Looking for a unique function venue.... think outside the square...

Yarralumla Woolshed should cope with the numbers, and you can BYO caterer.
CIT auditoriums can be hired for events and could do those numbers, although their rent has gone up recently it may still be on the budget end of the scale.
Or you could pick a nice setting (Botanic Gardens, park etc) and get permits to have Kennards put a marquee up for the night.

In the past year or so I have been a guest at a number of larger functions (I couldn’t be sure that there were more than 300 people there, but they were pretty big). A ball held in the “G for George” gallery at the War Memorial was most memorable, a fundraiser at Albert Hall was also good and a dinner held under the stars at Lanyon Homestead was also memorable.

300-350 is a pretty big number of people though. You might be limited in where you can squeeze that sort of crowd in.

Crowds – the wineries take reasonable crowds. The crows come along the next day and pick over the left-overs. Must have coffee.

Gold Creek has a function room; never used it though.
The Kamberry Wine place on the Federal Highway
Try the wineries. There’s two that take a reasonable crows – Madews and another one near Wamboin (can’t remember the name)
Birragai used to take casual bookings.

What sort of event is this? Would Yarralumla woolshed be suitable?

The Canberra Stadium has a number of available rooms that will cater for groups between 96 and 480 in size.

http://www.canberrastadium.com/functions/west_lounge.php

The Hall at University House.

AIS Arena?
(The basketball court)

Royal Canberra Golf Club?
(Dunno if that could deal with 350-odd people though)

Audi Centre Canberra?
(I’m sure of you made it worth their while a few car showrooms would have the space for the numbers you need)

A cinema or auditorium – Llewellyn Hall/Dendy etc?
(Sure, might dictate the type of “sit down” food you can have, but it could work)

Manuka Oval?
(Pretty sure they would have a suitably sized function space)

What time of year do you propose to host this shindig (ie. would an outside/marquee venue be suitable)?

Not sure of how many they can seat, but Manuka Oval has a great function room at the top of the stands. I used it for a weekend event, and was able to bring my own catering in, but that may no longer be possible, though worth asking. Would suggest Albert Hall, but not sure that all is well there.

In terms of finding something unusual, perhaps you need to focus on how you decorate a venue to create something special?

If you’re looking for a good caterer, I highly recommend Nibblez in Fyshwick.

Bruce Staduim? EPIC?

The problem is that most places big enough to host 300+ will already have their own commercial kitchens with their own caterers……

Cockington Green

Usual suspects = both parliament houses, portrait gallery, NGA, hotels (realm, rydges etc), press club, war memorial, museum, regatta point etc. Not many venues seem to hold 300+ so was thinking to find a ‘place’ and then get outside catering in…

What are the usual suspects – does this include War Memorial, National Museum and Gallery?

The main hall in Parliament House?