Being so close to the continent means Australians are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to Asian cuisine. From Sydney's famous Chinatown to Melbourne's bustling Koreatown in Healey Lane, simply head out your front door in any major city, and you can find venues that capture the bold flavour of Asian dining. Sydney cafe, Dutch Smuggler, is one of these venues. Located behind 200 George Street in the heart of the CBD, Dutch Smuggler serves toasties and Indonesian specialty coffee to busy city workers. But it's not just locals who pilgrimage to the Circular Quay cafe. [caption id="attachment_1075260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dutch Smuggler[/caption] Tourists and Sydneysiders head to Dutch Smuggler to try their famous mie goreng toastie. The dish is exactly as it sounds — a blend of the deliciously spicy noodles and a fried egg, encased in melted gruyere cheese on fresh white bread. Blending Western and Indonesian comfort food has worked well for the cafe, which offers a range of flavourful fusion dishes including a kimchi toastie (combined with ssamjang sauce and cheese), and a beef rendang-inspired toastie. [caption id="attachment_1075262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dutch Smuggler[/caption] Executive Chef, Irenne Winata, describes the cafe as "fast-paced" and "flavour-driven". Born in West Borneo, Irenne is constantly inspired by the flavours of her home. "As an Indonesian, it's like coming back home." When asked to sum up Indonesian cuisine in three words, Irenne describes it as "Bold, emotional and unapologetic", which rings true for Dutch Smugglers' small yet mighty menu. Indonesian Flavours To Try Outside of the mie goreng noodles (toasted or otherwise) we all know and love, there are other Indonesian flavours Irenne recommends if you're trying to expand your palate. First on the list is rendang. "I think it's one of the most complex but also comforting dishes in Indo," says the chef. "We call it nasi padang. There are a lot of spices. Then we reduce the sauce until it's like a dried curry. It's super layered." The curry is traditionally cooked for six hours, adding a "smoky depth" to the meal. "You get the warmth from the spices, sweetness from the coconut, savoriness from the beef, and the slightly smoky depth from the long process of cooking it," says Irenne. Another flavour (that Irenne makes herself in the cafe) is balado, a hot and spicy paste originating from West Sumatra, Indonesia. "It's spicy, it's tangy, it's flavorful, as per usual. We normally cook it with soft-boiled egg or deep-fried boiled egg." Irenne also recommends soto, a traditional Indonesian aromatic soup. "It's a vermicelli noodle soup with shredded chicken on top. There's a beef version of it, too." Alongside the Indonesian fusion meals, Dutch Smuggler is Sydney's destination for Indonesian coffee. The venue is a specialty roaster that showcases Indonesian coffee. "I think in Indonesia, the coffee is bolder," says Irenne. "I think it's more full body and more earthy." [caption id="attachment_1075263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dutch Smuggler[/caption] The team at Dutch Smuggler work alongside farmers from different regions of Indonesia to source the best in single origin beans and brew the coffee to accentuate the rich and bold flavours the country is known for. Whether they're offering a new coffee style to the people of Sydney or upgrading the humble toastie, Dutch Smuggler, with its Indonesian heritage, is a flavoursome staple and comfort food destination among the city's run-of-the-mill CBD cafes.
For Trishia Mariano, hosting has never been about perfection. It's about intention — how a space feels, how people connect, and the quiet power of gathering around a thoughtfully set table. The founder of Mesa Collections didn't come to tableware through design school or a formal interiors background. In fact, by day she works as a growth analyst, immersed in data and numbers. But during the long, isolating months of COVID lockdowns — as she approached her 30s and found herself craving connection — Trishia returned to something far more instinctive: cooking for others, inviting people in, and creating a sense of belonging through food. "I was bored, honestly," she says, laughing. "But more than that, I really missed community." @trishiamariano join my dinner party or our group chat? https://mesacollections.com.au/pages/eatwithus #sydney #dinnerwithstrangers #sydneydinnerwithstrangers #hosting ♬ original sound - Ally Rendall That longing led her to an experiment she called Dinner With Strangers: intimate supper clubs hosted in her Sydney apartment, where guests — often complete strangers — gathered around a shared table. What began with eight people quickly grew to dinners of 20, with Trishia collaborating with chefs and culinary creatives to bring each night to life. Some evenings were curated and structured; others were deliberately casual. One dinner ended with guests presenting their own work or interests to the group — terrifying, she admits, but transformative. "It wasn't really about the aesthetics," she says. "It was about creating an atmosphere where people felt comfortable enough to open up." Those dinners — now well documented on TikTok — didn't just shape Mesa Collection as a brand. They helped Trishia articulate what hosting meant to her, and why it felt so deeply personal. @trishiamarianoPart 4 | Launching a new product Photoshoot and all the preps behind it. Honestly, this was the tiring part but SO worth it. Doing this all with my FT job was brutal. I slept at 2am and woke up at 6am to start the day. I ended up hiring a super lovely shoot assistant very last minute and honestly that's one of the best decisions I've made in building this business. Networking is a big learning for me in this journey. The opportunities it opens for you are sometimes so surprising. See you in part 5!♬ sweet nothing sped up - kacey ✧.* Raised in a Filipino household where someone was always cooking and the door was always open, hosting was never framed as an event — it was simply how life happened. That cultural instinct runs through Mesa Collections today, from the ruffled edges of its linens to the emphasis on pieces that feel lived-in rather than precious. "Food and hosting are so intrinsic to my heritage," she explains. "When I design for Mesa, I always go back to that — my grandma sewing, the textures she used, the colours she put on the table." Designing a Table That Feels Like an Invitation When Trishia designs a tablescape — whether for a Mesa shoot or one of her own dinners — she starts long before guests arrive. Ideally, the table is set the day before. Not for Instagram, but for intention. "It makes people feel expected," she says. "Like you've been waiting for them." Her process is methodical but intuitive. She often follows a loose 60–30–10 rule: 60 percent of the table anchored in a primary colour or texture (often a linen tablecloth), 30 percent in a complementary tone, and 10 percent reserved for contrast — silver cutlery, ceramic plates or an unexpected pop of colour. Layering matters. A tablecloth first, then placemats if the surface needs grounding. Plates and cutlery come next, with centrepieces added last, once the mood is already set. She prefers to see the table "breathe" before placing anything in the middle. And despite the rise of elaborate, overflowing tables online, Trishia is firm on one thing: restraint. "A centrepiece should be a conversation starter, not an obstacle," she says. "You still need space for food and for people to move." Some of her favourite centrepieces have been deeply personal — framed childhood photos at her own birthday dinner, or bowls of seasonal produce instead of florals. Fruit and vegetables, she notes, have become a defining tablescape trend, adding texture, colour and a sense of abundance without feeling wasteful. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mesa collections (@mesa.collections) What's Worth Investing In — And What to Thrift Mesa Collections was built with longevity in mind, and Trishia is clear about where to invest versus where to experiment. If there's one category she believes is worth spending on, it's cutlery. Good silverware, she says, lasts forever — and often becomes the kind of object that's passed down. "Cutlery is used every day. It's tactile. It's something you'll have for decades." Linens, too, are worth choosing carefully. Mesa's ruffled tablecloths and placemats are designed to age well — crinkling gracefully rather than demanding constant upkeep. Trend-led elements, on the other hand, are better thrifted: mismatched ceramics, vintage plates, heirloom serving spoons, candleholders collected slowly over time. "It's about mix and match," she says. "That's where personality comes in." That philosophy extends to how Mesa operates as a business. Many of its pieces are available to rent as well as buy — allowing customers to try before committing, and reinforcing the idea that tablescaping should be accessible, not intimidating. The Art of The Perfect Host For Trishia, a good host isn't defined by what's on the table — but by how people feel when they leave. "The goal is that they want to come back," she says simply. That means removing pressure wherever possible. Not cooking everything yourself. Letting people contribute. Choosing comfort over formality. The most memorable dinner she's ever hosted? The very first Dinner With Strangers — a potluck. "Everyone shared why they made what they made," she recalls. "It took the focus off me and made it about everyone else." It's a lesson she's carried into Mesa Collections: hosting as an act of care rather than performance. Beautiful objects can elevate a moment, but they're never the point. "Sometimes what people remember most is a conversation that happened out of nowhere," she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mesa collections (@mesa.collections) Building a Brand Around Gathering Today, Mesa Collections exists not just as a product line but as a growing community — with Trishia hosting founder dinners, summer lunches and collaborative events that blur the line between brand and lived experience. A recent lunch at Northcote wine bar Samuel Pepys saw Mesa linens transform the courtyard into something relaxed, layered and distinctly hers. "I didn't create Mesa just to sell things," she says. "I really love the community that's forming around it." In many ways, Mesa is a continuation of those early dinners — a way to give others the tools to host with confidence, warmth and a sense of self. Not perfect tables, but meaningful ones. Because, as Trishia has learned, the table is rarely just a table. It's where people arrive as strangers — and often leave as something more. Explore Mesa Collections products via the website, and find out more about the next Founders Dinners via Trishia's TikTok. Images: Supplied
With its warm waters and nearby islands, Brisbane is one of Australia's snorkel-friendliest cities. You can sip top-shelf drops in a wine library one day and lose yourself in an underwater wonderland the next, surrounded by wobbegong sharks, dolphins, turtles and tropical fish. Here are five of the best spots for snorkelling near Brisbane — from the dramatic shipwrecks of Moreton Island to the crystal-clear bays of heritage-listed Peel Island. Recommended reads: The Best Waterfalls Near Brisbane You Can Swim Under The Best Walks in and Around Brisbane The Best Rivers to Swim in Near Brisbane The Best Outdoor Pools in Brisbane [caption id="attachment_828681" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Tangalooma Wrecks, Moreton Island This purpose-built shipwreck is one of Australia's best-known snorkelling spots. Back in 1963, fifteen boats were deliberately sunk off Moreton Island's west coast, creating both a break wall for small vessels and an appealing new home for sea creatures. Among rusted steel and coral gardens, you'll meet wobbegong sharks, trevally, kingfish, yellowtail and tropical fish. It's possible to swim to Tangalooma Wrecks from Moreton Island, but do be careful of the current, which is strong at times. To travel in the safety of a group, consider booking a snorkelling tour. Moreton Island lies 40 kilometres off the coast — a 75-minute ferry ride from Holt Street Wharf at Pinkenba. [caption id="attachment_704303" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Redland City Council via Flickr.[/caption] Amity Point, North Stradbroke Island Just off Amity Point Jetty — the northernmost point of North Stradbroke Island — is a series of rock walls, where all sorts of marine creatures gather to feast and socialise. Expect to meet plenty of fish and, if you're lucky, dolphins or turtles as well. Six of the world's seven turtle species live in North Stradbroke's waters. Other places on the island with thriving underwater communities include Deadman's Beach and South Gorge. If you're not confident snorkelling on your own, think about joining a tour. North Stradbroke Island is 30 kilometres off the coast — to get there, you can catch a water taxi (25 minutes) or ferry (50 minutes) from Toondah Harbour in Cleveland. [caption id="attachment_828677" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Teerk Roo Ra (Peel Islane) National Park Once a quarantine station for people with leprosy, Peel Island — named Teerk Roo Ra National Park since 2007 — is now a serene natural haven frequented by sailors and sea kayakers. Here, the two best places for snorkelling are both human-made. In Platypus Bay, there's The Platypus, built in 1883 and deliberately wrecked in 1926. Off the island's north coast is the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef, made up of 17,000 car tyres, 200 trolleys, 450 tonnes of concrete pipe, a scuttled tuna fishing vessel and a 60-tonne barge. Peel Island is six kilometres off the mainland. To get there, you'll either need to hire a private boat or to hop onboard with Aria Cruises. [caption id="attachment_828679" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Southport Seaway, Gold Coast In the mid-80s, the Southport Seaway was created to help vessels safely enter Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast Broadwater from the Pacific Ocean. This involved building two rock walls, which now offer adventures a-plenty for snorkellers. They're teeming with seahorses, giant gropers, eagle rays, wrasses and stacks of other species of fish and marine life — and, since mid-2022, sculpture-filled artificial dive site Wonder Reef. In general, the easiest place to access the water is the South Wall, which is just six metres deep. If you're keen to venture further, take care: there's a lot of boat traffic. The Southport Seaway is an hour's drive south of Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_828680" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Mudjimba Island, Sunshine Coast Mudjimba Island (Old Woman's Island) lies 1.2 kilometres off the mainland, directly west of Mudjimba Beach. Unlike most other reefs on the Sunshine Coast, its is just three metres below the surface, which makes for perfect snorkelling. Colourful gardens are busy with turtles and tropical fish, easily visible through crystal-clear water. There are two ways to get to this underwater paradise: by kayak (if you're a confident paddler) or by boat from Mooloolaba. Alternatively, join a snorkelling expedition. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
Death and destruction are no strangers to our screens at the moment. When Avengers: Endgame isn't pondering the decimation of half of humanity, then Game of Thrones is getting kill-happy with dragons — and then there's John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum's astonishingly staged action and ample body count, plus Godzilla: King of the Monsters' world-destroying mayhem as well. But when it comes to sheer horror of the bone-chilling kind, not to mention the kind of soul-crushing dismay that can only stem from the bleakest of tales, they all pale in comparison to HBO's hit new mini-series Chernobyl. Currently streaming on Foxtel Now in Australia and Soho in New Zealand, the five-part show explores the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear disaster, which saw the reactor inside the Ukrainian facility explode. The fallout, unsurprisingly, was catastrophic, with the incident considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history as well one of the worst man-made events ever. Releasing approximately 400 times more radioactive material than the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will do that, as will the disaster's significant environmental and human toll. While the dramatisation begins with the fiery explosion, it's what happens next that earns the show's focus — the initial salvage attempts by workers condemned to suffer and die just for doing their jobs; the arrogant cover-ups, including by stubborn plant supervisors who refuse to believe what's happened; the clean-up and rescue missions, sacrificing more lives to the incident; and the inevitable investigation. Every aspect of the series is detailed, thorough, and even more relentless and unnerving than you'd expect given the real-life situation, with creator and writer Craig Mazin drawing upon meticulous research, interviews with nuclear scientists, chats with former Soviet residents and first-person accounts from those who were there. Expect a grim tone, grey imagery, the galvanising feeling that comes from watching such an enormous disaster unfold, and a slew of great performances as well. Mad Men's Jared Harris leads the cast as the Soviet nuclear physicist who first grasps the full scope of the accident, Stellan Skarsgård pops up as the Soviet Deputy Prime Minister assigned by the Kremlin to lead the government commission into the incident, and Emily Watson plays another physicist determined to work out what caused the disaster. Other familiar faces among the hefty cast include Beast's Jessie Buckley, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' Adrian Rawlins and American Animals' Barry Keoghan. A word of warning: Chernobyl isn't easy viewing. If you're not fond of constantly feeling tense, terrified and panicked, don't fare well with body horror, and have no time for cruel and clueless political machinations from inept folks cowering in the face of catastrophe, this isn't for you. But the US-UK series, a co-production between HBO and British broadcaster Sky, is as masterful as it is haunting and shocking — which is exactly what a show about such a dark chapter of recent history should be. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8 Chernobyl's first four episodes are currently available to stream via Foxtel Now and Soho, with the fifth and final episode arriving on Monday, June 3. It'll also air weekly on Foxtel Showcase from Wednesday, June 12. Images: Liam Daniel/HBO.
Fresh off hosting a floating Lacoste tennis court during the Australian Open, Afloat has pivoted from baseline rallies to pit lanes, transforming its Yarra River footprint into the public headquarters for Audi's Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix. Yes, the same floating bar that's served spritzes and Amalfi-core summers is now, temporarily, a motorsport hub. And in case you were wondering how one installs a fleet of race cars onto a floating venue in the middle of the CBD — they were craned in over the Yarra. From Thursday, March 5 to Sunday, March 8, Afloat will become the on-water home of the Audi Revolut F1 Team, complete with a Floating Showroom featuring the team's R26 show car and Audi's 'Crocodile'-liveried R8 LMP — the latter famously winning the 2000 'Race of a Thousand Years' in Adelaide. Expect serious hardware, suspended (briefly) above Birrarung before landing on deck. The activation also includes live Grand Prix screenings across both levels, driving simulators, an interactive "Mission Control" wall, and even a 180-degree spatial film experience via Apple Vision Pro. Outside of the tech and tyres, the usual Afloat energy remains intact, with sunset DJ sets soundtracking the race-week chaos and a themed food and drink lineup leaning into the "refuelling" concept. Walk-ins can access the team experiences, while table bookings remain available for those who'd prefer their motorsport with a side of all-day dining and a guaranteed seat. Audi Revolut F1 Team at Afloat runs March 5–8, 11am–1am daily. For a closer look at what might be Melbourne's most high-octane riverside moment yet, head to Afloat's website. Images: supplied
Walk into most bottle shops and the script is predictable: fluorescent lights, shelf after shelf of labels you've seen on billboards, a transaction that begins and ends at the register. But scattered across Brisbane's suburbs, a collection of independent wine stores is rewriting that story — one handwritten tag, one tasting table, one conversation at a time. Tony and Tanya Harper know Brisbane's hospitality scene inside out. They've spent decades on the floor, as well as in wine judging and food media. When they opened Craft Wine Store in Red Hill in 2012, it was with one clear rule: if a wine appeared in chain advertising, they didn't stock it. The strategy wasn't just contrarian; it came from decades of watching Queensland's liquor retail scene flatten into a monoculture of familiar brands. "There were hundreds of retailers all selling the same beer, wine and spirits," Tanya Harper remembers. "We wanted to offer something more interesting." [caption id="attachment_808928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Craft Wine Store Coorparoo. Credit: Kiel Wode.[/caption] Craft quickly became a pioneer, introducing Brisbane drinkers to producers that are now household names: Four Pillars, Stargazer, Stone & Wood, Unico Zelo and more. It also set a new standard for how bottle shops could feel. Both the original Red Hill space and the 2018 Coorparoo store were designed to be warm, tactile and human-scale. Red Hill's rambling nooks contrast with Coorparoo's sleek rectangle and central cold room, but both invite browsing and conversation. The design of each shop was highly intentional, and "entices folk to think a little more broadly," Harper says, "like a bookshop." That philosophy now defines Brisbane's independent retail scene, though creating these spaces in Queensland isn't easy. Queensland's liquor laws have long favoured big players — publicans, then national supermarkets — through expensive, restrictive commercial hotel licences. But the newer wine merchant licence offers small windows of creativity: the ability to taste, sample and linger, more European cave than bottle-o transaction. [caption id="attachment_1038760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] L.P.O. Neighbourhood Wine Store. Credit: Matt Pettigrew.[/caption] For Dan Wilson, co-owner of LPO Neighbourhood Wine Store in Tarragindi, that licence was the key to coming home. After opening his third restaurant in London, Wilson returned to Brisbane in 2021. "From the moment I got back, I wanted to open something like LPO," he says. "In London, places like this were where I built community. They were gathering points for people with strange and very emotionally-laden passions." To qualify for the wine merchant licence, Wilson made his own Queensland wine. He reached out to friends Sam Cook and Alistair Reed at Konpira Maru in the Granite Belt, and produced a skin-contact Verdelho called SQUID — named in honour "of the chaotic mess of doing something new with no legs." [caption id="attachment_1038763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] L.P.O. Neighbourhood Wine Store. Credit: Matt Pettigrew.[/caption] Having opened in March 2025, LPO now occupies a former post office in a strip of shops Wilson calls "quintessential Brisbane suburban beauty." Eight to 12 bottles are open daily for tasting, blurring the line Brisbanites are used to seeing between retail space and bar. "All the wines are there for education, for conversation and for fun," he says. "We're all about discovery, education and that little touch of joy a new experience can bring." Liz and Ian Trinkle took a similar approach with Wineism, which opened in late 2021 in the Albion Fine Trades precinct. The venue operates as both bar and bottle shop, grounded in Ian's years as a sommelier at Aria Brisbane and Howard Smith Wharves. The industrial-chic design mirrors the neighbourhood's creative edge, while the constantly evolving wine list is built on relationships and taste. [caption id="attachment_1038774" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wineism. Credit: Supplied.[/caption] "I think people generally have great palates," Ian Trinkle says. "They can taste the difference between mediocre, good and great once it's in the glass — but they often lack the vocabulary that comes with years of tasting experience. The romance of wine is also its mystery. Part of my job is to make it less mysterious." Before Wineism, Trinkle was already teaching the internationally recognised WSET courses. That educational approach carries through, whether you're asking about a bottle at the bar or signing up for the weekly wine education classes. "There is so much appetite for education," he says, citing the volume of WSET enquiries he receives every week as proof. [caption id="attachment_1038770" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wineism. Credit: Supplied.[/caption] At Craft, education takes the form of weekly tastings that have become part social ritual, part neighbourhood event. "They're equal parts socialising and learning," Harper says. "Lots of chatter, plenty of familiar faces and always a few new ones." Across the city, independent bottle shops — including Cru Bar & Cellar on James Street, The Reserve Cellar in Wilston, and The Wine Emporium in Newstead — host free weekly tastings of wines, spirits and beers, arguably the best way to expand your palate in Brisbane: follow them on Instagram or subscribe to their newsletters, turn up, talk to the people pouring, and taste what's new. These shops assume you're curious, not just thirsty. Conversation replaces transaction. They also make it possible for small producers to reach drinkers who might otherwise never discover them. [caption id="attachment_637497" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Cru Bar & Cellar. Credit: Anwyn Howarth.[/caption] "Fifteen years ago, Tanqueray No.10 was considered premium," Harper says, emphasising how it now sits among hundreds of local and imported options — a reflection of how tastes have evolved. "Independent bottle shops exist to fulfil the thirst that they've helped create," she continues. "People have become bored with big, familiar brands and are seeking different experiences." In a state where alcohol consumption is still shaped by legacy licensing policies and supermarket dominance, every independent shop that opens represents both persistence and possibility. These businesses aren't just selling good booze — they're teaching, tasting, and transforming how Brisbane drinks. Need more vino inspiration? Check out the Best Wine Bars in Melbourne or discover How to Decode a French Wine List.
Anyone in the arts knows that getting projects off the ground is a notoriously difficult task. From finding the time to create outside of paid work to simply keeping a roof over your head, following your dreams isn't always easy. Melbourne-based director, animator, and stop-motion specialist Sammy Lewis knows this reality all too well. "I'd been struggling to find work for most of last year and was on the verge of a career shift or at least finding a day job outside of animation," they told Concrete Playground. Over three and a half months in their studio, Sammy created Garbologist, a stop motion short film inspired by Specsavers' iconic "Should've Gone to Specsavers" ad format. Garbologist was submitted as part of Specsavers' annual competition in partnership with the leading short film festival, Flickerfest. A judging panel selected five finalists before the public voted on their favourite. The creativity and dedication of Garbologist stood out and Sammy was crowned the winner, scoring a $70K cash prize as well as a screening of their film at Flickerfest. "The prize has changed everything, and now I'll be able to focus on my own ideas full-time and hopefully develop a short film or series concept," they said of the career-changing prize money. We spoke with Sammy from the UK, where they're working at famed animation studio Aardman (the team behind Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep), to learn more about their prize-winning animated short film and what's next for the artist. Concrete Playground: Your winning entry reimagines the Specsavers ad through stop motion animation. What was the original creative spark behind Garbologist? Sammy Lewis: The idea for Garbologist came from a mix of things and is actually quite nostalgic for me. I was a truck-obsessed kid who would wait on the footpath to watch the bins get collected. My life peaked at three years old when I got to sit in the driver's seat and operate the claw. The first bin that gets collected in Garbologist is 22, which is the number of my childhood home. I also grew up with classic stop motion shows like Fireman Sam and Postman Pat and wanted to pay homage to their influence on my animation career. How did you get started in your career? A childhood obsession with plasticine turned into studying a Bachelor of Animation at The Queensland College of Art. That then led to moving from Meanjin/Brisbane to Naarm/Melbourne to find anyone else who was doing stop motion. That seems to have worked out, and I've animated on music videos, commercials, short films, kids' television and two feature films. How did you approach balancing brand storytelling and constraints with your creative voice? My whole aim for this ad was to tell a good joke, and I kept refining ideas until I thought I'd landed on a solid visual gag. Time was my biggest constraint, as stop motion is a notoriously slow process. I tried to keep things as simple as possible at every stage, but unfortunately, this meant cutting out a bin chicken character from my original draft. Tell us about the production process for this film. How long did it take, and what were the challenges? From initial idea to final export, the whole process took about three and a half months. My studio at the time was very small, and I had to fit everything on a set that was only 1.2 metres wide, and the scale of the puppets had to be about half the size of what I usually work [with]. I didn't have much of a budget and tried to recycle and reclaim as many materials as I could. 90% of Garbologist is cardboard and acrylic paint. The puppets have oven-bake clay heads with plasticine hands, the grass is made from two painted bath towels, and the garbage truck is a toy I bought second-hand and added the claw. Building all the puppets and sets took two months. Animation was two weeks and I outsourced music and sound design at the last minute so I could focus on editing and compositing. Everything is real, handmade and full of hot glue. What do you love about working with stop motion and animation? I love how stop motion and animation in general force you to collaborate or otherwise be lonely and sad and take four times longer to complete anything. I had a wonderful little crew of creatives in Lucy (Art Department), Mack (Art Department / Crochet Artist), Goldy (Colour Grade), Ryan (Sound Design/Music) and Seamus Spilsbury (Development). Check out their work. Flickerfest has long been a launching pad for emerging filmmakers. How important is this platform to you? I've been incredibly lucky to have worked on some amazing productions in my career, but it feels like I'm still searching for my own voice as a filmmaker. Flickerfest is such an important festival in providing a platform to do this, as well as opportunities like the Specsavers competition. I really hope to come back in the next few years with a film in competition. Often, creators don't want to touch commercial work for fear it's not "real" art. What do you say to these people, and what are the pros of commercial filmmaking? I understand why some people would feel that way about commercial gigs, and it can be stifling to work for brands when they give you minimal creative freedom. As a freelancer, I've never really had the luxury of picking and choosing what I work on and just try to catch the next thing that falls out of the sky. I've certainly learnt a lot from working on commercial jobs, and it's improved my communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills. What's your advice for filmmakers wanting to break into the industry? I'm not really one to give career advice, as everyone's path will be different. For me, it was finding my people, persistence and quite a bit of luck. What's next for you? What are you working on at the moment? I'm currently in the UK at Aardman, working on the new Shaun the Sheep movie, The Beast of Mossy Bottom, which is a dream come true, and after that, I'll be back to my default of making it up as I go. Image Credit: Supplied
Don't think much of the humble of bowl of oats? Prepare to change your mind, like now. You can basically thank your existence on the subject of this feature. Porridge has in fact been dubbed the “greatest invention of all time”, without which, our earth simply wouldn’t be as populated as it is today. (Don't believe it? The UK Telegraph wouldn't lie.) Mercifully though, this ridiculously versatile breakfast option has evolved from the basic blend of oats, milk and a simple topping to the seriously inspired — think quinoa grains; milk alternatives such as almond or coconut; and toppings of fresh, poached or dried fruit, nuts, compotes, fairy floss, ricottas or burnt caramel sauces. Thanks to imaginative chefs in cafe kitchens across Brisbane, our top ten list covers the best from decadent and sweet to healthy and wholesome. Whichever way you prefer your morning goodness we're sure there's one below that's juuuust right. The Rogue Rennard The porridge at The Rogue Rennard is quite simply put, divine. A bowl of perfectly balanced flavours and textures, the creamy vanilla oats are cooked in full fat milk and are topped with sweet but still slightly tart quarters of poached quince, a sprinkling of crushed almonds and desiccated coconut and micro herbs to finish. It’s pretty much the epitome of winter in a bowl and leaves you scraping your spoon to ensure those final residual grains don’t escape your stomach. 106a Latrobe Tce, Paddington Al'FreshCo A stroke of genius from Alastair Mcleod’s Al'FreshCo team (who serve up French inspired deliciousness at the Jan Powers Farmers Markets every week) means you can now get your porridge fix whilst trawling for your weeks’ produce! The wonderfully indulgent vanilla porridge made with oats, vanilla bean paste and full fat milk, is served with sweet strawberries from fellow stallholder Wild Fruit, a drizzling of burnt orange caramel and is finished with optional bee pollen and honey. Sweet, warming and just heavenly. Jan Powers Farmer Markets, New Farm & Queens St The Moray Cafe The Moray Café’s take on porridge is definitely one for the sugar inclined. Nothing short of sweet, its banana chai porridge with berry compote, honeycomb and homemade fairy floss is as pretty as a picture and is almost like having dessert for breakfast. With oats made on a mashed banana and chai infused milk, the porridge is served with a sweet berry mixture of jam-like consistency and topped with clouds of pink floss. It conjures childhood imaginings of princess breakfasts and fairy food. 158 Moray St, New Farm Bear Bones Espresso Tucked away in a non-descript building on Mclachlan St in the Valley, Bare Bones Espresso does a mean coffee…but its small selection of breakfast options is equally as enticing. In particular the red quinoa porridge with chai tea soaked prunes (or cranberries if they’re out), pepitas and pistachios will warm the “barest of bones”! Both textural and flavoursome it ticks the boxes for creaminess, nuttiness and zing factor. 2/66 Mclachlan St, Fortitude Valley Kiss the Berry Known for amaze-balls acai bowls and awesome house blend coffee, Kiss the Berry has also recently started selling warm porridge bowls to hungry hoards of city goers. The overnight oat porridge bowls are the shiz with oats soaked overnight in water, vanilla and cinnamon, cooked in milk and topped with your choice of either apple, blueberries and pistachio crumble, or strawberry, banana, gluten free buckinis and coconut sugar. With either option you’ll also get a blob of acai compote to finish, which is all it takes to transport you to porridge nirvana. Shop 1/99 Creek St, Brisbane Spicers Balfour Kitchen If there were a prize for the most decadent of porridges in Brisbane, Spicers Balfour would be a serious contender. With oats and quinoa cooked with cream and served with an extra jug of it on the side for pouring, it’s thick, luscious and everything you want from a winter breakfast. Topped with candied almonds, tangy sour cherries, slightly crunchy caramelised apple and sugared pistachio it’s a breakfast that will make you want to curl up with a book and go straight back to bed after you've finished! 37 Balfour St, New Farm Sourced Grocer Locals are well aware that the cooler months mean it’s time for the much anticipated winter porridge from Sourced Grocer. We know these guys can do a killer bowl of oats making it wickedly rich with both milk and cream, but it’s the annually changing topping that generates the hype. Last year it was caramelised banana and maple and this year it’s all about the rhubarb with hazelnut rapadura sugar and extra cream. Served al dente so the rhubarb is still in tact and sprinkled with the nutty, sugary crumb it’s definitely another hit! 11 Florence St, Teneriffe Artie & Mai This may only be a special on the Artie & Mai menu but the quinoa porridge made with coconut milk and topped with slices of fresh banana, walnuts, sunflower seeds and thyme infused honey, is a ripper. Using only quinoa the porridge is light and fluffy with a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavour. Super healthy with just a hint of sweetness from the banana and honey, it’s also perfectly portioned so you don’t feel like you’re rolling out the door once spoons are down. Artie & Mai, we think this one needs to become a regular breakfast option. Stat. 340 Sandgate Rd, Albion Campos Coffee The team at the Campos head quarter’s kitchen in James St usually do porridge every winter that regulars look out for. Its current take on the traditional warming breakfast is a creamy vanilla oat porridge, served with earl grey infused dates dotted throughout and topped with a blob of thick, creamy ricotta and fresh strawberry halves (honey is also optional). Plus, Campos' oat-y goodness is like a never-ending bowl of deliciousness. Props to those who can polish it off! 11 Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley Stalled Espresso Normally Stalled’s porridge comes topped with vibrant rhubarb and berry compote, however, in a testament to improvisation (and lack of rhubarb on the day of review) they can easily substitute the topping for whatever they may have on hand. Sweet caramelised banana and fresh strawberries are a perfect combination and fresh alternative atop the creamy bowl of oats that will leave you wanting to return the next day. And the next. 38 Collingwood St, Albion Honourable mentions definitely to go to Willow and Spoon, Little Pawpaw, Blackbird Espresso. Photography by Mimi Hyll
Gone are the days of choosing between man's best friend and man's perfect holiday - there are more dog-friendly hotels, spas and getaway cottages in Queensland to pick from than ever before. And it's not just the big cities that are catering to pet parents and fur babies. You and your pooch can pack your bags and hit the road for surf beaches, dog-friendly wine tours, idyllic hinterland serenity and eco-friendly retreats to soothe the soul. Check out the best of what's on offer for you and Fido throughout the Sunshine State at these pet-friendly accommodations. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Glamping Sites Near Brisbane The Best Dog-Friendly Cafes, Bars and Restaurants in Brisbane SPICERS, VARIOUS QUEENSLAND LOCATIONS The Spicers group offers a series of luxury pet-friendly stays across Queensland for travellers hitting town and country. Stay in the urban heart of New Farm at Balfour, a stone's throw from parks, bars and the winding River Walk. Head to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Tamarind Retreat for rainforest luxury stays in a South-East-Asian-influenced wellness hotel. Enjoy French-inspired luxury at Clovelly Estate in Montville in the lavish guest house suites or private, self-contained cottage. Or stay in the historic Chinese Cottage near Hidden Vale homestead, set among 12,000 acres of serene bush at Grandchester - and don't miss the famed paddock-to-plate dining at Homage Restaurant. Wherever your next escape might be, the Spicer's Pooch Package includes bedding, bowls and little treats, and a warm welcome and tummy rubs (for the pup, of course). SALTWATER VILLAS, MOOLOOLABA Make your next Sunshine Coast weekend a little more 'extra'. Saltwater Villas offers the best of both worlds: canal-side accommodation tucked away from the main street high-rises but with all the cafes, bars and restaurants of the Esplanade just a wander away. All villas are pet-friendly with private enclosed courtyards, and they offer dog-minding and dog-walking by prior appointment. You'll find this service invaluable if you're booking one of their in-house massages, pedicures, facials and spa treatments. If you'd prefer some soothing beach-therapy, head into town with the pooch and walk along the rock wall and water's edge, watching the waves roll in. Stop for lunch at a cafe, grab a drink at The Good Bar or make the most of the famous Mooloolaba seafood by cooking up a storm in the villa kitchen - with your best friend by your side. LILLYPILLY'S, MALENY An easy drive from Brisbane brings you to Lillypilly's spa getaway. It's your perfect escape from the hustle and bustle in the charm of a private country cottage - without sacrificing all the modern conveniences of air con, coffee machine and wifi, plus spa treatments, gourmet additions or a full 'spoil yourself' package. Relax on the verandah or daybed with tranquil views over the lake and rolling hills. If you and the pup get restless, head out and about to explore the towns and nature walks of the Sunshine Coast hinterland before you return for the night. Massage for you, fresh air for the pooch and a cosy living room with a crackling fire that everyone can snuggle up in front of. Pawfect. MT COTTON RETREAT, MOUNT COTTON Fancy a green getaway for you and your furry friend? Mt Cotton Retreat has Advanced Eco Certified status and a 20-hectare nature reserve and koala conservation program. The rustic 'treetop' cabin is the perfect place to unplug and unwind. It's all about the simple pleasures of you and your pup together. Wander through woodland, spot wildlife in the trees, listen for the creek after the rains, enjoy utter peace and quiet. For an elegant touch to your bush retreat, you can arrange a gourmet picnic hamper for the humans - but you'll need to BYO canine catering. There are lovely spots nearby for easy day trips, including a local winery. Best of all, this pet-friendly stay in Queensland is only a 30-minute drive from Brisbane. OVOLO, THE VALLEY, BRISBANE All creatures deserve the Ovolo creature comforts, and now your four-legged friend can enjoy them thanks to its V.I.Pooch package. Your pets will get a special bed, mat and bowl plus a goodie bag with toys and treats. And humans get complimentary breakfast, snacks, a 24-hour gym and your own loot bag (with different treats, of course). If you want to get out and explore The Valley nightlife - after your hotel sundowner drinks during 'social hour' - you can arrange dog-sitting via the pup-loving Ovolo staff. The Ovolo is more than a stylish getaway: it wants to be known as Queensland's best dog-friendly hotel - let them try to prove it to you. BRIAR ROSE COTTAGES, STANTHORPE All aboard a dog-friendly wine tour of the Granite Belt. Set up a luxe base camp at Briar Rose Cottages, just 1km outside of Stanthorpe (which happens to be one our favourite day trip destinations from Brisbane). These three darling little cottages are straight out of a picture book. Think, 'aspirational country chic'. Crackling woodfire heating, white wicker chairs on the verandah and heritage elegance with a welcoming, homey feel. They're self-contained, for 2, 4 or 6 people, but as there's no fence on the property, you'll just have to keep the doggo on a leash when you're outside. When you've settled in, head out to one of the numerous dog-friendly wineries, including Ridgemill Estate, Robert Cannon Wines, Summit Estate and the trendy Symphony Hill Wines. A tasting for you, some head-pats for the pup, then return to your cosy country abode. W BRISBANE, NORTH QUAY Fantastic news: your doggo can now enjoy the Marriott luxury, too. The five-star W Hotel in South Bank welcomes well-behaved pooches to join its pet-parents for an indulgent city getaway. Admittedly, your fur baby probably won't appreciate the fun, quirky, Aussie-inspired design choices of the W, and they might not think much of the view over the river, Mt Coot-tha and the suburbs beyond. That's all for your enjoyment. And you'll need to leave them with a sitter when you dine at the restaurant and hit up the sun-drenched rooftop pool. But together you can take in the city sights. Jump on a ferry, wander along the river, explore the vibrant West End and Southbank arts district, and stop in at one of the many pooch-friendly pubs and cafes. NOOSA HINTERLAND RETREATS, NOOSA There's no reason why your pooch has to miss out on a sunny surf holiday at Noosa. Head into the hinterland for a bit of R&R in a completely private and self-contained apartment just 20 minutes' drive from the main beach. The Hinterland Suite on the ground floor has a fenced private yard with an enviable view of Mt Cooroy. A queen size bed and spacious living area provides ample room to relax, and there's a bushwalk trail nearby when you need to stretch your legs. Drive down and explore Noosa at your leisure, pick up local gourmet provisions or stop in at one of the many dog-friendly cafes, such as Aromas at Noosa Heads. WONGARI ECO RETREAT, SCENIC RIM Because pets are family too, Wongari Eco Retreat welcomes well-behaved doggos with open arms — so you and your pup can reconnect with nature together. The house rules are simple: don't make a mess, don't worry the wildlife and don't leave the pooch alone in the cabin. You can take them with you on your adventures along nearby bushwalks or let them run freely through wide open spaces. Serenity cabin is tucked away in a secluded pocket of forest, while Bimbul cabin — which runs on renewable hydropower — has open views across the Hoop Pines. Bowls are provided, but BYO food and bedding. Live your idyllic rustic dream around the Scenic Rim as you bake bread in the woodfired oven, watch the sunset over the hills and enjoy the simple pleasures of rural life with your pup. Absolute bliss. TREETOPS RETREAT, CAIRNS Craving the tropical heat and clear blue seas of beautiful Far North Queensland? Make a road trip north with a few pals and rent out this spacious treehouse getaway. Set amongst the heritage-listed Crystal Cascade rainforest, Treetops Retreat has space for nine people — and your pup. This luxury retreat has everything you need to recharge and replenish your energy in style: wooden sauna, pool, tranquil garden and an outdoor Bali daybed. Fling open the wide doors and let the sounds and scents of the rainforest wash over you. You're just a short drive from Cairns or the foodie hotspot of Port Douglas, but if you'd rather stay in and have fun, you can gather around the pool table for a game, or book a private nature experience via the host. When it gets too hot, just lie back in a hammock while your pup plays on the deck - just keep them off the leather couches and you'll be as golden as the FNQ sunshine. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: W Brisbane
Adapting The Narrow Road to the Deep North was always going to require a dream cast and crew. More than that, any attempt to bring Richard Flanagan's acclaimed 2013 novel to the screen was always set to demand a roster of creatives dedicated to doing the book justice, and to honouring the very real history that the work of fiction draws upon. The author didn't spin a true tale on his pages; however, much is shared with reality. Flanagan's text is steeped in the experience of Australian POWs during World War II, specifically those forced to work on the Burma Railway by the Japanese military. IRL, his own father was one of them. A cream-of-the-crop lineup is the aim for every screen project, of course, whether it's destined to grace cinemas or television. Streaming via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025, The Narrow Road to the Deep North's talents should make other TV shows envious, Australian and international alike. For the first time in his career, filmmaker Justin Kurzel plies his skills on the small screen. For the five-part miniseries, he adapts a Booker Prize-winning novel again, as he did with True History of the Kelly Gang. Kurzel collaborates with screenwriter Shaun Grant once more, and unpacks complicated Aussie history again in the process as well, as the pair previously navigated with their take on Ned Kelly, plus Snowtown beforehand and Nitram afterwards. Standing before the lens for the duo: Jacob Elordi (Oh, Canada) on a rare return Down Under, Odessa Young (My First Film) falling into the same category, plus everyone from Irish great and Belfast Oscar-nominee Ciarán Hinds, as well as Japan's Shô Kasamatsu (Tokyo Vice), through to the Aussie likes of Olivia DeJonge (Elvis), Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High), Simon Baker (Boy Swallows Universe), Heather Mitchell (Love Me) and Essie Davis (One Day). In one of only five Australian texts to ever claim the prestigious literary award — Thomas Keneally's Schindler's Ark, DBC Pierre's Vernon God Little, and Peter Carey's aforementioned True History of the Kelly Gang and Oscar and Lucinda are the others — Flanagan charts the path of Dorrigo Evans. Before the Second World War, he has a future in medicine calling. Afterwards, he carves out a career as a respected surgeon. The Narrow Road to the Deep North jumps between the two, as well as his ordeal while being held captive as a prisoner of war. Elordi plays the younger Dorrigo in the series' 40s-era sequences. Hinds steps into the character's shoes in its 80s-set segments. The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a character study, as well as an exploration of multiple sides of war. It delves into culture clashes, interrogates heroism and steadfastly stresses the importance of remembering horrors gone by so that they aren't repeated. It's as much a love story, and a portrait of a long-lasting marriage, though — and yet those two aren't quite one and the same. As a young man, Dorrigo's future is also tied to Ella (DeJonge), whose family have ties back to drafting the Australian constitution. Decades later (played by Mitchell), she remains by his side. But before shipping out, before his medical prowess is needed in Syria, before being transported like cattle through Thailand to the jungle and before the compulsory strenuous labour that will claim the life of some of his friends, Dorrigo spends a summer embarking upon a secret affair with Amy Mulvaney (Young), the wife of his uncle Keith (Baker). It's this romance that he thinks of as he endures war's cruelties, and that also stays with him long afterwards. Casting Elordi and Young as the youthful Dorrigo and Amy are the best choices that The Narrow Road to the Deep North's guiding forces could've made for the two roles. For both actors, it also brought them home. Since 2018's Swinging Safari marked Elordi's first film, he's largely been busy overseas, meaning that Australian projects have been rarities his your resume. With Young, since The Daughter and Looking for Grace each made a splash in 2015, the same has also proven true. On the path from there to The Narrow Road to the Deep North, the pair have amassed an array of credits: The Kissing Booth trilogy, The Mortuary Collection, Deep Water, The Sweet East, Saltburn and Priscilla among them for Elordi; Sweet Virginia, A Million Little Pieces, Shirley, The Stand, Mothering Sunday, The Staircase (with DeJonge), Manodrome and more for Young. They also each have Sam Levinson projects to their name; as the world knows, Elordi is one of Euphoria's stars, while Young led the film Assassination Nation. "There couldn't be a better opportunity to come home," Elordi tells Concrete Playground about The Narrow Road to the Deep North. In fact, he responded so strongly to Flanagan's novel when Kurzel sent it his way that he started advising his family that the book was the key to understanding him, a statement that "I kind of regret saying", he also notes now. The Macbeth and Assassin's Creed filmmaker's involvement was crucial for him, too, as "an enormous fan of his work for my whole conscious movie life". [caption id="attachment_1000037" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Prime Video[/caption] That's similarly the case for Young, who reteams with Kurzel for the second time in two years, after featuring alongside Jude Law (Skeleton Crew) and Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu) in the director's excellent 2024 crime-thriller The Order. "I would do anything that he asked me to do. I would love to work with him for the rest of my life, because I believe that he makes me a better performer," she shares. In our chat with Elordi and Young, we also dug into why Elordi felt such a powerful connection to The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and how infrequent that reaction is for him; Kurzel's penchant for difficult stories; and how Elordi and Young built chemistry together, as characters that Flanagan has compared to stars exploding in galaxies in real time. Covered as well: Elordi and his co-stars' commitment to authenticity in the POW scenes, and the sense of responsibility to the real-life men who worked on the Burma Railway that came with it — and what the two make of their respective journeys from starting out at home to overseas success, then coming back for a series they're clearly both proud of. On Why The Narrow Road to the Deep North Was the Right Project to Bring Both Elordi and Young Home After Their International Successes Jacob: "For me, it was Justin Kurzel. I've been an enormous fan of his work for my whole conscious movie life. So it was just the opportunity to be able to work with him." Odessa: "Yeah, me too. Sorry to copy." Jacob: "No, no, no. But of course, then you double down when it's Richard Flanagan's text. It's just there couldn't be a better opportunity to come home and try to make some cinema." On Elordi's Strong Reaction to the Novel, So Much So That He Told Family Members That the Book Was the Key to Understanding Him Jacob: "I kind of regret saying that now, because if you read the book, like it doesn't remind me of myself at all." Odessa: "You've changed." Jacob: "I think there's so many parts, there so many bits of him that are so inherently Australian, that it reminded me so much of a lot of the men in my life and the people that I know, and things like that. But it is a rare thing — but I feel like those things always happen for a reason. The right thing does find you at the right time, and you read it at a moment in time when it speaks to you. And that's always such a great treat." On Young Working with Justin Kurzel on Two Projects in a Row, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North Following The Order Odessa: "I think sometimes you just meet directors who make you a better actor, and he's one of them. I feel like I got a really lovely introduction to him working on The Order, because for me it was a low-pressure environment. I kind of got to be a bit of the relief from the very, very difficult story. He likes difficult stories, does Justin. And it was lovely. We just got to know each other under really low-pressure circumstances. And I just really, really love the way he works. It feels very natural to me. I would do anything that he asked me to do. I would love to work with him for the rest of my life, because I believe that he makes me a better performer." On the Importance of the Series Being Many Things, Including a Love Story, a Character Study, a Look at Multiple Sides of War, an Interrogation of Heroism and a Reminder Not to Forget Past Horrors Jacob: "I think that's what makes for great cinema, is all of those human elements and the minutiae in those moments. I think all of them compounded, especially in a piece about memory — it is what cinema is about. It's a whole life compressed and contained and examined and looked at and explored. And I think having them all is what makes it such a complete piece." On Building the Type of Chemistry That Author Richard Flanagan Compared to Stars Exploding in Galaxies in Real Time Odessa: "I think we just both probably sensed in each other quite early on in the rehearsal process that we were both ready to just put it all there. And, I don't know, we were just going to take it seriously. We're going to give as much as we could. Sorry, I'm using like sports terminology. Leave it all on the field." Jacob: "Full credit to the other side." Odessa: "Yeah, everyone was a great player today. No, but I think we got very lucky. I think we have just a natural understanding and trust in each other. You never know if that's going to work out that way, but it did." Jacob: "Yeah." Odessa: "And I think that for me — I won't speak for you, but I do sense this in you — there's no point in doing it if you're not doing it fully." Jacob: "Yeah." Odessa: "And I think we're both that kind of actor." Jacob: "Which is really just — it's either casting from Justin or just some profound luck." On Committing to Authenticity in the Series' Prisoner-of-War Scenes, and the Sense of Responsibility to the Real-Life Men Who Went Through It That Comes with It Jacob: "It would probably be the most-important thing. We're talking about real men, and we're talking about Richard Flanagan, the writer's, father — and Shaun Grant's grandfather. These are real people and the history, it's still there. And the trauma of it lives on generationally. So it's not about entertainment. It's not about shooting guns and making some great spectacle. It's about telling the truth and immortalising something as best that you can." On What Elordi and Young Make of the Journeys That They've Each Taken Since Their Early Australian Breakthrough Roles Odessa: "It's hard to characterise it. I think it's actually helpful not to think about it, and not to try to maybe intellectualise — at least for me — why I've chosen the things that I have. I think so much of the course of a career happens on instinct, and some of it's also dumb luck. But I feel incredibly proud and incredibly lucky, and I guess I haven't done so bad if I'm here celebrating this." Jacob: "It's an immense amount of luck — and I would say probably shared with a deep love for movies. And if you love movies and you love cinema, it's not so deliberate but you seek out the things that hopefully move you and mean something to you in that moment." The Narrow Road to the Deep North will stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Prime Video.
For a beer with a killer riverside inner-city view, Brisbanites should be well-acquainted with Felons Brewing Co, complete with lager festivals on its lawn and movies in its Barrel Hall. What's more, it has become a regular go-to for Brisbane's creative community, with the Howard Smith Wharves brewery launching a free makers' market in late 2023 — and bringing it back every year since. Next taking over Felons Barrel Hall on Saturday, March 28, The Great Artist Market features over 70 artists and makers. Attendees can spend the day from 8am–3pm browsing, buying and supporting local talent. And with so much to explore, there's every chance you'll head home with a host of mindfully made items that level up your living space — and showcase your love for Brisbane's creative community. Whether you're looking for gifts or just love art and design markets, expect a wide variety of makers and items — with glassworks, ceramics, illustrations, furniture and pickles just some of the choices that'll likely prove too tempting to resist. Think handmade ceramic flowers by Michelle Ehmann, Schuppenhauer's skateboards turned functional furniture, and Raison D'etre's joyful still-life portraits. Also on offer in 2026: a vinyl DJ set from West End's Jet Black Cat Music, outdoor pet portraits and fascinating artist workshops. Of course, there's also some top-notch bites and sips to fuel your day out at the market, with an Allpress coffee cart rolling into Felons. Plus, a selection of pastries and treats will add even more spring to your step. And if you're keen on a beer after shopping, you're in the right place. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Brisbane has a new golf hub: South Bank, with Hey Caddy and X-Golf opening on Grey Street. One gets you putting around a mini-golf course, the other will test your swing via a golf simulator. They're both indoors, sharing the same space — and however you like your golf fix, there's also a bar. This is Hey Caddy's second location in Brisbane, after the brand opened its doors in North Lakes in 2022. The putt-putt spot is an offshoot of X-Golf, so they're no strangers to each other. This is also Hey Caddy's third venue in Queensland and tenth nationally — and for X-Golf, its third in the city after North Lakes and Enoggera, eighth in the Sunshine State and 26th in the country. Patrons can now tap, tap, tap their way around 12 holes, then give their swing a try at five simulators. Hitting up the bar, hanging out in the games area, grabbing a bite from the in-house kitchen and watching screens showing sports: that's all offered by the site, too, in what's been badged an "indoor golf-entertainment hybrid". The aim is to cater to all levels of golfing interest, whether you're only interested in having fun with your short game, you'd like to take lessons from PGA-certified coaches or X-Golf's X-League competition — which feeds into venue, state and national championships — gets you excited. Other than playing mini golf, you can hone or show off your skills on virtual greens, of course. While gone are the days when Brisbanites had to head to the Gold Coast to partake in a round of mini golf, Hey Caddy's angle is its themed holes — including nodding to Spain's running of the bulls, busy New York streetscapes, tropical holidays in Bora Bora and the like. When the North Lakes venue opened, it did so with Coachella, Area 51 in Nevada, Miami,, Egypt, Melbourne and Mars all getting a nod. Hey Caddy also themes its cocktails to its courses, which you can enjoy in the al fresco dining area. The hybrid venue features party rooms as well, if that's your ideal way to gather the gang to commemorate an occasion.
In 2019, after opening 90 bars over the prior eight years and 94 worldwide, Scottish brewery BrewDog finally set up shop in Australia. And, sprawling across a hefty parcel of land by the banks of the Brisbane River, it arrived with a splash. That said, while a brand-new jetty was built right next to the company's Murarrie site, aka DogTap Brisbane, opened, don't go planning on pairing your brew with a dip in the ol' Brown Snake. Brisbanites, you really do know better than that. Acting as the brand's Australian base, the Brisbane brewery is pumping out beer that gets shipped around the country. It also has a huge taproom with food and plenty of opportunities to learn more about craft beer. Brewery tours are available, and eager drinkers can also enrol in Beer School — aka guided tasting sessions where one of BrewDog's Cicerone-certified staff talk you through the BrewDog and craft beer basics. First announced in 2018, and only the company's fourth taproom directly attached to one of its breweries, BrewDog's $30-million street art-covered Brisbane site boasts a range of other reasons to drop by. Heading to the end of a Murarrie industrial estate hasn't ever been high on locals' to-do lists, but making the journey to sip freshly poured cold ones on a 485-square-metre riverside patio should be. The sizeable outdoor area comes with views towards Hamilton and the Gateway Bridge, as well as ample seating. There's also a selection of games, such as giant Jenga, giant chess and giant Connect Four. And, both the public and staff car parks are licensed too, so they can host beer festivals and other events. If you're coming by for the beer, BrewDog's headliners (its famed Punk IPA among them) sit alongside a heap of small-batch brews, including options that nod to the local and Australian craft beer scenes. Should you want something other than beer, choices span wine, spirits and soft drinks. Food-wise, it's a lineup of familiar bar favourites. Think: various burgers, tacos and pizzas, plus a 300-gram rib-eye, truffle cheese fries, chicken parmigiana, and fish and chips. Head by on Mondays and you can tuck into two-for-one vegan dishes, while Wednesdays are all about all-you-can eat wings — chicken and cauliflower. In addition to 16 blue leather booths and high-top tables, DogTap's industrial indoor area also has arcade games. Really love BrewDog? There's a merchandise stall. Want a few brews to take home? Stop by the takeaway area on the way out the door. Images: Pandora Photography
We know that ambience is what makes or breaks a good swim. After all, being immersed in water is one of the most sensory experiences a human can have – it can soothe, excite, intimidate, challenge and even transcend. A well-designed swimming pool is all part of this encounter as our bodies relinquish control to what we see, hear and feel. If you're thinking of your local 25-metre community pool — don't . There are some incredibly designed, amazingly functional and just downright beautiful pools out there, designed by architects with sustainability, accessibility and even Feng Shui in mind. Whether you're a serious swimmer, design enthusiast, or just a general lover of good aesthetics, these are ten of the best architecturally designed public swimming pools in the world. So pack your one-piece and your goggles, and add these blue beauties to your next overseas itinerary. [caption id="attachment_557381" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Slangen + Koenis Architecten[/caption] 'DE HEUVELRAND' VOORTHUIZEN SWIMMING POOL — VOORTHUIZEN, NETHERLANDS In Voorthuizen, a slopping roofline of blond timber provides the ideal vista for your backstroke. Built as a new facility in an area of development, the building has been designed by Slangen + Koenis Architecten as one large stone block with masses cut out of it — those masses complementing the function and orientation of the pool itself. This bright, neutral interior brings simplicity to slugging laps and, importantly, allows for the pool to be overseen by one employee. Built on a landscaped lawn and surrounded by a forest, you can be assured that swimmers' lungs breathe easy here. [caption id="attachment_557386" align="alignnone" width="1280"] MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects[/caption] REGENT PARK AQUATIC CENTRE — TORONTO, CANADA The revitalisation of Regent Park Aquatic Centre goes hand-in-hand with the transitional community in which it is located. Designed as a local meeting place for many of the area's socially marginalised and migrant communities, this 'Pavilion in the Park' brings an existing outdoor pool indoors for a variety of purposes. The facility's design — done by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects — reflects this appropriately in a number of ways; the aquatics hall provides spaces for cultural groups interested in private swimming, whilst also being the first facility in Canada to employ the use of universal change rooms which no longer separate males and females. Instead, private change cubicles in common change rooms are used to address cultural and gender identity issues and to enhance safety. [caption id="attachment_557393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Zaha Hadid Architects[/caption] LONDON AQUATICS CENTRE — LONDON, ENGLAND Built by Zaha Hadid Architects for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the naked eye may see a mass of concrete and water at the London Aquatic Centre. Considering the space a bit more closely though, its architectural conception lives in the fluidity of water in motion and the riverside landscapes surrounding Olympic Park. It's an example of what great design can do on a large scale. Created to accommodate over 17,000 spectators, the billowing roof sweeps from the ground upwards to swathe three different pools, but also remains distinctly relevant to the needs of the public in its 'legacy' use after the Olympics. [caption id="attachment_557396" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Camillo Botticini Architect[/caption] CENTRO NATATORIO MOMPIANO — BRESCIA, ITALY Built to reflect its urban environment, this pool is unadorned and pretty much all you need to live out your days of serene swimming. Compact brown clinker bricks cut harsh lines across the horizon to make this facility seem more of an art gallery than anywhere where you'd work up a sweat — and that's perfectly alright with us. The outside also makes its way into the facility's heart, where the bricks continue their precision to render the pool spaces light and effortless. Designed by Camillo Botticini Architect, together with Francesco Craca, Arianna Foresti and Nicola Martinoli, it's great example of how pure functionality can shine without even coming close to boring or bland. [caption id="attachment_557401" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Urbane Kultur[/caption] PISCINE TOURNESOL — STRASBOURG, FRANCE The recent refurbishment (by French architects, Urbane Kultur) of this decades-old pool has brought Lingolsheim, just outside of Strasbourg, into the modern day. Airy and full of natural light, this modish design isn't too far off feeling like it's from the future; the spaceship-like complex is one of over 183 dome-shaped swimming pools built by the French government during the 1980s to encourage more citizens to swim. The dome has been constructed with a self-supporting frame so the inside of the tournesol — that's 'sunflower' in French — is column-free inside. Also inspired by the way sunflowers angle themselves towards the sun, sliding panels within the building allow the structure to be opened during summer. [caption id="attachment_508411" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Neeson Murcutt Architects[/caption] PRINCE ALFRED PARK POOL — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Perhaps the most accessible swimming pool on this list, a visit to Prince Alfred Park Pool should be mandatory for every visitor to (or resident of) Sydney. Designed by Neeson Murcutt Architects as part of the invigoration of Redfern's Prince Alfred Park in 2013, a swim here invites immediate invocation of a long, hot Australian summer at the pool. Built cleverly amongst a 'folded landscape' of native grasses to both protect the green space of this inner urban area and provide swimmers with some protection, the facility is, at once, confined and imposing. Yellow umbrellas and palm trees make this architectural space a little less serious than most, but no less impressive. [caption id="attachment_557409" align="alignnone" width="1280"] DRD Architecture[/caption] AQUATIC CENTRE LOUVIERS — LOUVIERS, FRANCE One for pastel lovers, the aquatic centre at Louviers in France is nothing short of a sorbet dream. Situated amongst landscaped waterways, as well as being nestled against a downtown railway and highway, DRD Architecture decided to draw inspiration from the linear structures of the environment when planning the identity of this project. And it shows. The insides of the facility transmit a fluidity of volume — in lines and in water — to its outdoor spaces, whilst the flux of visitors to centre contribute to this transience. Built in consideration of natural light, energy saving and minimal impact on the environment, Aquatic Centre Louviers is one swimming pool designed for the ages. [caption id="attachment_557415" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Herzog & de Meuron[/caption] NATURBAD RIEHEN — RIEHEN, SWITZERLAND Switzerland is known for its awe-inspiring landscapes, so it makes sense that nature would be front of mind for any architect working alongside the outdoors. Years of unrealised proposals for conventional swimming pools in the town of Riehen finally gave way to the natural approach: a biologically filtered bathing lake. Visitors swim in a naturally filtered lake that is kept clean using aqua plants and layers of soil, sand and gravel, delivering an experience that is free of chlorine and traditional machinery. Whilst the bath — designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron — contributes to the rise in popularity of natural swimming pools across Europe, it also pays homage to the traditional riverside baths of older generations. LEÇA SWIMMING POOLS — LEÇA DE PALMEIRA, PORTUGAL Built in 1966 by renowned Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza, the swimming pools at Leça are today internationally recognised. Graceful and beautiful in its aging, the facility is lowered into the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and provides visitors with a wonderful blur between the natural and manmade. Ocean sounds bounce off the natural stone walls as visitors walk through the sloping entry point, where they are then met with swimming pools built amongst the coastline's natural rock formations. In almost all instances the water level of the pool and ocean appear to be equal, connecting the swimmer with the expanse of their surrounds. [caption id="attachment_557433" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Mikou Studio[/caption] AQUAZENA — PARIS, FRANCE Designed by Mikou Studio for the City of Issy-les-Moulineaux southwest of Paris last year, this is definitely not your ordinary public swimming pool. Whilst smooth concrete walls, rounded windows and doorways with similar curved edges exude a late 1970s feeling, Feng Shui specialist Laurence Dujardin has also contributed to the calm, minimal aesthetic, resulting in a facility that uses the traditions of Chinese space-planning to create a naturally lit, uncluttered and fluid space. In particular, skylights allow daylight to filter through the swimming area, whilst a grassy rooftop solarium sits above. The external walls of the facility also feature undulating wooden slats to reflect the circular movements of water, movement and energy. Top image: AquaZena by Mikou Studio.
A magical-realist coming-of-age tale, a clear-eyed family drama, a twisty crime and detective thriller, a time capsule of Brisbane in the 80s: since first hitting the page in 2018, Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe has worn its happy flitting between different genres and tones, and constant seesawing from hope to heartbreak and back again, as confidently as readers have long envisaged Eli Bell's wide grin. That hopping and jumping, that refusal to be just one type of story and stick to a single mood, has always made sense on the page — and in the excellent seven-part Netflix adaptation that now brings Australia's fastest-selling debut novel ever to the screen from Thursday, January 11, it also couldn't feel more perfect. As played by the charmingly talented Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom), Eli's smile is indeed big. As scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Hotel Mumbai), directed by Bharat Nalluri (The Man Who Invented Christmas) with Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), and with Dalton and Joel Edgerton (The Stranger) among the executive producers, the miniseries version of Boy Swallows Universe embraces its multitudes wholeheartedly. Like style, like substance: a semi-autobiographical novel penned by a writer and journalist who lived variations of plenty that he depicts, learned and accepted early that everyone has flaws, and patently has the imagination of someone who coped with life's hardships as a child by escaping into dreams of an existence more fanciful, Dalton's tome and every iteration that it inspires has to be many things in one bustling package. Its characters are, after all. Seeing people in general, parts of a city usually overlooked, and folks with complicated histories or who've made questionable choices — those forced in particular directions out of financial necessity, too — in more than just one fashion flutters at the centre of Boy Swallows Universe. In the Australian Book Industry Awards' 2019 Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year, and now on streaming, Eli's nearest and dearest demand it. So does the enterprising Darra-dwelling 12-year-old boy who knows how to spy the best in those he loves, but remains well-aware of their struggles. His older brother Gus (Lee Tiger Halley, The Heights) hasn't spoken since they were younger, instead drawing messages in the sky with his finger, but is as fiercely protective as elder siblings get. Doting and dedicated mum Frankie (Phoebe Tonkin, Babylon) is a recovering heroin addict with a drug dealer for a partner. And Lyle Orlik (Travis Fimmel, Black Snow), that mullet-wearing stepfather, cares deeply about Eli and Gus — including when Eli convinces him to let him join his deliveries. Slim Halliday (Bryan Brown, Anyone But You), the boys' sometimes babysitter and frequent source of wisdom, endured a lengthy stretch in the infamous Boggo Road Gaol for a murder that he's adamant he didn't commit. He's at peace with doing that time, but he also broke out (and he's based on an IRL person, name and all). Eli and Gus' biological father Robert (Simon Baker, Limbo) is an alcoholic and agoraphobic bookworm more comfortable with novels than people, initially estranged from his sons when Boy Swallows Universe begins, yet devoted to them in his affections. And Eli himself is all precocious charisma and keen curiosity mixed with unflinching nerve, whether being picked on at school, standing up to criminal thugs, breaking into a prison or talking his way into a job. Unsurprisingly, that's a combination that lands him in as many jams as it gets him out of. In all takes so far (the stage in 2021 among them), Boy Swallows Universe follows Eli as Lyle's illicit profession has consequences, Frankie is incarcerated and Robert re-enters his sons' lives. There's a bouncy air to the TV series as it works through its plot, with Eli doing everything that he can to make sure his mum is okay and get to the bottom of a disappearance, as continues when the show jumps forward to find him as a 17-year-old (then played by Totally Completely Fine's Zac Burgess). Again, the approach and atmosphere apes Boy Swallows Universe's protagonist, who can rarely be anywhere fast enough. This is a tale of darkness and violence — of addiction, murder, bullies, trauma, drugs, lopped-off limbs, loss, domestic assault, gang wars, jail, PTSD and fiendish plans — while also a story about working towards the best even in what seems to be the most dire of circumstances. Of course Eli keeps leaping towards brighter possibilities, then being pulled back into the shit (sometimes literally). A simple journey towards better days, this isn't, however. As its irrepressible central figure kicks around his neighbourhood, tags along with Lyle, writes letters to his prison penpal (Briggs, Get Krack!n), goes to school with a wannabe drug lord (Zachary Wan, Never Too Late) and endeavours to befriend The Courier-Mail's young star crime reporter (Sophie Wilde, Talk to Me), there's no shying away from the harsh realities surrounding Eli and almost everyone that he knows. Boy Swallows Universe doesn't revel in despair, though, but commits to seeing things as they are with no judgement — and zero traces of fatalistic certainty that nothing more will ever spring. That type of candour is as rare as spotting the areas of Brisbane that the narrative is set in on-screen. For locals, there's no mistaking that this is the River City, especially when there's no trace of Boggo Road, the Story Bridge or Brisbane City Hall in sight. Even as flying cars, red phones with mysterious voices on the line, eerie predictions and secret lairs factor into the plot, every second looks and feels lived in, turning an ace Brisbane book into an ace Brisbane-shot series. Tenderness and diligence linger in Collee's handling of Dalton's tale, and in Nalluri, Moorhouse and Mordaunt's attentiveness as directors. That said, if their efforts weren't matched by stellar casting, Boy Swallows Universe could've started to unravel the moment that it kicks off with Lyle being dragged away by nefarious heavies. The main adult cast members are superb, specifically in delivering unvarnished explorations of complex characters with a plethora of clashing — and realistic, and relatable — traits. Fimmel conveys Lyle's relentless attempts to take care of his family with both love and wildness in his every move. Tonkin is as resolute as she is adoring, while never sanding away the knocks she keeps taking. Baker turns in his second exceptional performance in the space of the year, and Brown perfects the role of a no-nonsense yet supportive mentor that it instantly seems he was born to play. Boy Swallows Universe's younger stars are equally as impressive. Expressive in their own ways — one in energy and movement, the other via quiet glances — Cameron and Halley know that they're the heart and soul of the show, and more than live up to the task. The former is missed when Eli ages up, but Burgess brings a deep-seated yearning to the part as someone who has spent his years approaching adulthood striving for so much that's constantly out of his grasp, despite still appreciating what he has. As with almost every detail seen and heard, that sense of absence when Eli gets older couldn't be more apt. This account of coping with day-to-day life at its most brutal and most fantastical doesn't only refuse to be just one thing, or stay with just one version of Eli, but wouldn't contemplate giving its audience anything other than the full emotional universe. Check out the full trailer for Boy Swallows Universe below: Boy Swallows Universe streams via Netflix from Thursday, January 11, 2024. Images: courtesy of Netflix © 2023.
While many of us wish we were jumping on a plane for a week of relaxing at a beachside resort in Saint-Tropez or hopping over to the Cinque Terre for many bowls of pasta and spritzes, the reality is international travel can be a time-consuming and expensive hassle. But, that doesn't mean a glamorous waterfront getaway is completely unattainable. About an hour's drive north of Sydney, you'll find Pittwater, which is surrounded by hundreds of secluded beach houses, charming cabins set right on the water and serene retreats that'll transport you miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. To save you hours of scrolling, we've rounded up a list of the most stunning — and most secluded — Airbnbs located by the water around Sydney's northern beaches. So, book a spot, pack your togs and get ready to escape the city for a weekend of relaxing. Recommended Reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in NSW The Best Tiny Houses You Can Book Around NSW The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Places to Stay in the Blue Mountains The Boathouse, Scotland Island This cosy coastal cabin is the ideal destination for couples wanting to unwind, beachside. It's got character aplenty, with sparkling water views to match. From $440 a night, sleeps two. Boathouse on the Waterfront, Avalon Beach A cheery couples' hideout perched right on the shores of Careel Bay, where just a few steps connect open-plan living with a waterfront jetty. From $995 a night, sleeps two. Secluded Waterfront Cottage, Lovett Bay It doesn't get much more secluded than this bayside retreat for two, which backs onto a lush national park and has water-only access. From $399 a night, sleeps two. Retreat at Coasters, Coasters Retreat Treat your flock to some downtime at this family-style retreat, enveloped by pristine bushland and set just metres from the shore. From $444 a night, sleeps four. The Secret Palm Beach Getaway, Palm Beach At this breezy Palm Beach cottage, the open-plan living space, sprawling deck and infinity pool all boast the same covetable water views. From $700 a night, sleeps two. Sandstone Cottage, Great Mackerel Beach One of Mackerel Beach's original sandstone cottages is now a secluded six-person hideaway with spectacular sunrises to match. From $1100 a night, sleeps six. Cape Mackerel Cabin, Great Mackerel Beach Secure your own patch of Great Mackerel beachfront, boasting an entertainer's dream deck and views that stretch from Palm Beach to the Central Coast. From $635 a night, sleeps six. Tides Reach Boathouse, McCarrs Creek Accessible only by water, this modern nautical cottage feels worlds away from reality. Fresh white interiors and a sun-drenched waterfront deck round out the holiday vibes. From $700 a night, sleeps eight. The Boathouse Retreat, Elvina Bay This peaceful hideaway nestled on the edge of Ku-ring-gai National Park offers stunning views of Pittwater and that cosy tiny home feel without compromising comfort. From $360 a night, sleeps two. The Oyster Shed, Lovett Bay Accessed only by water, this rustic studio on the bay is perfect romantic getaway. This nautical boathouse comes complete with a fire pit, private dock and cosy vibes to spare. From $369 a night. Sleeps two. Top image: Waterfront Boathouse 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.
New Zealand chocolatier Whittaker's has released a special Easter treat for folks looking for something other than eggs and bunnies to indulge in in 2024. While it might seem a little early to be planning your Easter egg hunt and lining up Australia's best hot cross bun, it's never not the right time to indulge in Whittaker's chocolate. Whittaker's Choc Cross Bun Block fuses two of the best parts of Easter — hot cross buns and chocolate, of course — into one creamy block. Whittaker's classic milk chocolate is flavoured with raisins, spices and orange oil to capture the sweet citrus flavours of a traditional hot cross bun. Crafted in Porirua, like all Whittaker's chocolate, this limited-edition chocolate block is a great alternative for adults who may not be interested in the admin involved in an Easter egg hunt. It also ties into one of the best Easter trends each and every year: seeing how chocolatiers, restaurants and bars can whip up new and inventive treats for the occasion. You'll only find this one at Coles supermarkets. The Whittaker's Choc Cross Bun Block will be available in Coles stores across Australia while stocks last.
Batter up at Portside. While most sports bars are happy with patrons simply watching their games of choice over a few drinks and a bite to eat, The Ballpark wants Brisbanites to get swinging. There's bats. There's plates to step up to, too. And when you have a slug, you'll be doing so in a batting cage. As well as screening plenty of sports, The Ballpark Portside lets you play baseball via its three interactive simulators. The venue advises that they're an Australian first, expanding the usual lineup of bar pastimes — because playing pool and darts is also on the agenda here. Think of it as a cross between a sports bar and the growing range of watering holes with things to do other than drink (a trend that Brisbane is mighty fond of, with the axe-throwing joints, boozy mini-golf havens, challenge-room spots and more across the River City to prove it). Open since Saturday, September 7, 2024, The Ballpark Portside has taken over a 450-square-metre space, which can welcome in 200 folks at once. Both local and international sports grace it screens, while its food and drink menu pairs tap beers, cocktails, wine and Seven Miles coffee with bagels from its Short Stop Cafe by day, and also with burgers from fellow American-themed Portside newcomer Dumbo when it opens. If hitting the batting cages sounds like a group activity, that's firmly on offer, including for events — and you can even book out the entire place for parties.
Last year saw a slew of announcements around new streaming platforms, including two dedicated to horror and another to the world of Disney. Now, Australia's ever-growing streaming landscape is being joined by a service spotlighting great storytelling. Landing at the beginning of March, the documentary-focused iWonder launched with more than 500 hours of on-demand content, and hopes to host over 1000 blockbuster and under-the-radar titles by the end of the month. Documentaries already available on the platform cover a huge range of topics, from fast food social experiment Super Size Me, to fly-on-the-wall spectacle Jesus Camp which follows an Evangelist summer camp, and Morgan Neville's Oscar-winning music doco 20 Feet from Stardom. Music doco series Rolling Stones: Stories From the Edge, which covers the last 50 years of music in the US, and timely political flick Alt-Right: Age of Rage are also available on the service. iWonder co-founder James Bridges says a key feature of the service is the curation of the home page, which will reflect current events through articles and relevant documentary recommendations. Subscriptions have been set at $6.99 per month or $69.90 for an annual subscription. New Aussie users will receive the first month free — you can sign up here. The service is available on iOS and Android and can be cast to the small screen via Apple TV and Chromecast. The platform previously launched with 15 million users via the iflix platform in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. iWonder debuted in Singapore and New Zealand at the same time as Australia. You can sign up for iWonder via the website. Top image: Alt-Right: Age of Rage.
Brisbane's drink scene was never lacking, but the arrival of venues like The Alligator Club certainly helped to jumpstart some new growth when things had otherwise slowed down. To bring a bit of zip to the area, The Alligator Club's owners turned to the never-boring energy of a New Orleans-themed establishment. Now, it's a space where "music moves the room, and the bar keeps up" — appropriately on-theme. From the get-go (being the sizeable disco ball dangling above the entrance), the space sets expectations. Exposed brick walls lead past a long leather couch to the table seating, with barstools and wooden seating in front of a curtain-backed stage that's regularly occupied by funk and soul bands to fill out the space with a sonic commitment to the theme. The menu caters to its nature as a live music venue, with dishes that don't distract from anything happening on-stage. The food menu is exclusively pinza (Roman-style flatbread pizza), fries and bar snacks, with six choices of the former that range between a straightforward parsley and parmesan medley all the way up to a luxe serve of lobster, scampi caviar, tarragon, chives, and gold flakes. The drinks lead with cocktails, the so-called 'Alligators Eight' being the mix of house specials, followed by the 'Gone but not forgotten' selection, before champagnes, wines, Slipstream beers and a healthy mix of spirits dominate the remaining choices. No matter what you order, it's available until late, since The Alligator Club is open seven days a week from 5pm to 3am daily, with a special invite offered to hospitality workers — claim a free golden keyring and flash it on arrival to claim exclusive offers from Thursday to Sunday. Browse the live music lineup, pick a night and let the good times roll — New Orleans-style.
Art exhibitions are fleeting, gracing walls and halls for just days, weeks or months at a time, then moving elsewhere or never being seen again. The Lume, Melbourne's multi-sensory digital art gallery, is also set to be a brief addition to Australia's cultural scene. The venue opened in 2021, and has now announced that it will shut its doors in 2026, after deciding not to extend its lease at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Whether you're an art lover based in the Victorian capital or elsewhere around the country, you've now got just over a year — before January 2026 — to head by. Until early December 2024, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius is filling The Lume with a tribute to the iconic artist. Then, come Boxing Day 2024, the site is bringing back its Vincent van Gogh exhibition, complete with The Starry Night projected large, taking over an entire room; the immersive Sunflower room, where golden petals stretch as far as the eye can see; an immersive cafe inspired by the artist's Café Terrace at Night; and more. "The Lume Melbourne's lease at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was up for renewal in January 2026, and we have made the decision to not extend the lease beyond that time. This decision, made in alignment with our parent company Grande Experiences, reflects our ambition to explore new directions and technologies that build on our success here in Melbourne," said the team behind the gallery in a statement. "Since opening in November 2021, The Lume Melbourne has become a beloved cultural destination, inviting audiences to experience art in an inclusive, accessible and engaging way. We are incredibly proud of what's been achieved over the past three years." "Looking forward, The Lume is excited to embrace new technologies that deepen connections with our audiences and will transform the way visitors engage with art and culture. This evolution will guide us toward opportunities best suited to support these creative possibilities," the crew continued. "We look forward to an unforgettable final year at MCEC and to sharing this exciting new chapter of The Lume as we continue to push the boundaries of how technology can bring art and culture to life." When it initially opened, The Lume launched with its immersive van Gogh showcase — making the exhibition's return a full-circle moment. Also wowing audiences at the gallery: a celebration of Monet and his contemporaries, a huge showcase dedicated to First Nations artists and, since early 2024, all things da Vinci. The Lume Melbourne is set to close at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, in January 2026. Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius displays until Sunday, December 8, 2024. Van Gogh at The Lume opens on Thursday, December 26, 2024. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further information. Images: Morgan Sette / Miles Noel Photography / Grande Experiences.
When Indigenous Australian artist Archie Moore made history at the 2024 La Biennale de Venezia, aka the Venice Biennale, in April 2024 by winning the event's coveted Golden Lion for Best National Participation, he also did Brisbane's major art galleries proud. When the First Nations talent earned Australia the top gong at the Olympics of the art world for the first time ever, he did so with an exhibition curated by Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's Ellie Buttrose, and with a date with Brisbane GOMA on its 2025–26 program. kith and kin is displaying in South Brisbane between Saturday, September 27, 2025–Sunday, October 18, 2026 — and it has also been gifted to QAGOMA permanently. The piece didn't just make history with its Venice Biennale accolade. A hand-drawn genealogical chart that spans back 65,000 years, this creation also chronicles it. Both a personal and a political work, kith and kin steps through Moore's Kamilaroi, Bigambul, British and Scottish heritage across the installation's five-metre-high, 60-metre-long black walls. More than 2400 generations are covered. The exhibition uses chalk on blackboard, with a reflective pool sitting in the middle of the room and 500-plus document stacks suspended above it. Every aspect of kith and kin makes a statement. With its size and scale, it speaks to Australia's Indigenous peoples being among the world's longest-continuous living cultures. The use of black is also designed to look like a celestial map, and therefore nod to the resting place of First Nations ancestors. Highlighting the decrease in Indigenous Australian languages and dialects since colonisation, the fragility that stems from not being able to pass down knowledge and injustices such as deaths in custody are all also part of the work — with the aforementioned piles of paper primarily from coronial inquests. Images: Archie Moore / kith and kin 2024 / Australia Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024 / Photographer Andrea Rossetti / © the artist / Images courtesy of the artist and The Commercial.
Buying a couch shouldn't feel like waiting for a house to be built, or cost as much as a holiday — that's the premise behind Grumpi, a new Melbourne startup turning the furniture industry on its head with compressed, vacuum-sealed sofas, armchairs and ottomans that arrive at your door in a box (and expand in hours). The brains behind the boxes? Cory and Dion Verstandig, Melbourne-born brothers who observed a gap in the market for their age demographic, and seized it. "It just felt crazy that in 2025 you can get almost anything delivered fast — except furniture," says Cory, of the initial spark for Grumpi. "That frustration stuck with us and became the starting point for the brand." The brothers had already dabbled in furniture, launching a small ottoman business and later testing a full-sized swivel chair that sold $75,000 in units in its first year. The catch? Oversized delivery fees swallowed the profits. "That experience completely reshaped our thinking," Dion explains. "It made us obsessed with one question: how do you make great furniture without delivery becoming the downfall?" That question led them to compression. Inspired by the success of bed-in-a-box disruptors like Koala, the brothers began prototyping vacuum-sealed furniture that could fit in the back of a hatchback, expand to full size within 24–48 hours, and still feel premium. Fifteen months and seven rounds of sampling later, Grumpi was born. Furniture That Fits Real Life Grumpi's pieces are designed for how young Australians actually live — in smaller spaces, on tighter budgets and with minimal patience for assembly manuals. Each piece ships free, arrives within ten days (or you get $100 back), and needs little to no setup. "It's for people like us," says Dion. "Eighteen to 35-year-olds, renters, first-home buyers, young families. People who actually live in their spaces." From the soft, sculptural Loungi modular sofa to the plush Peachi armchair and beanless Plumpi, each item is designed for movement, comfort and flexibility. You can add sections over time, rearrange layouts for parties or simply flop down after a long day — no preciousness required. "Our customers want their homes to look good, but they don't want to wait 12 weeks or spend thousands on delivery," Cory says. "Grumpi is about taking that stress out — stylish furniture that's easy to buy, easy to move and easy to love." Comfort Without Compromise Underneath the playful branding, Grumpi is serious about quality. The brand's manufacturing partner is BSCI-certified to ensure fair pay and ethical working conditions, and every product undergoes Australian-standard testing for durability, flammability, and safety — including a 20,000-sit stress test. Each product is also made with around 80 percent recycled packaging, and the compact format significantly reduces transport emissions. "We didn't just want to make furniture cheaper — we wanted to make it smarter," says Dion. "Compression reduces waste, emissions and storage. It's a win for the planet and your living room." Designing for a Different Kind of Homebody Beyond the innovation, Grumpi's tone feels refreshingly unpolished — intentionally so. The name captures the idea that if furniture had feelings, it'd be a little grumpy from being sat on, spilled on and squished — but still lovable. It's a fitting metaphor for the kind of homes the brand is designed for: ones that are lived in, not styled to perfection. "Buying a couch should feel as easy as buying shoes," Dion adds. "We want to make furniture that fits into life, not the other way around." Looking ahead, Grumpi plans to expand into outdoor furniture, retail partnerships and commercial fit-outs by late 2026. But the mission stays the same: do for furniture what brands like Koala did for mattresses — make comfort fast, functional and fun. You can shop the full range at via Grumpi. Images: Supplied
If you're a fan of plant sales, Christmas markets — including in July — and stalls dedicated to dogs, then you might've made a trip to VEND Marketplace in Virginia over the past few years. Since opening back in 2018, the northside shopping space has hosted all of the above, and operated as a haven for small local businesses day in, day out. Indeed, all of those events have been designed to bring in folks not just to buy greenery, get festive, and watch corgi and dachshund races, but to get them shopping at the 120-plus retailers within the Sandgate Road venue. That's the kind of aim Brisbane's indoor hub for small businesses was aways going to have — a permanent indoor market, in fact — but it also boasts a cafe and outdoor lawn area as well. Plus, in ace news for the pooches of Brisbane, it's pet-friendly. Unsurprisingly, the concept has proven popular, so much so that VEND is now expanding to the city's south. From April, there'll be no need to cross the river to browse VEND's marketplace, or to hit up its events. Instead, shoppers will be able to head to Annerley, with the venue making its second home on Annerley Road. Like its sibling site, this marketplace will operate seven days a week, hosting 120-plus local businesses and creatives in one spot. There'll also be a cafe onsite, outdoor seating and, yes, pets will be welcome. As well as duplicating its operations on the other side of Brisbane, VEND's second outpost will also feature workshop spaces on its upper level, which'll be available to hire. Owner Amy Hinschen is also hoping that both the community and locals will make use of the venue's second-floor, whether for events or classes. VEND will make its Annerley debut on Saturday, April 8 with a day of grand opening festivities from 8am–4pm, and plenty of shops to peruse. If you're new to VEND, it features local small businesses and creatives slinging everything from clothing, homewares and furniture through to art, records and vintage collectables. In Virginia, its cafe serves up pumpkin bruschetta, smashed avo, corn and zucchini fritters, and boysenberry waffles as part of its all-day breakfast menu, and whips up five types of burgers for lunch. The middle-of-the-day lineup also spans lemon and herb crusted barramundi, pork san choy bow, two types of pizza and chicken schnitzels. And, to drink, options include a caffeine fix, juice, smoothies, milkshakes, and a small range of beer and wine. Find VEND Marketplace Annerley at 289 Annerley Road, Annerley from Saturday, April 8 — with its shops open from 8am–4pm, and its cafe from 7am–3pm. VEND Marketplace Virginia is located at 1768 Sandgate Road, Virginia, with the same operating hours.
The city might be all fun and games, but the concrete jungle can be draining at times. It's well and truly time to get out and get immersed in nature. And, what better way to appreciate our sprawling rainforests and charming bushlands than by perching yourself up in a tree? These stunning treehouse properties will provide you with a secluded wilderness stay, placed high above the surrounding landscape with all the luxuries of a five-star retreat. Book a stay deep in the Blue Mountains, nestled above the Yarra Valley or a stone's throw away from the Great Barrier Reef. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia The Best Australian Stays with Outdoor Baths The Best Australian Islands to Visit Anytime of the Year Coolgarra Bush House, Queensland This hand-built recycled timber treehouse sits in picturesque Springbrook, less than an hour southwest of the Gold Coast. The three-bedroom stay will provide you with a secluded nature retreat surrounded by towering trees filled with fauna including king parrots. Cook up a feast on the barbecue and sit out on the deck to enjoy the warm Queensland air. From $475 a night, sleeps six. Butchers Creek Treehouse, Queensland Head north towards Cairns and you'll find this secluded stay surrounded by endless flora and fauna. Here you can head out to explore the nine-kilometres of walking trails and discover the rainforest, mountain scenery and waterfalls of the area. The house is fitted out with everything you need to cook a feast after a tough day hiking or plenty of space to kick back and relax if you don't feel like venturing out. From $538 a night, sleeps two. The River Room, New South Wales Designed by architect and Order of Australia recipient Richard LePlastrier, this north-coast NSW treehouse is split into three sections. Here in the River Room you'll wake to the view of a lush rainforest. Wander down to the Never Never creek for summer swims or head out on a hike through the surrounding national parks. When it comes to dinner, local towns like Bellingen have plenty of great eats on offer. From $300 a night, sleeps three. Tarzali Treehouse, Queensland This secluded cabin sits among the canopy of the trees surrounded by 100 acres of rainforest in the Cairns Highlands. The owners aim to make your stay as environmentally sustainable as possible, combining the feel of a luxury retreat and an eco rainforest stay. The two-bedroom home sleeps up to six, making it ideal for a group getaway up north. From $444 a night, sleeps six. Mountain Tiny House, Victoria Combine multiple unique stays into one with this tiny house perched among the trees on a mountain. Wake up to views of the redwood trees and the sounds of the area's wildlife which includes kookaburras, lyrebirds, wallabies and the local wombat if you're lucky. While this house is quaint, it's still fitted out with a full kitchen, a coffee machine, a TV and a fire pit. From $215 a night, sleeps two. Strawbale Cottage, New South Wales This affordable Blue Mountains treehouse is ideal for a short getaway for couples or small families. The open plan design, exposed wooden pillars and surrounding bushland give the property playful treehouse energy. Curl up in front of the fire during the colder months or bask in the sun out on the deck. From $150 a night, sleeps three. Bodhi Treehouse, New South Wales Located just outside Byron Bay, this three-storey treehouse sits on 17 acres of subtropical rainforest and lush gardens. The bedroom is perched above the rainforest, meaning you'll wake to a view of the sprawling green landscape. With multiple balconies, a spacious interior and lounge chairs out front, you can choose a different part of the house to relax every couple of hours and never run out of new serine spots to soak in nature and disconnect from the world. From $275, sleeps two. Rocks and River Glamping Experience, New South Wales Drive north-west of Sydney for a little over an hour and you'll come across this secluded tent hidden in the trees. Nestled among the trees alongside a river, this next-level glamping stay is all about immersing yourself in nature. On the property you'll find a luxe bedroom with an indoor fireplace, a patio with views of the valley and an outdoor bamboo shower. From $190 a night, sleeps two. The Treehouse Denmark, Western Australia If you're looking for a nature-heavy stay near Perth, this treehouse stay at the southmost point of WA is propped between two karri trees and surrounded by wilderness and huge granite boulders. Inside, the furniture plays into the surrounding boulders with a grey and charcoal colour pallet. Climb the ladder to recline in the reading nook/bedroom perched above the living room or soak in the bathtub as you look over the surrounding bushland. From $250 a night, sleeps four. Bombah Point Eco Cottages, New South Wales Get lost in a 100-acre wildlife reserve when you book this property just north of Newcastle. The spacious house lends itself to couples and families looking to stretch out and relax while on holiday with a large living room and kitchen, plus a pool out back. Explore the surrounding land or water with bike and kayak hire available. From $390 a night, sleeps five. Top image: Tarzali Treehouse. All images courtesy of Airbnb. 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.
Fine dining can drift into performance — more chef's narrative, less dinner. At Singapore's Marguerite, Chef Patron Michael Wilson has made a series of choices to dismantle that rigour: an open kitchen that reads like a row of domestic island benches, total accessibility to the pass, and a standing invitation to wander over, ask questions, or simply watch. The atmosphere is notably calm — no barked orders, no theatre for theatre's sake — which makes a long tasting menu feel less like a marathon and more like an unhurried, convivial evening. The setting is singular. Marguerite lives inside the city's famed Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay — the world's largest glass greenhouse — and the restaurant leans into that sense of immersion. Plants thread through the room and curl around tabletops set with course-specific cutlery and crockery collected on Wilson's travels. In contrast, a ten-seat private room — inspired by mountain peaks and cumulus clouds — is wrapped in deep blue, burgundy, grey and dark forest green. Singapore's climate complicates strict seasonality. When your pantry can include Australian finger limes, New Zealand lamb and French cream for house-churned butter, "place" becomes a choice. Marguerite chooses freely — loosely French in spirit, but adapted for the tropics with lighter sauces, smaller bites and lucid riffs on classics. Steak frites becomes a bite-sized potato tart filled with tartare and crowned with a fried quail egg; ajo blanco appears as an ethereal foam; and New Caledonian prawn paste is transformed into delicate "tagliolini", glossed with clear spiced consommé and bright aromatics. Course after course arrives like edible sleight of hand — entire plates of flavour distilled into a mouthful. Pairings echo the kitchen's precision. Alongside a generous, far-reaching wine match, Marguerite's Temperance program offers non-alcoholic pairings — clarified juices and fermented jun tea — designed to deliver complexity without cloying sweetness. A mixed "demi" option straddles both. Service keeps the tone grounded and genuine throughout. Wilson's path explains the poise. Melbourne-born, he worked with Andrew McConnell and Guy Grossi before earning a Michelin star at Phénix in Shanghai just five months after opening. Marguerite followed in November 2021 and earned its own star within eight months, showcasing what he calls "creative cuisine" — craft, provenance and produce brought into clear focus. All bookings at Marguerite include a complimentary limousine buggy to and from the Gardens entrance and Flower Dome access for a pre- or post-meal stroll. Images: Supplied
If your New Year's resolution for 2026 is to travel more, your ideal excuse to stop wishing, dreaming and romanticising and to start planning, booking and doing is right here. If you're hankering for an adventure in Asia or an oceanic paradise, or even a luxe staycation here in Australia, IHG Hotels is offering the discount you need to turn inspiration into action. The 'Your Year of Travel' sale, which is on now until Wednesday, February 4, is offering a 20% discount on bookings made directly on IHG channels (and 25% for IHG One Members) for stays at more than 270 participating hotels until Monday, August 31. Said participating hotels include Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental, Vignette, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, voco hotels, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Garner hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Micronesia, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and the Pacific Islands. So, by the time autumn rolls around and brings its typical cold and wetter weather to Australia, you could be jetting off to chase the warmth by the sea in Fiji, Koh Samui or The Maldives, getting a cultural fix in Osaka or Japan's tropical Okinawa Islands, travelling with your tastebuds in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore — or just enjoying a luxurious stay in your home city if you can't quite afford the flights just yet. If you're not already an IHG One Member, this might be the ideal time to sign up. New members receive 500 points on registration, add that to the 25% discount on bookings during the sale period, and the math checks out for maximising the value on a maximum-relaxation holiday. IHG Hotels 'Your Year of Travel' sale runs from now until Wednesday, February 4, on bookings for select hotels and stays up until Monday, August 31. T&Cs apply, visit the website for more information. Images courtesy of IHG Hotels.
Stunning art always endures, as A Streetcar Named Desire has for nearing eight decades now. Tennessee Williams' tale of Southern belle Blanche DuBois, her sister Stella and the latter's husband Stanley Kowalski first premiered via a Broadway production starring Jessica Tandy, Kim Hunter and Marlon Brando, and has repeatedly returned to stages since. Indeed, this southern-gothic heartbreaker has trodden the boards worldwide with everyone from Glenn Close (Black in Action), Cate Blanchett (Black Bag) and Frances McDormand (Women Talking) to John C Reilly (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Joel Edgerton (Dark Matter) and Paul Mescal (Paul Mescal) in its cast. Four Oscars also came the way of Elia Kazan's 1951 film, where he adapted the play that he'd directed in theatres into a screen classic with much of its originating stage cast. Spectacular theatre can make that leap to screens — but the stage productions themselves have historically only lived on via memory and reputation. No matter how immersive and exceptional, and how urgent and unforgettable as well, theatre performances are live and therefore fleeting. They're tied to a specific place and usually solely experienced in the moment. NT Live did its part to help change that over 15 years ago, when it began filming National Theatre productions in the United Kingdom — expanding to other companies, too — then beaming everything from new Shakespearean stagings and Danny Boyle's (28 Years Later) take on Frankenstein to Fleabag and The Importance of Being Earnest into cinemas globally. In 2014 when he unleashed his Gillian Anderson (The Salt Path)-, Ben Foster (Long Day's Journey Into Night)- and Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon)-starring version of A Streetcar Named Desire at The Young Vic in London, Australian playwright, stage and opera director, and filmmaker Benedict Andrews was well-aware that he was taking on a classic, a masterpiece, and a play that ranks among the 20th century's best and has burned itself into memories. He'd done so before at the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz in Berlin. He didn't initially know, though, that he'd be joining the NT Live ranks, that audiences worldwide would be able to catch it on the big screen, and that they'd still be watching 11 years later. In Australia, Andrews' Streetcar returned to cinemas from Thursday, June 19, 2025. "The play is very dear to my heart, but the nature of theatre is usually that it's ephemeral," he tells Concrete Playground. "Theatre's usually ephemeral and that is its beauty — that it usually just exists in this brief compact with the audience and the viewer when the play comes to life nightly. So it's weird that it's released in cinemas again. It's great though — because I found during COVID, they re-released it for free online at some point, and it found a whole new generation of viewers," the Australian continues. "Not just people who didn't live in London or New York, so couldn't see it there, but I'm having conversations with people in in really far-flung and diverse places, and maybe of a different generation who are seeing it, and discovering the play for the first time through that production." "I've had people tell me that — like a young actress tell me that seeing this production when she was in high school made her want to become an actress. So it's great it's out in the world again, and on cinema screens." [caption id="attachment_1010339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI.[/caption] Complicated relationships, desire, raw emotions that can't be contained: these themes have recurred in Andrews' work. They all scorch and sear as Blanche's once well-to-do life keeps shattering, leading her to take the titular transport to Stella and Stanley's two-room New Orleans apartment, and to the toxicity — verbally, emotionally, psychologically and physically — of being in her brother-in-law's orbit. If you'd like to think of the trio's altercations, and those involving Stanley's friend and Blanche's hoped-for beau Mitch (Corey Johnson, September 5), as a traumatic merry-go-round, Andrews has taken that idea literally in this staging. Tying into Blanche's alcoholism and downward spiral, this aesthetically striking production is both in the round and revolves, the skeleton of the Kowalskis' powderkeg of a flat exposed to theatregoers as the show constantly rotates. Sculptural sets, spaces that actors are required to interact with rather than just stand upon, are equally a regular element in Andrews' stage creations. See also: his Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2017, another dance with a Williams great for The Young Vic that was also immortalised by NT Live. Streetcar's iteration is arresting, but that label perhaps best applies to Anderson as its Blanche — a part that she'd been wanting to step into since she was 16. While she'll always be The X-Files' Agent Dana Scully, The Fall's DSU Stella Gibson and Sex Education's Jean Milburn, among the immense range of roles before and after always relying on the kindness of strangers, Anderson's portrayal here is one that you'll always remember her for as much as the above once you've seen it. 2026 will be three decades since Andrews kicked off his career as a theatre director with Wounds to the Face and Storm From Paradise in Adelaide. From the South Australian capital, he went to Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir and Malthouse Theatre — and to London's stages, New York's as well with both A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and also Munich, Berlin, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and more. Opera beckoned. On the big screen, he was behind 2016's stage-to-screen adaptation of Blackbird as the Rooney Mara (La Cocina)- and Ben Mendelsohn (Andor)-starring Una, then 2018's Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding)-led Seberg. Alongside digging into his Streetcar journey, including whether thinking about the cinema experience is part of directing a stage production that will be filmed and then show in cinemas, Anderson's stellar work, and ensuring that the play's themes and emotions are always bubbling, we also explored his path to here with Andrews in our in-depth discussion. On Whether the Possibility of a Stage Production Being Filmed for the Big Screen Changes Anything About Andrews' Approach "No, no, no, never. In the case of Streetcar, I didn't know. I guess NT Live branching out of the National Theatre stuff, because this was a Young Vic production, was fairly uncommon at the time. I've had two productions filmed, I think, only — which have both been Tennessee Williams. They also filmed the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. And no, I don't and probably I wouldn't at all. Well, I've had a bunch of operas films since as well — and I never think about it. When I've worked with the team on it, I talked to them about it like they're filming a boxing match or a football game. So we discussed what their setup would be, and with them having watched the production. Obviously Streetcar is very special because of the revolving stage, and what that means to try to shoot that or capture that, but I discuss it with them more like they're going in to shoot that, to capture the live experience of it. Rather than, because I'm also a filmmaker, rather than thinking about this filmmaking, I see it as much more of almost a functional recording that they happen to do very well — like if you watch boxing at the Olympics or you watch a well-filmed AFL game, you want it to capture the highlights and the moments, and give you the enhanced sense of being there. I think I'm trying to do that. So then, when I'm in the rehearsal room, no, I'm not thinking about that at all. I often, when I'm in a rehearsal room, I give myself and the actors very fundamental challenges to work with and overcome. And those challenges, I think, are about — they're like a kind of drill to drill very deeply into the core of the play. Rather than just assuming we can access that play by selling this kind of difficulty, I think then it allows you to access the raw matter of the play in a new and immediate way. So the revolve in the Streetcar production was exactly that. I felt it was the perfect metaphor for the play. It begins when she takes this schluck of alcohol. It reflects her addiction and the sense of what it means to be in her downward spiral with her. But it also is very visceral. Every single audience member gets a different perspective on what's happening in that room, as it constantly — the in-the-theatre experience of it — moves in and out of long shot and closeup, and literally every seat is seeing a different way into this cage where this encounter is going on between Blanche and Stanley. And we had that on throughout rehearsals. It's not some big decorative thing that's put on at the end. If it's going to be this drill, we have to learn to work with it. And the effect of it was so disorientating that the actors would go home and the room would be spinning. And I remember my apartment in London spinning when I went back after being it on all day. I think they would to take motion-sickness tablets, and so on. Beyond that, it's just also: how do you use it? What does it mean to be on and off it? And all that. So when you're so busy with the play and busy with helping the actors unlock it and find its raw heart, which all of them do, but particularly the four, the quartet, of Blanche and Stella and Stanley and Mitch, there's so much to be busy with in that that I'm not thinking about that. But in a similar way, I'm not really thinking about the audience, even the theatre audience, when I'm making something — until I'm in previews. I'm sort of the first audience, and the other people in the room are the tuning rod through which the players get to charge through. And then you hope you get that to such a point of intensity and feeling that then it's ready to share with a larger body of people." On How Staging a Play on a Revolving Set Gives Every Audience Member a Different Immersive Experience "I'm constantly thinking about that. And part of this is the acceptance that you cannot control that it will not be the same for everybody. To take the football analogy again, if you're sitting behind the white sticks at one end, you're seeing a different game from somebody sitting in the centre line, except then that it's moving, so you're rotating that perspective. But you have to accept that no audience member will literally ever get the same view of the show, so that even if audience member X bought exactly the same seat two nights in a row, just because of the slight variation in the motion of that thing, they're going to — maybe on a certain line, Blanche is going to be on the side angle one night, and on the next, she's going to be momentarily obscured by the shower curtain coming past. But that was part of it — that enhanced voyeurism of that, but it's like an active voyeurism, like you're aware that you're watching this fight in this cage, but also this very, very painful to watch, at-times unraveling and madness, this coming apart, of this woman and this family, and the sexual violence when that begins. But I think it meant that the audience had to really lean in and be complicit with it. So to answer your question, I'm thinking about the overall implications of that. Like if I was making a static picture from the front, that works — actually, that changes, the static picture changes from the position, the ideal centre-perspective position where the king used to sit, it actually changes as you move further away and the perspective disintegrates. So there's sort of something radical and democratic in how people watch it. That cinematic effect of the wipes, and that you would each see different perspectives — but in the end, everybody united in the same moment. That's what I think is also really interesting. I think about it in the moment, when the Cat Power song plays at the end, when she walks out — one of the most-extraordinary moments in 20th-century theatre, this speech when she talks about, she's so broken after the rape and after knowing she's being evicted and her psyche can't cope with it anymore, but to cope with that she invents this beautiful fantasy of this man feeding her a grape on a on a boat. And she, her genius is that she invents this, and Tennessee Williams' genius at this most-broken moment, she invents and becomes the perfect actor, playing this dignified role of this woman going to meet her gentleman caller. When we know, and probably she does, that it's the doctor and nurse coming to take her to the mental asylum, which is just going to be fucking hell. A woman like that does not belong in a place like that. It's completely heartbreaking. But the apotheosis when she invents this character, and walks out with such grace and dignity — and then in our production, where Gillian does that circle, that last circle to the Cat Power song, I think for the audience, having watched just this truly extraordinary thing that she goes through, the gift and self-sacrifice, nightly self-sacrifice of Gillian's performance, at that moment, the entire audience is just completely gathered and at one. So I think there's something about having fractured that perspective, then feeling them come together at that moment of apotheosis. I think you're always thinking about that, how to activate that, whatever then the device you're using is. It's a bit of a similar thing in The Cherry Orchard that I just recently staged, where there's also an audience all the way around. But the actors don't have fixed positions. They change what they're doing nightly. So again, the show is constantly evolving and changing and organic, but at the same time, directorially it's still very tightly held. Even if I'm fracturing that viewpoint in Streetcar between all these different viewpoints, I want, ideally, every viewpoint to be perfect — the perfect frame at every moment." On Casting Gillian Anderson in a Role That She'd Wanted to Play Since She Was a Teenager — and Giving Her Another Iconic Part That She'll Always Be Remembered For "This was my second time staging it. I staged it at the Schaubühne in Berlin a couple of years before, in German, and I always wanted to have another crack at it. And weirdly enough, that production of Streetcar was seen by David Lan, the then-Artistic Director of The Young Vic, where we staged Streetcar. And from that, he invited me to come and work in London — and I did first an opera for him, and then a production of Chekhov's Three Sisters, which also had Vanessa Kirby in it as Masha. And Gillian saw that, and said to David 'I want him to direct me in Streetcar'. So when we met to talk about that, she told me how she'd always been thinking about Blanche and always knew she wanted to play Blanche, and I could sense that profound hunger in her to do that. And I already had the plan in my skin. They're wildly different productions. We had a revolve in that, actually, but they're wildly different productions. But it was interesting to have that as a framework — so the first one was like sort of a rough sketch, and then the second one was much more elaborate. So it was just a beautiful kind of confluence of me feeling very close to the play — really, really hungry to do it in English — and then finding, for me, the perfect actress for it at exactly the right time in her life to want to do it. And it was a process and then a production just full of enormous trust and risk. I think from our very first meeting, we felt that we had found each other. I knew she trusted me to take her somewhere. And I knew she wanted to be taken somewhere. I think she and we are very, very, very, very faithful to the play, but even in the UK at that period, at that time, even doing a non-period production of a classic that didn't look like all the other previous productions and all that — she also clearly had an appetite to be in a contemporary production. I guess one thing I try, if I'm approaching a classical play, is to treat it as if it might be a contemporary play. And if I'm approaching a contemporary play, I treat it as if it should be a classical play and will be a classical play. And she clearly believed that there was no attempt to turn, to drag, the play or the production a safe place. She had, as I said, an enormous appetite for risk. And you can see in the performance. So I think why it's memorable, as you say, is she puts herself on the line in every single performance. She's talked about that a lot, I gather, since — what that meant. And I think particularly when we were in New York, what that was like to get under Blanche's skin every night. She's also talked about it, so I won't. But also, she's talked about a kind of confronting or accessing her own history of addiction in the role. And to really do Blanche, I think that is important, because it is the story of someone who is addicted to alcohol and addicted to sex, and trying to deal with the legacy and the brokenness of her own family and her own history through that." On Ensuring That A Streetcar Named Desire's Senses of Guilt and Sadness Is Always Bubbling, and Its Volatility as Well, Alongside Its Exploration of Compulsiveness and Addiction "I think ultimately that's about trusting the players. As such a loaded masterpiece, it is — every single moment of the play, he found such an extraordinary collision of these, of Blanche and Stanley. And I think two sides of himself, Tennessee Williams, but also two sides of his own desire, two sides of his own profound sexual hunger. And it means that everything under the play is just so volatile. And I think often, too, these great plays — whether it's from ancient Athens or Elizabethan London or this — these great plays come at moments of huge historical change, often after major wars. And this play is a of flowering of that new America. It's the same time where the great Arthur Miller plays come as well. And in post-war America is a changing society that's becoming the kind of muscular empire we now see disintegrating. And I think that everything in the play is really loaded. So it's about trusting that, encouraging the actors to access it. In this production, I guess there are a few structural things done, in that Blanche usually leaves the stage — and she does not leave the stage. She's briefly absent in the first minute, I think, before Stella runs out and then she arrives with the suitcase. And then she's very briefly gone the at the end. But even when she and Mitch go to the fairground or whatever, they're still onstage in this production. So that was, I guess, part of also the compact with Gillian, was: what is it like to expose, to put every single moment of this woman's crisis under the microscope and not give her anywhere to hide? So, even during the scene changes, the costume changes between scenes, she's exposed and literally exposing herself while doing them, and she has to stay in that. So I think it's also structurally thinking of the play as this last downward spiral of this, that's been going on for some time — maybe even generations within her family, and the legacy of slavery and corruption in her family. And then she's the last one left. She's the last queen of this ruined nation who comes into exile, into the camp of her enemy, Stanley. And I think it's also been just about what that process in the rehearsal room is, and making sure that it's understood that every night they're going out there to chase it down. And when the play is big enough, then that process never finishes. They're going out to meet each other and the play and the audience afresh every night, and to play the game to the hilt." On the Challenges of Live Theatre, and the Extended Run of Interrogating a Story and Its Emotions Night After Night That It Affords — and Andrews Once Saying That It and Film Are the Same Thing "I'm not sure in the end they are the same thing, either. I think probably what I meant when I was saying that once is that they tap into the same place. And that that someone like [Ingmar] Bergman, who spent his artistic life moving between the theatre and the cinema and not making a binary between the two of them, but that they could be a conversation in which he's exploring ongoing questions — I think that is really, really an ideal for me. But one thing that, of course, is entirely different is that cinema is made by a frame and a camera recording the world. And the shot of the poppy shaking in the garden, cut to the hand of the trembling actor, cut to something they say on their face: that creates the meaning, that creates the story, that creates your feeling. And you collect it during the shoot, but it is then cut up and reconfigured in the edit room, and that is the art and the architecture of cinematic storytelling. So the swaying poppy is just as important as their closeup on the actor's eyes. In the theatre, whatever images there might be onstage or whatever — even if there's an emptiness onstage, even if the actor is absent, it's about the absence of that actor. The actor is everything in the theatre. And it's where I come from first. It is my home and it is my emotional gymnasium. And it's this very beautiful, privileged space, like a little island where we go to reflect on the world and reflect on being human and reflect on being alive, to deal with emergencies and crisis — both political, personal, whatever — but within the permission of this safe room. So you can go into the places emotionally that would send you to the madhouse, like they do Blanche, or put you in prison like if you were to follow through with what happens in that room. But it's a room where we then have permission to think through, play through, work through, together as a collective, without the big, beautiful apparatus — that was a Trumpian sentence — without the extraordinary apparatus that cinema has. You need, even if you're reduced, stripping it right down, it needs this village of people and technical equipment to make it. The theatre needs nothing in the end. Just a circle of viewers and the players. And I guess as I then started to make — I made my first film just after Streetcar, I made Una in the months after Streetcar the first time — and as I've started to move more between the two mediums, I think it's become even more precious, this sense of the fragile, the gift of being in a room with people and exploring these things, but also the idea of this fragility and the idea that if I'm going to do theatre, I don't want to hide behind anything. So my theatre was already pretty raw, but I think since then it's become even more about — in every show I've done since COVID and since my last movie, the audience has been lit. They are to a degree in Streetcar, but in recent plays like The Cherry Orchard, they're lit by this same forensic white light. You're very aware of them sitting there. The actors sit amongst the audience and step up and play from that. So this essential liveness and this essential experiment of theatre, that it's a nightly process, an experiment, I think has become even more important to me — or, if you like, it's always there, it's always there in theatre, but it hides behind a lot of bullshit often." On Whether Taking Either A Streetcar Named Desire or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to the Big Screen as Films Appeals, as Andrews Did with Una "Probably not with either of those. The Streetcar, the Kazan one, I'd rather film the play like this. I think it's different if it's a new play. I think things have to undergo a transposition, right, and Una undergoes a significant transposition. It's not filmed theatre. You could even say some things that are closer to filmed theatre, like the Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or something, still that makes a transmutation of form. And so I think more, sometimes I think about two things. To take a story — and this is something I've talked to with some actors about; I've talked about it with Cate Blanchett, who's somebody I've worked with a few times, and also with Nina Hoss [Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World] separately, who, both of those who are great theatre actresses and great film actresses — this idea that if you've played a role in theatre, you've lived it so completely and you've explored it in so many different ways compared to [film]. This isn't comparative. I think they're both significant. But compared to filming for and performing for the camera, which is like you're doing these short little sprints — you're doing these little bits that are then cut up — but when you've lived it in the theatre, I think they recognise, the wealth of having done that, what it might mean to do that in another, to take all that, take the character, rewrite it for another form. Weirdly, it happened when Cate had done Streetcar herself, right, for Liv Ullmann, and then did the Woody Allen film [Blue Jasmine]. She's sort of playing Blanche in that. And that's really interesting. To rather than say you're just copying the same thing, to say you grow a new creature from it, but using the same logic and ideas. And then the other one that I'm starting to think about for a future project — and maybe this is because of the NT Lives. Like I said, they film them themselves and that's great, and they're really excellent things to have out there, and they reflect the moment of the theatremaking. But there's one where then I as a filmmaker and a theatremaker might take the production, and not make it as a film, like the Kazan version of Streetcar, but do my own cinema version of filming the production. So like the Paul Schrader Mishima or something, right, which has that artificiality in it — but do bring the camera into the theatre space that's constructed, and make this boutique object from that. So I'm very curious about that. And I think NT Live proves that there's an audience for that as well." [caption id="attachment_1010340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David M. Benett/Getty Images.[/caption] On Andrews' Dream When He Was Starting Out as a Director Three Decades Back — and How Even Imagining NT Live Wasn't Possible "No, I didn't. I mean partly, some of those things were impossible to even conceive of then. The world has changed so much. Also, I think my ambition has always been of a different kind. I never began thinking 'oh, I would like to work in these places. I would do this'. I was always just obsessed with making work. So those first works in the Red Shed in Adelaide, they were all-consuming. At the same time then, on the nascent internet or however, I was sort of Googling different — well, it was probably pre-Google — looking for radical theatremakers in the world. And in 1999, getting to travel and go and meet them and see their work. So for me, it's always been a hunger for the work and about the work. And all of the opportunities that have come — right from, I guess, first going and working, being invited from Adelaide to become a resident at Sydney Theatre Company, then being invited to come and work at the Schaubühne in Berlin, and then going to London and so on — they have always come from the work, from somebody seeing the work, recognising the work and inviting me to build on that. I've never looked and said 'I want to be working on these stages' or be there — other people work like that, but for me, it really comes from the work. I think back then, I loved cinema very much and was very influenced by cinema, and thought that I would like to make a movie one day but was busy with theatre for a lot longer than I thought — and absolutely consumed with theatremaking, but I guess I always hoped that I would do that. And to move between those two worlds — we mentioned Bergman — that still remains a goal. And to make a movie that can have the effect on people that Streetcar has, I don't think I've quite done that yet. That can be very, very true to itself — very true to itself — and also have audiences lined around the block to see it when we did it in London, and people still wanting to see it in the cinema. I'd love to find that sweet spot in a movie, and I feel there's still a lot of work to do there — and that theatre is a place I can keep returning to for now. That's a really beautiful, safe home to explore in. So it's always about the work for me." NT Live's A Streetcar Named Desire returned to Australian cinemas from Thursday, June 19, 2025. A Streetcar Named Desire images: Johan Persson.
There are seemingly endless picture-perfect stays across Australia to choose from, so convincing yourself to smash that book button is often easier said than done. Yet keeping tabs on what like-minded holidaymakers are sharing on socials is one way to avoid analysis paralysis when it comes to finding a short-term stay that delivers a breathtaking experience. With this in mind, Airbnb has turned to social media to identify which stays have generated the most Instagram and TikTok engagement over the past 12 months. Resulting in a list capturing the most-loved stays on the platform, a single Aussie Airbnb made the final cut — and it's as serenity-inducing as you'd expect. That'd be Gilay Estate, a meticulously designed off-grid tiny house that calls the similarly small New South Wales town of Quirindi home. Nestled into the state's food bowl on a family farm, this wonderfully cosy Airbnb offers a charming perspective over the laidback farming region, blending contemporary comfort with the natural beauty of Liverpool Plains. When you're not tucked up next to the fireplace with a glass of wine in hand, guests are welcome to stroll the scenic grounds, unwinding amid the fresh country air. Alternatively, the surrounding paddocks and open skies can be enjoyed from the outdoor hot tub or adjacent firepit, primed for sunset cookouts that evoke a slow-living ethos. According to Airbnb, the global survey data used to create the list shows that younger travellers are using platforms like Instagram and TikTok to discover new destinations. Delving a little deeper, Airbnb says the most-loved listings often share some key characteristics, those being the chance to connect offline and feel inspired by unique surroundings. As for the rest of the most-loved list, there's no shortage of fascinating stays to explore. In the US, guests can relish a soothing escape perched right alongside Washington State's glacier-fed Cascade River. Meanwhile, an unsurprising hit on social media is Quetzalcoatl's Nest, a Javier Senosiain-designed stay that reflects Mexico's organic architecture movement. Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out Australia's best Airbnb hosts for 2025 or head to the website to see the full list.
Anything that Brisbane's northside can do, the city's south can as well — at least when it comes to kidulting hubs that let you putt your way around pop culture-adoring boozy mini golf, then puzzle through an OTT challenge room bar with an accommodation theme. In 2022 and 2023, Chermside welcomed Holey Moley and Hijnx Hotel to the Gympie Road shopping centre. Now, since July 2024, Mt Gravatt's Westfield shopping centre has also become home to both venues. If you're new to Hijinx Hotel, it isn't for vacationing and staycationing in. Instead, it mixes The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel and Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, all with puzzles and games to play inside its doors. Throw in alcoholic beverages and it too is aiming to serve up an adult-focused spin on childhood activities, as Holey Moley does — but this time sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. That's what you'll now find at a shared 350-person hub featuring ten challenge rooms on Hijinx Hotel's part (and 18 holes of putt at Holey Moley, plus karaoke in three function rooms across the site, and two bars slinging cocktails and food). Among the Hijinx Hotel highlights: a ball pit, UV basketball and a claw machine quiz, and plenty more, all in spaces with names such as Zig-a-Zag ah Ball Pool, Poke-The-Dot, The Lodge, Abandoned Arcade and Rubix Cube. Images: Markus Ravik.
Anyday is not a group that does things by halves. The powerhouse hospo group — responsible for game-changing venues including Agnes, sAme sAme and Honto — is going all in on Golden Avenue, which brings rhythm, smoke and fire-kissed Levantine fare guided by a trio of experienced chefs to Edward Street. At the helm of the group's first CBD venture is Ben Williamson — Anyday Co-Owner and Culinary Director — who returns to his culinary roots after years spent shaping Brisbane dining through woodfired cooking at Agnes and contemporary Middle Eastern at Gerard's Bistro, as well as stints at kitchens in the Middle East. He's joined by Executive Chef Adam Wolfers — who worked at Sydney fine diners Est, Monopole and Yellow before replacing Williamson at Gerard's — and Head Chef Tim Yates, most recently Head Chef of the opening team at London fine-diner Scully. [caption id="attachment_1018207" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessie Prince[/caption] The menu is built around charcoal grills and wood ovens, creating smoky aromas that drift out of the open kitchen and through the dining space. The menu might include meze like kibbeh nayyeh with urfa chilli and sheep curd or fried quail with house chilli oil, carob molasses and za'atar. Those wood ovens also turn out larger plates like whole john dory with preserved lemon and a 700g mechoui lamb shoulder finished with fermented daikon ajvar, mint and black cardamom salt, while grill selections include king prawns with black lime and ghormeh sabzi and fenugreek-basted chicken thigh with soured onion, toum and a salad of fines herbes. There's a generous selection of sides to choose from, too, as well as creative desserts like a frozen yoghurt parfait with Iranian pistachios and rose and a sultry Turkish coffee ice cream lifted with cocoa nibs, EVOO and smoked sea salt. The venue is designed by J.AR OFFICE, the Fortitude Valley studio that's been on a tear of late, culminating in winning top honours at the Australian Interior Design Awards for its work on nearby restaurant Central. The 500-square-metre Golden Avenue space blends brutalist form with Moroccan riad influences across its interconnected, multi-level shared and private dining areas. Far from stark concrete, the design is softened with skylights, tiled surfaces and textured render, cloistered by a perforated shade sail that rests on a peristyle. Granite, off-form concrete, stainless steel and plenty of greenery create a breezy, light-filled setting that feels worlds away from Edward Street, with seven retractable roofs opening to the sky above. Adjacent to the restaurant, GA is Golden Avenue's bar that offers a more casual drop-in option. Open daily until midnight and with its own entrance, GA will have a separate snack menu and a back bar with more than 130 bottles. [caption id="attachment_1018208" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessie Prince[/caption] Images: Jessie Prince.
What do the Australian comedy scene, YouTube, international festivals, Netflix, wine and picture books all have in common? Aunty Donna have conquered them all. Here's another thing to add to that list: Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. The Chris Pine (Don't Worry Darling)-, Regé-Jean Page (The Gray Man)-, Michelle Rodriguez (Fast & Furious 9) -and Hugh Grant (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)-starring film doesn't just bring of Stranger Things' favourite role-playing game back to cinemas — it does so in Australia with Aunty Donna among the cast. Since forming over a decade ago, the Aussie comedy troupe led by Zachary Ruane, Broden Kelly and Mark Samual Bonanno hasn't stopped making audiences laugh — in-person in Australia, online and around the world; while watching the side-splitting Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun; over a $30 bottle of wine literally called '$30 Bottle of Wine' and while flicking through Always Room for Christmas Pud. Later this year, they'll get folks giggling over their upcoming ABC sitcom Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe, too. But for now, playing corpses revived by Pine, awakening from their eternal slumbers to talk about century-old battles and cats, does the trick first. Aunty Donna are no strangers to Dungeons & Dragons. Back in 2017, on YouTube Channel Insert Coin, they gave D&D an Aunty Donna twist in a now-classic sketch — one that did for owlbears what 'Morning Brown' has for calling your wake-up cup of caffeine "morning brown". And, a couple of years back, they also endeavoured to create their own D&D monsters. How did those comic ties to Dungeons & Dragons lead to Aunty Donna playing undead in Hollywood's latest D&D flick, and the latest movie based on Hasbro's toys and games after the Transformers series, the GI Joe films, Battleship, Power Rangers and more? We chatted to Ruane, Kelly and Bonanno about their new on-screen stint, comedy goals, D&D podcasts, missing out on the first Fast and the Furious movie, visiting cemeteries, flatlining and getting buried alive. So, just a normal Aunty Donna chat, then. ON LIVING THE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS DREAM Zachary Ruane: "We'd talked about it at length. So, when we first got together as a comedy group, we made a list of goals. This was at a Starbucks in…" Broden Kelly: "Melbourne." Mark Samual Bonanno: "Southern Cross Station." Zachary: "We sat down and we had a list of goals. One of them was a comedy festival show. And on that list was 'if Hollywood ever moves towards a more IP-dependent business structure and Paramount teams up with Hasbro to reboot the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, we' — and this is on the list — 'we would like to do voice work for the Australian release of that film'. We didn't think it was going to happen. I'd pretty much given up on that dream. And then, when we got the call from Paramount, I wept." Mark: "You wept for days." Zachary: "I wept for days." Mark: "It was too much." Zachary: "It was a very emotional experience for me, because that was the final thing to cross off the list, you know — so a really big moment for me and for all of us in our careers." ON COMEDY'S FONDNESS FOR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Broden: "When I started, I'd never played Dungeons & Dragons before. I only knew it as a board game from the 80s. But being in comedy, Dungeons & Dragons is constantly just adjacent to it. There's so many funny people doing podcasts about it. So if you're in the comedy world — I'd never played it but I've been on every podcast about Dungeons & Dragons. And what it is, it seems to be just a community of people who are very warm and welcoming, and it's a world where you can do everything and nothing's wrong, which is just really fun and cool. It nurtures creativity. It nurtures imagination. Even just from doing this, we've seen how warm that community is." Zachary: "I should say, the film isn't just for those fans. It's really for everyone. It's a romp, it's an adventure." Mark: "Well, it's not about people playing D&D, is it? It's a fun…" Zachary: "It's a romp." Mark: "It's a fun romp set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Owlbears..." Broden: "I didn't know an owlbear until I did that sketch, and now I feel ashamed that I didn't know an owlbear before." Mark: "Don't be ashamed!" Zachary: "We watched the film with a big Dungeons & Dragons fan, and she was telling us all the little references. She was saying 'oh, they got perfect and that right'. And then I was like 'that's so crazy' because that was her experience, but then for me who hasn't played it that much, I just had a great time. It's really funny and fun." ON HOW AUNTY DONNA CAME TO BE IN A DUNGEONS & DRAGONS MOVIE Broden: "Well." Zachary: "Well." Mark: "Well, they just kept knocking at our door until we said yes. [To Zachary and Broden] How many times did we turn them down?" Zachary: "We were initially offered the part of — Broden was offered the part that Chris Pine plays in the film, I was offered the Michelle Rodriguez part. Which is funny because I was also offered that part in the first Fast and the Furious film, and I turned it down. And if I had known what franchise would become — oh my goodness!" Mark: "Sometimes you just miss your shot with those kinds of things." Zachary: "Yeah, absolutely. [To Mark] And then you were up for which part?" Mark: "For every other part in the film." Zachary: "So it was going to be a three-hander." Mark: "Originally it was going to be a vehicle for Aunty Donna to promote our YouTube channel — and we were just like, 'we're so busy'. We were so busy. [To Zachary and Broden] What did we have on?" Broden: "A birthday party or something." Mark: "Yeah, we had a party, and we were going to do half a run at Edinburgh Fringe. A two-week run at Edinburgh Fringe." Zachary: "And then when they folded in the Dungeons & Dragons layer to it, because originally it was just a sketch series of ours, it just became a little too big for us. And we said 'you know what, I'm going to handball this to the real professionals over at Hollywood'. And you'll see the film, you'll see — you're going to have a great time." ON PREPARING TO PLAY CORPSES REVIVED BY CHRIS PINE Broden: "I went to a lot of cemeteries, and it didn't do the trick. So I went back with a shovel, and someone stopped me — but I was going to get in there and really…" Mark: "That was me. I was like 'Broden, if you start digging up corpses to play this role, for this role, even though I know that's under false pretences...'. [To Broden] Because you love robbing graves, don't you?" Broden: "Yeah. Yeah. You can't go back from that." Zachary: "We call him da Vinci. He loves robbing graves and drawing really intricate drawings of the bodies." Mark: "Oh and of flight machines." Zachary: "Like Leonardo da Vinci. Me, I flatlined. I did some flatlining, like the movie Flatliners starring Kiefer Sutherland. So I stopped my heart until I was through the tunnel, and then I was reanimated. So I was able to experience death and coming out of it. And I think you'll see that with the corpse when I go [groans and gasps loudly]. That's from a real place." Mark: "Perfectly recreated." Zachary: "Yeah." Mark: "Broden and I ended up — I just buried myself in my backyard, Broden came and dug me up. It was kind of like a role play." Zachary: "How apropos." Mark: "How apropos! [To Broden] And then did you get enough out of that Broden, that experience?" Broden: "Yeah, so we do that every Saturday morning now, where we…" Mark: "Chuck on Cheez TV." Broden: "Yeah, I'll bury Mark in a garden with a little straw out for air." Mark: "Yeah." Broden: "And then I'll dig him up." Mark: "It's just for lunch." Broden: "And then we'll go have lunch at a cafe, or…" Mark: "That's what Hollywood is so great for: bringing friends closer together." Zachary: "I don't flatline anymore. I discovered that there's a darkness in the other realm and I realised that I had to stop." Sarah Ward: "Just like the movie." Aunty Donna [in unison]: "Just like the movie." Check out the new Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves trailer below: Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves opens in cinemas Down Under on March 30.
If keeping your eyes glued to a screen comes as naturally to you as breathing, then awards season brings plenty of news that you already know. You watched the best movies and TV shows of the past year, and now they're winning awards. Sometimes there's surprises. Sometimes everything that everyone expects to nab a shiny trophy does. Sometimes something deserving misses out, or wasn't even nominated. That comes with the territory, including at the Golden Globes, which usually kicks off the year in gleaming pop-culture accolades — and did again in 2024. Hearing everything that you already know in the opening monologue, though? That's something that no one wants. Were you aware that Oppenheimer is long? That Saltburn includes nudity? That Robert De Niro is an icon? So went the first few jokes from this year's host Jo Koy, amid mentioning that he "got the gig ten days ago" — which isn't too far off the mark. Thankfully, while the ceremony's hosting fell flat, as did Jared Leto's gags about himself while co-presenting the first awards with Angela Bassett, the gongs weren't short on highlights. You just had to look to the award recipients and presenters for the gold. So, let's remember the 2024 Golden Globes for Australia's Margot Robbie, Sarah Snook and Elizabeth Debicki all emerging victorious; Lily Gladstone's historic win and unforgettable speech; and Anatomy of a Fall winning Best Screenplay, a category that rarely goes to films in languages other than English. Succession's Matthew Macfadyen dubbing Tom Wambsgans a "human grease stain", then Kieran Culkin winning over Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong; Ayo Edibiri's excitement, including while thanking her managers' and agents' assistants for answering her emails, when she won for The Bear; Kevin Costner reciting America Ferrara's Barbie monologue; The Boy and the Heron getting the nod for Best Animation: they're all standout moments as well. Also worth sitting through this year's first night of nights for all things film and television: Emma Stone ribbing Australia's Poor Things screenwriter Tony McNamara about her attempts to do an Aussie accent, Christopher Nolan calling Cillian Murphy his partner-in-crime for 20 years and Murphy's just-as-touching acceptance speech. Your questions from here? What'll happen when Oppenheimer and Barbie face off at the Oscars, which doesn't separate dramas from musicals and comedies? Will the TV winners be mirrored when the delayed 2023 Emmys hand out its trophies later in January? How many more shades of pink can Margot Robbie don? And if your biggest query now is "who else won?", here's the full list of winners and nominations — and you can also check out our picks for the eight best winners you can watch right now. GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES AND WINNERS: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Anatomy of a Fall Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer — WINNER Past Lives The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon — WINNER Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Greta Lee, Past Lives Carey Mulligan, Maestro Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Barry Keoghan, Saltburn Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer — WINNER Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Air American Fiction Barbie The Holdovers May December Poor Things — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings Natalie Portman, May December Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid Matt Damon, Air Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers — WINNER Timothée Chalamet, Wonka BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED The Boy and the Heron — WINNER Elemental Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros Movie Suzume Wish BEST MOTION PICTURE — NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE Anatomy of a Fall — WINNER Fallen Leaves Io Capitano Past Lives Society of the Snow The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers — WINNER Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Rosamund Pike, Saltburn BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer — WINNER Ryan Gosling, Barbie Willem Dafoe, Poor Things BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Bradley Cooper, Maestro Greta Gerwig, Barbie Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer — WINNER Martin Scorsese, Killers of The Flower Moon Celine Song, Past Lives BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Anatomy of a Fall — WINNER Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE The Boy and the Heron Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer —WINNER Poor Things Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Zone of Interest BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE Bruce Springsteen, 'Addicted to Romance', She Came to Me Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin, 'Dance the Night', Barbie Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, 'I'm Just Ken', Barbie Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond and John Spiker, 'Peaches', The Super Mario Bros Movie Lenny Kravitz, 'Road to Freedom', Rustin Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, 'What Was I Made For?', Barbie — WINNER CINEMATIC AND BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT Barbie — WINNER Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 John Wick: Chapter 4 Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros. Movie Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA 1923 The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us The Morning Show Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us Emma Stone, The Curse Helen Mirren, 1923 Imelda Staunton, The Crown Keri Russell, The Diplomat Sarah Snook, Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Kieran Culkin, Succession — WINNER Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us Jeremy Strong, Succession Dominic West, The Crown BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Ted Lasso Abbott Elementary The Bear — WINNER Barry Only Murders in the Building Jury Duty BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear — WINNER Elle Fanning, The Great Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso Jeremy Allen White, The Bear — WINNER BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION All the Light We Cannot See Beef — WINNER Daisy Jones & The Six Fargo Fellow Travellers Lessons in Chemistry BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Ali Wong, Beef — WINNER Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death Juno Temple, Fargo Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves Jon Hamm, Fargo Matt Bomer, Fellow Travellers Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & the Six Steven Yeun, Beef — WINNER Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Abby Elliott, The Bear Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown — WINNER Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso J. Smith-Cameron, Succession Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Alan Ruck, Succession Alexander Skarsgård, Succession Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear James Marsden, Jury Duty Matthew Macfadyen, Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE IN STANDUP COMEDY ON TELEVISION Ricky Gervais: Armageddon — WINNER Trevor Noah: Where Was I Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer The 2024 Golden Globes were announced on Monday, January 8, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
4 Pines Brewing at Landers Pocket is poised to revolutionise the entertainment landscape in Brisbane. The new drinking, dining and leisure centre sits as the centrepiece of the landmark precinct that will transform the hospitality experiences available for locals and tourists alike. The enormous venue, spanning more than 16 hectares, which sits adjacent to Golf Central, fuses golf, dining, brewing, distilling and live music into one dynamic destination. As if that weren't enough, the precinct will soon add padel courts, a kick-n-catch play zone, a village green, and an outdoor event and concert amphitheatre. The Landers Pocket hub is located approximately 10 minutes from the Brisbane CBD, and will be the first eye-catching venue travellers will see when leaving the airport. James Cooper, Director at Landers Pocket, says, "Our vision for Landers Pocket is to create a truly unique entertainment destination — a place that celebrates award-winning beer and gin, new wave golf and elevated dining. This is just the beginning." Set to become Brisbane's most extensive entertainment precinct this decade, Landers Pocket, which is already home to Golf Central, now adds an 800-person hospitality venue, gastropub and distillery. Todd Atkinson, General Manager, says, "4 Pines Brewing at Landers Pocket is about bringing people together — beer lovers, travellers, golfers and families alike. It's a place to relax, connect and enjoy world-class experiences without the formality. We can't wait to open the doors." For beer lovers, there will be 32 draught taps pouring the highly awarded core range from 4 Pines Brewing Co. Two rotating taps will feature 'here today, never to be seen again' limited release and bespoke beers brewed on-site in the microbrewery. If you're more inclined to go for a G&T, the venue will also showcase a Never Never Gin Distillery. "We're incredibly excited to bring Never Never to Landers Pocket, to deliver some of Australia's most highly awarded gin experiences, in a completely unique way — whether it's tasting flights, gin pairings, or martini moments, our first off site offering will incorporate local flavours into the exceptional Never Never flavour," says Sean Baxter, Co-Founder and Brand Director. With an extensive beer garden, party driving bays, and a new mini-golf course, the easily accessible, laidback yet energetic precinct will not only draw tourists, but will also serve as the ultimate venue for your next corporate event or private party. 4 Pines Brewing at Landers Pocket is slated to open on Wednesday, November 19. Images: Supplied.
When it comes to a romantic weekend for two, a solo trip or a break with the besties, you can't beat the cosy feels of a tiny house. Perfect for escaping the daily grind, a mini abode makes up for the space it lacks with plenty of good times and fresh air. With so many tiny houses in NSW, it's easier than ever to find the right one for you. Whatever your vibe, whether it's a quaint rural stay complete with rolling green hills or a luxe cabin by the water, NSW has a pint-sized holiday home to suit. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up some of the best small-but-mighty tiny houses you can book in NSW. Pick a favourite, pack a bag and get set for a taste of that minimalist life. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in NSW The Best Places to Stay in the Blue Mountains The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia [caption id="attachment_1009756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Robert Walsh.[/caption] Billy's Hideaway by Huch, Wollombi Surrounded by bushland and overlooking a Billabong, this architecturally designed cabin is completely off-grid, offering a luxurious yet sensitive addition to the landscape. Enjoy panoramic views from the open-plan living, or settle in the hot tub with a glass of wine. From $448 a night, sleeps 2 adults, 2 children. Kumbogie Cabin, Daruka A cosy off-grid cabin for two, set among rolling green hills and bushland. Unwind on the porch overlooking the trees, or settle in by the outdoor fire. From $170 a night, sleeps two. The Bower at Nanny Goat Hill, Kangaroo Valley This charming tiny house in NSW is a farm retreat that makes for the ultimate small group getaway, boasting all the creature comforts, and a tranquil setting complete with resident goats and chooks. From $230 a night, sleeps four. Vineyard Cabin by Outpost, Exeter Nestled amongst the vines of Exeter Vineyard & Cellar Door in the Southern Highlands, this cabin combines rustic country charm with understated luxury. Cosy and authentic, unwind and immerse in the simple beauty of the Australian countryside. From $290 a night, sleeps two. Byron Hinterland Tiny House, Possum Creek A chic escape for two in a peaceful pocket of the Byron hinterland. This off-grid stay is effortlessly stylish, complete with sunny deck, hammock and reading nook. From $230 a night, sleeps two 6Sixteen The Banks, Agnes Banks With its idyllic rural setting and Blue Mountains outlook, this tiny home is one dreamy getaway. Enjoy the fire pit, sun-drenched deck and comfy loft bedroom. From $229 a night, sleeps three. Ligo, Wolgan Valley An architecturally designed tiny home surrounded by the picturesque cliffs of the Newnes Plateau within the Gardens of Stone National Park, escape the daily grind and immerse in the ruggedness of the Australian bush, with a side of luxury. From $449 a night, sleeps two. Horseshoe Hideaway, Mullion If you fancy stargazing from a hot-tub off the beaten track and waking up to sweeping mountain views, make this tiny house in NSW your next getaway. There's a fire pit and a floor-to-ceiling window in the shower, so you'll never miss the view. From $350 a night, sleeps two. Tiny Escape Tiny House, Wollombi A pint-sized paradise for two sitting among rugged bushland that promises a rejuvenating time away. There are luxury linens, a fire pit and acres of nature waiting to be explored. From $200 a night, sleeps two. The Hill Station, Mount Tomah Nestled in the heart of the Blue Mountains, this renovated cabin is the ideal couples retreat. Conveniently close to the Mt. Tomah Botanical Gardens, enjoy plenty of tranquil garden walks followed by afternoons curled up by the fireplace. Fron $380 a night, sleeps two. Boatshed Bliss, Dangar Island Soak up the sun on the shores of the Hawkesbury River in this pet-friendly retreat. You will have to get a boat to this secluded tiny home. With a private beach at your doorstep, you'll enjoy plenty of time by the water, whether you're taking a dip or watching the sun set over the lapping waves. From $275 a night, sleeps three. The Salty Dog, Newport One of the best tiny houses in NSW that's close to Sydney, this tiny boathouse takes 'on the water' property to the next level. The floating home for two comes complete with a cosy loft, downstairs dining space and kitchen and yes, a boat to get back to shore. From $655 a night. Sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_786394" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Wilken Photography[/caption] Arabella, Beaumont An award-winning designer stay, complete with fairytale-like forest setting. While the tiny home itself is impressive, but it's the incredible one-way glass bathroom hidden among nearby trees that steals the show. From $290 a night, sleeps three. 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. Top image: Arabella by Love Space Photography. All other images supplied.
Head south of Sydney or north of Victoria and you're sure to find quaint towns complete with awe-inspiring national parks and world-class wineries. The NSW south coast and southern highlands provide just this, plus an idyllic mix of rolling hillsides and romantic beachside homes perfect for you and your partner's next getaway. If you're looking to get out of the big city, there is an abundance of secluded stays scattered across southern NSW ready to serve as your landing pad to unwind and explore some of the most beautiful landscapes the state has to offer. We've done the hard work for you and found these one-bedroom (or more — in case you wanted to bring your favourite couple, too) cabins, lakeside stays and bushland cottages so that you can live out all your rom-com fantasies surrounded by rustling trees and ocean breezes. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in NSW The Best Tiny Houses You Can Book Around NSW The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Places to Stay in the Blue Mountains The Bower, Mount Kembla This two-story bungalow allows you to live among the trees for the period of your stay. Just fifteen minutes outside Wollongong, you can experience the slow-moving small-town lifestyle with the nearby comforts of the city. From $350 a night, sleeps five. Bawley Point Cottage, Bawley Point Combining the best of both worlds, this south coast stay is part bushy cottage, part beach house. You can use the provided kayaks and head on an action-packed trip or just sit and read among the trees. From $220 a night, sleeps four. Soul Wood, Termeil Wake up to views of the bushland from this wooden tiny house. The dreamy outdoor bathtub is surrounded by tall native trees that will have you feeling completely immersed in the natural surroundings. From $300 a night, sleeps two. Beachfront Glamping, Bawley Point To say you're going glamping is an insult to this luxury beachfront tent. Soak up the great outdoors from the tent-style bedroom while enjoying the luxuries of a private kitchen and bathroom from the attached unit. From $320 a night, sleeps two. The Lakeside Barn, Wildes Meadow An architectural gem on the south coast, this waterfront barn was created in the 90s from the wood of old Darling Harbour wharf buildings. The barn contains a modern bathroom and kitchen, spacious living areas and a top-floor bedroom that looks out onto the lake. From $333 a night, sleeps two. Creekside Tiny House, Foxground Wake to the sounds of the gurgling creek at this modern tiny house. Located just outside of Kiama and Gerringong, the quaint stay places you nearby a variety of local hiking trails and beaches. From $298 a night, sleeps two. Studio Barn, Nowra This transformed barn somehow packs in a spacious living and kitchen area, a bedroom, a newly fitted bathroom and a private garden out back. It's a cute and affordable spot for those looking to explore the natural wonders of Kangaroo Valley. From $300 a night, sleeps two. Fig Tree Cabin, Moruya This pet-friendly cabin welcomes all of your non-human friends with open arms. From the pugs to great danes and even horses, the property will save you paying any expensive kennel fees while on your romantic adventure. From $140 a night, sleeps two. Lyra, Kangaroo Valley Relax in style with this lush Kangaroo Valley house, overlooking the Barrengarry Mountain range. The house is built from locally sourced timber and rocks and is flooded with light thanks to the large front windows and glass roof panels, bringing as much of the surrounding rainforest into your stay as possible. From $690 a night, sleeps six. Buru, Pebbly Beach Buru is more of a group couples retreat than a solo getaway — so find a couple of other lovebirds and book out this stunning, secluded stay. The renovated 1960s house backs onto a idyllic white sand beach and contains both an indoor and outdoor fireplaces perfect for cosy nights after a day of swimming, surfing and exploring. From $1164 a night, sleeps eight. New Atlas, Meroo Meadow Gaze out onto Cambewarra Mountain from the back porch of this bright beachy home just outside of Berry and less than 20 minutes drive from Seven Mile Beach. From $309 a night, sleeps four. The Old Schoolhouse, Milton This sun-drenched one bedroom loft sits on farm land just a couple minutes outside of the rural town of Milton. Sip coffee from the balcony overlooking the farm or pay a little extra and take your relaxation up a notch by sending a masseuse to the loft thanks to the accommodation's Indulgence Package. From $316 a night, sleeps two. The Lazy Curl, Woodburn This minimalist cabin will provide you with a simple and serene stay in the heart of the south coast. Its eco-friendly design generates energy through solar and collects rainwater and its indoor fireplace will keep you feeling toasty even on cold winter nights. From $245 a night, sleeps four. Monga Mountain Retreat, Reidsdale Stay in Monga National Park while living out your cottage-core dreams at this lovely bushland cabin. Comfy chairs sit on a patterned rug and quaint appliances are scattered around the wood-laden kitchen. From $155 a night, sleeps two. Tawillah Luxury Retreat, Milton This countryside couples retreat has serene views of the Milton countryside and the nearby Budawang Range. Just a two minute drive from town, enjoy a seclude getaway with a beautiful deck, sun lounges and a fire pit. From $460 a night, sleeps two. All photos courtesy of Airbnb. 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.
Sex: we all know what it is. If you don't, stop right here because this isn't the article for you. Sex on-screen has become commonplace. TV and films frequently include spicy scenes for many different reasons, but as perceptions about sexuality rapidly evolve off-screen, the on-screen representations have to keep up. In 2023, the wide and wonderful world of romance and sex is bigger and more inclusive than ever. A TV series that has embraced that fact is Erotic Stories, a brand-new drama anthology from SBS On Demand, it's the latest addition to a fantastic range of drama programs available on the platform, all of which are completely free. Across eight episodes, Erotic Stories tells stories of love and intimacy in modern Australia with on-screen protagonists that aren't always written as sexual leads. We've watched it, and we're here to rank all eight episodes from least to most spicy. First, a quick disclaimer: this article contains mild spoilers, but it isn't a review of Erotic Stories. This is a ranking of how 'spicy' we believe the episodes to be. Spiciness and sexuality are subjective to every individual, so we strongly encourage watching the series and deciding for yourself. VANILLA: EPISODE 6 — 'IMPERFECT PAW PAW' What happens? 'Imperfect Paw Paw' star Zahra Newman (Thirteen Lives) as Leila, a woman from Sydney who works in marketing for a vitamins company; she's overworked and dealing with significant stress in her personal life. When she heads to the Gold Coast on a work trip, she has a chance encounter with a group of locals, including an attractive surfer who encourages her to abandon her commitments to join them on a free-spirited night out. Watch this episode if you like: stories about seizing the moment and embracing spontaneity. Why the rating? Spice in this episode is minimal. The majority of spice is built up through sexual tension over the course of the night out. When the spice kicks in, it's short but hot. SEASONED: EPISODE 1 — 'PHILIA' What happens? 'Philia' stars Catherine McClements (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) as Sam, a single mother of a teenage girl who works in digital publishing. With her job on the line against a fellow writer, she is assigned an advertorial story — a review of a new smart sex toy for couples. With no partner to help her review the male side of the remotely operated machines, she turns to George, a longtime family friend, for help. One problem: he's a married father of two. Watch this episode if you like: a side of comedy with your spice. Why the rating? Spice is definitely present in 'Philia', offering an insight into modern sex tech, but it isn't overtly explicit and isn't the key focus of the episode. BIT OF A KICK: EPISODE 5 — 'WALKING GAMBIT' What happens? 'Walking Gambit' stars Yuchen Wang (Safe Home) as Patrick, a man out for an after-dark walk with his beloved staffy Gambit. He arrives at a secluded bushland park where men gather at night, in secret, to hook up. After enjoying the company of another attendee of the park, Patrick returns to Gambit to find him missing without a trace. With the help of his new companion, Patrick searches for his dog while dealing with a previously hidden grief. Watch this episode if you like: stories about the complexities of grief and the unconditional love of dogs. Why the rating? 'Walking Gambit' gets spicy early on and, while short, it's more explicit than our previously ranked episodes. The rest of the episode is spice-free. SPICY: EPISODE 4 — 'POWERFUL OWL' What happens? 'Powerful Owl' stars Rarriwuy Hick (Wentworth Prison) as Kiarra and Googoorewon Knox (Black Snow) as Drew, a First Nations couple living in Sydney. Kiarra has a challenging but successful legal career, while George travels around Australia on contract work. After remarking their connection to the lifetime bond of the native Aussie powerful owl, Kiarra and George find their relationship on the rocks when faced with the complications and temptations of long-distance intimacy. Watch this episode if you like: stories about true love. Why the rating? 'Powerful Owl' keeps the spiciness consistent throughout the episode, but at different levels of explicitness over the course of the story. SMOKING: EPISODE 2 — 'THE DELUGE' What happens? 'The Deluge' stars Kate Box (Rake) as Cara, who shares most of her life with her best friend Ginger (Danielle Cormack, Wentworth Prison). Together, they practice shibari, a Japanese style of bondage, for Ginger's photography career, while Ginger encourages Cara to break her sexual drought. Once Cara turns to dating apps to find a new partner, she has a passionate encounter with a younger woman, but that passion quickly leads to unexpected ramifications for everyone involved. Watch this episode if you like: stories about meaningful connections. Why the rating? 'The Deluge' is spicy throughout, with some very intimate and descriptive scenes spread throughout the episode. Ultimately, though, that's not the main focus of the episode. RED HOT: EPISODE 8 — 'MASC UP' What happens? 'Masc Up' stars Bernie Van Tiel (Jade of Death) as non-binary lesbian Cal and their new partner Mish as the two join Cal's friends on an annual New Year's holiday to a luxurious homestay. All the members of the group are extremely close, challenging Mish to find her place among them. Cal faces a challenge of their own when the talent they pride themselves on, making partners climax, is much harder than usual with Mish — testing their relationship and forcing Cal to face long-buried insecurities. Watch this episode if you like: stories about overcoming self doubt. Why the rating? With 'Masc Up', Erotic Stories enters its top three spiciest episodes. This episode is very spicy, thanks to explicit scenes and dialogue throughout. BURNING: EPISODE 3 — 'BOUND' What happens? 'Bound' stars Joel Lago as CJ, a gay man living with disability that impedes his mobility and who has a preference for less-than-ergonomic positions during sex. While travelling from a doctor's appointment, CJ is sexually propositioned by an older man, who invites him to an exclusive and spicy nightclub. What happens that night challenges CJ to confront the intersections of disability, sex and self-respect. Watch this episode if you like: stories about knowing your own worth. Why the rating? The spicy elements of 'Bound' revolve around sexual kinks, consent and objectification, and feature lots of bondage. DEADLY: EPISODE 7 — 'COME AS YOU ARE' What happens? 'Come As You Are' stars Frances Ann O'Conner (The End) as Annabel, a woman who holds a senior role in a corporate office. She lives a life of routine and deals with trauma from a past relationship, but all that changes after a chance encounter with an intern named Florian. His confidence and free-spirited nature opens up a new world of sexuality for Annabel, but forces her to decide where she draws the line and how she can maintain control of her own desires. Watch this episode if you like: stories about sexual exploration and self-confidence. Why the rating? 'Come As You Are' is the spiciest episode of Erotic Stories since the spiciness involves both sexual tension and outright steamy scenes throughout the episode. All eight episodes of 'Erotic Stories' are streaming now for free alongside other great drama series on SBS On Demand. Images: SBS On Demand.
In spots dotted across the globe, including in New York, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris and Sydney, the best way for tourists to get a full glimpse of bustling cities is to head up. We've all seen the photos. If you've ever been to one such destination, you've likely taken more than a few. Now, you can enjoy a killer view — and an excellent place to take sky-high snaps — in Brisbane as well. Over the past decade or so, rooftop hangouts have joined the River City by the dozens. But only Cicada Blu and Babblers since late August 2024 — plus Aloria from October — are part of Brisbane's new Sky Deck. The towering attraction on level 23 at the Queensland capital's just-launched $3.6-billion Queen's Wharf precinct, the viewing platform sits 100 metres above the Brisbane CBD. Cicada Blu is its resident openair bar and Babblers is its all-day dining haven, while Aloria will give Sky Deck its signature restaurant. Unsurprisingly, Cicada Blu takes centre stage on the lofty deck, in prime position for cocktails with a stunning vista from 3pm Wednesday–Thursday and midday Friday–Sunday. The menu here focuses on drinks with botanical infusions, which can be paired with an array of bar snacks. As the sun sets, live tunes also help set the mood. While gazing outwards is the drawcard across Sky Deck, Cicada Blu wants patrons to notice more than the vantage. It sports a lighting installation to give the bar even more of a glow than its sun- and star-lit perch is already does, with the luminous setup taking its cues from cloud formations and summer storms. For a casual bite or coffee, that's where Babblers on Sky Deck's eastern side comes in. The name hails from the babbler bird family. The vibe is relaxed. And the local produce-heroing food menu? It includes K'gari spanner crab omelette with fermented chilli mornay, green apple and tarragon as a breakfast standout from 7am, plus a pickled cucumber-, sourdough crouton-, salsa verde- and basil-heavy heirloom tomato salad from 11am. When it launches in October at a yet-to-be-announced date, Aloria will be located on Sky Deck's western end — with dry-aged steak and seafood among its specialties, European and Australian influences flavouring the cuisine, Australian ingredients in the spotlight, and the open kitchen pumping out woodfired and grilled dishes. Another highlight: a dedicated martini menu that'll span classics and inventive variations. One more reason to grab a glass: a hefty range of wine, which has been dubbed a 'cellar in the sky'. Overall, Sky Deck features a 250-metre rooftop runway with a glass-floor viewing platform, plus 360-degree views out over the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane River, Mt Coot-tha and Moreton Bay — and it's open all day and night, every day and night. Expect it to be popular. The Queensland Government certainly does, anticipating that an estimated 1.4 million international, interstate and local visitors to the city each year might stop by. "Sky Deck brings a new era of dining and entertainment to our city, and we are excited to now welcome guests to experience these incredible rooftop venues," said The Star Brisbane General Manager Food and Beverage Dustin Osuch. "Our vision for Sky Deck was to create a space that locals and travellers can visit at any point of the day and be captivated, from the views to the unique food and beverage offerings." "With Babblers and Cicada Blu now open, and our signature restaurant Aloria set to follow next month, Sky Deck is quickly becoming an unforgettable Brisbane landmark that showcases the spirit of our city." Find Queen's Wharf Sky Deck at Level 23, 33 William Street, Brisbane, with Cicada Blu open from 3pm–late Wednesday–Thursday and 12pm–late Friday–Sunday, and Babblers operating from 7am–10pm daily. Head to the Queen's Wharf website for more details.
Move over whiskey, vodka and gin, because there's a new spirit of choice in town. Lovers of drinks with lemon and salt will be rejoicing as Alquimia Tequila Bar has rolled into Fortitude Vallery. But there's more to this agave-happy newbie than just slamming shots down. More than 80 different types of the titular beverage line the shelves — including 60 from the US alone — because this is for serious, sophisticated drinkers only. While everyone is welcome, Alquimia isn't the kind of place you probably think of when you think of tequila. This isn't a seedy nightclub or a dodgy dive bar, or somewhere that will blare a certain '90s hip hop cover from its speakers. Instead, it's a classy hangout that aims to show the finer side of its favoured clear liquid through a blend of premium offerings and tequila-based cocktails (alquimia means alchemy in Spanish, after all). Here, you can sip handpicked brands or fall in love with drinks with names such as Romero y Julia. A small selection of other alcoholic options — vodka, gin, rum, beer and wine — is also on offer, should you be in need something not made from the blue agave plant. Alquimia is the latest place to take over the space on the corner of Ann and Warner streets, a spot that has seen more than a few businesses pass through in its time. Pairing its hefty drinks offering with DJ sets and other events, here's hoping this one's here to stay. Find Alquimia Tequila Bar at 702 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. Visit their website and Facebook page for more information.
Come July, some of us will be feeling that Melbourne winter chill slightly more than others, as acclaimed New York artist Spencer Tunick returns to Australia to stage the next of his famed mass nude photographs. It's been 17 years since Melbourne's first taste of the polarising artist's work, when 4500 naked volunteers posed for a snap near Federation Square as part of the 2001 Fringe Festival. Tunick then photographed around 5000 nude people in front of the Sydney Opera House during the 2010 Mardi Gras. Since then, he's photographed the public painted red and gold outside Munich's Bavarian State Opera, covered in veils in the Nevada desert and covered in blue in Hull in the UK. Now the artist is set to return to our shores, and his sights are set on Melbourne's iconic Chapel Street. Tunick will assemble another contingent of naked (and pretty brave) folk this July, for a work titled Return of the Nude, as part of the precinct's winter arts festival Provocaré. "Chapel Street reminds me of the East Village in New York, Sunset Strip in LA, and San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, but all combined into one juggernaut," said Tunick. "I think people from Melbourne are a little braver because of their willingness to pose no matter the weather. I get a sense of resilience and risk taking." Anyone over the age of 18 can get their kit off and get involved — Tunick hopes to have a diverse mix of bodies in the shoot, which will be held across two days in four locations around the iconic Chapel Street precinct. Participants each get a print of the photograph, and, we're sure, a big boost of body confidence. Hopefully not a cold, though — if you participate, you'll only need to be sans-clothes for short periods of time. Provocaré will take place across the Chapel Street precinct from July 5–15, with Return of the Nude being shot over two days between July 7 and 10. You can register to take part here.
The Scratch's motto is "No pretension, no dress code and no pub cover bands". The small bar is a cosy, chilled, shabby-chic addition to Milton's wining 'n' dining Park Road precinct, an area once better known for metre-long pizzas, espressos and relatively diminutive Eiffel towers. All of which stood in the shadow of that commercial brick beer-hemoth, the XXXX Brewery. However, the self-proclaimed dive bar that is The Scratch has helped bring a younger, no-nonsense crowd back to the strip. It is the antithesis of almost anything else nearby, especially the brewery. The Scratch eschews typical brewery/brand relationships (i.e. the same old bland major-chain beer taps you find in, like, every pub) for a constant rotation of their tap beers every few days — all of them flavoursome craft varieties. As you may have guessed, the bar is a fairly beer-y establishment. You feel like you ought to have a beard whenever you walk in the door. Schooners range from about $8-$11. We tried such colourfully titled drops as Western Australian IPA Feral Hop Hog and Queensland's Bacchus Hazelnut Brown. In the past they've had ales infused with anything from chocolate to watermelon and chilli. But fear not, non-beer drinkers — there's myriad ciders, wine and spirits on offer, too. To add to its kerbside collection-furnished glory, The Scratch also offers free BYO food. It makes for quite the boon, with no shortage of great eats within very short walking/stumbling distance. If you're not quite that peckish but wouldn't mind a nibble of somethin'-somethin', the bar also offers free peanuts (proper ones, with the crack-'em-yourself shells still on). For something a little more dessert-y, they sell variously sized cheese platters and ice-cream — in their own house-styled flavours. You guessed it, beer-infused ice-cream heads up the list (with its specific beer flavour changing as regularly as the taps). Or why not try a "Cider Spider" or a stout milkshake? Because ... well, why the hell not. So if you've garnered a hearty thirst after work or on a Saturday afternoon and aren't necessarily wearing your Sunday best, drop on in and support some small, independent brewers.
Any great trip to New Zealand's South Island should include at least one stay in accommodation with a fantastic view. Luckily, in this stunning part of the world, that's not hard to do. To help you plan, we've put together some of our favourite South Island offerings with views of the island's stunning mountains, valleys and coastlines — and even the night sky. From rugged secluded cottages to luxurious retreats, here's where to soak up incredible views of the South Island's world-famous natural beauty. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in New Zealand The Best Places to Go Glamping in Australia The Most Unique Stays You Can Book Around New Zealand The Most Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island Remarkable Views, Queenstown After a day of hiking, skiing, or exploring Queenstown, return to this gem you'll find less than a ten-minute walk from town. The combination of the stunning mountain views from the deck alongside a convenient location makes this truly a one-of-a-kind find. From $360 AUD per night, sleeps four. Woodpecker Bay Bach, West Coast This rustic bach is located only steps from the water but half an hour away from the nearest shops, making it the very definition of a secluded getaway. There are lots of gorgeous outdoor attractions near the cabin to explore — that is, if you ever want to leave the beautiful bathtub with stunning water views. From $226 SUD per night, sleeps two. Tawhitnui House, Elaine Bay This remote rental features unobstructed ocean views — and a solar-heated infinity pool from which to enjoy them. Because of its remote location, guests can enjoy a true immersion into local flora and fauna and see the stars in a pollution-free night sky. From $294 AUD per night, sleeps six. Kiwi Bach, Canterbury Located in the small beach community of Te Onepoto/Taylor's Mistake, this 1920s bach is the perfect surfer's vacation rental. Watch the waves roll in beneath rolling green hills from the cabin's windows or outdoor areas, or walk directly down to the beach to see them up close. From $117 AUD per night, sleeps two. Rocky Point Hut, Nelson The 90-minute trek to this hut is worth it for the panoramic views alone. Situated on its own portion of Pepin Island, this rental has complete privacy. Explore, relax, and gaze out to the Abel Tasman sea from this cabin's solar-heated outdoor bathtub. From $290 AUD per night, sleeps two. Romantic Remote Chalet, Collingwood Nestled into the beautiful rocky shoreline of a coastal farm, this cosy chalet and nearby sleep-out is a ten-minute walk from the sea. Both buildings, which are about 30 metres apart, can be included in the booking, bringing the total capacity to six people. From $217 AUD per night, sleeps four. Stargazer's Luxury Retreat, Lake Tekapo This aptly named cabin is, indeed, luxurious. With a king-sized bed and wood-fired hot tub, this Airbnb is intended to be cosy. If stargazing up at the Milky Way from this hot tub is not on your trip agenda, you're doing it wrong. From $524 AUD per night, sleeps two. Skylark Cabin, Twizel This luxurious cabin is located in a stunning, sun-soaked valley in backcountry Ben Ohau. The star of the house is a circular window in the roof, which allows guests to stargaze from the warmth and comfort of their king-sized bed. From $723 AUD per night, sleeps two. High Country Cabin, Canterbury Whether you're seeking adventure on the nearest hiking trail or curling up by the fire in this rustic cabin, the Southern Alps will make the seclusion-seeking traveller feel at peace. You'll just have to put up with the "neighbours": grazing sheep and other local wildlife. From $406 AUD per night, sleeps five. Takahopa Bay Retreat, Otago This secluded home in the Catlins offers sweeping views of the surrounding forest and ocean. Although it's fully off the grid, this home is powered by an emission-free hydro system that gives it all the conveniences of city life — with significantly fewer neighbours. If you're lucky, you may even see Aurora Australis from your back porch. From $357 AUD per night, sleeps four. Lake Ohau Escape, Lake Ohau This three-bedroom home boasts waterfront views and a toasty indoor fireplace — the perfect getaway for any time of year. If you're looking for outdoor activities, there are many close by — including an A2O cycle trail or a ski field that's 15 minutes away — or you can choose to stay in for the stunning mountain-range views, best enjoyed from the outdoor spa. From $563 AUD per night, sleeps seven. Luxury Wilderness Cabin, Waiau Nestled in the absolute wilderness, this off-grid eco-cabin on the edge of a small lake is just a three-minute drive from Waiau Glacier village. The lake is fed by a pristine mountain stream and offers views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and Unser Fritz Falls that you can experience from an outdoor stone bath. Within the cabin, enjoy a king bed and cedar barrel sauna. From $496 AUD per night, sleeps two. Wanaka Couples Escape, Luggate This converted shipping container is a private oasis equipped with modern luxuries and natural beauty. Relax in this an outdoor bath or the deck under the stars with an unending view of the night sky. What's there not to love about this cosy hideaway in the country. From $248 AUD per night, sleeps two. 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. Images: courtesy of Airbnb.
The allure of a Mediterranean beach holiday might seem tempting, but you'll find a bounty of worthy vacation spots located right here in your own backyard. And if sun, sand and surf are on the agenda, there are plenty of idyllic island escapes up and down the coast of Queensland, just waiting to be explored. Indulge in a tropical getaway to Hamilton Island, or embrace the beachside life with a few days spent lounging in The Whitsundays. We've done the hard work for you and pulled together a list of the most idyllic island accommodations you can book in Queensland. Pick a favourite, pack your sunscreen and get ready to feel the sand between your toes. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Glamping Sites in Queensland The Best Dog-Friendly Accommodations in Queensland The Best Islands in Australia to Visit Any Time of the Year Central Airlie Holiday Home, Airlie Beach This Airlie Beach gem has room for the whole gang, but it's the divine deck and pool overlooking the Whitsunday Islands that'll steal your heart. From $545 a night, sleeps 10. Luxury Private Retreat Villa, Urangan Your own tropical haven, just minutes from the beaches of Hervey Bay. This breezy villa boasts contemporary styling, gorgeous outdoor living and a private pool. From $235 a night, sleeps six. Yacht Club 33, Hamilton Island This newly built island escape is a study in luxury living, complete with high-end features, pool access and sweeping ocean views throughout. From $1715 a night, sleeps nine. The Little Bush Hut, Nelly Bay On a secluded patch of island paradise, this stylishly restored hut is couples' holiday perfection. Fall in love with the private setting and the covered outdoor tub. From $310 a night, sleeps two. Headland House, Picnic Bay This architectural stunner boasts a covetable location on Magnetic Island, with luxurious spaces indoors and out, and epic ocean vistas to match. From $1752 a night, sleeps ten. Point Blue, Hamilton Island With its sleek interiors, picture-perfect views and abundance of outdoor living, this island home is the answer to all types of tropical holiday cravings. From $2164 a night, sleeps eight Point Lookout Townhouse, Point Lookout This stylish townhouse comes complete with panoramic water views, a gorgeous indoor-outdoor set-up and access to the complex's infinity pool. From $580 a night, sleeps seven. Complete Straddie Beach Retreat, Point Lookout Blissful island days await at this vibrant villa, perched just metres from the beach. Enjoy the romantic loft bedroom, sun-drenched deck and shared pool. From $219 a night, sleeps three Ascension, Point Lookout Luxe out in this sprawling holiday mansion, set overlooking the waters off Point Lookout. There's a huge deck, spa room and telescope for whale-watching. From $1000 a night, sleeps 12. Elementa House 1, Airlie Beach Unwind in style with a stay at this Whitsundays stunner, complete with private garden, shared infinity pool and master tub with breathtaking views. From $637 a night, sleeps six. La Boheme Studio, Jubliee Pocket Experience your own little slice of Whitsundays magic at this contemporary coastal cottage, flitting between porch hammock and incredible magnesium pool. From $155 a night, sleeps two. Shorelines 23, Hamilton Island You'll feel on top of the world at this soaring Hamilton Island apartment, featuring panoramic ocean views and a stunning shared pool located just metres away. From $495 a night, sleeps six. Hamptons House on the Hill, Airlie Beach Boasting incredible vistas across the Whitsundays, a private pool and lots of luxury features, this award-winning Hamptons-style home is total bliss. From $375 a night, sleeps four. The Moreton Mansion, Tangalooma This generous three-level abode makes for a lavish group getaway, overlooking the waters of Moreton Bay. Plus, enjoy full access to the nearby resort facilities. From $1050 a night, sleeps 16+. Bedarra Island Villa, Bedarra Island A glam island paradise surrounded by leafy palms and lapping blue ocean. This designer villa boasts a stunning deck and delightfully secluded beachside setting. From $1258 a night, sleeps eight. 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. Images: Courtesy of Airbnb
Since 2019, IKEA shoppers have been able to offload their no-longer-needed furniture and do the environment a solid, all thanks to the Swedish retailer's buy-back service. And, if you've been keen to add some pre-loved wares to your home in return, you've been able to purchase other folks' unwanted goods in-person at the chain's As-Is sections. Been spending too much of the last couple of years at home, browsing online for new pieces to deck out your digs — because we've all filled plenty of time in our houses, staring at our same-old couches and rugs, during the pandemic? Still keen to opt for secondhand furniture, rather than new? From Monday, July 11, IKEA has launched its new As-Is Online Australian marketplace, letting you buy its discontinued, ex-display and pre-loved items from home. The platform has been trialled in Queensland since April, and now reaches stores nationwide. And yes, it's still linked to individual IKEA outposts, because that's where you'll need to head to collect whichever secondhand pieces you decide to buy. Here's how it works: shoppers hit up the As-Is Online platform, then scroll their way through the list of discontinued items, used wares, ex-showroom displays and products returned via IKEA's buy-back service. Once you've found something you like at a reduced amount — between 20–75 percent off the original product price — you can reserve it with a few clicks. After that, you just need to head to your selected store to complete the purchase, including picking up your new-to-you items from the brand's As-Is area. That's located just before the checkouts, which probably does mean you'll still wander the length of IKEA anyway — but at least the things you've made the trip for already have your name on them. IKEA is promoting the service as a way to save cash — which is rather handy right now thanks to inflation — and also as part of its efforts to become climate positive by 2030. Back when the buy-back regime was implemented, it was initially inspired by IKEA's findings that Aussies threw away up to 13.5 million pieces of furniture that could have been recycled, reused or repaired. To check out IKEA's new As-Is Online marketplace from Monday, July 11, head to the chain's website.
If you're chronically online and/or partial to an Instagram photodump, you'll have noticed the quiet, yet decided, return of the vintage camera. Gen Z and millennials have been trawling Depop and eBay for point-and-shoots that bring back the joy (and chaos) of unfiltered photography, and those with more patience have rediscovered the magic of film. With the 24/7 convenience and technological sophistication of our pocket smartphones, this pull towards cumbersome (and often expensive) retro photography makes one thing clear — we're not looking for perfection, we want nostalgia, texture and fun. But as charming as those old cameras are, there's no avoiding the frustrations of outdated tech: short battery lives, low-resolution screens and the slow process of getting photos from an SD card to your library. Film, too, has its downsides — it's slower, pricier and less sustainable, and if you've ever experienced the heartbreak of a ruined roll, you'll know it's not always kind. Fujifilm's new X-T30 III promises the best of all worlds: the imperfection and spontaneity of early digital and film photography, paired with the reliability and ease of 2025 technology — and we got to test it out. [caption id="attachment_1037100" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The new Fujifilm X-T30 III in Silver.[/caption] Over the last few weeks, we swapped our phones for the X-T30 III — taking it to gigs, park hangs with friends and out for dinner — to see what it's like to shoot on a real camera again. The first thing we noticed was how different it feels to take photos without a phone. There's no rush to post, no automatic filters, no instant scroll. Just the act of noticing something, lifting the camera, and deciding what you want the photo to feel like. Learning simple things — such as how aperture affects depth and how exposure changes a mood — made us think more deliberately about what we were shooting. We started framing scenes with intention instead of snapping aimlessly. [caption id="attachment_1037071" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shot on the Fujifilm X-T30 III.[/caption] And maybe best of all, we were more present. Without a phone in hand, we weren't bouncing between apps or notifications — we were actually in the moment, noticing the light, the colours, the details. Design-wise, the X-T30 III nails that balance between retro and modern. Compact but weighty, it feels like something from the early 00s — a brushed-metal body with tactile dials and a subtle vintage edge. It's intuitive enough for beginners but still gives you room to play. At just 378 grams, it's light enough to carry everywhere yet solid enough to feel serious. [caption id="attachment_1037070" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shot on the Fujifilm X-T30 III.[/caption] Fujifilm has long been known for its colour science, and the X-T30 III feels like a love letter to that legacy. The new Film Simulation Dial, borrowed from Fujifilm's premium X Series models, makes it easy to switch between iconic looks — from the soft, creamy tones of 'Nostalgic Neg' to the crisp clarity of 'Reala Ace'. There are 20 film simulations in total, each with its own texture and tone, plus three customisable slots so you can save your own 'recipes' for different styles. It's like carrying a film lab in your pocket — but one that never runs out of rolls. With a 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor and Fujifilm's latest X-Processor 5 engine, it's quick, sharp and reliable. Autofocus tracks everything from faces to fast-moving subjects, while the 6.2K video option and new 9:16 movie mode make it simple to capture both cinematic clips and vertical social content. It also features a built-in flash, tilting LCD screen and Wi-Fi connectivity for instant sharing or printing straight to Fujifilm's Instax Link printers. [caption id="attachment_1037072" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shot on the Fujifilm X-T30 III.[/caption] And while shooting on the X-T30 III felt like a welcome break from our phones, it's still built for the world we live in. Through the Fujifilm Camera Remote app, photos transfer wirelessly to your phone in seconds — ready to post, send or edit on the go. You can even use your phone as a remote control, perfect for self-portraits or group shots when you want to be both in front of and behind the lens at once. We're no photography experts, and that's what made this camera such a pleasant surprise. It's genuinely beginner-friendly — from the one-touch Auto Mode lever that takes the guesswork out of exposure, to subject-detection autofocus that quietly does the heavy lifting. Once we started experimenting, we realised how much more intentional (and creative) our shooting became. Instead of solely focusing on the subject or landscape we were shooting, there was the ability to customise the feeling we were trying to capture — a little blur, deliberate overexposure, a hint of movement. [caption id="attachment_1037081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shot on the Fujifilm X-T30 III.[/caption] And maybe that's the real appeal of the X-T30 III: it makes you fall back in love with taking photos. It's not about chasing perfection — it's about slowing down and seeing everyday moments differently. Not unlike the deliberately B-roll shots peppered through an IG dump, shooting on a camera with this much versatility allows you to tell a whole story. We loved the Fujifilm X-T30 III for its ability to speak to the nostalgia of the film and digicam revival, but modern enough to keep up with today's tech and creative demands. It delivers film-style warmth and depth straight out of camera, while staying light, fast and intuitive enough for spontaneous shooting. [caption id="attachment_1037080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shot on the Fujifilm X-T30 III.[/caption] For casual photographers or creative explorers, it's the perfect in-between: accessible without being basic, aesthetic without being gimmicky, and compact enough to live in your tote or handbag. In short, it might just replace your digi cam, your film camera — and (hopefully) your phone. The brand new Fujifilm X-T30 III will be available from late November 2025. Find out more. Images: Supplied | Eliza Campbell, shot on the Fujifilm X-T30 III.
Think of the Gold Coast and your mind probably jumps straight to its picturesque beaches, beloved theme parks and the lively strip of Surfer's Paradise. While these can all make for a brilliant getaway, the Gold Coast has a number of year-round events that give the holiday destination a cultural edge. From world-class sporting spectacles to exciting festivals, Get Up and Gold Coast in 2026, and plan a trip around these exciting events. AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 This March, the Gold Coast is hosting one of the premier sporting events of the year: the AFC Women's Asia Cup 2026. Alongside Sydney and Perth, the Gold Coast will become a bucket list destination for football fans. The Gold Coast Stadium will host four group matches from Monday, March 2, until Sunday, March 8. This includes the Matildas' second group match, followed by two rounds of play-offs on Thursday, March 19. Whether you're a sports fan or not, there's no denying the buzz and atmosphere that comes from a major sporting event like this. There are still tickets available, so be sure to nab yours and book in a Gold Coast escape. Australian WPGA Championship The Australian Women's Professional Golfers' Association Championship brings the world's best female golfers to the Gold Coast. Players will compete for the Karrie Webb Cup (and $600,000 in prize money) at the Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club and the Palms Golf Course from Thursday, March 19, until Sunday, March 22. Outside of the championship, the Sanctuary Cove Marine Village is your destination for sport and entertainment with food and beverage options, music, pop-up bars, dedicated fan zones, interactive golf challenges, chill-out areas and shopping. At WPGA, witness the best in golf while enjoying the Gold Coast's picturesque weather and scenery. WSL Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro In May, the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro (part of the World Surf League Championship Tour event) will be held on the Gold Coast's golden beaches from Friday, May 1, until Monday, May 11. This year, the event is taking place in Snapper Rocks and is set to deliver world-class surfing. Past winners include Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, Mick Fanning, Carissa Moore and Gabriel Medina, so you know that it'll be worth the journey to see this year's talent on show. The Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro is free to enter, so you and the family can witness the best surfers in the world compete up close and personal. Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show One of the Southern Hemisphere's largest boat shows, the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is an annual showcase of superyachts, sailboats, marine tech and waterfront appreciation. The event takes place over four action-packed days from Thursday, May 21, to Sunday, May 24. See superyachts up close and personal and revel in the luxurious waterfront lifestyle that the Gold Coast delivers in droves. Blues on Broadbeach Every May, the Gold Coast suburb of Broadbeach transforms into one of Australia's largest music festivals, Blues on Broadbeach. Across multiple indoor and outdoor stages, the four-day (and night) event is a celebration of soul, rhythm and blues music. It kicks off on Thursday, May 14, with a non-ticketed lineup that includes Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Robert Finley, The Lachy Doley Trio, and many more. While most of the festival is free, the Sunday Ticket offers exclusive access to a stellar lineup. On Sunday, May 17, ARIA Award-winning The Teskey Brothers and special guests Judith Hill and Ash Grunwald will perform to the crowd as the sun sets over Broadbeach. Alongside live performances, you can wander between beachfront parks, bars and pop-ups, making it the ultimate chilled Gold Coast experience for music lovers. Cooly Rocks On Coolangatta puts on its retro filter the first weekend in June with Cooly Rocks On. The nostalgia-fuelled street party is a celebration of the motors, music and lifestyle of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s with classic car displays, a pin-up pageant, live gigs and vintage beachfront markets, all free to explore. From Wednesday, June 3, until Sunday, June 7, you can browse through a selection of retro treasures and memorabilia and listen to some of the finest rock 'n' roll, swing, rockabilly and tribute artists from around the world. There's also a preliminary round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artists Contest taking place. Cooly Rocks On is one of three festivals in the country to host this round, and the winner will secure a spot at Elvis Week in Memphis. Rock on. Pacific Airshow The Pacific Airshow Gold Coast transforms the city's famous beachfront into an open-air runway. From Friday, August 14, until Sunday, August 16, fighter jets, aerobatic teams and precision solo flyers will take to the skies for a weekend of high-octane airshows. Enjoy general admission, or take it up a notch with hospitality experiences at the Garden Bar or Beach Club. Ticket holders can enjoy a curated menu of food and drinks, a patio area with seating and shade, private restrooms, and live airshow commentary. It's a Gold Coast-style winter escape. Bleach* It's not just Melbourne and Sydney hosting the country's premier cultural events. Bleach* Festival is a contemporary arts festival running from Thursday, October 1, until Sunday, October 11. The spring festival brings dance, art, music, exhibitions, and panels across three vibrant festival hubs: Kurrawa Park, Emerald Lakes, and the Gold Coast's Home Of The Arts (HOTA). There's a range of free and ticketed events to choose from, with the full lineup released later in the year. Keep your eyes peeled and book in some cultural experiences. Groundwater Country Music Festival Is country music more your scene? Groundwater Country Music Festival is the Gold Coast's destination for all things boots, banjos and beachside twang. Taking over the streets of Broadbeach from Friday, October 16, until Sunday, October 18, the free three-day festival brings a stacked lineup of Australian and international acts. While the 2026 lineup is yet to be announced, the October festival is a must-do for music lovers on the Gold Coast. Expect line-dancing sessions, street food, pop-up bars and a laidback coastal atmosphere complete with cowboy hats. Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 The Gold Coast 500 turns Surfers Paradise into a high-speed street circuit, bringing Supercars racing right into the heart of the city. For one adrenaline-fuelled weekend from Friday, October 23 until Sunday, October 25, the sound of engines echoes between skyscrapers as drivers battle it out just metres from the beach. Whether you're a die-hard motorsport fan or simply keen for a high-energy weekend by the beach, the event blends sun, speed and spectacle. Explore more events and accommodation options, and be ready to Get Up and Gold Coast. Image credit: Supplied
At some point, we all have to realise that we just can't watch every TV show ever made. It's a sad revelation, and it mightn't feel the case after a few years spent at home more often than anyone would've liked, but it's the practical reality. So many streaming platforms to choose from, so many new series hitting each and every one of them all the time — throw in all the regular old television channels, too, and that's every TV fan's current, ongoing, never-ending dilemma. We all have gaps in our viewing as a result. And while it seems like every television program that's ever hit airwaves or the internet is always available all of the time, even the list of shows that you can watch in Australia has gaps, because we don't necessarily get access to everything the moment it lands overseas. With all of that in mind, it's been impossible to watch everything new that's hit the small screen Down Under over the past year — but summer is a great time for catching up. Here are 12 standout series that mightn't have made their way to your streaming queues yet, but you should make a date with as soon as you can. And if you've seen them already, summer is also the perfect time for a rewatch. THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS Here's a great way to know whether a new TV comedy is worth watching: check whether Mindy Kaling is involved. After stealing every scene she could in The Office, then turning The Mindy Project into a smart, funny and adorable rom-com sitcom made with oh-so-much love for the genre, she just keeps adding new shows to her resume as a co-creator, writer and producer. The Sex Lives of College Girls is the latest, and quickly thrives thanks to the kind of savvy, authentic, honest and highly amusing writing that's always been a hallmark of Kaling's work. If you didn't know she was behind it going in, you'd easily guess. It also sports an immensely descriptive title, following four college freshmen — strangers to each other, but now roommates — as they navigate the move from high school to the fictional Essex College in Vermont. Because three movies currently in cinemas starring a member of Chalamet family just isn't enough (aka Dune, The French Dispatch and Don't Look Up), The Sex Lives of College Girls features his Timothée's sister Pauline (The King of Staten Island). She plays Kimberly Finkle, who heads to Essex as valedictorian of her small-town school, is more excited about the classes than the parties, but still wants to have the full college experience. And, she's thrilled to find herself rooming with aspiring comedy writer Bela Malhotra (Amrit Kaur, The D Cut), star soccer player Whitney Chase (first-timer Alyah Chanelle Scott) and the wealthy Leighton Murray (theatre star Reneé Rapp) — even if the latter in particular doesn't initially return the enthusiasm. The quartet's exploits from there navigate all the usual kinds of relatable college antics, but do so with a warm-hearted vibe, a great cast, insightful humour, and a shrewd focus on friendships and figuring out who you want to be. The first season of The Sex Lives of College Girls is available to stream via Binge. THE PURSUIT OF LOVE Bolters and stickers. They're the two labels given to women in The Pursuit of Love, a lavish, effervescent and also impeccably shrewd new three-part miniseries adaptation of Nancy Milford's 1945 novel of the same name. Befitting its source material's timing, the storyline leads into the Second World War, all as chalk-and-cheese cousins Linda Radlett (Lily James, The Dig) and Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) grow from teens into women — and the former, the impulsive and passionate daughter of a Lord (Dominic West, Stateless) who doesn't believe in educating girls and hates foreigners, chases romance at all costs. Fanny narrates the story, detailing Linda's ups and downs alongside her own. Her own mother (Emily Mortimer, Relic) is purely known as "the Bolter", having left Fanny with her sister (Annabel Mullion, Patrick Melrose) as she too sought love again and again. It's a label that Linda despises when it's applied to her, though. Whether having her eyes opened to the world by her bohemian neighbour (Andrew Scott, His Dark Materials), falling for the first arrogant boy (Freddie Fox, Fanny Lye Deliver'd) she spends any real time with, or later crossing paths with a motivated Communist (James Frecheville, The Dry) and a French duke (Assaad Bouab, Call My Agent!), she does keep leaping forward, however. In contrast, Fanny literally bumps into Oxford academic (Shazad Latif, Profile) and settles into domestic bliss, all while worrying about her cousin. Mortimer also makes her directorial debut with this swiftly engaging look at well-to-do lives, and unpacking of the way women are perceived — and it's the latter, the vivid staging and cinematography, and the vibrant performances that make this a must-see. The Pursuit of Love is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. CALLS Everyone has heard about the response that The War of the Worlds reportedly sparked back in 1938. That's when Orson Welles adapted HG Wells' novel into a radio play, and the result was so convincing that it reportedly incited panic among listeners. Watching Calls, it's easy to understand how. 'Watching' isn't exactly the right term for this mystery series, though. Like all those folks glued to their radios 83 years ago, Calls' audience is forced to listen intently. Indeed, in terms of visuals, the series only provides two types: words transcribing the conversations heard, and abstract visuals that move and shift with each sentence uttered and every suspenseful pause left lingering. Accordingly, focusing on the snippets of phone chats that tell the program's stories is what Calls is all about. Remaking the French show of the same name, and directed by Evil Dead and Don't Breathe's Fede Álvarez, something much more than a small-screen version of a story-fuelled podcast eventuates. A starry cast voices the chats — including everyone from Parks and Recreation duo Aubrey Plaza and Ben Schwartz to Wonder Woman 1984's Pedro Pascal and Zola's Riley Keough — but it's the tension and power of their words that leaves an impression. Each of the nine episodes tells a short story that eventually builds an overall picture, and getting caught up in them all is far easier than the underlying concept might initially make you think. Calls is available to stream via Apple TV+. THIS WAY UP In Britain, This Way Up didn't drop both of its seasons in the same year; however, that's how it panned out for Australian viewers. And, that's a great thing — not only because this smartly written, astute, insightful and delightfully acerbic series about London-based Irish siblings Áine (Aisling Bea, Living With Yourself) and Shona (Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe) keeps viewers hooked episode after episode, but because binging your way through it immerses you wholeheartedly in their chaotic lives and headspace. As the first season establishes, English teacher Áine is riding the ups and downs of a mental health journey that saw her spend some time receiving in-patient treatment, and has left Shona, the high-powered overachiever of the pair, perennially worried. Even as COVID-19 approaches and begins to affect their lives in the second season, that dynamic is still in place. But Áine is now embarking upon a relationship with Richard (Tobias Menzies, The Crown), the father of a French boy (Dorian Grover, The White Princess) she tutors, all while trying to hide it from her bosses and said kid. Shona is the least-fussed bride-to-be there is as she prepares to get married to her long-term boyfriend and ex-colleague Vish (Aasif Mandvi, Evil), and also navigates more than a little awkwardness with her friend and new business partner Charlotte (Indira Varma, Official Secrets). The heart of this series is the push and pull between this sisters, and how they try to weather everything that life throws their way — and it remains firmly intact across its full run so far. The first and second seasons of This Way Up are available to stream via Stan. THE NORTH WATER When ex-army surgeon Patrick Sumner (Jack O'Connell, Seberg) secures a gig on a whaling expedition to the Arctic working as the ship's doctor, he's clearly running from something. His new colleagues are instantly suspicious of his story, bloodthirsty harpooner Henry Drax (Colin Farrell, Voyagers) among them — although Captain Brownlee (Stephen Graham, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) and whaling company owner Baxter (Tom Courtenay, Summerland) are mostly just happy for his cheap services. That's the setup for The North Water, the 19th-century-set, five-part miniseries that takes to the seas, to the cold and to a brutal world, and proves grimly mesmerising with its Moby Dick-meets-Heart of Darkness vibes. Charting a survivalist tale not just of the physical kind amid all that unforgiving ice (and on those treacherous waters), but also of the emotional and mental variety as well, this is one of the most relentlessly intense shows to hit screens in 2021 — and it's also gripping from start to finish. The first episode sets the scene in a slow-burn fashion, culminating in sights so searing they're impossible to forget — and the story, as well as the vast chasm between Sumner and Drax, only grows from there. Writer/director Andrew Haigh adapts Ian McGuire's novel of the same name, but this series has the Weekend, 45 Years and Lean on Pete filmmaker's stamp all over it. He finds as much empathy here as he has throughout his stellar big-screen projects, and once again demonstrates his extraordinary eye for detail, exceptional sense of place and winning way with actors. With the latter, having O'Connell and Farrell lead the charge obviously helps. They're not only reliably phenomenal; they each put in some of their best-ever work, and their performances seethe with complexity. So does the entire miniseries, which is never willing to pose easy answers or provide straightforward interpretations when ruminating over the minutiae is much more riveting, fascinating and realistic. The North Water is available to stream via Binge. PHYSICAL On a typical early-80s day, San Diego housewife Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne, Irresistible) will make breakfast for her professor husband Danny (Rory Scovel, I Feel Pretty), take their daughter to school, then run errands. She'll also buy three fast food meals, book into a motel, eat them all naked, then purge. Physical can be bleak — about the pain festering inside its bitterly unhappy protagonist, her constantly fraying mental health, the smile she's forced to plaster across her face as she soldiers on, and her excoriating options of herself — but it also finds a rich vein of dark comedy in Sheila's efforts to change her life through aerobics. Add the series to the list of 80s-set shows about women getting sick of being cast aside, breaking free of their societally enforced roles and jumping into something active. GLOW did it. On Becoming a God in Central Florida did, too. And now those two excellent series have a kindred spirit in this sharp, compelling and often brutally candid show. Byrne is a force to be reckoned with here, in one of her best performances in some time (and a reminder that in everything from Heartbreak High to Damages and Mrs America, she's always done well on TV). Also entrancing, engaging and difficult to forget: Physical's desperate-but-determined tone, and the way it seethes with tension beneath the spandex, sequins and sunny beach shots. The first season of Physical is available to stream via Apple TV+. MADE FOR LOVE When author Alissa Nutting penned Made for Love, no one needed to think too hard about her source of inspiration. Now bringing its tale to the small screen courtesy of the series of the same name, her story ponders one of the possible next steps in our technology-saturated lives. Hazel Green-Gogol (Cristin Milioti, Palm Springs) seems to live a lavishly and happily with her tech billionaire husband Byron (Billy Magnussen, No Time to Die). They haven't left his company's desert campus in the entire ten years they've been married, in fact. The site is designed to cater for their every desire and whim, so they shouldn't need to go anywhere else — or that's how Byron views things, at least. Then his next big idea looks set to become a reality, and Hazel decides that she can't keep up the charade. She certainly doesn't want to be implanted with a chip that'll allow Byron to see through her eyes, access her feelings and always know where she is, and she's willing to take drastic actions to escape his hold over her life. Bringing the plot to the screen herself, Nutting favours a darkly comedic and sharply satirical vibe as she follows Hazel's quest for freedom, with Made for Love filled with blisteringly accurate insights into the tech-dependence that's become a regular part of 21st century existence. That said, the series wouldn't be the gem it is without Milioti, as well as Ray Romano (The Irishman) in a scene-stealing supporting part as Hazel's father. The first season of Made for Love is available to stream via Stan. THE VIRTUES Director and screenwriter Shane Meadows has a fantastic track record, spanning everything from Dead Man's Shoes to This Is England — as well as the multiple TV shows inspired by the latter. Fellow screenwriter Jack Thorne is no stranger to working with Meadows, also thanks to the This Is England franchise; however his individual resume includes Dirt Music, Radioactive, The Secret Garden, Enola Holmes, The Eddy and His Dark Materials over just the past couple of years. So, the pair's involvement in The Virtues immediately marks it as a miniseries to watch. So does its star Stephen Graham, yet another veteran of This Is England. Here, all three combine for a four-part drama that's bleak, raw, frank and devastating — and, once you've started watching, it's also impossible to tear your eyes away from until the credits roll on the final episode. After it finishes, it's downright impossible to forget, in fact, a claim that can't be made of most television shows. Graham plays Joseph, a labourer who's barely getting by. When his ex-partner and his young son move to Australia, he hits the bottle, has a big night, and wakes up certain that he has to head back to Ireland and confront his troubled past. So starts an emotional journey that's never easy — not for a single second — but is also never anything less than astounding. The Virtues is available to stream via Stan. INVINCIBLE If you've ever shopped for a specific item on Amazon and found multiple similar versions of the same thing, then you already know what it can be like to dive into Amazon Prime Video's streaming catalogue. Many of its new additions instantly bring other shows in its catalogue to mind by sharing and mimicking elements, and Invincible follows that trend. At first, it'll have you thinking about The Boys. Next, you'll start recalling Undone. Those two series mightn't seem like a natural fit, but the combination of superheroes and existential malaise works well here. Animated like the latter, but willing to get bleak and dark with caped crusaders as the former does repeatedly, Invincible focuses on Mark Grayson (voiced by newly minted Oscar nominee Steven Yeun, Minari). The 17-year-old son of the well-known Omni-Man (J Simmons, Palm Springs), he's been waiting for his own powers to kick in — and, when they do, he's forced to grapple with exactly what that means. Among the star-studded cast, Sandra Oh (The Chair), Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Mahershala Ali (Green Book) all lend their vocal tones. Off-screen, The Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman is responsible for not only doing the same with the Invincible comic book, but with the series. What lingers most here is the mood, though, with the show at its best when it's getting contemplative and introspective with its teen protagonist. The first season of Invincible is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. LOS ESPOOKYS It has taken almost two years for the delight that is Los Espookys to reach Australian screens — and it'll take you less than three hours to binge its six-episode first season. This HBO comedy is both worth the wait and worth devouring as quickly as possible, though. The setup: horror aficionado Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco, Museo) wants to turn his obsession into his profession, so he starts staging eerie scenarios for paying customers, enlisting his best friend Andrés (Julio Torres, Shrill), pal Úrsula (Cassandra Ciangherotti, Ready to Mingle) and the latter's sister Tati (Ana Fabrega, At Home with Amy Sedaris) to help. Torres and Fabrega co-created the show with Portlandia and Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen, who also pops up as Renaldo's parking valet uncle. This mostly Spanish-language series only uses its biggest name sparingly, however, because its key cast members own every moment. Following the titular group's exploits as they attempt to ply their trade, and to weave it into their otherwise chaotic lives, Los Espookys always manages to be both sidesplittingly hilarious and so meticulous in its horror references that it's almost uncanny. There's nothing on-screen quite like it and, thankfully, it has already been renewed for a second season. The first season of Los Espookys is available to stream via Binge. MR MAYOR Here are five of the most glorious words you're ever likely to read: Ted Danson plays the mayor. The sitcom stalwart (see also: Cheers, Becker, Bored to Death and Curb Your Enthusiasm) has hopped from The Good Place into Mr Mayor, actually, and into the latest TV comedy created and/or produced by Tina Fey. Fans of the latter's other shows — 30 Rock, obviously, and also Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Girls5Eva — will know the sense of humour her series tend to work with, and it's a fabulous match for Danson. So too is Mr Mayor's setup, which sees a wealthy, clueless but amiable businessman decide he can improve a post-COVID-19 Los Angeles, and get elected. Firmly a workplace comedy, the series chronicles the ups and downs in the mayor's office as Danson's Neil Bremer tries to do a job he clearly isn't qualified for. Naturally, with the arrogance of a rich, white and otherwise successful man of a certain age, he believes otherwise. Mr Mayor is firmly an ensemble comedy as well, however, and both Holly Hunter (Succession) and Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) are comedic gems as Bremer's over-enthusiastic deputy mayor and bumbling communications director, respectively. The series is a tad less successful when it endeavours to be a family comedy, too, bringing the mayor's teenage daughter Orly (Kyla Kenedy, Speechless) into the mix. But when its gags land — and whenever Danson and Hunter share the screen, which is often — it's smart, hilarious and all-too-easy to binge. The first season of Mr Mayor is available to stream via 9Now. SPREADSHEET When Katherine Parkinson starred in The IT Crowd 15 years ago, she played a woman trying to exude a cool, calm and collected air, but constantly finding her life — and her new job in IT — hindering that aim. In Spreadsheet, her new sitcom role, Parkinson's latest character isn't attempting the same feat. Instead, freshly divorced Melbourne-based lawyer and mother-of-two Lauren has has accepted that her existence is now messy; however, having a spreadsheet to keep track of her revamped love life is meant to help. Embracing being single, and all the opportunities for casual hookups that apps now bring, she isn't looking for a relationship. She even has her colleague Alex (Rowan Witt, Adore) helping to maintain her fast-growing database of sexual options. But this clearly wouldn't be a comedy if her new status quo turned out smoothly and stress-free. As this new Australian sitcom knows and keenly relies upon, there's a breeziness to Parkinson's comic performances that hits both humorous and relatable notes. Indeed, the British actor is the key reason that Spreadsheet's eight-episode first season is so incredibly easy to binge. Whether Lauren is being introduced in the throes of pleasure in the car park outside the Palais Theatre, is getting intimate in a snake dungeon or sports an eye patch after a run-in with a cuckoo clock, Parkinson is a comedic whirlwind. In a series that approaches its 'sex in the suburbs' setup with smarts and insights, too, she's also surrounded by an impressive local cast that includes Witt, Stephen Curry (June Again), Katrina Milosevic (Wentworth) and Zahra Newman (Long Story Short). The first season of Spreadsheet is available to stream via Paramount+.
