Gala Dinner
Friday 4 September 2026, from 6:00 PM · Garden Restaurant, National Gallery of Victoria
The IRAI 2026 Gala Dinner will be held at the Garden Restaurant at NGV International, the National Gallery of Victoria’s flagship building on St Kilda Road. The NGV is Australia’s oldest and most visited art gallery, and the Garden Restaurant looks out over its sculpture garden, a short walk from the conference venue across the Yarra. The evening includes the IRAI 2026 Conference Awards Ceremony.
At a glance
When: Friday 4 September 2026 · dinner starts 6:00 PM
Where: Garden Restaurant, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3006
Dress: Formal attire
Entry: By invitation, with an allocated seat (see below)
Who can attend
The gala dinner is included with Full Registration (Presenting Authors), Regular Delegate and Student registrations. It is not included with Single Day registrations. Additional guest tickets could be purchased during registration.
Seating has been allocated from the responses to the attendance form sent to eligible delegates. If you did not respond to the form, a seat may not have been reserved for you. If you are unsure whether you have a seat, please check with the registration desk on Level 3 as early as possible during the conference, and no later than the morning of Friday 4 September.
Dress code
The gala dinner is a formal occasion. We ask all guests to dress in formal attire: a suit or jacket and tie, a cocktail dress or evening wear, or formal national dress. It is a chance to celebrate the conference and the award winners in style, and the setting deserves it.
Programme for the evening
Doors open at 5:30 PM and the dinner starts at 6:00 PM sharp. Please arrive by 5:50 PM at the latest so that everyone is seated before the welcome. The IRAI 2026 Conference Awards Ceremony will take place during the dinner.
Getting there from the conference venue
The NGV is about 1.3 km from La Trobe University City Campus, straight down Swanston Street and across the Yarra. Allow about 20 minutes to get there from the conference venue, and remember that doors open at 5:30 PM.
On foot (about 15–20 minutes)
From 360 Collins Street, walk east along Collins Street to Swanston Street, then turn right and walk south. You will pass Flinders Street Station on your right and Federation Square on your left, then cross the river on Princes Bridge. Continue along St Kilda Road past the Arts Centre and its spire. NGV International is the long bluestone building on your right, with the Water Wall at its main entrance. The route is flat, well lit and busy with people in the evening.
Walking directions in Google Maps
By tram (about 10 minutes)
From 360 Collins Street, walk east along Collins Street (towards Swanston Street). You will cross Elizabeth Street after about a minute. There are tram stops on Elizabeth Street, but do not take those trams: routes 19, 57 and 59 do not go to the NGV. Keep walking one more block to Swanston Street.
At the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets, outside Melbourne Town Hall, take any tram heading south (towards St Kilda Road and the river). Routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72 all stop at Arts Precinct (stop 14, St Kilda Road), directly outside NGV International. It is three stops, about 5 minutes on the tram.
You need to tap on for this trip
The Arts Precinct stop is just outside Melbourne’s Free Tram Zone, which ends at the river. Tap on when you board with a contactless bank card, phone or smartwatch, or a myki card if you have one. Fares are charged automatically; no ticket purchase is needed.
Plan the trip:
- Public transport directions in Google Maps — pre-filled from La Trobe City Campus to the NGV for 5:00 PM on Friday 4 September; change the time to suit.
- Transport Victoria journey planner — for live tram times, type Collins St & Swanston St, Melbourne as the origin and Arts Precinct / St Kilda Rd #14 as the destination.
By taxi or rideshare
A taxi or Uber from the CBD takes about 5–10 minutes depending on traffic. Ask for NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road.
Getting home
Trams run along St Kilda Road until after midnight. Northbound trams from the Arts Precinct stop return you to Swanston Street and the CBD in a few minutes, and taxis are easy to find on St Kilda Road outside the Arts Centre.
Finding the restaurant
The Garden Restaurant is within NGV International, with its own entrance so that guests can arrive after the gallery has closed. Details of the entrance to use will be confirmed with your seating allocation and at the registration desk; IRAI staff will be on hand at the NGV from 5:20 PM to direct you.