The Island prides itself on being Australia’s first and only floating beach club ideal for any special occasion, or the perfect venue to make any mundane occasion much more special. It offers 350 square metres of space set atop the unparalleled beauty of Sydney Harbour with the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Royal National Park filling up your 360 degree views.

Punters looking for a more exciting and novel way to enjoy a few day drinks simply need to buy a $40-45 ticket online, which includes a water taxi to and from the boat as well as a drink on arrival. The Island is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm-8pm as well as some Fridays from 6-11pm. For Cocktail Club Fridays, the water taxi leaves every 15 minutes from Man O War Steps directly behind the Opera House. On the weekends, the taxi leaves every 30 minutes from Double Bay Wharf.

The Island also features a state of the art sound system and DJ equipment, with an incredible lineup of DJs and musical performances to accompany it. Previous lineups boast the likes of Mark Ronson, SASHA and heaps of acclaimed local DJs.

The Island only runs in the warmer months, which means the boat will be docking for good after the 5th April. Therefore, you only have a few weekends left to experience the magic of cocktail club or beach club.

The boat also has a roped off area for swimming, to allow you to cool off from the rays of the glistening Autumn sun. A fully extendable roof allows for shelter from the sun or the rain and side covers protect harbour-goers from wind or cooler temperatures.

If you’ve become disenchanted by Sydney’s drinking scene and want to spice up your social life by doing something more adventurous set in Sydney’s magnificent outdoors, the Island is the ideal way to achieve this all in one.

Despite it’s exclusivity and glamorous atmosphere, the Island remains within the realm of affordability, providing a range of beverages to suit all budgets. To those looking for something even more private and lavish, however, you can always secure a private booking. The Island is ideal for corporate functions and product launches or even for birthdays, engagement parties or other unique celebrations.

Clue Design is a leading Perth-based Digital Agency offering a range of bespoke digital solutions including digital marketing, strategy and consultation, creative and development and much more. 

At the media launch for the 2014 Sydney New Year’s Eve, the theme of which is “Inspire”, Thompson said Sydney is “the city I love and there’s a lot to be inspired by.”

Thompson said he could think of nothing more wonderful to be a part of than gathering around the Sydney Harbour on New Year’s Eve celebrating life. He told reporters, “we are incredibly privileged people living in an incredibly privileged place and we need to celebrate what we have – and believe me, New Year’s Eve we will!”

The Inspiring Jack Thompson

As the designated storyteller of this year’s NYE celebration, the iconic Australian actor read out a poem he had written as his response to how Sydney has inspired him. In it he revealed:

I am Sydney. I am the city of Sydney.
Glistening in the sun, shining on in harbour lights when the day is done.
A city rich with achievements and stories that inspire,
A city who is vital here and now the whole world has come to admire.
And we, the people of Sydney, have Summer in our souls,
It is our dreaming and our lore, our heritage of old.

Upon reflecting on this section of Thompson’s evocative poem I considered what is was about the city of Sydney that truly inspired me. I moment of inspiration arose a few days ago when I was aboard a boat on the Sydney Harbour, cruising underneath the iconic Harbour Bridge, sailing past the incredible Opera House and admiring the stunning sights and wildlife of the Sydney Harbour National Park.

In a moment of appreciation, my friend uttered to me: “it’s moments like this that make me wonder why you would live anywhere else.” That is when I realised the true inspiration of Sydney for me – it’s unique history, iconic structures, magnificent sites, endless opportunity for adventure and exploration, and its ability to answer the call of ‘Summer in our souls’. Far from being simply a season, Summer in Sydney – as Thompson so eloquently expressed – is our dreaming, our lore and our heritage. Summer is embodied by the feeling of floating on the stunning waterscape of Sydney Harbour and feeling connected to its rich past, its magnificent present and its exciting future.

New Year’s Eve represents a time of hope and excitement at what lies ahead in the New Year; a time for gathering with loved ones to appreciate all that we have; and most of all a time for celebration. For this reason, I can think of no other place to celebrate New Year’s Eve than upon Sydney Harbour.

A Sydney Harbour cruise is the ideal way to appreciate Sydney’s beauty and celebrate this exciting event in style. A harbour cruise enables you to feel connected to the city and the Summer in a manner that those behind screens or even on the land would be unable to achieve.

The MV EPICURE I New Year’s Eve cruise is a perfect example of a sumptuous harbour cruise that coalesces history, celebration and opportunity. Sitting atop a luxurious vessel with unsurpassed views of the fireworks and enjoying gourmet food and beverages embraces what Jack Thompson referred to as ‘incredibly privileged people living in an incredibly privileged place’. New Year’s Eve is one of the most unique celebrations of the year and Sydney is one of the best places in the world to celebrate it.

So make the most of this incredible city and ensure you are inspired this New Year’s Eve by booking yourself on a resplendent harbour cruise this 31st December.