Self Drive Boat Hire

Cruise Melbourne in style aboard one of our signature eco-friendly luxurious electric hire boats. Our self drive boat hire cruise packages offer you the opportunity to rent one of our signature vessels with no license or experience required. Take in the many beautiful sights of the iconic Yarra River. Whether you are a local or first time to Melbourne, our boat trips will give you a unique perspective on our beautiful city. Dazzle your guests and upgrade your package with one of our food and beverage packages to make your cruise complete with no fuss. Or pack a picnic and stop at the Botanical Gardens, enjoy a BBQ on the grassy banks, as part of your Yarra River cruise. For something more adventurous, disembark and enjoy a fun picnic at Herring Island. You can dine at one of the many restaurants along the River – the options are endless.

Capacity: 10-12 passengers maximum
Departure Point: New Quay Marina, Docklands
Duration: 2 or 4 hour self-drive options
Availability: 7 days a week
Fleet: View our available fleet
Food and Beverage: BYO to enjoy or view our food and beverage packages. 24 hours notice required for food and beverage package bookings.

private boats for hire, Docklands Melbourne

SELF-DRIVE HIRE OPTIONS

Harvey A – 2 hr Self-Drive Hire for up-to 10 Persons

Cruise Melbourne in style aboard one of our signature eco-friendly, intimate luxury fleet

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Eliza J – 2 hr Self-Drive Hire for up-to 12 Persons

Take a self guided cruise of Melbourne and view our beautiful city from the best angle

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Felix G – 2 hr Self-Drive Hire for up-to 12 Persons

Take a self guided cruise of Melbourne and view our beautiful city from the best angle

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Harvey A – 4 hr Self-Drive Hire for up-to 10 Persons

View Melbourne from the best angle and explore parts of the Yarra River rarely seen!

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Felix G – 4 hr Self-Drive Hire for up-to 12 Persons

Celebrate your special occasion in style aboard one of our signature eco-friendly, intimate luxury fleet

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Eliza J – 4 hr Self-Drive Hire for up-to 12 Persons

Celebrate your special occasion in style aboard one of our signature eco-friendly, intimate luxury fleet

Book Now

AVAILABILITY CALENDAR

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is required to fill out the hire agreement?

The person driving the boat is required to fill out the hire agreement, they will become the hirer and driver and be responsible for the boat and passengers during the hire period. Any of the passengers can supply their debit/credit card for the $500 security bond.

You can view our online hire agreement here

Are kids allowed onboard?

Yes! Kids are allowed onboard. Any person under 10 years of age must wear a lifejacket at all times. Upon booking please let us know how many kids attending and the lifejacket sizes required.

Can the driver of the boat drink alcohol?

No, the person driving the boat must remain sober and have .00 BAC at all times. Victorian Water Police patrol our waterways regularly and it is a serious offense.

Do you have shade and protection from weather?

Yes, all out boats have roofs to provide shade from sun or protection from rain. Also have clear windows that can either be up or down to allow for all year round cruising no matter if hot or cold and raining.

Do you need a boat licence to hire and drive?

No, you do not require to have a boat licence. Our electric boats are very easy and safe to drive.

What is the maximum passenger capacity of your boats?

Harvey A is licensed for a maximum of 10 passengers and Eliza J is licensed for a maximum of 12 passengers

Can I bring a BBQ onboard?

Unfortunately we do not allow any form of BBQ or cooking device onboard our boats. If you are keen to have a BBQ there are spots along the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers that have BBQ facilities onshore. Most people will bring cold platters or order from our catering options.

I have made a booking for self-drive hire, what happens next?

You will be sent a confirmation email confirming the booking (please check your junk email) and attached will be our instructions with information regarding the hire.
You can also download here.

What happens if I return the boat early?

Unfortunately we cannot refund the hire fee if you decide to return the boat back earlier.

How are the boats powered?

Our boats are electric powered and have 16 batteries to provide the power for cruising continuously for 10hrs without recharging.

OUR BOATS FEATURES

luxury boat rental Melbourne boat features

SEE WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY

Just back from a lovely morning on the river with Melbourne Boat Hire. The boat was immaculate and a really classy way to cruise around compared to the other no licence boat hires. Lex was brilliant, very helpful, friendly and accomodating. Can't fault the service – highly recommended. Only complaint is 2 hours goes so fast, book for 4 if you can! 🙂

David Gravina
5/08/2022
The 2 hr self drive boat hire was so much fun. Matt was so accommodating and helpful with my booking changes. We had an amazing time, we packed our own lunch and had a blast. Highly recommended for large groups. We had booked for the 12 ppl boat and only 6 came so we had heaps of space, would've been quite squashy with 12 I think. Would do again.

Vy Nguyen
4/14/2022
Easy, Relaxed and Heaps of Fun! These guys were nothing short of brilliant! We decided to hire a self drive boat as a family activity for a birthday! We had grazing boxes, which were fantastic and spent a couple of hours cruising up and down the river. We booked the 2hr option, but could easily have gone for 4 hours!
We had the 10 seater Harvey and it was great. The weather was looking questionable in the lead up and these guys were fabulous with assuring us about weather protection available on the boat.
They were friendly, thorough, professional and fantastic to deal with. We highly recommend them and will definitely be back!!
Thanks heaps guys - just fabulous!

Sharyn B
3/30/2022
Excellent Experience! Definitely do this again!
The boat was clean, comfortable & bigger than we thought!
Matt was fabulous, prompt and organised & made our experience a memorable one.
Dad had a great few hours celebrating his 80th Birthday, with family, food, wine & music!
The roof and clear sides offered great protection for the 10 of us during the rain patches, keeping us warm and dry in a comfy, cozy environment.
Thank you Melbourne Boat Hire, until next time!!

susanshaw2022
3/25/2022
Fantastic service The crew looked after us very well. The gave us training and instruction at all times showing patience and great customer service.
It was a lovely experience

kmtmcphee
3/23/2022
2 hour Self-Drive Hire - Harvey A - For up to 10 People - No license required! It was a wonderful experience. Never drove a boat by myself. Was pretty scared. But the instructor was really good and made it easy for us. Quite a peaceful. You can play your own music through bluetooth, and can get your own food and drinks. Should should go for it.

Aisha0909
8/03/2020
Very relaxing, with a different perspective of Melbourne Fantastic way to see Melbourne from a different perspective! Matt was very professional and the boat was very nice and well presented. We did a self drive tour (very simple to operate) with the family, but now im thinking id like to go again with some mates... might try the cheese and wine tour! Very highly recommended!

M5723YFadamw
7/05/2020
Excellent experience Hired a boat for a self drive cruise down the Yarra. Matt was very professional and provided us with informative instructions. The boat was very well presented, clean easy to operate. A wonderful way for Melbournians and tourists alike to see our beautiful city. Unreservedly recommended.

GeoffCutt
6/28/2020
Fantastic experience Had a fantastic experience on our 3 hour self drive cruise up the Yarra. Boat was immaculately presented and equipped with all our basic needs for self catering. Was a great way to see our amazing city from a different perspective. Highly recommended.

yolanda52
6/28/2020
Amazing service My friends and I had the best time cruising around the Yarra in this boat. Easy to drive, great amenities. And personally just wanted to thank you for the help in getting us back to the shore when we got stuck. Can’t remember the name of the two employees but honestly so lovely and calm, and handled the situation brilliantly when they arrived. Definitely recommended.

swatisabitap
6/22/2020
Absolutely perfect day! Matt & Jordan were super helpful, told us every detail we could possibly need! Super relaxing cruise up the river all the way to the MCG from Docklands. Fridge, toilet & music onboard. Very hard to fault... didn’t want to it to end! Boarding location is between Cargo & Berth Restaurant, took about 10 minutes to go through the paperwork and you’re on your way!

Michael
2/23/2020
Amazing fun and affordable day on the Yarra We hired the 10 person boat for 2 hours on Australia Day and our only negative thought was that we didn’t hire it for long enough! We had so much fun and were amazed at how nice the boat was, and so easy to drive. The time went so quickly, we will definitely be back for round 2 and more!

Kitty H
1/28/2020
It was excellent experience. The briefing and instruction before boating was excellent. Matt was very pleasant and helpful.

Alma Hayes
1/23/2020
great group activity! Affordable and fun, I've done it twice and reckon it's great. We had cold weather (Melbourne!) but the boat has the option to close the weather out.

Trudy H
12/03/2019
Fantastic experience 2nd time I’m hiring the boat (2hr , self drive) - this time for a surprise birthday for my wife inviting friends along. We had excellent time and I command the staff for their professionalism, very accommodating and ensuring we had a lovely time. Nice and easy to deal with and very professional second time round. We will be sure to visit again. Thank you

Cosmopolitan553132
11/12/2019