An old world experience not far from the Melbourne CBD
Following our previous visit to Studley Park Boathouse, we decided to explore Fairfield Boathouse on a cooler day.
Fairfield Boathouse is a located just 7 km away from the CBD. For those who don’t drive, it’s easy to get there via public transport. The nearest train station is Dennis Station on the Hurstbridge line, then it’s a 15-minute stroll to the boathouse.
The main charm of the place is the century-old boathouse with a deck offering views of the Yarra River. There is an option to hire a row boat, but we decided to remain on solid ground.
Fairfield Boathouse was built in 1908 by John St Clair, a piano tuner from Smith Street in Fitzroy. He envisioned it as a public recreational spot with a boatshed and refreshment room. He sought permission from the Premier of Victoria then, and was successful in getting approval. Thereafter, it wasn’t an easy process for him but he perservered, so we now get to enjoy this lovely spot.
The boathouse was flooded regularly in its early decades. In 1923, the boathouse was raised by about 3.5 m to help minimise flood damage, which was a frequent threat to boathouses along the Yarra River back then.
Fairfield Amphitheatre
Walking from the carpark towards Fairfield Boathouse, we chanced upon Fairfield Amphitheatre which is set in the midst of Fairfield Park. It is an impressive venue for outdoor performances and ceremonies, featuring a 12.5 x 10-metre circular performance space with capacity for up to 350 people.
Scones, Jam, Cream and Devonshire Tea
What’s a visit to a quaint old boathouse without sampling Devonshire tea, complete with their famous warm scones, jam and cream? So of course we didn’t give it a miss! The place was busy, but we managed to find a lovely spot on the alfresco deck, overlooking the river. After we filled our tummies, it was time to walk off the extra calories.
Popular Walking Trails from Fairfield Boathouse
There are a few popular walking trails which start from Fairfield Boathouse. Not being particularly ambitious (or fit enough), we opted for Pipe Bridge Circuit.
Pipe Bridge Circuit:
The Pipe Bridge Circuit is a short loop of about 2 km along the river on flat, sealed, and gravel paths. We crossed over the historic Pipe Bridge which offers view of the Yarra river and the city skyline in the distance. This was an easy walk for us oldies.
Flying Fox Walk:
There is also the “Flying Fox Walk” lasting 1.5 to 2 hours covering 4.6 km, which is a bushland circuit along the Yarra River that takes you directly through the Flying Fox Conservation Area. We didn’t attempt this, but would have loved to have seen flying foxes. Someone kindly pointed out to us that we would have seen them on trees while driving along along the Eastern Freeway (M3).
Fairfield Boathouse to Studley Park Boathouse Walk:
This is a riverside track which connects the 2 boathouses, which we didn’t attempt since we had already been to Studley Park Boathouse previously.
Fairfield Boathouse to City Urban Hike:
For the young and fit (not us!), there is a longer 16 km point-to-point hike from Fairfield Boathouse all the way to Federation Square, passing Dights Falls and the Abbotsford Convent. We are not sure whether it is possible to cycle on this route.
Our Thoughts About Our Visit to Fairfield Boathouse
We loved the old world charm of Fairfield Boathouse which is a stark contrast to the modern building at Studley Park Boathouse. Both boathouses are lovely for different reasons, and we are hard placed to say one is better than the other. We would encourage you to visit both and find out for yourself!
