Melbourne has Australia’s fastest-growing night-time economy, with employment growing more than 6 times faster than the national average.
The latest Measuring the Night-time Economy Report 2026 shows almost 3,000 new jobs and nearly 180 new venues were added between 2024 and 2025 – fuelled by Melburnians embracing the city on weeknights and weekends.
The food sector has been the biggest drawcard for after-dark visitors, accounting for 77% of new businesses and creating 2,300 jobs.
The data shows Melburnians – particularly younger people – are seeking experiences for a night out, with the leisure and entertainment category growing at twice the national rate.
While Thursday has become the new Friday for most cities due to changing work patterns, Melbourne continues to draw equally strong crowds across both nights – with almost 60% of core businesses open between 6pm and 9pm.
The demand for late-night dining and entertainment culture extends well into the weekend, as Friday and Saturday nights saw almost half of core businesses staying open past 9pm and through to midnight.
Melbourne also recorded some of the strongest after-dark retail activity in the country, with between 40 and 52% of businesses open every weeknight.
In total, the night-time economy pumped out more than $5.1 billion in sales between 2024–25 – the strongest growth rate of any capital city.
Melbourne’s thriving night-time economy was strengthened by another blockbuster calendar of major events, which attracted more than 4.3 million visitors during 2024–25.
Council also supports businesses to adapt to how visitors want to spend their nights – including through $600k in grants across 19 city businesses and 20 events.
