When you have so many huge musicals to your name, as Andrew Lloyd Webber does, one is always likely to be playing a stage somewhere. That includes in Australia, where the acclaimed composer's The Phantom of the Opera will start its latest stint Down Under in August — to be swiftly followed by Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. While the latest version of Phantom heads our way fresh from proving a huge hit in both the United Kingdom and the United States, this iteration Joseph makes the leap straight from London's West End. It also marks the first time that it's being staged outside of the UK, with seasons in Melbourne and Sydney locked in. Hailing from not only Lloyd Webber, but from lyricist Tim Rice as well, Joseph will enjoy its Australian premiere run at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Friday, November 11, 2022, before heading to Sydney's Capitol Theatre from Saturday, February 11, 2023. If you live elsewhere in the country, cross your fingers that it adds shows in other capitals to its Aussie run. (No matter where you reside, perhaps cross your fingers that Cats isn't the next big Lloyd Webber musical to prowl across local stages.) Joseph's Aussie seasons will feature all the expected songs, of course — so 'Any Dream Will Do', 'Close Every Door To Me', 'Jacob and Sons', 'There's One More Angel in Heaven' and 'Go Go Go Joseph' will all get a whirl. Leading the cast: Euan Fistrovic Doidge (Saturday Night Fever, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Les Misérables and Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Joseph, plus Australian Idol contestant and singer Paulini as the Narrator. And if you're new to this particular sing-through show — and didn't catch the streamed 2000 adaptation back at the beginning of the pandemic, when Lloyd Webber was screening his hits via YouTube — it does indeed focus on the biblical figure, and was actually the first of Lloyd Webber and Rice's musicals to be performed publicly. That happened back in 1968 at a school concert, of all places, before it started getting more attention after Jesus Chris Superstar became such a success. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT 2022–23 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: From Friday, November 11, 2022 — Melbourne's Regent Theatre From Saturday, February 11, 2023 — Sydney's Capitol Theatre Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will hit Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Friday, November 11, 2022, before playing Sydney's Capitol Theatre from Saturday, February 11, 2023. For more information or to buy tickets — with the Sydney season on-sale from Friday, July 15 — head to the musical's website.
When you're looking for a change of pace, Queensland's outback reaches might just be the perfect place to take some time out and get into the wild. But where should you start exploring the seemingly endless expanse of red dirt and rolling hills? Located about 800 kilometres west of Brisbane, the charming community of Cunnamulla fits the bill. Boundless opportunities await for you and your travelling buddies to embrace this rural heartbeat of Australia, thanks to its enchanting river systems, soaring sand dunes and historic outback stations. Meanwhile, Cunnamulla also has just enough creature comforts to ensure a relaxing stay. In partnership with Wild Turkey, we've picked out seven ways to experience this fascinating rural region. [caption id="attachment_841312" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] VISIT A TRADITIONAL OUTBACK STATION AND EXPERIENCE LIFE ON THE LAND Whether you're a city slicker or certified survivalist, enjoying life on an outback station is an unforgettable experience. Fortunately, the areas surrounding Cunnamulla are home to a number of historic farmlands that welcome visitors for outdoor adventures and backcountry camping. One such example is Franc Villers Station, which features serene unpowered camping sites alongside a picturesque dam. Here, you're welcome to fish, swim or just relax in the country air. Meanwhile, Nulla Station offers camping along the Warrego River right beside a wildlife reserve, with a network of tributaries and rocky outcrops offering self-guided explorations. [caption id="attachment_841313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] KAYAK, FISH OR SWIM IN THE MIGHTY WARREGO RIVER The Warrego River gives life to this dusty part of the country, stretching for more than 1000 kilometres and supporting the region's remarkable flora and fauna. Running through central northern New South Wales and southwest Queensland, this alluring intermittent river system is best experienced up close — and Cunnamulla is one of the best spots from which to do just that. Bringing along a kayak or canoe ensures you catch a glimpse of the shifting landscape, which traverses through wide-open plains and dense timber forests. The Warrego is also great for fishing, with freshwater species like silver perch and Murray cod known to inhabit the biodiverse waterways. [caption id="attachment_844554" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elliott Kramer[/caption] GO SANDBOARDING ON NATURAL RED SANDHILLS Cunnamulla might be 850 kilometres from the nearest beach, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of the country's best sandboarding adventures in the heart of the outback. While the climb to the top of these natural lofty dunes is a little tough, your efforts will be well rewarded with a thrilling ride down the slopes. A selection of local tour companies transport travellers to and from the nearby sand dunes, and also provide all the gear you need to surf these granular waves. Plus, the dunes offer awesome views of the surrounding landscape, ensuring you can fully appreciate the scale of the outback. TEE OFF AT THE CUNNAMULLA GOLF CLUB If you're planning to head to Cunnamulla, you don't have to leave your favourite set of clubs behind. The Cunnamulla Golf Club offers 18 challenging holes that ensure you practice your game overlooking the great outback expanse. However, don't expect the Augusta National when you arrive. This remote golf course is landscaped using dirt fairways and sandy 'greens', meaning you might have to give your swing some extra oomph. Sections of the course are lined with river gums and coolabah trees, so keep an eye out for local wildlife using the course as a thoroughfare from the nearby Warrego River. [caption id="attachment_844043" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Gillow (Flickr)[/caption] TAKE A STROLL AND GO WILDLIFE SPOTTING AT THE CUNNAMULLA BUSHLANDS The Cunnamulla Bushlands are perfect for a relaxed wander that puts you amongst the region's incredible natural beauty. This site is divided into ten ecological sections, with a charming one-kilometre walk that ensures you experience each one. Right at the end, you're rewarded with a peaceful place to sit in the wetlands. Here, striking native animals also run wild. You won't have any problem finding kangaroos with Cunnamulla recognised as having one of the largest populations in Queensland. Plus, the area is also known as a great place to see emus taking a stroll. [caption id="attachment_841311" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] TAKE IN HISTORY AND CULTURE ON THE CUNNAMULLA HERITAGE TRAIL Cunnamulla and the surrounding Shire of Paroo are steeped in history with the land occupied by the Gunya people long before the township's foundation. Nowadays, you can explore this history through the Cunnamulla Heritage Trail, which documents tales about the characters and buildings that forged this captivating outback community. There's great insight into the town's folklore throughout the trail. For instance, the Robber's Tree was climbed by wannabe bandit Joseph Wells as he tried to escape the police after he attempted to pillage the Queensland National Bank in 1880. Meanwhile, the towering bronze figure of the Cunnamulla Fella captures the spirit of 1950s bush characters recounted in Slim Dusty's namesake tune. [caption id="attachment_841310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CAMP OUT AT CHARLOTTE PLAINS STATION AND COOL OFF IN ITS ARTESIAN SPRINGS Cunnamulla offers visitors a range of comfortable accommodation options. But if you're looking for a unique outback stay, resting up at Charlotte Plains Station will deliver something special. Spanning a mind-boggling 70,000 acres, this massive property offers endless ways to reconnect with nature. While hundreds of working sheep and cattle are dotted across the farm, parts of the property have been transformed into idyllic countryside retreats, with powered camping sites, bungalows and more. With guests invited to shear sheep, search for stunning wildlife and bathe overlooking an ancient bore, this outback experience is like no other. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland
When word arrived that Brisbane Powerhouse was starting a twice-yearly neon-lit night market that'll pop up for a month at a time with food, booze and art installations, the River City rejoiced. And, as Night Feast kept announcing and adding to its debut lineup, excitement grew. That's all got nothing on the response to the event now that it's finally here, though, with its debut outing kicking off back on Wednesday, March 1 and running until Sunday, March 26. The fact that this event takes place via evening is all there in its name — but it's proven so popular that organisers are adding a bit more daylight to its season. For its final two March weekends, so on Saturday, March 18–Sunday, March 19 and Saturday, March 25–Sunday, March 26, Night Feast will now kick off at 2pm instead of 4.30pm. Closing time remains 9.30pm. Thousands of folks have been visiting the Powerhouse forecourt each evening, which is hardly surprising; given how much Brisbane loves the Night Noodle Markets when they hit each year, the River City was always going to adore Night Feast. Arriving early in the day won't just take care of your lunch plans, but might help you avoid heaving crowds. The event's culinary bill includes Longrain's Martin Boetz, e'cco Bistro's Philip Johnson, Lyndon Tyers at Donna Chang and Tuan Nguyen at Ngon, plus Lek Senee from Lek's Thai and Patricio Sarno from Mary Mae's Kitchen & Bar — and City Winery's vino thanks to winemaker Dave Cush. And, dishes from Taro's Ramen and Ham on Rye are also on the menu, as well as from Saison Salumi and Wine & Dine Em. Chef Anchalee Kasurin is whipping up poffertjes pancakes as part of an international array, too, which surveys Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek, modern Australian cuisine and more at 20-plus gourmet food stalls. Communal feasting is one of Night Feast's big focuses also, and having the restaurants taking part in Night Feast to dish up the absolute top thing on their menus is another. That means tucking into their signature dishes, but by the river in New Farm. Night Feast also features an open fire pit for roasting and a dedicated dessert bar, plus cocktails and a top-notch wine list to wash it all down with. And, the food side of the program is just one of the highlights. The arts and music program is just as impressive, giant illuminated humanoids via Amanda Parer's Fantastic Planet and laser beams that look like intergalactic events included. After its March season, the market will take place again from Wednesday, October 4–Sunday, October 29, 2023, then return each March and October moving forward. Night Feast runs until Sunday, March 26 — operating 4.30–9.30pm Wednesday–Friday and 2–9.30pm Saturday–Sunday. For more information, head to the event's website. Night Feast will then return again from Wednesday, October 4–Sunday, October 29 — plus twice a year after that. Images: Markus Ravik / Lachlan Douglas.
If you spend your weekday working hours in Brisbane's CBD, you're likely always looking for ace coffee spots. Everyone has their favourites, but variety is the spice of life and the best way to break up the nine-to-five grind. So, from mid-March, you might want to add inner-city newcomer Lait Noir on Edward Street to your caffeine-and-pastry rotation — especially if you like filling your breaks with sleek surroundings. Feel like getting a taste of Paris over a Toby's Estate coffee and a raspberry almond coconut tart, too? That's also on the menu at this fresh addition to 144 Edward Street, which is taking over the space previously home to Roll'd Vietnamese. Lait Noir takes its cues from French cafes, complete with luxe decor designed by Outkast. Here, you'll get a caffeinated brew beneath seven-metre-high ceilings and over A-grade marble bench tops. "I have lived in Brisbane for ten years, and there has never been a go-to destination for takeaway or dine-in on the finer side in the CBD," says Charlotte Bourguignon, Lait Noir's Operations Manager. "We will launch Brisbane's first Parisian-style dining with guests able to watch the hustle and bustle go by from their seat." "We are so proud to be opening our doors for workers, visitors and locals to experience a little bit of Paris, right here in the CBD. We pride ourselves on quality and service, with all of our pastries and desserts made with true French ingredients from some of the best French suppliers in Brisbane. Our oven is world-class and trust me when I say all of Brisbane need to taste one of our pies." [caption id="attachment_891100" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] That oven is Queensland's first Unox Speed-X oven, and it'll be pumping out a hefty range of baked goods. Lemon muffins, apple tarts and mini French doughnuts sit among the sweet bites, while quiches, frittatas and beef bourguignon pie are highlights from the savoury range. And, from a dessert-focused range, lemon meringue tarts, passionfruit tarts, choc-fudge caramel brownies and carrot cake are sure to tempt tastebuds. Lait Noir will also do salads, including a roasted vegetable option, plus sandwiches, toasties and wraps. The cheesy egg and bacon croque toastie instantly sounds like a must-try. If you happen to work in the building, it's also planning to do a concierge service for tenants. [caption id="attachment_891101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Find Lait Noir at 144 Edward Street, Brisbane, from mid-March — operating from 6.45am–5pm Monday–Friday.
It's near impossible to talk baked goods in Brisbane without mentioning Jocelyn's Provisions. At Jocelyn's, the often forgotten sister of the brownie — the Blondie — is given a chance to shine. A rich and chewy texture, abound with chunks of white chocolate and macadamia nuts should be reason enough for you think twice before judging the lack of cocoa.
Right now, if Australians want to spend a day carving up the snow, there are a few prerequisites. Frosty weather is a must, and so is getting to one of the country's ski resorts — but that could change from 2025. For Sydneysiders, that snowbound routine usually involves jumping in a car for at least five hours, heading to one of New South Wales' ski spots. Jumping on a train to Penrith, where a new $400-million indoor Winter Sports World has been proposed for the city, will be much, much easier. The centre has also received Penrith Council's official endorsement and is now waiting on NSW Department of Planning and Environment approval — and the team behind it has just unveiled how it'll look. The resort's features have been highlighted before, including a 300-metre indoor ski slope, a winter wonderland play area, a competition area for snow spots, and both ice and rock climbing facilities. And yes, to answer the key question, Winter Sports World will indeed use real snow. Visitors will be able to learn to ski onsite, as part of the resort's positioning as a feeder site to outdoor snow fields. The idea: that you'll learn the ropes indoors, then later head out of town to try the real thing. A food and drink precinct featuring bars, restaurants and cafes, and a 120-room hotel have also been included in the proposal — all with snow views. The just-released designs show how Winter Sports World will appear from the outside, however, complete with touches by Sydney architecture firm Collins & Turner to resemble the venue's' alpine inspiration. The 300-metre-plus northern facade is set to glow at night, takes inspiration from snow clouds on a hill and will apparently look like a blizzard, while the centre's public area and curved lower-level facade will resemble melting ice. Ice shard details are also set to feature. Due to be built in Jamisontown on the corner of Jamison Road and Tench Avenue, Winter Sports World will include water streams, networks of paths and eight-metre-high message sticks as well, with telling First Nations' stories about living on Dyarubbin part of the design. After winning the design competition for the gig, Collins & Turner collaborated with local First Nations artist Jamie Eastwood, landscape architecture JLA Landscape Architects, environmental design consultant and engineers Atelier Ten, facade/structural engineer Eckersley O'Callaghan and lighting design Electrolight. The development, which sought public feedback in 2020 and is being put forward as a new major attraction for the area, is part of the Penrith City Council's plan to double visitors and tourism revenue in the area by 2025. Once built, the facility is hoped to provide a boost to Australia's Winter Olympians and their training, providing a venue for alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding. The Winter Olympics haven't traditionally been one of Australia's sporting strong suits — the national team first competed in 1936 and didn't win its first medal until 1994. The proposal for Winter Sports World has been in the works since November 2018, with site owner and developer Peter Magnisalis lodging a development application with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment this month. For more information about Winter Sports World, head to the proposed venue's website. Images: artists' impressions of Winter Sports World.
When the Socceroos advanced to the Round of 16 in 2022's Men's World Cup, Brisbane celebrated. In a frenzy of football fever, the city even screened the match in the Queen Street Mall and King George Square. That was all well, good and exciting, but 2023 has that beat courtesy of the FIFA Women's World Cup, which Australia — including Brissie — and New Zealand are hosting. Tickets to watch the Matildas, or whichever nation's squad you're barracking for, are going hot. Can't make it to a match, but still keen on the communal atmosphere? South Bank has the answer. For an entire month, from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20, the riverside precinct will become home to the Brisbane/Meaanjin leg of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 FIFA Fan Festival. On the lineup: live tunes, having a kick yourself, and also watching every single Women's World Cup game live and for free. Festivals are happening in five Aussie cities, with Brisbane's making use of South Bank's Riverside Green for 26 days (with no games on August 17–18). Accordingly, you'll be able to head down every day that there's a match to watch, and also soak in the Women's World Cup festivities The games kick off on Thursday, July 20 with a double header: New Zealand take on Norway at 5pm, then Australia battles the Republic of Ireland at 8pm. The Matildas also play Nigeria at 8pm on Thursday, July 27 — at Suncorp Stadium, so if you hit South Bank to watch, you might hear the crowd noise echoing from Milton — and then Canada at 8pm on Monday, July 31. However Sam Kerr and company fare from there, and whether or not they end up lifting the coveted cup, their matches will grace South Bank's big screen — as will every other game in the tournament. The competition features 64 matches in total. On the music bill, Running Touch, Kita Alexander, Sahara Beck and FELIVAND, and Eliza and the Delusionals are headlining, as part of a lineup that also includes daily sets with DJs and other artists, and acoustic sunset sessions. The full festival experience also spans a game pitch where you can try to bend it like whichever soccer player past, present, male or female that takes your fancy; activities for kids; bites including Mediterranean barbecue, Italian, Japanese, burgers, pastries and doughnuts; and bars. And the vibe that'll buzz through Brisbane thanks to eight Women's World Cup games being played in the River City, and almost 225,000 tickets sold across them? That's a bonus. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 FIFA Fan Festival runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 at South Bank, South Brisbane. Head to the FIFA website for more details. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website. Top image: IQRemix via Wikimedia Commons.
It's the first film from Andrea Arnold in almost a decade, since 2016's Cannes Jury Prize-winning American Honey. It boasts Barry Keoghan in his first big-screen role since Saltburn made him a megastar. ("He could pretty much have done anything he wanted and he stuck with my small, low-budget film, so that's pretty spectacular," Arnold tells Concrete Playground.) It gives Franz Rogowski another exceptional part for his ever-growing resume (see also: Victoria, Happy End, Transit, A Hidden Life, Undine, Great Freedom and Passages). It unearths a stellar new talent in British Independent Film Award Breakthrough Performance-nominee and first-time actor Nykiya Adams. It sports a soundtrack filled with British sing-alongs, complete with a nod to its most-famous face's film past worked in among Blur's 'The Universal', The Verve's 'Lucky Man' and Coldplay's 'Yellow'. Bird is worth watching for each of these reasons alone — as well as for Arnold's blazing empathy, a hallmark of her work since her Oscar-winning short film days, and also the brilliant naturalism that always beams through in the cinematography by her regular collaborator Robbie Ryan (a two-time Academy Award-nominee for The Favourite and Poor Things). It's also a must-see for letting audiences discover how Arnold has spun a tender and moving coming-of-age fable that blends social realism with magical realism from a unique starting point: "it was an image of a naked tall man with a long penis standing on a tall building at night in the mist," she advises. "I think it's a metaphor." Bird began the same way that Andrea Arnold's work always does: with a distinctive picture. While every film, be it a short, feature or documentary, trades in visuals, of course, the writer/director's creative process for each of her projects commences with an image that comes to her, and that she's then driven to unlock. Such was her kick-off point when she started penning a movie that now sits beside Red Road, Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights on her resume as well — plus episodes of Transparent and I Love Dick, the entire second season of Big Little Lies and heartbreaking doco Cow. Rogowski portrays the titular character, who is indeed sighted on a rooftop. Adams is Bailey, the movie's 12-year-old protagonist. Keoghan plays Bug, her single dad, who she resides with in a north Kent squat — also with her brother Hunter (fellow first-timer Jason Buda) — and whose new engagement shatters Bailey's status quo. Arnold layers Bird with journeys and searches to belong. It's true for the girl at the feature's centre, who feels like the already-chaotic existence that she's living with Bug and Hunter is crumbling. It's accurate of Bird, the mysterious stranger on a quest that's tied to his past, too. Bug's impending nuptials, Hunter's own romantic situation: it applies to them also, as it frequently has to other characters across the helmer's filmography. Chatting with us in 2016, American Honey star Riley Keough described that picture as "like an experience, rather than like a film" and "really getting to that sort of place in people's souls"; again, that applies across every Arnold project. In her Oscar-awarded short Wasp, Arnold's focus is a single mother trying to start a new relationship. Red Road follows a CCTV operator who spots someone that she knows on surveillance footage, Fish Tank charts the change in a 15-year-old's life when her mum begins seeing a new boyfriend, Wuthering Heights obviously adapts Emily Brontë's gothic great about Catherine and Heathcliff, and American Honey heads on a US road trip. A female dairy cow earns the filmmaker's attention in Cow. Each unfurls a different narrative, even if dysfunctional families and growing up are familiar themes. "None of the stories are directly connected, but I'm quite interested in those kind of families, I guess," Arnold notes. "Maybe because my own family was quite sort of chaotic as a child." Her work is linked by a sentiment that's summed up wonderfully in an unforgettable line in Bird, too: "no one's no one". That piece of dialogue was pivotal for the director. Arnold is adamant about that fact, as she was about ensuring that the line made it into Bird. As she keeps demonstrating a devastatingly evocative and effective knack for seeing working-class reality with clear eyes while equally spying the world's beauty wherever her characters can snatch it, Arnold likes to let her films speak for themselves rather than unpacking their meaning — "I really believe in cinema being something that you give to the audience to have their own experience with," she says; "you want the audience to go to the bar afterwards and argue about what they think it meant, 'I think it meant this' or 'I think it meant that', 'no, no, what about that scene, because that scene means that'" — but she's aware of how crucial those four words are. Bird's evolution from that first image of a man on a building, delving into magical realism, casting Keoghan, discovering Adams, guiding naturalistic performances out of her actors, her approach to the film's soundtrack, making three-dimensional movies about the working class: we also spoke with Arnold about all of the above. On How Bird Evolved From Arnold's First Vision of a Man on a Rooftop in the Mist "Every time I write, I have an image that I then treat like a puzzle. It's like a mystery. The image is a mystery. Who's the man? Why is he naked? Why is he in mist? Why is he standing on a building? Is someone looking at him? Is he an alien? How old is he? The image encourages me to ask lots of questions, so it becomes a puzzle that I then have to solve. And usually what happens is, I know that if the image really keeps annoying me, like it keeps coming into my head, that it's something I need to explore. So I go off and I start making notes, and I start thinking about what are the answers to some of the questions, and that starts me thinking about scenes and possible other images and characters. And then I just build it from there, really. Which takes years sometimes. Not like every day, but it doesn't always make sense straight away, and I start digging around and 'yeah, that makes sense' and 'that doesn't make sense'. I keep — I think I started Bird years ago, five years ago or something, but then I did Cow and did other things, and so I came back to it. If I'd made it straight away five years ago, I think it would be a completely film to the one I made just now, actually. I think it would have been an interesting, different film. Because in five years, you change and you grow, and you do other things and your ideas change. So it depends on the kind of person I am at the time — and actually, interestingly I wasn't sure I should do it. Because I felt like somehow, the image, although I started with the image, that maybe I didn't need to really go there. But then I just kept going and did. And then I think some of the magical realism came out of that because I was pushing the idea more than I perhaps would have done. Maybe five years ago, there would have been no magical realism, but now there is." On Bird's Flight Into Magical Realism "It came naturally out of the process of writing. I didn't have any other films in mind. I love films like Pan's Labyrinth, for example. I think that's an amazing film, but it's not a film that I ever thought was anything like my films or anything to with me. When I saw that film, which I loved, I never thought 'oh, yeah, that I'm going to do that' or 'that's something to do with me' — I loved it for what it was, for its own creation. I never even thought about it. When I started writing, it just started coming naturally — the storytelling, my imagination just went there. So I just let it. It was liberating. I thought 'well, it's a film, I can make anything happen'. It's like magic, isn't it? You can do what you like. To me, it would seem like a natural progression from what I already do. Because I think, all the nature things I film, to me they're magical anyway. If you put a camera on something like a dragonfly, for example, that's about as alien and as magical as you can get. If you look at anything that we, all these things we have naturally in our lives, that are around — look at a worm. What an amazing thing a worm is, right. If you want look at a worm, film a worm and study it, you'd be thinking 'wow, that's like an alien. That's a strange thing. Does it move? How does it work? How does it live?'. I find all the things around us magical anyway. I literally find them fascinating. I find a snail, for example — you just have to look at those things and it's magical anyway. So to me, what I did just didn't seem so weird. It didn't seem so strange to me. It felt normal. It felt like an extension and natural progression of what I'd already done." On the Importance of the "No One's No One" Line — and How It Also Echoes Across Arnold's Other Work "That line just came while I was writing and I just thought 'oh god, that just sums up everything I care about. That just sums up absolutely everything'. And I was absolutely adamant. Because sometimes when you're filming scenes — my scripts end up being quite layered, I think, and I lose so much from my scripts when we film, because filming is so clunky compared with when you do layers in a scene. I might layer a scene with all sorts of things, and of course you film it and sometimes it's like driving a tank across your scenes. It's hard to achieve some of the subtleties that I put in my in my script. Sometimes I think 'maybe I should just write, because then I can have all the things that I want in there'. So often I'm improvising — or not, no I'm not improvising, I'm allowing things from the script, I let them go because I just have to, because the situation, the timing. Sometimes they have lots of non-actors, they don't remember a line or they don't always say it like it is. So often, the scene becomes sort of an echo of what I wrote, but not totally what I wrote. But that line, I was absolutely adamant that we didn't lose it. I was like 'it doesn't matter what'. And we had to hurry in that situation, because we didn't have much time to film in the station and we had some other issues that day. So we ended up with very little time to film on the station and outside the station, but I was absolutely like 'we're putting the camera there and we're going to get that line, that's got to be there'. It's my favourite line. And I think you're right, thank you for spotting that — it is something that I really care about and I think probably is across my work, and that is something I believe." On Casting Barry Keoghan as Bug "My casting comrade Lucy Pardee, who I work with — who's an amazing woman and who I've worked with for years — she knows me really well. She knows my worlds really well. She completely understands them. I've known her for many years. And she thinks about people she thinks will fit in my world. She mentioned him very early on, like ages before Banshees came out. And I met him just before The Banshees of Inisherin came out. And I hadn't seen him very much, actually, but she sent me a picture of him and I was like 'wow, I love the way he looks' — and he looked like he could fit straight in. Then I saw him in a couple of things, just small roles in things, and then I went to meet him. I don't always need to see them in another film necessarily. I like meeting people. And I'll always go on meeting. I feel like that's the genuine feeling that you get, from meeting a person. And I met him — he came down from Scotland when I was in London, and we had a meeting, and I just loved him the minute I met him. I think I offered it, we offered it, to him the next day. But that was quite a long time before we started — but I never ever faltered. I don't think I met anyone else for Bug, actually. I think I just met him and I was like 'yeah, totally'. But that's thanks to Lucy because she just knows me so well, so she picks people that she knows what I'm going to respond to and who feel like they go in my world. And then Banshees came out, of course, and I went to see it, and I just loved him in that. He was so fantastic in that. I was like 'yeah, we definitely made the right choice, without a doubt'. But I'd cast him before that came out so. And then, of course, he was in Saltburn. And then he went stratospheric. I actually thought 'he's never going to stay with our film', because he could do anything he wants now. But he did. So that was beautiful. He stuck with us." On Knowing That Adams, Who Only Auditioned to Get Out of a Class at School, Was the Film's Bailey "The first audition was with Lucy, the casting director, and then Lucy took her along to another — when she saw her, she brought her along to meet me after. So when I met her, she just came on a Saturday. We do the auditions up near where everybody lives, so they don't have to travel very far. So we were up in the area, and she came on that Saturday. I think she'd been playing football that day. She does football and stuff. She's very physical, very sporty. I think she did it to get out of a design and technology class, didn't she? I think that's the story. I think I heard her say that the other day — I didn't know that until I heard her say that. She did the audition more to get out of a lesson than she did because she wanted to be an actor. She just did it to get out of something. So I think even, I don't know when she came to see me, I'm not sure that she was still that not sure about this thing. I think I remember her walking in like 'yeah, what is, what is this thing?'. But I remember waking up when I saw her. I felt like she had a presence. And that I really took note of, I kind of thought 'oh, this this kid has got a presence'. It wasn't quite the sort of the kid that I'd written or been looking for, exactly. She was different. But I noted her and she woke me up, and I think you've got to pay attention to those feelings. That never left me, so she ended being the Bailey." On Guiding Naturalistic Performances Out of Bird's Cast "I shoot chronologically, which I think is a huge thing, and I particularly love it. I do that mostly for the people who haven't acted before, because I think it gives them some sense of where they are, and then they don't have to jump in and out of the chronology — they're not having to do a scene from the end and then a scene from the beginning. It gives them some sense of their journey. Then, because I do that, I do that with all the actors as well, of course — and then I don't show them the whole script. I give them scenes bit by bit. And then I think the actual day-to-day directing is, for me, every person I'm working with is an individual and your relationship then is an individual relationship — and different actors, different people who haven't acted before, need you or there's different ways in which you work with each of them. So there's not one way, I don't think, that I work with anybody. But I try to have relationships with everybody with, and for that to be like a living, growing, evolving thing that is something that we do as we go along." On the Use of British Anthems in the Soundtrack "Every character, I make a playlist for. So that was on Bug's playlist, these sort of very blokey anthems. I mean, 'Yellow' is a song that I absolutely love anyway. I try, all the songs I use, I try, even though the character's songs, I still want them to be songs I love — and I usually don't pick any song that I don't love. Most songs in my films, I love. And even if they're particular character songs, I still want to love them. So I try to find songs that I love for every character. So 'Yellow' is, I think, a fantastic song and. And 'The Universal' is a fantastic song. And 'Lucky Man'. They're all on Bug's playlist. Bug had that kind of playlist, sort of anthems, because I think he likes to sing and he likes to be loud, and he likes to sing these songs. He knows all the words. Then I made playlists for everyone else. I made a playlist for Bailey, but her music got drowned out by Bug's — every time I tried to have a song that was Bailey's song, it didn't happen because she's in the house and Bug takes over. So that happened naturally, actually. That wasn't an intention. I didn't mean for that to happen, but it did happen. And actually now, I realise it happened naturally because of the character and because of the way the world was. So that was something that was sort of a truth that happened, even though I planned something different — the truth came out. And then what happened is because we had Burial do some of the soundtrack, and I've never worked with someone doing a soundtrack before, so this was a new experience for me — but his music became more like Bailey's internal world. So she had her own music, but it wasn't songs. It wasn't songs that she would have on a playlist. It was more her internal world." On Making Three-Dimensional Films About the Working Class "I grew up in a working-class family and in that kind of area, so I very much feel that's something I very much understand and feel deeply connected to. So I don't have any judgment of anybody. I don't have that in my bones. So I think that's just going to come out in what I do. I don't have any sort of — I don't need to do anything because that's just how I feel. But I think like that about everybody. I think we should all respect and be kind and caring towards each other. I feel the world doesn't — I feel like that about everybody. I try not to judge anyone when I first meet anyone, or to judge anything or anybody. I try not to. I guess, of course, we probably all do on some level, but I try not to. And I just don't have that in my bones, so it's not going to be there in the film, I don't think. I don't think I'm making political — it's not a political gesture, not really. It's more about the people, I think. And it's more about trying to show people in three-dimensional ways. It's a privilege for someone like me who comes from that working-class background to be a filmmaker. What a privilege. What an amazing place I'm in that I've come from a working-class background, but here I am making films — what an amazing thing that is. And to me, I see that as quite a responsibility. And it's almost I feel like I need to really try to present it — I mean, obviously I'm making a film from my point of view, and that I'm not trying to make a wide political gesture, I'm just trying to make one from my point of view, in a way I understand, and that's all I try to do. I don't try to pretend I know everything, or I have great, sweeping view — obviously I wish the world was a more equal, fairer place for people. And there's plenty of wealth in the world to go around, isn't there? I'd like it that people weren't struggling to eat or to have somewhere to live. Originally in the film, I put the family — because of lockdown here and COVID, nobody went to work, and London at the moment has masses and masses of buildings, it has sprouted up like some sort of Blade Runner futuristic thing. And all the people that didn't go to their offices every day didn't want to go back into the offices. And I thought 'oh, there's all of these empty buildings now, all of these big office blocks, empty — why don't put all of the people that don't have homes there? There's so many people without homes. The homeless situation, it seems to be getting worse in every single country. When I go to America, they say the homeless thing is incredibly awful there. There are tent cities, and there are avenues and streets full of people living in tents and cars. I'm thinking 'but you've got all these empty buildings. You've got all of these office blocks that no one's working in. Why don't we just put everybody in there?'. So originally in the film, I put the family them in there. But we couldn't find a building like that to film in, so we didn't end up filming there. But the intention was there. My heart was there. So there's all these little things that I do care about that I put in the film, but I wouldn't say it's a big, sweeping political gesture. It's more about the people, more about trying to tell a small world in a way that I see as being true, as true to me. It's my truth — I'm not saying it's everyone's truth or a universal truth, it's just a truthful thing for me. There's things I care about in the film always. Everything I care about. But I would say I'm not trying to make a massive statement." Bird opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Images: Robbie Ryan / Atsushi Nishijima.
Ask a few people when they fell in love with David Attenborough documentaries and you might receive an array of answers. Or, everyone might point to Planet Earth. The landmark 2006 series won both awards and love aplenty when it had the world's most-famous natural historian and broadcaster narrate a look at this pale blue dot we call home. Indeed, it was such a success that Planet Earth II followed in 2016, and now Planet Earth III arrives this year. In Australia, the third instalment in the franchise (because everything is now a franchise) starts screening and streaming from Sunday, November 26. Viewers heading to Channel 9 and 9Now can look forward to more spectacular glimpses at the rock from the sun, more time getting to peek at its creatures and more of Attenborough's guiding voice. Eight episodes will peruse the planet, each sending viewers to a different environment or focusing on a specific topic. The series starts with a look at the earth's coasts, including what happens where the land meets the sea, before diving deep into the ocean. From there, it's onto vast deserts and grasslands, then to the place where a tenth of all species live: freshwater. Next up is a wander through forests, before Planet Earth III embraces the extremes that its namesake has to offer. In episode seven, humanity's impact upon the planet is in the spotlight. Then, the series wraps up with a chapter devoted to meeting some of the folks in conservation who are fighting to save the earth. "In this new series of Planet Earth, we travel to the most astonishing wild places, see mysterious creatures, witness rare, spectacular wonders and reveal breathtaking animal dramas," said Attenborough during production, on location near Down House, Charles Darwin's family home. "The natural world continues to surprise us, but since Darwin's time it has changed beyond recognition, being transformed by a powerful force — us. We will see how animals are adapting in extraordinary ways to survive the new challenges they face. At this crucial time in our history, we must now look at the world through a new lens." Five years in the making, and boasting Planet Earth II and Prehistoric Planet's Mike Gunton as an executive producer, the latest must-see from BBC Studios Natural History Production also brings back a big name for its music: Hans Zimmer (The Creator), who has teamed up with Bleeding Finger Music's Russell Emanuel and Bastille's Dan Smith on the show's score. And those astonishing visuals, as glimpsed in the trailer for the series (and expected if you've watched Planet Earth and Planet Earth II)? You've got everything from drones and deep-sea submersibles to high-speed cameras, as placed in the oceans, in deserts, inside caves and in jungles, to thank. Check out the trailer for Planet Earth III below: Planet Earth III will start screening and streaming via Channel 9 and 9Now from 8pm on Sunday, November 26.
The 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving in 2024, is giving the sprawling pop-culture franchise something that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool will officially enter the MCU. So will X-Men hero Wolverine. The movie? Announced in 2022, Deadpool & Wolverine has a date with cinemas this July. In the just-dropped first trailer for the flick, which arrived during the 2024 Super Bowl, the Merc with a Mouth obviously knows exactly what to say. "Your little cinematic universe is about to change forever" advises Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) when he's brought into the Marvel fold by the Time Variance Authority. His way of describing himself now that he's in the MCU? "Marvel Jesus", of course. One won't stop cracking wise. The other prefers to say as little as possible. Naturally, they're about to become the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Hugh Jackman (Faraway Downs) are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine is part of the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Check out the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below: Deadpool & Wolverine will release in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
After bringing New Farm's old Brunswick Street movie theatre back to life, then turning the Irish Club in Elizabeth Street into a CBD picture palace, Five Star Cinemas is launching its latest venture: a five-screen venue inside Red Hill's old Skate Arena. First announced in late 2017 and finally coming to fruition despite legal challenges, Red Hill Cinemas will welcome movie-loving patrons from Saturday, November 30. When it swings open its doors, it'll fall just under a month shy of 17 years since the building's former guise met a fiery end, with the roller-skating rink gutted by fire on Boxing Day in 2002. In the almost two decades since that blaze, the empty Enoggera Terrace site has become home to a host of multi-coloured street art by figures such as Sofles and Drapl — and, in revamping and restoring the structure, Five Star Cinema owners Peter and Stephen Sourris have retained the graffiti-covered walls as an eye-catching feature. They're also nodding to the past in a different way, with the location initially operating as a cinema from the 1920s–60s, before being turned into a teen music venue and then, for nearly 40 years from 1965, becoming the beloved Skate Arena. Brisbane cinephiles can expect other winks to history throughout the site, too, such as a plant stand made out of an old ladder that once went up to the projection booth, canvas foyer chairs sourced from a cinema in Gayndah, and walls filled with cinema items and artefacts from the family's collection — as the Sourris brothers have done at both New Farm Cinemas and The Elizabeth Picture Theatre. Sadly, an originally mooted bowling alley isn't part of the final venue, but Red Hill Cinemas' timber flooring has been recycled from a bowling alley's lanes, while the lower area of the building boasts a ceiling made up of wood from the old Skate Arena that survived the fire. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4whxHWg4YD/ Naturally, the location's history looms large over the new cinemas, but it isn't the main attraction. Film-goers can grab a seat in the main 160-seat cinema, or pick from one of four 70-seat 'gold room' screens, which all feature leather recliners. Red Hill Cinemas will launch with a lineup that includes Last Christmas, The Irishman, Marriage Story, Knives Out, Ford v Ferrari and Frozen II, and will offer movie-goers $10 tickets to all sessions from Saturday, November 30–Wednesday, December 4. Find Red Hill Cinemas at 14 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill from Saturday, November 30.
Despite its name, there are absolutely no alligators or nests at this rainforest pool. Nor are there crocodiles, for that matter. What you will find, however, is a clear and refreshing swimming spot surrounded by lush rainforest. [caption id="attachment_842239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] If you spend the night in Mission Beach, this is an ideal day trip to add to your itinerary. Stop at The Pocket in El Arish for fresh coffee and picnic supplies before making your way through the backroads of Feluga to the stunning swimming hole. Alligators Nest is best enjoyed on a warm day after a fresh downpour of rain. Thankfully, the tropics are filled with incredible days like that. Top image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
"It's more like a doughnut-ice-cream-sundae tortilla hack," says chef Julian Cincotta. The cofounder of Butter in Sydney is usually found racing between restaurants, serving Butter's famed fried chicken and its sought-after cinnamon doughnuts. But, following a chat with Concrete Playground, Cincotta thought it was high time he joined TikTok to give that #TortillaHack a crack. "I've got quite a sweet tooth," he says. "I hadn't seen any sweet takes on the tortilla hack challenge, so this is my version. I think it's deliciously ugly — and pretty fucking tasty." Cincotta's remix isn't fine dining by any stretch of the imagination. It's exceptionally messy to eat, as you'll see from his pics, and supremely easy to make at home — "simplistic elegance at its best," he says. Cincotta's top tip is not to melt the ice cream too much: "make sure it's straight out of the freezer. It's all about that hot-cold sensation with a sweet-savoury bite." And, if you can't get your hands on a couple of Butter's cinnamon doughnuts, you can use any other doughnut, "but they won't be as good," he jokes. "Book an Airbnb and come to Sydney especially." Watch Cincotta's TikTok video to see just how OTT it is. Then, give it a go using the recipe below. [embed]https://vimeo.com/528663156[/embed] RECIPE 2 cinnamon doughnuts 2 scoops of Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream 2 Cadbury Creme Eggs 1 flour tortilla METHOD Lay a tortilla on a chopping board. Use a knife to slice the wrap from the centre to the outer edge. Place two doughnuts on the left-hand side of your tortilla wrap. Add two scoops of ice cream to the top right-hand side of the tortilla. Add two Creme Eggs to the final section. Smash the creme eggs with the palm of your hand. "You could use a spoon or knife, but it's best to get your hands messy," says Cincotta. Fold the tortilla quarters starting from the bottom right-hand corner working anticlockwise. Toast the tortilla in a sandwich press without melting the ice cream too much. Finish with whipped cream, sprinkles and/or chocolate sauce. MORE FOOD PORN Cincotta didn't stop at dessert tortillas. He also remixed the TikTok trend to create a charcoal chicken tortilla with shredded chicken, garlic sauce, lettuce, shoestring fries, gravy, cheese slices and mayo. See the video here. Or, watch how he takes a BLTC and adds fried chicken and thousand island dressing, here. As Cincotta says, "There are no rules. If you want to put a cheeseburger in a tortilla, put a cheeseburger in a tortilla. It's all about personal taste and creativity." Follow Butter on TikTok. Top image: Videohead/Raghav Rampal
First there was payWave, then there was Cardless Cash (thank you, Commonwealth), and also PayPal Here, which allows you to pay for coffee and things via Bluetooth from your PayPal account. These got us closer to the minimalist, tech-driven dream — a cashless, cardless (and, effectively, wallet-less) society — but not quite there. That's all set to change though, with Apple switching on their mobile payment system, Apple Pay. Launching today with payments provider eWAY, Apple Pay will make poor buying decisions even more effortless, with one-touch payments online, within apps and IRL — if you have an iPhone and use AMEX, that is. At the moment, Apple Pay can only be used on the Apple Watch or iPhone 6 and above, by those with a directly-issued American Express credit card. Which would seemingly rule out most people under 50. But I digress. Already in use in the US and the UK, the Australian launch comes in a rather inevitable move towards doing everything on that little pocket-sized piece of machinery you call your iPhone. For the moment, Apple Pay is accepted at around 21,000 retailers, including David Jones, Coles, Woolworths and Zara. You can even pay for your Uber ride with it and, most deliciously, your late-night pad Thai deliveries from Eat Now. To use Apple Pay, you'll need to add your card to the Wallet app. Then, just use the iPhone's Touch ID to make in-app purchases, or hold your phone near the contactless reader in-store. If Australia is to follow suit of the US, Visa and MasterCard should be accepted by Apple Pay in the near future. At least, let’s hope so. That extra bit of plastic in your pocket is weighing you down.
A future path of degeneration seems set: first you reduce your social life to interacting with Little Robot Friends instead of humans, and then inevitably, you start drinking with robots. Hopefully one-night stands with robots don't follow, but a yearly event in San Francisco doesn't seem too worried about this outcome. BarBot, a fundraiser hosted by the Robotics Society of America (launched all the way back in 1978 when robots were considerably less adept at shaking Martinis) takes its cues from Austrian cocktail-robot event Roboexotica. Inventors bring their mechanised bartenders to the event, demonstrating the many weird ways a robot can create and present an alcoholic beverage. Nerds still know how to party, y'all. It's a natural marriage when you think about it: cocktails require a very precise measure of different ingredients, and robots can be programmed to carry this out flawlessly. A robot-mixed drink might lack the flair of human interpretation, but chances are it'll be pretty good, and why shouldn't cocktails be automatically dispensed from a robot like coffee from a coffee machine? Monday morning would never be the same. Now in its seventh year, the two-day BarBot is growing in popularity, with 3000 drinks mixed for up to 2000 human attendees over the course of each evening. So who makes the barbots? Everyone from IBM top research brass to engineering students, and the diversity of entrants is reflected in the different ways their machines work, with spinning transparent cylinders of liquid, flashing lights and clever ornamentation. This year some bots were upwardly-mobile, touring the floor to tantalise guests with their offerings, while others utilised touch screens and one even took drink order specifications via dance moves on a DDR mat. Sense of humour is key: there was a requisite R2D2 and a steampunk barbot, and in the video you will see delightful classical statues pee out bespoke booze for one very lucky punter. Through this kind of fun interaction between people and technology, the RSA hopes to foster education and enthusiasm for the development of robotics. Via Gizmodo.
Have you ever really looked at your keyboard? Are there some key placements that actually make no sense to you at all? We all learn the key positions by rote when we learn how to Internet, but Apple — along with a lil Aussie company — are about to potentially change that forever. The tech giant (who just launched their new MacBook Pro yesterday) have been working with Sydney-based startup Sonder Design to incorporate their dynamic keyboard technology into the laptops you know and love. They announced that, from 2018, their laptops will feature dynamic e-ink keyboards. What the heck is an e-ink keyboard, you ask? It's a keyboard that changes the content on its keys according to what you're doing on your device. It's designed to customise your shortcuts, allow you to type in multiple languages, prioritise the peach emoji for lightning-quick butt references and generally make the keyboard work for you (as it should — c'mon people, its 2016). Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Well, QWERTY currently has a stranglehold on the marketplace. There's a lot of conflicting stories regarding the QWERTY keyboard's rise to prominence. Some people believe Christopher Sholes designed it to slow keyboard typists down so their typewriters wouldn't jam (they say it's designed to alternate letter between each hand). Others claim it was designed with the help of telegram transcribers and has only once since been challenged in efficiency, by the Dvorak keyboard. Most likely however, it's a perfect example of a human invention that was in the right place at the right time. QWERTY was popular at the time Remington and Sons began to mass produce typewriters. And once typists knew one system, retraining them was a big waste of time. But this preamble about the history of keyboard is to give some context to what Sonder are doing with their new keyboard. Thanks to ~technology~ we've moved way beyond the restrictions of the typewriter — theirs is supposedly the "world's first" keyboard to use e-ink to make it dynamic. It's a big win for the Aussie tech company and, frankly, any technology that brings us closer to emojis is a win for us. Via The Wall Street Journal.
Spoiler warning: this interview incudes specifics about The Survivors if you haven't watched the full series before reading. "Being new," Thom Green offers. "If it's fresh. If you haven't tackled it before. That's always a good drawcard, right?". "I really love a strong perspective in storytelling," adds Shannon Berry. "Good team, good filmmaker," pipes back in Green. "If it's someone you've always wanted to work with, whether that be a director or producer, a writer, an actor or an actress, that's always another good keyword or a key factor when picking a job," he furthers. And for Berry, too, " I think well-written". She continues: "I love reading scripts. Scripts are the baseline for everything, and I think when you get a script and it's just really good and you can really imagine everything, that's what's super exciting. It's reading a script and you go 'I cannot wait to see how this turns out' — or 'I cannot wait to be a part of it'." These are some of the pivotal elements that Green and Berry, co-stars in The Survivors, look for in a new project. With the six-part Netflix adaptation of Jane Harper's 2020 novel of the same name, they've ticked those boxes. Green comes to the series with a packed resume that already spans Beneath Hill 60, Dance Academy, Halo, Downriver, Eden, Of an Age, Ladies in Black, Exposure and Apple Cider Vinegar, to name just a few of his previous credits. Berry is an alum of Offspring, Romper Stomper, The Wilds, Foe, Winner, High Country, Fake, Watson and more. The pair have encountered all of these crucial aspects before, then, but bringing an adaptation of such an acclaimed author's work to the screen — a writer whose Aaron Falk books have proven huge hits on the big screen as The Dry and Force of Nature — was always going to stand out. In The Survivors, Green plays Sean Gilroy, one of two of characters who lost their older brothers to a tragedy 15 years prior. When Toby Gilroy and Finn Elliott attempted to rescue the latter's sibling Kieran (Charlie Vickers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) from flooding coastal caves during a storm and didn't make it home, the scenic Tasmanian town of Evelyn Bay was forever changed. Kieran left quickly. Sean remained. Their respective parents — Damien Garvey (Nugget Is Dead?: A Christmas Story) and Robyn Malcolm (After the Party) portray Brian and Verity Elliott, Martin Sacks (Darby and Joan) is Julian Gilroy — are understandably still haunted by their grief a decade and a half later. As the anniversary of the incident approaches, Kieran comes home, his partner Mia Chang (Bridgerton season four's Yerin Ha), another ex-local, plus their new baby with him. The pain of a loss like this won't ever subside. The town's close-knit community hasn't been telling itself the full story, though. Everyone knows that someone else went missing on the same day that Toby and Finn drowned, but 14-year-old Gabby Birch's (Eloise Rothfield, How to Make Gravy) disappearance isn't treated in the same way. Berry plays recent arrival Bronte, who is staying with Gabby's sister Olivia (Jessica De Gouw, The Union), has become close with her fraying mother Trish (Catherine McClements, Apple Cider Vinegar) and is so furious that the teen's absence keeps being overlooked that she begins investigating it herself. With Kieran's return at its core, The Survivors charts the past lingering over and colliding with the present in multiple ways, then, including when there's another tragedy and the police start searching for a killer. [caption id="attachment_1008349" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Organic PR.[/caption] With George Mason (Black Snow), Miriama Smith (End of the Valley), Johnny Carr (Strange Creatures), Julian Weeks (Prosper) and Don Hany (Neighbours) also among the cast, Australia's newest Harper adaptation is filled with folks grappling with trauma, no matter where their tale starts or ends. Some have lived it for much of their lives. Others are determined to interrogate it. In their roles, Green and Berry are tasked with tackling the reality in different ways. Sean might appear externally laidback, but he's clearly deeply impacted by the events of 15 years ago. Bronte views Evelyn Bay, plus Gabby's disappearance and Finn and Toby's deaths, with outsider eyes — and, while making friends and settling in, even if only briefly, is driven to do what she can to redress a wrong. Being cast in The Survivors was an exciting prospect for both Green and Berry for an array of reasons — those key factors listed above and more. Green was already a fan of the book, while Berry revelled in the experience of reading it knowing that she'd be stepping into its tale. What does being part of a series like this mean to the two Australian talents? What did they initially see that they could bring to Sean and Bronte? When an intimate dynamic among a tightly bound community teeming with secrets and complicated family dynamics is so pivotal, how do you cultivate that with your co-stars? They're some of the other topics that we dug into with Green and Berry, alongside leaving an imprint in a limited time, the sense of responsibility that accompanies translating Harper's novel to the screen, the long-running appeal of murder-mysteries in Australia and more. On Being a Part of a Tasmania-Set Mystery Series About Tragedies Past and Present Colliding — and One That Adapts a Jane Harper Novel Shannon: "Well, this was my first time going to Tassie. I've never been to Tassie before. So it was amazing to come with the show. And I was just so excited to work with so many Aussie legends. And I've worked before with both Cherie Nowlan [The Irrational] and Ben Lucas [Nautilus], the directors, so it was really exciting to come back together with them again. And I think just it's really amazing to tell Australian stories and to film them here, and to show how beautiful our country is. Tasmania is just such a beautiful place, it kind of became a character within itself. And that's what I really loved about it." Thom: "I think for me, I loved the book. I absolutely adore the book. So that was a huge reason why I wanted to do it. Tasmania as well. I love Tasmania. And then it was the cast. It was the cast, and Cherie and I had worked together on Dance Academy so many years ago, and so that was also — there were so many factors on why I wanted to come do this. But I think that it was the book, mainly, because I was such a big fan. I was like 'I've got to be a part of this'." On Green and Berry's Starting Points with The Survivors on the Page — and Their Approaches to Helping Bring the Book to the Screen Thom: "I read it the year it came out — and then when I was cast in this, I didn't actually go back to the book. I knew the story, but I think I was actually drawing more from stuff I'd seen, to give it my own flavour. So that was building the wardrobe, and the hair and makeup, and you're building all that. So I didn't go back to the book. I didn't try to draw anything from that. I decided to take a step back and do my own thing, so hopefully it did it justice." Shannon: "I read the book. I had read The Dry previously, so I was familiar with her work. Love The Dry. But I had not read The Survivors until I found out that I was cast on the show. So that was super exciting. I think it's such a rare experience to read a book for the first time and see your character's name and go 'that's me' — which was just a really cool, really cute experience. And I'm a huge reader. I love to read. So it was just really special to read it and imagine myself in that world and imagine all the potential. And I think it's been absolutely amazing to watch it. It makes me giddy to think about." Thom: "Yeah, it's one of those things as well, like you can do jobs and sometimes the experiences can be less than glamorous — and this was actually so much fun. We all just got along so well as well, so it just makes it, you go into work each day enjoying it, and then you're wrapping for the day and everyone's hanging out with each other. And it reads on the screen." Shannon: "100 percent." Thom: "It always reads on screen." On Building the Show's Close-Knit Character Dynamic with the Rest of the Cast Shannon: "I feel they made it so easy. It got to the point where I knew I wasn't going to be working on it for a whole lot of time, and meeting you all, I then got very jealous that I wasn't going to be able to spend as much time with you guys [to Thom] as the rest of them — because everyone was just so lovely and so welcoming, and it very quickly really did feel like a family vibe. I always feel that when I step into Aussie spaces with Aussie cast and crew. Everyone's just absolutely the best. So I did feel quite jealous when all of my stuff was done and I had to leave you guys to your own devices." Thom: "I think a good indicator is that, what, it's been 14 months since we wrapped, and George Mason was Facetiming me yesterday from Perth, from his next job, to have a yarn. So that's just a good indicator of how well we all got along." [caption id="attachment_1008351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Organic PR.[/caption] On What Green and Berry Were Excited to Bring to Sean and Bronte Thom: "I think that I felt very comfortable talking to Tony [Nowhere Boys, Glitch, Stateless, Clickbait and Fires' Ayres, who is behind The Survivors' streaming adaptation] and to Ben and to Cherie about the complexity of Sean. So that I felt I was able to bring — from my first take, I remember thinking 'I think I know how to do this'. And you kind of do your take and you sort of go 'well, this is what I think'. And Tony came back and said 'that's what we think as well'. So talking to Ben, there's so many layers. Everyone, every single character in this story, has layers. But I think that was what I felt — that's the part I'm quite happy with what I did, was that vulnerability and intelligence." Shannon: "I think with me, I really enjoyed relating to Bronte. We both moved out really young, moved across the country to a different place, and had to make our own friends and find our own way. So that was really exciting, reading the book, to relate to her in that way. And also talking with Cherie a lot about her art project, and she's so passionate about what she does, and I really relate to her in that sense as well. So it was really exciting to talk about her shared passions and how that drives her in this universe. And I just really related to that a lot. So that was super exciting, to remind me of my young days." Thom: "I'm going to say as well, but for Shannon, Shannon wasn't with us the entire time. So when an actor has to come on, and only come in to do a day or two, and then knock it out of the park and get on the plane and leave — that's a testament to Shannon." On the Task of Conveying the Impact of Trauma in Layered Performances Thom: "It takes a lot. You've got to really sit with the script for a while, I think. It sounds really morbid to think, but if you've dealt with it, you can draw from that — if you dealt with it your personal life. Some people don't like to do that. Some people do. I like to — I do sometimes. I feel like it helps. But I think it just takes a lot of time of sitting with the director and really fleshing out each layer, as I was previously mentioning — fleshing out each single layer and just building on top of it. So when you get on the set and you're setting up for the take and you look at the director, you go 'okay, now what do we need to remember? This, on top of this, on top of this, on top of this'. And then as long as you're thinking, it usually shows in your eyes and your body. That's how I approach it." Shannon: "Yeah, taking it with the instinct on the day. You've done all your research." Thom: "Yeah. Yeah. Exactly right. You're letting it go. How about you?" Shannon: "Yeah, I agree. I agree with everything that you said. Because a lot of Bronte exploring Evelyn Bay and this, she has this whole relationship with Trish that we never get to see in the show but is so prevalent and so alive throughout conversations — I think a lot of it was, yeah, sitting with the script and thinking a lot about 'what would those conversations have been like?' What would their relationship have been like?'. And having that in the back of my brain. So then, when I went in on the day thinking about where I had met these people before, even where I'd met Sean, when we meet each other, and thinking about how I met Ash [Mason's character] — I think it was just doing a lot of prep, and I write a lot of diaries for characters that I do sometimes. So I wrote a lot in Bronte's POV about where I met those people and what we had done together, and then coming in with that. And then just going on the day with instinct." Thom: "Then, I think on top of that as well, so if you've seen very strong series that deal with it and seeing what works — like what affects you when you watch it? What part of the show do you like? You know, in shows you might watch. So that's another visual to draw from, going 'okay, well that works on camera for that type of genre' — especially for this, the mystery, the murder-mystery genre in particular. You watch some of your favourites, there's too many titles to name right now, but watching what you enjoyed the most of that and going 'okay, can I use that? Can I take a little bit from that and a little bit from that, and put it all together in my little tool chest?'." On Leaving an Imprint and Making the Most of Your Character's Scenes When They're So Pivotal to the Narrative Shannon: "I think before doing the show, it reminded me a lot of Twin Peaks — it reminded me a lot of Laura Palmer. So I was privately calling myself the Laura Palmer of the show. But I think it was definitely a challenge to make sure that — I think the most important thing, for me rocking up, was making sure that I had a strong sense of self within her. And that I had a strong sense of who she was, what her dreams were and why she was there. And yeah, I think it was just made really easy by the fact meeting everyone and getting to work with you [to Thom] and getting to work with everyone, it was easy for her to feel fleshed out and like I belonged — which I think made it a whole lot easier." [caption id="attachment_1008350" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Organic PR.[/caption] On Expressing a Laidback Air, Alongside Pain and Vulnerability, in a Storyline That's Keeping Audiences Guessing Thom: "It's so difficult trying to, that balancing act. I still remember days on set with Cherie — and particularly with Cherie with her episodes, and going 'we need to do this again because of A, B and C', and then having to say 'well, we don't, we can't show our hand too early. We can't show this. We can't show that'. So trying to mask certain things. We're trying to throw a curveball. I kept saying to Cherie my biggest thing was trying to mask one aspect with another, and that was trying to help throw people off for the whole thing. But you're 100-percent right, just trying to convey that, it's really tricky. You really need to go through each episode and see where your character's come from, where they're going, and make sure you're following that line, that throughline, the entire way through. Otherwise, people who watch it will go 'that doesn't make sense. Why was this person doing this after doing this?'. I think in the end, I think we did pretty good. I think we did pretty good with keeping that balance. But it's hard to say, right? You watch something and you're like 'could have done this, could have done this'. It's very, very hard — I think, probably the hardest I've had to do that." On Whether Any Pressure Comes with Starring in an Adaptation of a Well-Loved Novel From an Author Whose Other Books Have Already Sparked Hit Films Thom: "I think so. Definitely. The Dry was so successful. And you've got Eric Bana — then you've got Force of Nature with Anna Torv. And then it's like, then you're like 'alright, now it's Shannon and Tom and The Survivors'." Shannon: "I think at the end of the day, you just want to make sure you're walking away, when you're doing the job and then also when you finally get to see it, that you have that feeling of doing it justice." Thom: "Yeah, you're right." Shannon: "And that you feel like you've done the best that you can." Thom: "Yeah, 100 percent." Shannon: "I think I'm really happy. Are you happy? [to Thom]" Thom: "I'm happy. But we had a good team. Like Tony, and Andy Walker [The Survivors' producer, Deadloch], were ... " Shannon: "Amazing." Thom: "I think at times, I don't know about you but for me, it only really dawns on me, I think, when someone like yourself [to Concrete Playground] raises that or brings that up. On set, it didn't feel like that. On set, it just felt like we were making a cool project with our friends and a cool crew. And then afterwards, you go 'oh yeah, shit, that's right. This is — yeah, we're in good company here'." On Why Murder-Mysteries Seem to Strike Such a Chord in Australia — Whether We're Making Them, Watching Them or Both Thom: "It's like when that time — was it like 2010? — when Nordic noir really blew up with Trapped. And I inhaled Trapped and Fortitude, all on SBS On Demand, and it was like then it exploded. And then The Bridge was also happening at the same time, and the American adaptation. And there was Broadchurch. So it was all happening elsewhere, and I think Aussies just flocked to it. As to say why, are we just perverse? Do we just want to watch it?" Shannon: "I think maybe also, I think Australia as an environment is so vast, and I think it's just such an excellent backdrop, too, to a lot of murder-mystery." Thom: "Yeah." Shannon: "Like you think of really good shows like Mystery Road, and there's all of that desert. We always just have such beautiful landscapes for such devastatingly twisted stories, which I think there's something to be said in that contrast." Thom: "I can't understand like the psyche, why we all love it — but I mean, I inhale them. I absolutely inhale them from everywhere, from each country. So I think now, it's like we've got some cracker series that are murder-mysteries, and I'm sure there's more to come. But as to saying why, like why we and devour them so much, I don't know. But hopefully people ... " Shannon: "Devour this one." Thom: " … devour this one the same." On What Green and Berry Make of Their Respective Paths to The Survivors Thom: "My foundation is coming from — I mean, my first job was a murder-mystery, actually, now that I'm remembering. It was actually a murder-mystery for Channel Ten back in the day. But for stuff like Dance Academy, I started with young-adult television, and then I think mine was quite diverse. I went from that to the Halo series for Microsoft in Canada. And it was like guns and aliens. And then it's Of an Age, this romantic, queer love story set in Melbourne. And now it's this murder mystery, which is so, at times, can be quite confronting. Diverse, I think, is the keyword there." Shannon: "I think I agree. It's been — I love working in Australia, and I'm so lucky to have done so many Australian things in my time. And yeah, I think I'm just really lucky to be able to sit here and say 'yeah, I'm an actor. I did it'. I'm from Perth originally, so it was always that feeling of isolation being in Perth and wanting to do acting. But I've just been really lucky. And I've been really lucky to do a lot of incredible things, meet so many incredible people. And then, yeah, getting to work with Cherie and Ben both on The Wilds, separate seasons, and coming back to work with them again, was just such a treat. I've just been really lucky. I think that's the main word, lucky. I'm so honoured to be able to do a lot of things in Australia and beyond." The Survivors streams via Netflix from Friday, June 6, 2025. Images: courtesy of Netflix © 2025.
December might be the merriest and jolliest time of the year, but the end of March and the bulk of April is Melbourne's funniest period. That's when the Melbourne International Comedy Festival arrives, tasking comedians from around the globe — including plenty of local talents — with getting the city laughing. When attendees aren't giggling at a world-famous name, they're discovering the amusing folks who'll become tomorrow's rib-tickling stars. From Wednesday, March 26–Sunday, April 20, 2025's MICF is here to get the Victorian capital chuckling, complete with a hefty lineup. By the numbers, this year's festival features 1000-plus performers — more than 130 of them from overseas — putting on 690 shows, and also 182 stages running in 133 venues. And then there's the type of gigs on offer, from solo stand-up to galas, cabaret to circus, and everything from sketches and improv to plays and all-ages fare as well. One of the big highlights full lineup — which started being announced in 2024 — is the Australian debut of Fantasmas star and creator Julio Torres, who is playing exclusively in Melbourne. Also on the bill: Mark Watson, Sara Pascoe, Danny Bhoy, Rhys Darby, Ruby Wax, Paul Foot, Nazeem Hussain and Zoë Coombs Marr, plus Michael Hing, Melanie Bracewell, Broden Kelly, Claire Hooper, Joel Creasy, Andrew Hansen, Lizzy Hoo, Wil Anderson, Jenny Tian, John Safran, Jimeoin, Reuben Kaye, Ray O'Leary and Sh!t-faced Shakespeare doing A Midsummer Night's Dream. The list goes on, including Adam Kay, Flo & Joan with One Man Musical, Desiree Burch, Rahul Subramanian, Sumukhi Suresh, Tom Allen and Buffy Revamped, which relives seven seasons of the series in 70 minutes as told by Spike. From there, the talents still keep coming, with Amy Gledhill on the bill fresh from winning the Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2024 Best Show prize, Jin Hao Li also on the roster after being nominated for Best Newcomer at the same accolades and 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Award-winner Ahir Shah making the trip as well. Chloe Petts, Chris Parker, Guy Montgomery, Guy Williams, Urzila Carlson, Pierre Novellie, Rosie Jones, Anirban Dasgupta, Urooj Ashfaq, Charlene Kaye, Sarah Keyworth, Arj Barker, Carl Donnelly, Elf Lyons, Iliza Shlesinger, Kai Humphries, Kemah Bob, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Sofie Hagen: they're also among the international contingent. Back with Aussie humour, Alex Ward, Amy Hetherington, Becky Lucas, Bron Lewis, He Huang, Luke Heggie, Tommy Little, Luke McGregor, Mary Coustas, Sammy J, Yon from Tripod, Cameron James, Dave Hughes and Geraldine Hickey keep the list going — and, of course, have a whole heap of other homegrown company. And if you're looking for shows and events with a theme or twist, a David Bowie tribute, comedy whisky tasting, rooftop laughs, an improvised movie mashup, a murder-mystery, a comedy musical about op shops and a Jane Austen-inspired cabaret are on offer. Or, you can head to RocKwiz live, a Shrek burlesque, comedy pub crawls, a true-crime comedy walking tour and a 90s-loving game show. As proves the case every year, this is an event for comedy-loving Melburnians and visitors to the city to get excited about, then plan their entire schedules around. Adding to the fun, the fest's gala is back, taking place at the Palais Theatre to open the year's guffaws, while the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow, The Annual Great Debate, Aboriginal Comedy Allstars, Asian Allstars Gala and Upfront's focus on female and non-binary artists are all making welcome returns. To discover your next favourite comedians, the lineup also features RAW Comedy, Deadly Funny and the Class Clowns National Grand Finals. [caption id="attachment_996219" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jonathan Birch[/caption] "The world's biggest comedy festival is here and we couldn't be happier. We're ready for surprises, brilliant takes on serious issues and serious silly-ness for all who need it," said Melbourne International Comedy Festival Director Susan Provan, launching the event for 2025. "Hundreds of venue staff are swinging into action to support all our Australian and visiting faves and Melbourne's bars and cafes are ready to make sure everyone is fed and watered. It's the best time of year in our beloved city. Melbourne does fun like no other." The 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival runs from Wednesday, March 26–Sunday, April 20. Head to the festival's website for further details and tickets. Images: Nick Robertson / Ian Laidlaw / Nicole Reed.
If you like chocolate and hazelnuts, odds are that you like Nutella. Actually, it's incredibly likely that you love it, are obsessed with it, and have eaten it slathered on bread, oozing out of doughnuts and combined with every other food you can think of. The popular spread brings out that kind of obsession in people, so it's hardly surprising that the brand is creating a whole place dedicated to the chocolate and hazelnut-flavoured concoction — albeit just for one weekend. Between January 10–12, 2020, Hotella Nutella will be a real place that'll actually exist, rather than somewhere that Nutella fans have just dreamed about since they can remember. It's coming to Calistoga in Napa Valley in California, and it'll make sure that visitors know exactly what it's about. Think "larger-than-life jars of Nutella and breakfast decor, and hazelnut and cocoa spread-inspired hotel items", according to the company's press release. Also on the agenda: two Nutella-filled meals, with one all about breakfast for dinner and the other focusing on brunch. No prizes for guessing what the star ingredient will be in all dishes whipped up, of course. There'll also be a pancake art session, which'll no doubt test just how creative people can be when it comes to drizzling Nutella over the sweet favourite. Yep, everyone's had plenty of practice at that. Alas, don't go getting too excited. These kinds of branded pop-ups always come with caveats, as Taco Bell's hotel did earlier in the year. At Hotella Nutella, only three Nutella lovers and their guests will be able to stay, they'll have to win a competition in order to do so, and entries are only open to US citizens. Given the cult-like following that the brand has inspired around the world, it's worth crossing your Nutella-loving fingers that it decides to do something similar for fans elsewhere. For more information about Hotella Nutella, visit the competition website. Images: Nutella USA.
From June 2 until October 7, the Queensland Art Gallery is showcasing the work of Indigenous artist Tony Albert — one of both the state's and the country's exciting contemporary talents. It marks the Townsville-born, Brisbane-raised talent's first major solo exhibition in an Australian state gallery. In an exhibition entitled Visible, Albert confronts the standard representation of Australia's Aboriginal people, as well as the frequent misrepresentation, through object-based displays, painting, photography, video and installation works. Visitors can expect everything from a burnt-out car shell that also features video — referencing a real-life incident in Sydney's Kings Cross in 2012, and created with Bangarra Dance Theatre's artistic director Stephen Page and his late brother David — to more than 300 items from Albert's collection of reclaimed kitsch 'Aboriginalia'. Among the latter, a playable pinball machine is one just one of the objects on offer. For patrons with little art lovers in tow, the exhibition also extends to the Childrens Art Centre across the forecourt over at the Gallery of Modern Art. In Tony Albert: We Can Be Heroes, kids can view artworks created with children and artists from Warakurna in Western Australia, create their own digital superhero identity inspired by the pieces on display and make a monster using Albert's designs. Plus, across Visible's opening weekend of June 2-3, QAG will be hosting talks and tours — including with Albert himself. On Sunday, you can even make playing cards during a free workshop with the artist. The workshops will be repeated on August 5, September 9 and October 7. Image: Tony Albert, David C Collins and Lucy Lewis; Warakurna – The Force is with us #1. 2017. Archival pigment print, ed. of 3 + 2 AP. 100 x 150cm. Collection: The artist. Courtesy: Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney.
It has been five years since Deliveroo started speeding through Australia's streets to bring takeaway meals to our doors. And, as we all like to when a birthday rolls around, it's celebrating. This is the kind of party that rewards everyone, too, with the company delivering $1 meals from more than 26 eateries across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Each day this week, between Tuesday, November 10–Friday, November 13, Deliveroo is picking a city and gifting its residents meals at $1 a pop. A different number of eateries will be taking part in each location, and they'll each be offering up 100 meals at the gold-coin price. So yes, that means getting in quickly is recommended. First up, from 1–5pm on Tuesday, November 10, is Adelaide. On the menu: dishes from Burgertec, Goodlife Modern Organic Pizza, Cheeky Chook, Blue & White Cafe and Lukoumades. Then, from 12–6pm on Wednesday, November 11, it's Melbourne's turn — with Chicken Episode Plus, Bistro Morgan (including in Collingwood), Tadka Hut, Gelato Messina in Richmond and Royal Stacks Brunswick among the eateries involved. [caption id="attachment_783738" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Royal Stacks[/caption] When Thursday, November 12 rolls around, Sydneysiders can get their cheap food fix between 1–4.30pm — from Little L, Fishmongers, BL Burgers, Manoosh Pizzeria, Johnny Bird, The Italian Bowl and Burger Patch. Finally, to close out the week of super-affordable eats, Brisbane's Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers in Paddington, Ginga Sushi Japanese at Emporium, Brooklyn Depot in South Brisbane and The Yiros Shop will get in on the action between 2–5pm on Friday, November 13. There are a few tricks to the $1 special, however. It will really only cost $1 — there's no delivery cost on top of that — but exactly what each restaurant will be offering for that price won't be revealed until the day. And, a new restaurant will appear on Deliveroo's Instagram every hour, which is where you'll find out what's on the menu. From there, you'll just need to search for '$1 deals' when you're ordering online or via the Deliveroo app. And yes, that's an easy way to decide what to eat on the relevant day in your city this week. For further details about Deliveroo's $1 fifth birthday specials — which are on offer in Adelaide from 1–5pm on Tuesday, November 10; Melbourne from 12–6pm on Wednesday, November 11; Sydney from 1–4.30pm on Thursday, November 12; and Brisbane from 2–5pm on Friday, November 13 — keep an eye on the company's Instagram feed. Top images: Johnny Bird, Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers.
For 22 years, E'cco Bistro wasn't just a place to eat in Brisbane — it was one of the places to eat in Australia. In 2018, however, it said goodbye to Boundary Street and hello to Newstead, re-emerging with a progressive menu, more casual fit-out and a Brazilian charcoal grill to boot. That might sound like a considerable amount of change for the classic haunt, but it's still an absolute must-visit. Maintaining the same fresh, simple, produce-driven ethos of culinary mastermind Philip Johnson in partnership with Head Chef Simon Palmer, the grill now takes centre stage where octopus, king prawn, beef tenderloin and even carrots all get the special treatment over the coals. When it comes to E'cco Bistro's fit-out, it's all about limestone and brick floors, a marble bar and kitchen benchtop, American oak detailing and subtle patterns — plus elements of the original E'cco Bistro, too. Locals might notice that the new banquette seats have details from the old circular seat-backs, so it's basically a part of Brissie history. The excellent, impressively restrained wine list is always an adventure worth exploring in depth, and if the a la carte lineup is too overwhelming just roll with one of the tasting menus (which include very good options for vegetarian and vegan diners). Hot tip: do not sleep on the house fries. Images: Atlanta Bell. Appears in: The Best Restaurants in Brisbane
Booking a trip has changed significantly over the last few decades — just 40 years ago, the only way to book a flight, really, was through a travel agent. It wasn't until the early '90s that travellers could take the reins and actually book a ticket for themselves online. Thankfully, we have progressed. Gloriously. Travelling is only getting easier due to the evolution of highly useful, intuitive apps. These ten currently available apps will make your travels that much smoother. And the better news? None of them cost a cent. FOR HEALTH MATTERS: TRAVWELL Let's be real. Health is an easy thing to take for granted while travelling. Powered by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, TravWell brings a great sense of calmness to travellers going overseas. We suggest downloading this well before departing. Users can select the destination they are travelling to, and the app will list which vaccines and medications to take. TravWell also has space to store photos and organise documents such as vaccine records. Plus, for every destination that the app covers, there are corresponding emergency services phone numbers on hand. FOR CONVERTING CASH: CURRENCY CONVERTER PLUS This app is one of the most popular out there, drawing over one million downloads worldwide. Currency Converter Plus hosts 191 currencies and regularly updates conversion rates. When you don't have access to Wi-Fi in that Moroccan souk or Beijing market, the app's ability to work offline definitely comes in handy. It can also convert currency to gold, silver and platinum, perfect if you're indulging in a cheeky jewellery shop during your stopover in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. The calculator function is what separates this app from the rest. Say your Vietnamese feast in Hanoi costs 200,000VND, and you have $5US dollars you want to use — enter both into the app and it will calculate and convert simultaneously, saving you the brainwork. FOR OFFLINE MAPS: MAPS.ME As much as we'd like to assume that our orientation skills are on point, sometimes we get it wrong. Really wrong. And you end up six kilometres away from your hotel, in the dodgy depths of a city with no idea how to get back. MAPS.ME, to the rescue. The app is trusted by over 65 million travellers, probably because it's usable offline. Simply download the map of the country or city you are visiting (when you have internet connection), and it's there for good. Within the app, users can search for restaurants, attractions, ATMs and public transport. We're not done. MAPS.ME also gives people the option to book accommodation through Booking.com. Alternatively, you can't go wrong with offline Google Maps. FOR EDITING HOLIDAY SNAPS: SNAPSEED There's an inordinate number of photo editing apps out there. A lifetime could be devoted looking for the best. Let us save you a little bit of that time. Snapseed, which was created by Google, is not only ridiculously easy to use, but also fun. It has 26 tools and editing features including the ability to adjust exposure, contrast, saturation, ambiance, fix skewed lines, alter perspectives, heal areas of a photo, add in text and throw on a filter. And when you're all finished playing around, Snapseed provides the option to upload to your edited masterpiece straight to Instagram. FOR CONQUERING LANGUAGE BARRIERS: GOOGLE TRANSLATE Speaking of Google (again), it's insanely hard to beat Google Translate at its game. The app offers the most languages out of any single translation engine out there — a mere 103. Now, translating words, phrases and sentences is one thing, but pronouncing them is another. Users can listen to translations before attempting and potentially embarrassing themselves. The app has evolved dramatically since its birth, now integrating a photo feature where you can hold your camera up to a text while Google magically translates it, given the font is readable. The fairy godmother of translators, we're naming it. FOR GROUP TRIPS: SPLITWISE Travelling with friends can get tricky money-wise, no matter how much you try to prevent it. Attempting to recall who shouted what at NYC's Please Don't Tell and how much that friend owes you for dinner at Hong Kong's Ho Lee Fook is too much to keep track of sometimes. Splitwise is a simple way to share bills, and keep track of what everyone has paid. Each person creates an account, and from there groups can be formed. Users then log in to see their balance, what is owed to them and what they owe to others. FOR AIRPORT RELAXATION: LOUNGEKEY LoungeKey is the ultimate airport lounge library. After entering an airport or city name into the app, a list of lounges on offer comes up. LoungeKey details exactly where lounges are located in an airport (don't laugh, some are harder to find that you would assume), what facilities are included, and provides photos, trading hours and prices. There is also a 'nearby' function for when you are absolutely exhausted and just want to pop into the closest lounge. FOR EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS: GUIDES BY LONELY PLANET There's a lot of noise when it comes to travel guides and recommendations, but among all the madness is Lonely Planet — one of the most trustworthy and inspiring names out there. The Guides app incorporates advice from local experts, including must-see sights and essential tips for each location. There's also an offline maps function, language phrasebooks and a currency converter. It's an all-in-one app, currently covering 100 cities, with more to come. FOR CONNECTIVITY: FREE WI-FI FINDER If you don't fancy buying a sim card in every country you visit, and therefore heavily rely on finding a Wi-Fi connection, this one's a winner. Free Wi-Fi Finder promises exactly what's in its title —free Wi-Fi connection spots, with absolutely no charges. The app lists locations in over 50 countries. You can search by state and city, or locate the closest to wherever you find yourself at that point in time. The app also gives users the option to list Wi-Fi spots themselves and assist other travellers. People-powered, we like that. FOR FINDING THINGS TO DO: AIRBNB (FOR THE 'EXPERIENCES' FUNCTION) Airbnb continues its rampage of revolutionising the travel industry. The app hosts a plethora of affordable accommodation options — apartments, cabins, igloos and beyond — opening up a world of travel to those who were unable to access it before. In late 2016, the app took things up a notch, launching Airbnb 'experiences'. These are curated events, tours, classes and workshops created by local guides, inspiring people not just to travel to a place, but immerse themselves in it. Experiences span from two-day food tours in Seoul, three-day salsa camps in Havana or cocktail-making classes in San Francisco.
It's been a good month for the women of Queensland. We're indulging in the likes of the works of many creative females with the Contemporary Australia: Women exhibition at GoMA, Susie Bubble strutting her stuff this week at the State Library and now the launch of C Gallery's most recent showcase, Three Captivating Women. If you've not yet been to C Gallery on James Street, this week's launch is the perfect opportunity to pop you're cherry. The unique, Brisbane gallery space specialises in hand-blown Australian glassware, paintings, ceramics, sculpture and handmade jewellery. Sounds like a treat huh? Three Captivating Women features the illustrations and paintings of Queensland's leading female arts educators, Helen Tanish, Dale Leach and Reginal Dolan, who have all made extraordinary contributions to the local art scene. Here a little low down on our local ladies - Tanish was the one of the founding members of the Queensland pottery society, Leach has been a local arts teacher for fifteen years and Dolan was a co-founder of Brisbane's Artists Academe. All with an impressive amount of experience in the creative industry, the exhibition is sure to be an insightful eye opener to keen artists. Featuring over 30 imaginative pieces, Captivating Women will run from 27 April to 13 May. Check it!
If you're looking to level-up your vino game, who better to have on your side than Australia's oldest family-owned winery. Barossa Valley's Yalumba has been crafting fine wine since 1849 — a stint that's spanned six whole generations. And in addition to its stable of top-notch drops for all occasions, the independent label is helping Aussies elevate their wine-sipping experience with its own Yalumba Wine Club. With a little something for seasoned wine aficionados and novices alike, the Wine Club lets you to tap into expert wine knowledge, exclusive offers and product specials, as well as to access a range of special events and tastings. And despite the swag of goodies that comes with it, membership won't cost you a cent. Sign up and you'll nab ten percent off select purchases in the online wine store and at the beautiful Angaston Wine Room, including plenty of those premium red wines that have become synonymous with South Australia's Barossa Valley. You'll also score exclusive access to a series of seasonal wine packs, chosen by Yalumba's winemakers. Order one of these bad boys delivered to your door, whip out the selection for your next dinner party and prepare to impress your guests with your newfound vinous smarts. Yalumba Wine Club members can also look forward to free shipping on online orders over $200, exclusive dibs on a bunch of limited releases and special wines, and invites to Yalumba events, including premium tastings and masterclasses held all over the country. You can sign up to the Yalumba Wine Club for free over at the website. 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.
Among the many topics and ideas sung about in Hamilton, the fact that life is about seizing chances is up there with the most pivotal and resonant. In 2024 in Australia, it's time to take that notion to heart. So, you haven't seen Hamilton onstage yet? You have but you're eager to catch it again? Don't throw away your shot — the smash-hit musical is returning Down Under in July, but only to Sydney. After that, it'll finish its Aussie run. Lin-Manuel Miranda's masterpiece initially made its way to the Harbour City in 2021, then went to Melbourne in 2022 and Brisbane in 2023. The Australian production also travelled to New Zealand, Manila and Abu Dhabi, and will hit up Singapore next. Following that is its Sydney comeback, where the biggest thing in musical theatre in the 21st century — and a game-changing, award-winning, rightly raved-about sensation — will make Sydney Lyric Theatre the room where it happens from Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Hamilton's Australian return was announced in 2023, but now it has been confirmed that Sydney is its only stop. Also new news: locking in the cast that'll take to the stage, including some familiar faces and a few newcomers. Jason Arrow is reprising the role of Alexander Hamilton, Akina Edmonds returns as Angelica Schuyler, Elandrah Eramiha is back as both Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, and Brent Hill again slips on King George III's crown. This time, however, Vidya Makan will play Eliza Hamilton, Gerard-Luke Malgas does double duty as the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Etuate Lutui is Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, and Googoorewon Knox plays George Washington. Also, Tainga Savage steps up from the original Australian company — plus the international tour — to taking on the parts of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton. Still new to this song-and-dance take on 18th-century American politics? Not quite sure why it has been the most-talked about theatre show of the past decade? The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. In addition to its swag of Tony Awards — 11 in fact, which includes Best Musical — it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. Until 2021, Australians eager to see the show had to be content watching the filmed version of its Broadway production, which started streaming via Disney+ in 2020 (and yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard). If you're not feeling financial enough to nab a seat, cross your fingers that the $10 ticket lottery, which offers Hamilton tickets for less than the cost of lunch, will return as well. In March 2023, Miranda came to Australia to see the local production, calling the cast "so fantastic". "I remember seeing Jason Arrow's audition — it had to have been April or May of 2020, and it was around the time that we were watching and editing Hamilton for [the Disney+] release. So they were really stacking up against the originals in a very tangible way, and so we were really proud of the incredible company that we were able to put together from there locally," he said at a press conference in Brisbane "Every original cast is like a four-minute mile," Miranda continued. "They said scientists proved you couldn't run the mile in under four minutes, and then someone did it, and then suddenly everybody's running it — and I feel like original casts are like that. It's impossible to find that first cast, and then it attracts the people who know they can do it." Hamilton's 2024 Sydney season will play Sydney Lyric Theatre from Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Head to the musical's website for further details and tickets — with seats currently on sale for shows until Tuesday, October 31. Production images: Daniel Boud.
Aussie icons like the Big Banana, the Big Crab and the Big Pineapple will forever loom large in your childhood memories. But they might be soon overshadowed by the country's next giant side-of-the-highway landmark: the Big Milo Tin. After a social media callout last month saw 80,000 Milo fans scramble to throw their support behind the idea, the proposition has snowballed, and Australia is actually going to get its own super-sized homage to the homegrown choccy malt powder. If you're thinking, 'we don't need that' — well, of course we don't. The whole thing is a big publicity stunt to celebrate Milo's upcoming 85th birthday. The structure is set to be erected by Nestlé itself somewhere in and around Smithtown on the mid-north NSW coast, where Nestlé's factory is located. Milo has the go-ahead from the local area, and is currently taking suggestions for the structure's location. The town is just off the Pacific Highway between Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour — it's no doubt hoping to become a prime road trip pit-stop on the way up the coast. Although both Milo and Big Things are both integral to understanding Australian culture, we're not too sure about how we feel about having a big commercial product taking up space on the side of the highway. At least the Big Banana has a water park. If you really, really care about the Big Milo Tin's future, you can jump on Milo's Facebook page to throw your own suggestions into the ring. It's slated for completion in 2019, to coincide with the brand's 85th birthday.
Since December 2023, Brisbanites have been welcomed to... a real-life way to feel like you're visiting Isla Nublar, recreated dinosaurs and all. These creatures are made out of Lego, however, as part of the Jurassic World by Brickman exhibition that's turned Queensland Museum into its latest home using more than six-million blocks. Haven't wandered through it yet? You now have a couple more weeks to head along. The showcase has been a hit, unsurprisingly, with more than 200,000 people attending, including previews and across extended hours. Jurassic World by Brickman can't stay in the River City forever, though, and was originally set to close on Sunday, July 14, 2024. Now that end date has been extended by a fortnight to Sunday, July 28. When Michael Crichton put pen to paper and conjured up a modern-day dinosaur-filled amusement park, he couldn't have known exactly what he'd done — or what else, such as this exhibition, would come. The author easily imagined the story making its way to the big screen, because the Jurassic Park novel started out as a screenplay. He could've also perceived that a whole film and TV franchise could follow, and that folks would be quoting the movies for decades. And yet, we're guessing that he didn't predict recreating the Jurassic World movies, which started with the fourth flick in the series back in 2015, made completely out of Lego. Jurassic World by Brickman first popped up in Melbourne in 2021, then Sydney in 2022. At each stop, Brisbane among them, visitors can peer at more than 50 dinosaurs, props and scenes from the Jurassic World movies that have all been fashioned out of the popular plastic bricks in the process. The four-metre-tall park gates, the lab where the dinosaurs are genetically engineered, those instantly recognisable jeeps, a heap of critters: they're all there. Welcome to... your Lego Jurassic World fantasy, basically. Lego dinosaurs are clearly the main attraction and, yes, this event has gone big. You can see a life-sized brachiosaurus that weighs more than two tonnes, a huge tyrannosaurus rex, two life-sized velociraptors (Blue and Delta), and everything from a stegosaurus to a triceratops, too. Plus, patrons can check out some prehistoric creatures in the baby dinosaur enclosure, encounter more on the loose and learn how to track them over the exhibition's recreation of Isla Nublar (while using your imagination a whole heap, obviously). Lego aficionados are also able to get building while they're there, with 2.5-million bricks to play with. This is a family-friendly affair, so expect plenty of small dinosaur fans for company. Jurassic World by Brickman will now display at Queensland Museum, corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets, South Bank, South Brisbane until Sunday, July 28, 2024. Head to the venue's website for further details. Images: Anna Kucera, Australian Museum.
It has been 21 years since The Offspring topped Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most controversial result to date. It has also been nearly four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and almost 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — but the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. Offering music fans their latest huge blast from the past, The Offspring is heading to Australia and New Zealand for a massive tour in 2020. No, it won't be doing that brand new thing, but rather playing all of its famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the band's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will hit up Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland in April. And, because one old-school band isn't enough, it'll have company in the form of Canada's Sum 41. Basically, this big tour is your excuse to pretend its the late 90s and early 00s, bust out the appropriate attire — retro sneakers are a must — and get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AltMeuPkWRs THE OFFSPRING 2020 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES Perth — Sunday, April 19, HBF Stadium Adelaide — Tuesday, April 21, Entertainment Centre Theatre Melbourne — Thursday, April 23, Margaret Court Arena Sydney — Friday, April 24, Horden Pavilion Brisbane — Saturday, April 25, Riverstage Auckland — Tuesday, April 28, Spark Arena Early bird tickets for The Offspring and Sum 41's Australian and New Zealand shows go on sale from 9am local time on Friday, January 31, with general tickets on sale at 9am local time on Monday, February 3. Visit the tour mailing list to sign up for further details. Top image: Sum 41 via Selbymay for Wiki Commons.
When it comes to exploring Broome (Rubibi) and the Kimberley, we recommend packing your sense of adventure. This vast, varied stretch of country holds some of the most breathtaking landscapes and unique experiences in the world. There's ocean wilderness and colourful coral wonderlands, Aboriginal cultural sites and places of ancient, enduring story and significance. You'll see otherworldly rock forms, lush greenery and sprawling lakes, optical lunar illusions and sideways — yes, sideways — waterfalls. There's nowhere like it, and there are so many ways you can explore. Whatever way you want to adventure, we've got a standout spread of activities here to choose from — and a few ready-to-go trips if you're already packed and ready. It's time to choose your own quest out west.
Have you heard? Legendary pop and dance icons Charli XCX, Duke Dumont, Cosmo's Midnight and Sonny Fodera are taking to the stage with other stellar artists across four stunning waterside locations for the 2023 run of For The Love. On Saturday, February 25, stars from here and abroad will be taking over the Gold Coast's Doug Jennings Park for one massive day and night of good-time vibes — with the glitzy-meets-beachy locale's skyline glistening across the water as your backdrop, you'll be dancing to hits and sending out your summer on a high. The 2023 lineup is stacked. The team at Untitled Group — the same minds behind Beyond the Valley and Pitch Music & Arts — have gathered an incredibly strong list of acts to keep the energy high while FTL delivers its signature elevated experience (complete with stand-out fashion and lifestyle elements). Expect Snakehips, Budjerah and KYE, as well as Sumner and Jade Zoe, to make appearances. And while you can experience all of this as a regular punter, For The Love's VIP tickets make it that much better. Enjoy a private bar (avoiding longer lines elsewhere — huge win), upgraded amenities and access to the coveted VIP deck (for uninterrupted views of the stage) and the double-storey VIP fashion lounge (where you'll mingle with FTL's fun-loving ambassadors and social personalities). Is is, by far, the best way to experience this red-hot lineup, which is why Concrete Playground Trips has teamed up with For The Love to create an epic VIP travel package. First off, we're putting guests up in the The Island Gold Coast for two nights — just a short drive from the For The Love venue. In each room? Grey Goose Vodka Essences (to start your pre-drinking the right way) and Tend-2 Hangover Relief (the 100% organic pills that will save you a bit of pain the next day). The much-anticipated event is an exceptional way to send off summer — set your reminders now, legends. The VIP For The Love Gold Coast package is exclusive to Concrete Playground Trips. To book your curated experience, head to the website.
If you've seen the Disney Pixar film Up, chances are this picture is causing you a bit of déjà vu. As part of a new National Geographic television series, How Hard Can It Be, a team of scientists, engineers and balloon pilots recreated the scene from the hit flick in which 78 year-old Carl Frederickson escapes the ennui of his retirement home by tying balloons to his house and flying far away. Ben Howie, executive producer of the show, said the team "found it is actually close to impossible to fly a real house". After two weeks of intense planning, the team was successful in using an enormous cluster of helium balloons to lift a small, lightweight dwelling with several people inside. Each balloon required an entire tank of helium for inflation, and the house rose to a height of 3,500 metres, remaining airborne for around one hour. https://youtube.com/watch?v=C71rb-4_bOk [Via NOTCOT]
For years, Brisbane Powerhouse played host to Moonlight Cinema, with an outdoor big screen set up outside the New Farm venue's Stores Building each summer. That annual setup has since shifted to Roma Street Parklands, so Powerhouse is opening its own replacement. Even better — that new outdoor cinema will be sticking around permanently. Set to launch this coming spring and run year-round, this new excuse to watch movies under the stars — and take advantage of the fact that that's something you can do no matter the season in Brissie, even in winter — will screen everything from big-name blockbusters to arthouse flicks. It'll be run with a major exhibitor, with exactly who that'll be yet to be revealed. Still, get ready to enjoy film festivals, themed nights and events, and concert flicks and live events as well, giving movie buffs multiple reasons to head by. Whatever you choose to watch, you'll sit on chairs, cushions and rugs eating gourmet food and sipping champagne — so, all the outdoor movie staples will be covered. The outdoor cinema is one of four new additions to Brisbane Powerhouse that've just been announced, which also includes the Hap Wah Night Market. It's set to debut in March 2023, running for the entire month. It'll then pop up again in October, and also return in the Powerhouse forecourt and surrounding parks in those two months every year. Here, Brisbanites can look forward to a food-focused night market that'll score its own village precinct each time that it's up and running, and have Blade Runner-meets-Queensland theming with a dash of Cantonese culture, too. The name stems from a north Queensland sugar plantation from the 19th century, aka the state's first Chinese business, and the markets will also feature free and cheap art installations, music and films. Also on its way: the Pleasuredome, which'll make its presence known from this spring alongside the outdoor cinema. It'll take over the Powerhouse's Performance Lawn by the river, and span a cluster of glow-in-the-dark Nordic-style tents as well as a sailcloth-topped central venue, all of which will host regular shows and cater to 360 people at once. Sitting beneath Moreton Bay fig trees, it'll be able to stage long-table dinners, cabaret and theatre-style gigs, complete with full-service bars serving drinks. There'll be alfresco lounging zones, and it'll play a big part in Powerhouse's big fests such as Brisbane Comedy Fest. As well as being set up for shows and festivals for ten months of the year, it'll be used for weddings and private events, and give patrons a hangout space in-between. Last but by no means least, Keith Courtney's Kaleidoscope is also coming to the venue — this one just for a couple of months. The latest installation by the Melbourne artist, and arriving fresh from his home town, it's a 700-square-metre expanse of glass, steel, mirrors and moving prisms that features a maze of corridors decked out in a revolving showcase of lights and colours. Expect to have your senses disoriented while you're wandering through, including both motion and gravity. Kaleidoscope will sit on the Performance Lawn — before the Pleasuredome's debut — from Friday, August 12–Monday, October 3 in association with Brisbane Festival. All of these new additions — permanent and temporary alike — have been locked in under Brisbane Powerhouse CEO/Artistic Director Kate Gould's new reign, and mark the venue's first hefty changes since she was appointed in the role in mid-2021. They're also funded with help from the Brisbane City Council and the Australian Government's Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund. "Returning to Brisbane last year after an 18-year absence reminded me of our city's natural beauty. With its sultry climate and luscious landscape, it seems a shame to always head indoors for our cultural fix," Gould said. "Brisbane Powerhouse will bring art outside, creating a series of external venues for performance, film and feasting. We are grateful to Brisbane City Council for backing our vision to revitalise Brisbane Powerhouse and its environs. And there are more surprises to come." Brisbane Powerhouse's outdoor cinema and Pleasuredome performance space will launch in spring 2022, while Kaleidoscope will run from Friday, August 12–Monday, October 3 — and the Hap Wah Night Market will debut in March 2023, all at 119 Lamington Street, New Farm. For more information about the venue, head to the Brisbane Powerhouse website.
Each year for 17 years now, Australian beer lovers have voted on their top craft brews. Only twice has the same tipple won not just for two years in a row, but in three consecutive polls. The first to manage the feat was Feral Brewing Co's Hop Hog from 2012–14. Now, Mountain Culture's Status Quo Pale Ale has also notched up the same achievement, winning from 2022–24. Emerging victorious in the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll for 2024, this Mountain Culture sip just keeps living up to its name, clearly. The brew from the New South Wales outfit in the Blue Mountains was anointed 2022's top drop and dubbed 2023's best tipple as well. So, yes, there is indeed a status quo among Australian beer drinkers of late — and it keeps being maintained. This yeasty poll does for beer what Triple J's huge annual music countdown for bangers — and while there's only been two threepeats in the GABS list's history so far, it sure does love repeat winners. In both 2020 and 2021, Canberra's Bentspoke Brewing Co did the honours with its Crankshaft American IPA. In 2022 and 2023, that brew came in third instead, then picked up fourth place in 2024. In second spot this time: Coopers Brewery's Original Pale Ale, taking over from 2017 and 2018 winner Balter Brewing Company, with its Balter XPA notching up third place — slipping down from second in 2022 and 2023. Gage Roads Brewing Co's Single Fin Summer Ale took out fifth spot, followed by Range Brewing's Disco in sixth, Your Mates Brewing Co's Larry in seventh place, Philter Brewing's XPA in eighth, 4 Pines Brewing Company's Japanese Lager in ninth and One Drop Brewing Co's We Jammin' to round out the top ten. Mountain Culture, which is run by husband-and-wife team DJ and Harriet McCready — and has boasted Australian cricketer Pat Cummins as its first investor since November 2024 — also placed 31st with its Cult IPA, 60th with its Be Kind Rewind NEIPA and 87th with its Scenic Route brew. And yes, it had more than a little company. 2024's hottest 100 was whittled down from almost 400 vote-receiving breweries, with 70 different outfits making the list. State by state, Mountain Culture was the best New South Wales brewery, of course, while Coopers was South Australia's top spot, Balter is the highest-ranked Queensland name and Bentspoke flies the flag for the Australian Capital Territory. Bridge Road is Victoria's top representative, while Gage Road and Fox Friday earn that label for Western Australia and Tasmania, respectively. Held by GABS — or the annual festival also known as the Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular, which returns for 2025 this autumn — the countdown is a people's-choice poll decided by booze lovers around the country. If you're thinking "less background, more beer", here's what you've been waiting for: the rundown of the best beverages from the past year that just keep tempting tastebuds. Working your way through the whole 100 isn't just a great way to show your appreciation for locally made brews, either — consider it research for the 2025 countdown. GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2024 1. Mountain Culture Beer Co Status Quo 2. Coopers Brewery Original Pale Ale 3. Balter Brewing XPA 4. BentSpoke Brewing Co Crankshaft 5. Gage Roads Brewing Co Single Fin Summer Ale 6. Range Brewing Disco 7. Your Mates Brewing Co Larry 8. Philter Brewing XPA 9. 4 Pines Brewing Company Japanese Lager 10. One Drop Brewing Co We Jammin' 11. Bridge Road Brewers Beechworth Pale Ale 12. Young Henrys Newtowner 13. Stone & Wood Brewing Co Pacific Ale 14. Blackflag Brewing Rage Juicy Pale Ale 15. Pirate Life Brewing South Coast Pale Ale 16. Rocky Ridge Brewing Co Jindong Juicy 17. Capital Brewing Co Coast Ale 18. Bright Brewery Alpine Lager 19. Seeker Brewing Mystic NEIPA 20. Hawkers Beer West Coast IPA 21. Akasha Brewing Co Freshwater Pale Ale 22. Beerfarm Royal Haze 23. The Grifter Brewing Co Pale 24. Burleigh Brewing Co Burleigh Bighead 25. Black Hops Brewing G.O.A.T. 26. Hop Nation Brewing Co J-Juice 27. Blackman's Brewery Juicy Banger IPL 28. KAIJU! Beer KRUSH! Tropical Pale Ale 29. Reckless Brewing Co BX Lager 30. Fox Friday Craft Brewery Hazy IPA 31. Mountain Culture Beer Co Cult IPA 32. Little Creatures Pale Ale 33. Balter Brewing Eazy Hazy 34. Coopers Brewery Sparkling Ale 35. Mountain Goat Beer GOAT Very Enjoyable Beer 36. 10 Toes Brewery Pipeline 37. Better Beer Zero Carb 38. Hiker Brewing Co Horizon 39. Bodriggy Brewing Company Speccy Juice 40. Little Bang Brewing Co Sun Bear 41. Helios Brewing Co Dionysus Oat Cream DIPA 42. Range Brewing Lights + Music 43. CBCo Brewing CBCo Pale Ale 44. Banks Brewing Cake Eater 45. Moon Dog Craft Brewery Old Mate 46. Shout Brewing Co Mullet Pale Ale 47. Capital Brewing Co Capital XPA 48. Bad Shepherd Brewing Co Peanut Butter Porter 49. BentSpoke Brewing Co Barley Griffin 50. Matso's Mango Beer 51. James Squire One Fifty Lashes 52. Heaps Normal Quiet XPA 53. Margaret River Beer Co In The Pines 54. Moffat Beach Brewing Co Passenger Pale Ale 55. Heads of Noosa Brewing Co Japanese Style Lager 56. Green Beacon Brewing Co Wayfarer Tropical Pale Ale 57. Feral Brewing Co Biggie Juice 58. Wolf of the Willows Brewing Wolf PUP Hazy Pale Ale 59. Hawke's Brewing Hawke's Patio Pale 60. Mountain Culture Beer Co Be Kind Rewind 61. Lightning Minds Pale Ale 62. Balter Brewing Hazy IPA 63. Bridge Road Brewers Bling IPA 64. Sunday Road Brewing Cryotherapy 65. Brewmanity Mouth of Melbourne 66. Big Shed Brewing Concern Boozy Fruit 67. Coopers Brewery Australian Lager 68. Balter Brewing Cerveza 69. Capital Brewing Co Hang Loose Juice Hazy IPA 70. Coopers Brewery XPA 71. 4 Pines Brewing Company Pacific Ale 72. Black Hops Brewing East Coast Haze 73. Stomping Ground Brewing Co Gipps St Pale Ale 74. Byron Bay Brewery Premium Lager 75. Range Brewing Dreams 76. The Grifter Brewing Co Serpents Kiss 77. Wayward Brewing Co Hazy Mid 78. Curly Lewis Brewing Co Bondi Hazy Ale 79. Yulli's Brews Amanda Mandarin IPA 80. Hop Nation Brewing Co Rattenhund 81. Gage Roads Brewing Co Hazy As 82. Blackflag Brewing Affinity Tropical Pale 83. Hawke's Brewing Hawke's Lager 84. Future Magic Brewing Co Hazy Shade of Pale 85. Feral Brewing Co Hop Hog 86. Dangerous Ales Crispy Boi Lager 87. Mountain Culture Beer Co Scenic Route 88. 4 Pines Hazy Brewing Company Pale Ale 89. Gage Roads Brewing Co Side Track All Day XPA 90. Pirate Life Brewing Hazy XPA 91. Fox Friday Craft Brewery Pale Ale 92. Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel Three Sheets Pale Ale 93. BentSpoke Brewing Co Sprocket 94. Burleigh Brewing Co Twisted Palm 95. Mountain Goat Beer Tasty Pale Ale 96. Shelter Brewing Co Hazy IPA 97. White Rabbit Dark Ale 98. Jetty Road Pale Ale 99. Dainton Beer Blood Orange NEIPA 100. Bojak Brewing Calypso For more information about the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2024, head to the GABS website.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy a blast from the past, but stepping inside a museum is one of the most reliable. Head to the Australian Museum in Sydney right now and a trip back to Peru more than 3000 years ago awaits. For its big summer exhibition for 2024–25, the venue is hosting the Aussie-exclusive season of Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru, displaying 134 priceless artefacts including the most-opulent collection of Andean gold that's ever left the South American nation. Move over Egypt: after the Harbour City institution dedicated the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024 to Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs, it's now time to wrap up one year and kick off another with a different journey backwards. Featuring jewels, masks and other treasures, some of which were found in royal tombs, this historical showcase hails from Peru's Museo Larco and Museo de Sito Manuel Chavez Ballon. To make the exhibition's six-month stay even more immersive, a virtual-reality tour of Machu Picchu is also part of the experience (albeit at an extra fee). Six cultures are in the spotlight: Chavín, Moche, Chimú, Nazca, Lambayeque and Inca. The array of items is also organised into six themes, taking attendees through ancient Peruvian societies' beginnings, religious beliefs and traditions, and the power wielded by royalty. Trade, agriculture, and Spanish conquistadors forcing their decline: they're covered as well. Sometimes, visitors will peer at gleaming body ornaments. Sometimes, rare ceramics await. From textiles to ceremonial tools, plus bowls to statuettes, the collection is wide-ranging — including in pairing earthy pottery tones with shining gems and metals (as well as gold, silver and gilded copper also feature). As for the VR, this highlight of the program is the first-ever virtual-reality 'fly-through' of the famous site, which won Best Use of VR at the Lumiere Awards. The experience will get you feeling as if you've been transported both back in time and to the other side of the world — not just via VR, but also 360-degree motion chairs and drone footage. The vision featured was recorded at the World Heritage-listed site when Machu Picchu was closed to visitors during the early days of the pandemic. Sydney is just the fourth place in the world to welcome Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru, after the exhibition's stops in Boca Raton in the US, Paris in France and Milan in Italy. "Full of mystery and culture dating back over 14,000 years, Peru is a stunning land of deserts etched with ancient geoglyphs shown in the Nazca Lines, soaring peaks harbouring secret cities like Machu Picchu and awe-inspiring landscapes" said Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay, opening Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru. "We invite visitors to uncover the extraordinary legacy of ancient Peru, by visiting Machu Picchu and The Golden Empires of Peru exclusively here in Sydney. It is a cultural experience right at the top of everyone's travel bucket list." Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru opened at the Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney on Saturday, November 23, 2024 — head to the exhibition website for further details and tickets. Images: Cain Cooper.
If you're starting to think hard about next year's travel plans, we've got a stay that warrants an extra stop on the list — and it's not a beachfront villa or five-star skyrise. South Island sheep and cattle farm Lake Hāwea Station is the only New Zealand property to have made Condé Nast's prestigious Gold List of accommodation options for 2023. Now in its third decade, the international publication's hand-selected Gold List consists of the international team of writers' favourite places to stay around the world. And, recognised for its eco-practices and luxe transformation of the farm's historic cottages, Lake Hāwea Station made the cut in the publishing house's Best Sustainable Hotels category. [caption id="attachment_882820" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] We can see why — just 15 minutes from Wanaka, Lake Hāwea Station is the first certified carbon-zero farm in Australasia, offering travellers an authentic farm experience while they stay on-site in one of its four luxe accommodation options. In their notes, Condé Nast editors wrote that it was "simply, one of the most impressive, can't-believe-this-place-could-possibly-exist retreats you'll ever be lucky enough to stay in." "[The] property's true point of difference is its pioneering ethos in New Zealand's approach to cultivation and sustainability." [caption id="attachment_882821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] The farm has four accommodation options available: the three-bedroom glass-walled Lake House, the studio-like Little L tiny house (which comes complete with a miniature library), the simple two-bedroom Homespur cottage and the historic Packhouse cottage, which sleeps six. All houses boast stellar lake views, outdoor firepits, hot tubs and outdoor dining. [caption id="attachment_882819" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] Owners Jussie and Geoff Ross received recognition for their renovation and transformation of the 16,000-acre property which they purchased in 2018. They were also recognised for the farm's focus on animal welfare practices, enhanced farm biodiversity and their work to slow climate change — including the planting of more than 100,000 native trees. [caption id="attachment_882818" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] Jussie says that it's a sign of a changing travel industry to see a working farm on a list usually reserved for luxury hotels. "It shows that high-end travellers want to be part of a climate-positive experience," she said in a statement. "In an age of increasing demand for both climate action and transparency, Lake Hāwea Station immerses its guests in every aspect of their fight for the climate." [caption id="attachment_882817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] Lake Hawea Station is the only New Zealand property to be crowned in Conde Nast's Gold List for 2023. You can find more info about the station's sustainability practices — and perhaps book your stay — on the official website. Top image: Thomas Greenway
When the most famous and iconic performance venue in Australia gives itself a makeover, everyone should sit up and take notice. Everyone should make a date to go sit in its seats, to be precise. Obviously, Sydney Opera House is the site in question — and its largest performance space, the Concert Hall, is about to welcome back in patrons after spending the last two years undergoing a huge revamp. The Opera House has been getting spruced up for the past ten years, actually, as part of its decade of renewal project. The Concert Hall transformation is the final and largest piece of the puzzle. In total, as funded by the New South Wales Government, almost $300 million has been spent in capital works to upgrade the Opera House overall, all leading up to its big 50th anniversary. Plenty of events are planned to mark that occasion. The first, an Australian-exclusive season of Amadeus starring Masters of Sex, Tron: Legacy, The Queen and Twilight actor Michael Sheen, has just been announced ahead of the full program. And, that blockbuster show will indeed make use of the new Concert Hall — which is looking absolutely stunning. Wondering what's changed in the Concert Hall since it closed in February 2020? A number of things, although it remains one of the world's largest and longest performing arts halls, hosting 2600 people. While respecting the space's heritage, it has now gained state-of-the-art theatre machinery and staging systems which'll help broaden the range of shows it can host — still spanning everything from classical music and contemporary concerts through to theatre and more, of course. The acoustics have also been improved for both artists and audiences, covering orchestral and amplified performances. Getting technical, there's now 18 new acoustic reflectors above the stage instead of the old acrylic versions, all finished in a magenta hue that matches the Concert Hall seats. And, the space has gained special acoustic diffusion panels as well, which are key to balancing sound — and making sure it sounds true — for non-amplified gigs. Onstage, automated risers now assist the musicians in hearing each other more clearly, and there's an automated draping system that makes it easier to switch between orchestral and amplified mode — dampening reverberation, crucially. Also, if the stage looks lower, that's because it is by 400 millimetres to improve sightlines, and make shows feel more intimate. And, in the ceiling, there's a new theatre flying system. It helps fly a greater range of lighting and scenery, which means that the Concert Hall can stage larger-scale and more ambitious shows. Enhanced access for people with mobility needs has been an essential part of the revamp as well, including a new lift and passageway that ensures wheelchair users and people with limited mobility can access all levels of the Concert Hall (even the Northern Foyer) independently. Accessible seating positions have doubled, too, in both the stalls and boxes. If you're keen to see the results, the Concert Hall reopens to the public on Wednesday, July 20. Expect its calendar to get mighty packed from there on in. Unveiling the revamp, Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM said that the venue is "thrilled to be welcoming the community back to the renewed Concert Hall. Artists and audiences are set to experience world-class acoustics in a venue that is more accessible, safer and better equipped to present the full breadth of 21st century performance." "We have been working towards this moment for a long time and are incredibly grateful to the NSW Government and to everyone else involved in making this once-in-a-lifetime project possible," Herron continued. Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall reopens to the public on Wednesday, July 20. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images for Sydney Opera House / Daniel Boud.
The OXO multicharger is like an executive penthouse for your devices. Technology enthusiasts can now charge their favourite devices in a slick and convenient home. It features a stainless steel bed that can house up to three devices. This bed is lined with soft ribs to prevent the device from scratching or slipping, and can then be raised in a swinging motion meaning that devices never have to be unplugged. Underneath there are individual cord slots which prevent any cords from tangling with one another. Then all you have to do is simply plug the device charger into the outlets, which accommodate for any adapter worldwide. A four foot power cord then connects the OXO multicharger to a power source. This is a helpful tool for those who remain forgetful about which devices they have and haven't charged. Now you can keep up to three of them in one spot, and ensure that they're always on full battery. This is also a good way to take good care of the pieces of technology that have been such an integral part of your life.
When bushfires swept through the Snowy Mountains in January 2020, Selwyn Snow Resort in Cabramurra sustained extensive damage. Unsurprisingly, the facility didn't operate during winter, spending the past focusing on clean-up and redevelopment efforts instead — and it has just announced exactly what's in store as part of its rebuild. A reopening date hasn't yet been set, but work has now started on the site, after planning approval was received last month. Also pivotal: the signing of a new 40-year lease between the New South Wales Government and the Blyton Group, the venue's owner. Accordingly, the resort is sticking around for the long haul, and it has big plans. That includes a new L-shaped Selwyn Centre, which'll house all guest facilities and services in one building — spanning ski and snowboard hire, lockers, ticketing, food and drink venues, seating and the kids club. There'll also be a new resort operations centre, where mountain staff will be based, complete with a new ski patrol setup. The staff accommodation will be moved, the chairlift will be upgraded and extended, and the snowmaking infrastructure will get a makeover. [caption id="attachment_802692" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Render of new Selwyn Centre[/caption] Also on the agenda: two new snow carpets just for perfecting turns — and, as part of a bigger and relocated toboggan park, another 150-metre snow carpet. The latter facility will also score a platform atop its slope, and the snow sports learning area will move into the toboggan park's former space, giving it more room. Mainly aimed at children but also bound to welcome the young at heart, a Winter Wonderland will join the resort, too. Taking pride of place will be a skating rink that can operate in all conditions, and also double as a bumper car arena. Visitors will be able to walk through a miniature enchanted village, and take snowshoe walking tours of Kosciuszko National Park. Strictly for the littlies, there'll be a tubing carousel and kid snowmobiles. Selwyn Snow Resort will implement a new ticketing system as well, when it's ready to reopen. Announcing the rebuilding plan, Blyton Group Chairman Kevin James Blyton noted that "in the aftermath of the fires, we committed to building a bigger and better Selwyn and we meant it. I'm very pleased that the long-term future of Selwyn Snow Resort has been secured. Selwyn Snow Resort has been the place for thousands of families to learn to ski or snowboard over the years and I'm very pleased that this will continue for generations to come". Selwyn Snow Resort is rebuilding at its existing site at 213A Kings Cross Road, Cabramurra, New South Wales. A reopening date hasn't yet been announced — head to the resort website to keep an eye on the project's progress.
Villeneuve, Denis Villeneuve: that's who is next helming cinema's biggest spy franchise, with the filmmaker locked in to direct the 26th Bond movie. The film doesn't yet have a title. If you're wondering who'll be drinking shaken — not stirred — martinis as 007, that hasn't been announced yet, either. But putting Villeneuve in the director's chair is an impressive development, especially given his recent track record. Since 2017, taking on big-name sagas has been Villeneuve's remit. It has worked spectacularly well so far. Accordingly, after Blade Runner 2049, then Dune and Dune: Part Two — plus the upcoming Dune: Messiah — he'll move into Bond's espionage realm. [caption id="attachment_763765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicola Dove © 2019 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.[/caption] "Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr No with Sean Connery. I'm a die-hard Bond fan.To me, he's sacred territory. I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour," said Villeneuve in a statement "Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it's ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker," added producers Amy Pascal (Challengers) and David Heyman (Wonka). Amazon MGM Studios is behind the new take on the British agent. Villeneuve is also one of the film's executive producers, as is Tanya Lapointe — with the latter also working with the former on his Dune flicks. Everything from there, including the movie's plot and cast, is still to be revealed. If you want to start wondering whether the Sicario and Arrival filmmaker might enlist his Dune lead Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) as 007, that's up to you. Speculation about who'll next portray the character has been swirling since Daniel Craig (Queer) left the part following No Time to Die. There's no shortage of names being floated for the role by the internet, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson (28 Years Later), Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), Theo James (The Monkey), Henry Cavill (Argylle), James Norton (Playing Nice) and Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) — and anyone else you can think of. Whoever gets the part, they'll be in excellent past company. Sean Connery smouldering his way through everything from Dr No to Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore stepping into 007's shoes between Live and Let Die and A View to A Kill, Timothy Dalton's two-film run in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill, Pierce Brosnan's stint as the secret agent between GoldenEye and Die Another Day, Daniel Craig's contributions from Casino Royale onwards, Aussie actor George Lazenby's one-movie appearance as James in On Her Majesty's Secret Service: that's the Bond lineup since 1962. There's no sneak peek yet at the 26th Bond film, obviously, but check out the trailer for No Time to Die below: There's no word yet when the 26th Bond film will release, or its title — we'll update you when more details are revealed. Denis Villeneuve images: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Fifty years, oh-so-many epic campaigns, and everything from movies to video games, too: that's the Dungeons & Dragons story. 2024 marks half a century since the tabletop roleplaying game first had its players rolling the dice and spinning fantasy tales, a milestone that's being celebrated Down Under with the Australasian premiere of Dungeons & Dragons' leap to the stage. Get excited about DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern. Normally a trip to the theatre means engaging via watching, not by playing a part; however, that fittingly isn't the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern experience. Audience members don't simply view this version of the game — they also play along, choosing the characters and helping shape the story. Here's how it works, as Australians have been able to discover at the Sydney Opera House Studio since Sunday, December 15, 2024: when you take your seat, you're a key aspect of the show. Entering the Forgotten Realms, you also pick the experiences and other elements of the performance using Gamiotics software, with more than 30 playable characters, 34 backgrounds and 28 combat effects involved. Still on numbers, the production also features 40-plus custom character illustrations, 40 item cards and over 300 individual pieces of content. Five actors take to the stage to bring all of the above to life, including via games, combat, puzzles and riddles — and, because of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern's interactive nature, they're not just performing the same roles each time. Shaking things up for the audience and the cast alike, this experience is never the same twice. Images: Daniel Boud.
When Victoria's March long weekend arrives each year, festivalgoers have two reasons to head out of town — or head to the state from interstate — for a few days of tunes. Both are beloved parts of the cultural calendar. Both are such a hit that you need to enter a ballot to get tickets. And just as Golden Plains has already done, Pitch Music & Arts is announcing it 2025 details. Everyone should make the trip to the Grampians at least once, and here's as ace an excuse to do so as any: the return of the much-loved camping festival, which will host its eighth edition, taking over Moyston again. There's no lineup just yet — it drops on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 — but the 2025 dates have been locked in. The long-running celebration unleashes its fun across the Grampian Plains, with next years' festivities happening from Friday, March 7–Tuesday, March 11. Not only will its three stages play host to a sparkling lineup of local and international musical talent, as always, but the tunes will be backed by a hefty program of interactive art and installations. Basically, no matter who makes it onto the bill, attendees are in for a very big, very busy four days. Joy Orbison's 'flight fm' and 'better' have been used in teaser videos for 2025's fest so far, so that could be a lineup hint. 2024's roster featured Gerd Janson, I Hate Models, Job Jobse, Spray, XCLUB, Bambonou, Chippy Nonstop, Narciss, Mac Declos, Sedef Adasï and Hasvat Informant, among others, if you're wondering which type of electronic acts that Pitch usually welcomes. The ticket ballot is currently open — and is a necessity after the last three festivals all sold out — ahead of the program reveal; however, you can get excited now about a bigger Pitch One stage, Pitch Black getting a revamp and the Resident Advisor stage's red orb being part of the fun again. In between all the dance-floor sessions and arty things, festivalgoers will again be able to make themselves at home in the Pitch Pavilion, which is where yoga classes, meditation and sound baths usually help patrons unwind. The local-focused Club Serra will be new in 2025, championing homegrown talent. Pitch Music & Arts will return to Moyston from Friday, March 7–Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, or to enter the ballot. The lineup will drop on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, with tickets sale details announced then as well. Top Images: Duncographic, William Hamilton Coates, Max Roux and Ashlea Caygill.
The National Gallery of Victoria has just announced its 2019-20 Spring/Summer program — and it's sure to get more than a few people excited. Last winter, the NGV saw over 200 works from New York's famed MoMA and over summer it housed the Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds — an exhibition showcasing the works of both Dutch artist M.C. Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo. So, it had some big shoes to fill. Its summer blockbuster, announced this morning, is Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines — and the NGV has succeeded in bringing yet another world-class exhibition to Australian shores. Similar to the Escher x Nendo and 2016's Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei exhibitions, it will showcase an intersection between the two artists' lives, ideas and practices, delving into their radicalism, socio-political standings and distinctive imagery. A world-premiere retrospective exclusive to Melbourne, Crossing Lines will feature over 300 works, including Haring's iconic dancing figures and Basquiat's crown and head motifs throughout a collection of painting, sculpture, objects, drawings, photographs, notebooks and pieces in public spaces. The exhibition will also house the artists' collaborations with some of the world's most-celebrated pop culture icons, including Andy Warhol, Grace Jones and Madonna. [caption id="attachment_717213" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Untitled 1982, Keith Haring, copyright Keith Haring Foundation.[/caption] On top of this stellar exhibition, the NGV will also host a number of smaller (yet no less impressive) exhibitions over spring and summer, including a look at New Jersey artist Brian Donnelly (aka KAWS) in Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness, and a collection of hyperreal photographs by Sydney-based artist Petrina Hicks in Bleached Gothic. A photography exhibition featuring the works of over 100 contemporary photographers from around the world, and a solo show by Australian photographer Polixeni Papapetrou round out the list. Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines will run from December 1, 2019—April 13, 2020 at the National Gallery of Victoria International, Melbourne. Top images: Portrait of Keith Haring by William Coupon; Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, copyright George Hirose; Untitled 1982, Jean-Michel Basquiat, copyright estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
It isn't called the big screen for nothing — and, when you head to the pictures, that's typically what you spend a couple of hours peering at. But you won't just be staring at a giant rectangle at Wonderdome, Australia's new pop-up cinema experience. In a blend of film, music and art that takes its cues from planetariums, you'll be sat in a dome watching movies that've been specifically designed to take up the whole 360-degree space that's towering above you. Melbourne Planetarium's regular fulldome sessions, the Melbourne International Film Festival's own fulldome programming and the Brisbane International Film Festival's foray into the same space a decade back have all served up this same kind of immersive view, if the overall concept sounds familiar. But when Wonderdome hits Sydney's Entertainment Quarter between Saturday, December 4–Sunday, January 30, it'll also be following in the footsteps of Coachella and Burning Man by creating a dedicated fulldome space that's all about this type of cinema-going. It'll also offer Australia's largest-ever 360-degree projection cinema. The structure itself is a geodesic steel dome that spans 21 metres in diameter, and is filled with multiple projectors, as well as a 7.2 surround sound system. To watch, you'll recline on throne-style beanbags and stare up at the movie. Given that the projection sprawls all around you, it's been likened to virtual reality — but without the goggles. During Wonderdome's debut run in Sydney, it'll screen a lineup of 22 films — including the dazzling Coral Rekindling Venus, about fluorescent coral reefs, bioluminescent sea creatures and rare marine life, from Emmy Award-wining Australian filmmaker Lynette Wallworth. Other highlights include National Geographic's Flying Monsters, about flying dinosaurs, which is narrated by the one and only David Attenborough; the climate-focused Dynamic Earth, which benefits from Liam Neeson's vocal work; and Carriberrie, which focuses on Indigenous Australian dance and song. Fulldome cinema is also known for its psychedelic and eye-popping visual displays, which is where Samskara, from artist Android Jones, comes in — plus Labyrinth, which is filled with squares, streets, passages, corridors and rooms; and Luminokaya, which lets you explore Cambodian temple complex Angkor Wat. The rest of the program also features the architecture-focused Urban Levitation; Distant Life: Alien Worlds, about whether humanity is alone in the universe; Flight of Fancy, which recreates a space jump at 120,000 feet; and other space-centric titles such as From Earth to the Universe and Journey to the Centre of the Milky Way. There's a lineup of fulldome movies for kids, too, because this is an all-ages space. Snacks-wise, you'll be able to grab something to eat and drink either before or after each Wonderdome session, with the menu including jaffles, chips, slushies, chocolates and ice creams. Plus, there'll be a gin bar, as well as a lineup of craft beers. Wonderdome's Entertainment Quarter season will also accept New South Wales' Dine & Discover vouchers, if you have some left — or you're eager to get your hands on more when two extra vouchers become available for NSW residents over the age of 18 sometime this summer. And if you won't be in Sydney this summer, cross your fingers that Wonderdome will plan stops in other cities. The fact that it's is pop-up dome obviously makes that easier. Wonderdome will pop-up at Sydney's Entertainment Quarter from Saturday, December 4 –Sunday, January 30. For more information, or for tickets from 11am AEST on Wednesday, November 17, head to the Wonderdome website.
If you live and breathe games, head to the State Library for an evening of gaming-related Pechakucha. The idea behind the evening is pretty straightforward. Each speaker has the opportunity to show 20 images for 20 seconds each as a means of displaying their latest projects and inspiration. This fast-paced format is perfect for sharing all of the latest innovations and new ideas in games designs. Originally devised in Tokyo 2003, the concise approach that Pechakucha takes to presentations has spread to Brisbane and around the world. It was developed for young designers to share their ideas in an interesting and exciting manner. If only university took the same approach to lectures. Surround yourself with like-minded people and gain fresh industry knowledge about the wide world of gaming this Wednesday night.
Melbourne's annual arts festival RISING might not return until winter (running from Saturday, June 1–Sunday, June 16), but tickets are already selling out to some of the most-popular events. If you've been thinking about heading to Victoria's capital to catch hidden laneway gigs, free exhibitions and international performances, then you best start making some serious plans. To help you get the most out of this year's festival, we've teamed up with the crew at RISING to bring you three exclusive travel packages that can be booked until Tuesday, April 30. [caption id="attachment_950619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Damien Raggatt[/caption] First off, we've got our hands on a select number of Day Tripper tickets, which give punters access to a huge day party on Saturday, June 8. For just one arvo, the arcades and laneways surrounding Melbourne Town Hall will be taken over by post-punk, acid house, hip hop and disco tunes, as well as video works and contemporary dance performances. It will be huge. This package gets you access to the block party and afterparty, and includes a two-night stay at The Howey (with a full mini-bar worth $100), which is just a short walk from all the fun. The second RISING travel package will get you VIP access to see Dirty Three's performance at Hamer Hall, which has already sold out to the general public. We're the only ones still offering access if you want to see the trio perform live on Friday, June 14 or Saturday, June 15. This deal also includes a two-night stay at The Howey (again with a full mini-bar worth $100), a couple of drinks vouchers and priority entry to the festival club. Seats are highly limited for this one, so don't wait long to nab them. Lastly, we've secured a few tickets to Sydney drill legends ONEFOUR on Saturday, June 8. The lads' raw stories of crime, poverty and social dislocation have clocked over 500-million streams, with rap stars like A$AP Ferg and The Kid LAROI also fans. Book this RISING travel package for $549 and you'll receive two tickets to the show, plus a two-night stay at Causeway 353 (with $50 of mini-bar credit). Head to Concrete Playground Trips to book these exclusive RISING packages, which are only available up until Tuesday, April 30. Top image: Ian Laidlaw.
Some music festivals fill your calendar for a day or two, or perhaps a week or so at once. Popping up midyear each year for multiple months, Open Season has much longer in its sights. The Brisbane event that's all about getting everyone out and about enjoying the River City's live music scene first launched in 2020, and now celebrates its fifth birthday in 2025 in its favourite way: with a hefty lineup that's not only heading to The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre, the venues behind the series from the outset — or to Winn Lane, where it expanded to in 2024 — but also making the Queensland Performing Arts Centre one of its homes. Six venues, 30-plus live gigs, three months: that's 2025's Open Season setup, no matter what kind of tunes that you're into. Bringing QPAC onboard means adding Sigur Rós' already-announced stint at the South Bank location's Concert Hall with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra to the program, for starters. The partnership also sees First Nations fest-within-the-fest Blak Day Out team up with QPAC's Clancestry, even though the former is taking place at The Princess Theatre. On its bill: Christine Anu is joining the party, alongside Thelma Plum, Miss Kaninna and more acts still to be announced. [caption id="attachment_974235" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alive87 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Indeed, this isn't the full Open Season lineup, either, with the talents revealed so far set to score more company. The names already hitting Brisbane would make any other festival jealous, though, including more from Iceland courtesy of Kiasmos, the Afro Cuban sounds of Ezra Collective, Grammy-nominee Kamasi Washington, Soccer Mommy, Killing Heidi playing their debut album Reflector to celebrate its 25th anniversary, DIIV touring on the back of their latest record Frog in Boiling Water, Cloud Control reuniting for the first time in over ten years and Moktar spinning beats. Pale Jay, Jessica Pratt, Mount Kimbie, Ravyn Lenae, Surprise Chef, MonoNeon: they're all on the lineup as well. You'll also find The Preatures, Skegss, Maxwell Byrne (aka Golden Vessel), Sahara Beck, Pruient, SHOUSE and The Gin Club taking to the stage, plus Handsome and Emma Volard at Quivr's Quiet on Set program. This years' Open Season boasts its own brew, Green Beacon's Open Season Lager, which you'll find quenching your thirst at participating venues during the festival. For bites to eat, King Street in Bowen Hills is serving up deals among its eateries, too. "This program is designed to inspire, to awaken our adventurous spirit, step out of the house and get amongst some seriously excellent live music," said The Tivoli Group Creative Director Dave Sleswick. "Every year, Open Season expands and evolves. This time, with QPAC on board, we're taking over the whole damn city. International icons, national treasures and incredible local talent will take over a variety of intimate and grand venues throughout Brisbane. It's an open invitation for everyone to experience the magic of live performance and the power of community through music." "This is the first time we've partnered with Dave and the team at The Tivoli Group to present performances at QPAC as part of Open Season; it's proving to be a brilliant collaboration, and we love that we're increasing the footprint and audience of this awesome festival," added QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy. "Both QPAC and The Tivoli Group are all about ensuring as many people as possible experience live performance together. We're passionate about presenting both new and emerging artists as well as those established and already loved, and shouting from the rooftops that Brisbane is well and truly a live music capital." "It's thrilling to see Open Season grow every year and the program this year is better than ever. It really is fast becoming a destination music festival for Brisbane and we're very proud to be on board." Open Season 2025 Lineup 1tbsp Accomplice Collective Christine Anu Cloud Control DIIV Emma Volard Ezra Collective Handsome Jessica Pratt Kamasi Washington Kiasmos Killing Heidi Miss Kaninna Moktar MonoNeon Mount Kimbie Pale Jay Purient Ravyn Lenae Sahara Beck Shouse Sigur Rós with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra Skegss Soccer Mommy Surprise Chef The Gin Club The Preatures Thelma Plum [caption id="attachment_995853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maximilian Konig[/caption] Open Season 2025 runs from May–July, with pre-sale tickets available from 8am AEST on Wednesday, March 26 and general sales from 9am AEST on Thursday, March 27. For further details, head to the event's website. Open Season images: Chris Love, Darcy Goss, Kelsey Doyle and Lachlan Douglas.
For eight years now, being in the room where it happens has been the only thing that's mattered in musical theatre. Back in February 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton officially opened off-Broadway. By July the same year, it was previewing on Broadway itself. The rest is Tony-, Grammy-, Olivier-, Drama Desk- and Pulitzer Prize-winning history — including a stint in Australia since March 2021, starting in Sydney, then playing Melbourne and now treading the boards in Brisbane. Anyone lucky enough to be in the room where Hamilton has been happening — and everyone who has watched the smash-hit show in its filmed form, too, courtesy of a recording from 2016 that's been streaming on Disney+ since 2020 — has experienced a phenomenon. They've also enjoyed a crash course in American history, no matter where they're from or where the musical is playing. That's always been part of the excitement for Miranda, who made the trip to Australia over the weekend of Saturday, March 4–Sunday, March 5 to be in the room where the Aussie production's Brisbane leg is happening, much to the delight of Sunshine State audiences. "My kind of dirty secret answer is we don't know much about American history in America," Miranda advised at a press conference to discuss the show. "I didn't learn any of this. All I knew about Hamilton when I picked up that book was that the dude was on the $10 bill. I knew his son died in a duel because I wrote a report about him in my junior year. I knew his son died in a duel and that he died in a duel in nearly the same spot three years later." Miranda is talking about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, of course, and about the Ron Chernow-penned 2004 non-fiction book about him that Hamilton is based on. After finally seeing the Australian show, which features Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton — the role Miranda originated — the acclaimed talent chatted through the musical's beginnings, its commitment to diversity, his songwriting process and more at a Brisbane press conference. STEPPING BEYOND WELL-KNOWN US HISTORY — AND CHALLENGING WHOSE STORIES GET TOLD Most folks don't take someone they've vaguely heard of at school and turn their tale into the biggest musical of the 21st century. Miranda isn't most folks, clearly. Armed with exactly that amount of knowledge, Miranda began to adapt Chernow's book, a process that took seven years. At its centre: the Caribbean-born "bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman", with Miranda's musical charting Hamilton's impact upon America from his arrival in New York in the early 1770s. As the show's opening number explains, Hamilton went on to become "the ten-dollar Founding Father without a father" — and also "got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter and by being a self-starter". Bringing that tale to the stage wasn't just about picking a figure from US history and unpacking their tale, though, but also about exploring whose stories get told. "One of the secret ingredients in the recipe is my excitement in the fact that not a lot of people knew this story — at least, this is not a story I learned. We got a few highlights, but we didn't learn this story in our AP history classes. And so, I think that the story is just a compelling one, and I think one of the central themes in it is which stories get told and which don't depending on who survives us," Miranda noted at his Brisbane press conference. "And their reputations rise and they fall because people are complicated. There are no heroes or villains in this piece, there's just really flawed people making a really flawed country." "It's funny, the emails I would get when we first opened were always 3am emails. They weren't like 'thank you, I like your show, thank you for inviting me'. They were like 'what am I doing with my life?'. Because when you have a show that documents several lives over the course of many years, it makes you ask your own questions. And I think that's the secret also — it starts as being this very specific history piece, but it really invites you to think about what kind of legacy you'll leave." CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY Hamilton doesn't just question who gets immortalised in history, who becomes a mere footnote, who is forgotten and why. It also confronts and challenges how representation and diversity have typically been handled in theatre, in the tales told in general and in who's telling them. "It's my prerequisite for being in the room talking to you," said Miranda at the press conference about Hamilton's diverse casting, including in Australia. "I began writing musicals because I didn't see roles for myself in musicals." "I was in love with this art form, and at the same time I knew I don't dance well enough to play Bernardo or one of the Sharks [in West Side Story], and that's kind of all there is for Puerto Rican guys in musical theatre — it's just what there was, what existed," he continued. "So I really began writing the first show, In the Heights, out of this desire to write what was missing, and also represent my neighbourhood in a way that I didn't see it portrayed in mainstream media, to speak nothing of musical theatre." [caption id="attachment_846530" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] "An amazing side effect of that, and with Hamilton, I realised that I'm trying to create opportunities in my shows. The concept of this piece is that we are living 200 somewhat years past when this story was told and the country looks very different than it did then, and so we get to tell this story with all its messiness — we get to tell it, too." "It also just gets us new stories. That's the other exciting part of it — to invite more people into the room means to invite new stories and to invite new narratives." [caption id="attachment_774807" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton filmed version courtesy Disney+.[/caption] FINDING HAMILTON'S SONGS ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE Hamilton's meaningful and essential aims will always remain crucial to its success. As anyone who has had 'My Shot', 'You'll Be Back' or 'The Room Where It Happens' stuck in their head knows, however — so, anyone who has ever seen Hamilton in any form, or even just heard its soundtrack — the show's songs are also pivotal. "I'm really egalitarian," Miranda explained about his songwriting process. "I'll take it whatever way it wants to show up. I do believe they show up, and different songwriters have different theories about it. There's the famous story of Michael Jackson's insomnia, and someone said 'Michael, why don't you get some sleep?'. And he said 'if I go to sleep, god will give the song to Prince'. I love that story." "Hamilton is a fantastic example where every kind of song got written in every kind of way," Miranda continued in Brisbane, giving examples. "'My Shot' took over a year, and it was six months before I even sat at a piano. It was very much a lyrics-first song, because I knew that my thesis was [that] Hamilton's the best writer of that circle, [so] his bars better be good. And I just worked on his bars because I wanted his bars to be good over this beat and this beat before I even put my hands on the keys." "'You'll Be Back' showed up on my honeymoon, without a piano anywhere in sight. The 'ya-da da-da da' got stuck in my head, and I think the reason it's so catchy is because I had to remember it for the two weeks I was in Bora Bora with my wife until I could get back to piano in the real world — because I was in a cabana." FINALLY MAKING THE TRIP DOWN UNDER TO SEE THE AUSTRALIAN CAST When Hamilton wraps up its Brisbane season at QPAC's Lyric Theatre on Sunday, April 23, the show will leave the country for a New Zealand run. Miranda acknowledges that he's left it late in the musical's Australian tour to make a visit — two years to the month it premiered Down Under, in fact — but, given the events of the past few years, there's a good reason for that. "Honestly, the timing was as soon as I could make it work," Miranda told the Brisbane press conference. "I think you guys know there was a moment during the global pandemic when Australia was the only company of Hamilton running in the world. That was a real beacon of hope to our actors and other companies that theatre would come back, and they'd hopefully be able to one day put on the show again." "But it was also harder to visit. You had a 14-day quarantine, and you had to really — that was the kind of time I didn't get to have, because I was writing, making and editing Tick, Tick… Boom!. So this has really been the soonest that I could see it. I made a promise to see the Australian company while it's still in Australia, and they're leaving soon, so I came as soon as I could." As every Aussie fan of Hamilton already knows, getting to see the musical is always worth the wait. "I mean, they're so fantastic," Miranda noted of the local cast, who he helped assemble virtually. "I remember seeing Jason Arrow's audition — it had to have been April or May of 2020, and it was around the time that we were watching and editing Hamilton for [the Disney+] release. So they were really stacking up against the originals in a very tangible way, and so we were really proud of the incredible company that we were able to put together from there locally." "Every original cast is like a four-minute mile," Miranda continued. "They said scientists proved you couldn't run the mile in under four minutes, and then someone did it, and then suddenly everybody's running it — and I feel like original casts are like that. It's impossible to find that first cast, and then it attracts the people who know they can do it." "So it's been wonderful to meet OG cast members last night, and also members who joined it in Melbourne or joined it in Sydney — they're really wonderful. I mean, I saw it last night, they're wonderful." Hamilton's Brisbane season runs until Sunday, April 23 at QPAC's Lyric Theatre, South Bank, with tickets available via the musical's website.
Before donning a face covering became a regular part of life for everyone during the pandemic, one of the most famous mask-wearing figures in popular culture was doing it first. And, the fictional character will be doing so again in Australia — but, although The Phantom of the Opera was set to head to Sydney from September this year, and then to Melbourne from November, the famed musical's upcoming dates have been postponed. Accordingly, the music of the night will still be crooning its way into both cities via to a new season of the acclaimed Tony-winner; however, it'll now happen sometime in 2022 instead. New dates haven't been announced as yet, but Opera Australia, who is staging the production, advised that it had decided to push its shows to next year due to "the uncertainty created by the ongoing restrictions imposed by both the New South Wales and Victorian Governments because of the indefinite COVID-19 lockdowns." "This has been a really difficult decision for OA and our partners to make and has certainly not been made lightly when so many people will be affected," said Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini. "After making box office history at the Opera House, it was clear that Australians were very excited about this new production of the world's most successful musical, and we'd brought together a fantastic cast of Australian performers, it's heartbreaking to have to postpone." When it does eventually hit the stage, the current production of The Phantom of the Opera will arrive in Down Under after breaking records in the UK and touring the US for seven years. Australia will become just the third country to witness this take on the tale, in fact. Obviously, all of the familiar songs are part of it, such as 'All I Ask of You', 'Masquerade' and the titular number. You'll also be lapping up Maria Björnson's original costumes, too. But, if you've seen the show before, expect the chandelier to look a little different. Australian musical theatre performer Josh Piterman is set to play the Phantom, after first wearing the character's mask in London pre-pandemic. He'll be joined by a cast and orchestra of 65 people, which'll make The Phantom of the Opera one of the largest musical productions in Australia. If you need a refresher on the musical's story, it follows soprano Christine Daaé and the masked musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House — and the latter's obsession with the former. Although first turned into a stage musical in the 80s, it's based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel. And yes, you might've seen the 2004 movie, which starred Gerard Butler as the Phantom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jpaw9dft2Y The Phantom of the Opera will tour Australia in 2022. Tickets for current shows will remain valid for the production's new dates, when they're announced. For further information, head to the musical's website. Top image: Michael Le Poer Trench.
