Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Short answer: six places for a weekend outing in and around Thornbury. Three are in Thornbury (a theatre, a cinema and a public golf course), one is a gallery in Preston South, and two are in Preston (an arts centre and a market).
Each one gets a cost note and a plan tag. Prices and days are only printed where a venue’s own page gives them, and we say whose page it is. Where we could not find a price or hours, we say so rather than guess.
Shows, sessions and opening days change, so check the linked page before you go.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Listed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A gig or a book club | The Thornbury Theatre | see below | not printed here |
| Cinema with a bar | Thornbury Picture House | Full price tickets | $23.00 |
| Nine holes outdoors | Northcote Public Golf Course | see below | not printed here |
| Contemporary art exhibitions | Gertrude Contemporary | see below | not printed here |
| A ticketed performance | Darebin Arts Centre | see below | not printed here |
| Fresh food and browsing | Preston Market | see below | not printed here |
The Thornbury Theatre — 859 High Street, Thornbury VIC 3071
Cost tag: we could not find ticket prices on its site. When we checked on 4 October 2026, its event list showed Crown Ruler & Tribe Presents.. Ash Lauryn & Zepherin Saint on 10 October 2026 and Best Seller Book Club on 11 October 2026. That gives you a gig option and a book club option in the one building.
Plan it: Check the event list on thornburytheatre.com again before you go, because shows change.
Thornbury Picture House — 802 High Street, Thornbury VIC 3071
Its page title calls it an Independent Cinema Bar on High Street. For the weekend, its hours list says Sat and Sun - 12pm to 11.00pm, with a note that times are subject to change. Its site prints Full price tickets: $23.00. It also prints Wednesdays – All tickets for all sessions: $14.50, so a midweek night costs less.
Listed prices (copied from thornburypicturehouse.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Full price tickets: $23.00
- Concession: $19.00
- Picture House Club members: $17
- Wednesdays – All tickets for all sessions: $14.50
Rain backup: It is a cinema, so this is your indoor plan, but read the session times on its site first.
Northcote Public Golf Course — 143 Normanby Ave, Thornbury VIC 3071
Cost tag: the council page does not state an entry cost, so we have not given one. Darebin says the course offers a challenging nine-holes of golf, open to new players and guests. The council page also lists public toilets on site and a drinking fountain to drink or refill water bottles.
Time needed: The council page gives no opening times or fees, so check before you head out.
Gertrude Contemporary — 21-31 High Street, Preston South VIC 3072
Its site says Gertrude Contemporary is open Tuesday - Saturday, 11am - 5pm, which covers a Saturday. Two exhibitions are listed: Marlene Gilson OAM & Matthew Harris, After all, and Leyla Stevens, A Temple in Three Acts. Its site gives 22 August – 17 October 2026 for both. We could not find an entry price on the page.
Plan it: Go on a Saturday, and aim for the exhibition dates on its site rather than leaving it late.
Darebin Arts Centre — 401 Bell Street, Preston VIC 3072
This one is for ticketed shows. Its page says the centre is open to the public for ticketed performances and events. It describes a proscenium arch theatre seating 385 people and a renovated foyer with a refurbished bar. We did not capture a programme, so pick a show from its site.
Get there: The centre lists 136 free onsite car parking spaces including four accessible parking spaces.
Preston Market — 30A The Centreway, Preston VIC 3072
Treat this as a nearby market in Preston, not a Thornbury one. Its own site calls it the fresh food and multi-cultural hub of Melbourne’s North, with fresh food, an artist’s market and homewares. Its Getting Here page says market days are Wednesday – Sunday (during trading hours). We could not read exact opening hours or any prices.
Plan it: Check the trading hours on prestonmarket.com.au before you set off for a weekend visit.
Quick answers
What is on in Thornbury this weekend?
When we checked on 4 October 2026, The Thornbury Theatre’s site listed Crown Ruler & Tribe Presents.. Ash Lauryn & Zepherin Saint on 10 October 2026 and Best Seller Book Club on 11 October 2026. Thornbury Picture House lists Sat and Sun - 12pm to 11.00pm, subject to change. Shows and sessions can change, so check each site.
Is there a cheaper night at the cinema in Thornbury?
Thornbury Picture House prints Wednesdays – All tickets for all sessions: $14.50 on its site. The same page prints Full price tickets: $23.00 for comparison.
Is there a public golf course near Thornbury?
Yes. Darebin Council lists Northcote Public Golf Course at Normanby Ave in Thornbury and says it offers a challenging nine-holes of golf, open to new players and guests. The council page lists public toilets and a drinking fountain, but it does not state hours or an entry cost.
What can I do near Thornbury if I head into Preston?
Gertrude Contemporary in Preston South says it is open Tuesday - Saturday, 11am - 5pm. Darebin Arts Centre in Preston is open for ticketed performances and events, per the council’s arts page. Preston Market says market days are Wednesday – Sunday (during trading hours).
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 2 October 2026 and 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the places’ own websites, council pages, northcotegolfclub.com, prestonmarket.com.au and en.wikipedia.org. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Facilities and opening hours change, so check the official page before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- The Thornbury Theatre: openstreetmap.org/10138871821, thornburytheatre.com/contact, thornburytheatre.com
- Thornbury Picture House: openstreetmap.org/612405886, thornburypicturehouse.com.au, thornburypicturehouse.com.au/about-us
- Northcote Public Golf Course: openstreetmap.org/27210934, darebin.vic.gov.au/Northcote-public-golf-course, northcotegolfclub.com
- Gertrude Contemporary: openstreetmap.org/6017236262, gertrude.org.au
- Darebin Arts Centre: openstreetmap.org/281817272, arts.darebin.vic.gov.au/Darebin-Arts-Centre
- Preston Market: prestonmarket.com.au/getting-here, en.wikipedia.org/Preston_Market, prestonmarket.com.au
