Sunday in Victoria Harbour

Up to $15 available in local discounts … read on.

Every day is a lovely day in Victoria Harbour and while much of Docklands seems a little quiet on a Sunday, there are many businesses and attractions that remain open on a Sunday.

One of these is the Victoria Harbour Pharmacy run by pharmacist Scott and his lovely friendly staff. The pharmacy, located across the road from Woollies at 66 Merchant St, was one of the earliest to open in Victoria Harbour and has been offering a fabulous service since 2004. Like many other local businesses, Scott’s has seen a downturn of 50 per cent since the pandemic hit. As well as offering a full-service pharmacy, the business has a huge range of gifts and cards, a TattsLotto agency and a variety of makeup and skincare ranges. If you are looking for a special gift, they are sure to have something, and their massive range of cards cannot be matched anywhere else in Docklands. Mention this article and get $5 off every purchase over $50 on a Sunday.

Another Victoria Harbour business that suffered hugely during the lockdowns was Ellie Tiong’s Min The café. This beautiful airy café at the corner of Waterside Place and Bourke St is open every Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Here you can enjoy a delicious healthy meal with a focus on fresh ingredients. You can also pop in for a coffee and cake or select from her exclusive fashion and gift range. Check out the website for more: minthecafe.com

Mention this article and get $5 off every purchase over $50 on a Sunday.

Some other cafes open for coffee, breakfast and lunch on Sunday in Victoria Harbour are: Billy Barista at 3/861 Bourke St, open for breakfast and coffee from 8am to 4pm; Off With the Ferries Café, which is located at the ferry terminal at 131 Harbour Esplanade, opening from 8.30am to 6pm; and Wheely Good Coffee which you will find inside the Library at The Dock.

And that brings me to the wonderful Library at the Dock, the perfect place to while away a Sunday afternoon. The library is open from 12pm to 4pm on a Sunday and has a great selection of new-release books as well as newspapers and magazines that you can relax and enjoy reading in one of the comfy chairs. There is also a gallery upstairs and a quiet study space. Often there will be live music playing just outside the library, so go and check it out. You will find the library at 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade. Within the library is the Wheely Good Coffee shop which will reopen again in March for customers needing a caffeine fix in Victoria Harbour.

On the other side of Victoria Harbour at NewQuay is the Docklands Sunday Market. The perfect place to take a stroll and select from the wide range of items offered by stallholders. The market runs on the second and fourth Sunday of every month from 9am to 2pm. While we are in the area, I want to recommend a new business I have discovered close by and that’s the Leafi Plant nursey situated at 439 Docklands Drive. Leafi is run by Tian Xia, the most knowledgeable plant expert you will find in Docklands. He propagates a range of rare and exotic plants and will give you honest advice on what is right for your level of gardening expertise. He has some breathtakingly beautiful stock, and his shop oozes green calm and karma! Mention this article and get $5 off every purchase over $50 on a Sunday, added to that there is a 40 per cent sale on all plants and pots on now.

Another fun local Sunday offering is to take a trip on Port Phillip Ferries which leaves from Victoria Harbour bound for Geelong and Portarlington. You can find the timetable here

Or just grab a coffee from the Off with the Ferries café which is open all day Sunday from 8.15am to 6.15pm serving coffee, ice cream and light refreshments.

Other free and fun things to do in Victoria Harbour on a Sunday just involve gathering some friends or family together to have picnic (you can buy all you need at Victoria Harbour’s Woolworths in Merchant St which opens at 7am on Sundays and every day) in one of the lovely green spaces in Victoria Harbour; these include Buluk Park right outside the library; the Community Garden bordering on Geographe St; Docklands Park at 1-91 Harbour Esplanade and the Docklands Community Hub Reserve bordered by Waterview Walk, Collins St and Harbour Esplanade. Within the reserve are the Docklands Sports Courts which are open from 10am to 6pm on a Sunday. Here you will find multi-purpose sports courts, suitable for basketball, netball, soccer, or other games such as dodgeball, available to be booked between 6am to 10pm. Bring your laptop with a wireless modem down to The Hub and surf the web for free. On Sunday’s you can enjoy wireless connection from the outdoor decking, available daily.

The AFL footy season starts again this month and our own Victoria Harbour venue, Marvel Stadium, will be hosting a number of Sunday games: in round 2 on Sunday, March 27 North Melbourne play the West Coast Eagles, and in round three on Sunday, April 3 St Kilda play Richmond. You can find all the games here.

And finally, a free Sunday option is to go for a walk along Victoria Harbour Promenade and see if you can spot the Docklands black swans and if you are lucky our own Victoria Harbour seal or chat to some of the locals walking their dogs. We are a friendly community at Victoria Harbour and Sundays are as good a day as any to get to know us and our all that’s on offer in this wonderful locality •