The Firehouse takes corporate functions, private dinners, birthday parties and Sunday weddings for groups from 16 to 125 guests in five function spaces, with a beer garden for 200 for larger gatherings. The venue occupies the former Ringwood Fire Station at 253-257 Maroondah Highway in Ringwood, in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and runs as a steak restaurant with four bars.
Seminars and company events
For a business lunch, a team dinner or a short presentation, the two private dining rooms seat 16 and 21 and have an in-house projector; they are available from Tuesday to Sunday. Larger corporate functions, end-of-year parties and client drinks move to the Brigade Room upstairs, a private function room for 70 seated or 90 standing, or to The Deck, a fully enclosed and heated space with its own bar overlooking the beer garden, for 65 seated or 110 standing. The Garage Bar, set across indoor and outdoor areas, holds 125 standing or 60 seated and sometimes hosts live performances, which suits a launch or a social evening for a team.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are held on Sundays in the restaurant and front deck, which seat 75. Pre-drinks can start on the front deck before guests sit down. Engagement parties, birthdays and milestone celebrations use the other function spaces, depending on numbers, and the venue lists intimate gatherings as well as large parties.
Rooms and capacities
The venue lists four bars and five function spaces. The Deck: 110 standing, 65 seated. The Brigade Room: 90 standing, 70 seated. The Garage Bar: 125 standing, 60 seated. Left of Restaurant: 32 seated, with the option of the front deck for pre-drinks. The private dining rooms: 16 and 21 seated, Tuesday to Sunday. The restaurant and front deck: 75 seated, on Sundays only, for weddings. The beer garden holds 200 people and can be booked for groups, with a hire fee above 30 guests. A function pack with standard packages is available from the venue on request.
Catering
The kitchen cooks for every space, and the restaurant has been voted best steak restaurant in Ringwood. At dinner, groups of 10 adults or more order from the Feed Me menu. At lunch, groups of 11 or more choose between the Feed Me menu and a shorter pre-order menu of favorite dishes, which must be confirmed 48 hours ahead. Drinks are served from the four bars, including the private bar on The Deck, with a cocktail list alongside the beer.
History and setting
The fire station was built in 1929 at a cost of seven thousand pounds and served the Ringwood area for more than 65 years before being turned into a restaurant and bar. The venue has also been voted best beer garden in the south east, and its outdoor area is one of the largest assets for a summer function. The restaurant opens for breakfast from Friday to Sunday and for lunch and dinner later in the week.
Getting there
Ringwood station, on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines, is a few minutes on foot, with direct trains to the Melbourne city center. By car, the venue sits on Maroondah Highway close to the EastLink motorway. Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine is around 45 minutes by road, depending on traffic.
