Parliament House of Victoria

Impressively stoic, with bold white columns commanding attention, Parliament House of Victoria is one of Melbourne’s most recognisable landmarks. The great steps that lead to the entrance only hint at the opulence behind the impressive façade.

Built in 1856, Parliament House of Victoria is the largest public Australian structure to be built in 19th Century.

Visitor experiences in Parliament will depend heavily on whether Parliament is sitting. When Parliament is not sitting, the chambers, halls and eateries are open to the public.  Visitors can take a 90 minute tour through the esteemed halls and chambers.

After touring, visitors may relax with a traditional High Tea of finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and assorted pastries at either The Parliament or The Corridor.

During sitting weeks, visitors can only view live debates and decisions from the public galleries.

Practical Info:

Find Parliament in Spring Street, East Melbourne, on the edge of the central city precinct. To get there, take a city loop train to Parliament Station. There are also secure paid-parking sites surrounding Parliament; the closest is Regal Parking on Spring Street.

Check the Parliament Victoria website for dates of when Parliament is sitting and remember to book a public tour if you are in a group larger than six people. Public tours run in non-sitting weeks on the half hour from 11.30am, with a break at 12.30, and the last tour at 3.45pm.

The lunch and high tea times are specific to non-sitting weeks at Parliament. The Parliament restaurant provides high tea for $44 and The Corridor serves high tea for $38. Serving times are between 2pm and 4pm.