Overview
It took almost two years, 10,000 nautical miles, a run in with Egyptian pirates and a stint in liquor licence limbo, but in October 2016, Sydney's permanent floating venue, Seadeck, finally opened to the public. After cruising around Sydney Harbour since then, it's sailed all the way up Australia's east coast for an 11-week Brisbane stint, sailing around the Brisbane River for the first time ever starting Saturday, July 1.
It's a 42-metre, 410-passenger, handcrafted vessel — from the handmade tiles and custom-designed brass bar to the bespoke furniture from every corner of the glove, everything you see was tailored for floating. Even the palm trees, standing four metres tall, took a dozen specialists to make to the right specifications. Each of the three decks is connected by sweeping staircases and cast iron lace railings, an homage to Hollywood's golden age of the '20s, '30s and '40s. Yes, it's the epitome of swank.
Last year, we sat down with the team behind this massive venture — that's managing partner Scott Robertson (Future Music Festival, DIVISION Agency), executive chef Drew Bolton (Vine Double Bay) and design director Alex Zabotto-Bentley (AZBcreative).
"It isn't a nightclub, it's all about impeccable service, beautiful food and nice drinks," says Robertson. Bolton is happy to help with that, bringing the Vine ethos to Seadeck. "At Vine, we reinvent modern European flavours with great respect for regional produce," says Bolton. "At Seadeck, our food will also be very produce drive but more casual and playful," he adds. Seadeck focuses on bar friendly snacks, like fresh ceviche, oysters and lobster rolls, but patrons should still expect the refined food experience that Vine exudes.
Design-wise, this lap of luxury is the handiwork of Zabotto-Bentley, who radiates passion about the vessel. "Imagine it's the 1930s and you're cruising the Nile or the Dalmatia Coast," he says. "The people on board were seen to be on a floating oasis in the middle of the sea, and that's what we want to recreate here."
Seadeck will be cruising around Brisbane River for 11 weeks from Saturday, July 1 starting with an afternoon cruise at 2pm. Tickets, available from the Seadeck website, start from $25 general admission on Friday nights and $40 general admission on Saturdays and Sundays. If you're feeling the need to blow some serious dosh, VIP packages and hosted bottle service is also available.
By Marissa Ciampi and Lauren Vadnjal.