Melbourne is easy to fall for. The trams, the laneways, the coffee, the footy. But the first few weeks can be lonely, and sooner or later you’ll want a pint with someone who knows what a press is.
The good news: Melbourne’s Irish community goes back to the founding of Victoria, and it’s easy to find once you know where to look. This guide covers what to know before you move, then the pubs, GAA clubs, trad sessions, events and support services. ☘️
Short version
- Join the Irish Around Melbourne Facebook group for rooms, jobs, recommendations and meet-ups.
- Trad on a Friday? The Celtic Club in Brunswick or The Drunken Poet in West Melbourne. On a Sunday, the Wild Geese or The Last Jar.
- Want to play? There are 11 GAA clubs listed in Victoria.
- Public transport is half price for everyone until 1 January 2027, and you can tap on with your bank card.
- Struggling? The Irish Australian Support and Resource Bureau has been helping Irish people in Melbourne since 1978.
Moving to Melbourne from Ireland: what to know first
Rent: the big one
According to Domain’s September quarter 2026 Rent Report, as reported by Time Out, the median asking rent in Melbourne is $600 a week for both houses and units. That’s a record high, and the vacancy rate is only 1.4%. It’s why most new arrivals share.
Good to know: in Victoria, a bond usually can’t be more than one month’s rent (the exception is rent over $900 a week), and bonds are held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority, not your landlord. Never pay a bond for a room you haven’t seen. Our cost of living in Australia guide has more on budgeting.
Getting around: myki, or just tap your card
- Half price until 1 January 2027. Public transport is half price for everyone until then (SkyBus and ferries aren’t included). A full fare in zones 1 and 2 is $2.85 for two hours, capped at $5.70 a day and $4 on weekends and public holidays.
- Tap and go. You can tap on with a Visa or Mastercard, your phone or your watch on trains, trams and buses. Contactless fares are the same as myki fares. Tap off the same way.
- Prefer a myki? A physical card costs $6, or Android users can set up Mobile myki in Google Wallet for free.
- Free trams in the city. Trams in the Free Tram Zone (the CBD and Docklands) cost nothing, and metro trains are free if you tap on and off before 7am.
Weather: four seasons in one day
Locals joke about four seasons in one day, and you’ll see why. At the Bureau of Meteorology’s Melbourne (Olympic Park) station, the average top is 26.8°C in January and 14.5°C in July, with July nights averaging 7.6°C. There are about nine days a year of 35°C or more, and it rains (1mm or more) on about 88 days a year. Pack a jacket and the sunscreen.
Jobs and wages
Victoria’s unemployment rate was 5.1% in September 2026, a bit above the national rate of 4.7% (ABS, seasonally adjusted). So start looking before you land. The National Minimum Wage is $26.44 an hour ($1,004.90 a week) from 1 July 2026, and award rates can be higher. Live jobs go up on the Irish Around Oz job board.
| Melbourne at a glance | October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median asking rent | $600 a week (houses and units) |
| Bond | Usually no more than one month’s rent |
| Public transport daily cap | $5.70 full fare, $4 on weekends (half price until 1 January 2027) |
| Average top temperature | 26.8°C in January, 14.5°C in July |
| Unemployment (Victoria) | 5.1% (September 2026) |
| National Minimum Wage | $26.44 an hour |
Before you fly
- Visa: most people start on a working holiday. Read our working holiday visa guide, or Australian visas explained if you’re planning to stay longer.
- Insurance: sort it before you go. Our pick for working holiday makers is True Traveller, and our travel insurance guide explains what Ireland’s health agreement with Australia does and doesn’t cover.
- Money: Wise is handy for everyday transfers and spending in AUD before you have an Aussie bank account. Moving a big amount? Get a TorFX quote too. Our money transfer guide compares them.
- Landed? Work through our first week in Australia checklist: phone, bank account, tax file number, transport card and a place to live.
Join the community
The Irish Around Melbourne Facebook group is where most people start. Ask about rooms, jobs, a good GP or a five-a-side team. Search before you post, read the rules, and if you’re new, say so. Everyone in there was new once. Parents, there’s also Irish Families in Melbourne.
The Celtic Club was founded on 26 September 1887 as the Celtic Home Rule Club, and calls itself Australia’s first Irish club. Today it’s at 29 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, with the Wild Geese bar and bistro, member events and a monthly Celtic Book Club.
Moving on later? Here’s our list of Irish groups in Australia.
Irish history on your doorstep
- Famine Rock, Williamstown. Some 4,000 orphan girls from Irish workhouses came to Australia under the Earl Grey scheme during the Famine, and about 1,700 of them landed in Melbourne on six ships. The bluestone memorial on the Williamstown foreshore was unveiled on 6 December 1998, and a commemoration has been held there every year since, usually in November.
- Eureka, Ballarat. Peter Lalor, born in Ireland in 1827, led the miners at the Eureka Stockade in 1854 and later sat in the Victorian parliament.
Irish pubs in Melbourne
All of these were checked as trading on their own websites in October 2026. Hours change, so check before you go.
City and inner north
- The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel St, West Melbourne, near the Queen Vic Market. Named by The Irish Times among the 10 best Irish pubs outside Ireland. Free trad session every Friday from 6pm and live music six nights a week. Closed Mondays.
- The Last Jar, 616 Elizabeth St, Melbourne. Open Tuesday to Sunday, with trad sessions on Wednesdays from 4pm and a Sunday slow session from 5pm. The head chef is known for his beef and Guinness pie.
- The Irish Times Pub, 427 Little Collins St. Two floors in the CBD, open from midday seven days, with live music Friday and Saturday and sport on the big screens.
- P.J. O’Brien’s, Southgate, Southbank. Open every day from midday, live music six nights a week, and a sponsor of Young Melbourne GAA.
- The Wild Geese at the Celtic Club, 29 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. Irish bistro and bar with a Friday trad session from 2pm to 5pm, a Sunday session from midday to 3pm, and a Sunday roast. Closed Mondays.
- Auntie Annie’s Hotel, 271 Racecourse Rd, Kensington. The old Quiet Man, reborn in 2025. Spice bags, beef and Guinness stew, and Flemington racecourse on the doorstep.
South side
- The Fifth Province, 3/60 Fitzroy St, St Kilda. Irish bar and whiskey bar from Galway man Liam Ganley’s group. Trad session every Monday from 6pm, and the 96 tram stops outside.
- Jimmy O’Neill’s Whiskey & Ale House, 154-156 Acland St, St Kilda, at the last stop of the 96 tram. Live music Friday to Sunday, and a spice bag they say has a cult following.
- Bridie O’Reilly’s, 462 Chapel St, South Yarra. On Chapel Street since 1997, with a beer garden that has a retractable roof.
Geelong
- Murphys, 30 Aberdeen St, Geelong West. The old Irish Murphy’s, now three levels with an Irish front bar, restaurant and rooftop. Closed Mondays.
GAA and sport
Joining a GAA club is one of the quickest ways to make friends here, even if you haven’t kicked a ball since school. These are the Victorian clubs listed by Australasia Gaelic Games:
- Ballarat Clovers
- Garryowen
- Geelong Gaels
- Melbourne Shamrocks
- Naarm Gaels
- Pádraig Pearses
- Peninsula Harps
- Sinn Féin
- St Kevin’s
- Wolfe Tones
- Young Melbourne (kids, men’s and ladies’ teams, based at Albert Park)
The 2026 Victorian championship finals were played at Gaelic Park in June, with Garryowen winning the men’s senior football and hurling titles. The championship is done for 2026, so message a club now and ask when training starts back. For kids, Young Melbourne ran Kids GAA every Sunday in October, and AIDA Victoria lists 13 Irish dancing schools.
Irish events in Melbourne
Every week
- Monday: trad session from 6pm at The Fifth Province, St Kilda.
- Tuesday: Irish language classes with Cumann Gaeilge na hAstráile (Wednesday on Zoom) during Victorian school terms. You’ll need to join the association.
- Wednesday: trad at The Last Jar from 4pm.
- Friday: the Celtic Club session at the Wild Geese, 2pm to 5pm, then The Drunken Poet from 6pm (free entry).
- Sunday: trad at the Wild Geese from midday to 3pm, and The Last Jar’s slow session from 5pm.
- Monthly: Cumann Gaeilge’s conversation circle, or pop-up Gaeltacht, meets on the second Sunday of the month. All levels welcome.
- Geelong: the Geelong Irish Society runs Irish classes on Mondays and Irish dancing on Saturdays during school term.
Coming up
- Tue 3 Nov: Melbourne Cup lunch in Enbarr at Auntie Annie’s Hotel, 12pm to 4pm, food and drinks included.
- Until Sun 15 Nov: the Irish Film Festival online selection. The Melbourne cinema run at The Kino finished on 25 October.
- Sat 21 Nov: Dermot Kennedy at Rod Laver Arena.
- Thu 17 Dec: the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas drinks with Liam Ganley.
- Fri 19 Feb 2027: Laneway at Flemington Park, with Fontaines D.C. on the lineup.
- Sun 14 Mar 2027: the free St Patrick’s Festival in O’Donnell Gardens, St Kilda.
- March 2027: Celtic Thunder’s Australian tour. Check the tour post for the Melbourne date and tickets.
Every year
- The Melbourne Irish Festival‘s St Patrick’s Family Fun Day, open to all, in Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy (22 March in 2026).
- Bloomsday in Melbourne, staging James Joyce events every year since 1994.
Irish businesses, networks and services
- Irish Around Oz job board: live jobs from employers who want Irish workers. Hiring? Post your role there.
- Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce: based on Little Collins St, with a business directory, jobs and recruitment, and networking events.
- Digital Irish Australia: a network connecting Irish innovation and business in Sydney and Melbourne.
Run an Irish business in Melbourne? Tell us about it in the Irish Around Melbourne group.
Support if you’re struggling
Moving to the other side of the world is hard, and plenty of people find the first few months tougher than they expected. You don’t have to sort it out on your own.
- Irish Australian Support and Resource Bureau (IASRB), Northcote. Founded in 1978 as the Australian Irish Welfare Bureau, the first service of its kind in Australia, to help new arrivals and anyone in the community who needs support. Phone (03) 9482 3865.
- Consulate General of Ireland, Melbourne, Collins Street. Opened in 2026 and covers Victoria and Tasmania. Visits are by appointment only, phone +61 3 8680 2300. In an emergency, ring +61 2 6214 0000.
- Lifeline: 13 11 14, any time of the day or night.
- Emergency: call 000.
Irish in Melbourne: FAQ
Is there a big Irish community in Melbourne?
Yes. The 2021 Census counted 14,742 people born in Ireland living in Greater Melbourne. Across Australia, the number of Irish-born residents hit a record 103,080 in 2024.
Is there an Irish consulate in Melbourne?
Yes. The Consulate General of Ireland opened on Collins Street in 2026 and covers Victoria and Tasmania. Visits are by appointment, and passport applications are made online.
How much does it cost to live in Melbourne?
Rent is the big one: the median asking rent is $600 a week, so most new arrivals share. Public transport is capped at $5.70 a day until 1 January 2027. See our cost of living guide for food, phone and nights out.
Do I need a myki card in Melbourne?
No. You can tap on with a Visa or Mastercard, phone or watch, and pay the same fare as myki. A myki card costs $6 if you’d rather keep travel off your bank card.
What is the weather like in Melbourne?
Changeable. January tops average 26.8°C, with about nine days a year of 35°C or more. July averages 14.5°C by day and 7.6°C at night.
Where can I play GAA in Melbourne?
Victoria has 11 clubs listed with Australasia Gaelic Games, from Garryowen, Sinn Féin and Wolfe Tones to Geelong Gaels and Ballarat Clovers. Between them they run men’s and ladies’ football, hurling and camogie. Message one and ask when training starts.
Heading somewhere else? Read our guides to the Irish in Sydney, the Irish in Brisbane and the Gold Coast and moving to Perth from Ireland.
Spotted a pub that’s closed, or a club we missed? Tell us in the Irish Around Melbourne group.
Last checked October 2026.