Top ideas for gifts and things to do this Father’s Day

As Creative Climate facilitator Angharad Wynne-Jones says, you can expect Planting Party to be like “the best kind of school fete you’ve ever been at”. So bring the family along to enjoy the day of plant and plant-adjacent fun this Sunday.

During the morning, there will be planting events run by community groups around Melbourne, where you’ll get to plant native species of plants local to your area. Find a group near you, sign yourself and dad up – and get involved!

Then, head to Fed Square for the Planting Party from 1pm. What’s a Planting Party, you ask? Think: eco-art folk festival/ top-tier school fete/ a party for plants and the people who like them.

The top of Skyline Car Park and the Test Garden will be a hive of art and activity hosted by ABC’s dirtgirl, with food and coffee carts, chilled-out live music on throughout the afternoon, drop-in creative workshops and talks in the Test Garden.

Highlights include the live music line-up, featuring The Orbweavers, Robert K Champion and Allara, and Ella Thompson with her Chamber Soul Trio, the drop-in nest weaving workshop with Ngarrindjeri artist Emma Stenhouse, and the garden talk with City of Trees author Sophie Cunningham in conversation with Fed Square Head Gardener Russell Larke.

Check out the full Planting Party program, and sign up for the community Planting events around Melbourne.

These quality metal animal lapel pins by Taungurung artist Mick Harding are part of his Ngarga Warendj – Dancing Wombat product range, and are a perfect gift to add a bit of artistic flair to your dad’s wardrobe.

Choose your dad’s favourite animal to surprise him with this Father’s Day, such as this Bunjil (Creator Eagle), koala, bogong moth, sulphur-crested cockatoo or wombat.

For the screen-loving dads out there, protect his eyes from that blue light that keeps him up at night with these stylish IZIPIZI screen glasses.

And if your pop is more the outdoorsy type or of the bookworm variety, there’s also a great range of sunglasses and reading glasses in stock in the ACMI Shop to check out.

If you haven’t heard of IZIPIZI, the Paris-based company is a certified B Corp, and they’re continually looking for ways to become more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint.

So you can feel good while you help your dad or dad-like figure look snazzy as. Win win.

Nothing says ‘I love you, dad’ like a croissant lamp. Glowing and gorgeous, we think this is a top gift choice for the father figure who appreciates great design, with a side of humour.

This Pampshade light is made from a real croissant(!), and is designed to sit on a desk or table, exuding a rich, buttery hue (and perhaps making dad hungry).

Created by Japanese designer Yukiko Morita, this tasty-looking lamp is designed to pay tribute to bread through art and craft.

You can check out NGV design store’s range of Pampshade Real Bread Lamps in store.

NGV design store is located in the Atrium at Fed Square, accessible via The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia entrance. 

Thinking more along the quality-time-with-dad line, this Father’s Day? Maybe a delicious meal is on the cards.

For the carnivorous and whisky-loving dads and dad-figures out there, you can’t go past Whisky and Fire at Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters – a top quality grill experience with premium locally sourced cuts of Victorian lamb, beef, wild boar and artisinal sausage. This special event lunch is on offer just for Father’s Day, and is presented in partnership with Melbourne’s own Starward whisky distillery, so you can order dad a special whisky to cap off a perfect family lunch.

Yum yum yum.

For other great Father’s Day lunch ideas, consider the Feed Me Lunch at Taxi Kitchen, where you can enjoy legendary award-winning chef Tony Twitchett’s famous contemporary Australian-Asian fusion cuisine as part of a sharing-style lunch for just $55pp.