Mother and son take a moonlight kayak tour through Melbourne. Photo / Dani Wright
Mother and son take a moonlight kayak tour through Melbourne. Photo / Dani Wright
Dani Wright and son Henry, 16, take a moonlight kayak tour through Melbourne.
Melbourne’s Yarra River was originally called Birrarung, meaning “a place of mists and shadows”. It became the Yarra by accident when a surveyor in the 1830s mistook local people calling out Yarro Yarro: “It flows”.
This intriguing waterway still flows - 242km from the mountains of the Yarra Ranges National Park to the sea at Port Phillip Bay, through valleys, farmland and suburbs into the heart of Melbourne, twisting its way through the CBD’s middle.
It’s this small city section of the river that we’re kayaking, on a moonlight Melbourne Kayak tour starting in full sunlight at one of the most maligned parts of the river - The Docklands.
A moonlight Melbourne Kayak tour sets off in full sunlight. Photo / Dani Wright
Before finding out more about this part of the city, our guide, Aidan, leads us down the wharf ramp with ocean-going fibreglass sea kayaks before we lower them two by two into the calm water.
We push off the North Wharf and congregate in a group of around 10 kayaks in front of Central Pier, the horizon dominated by the Marvel stadium sign.
It’s easy to navigate the sturdy kayaks that come with rudders and pedals but it takes a bit of practice to stay in one spot and we try our best not to bump into each other as Aidan sits perfectly still on his boat in the middle of us all.
He tells us Docklands was originally a marsh named Batman’s Lagoon and that it has had a chequered history, even after its resurgence from an abandoned industrial wasteland.
The latest affliction is Central Pier, closed to the public in early 2020 due to safety concerns about the construction, which sparked the evacuation of hundreds of people, shutting down the popular restaurant precinct abruptly and shocking local business owners and workers.
He then points out the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel, shut down for structural defects after just 40 days of operation, reopening in 2013. It’s now permanently grounded, with Covid-19 shutdowns and travel restrictions blamed.
There are many stories about things going wrong in the area, but despite its lack of love by Melburnians, it offers a gentle waterside respite from city busyness.
As we paddle on, we see beautiful wooden boats being restored and a large Octopus mural by artist Mike Makatron, the first of many surprising public art pieces we spot around the Docklands that we never would have seen from the land.
Even the twin-towered Bolte Bridge feels like a functional art piece when viewed from underneath, with its angled edges and oversized dimensions. Later, we spot endangered baby animal sculptures along the waterfront, created by Gillie and Marc in support of the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia.
About halfway on our journey, Aidan guides us towards a dock and we eat fish and chips in silence from our kayaks, resting our weary arms, as the sun sets.
Eating fish and chips beside the dock. Photo / Dani Wright
I look around and notice there are first dates, solo travellers, families and friends along for the trip. It’s a unique way to find out about the city’s history and suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
As we head further into the city, we look back at Bolte Bridge, which lights up in different colours for different causes. Aidan points out a 15-storey tower Light House Weather Building with 58,000 lights that change at dusk every night to reflect the weather.
Bolte Bridge lights up in different colours for different causes. Photo / Dani Wright
In darkness, we kayak to the Polly Woodside, an iron-hulled three-masted barque and the first merchant ship in the world to be given the World Ship Trust Medal.
The historic bridges we paddle under also have interesting histories and we learn about the heritage-listed Sandridge Bridge with glass panel art offering information about Australian indigenous peoples and the countries of immigrants to Australia, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
The neon city lights flash as we pass by Flinders Street Railway Station and floating bars on the Yarra.
Even the Bolte Bridge feels like a functional art piece when viewed from beneath. Photo / Dani Wright
We rest a final time as Aidan tells us about the Yarra Falls, with its 1m drop and fresh water above the falls with salt water below, where boats would turn around because they couldn’t travel further upstream or earlier, where indigenous Australian tribes would gather and cross between their lands.
It was demolished in 1883 to prevent flooding. Today, it’s marked by the Queen Street Bridge where a shackled Harry Houdini once leapt from the top, only to escape in less than one minute.
We finish with a fast paddle into the sandy shoreline, mooring the boats near the historic wooden rowing sheds across the river from Federation Square.
We say goodbye to our fellow kayakers, having experienced an intimate tour of the city together, learning much more than we could have by foot and having a bit of fun and fitness along the way.
Details
The Kayak Melbourne Moonlight Kayak Tour is around three hours in duration and suitable for ages 12+, no paddling experience is necessary. kayakmelbourne.com.au.
Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer is located opposite Victoria’s primary metro and regional gateway - the Southern Cross Station. Wherever you roam in the day, be sure to be back in time for the hotel’s famous ‘Chocolate Hour’ for complimentary chocolate treats. Float in the pool late at night with the city sounds bustling below through the slatted glass and take selfies on the bright velvet couches against the asymmetric striped wallpaper. movenpick.com
