Kayak Melbourne

Kayak Melbourne runs guided paddles on the Yarra through the middle of the city, and it is a genuinely different view of Melbourne. The City Sights tour takes about two hours, costs around eighty dollars a head, and needs no previous experience. It starts at Boathouse Drive beside Princes Bridge, directly across the river from Federation Square. From there you head downriver under the bridge, past Flinders Street Station and the Polly Woodside tall ship at South Wharf, into Docklands and Yarra's Edge Marina, then back upstream past Crown and South Bank. Double sea kayaks are used, which are stable and easy for beginners. Suitable for ages ten and up, with under-eighteens paddling alongside an adult. Paddling equipment, a guide and secure storage are included. Evening tours run as well, timed for sunset and the city lights. The operator is licensed by Parks Victoria, and the finish point is a five-minute walk from Flinders Street Station and the trams.