Palais Theatre. St Kilda
Lower Esplanade,
St Kilda VIC 3182
Australia’s largest seated theatre,
entertaining Melbourne since 1972
Office open Monday - Friday 9am-5pm
Sitting next to Luna Park, The Palais Theatre has been entertaining St Kilda since 1927! Accessibility can be tricky in such old buildings, so let me talk you through what to expect.
I purchased tickets through Ticketmaster and had to collect the tickets at the box office upon entry. The box office is located on the right hand side before you enter the foyer. There were no queues which made it pretty simple - just make sure you carry your companion card on you.
Entry into the main foyer is completely step free through any of the main doors marked A, B, C and D.
Accessible seats are through Door 3 on the ground floor. Row W is the very back row behind a curtain for easy access. Seats can all be moved out the way to make way for a wheelchair or used for a carer or if you want to transfer. Being the very back of the theatre means it’s not great viewing. There’s a few accessible seats in row A if you’re lucky. There also some accessible seats up on the balcony on level 1 that’s accessed via a lift.
It’s good to know the entire ground level of the theatre is step free. The aisles are graduated on a slight slope. I saw multiple people using crutches without too much trouble.
The accessible toilets are to the right hand side of the accessible seats at the back. The lift to go up to level 1 is also here.
The closest parking I found was 2 accessible spots on Cavell Street. It’s closed to traffic at the moment but you can still access the accessible parking or get dropped off. The St Kilda Triangle car park is directly next door via Marine Parade.
Despite its age, the Palais is very much an accessible venue. Accessibility info on their website is detailed and tells you everything you need to know - maps included! I’d try to get seats in row A or the balcony next time purely to get a better view.
Report Card | B+
Entrance 10/10
Space 7/10
Toilet 9/10
Parking 7/10
