The Purple Penguin

So out to Southbank last night to board our boat for our new year’s cruise. We were early, as always! But soon loaded on and we had what we thought was the best table on the boat – we were on the lower deck but right at the bow. We could just step out on the bow to see things. Got our pre-dinner drink and waited to leave the dock.

We got a safety briefing and the Captain also pointed out that as the tide was unusually high we probably couldn’t fit under one of the bridges, in which case we’d do doughnuts. We did end up going back and forth between, we think, the Evan Walker Bridge and Swan Street Bridge, very slowly back and forth. Dinner was leisurely with gaps between courses so we had plenty of time to get out and see the city drift past.

We didn’t see much of the family fireworks as they were behind trees, but what we did see was good. We also made it past the Swan Street Bridge late in the evening and got to see more of the river. The Captain had us positioned in the middle of the river with a view of the city and Joe heard the countdown start – so we had a view of all the fireworks in the city (well, there may have been some behind buildings).

Melbourne doesn’t have a central focal point, like the Sydney Harbour Bridge or the London Eye, so they do fireworks off the top of the buildings and in several parks all over the city. It is spectacular and we had one of the best views in the city. Definitely recommend the new year river cruises! Though when we got back to shore around 12:30 it was packed with people leaving. We were luckily needing to go perpendicular to where everyone else was trying to go, so we got through fairly quickly (and it was better than when we were in the centre of London a few years ago!) So we back in the hotel room by 12:45.

So a very late start today (made later by doing laundry). We went for a walk down the river the opposite way from our boat trip last night. Another lovely day. We had an early dinner and are planning the last week of holiday! Trying to avoid the fires.