Frequently asked questions

Every year, Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight is held on Christmas Eve (December 24), with tickets available from October. You can subscribe to Carols Club to get access to a presale event before tickets go on sale to the public.  

There is an official Rehearsal Night for every Carols event, held the evening before on December 23. This is also a ticketed event but does not feature some of the accessibility options such as Auslan interpretation.  

Gates open at 4:00pm, with rehearsals taking place shortly after. The main event on Christmas Eve starts at 8:00pm and we ask that all patrons are seated by 7:45pm.  

Given the live nature of the performances there is no exact finish time, but it is typically around 11:00pm.  

Picnic blankets, cushions, and low fold-out chairs (no greater than 20cm in height) are permitted on the lawn for General Admission ticketholders. A limited number of chairs will be available to hire at the time of ticket purchase.

Umbrellas are permitted; but they must be closed by 7:45pm and remain closed during performances as they restrict other patrons’ views. 

Collapsible prams are permitted but when seated in General Admission, prams must be collapsed and kept with you on the lawn. Detachable bassinettes are permitted on the lawn. If seated in the Stalls, prams must be stored in a designated pram bay at the back of the stalls.  

No, Vision Australia purchases special candles to maximise safety at the event. Candle kits and glow sticks will be available to purchase at the venue, with proceeds supporting Vision Australia.  

No pets will be permitted in the venue, but registered assistance animals such as Seeing Eye Dogs are welcome.

Patrons are welcome to pack a picnic with food and non-alcoholic drinks, for personal consumption. We recommend a soft-sided bag or hamper as the venue cannot accommodate eskies or hard-shell coolers.  

To comply with venue entry conditions, please avoid bringing alcohol, glass, open drink containers, and metal cutlery (including bread and cheese knives).

Alcohol will be available to purchase from vendors on the night via contactless card payment only, to patrons aged 18+ wearing a designated wristband. You must show valid photo ID to receive a wristband. This is a cashless event with no ATM on site.

Food and drink, including alcohol, will be available to purchase on the night. A list of vendors will be confirmed closer to the event. Please note that the venue is only accepting contactless payment and bar, merchandise and food transactions are cashless. 

Yes, there are several items that patrons are not permitted to bring to Sidney Myer Music Bowl. 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.

These include and are not limited to:

• Elevated seating higher than 20cm
• 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
• Flame-lit candles  
• 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

Important: Flash photography and filming of the show is not permitted. The use of personal cameras only is 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. 

The Sidney Myer Music Bowl provides access arrangement for patrons in wheelchairs, Companion Card holders, people with low vision and people requiring hearing aid support.

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. There are two accessible platforms at the rear of the stalls which can be accessed by a small ramp. These must be reserved by purchasing online via Ticketek or contacting Arts Centre Melbourne.  

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 assist someone with a disability may 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. 

Under the venue’s liquor licensing laws, pass outs will not be permitted unless in exceptional circumstances. This needs to be approved by the venue and assessed on a case-by-case basis. Any patron granted a pass-out will be screened again prior to re-entry.

Patrons are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing suitable for the weather conditions. It is recommended that you bring sunscreen and appropriate cover such as hats if planning to arrive early, and something warm for the when the sun goes down.

No, Sidney Myer Music Bowl is a cashless venue. All food, drink and merchandise will be available via contactless card payment only.  

Carols by Candlelight always features a long list of traditional and contemporary performers including soloists, choirs, tv performers, comedians, children’s entertainers and more.  

Once announced, the performance lineup will be available at https://carols.visionaustralia.org/performers 

Carols by Candlelight 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. You can also access Carols by Candlelight and clips of performances on demand after the event on 9Now.  

Several radio stations simulcast the event on Christmas Eve in Australia. They include but are not limited to:

• 3AW 693 in Melbourne
• 2GB 873 in Sydney
• 4BH 1116 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. 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 10.

There will be a Ticketek Box Office at the venue on the day, but this event typically sells out in advance so there is unlikely to be tickets available at the event. It is recommended to buy tickets early to avoid disappointment. Carols Club members have first access via presale in October, which is free to join at https://donate.visionaustralia.org/carols-club

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 and managed by Ticketek. If you have any ticketing issues including refund requests and lost or stolen tickets, please contact Ticketek directly on 132 849 or visit the Box Office at Gate 1 upon arrival for assistance.

In the case of an event cancellation, a refund will be provided to the original ticket purchaser only. 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. 

If you are travelling to Carols by Candlelight via rideshare such as Uber or a taxi service, ask the driver to drop you off at 21 Linlithgow Avenue, Melbourne.

The closest taxi rank to Sidney Myer Music Bowl is outside Flinders Street Train Station.  

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. 

Buses 216, 219 or 220 travel along St Kilda Road which will bring you closest to Sidney Myer Music Bowl.  

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 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 event nights. 

There are four wheelchair accessible parking spaces available on Linlithgow Avenue at the bottom of Gate 1. These are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved.

The Arts Centre Melbourne car park is approximately 10 minutes from the entrance to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Wheelchair accessible parking is available on both levels of the car park.