Australia Day alcohol bans on Melbourne beaches

A Melbourne bayside council says alcohol will be banned from inner city beaches from 5pm on Australia Day - three hours earlier than last year.

Bathers try to cool off in the hot weather at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne Source: AAP

Melburnians heading to the city's beaches on Australia Day will have to pack up their eskies three hours earlier due to a revised alcohol curfew.

Beach-goers flocking to St Kilda and Port Melbourne beaches, as well as parks throughout the City of Port Phillip, will have to stop drinking by 5pm rather than the 8pm curfew in force during last year's Australia Day.

Port Phillip Council says the revised time will help reduce the sea of rubbish and broken glass strewn on the city's beaches and minimise "alcohol related anti-social behaviour".

The alcohol ban will be enforced by council and police as soon as the clock strikes five.