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Brisbane Airport Fires up Record Community Giving Fund for 2026

Brisbane Airport has launched its largest-ever Community Giving Fund, offering a record $125,000 in grants to organisations dedicated to education, the environment and health across South East Queensland.

The expanded fund marks a significant boost from previous years, with applications now open for community groups, schools and non-profit organisations. While the program traditionally focused on airport neighbours in Hamilton, Pinkenba, Eagle Farm and Hendra, the 2026 round extends eligibility across the Greater Brisbane region, including Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich and Redland areas.

Driving Local Impact and Sustainability

The Community Giving Fund prioritises initiatives that deliver lasting benefits to people living and working across South East Queensland. The program targets projects tackling local needs through environmental programs, educational opportunities and health initiatives that create measurable change beyond one-off events.

Eligible projects range from school vegetable gardens and outdoor learning spaces to community health services and upgrades for local sports infrastructure. The fund aims to strengthen connections between the airport and the broader community by backing priorities that matter most to residents, whether they live next door to the runways or across the wider metropolitan area.

What Makes a Strong Application

Brisbane Airport assesses every proposal based on alignment with core priorities, long-term sustainability and ability to achieve real, measurable outcomes. Projects demonstrating clear community benefit and ongoing impact beyond the initial funding period stand the strongest chance of success.

The fund welcomes applications from registered charities with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Item 1 status, schools and non-profit groups able to demonstrate effective project delivery. Successful applicants need to show how their initiative addresses genuine community needs and creates benefits that extend well beyond the grant period.

Application Process and Timeline

Community groups ready to apply can access application forms directly through the Brisbane Airport website. The process requires organisations to outline project goals, expected outcomes, a budget breakdown, and success measures.

Applications close on 28 February. Successful applicants will be notified following the assessment period, with grants supporting project delivery throughout 2026. This fund reflects Brisbane Airport’s commitment to supporting the regions it serves beyond core aviation operations.

Published 9-February-2026.

Ghanem Group Restaurants Announce Valentine’s Day Menus

Ghanem Group

Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to enjoy great food, whether that means a romantic dinner, a night out with friends, or something a bit different. If you’re keen to avoid the usual spots, Ghanem Group has released special menus across its Brisbane venues worth checking out.

The restaurant group has banquet options and bottomless sessions available from 13-15 February. Here’s what’s on offer.

Byblós

Ghanem Group - Byblos — Photo Credit: Supplied

Hamilton locals can enjoy a romantic waterfront feast at Byblós on Portside Wharf with a three-course banquet as the exclusive offering on Valentine’s Day evening. Sittings are at 5.30pm and 8.30pm, with the banquet also available on 13-15 February, plus Valentine’s Day lunch.

The Lebanese restaurant sits right on the Brisbane River, offering Mediterranean cuisine in a renovated space that reopened in 2024 with a fresh new look.

Price: $115 per person

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Donna Chang

The heritage-listed modern Cantonese fine diner is serving a nine-dish banquet as the exclusive evening offering on Valentine’s Day. Sittings are at 6pm and 8.30pm, with the special menu also available from 13-15 February.

Price: $139 per person

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Boom Boom Room

This underground venue has two Japanese-infused omakase banquets available—a 10-dish option and an 11-dish option across 5.30pm and 8.30pm sittings.

Price: $98 (10-dish) and $108 (11-dish) per person

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Iris

The rooftop Spanish-inspired restaurant is offering a 10-dish Sky High Love Banquet, exclusively available on Valentine’s Day from 5.15pm, or alongside other menu options from 13-15 February.

For the gals, Iris is hosting ‘Galentines’ on Sunday 15 February from 11.30am-3.30pm, with 1½-hour pink margarita trees and a special banquet.

Price: $129 per person (Valentine’s Day dinner), $98 (alcoholic) or $88 (non-alcoholic) for Galentines

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Blackbird Bar Dining & Events

The riverside favourite at Eagle Street Pier is serving a three-course menu with a choice of starters, mains and desserts. Sittings are 5.30pm and 8.30pm, with the special menu available from 13-15 February.

Price: $139 per person

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Lúc Lắc

Make your Valentine’s Day Vietnamese-inspired at The Star with two banquet options—Classic and Premium—as exclusive dinner options from 5.30pm.

Or go all in with the Valentine’s Edition Bottomless option, featuring a selection of dishes and 1½ hours of bottomless pink cocktails from 11.30am-3.30pm.

Price: $92 (Classic), $138 (Premium), $98 (Bottomless)

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Bisou Bisou

Meaning ‘kiss kiss’ in French, Bisou Bisou has a special three-course J’Adore menu featuring choices of entrées, mains and desserts as the exclusive Valentine’s Day evening menu from 5.30pm. The menu is also available from 13-15 February.

Price: $109 per person

Bookings: ghanemgroup.com.au

Special Extras: Bottles of Taittinger Prestige Rosé NV ($167) and LÂPACH gift boxes ($45-90) can be added to any venue booking.

All menus include options for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan guests.

What This Means For Hamilton

Hamilton residents have a home advantage with Byblós right at Portside Wharf, making it an easy choice for a Valentine’s celebration without the drive into the city. The waterfront location offers river views and has been a Portside fixture since 2006, recently undergoing a full renovation.

For those willing to venture further, the other Ghanem Group venues are spread across Brisbane’s dining precincts. Blackbird at Eagle Street Pier is the next closest option for riverside dining.

Bookings are recommended as Valentine’s Day sessions tend to fill up quickly. The extended availability from 13-15 February also gives more flexibility if you’d prefer to avoid the Valentine’s Day rush.

Website: ghanemgroup.com.au
Instagram: @_ghanemgroup

Published 2-February-2026.

New Moreton Bay Cycleway Section Connects Cyclists to Brisbane Airport

Cyclists now have a safer and more direct route to Brisbane Airport following the opening of a new 600-metre extension to the Moreton Bay Cycleway.

Read: New Plane Spotting Area Planned at Brisbane Airport

The shared path between Schneider Road in Eagle Farm and Viola Place at the airport precinct fills what had been a significant gap in the cycle network. Riders travelling from Brisbane’s southside via the Gateway Bridge now have improved access to the airport.

Dozens of cyclists attended a free pop-up coffee station along the new path on its first morning of opening.

The path varies between 2.5 and 3 metres in width, accommodating cyclists and pedestrians. Solar-powered LED lighting provides safer travel at all hours. Wayfinding signage and line marking guide users on their journey. The project also included reconstructing a weir and creating a new waterway crossing.

Around 25,000 people travel to Brisbane Airport each day for work. That workforce is expected to grow by around 20,000 over the next 20 years.

The airport precinct plans to support active transport options over the coming years. The draft 2026 Master Plan includes a number of initiatives over the next five years to boost active transport across the precinct, offering a lower-cost and healthier way for people to get to work.

About the Moreton Bay Cycleway

Brisbane’s local cycle network map (Photo credit: BCC)

The Moreton Bay Cycleway is a collection of shared paths and cycle routes along 150 kilometres of the Brisbane coastline. Once complete, it may become one of the longest cycleways on the east coast of Australia.

The cycleway spans three local government areas and already connects popular destinations including the Redcliffe Peninsula, Sandgate and Shorncliffe foreshore, and the Wynnum-Manly foreshore, extending south to Redland Bay. The system also connects to the broader cycling network including the Gateway Bridge Bikeway, Kedron Brook Bikeway, Jim Soorley Bikeway and the Gateway North Bikeway.

The newly opened section took approximately eight months to complete, with construction beginning in late May 2025 and finishing in late January 2026.

For Hamilton residents and those living in nearby suburbs, the path improves access to major employment hubs including the airport, TradeCoast Central and the future Northshore Hamilton precinct.

Read: Transforming Hamilton: Northshore Vision 2050 to Redefine Brisbane’s Future

The Moreton Bay Cycleway extension at Brisbane Airport represents more than just 600 metres of new pavement. It’s a practical demonstration of how infrastructure improvements can enhance connectivity, support sustainable transport choices, and make active commuting a realistic option for thousands of workers.

Published 31-January-2026

Hamilton Grove Development to Launch on Brisbane Riverside in 2026

A billion-dollar residential and lifestyle precinct inspired by Los Angeles’ The Grove is planned for Hamilton’s riverside, with construction on the first of three towers scheduled to begin early 2026.

Read: Hamilton Hill Block Listed After Long Ownership

Wentworth Equities is moving ahead with Hamilton Grove, a development more than a decade in the making for one of Brisbane’s riverside suburbs.

The project will deliver three residential towers and a ground-level precinct with retail, dining and lifestyle tenancies on a 7,637-square-metre site at Hercules Street. The first tower, launching in March, will contain 61 waterfront apartments with two to five bedrooms and a hotel, with completion expected by late 2028.

Key Features

The development will include three towers up to 30 storeys, with a total of 433 apartments above retail and commercial space. The first tower contains 61 apartments ranging from two to five bedrooms, sharing a building with a hotel.

The ground level will feature retail, dining and lifestyle tenancies. Fuse Architects is handling the building design, while Urbis has been engaged for landscape architecture, which will incorporate subtropical planting.

The site is located at 19 Hercules Street within Economic Development Queensland’s 304-hectare Northshore Hamilton Priority Development Area.

Northshore Hamilton PDA Boundary Map (Photo credit: Economic Development Queensland)

It’s been a long road to the construction phase. Wentworth acquired the site back in 2014 for nearly $20 million. At the time, the company’s executive chairman Sameh Ibrahim had a clear vision but felt the timing wasn’t right—Hamilton was still developing as a precinct.

The following years brought significant change to the area. Hamilton and its neighbouring suburbs, Ascot and Albion, matured considerably, transforming into the kind of established riverside community that aligned with Ibrahim’s original plans. But the journey wasn’t without setbacks. In 2022, Wentworth struck a $70-million deal to sell the property to Danny Isaac’s Descon Group, only to see the sale collapse when the buyer failed to settle.

Now, with Brisbane’s anticipated population boom ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games, Wentworth has decided to develop the site itself.

Ibrahim’s vision centres on creating a centralised lifestyle hub that brings together Brisbane’s best offerings—currently scattered across different suburbs—into one accessible riverside location. Residents currently travel to Howard Smith Wharves for fine dining, James Street for shopping, and West End for riverside walks. Hamilton Grove aims to provide all of that in one place.

The location offers significant advantages, with proximity to the city centre, airport access within ten minutes, and immediate access to the river and green spaces.

Hamilton Grove — The Grove in Los Angeles (Photo credit: The Grove/Google Maps)

The development takes its name and design inspiration from The Grove in Los Angeles, a retail, dining and entertainment precinct. The project is being designed for the Brisbane market, with Ibrahim describing plans for a precinct “abundant with culture, class and culinary experience.”

The development is intended to serve both residents and the broader Brisbane community. Ibrahim’s stated vision is for a space that others can visit, even if only residents will live there.

The site sits within Economic Development Queensland’s 304-hectare Northshore Hamilton Priority Development Area. Civil engineering contractor Mainland Civil has been appointed to handle early works. The firm has worked on other Brisbane projects including Queens Wharf, 300 George Street, Infinity Tower and 1 William Street.

Wentworth has engaged architects Fuse Architects for the building design and Urbis for landscape architecture. The precinct will include subtropical landscaping. Hamilton Grove will combine apartments, a hotel, and retail and dining tenancies, described as “a riverside lifestyle precinct like no other.”

Read: Community Pushback Intensifies as Hamilton Tower Proposal Enters Public Notification

The project represents a shift in direction for the Sydney-based property investment and development firm after years of uncertainty over the site’s future. Development approval for three towers up to 30 storeys and 433 apartments above retail and commercial space has been secured.

For Hamilton residents, the development will bring changes to the suburb. The project will add retail, dining and residential offerings to the riverside area. Construction on the first tower is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026.

Published 29-January-2026

Bluey And Bingo Live Performance Headlines Australia Day Weekend In Hamilton

Photo Credit: Eat Street Northshore/Facebook

A live family performance by Bluey and Bingo will headline an Australia Day weekend event at Eat Street Northshore in Hamilton, supported by a multi-day BBQ, beer and live entertainment program.

Australia Day Weekend Program In Hamilton

The Eat Street BBQ & Beer Celebration, titled The Summer Feast, will run across two consecutive weekends as part of the Australia Day period. The opening weekend is scheduled for Friday 23 January, Saturday 24 January and Sunday 25 January, followed by a closing weekend from Friday 30 January to Sunday 1 February.

The launch weekend will feature a live performance by Bluey and Bingo from Bluey’s World. The appearance forms part of a broader entertainment schedule delivered alongside curated BBQ and beer pairings and specially prepared Australiana-style BBQ menu items.

Event trading hours align with Eat Street Northshore’s standard operating times, opening from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.

Entertainment And Final Weekend Activities

Live music and entertainment will be presented across four stages throughout the event period, with performances scheduled across each trading day. Solo performers will also be positioned across the precinct as part of the regular entertainment offering.

The final weekend of The Summer Feast will include live line dancing sessions and a BBQ-themed giveaway, marking the conclusion of the two-week program.

Summer Events At Eat Street Northshore

Ahead of the Australia Day weekend program, Eat Street Northshore launched the Tivo Summer Spritz pop-up bar on Friday 16 January. The activation operates across Friday 16 January, Saturday 17 January and Sunday 18 January, with a final weekend scheduled from Friday 23 January to Sunday 25 January.

The pop-up bar is hosted at The Trawler Deck and features citrus spritz beverages alongside a seafood menu created by local seafood micro-restaurant The Salty Sailor. The launch included an exclusive event and a competition offering VIP tickets, a bottle of Tivo Lemon Spritz and a seafood platter for two.

The Summer Feast — *Photo Credit: Eat Street Northshore*

view full line up here

Event Context Within Eat Street’s Summer Program

Eat Street Northshore operates as a weekend food and entertainment destination in Hamilton, opening every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with scheduled live music and performances. Seasonal activations form part of its ongoing summer calendar.

The Australia Day weekend event follows the mid-January launch of Eat Street’s broader summer event series, which introduced themed food offerings and live entertainment across multiple stages.

Hamilton Australia Day event — *Photo Credit: Supplied*

Visitor Information

Eat Street Northshore is located at 221D Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton. Entry is priced at $6, with free entry available for children under 13. Free on-site parking is provided, with more than 1,400 car spaces available.

Outlook

The Australia Day weekend program in Hamilton forms part of Eat Street Northshore’s continuing summer schedule, combining family-oriented live performances with food and entertainment across two weekends.

Published 16-Jan-2026

Spritzes, Seafood and Sunset Vibes Set to Light Up Eat Street

As the Brisbane River starts glowing gold in the late-afternoon light and the breeze rolls through Hamilton, Eat Street Northshore is gearing up for a new summer ritual: spritz in one hand, seafood in the other, and live music drifting across the water.

Across two January weekends, the popular riverside precinct will host the Tivo Summer Spritz pop-up bar, a short-run takeover at The Trawler Deck that brings together bright, citrus-driven cocktails and a special seafood menu from local micro-restaurant The Salty Sailor.

Launching on Friday 16 January, the pop-up is designed for long, warm evenings — the kind that start with a casual drink at 4:00 p.m. and quietly stretch into a night of grazing, music and waterfront views.

Tivo’s spritzes lean into summer flavours, with its lemon spritz at the centre, built to be light, refreshing and easy to sip as the sun goes down. On the food side, The Salty Sailor will be serving up share-style seafood platters and coastal dishes that suit Eat Street’s relaxed, walk-around dining style.

The opening night on Friday 16 January will be marked with an exclusive launch event, and one lucky local will be able to win their way in. The prize includes two VIP tickets to the launch, a bottle of Tivo Lemon Spritz and a seafood platter for two — a ready-made summer night out on the river.

The pop-up runs across two weekends — 16–18 January and 23–25 January — slotting neatly into Eat Street’s already buzzing summer program. With four live music stages, more than 60 food vendors and five riverside bars, the precinct has become a go-to spot for sunset drinks, casual dinners and nights that don’t need much planning.

Short-term pop-ups like the Tivo bar are part of Eat Street’s push to keep the experience fresh for regular visitors, giving people something new to stumble across between old favourites.

Whether it’s a first drink after work, a relaxed date night or a weekend catch-up with friends, the spritz bar is built for Brisbane’s warm-weather rhythm — casual, social and best enjoyed by the water.

The Tivo Summer Spritz pop-up will be open from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Eat Street Northshore is located at 221D Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton, with $6 entry, free entry for kids under 13 and over 1,400 car parks on site.

Published 13-Jan-2026

One-Night Soju Pairing Dinner Set for Hamilton Restaurant

A one-night-only soju tasting dinner has been scheduled in Hamilton, with Marble Korean Steakhouse confirming a guided dining experience centred on Korea’s most recognised spirit.

One-Night Soju Event in Hamilton

The Soju Tasting Dinner will be held on Wednesday, 14 January, offering guests a structured tasting format that combines education with curated Korean cuisine. The event has been designed as an intimate experience, focusing on the diversity and craftsmanship behind soju.

Guests will be served eight hand-selected sojus, each poured as a 15 ml tasting and paired with a bespoke Korean dish created specifically for the evening. The format allows diners to move through the tasting progressively, with each pairing designed to highlight the character of the spirit.

Exploring Korea’s Iconic Spirit

The curated soju selection spans traditional and contemporary styles, including Bekseju 100 Year Wine, Yangchon Chungju, Jinmaek Organic Distilled Wheat Soju, Morry Distilled Barley Soju, Neungiju Mushroom Soju, Hwayo 41X Oak Soju, Hondiju Jeju Citrus Soju and Wonmae Plum with Honey Soju.

Each spirit has been selected for its regional or stylistic distinction, offering insight into different production methods, ingredients and flavour profiles. The evening will be hosted by Marble owner Vanessa Devine, who will guide guests through the background, cultural context and tasting notes of each soju.

Restaurant Background and Dining Style

Marble Korean Steakhouse operates as a premium Korean BBQ venue, focusing on authenticity, ingredient sourcing and tableside cooking. Each table is fitted with a smokeless grill, allowing diners to cook selected cuts without smoke impacting the dining space.

The restaurant sources ingredients from Korean trade markets and pairs them with local Brisbane produce. This approach underpins Marble’s broader aim to present Korean dining as a refined and immersive experience.

Booking Information

The Soju Tasting Dinner is priced at $150 per person and will commence at 6 p.m. The event is limited to one night only, with bookings required in advance.

book now

Published 7-Jan-2026

New Plane Spotting Area Planned at Brisbane Airport

Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport

Brisbane Airport has unveiled plans for a new plane spotting area designed to give visitors clearer views of aircraft movements across the airport’s runways.

Centenary Announcement Sets Direction

The planned viewing precinct was announced as Brisbane Airport wrapped up its 100th anniversary celebrations. Brisbane Airport said demand has grown from visitors wanting closer, less obstructed views of aviation activity.

plane spotting Hamilton — Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport

Retired Fokker Tail to Anchor the Precinct

A decommissioned Fokker F28 Fellowship tail will form the centrepiece of the new area. The tail is about 50 years old and was donated by Aviation Australia.

Brisbane Airport linked the tail display to another Fokker aircraft on show at the airport, the Southern Cross, flown across the Pacific in 1928 by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

Platform Relocation Aims for Clearer Sightlines

The elevated structure is planned to sit about 50 metres south of the existing viewing platform. The new location is expected to deliver less obstructed views of airside activity.

The precinct will be closer to the Zulu and Yankee taxiways than the current position, improving views of aircraft taxiing to and from the western runway, as well as aircraft landing and taking off on the eastern runway.

Shade, Shelter and Family Facilities Included

Plans include shade and shelter, with seating also listed as part of improved facilities. The design is intended to support plane spotters, photographers and families visiting the viewing area.

Brisbane Airport viewing area — Photo Credit: Pexels

Regular Plane Spotters Welcome the Upgrade

Long-time plane spotter Lloyd Fox, who has photographed aircraft at Brisbane Airport and its predecessor at Eagle Farm since childhood, said the planned location would bring visitors closer to aircraft activity. He estimated he has visited the airport about 5,500 times and has an image collection of almost 30,000 photos.

Construction to Temporarily Close Current Viewing Area

Construction will require the temporary closure of the current viewing area. Brisbane Airport said about 927 cubic metres of fill will be trucked in to establish the foundations.

The airport has indicated the new plane spotting precinct is expected to open in 2026, with one report placing the opening in the second half of 2026.

Published 27-Dec-2025

Community Opposition Emerges Over Racecourse Road Development in Hamilton

Photo Credit: Graya

Community opposition has emerged around a proposed mixed-use development on Racecourse Road in Hamilton, with residents raising concerns about building height, local character and impacts on existing businesses.

Background And Context

The development application (A006790991), known as The Gallery, is proposed for 63–71 Racecourse Road and 12 Balowrie Street, Hamilton, within one of the suburb’s long-established retail and dining strips. Plans for the site were first made public in June 2025, with approval granted by October 2025 for a four-storey mixed-use building.

The site spans 3,614 square metres and occupies most of a single city block along Racecourse Road, an area historically associated with lower-rise commercial development.

Hamilton Racecourse Road development — Photo Credit: Graya

What Is Approved And What Has Changed

The approved scheme includes 37 residential apartments, made up of nine two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom dwellings, positioned above ground-level retail. Plans include eight retail tenancies, rooftop communal space and landscaped elements intended to activate the street.

Retail floor space is reported as approximately 1,500 square metres in one source and 1,380 square metres in development documentation. Vehicle access is proposed via Kent Street, with 177 car parking spaces and 47 bicycle spaces included.

Subsequent reporting indicates amendments have been put forward seeking to add up to three additional storeys beyond the originally approved four-storey scheme.

Concerns Raised By Local Residents

Online discussion among Hamilton, Ascot and Clayfield residents shows sustained opposition to the proposal. Concerns focus on the perceived scale of the development, its compatibility with surrounding buildings, and whether increased height aligns with expectations for Racecourse Road.

Some residents have described the proposal as out of character for the area and raised fears it could permanently alter the streetscape. Others expressed concern that redevelopment could displace existing cafés and restaurants, particularly smaller operators already affected by reduced trading conditions.

Parking pressure and increased rents for returning businesses were also cited as potential impacts if the development proceeds at a larger scale.

Hamilton apartments — Photo Credit: Graya

Differing Views Within The Community

While opposition has been prominent, community discussion also reflects differing views. Some contributors argued that Racecourse Road has experienced declining foot traffic and reduced daytime trade, suggesting additional residents could support hospitality and retail activity.

However, even among supporters of revitalisation, there was disagreement about whether increased height was necessary to achieve that outcome.

Compliance Matters Underway

A Request for Compliance Assessment was lodged on 15 October 2025, relating to an acid sulphate soils management plan for the site. The application is listed as in progress and does not allow for public submissions.

Construction has been indicated as expected in 2026, subject to the outcome of remaining assessment processes.

What Happens Next

With height changes flagged and compliance matters still underway, the future scale of the Racecourse Road development in Hamilton remains unresolved. Community opposition continues to centre on whether the project’s proposed form reflects the character and long-term needs of the local area.

Published 17-Dec-2025

Christmas by the River: Portside Wharf Announces Three-Weekend Festive Celebration

Portside Wharf will welcome the holiday season this December with a month-long program designed around festive entertainment and family-friendly activities. The Hamilton precinct’s Moments That Make Christmas celebration will run across three themed weekends, offering Santa photos, elf face painting, roaming carollers, and the return of The Claw Box lucky dip.

Read: Northshore Hamilton River Hub Set for New Wave of Tourism and Transport

Throughout December, participating restaurants will also offer Kids Eat Free* on Thursdays, adding an extra incentive for families to enjoy an evening meal at the riverside precinct during the festive period.

Weekend 1: Santa Photos (6–7 December)

The first weekend of celebrations began with Santa’s arrival at Portside Wharf. Visitors who spent 50 dollars or more at a precinct retailer received a free photo with Santa.

This opening weekend marked the start of the precinct’s festive program, giving families an opportunity to visit the riverside precinct, shop, and take part in the early holiday atmosphere.

Weekend 2: Elf Face Painting and Family Fun (13–14 December)

Photo credit: Vincent Dubois/Google Maps

The second weekend, held on 13–14 December, will focus on activities for children. Roaming elves will be present throughout the precinct, providing free festive face painting from 12 pm to 4 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

This weekend features simple, family-oriented activities designed to offer children a light and enjoyable festive experience.

Weekend 3: Roaming Carollers and The Claw Box (20–21 December)

The final weekend of the program will run from 20–21 December. Roaming carollers will perform from 12 pm to 4 pm, adding a musical element to the precinct during the afternoon.

Running across both days, The Claw Box will return as part of the festivities. The lucky dip style machine will offer visitors a chance to win gifts provided by Portside Wharf retailers, adding an element of surprise to the final weekend’s activities.

Read: Racecourse Road Shops Could Make Way for Green Luxury Apartments in Hamilton

A Festive Season at the Riverside

Across all three weekends, the precinct will host a variety of entertainment and activities centred on joy, generosity, and connection, themes highlighted as part of this year’s Christmas program. Visitors can stay updated by following @portside.wharf on Instagram.

Published 9-December-2025