These venues don’t charge a hire fee, so you get free venue hire for the space. Most operate on a minimum spend, which means you simply agree to spend a set amount on food, drinks, or both, and that covers the cost of using the space. Melbourne has plenty of venues with private function rooms that work this way. All the venues listed on this page have a $0 hire charge. Most venues even include a free $100 bar tab!
Free venue hire means you don’t pay a separate hire charge to use the space. The venue or function room is yours without an upfront fee. Most venues use a minimum spend to make this work. You simply agree to spend a set amount on food, drinks, or both, and that covers the cost of using the space.
Some venues will even waive the minimum spend if your guest list is big enough. In these cases, the venue expects that your group will naturally spend enough to cover costs. Either way, the goal is the same: you get the space without paying a separate hire fee.
About 90% of venues without a hire charge will have a minimum spend. Only a very small number will have a high guest count without a hire charge or minimum spend.
Knowing how this works is important. You can figure out guest numbers, what to order, and when to book to make the most of your budget. Free venue hire is common in Melbourne’s bars, restaurants, and event spaces.
A minimum spend is the minimum amount of money you have to spend on food, drinks, or both when booking a venue. It is not a fee.
Knowing the minimum spend will help you plan your guest list, order quantities, and budget.
You pay only for what your guests use, not a hire fee. This is perfect for birthdays, 21sts, milestone events, or big parties.
Booking off-peak or mixing food with drinks can help you reach the minimum without overspending.
Yes. Free venue hire means you are not paying a hire charge. The venue makes its money from what your group spends on food and drinks. As long as you meet the minimum spend, the room is yours at no extra cost.
Most venues will ask you to pay the difference. For example, if your minimum is $1500 and you only spend $1200, you usually pay the remaining $300. If you've prepaid the minimum spend in advance, then some venues might offer you a credit to use another day, but this is not very common, usually the difference is forfeited. It doesn't hurt to ask.
Almost all of them do. A few places offer free hire with no minimum if your guest list is large enough that they expect solid bar sales on the day.
Pricing for free venue hire in Melbourne varies based on the venue's pricing model. On average, venues charging a room hire fee cost $0 for Saturday events, with prices ranging from $0 to $0 across 0 venues. Minimum spend venues typically cost $2890 per booking, ranging from $400 to $9999 based on 77 venues. Final costs depend on factors including venue capacity, suburb location, day of the week, security guard charges and extensions to the guaranteed hire duration. Additional expenses may include DJ hire, entertainment, specialised catering, decorations.
| Pricing Type | Min. | Avg. | Max. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room Hire Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Minimum Spend | $400 | $2890 | $9999 |
Venue pricing varies significantly based on capacity. On average, small venues (up to 70 guests) are more budget-friendly and cost $2015 minimum spend on Saturday events. Medium venues (71-140 guests) typically cost $3074 minimum spend, representing a 53% increase over small venues. Large venues (over 140 guests) average $3342 minimum spend, costing 1.7x more than small venues, reflecting their expanded facilities and capacity.
| Size | Type | Min. | Avg. | Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (≤70) |
Hire | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Spend | $500 | $2015 | $6000 | |
| Medium (71-140) |
Hire | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Spend | $400 | $3074 | $9999 | |
| Large (>140) |
Hire | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Spend | $500 | $3342 | $6000 |
Pricing data reflects venues listed as of February 2026.
