Suzuki Marine Main Stage

Clear your calendar!

Catch, cook and learn with Step Outside with Paul Burt

The Suzuki Marine Main Stage will be buzzing throughout all four days of the Melbourne Boat Show, with a packed program of fishing knowledge, live cooking demonstrations, industry conversations, special guests and prizes.

Hosting the stage is avid angler, television presenter and coastal marine expert Paul Burt, from 7Mate’s Step Outside with Paul Burt. Paul will be cooking an array of delicious seafood dishes inspired by the catch-and-cook lifestyle, including garlic prawns, barramundi pizza and beer-battered gummy shark bites.

Paul will also share practical tips during Perfecting Your Cast, helping beach, bank and boat anglers improve their technique, and host a special Fish Tales and Cocktails session.

Whether you want to catch more fish, improve your skills, discover a new recipe or hear from some of the industry’s leading voices, there will be something happening on stage for you.

View the full program here.

Daily Shimano Zodias Rod Prize Draw

Visitors can win a new Shimano Zodias rod valued at $350 in the Daily Barrel Prize Draw.

The winner must be at the stage when their ticket is drawn. If the winner is not present, the prize will be redrawn—so make sure you are there!

With live cooking, fishing advice, industry guests, awards, and daily prizes, the Suzuki Marine Main Stage is a must-visit attraction at the 2026 Melbourne Boat Show.

Boating Careers and KGM Apprentice of the Year Awards

Join us at the Suzuki Marine Main Stage on Saturday as the winners of the Boating Careers and KGM Apprentice of the Year Awards are announced live.

The awards recognise the skills, commitment and achievements of the next generation of Victoria’s marine professionals across marine mechanics, boat building and marine trimming, as well as the employers supporting their development.

Meet the presenters

Paul Burt

Host of Step Outside with Paul Burt and Channel 7 coastal marine expert
On stage: Daily cooking demonstrations, Thursday’s Perfecting Your Cast and Fish Tales and Cocktails

Paul has been fishing since he could hold a rod and has been a Shimano Pro Angler for more than 30 years.

When he isn’t filming Step Outside, Paul can often be found behind the barbecue at major food, garden and boat shows. At this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, he will combine his passion for fishing and food through entertaining catch-and-cook demonstrations, practical casting advice and plenty of great fishing stories.

Lachie O’Reilly

O’Reely Fishing
On stage: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Topics: Catching gummy sharks and targeting offshore snapper

Lachie has been fishing since the age of three and has turned his lifelong passion into the fishing guide business O’Reely, helping anglers locate and target their chosen species while improving their sounder skills.

Lachie will cover everything from gummy shark locations and bait presentation to targeting offshore snapper. Paul will also join him to cook beer-battered gummy shark bites live on stage.

Bring your questions and take the opportunity to learn from Lachie’s extensive fishing knowledge.

Dale Baxter

Daiwa Pro Angler and kayak fisherman
On stage: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Topic: Improving your kayak and lure fishing

Introduced to fishing as a child, Dale is now a Daiwa Pro Angler and passionate kayak fisherman.

He spends much of his time targeting bream, perch and snapper around Melbourne from his trusty Hobie kayak, as well as chasing trout in Victoria’s rural streams. Dale will share practical advice to help anglers improve their kayak setup, lure selection and fishing techniques.

Liesel Nunn

Garmin specialist and freshwater angler
On stage: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Topics: Murray cod and trout, tackle, techniques and sounder tips

A country girl from East Gippsland, Liesel was introduced to fishing at a young age by her dad, Steve. What began as something they enjoyed together became a lifelong passion and eventually a career in the marine industry.

Liesel joined the Garmin Marine team in Victoria in 2024, combining her love of fishing with her knowledge of marine electronics to help anglers get more from their time on the water.

She particularly enjoys targeting Murray cod, yellowbelly, and trout, and will share advice on tackle, techniques, and using your sounder effectively. You can also ask her about chasing flathead at Mallacoota, barramundi in the Territory or trophy trout in New Zealand.

Peri Stavropoulos

Owner of All Out Fishing and kingfish specialist
On stage: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Topics: Kingfish migrations, rigs, techniques, surface feeding and schooling

Peri is a passionate angler and the owner of All Out Fishing in Geelong. His fascination with fish behaviour, schooling and migration has made him particularly well known for targeting kingfish.

With the kingfish season just around the corner, Peri will explain how to find and catch these powerful fish around Barwon Heads and Port Phillip Heads. From jigging and live baiting to casting surface stickbaits and poppers, this is one session keen anglers will not want to miss.

Steve Threlfall

Murray cod on bait
On stage: Thursday
Topic: The basics of targeting freshwater Murray cod with bait

Drawing on generations of fishing experience and years spent fishing the Goulburn and Murray rivers around Shepparton, Steve has developed a practical approach to targeting Murray cod with bait.

Steve will cover bait, tackle and presentation, along with how to read water flow, structure and fish-holding habitat. His simple and effective advice will help make your next river fishing trip more enjoyable and productive, whether you fish from the bank or a boat.