THE PRAWNSTER

The Prawnster is a Brisbane seafood venue offering takeaway and dining aboard permanently moored vessels at the City Botanic Gardens RiverHub. Its focus is wild-catch seafood, with the menu built around prawns, oysters, salmon, Moreton Bay bugs and lobster. Several platters are designed for sharing, making the venue a practical choice for a seafood-focused meal with friends or a larger group, while takeaway provides a more casual option.

The menu’s larger offerings include the Large Prawn Platter, Salmon Platter and Oyster Platter, as well as combinations such as the Del Fuego Bug Platter, Del Fuego Lobster Platter and Prawnster Platter. The San Michelle Platter and XL San Michelle Platter bring together oysters, salmon, prawns and lobster, subject to availability. Seafood origins are identified on the menu, including Australian and mixed-origin produce. The venue is BYO for wine and beer, with corkage applying.

Dining takes place on and beside the water. The original trawler was built locally in Brisbane in 1971 and worked the Queensland coast before being permanently moored in 2020. It has bench seating along both sides and a communal centre table, with undercover space and roll-down blinds for wet weather. A second vessel, The Princess Prawnster, was built in 1967 by Clem Masters on Cabbage Tree Creek. It now has undercover open-air dining, rear-deck tables and bench seating for more than 24 diners, along with toilets.

The business is locally family owned and was inspired by seafood experiences in other Australian coastal locations, including oysters from a boat in Hobart and prawns from the trawlers at The Spit on the Gold Coast. That background is reflected in the venue’s boat-based setting and emphasis on seafood connected to the trawling industry. With regular bookings, group and party seating, takeaway and on-board dining, The Prawnster suits visitors looking for a distinctive Brisbane seafood experience rather than a conventional restaurant setting.