Yarra River 1-Hour Sightseeing Cruise Melbourne

Federation Wharf and Federation Square

The cruise starts at Federation Wharf, the riverside terrace directly below Federation Square, Melbourne's main public square. The square opened in 2002 with angular facades of sandstone, glass and zinc and houses galleries, cultural venues and the city's visitor information centre. Across the street stands Flinders Street Station, its yellow facade, green dome and row of clocks completed in 1910 on the site of Australia's first city railway station.

From the wharf you board right beside Princes Bridge, a wide stone and iron bridge of 1888 that carries St Kilda Road over the river. How to get to Federation Wharf? It is a short walk from Flinders Street Station and from the free tram zone of the city centre; take the stairs from Federation Square down to the river and look for Berth 2. Arriving 15 minutes early gives you time for photos of the skyline from the riverbank.

The Yarra River, Birrarung

The Yarra flows about 240 kilometres from the mountains east of Melbourne to Port Phillip. The Wurundjeri people, the traditional owners of this land, call it Birrarung, often translated as 'river of mists'. Melbourne was founded on its banks in 1835 beside a small rock waterfall that separated the fresh water upstream from the salt water below; the falls were blasted away in the 1880s to open the river to shipping, which is why the river in the city is tidal today.

In 2017 Victoria passed a law to protect the Yarra as one living natural entity, the first law in Australia with a title in an Aboriginal language. The commentary on board explains these stories and how the river has changed from industrial channel to the green, walkable centre of the city. Because of the tide, the captain decides on the day in which direction to cruise first.

Southbank and Eureka Tower

Downstream from Princes Bridge, the south bank of the river is lined by Southbank, a lively promenade of restaurants, hotels and cultural venues that replaced warehouses and factories in the 1990s. Above it rises Eureka Tower, completed in 2006 and nearly 300 metres high, whose upper windows are plated with gold; its observation deck near the top is among the highest viewpoints in the southern hemisphere. Close by, the lattice spire of Arts Centre Melbourne marks the theatres and concert halls of the arts precinct.

From the water you also pass under Sandridge Bridge, an old railway bridge turned into a footbridge with sculptures telling the story of migration to Victoria. A Melbourne river cruise is the best way to see the Southbank skyline at once, and this stretch is especially photogenic in the afternoon, when the towers catch the light.

The rowing sheds, Birrarung Marr and the Royal Botanic Gardens

Upstream from Princes Bridge the river changes character. On the south bank stand the historic boatsheds of Melbourne's rowing clubs, some dating from the 19th century, where crews still launch their boats most mornings. Opposite lies Birrarung Marr, a riverside park opened in 2002 with terraces and public art, and beyond it you can see the light towers of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the city's great sports stadium, first used in 1853.

Further along, the south bank becomes the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens, founded in 1846 and one of the finest botanic gardens in the world, with lawns, lakes and huge old trees. Next to them, the parkland of Kings Domain surrounds Government House and the Shrine of Remembrance. Spring, from September to November, is the best time to visit Melbourne's gardens, but the leafy view from the river is beautiful in every season.