Atop Republica at the St Kilda Sea Baths, sits a new seaside bar; Captain Baxter. The bar’s mascot was once a real life naval captain (and Melbourne’ first postmaster), now transformed into a kind of giant squid wrestling, marine superhero as spray-painted on the venue’s walls. The space itself has the kind of low-key, crowd-pleasing design you’d expect in this beach-y locale. Lots of natural light and an outside deck at its peak when the sun is blazing. But oh, the drinks are exceptional!

The cocktail menu is a themed balancing act between Australian flavours (Melbourne tea syrup, native spices, West Winds gin), a nod to Baxter’s seafaring, colonial past and tequila and rum-soused concoctions suited to being willingly castaway on any tropical isle. Rarely do I want to try everything on a list; can I get away with saying it’s captains orders here? Who could resist the flower/berry mix of ‘Dick and Moon’ or a ‘Bloody Hounds Meet’ inspired by the old St Kilda foxhunts? I can personally vouch that ‘The Captain’ is a very good starting point.

And if the cocktails take a while to shake you wont mind in the slightest. The views while waiting at the bar allow you to happily perve on bronzed bodies playing Frisbee and generally sunning themselves on the lawns down below.

Meet your new Captain at St Kilda Sea Baths 10-18 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda.

‘The Captain’ cocktail. So tempting I drank half of it before I took this snap.

Hello sailor.

‘The Gallant Fiftieth’; fresh mandarin and creole shrubb, brown sugar, Angostura bitters