Melbourne’s late‑night legends have a new pilgrimage on Lonsdale Street, and this one comes with cocktails that fly. Arcane Fairies is a national‑first Melbourne zipline cocktail bar where drinks travel more than 50 metres along overhead lines from the central fairy chest bar to your table, secrets hide behind a keyhole, and a gold‑coin jukebox turns the whole venue into one shared playlist.
We were invited for a first look at Arcane Fairies and brought Melbourne’s renowned photographer Ray Reyes (@rayofmelbourne) along. Together, we found ourselves watching cocktails glide in overhead, taking turns at the jukebox and settling into a night that feels a little bit mythic and very Melbourne.
Arcane Fairies: Flying Drinks On Lonsdale Street
Arcane Fairies sits at 185 Lonsdale Street in the heart of the CBD, yet once you step in, the city softens into something moodier and more mischievous. Hidden beneath towering fairies, twisted nests and glowing curiosities, the space feels like a secret world you stumble into rather than a bar you simply walk past.
Booth seating wraps around the dramatic fairy chest bar at the centre, keeping the focus on shared tables and story‑swapping rather than standing‑room small talk. It is atmospheric without being intimidating, the sort of room that invites you to lean back, look up and see what surprises the night has in store.
Australia’s First Zipline Cocktails Over Melbourne’s Booths
The star of the show is the bar’s fully integrated zipline cocktail system, Australia’s first, with more than 50 metres of overhead zip lines carrying drinks from the fairy chest bar directly to booths below. Suspended above guests’ heads, each cocktail makes a small journey through the air before landing at the table, turning every round into its own performance.
As your drink travels along the zipline overhead, there is a moment of anticipation before it arrives. While you wait, bring a gold coin to the jukebox, flip through the albums and choose the next song everyone in the bar will hear. The team told us more ziplines are on the way, so those lines above the booths will only get livelier as Arcane Fairies settles into Melbourne’s late‑night rhythm.
Jukebox Nostalgia And Gold Coins
One of our favourite details at Arcane Fairies is not the spectacle above, but the glowing jukebox against the rock ’n’ roll backdrop. There is a simple joy in sliding in a gold coin, turning physical pages of albums and pressing buttons to send your chosen track across the room.
In a time when life moves fast and music lives in our pockets, selected by algorithms and piped through headphones, that small ritual feels beautifully grounding. It turns music back into a shared experience instead of a private soundtrack, reminding us how good it feels to be present in a room, connecting to the people around us through the songs that shaped our stories.
Bar Food By Head Chef Jake Warhurst
The menu has been designed by Head Chef Jake Warhurst, whose résumé includes cooking for Drake, Richard Branson, George Clooney and NBA star Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, as well as leading kitchens on Branson’s private island and touring as Drake’s personal chef. At Arcane Fairies, he channels that experience into exactly what this venue calls for: late‑night bar food that hits when the city is at its most alive.
I wanted the food and the venue to be a pilgrimage for Melbourne’s late-night legends, a place that you had to stop in at. Everything on the menu was built around the absolute classic late-night eats.” Head Chef Jake Warhurst.
Think smash burgers loaded with Warface Sauce, fiery Nashville hot fried chicken and folded pizzettas created especially for Melbourne, alongside gluten‑free and vegan options. This is not about white tablecloths; it is about crunch, heat and comfort that tastes even better after a musical, a comedy show or a few drinks in the city. Who does not want a crispy, spicy fried chicken when the night is already buzzing and you are not quite ready for it to end?
The Arcane Fairies Team Behind The Mischief
Arcane Fairies has been brought to life by Director Steve Thomas, the creative mind behind Melbourne favourites Storyville, Pawn & Co and 29th Apartment, venues known for their immersive theming and sense of playful escapism. Here, he has overseen everything from the first sketch to the final bolt, including the engineering of the zipline system that lets cocktails fly.
Arcane Fairies is about letting go. It’s immersive, playful and intentionally unexpected, a place where cocktails fly, music playing and the night can go anywhere." Steve Thomas.
That spirit threads through the fairy chest bar, the specimen jars on the back bar, the zipline above your head and the music that spills out from the jukebox.
Secret Key And Melbourne’s Late-Night Legends
There is also a secret woven into the venue itself for those who are curious enough to turn a hidden key. The promise of a surprise built into the bones of the space adds another layer to an experience already rich with discovery, from towering fairies and twisted nests to the ziplined cocktails that keep gliding past.
After our first night among the flying cocktails, jukebox tunes and no‑fuss late‑night bites, it feels like the kind of bar where stories start with “Remember that night…”. As more ziplines go up and more people find the courage to turn that hidden key, this national‑first Arcane Fairies Melbourne zipline cocktail bar is set to become part of the way the city plays after dark.
Arcane Fairies Details
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Venue: Arcane Fairies, 185 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne CBD
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Concept: National‑first speakeasy‑style rock ’n’ roll cocktail bar with a fully integrated zipline cocktail system, jukebox and late‑night food menu
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Zipline System: Over 50 metres of overhead zip lines delivering cocktails from the fairy chest bar to booth tables
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Head Chef: Jake Warhurst, former personal chef to Drake and Richard Branson, with experience in Michelin‑starred and hatted kitchens
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More Info & Bookings: arcanefairies.com.au
FAQ About Arcane Fairies, Melbourne
What Is Arcane Fairies In Melbourne?
Arcane Fairies is a national‑first speakeasy‑style rock ’n’ roll cocktail bar in Melbourne’s CBD, featuring a fully integrated zipline system that delivers cocktails from the fairy chest bar to booth tables.
Where Is Arcane Fairies Located?
Arcane Fairies is located at 185 Lonsdale Street in Melbourne’s CBD, close to theatres, comedy venues and other late‑night city experiences.
What Makes Arcane Fairies Different From Other Bars?
The bar is Australia’s first to integrate more than 50 metres of zip lines to send cocktails from bar to table, and it combines this with a gold‑coin jukebox, theatrical fairy‑themed interiors and a late‑night menu by chef Jake Warhurst.
Who Is The Chef Behind the Menu at Arcane Fairies?
Head Chef Jake Warhurst has cooked for Drake, Richard Branson, George Clooney and NBA star Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, and he has led kitchens in Michelin‑starred and hatted venues around the world.
Is Arcane Fairies Good For A Late‑Night Bite?
Yes, the menu focuses on classic late‑night bar food such as smash burgers with Warface Sauce, Nashville hot fried chicken and folded pizzettas, making it an appealing stop after a musical, comedy show or night out in the city.
Disclaimer: This was an invited media experience by HRPR and MadCo Agency, attended by Glamorazzi’s Roslyn Foo with photographer Ray Reyes on14th January 2026. All opinions expressed are our own.
Images supplied by Comma Creative Studios
