An aerial shot of the Shrine of Remembrance on a sunny day with the city and parklands in the background.

What's open in Melbourne on the Anzac Day public holiday

Can't decide what to do on the public holiday? Take a look at what's free, what's on and what's open. Check individual events and venues for exact opening hours.

When is Anzac Day in 2026?

The public holiday falls on Saturday 25 April this year.

Free things to do

A person standing at a podium in front of the Shrine for the Anzac Day Dawn Service.

Anzac Day Dawn Service

A solemn early-morning ceremony honouring the service and sacrifice of Australia’s veterans.

Four mounted servicemen and women marching in front of a crowd at the city skyline of Melbourne.

Anzac Day Commemoration March

Watch and thank veterans, descendants and service members marching to the Shrine of Remembrance.

A group of people on a guided walk of the Royal Botanic Gardens, with the tour guide pointing at plant specimen.
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Free Guided Walk

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

A woman walking through a display with shelves of military-style food packages.
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Taste of Combat

Honouring the vital work of the Catering Corps and the evolution of military food.

Play School exhibition with signature teddy and toys.
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Play School: Come and Play

A hands-on, playful exhibition where families can discover how the beloved TV show comes to life.

Animator and filmmaker Adam Elliot working on a claymation set, adjusting characters.
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Making Memoir of a Snail

Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.

A smiling woman in an Australian military uniform, adorned with medals, holding a large cardboard box.
Until

HERstory: Remembering Australia’s Military Women

This exhibition highlights women in Victoria and their stories of service 1942 to the present day.

Selection of cassette tapees with handmade covers.
Until

Rebel Heart: Love Letters and Other Declarations

A stirring exhibition exploring romantic love through the State Library's extraordinary archive.

Best events on Anzac Day

People sampling small bites of food from share plates on a table.
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Melbourne's Night Bites: Evening Food Tour

Taste the best of Melbourne on a progressive dinner showcasing restaurants, bars and bites.

Three long narrow boats with people seated in them and a guide standing at the rear of each boat, punting on the lake at Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Punting on the Lake

Glide between the bays and islands of Ornamental Lake on a guided boat cruise.

An Essendon AFL player cheering himself and the crowd on with pumped fists, on the footy field.

AFL Round 7: Essendon v Collingwood

Essendon and Collingwood meet each other for their traditional Anzac Day match.

An ancient Roman marble bust with its nose chipped off, displayed on a small square plinth.
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Rome: Empire, Power, People

This Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is a vibrant exploration of Ancient Rome.

Elton John in the 1970s wearing large spectacles and satin suit with Cher wearing Bob Mackie midriff-revealing strappy gown and Diana Ross wearing feather and sequin gown.
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DIVA

From opera stars to pop icons, celebrate the power and creativity of the diva.

An actor in a suit, shirt and tie, holding a pair of glasses under his chair, with curly brown hair, looking serious.
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Julius Caesar

A thrilling new production of Shakespeare’s political masterpiece.

A large dinosaur model with its mouth open in a park setting.
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Dinos at the Zoo

Let your imagination run wild as you explore the trail of dinosaurs at Melbourne Zoo.

Four hot air balloons floating in front of the Melbourne city skyline during sunrise, with skyscrapers visible in the background.
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Melbourne Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight

Float over Melbourne's iconic landmarks in a sunrise hot air balloon flight.

A still from a film showing a family celebrating around a woman sitting in front of a birthday cake.
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Matinees at ACMI Cinemas

Celebrate cinema at a sensible hour with ACMI's thoughtfully curated line-up of films.

A high tea experience featuring a tiered stand filled with pastries and savoury bites.
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Afternoon Tea at InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto

An exquisite selection of tea-time delights inspired by history and crafted with native ingredients.

People looking up at the trees on a guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Wominjeka: journey into Melbourne Gardens with an Aboriginal guide.

The actors Richard Roxburgh, Damon Herriman, and Toby Schmitz - three middle aged men smiling at the camera all wearing dark suit jackets and white shirts.
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ART The Play

A razor-sharp comedy about friendship, ego and the chaos a single opinion can cause.

The full cast of the musical Book of Mormon on stage singing and dancing, with a painted sky coloured background and other theatre props.
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The Book of Mormon

Australia’s biggest ever musical comedy returns this February.

A woman and child sit in a museum, looking up at a glass case displaying a preserved human body posed in a dramatic leap, with exposed muscles visible.
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Body Worlds: The Anatomy of Happiness

Discover what lies behind the skin to reveal how our health, emotions and environment impact us.

Best Anzac Day specials and pop-ups

Mail Exchange Hotel

Open from 7am for breakfast, with a bagpipe musician performing throughout the day.

Special offer

Imperial Hotel

Serving hot breakfast from 7am, stay for the MCG footy clash from 3.20pm, and live music afterwards.

Special offer

Young & Jackson

Enjoy a two-course hot breakfast, with coffee & tea included, 7am-9am, $50pp.

Special offer

Waterside Hotel

Watch AFL & NRL matches live and grab a gourmet snag at the sausage sizzle.

Special offer

Hopscotch

Order any breakfast item and they'll shout your coffee, plus all the AFL action and live music.

Special offer

The Duke of Wellington

Open from 8am with brekkie quick bites and coffee, plus the footy live and loud in the arvo.

Special offer

BearBrass

Open at 6.30am for brekkie, & coffee, or book for the Eat, Drink, WaterTaxi Deal to footy at the G.

Special offer
Hands holding a burger.

Arbory Bar and Eatery

Burgers, coffee & cocktails from 9.30am, with free cheeseburgers to past & present serving members.

Special offer

More events on the Anzac Day weekend

A still from the film Jurassic Park, showing a man trying to distract a large dinosaur away from a vehicle by waving a coloured red flare light.
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Jurassic Park in Concert

Experience Jurassic Park projected in HD with the MSO performing the iconic score live.

Comedy performer holding a microphone on stage with cheering audience looking on.
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Kings of Comedy: Sky High Stand Up

Serving up unfiltered stand-up, free pizza and a late-night party atmosphere every Friday.

Two Richmond AFL players running on the field, one of them handballing the footy.

AFL Round 7: Richmond v Melbourne

Richmond meet Melbourne during Round 7 for the Anzac Day eve match.

Interior view of a historic building featuring stone arches and columns, transformed by a vibrant, multi-colored light projection show.
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Eonarium Enlightenment

Eonarium Enlightenment invites Melbourne into an immersive world of light, music and the seasons.

What's open to eat and drink

Interior of restaurant showing patrons seated at tables near a large window that overlooks the street.

Bar Lourinhã

Iconic Mediterranean and Iberian restaurant bar serving produce-inspired tapas and shared mains.

A waiter holding a white plate of steak frites, a classic French meal consisting of beefsteak paired with french fries.

Common Cuts

A craft-led city grill, dining room and listening bar.

Two people at outdoor table, at night, seen from side/back.

Allegro Restaurant

Innovative Australian cuisine hidden in the treetops of Collins St, with city views.

Bavarian-styled restaurant exterior with dark timber and lathe fachwerk facade on a Melbourne laneway.

Hofbräuhaus

Delivering hand-selected German beer, authentic food and classic hospitality since 1968.

The classic interior of Luci restaurant, with a staircase, and floor-ceiling-windows and dining tables and chairs.

Luci

A contemporary Australian restaurant set in the grand hall of historic Equity Chambers building.

The illuminated exterior of the Douglas Club, showing its classical architecture.

The Douglas Club

Set within the Equity Chambers Building, The Douglas Club is the perfect spot for a city drink.

Seats and coffee tables in Westin Hotel lobby lounge.

Lobby Lounge

Crafted cocktails and bar bites in the lobby of The Westin Melbourne Hotel.

Patrons seated at tables inside a restaurant eating and drinking.

Yum Sing House

Modern Asian dining and a late-night bar with the hedonistic spirit of 1960s Hong Kong.

A French bistro-style restaurant with seated patrons and an open kitchen.

Maison Bâtard

Chris Lucas' Maison Bâtard heralds a grand new legacy for a heritage Bourke Street site.

Moody cellar bar with lamp lighting and cocktails.

Mill Place Merchants

A cocktail bar hidden behind a vintage dressing room in a building dating back to the 1840s.

The dimly lit interior of a restaurant, with patrons seated at marble tables and booths in front of arched mirrors.

Dolly Restaurant & Cocktail Bar

Late-night European restaurant and cocktail bar located at the luxury Le Méridien Melbourne hotel.

A table set for service inside the lobby of 1 Hotel Melbourne.

From Here By Mike

Nestled in the heart of Melbourne, From Here is a thoughtful celebration of every part of our table.

A surface with a yellow gingham tablecloth with layer cakes on stands, two candlesticks in green holders and a clear drink cup with a stray

Miilk Cake Studio

Miilk Cake Studio is a colourful celebration of family recipes handed down over generations.

A barista in a beige blazer preparing coffee in a casual environment.

Little Jin

Little Jin opens its window Monday - Friday for a quick caffeine hit and buttery bite to eat.

Crane Bar & Lounge on the ground floor of 1 Hotel Melbourne, with a bar at the back of the space, comfortable club chairs and low tables and lamps in the foreground.

Crane Bar & Lounge

At Crane Bar & Lounge, the art of gathering takes centre stage.

Customs House exterior with cafe umbrellas and tables.

Cuff

A relaxed laneway cafe offering Modern Australian brunch, specialty coffee and drinks.

Brightly lit bar, all clean white lines and elegance, with a couple of black stools in front, large flowers at left.

Showroom Bar

Destination for fine dining and cocktails.

Man mixing cocktails behind an opulent bar, a large mirror and a wall of bottled drinks displayed behind the bar.

Jin Bar

Jin Bar is a coffee window by day and cocktail bar by night, tucked within Dorsett Melbourne.

A large open plan cafe with a white and black faux ceiling and patrons on a communal table.

Rosso Coffee Experience: Specialty Coffee Roastery & Cafe

North Melbourne’s hub for coffee: expert roasting, gourmet food and hands-on experiences.

Airy dining space at Taxi Kitchen, with huge windows and overhead lighting, and patrons seated at tables eating and drinking.

Taxi Kitchen

Accessible and affordable meals in a light-filled room with great views.

Drinks lined up on a shelf and wooden wall in front of a birdcage ornament.

Transit Rooftop Bar

Large rooftop bar in Federation Square, with expansive views of the Melbourne skyline.

Exterior of Bottega restaurant on Bourke St showing surrounding buildings, and patrons dining on the footpath.

Bottega

Offering timeless Italian dining on Bourke Street.

Rooftop bar with white paving, white seating and tables, green-tiled bar with city buildings in the background.

Hotel Nacional

An entirely gluten-free Mexican-inspired rooftop bar and restaurant.

A table set for two with a pizza on one plate and a pasta dish on the other, with two glasses and a carafe of red wine.

Ombra

Ombra serves cured meats, Venetian tapas and excellent wines to share.

Black and white tiled area, with cane chairs and tables, striped ceiling blinds overhead; wide doors and windows to the left.

The Terrace

Enjoy an artful brunch inspired by the European pursuit of pleasure and joy.

People seated outside under shade umbrellas at a rooftop bar

Good Heavens

Rooftop bar on Bourke Street serving fabulous cocktails, craft beer and Australian wine.

Aru's wood fire kitchen fitout.

Aru

Bringing together the woodfire hearth and flavours of Asia and Australia.

Cocktails and bar snacks.

Bomba Tapas Bar and Rooftop

Serving great Spanish tapas and wines like the worker's bars of the Iberian peninsula.

The exterior of D.O.C Pizza & Mozzarella restaurant in Carlton, showing a typical Victorian-era corner building.

D.O.C Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

The authentic flavour of a Rome-style pizza without the cost of a plane ticket.

An elegant restaurant interior with floor to ceiling windows.

Gimlet at Cavendish House

An elegant cocktail bar and dining room from renowned chef Andrew McConnell.

Bowl of pasta on wooden table, glass of white wine to right, front.

The Courthouse Hotel

A beautiful art deco pub delivering warm hospitality and serving pub classics.

Terrace with set tables, bathed in red; river to left.

La Camera

Classic Italian food overlooking the river at Southbank.

The interior of a restaurant with white linen covered tables, bentwood dining chairs and a soft neon sign bearing the restaurant's name Kafeneion that rests on a mantelpiece.

Kafeneion

A culinary love affair that merges the best of Melbourne's charm with authentic Greek cuisine.

Several Japanese-inspired dishes.

Chocolate Buddha

A Japanese-inspired dining room at Fed Square, offering ramen, donburi and sushi.

Chopsticks poised over a steamer of dumplings, with several other plates of food on the table.

Secret Kitchen

An excellent spot for yum cha and Chinese delicacies.

Menu board inside the restaurant.

The European

Enjoy premium pan-European cuisine with exceptional service.

A dimly lit restaurant with glamorous decor and a crystal chandelier, and patrons dining at tables.

Society

A glamourous restaurant and bar with contemporary dining and bespoke cocktails.

Exterior of restaurant Grill Americano, showing windows and blue awnings.

Grill Americano

Offering Italian classics with signature Chris Lucas spin in sophisticated surrounds.

Several chefs preparing Japanese food in front of dining patrons who are seated at a high wooden bar in front of them.

Kisumé

Exquisite sushi and one of the city's finest wine cellars.

Neon-lit entrance to Yakimono restaurant.

Yakimono

Yakimono is a high energy Japanese-inspired eating house.

Note: opening hours may vary and public holiday surcharges may apply. Check with individual businesses before visiting for more information.

Last updated on Wed 22 Apr 2026

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