Narre Warren's District 14 reveals final shutdown plans after being open in Melbourne for just two years.
District 14 has confirmed its closure after operating in Melbourne for just over two years. The Narre Warren venue broke the news through social media on Sunday.
The team behind District 14 revealed that despite their best efforts to maintain operations, circumstances have forced them to close permanently.
All upcoming scheduled events will be canceled. The venue promises full refunds for ticket holders affected by these cancellations.
District 14 – Melbourne
- Where: Narre Warren, southeast Melbourne
- Opened: January 2023
- Closure announcement: Sunday 20 July 2025
- Cancelled events: Three upcoming shows
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The team expressed their disappointment at having to shut down.
“We’re heartbroken to share that District 14 will be closing down. We’ve poured everything into this space. From the team behind the scenes to every DJ, performer, and patron who made each night unforgettable. Unfortunately, we’re no longer in a position to continue operating,” their post read.
The venue had three events remaining on its calendar. Two RIOT nights were planned, featuring performances from RedHook and Bad Love in the first show. Dream On Dreamer was set to headline the second RIOT event in August. An Empire club night was also scheduled.
District 14 opened in Narre Warren in January 2023, establishing itself as a significant venue in Melbourne’s outer southeast. The location served an underrepresented area of the Victorian music scene.
During its short lifespan, the venue welcomed numerous notable acts. Lime Cordiale, Windwaker, Reece Mastin and The Rubens all performed there. Make Them Suffer and Taxiride also graced the stage.
The venue extended beyond live music. District 14 promoted itself as the southeast’s leading community and function space. Additionally, it offered youth mentoring programmes for aspiring musicians.
The facility also operated DJ and music production schools. These educational initiatives supported local talent development in the outer suburbs.
Other live music venues struggling
The announcement marks another challenging period for Melbourne’s live music sector. Rising costs and operational pressures continue to impact smaller venues across the city.
This comes after Belgrave’s Sooki Lounge announced the will charge patrons an additional $1 per ticket from upcoming gigs as insurance costs soar.
It’s a move that owners claim to be an Australian-first.
The live music venue is introducing a public liability levy to offset a massive rise in insurance premiums that have forced the Melbourne bar co-owners Stephen Crombie and Suzana Pozvek into an impossible financial position.
Speaking to Beat Magazine in June, Crombie said Sooki Lounge is the first venue to implement such a measure, but predicted they will be the first of many across Melbourne’s live music scene.
The venue’s insurance costs have skyrocketed from $15,000 to $60,000 ($65,000 including finance) over the past three years, despite maintaining a claims-free record for more than 11.5 years.
“You’ve got lower takings and extremely higher costs and we just can’t cover public liability insurance, while we’re trying to cover everything else,” Crombie says.
“Essentially, it’s just about trying to break even; it’s basic numbers, we need to pay our bills.
“Everyone’s in the same boat too. You’ve got clubs in the city that are uninsured past a certain time, it’s kind of the hidden secret of Melbourne, but it’s definitely coming in right now.”
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