Cockle Bay's Pedal Boats Are Returning and They'll Be Surrounded by Floating Christmas Baubles

Cruise around Darling Harbour in an old-school pedal boat this summer.
Sarah Ward
November 25, 2021

If you don't spend the festive season floating around Darling Harbour in a Christmas-themed pedal boat while surrounded by buoyant Christmas baubles, then is it really the merriest time of the year? In Sydney, clearly not — because Cockle Bay's old-school pedal boats are making a comeback this summer, complete with a seasonal makeover.

In the words of the festive song from Love Actually that you'll now have stuck in your head, Christmas will indeed be all around you when you take to the water in one of these floating vessels from Thursday, November 26. Sure, many of us have enjoyed a first date on a pedal boat, holding hands and having conversations about the weather (actually, if movies are to be believed, most of us fall into that category), but you can now you can relive the experience while getting festive.

Until Sunday, January 30, the leg-powered vehicles can be hired from the Cockle Bay Marina for $35 a pop, which'll get you a whole 30 minutes on the water. If you think half-an-hour in the blistering Sydney sun sounds like a recipe for sunburn, you'd be right but, thankfully, the boats come equipped with a shade to keep you cool.

The boats will be hitting the bay from 12–8pm on weekdays and 10am–8pm on weekends until Sunday, December 19, before extending their hours until 10am–8pm for the rest of the season.

And, they seat two adults, so you can plan a date or bring a mate. If you have little ones in tow, you can also bring two kids along — but the four-person capacity still only covers a maximum of two adults.

You do have to wear a life jacket while cruising on Darling Harbour, and you can book online in advance.

Getting pedalling on the water isn't the only Christmassy thing you can do in Darling Harbour this festive season, either, thanks to a Christmas festival filled with free live tunes and DJs across the weekends of December 11–12 and 18–19, the return of the Christmas bauble at the Convention Centre Forecourt, and 12 days of free Christmas yoga. Or, while it isn't specifically festive, you can also wander through rainbow arches at Tumbalong Park thanks to ENESS' Sky Castle.

Cockle Bay Wharf Pedal Boats return to Darling Harbour from Thursday, November 26–Sunday, January 30. For more information or to book, head to the Darling Harbour website.

Published on November 25, 2021 by Sarah Ward
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