Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) Acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Narrm, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to Elders of all First Nations communities that visit MCEC.

Tickets for MCEC events

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We want your guests to have an extraordinary experience. Improve wait times and prevent any on-the-day issues by following our essential ticketing guidelines below. Just remember, you only need tickets for four spaces at MCEC: Plenary, Goldfields Theatre, Clarendon Auditorium, and Exhibition Bays. No other spaces require tickets in the venue.

The essentials

  1. MCEC's approval is required for all tickets. Provide a sample of your event ticket to your Event Planner for approval before printing or digital distribution.

  2. All ticketed events require an onsite box office(s) or someone available to handle ticketing enquiries and to resolve any issues throughout the event.

  3. The box office(s) should be in an area accessible before bag checks or security checkpoints.

  4. You'll need to order a WiFi connection for the box office; the free WiFi is unsuitable.

  5. Ensure that any seating references and maps provided to attendees match our naming conventions. Refer to our floor plans and space capacity guide [3.29mb] for the correct terminology.

View from the back of a crowded room of people facing a lit up stage with a performance on. There is a blue semi circle backdrop behind the people on stage.

Additional info

Having the right information can make all the difference to your guest's experience. To simplify things, we've gathered all the additional information to consider when designing your tickets.

Crowd of people sitting at tables surrounding a boxing ring. Four main spotlights are pointing towards one person standing on a stage with their hands up.

  • Entry tickets should include the following details:

    • Event name

    • Event date and start time

    • Door opening times

    • Event space (e.g. Plenary, Goldfields Theatre, Clarendon Auditorium, Exhibition Bays)

    • Venue address (Refer to the 'Specific building addresses' section for best address to use)

    • Entry door number, row and seat number (with a minimum 16-point font. Please do not use cursive fonts for the seating details as they can be difficult to read)

    • Include the stair number when referring to balcony seats

    View an example of a ticket format [0.24mb]

  • Based on your ticket format, here is some additional information to include or notify your attendees about:

    • You can bring cold drinks and food to Plenary and Goldfields Theatre, but only hot drinks with lids are allowed —no hot meals or dishes. Please do not bring crockery or cutlery into any of the theatres.

    • Items like prams, big bags, and suitcases are not permitted inside most of our event spaces, however, we offer cloaking facilities to accommodate these belongings.

    • Lifts are available for all theatres, making it easy for everyone to access.

    • Let your guests know about any security screening and bag check information in advance.

    • If the event has one, the lock-out period should be noted on the ticket.

    • Include age limits on tickets to show who needs to buy tickets e.g. the age for children.

    • Mention the staircase number on Plenary tickets for lower ground and balcony seats.

      • Doors 1, 2, 3 and 4: Lower Ground (LG)

      • Doors 11 and 12: Stair 1

      • Doors 13 and 14: Stair 2

      • Doors 15 and 16: Stairs 3

    • To make tickets easy to read, use dark text on a light background. You can also put your logo on the ticket if you like.

    • Check our website and the What's on section for more details on getting to the venue.

    • If you have a digital ticket, link to our Conditions of Entry webpage, or include a reference URL on physical tickets.

    • Recommended for all events, compulsory for general admission events.

    • The box office or event organiser must be present to train MCEC customer service staff in scanner usage and address technical problems.

    • Minimum scanner requirements: 1 per door and 2 spares per level.

    • For events with security and bag screening, ticket scanning is mandatory.

    • Doors usually open ½ hour before the performance.

    • Venue access, including security bag checks, typically begins 2 hours before the theatre doors open.

    • Please include specific door opening times and event start times (use the term "sharp").

    • Provide details about intermission to your attendees. Consider when the event ends so that attendees can ensure they have parking or other things sorted.

  • A reminder, all spaces below require ticketing. When mentioning them on your ticket, please follow our recommended guidelines below:

    • Plenary - Door # e.g. "Plenary - Door 6"

    • Goldfields Theatre

    • Clarendon Auditorium

    • Exhibition Bays - Door # e.g. "Exhibition Bays - Door 5" (Please refer to door numbers, not bay numbers, on your ticketing)

  • Use these building specific addresses for each space:

    Clarendon Auditorium

    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

    2 Clarendon Street, South Wharf, Victoria

    Goldfields Theatre

    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

    1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Victoria

    Exhibition Bays Doors 1 - 10 (include your specific event door number, not bay number)

    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

    2 Clarendon Street, South Wharf, Victoria

    Exhibition Bays Doors 11 - 21 (include your specific event door number, not bay number)

    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

    1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Victoria

    Plenary

    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

    1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Victoria

View an example of a ticket format