Discover Docklands during the Seniors Festival

Docklands businesses will come together this month in support of the Docklands Seniors Festival.

On October 10 and 11 Docklands will offer a range of experiences when it hosts the closing weekend of the annual Seniors Festival.

Organised by the Docklands Chamber of Commerce, with the support from the Department of Health and Human Services and the seniors program, there will be free and ticketed events during the weekend.

Docklands Chamber of Commerce president Joh Maxwell said she hoped to see thousands of people enjoying the festival in Docklands.

“This year’s festival is aimed at discovering Docklands,” Mrs Maxwell said. “There are lots of people who have heard of Docklands but have never visited.”

It’s the second year Docklands has hosted a Seniors Week event and Mrs Maxwell said she was looking forward to watching the event grow.

“We believe this could become an annual festival for Docklands,” Mrs Maxwell said.

There is a range of activities running for seniors and their friends and families across the weekend.

Two ferries, MV Grower and Restless Wind, will be running from 11am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Departing from Water Plaza at Victoria Harbour, the ferry will travel down to the Alma Doepel, where passengers can disembark and take a tour of the workshop and hear talks about the restoration process, before heading across to NewQuay.

Ferry rides will be free for seniors card holders and children and a gold coin donation for others, with all funds raised going towards the Alma Doepel restoration fund.

You can also take a cruise on the Lady Cutler and enjoy high tea at the same time. The two-hour cruise is ticketed and bookings can be made online.

The Alexander Stewart is also offering sails on both days of the festival and tickets can be purchased online.

Harbour Town is offering a free morning tea to the first 750 seniors who visit Harbour Town on both days of the festival.

Seniors can also enjoy free entry to the O’Brien Group Arena on Sunday, 11 October to view figure skating and a hockey game.

There will be an afternoon of entertainment at the Wonderland Spiegeltent on Saturday, October 10 from 2pm, with a jazz session from Nichaud Fitzgibbon. The event is free for seniors card holders and $20 for others. Bookings are required and can be made at http://www.wonderlandspiegeltent.com.au

There will be entertainment at NewQuay, between Berth and Cargo restaurants and performances on the Victoria Harbour side of the waterfront from Callum Gleeson as well as Docklands’ very own choir, the Docklands Open Door Singers.

Seniors-focused exhibitors will also be set-up along Victoria Harbour promenade, and there will be a trike show-and-shine on the NAB forecourt.

The Life Activities Club Victoria will help visitors discover Docklands with a free orienteering activity and the Library at the Dock is also hosting a range of activities including table tennis, origami workshops, pilates, laughter yoga and tai chi.

And don’t forget to take a free tour of the Mission to Seafarers on Flinders St at 2pm on both days of the festival.

Docklands involvement in Seniors Week is part of the Chamber of Commerce’s participation in the aged-friendly precinct program with the Department of Health and Human Services and the City of Melbourne.

According to Mrs Maxwell, the chamber is keen to continue developing strong customer service practices for the seniors demographic and wants to ensure they feel welcome in Docklands

Mrs Maxwell said the seniors group was the fastest growing demographic within the community and she hoped the festival would show them what a great location Docklands was.

“There are plenty of walking paths, it’s flat, there are facilities for people in wheel chairs or who aren’t so mobile,” Mrs Maxwell said.

“Docklands is easily accessible and a great place for seniors to visit.”

The chamber is currently looking for volunteers to assist with the Docklands Seniors Festival on October 10 and 11.

Contact Docklands Chamber of Commerce executive officer Stefanie Schulz via [email protected] if you’re interested in volunteering.

For all the activities taking place in Docklands during the Seniors Festival visit http://www.docklandscc.com.au/seniorsfestival