The Bundaberg region is alive with natural wonders that draw visitors from all over the world. One of the most unique is the Mon Repos Nightly Turtle Encounter, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that'll leave you feeling like David Attenborough in the making. During Bundaberg turtle season, which runs from November to March, you can experience turtle conservation first-hand on the only ranger-guided turtle encounter on the east coast. Between November and January, you can witness mother turtles emerge from the deep blue and make their way up the beach to nest under the moonlight. Later in the season (late-January to late-March), you'll be able to look on as adorable hatchlings emerge from their sandy nests and scurry down to the beach. Images: Tourism and Events Queensland
It sounds like somewhere James Bond might hide away between missions — or, during a job, where he'd hunt down his latest nemesis. But inside the summit of Sölden's Gaislachkogl Mountain in Austria, visitors will soon find a museum dedicated to 007, particularly focusing on the character's most recent movie outing. If you're wondering why — why Sölden and why Spectre, specifically — it's because the latter flick shot scenes at the former location. It seems that's enough reason to bring 007 Elements to town, with the project being called "a new James Bond cinematic installation." From its description, however, it sounds rather like a series of galleries. When the space opens on July 12, it'll walk audiences through the various signature elements that go into making a Bond flick, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look in a new and inventive way. With Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre art director Neal Callow acting as the project's creative director, expect the museum to boast some serious insider know-how — all in a bespoke 1300-square-metre building that has been constructed within the mountain, spans two levels and is situated 3050 metres above sea level. "We want to use this incredible location to place our guests into Bond's environment, and bring the stories to life in a unique and unforgettable way," explains Callow. The franchise's other 24 movies to date will also feature, as will spectacular views over the Ötztal Alps.
They call it Tina — The Tina Turner Musical, oh Tina — The Tina Turner Musical — and it's finally coming to Australia. After premiering in London back in 2018, this stage ode to the music icon that's had Aussies dancing to 'Nutbush City Limits' for decades is making its way Down Under, locking in its first local stint in Sydney from May 2023. No, it isn't taking to the stage in a church house, gin house, school house or outhouse — or on highway number 19, either. But Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will obviously have Theatre Royal Sydney enjoying Turner's greatest hits in one massive show. The list of musical numbers includes 'Nutbush City Limits', naturally, as well as everything from 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' through to 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical makes its trip Down Under courtesy of TEG DAINTY, Stage Entertainment and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner herself. Announcing the news, the singer said that "Australia has always shared abundant love with me, going back to my early concerts in the late 70s through the uplifting partnership with the National Rugby League. It is very special for me that we will be reunited." "The joy, passion and message of resilience in my musical is so important now as ever. Thank you from the bottom my heart for welcoming me with open arms once again," Turner continued. The singer mightn't have mentioned her appearance in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, but she is indeed part of the beloved Mad Max franchise, too. Exactly what date in May the musical will open hasn't been revealed as yet, but it heads our way after also playing Hamburg, on Broadway, and in Utrecht and Madrid — and it'll tour North America from September. Penned by Tony Award-nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall, plus Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, and directed by fellow Tony-nominee Phyllida Lloyd, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical clearly has quite the story to tell. The show steps through Turner's life and fame, including growing up in Nutbush, Tennessee, the hard work that led to her career, all of those aforementioned hits, her 12 Grammy Awards, her volatile time with Ike Turner and her huge solo success. If you're a fan, Turner herself summed it up — yes, it's simply the best. There's no word yet as to whether Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will head to other Australian cities, but cross your fingers while you're doing the Nutbush, obviously. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will open its Australian-premiere season at Theatre Royal Sydney from May 2023, with the exact launch date still to be announced. To join the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website. Images: Manuel Harlan.
A city can never have too many fish and chips shops. In a place that's as frequently warm and sunny as Brisbane, that definitely rings true. Who in Queensland doesn't crave a grilled fillet of the ocean's finest, a few slivers of fried potato and a refreshing salad at least once a week? Of course, when it comes to fish and chipperies, there's the takeaway type and then there's the kind that you can enjoy a relaxing meal in. One hits the greasy spot. The other gives the fast food staple a fancier twist. Opening its doors at Vulture Street's Glass Factory, Sea Fuel Fish & Chips falls firmly into the latter category. Indeed, their padded booth seating and well-stocked bar certainly makes that clear, and that's before perusing the menu. Food-wise, all of the old favourites are on offer — including burgers for lunch — so pick your choice of fish and get munching. Our recommendation is the seafood platter, as stacked with calamari, prawn cutlets, sea scallops, fish pieces, beer-battered chips and your choice of salad, all served up for one, two or three people. It not only goes well with a pint of Stone & Wood Pacific Ale, Asahi Super Dry or James Squire Fifty Lashes off the tap, but makes eating fish and chips the communal experience it really is meant to be.
Everyone loves Jamie's Italian. Or at least that's what we discovered when, back in 2016, we reported that the Jamie Oliver had officially bought back his Australian restaurant chain after its parent company, the Keystone Group, went into receivership. People were ecstatic. Now, after the man, the myth, the legend himself relaunched his six Jamie's Italian restaurants back in March last year, he's throwing us another bone: ten buck pastas. Jamie's Italian Brisbane will offer three signature pasta dishes for only $10, starting January 15 through to the end of the month. In the week of January 15–21 you can choose from Jamie's crab spaghetti, vegetarian tagliatelle bolognese and a next-level ricotta and black pepper ravioli that comes in a lemon sauce. Then, the menu switches, and from January 22–31, a garlicky prawn linguine, octopus ravioli and truffle tagliatelle will be available for a tenner. Pretty lovely jubbly considering some of these dishes are usually priced at up to $32. The $10 pasta will be available at both lunch and dinner.
Do you have the physical endurance of Cadel Evans and the creative genius of Picasso? Michael J. Wallace has found a neat way of combining both of these talents, all while getting the daily dose of fresh air and outdoor exercise that we so dearly need. Wallace creates bicycle routes in his hometown of Baltimore, and then rides them with the accompinament of a GPS tracker. Amazingly, all of these bicycle routes are in fact pictures. So as he pedals along innocently down the streets of B'more, he is in fact drawing his very own geographical masterpiece. Collected in the website WallyGPX, he's drawn and rode some characters and scenarios that are impressive in their complexity. These include a man surfing, a semi-trailer, and even a depiction of the landing on the moon. Given that one wrong turn could effectively ruin his canvas, you've got to appreciate this man's ambition. Do you have the energy and skill to create your own artistic bicycle or running routes? Give it a go in your hometown, and see if your friends can guess what picture you've mapped out. In effect, this could become a game of Draw Something - but way harder and infinitely more awesome.
First, the bad news. If you're a yoga lover and you'd like to bend and stretch in a former prison, a Halloween session offering just that has sold out already for this year. But, if you're feeling less flexible — physically, at least — you can still hear creepy stories and wander through Boggo Road Gaol's unsettling history as part of a Ghosts & Gallows tour. They take place regularly, although if you're looking for some real-life bumps and jumps, now is the perfect time to take a mosey. Spots are still available for Wednesday, October 28, Thursday, October 29 and Sunday, November 1, when you can spend two hours in a place that's supposedly haunted — and test out whether you're just brave when you're watching horror movies, or in real life. Tickets cost $45 each, and you'll receive a book about Boggo Road's ghostly history as part of the price. You will need to come prepared, however — with every attendee required to bring their own torch. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
Gemelli Italian has set up shop in Fortitude Valley's bustling James Street precinct, marking the Gold Coast-based chain's first Brisbane outpost. You might've eaten at brand's spots down the coast, which include a restaurant in Broadbeach and a trattoria in Nobby Beach, but now it has made the trip up north. Decked out with timber arches to break up the space, and featuring large windows as well, Gemelli's James Street eatery has a light and airy feel. Settling into the McLachlan and James street corner site that was previously home to Bucci, it's serving up pizza, pasta, antipasti and sweet dishes such as deep-fried dessert gnocchi and Nutella calzones, all inside a three-level dining space. Here, you can start with the cherry tomato, buffalo mozzarella and parmesan-topped bruschetta, then move on to a black olive and black anchovy pizza or the carbonara, or opt for bistecca or saltimbocca. The drinks list favours Italian beers and wines, too, and you can sip classic Italian cocktails — negronis, bellinis, rossinis and the like — or try house concoctions such as the Sicilian margarita. Those pizzas? They're cooked in a bespoke oven from Naples. Those tipples? They hail from the bar at the back. Fancy some salumi? There's a display fridge filled with it. Images: PHNX Digital.
Going to a bar where everybody knows your name might be something that only happens in sitcoms, however West End's new pub, The Montague Hotel, will make you feel like that could occur. When it opened in April, it didn't hide the fact that it wants to be the area's new local haunt — and once you've been there, you'll probably be inspired to drop by the Monty quite often. Forget the drinks — a mark of a great pub is a varied menu of comforting eats. If you can see yourself eating there every day of the week, that's an ace sign. Good ol' Monty serves up three kinds of fries (potato, sweet potato and the cheese wonder that is haloumi), seven types of burgers, steaks, schnitzels, pizzas, salads and rotisserie chicken, lamb and pork, all of which is sure to get your tastebuds pumping. Oh, and who doesn't want an espresso martini ice cream sundae for dessert?
Betty's Burgers just keeps expanding its empire, with the Shake Shack-style joint opening its latest Brisbane outpost at Howard Smith Wharves. The new store — the fast-growing chain's fourth in Brissie — comes less than five years after opening its first eatery in Noosa, and less than two years after finally making the move from the Sunshine Gold coasts. First announced in April, Betty's new location not only pairs the brand with one of the city's best new precincts, but with a river view. Yes, that means tucking into burgs, onion rings and frozen custard while peering out over the water. Given the chain's coastal beginnings, Betty's has always had a beach burger bar vibe, so its new digs are rather fitting. The HSW spot joins existing stores in Chermside, Newstead and Indooroopilly. As always, burg-lovers can expect plenty of their favourite dish, plus thickshakes and five types of 'concretes' — those aforementioned frozen custard desserts. For those keeping count, this makes 11 Betty's stores in southeast Queensland, with further eateries in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. At HSW, Betty's sits alongside an ever-expanding range of places and spaces — a riverside brewery, overwater bar, Greek taverna and cliffside hotel among them. In the coming months, the inner-city spot will also welcome a Japanese bar and a Chinese restaurant. Betty's Burgers is now open at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane. Head to the burger chain's website and Facebook page for further details.
December might be the merriest time of the year, but come late April and all throughout May in Brisbane, the funniest part of the annual calendar arrives. That's when the Brisbane Comedy Festival hits these days, after moving around dates over its lifetime — and if you're already eager to giggle your way from Friday, April 28 till Sunday, May 29, 2023, the event has just dropped its first round of lineup announcements. Brisbane, get ready to laugh — because a whole heap of chuckle-inducing comedians are coming to Brisbane Powerhouse, The Fortitude Music Hall and The Tivoli. All up, more than 100 amusing artists will take to the stage, with BCF revealing 40 shows so far, spanning both international and local names. On the visitors list: Danny Bhoy, Micky Bartlett, Ed Byrne, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe, Chris Parker and Ivan Aristeguieta, with both BCF favourites and first-timers taking the trip to try to make Brisbane guffaw and chortles. Among the Aussie contingent, comedy fans can look forward to Mel Buttle, The Umbilical Brothers, Wil Anderson, Peter Helliar, Rove McManus, Anne Edmonds and Lloyd Langford, as well as Dilruk Jayasinha and Geraldine Hickey. And these days, we basically count Irish comedian Jimeoin as a local, don't we? The first-round bill also includes Reuben Kaye, Lizzy Hoo, Michael Hing, Jason Manford, Tommy Little, Tom Ballard and the cabaret-style Dirty Flame Flash Candles Club. And, there's the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars, the Multicultural Comedy Gala and Queerstories, plus the return of Two-Man Tarantino, the Sunday Roast and Shit-Faced Shakespeare. When the complete roster of talent hits in mid-February, it'll also see BCF feature more than 350 individual shows across five huge weeks, primarily at Brisbane Powerhouse. While Fortitude Music Hall will host the opening gala, and The Tiv will act as a satellite festival hub, New Farm's riverside arts precinct will boast six stages in its main Powerhouse Theatre, Underground Theatre, The Studio, Rooftop Terrace, Park Mezzanine and Graffiti Room. The venue's new Pleasuredome will be included, too, operating as an outdoor comedy club for a number of special events. As well as standup sets, BCF 2023 will include everything from musical comedy and comic theatre shows through to comedy cabaret and variety nights — so, its usual round up of everything possible that could make you laugh while in and around a theatre. "It's a smorgasbord in the truest sense of the word, with global comedy legends sharing space with fresh faces on the fast track to national notoriety," said Brisbane Comedy Festival Director Phoebe Meredith, announcing the first 2023 lineup. "The comedians' shows are just as diverse. From public figures behaving badly to the rising cost of living and modern-day mental health crisis, there's no shortage of topics ripe for scrutiny, and nothing and no one is spared!" The 2023 Brisbane Comedy Festival will take place between Friday, April 28–Sunday, May 29. For further details and tickets — with the first shows on sale from Friday, December 2 — head to the festival's website.
If you're a longtime Brisbanite, you are probably well acquainted with the sandwiches at Dannyboys. Owner Danny McKennariey opened the original Dannyboys back in 2011 and it quickly grew a bit of a cult following thanks to its epic, made-to-order sandwiches. There are a whopping 24 different sandwiches to choose from, all served on a good ol' fashioned crusty baguette (or you could swap to a lettuce wrap if you'd prefer). There are also flatgrills, brekkie rolls, soups and fries, too. We won't distract you further by talking about the Big Porky Roll or the Cuban Flatgrill (both firm winners, in our humble opinion). Instead, we are going to let you in on the solid dessert selection available for takeaway and delivery. Think jumbo cookies that are promised to be 'bigger than your hand', chocolate caramel brownies and puppy chow — not dog food, but instead a sugary snack mix of cereal, chocolate and peanut butter. Dannyboys also bakes cupcakes daily, so give the store a quick ring to find out which flavour the team whipped up this morning. If it's the key lime pie ones, then you are truly blessed.
Dramatising the events at Chernobyl in 1986, where a power plant accident caused the worst nuclear disaster in human history, was never going to make for cheery viewing. But the Chernobyl miniseries drips with so much dread and dismay that it oozes from the screen, infecting everyone watching and burrowing deep into viewers' souls. That's by design, and also 100-percent necessary. There's no way to revisit this chapter of history without being horrified. And that reaction applies not just to the intricacies of Saturday, April 26 in that fateful year, but to everything that lead up to the disaster, as well as the bureaucratic and government response that followed. Writer/creator Craig Mazin and director Johan Renck bring all of the above to the screen in devastating, meticulously researched detail, with exceptional help from stars Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson and Paul Ritter. The end result may only span five episodes, but it represents some of the best TV made in the 21st century.
"Mulder and Scully but in a country where nothing happens": that's how Taika Waititi described What We Do in the Shadows New Zealand television spinoff Wellington Paranormal on Twitter back before the hilarious supernatural series even hit screens. Across three seasons so far, those words have rung true in inventive and amusing ways — and viewers will be able to see them prove accurate yet again when the hit show returns on Wednesday, February 16. Wellington Paranormal's fourth season will start airing this week — via SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand in Australia and TVNZ 2 in New Zealand — which is as exciting as every time that police officers Karen O'Leary and Mike Minogue solve one of the mockumentary-style series' otherworldly (and highly entertaining) cases. But, this return also comes with sad news, because this will be the show's final run. That means you've got six more episodes, airing weekly, to spend with the Cops-esque spinoff, and with Wellington's trusty paranormal investigators — which also includes the always-eager Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu). Already, we've seen the crew try to keep the city safe from not only vampires and werewolves, but also ghosts, aliens and more; however, thankfully they've still got half a dozen cases left to solve. Equally funny and silly, and never afraid to bring other familiar What We Do in the Shadows faces, Wellington Paranormal was the first of two TV shows based on Waititi and Jemaine Clement's addition to the undead world — alongside the Emmy-nominated US television series also called What We Do in the Shadows that focuses on vampires sharing a house in Staten Island. We all know that bloodsuckers can be slain by staking them in the heart and lycanthropes aren't fond of silver bullets, but this undead franchise has just kept enduring after it initially jumped from a short film to a side-splittingly hilarious feature-length comedy, even if Wellington Paranormal is now coming to an end. In advance of the show's final episodes hitting screens, a trailer for Wellington Paranormal's fourth season has dropped, which you can check out below: Here's a sneak peak of Season 4 of #WellingtonParanormal, courtesy of our mates at @TVNZ. This Wednesday 16th February, Australia catch it on @SBSOnDemand and NZ on TVNZ 2 👍 pic.twitter.com/yDXq7EBWM7 — Wellington Paranormal (@WellyParanormal) February 13, 2022 Wellington Paranormal's fourth and final season starts screening on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand in Australia and TVNZ 2 from Wednesday, February 16.
Embrace the opportunity to learn the ancient culture and traditions of the Kuku Yalanji people on this full day tour starting from Cooya Beach, approximately a 20-minute drive north of Port Douglas. Kubirri Warra brothers Linc and Brandon will share their traditional fishing and gathering techniques to catch fish, mussels and crabs which will later be enjoyed. A visit to the Mossman Gorge Centre will follow where you'll have the opportunity to browse locally made artworks before witnessing a traditional smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country if you attend the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Then, you can explore the Daintree National Park including a private swimming hole hidden in the rainforest. Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
When it comes to a snow holiday in Australia, Thredbo is at the top of a lot of people's lists. And, after the ski resort was named Australia's best for the fifth year running at the World Ski Awards earlier this year it makes sense that so many holiday makers flock there each winter. If you're not a regular at Thredbo, you might be wondering what exactly makes it stand out from other snow holiday destinations — and that's where we come in. Turns out there's a whole lot more on offer than exceptional alpine activities, from live music to excellent food and, of course, the top-notch skiing and snowboarding. We've teamed up with Thredbo to showcase all the cool ways to have fun there this winter. THE NIGHTLIFE A fully fledged nightlife scene might not be the first thing you imagine when you picture Thredbo. But, at this bustling alpine village, that's exactly what you'll find. The après ski sessions at Thredbo attract loads of snow lovers every year. And, the jewel in the crown at this year's winter festivities is the return of the much-loved evening soirée First Base happening across three Saturdays — July 26, August 20 and September 3. In the past the music event has featured artists like Hayden James, Mickey Kojack, Touch Sensitive and Joyride, and its 2022 lineup is set to be just as impressive. There'll also be regular music events on weekends at Merritts Mountain House and plenty of fun to be had at Alpine Bar. THE FEASTS Thredbo is filled with top-notch eats to keep you fuelled for those big days on the mountains. But it's not just delicious eats that the hospitality venues are serving up. Some of these incredible feasts are their own full-blown events. One upcoming highlight is the Bavarian-inspired dinner happening every Saturday evening from June 18 till September 17 at Merritts Mountain House. To get there, you'll ride a gondola under a starry night sky to your dining destination before enjoying a gluhwein on arrival and an unforgettable feast to follow. Another stand out culinary experience is the Kareela Hutte Snowcat Dinner happening on Wednesdays from July 13 till August 31 — complete with a snowcat ride, champagne and a four-course dinner at the cosy European-style hut, no less. THE SPECIAL SNOW EVENTS A trip to Thredbo wouldn't be complete without some time on the slopes. And there are loads of different ways to get your fix on the mountain that go beyond your standard snowboarding and skiing. Consider yourself an early bird? Wake up before the sun and see it rise from the top of Australia's highest lifted point with a sunrise session. You'll get to have breakfast at the country's highest restaurant, Eagles Nest, and then carve the first tracks into the longest run in the country after the overnight snowfall. If you time your trip right, you might even get to catch some of the action at the Thredbo Snow Series competition, the eighth Annual Transfer Banked Slalom snowboarding event or get involved in Australia's longest and fastest downhill race, Top to Bottom, for it's 30th race happening on August 6. Ready to lock in a trip to the snow this winter? For more information and to book, visit the website. Or, enter the competition before February 28 to win a VIP trip to the slopes this winter.
This time next week sees the culmination of the silly season for many of us, Christmas day. This equals presents, family gatherings and friends, but most importantly, it means food - good food. No doubt many of you will either be hosting your own event, or attending an event at somebodies house. Whether you're tasked with baking a ham or bringing dessert, it's always comforting to know that you are bringing the best produce you can find, which is why we've highlighted Brisbane's top five food markets to pick up a last minute treat and some good grub to keep everyone happy and content on Christmas day, Black Pearl Epicure If you have champagne tastes and a champagne budget then Black Pearl Epicure is the place for you to go. They are one of the leading distributors in fine food and are also Australia's largest importer of caviar and saffron (the most expensive spice in the world!). To ritz up your Christmas day why not enjoy some of their incredible caviar? They stock Simon Johnson's delicious products as well which could be used to make up a decadent Christmas hamper. 36 Baxter Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3851 8517; http://blackpearl.com.au/ Dan and Andy's Hawthorne Garage New this year, the Hawthorne Garage has been a joy to locals, providing a one stop shop for fresh fruit and veg, Leavain bread, specialty items and even Sunday afternoon entertainment. For a fun and laid back experience, pop in to see Dan and Andy who can enthusiastically help you pick out some goodies for Christmas day. 285 Hawthorne Road, Hawthorne; 07 3899 5511; http://www.hawthornegarage.com.au/ Fruity Capers Toowong Westsiders are all too familiar with the delightful treats that Fruity Capers deli has on offer. Located next door to their beautiful fruit and veg store, the deli houses their large cheese selection such as the decadent truffle brie and fresh ricotta. There are plenty of items to make up a delicious antipasto plate for a mediterranean start to your Christmas feast. Ground Floor, Toowong Village; 07 3870 1801 Rosalie Gourmet Markets In the heart of Rosalie Village is the gourmet market which stocks a wide range of fine foods. The market also sells beautiful flowers, unique chocolates and also kitchenware. They have a wide range of Christmas products including cakes, mince pies and glazed ham or some turkey so make sure you head in and get what you need for a traditional Christmas lunch. 1/164 Baroona Road; 07 3876 6222; www.rosaliegourmet.com.au James Street Market James Street Market not only has all the appropriate groceries that you might be after, but amongst all of the stockists in the market is the James Street Fresh Fish Co, perfect for those of you who like to celebrate your Queensland Christmas with seafood. You can pick up some delicious crusty breads to accompany your seafood from French Twist, and for some sweet snacks pop into the Nut Market. 22 James Street, Fortitude Valley; www.jamesstmarket.com.au/changetheessence.shtml
Brisbane's most morbid festival is back, and it has a slightly different name: Deathfest 2.0: A Duel with Death. First staged in 2016 and now returning for its second biennial run, this event is all about confronting a topic that no one usually wants to think or talk about. You know, the end that awaits us all. Running from October 15 to November 4 at Metro Arts, Flowstate and the Ferryman's Hut in Teneriffe, Deathfest features art, film, circus, visual art, discussions and social events — but, given the central theme, none of it is your usual festival fare. Fancy inhabiting the underworld for a one-night shindig filled with roving performers and beverages? Keen to explore the space that separates life from what comes next, in a piece that's part installation and part dance? Eager to see the concept of blood donation turned into art? They're all on the agenda. The festival also boasts plenty of chatter. Another installation involves interviews about death practises in different cultures and religions, while free Wine n Die sessions focus on chats about meeting your maker over a few beverages. Then there's Death in Detail, featuring folks with knowledge of the subject — such as Queensland Ambulance Service medical director Stephen Rashford and suicide survivor Donna Thistlethwaite — discussing their experiences. Attendees can also lie under the trees and hear an audio work about the body after death, watch a circus show about life and memories, and view a textile piece about impermanence. Prefer scary movies instead? Helping wrap up Deathfest is an All Night Film Fest that's filled with flicks about the subject at hand. Image: Paul Blakemore.
This year, due to Australia's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Sydneysiders won't be heading to the now-cancelled Sydney Royal Easter Show. Brisbanites won't be heading to the Ekka, either, or Melburnians to the Royal Melbourne Show, with both of those events cancelled, too. But no matter where in Australia you're located, you can now order showbags online and get them delivered to your home. After the Sydney show's scrapping for 2020, showbag company Chicane Showbags is moving most of its range into a web store that's fittingly called Showbag Shop. Whether you can't get enough Bertie Beetles, have a hankering for a bag filled with KitKats, or would prefer pop culture-themed merchandise (think: The Simpsons, Star Wars and The Beatles), you'll find bags filled with your favourite items here. At the time of writing, only a small variety of bags are available; however Chicane Showbags is aiming to have the majority of its bags in its online store in the coming weeks. We mentioned Bertie Beetles first, of course, because they've become such a show favourite — and to reflect that fact, there are ten different options available. These self-isolating, stay-at-home, generally restricted times might go smoother with a big stash of insect-themed chocolates, after all, with three showbags available for $8, a huge 80-Bertie Beetle bag on offer for $29 and a box of 350 Bertie Beetles (with your choice of a Bertie Beetle mug or a Bertie Beetle plush toy) costing $99. [caption id="attachment_765741" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Chicane Showbags[/caption] Other items currently available include Smarties, Wonka and Snakes Alive bags stuff with lollies; Captain America and Black Panther bags filled with Marvel merchandise; Stella Athletic bags with sporty fashion items and Coast to Coast Skincare bags featuring the obvious. Bags ship Australia-wide, arriving in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane within one to three business days — and in Perth in around five to seven. There is a weight limit on each purchase, though, if you're currently thinking of filling your cupboards with showbags, with only 40 kilograms available per order. Chicane Showbags is now selling showbags online via the Showbag Shop — visit the store's website for further details. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Le1f, Bec Sandridge and Alex the Astronaut will headline the lineup of artists at this year's Gaytimes music festival. Set to take place over three days and two nights at the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort an hour and a half outside of Melbourne (where Paradise is held), the LGBTIQ-friendly event will feature more than 30 local and international music acts, as well as art shows, film screenings, speed dating and more. As the organisers put it: it's the camping festival "of your big gay dreams". The 18+ festival runs from February 16 to 18. Other standout acts who'll take the stage include Chicago DJ Chrissy, Paul Mac and Johnny Seymour's Stereogamous and Triple J Unearthed's Miss Blanks. In addition to the tunes, the festival will feature an array of additional action, from performance art and life drawing workshops to yoga and a drag race. Perhaps the most exciting thing will be a pop-up wedding chapel where same-sex couples will be able to get hitched (for real — it's legal now!) on the mountain. Shoot hello@gaytimes.com.au an email for more info on that one. The site will boast a cocktail bar, a coffee cart and food trucks, and you can even shell out for glamping if you're feeling extra. In keeping with their inclusive approach, Gaytimes will, as always, enforce a no tolerance policy for anti-social, homophobic, transphobic or racist behaviour. So don't be a jerk, and you should be A-okay.
Every year, on the last Saturday in March, Earth Hour focuses the world's attention on the planet via a vitally important symbolic gesture. Although carbon is saved by turning things off, the point is the unmissable demonstration — with a huge chunk of the world's population caring about the same thing at the same time. If we can manage this for Earth Hour, why not for grander environmental things? It all started in Sydney in 2007, and has become an international event in the years since, with hundreds of millions of people taking part in more than 7000 cities across over 180 countries. Of course, in 2020, things will be a bit different, with no out-of-home activities taking place — but Earth Hour is still asking everyone to join in by staying in the house and turning off the lights at 8.30pm AEDT on Saturday, March 28 (7.30pm AEST). While you're sitting in the dark, you can also live-stream a heap of performers thanks to Earth Hour Live, with Montaigne, Cody Simpson, Jack River, Polish Club, Bobby Alu, Ella Haber, Dulcie and Alice Skye all on the bill — and journalist Patrick Abboud on hosting duties. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89ZegTD4buQ&feature=emb_logo And, although you won't be able to see them yourself, local and global landmarks and tourist spots such as the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Luna Park, the Wheel of Brisbane, Melbourne Star Observation Wheel, the Eiffel Tower, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Tokyo Skytree, Brandenburg Gate, the Colosseum in Rome, Taipei 101, the Petronas Twin Towers, the Ali Qapu Palace, the Akropolis and Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong are all getting into the Earth Hour spirit by switching their lights off for an hour, too. Images: Earth Hour 2019. Sydney. Luna Park, The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, photographed from Lavender Street, Lavender Bay. Photography by Quentin Jones. 30 March 2019. © Quentin Jones / WWF-Aus The Melbourne Star turns out its lights for Earth Hour 2018. © Alain Nguyen / WWF-Aus Story Bridge, Brisbane with lights switched off to celebrate 10 years of Earth Hour, Brisbane, 25 March 2017. © Anastasia Woolmington / WWF-Aus.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Brisbane, as happens each year once Halloween ends and November arrives. But come Friday, November 25, for a whole month leading up to the big day, the Brisbane CBD and South Bank will be brimming with festive cheer — whether you're keen on shopping your way through markets, peering at dazzling lights or getting comfy (and merry) with a drink in your hand. Brisbane City Council and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner have unveiled the lineup of Christmas events that'll be decking out the city's two major inner-city precincts, and it's filled with both beloved returning highlights and new reasons to get merry. Some, like the Enchanted Garden in Roma Street, are popular favourites set to dazzle again — so much so that tickets to see its 22,000 square metres of lights have already sold out. Others, like the 'Tinsel Tavern' and Christmas jazz lounge, are fresh additions to your seasonal itinerary. It all kicks off on Friday, November 25 with the annual lighting of King George Square's 22-metre-tall Christmas tree, as well as the Enchanted Garden's launch. If you missed out on a booking to the latter, mark out most of December in your diary, as that's when the bulk of the rest of the events take place. For nabbing gifts, Brisbane Arcade's two-day Christmas markets, the BrisStyle twilight Christmas markets in King George Square and The Collective Markets' six-day Christmas edition at South Bank all return, joining the city's hefty list of places to browse and buy beyond shopping centres. In the CBD, there'll also be nightly light shows at City Hall, running from 7.30pm–12am from Friday, December 9–Saturday, December 24; daily roving performances in the mall across the same dates; and the Lord Mayor's Christmas Carols on Saturday, December 10 at the Riverstage. Or, kick back at the jazz lounge around the Queen Street Mall's stage, with performances by Scat Jazz. South Bank will concentrate its festive fun between Saturday, December 17–Thursday, December 22, including daily pantomime shows, a free Santa photo station at Flowstate, and the return of Christmas Cinema by the river — complete with free double features, with Elf, Last Christmas, Arthur Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Holiday, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Happiest Season among the flicks on the bill. And, the Tinsel Tavern will set up on Little Stanley Street Lawn, serving tipples nightly from 4.30–10pm — and thoroughly saying cheers to the silly season. Brisbane City Council's 2022 Christmas program will take over the Brisbane CBD and South Bank from Friday, November 25–Saturday, December 24. Head to the Visit Brisbane website for further details.
In 2017, Australia scored a brand-new arts festival: Asia TOPA, aka the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts, which fills Melbourne venues with a banquet of Asian arts and culture. Then came the early days of the pandemic, putting the event on hiatus since 2020. Thankfully, that gap is ending in 2025 — and bringing a lineup featuring 33 performances, 18 of which will make their world premiere, to locations across the Victorian capital. Asia TOPA is announcing its roster for Thursday, February 20–Monday, March 10, 2025 in stages, with its performance strand its headline program, as well as the first to unveil its details. One big highlight, which was revealed in October: KAGAMI, a mixed-reality concert experience that lets audiences watch a virtual avatar of the late, great Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto at the piano. Making its southern-hemisphere premiere at the festival, the production sees attendees don headsets, enjoy ten original Sakamoto compositions and pay tribute to the music icon. KAGAMI heads Down Under after seasons in New York and UK, and also Singapore prior to Asia TOPA. [caption id="attachment_979460" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tin Drum[/caption] Another of the fest's standouts was also unveiled before the full performance lineup drop — and it's another event with an interactive element. Home Bound by Daniel Kok and Luke George is asking a variety of Melbourne communities to come together to make a woven installation that'll transform Arts Centre Melbourne's forecourt. Whether you take part or not, the results will be a sight to see. Just announced in Asia TOPA's opening-night slot: Milestone from William Yang. As he'll also do at 2025's Sydney Festival, the now 80-year-old artist will reflect upon his life at the one-night-only event, with his photos and stories paired with a new score by Elena Kats-Chernin performed live on stage. In Melbourne, Milestone is headed to Hamer Hall — and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will also be part of the show. [caption id="attachment_979461" align="alignnone" width="1920"] George Gittoes[/caption] Dance company Chunky Move joins the lineup with U>N>I>T>E>D, which will take to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl stage, feature techno beats inspired by Javanese trance and gamelan, and feature six dancers wearing exoskeleton costumes. At Arts Centre Melbourne's Playhouse, Yolŋu, Paiwan and Amis artists hailing from North East Arnhem Land and Taiwan will join forces for cross-cultural collaboration Gapu Ŋgupan (Chasing the Rainbow). And Chinese mourning rituals provide the spark for Mindy Meng Wang and Monica Lim's Opera for the Dead (祭歌) at Space 28 at the University of Melbourne. Patrons can also look forward to Ane Ta Abia, a choral concert featuring singers and musicians from Papua New Guinea and Australia; the tunes, lasers and projections of Oblation by Tamil Australian electronic composer Vijay Thillaimuthu; queer Indigenous arts collective FAFSWAG's dance piece SAUNIGA; and an ode to cute animals via theatremaker Ran Chen's Tiny, Fluffy, Sweet. Or, there's also the return of A Nightime Travesty after its YIRRAMBOI Festival 2023 sellout run, Yumi Umiumare's ButohBAR 番狂わせ OUT of ORDER II turning Abbotsford Convent into a nightclub and family-friendly puppet show Goldfish. [caption id="attachment_979462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cam Matheson[/caption] With the NGV about to go dotty for Yayoi Kusama — starting to already, in fact — for it summer blockbuster exhibition, Melanie Lane's Pulau (Island) is another of Asia TOPA's must-sees. Specifically commissioned for the festival, it's a site-specific response that'll be performed beneath Kusama's Dots Obsession installation, and it's only on the program for two days. "I hope this edition of Asia TOPA resounds with the resilience, joy and creativity of the artists from our region. We want the triennial to be a way for people to build new connections and imagine new futures," said Asia TOPA Creative Director Jeff Khan, announcing the performance strand program. "I hope you join us for this celebration of the inspiring artistry, ideas and possibilities that are so unique to Asia-Pacific art and culture." [caption id="attachment_979463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gianna Rizzo[/caption] [caption id="attachment_979464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chen Chou Chang[/caption] [caption id="attachment_979465" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Pham[/caption] [caption id="attachment_979466" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dewie Bukit[/caption] Asia TOPA 2025 runs from Thursday, February 20–Monday, March 10, 2025 at venues across Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for more details and tickets. Top image: Samuel James.
Cloudland has long been one of Brisbane's most ooh-la-la establishments, with at least one friend in every circle holding a tale of being turned away by security for not wearing a suit. But lapels and ego should be swapped for rhythm and tap shoes on Thursday nights, because you can catch live music from 7pm and take free salsa lessons between 7 – 9pm. But that's not all, every Wednesday night from 8pm you can twirl into free swing dance lessons by Empire Swing and live '30s-inspired music by Seventh Avenue Swing Band from 9pm till late.
Having a bad day? Had a forgettable week, month or start to 2022 so far? Here's something that cures all woes: Nicolas Cage. It's impossible to be annoyed or frustrated when you're watching one of the greatest actors alive make on-screen magic as only he can, whether he's in an excellent or awful movie. And when he's going all in on being himself, as he is in the new trailer for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, it's balm for even the crankiest and weariest of souls. As announced back in 2021, and dropping its first sneak peek last year, too, Cage's new movie stars Cage as Cage — and he's visibly having a ball doing so. Whether the film itself turns out to be any good is clearly yet to be seen, but the Cage glimpsed in the two trailers so far knows everything that's ever been said or written about him, leans in and goes for broke. Serious Cage, comedic Cage, out-there Cage, OTT Cage, short-haired Cage, floppy-haired Cage, slick Cage, gun-toting Cage, every-facial-expression-imaginable Cage: they're all accounted for. There is a story behind the film's excellent idea, obviously. The fictionalised Cage is in a career lull, and is even thinking about giving up acting, when he accepts an offer to attend a super fan-slash-billionaire's birthday. Getting paid $1 million is just too much to pass up, and he needs the money. But when it turns out that he's now working for and palling around with one of the most ruthless men on the planet (played by Pedro Pascal, Wonder Woman 1984), as a couple of intelligence agents (The Afterparty co-stars Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz) eventually tell him, things get mighty chaotic. Also joining Cage playing Cage — not to be confused with his work in Adaptation, where he played two characters — are Sharon Horgan (This Way Up) and Neil Patrick Harris (The Matrix Resurrections). And, Are We Officially Dating? filmmaker Tom Gormican sits in the director's chair, because if there's anything else that this movie also needs, it's the director of a Zac Efron and Michael B Jordan-starring rom-com pivoting to total Cage worship. Again, whether this'll be one of Cage's undeniable delights or pure cinematic mayhem won't be discovered until the film hits cinemas — but seeing him play and parody himself really does demand everyone's eyeballs. And, although we're never too far away from a new Cage project, nothing yet has indulged the world's collective case of Cage fever like this appears to. That's the thing about Cage: when an actor adds new movies to their resume quickly — popping up in new flicks every couple of months or so, and never proving far from their next film — there's a chance they might run out of worthy on-screen opportunities, but that never applies to him. He's prolific, he stars in far too many terrible flicks, when he's at his best he's downright brilliant, and he always has something interesting around the corner. In 2021 alone, he shouted expletives from Netflix, battled demonic animatronics and teamed up with one of Japan's most out-there filmmakers. He also played a truffle hunter on a quest for revenge after his pet pig is stolen, in the aptly named Pig, which was one of the year's definite movie highlights. The latter saw him turn in one of the best performances of his career, in fact, but Cage has obviously been preparing for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent his entire life. Yes, we've seen Cage break out of Alcatraz, sing Elvis songs, run around the streets convinced that he's a vampire, let his long hair flap in the wind and swap faces. He's voiced a version of Spider-Man, driven fast cars, fought space ninjas and stolen babies as well. Staying in his own shoes definitely stands out, though, with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent hitting cinemas in April. Check out the trailer for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent below: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent will release in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on April 21, 2022.
If you're acknowledging the right sources, you'll know dance was invented in 1984 in a small midwestern town in Illinois by one Kevin Bacon — it's textbook history. Since then, dancing has become one of our most basic of human needs, so you shouldn't ever need an excuse to put on your red shoes and dance the blues. But sometimes you need a little push, and often the only reason you really need to get down is that Brisbane has some A-grade dance floors — with top-notch DJs and beat-heavy music to match. It's well and good to go out for a nice quiet drink, but sometimes you've just got to get gussied up, lose the shame tingles and pretend you're auditioning for Step Up 7. To get your second left foot right, we’ve listed a few of Brisbane's best spots where you can raise your glass, flip your hair back and break out The Elaine the way Larry David intended: with not a care in the world. Black Bear Lodge This Fortitude Valley dance stop is the kingpin of entertainment that rarely receives the credit it's due. From intimate live gigs to DJs that will happily play Fleetwood Mac's Tusk in its entirety, you can't really get away with sitting still at this cosy (often rather crazy) upstairs joint. Occasionally, the venue plays host to those uppity gigs where everyone is a little 'too cool to function' — prompting little more than a gentle sway — but when the beats are high-flying, with lights so dim you can get away with anything, even those with most cuffed of jeans can find themselves lost to the rhythm of the night. Level 1, 322 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley Lefty's Old Time Music Hall Lefty’s provides the most hospitable, all-encompassing dance floor in Brisbane, hands down. One moment you might be jigging with a suit, the next throwing down organised moves with your life-of-the-party sister. Lefty's age range starts at 18-year-old newbies giving their brand new IDs a workout, and catapults up to 60-year-old legends who remember when Cash was the real deal and Brooks wasn't ironic. Drinks aren't cheap but they’re high quality, as is the atmosphere, live music and overall moves — so break some. 15 Caxton Street, Brisbane Ric's Ric's Bar is home to the ultimate Neapolitan dance scene. You want a spot of trashy Potbelleez and electro-buzz, trek upstairs. You want The Smiths, Stones (Rolling or Roses) and a bit of Beck, stick downstairs. You want live music, come early. You want a dance floor filled with the dazed and confused, stick around till late. Testament to Ric’s dance floor is its tolerance — knock someone, they’ll probably smile at you and apologise. Head along on Thursday for $4 drinks and the kickass realisation that you do actually swing your like Shakira (according to the Ric's wall mirrors and that fifth rum and coke). 321 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley No Lights, No Lycra Are you so self conscious about your dancing you confine it to bedrooms, bathrooms and empty supermarket aisles? Then fear no more, No Lights, No Lycra is a worldwide phenomenon occurring locally at the Colossus Reception Lounge. The deal is simple (and the clue's in the title) — there’s no lights, no lycra, no dance steps to learn and no teacher; it’s all free movement. NLNL is a completely daggy, ego-free way of shaking out your stresses of the week and practising those killer moves you've been hiding for so many years. Check out the website for the next event. 71 Jane Street, West End Cloudland Cloudland has long been one of Brisbane's most ooh-la-la establishments, with at least one friend in every circle holding a tale of being turned away by security for not wearing a suit. But lapels and ego should be swapped for rhythm and tap shoes on Thursday nights, because you can catch live music from 7pm and take free salsa lessons between 7 – 9pm. But that's not all, every Wednesday night from 8pm you can twirl into free swing dance lessons by Empire Swing and live '30s-inspired music by Seventh Avenue Swing Band from 9pm till late. 641 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley Rumpus Room If you're reluctant to head to the city, Valley or anywhere on that side of the river, then Rumpus Room is your go-to. This back-to-basics venue holds all the wilderness of the Valley, right in the middle of West End amongst all your favourite restaurants. With drinks at West End prices, Rumpus Room is perfectly situated so you can have a pre- or post-dinner dance — it’s the type of floor that’s never not inundated after 9pm. Bless the West. 56 Russell Street, West End The Bank This isn't a joke. Give credit where credit is due. The Bank (now known as Brunswick & Ann) has long been catering to Brisbane's rap-demigods and Ginuwine-worshippers (who doesn't like a healthy fist-pump?). What's more, the drinks here are ridiculous — this might be the only dance floor left in Brisbane entirely fuelled by jelly shots, vodka slushies and lychee Cruisers. Obviously, don't come to The Bank with your nan or conservative buds — and don't come here sober for that matter. This is just one of those little gems that's long been making people cringe, when they should be jumping in and getting well crunk. 336 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
In these multi-purpose, multi-tasking, multi-hyphenate-filled times, the idea of a winery simply featuring rows of vines, the facilities to make vino, and somewhere to buy and drink it is long gone. Sure, all of the above are still included — but so are sculpture gardens, luxury hotels and four-acre spaces filled with edible greenery, plus giant five-storey cubes. The latter is the standout attraction at South Australian winery d'Arenberg, which opened its new centrepiece in McLaren Vale on December 14. More than 14 years and $15 million in the making, the towering structure looks like a partially twisted Rubik's Cube floating above the plants below. Of course, even over-sized versions of everyday puzzles don't usually feature an art gallery, a wine inhalation room, a virtual fermenter, a blending bench, a video room or a smartphone app-linked functionality that's being dubbed an "alternate reality wine museum." A cellar door and a restaurant are part of the space as well, the former boasting panoramic views over McLaren Vale, the Willunga Hills and the Gulf St Vincent, and the latter serving up seasonally changing degustations over two levels. Anyone visiting for a sip and to stock up their own wine reserves can expect to pay $10 to enter, then try 30 different grape varieties, 70 wines and choose from four different premium tasting flights (for an extra fee). Meanwhile, hungry attendees can feast on a menu cooked up by husband and wife team Brendan Wessels and Lindsay Durr. Other highlights include 115 televisions, and a glass roof that features 16 hydraulic umbrellas — which lift in a choreographed sequence. As well as proving unlike any other winery in the country, it's anticipated that the massive square will become a tourist attraction. "The d'Arenberg Cube has been a once in a lifetime project – high tech, yet grounded in the dirt of our McLaren Vale vineyard, with views to the future," explains d'Arenberg Wines chief winemaker and viticulturalist Chester Osborn. Images: d'Arenberg.
Since first jamming in a white goods warehouse in Adelaide, Bad//Dreems aren't playing to an audience of washing machines any more. Their breakthrough singles 'Dumb Ideas' and 'Cuffed and Collared' ensured that their brand of underground guitar rock found its way to Australian airwaves. Before long, they were sharing stages with the likes of The Preatures, Wavves and Cosmic Psychos, and billed for Groovin' The Moo, Laneway Festival and Splendour in the Grass. Now, to mark the release of their debut LP, Dogs At Bay, Bad//Dreems are playing shows all over Australia in September and October. Recorded with renowned producer Mark Opitz (AC/DC, The Angels, INXS, Cold Chisel) and Colin Wynne, the album is mostly about the band's relationship with Adelaide — but anyone who hails from a small town will relate. "At its best [Adelaide] is an idyllic town, with a temperate climate and beautiful surrounds. At its worst it is stiflingly conservative, inward looking and somewhat bereft of culture," says guitarist Alex Cameron. "The record is about growing up and living in Adelaide, as well as leaving and returning there. There's nothing parochial about this though. It's just what we know. I think the experiences are probably common to everyone who has a hometown."
NAIDOC Week is always a special occasion on the cultural calendar. But in 2025, the event takes on even more significance, as it reaches its 50-year milestone as a week-long extravaganza. Though the seeds of this event stretch back much further — usually pinned to 1938, when Indigenous activists held the Day of Mourning — NAIDOC Week has grown into a national movement, offering up a thriving annual event filled with rewarding experiences. Each year, NAIDOC Week has a unique theme. In 2025, it speaks to a promising path — 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy'. Celebrating the achievements of the past while stepping into tomorrow, expect a nationwide event grounded in community, where culinary experiences, cultural encounters and kid-friendly activities build towards a bright future. Ready to get involved? Here's what you can't miss during NAIDOC Week 2025. KOORIE HERITAGE TRUST NAIDOC WEEK MARKET — MELBOURNE Fed Square bursts to life with NAIDOC Week each year, with cultural non-profit Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) central to the action. This year, the organisation is hosting the KHT NAIDOC Week Market – a free celebration featuring 20 Indigenous-run stalls that showcase the creativity of Victorian First Peoples makers. Stock up on fashion from Clothing the Gaps, discover handmade jewellery at Haus of Dizzy, or make your home smell better than ever with Mob Melts candles. Held from 1–6pm on Friday, July 11, the market coincides with the free 'NAIDOC in the City' concert, where artists like Electric Fields, Isaiah Firebrace and Scott Darlow take over the stage. NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR — SYDNEY Returning to the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks for its sixth edition from Saturday, July 5–Sunday, July 6, the National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) highlights almost 100 Indigenous artists from 30 of Australia's most remote communities. Most prominently, this year's event features the work of Regina Pilawuk Wilson, an internationally renowned Ngan'gikurrungurr creative and cultural leader behind the Northern Territory's Durrmu Arts. Plus, guests can get immersed in live performances, discussions, bush tucker tastings, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, interactive weaving circles and more. Entry is $3, with proceeds supporting the artists attending the event. LITTLE MOBS AT THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR — SYDNEY Getting down to the National Indigenous Art Fair? Don't leave the kids behind. Just in time for the first weekend of the school holidays, the NIAF presents Little Mobs — a cultural activity program for children guided by First Nations artists. Young visitors are invited to get hands-on with art, nature, movement and culture, with activities such as ochre painting, gumnut jewellery-making, shellwork and more. Meanwhile, inclusive dance workshops led by renowned Indigenous organisations make for an even more interactive encounter. Activities at NIAF are free, with entry to the fair costing $3 per adult and free for kids under 12. '50 YEARS OF NAIDOC' AT THE AYERS ROCK RESORT — NORTHERN TERRITORY The Ayers Rock Resort has gone big for its '50 Years of NAIDOC' feast for the senses, with renowned chef Mark Olive, aka 'The Black Olive', transforming its Arnguli Grill & Restaurant with a set menu teeming with bush food and Indigenous wines. Meanwhile, Olive will also host an intimate dinner on Wednesday, July 9, recounting fascinating stories and insight behind the ingredients. The resort also brings numerous art experiences and cultural activities to the celebration. Aṉangu artists Billy and Lulu Cooley present wood carvings in the Town Square Circle of Sand, while the Sunrise Journeys encounter sees guests connect to Country at dawn through an absorbing combination of laser projection, music and the natural environment. FIRST NATIONS FILM FESTIVAL — NATIONAL There are few better mediums for reflection, celebration and storytelling than film. That means catching a movie or two is ripe for making the most of NAIDOC Week, as online streaming platform FanForce offers the First Nations Film Festival 2025 from Sunday, July 6–Wednesday, August 6. With the Reconciliation Week Collection now extended to Wednesday, August 6, the platform is adding the NAIDOC Collection too, featuring four more features and seven short films. Highlighting cultural strength, connection to Country and intergenerational resilience, the flicks include Warwick Thornton's We Don't Need a Map and Beck Cole's Here I Am. Each collection is available to stream for $38. DOCPLAY NAIDOC WEEK 2025 — NATIONAL Need even more content to stream? DocPlay celebrates Indigenous storytelling by making 11 incredible documentaries free to watch throughout NAIDOC Week. Covering a wide range of topics, from sport and the education system to Canberra's long-standing Aboriginal Tent Embassy, some of the biggest highlights include the Adam Goodes-focused The Australian Dream and You Can Go Now — an examination of influential Australian Aboriginal artist and activist, Richard Bell. With this collection of stories offering rich insight into the community and culture, expect deep dives into remarkable achievements and complex challenges on the road to a brighter future. 'BLING MY HOODY' AT THE HAUS OF DIZZY — MELBOURNE Guided by self-proclaimed Queen of Bling and Wiradjuri designer Kristy Dickinson, 'Bling My Hoodie' is a fun two-hour session made for engaging with First Nations peoples, culture and community. Held at Fitzroy's Haus of Dizzy from 11am on Saturday, July 5, this hands-on lesson invites kids aged six and up to test their eye for design. Customising a blank hoodie using various techniques, Dickinson will teach guests the ins and outs of direct-to-film transfers, iron-on patches and heat-pressed decals to make their piece resonate with big colours and powerful messages. Tickets are $99 and include your hoodie. NAIDOC WEEK AT OPERA BAR — SYDNEY Perched on Sydney Harbour, Opera Bar has a scenic dining experience that will level up your NAIDOC Week adventure from Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13. Crafted by a First Nations culinary team, expect four innovative takes on native ingredients, including kangaroo salami pizzetta and lamb sliders with bush tomatoes. Dessert is also unskippable, as a wattle seed pavlova with poached quince and crème fraîche delivers a rousing finish. Plus, the experience also extends to the drinks, with a signature cocktail duo highlighting foraged plants, like mountain pepper and samphire. Rounding out this delicious encounter are stunning visuals created by Indigenous artist Kyara Fernando, which adorn the menus.
Just when you thought it was safe to watch another film set by the sea, The Shallows takes cinema audiences back into shark-infested waters. More than four decades after Jaws scared viewers away from the shoreline, this Gold Coast-shot American thriller endeavours to do the same. But whereas Steven Spielberg really fleshed out the idea of a menacing creature stalking a small beach town, this new effort, from Non-Stop, Unknown and Run All Night director Jaume Collet-Serra, keeps things much more simple. Blake Lively's holidaying Nancy is first left to fend for herself after a friend opts to skip their planned trip to a secluded spot on the Mexican coast. Giving the jaunt a miss isn't an option for Nancy — not just because the Texan medical student is a keen surfer intent on catching some waves, but because the specific locale has links to her recently deceased mother. When she arrives, two unnamed guys are happily hanging ten. Alas, when they leave, she's joined by a more fearsome, blood-thirsty form of company. If it all sounds like a rather flimsy excuse for another lone survivor film in the same vein as All is Lost and Life of Pi, that's because it is. Collet-Serra simply takes what's fast becoming a familiar genre and adds a shark — and some GoPro-shot footage — to the mix. In a move inspired by Cast Away, Nancy is at one point gifted a seagull named Steven to talk to. But for the bulk of the movie she's just trembling on a rock, narrating events to herself and yelling at the lurking great white beast. Of course, as something as silly as the Sharknado series continues to prove, there are always thrills to be found in the notion of humanity versus nature — and ample cheesiness, too. The Shallows succeeds in ramping up the tension surrounding every urgently paced, frenetically edited attack, particularly given how sparse the storyline is. It doesn't fare as well in other departments though — from the obvious dialogue and thin existential musings cooked up by screenwriter Anthony Jaswinski, to the tendency of the camera to linger leeringly over Lively's bikini-clad body. Thankfully, Lively still ranks among the film's best elements in what is basically a one-woman effort. Whether she's screaming for her life or performing gruesome surgery on herself, there's a primal element to her performance that invests her protagonist with the right balance of vulnerability and determination. Indeed, while Collet-Serra has become best known for showcasing Liam Neeson being Liam Neeson, he also knows how to turn Lively into a formidable but relatable force. If you've seen any of his previous films, you should know what to expect here: a taut, trashy action flick that doesn't stray far from its concept. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgdxIlSuB70
Indro now has a place called Nantucket Where they cook up a mean lamb cutlet There's a long list of wine, which tastes very fine And food so good you could... eat it all day. No, really. A coup for the west, Nantucket Kitchen & Bar serves everything from breakfast through to dessert with a huge range of share plates and starters to keep you happy any time of the day. Stepping into Nantucket is a trip to the Hamptons. Lots of white walls, pale wood and greenery make up the interior, and the large space is split into smaller rooms (somewhat like a house) by the bar in the centre, false terrace and large open kitchen. While still jumping on the American food bandwagon, that's still proving popular as ever, the restaurant brings a refreshing touch of class to the table. Mains are based around the grill, and they sure do it well. The Tasmanian lamb cutlets with a honey mustard glaze were incredibly tender and juicy, as was the dry-aged rib on the bone. While served with a garnish, you're expected to order sides too. These range from mac & cheese to green beans, cauliflower gratin to crispy potatoes and the serves are generous. You're already full? That's too bad because dessert is not worth missing. The macaron ice-cream sandwich may sound like sacrilege to laduree lovers everywhere, but of anything it is an ode to the crispy biscuit. It is served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream in between and blueberry jam on top. The chocolate and salted caramel tart goes beyond expected with a layered biscuit base, then crisp salted caramel praline before the rich chocolate tart tops it off with a side of honeycomb ice-cream. As part of the new Indooroopilly shopping development, Nantucket Kitchen & Bar feels nothing like a run-of-the-mill shopping centre restaurant – and this is clearly the intention. Entry is from the outside only and the venue sits in good company with Ole Fuego, Harajuku Gyoza and The Mero also part of this new micro-precinct.
Nowadays there are subscription services for just about anything. Board Games? Check. Booze? Check. Legos? Check. Organic period products? You betcha. Meet Juuni, a subscription that delivers a customisable box of organic tampons, pads and liners to your doorstep each month. If you're anything like us, every 28 days, you'll find yourself digging around the bottom of your bag or making a desperate run to the convenience store. To help save you from the stress of being caught out — because, face it, periods are stressful and annoying enough as they are — founder Erica Stewart created a line of organic products that look and feel more like a gift set than a necessity. Unlike your typical tampons, Juuni's products are bleach-free, pesticide-free and 100-percent biodegradable. The certified organic cotton is hypoallergenic and contains no synthetic dyes or fibres. In order to show you why you should go organic, Junni is giving you your first box of products for free and throwing in a free pack of Spot Nix acne patches, overnight patches that clean your face and remove pimples. All you have to do is pick what products you want included in your box, use the code ALIDADDO at the checkout and you'll be shipped your complimentary products. You won't even pay for shipping. If you enjoy your first box of goodies, the monthly subscription is very affordable. Tampons are $3.99 for a ten pack, pads are $3.20 for a five pack and panty liners are $3.20 for ten. Plus, each month's box contains a surprise bonus gift and a sweet treat to make you feel good, even if your period's gotten the better of you. Juuni is also supporting the fight against period poverty in Australia in collaboration with the Happy Boxes Project, an organisation that sends toiletries to woman in remote communities. Juuni's support helps send woman throughout the Northern Territory and Western Australia period products. You can help by donating via Juuni here. To order your Juuni subscription and receive your first box of products and a pack of Spot Nix acne patches for free, head over here and use the code ALIDADDO at the checkout. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
When it comes to taking to the streets, spraying some paint around and stencilling up a storm, Banksy isn't the only artist worth celebrating. In fact, street art is thriving in Brisbane — so much so that there's now a returning festival dedicated to it. That'd be the Brisbane Street Art Festival, which unleashes its fifth physical iteration around the city from Saturday, May 1 to Sunday, May 16. If you're wondering just what it involves, let us throw a few numbers and details your way: 40 new works will pop up around town, 36 street artists are involved and 17 different locations are part of the fun. And, the 16-day fest will also include music, exhibitions, talks and workshops. The full rundown includes a launch party that'll span across three levels, another shindig in a brewery, a laneway gathering next to Brisbane's next music and arts hub, a street art cycling tour, live tunes, wine-fuelled paste-ups and an aerosol masterclass. Plus, there'll be art in places as varied as the Queen Street Mall, Howard Smith Wharves, RNA Showgrounds, Westfield Garden City and the Brisbane Domestic Airport. Images: Aimee Catt. Artists: Drapl and Treazy / Gus Eagleton.
Backing up a new album with a tour worked well for G Flip in 2023. In fact, they won an ARIA Award for Best Australian Live Act for their efforts. For 2025's new record Dream Ride, the drummer, singer and songwriter is doing the same in 2026 — kicking off their next run of homegrown dates eight years to the month since Georgia Flipo first uploaded 'About You' to Triple J Unearthed and sparked a helluva career so far. In Brisbane, G Flip is playing Riverstage on Friday, February 27. The last time that the ARIA Award-winning drummer, singer and songwriter took a solo tour around the country, it was to sellout crowds. [caption id="attachment_1013156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Jelonek/Getty Images[/caption] For company in 2026, G Flip will have Toronto's The Beaches and Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon in support at all gigs. Dream Ride, the album, features singles 'Disco Cowgirl', 'Big Ol' Hammer' and 'In Another Life' — and an 80s-inspired sound, as well as G Flip playing almost every instrument on the record. [caption id="attachment_1013154" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anne Sophie Bine[/caption] Top image: Amy Martin Photography via Wikimedia Commons.
What's the best part about making the most expensive film ever produced in a country of over one billion people? One word: 'extras'. All the computer wizardry in the world can't compete with the visual feast that is thousands of actual humans teeming across a screen with balletic precision, especially when they're dressed like Terracotta Warriors after a Taubmans Colour Chart treatment. Red archers, purple foot soldiers and blue 'crane spear wielders' form the basis of China's secret Great Wall defence, and they're an absolute delight to behold throughout famed director Zhang Yimou's first English language epic of the same name. The concept of a giant wall built to keep out illegal aliens receives more of a literal rendering in this supernatural saga that sees China's army pitted against waves of other-worldly beasts. Spawning from a distant, meteorite-affected mountain, these grotesque monsters inexplicably only attack the wall once every sixty years. Just as curious is China's determination to keep the threat a secret from the rest of the world. Thrust into the mix are western mercenaries William Garoi (Matt Damon) and Pero Tovar (Game of Thrones' Pedro Pascal), whose perilous search for the fabled 'black powder' of the Chinese alchemists sees them stumble unwittingly into the middle of this centuries-old conflict. Fears of another Hollywood 'white-washing' are, however, quickly dispensed with, for it's the Chinese who consistently prove to be the smarter, braver and more honourable participants in both life and in battle. It's refreshing, certainly, but hardly a surprise, for in addition to 'extras' there's another critical, one-word answer to the original question posed: 'audience'. Hollywood's increasing flirtation with a US-Chinese cinematic co-op stems in no small part from the desire to access one of the largest movie-going markets in the world. At a cost of $135 million, The Great Wall represents the first out-and-out attempt to make that union a reality. Damon might be a big deal in the West, but in The Great Wall he's surrounded by some of the biggest names in Chinese entertainment, including Zhang Hanyu, Eddie Peng, Kenny Lin Gengxin, Jing Tian and K-Pop star Lu Han. The problem with a film (and cast) of this size, however, is that it comes at the expense of character. None of the principals receive anything more than a cursory backstory and even less of an arc moving forward. The Chinese generals are unflinching archetypes, while the westerners are, for the most part, untrustworthy slaves to greed. The consequence is a lack of emotional investment on the part of audiences, who'll respond to each new death with pronounced apathy. Given The Great Wall's style and setting, comparisons with Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers are both fair and inevitable, and – at least visually – Zhang's film more than meets the challenge. Its costuming, in particular, sets it amongst the finest we've seen in a long time, yet its threadbare characters and generic plot leave much to be desired. Whether such an expensive gamble ultimately pays off for the movie's producers, only time will tell. Still, as the first major step in cinema's US-China alliance, there's at least enough here to offer reserved optimism for the future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avF6GHyyk5c
More than seven months after kicking off a huge renovation, Fortitude Valley favourite The Wickham is finally reopening its doors. Come Monday, March 27, the heritage-listed Wickham Street mainstay will unwrap its latest revamp, complete with a made-over beer garden that can host festivities all year round no matter the weather, plus two newly done-up indoor spaces. "As a historic Fortitude Valley icon, throughout the revamp it was important for us to respect The Wickham's heritage whilst bringing it into the future, and we feel we have achieved this," said Australian Venue Co's Chief Operating Officer Craig Ellison. "We can't wait to swing open the doors on 27th March and welcome Brisbane's LGBTQIA+ community back to experience The Wickham's next chapter." [caption id="attachment_680674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Smith[/caption] When the makeover was announced back in August 2022, Australian Venue Co advised that it'd be putting $1.5 million into The Wickham's fresh look. Now, as well as revealing when Brisbanites can hit up the 138-year-old venue again, the hospitality company has advised that The Wickham's do-over cost $3.1 million. That sum has gone into a new design by Newline Design — well, as new as the site's heritage listing allows. Accordingly, the revamp is all about balancing historic charm with upgrades. The beer garden has been weather-proofed, for instance, so that its parties and shindigs can happen rain, hail or shine; a new kitchen has been put in; and existing areas of the pub have been given a new lease on life. So, say goodbye to The Wickham's old corner bar and studio spaces. They're now known as The Peacock Room and Garland Room, respectively, with decor to match. The first is decked out with vintage furniture, work by local artists — heroing LGBTQIA+ talent — plus nods to the Wickham's peacock Frankie, and is being put forward as an option for cruisy drinks. The second is the venue's new club space, which means that DJs, performers and parties will be filling it ASAP. The Wickham's reopening will see it bring back Thursday night trivia in the beer garden, live tunes from Friday–Sunday and drag shows on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Peacock Room will also host bottomless burlesque brunch sessions once a month. [caption id="attachment_864342" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] Executive Chef Dylan Kemp is overseeing a new menu, so get ready to enjoy stone-baked pizzas, bar snacks and late-night options, including a sizeable range of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. On offer: cauliflower hot bites, fried quail with truffle mash, deep fried Golden Gaytimes and fairy bread — and a menu just for dogs that'll span crispy pig skin, meat balls, gravy and peanut butter. Taking cues from the 70s and its fondness for disco, the drinks list is getting a once-over as well under Beverage Director Kevin Peters. Think: Disco Fruit Tingles, which'll be served in disco balls; Glitter Bellinis, complete with edible glitter; and frozen G&Ts made with pineapple tonic. If you're keen on a tipple without the booze, the venue is upping its non-alcoholic range of wines, spirits, beers and cocktails as well, which'll feature a No-groni and the Espresso Marti-no. The Wickham is no stranger to nips and tucks during its century-plus existence, of course, including last undergoing a refresh back in 2014 and gaining five completely new spaces in the process. Australian Venue Co has been spearheading makeovers at a number of Brisbane pubs over the past few years, as seen as spots such as Cleveland Sands Hotel, Salisbury Hotel, the Crown Hotel in Lutwyche and Bribie Island Hotel. It's also revamping Riverland in the CBD, with the results set to be unveiled in 2023, too. The Wickham will reopen at 308 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley on Monday, March 27, with bookings open from Monday, March 13. Top image: Markus Ravik.
Since popping up over the last decade, the term 'elevated horror' has always been unnecessary. Used to describe The Babadook, It Follows, The Witch, Get Out, Hereditary, Us, Midsommar and more, it pointlessly claims that such unsettling flicks have risen above their genre. Each of these movies is excellent. They all boast weight and depth, trade in metaphors with smarts and savvy, and have style to go with their creeps and thrills. But thinking that's new in horror — that pairing unease with topical woes or societal fears is as well — is as misguided as dubbing Michael Myers a hero. With a name that makes its #MeToo-era point plain, Men has been badged 'elevated', too, yet it also does what horror has at its best and worst cases for decades. That the world can be a nightmare for women at the hands of men isn't a fresh observation, and it's long been a scary movie go-to. Still, Men stresses that fact in an inescapably blunt but also unforgettable manner. The film's setting is an English manor, where Harper Marlowe (Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter) hopes for a solo stint of rest, relaxation and recuperation. Processing a tragedy, shattering memories of which haunt the movie as much as its protagonist, she's seeking an escape and a way to start anew. The initial hint that she won't find bliss comes swiftly and obviously, and with a sledgehammer's subtlety. Arriving at an idyllic-looking British countryside estate, Harper is greeted by an apple tree. She plucks one from the abundant branches, then takes a bite. Soon, she's told by her host Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear, Our Flag Means Death) that it's forbidden fruit. He also says he's joking — but in this garden, a woman will again shoulder a society's blame and burdens. As overt and blatant as this early exchange is, there's an intensely unnerving look and feel to Men from the outset. Returning to the big screen after excellent sci-fi TV series Devs, writer/director Alex Garland isn't a stranger to visually stunning, deeply disquieting films that ponder big ideas; see: the complex, eerie and sublime Ex Machina, plus the similarly intricate and intriguing Annihilation. Oscar Isaac doesn't turn up this time, let alone dance. Buckley and Kinnear do turn in mesmerising and magnificent powerhouse performances amid the perturbing mood and spectacular imagery. Gender expectations also get probed and challenged, as do genres. And, things get strange and insidious after Harper tries to lap up her bucolic surroundings. Those blood-red walls sported by Harper's atmospheric centuries-old home-away-from-home? That's another glaring warning. Also discomforting: the jump-scare glitch when she video chats with her best friend Riley (Gayle Rankin, GLOW), after being told by Geoffrey — who is polite but never direct, perfectly satirising both stiff-upper-lip Britishness and the fine line between being courteous and patronising — that reception isn't the best. And, when Harper ventures out of the house, she discovers scenic treasures alongside hardly hospitable locals. She's a woman plagued by troubles that don't begin as her own, and she's forced to devote everything she has to moving past them and surviving. That Harper is played with such instinctive and physical feeling with Buckley, who just keeps going from strength to strength thanks to Beast, Wild Rose, Chernobyl, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Fargo and her Oscar-nominated efforts in The Lost Daughter, is one of Men's biggest assets. First, there's the naked man who follows Harper through the wilderness, after she wanders through a cavernous tunnel with ethereal acoustics that's a delight one moment and boarded up the next. Then, more and more townsfolk spark alarm. There's the cop who barely believes Harper's stalker story, dismissively so. There's the teen who asks curious questions, demands attention and gets abusive when he isn't indulged. Also, there's the vicar who enquires about Harper's woes, then apportions responsibility her way for her struggles with husband James (Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You), while also putting his hand on her knee. The town pub's patrons are wary of her encroachment on their turf, while Geoffrey keeps making his presence known in his civil but passive-aggressive fashion. And, these men — yes, they're all men — share something beyond an unpleasant, off-putting and entitled attitude. Kinnear is also fantastic in Men because he's all men (including in scenes that make it clear that Garland saw his exceptional efforts as Frankenstein's monster in Penny Dreadful). Toxic masculinity deserves to be torn down repeatedly, and nuance needn't be part of that dismantling. The misogyny women can face openly and daily, and the way that simply existing can bring threats in the most ordinary spaces, also demands calling out loudly and strongly. Men does this. It ponders its key idea in different ways, too, including within religion and marriage. It shows how views can fester from adolescence, and within social and supposedly comforting confines. It demonstrates that just being can be fraught with distress for women, taking that reality to surreal, violent and fleshy extremes that'd equally do David Lynch and David Cronenberg proud. Also, it toys with how women are victimised in horror cinema. Garland's take on the topic is vivid and chilling — and as evocative as his past releases, plus his stellar screenplays for 28 Days Later and Sunshine — but Men also dives about as deep as noting that its namesake can be the worst, everyone knows it, and movies and life prey upon it. Still, as a piece of immersive cinema, Men is entrancing. It might be too kind to think its thematic bludgeoning is completely on purpose, but feeling like you're trapped in the same hell as Harper — in the film's present day, and in her orange-hued, positively apocalyptic, just-as-disturbing memories — is by design. Garland's work is that meticulous and sensory, and adept at conjuring up gut- and heart-wrenching reactions. It has been since he started out as the author behind The Beach, in fact. Here, he's aided by the intricate splendour, leafy and shadowy alike, lensed by his now usual cinematographer Rob Hardy (Mission: Impossible — Fallout), as well as the ominousness echoing in the choral-heavy score by fellow regular collaborators Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury (Archive 81). That all elevates the movie, although not because it's a higher form of horror, which it isn't. Men is as glaringly direct, primal and surface-level as a bar pickup line, and says nothing new, but its visceral and unshakeable menace still digs in hard, fast, tight and piercingly.
Back at the beginning of 2020, Jet Black Cat Music marked its ninth birthday — and, to celebrate, the West End store hopped over to the other side of the inner city and threw a huge block party. That festival, Nine Lives, clearly has to keep coming back. Yes, that includes in 2023. Once again, the River City's music lovers will need to head to The Tivoli, with Fortitude Valley's Costin Street set to overflow with tunes and food on Saturday, March 4. Thanks to the pandemic, this marks the third edition of the festival, after also going ahead in 2022. Here's hoping that there's at least six more to come. Leading the bill in 2023: Angel Olsen, Crumb, Drugdealer and Mdou Moctar, giving Nine Lives an impressive lineup of overseas headliners. They'll be joined by 1TBSP, Baby Cool, Bones & Jones, Felivand and Folk Bitch Trio, as well as Girl and Girl, Loose Fit Mylee Grace, No Zu and Platonic Sex. The tunes will take over two stages — and festival-goers also hit up the array of food trucks serving bites to eat, and go trawling the crates for records. NINE LIVES 2023 LINEUP: Angel Olsen Crumb Drugdealer Mdou Moctar 1TBSP Baby Cool Bones & Jones Felivand Folk Bitch Trio Girl and Girl Loose Fit Mylee Grace No Zu Platonic Sex
When Brisbane was initially started to make a name for itself in the craft beer world, Newstead Brewing Co was one of the driving forces. Just over a decade later, the early pioneer in helping ensure that the River City wasn't just known for XXXX has closed its doors. The brand was no longer based in the suburb that shares its name, but said goodbye to its Milton site — just down the road from XXXX, in fact — before Tropical Cyclone Alfred. As Brissie was closing down ahead of the wild weather, so was this favourite — but permanently, sadly. Newstead Brewing Co announced the news afterwards, via a social media statement on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. "It's a sad time for Brisbane craft beer and our beloved industry," the message begins. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Newstead Brewing Co (@newsteadbrewingco) In its farewell, the Newstead Brewing Co crew looks back fondly on its beginnings, plus what came next, then notes the impact of the 2022 floods, and how it avoided closure at the time but is now saying goodbye. "Thirteen years ago, the beginning of the craft beer movement in Brisbane was wild. Discovering what hops in beer were was total transcendence; it was new and exciting. Filled with optimism, incredible collabs with international icons and style exploration, along with its fair share of ego. Being an OG of an industry, you aren't immune to being taken advantage of nor making mistakes." "Be it our generosity and trust sometimes besting our common sense, the great brand confusion of 2021 or a mid-strength lager with a big cow on the can, we have certainly learned some lessons along the way. While I'm sure all Brisbanians will have a Newstead story to share, Newstead Brewing's story certainly isn't singular. Where it does walk the line of uniqueness though, is in its shear grit," the message goes on. "Three years ago, after a crippling pandemic that bought the industry to its knees, we flooded. The humbling of that moment sparked a massive focus on integrity and authenticity. It was do or die. So we dug deep and did!" "At our core, we have always been a small family business. Built on a deep passion for pushing boundaries and exploring possibilities. With an enthusiasm to be a part of something wonderful and contribute to building a community and an industry. We could have been forgiven for closing the doors after the floods of 2022 and the experience of watching nine years of our hard work go under water. But something amazing happened. Those who were 'meant' to show up didn't and those who did show up, were meant to." Of the period since those floods, "it's been an inspiring three years and every single one of our team were integral to every breath Newstead took, so it's heartbreaking for us all, that in these times of industry crisis, we just couldn't weather this final storm," the crew advises. "The old girl is done." "We leave with our heads held high. All of our work was not for nothing. We kept the heart beating of an industry that needs help from its friends right now and we proved that passionate authenticity, heart and sheer grit truly do make an impactful difference." In its prime, Newstead Brewing Co not only boasted its original location on Doggett Street — which it left in 2023 — and its second home in Milton, but also a taphouse inside Brisbane Airport's domestic terminal. "From Doggett Street to Milton, it has been an honour serving you all. If anything can be taken from Newstead Brewing's story, it's to remain humble, keep evolving and bettering yourselves and please support your mates," the closure statement continued. [caption id="attachment_994852" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Newstead Brewing Co has closed its doors at 67 Castlemaine Street, Milton — head to the brewery's website for more details.
As the old proverb goes, "One can't be fully cool unless one's beers are cool, too." This never applies more than in summer, on a scorcher in the Australian sun (hey pool party season, nice to see you again). Now that it's the southern hemisphere's turn to hang out with old mate humidity, it's imperative you seize the hot season well-prepared. Nothing is more important in summer than protecting your health and comfort (tube of SPF 50+, blow-up paddling pool with built-in drink holders) and we believe the right esky is part and parcel to enjoying your holidays. We've compiled a couple of our favourites to make sure your hallowed bevvies stay cooler than being cool (ice cold). [caption id="attachment_650565" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kmart[/caption] BASIC In our experience, a basic model esky can come from a scour of your local hard rubbish or your parents' garage. But if your street community fails you, you don't have to shell out a lot to make sure your drinks get to be treated real nice. KMART COOLER For a no-frills model with a chill price, head over to everyone's fave bargain hoedown showdown: Kmart. For quick beach trips, try this little eight-litre gem — it's tough, and if you're wanting a bigger buddy, it comes in a variety of sizes (up to 45-litres). This is as basic as it gets, can hold up to 12 cans and is factory-made — let's not pretend. Pros: Cheap! And its size won't take an arm and a leg to haul across the sand. Cons: Considering their base model electric fans sell out on the first hot day of the year, be prepared to fight with other bargain-hungry beery folks. Price: $19 for the eight-litre. WILLOW 35-LITRE WHEELIE COOLER Or, there's Willow's 35-litre Wheelie Cooler. Made by a company Australian-owned since 1887, you can buy local as well as landing an aesthetically pleasing esky (just check out the blue-green gradient on this baby). There are cup holders on the lid and a handle to pull it so you'll be cruising over most terrain with ease. Pros: Australian-made in sweet beachy colours. Cons: A little light on features. Price: $75 TECHNI ICE CLASSIC ICE BOX Techni Ice also has a good basic option, though the price point is higher — at $238, their swish, all-white Classic Ice Box will match any colour of beverage you might like to insert in its pristine interior. Pros: Dual seal so no leakage so colder drinks. Its drain plug can be made into a water dispenser. Cons: No wheels — at 80 litres it might be a tough slog to haul around. Price: $238 [caption id="attachment_607797" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Williams-Sonoma.[/caption] DESIGNER If you just want a pretty-lookin' box of coldness and aren't too worried about the ins and outs (or the ability to carry an esky long distances with ease), pick one of these aesthetically pleasing, highly impractical options. WILLIAMS-SONOMA RED VINTAGE COOLER Williams-Sonoma has a lovely option with their red vintage cooler. It's a super bright cherry red so you can't lose track of where your drinks are, and it'll feel like you're in a Coke ad from the '60s. Pros: It looks reeeeaaal nice, and it has a built in bottle opener. Cons: A lack of tech aspect might mean it's less effective in doing its job. Also heavy when full. Price: $75 KINCROME RETRO DRINKS COOLER Or, head over to Kincrome: their smallish, pink, retro-themed esky will become the envy of everyone at Golden Plains. Kind of resembling one of those fancy Smeg fridges, this guy pulls an A+ in the looks category. Pros: Bumpers on the corners for when you inevitably hit your shin on them on your beer run. Pink and cute and novelty like a Katy Perry song (prime pool party equipment). Cons: Only has a 17-litre capacity and a fairly thin handle for carrying which may be uncomfortable. Price: $120 [caption id="attachment_607800" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Super Esky, Kelly's.[/caption] DELUXE Well, you're in this for the long game — you don't mess around with keeping your drinks cold and your party guests happy. Check out some deluxe options for those taking this seriously. How about Tropical Ice Boxes 62-litre blitzer? TROPICAL ICE BOX This big guy is legit — he'll hold your ice in its original form for four to ten days before the slush starts to kick in. Also, there are rubber grips on the bottom to prevent slippage. Pros: Perfect for multiple-day festivals or camping trips, and they mostly come in very tropical orange. Cons: It is really very orange. Price: Around the $230 mark. COLEMAN 58-LITRE XTREME COOLER The Coleman 58-litre Xtreme Cooler does, hopefully, what it says on the label and cools your drinks extremely well. It can keep ice for up to 5 days at 32 degrees and has pretty comfortable handles (just as well, as it's a big one). Pros: Huge mountain bike-like wheels for all terrain. Cons: The colours aren't too exciting — esky confusion in a crowd may occur. Price: $210 SUPER ESKY If you're willing to spend the big bucks and want something that won't blend into all the other eskies at the barbecue, splash out on the Super Esky 52-litre. It's suave, white, and has built-in storage and cutting board facilities, as well as dual drains. Pros: It has all the trimmings and is super high-tech. Cons: Pretty pricey. Price: $450 [caption id="attachment_607776" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Cricket Cooler.[/caption] NOVELTY To wind up our list, we present to you the category of, "Good lord, would you just look at what these people with lots of time on their hands have created." Creativity! Resourcefulness! Probable sub-par working value! Worth a gander anyway. THE 'CRICKET COOLER' Bunnings stock this marvel of Australian design, made in our cricket team colours and sporting a bottle opener, utility holder... and, built-in wicket. Pros: It's an Australian-made, hilariously great idea. Cons: Its cooling powers as an esky are perhaps not as effective when used as cricket stumps; it's not terribly well insulated. Price: $100 Need a hang to go with that esky? Check out our Summer Guide.
As the end of the year ramps up, the thought of spending your precious free time in the kitchen isn't so appealing. Fortunately, DoorDash is helping out as we close in on the silly season, launching one of its biggest giveaways ever. Running from Wednesday, November 26–Saturday, November 29, you can make more space in your calendar with 60,000 free items up for grabs. Kicking off at 4pm AEST daily, 15,000 burgers, burritos, pizzas and meal deals are available on consecutive days. While the complete list of included restaurants won't be revealed under the promo launches, just know that much-loved local and national brands like Guzman Y Gomez, Betty's Burgers and Grill'd are getting in on the action. Open to both new and existing DoorDash customers via the app, service and delivery fees still apply to orders. However, this time- and money-saving deal is sure to give you the fuel to brave the shops or adorn your lawn with festive decorations.
Brisbane has long been partial to a party boat. The Island did the honours from the 80s through until early last decade, Seadeck has cruised the river over the past couple of years, and Yot Club has started sailing into the city's waters, too. The latter has been making quite a big splash, in fact — as you'd expect from a huge yacht with two bars, a stage, a dance floor and, in normal times, a 400-person capacity. Returning for 2021, Yot Club's next series of shindigs will float through town on selected weekend days in November and December. The glamorous, custom-built vessel calls itself "the world's first super yacht entertainment venue", and it's certainly something that southeast Queensland hasn't seen before. Sprawling over two levels, it measures nearly 40-metres long and over 22-metres wide, and blends a licensed floating club and a luxe function space. With lounges across an open deck and undercover, a VIP room in the hull, and the promise of bands and DJs on its lineup, Yot Club wants to be the region's one-stop watery hangout. It serves up more than water, of course, thanks to a menu of classic and creative cocktails, plus brews chilled in the 45-keg-capacity cool room. Yot Club sets off from City Botanic Gardens River Hub, with tickets starting from $49.95 depending on the day and time you're planning to hop onboard. You can pick between lunch (11.30am), afternoon (12.30pm), sunset (5pm) and evening (6pm sessions) — with the next cruises setting sail on November 6, 7, 27 and 28, plus December 4 and 5. Images: Richard Greenwood / Yot Club. Updated November 4.
If you've ever been stuck with the job of throwing away perfectly good food at the end of a hospitality shift, it probably won't shock you that Australian retailers are turfing over three million tonnes of food each year. Or that 80 percent of it is being chucked out simply because it wasn't sold. Thankfully, folks across the country are tackling the issue of unnecessary food waste head-on, with groups like OzHarvest and SecondBite built around the concept of redistributing unused food to the needy. And now, you can help fight the issue and save money on grub simultaneously, thanks to a new locally born app called Y Waste. Currently operating in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, the app helps you locate businesses in your area that have surplus food to offload at the end of the day. You can then purchase it at a discounted price, paying via your smartphone and picking it up from the venue at the allocated time. Depending on which city you're searching in, you might find sandwiches and salads from the local cafe, unsold pastries from that nearby bakery, or even freshly made pizzas, all going cheap. The only restriction is that you have to take what's left — so if you're a picky eater or have dietary restrictions, this may not be for you. Sydney's offering includes Newtown's The Pie Tin, which is serving up a box of unsold pies for $2.90, Sol Coffee Bar in Campsie, serving up a mix of sandwiches and salads for $4, and Neutral Bay's Tonic Lane, which has mixed bags of cold and hot dishes going for $5. In Melbourne, you'll find venues like Coburg's Falafel House, serving up two falafels for $7, and Richmond's Fruscolino Pizza, with a large pizza going for only $9.90, in the lineup. In Brisbane, you can snag $5 pizzas at South Brisbane's Presto Pizza and $2.75 breads, sandwiches and muffins from 3Js Cafe in Woody Point. Now you can nab a budget-friendly feed and feel good about your efforts. The Y Waste app is available to for iOS and Android. Image: The Pie Tin, Newtown
First, one piece of good news: Christmas is almost upon us. Now, another: because the season is getting into full swing, it's time to hit up every festive market you can find. One way to indulge your yuletide yearnings: the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets Christmas Twilight Market. And, while more than a few similar events will be jingling bells and popping up wreaths between now and December 25, this one also happens to be by the beach. Head on down to The Esplanade from 4–9pm on Saturday, December 10 to shop, soak in the scenic setting, listen to festive tunes and be jolly — all underneath twinkling lights. There'll be a heap of stalls selling everything from handmade goods and fashion items to pet accessories and sweet treats, as well as roving entertainment to help spread the Xmas mood as far along the beachside as possible.
Popolo's main attraction is the view. Located in the new Sidon Street/River Quay precinct on the riverfront at South Bank, Popolo has refined the art of river-watching and wine drinking. With little touches such as blankets personally brought out to you on a particularly chilly night, the staff are extremely attentive to your every request. Glancing at the menu, the name Popolo (meaning 'the people') suddenly makes sense; with an abundance of share plates and nibble-worthy starters it's clear that the theme here is the more, the merrier. However for those who suffer from only-child syndrome (it's okay, we won't judge you) you can also opt to have a half serve of the share plates. The buffalo mozzarella roulade stuffed with mushrooms and capers entree looks as impressive as it tastes, however it was just a little preview for what was to come. The slow roasted suckling pig stuffed with peaches had every person fighting for the last juicy morsel, with crispy salty skin complimented by the sweetness of the peaches. For non-meat lovers Popolo's warm caprese salad with confit cherry tomatoes and herby bocconcini is a modern take on the tri-coloured classic. To finish it off, indulge in the strawberry cannoli with sweet basil gelato - it may sound heavy, but the sweet basil gelato is a surprisingly refreshing way to end your meal.
2025 is going to be the year when Australia gets to see Oasis live again. And, after already announcing two Down Under shows on their reunion tour now that Liam and Noel Gallagher are happy to take to the stage together once more, the Manchester-born band has doubled their upcoming Aussie gigs. They're still only playing two cities, however, doing a couple of shows apiece in Sydney and Melbourne. Next year marks 20 years since Oasis last toured Australia, but that's where the lengthy gap between the band's Down Under shows is ending. There's comeback tours and then there's Britain's most-famous feuding siblings reuniting to bring one of the country's iconic groups back together live — aka the biggest story in music touring of 2024 since Liam and Noel announced in August that they were reforming the band, and also burying the hatchet. [caption id="attachment_975202" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simon Emmett[/caption] Initially, Oasis locked in a run of shows in the UK and Ireland. Since then, they've been expanding their tour dates, also confirming visits to Canada and the US. From London, Manchester and Dublin to Toronto, Los Angeles and Mexico City, the entire tour so far is sold out. That's the story, morning glory — and expect Australian tickets to get snapped up swiftly for Oasis' four announced concerts. The Aussie tour starts on Halloween 2025 at Marvel Stadium in the Victorian capital, and now will also return to the same venue on Saturday, November 1. It's Sydney's turn in the Harbour City a week later, at Accor Stadium across Friday, November 7–Saturday, November 8 . [caption id="attachment_975205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oasis Knebworth 1996, Photo by Roberta Parkin/Redferns[/caption] Oasis broke up in 2009, four years after their last Australian tour, and following seven albums from 1994's Definitely Maybe through to 2008's Dig Your Soul — and after drawing massive crowds to their live gigs along the way (see: documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996). If you're feeling supersonic about the group's reunion, you can likely expect to hear that track, plus everything from 'Live Forever', 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', 'Morning Glory' and 'Some Might Say' through to 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova' when they hit Australia. Oasis Live '25 Australian Dates Friday, October 31–Saturday, November 1 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Friday, November 7–Saturday, November 8 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Oasis are touring Australia in October and November 2025, with Melbourne tickets on sale from 10am AEDT and Sydney tickets from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 15. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Batiste Safont via Wikimedia Commons.
Brisbane's hyped-up and Island-signed foursome The Cairos are about to embark on a national tour that you cannot afford to miss but certainly can afford to attend. Immediately following a national support slot for Sydney big timers The Holidays, the triple j Unearthed-winning newbies to Island Records are taking their celebrated sound across the country with their own headliner tour. The Brissy lads are keeping the motor running off the back of releasing their brand new debut album Dream of Reason. Tracks 'Desire' and 'We All Buy Stars' just scream "hear me live" and if the feedback coming out of their recent Asia tour is anything to go by, this is going to be one of the most justified sub $30 spends this year (now you can't even use budget-related gripes as an excuse to not go). Plus they just got a new keyboard. Now you're really obliged to head along. Make sure to get there early as Chinese psych band Nova Heart kicks things off. Seems Beijing psychedelia proves a perfect support pairing ahead of the Brisbane up-and-comers, so pop in early for a crispy Alhambra bevvy and a fully-fledged bliss out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LAsjO3UIUsY
In the past in Brisbane, when the time came to celebrate Lunar New Year, The Treasury got in on the action. Now that Queen's Wharf is here, it's The Star's turn instead for the Year of the Snake. The venue is spending a month marking the occasion with special feasts, performances and more between Sunday, January 12–Wednesday, February 12, 2025. Fat Noodle has banquets for couples covered, including braised pork belly with quail eggs, chargrilled turmeric spatchcock and mango trifle, all for $168. Fancy a culinary trip to Japan instead — and feeling flush with cash? Sokyo is doing a Lunar New Year upgrade on its opulent sashimi platter, so you can enjoy lobster and premium sashimi for the splurge price of $600. For the far-more-budget-friendly price of $26, opt for a crispy chicken cashew nut stir-fry in the Food Quarter. As for the entertainment, you can place your hopes for the year ahead on the wishing tree or watch roving lion dances. The latter are taking place from 7pm from Tuesday, January 28–Friday, January 31 and again on Wednesday, February 12.
Since 2017, Revel Brewing Co has been brewing and pouring yeasty beverages at the river end of Oxford Street in Bulimba, and drawing a crowd away from the suburban hustle and bustle of hotspot's main strip. But these beer fiends clearly have a theory: two eastside breweries are much better than just one. Accordingly, since late 2021, Revel has also been operating at its second venue in Morningside — a sprawling spot in a century-old riverside factory in the fast-growing Rivermakers precinct. The company's new site was once the Commonwealth Acetate of Lime Factory, which dates back to the 1920s and was involved in making wartime ammunition. It even has a history linked to Revel's beverage of choice, with August de Bavay, who was commissioned by the Queensland Government to design and build the factory more than a century ago, a chemist, distiller and brewer. Now, the patch off Colmslie Road is home to a striking brewpub. Brisbane beer lovers will find heritage-listed features aplenty — brick, cement and timber aplenty as well — as part of a precinct-within-a-precinct that Rivermakers has dubbed its Heritage Quarter. The old factory is also set to house Bavay Distillery, giving drinkers options when it comes to tipples. But if it's a few brews that you're after, including under umbrellas and fairy lights, then Revel is the place for it. In addition to a beer range that spans an XPA, IPA, hazy IPA, pale ale and lager among its core range, the brewery's Rivermakers digs serve up a food menu filled with share options, burgers and hearty mains. Start with karaage chicken tenderloins, frickles or cauliflower wings — or tuck into antipasto platters for up to four — and then opt for a cheeseburger, a fish burg made with crumbed barramundi fillets or a plant-based burger. There's also grass-fed sirloin, pan-fried barra, nachos, and both traditional chicken schnitzels and parmigianas. With its laidback outdoor space — grass beneath your feet included — Revel's second home also hosts regular events, including trivia on Thursday nights. Or, head along on a Sunday afternoon for live acoustic tunes from local musos, games and platter deals. And yes, if you want to do an eastside brewery crawl in this neck of the woods, that's easily an option. As well as its close proximity to the OG Revel, Revel Rivermakers is also just up the road from BrewDog at Murarrie. Find Revel Rivermakers at 82 Colmslie Road, Morningside – open 4–9pm Thursdays and 12–9pm Fridays–Sundays.
