Crane Terrace Arrives and Docklands Finally Gets Its Glow

Stepping out from the hotel’s Crane Bar, the terrace spills onto the Yarra with a mix of greenery, low-slung lounge seating and a mood that sits comfortably between polished and relaxed. The city hums in the background, the water catches the light, and suddenly Docklands feels a lot less forgotten.

The food and drink offering lands right in the sweet spot for long afternoons and even longer evenings. Think bright, shareable dishes built around local produce and combinations that feel current without trying to outsmart you. The drinks list carries that same quiet confidence. Cocktails lean into botanicals, clever infusions and low-waste techniques, but nothing arrives with an essay. They’re balanced, good-looking and built for sunshine.

And then there is the terrace’s most talked-about newcomer: house-made savoury gelato. The opening flavour is an olive oil number finished with a spoon of caviar, and while the internet will have opinions, it works. It’s textural, a little cheeky and destined to appear in more than a few riverside photos this summer.

As the sun starts to dip, Crane Terrace shifts into a twilight persona. DJs set the pace without hijacking the conversation, the skyline softens behind the trees, and the whole place turns into a calm, glowing pocket of the riverfront. It’s Melbourne, but with the edges smoothed, the way you wish the city always felt at 8pm on a warm night.

The name, of course, isn’t random. A restored 1942 Malcolm Moore crane stands near the site, a reminder of the area’s former life as a working port. It was part of Goods Shed No. 5 before the redevelopment, now integrated into Seafarers Rest park and the broader design of the hotel. The terrace nods to that industrial history through reclaimed materials and locally crafted pieces, grounding the whole experience without leaning into nostalgia.

Crane Terrace is open now, and it feels like the sort of place that will quietly take over summer plans. If you needed an excuse to return to this stretch of the Yarra, this is it.