How to make the most of Docklands for the Summer Nights Drone Show

The Summer Nights Drone Show is free and can be viewed over Victoria Harbour in Docklands at 9.30pm each night, January 15 to February 5. Those viewing the show from Jan 15 to 24 will hear local creative (and 2020 National Poetry Slam winner) Ren Alessandra's 'Melbourne, Feel the Sound' work. Those viewing the display from Jan 25 to Feb 5 will be treated to the sounds of Wurundjeri creation tale 'How the Platypus (Dulai Wurrung) Was Made'. The show comes from international drone art organisation Celestial, which has previously provided a drone performance for Edinburgh's 2020 New Year's Eve celebrations, as well as for Amnesty International's 60th anniversary.

There are dozens of good places to eat in Docklands including Gold Leaf Yum Cha – a go-to for quick, cheap dumplings and tea. Go hard on a mix of dumplings, steamed broccoli and pork buns, or linger over the banquet option for some Peking duck and all the fixings. Craving a sandwich? Saluministi isn’t just a paninoteca serving delicious Italian-style sandos – it’s a haven for serious salami and cured meats. A casual eatery and beer garden by the water, Cargo (geddit?) is a great venue for a walk-in offering modern takes on Middle Eastern, Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. 

Craving a coldie? Urban Alley Brewery is part craft brewery and part pub, with a line-up of four core beers (the signature pale plus a lager, IPA and American pale ale) brewed on site – you can even watch the team hard at work through the massive glass windows. Platform 28 was once a railway goods shed, and is now a drinking spot spanning two levels that’s open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday. Renzo's Bar Café Italiano is a likeable venue with a warm atmosphere serving handmade pasta, risotto, seafood and woodfired pizzas. Or simply drop by for a barista-made latte or a Campari and soda. Saluti!

It’s summer, so naturally you should be ice skating. O'Brien Icehouse is a skating rink facility for all ages, whether beginners or pros, and the temperature is always 16°C. Have fun, keep fit and keep cool! The family-friendly art installation Imaginaria will take you through a number of custom-built structures, each with a unique experience inside. Enter a giant bubble and be hypnotised by stunning cosmic projections by French filmmaker Thomas Vanz, or step into an echo light chamber that responds to your movements. If you love a bit of Mario Kart, Dance Dance Revolution or you’d like Zoltar to predict your future, Archie Bros Cirque Electriq is the place to go – an arcade with dodgem cars, bowling and laser tag too.

Why not get out on the water itself? On a Boat boat hire allows you to captain your own boat through Melbourne's CBD and experience the city with friends and family. Immersive experience ArtVo is a world of optical illusions – larger-than-life murals where you can come face to face with wild animals, scale rocky crevasses and surf the ultimate pipelines. DreamCity is a place of hi-tech educational fun where kids can spend a whole day operating flight simulators, fighting virtual fires, performing surgery and producing podcasts.