Yarra Riverbank: BBQ by the River in Melbourne

G'day, BBQ fans! Jesse here from Meat in a Park. I was recently shipped to Melbourne for a good ol' public BBQ review, and we set up right on the Yarra Riverbank to get some pork on our fork, some steak on our plate and see how these riverside barbies stack up.

Getting There

If you're arriving by car, there's metered parking right along Alexandra Avenue, with a four-hour limit. Or catch a tram to Melbourne Park, and it's a short walk over the Swan Street Bridge.

The path along the river is part of the Capital City Trail, so expect plenty of runners and cyclists. Keep an eye out when you're carrying the snags across.

The Area

There's plenty to do here. You can go for a run, take a canoe out on the river, and you've got Rod Laver Arena across the water with the MCG just behind. This stretch, Alexandra Park, has more council barbecues than any other park in the City of Melbourne. Snag central.

The bins deserve a mention too: brushed stainless steel. Melbourne even makes its bins look fashionable. Very on trend... for trash.

Facilities

There are no toilets at the barbecues. The nearest are about a five-minute walk away: across Alexandra Avenue and up the hill into Kings Domain, so plan your trips. There are drinking fountains along the path, though.

There's no playground nearby either, so the kids will have to make do with rolling down the hill instead. There's plenty of grassy slope for it.

The BBQs

The barbies sit right on the riverbank: a couple of barbecues here, each with two hotplates, and more along the path. There's a picnic table right beside them and big old trees for shade. Just no roof, so keep an eye on the sky.

Cooking is easy. Press the button until it turns green, put down a liner and a bit of oil, then on go the bacon and the muffins. Oh yeah, it sure was looking good. You'll find the exact spot, map and directions on our Yarra Riverbank BBQ listing.

Our Snagger Rating

Overall, it's a cracking spot right on the river, with views of the city's big stadiums and room to stretch your legs. But there's no roof, and the toilets are a bit of a hike. We give these barbecues a snagger rating of 8 out of 10.

Watch the video above to find out about Gerry's part-time job as a caped crime fighter, and how Melbourne very nearly ended up being called Battown.

Remember to clean up after yourself and be friendly to your fellow BBQ bros. Got a barbie question or suggestion? Leave a comment on the video. See you at the next hotplate!