Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Six outings for a Fairfield weekend: a riverside boathouse, two parks, a Sunday farmers market, a cinema and a pool. Three are in Fairfield, one is in Alphington and two are in Northcote, so the list is in and around the suburb.
Each entry says whose page a fact comes from. Prices are printed only where we could copy them, and where we could not read one we say so rather than call a place free. Opening hours are the ones each venue or listing prints, so check them for the day you go.
If you want a plan, start with the market on Sunday morning, then add a river, pool or cinema stop.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Listed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| River, tea room and boat hire | Fairfield Park Boathouse | High Tea | $75 per person |
| Riverside picnic and barbecue | Fairfield Park | see below | not printed here |
| Bush trails and flying foxes | Yarra Bend Park | see below | not printed here |
| Sunday market morning | Alphington Farmers Market | Entry | voluntary $2 donation (card only) |
| Wet-weather movie (the $10 ticket is a weekday offer) | Palace Westgarth Cinema | Royal Discount: Movie Club member ticket | $10 |
| Swim and splash park | Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre (NARC) | Adult Swim Entry 16+ years | $8.60 |
Fairfield Park Boathouse — Fairfield Park Drive, Fairfield VIC 3078
Its site says the Boathouse was established in 1908 and offers canoe or boat hire as well as dining, and the Fairfield Village guide places it on the banks of the Yarra River. Its trading hours page lists Saturday and Sunday as 8:30am - 6:00pm, with weekend boat hire 9am-5pm. When we checked on 4 October 2026 its site also listed The Big Birrarung Paddle with Sammy J on Saturday 10th October, a community clean-up on the Birrarung, with booking through the site. Boat hire is weather dependent and not available on high tides, so check before you head down.
Listed prices (copied from fairfieldboathouse.com and fairfieldboathouse.com/faqs on 4 October 2026):
- High Tea: $75 per person
- High Tea (child 12 years and under): $30 per child
- famous scones in bulk, half a dozen: $21
- famous scones in bulk, a dozen: $42
Plan it: Its menu prints High Tea at $75 per person with pre-payment required, and its site says walk-ins are welcome but same day bookings are not taken.
Fairfield Park — Fairfield Park Drive, Fairfield VIC 3078
The council’s page calls Fairfield Park the perfect destination for relaxing on the banks of the Yarra River, and says it is the ideal spot for a picnic with BBQ facilities available. Its facilities list includes a playground, public toilets, a drinking fountain, a picnic area, tables and chairs, and a dog off-leash area. The council says dogs are allowed off-leash in unfenced sporting grounds only when the grounds are not in use for approved sporting events. We could not find an entry price on the council page, so we have not called it free.
Get there: Fairfield Park Drive, Fairfield; the Boathouse FAQ mentions limited free parking at the top of Fairfield Park Drive off Heidelberg Road, and the council lists bicycle parking.
Yarra Bend Park — Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield VIC 3078
Parks Victoria calls Yarra Bend Park Melbourne’s largest natural bushland park, with many trails for strolling or biking. Its page also points to learning about the Grey-headed flying foxes that live in the park, and to canoeing and kayaking. The page says visitors can bring up to 4 dogs, on lead around much of the park, but not onto the golf courses, playgrounds, the Fairlea Netball Courts or Galatea Point. We could not find an entry fee on the page, so we have not called it free; when we checked it also carried a bird flu alert asking visitors not to touch sick or dead wildlife.
Time needed: Parks Victoria lists trails, picnics and a round of golf, so the time is yours to set; check its page for current alerts first.
Alphington Farmers Market — 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington VIC 3078
The market’s own listing says Alphington Farmers Market is held on the grounds of the Melbourne Farmers Market HQ, and the Melbourne Farmers Markets page lists it as open every Sunday 9am - 1pm. The listing says each week brings fresh fruit and vegetables, free-range eggs and meats, honey, breads and pastries. It also lists coffee, fresh OJ and a takeaway lunch option. The listing says free parking is available at the train station carpark directly across from the market entry, and that well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome.
Listed prices (copied from marketsandfestivals.melbourne on 4 October 2026):
- Entry: voluntary $2 donation (card only)
Free first: The listing prints entry as a voluntary $2 donation, card only, so bring a card.
Palace Westgarth Cinema — 89 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Palace says the Westgarth cinema features five art deco auditoria and two stylish bars, including the newly installed courtyard bar. When we checked on 4 October 2026 its site listed a Sunday, 11 October Matinee Preview of Sense and Sensibility; session times change daily, so check the site for the day you go. The site says the cinema and phone lines open 15 minutes before the first session and close 30 minutes after the final session, 7 days per week. Its Royal Discount offer, a $10 Movie Club ticket and a $12 General Admission ticket, is a weekday deal rather than a weekend one; check the Palace site for which days it runs.
Listed prices (copied from palacecinemas.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Royal Discount: Movie Club member ticket: $10
- Royal Discount: General Admission ticket: $12
Rain backup: A wet Sunday has a plan here; check the Palace site for that day’s sessions, since times change daily.
Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre (NARC) — 180 Victoria Road, Northcote VIC 3070
Its site describes an outdoor 50m pool, an indoor 25m pool, a warm water pool, a Learn To Swim pool and two aquatic splash zones. Its hours page lists the 50m pool at 6:00am-7:30pm on Saturday and 8:00am-7:30pm on Sunday, and the splash park at 8:00am-7:30pm on both days. Its casual pricing page lists Adult Swim Entry 16+ years at $8.60 and Child Swim at $6.60, with Child Swim (Under 5 years) listed as FREE. A Family (4 pax) swim is listed at $24.40.
Listed prices (copied from northcoteaquaticreccentre.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Adult Swim Entry 16+ years: $8.60
- Child Swim (5 – 15 years): $6.60
- Family (4 pax) swim: $24.40
- Casual gym entry (per session): $24.50
Plan it: Use the centre’s hours page rather than the home page headline, as the two differ; the pool hours above come from the hours page.
Quick answers
What is on in Fairfield on a Sunday?
The Melbourne Farmers Markets page lists Alphington Farmers Market as open every Sunday 9am - 1pm. Palace Westgarth Cinema’s site listed a Sunday, 11 October Matinee Preview of Sense and Sensibility when we checked on 4 October 2026. Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre’s hours page lists its 50m pool on Sunday from 8:00am to 7:30pm. The Boathouse on the river lists weekend trading hours on its own site, so check them for the day.
Where can you hire a boat or canoe in Fairfield?
Fairfield Park Boathouse’s site says it offers canoe or boat hire, and its boating page says bookings for boat hire are not necessary. Its trading hours page lists separate boat hire times for weekdays and weekends. Hire is weather dependent and not available on high tides, so check before you go.
Can you bring a dog on a weekend outing in Fairfield?
Fairfield Park Boathouse’s FAQ says pets are welcome in its outdoor spaces as long as they are on a lead. Alphington Farmers Market’s listing says well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome. Parks Victoria says up to 4 dogs can come into Yarra Bend Park, on lead around much of the park. The council says dogs may be off-leash in Fairfield Park’s unfenced sporting grounds only when they are not in use for approved sporting events.
What can you do in Fairfield when it rains?
Palace Westgarth Cinema’s site lists five art deco auditoria, and its session times change daily. Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre’s site lists an indoor 25m pool and a warm water pool. Fairfield Park Boathouse’s site mentions a tea room with freshly baked scones and a selection of teas.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the places’ own websites, fairfieldvillage.com.au, council pages, government pages, marketsandfestivals.melbourne, onlymelbourne.com.au, melbourne-farmers-markets-mfm.myshopify.com, foodtree.com.au and northcoteaquaticreccentre.com.au. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Facilities and opening hours change, so check the official page before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Fairfield Park Boathouse: openstreetmap.org/127549705, fairfieldboathouse.com, fairfieldvillage.com.au/the-top-things-to-do-see-in-fairfield, fairfieldboathouse.com/high-tea, fairfieldboathouse.com/faqs, fairfieldboathouse.com/eat-drink, fairfieldboathouse.com/whats-on, fairfieldboathouse.com/boating
- Fairfield Park: yarracity.vic.gov.au/fairfield-park, fairfieldboathouse.com
- Yarra Bend Park: openstreetmap.org/9278415, parks.vic.gov.au/yarra-bend-park, fairfieldvillage.com.au/the-top-things-to-do-see-in-fairfield
- Alphington Farmers Market: openstreetmap.org/13352322283, marketsandfestivals.melbourne/alphington-farmers-market, onlymelbourne.com.au/alphington-farmers-market, melbourne-farmers-markets-mfm.myshopify.com/alphington-farmers-market, foodtree.com.au/alphington-farmers-market
- Palace Westgarth Cinema: openstreetmap.org/26747352, palacecinemas.com.au/palace-westgarth
- Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre (NARC): openstreetmap.org/626829603, northcoteaquaticreccentre.com.au, darebin.vic.gov.au/Northcote-Aquatic-and-Recreation-Centre, northcoteaquaticreccentre.com.au/casual-pricing, northcoteaquaticreccentre.com.au/centre-hours
