Docklands ready to come alive for Waterfront Farmers’ Market seafood spectacular

Docklands is set to turn on the charm on Sunday, May 17, when the Docklands Waterfront Farmers’ Market takes place on Harbour Esplanade in a much bigger, bolder and more colourful format.

Running from 10am to 3pm, the event is being led by the Docklands Chamber of Commerce, the City of Melbourne and Development Victoria, and promises to be one of the precinct’s most exciting family-friendly activations in some time.

This is not just the return of a market. It is being pitched as a full waterfront festival, with fresh produce, seafood, live music, kids’ activities and community fun all packed into one big day by the harbour.

The market also marks an important moment for Docklands more broadly. Lord Mayor Nick Reece told Docklands News the seafood-themed event was intended as a first step in testing the potential for Docklands to become a major seafood destination for Melbourne.

“This trial builds on the election commitment I made and also our most recent budget, which is about exploring the potential to make Docklands a world-famous seafood destination,” he said.

A seafood-themed Docklands Farmers’ Market is the first step in realising the potential of this idea.

And if the food offering is anything to go by, there will be plenty to tempt visitors. Cr Reece said the day would be “jam-packed with fun for the whole family”, with dishes including paella, lobster rolls, lobster dumplings, mussels, caviar and more.

There will also be live entertainment throughout the day, including sea shanties, folk songs and singalongs, adding a playful maritime flavour to the event and making the most of Docklands’ waterfront setting.

Families are also being encouraged to come along for the range of children’s activities being organised by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), including Docklands’ first kids’ fishing clinic along Harbour Esplanade.

The VFA’s Belinda Yim says it was “thrilled” to be offering the free clinics, describing them as a great way to get children outdoors and introduce them to the excitement of catching a fish. The sessions are designed with beginners in mind, with all equipment and bait supplied and set up ready to use.

“Our team who run these fishing clinics are all avid anglers and love the opportunity to share their love for fishing and teach the future generation how to fish,” Ms Yim told Docklands News.

Beyond the fishing clinic, the VFA will also have a broader kids’ activation area featuring its education trailer, plaster art, colouring activities, fish anatomy dissection demonstrations and lure making run by VRFish, along with a “spin the wheel of fish” game and merchandise giveaways.

The authority said the event would also give families a chance to learn more about local waterways, sustainable fishing and the VFA’s broader work across Victoria. It noted that more than $175 million had been invested by the state government into recreational fishing and boating since 2014, including fish stocking, boating access and improving Port Phillip Bay’s appeal as a fishing destination.

The fishing activities also tie neatly into the market’s seafood focus.

“The fishing clinic provides an opportunity for youngsters to learn how to harvest seafood, while also learning the tips and tricks on preparing and cooking seafood at other Docklands Waterfront Farmers’ Market stalls and demos,” Ms Yim said.

Excitement around the market has already started building, with Pinky the Snapper, the VFA mascot, appearing alongside students from Docklands Primary School on Harbour Esplanade on May 4 to help promote the big day.

The market will also offer free pet registration for City of Melbourne residents, with forms and tags available on site for pets not currently registered.

Cr Reece said the City would be watching closely to see how the concept landed with both locals and visitors.

“We’re running this as a trial to see how the idea lands, see how locals and visitors take to it,” he said.

For Docklands, it is another opportunity to show what the precinct can be when its public spaces are activated well: lively, welcoming and full of life.

And there may be more to come. The VFA said it was already in discussions with local stakeholders about the possibility of a future annual fishing and seafood event in Docklands later in the year.

So, whether you are there for the seafood, the shopping, the live music, the kids’ activities or simply a day by the water, the message is clear: get down to Harbour Esplanade on May 17 and be part of it. •