Upon arriving in Melbourne, my first concern was parking in the central business district (CBD). After some research, I found out that there are over 100 on-street parking spaces available, which can also be booked in advance, which is a godsend for those seeking an easy parking experience. However, on-street parking is limited to a maximum of two hours. For those who don’t want to worry about parking, taking a taxi or carpooling is a convenient option.
Other parking locations
When looking for parking in Melbourne, I found a few places:
- Galleria: 240 parking spaces, $512 per hour, 3-minute walk to some destinations.
- Bourke Place: 290 parking spaces, $382 per hour, 4-minute walk.
- 369 Little Collins St: 41 parking spaces, $492 per hour, 4-minute walk.
- 330 Collins St: 43 parking spaces, 5-minute walk.
- The Strand: 174 parking spaces, 6 minutes’ walk.
- St Francis Church: 314 parking spaces, $312 per hour, 7 minutes’ walk.
- 200 Queen St: 410 parking spaces, $492 per hour, 7 minutes’ walk.
- 123 Queen St: $262, 8 minutes’ walk.
Melbourne parking time policy
Public holiday parking rules
I was curious about the parking policy in Melbourne’s central business district on public holidays, so I looked it up online. I found that, similar to other states, if the parking sign specifies certain days of the week, it does not apply to public holidays. For example, a sign that says “2P timer, Monday to Friday, 7am to 10pm” is not valid on public holidays.
Night-time and Sunday parking policy
As for whether parking is free after 10pm in Melbourne, I heard that the Future Melbourne Committee will hold a meeting on May 16, and councillors are expected to approve a parking and roadside management plan. The plan will stipulate a uniform two-hour parking limit from 7am to 10pm every day to simplify the confusing signs for drivers, but it is still unclear whether parking is free after 10pm.
Melbourne has special arrangements for parking on Sundays. The Housing Development Board (HDB) operates a Free Parking Scheme (FPS) at many HDB carparks on Sundays and public holidays. Under this scheme, most HDB carparks offer free parking from 7am to 10.30pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Long-term parking options
If you are planning to park your car for a long period of time, there are a few options:
- Try peer-to-peer car sharing through Avail.
- Leave your car with a friend or family member.
- Park in an off-airport car park.
- Park at your place of work.
- Use a long-term vehicle storage service.
- Rent someone else’s spare garage space.
Parking safety and other information for Melbourne
Walking and parking safety
I am concerned about safety when walking in the Melbourne CBD at night. Melbourne is famous for its trams, but pedestrians must be extra careful when crossing the road. For tourists, the CBD, Southbank, Docklands and South Wharf are generally safe suburbs, even at night. However, less populated areas require extra caution after dark.
From a parking safety perspective, it is legal to sleep in your car in Victoria. However, cities such as Hobson Bay, Greater Geelong or Manningham have local laws against sleeping in cars, and many councils are trying to introduce similar regulations. If you want a safe place to spend the night outside your car, 24-hour car parks (such as hotels and gyms) are a good option, as they are usually well-lit, have security cameras and in some cases security guards.
If you want to sleep in your car, there are a few suitable places:
- Walmart: I have spent the night here several times and had a good experience.
- Cracker Barrel restaurants.
- Commuter parking lots/park and ride areas.
- 24-hour gyms.
- Rest areas and visitor centers.
- Hotels.
- Hospital parking lots.
- Car dealerships and garages.
Parking convenience and cost
With over 70,000 on- and off-street parking spaces, parking in Melbourne’s city center is relatively easy. If you plan ahead, booking off-street parking online can ensure you get the best deal. It is also not impossible to find free parking in Melbourne:
- 4 hours free parking between 7am and 6pm, and unlimited hours at other times.
- 3 hours free parking next to the free tram in Docklands.
- 4 hours free parking in Burnley, just a 20-minute drive from Melbourne’s CBD.
- The Strand: 2 hours free parking in Melbourne’s CBD.
However, it should be noted that in the 2024-25 financial year, parking fines in Melbourne ranged from $99 to $198, depending on the amount determined by law enforcement. In addition, although it may not be illegal to rest in the car, many parking lots, private garages, and even public areas prohibit overnight parking, whether there is someone in the car or not.
Conclusion
As of September 2018, the overall crime rate in Melbourne’s central business district was the highest in the state (15,949.9), followed by Latrobe (12,896.1) and Yarra (11,119.2).
The busyness of Melbourne’s CBD has also changed; it is busier on Sundays than on Mondays, with the Flinders Street Station commuter peak reaching only 59% of pre-COVID-19 levels, while it is busiest on Tuesdays, reaching 64%, as fewer people work in the city from Monday to Friday.
In addition, long-term stays are not recommended in some areas, such as Carlton (shared with Yarra City), Docklands, East Melbourne, Kensington, North Melbourne, Port Melbourne (shared with Port Phillip City), Southbank, South Wharf (shared with Port Phillip City), West Melbourne, Yarra and Abbotsford.
In Victoria, where Melbourne is located, there is no law against sleeping or living in a car, but like New South Wales, some local councils may have specific regulations on living in a car.