BBQ Boat Hire in Melbourne: The Pontoon for 12 and the Aqua Donut, Compared

BBQ boat hire in Melbourne comes down to two boats from the same company, Boat-4-Hire: a pontoon for up to 12 that can go up the Yarra, from US$263 for two hours, and the round Aqua Donut for up to 10, from US$209, which stays inside Victoria Harbour and Docklands. Both are self-drive with no licence. Prices are GetYourGuide’s, in US dollars, as of October 2026. Choose the pontoon to see the city from the river; choose the Donut for a floating lounge at the marina.

The two BBQ boats, side by side

GetYourGuide’s US-dollar starting prices and ratings as of October 2026; Aqua Donut’s operating area is from its own FAQ (aquadonut.com, read October 2026).

Both cancel free up to 24 hours ahead, and neither needs a boat licence, by the operators’ own account: Boat-4-Hire says no licence is needed for its hirers on the Yarra, and Aqua Donut’s FAQ says the same. Safe Transport Victoria only requires one for hire boats capable of more than 10 knots.

The pontoon: the BBQ boat that goes somewhere

The pontoon is the bigger boat and the one with range. The listing offers the Yarra (the Bay only with a driver who holds a marine licence or the skipper), shade, an onboard BBQ and all the safety gear, and an optional skipper for a night run along the Yarra. Drinks are BYO, and food platters can be pre-ordered with the booking.

Two things to settle when you book. First, where it leaves from: the listing does not say, and the meeting point comes with your confirmation. Second, the route: Boat-4-Hire’s own listings elsewhere keep drivers without a marine licence on the Yarra and open the Bay to drivers who hold one, so ask what your hire allows if the Bay is the plan.

With five reviews so far, at 4.8, it has less of a track record than GoBoat’s picnic boats, so read the most recent ones before you book.

Check pontoon dates →

The Aqua Donut: a floating lounge in Docklands

The Aqua Donut is a round boat with a circle of seats around a central table and an umbrella over it, and it is self-drive. Aqua Donut’s own FAQ says the boats operate within Victoria Harbour and Docklands, and that day sessions run two hours, with three-hour sessions at night. It leaves from Melbourne City Marina. The BBQ pack is an extra you add when you book, and food and drinks are yours to bring.

That operating area is the deciding fact. The Donut does not go up the Yarra past Southbank and the city; it suits a group that wants to sit around a table on the water with Docklands’ towers around them, not one that wants to see Melbourne from the river. The listing also says it is not suitable for non-swimmers.

Which BBQ boat suits your group

Pick by where you want to be and how many are coming:

Prices are GetYourGuide's US-dollar starting prices as of October 2026; they change by date, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.

Drinks and the driver

Both boats are BYO, and Victorian boating law is the same as on the road. The Boating Safety Handbook from Safe Transport Victoria says anyone 21 and over operating or in charge of a vessel must not be over 0.05% blood or breath alcohol, and anyone under 21 must have none, even at anchor. Pick the driver before you open the esky, or book the pontoon’s skipper and let everyone drink.

What to bring for a BBQ on the water

• The meat, vegetables and bread, ready to cook, and the cool box to keep them in.
• Tongs and plates if your booking does not include a pack (ask when you book).
• Drinks for the group, and plenty of water.
• Hats and sunscreen: the water reflects the sun even under the pontoon’s shade.
• A jacket if your slot runs into the evening.

Other boats for a group

For eight or fewer who would rather picnic than cook, GoBoat’s electric picnic boats start at US$69 per boat. For a group that wants a skipper and wine, party boat hire compares the skippered cruises. And for the full line-up, see Yarra boat hire compared.