frequently asked questions

  • Tickets are only available to purchase at the gate when you arrive at Mareeba Drive-In. They cannot be booked ahead of time.

  • Mareeba Drive-In opens between 5:30 pm and 5:45 pm, depending on the time of year.

    During winter months, the Drive-In Café will generally be open from around 5:30 pm, and movies will start at around 6:45 pm.

    During the Summer months, the Drive-In Café will generally be open from 5:45 pm, and movies will start at 7:30 pm. 

    Gates will be closed to the public prior to nominated opening times.

    Please refer to our website and/or Facebook page before making plans to visit, and check for updates nearer the time in case of any changes.

  • Yes. Dogs and pets are welcome at Mareeba Drive-In, as long as it is kept on a lead and is with you at all times. However, it is important that your dog/pet does not negatively impact the drive-in experience for other patrons. This includes excessive barking, and you must always clean up after your pet before leaving the venue.

  • Mareeba Drive-In endeavours to open our screen come rain or shine. In the event of rainy conditions, you can expect the screening to go ahead. However, severe weather may impact our ability to screen the films. In the event of severe weather, please check our website or social media for up-to-date information regarding any changes to our film screening schedule.

  • No, you are not allowed to run your engine while watching movies at Mareeba Drive-In. That means all engines, lights, and air conditioning must be turned off prior to the start of the film. We do this to avoid fumes and noise disturbances.

    If you do require your car to be turned on, we may be able to find you a special spot in the theatre that will not disturb other patrons. Please speak to staff for more information on the day.

  • Yes, you can bring a range of items to make your Mareeba Drive-In experience more comfortable.

    At the Drive-in, we are all about comfort. After all, you can’t escape into the movies if you aren’t comfortable in your seat. That’s why we encourage our visitors to bring whatever they need to have a pleasant drive-in experience (within reason). As long as you do not negatively impact the experience of those around you, we can be accommodating.

    The following are allowed at the Drive-in:

    • Blankets

    • Pillows

    • Sleeping bags

    • Mattresses in the back of utes/cars/vans (yes, we have seen this, and it looks amazing!)

    • Sitting in your vehicle

    • Sitting on outdoor chairs

    • Sitting on the grass in front of the screen (Note: You’ll need your portable speaker to hear the movie though)

    Some patrons have even turned up with luxurious lounge chairs on their utes. And to that, we say, bravo! 

    We only require that patrons keep such setups in front of their vehicle within their chosen parking bay. On quiet nights, we do allow people to use the space beside their vehicle for such purposes.

  • No, we would prefer if you did not bring your own food to Mareeba Drive-In. As a small, local business, we rely heavily on our café sales to stay operational so we can keep putting on these unique experiences for you and your family. Any extra support you can show us is always appreciated.

    We have a great menu filled with fresh, locally sourced ingredients at affordable prices, designed to suit a range of dietary needs. 

    Anything that you do bring from outside must be taken home with you. We don’t provide a rubbish service for these outside items.

  • Yes, you can pay by card. We have EFT facilities at Mareeba Drive-In, at both the Ticket Gate and the Drive-In Café, allowing visitors to pay with contactless cards. 

    However, we do encourage patrons to carry some cash with them in case the internet service does not allow for EFT payments.

  • We have a few parking rules to follow at Mareeba Drive-In to ensure that all our patrons enjoy their drive-in movie experience.

    Mareeba Drive-In Parking Rules:

    • Please park close to the speaker pole to leave room for another car to park next to you.

    • Only use park lights when driving through the theatre after dark. 

    • The front row is reserved for small vehicles. 

    • Vehicles are to be parked facing forwards or backwards, not sideways. 

    • Vehicles with more height (utes, wagons, vans, etc) are required to park towards the middle and back of the theatre so they are not blocking the view of other patrons behind them. 

    • Hatchbacks that are reverse parked with the hatch open are required to be parked towards the back of the theatre so they are not blocking the view of other patrons, unless the hatch is lowered to the vehicle’s roof line. 

    • Large campervans and caravans are to be parked along the back of the theatre on the grass. 

    • When parking on the grass, patrons are asked to be mindful of residents' driveways and not to park across them. 

  • At Mareeba Drive-in movie theatre, we have three audio options, depending on what works best for you and your set-up:

    1. A number of our parking bays come with Drive-In speakers that you can hang in your car window. Please be aware that not every bay has these speakers. If you do use these speakers, please ensure that they are placed back onto their mounting pole prior to you moving your vehicle.

    2. You can tune your car radio into the Drive-In’s radio frequency of 96.0 FM.

    3. You can also tune a portable radio into 96.0 FM, which can be useful if you want to sit outside the vehicle in chairs or on the grass.

    Please note that smartphones and Bluetooth speakers will not receive this FM signal. You may be able to connect such devices through a compatible car stereo, though.

  • Depending on the make and model of your vehicle, we may be able to provide assistance if your battery goes flat and you can't start your car. Just speak to someone at the Café, and we will do our absolute best to assist. 

    Having said that, a properly maintained vehicle should have no problems running a car radio for three to four hours. We rarely see any issues when it comes to flat batteries.

  • We take pride in serving a select range of fresh, delicious and affordable food to our customers, all using locally sourced ingredients. Our menu includes our iconic burgers, fish and chips, and traditional movie theatre snacks. We also cater for most dietary preferences, including vegetarian and vegan options. The Mareeba Drive-In Café also stocks an assortment of hot and cold beverages, available to meet most dietary requirements. 

    You can view the full Mareeba Drive-In menu on our website and Facebook page.

    VIEW MENU

    A large percentage of our movie ticket sales go directly to the studios that supply the movies, so Mareeba Drive-In relies heavily on café sales to remain open to the public. We love doing what we do, and we know you love the experiences we provide, so any and all support is wholeheartedly appreciated. Please support the Café and avoid bringing food into the drive-In.

    On busy nights, the café may have to serve up to 200 people in a very short period of time. People who are late to order may sometimes have to wait for their food to be ready, so we encourage customers to arrive early and order their meals as soon as possible to avoid this. 

    We also provide a text message service so customers can wait in their vehicles and watch the movie while we prepare their meals.

    Customers will be provided with a ticket with their order number and must produce this ticket to collect their food order.

  • No, we do not allow personal BBQs at Mareeba Drive-In. We love to foster a friendly, social environment for our patrons, but BBQs create distracting smoke and even fire risks.

    We also rely heavily on café sales to keep the drive-in open, so please support us by enjoying one of our delicious meals or snacks to accompany your movie experience.

  • Mareeba Drive-In film pairings vary. The film suppliers only permit certain movies to be screened together, so sometimes it is out of our control. We strive to screen all the major Hollywood blockbusters where possible.

  • Mareeba Drive-In has a clear refund policy.

    In the unlikely event that a screening does not play or stops part-way through and cannot be continued, Mareeba Drive-In will refund the entry fee if this occurs during the first movie. 

    No refund is payable if this occurs during the second movie. The refund will be subject to the provision of the entry ticket supplied on entry.

  • Yes, you may stay over at Mareeba Drive-In on movie nights. 

    Please adhere to the following rules and guidelines for overnight stays:

    • Gates open at 5.45 pm, and we ask that you exit the grounds by 9.00 am the next morning. 

    • We have toilets available; however, there are no shower facilities. 

    • We do not have a rubbish service at the drive-in and ask that any waste you bring must be taken away with you.

    • Customers who choose to stay are required to be respectful towards nearby residents, other customers, and to the facilities made available to them. 

    • We ask that customers who stay over conduct themselves in a manner that ensures this arrangement continues to be available for future customers.


    Can I bring a large vehicle to Mareeba Drive-In? Caravans, buses, large vans

    Yes, you can bring a large vehicle to Mareeba Drive-In. We welcome vehicles of all shapes and sizes, but we ask drivers of larger vehicles to read the following information before arriving. This includes caravans, motorhomes, buses, large vans, and anyone wanting to watch the movie from a rooftop tent.

    • We have a grassed area down the back of the theatre for large vehicles to park. 

    • In this zone, you require a car radio or a portable radio to tune into the movie sound. It will not work on a phone or app. 

    • You can bring chairs and move closer to the screen if you prefer.

    • Vehicles must park forward or reverse facing the screen - no sideways parking. 

    • Larger vehicles can only park in the back area and are not permitted to park amongst our speaker poles.

    • Gas cookers, BBQs, fires and generators are not allowed.

    • We supply rubbish bins for packaging items purchased from the drive-in cafe. Please take any other rubbish with you.

    • Entry is strictly within our opening times.


    We appreciate you considering the above information before you arrive. It helps you be better prepared and make the most of the drive-in experience.

    Please reach out if you would like any further information.