Father's Day Along Yarra River

Home > Blog

Celebrations for fathers are often last minute affairs. If this is your case, then let us give you some more unusual suggestions to solve the dilemma of what do with dad this Sunday! 

Dads who prefer the great outdoors, but not too far away from home, may like the horticultural expanse of the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Bot’ has two events to pay homage to fatherhood: a lakeside picnic, and Jardin Tan.They invite you and dad to unwind on a deck chair on the banks of the Ornamental Lake and munch through a delicious picnic feast from the adjoining restaurant.

The $40 adult package is: 

1 x Gourmet sandwich wheel 1 x Baguette 1 x Chef’s shared salad 1 x House dip, water crackers and fresh fruit water station including fruit-infused water  

 While the $25 childrens’ package is:

1 x Ham and cheese sandwich fingers 1 x Choice of Vegemite, strawberry jam or peanut butter sandwich fingers 1 x Kids fruit salad 1 x Orange or apple juice Water station including fruit-infused water 

Bookings: https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/wha... 


If dad is feeling more active than just sitting in a deckchair, then the Gardens offers a combination of lunch plus a hop-on-hop-off tour. Pick up your tiffin lunch from Jardin Tan and kick back in deck chairs on Oak Lawn. Tuck into an array of French-Vietnamese treats, then hop on the Garden Explorer for a bus tour of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Bookings: https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/whats-on/fathers-day-tiffin-picnic-garden-explorer-tour/2019-09-01

If dad would like to stretch his sealegs, then Melbourne’s premier event boat, Melbourne Showboat, is offering a sumptuous Fathers Day seafood brunch. What better way to appreciate Melbourne’s bay and waterways than on an historic Sydney ferry, serving an onboard buffet, hot & cold canapés, desserts, with a welcome drink upon arrival. Adults are $109, while children are $60, but hurry because there’s only a handful of places left for the 11.15am cruise.

Bookings: https://ladycutler.com.au/calendar.html

Back on land, but still beside the water, South Wharf’s riverside restaurants offer a great range of fathers’ day dining options.

Meat Market is firing-up the smoker for Fathers Day.  Enjoy meats such as Low and Slow coffee rubbed Mayura Wagyu briske, Mesquite smoked Andouille sausage with red pepper jam and 12hr Carolina style sweet and tangy pork ribs. They will all be served with southern style slaw, jalapeño corn bread, authentic BBQ sauces and pickles on a platter for $39. What’s more, every dad that books receives a pot of Coopers XPA and the chance to win his own barrel smoker, meat platter and private smoking lesson with their executive chef.

Bookings: https://southwharfmelbourne.com.au/eat-and-drink/meat-market/

If your pocket is a little deeper, and you’re looking for the wow factor in your fathers’ day outing, then you can’t do better than Fathers Day lunch on Eureka 89. Not only is it a 3 course lunch, but also a tasting of fine whiskeys.  The food, whiskey and, of course, the amazing views of Melbourne, probably make it the ultimate lunch experience. It’s priced at $140 adult, $100 Children 13-17 years, $55 Children 12 years.

Bookings: https://tickets.myguestlist.co...

OK, so perhaps the budget is a bit constrained ? For something completely spontaneous, out of the ordinary and low-cost, why not take dad along to the Sunday Arts Centre market, which not only features a host of great hand-crafted gifts for him to choose something, but also a great array of street hawkers to keep him full of very tasty food. Entry to the market is free and the food options are very reasonably priced. The market runs all day on the pavement and lawn between Hamer Hall and the Theatres Building, on St Kilda Road.