Red Hot Summer Tour Ballarat 2026: Gates 12:30pm Saturday 7 November, Limited Parking With 60-Minute Delays, Bus Transfers and What You Can Bring (Victoria Park, VIC)

Gates open at 12:30pm on Saturday 7 November for the Red Hot Summer Tour at Victoria Park in Ballarat, and the last act, Australian Crawl, finishes at 9:30pm. The tour’s own event page says the limited on-site parking can cause delays of 60 minutes or more, and that bus transfers are the best way to get there. This guide is built from that page, checked on Friday 6 November 2026. Ballarat is on daylight saving time (AEDT, UTC+11) on the day, and all times below are local.

What time does everything start at the Red Hot Summer Tour in Ballarat?

The Ballarat event page lists these playing times, and adds that the line-up and times are subject to change. The playing times changed after this guide was first written: on Friday 6 November they show Eskimo Joe at 2:05pm, The Black Sorrows at 3:10pm and Vika & Linda at 4:15pm, and Boom Crash Opera no longer has a slot, although the page’s line-up text still names the band.

Time	What
12:30pm	Gates open
1:10pm to 1:40pm	Ella Hooper
2:05pm to 2:45pm	Eskimo Joe
3:10pm to 3:50pm	The Black Sorrows
4:15pm to 5:00pm	Vika & Linda
5:25pm to 6:15pm	Birds of Tokyo
6:45pm to 7:45pm	Men At Work
8:15pm to 9:30pm	Australian Crawl

The box office is at the concert entry point. It opens 60 minutes before the gates and stays open until the headline artist starts. The organiser asks you to have your ticket downloaded and ready to scan at the gate, with your phone brightness turned up. The event has a no pass out policy, so plan to stay for the full day.

How much are tickets, and are any left?

The page shows a “Final Tickets” label for the Ballarat show, while the Mornington, Coolangatta, Hunter Valley and Swan Valley shows on the same page are marked sold out. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster, which the organiser names as the official agency. It says it takes no responsibility for tickets bought through third parties such as Viagogo, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or eBay, and that fraudulent tickets will not be honoured. Once a purchase is complete there are no refunds or exchanges.

Ticket	Price (plus fees)	What it includes
General Admission	$169.90	Entry to the general admission areas; bring your own camp or folding chair
Fast Pass | Early Entry	$219.90	Express Entry Gate that opens 30 minutes before General Admission, express lanes at the bar, a wristband
Rock Bar	$309.90	Beer garden about 50 metres from the stage front, a dedicated cash bar, private toilets, a BBQ dinner at 5:30pm and a $25 merchandise voucher
Grandstand A Reserve	$249.90	Reserved grandstand seat with a view of the stage and dedicated grandstand toilets
Grandstand B Reserve	$219.90	Reserved grandstand seat with a view of the stage and dedicated grandstand toilets

Can I park at Victoria Park?

Only in a limited way. The organiser says patrons who choose the limited on-site parking should expect delays of 60 minutes or more, and asks them to use local street parking in and around the Lake Wendouree precinct instead. It also says to expect delays both arriving and leaving if you use the on-site parking.

Need	What the page says
Limited patron parking	Poplar Avenue, entered via Russell Street
Accessible parking	Enter via Pine Avenue off Gillies Street south and turn left; traffic control will direct you, accessible permits must be displayed and ID may be requested
Bus drop-off and pick-up	Enter via La Trobe Street; parking on Cedar Street
General drop-off	The service lane on Sturt Street between Gillies Street and Russell Street

If you park on the streets around the lake, the organiser asks you to be mindful of private property and clear access zones. The page does not say how many spaces the on-site parking holds, and it gives no walking time from the lake to the gate.

Is there a bus to the Red Hot Summer Tour in Ballarat?

Yes. The organiser says the best method of transport to and from the event is one of the bus transfers offered by its partner Melbourne on The Move. The event page does not list the routes, times or prices, and sends you to melbourneonthemove.com.au for details, routes and tickets. We have not listed those details here because the page does not give them.

The buses use their own entry: the page says bus access for drop-off and pick-up is via La Trobe Street, with parking on Cedar Street.

What can I bring into Victoria Park?

The organiser lists what you may bring: a camp chair, sealed still bottled water (not carbonated), a rain poncho, and a non-professional camera with no professional lenses or video cameras. Picnic rugs are not permitted, so the page tells you to bring a camp or folding chair. Bags, chairs and belongings are inspected by security at the gate.

These items are strictly prohibited:

• Picnic rugs, umbrellas, shade structures, tents and canopies
• Alcohol, and soft drink or other non-alcoholic drinks apart from still sealed water
• Glass (including glass jars), metal cutlery and cheese knives
• Bicycles, scooters, trolleys and pets
• Offensive clothing and MC club attire

People found with contraband such as alcohol will be refused entry without a refund. The event is strictly 18+.

What happens if it rains?

The concert goes ahead rain, hail or shine. The organiser says it will only be cancelled if the site is judged unsafe, a decision made by Event Management, Venue Management and Emergency Services, and ticketholders would be told by SMS, email and social media. It advises appropriate clothing, footwear, a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and a rain poncho. Umbrellas are on the prohibited list, so a poncho is the item to pack.

What food, drink and help is available on site?

The page says a large range of food and beverage outlets will be open all day, and a public bar will serve beer, wine, cider, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks. All vendors accept cash or card. The merchandise truck is next to the main bar. First aid is on site all day at the First Aid Marquee.

For accessibility, the page lists an accessible viewing area next to the front of house marquee, with accessible bathrooms close by. The area is reserved for patrons with a disability and their immediate accredited carer. It adds that Victoria Park is an outdoor venue with uneven surfaces and is open to the elements, and that staff can help on the day. One small difference to note: the parking section says “Pine Avenue” and the accessibility section says “Pine Road” for the accessible parking entry, both off Gillies Street, so follow the signs and traffic staff on the day.

Sources

• Red Hot Summer Tour: Ballarat, VIC event page (times, tickets, parking, rules; checked 6 November 2026)
• Melbourne on The Move (bus transfers named by the organiser)

Featured image: sunset over Lake Wendouree, Ballarat, photographed in 2020 (photo: blachswan / CC BY 2.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the Red Hot Summer Tour, Face To Face Touring, Melbourne on The Move or Ticketmaster. Event details can change; check the official event page before you go.