Three Blue Ducks, the group of chefs and avid surfers who own and operate restaurants across Sydney, Brisbane and Byron Bay, will open their Melbourne venue on November 30 at Australia’s first surf park – URBNSURF Melbourne.
Located 16 kilometres from Melbourne CBD and just minutes from Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport, Three Blue Ducks’ first Melbourne venue will perfectly complement this world-class surfing destination, which is pioneering a new, safe and inclusive way to surf. Featuring a two-hectare surfing lagoon, URBNSURF Melbourne opened in January this year, delivering high-quality waves and authentic experiences to surfers of all abilities.
Originally scheduled to launch in March, the Three Blue Ducks Melbourne outpost was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions and border closures. In time for summer and with restrictions easing, Three Blue Ducks can now deliver the group’s ethos of simple, real food, showcasing the best of Victoria’s farms, wineries, craft breweries and artisan producers. The 350-seat venue, which overlooks a 2ha lagoon with indoor and outdoor seating, also features a kitchen growing herbs and Australian natives such as lemon myrtle and saltbush. “When we had first planned to launch in March, we could have never anticipated what a challenging year it was going to become, particularly for Melbourne,” said Mark LaBrooy. “The hospitality industry has been hit hard this year, and we just feel really lucky that we’re able to finally launch a partnership that we’ve been excited about for so long. We’re honoured to be working with some incredible people and suppliers on our first Melbourne venue, and we can’t wait to get down there and bring it to life. This one’s really close to our hearts – at the end of the day, we’re just a bunch of guys who love good food and surfing.”
The kitchen features a pizza oven, rotisserie and charcoal pit, rolling out classic Ducks-style dishes such as the spanner crab scramble for breakfast, mussels for lunch and a range of pizzas available all day. As with all The Ducks venues, there’ll be a strong focus on minimising waste, with on-site composting.
The drinks menu will feature a strong list of wines, beers and spirits, locally sourced from across Victoria, as well as coffee from long-standing Ducks partner Single O. Serving water, kombucha, wine and beer on tap will help keep bottle waste down.
URBNSURF’s CEO Damon Tudor said the Three Blue Ducks’ ethos aligns perfectly with the company’s aim to inspire the progression of modern surfing in a way that is authentically Australian, respectful of surfing’s origins, and protective of the environment.
“We’re stoked to finally welcome Three Blue Ducks to URBNSURF Melbourne,” said Damon. “The Ducks’ passion for surfing, food, sustainability and community is what brought them together, and has driven their success – and this closely aligns with our mission to create the world’s best urban surfing locations, including here in Tullamarine. Our members and guests have been craving healthy, delicious food and beverages post-surf, and we’re thrilled to have the Ducks opening in time for Summer to truly complete the URBNSURF experience.”
An idea born from the surf and anchored in food culture, the Three Blue Ducks is made up of Mark LaBrooy, Darren Robertson, Andy Allen, Chris Sorrell, Sam Reid-Boquist and Jeff Bennett, who all share the same desire to offer a more sustainable and ethical approach to Australian dining.Despite the growing number of owners and venues over the years, their ethos remains the same: encouraging their community to “grow what you can, buy food mindfully, buy it locally, cook it thoughtfully and waste nothing where you can”.
Three Blue Ducks at URBNSURF Melbourne will open on 30 November. Bookings will be available via the Three Blue Ducks website. Launch capacity will be reduced in line with COVID restrictions. The Three Blue Ducks are now recruiting, with all enquiries to go via threeblueducks.com.
Three Blue Ducks is open seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and takeaway.
Three Blue Ducks
URBNSURF Melbourne, 309 Melrose Drive, Tullamarine VIC 3043
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URBNSURF
309 Melrose Drive, Tullamarine VIC 3043
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Main image: Ed Sloane