The crystal chandelier wafts over the tables set for the Red Ball photo Andrew Hobbs

The most significant event space to grace Melbourne for 10 years has opened at Docklands.

Peninsula at Central Pier Docklands is Melbourne’s largest and most avant-garde waterside event space, set to redefine the event experience in Victoria in terms of culinary innovation and design.

The red carpet was rolled out on Saturday 18 August to celebrate the official opening of Peninsula, in conjunction with The Bone Marrow Donor Institute’s prestigious Red Ball event, hosted by Deborra-lee Furness and Hugh Jackman, the patrons of the Institute.

More than 1,000 people, including a host of celebrities, attended this star-studded event and were the first to experience this stunning new $12 million event space, which provides a fresh and much needed alternative for big events in Melbourne.

Peninsula can host 1,400 for a sit down event or 2,800 cocktail style and offers spectacular views across Victoria Harbour.  The sheer size of the venue combined with its rich heritage and prime waterside location makes Peninsula truly unique in Melbourne.

Located in heritage-listed Shed 14 at Central Pier Docklands, Peninsula is the creation of Melbourne event management and catering company the Atlantic Group [V].  Established in 1999, the Atlantic Group [V] has developed a reputation for delivering some of Melbourne’s most cutting-edge events during its seven years at South Wharf operating Atlantic and Sumac.

Peninsula is the Atlantic Group [V]’s biggest project to date and the first of four spectacular new event spaces that will open in Shed 14 by the end of September 2007.  It will be joined by Atlantic and Sumac (relocated from South Wharf) as well as new venture Sketch.  Together they will form a new world-class events destination, the only one if its kind in Melbourne.

With no expense spared on the $12 million fit out, Peninsula is best described as a sublime warehouse conversion that fuses Shed 14’s rich-heritage with today’s most contemporary and glamorous design, created by leading interior design firm blackmilk.

Inspired by London’s iconic Tate Museum, Peninsula’s vast open space features nine metre high ceiling, exposed black trusses, huge floor to ceiling windows, Shed 14’s original doors and a striking colour palette of black, white and grey to complement any event. 

The piéce de rèsistance is a 66-metre crystal chandelier designed by Melbourne lighting designer Dean Phillips that spans the length of the room and comprises 1,200 cut crystal pendants.  It is believed to be the longest chandelier in the southern hemisphere and was designed exclusively for the Atlantic Group [V].

In creating Peninsula, the Atlantic Group [V] conducted workshops with leading industry experts and consulted with the Melbourne Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (MCVB) regarding the design and functionality of the venue.  The feedback, in particular, centred around the colour palette for which there was overwhelming support

Managing Director and Founder of Atlantic Group [V], Hatem Saleh christening the venue by giving a speech in which the stunning 66-metre crystal chandelier was turned on for the first time photo Sam D'Agostino

“Peninsula’s neutral tones give event managers total flexibility when it comes to designing and themeing an event,” said Hatem Saleh, Managing Director of Atlantic Group [V].  “The beauty of Peninsula is that you can introduce any colour into the room and it works.”

Peninsula can also be partitioned into two independent, self contained spaces able to host smaller groups and create a more intimate environment.

Other key features include two green rooms situated at either end of the venue, a 20-person dressing room able to accommodate the cast of a full-scale production, and spacious bathrooms with large, floating black oval stone vanity basins and zebra print mirrors.

The venue also comes fitted with an AV control room and provides the latest in AV requirements such as a high tech Meyer distributed audio system and 5.4m x 4m roll-down projector screens including advanced DLP projectors.  With Avantage on board as preferred AV supplier, Peninsula has the ability to support all AV requirements. 

Peninsula also features two large state-of-the-art kitchens purpose built to service over a thousand people in less than 15 minutes, and utilising the latest technologies.

Great attention has been placed on the culinary experience created by the Atlantic Group [V]’s Executive Chef, Dan Shanks.  Peninsula’s refined, modern Australian menu includes an extensive array of plated dishes from traditional chicken and beef through to more exotic creations such as roasted swordfish and confit duck leg.  In keeping with the versatility of the venue, a wide selection of speciality food stations are available as well as an informal BBQ menu. 

To complement this restaurant-quality fare, Peninsula also has available an extensive wine list from large and boutique wineries throughout Australia and New Zealand.  In-house sommelier, Simon Rose, works with Shanks to ensure the food and wine at each event matches perfectly. 

Peninsula is already solidly booked with product launches, cocktail parties, fashion parades and everything in between demonstrating its versatility as a ‘black canvas.’  Major events coming up include the Daffodil Ball for The Cancer Council Victoria (1 September), the GHD Our Planet special event (21 September), the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) Silver Ribbon Exposure Gala (20 October) and the American CREW FACE OFF Finalist Awards night (30 October).

Peninsula is located at Shed 14, 161 Harbour Esplanade Central Pier Docklands. Telephone 03 8623 9600