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A large blue LED Christmas tree in the city at night.

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

A glowing neon river show at night with Melbourne's city skyline in the background

The best free and cheap family activities

Find family-friendly fun and free events in Melbourne.

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The best free museums and art galleries in Melbourne

Explore world-class museums, edgy artist-run spaces and blockbuster exhibitions for free.

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Free things to do in Melbourne every day

Have a grand day out on a budget at Melbourne's best free experiences, attractions and exhibits.

A busy market with lanterns in the city.

The ultimate guide to Melbourne's best Christmas markets

Explore Melbourne's iconic markets.

A young tourist couple and an older tour guide, standing in front of a famous Melbourne pub.

Melbourne Greeter Service

Discover what locals love about Melbourne with a free two-to-four-hour walking tour.

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Melbourne's best free date ideas

Swipe right without maxing your debit card and try these free date ideas

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Free tours of iconic Melbourne places

See glorious city sights without spending a cent.

A young boy and girl pointing to triceratops bones in the Museum.

Free things to do with kids in Melbourne

Get the kids out and explore these free events and adventures for an awesome day of fun.

A couple standing in front of the Royal Exhibition Building, surrounded by trees.

Walks and itineraries

These self-guided walks and itineraries will help you discover Melbourne's best sights.

Person walking in a laneway that's painted in brightly-coloured stripes.

Flash Forward

Explore 40 city laneways that have been transformed by over 80 creatives.

Outside of the Melbourne Town Hall building, as seen from Swanston Street.

Melbourne Town Hall Tours

Take a tour of one of Melbourne's most iconic buildings.

A busker performing in the street playing an electric guitar with his head facing downwards looking at the instrument.
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Bourke Street Mall Busking

Meet Melbourne's marvellous musicians and more in the iconic Bourke Street Mall busking program.

A garden at dusk

Five free must-do Melbourne walks

It’s time to get out and about in the city. Have a wander with these free guides.

Crowds looking at a festival stage in the city.

The best free festivals in Melbourne

The best free festivals you need to visit in Melbourne this year

Long line of tables covered in books.

Melbourne Book Market

Melbourne Book Market is a curated collection of more than 5,000 new and pre-loved titles.

Smiling vendor selling a range of pastries, dips and spreads at Queen Victoria Market.

Queen Victoria Market

This beloved Melbourne landmark is the largest open air market in the southern hemisphere.

Water wall installation at the entrance to NGV International on St Kilda Road.

NGV International

NGV International houses a whole world of international art.

Dark silhouetted figures in a space with red and blue lighting.

ACMI

Museum dedicated to the moving image through events, film screenings and exhibitions.

Large, rectangular building of Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square.

Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

The world’s first major gallery dedicated exclusively to Australian art.

A group of people seated around a table in a pub like setting, some of them singing.
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Sea Shanties and Folk Songs

Join this free weekly celebration of rollicking and spirited singing.

Inside a bustling market hall

Things you can only see in the city

Uncover secret rooms, historic architecture and iconic landmarks found only in the city.

A view over Melbourne by night, with buildings lit up.

New Year's Eve in Melbourne

From fireworks to fancy dinners and family fun, Melbourne is the perfect place to celebrate NYE.

Two friends are seating outside a small cafe kiosk there is a sign saying mork chocolate

The best Easter offers, high teas and events in Melbourne

Find Easter high teas, dining deals, events and more

A giant illuminated purple Christmas Tree at Federation Square, surrounded by people and view of Flinders St Station and city buildings in the background.
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Christmas Square

Discover a Christmas wonderland featuring the city’s beloved tree.

Aerial view of an interior market with stalls selling clothing and raft, and many people walking around and shopping in the space.

Boho Luxe Market: Christmas Edition

A design market full of handmade, ethically sourced products.

Santa sitting on his throne with two white-gloved hands in the air.
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Santa Comes to Crown

Celebrate the magic of Christmas with a visit to Santa.

A view of the illuminated city skyline at night, with a large Christmas star on Evan Walker Bridge.
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Christmas Decorations

Christmas comes to life around the city with sparkly decorations spreading festive cheer.

Two people walking into a Christmas-themed carnival at Melbourne's Birrarung Marr.
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Christmas Carnival

Thrill rides, carnival games and festive food on the banks of the Yarra.

A still from the film, Loving Vincent, showing a painted portrait of Vincent Van Gogh in the style of Van Gogh and painted predominantly with blue.
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Library Cinema at narrm ngarrgu

Each month, watch a movie on the big screen, including contemporary, classic and documentary films.

Three large, colourful and shiny gummy bears as part of a Christmas installation inside a shopping mall.
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Christmas at The District Docklands

Enjoy free festive family fun as the Gummy Bears take over The District Docklands laneways.

Koorie Klaus giving a present to a small boy in Fed Square.

Koorie Krismas

Koorie Krismas is a free, family-friendly event where culture, creativity, and joy come together.

A person wearing a green, inflatable Christmas Tree mascot costume holding hands with a young child in a festive outdoor setting.
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Mr Fantastico's Christmas Rooftop Carnival

Free Christmas fun with live performances, Santa activities and creative workshops.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River
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Myer Christmas Windows

The beloved Bourke Street tradition will return with a new festive theme for the 71st season.

A busy outdoor market with colourful tents lining a pedestrian walkway alongside tall palm trees and crowds of visitors.

Christmas Docklands Waterfront Farmers' Market

Celebrate the festive season at the Docklands Waterfront Farmers’ Market this December.

A stall at a German Christmas Market selling decorations.
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German Christmas Market

A traditional German Christmas Market with beautiful market stalls including foods and drinks.

Looking through the Queen Victoria Market to city buildings in the background, hundreds of people gathered.
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The Christmas Night Market

Old-world Christmas charm, Melbourne style.

Christmas decorations of kangaroos pulling Santa's sleigh.
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12 Days of Christmas

Discover an Aussie twist on a favourite carol.

The exterior of the Koorie Heritage Trust at Fed Square with a yellow KHT sign out the front.

Koorie Heritage Trust

An Australian First Peoples arts and cultural centre.

People gathered at Fed Square watching a movie on the large outdoor screen, some in deckchairs, with a blue sky and tall city buildings in the background.
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Christmas Outdoor Cinema

In the lead-up to Christmas Day, enjoy free Christmas and festive films at Fed Square.

Coloured pink lights illuminate water sprays high in the air on the Yarra River at night with a crowd watching from the promenade.
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Crown Christmas River Show

Be dazzled by a spectacular water, laser and light show on the Yarra River.

Lit Christmas tree in Fed Square with crowds of people around it and city buildings against a night sky in the background.

Christmas Tree Lighting

See the city light up as the Christmas celebrations begin.

A commemorative gathering with a choir performing in front of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, and an audience seated on chairs in the forecourt.

Commemoration in Concert

Experience an unforgettable evening of music and reflection at the Shrine of Remembrance.

See all free events

Free attractions

A drone shot of Fed Square at dusk, with a heart-shape of lights surrounding a central stage in the middle of a huge crowd.

Fed Square

Melbourne's public square and meeting place, opposite Flinders Street Station.

Tranquil scene of trees and lawn surrounding a lake.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

A picturesque haven for recreation and a key botanical resource for research and conservation.

Water wall installation at the entrance to NGV International on St Kilda Road.

NGV International

NGV International houses a whole world of international art.

Dark silhouetted figures in a space with red and blue lighting.

ACMI

Museum dedicated to the moving image through events, film screenings and exhibitions.

Large, rectangular building of Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square.

Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

The world’s first major gallery dedicated exclusively to Australian art.

People seated at desks arranged in an octagonal pattern inside the La Trobe Reading Room of State Library Victoria.

State Library Victoria

Australia's oldest public library and one of the first free public libraries in the world.

The glass-panelled entrance to the Victorian Police Museum.

Victoria Police Museum

Explore the social history of policing through interactive displays and over 300 collection items.

Free and cheap

People walking along a plant-lined pathway in public gardens, with city towers in the background.
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Fitzroy Gardens Heritage Tour

A journey through the heritage-listed gardens, where history and nature seamlessly blend.

Wide skyline shot of historic buildings in Melbourne.

Cheapskate's guide to Melbourne

Find happy hours, secret foodie spots, cheap activities and more.

The best things to do under $20 in Melbourne

The best things to do under $20 in Melbourne

Find the best cheap eats and low-cost activities in Melbourne.

A table set with Thai dishes and someone lifting noodles from a bowl of soup.

Melbourne’s best dinners under $20

Find Melbourne's best cheap eats and pub deals for your next dinner out.