Who says you need to go to Melbourne's southeastern suburbs to go to the beach? The Wharf Hotel has created a summer pop-up beach right on the banks of the Yarra.
Think white sand, beach boxes, deck chairs, beach balls and an ice-cream cart, all with spectacular views of the city. It's just like a summer holiday down the coast, but without ever having to leave the city.
Instead of a boat you never use and some flippers whose rubber is starting to lose its structural integrity, these beach boxes are filled with food, drinks and good times. You can book a beach box package for you and your mates and get shared jugs of cocktails, wine, beer and cider, shared platters for everyone, and an ice-cream for each guest. You can choose between the seafood platter (oysters, prawn cocktail, beer-battered fish, crab and lobster brioche and scallops) and the Wharf platter (cheeseburger sliders, mini hot dogs, mini pizzas, chilli and bacon potato wedges and apple and pork tacos). The packages cost $59 per person or just $19 for kids under 18.
Haven't sorted out your end-of-year function yet? The Wharf Hotel is still taking Christmas party bookings, and it's the perfect location to relax, unwind and chill at the beach. You can book part of the space for functions of all kinds and sizes, from work break-up drinks to birthday parties.
The Wharf Hotel is also a smashing spot to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks over the river. The New Year's package includes four hours of drinks (selected spirits, wine and beer), summer sangria, a burger bar, a hot dog stand, a taco hut, a chicken wings station and an ice-cream cart. What could be more summery than that? First release tickets are already sold out, but you can snap up the second release for just $130 per person. Party on the beach and watch the fireworks without being crammed cheek-by-jowl with thousands of your fellow Melburnians.
Hit the beach before January 29 – after the Australian Day weekend the beach pop-up will be out to sea.