Hamer Hall Guide: access, tips & more
There are concert halls, and then there’s Hamer Hall. Melbourne’s premier venue for live classical and contemporary music sits right on the Yarra, and once you’re inside that warm, glowing auditorium, you understand why it has the reputation it does. Whether you’re a regular or planning your first visit, here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Related reading: see our Melbourne Concerts guide for more venues like this one.
About Hamer Hall
Hamer Hall is Melbourne’s premier concert venue and the largest auditorium at Arts Centre Melbourne, seating around 2,500 people across the Stalls, Circle and Balcony. It’s the home base of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and regularly hosts the Australian Chamber Orchestra, touring musicians and the occasional contemporary act. The room itself is famous for its acoustics and its interior, which is dressed in colours and patterns meant to evoke Australian gemstones, so it has a warm, almost cave-like glow rather than the cool formality you might expect from a concert hall.
Hamer Hall is also home to the new Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA), so if you arrive early for a concert it’s well worth popping in to see what’s on show. It’s entered from ground level on St Kilda Road, around the corner from the main Hamer Hall foyer and box office. If you’re after something a little lighter, Morning Melodies runs here once a month, with both 11am and 1.30pm sessions, and is a lovely daytime option.
Insider tips for your visit
Book online for the best seat choice. The “Select Your Own Seat” tool lets you preview your sightline before committing, which is handy if you’d rather sit on an aisle or want to check legroom.
Arrive with time to spare. Works as part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation mean it pays to allow extra time getting in and parked (more on that below).
Bring a card, not cash. All bars and the cloakroom operate cashless.
Dress for the room. Hamer Hall can run cool, especially up in the Circle and Balcony, so a light layer is worth having on hand.
Don’t rush the foyer. The upper terrace has lovely Yarra views and is worth getting there early for.
If you’re arriving early, duck into AMPA. The museum is right there in Hamer Hall and is a lovely way to fill in twenty minutes before a show.
Pre-order your interval drink at the bar before the show starts to avoid the queue at interval.
On-site parking starts from $17. Booking online ahead of time can take some of the guesswork out of your visit.
Phone bookings run Monday to Saturday, 9am to 4.30pm on 1300 182 183, and the box office is staffed in person Monday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm, if you’d rather sort tickets face to face.
A bit of history
Hamer Hall opened as the Melbourne Concert Hall on 6 November 1982, the first part of the Arts Centre Melbourne complex to be completed. It was designed by architect Sir Roy Grounds, whose bold, geometric concrete forms gave the building its distinctive shape, while the interiors were the work of John Truscott, an Australian actor and designer who took a far more theatrical approach, all gold leaf and rich colour. The contrast between the two is part of what makes the building so interesting to look at.
In April 2004, shortly after the death of former Victorian Premier Sir Rupert Hamer, the venue was renamed in his honour, recognising his role in championing Melbourne’s push for a major cultural facility.
The hall closed in 2010 for a $135.8 million redevelopment led by ARM Architecture, reopening in July 2012 with a gala concert. The renovation reshaped the auditorium for better acoustics, added new foyer spaces and dining options, and opened the building up to the Yarra River with a new riverside entrance, something the original 1982 design had turned its back on. If you remember visiting before the renovation, you’ll notice the building feels far more connected to its surroundings now, with glass walls and terraces that weren’t there before.
Since reopening, Hamer Hall has remained the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s home and a regular stop for the Australian Chamber Orchestra and international touring artists.
Sources: Arts Centre Melbourne — Our History; for a deeper look at the architecture and the 2012 renovation, ARM Architecture’s project notes are well worth a read.
Hamer Hall accessibility
All levels of Hamer Hall are wheelchair accessible via lifts and escalators.
Removable wheelchair and scooter spaces, along with companion seating, are available on all levels. Book ahead by calling the MSO Box Office on (03) 9929 9600, or the main Arts Centre line on 1300 182 183 for non-MSO events.
Accessible theatre seats (for transferring out of a wheelchair into a standard seat) are available with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice.
A hearing loop and free assistive listening devices are available at every seat. Devices can be borrowed from the Level 6 Cloak Room with photo ID.
Accessible toilets are located on Level 2 (near Door 2, Stalls level) and Level 3 (opposite the Truscott Lounge, Circle level).
A Changing Places facility is on Level 3 near the south lift (bring your MLAK key, or contact Security on (03) 9281 8288 if you need to be let in).
Complimentary loan wheelchairs for getting around the building, including to and from the car park, can be booked by calling 1300 182 183.
Walkers can be used to reach your seat and will be minded by staff during the performance, though they can’t stay in the hall with you.
If you have any access requirements, it’s worth calling ahead rather than sorting it out on the day, particularly if you need a seat transfer or a specific type of space.
Getting there
Public Transport: Flinders Street Station is about 250 metres away. Exit towards St Kilda Road, head south, and cross the Yarra on Princes Bridge. The Arts Precinct tram stop (routes 1, 3, 3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72) is right outside, about 210 metres from Hamer Hall.
Driving: The Arts Centre Melbourne car park is open 24/7, with entry from Southbank Boulevard or Kavanagh Street (note the Kavanagh Street entrance closes from 10 February to 29 March each year for ongoing works, so check before you go). Both levels are wheelchair accessible. The Australian Ballet car park on Kavanagh Street is a nearby alternative.
Drop-off: The St Kilda Road service lane is currently closed to private vehicles and taxis, so drop-off isn’t available right outside the doors at present. Rideshare and taxi drop-offs are best arranged for the main St Kilda Road entrance area instead.
100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
For Box Office enquiries, please contact Arts Centre Melbourne on 1300 182 183.
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