Everything you need to know about doing Moomba 2020 on the cheap
From the best-value ride passes to all the free stuff, here’s the ultimate guide to getting the most out of Melbourne’s long weekend Moomba festival.
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Melbourne’s Labour Day weekend festival Moomba is back for another year, with plenty of rides, entertainment and food and drink to entertain all.
Starting Friday March 6 from 6pm to 11pm, Moomba continues Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 11pm and ends Monday March 9 from 11am to 10pm.
Here’s your ultimate guide to the Moomba Festival, including a map, and how to get the best value at the carnival.
ENTRY
Access to Moomba’s carnival precinct at Alexandra Gardens and Birrarung Marr doesn’t require a ticket.
You’ll only need to pay for the rides, sideshow alley games and food and drink.
RIDE PASSES
The $37 Friday Ride Pass gets you three hours of unlimited rides, when you buy online.
If you forget to pre-purchase, from 6pm you can also buy this at any ride ticket box for $50.
Groups of four can buy the Friday Ride 4 Person Pass for $130, which also lets you experience three hours of unlimited rides. You must buy this pass online before 5.30pm Friday March 6.
FREE EVENTS
— Family movies like Shrek, Trolls, Sing and Secret Life of Pets will be played at The Big Screen at Birrarung Marr each night from 6.30pm.
— Dance your way through Moomba with Guru Dudu’s 20-minute silent disco walking tours. Pop in your headphones and groove to tunes on Friday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm and 3pm to 9.30pm on the other days. Tours leave every 30 minutes from the DJ Stage at the Palm Lawn.
— Watch daily heats of the Australian Skateboarding League National Street Championships, run by YMCA. More than 100 talented skaters aged seven to 35 will compete in the event.
— Watch live music at both the Star or Palm lawns. Kids music is at The Green.
— The Birdman Rally soars to new heights on Sunday March 8 from 11.30am on the banks of the Yarra River.
— End the long weekend with the Moomba Parade starting at Birdwood Ave at 10.45am and ending at Linlithgow Ave at noon on Monday March 9.
FOOD AND DRINK
BURN CITY SMOKERS
South Carnival — Engineer’s Lawn
Classic Brisket Burger
Cost: $16
Made with beef brisket, BBQ sauce, pickles and mustard. Add a side of french fries for $7.
GLOWING FAIRY FLOSS
Henley’s Landing
Glow in the dark fairy floss
Cost: $9
The kids will enjoy light and fluffy fairy floss served on an illuminated wand.
WINGSTERS
Skate Park
Herbs and Spices flavoured chicken wings with cheesy sauce.
Cost: $4 per wing.
Wingsters offers fried or grilled chicken wings, that have seen a 24-hour marinate prior.
Choose from either herbs and spices, cheddar cheese or spicy southwest chilli.
There’s two combos: three wings and chips for $14.50 or the Heavenly Strips, two tenderloins and chips for $13.
SLIDERS ON TYRES
The Green
BBQ Pork
Cost: $7
The BBQ pork slider is packed with pulled tender meat, coleslaw and BBQ sauce. There’s three other flavours: beef cheeseburger, fried calamari and grilled mushroom.
Each slider costs $7, but there’s a great-value $16 two sliders and chip combo.
Individual rides cost between $6 and $35 per person, per session.
$6
Auto Racer
Little Land
Kids get behind the wheel of this rotating spinning car ride.
Convoy Trucks
Little Land
Ride in a convoy of trucks including a fire truck, police car, Harry Potter cars and taxis.
Cup and Saucer
Palm Lawn
The teacups ride is a classic.
Fantasy Cups
Little Land
This is another version of the tea cups ride.
Flying Elephants
Little Land
Just like the adult flying elephant ride, except this designed for small kids.
Go Gator
Little Land
A roller coaster designed for little tykes.
Happy Kangaroo
Little Land
Australia’s favourite bouncing animal ride.
Lolly Swing
Little Land
This spinning chair ride is for the entire family.
Mini Ferris Wheel
Little Land
A ferris wheel for youngsters.
Outback Monster Trucks
Palm Lawn
Ride six mini monster trucks.
Rockin Tug
Little Land
Perfect for parents and their little ones, side-by-side, rocking and whirling.
Sea Circus
Palm Lawn
Enjoy over 20 tricks inside this three-level fun factory for all ages.
Samba Balloons
Palm Lawn
A great family ride with the balloons lifting as the baskets spin around.
$7
Jumbo Flying Elephants
Palm Lawn
The flying elephants will take your kids on a fun-filled ride.
Race-O-Rama
Palm Lawn
Like dodgems, except for your little ones.
$8
Alien Abduction
South Carnival
$9
Bella Vista Wheel
Star Garden
A new European-designed Ferris Wheel with enclosed cabins.
Crazy Cars
South carnival.
These are the classic dodgem cars.
Xscream Soundwave
South Carnival.
A family spinning sensation.
$10
Aviator
Palm Lawn.
The chair ride stands 33m and seats 32.
Crazy Spinning Coaster
North Carnival.
If you love roller coasters, this one’s for you.
Pirates Revenge
South Carnival.
This is Australia’s only travelling water roller coaster.
Rock ‘n’ Roll
South Carnival.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Matterhorn is family friendly ride.
Sky Flyer
North Carnival.
This swing ride whizzes you round and round 35 metres above ground.
Rockstar Ride
South Carnival.
Swing 20 metres into the sky on a giant guitar with 21 other people.
The Spook Coaster
North Carnival.
This scary ride isn’t for the faint hearted.
Supercars Simulator
South Carnival.
Experience what it’s like to drive a V8 Supercar.
$11-$19
The Beast.
North Carnival.
Cost: $15
The Beast, swings and spins riders 45m.
The Fungee Bungees
Palm Lawn
Cost: $15
Jump to new heights on the Bungee Trampolines.
XXXL
South Carnival.
Cost: $15
Experience g-force with the extreme swinging machine that reaches heights of 24m.
$21-$30
No Limit
North Carnival
Cost: $20
This ride takes you 42m above ground on a tower and then drops.
Freestyle
North Carnival
Cost: $20
The Freestyle is Melbourne’s own, 40m high thrill ride, spinning 360 degrees in
forward and reverse, offering stellar views of the city.
Speed 2
South Carnival
Cost: $20
Picture eight people strapped into seats on windmill blades that spin around in the air at more than 100km/h.
MORE THAN $30
Slingshot
South Carnival
Cost: $35
The Slingshot fires two people inside a ball 60 metres into the sky in 1.5 seconds.
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