Ticketholders to Taylor Swift's Melbourne concerts say they are worried about crowds planning to gather outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A safety warning has been issued to fans without tickets who intend to meet up outside the MCG, putting them on notice that there will be no screens showing the concert or activations in the park surrounding the MCG.
Across the world, people have congregated outside stadiums to hear the US superstar's music in a phenomenon known as 'Taylor-gating'.
"We want to remind everyone of the use of the public space which includes no consumption of alcohol in Yarra Park and no marquees, tents, infrastructure installed or BBQs taking place," the Melbourne Cricket Club posted to X, formerly Twitter.
"This is really important to ensure the crowd can enter and exit the MCG safely and we can operate the accessibility parking area within Yarra Park."
Swift is set to play three sold-out shows from February 16 and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the city was expected to be packed, with authorities mindful of people gathering outside the MCG.
"Arrangements are being put in place to ensure that people who are going to the concert can move in and out of the MCG in a safe way," Ms Allan told reporters on Wednesday.
Extra crowds outside the stadium could hamper access for emergency services and fans who have disabilities, said Swift fan Shona O'Brien, who is attending the concert with her daughter.
"I am actually very concerned for everyone's safety," she said.
Others declared their opposition to Taylor-gating, including fan Niki Lovell, who said those without tickets could easily watch The Eras Tour film at home.
"As a long-term Taylor fan who has ridden the wave of Taylor's fluctuating levels of popularity, the current level of fanaticism is to me, absurd," she said.
But some fans are hoping the Melbourne City Council might set up an area near the stadium for fans who missed out on tickets, with food stalls and public toilets.
It comes as police issued a warning over ticket scammers targeting fans by hacking social media profiles and using them to sell fakes to the victim’s friends.
The ruse involves advertising Eras Tour tickets at cost price along with a story pretending to explain why they can no longer attend.
Victoria Police are aware of at least 250 ticketing scams since the tour was announced last year, with the total amount lost exceeding $260,000.
More than 40 incidents of the social media takeover scam have been reported since the end of January, according to the force's cybercrime squad.
The ploy is designed to rush fans into transferring their money, police said.
The safest way to buy tickets is from an authorised seller, such as the Ticketek marketplace, but if fans do buy tickets advertised on social media they should independently contact the person offering them for sale.
Buyers should also use secure payment options and never give out credit card details, police advise.
