Your guide on where to party in Melbourne this New Year’s Eve

It’s time to fire up the group chat, because the Duke of Wellington in Melbourne’s CBD is throwing one epic cocktail soirée this New Year’s Eve, and you and your mates are all invited! Tickets are $130 per person, and you’ll be treated to a four-hour package that includes beer, wine, cider and spirits, plus tasty canapés. A DJ will also be spinning tunes from 9pm, so get ready to dance your way into 2022.

Happy new beer! That’s what you’ll be yelling when the clock strikes 12 if you spend your New Year’s Eve at Beer Deluxe Fed Square. This relaxed pub is holding a hops-fuelled shindig in its upstairs bar and garden – and yes, that means you will have views of the fireworks. From 8pm to midnight you can indulge in free-flowing bevvies and yummy snacks, and from 9pm a DJ will be providing the ultimate party soundtrack. Grab a ticket for $130.

The theme is midsummer nights, and we can’t think of a more whimsical and pretty location to host such a magical New Year’s Eve event than the wisteria-filled atrium garden at the Smith. For $120 you can graze on roaming bite-sized treats, enjoy four hours of select beer, wine and spritzes, and listen to live DJs as they play bangers long into the night. If a cocktail-style function ain’t your thing, you can opt for a three-course meal in the dining room at $70 a head.

Say see ya to 2021 and hello to 2022 at Brunswick’s coolest new venue, Sarah Sands Hotel. This recently restored establishment is open for dinner at the ground-floor restaurant, with everything from traditional pub classics to tasty vegetarian options on the menu. There will also be $16 cocktails, live DJs and late-night snacks. Sounds like a good time? You bet it will be – make a booking asap to ensure you don't miss out on all the fun.

The venue formerly known as Bimbo is kicking the New Year’s Eve celebrations off early, and throwing its doors open from midday for drinks and $5 pizzas. DJs including Spacey Space, Luke Vecchio, Anyo and Spinn OD will be dropping beats from 8pm, and then at 9pm the four-hour party package begins – this all-inclusive ticket allows you to make the most of bottomless house spirits, tap beers, wine and even more pizza. The celebrations are set to go on until 3am, so make sure you’ve got your comfy dancing shoes on.

Gather your nearest and dearest for a New Year’s Eve you won’t soon forget at one of Albert Park’s most beloved pubs. The Vincent is open from midday for both lunch and dinner bookings, with an à la carte menu available. From 7pm to 10pm, there will also be a live soloist act performing. It's set to be a night of good food, good drinks and good vibes – what more could you want on the last day of the year?

Send off 2021 in true Fargo and Co fashion with a house party-inspired event and a five-hour drinks package that includes house wine and spirits, select beers and prosecco, plus plenty of roving goodies. If you’re feeling extra fancy, upgrade to the VIP experience and score a private booth, bottle service, your own personal waitress, a grazing platter and some boujee cocktails – ooh la la! It’s a 7pm start time, and prices begin at $120.

If there’s a more hilarious or entertaining way to start your New Year’s Eve shenanigans then at the Hawthorn Hotel’s bottomless bingo brunch, we’d like to hear about it. This daytime sesh begins at 2pm in the beer garden, and for $60 you’ll get to sip Mimosas and feast on items from the new brunch menu. From 8pm there will be live music and DJs, and your $100 ticket will cover drinks (including a welcome cocktail and a glass of sparkling at midnight) and snacks.

The Wharf Hotel’s annual Chase the Sun bash is back, and it’s shaping up to be bigger and better than ever before. Settle in for a live acoustic performance at 7pm, before a local DJ takes over at 9pm. A $140 ticket will ensure you don’t go hungry or thirsty for five hours, and covers all the usual fare: beer, wine, spirits, cocktails and canapés.