks and light meals, which you order by QR code before the film starts. Orders close 15 minutes before the pre-show starts, so there’s no food or drink service during the film.

No, Moonlight Cinema Melbourne is smoke-free and vape-free. Designated smoking areas are close to the venue, and a Moonlight Cinema team member can point you to the right spot.  

Yes, you can hire the whole of Moonlight Cinema Melbourne for an exclusive private event. Private hire closes the venue to the general public and includes full venue access and the staffing to deliver a standard Moonlight Cinema screening. 

Private hire is priced on a minimum number of tickets, which varies by day of the week. Off-peak (Tuesday to Thursday) starts from 1,100 tickets, so it suits large events. If fewer guests attend, the minimum still applies. For a smaller group, you can buy 30 or more General Admission tickets at check-out to an existing screening instead. To request a private hire quote, send your details through the private hire enquiry form and our team will review your event and check availability. 

Moonlight Cinema Melbourne has four ticket experiences: General Admission, Connoisseur Lounge, GWM Gold Grass and Platinum Experience. 

• General Admission: Entry to the venue, not a seat. You choose your spot on arrival and bring your own rug, cushions or bean bag. 

• Connoisseur Lounge: A guaranteed bean bed in a dedicated lounge area, plus a Connoisseur Gourmet Ice Cream to enjoy during the film. 

• GWM Gold Grass: A premium bean bed in a reserved, prime viewing location, with express entry. Order food and drinks by QR code and they’re delivered to your bean bed. 

• Platinum Experience: A deluxe double bean bed for two in a prime spot, with express entry, drinks on arrival, a premium cinema snackbox and blankets for after sunset. Order anything else by QR code and it’s brought to your bean bed. 

You can bring your own picnic with any ticket, and other food and drinks can be ordered by QR code before the film. With GWM Gold Grass and Platinum Experience they’re delivered to your bean bed, and with General Admission and Connoisseur Lounge you collect them. The kitchen closes 15 minutes before the pre-show starts, so there’s no food or drink service during the film. 

If you’d like a bean bed with General Admission, a limited number are available to hire on site, first come first served, as a separate paid extra. Chairs higher than 50cm go in a designated area so they don’t block anyone’s view. See Experiences for what each ticket includes. 

Open Captions present all spoken dialogue and essential sound cues directly on the screen for the duration of the film. These sessions are provided to support deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, as well as anyone who benefits from having on-screen text to support their viewing experience. 

Moonlight Cinema Melbourne runs this season from 2 December 2026 to 11 April 2027 at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.  

The program is released month by month, so films later in the season are added as they’re confirmed. See the Program page for the sessions currently on sale. 

What to bring to Moonlight Cinema Melbourne depends on your ticket. With General Admission, which is entry rather than a seat, bring a picnic rug, pillows or a blanket to sit or sprawl on. With a premium bean bed experience (Connoisseur Lounge, GWM Gold Grass or Platinum Experience), your bean bed is waiting for you, so you can travel light. 

Whichever ticket you have, bring: 

• A warm layer: it cools down after sunset, and insect repellent is handy in the warmer months. 

• Food and drinks: pack your own picnic, including alcohol, or order light meals, snacks and drinks from our licensed bar and kitchen by QR code before the film. Alcohol is for guests over 18 with valid ID. 

• A way to pay: all venues are cashless for food, drinks and bean bed hire, so bring a debit card, credit card or gift card. 

• A torch: we recommend one to help you make your way to and from the venue. 

With General Admission, chairs higher than 50cm go in a designated area so they don’t block anyone’s view. A limited number of bean beds are available to hire on site, first come first served, as a separate paid extra.

• After the film ends, exit is only possible via Domain Road Gate (formerly Gate D), so please keep this in mind when choosing where to park and planning your route home. 

• Street metered car parking for up to four hours is generally easy to find close to the entry gates at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, but parking conditions vary according to nearby events. 

• The City of Melbourne enforces parking restrictions in the area. Disabled parking bays are marked on the Gardens Map.  

• Dedicated bicycle parking is available at Observatory Gate. Riding bicycles in the gardens is not permitted. 

Yes, dogs are welcome in all sections at Moonlight Cinema Melbourne. We love welcoming dogs, and we ask that owners keep their dog under control and be considerate of other guests, so everyone can enjoy the night. 

A few house rules: 

• Keep your dog on a short leash (2m or under) at all times. 

• Pick up after your dog and keep it quiet during the film. 

• Bring a drinking container and plenty of water. 

• Aggressive dogs will be denied entry. 

Read the full dog policy and house rules. 

Yes, Moonlight Cinema Melbourne offers discounted group pricing when you buy 30 or more General Admission tickets in a single transaction. Select the General Admission – Group Booking (30 Guests) ticket type to get the group rate. If your group is bigger than 30, add General Admission – Group Booking (Additional Ticket) tickets for each extra guest as you book. 

Group discounts aren’t available for bookings of fewer than 30 tickets. Group Booking tickets don’t include reserved bean beds or food and beverage packages. If you’d like a guaranteed bean bed and premium inclusions, premium experience tickets are available, but the group discount doesn’t apply to them.

If you lose something at Moonlight Cinema Melbourne, speak to the Venue Manager before you leave and give them your details so the team can follow up if it’s found. 

If you realise after you’ve left that something is missing, contact us here. 

Most Moonlight Cinema screenings do not include subtitles. Select sessions in our program are presented with Open Captions, meaning that dialogue and sound descriptions will appear on the screen for the duration of the movie. 

Open Caption sessions are clearly marked on the film page and at checkout before booking.

Moonlight Cinema Melbourne has the following accessibility features: 

• Accessible toilet: Yes. 

• Wheelchair viewing area: On arrival, staff will direct you to a suitable viewing position, either in the chair area or at the top of the hill under the tree. 

• Paved pathways: Yes. There are gutters at the top of the Central Lawn, so ask staff for assistance and we can provide a wheelchair ramp. 

• Mobility parking: Yes, available outside Domain Road Gate on Birdwood Avenue. 

• Companion Card: Yes, carers with a valid Companion Card get complimentary entry to the General Admission section. 

• Open Captions: Yes, on select sessions. Dialogue and sound cues appear on screen for the whole film, and these sessions are marked on the film page and at checkout. 

• Audio induction loop: Unfortunately, we don’t have one at Moonlight Cinema Melbourne. 

If you have questions before your visit or need support on the night, contact us here and we’ll help where we can.

You can buy tickets for Moonlight Cinema Melbourne online or at the venue box office, which opens 90 minutes before each film starts. We recommend booking online in advance, because some sessions and ticket types reach capacity, and tickets on the night depend on availability. 

Choose your film, date and ticket type in the program, and your confirmation email arrives with the QR code you’ll show at the gate. Booking ahead means your night is locked in before you arrive. Online booking fees apply.

If you can no longer attend, you may be able to swap your tickets to another Moonlight Cinema Melbourne session, as long as it’s more than 24 hours before your scheduled screening and you booked directly with Moonlight Cinema or Event Cinemas. Tickets are non-refundable under our Terms of Sale. 

To swap, open your booking confirmation email and click “Change Your Session”. See “Can I change my session or ticket type?” for the full steps and rules.

Moonlight Cinema tickets are non-refundable under our Terms of Sale. If you booked directly with Moonlight Cinema or Event Cinemas, you may be able to swap your tickets to another session more than 24 hours before your screening. See “Can I change my session or ticket type?” for how. 

If adverse weather cancels a session, your tickets are automatically eligible to swap into another session this season. If a session is cancelled for weather in the last four weeks of the season, your booking is refunded automatically instead. For the full policy, see the Terms of Sale. 

You can redeem your Moonlight Cinema voucher online before the session you want to attend, or take it to the Moonlight Cinema Melbourne box office to exchange for an admission ticket. If you have a physical voucher, it often has a 4 digit PIN next to the barcode to add at check-out. A voucher doesn’t guarantee entry unless it’s booked online, so we recommend booking ahead. 

Tickets are subject to availability, and the Terms of Sale apply. Need a voucher? You can buy Moonlight Cinema individual ticket vouchers at the Event Cinemas Gift Shop. 

Yes, carers with a valid Companion Card get complimentary entry to the General Admission section at Moonlight Cinema Melbourne. You don’t need to book the companion ticket in advance. 

To claim it, show your Companion Card at the box office along with a valid ticket booked for the person in your care. 

Yes, if you booked directly with Moonlight Cinema or Event Cinemas, you can swap your tickets once, up to 24 hours before your session starts. Open your booking confirmation email, select your tickets, click “Change Your Session” and follow the prompts to choose a new session or upgrade your ticket type. 

Things to know before you swap: 

• Each booking can be swapped once, and the whole booking must be swapped together. 

• Swaps are for tickets of equal or higher value and depend on availability. 

• The city must stay the same. 

• Tickets remain non-refundable. 

Bookings made with rainout credits, vouchers, gift vouchers or complimentary tickets can’t use the online tool. If you’re still more than 24 hours from your session, contact our customer service team using our online form and we’ll help. If you contacted us before the cut-off and haven’t had a reply yet, your request will still be honoured if the swap is eligible. 

Within 24 hours of your session, swaps aren’t possible. See the Terms of Sale for full details. 

After you book, your tickets arrive by email with a QR code. Show it at the Moonlight Cinema Melbourne gate, either on your phone or tablet screen or if you prefer you can print it out, and our team will scan it on entry. 

Can’t find the email? Check your junk or spam folder first. It usually arrives within a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours. A mistyped email address is the most common reason it doesn’t turn up, which is easy to do on a phone. 

If you still can’t find it, go to the box office with your booking number, which starts with “W” and appears on your receipt page. If you don’t have that either, staff can find your tickets using the email address you booked with and print them for you. If you’d like help before the night, contact us. Email replies can take up to three days, so if your session is close, the venue team is the quickest option. 

Yes, children aged three and over need a ticket to Moonlight Cinema Melbourne. Ticket prices are one price for all ages, with no concession tickets. Select family film sessions offer value family passes, where children aged 3 to 15 count as child admission. 

Children under three are admitted free. If you’re in Connoisseur Lounge or GWM Gold Grass, your under-three won’t get their own bean bed but is welcome to share yours. 

You can use an Event Cinemas Gift Card at Moonlight Cinema Melbourne, but we are unable to accept Event Cinemas individual ticket vouchers. Gift Cards work for online ticket purchases, and on site they also cover tickets, food and drinks and bean bed hire. To redeem a Gift Card on site, speak to a member of staff, because it isn’t possible through online ordering. 

We are unable to accept Event Cinemas branded complimentary tickets, individual admission ticket vouchers or Gold Class admission gift vouchers. To buy a Moonlight Cinema individual ticket voucher, visit the Event Cinemas Gift Shop.

Moonlight Cinema Melbourne is an outdoor event, and we try to go ahead with screenings wherever possible. We don’t cancel for light, intermittent or potential rain. 

A session is cancelled only if the weather is a safety risk to guests and staff, such as heavy rain or extreme heat, if the turf is too wet to operate, or if high winds could affect the set-up and operation of the screen. We give as much notice as we can, but conditions are unpredictable, so a cancellation can come close to or during a screening. 

If a session is cancelled, ticket holders receive an SMS and email with details on how to re-book. If you’re coming as a group, check with the person who booked, because only ticket holders are notified. If you haven’t heard anything, assume your session is going ahead. Please wait for the message from the venue, as head office often doesn’t get advance notice of weather cancellations. See the full Weather Policy and Terms of Sale. 

If weather cancels your session, your ticket becomes valid to swap into another Moonlight Cinema Melbourne session this 2026/27 season. 

• Online bookings: Go to the online re-booking page. Have your booking reference ready, which is the 7-digit code starting with “W” in your confirmation email or on your print-at-home ticket. Then follow the prompts to re-book your session. 

• Box office tickets: Contact our customer service team before the session you’d like, with the transaction number under the barcode on your ticket. If the session has availability, you can also take your original ticket to a different session, where it will be scanned at the gate. 

We understand it can be hard to rebook towards the end of the season. If your session is cancelled in the last four weeks of the season, your booking is refunded automatically instead. Terms of Sale apply.