Sitting by The Dock of the Lake…
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If you love the lake views, food, beer and vibe of Kingston’s The Dock, then you are going to welcome the news that the National Capital Authority (NCA) has given The Dock’s owners the keys to the East Kiosk and Jetty within the National Triangle.
The space at Commonwealth Place will operate both as a kiosk, offering The Dock’s take on focaccias, baguettes, and salads, as well as local coffee brews, cheese, and grazing boards to have on the Jetty or as take-away.
There will be plenty of places to sit and take in the view but picnic hampers will be available for sale to those who would prefer to sit by the lakeside and away from the crowds.
But the real fun begins when the Dock runs a three-month activation from New Year’s Eve which involves live music, a Bentspoke Beer Garden and Mr Papa’s Peruvian Street Food truck at the East Jetty while the West Jetty will have an all-local wine offering, with Tallagandra Hill Winery and other Canberra District Wineries to be announced as well as pop-up food and drink carts. The Dock will activate both jetties for New Year’s Eve celebrations with live music starting at 4pm and finishing at midnight with the final fireworks display.
The space will be open to all, no tickets required, although there grabbing a seat will be a case of first in, best dressed.
Then, fingers crossed, when the weather turns cold again, the plan is to place some Dining Domes by the lakeshores, as The Dock did earlier this year at its Kingston Foreshore site.
Glen said he was excited to be granted the licence from the NCA and hoped to attract new crowds to the Commonwealth Place lake frontage.
“I think Canberrans all love the lake and this will give us all an opportunity to use it more.”
He believed that the right activations could cement the area as a busy meeting and enjoyment place for locals and a tourism drawcard for the city.
The NCA said The Dock team had “intimate knowledge of the capital, and of the sense of pride and national identity associated with Lake Burley Griffin” making them the perfect fit to serve lake-goers and users with dine-in and take-away fare and the East Kiosk would seek to partner with the local community, sporting, and active lifestyle groups.
The Dock was partnering with some young hospitality entrepreneurs to form Jetty Industries which will be activating outdoor space and the East Kiosk.
Chief Executive of the NCA, Sally Barnes, says, “The NCA conducts periodic reviews of amenities around the Lake to make sure Canberrans and Australians will grow their appreciation and admiration for Lake Burley Griffin, the centrepiece of the National Capital. “We’d like to thank all those who submitted proposals to operate the East Kiosk and Jetty and congratulate The Dock on its new venture and look forward to enjoying its innovative approach to hospitality.”
The Jetty activation will operate Thursday to Sunday from 12-9pm while the Kiosk will trade from 7am 7 days a week.
