Frequently asked questions

Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight presented by AAMI is held in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl which is located in the gardens of King’s Domain Park. It is close to Linlithgow Avenue in the City of Melbourne.

Every year, Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight is held on Christmas Eve (December 24).

Rehearsal Night will be held on December 23.

Rehearsal will start shortly after the gates open at 4:00pm.

The main event on Christmas Eve starts at 8:00pm. We ask that all patrons are seated by 7:45pm.

It is difficult to predict the exact finish time but we anticipate it will be at approximately 11:00pm.

Patrons are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing suitable for the weather conditions. Please note that the venue is only accepting contactless payment and bar, merchandise and food transactions are cashless. There will be no ATM on site.

You may also bring

• Low fold out chairs, no greater than 20cm in height
• Picnic blankets, cushions, and umbrellas. Please note umbrellas must be closed during performances as they restrict other patrons’ views.
• Collapsible prams are permitted but if sitting in General Admission, prams must be collapsed and kept with you on the lawn. Detachable bassinette on the lawn is acceptable. If sitting in the stalls, prams must be stored in a designated area at the back of the stalls.

Yes. There are a number of items that patrons are not permitted to bring to the venue. These include and are not limited to:

• Elevated seating – higher than 20cm. A limited number of chairs will be available to hire at the time of ticket purchase.
• Alcohol (beverages available for purchase)
• Metal cutlery (including cheese and bread knives)
• Glass
• Open drink containers
• Tents or sun shelters
• Video cameras or drones
• Professional cameras
• Any item that you intend (or such quantities of the item from which Management can reasonably infer that you intend) to distribute, hawk, sell, offer, expose for sale or display for marketing or promotional purposes
• Flags, banners or promotional materials
• Illicit substances
• Animals (except for assistance animals)
• Hard sided coolers and eskies
• Firecrackers, flares, explosives
• Flammable liquids
• Lasers or laser pointers
• Weapons and any other items which could impede safety or people’s enjoyment
• Smoking and vaping only permitted in designated areas

Venue staff have the right to conduct security inspections and refuse entry of such items.  Any items found on inspection that are not permitted will need to be disposed of or kept in the cloak room and returned to patrons on exit.

Important: Please also note that flash photography and video taping the show is not permitted. The use of cameras is permitted, however cameras of a professional standard will not be permitted. Any camera equipment deemed of a professional standard by event security will need to be held in the cloakroom for collection on exit.

If you have any further questions about conditions of entry, please ask Ticketek at the time of ticket purchase.

Yes. Patrons are permitted to bring reasonable amounts of food and non-alcoholic drink into the venue for personal consumption. Feel free to bring soft-sided bags and hamper. Hard sided containers such as eskies take up too much room so we are not able to admit these.  Please also note glass is not permitted inside the venue.

There will be a number of affordable choices available, both hot and cold food and drinks, including alcohol. The current list of vendors is yet to be confirmed.

The Sidney Myer Music Bowl makes special arrangements for patrons in wheelchairs and their companions, for people with low vision and for people requiring hearing aid support. At the time of booking, please raise this with your Ticketek ticketing consultant, and they will be able to provide you with more information.

Both wheelchairs and walking frames can be accommodated however there is a steep slope to access the reserved seated area so please ensure you have someone who can assist you on site. Wheelchair bays are located at the back of the stalls.

People in wheelchairs can purchase a lawn ticket, however there are limited flat viewing areas.

There are a small number of seats in the seated Stalls section that are held for people who are legally blind. Ticketek will be able to supply information to patrons seeking these seats.

A companion attending the event to provide assistance to someone with a disability is able to attend the event free of charge so long as they are a Companion Cardholder.

The easiest way to organise accessible seating for any event for which Ticketek is the authorised ticketing provider is to complete the Accessible Seating Booking Form.

Yes, there will be pass-outs available at the event. Toilet facilities are located within the venue.

The show always features a long list of traditional and contemporary performers.

Details around entertainment are still being confirmed. For a full list of performers (once updated), visit: https://carols.visionaustralia.org/performers

Broadcast (TV)

Yes, the event will be broadcast live on Channel 9 and 9Now from 8:00pm local time on 24 December, as well as two replays on Christmas Day:  1pm on Channel 9 and 7pm on 9Gem. Please check your TV Guide for details.

Simulcast (Radio)

A number of radio stations simulcast the event on Christmas Eve. They include but are not limited to:

• 3AW 693 in Melbourne
• 2GB 873 in Sydney
• 4BC 882 in Brisbane
• Vision Australia Radio will also be streaming Carols by Candlelight with professional audio description, through their local stations and online.

There are two seating options at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl: the seated stalls section and the lawn area. Both sections are wonderful options but remember that all seating is limited. Stalls seating is tiered in price by their proximity to the stage.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketek via the website or by phone at 132 849 from October 11.

There will be a Ticketek Box Office at the venue on the day and you will be able to purchase tickets subject to availability, however, based on previous years’ sales, we do not expect that there will be many tickets at all available. It is recommended to buy tickets early to avoid disappointment

Tickets are automatically issued via email by Ticketek upon purchase. Please check your junk mail to ensure it has not been sent there by mistake.

If you are still unable to locate it, please contact Ticketek on 132 849.

Tickets are sold as per Arts Centre Melbourne's Terms and Conditions of Purchase (including the Venue Conditions of Entry for the applicable venue). For further information, please contact Ticketek on 132 849 or please visit the Box Office at Gate 1 upon arrival and their will be able to assist you.

In the case of an event cancellation, a refund will be provided to the original ticket purchaser. If you have purchased a ticket from an unauthorised seller, you have no refund right from the trust and may be at risk of no refund from that unauthorised seller.

Yes. This is a fundraising event for Vision Australia. All proceeds will go towards services for children who are blind or have low vision.

Access to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl via public transport including trams, trains and buses is relatively simple. The venue is easily located with permanent directional signs to guide visitors. For further information on how to get to the venue by public transport, contact Public Transport Victoria on 1800 800 007 or visit www.ptv.gov.au

Your UBER or taxi may drop you on St. Kilda Road near the venue or Government House Drive. The closest rank to the Bowl is outside Flinders Street Train Station. You may also like to carry the number of a taxi company and call as you are getting ready to leave the venue.

Sections of Linlithgow Avenue will be closed to the public on 23 and 24 December 2023.

Catch any train into Flinders Street Station, and from there, walk south (away from the city) along St Kilda Road. This is approximately a ten-minute walk across Princess Bridge over the Yarra River into the Gardens. If disembarking at Richmond Station, walk east along Swan Street towards the Gardens. This is a fifteen-minute walk.

Stop 17 on St Kilda Road and Grant Street is the closest stop and all north and south bound trams running along St Kilda Road stop there.  Catch trams travelling along St Kilda Road which are numbered 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 and 72 and disembark at Stop 17. The main gates of the Music Bowl are a three-minute walk from the stop.

Catch buses 216, 219 or 220 along St Kilda Road. For more information about travelling to the venue by bus, visit the Public Transport Victoria website www.ptv.vic.gov.au or phone 1800 800 007

Street parking in and around the Sidney Myer Music Bowl (Linlithgow Avenue and St Kilda Road) is extremely limited. If driving into the city, patrons have the option of using the Arts Centre car park which is located at the rear of the Arts Centre.  The entrance is located at the corner of Sturt and Kavanagh Streets, Southbank.  This is a paid parking facility and is open 24 hours.  Please note it can fill very quickly on some nights.

Yes. If you have special needs please phone the venue to make arrangements on 03 9281 8000.

Candle kits and glow sticks will be available for sale.

No. Vision Australia purchases special candles to maximise safety at the event.

No. It is recommended that patrons bring along sun screen and appropriate cover such as hats, long sleeve tops – particularly if you are planning to arrive early.