He's a hip-hop and fashion trailblazer. His latest album Chromakopia dropped in 2024. He's also heading to Australia again in 2025. That'd be Tyler, The Creator — and he's coming with friends, with the genre-bending rapper boasting Lil Yachty and Paris Texas in support. Tyler, The Creator last headed this way on a headline tour in 2022, and played Splendour in the Grass as well. On his latest trip, he has a two-night date with Brisbane, playing Brisbane Entertainment Centre across Saturday, August 30–Sunday, August 31. Luis 'Panch' PerezThe Chromakopia tour follows his 2024 Coachella headlining set, on a bill that also included Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat, No Doubt and plenty more. Before 2022 — which marked Tyler's first set of headline shows down under in over eight years — the last time that the star graced Australian shores was for a series of festival appearances over New Years 2020–21, hitting up the likes of Beyond the Valley and Field Day. [caption id="attachment_823369" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Demxx via Flickr[/caption] Top images: Raph_PH via Flickr.
It's not every day you get to hang out with a Hollywood A-lister and step into a fully immersive experience that's as close to the Land of Oz as you'll ever likely encounter. Yet that's precisely what's going down just outside Los Angeles, as Airbnb celebrates the release of Wicked: For Good with the launch of Elphaba's Retreat. Made for Wicked fanatics, this one-of-a-kind experience and overnight stay is worth the international adventure alone. Taking place on Wednesday, December 3, superstar Cynthia Erivo — aka Elphaba in the films — is inviting 20 guests to discover Elphaba's Retreat through a three-hour experience. Stepping into a picture-perfect refuge, those selected will have the chance to hang out with the Grammy, Emmy, Tony-winning and three-time Academy Award nominee that goes far beyond a simple meet-and-greet. On the day, you'll sip tea by the fireside with Cynthia, while a sommelier serves a special blend steeped in forest flora. Then, guests undertake a guided exploration, revealing easter eggs and authentic artifacts from the movies before taking part in a multi-sensory sing-along that brings the Ozian Forest to life. Finally, there's still time for a creative workshop where you'll weave your own witch's broom from willow, moss, poppies and more. Yet this fantastical adventure gets even better for a lucky guest and their plus-one who experience Elphaba's Retreat through an overnight stay. With the witch heading out of town for the night on Saturday, December 6, this whimsical accom filled with whispers will serve as a peaceful after-dark hideaway. Throughout the night, guests can expect a quiet meal and an enchanting evening of non-stop stargazing. Ready to change for good? Guests can now request to book the experience with Cynthia Erivo on the Airbnb website for free, with submissions closing at 2am AEST on Thursday, November 14. At the same time, guests can request to book the overnight stay — you'll have until 2am AEST on Friday, November 21, to submit. Designed as the ultimate Wicked experience, there's no better way to get immersed in Elphaba's world. "Elphaba taught me that our differences are what makes us powerful," says Cynthia Erivo. "Her story transformed me, and I can't wait to share that journey with you." Submissions for the Airbnb Wicked: For Good experience close at 2am AEST on Thursday, November 14, while booking requests for the overnight stay remain open until 2am AEST on Friday, November 21. Head to the website for more information.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next escape. In this instalment, we go to The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania, where you'll encounter hundreds of artworks adorning the walls, views of the harbour and boutique interiors with exposed timber beams and walls of hand-cut stone that nod to the building's former life as a waterfront jam factory. Stay here as part of one of our curated itineraries on Concrete Playground Trips that includes a four-nights stay with daily breakfast included, scenic flights for two over Wineglass Bay, and Posh Pit tickets to MONA. Book it now. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Located in the Hunter Street precinct, this building is one of the oldest waterfront warehouses in Hobart named for the one-time building owner who started working in the former jam factory as a 12-year-old kid, working his way up the ranks until he eventually took over the business and ultimately made the jam trade his bitch. While art hotels are no longer new-news, the Henry Jones does has the claim to fame as Australia's first dedicated art hotel and the extensive collection of works and ongoing artist in residence program upholds its place as a leader within the onslaught of art-devoted stays that has followed. There are some 400 artworks throughout the property with a strong representation of emerging Tasmanian artists. Stroll the hallways, guest rooms, drinking and dinings options and public spaces, including The Packing Room Gallery, which hosts a roster of themed exhibitions. THE ROOMS At the Henry Jones Art Hotel no two rooms are the same. Organic materials, tones and polished timber meets rich accents of primary colours and thoughtfully curated decor in each of the hotel's lodgings. In many rooms, large harbour-facing windows let in natural light to show off sleek contemporary design elements amid the building's original features. Like much of Hobart, it's a collision of old and new influences. As for the details: luxurious bedding, original artworks and beautifully-appointed modern bathrooms complete with ample fluffy white towels. There's also the requisite free wifi and in-room coffee machine, and in some rooms you'll find an ultra-deep Kohler bath tub for soaking between strolls and sampling the sensational local dining scene. FOOD AND DRINK Speaking of dining, the in-house offering is a step above your usual hotel lobby bar. There's the IXL Long Bar, for innovative cocktails and snacks. At the front of the hotel is the Landscape Restaurant and Grill with a menu by Head Chef Nathaniel Embrey designed around the Asado grill and inspired by the region's exceptional local produce and artworks of legendary landscape artist John Glover that surrounds diners. Then there's the hero of the lineup: Peacock & Jones. Culinary Curator Ben Milbourne (chef and former Masterchef Australia contestant) and Head Chef Julian Volkmer (MONA) have crafted a menu that celebrates the very best of seasonal Tasmanian produce from sea urchin to truffles. And, of course, the drinks program showcases a carefully considered selection of Tasmanian wines, whiskies and spirits. [caption id="attachment_869996" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maria Island[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA It's no secret that we are serious devotees to all that Tasmania's got on offer. Here's a quick guide to some of our Hobart favourites, and a more comprehensive exploration of all the flavours of Tassie can be found here. Head to The Henry Jones Art Hotel website to book a stay or, if you'd rather we sort your itinerary for you, book our curated Bucket-List Hobart Getaway here.
UPDATE, February 1, 2021: Hail Satan? is available to stream via DocPlay, Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. Between Australia's last election, the ongoing mess over Brexit and the trashfire that is the American political landscape, conflict thrives in today's society. Perhaps satanism is the answer? Such a solution is guaranteed to polarise, especially at a time when right-wing Aussie factions are trying to excuse homophobia as an expression of religious beliefs, and when conservative US groups are using their faith as a reason to eradicate women's reproductive rights. But, as the thoroughly engaging and informative documentary Hail Satan? explains, challenging and tearing down outdated attitudes like these is The Satanic Temple's main aim. Partial to a title with punctuation, as her 2016 doco Nuts! demonstrated, filmmaker Penny Lane astutely places a question mark at the end of Hail Satan?. By the conclusion of her latest seemingly gimmick-driven movie, you can be forgiven for wondering if you actually agree with the two-word phrase — or, at least, with the people seen uttering it. Lane takes her attention-grabbing subject, sheds the demonic stereotypes and cartoonish uproar, and examines the reality of worshipping at The Satanic Temple's altar. Founded in 2013 as a headline-seeking means of calling out the legislated introduction of Christian prayer in Florida schools, the Salem-headquartered organisation agitates for true religious freedom, and takes its social activism seriously. Sure, members sometimes wear goat horns and don fetish outfits, and plenty call themselves heavy metal fans, however it's the quest to keep all churches away from matters of state that really lights their fires. Lane is never seen on-screen, but her jauntily spliced-together film shares the wry smile that must've been plastered across her face as she was making it — the grin of someone aware that she's not only unpacking a fantastic, thought-provoking area, but a topical and provocative one that makes a meaty statement about the modern world. Seen in talking-head interviews and on-the-ground footage, The Satanic Temple's co-founder and spokesman Lucien Greaves sports the same look and certainty about his cause, with an extra glint of mischief. Given his organisation's many stunts, his expression is understandable. "Performing a "pink mass" designed to turn the dead mother of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps into a lesbian — a response to the hate-mongering church's plans to picket the funerals of Boston marathon bombing victims — is just one of the Temple's high-profile exploits. The After School Satan project, an alternative to Christian-based class activities, is another. And then there's the passionate fight to counter statues of the Ten Commandments placed outside of government buildings by applying to erect satanic monuments next to them. While there's no doubting where Hail Satan?'s sympathies reside (even with its purposeful question mark), the film builds its case in a clever and witty manner. Simply showing what The Satanic Temple stands for, and insightfully exploring how it uses Satan as a subversive symbol against government-mandated theology, conveys much of the documentary's point. It doesn't escape attention that the group's outreach and protest actions, and crusade against religious doctrine triumphing over justice and intelligence would receive emphatic support if they were performed by a less divisive body. Or, that they'd likely be championed for their pursuit of equality and freedom on all grounds, too. Of course, that's one of the movie's incisive messages. If the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions, these occultists heartily embrace both parts of that phrase. Life battling injustice with brimstone isn't all a bed of roses, which Hail Satan? doesn't overlook. As The Satanic Temple has expanded, reaching 50,000 members worldwide in its first three years, controversy and squabbles have followed. Displaying the playful tone that makes the film such an enjoyable watch, the doco doesn't avoid its counterpart's own internal turmoil either — rightfully contending that the Catholic Church's continuing and widespread sexual abuse scandal eclipses any troubles linked with contemporary satanism. That's the type of faith-based corruption and hypocrisy this anti-Christ outfit is attempting to combat. If you like that satanist brand of activism, rebellion, openness and inclusion, then Hail Satan? will sweep you over with the right kind of satanic panic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amB2Ol6wihg
On your next getaway in southeast Queensland, head up in the world, then stay there. Located 45 minutes out of the Gold Coast in the Scenic Rim region — which Lonely Planet named one of the best places in the world to visit in 2022 — Tamborine Mountain is the area's lofty tree-change go-to. From December 2024, the scenic site will also be home to a new boutique motel. The latest accommodation option from the team behind Cassis Red Hill in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, The Tamborine boasts 23 rooms in its 80s-style abode, which takes its design cues from haciendas. When you're getting cosy, you'll be doing so in king-sized beds — and with mountain views no matter which room you're in, including from either a private balcony or a terrace. If you're keen for a splash as well, there's a heated mineral pool and spa. The Tamborine will also include a lounge and bar area, where complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning, hosted aperitifs are on the menu each afternoon, and drinks and bar snacks can be ordered to enjoy poolside. The drinks focus: locally sourced sips. But if you're eager to use the motel as a base to explore the rest of the mountain, the crew here understand — and have a curated array of experiences beyond the site's doors to suggest. "Whether it be immersing oneself in nature, enjoying a tipple at one of the many and emerging microbreweries and distilleries, or exploring the artisan wares the mountain is famous for, The Tamborine will be the perfect escape for our guests. We want guests leaving feeling enriched and connected, and eager to return," advised co-owner Nina Aberdeen. "We are beyond excited to open the doors to The Tamborine and share this special place with our guests. The hotel is designed to offer a seamless connection between our guests, our hosts, the natural surrounds and the local community," added co-owner Gina McNamara. "Every detail has been crafted to ensure that when guests arrive, they feel a deep sense of relaxation and belonging. We can't wait to see them experience the stunning views, unwind by the pool and explore everything the Scenic Rim has to offer." Find The Tamborine at 99 Alpine Terrace, Tamborine Mountain, Queensland, from early December 2024. Head to the motel's website for bookings and further details.
Do you have hoop dreams? Do you fantasise about dribbling, dunking and just dominating the basketball court in general? If you think you could be the next Shaq, Kobe or Lebron — or just want to have fun pretending — then bust out your Air Jordans and head to King George Square on June 10 and 11. That's when Bring Your Game Brisbane takes over the CBD's central outdoor space for two sessions of b-ball action. And if you're wondering just what has inspired this sporting extravaganza, well, there's a mighty good reason. Brisbane is about to boast Queensland's first House of Hoops by Foot Locker store, and Nike and Foot Locker have joined forces to celebrate. Everyone from amateurs to suburban superstars are welcome, with some of Australia's basketball greats due to show up to strut their stuff as well. As far as we're concerned, other than watching real pros in action, it's the best basketball event to come to Brisbane since Space Jam was spotted playing on a TV screen in one of the city's favourite dive bars.
For more than a decade, hiring a bike in Brisbane meant hopping on a yellow-hued City Cycle, with the golden bicycles easy to spot all throughout the CBD. But that's changing from Thursday, July 22, with Brissie's new e-mobility tenders kicking in. Brisbanites, get ready to cruise around town on purple and orange vehicles — and do to a little less pedalling. As first announced back in June, two new companies will unleash their own fleets as part of the tenders, including Beam Mobility. Beam is the latest e-mobility company to set up shop in Brissie, and it's bringing both e-bikes and e-scooters with it. When its fleet starts rolling out this week, it'll include 400 e-bikes and 1000 e-scooters, all with a few features that'll be new to Brisbane. Firstly, while e-bike and e-scooter services are typically dockless, meaning that you can finish your ride wherever you like and just leave your vehicle there, Beam offers designated parking spots. It calls the scheme 'virtual docking', with customers parking the bikes and scooters in predetermined places located by using the company's app. The aim is to solve a familiar problem. As anyone who has stumbled across an e-bike or e-scooter in an inconvenient location knows, these modes of transport can be left everywhere from roadways to the middle of footpaths. Beam users don't have to park the service's vehicles in its allocated spaces, but it is strongly encouraged — including via a $2 credit for doing the right thing. When it comes to that other item that's often spotted in weird and awkward places, aka bike helmets, Beam uses bluetooth to lock them down. And, to deal with errant bikes and helmets, it has a team of rangers who are tasked with collecting them. Beam's Brisbane e-scooter fleet will also be its first with light indicators, so riders can signal to their fellow road and footpath users. The company is also premiering a new 'glide' feature across both its e-scooters and e-bikes, that waives the unlock fee if you take two journeys within 30 minutes. If you're keen to hit the road, Beam will be operating in inner-city Brissie and its surrounding suburbs, so expect to see its vehicles in Fortitude Valley, Bowen Hills, Teneriffe, New Farm, South Bank and St Lucia. They're geofenced to the area, but that still gives you 49 square kilometres of the city to explore via its purple-toned vehicles. And, the company is offering the first 20 minutes of every ride for free for new users, with a $1 unlock fee and a 45-cent per minute rate afterwards. Beam already operates scooters in Adelaide and Canberra, in Bunbury in Western Australia, and in New Zealand, South Korea and Malaysia as well — and its Apollo e-bikes made their worldwide debut in Sydney in 2020. It will join Neuron Mobility on Brisbane's streets, with the latter expanding its existing operations by increasing its e-scooter fleet and launching its own e-bike service. The two companies were awarded new tenders for both e-bikes and e-scooters by Brisbane City Council, with 800 electric bicycles and 2000 electric scooters set to start zooming around town. That means you'll be seeing purple and orange-coloured vehicles aplenty on the city's streets — but no lime. As part of the new contracts, Lime's existing e-scooters will no longer operate in Brisbane. Beam's e-bikes and e-scooters will start popping up Brisbane's inner city and surrounding suburbs from Thursday, July 22. For more information, head to the company's website.
If you have an opinion about crying in baseball — if you're a big fan of baseball Down Under in general, actually — then you might have classic 1992 film A League of Their Own to thank. It starred Geena Davis, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell as members of a 1940s women's baseball team, with Tom Hanks playing their manager — and famously deciding that tears didn't have a part in the bat-swinging game. Like almost everything ever made, including from the 90s, that movie has now scored a remake — and it's sliding into your streaming queue this winter. This time around, Broad City's Abbi Jacobson leads the show, and also co-created and executive produced it. She's joined by Voyagers' Chanté Adams and The Good Place's D'Arcy Carden among her teammates, plus Parks and Recreation favourite Nick Offerman as well. The new A League of Their Own marks Jacobson's first ongoing on-screen TV role since Broad City said goodbye — and it'll follow the same story as its big-screen predecessor. So, when it hits Prime Video from August 12, it'll again jump back to World War II, and follow a group of women who dream of playing professional baseball. That said, the new series also promises to expand further, charting a whole generation of baseball-loving ladies with that dream — and looking at both race and sexuality on and off the field in the process. All eight episodes of A League of Their Own will drop on the same day, ready for binging. And, Prime Video has just released a sneak peek teaser trailer of exactly what's in store. Also appearing on-screen alongside Jacobson, Adams, Carden and Offerman: Gbemisola Ikumelo (The Power), Roberta Colindrez (Vida), Saidah Arrika Ekulona (Better Call Saul), Kate Berlant (Search Party), Kendall Johnson (Sexless), Kelly McCormack (George & Tammy), Alex Désert (Better Things), Priscilla Delgado (Julieta), Aaron Jennings (Grand Crew), Molly Ephraim (Perry Mason), Melanie Field (The Alienist) and Dale Dickey (Palm Springs). Check out the first teaser trailer for A League of Their Own below: A League of Their Own will start streaming via Prime Video on August 12.
We've all been disappointed by express post services at one time or another. But your own bureaucratic blip falls into perspective when you see Sameday Service or Sooner (2008), a life-size TARDIS flat-packed for shipping. The mobility of the Doctor Who police box, capable of travelling anywhere in time and space, has been absurdly inverted upon contact with our current best method of conveyance. Like so much of the work of Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, it makes you laugh, then it makes you think, and then it makes your brain hurt a little. This is the first major museum survey of the two Sydney-based artists, who have developed a rich catalogue of work since starting their collaboration in 2001, while fresh out of art school. It's one room that captures their probing spirit and insists on the relevance of contemporary art to our everyday lives. You don't need to have written or even read a thesis on conceptual art to relate to their playful works, which commonly use found objects that have iconic status in ways that render the items foreign, ridiculous, or redundant. Typical is Future Remnant (2011), an arrangement of IKEA furniture assembled beneath the bones of a replica dinosaur fossil. The colourful tower is suggestive of our culture of disposability and impermanence as well as of the potentially bizarre archaeological legacy we will leave for someone to one day dig up. The idea of archaeologising the present, and so viewing it from a distant perspective, recurs in Healy and Cordeiro's work, starting with their very first, Cordial Home Project (2003), which took apart a whole suburban house and rearranged it into layers of like materials reminiscent of geological strata. The looming family home, it turns out, is surprisingly small. IKEA is a constant source of inspiration and materials here, but the duo's most impressive works are the large-scale installations that defy the allen key. Don't miss Stasis (2012), the new commission on the quayside lawn that points an orange aircraft at the MCA. This review was written about this exhibition's installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney in October-December 2012.
Filling your stomach with warm, toasty things to get you through the cold months is a tried and true method for surviving winter. We're talking veggie soup and ramen right through to hot chips and cheesy bowls of pasta. And not to mention booze — spirits like rum are often a good call for your cold bones, particularly they have a bit of wintry spice to it. As such, The Kraken Black Spiced Rum isn't too shabby a choice to liven things up and make you feel warm and cosy on your insides. At a recent Christmas in July event in Sydney, Kraken whipped out a a selection of dark wintry cocktails made to warm even the most cold-blooded, all made with its signature Black Spiced Rum. We learnt the tricks to some new fancy spiced rum cocktails that may just be our lifeblood until the sun comes around again — and we've nabbed the recipes. Here are four recipes to get you playing along at home. SPICED EGG FOGG A twist on the standard Christmas classic, this eggnog is much more appropriate for winter. Too often you've got the summer (and meat) sweats on Christmas Day, so this Egg Fogg might be the perfect way to warm up to Christmas in July — Kraken Black Spiced Rum provides the kick needed. Ingredients 700ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 24 egg yolks 12 egg whites 3 cups of sugar 2 litres of milk 2 litres of cream 1 tablespoons of orange marmalade 3 cloves 4 star anise 2 cinnamon quills 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon nutmeg Method Combine cream, milk, marmalade and all spices in large pot over heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl, slowly adding the rum bit by bit. When it's all mixed in, add the cream and milk mixture, then serve into rocks glasses. To finish, mix egg whites until they've formed soft peaks and top the eggnog mixture with the peaks. If you want to go the whole hog and just happen to have a kitchen blowtorch lying around, toast the tops of the peaks. Garnish with a star anise and serve (maybe while wearing a Christmas jumper). SUCKER PUNCH The Sucker Punch has more of a fruity vibe, with orange liqueur, lime juice and fresh pineapple on the go for one big hit of vitamin C. Along with The Kraken Black Spiced Rum, this one straddles that very important cocktail line of sweet vs sour, and will have you forgetting you're not on a tropical holiday. Ingredients 30ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 15ml of Italian bitter orange liqueur 15ml of fresh pressed lime juice 15ml of demerara sugar syrup or agave syrup 60ml of fresh pressed pineapple juice Method This one's simple: chuck all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass, or any cocktail glass that makes you feel fancy. SEA SPECTOR The Sea Spector is one of those 'the simpler the better' cocktails, with just three ingredients and a lemon peel garnish. Using falernum — a Caribbean syrup made of sugar cane syrup, lime, almond and cloves — the Sea Spector is a bit of a taste of the ocean (just without all the salt). Ingredients 30ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 10ml of falernum syrup 3 dashes Creole bitters 1 swathe of lemon peel Method Stir all ingredients over ice in a glass then strain straight over ice into a frosty rocks glass fresh from the freezer. Pop the lemon peel in and wham, bam, thank you ma'am you've a pretty civilised cocktail on your hands. KRAKEN ESPRESSO MARTINI Of course, no cocktail menu is complete without the requisite espresso martini — and this one's a corker. Give yourself a treat in the form of a rum cocktail that will also wake you up and have you raring for the rest of the night with the coffee, chocolate bitters in a glass rimmed with coffee beans and salt. Ingredients 30ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 15ml of coffee liqueur 60ml of espresso coffee 15ml of agave syrup 2 dashes chocolate bitters A mix of smashed coffee beans and salt Method Grab a coupette glass, wet the rim, and coat with a mix of smashed coffee beans and salt. Combine all ingredients and shake with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into the glass, sip through the caffeinated rim and enjoy that sweet, sweet kick.
Listen up: Listen Out is back for its 11th year and it isn't slouching on the lineup front. The bill for the touring festival boasts 21 Savage, Skepta and Flo Milli among its hip hop and R&B names. On the electronic side, John Summit and Sub Focus feature. Yes, the list goes on from there. Fans of 21 Savage and Flo Milli — and of Teezo Touchdown, Jessie Reyez and Jazzy, too — should be especially excited. When they each take to Listen Out's stages at Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, October 5, they'll be hitting the country for the first time. Among their company, Lil Tjay, Lithe, Folamour, The Blessed Madonna, Cassian and Disco Lines are just some of the fellow acts that'll have festivalgoers dancing. 2023's fest was Listen Out's most successful in terms of ticket sales ever, and the crew behind it are hoping to continue that trajectory. Something that might help: turning the fest into a 16-plus event, age-wise, which is a first for 2024. As the roster of names on the lineup demonstrates, the festival's focus is staying true to its niche, filling its stages on electronic and hip hop artists — both international and local talents, too. Listen Out 2024 Lineup: 21 Savage Skepta Lil Tjay Flo Milli Jessie Reyez Teezo Touchdown Lithe John Summit Sub Focus Folamour The Blessed Madonna Cassian Disco Lines Jazzy Koven Conducta A Little Sound Ben Gerrans AK Sports Foura B2B Tom Santa Miss Kaninna Djanaba Soju Gang Brisbane only: Trance Mums Jacob Tompkins Mikalah Watego Melanin Mami Top images: Jordan Munns and Sam Venn.
Nestled into a leafy pocket of Brisbane's western suburbs, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary already boasts the honour of being the world's first and largest koala sanctuary. It's a tourist destination and a favourite with locals, as well as a great place to cuddle a koala — including on Christmas Day if you're looking to for something other than the usual festive celebrations. From November, it'll become a new spot to see animals by night, too, with the Fig Tree Pocket venue announcing the addition of an nocturnal precinct. Opening on Wednesday, November 1, Lone Pine's latest reason to drop by will hero Australia's nocturnal wildlife and offer night-time experiences. The animal haven is gaining seven exhibit spaces, which will become home to ten species. On the list: tree kangaroos, potoroos and pademelons, plus bandicoots, bettongs and more. Half of the residents of the nocturnal precinct will be new species to Lone Pine, with patrons able to peer their way using portable thermal imaging cameras. The experience is designed around not disrupting the critters — so, no torches beamed their way. If you're keen, you'll be able to sign up for a tour that'll run for 90 minutes three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Each group will welcome 20 visitors. As well as the nocturnal precinct, Lone Pine is also gaining a new kilometre-long accessible boardwalk. Part of a $3.2-million project, the new additions further expand a venue where getting up close and personal with wildlife — not just by cuddling a koala, but also by holding an owl, touching snakes, and watching everything from kangaroos, wombats and echidnas to birds of prey, turtles and even Tasmanian devils — is on offer. "Australia has some of the world's most unique wildlife and being able to discover their natural behaviours after dark will be an experience like no other — it's a secret world some of our staff haven't even seen!" said Lone Pine General Manager Lyndon Discombe. "In addition to the night experience, we're very excited to offer our animals beautiful new exhibit spaces, perfectly reflecting their natural habitat. The new precinct is situated among our working eucalyptus plantation, so although you are only 12 kilometres from the CBD, it feels like you're in the middle of the Australian bush," Discombe continued. "Opened almost 100 years ago as a koala refuge, Lone Pine Sanctuary has an enduring reputation among overseas and Australian visitors as a Brisbane bucket list destination," added Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, with the state government contributing $1.2 million to the new additions. "Lone Pine's night-time precinct opens up an entirely new dimension in marsupial experiences for visitors to discover in one of Queensland's great tourism destinations." Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary's nocturnal precinct opens on Wednesday, November 1 at 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket, Brisbane. Head to the venue's website for more information and bookings.
When you've already announced Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay as one of your keynote speakers, what comes next? At the 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas, the conversation will flow from being a serial dissenter to the smartphone backlash, propaganda and censorship, giving kids the right to vote and taking on the one percent, then also cover tackling inequality, the myths surrounding women's health and humanity's need to find meaning through god-like figures. The full for the Sydney fest, which will take over Carriageworks for two days from Saturday, August 24–Sunday, August 25, is filled with exactly what an event dedicated to crucial and complex topics demands: a wide-ranging lineup of boundary-pushing talks where hopping from one session from the next means jumping between a vast array of subject matter. Under Festival Director Danielle Harvey, FODI has curated its 2024 roster around the theme of 'sanctuary'. Joining Gay among the 16 international guests presenting keynotes are US psychologist Jean Twenge, which is where diving into the impact of handheld devices comes in; journalist and writer Masha Gessen, who'll explore the ways that narratives about conflicts are controlled; and David Runciman to give the Christopher Hitchens Oration on the topic "votes for six-year-olds". Plus, Megan Phelps-Roper of Unfollow fame will team up with Andy Mills from The New York Times' The Daily and Rabbit Hole to dig into the impact of their podcast The Witch Trials of JK Rowling — and Jen Gunter has her sights set on the poor medical care women can be subjected to. Elsewhere, academic Saree Makdis will examine the west's response to the conflict in the Middle East, economists John N Friedman and Richard Holden will chat through ideas for increasing upward social mobility, The Next Frontier academic Todd Fernando will hone in on Indigenous excellence and The End of Race Politics' Coleman Hughes will be a guest on Josh Szeps' Uncomfortable Conversations. Attendees can also hear sustainability professor Jem Bendell step through how civilisation is already collapsing, philosopher David Benatar dive into the ethics of having children and comedian David Baddiel deliver the first John Caldon Provocation on how the need for god to give life substance disproves the deity's existence. The lineup goes on, whether you're keen for a session featuring Jordan van den Berg, aka renter advocate Purple Pingers, on why the one percent should be afraid — or chats about the new breed of world leaders, the price of democracy, public forgiveness, artificial and transplanted wombs, positive masculinity, peer pressure making us sick or individualism. If you can't attend or won't be in Sydney, some sessions will be livestreamed. For those heading along in person, perhaps you'd like to hear from Talk to Me's Danny Philippou about his favourite horror film and why we're all fascinated with fear, then crawl through a tape installation by Austrian and Croatian artists and designers Numen / For Use, then watch a jailbreak experiment by performance collective re:group, too? Yes, across what promises to be a busy weekend, they're all also on the program as well. Images: Jodie Barker, Ken Leanfore and Yaya Stempler.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are various interstate border restrictions in place. Up-to-date information on restrictions are available at your state's health websites (click through for NSW, Victoria and Queensland). Of course, even border closures don't mean you can't start dreaming — bookmark this for when you can explore freely once again. Australia's hugely diverse landscape means there's plenty of choice when it comes to finding an off-road experience, no matter how you like to get around. From twisting turns across the Australian Alps to tropical rainforest descents, epic all-terrain mountain biking adventures can be discovered in every corner of the country. When you're ready to hit the road, don't forget to pack the new Sonos Roam. Designed to withstand a rough-and-tumble lifestyle, this lightweight and portable smart speaker is drop-withstanding and waterproof, making it the perfect device to soundtrack your journey. [caption id="attachment_812642" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ain Raadik Photography[/caption] THE AUSTRALIAN ALPINE EPIC, VICTORIA When it comes to the Alpine Epic, everything you need to know is in the name. The first trail in the southern hemisphere to be designated, quite literally, 'epic' by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, this exhilarating cross-country trail begins from the lofty Mt Buller Alpine Village. From there, you'll pedal through 40 kilometres of incredible alpine terrain, including many of the region's most picturesque destinations. Passing through snowgum groves and wildflowers via Soul Revival, One Tree Hill and Gang Gangs on this challenging descent, the Australian Alpine Epic is suited to experienced riders, and takes around seven hours to complete. The trail is open from December to April. [caption id="attachment_818224" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ready Aim Media[/caption] OURIMBAH STATE FOREST, NSW Situated at the southern end of the Watagan Mountains, just west of Wyong, Ourimbah State Forest is a popular destination for outdoor adventure activities near the Central Coast. As well as stellar hiking and ziplining experiences through the treetops, mountain biking is high on the agenda for many visitors with a series of well-maintained downhill and cross-country trails suitable for both beginner and experienced riders. You'll find plenty of obstacles and jumps to test your skills, with many of the routes designed with progression in mind. Plus, a convenient shuttle bus ensures you get a break on the way back to the top of the mountain. [caption id="attachment_818229" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SMITHFIELD MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK, QUEENSLAND The dense, lush landscape of tropical north Queensland makes for the perfect destination when you're looking for some serious thrills. Featuring more than 60 kilometres of trails set deep within the rainforest, Smithfield Mountain Bike Park is considered one of the top all-terrain trail systems anywhere in the world. It hosted the 1996 and 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships — and it's also the oldest mountain bike park in Australia. You can bounce your way across craggy hillsides and fast-flowing streams as you ride through vine-covered jungle and jagged ridges overlooking the Great Barrier Reef. While experienced riders flock to Smithfield for its great selection of quick technical routes to test their skills, beginners will discover a series of spacious, smooth trails that skirt the lower edges of the park. [caption id="attachment_812640" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] ARTHURS SEAT PARK, VICTORIA Surrounding the 314-metre summit of Arthurs Seat State Park is a striking network of mountain biking trails that wind through the region's native bushland and rocky terrain. There are suitable off-road adventures for every experience level here, with 14 trails of varying difficulty. Beginners will prefer the well-connected Pink Line Trail, Slippery Gypsy Trail and East Link Trail with their low gradients and minimal obstacles. More accomplished riders can take on the highly technical Deadwoods Trail or the sharp drops of the Pins and Needles Trail. [caption id="attachment_812638" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] THREDBO MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK, NSW Alpine mountain biking doesn't get much better than what's on offer at the Thredbo Mountain Bike Park. The trails are open from November to May each year and offer an evolving network of cross-country adventures that ensure you can find a path to match your skillset. Featuring Australia's only chairlift-accessed gravity trails open throughout summer, Thredbo is a great place for riders with a bit of experience to test themselves on berms, rock drops and other technical obstacles. For those who'd prefer a more relaxing off-road experience, Easy Street and the Thredbo Valley Track offer a stellar combination of thrills and alpine scenery. Thredbo Mountain Bike Park also offers clinics for all ages and skill levels. [caption id="attachment_812641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] BIG HILL MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK, VICTORIA Situated atop the appropriately named Mount Beauty, Big Hill Mountain Bike Park is widely regarded as one of Australia's best mountain biking destinations. This labyrinth of downhill and cross-country trails spans more than 40 kilometres, with over 50 trails to choose from ranging in terrain and difficulty. Big Hill is home to the National Mountain Bike Championships, but there are a number of trails suited to less experienced riders including the Dart Spur Track and Sesame Street. With the charming town of Bright located within close proximity of this track, you can round out your outdoor adventures with a visit to the Bright Brewery or one of the many cafes in town. [caption id="attachment_818518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stromlo Forest Park[/caption] STROMLO FOREST PARK, ACT Stromlo Forest Park is the best place for mountain biking when you don't want to totally leave civilisation behind. Just a 15-minute drive from the centre of Canberra are over 40 kilometres of world-class trails that are suited to a wide range of riding abilities and age groups. Cemented in Australian mountain biking folklore thanks to its hosting numerous national championships and professional competitions, Stromlo Forest Park offers highly technical routes, including log rides and bridges, alongside easier trails with long, flowing descents. Stash away your lunch and Sonos for a relaxing post-ride picnic amongst the trees. [caption id="attachment_818267" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] NOOSA TRAIL NETWORK, QUEENSLAND Spanning a vast section of Queensland's rural landscape, the Noosa Trail Network encompasses eight distinct hinterland trails ideal for biking, hiking and horse riding. While these scenic journeys are slightly more focused on the incredible vistas that make up this part of the world, there are still plenty of challenges to be found. The 25-kilometre Kin Kin to Lake Macdonald Trail, for example, delves from wide-open countryside into the rainforest, while the Kin Kin Countryside Loop is a leisurely ride linking peaceful picnic spots with bird watching opportunities. Find out more about the new Sonos Roam at the official website. Top image: TBC
Last summer might only just be behind us, but it's never too early to start making plans for the next one — and for the festival fun that comes with it. Indeed, when the toasty weather returns at the end of 2022, it'll also herald another comeback, with music, art and food festival Spilt Milk locking in three events for this year. Originally only held in Canberra, then expanding to Ballarat, and now heading to Queensland as well — to the Gold Coast to be specific — the beloved event will return in November and December. First stop: its ACT home, of course, on Saturday, November 26 at Exhibition Park. It'll hit up regional Victoria next, on Saturday, December 3 at Victoria Park, before wrapping things up on Sunday, December 4 at Doug Jennings Park in the Sunshine State. The multi-city one-dayer has cemented its spot as a must-attend event for a heap of reasons — and tickets have sold out in under 30 minutes every year, including in a record nine minutes one year, to prove it. So, expect this to be one of the most anticipated returns of 2022, whoever is on the lineup. That bill won't be announced until Thursday, April 28; however, in the past, Spilt Milk has played host to Khalid, CHVRCHES, Juice Wrld, Channel Tres, BENEE, Lorde, Gang of Youth, Dom Dolla, Tones & I and more. This year, it's promising "a mega line-up with some of the most in-demand names on the scene". Start your guesses now, folks. Whoever tops the lineup — and whoever else helps fill the fest's stages — that musical roster will have impressive company, because the rest of the program always spans visual art, tasty eats and pop-up bars. Again, the details haven't yet been revealed, but it's worth blocking out your calendar now. SPILT MILK 2022 DATES: Saturday, November 26 — Exhibition Park, Canberra Saturday, December 3 — Victoria Park, Ballarat Sunday, December 4 — Doug Jennings Park, Gold Coast Spilt Milk will hit Canberra, Ballarat and the Gold Coast in November and December 2022. The full lineup will be announced on Thursday, April 28 — head back here then for further details — with pre-sale tickets go on sale from Tuesday, May 3 and general sales from Thursday, May 5. Head to the festival website for more info and to register for pre-sales. Images: Jordan Munns and Billy Zammit.
Over the past five years or so, Brisbane's hospitality scene has heartily embraced two trends: rooftop bars and craft breweries. Brisbanites like sipping their beverages with a sky-high view, it seems, and we also love getting our beers straight from the source. So, it was obviously only a matter of time until a new brewery set up shop on a rooftop. That brewery is Valley Hops Brewing, and it's set to start pouring its beers — and making them — on top of Cloudland sometime this spring. An exact opening date hasn't yet been announced, but you'll be able to head to the Ann Street venue's rooftop to have a few bevvies at Valley Hops' new bar by the time that summer hits. As its name makes plain, this brewery is all about its location. Patrons will drink brews named after people, places and moments in the Valley's history, all while looking out over the inner-city spot. "Valley Hops will be home to Fortitude Valley's very own beer, something the locals can drink and be proud to call their own," explains Head Brewer Josh Warren, who did his training in the Valley and joins from Green Beacon. "We created Valley Hops Brewing to celebrate the wonderful playground and entertainment precinct that is the Valley. We think it deserves its own beer," says Paul Janssen, Valley Hops' General Manager. Brews-wise, those Valley-made beers will span a core range of six signature tipples, including a light-bodied lager, a tropical ale, a fruity sour, a pale ale, an IPA and a Hazy IPA. And, you'll be able to pair them with brewhouse-style food, with woodfired pizzas and dishes from the charcoal grill set to feature heavily on the menu. The exact culinary lineup hasn't been revealed as yet, but it'll focus on bite-sized options that are designed to be eaten without cutlery. In terms of design, the Katarzyna Group — the team behind Cloudland — is decking out the place as a glam brewpub. That'll include the two-vessel 15BBL brewing set up, plus a bar area filled with metalwork, stone, brick and greenery. Behind the bar itself will sit a bespoke leadlight made with coloured glass, while you'll be getting comfy at either wooden picnic-style, booth or high bar seating while you're knocking back brews and peering out over the Valley. Valley Hops Brewing will open on Cloudland's rooftop at 641 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley sometime this spring — we'll update you when an exact opening date is announced. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
It's made from pickle relish, mustard, soybean oil, egg yolk, onion, garlic and vinegar, has been slathered on burgers for more than half a century, and boasts as passionate a following as any condiment can have. Yes, we're talking about Big Mac Special Sauce, which goes mighty well with two beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun — and, for McHappy Day, it's being bottled up and sold separately. If you're keen to squeeze the famous sauce on your own homemade burgers — or whatever other everyday meals it happens to go well with — then head along to a McDonald's eatery ASAP. A 500ml bottle will set you back $12, and there'll be more than 144,000 available. That seems like plenty; however, folks tend to go a little overboard when it comes to the condiment. Case in point: back in 2015, when limited-edition bottles were put up for auction on Ebay, one sold for more than $20,000. This isn't the first time that Maccas has packaged its famous sauce and put it up for sale, with the chain doing so in 2018 to celebrate the Big Mac's 50th anniversary. Still, it's not the kind of condiment that you can buy everyday. And, while there's plenty of recipes online that explain how to whip up a version at home, your tastebuds can probably tell the difference. Profits from all sales will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities, which McHappy Day raises money for each year. If you're buying an actual Big Mac with your bottle of Big Mac Special Sauce, $2 from your burger will also go to the cause, with other merchandise on offer and gold coin donations also accepted. Bottles of Big Mac Special Sauce are now available to purchase in store at McDonald's stores nationwide. For more information, visit the McHappy Day website. CORRECTION: OCTOBER 28, 2019 — This article previously stated that the Big Mac Special Sauce would be available from Saturday, November, but it is actually available now (Monday, October 28) until sold out. The above article has been updated to reflect this.
Until September 23, the Spring Hill Reservoir won't just be an old source of the city's water. It'll also be a luminous, otherworldly playground. Artist Meagan Streader has descended down the site's stairs, one whole kilometre of electroluminescent wire in hand, and turned its darkened depths into something glowing and magical. Called The Weight of Light, and open Monday to Saturday, the installation plays with the original boundaries of the space, tracing its architectural features using lines of light. The end result proves a re-interpretation of a historical landmark, as well as an enticing, mesmerising playground calling for visitors to explore — and quite the bright example of the past meeting the future. In total, Streader hand-made 170 custom brackets to thread the wire along the heritage-listed reservoir walls while keeping them intact, an important task given that the site was used for Brisbane's water from 1871 until 1962. And if you're wondering why — other than the best answer, why not? — the piece forms part of a bigger effort by McCarthy-Swann Projects, which aims to use intangible materials to turn public spaces into examples of wonder, fascination and art. Image: Louis Lim.
One of the world's most visited multi-sensory experiences will come alive in Sydney this spring From Friday, September 18, Van Gogh Alive will see more than 3000 large-scale images of the Dutch master's works projected onto walls, columns and floors at The Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park. The project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which, for the past 15 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 140 cities across the world. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. The family-friendly experience will create the sensation of walking right into Van Gogh's paintings. Famous works including The Starry Night and Sunflowers are presented in fine detail using Grande Exhibitions' state-of-the-art technology combining 40 high-definition projectors, while a classical musical score accompanies the vibrant colours in cinema-quality surround sound. The exhibition has already wowed audiences at 50 cities throughout the northern hemisphere and parts of South America — and was was initially meant to be unveiled in Melbourne this year inside a new multimillion digital art gallery in Melbourne called The Lume, but, because of the city's strict lockdown, the Australian premiere will now happen in Sydney. Van Gogh Alive runs at The Royal Hall of Industries, adjacent to the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park from Friday, September 18 for a limited time. Tickets will cost $30 per person and go on sale at midday on Friday, August 21 via vangoghalive.com.au.
If you could only use one word to sum up 2023 at the movies so far, that word would be Barbie. If you had to use a colour instead, it'd be pink. And the filmmaker of the year to-date? None other than Greta Gerwig. Why? Because the rosy-hued, Gerwig-helmed doll-to-screen flick has been everywhere — getting everyone buzzing via its many, many trailers before it arrived; packing in picture palaces once it officially released; breaking box-office records aplenty; and now becoming the highest-grossing title of 2023. First, a recap. Do you guys ever think about how well the film has been doing at filling cinema seats? Barbie really has been smashing it at bringing in audiences. In Australia, the movie made history almost instantly, notching up the biggest opening at the Australian box office for 2023 so far by raking in $21.5 million including preview screenings over its first weekend. In the process, it earned the biggest opening weekend ever for a film directed by a female filmmaker. That was in July. Then, in August, Barbie became the first movie by a solo female director to make $1 billion at the global box office. When it achieved that feat, the feature did so in just 17 days from release, earning that massive stack of cash faster than any other movie from Warner Bros (even beating Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2's 19-day run). So, Barbie now surpassing The Super Mario Bros Movie as the highest-grossing film of 2023 is hardly surprising — but it is still glorious news that calls for a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, planned choreography and a bespoke song, Also, Barbie is the biggest box-office hit worldwide, and also in each of Australia and New Zealand, of this year to-date. And if you're wondering how its Barbenheimer pal is going, aka Christopher Nolan's vastly dissimilar atomic-bomb thriller Oppenheimer, it sits third worldwide — separated by The Super Mario Bros Movie. In Australia, it's fourth after Avatar: The Way of Water. In NZ, Avatar: The Way of Water is second, the Moana re-release third, then The Super Mario Bros Movie with Oppenheimer at fifth. Making so much cash — over $1.3 billion and counting since mid-July — has also rocketed Barbie into the top 15 among the highest-grossing movies of all time globally. And, besting Avengers: Age of Ultron at 14th, Frozen II at 13th and Top Gun: Maverick at 12th isn't out of the question, with all three between the $1.4–1.5-billion mark. If Barbie tops Frozen II, it'll become the highest-grossing film ever by a female filmmaker. It's already the highest-grossing by a solo woman helmer, with the Frozen sequel co-directed with a male filmmaker. Yes, as the Margot Robbie-starring flick makes plain with its frames, Barbie really can be anything. The famous doll can be President, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, a diplomat and a Supreme Court justice. It can be a mermaid, doctor, lawyer and Pulitzer-winner, too. Off-screen, Barbie the movie definitely is a helluva pioneer in breaking records as well. Back to 2023's box office, the Robbie- and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man)-led film sits above not only The Super Mario Bros Movie and Oppenheimer worldwide, but also Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Little Mermaid, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Elemental and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Check out the Barbie trailer below: Barbie is showing in Australian and New Zealand cinemas now. Read our review. Via Variety.
Everyone has different priorities when it comes to planning a holiday. For some, it's a jam-packed itinerary of outdoor adventures. Others may be looking for a place to kick back and relax. But for you, it may be all about seeking out good food and drinks. Hey, we don't blame you. You've got to keep fuel in the tank for that sightseeing. Canberra is one city that delivers all of the above on a silver platter. A weekend here can be filled with wondrous epicurean delights, plus a hell of a lot of life-affirming tasty vino. You'll find everything from fine dining establishments and cosy wine bars to bustling markets and top-notch wineries. Throw in a few more unique food experiences that you're unlikely to find in your city and you've got yourself a pretty amazing food-filled weekend. If you're guilty of planning every single meal in advance, right down to the dishes you (and your travelling companion) will order, we've got you covered. Read on to discover five spots around the capital that you must make a stop at on your next trip. Please stay up to date with the latest ACT Government health advice regarding COVID-19.
Everyone loves a street party, particularly when it involves meals-on-wheels, pop-up bars and live music. That's what's on the agenda at The Block Party at the Gabba — plus, if that's your preferred form of football, some AFL. Yes, for their first home game of the season, the Brisbane Lions are doing something extra special. And it's something that everyone can enjoy, whether you're going to the match or not. From 4pm on March 31, they're turning Jurgens Street Park near the Gabba into a food truck-fuelled block party. There's never a bad reason to throw a shindig, after all. On the culinary lineup is Salt Meats Cheese, Mr Burger, Cheese Lane and Mac From Way Back, so prepare for a feast of pizza, burgs, cheese and mac 'n' cheese. Plus, the fun will run right through the evening — think pre-, during and post-match revelry.
Ready to hit the open road? If you're looking to add a dose of wacky charm to your next road trip, follow the lead of our readers who've shared some excellent suggestions for offbeat attractions that'll have you chuckling all the way to your destination. From oversized critters to weird sculptures, here's our guide to the lame (but legendary) stops you won't want to miss — as recommended by you — as well as the nearest The Bottle-O so you can stock up on bevs for a winner of a weekend. [caption id="attachment_697951" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The Big Merino, Goulburn NSW No surprise, one of Australia's best famed big things is first on our list: the Big Merino in Goulburn, NSW. This colossal concrete ram stands tall and proud, paying homage to Australia's wool industry and is a favourite for our reader Anita: "It's a baa-rilliant photo op you need for your Insta feed." If you're on a road trip from Sydney to Canberra over the long weekend, you've got no excuses not to pull over for a quick photo opp with this absolute unit. And before you park up at your accommodation in Canberra, swing by The Bottle-O to grab some tinnies and snacks to celebrate your arrival. Closest The Bottle-O: Mitchell [caption id="attachment_944023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australia Rock, David Burke[/caption] Australia Rock, Narooma NSW Are you planning a coastal road trip in NSW for an upcoming long weekend? Head to the coastal town of Narooma and you'll come across the iconic Australia Rock, a natural formation that looks a lot like the outline of this fair country. "Australia Rock in Narooma is an excellent road trip attraction," says reader Ned. "There's also loads of seals or seal lions on the rocks below. Perfect spot to stretch your legs when driving down to Bermagui, where I'll be heading this long weekend!" Stop in at The Bottle-O on the way down so you have ice cold brews to enjoy with your epic coastal views. Closest The Bottle-O: Ulladulla [caption id="attachment_944024" align="alignnone" width="1920"] SapiTerbang via Canva[/caption] Jacob's Ladder, Ben Lomond National Park TAS Feeling brave? Love a driving challenge? How about a seriously steep zig-zagging road that makes a dramatic ascent to a plateau? Make your way to Jacob's Ladder in Ben Lomond National Park for some serious adrenaline-pumping action. "Jacob's Ladder is iconic", says reader Greg. "It's well worth the trip from Launceston." Grab a few cold ones from The Bottle-O in Launceston to celebrate your driving victory after you return safely to your accommodation. Cheers to that. Closest The Bottle-O: Launceston Penguin, TAS No, we're not talking about the cute and cuddly kind – we're talking about the town of Penguin in Tasmania. Tassie has a fun habit of naming its towns and villages ridiculous names — we're looking at you Nowhere Else, Break-Me-Neck Hill, Doo Town, etc. But Penguin really takes the biscuit. "We always make a pit stop in Penguin to snap a pic with the giant penguin statue, and if it's late in the day, you could spot some local fairy penguins making their way to the water," says Penguin-town enthusiast and reader Laura. Grab a meat pie from the local bakery and enjoy a picnic by the beach with some beverages from The Bottle-O in town. Closest The Bottle-O: Penguin [caption id="attachment_944026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Big Pineapple, Alpha via Flickr[/caption] The Big Pineapple, Woombye QLD Planning an escape to Noosa Heads or up to Rainbow Beach for the long weekend? Hop on the Bruce Highway and make a stop at the endearingly retro Big Pineapple in Woombye, not far from Nambour. This fruity landmark is a true Aussie icon, and our readers reckon it's worth the detour for the cheesy photo op alone. "Of the Big Things in Oz, it's definitely my top choice for a road trip detour," says reader Aidan. There's even a heritage-listed Pineapple Train through the sugar cane there, which might just be the most Queensland thing in existence. Closest The Bottle-O: Maroochydore [caption id="attachment_944027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pete Jones via Flickr[/caption] Tin Horse Highway, Kulin WA If the outback is calling you this long weekend, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more lame (with all due respect) but still legendary road trip detour than the Tin Horse Highway in Kulin, WA. This stretch of road is lined with homemade tin horses, each more ridiculous than the last. "The tin horses get more amazing the further your drive because the locals have been one-upping each other for decades," says reader Scott. "There's a slide made of tin horses, a horse riding a horse, and so much more." What started as a lark is now a fully-fledged competition with prize money, bragging rights and more tin horses. Now there are over 60 horses out there to discover. Take in a stretch, then you can debate your favourites when you pitch up at your campsite over a cold one from The Bottle-O. Closest The Bottle-O: Byford [caption id="attachment_944028" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Burke[/caption] The Giant Koala, Dadswell's Bridge VIC If you're travelling around The Grampians for the long weekend, you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't head south to Dadswell's Bridge and pay your respects to the Giant Koala. Towering over the surrounding countryside, this oversized marsupial is a legendary and ever so slightly cursed sight for any road tripper. "Nothing can prepare for looking into those wild red eyes," says reader Kate. "it reaches into your soul. Best Big Thing. No contest". Recover from the soul-piercing eyes as you relax as the sun sets over the mountains at your campsite with a much-needed bev from The Bottle-O. Closest The Bottle-O: Sebastopol [caption id="attachment_944029" align="alignnone" width="1920"] GrainCorp Silos at Sheep Hills, Artist Adnate, Credit Aaron Powell[/caption] Silo Art Trail, VIC We received a lot of recommendations for Silo Art, from the cockatoo-clad silo on Kangaroo Island to Newdegate in WA. But one state copped more recommendations than any other and that is Victoria. Whichever direction you head from Melbourne, you'll have plenty of silos to add to your roadside attraction list. "I love the Silo Art Movement. I've knocked off ten around Melbs and I'll be heading further into regional VIC to check off a few more this long weekend," says reader Michelle. And don't forget to pick up some drinks at The Bottle-O to enjoy while admiring your snaps when you reach your accommodation. Closest The Bottle-O: Doreen Wherever the road leads you on your weekend adventuring, find your nearest The Bottle-O and stock up on some standout bevs. Ready to start planning? Head to the website. Top image: David Burke
The crushing news that Fortitude Valley icon The Zoo is closing permanently isn't something that Brisbane's music scene will get over quickly, or necessarily at all. But the best way forward for fans of live tunes is to keep showing up to gigs around town, supporting the events filled with and venues hosting them. Brunswick Street Live is one such shindig. Since 1997, the Valley has put itself in the spotlight with a huge street party, with Valley Fiesta taking a variety of forms over its quarter-century-plus run so far. It's a celebration of hearing live tunes, checking out art and shopping your way around markets — and hitting up the inner-city suburb's bars and eateries, too — that turns the Valley's regular haunts and activities into a festival. But because it's only a once-a-year happening, Brunswick Street Live was born in 2023 to help tide everyone over between Fiestas. [caption id="attachment_902929" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] After a successful first year, the day-long Brunswick Street Live is making a comeback in 2024. The date for your diary: Saturday, May 11. At a time when it is definitely needed, Brisbane gets another excuse to revel in the Valley's live music scene. The name gives away the main place where it's occurring, and the lineup spans not just tunes but also street artists and performers. From midday, a roster of talents headlined by Eliza & The Delusionals will hit the stage in the middle of the Brunswick Street Mall stage. Also on the bill: Odarka, DJ Jaguar.B, Juno, Curbside Carnies, Neish, Dizzy Days, ixaras and Bean Magazine. John Smith Gumbula, Shaun Clarkson and Stewart Shuker will be roving around, as will the Curbside Carnies cohort with bubble art and aerial feats. And at The Royal George, Ric's Backyard, Retro's, Blute's Bar and California Lane, music will also echo. [caption id="attachment_902925" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] When Brunswick Street Live debuted last year, the aim wasn't just to showcase the Valley, its venues and the city's musicians, but to add another annual festival to Brisbane's cultural calendar. Returning for 2024 is the next step in that direction. Also happening in this part of the city in May: Art on Brunswick, where local artists will get painting on easels built for the occasion, giving the Valley temporary art installations in the process. It will run on Thursdays and Fridays from Thursday, May 9–Friday, May 24. Plus, at Eats, Beats and Treats, spending $12 or more at eateries in the MyValley Precinct — spots such as The Ripped Baker, Bare Beanz Cafée, Galactic Donuts and Honey & Yolko — will get you a free treat from Wednesday–Friday between Wednesday, May 1–Friday, May 10. [caption id="attachment_902926" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Brunswick Street Live takes place on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley — head to the Brisbane City Council website for further information.
Local artists David Don and Square One bring to you Shapeoligy; the exhibition that contrasts and compliments shapes. Each artist has complied their own individual works with their own unique styles, however their respective works play off one another, and are best viewed as a unified experience. David Don, a aerosol expressive artist, whose work you might have seen wandering the streets of West End or Fortitude Valley, blends with the work from the artist known only as Square One, a graphic, playful, logo and promotional-orientated illustrator. To kick off the week long exhibition is, as tradition, an opening night celebration. Head along on the 14th of February, bring your own drinks and look forward to a free evening of art. Perhaps a creative alternative to wine and woo your Valentine? Otherwise, be sure to head along to Loading Dock Expresso in South Brisbane between the 15th and 21st of February, to see these remarkable visual creations that are sure to be a one-time-only exhibition.
We all know them, the mad-keen foodie that just loves to be as hands-on as possible. They find joy in hand-kneading flour, eggs and water into a silky smooth pasta dough, crafting craft brews and creating a full (and fantastic) experience around their meal times. If one such person is on your giftee list this festive season, we've done the legwork for you. And there's no better place to start than with BrewArt. The hops-loving team has made it their mission to make the art (and science) of at-home brewing as fuss-free as possible — meaning the amateur brewer in your life will be pouring stand-out sips every single batch. In the spirit of the holiday season, together with BrewArt, we've compiled a list of stand-out gifts to get that hands-on foodie in your life. BREWART BeerDroid AND BrewFlo, From $799 What better to gift your foodie than a world first? BrewArt's BeerDroid — the first fully automated personal brewer — is single handedly turning amateur frothies into pub-quality pours, every time. And the BrewArt app means they'll be overseeing their brew from wherever they are. So if you know the next master brewer or are simply looking for the ideal gift for a DIY foodie (who is partial to an arvo at the pub), consider your gift chosen. Go all out and pick up the BrewFlo, too. In-house (read: at home), they'll have up to 10 ice-cold litres of IPA, XPA, pale ale or kolsch on its way to a glass with a pub-perfect frothy head — every time. With no need for CO2 (another world first) and a handy LCD screen control — it's thirst-quenchingly good. [caption id="attachment_879951" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luisa Brimble[/caption] PIG & PILGRIM PARILLA, $3150 Whether you're gifting a carnivore or someone that simply loves cooking with smoky flavours and hot coals, a parilla from Pig & Pilgrim is an exceptional choice to pop under the tree. Pictured above is The Sideburn, the "grand dame" of the Sydney-based biz's range of South American-style charcoal barbecues. Featuring a brasero in addition to a grill, this big bit of machinery is designed for longer cooks — with the easy option of creating more coals as you're roasting away. From experimenting with the amount of heat and smoke used to grill shrimps on the barbie, setting up chicken yeeros over red-hot coals and impressing morning guests with an al fresco shakshuka, the die-hard foodie in your life will be all set for the new year. Plus, there are options that pack less of a financial punch, including The Farrow —the small, portable grill that's ideal for any happy camper in your life. NOT WASTED JUICE CLUB MEMBERSHIP, From $99 Alongside good food, you must have good sips — and when it comes to natty wines, the good folks at Not Wasted are the people to turn to. Not only do they sling out bottles from both Aussie and international producers, they dive deep into the best (and most eco-friendly) viticulture practices and then share it with the world. If you've got an oenophile in your life that you'd love to gift a drop to, or you know a foodie that's looking to level up their wine knowledge, sign them on up to Not Wasted's Juice Club. With four size options — three bottles or six, for newbies or wine snobs — and the flexibility to pick the frequency of deliveries, your favourite foodie will receive a curated collection of vinos. A rare gem, a red that's ripe for the chilling or maybe something funky, they'll be pouring stand-out drops all year long. GOZNEY ROCCBOX, $799 There's something about a homemade pizza that absolutely hits. Whether it's the overarching process — from kneading the dough to having complete creative control over the toppings — or the winning combo of cheese and carbs straight from the oven, it's a universally adored experience. And taking it up a notch is the red-hot Roccbox from Gozney. Turning the heat up to 500°C, this tabletop pizza oven is cute, portable and a cinch to use. We're sure your lucky recipient will be inviting you over for a slice in no time — a delicious return on your investment. [caption id="attachment_879952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Meg Yonson[/caption] FAT TUESDAYS CHOPPING BOARD, $110 Although prepping food comes nowhere near the enjoyment factor of chowing down, having fun and functional tools is a must. Enter Fat Tuesdays, the creators of constantly sold-out, hand-made chopping boards artfully made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic (that's both sourced and repurposed in Sydney). The range comes in four delightfully named colourways: birthday cake, guacamole, sherbet and raspberry jam, and we hear there are more on the way. If you've got your eyes on one of these beauties — for yourself or a friend — the last release of the year hits the shop early December, be quick. PASTA-MAKING CLASS, Varies A pasta class — taught by the pros — is as much a gift for your loved one as it is for you. Teach them to make fresh homemade pasta and you'll likely get to reap the rewards yourself (letting them do all the hard work of cooking — just like they like). Fussili, orecchiette, mafaldine, good old classic gnocchi — there are more pastas in the world than can be truly mastered in one lifetime, so even if they're an old hand, there'll be new tricks for them to learn. Grab them a gift card to one of the following spots and they'll be kneading flour, eggs and water in no time. Sydneysiders, Pasta Emilia (pictured above) is your best bet, Brisbanites can (and should) head to Fortitude Valley's Angelo's Pasta Classes, and Melburnians can make a beeline straight for La Cucina di Sandra. STYLE-HEAVY SERVING ACCESSORIES, Varies As your foodie fave will surely attest, plating up is as important (if not, nearly as important) as the food on said plate. So, any of the style-heavy objects that Maison Balzac, the Aussie experts in artful glassware and more, produces are a winning pressie. Maybe a set of gin and tonic glasses with a delicate citrus hit via a little glass slice of lime, some sea-blue glass plates or a celebratory set of tumblers (that, just quietly, would hold a frothy pour of beer quite nicely). VINTEC WINE FRIDGE, $899 If we're talking tech for foodies, a Vintec is nearing on essential. A temperature-controlled room to store your 35-bottle collection? Lush. Although they're not technically fridges, they basically are. Temperature and humidity are regulated, plus the bottles (and their precious drops) will be protected from both UV and vibrations — all the variables that can spoil your wine are controlled. It doesn't hurt that they look a bit alright, too. Hardcore wine lovers will already have one of these on their wish list. Got a foodie in your life? A beer lover? Ensure you're their fave with the help of BrewArt's frothy expertise and tech. Head to the website to get your order in, stat.
We hate to break it to you Australia, but there’s yet another reason to lament the current dominance of the fun police. As of March 7, drinking in the street in New York City's Manhattan will no longer be a criminal act. Start spreading the news. Yep, whether you’re lazing about in Central Park, strolling through Harlem or reliving the '60s in Greenwich Village — that is, anywhere on the island of Manhattan — you can crack open a cold one and enjoy it at your leisure, without fearing arrest or a criminal record. That said, drinking’s been decriminalised, not legalised — and only in the borough of Manhattan. In practice, decriminalisation usually means you can expect the police to turn a blind eye to minor offences, and to give warnings rather than make arrests. Strictly speaking, you could still cop a fine and/or summons. So, if you’re contemplating kicking back with a glass of champagne or two on a SoHo stoop, don’t go making any trouble. The idea behind the policy change is to redirect New York City’s resources towards weightier and more dangerous matters. "Using summonses instead of arrests for low-level offenses is an intuitive and modern solution that will help make sure resources are focused on our main priority: addressing threats to public safety,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a media statement. “Today’s reforms allow our hardworking police officers to concentrate their efforts on the narrow group of individuals driving violent crime in New York City. This plan will also help safely prevent unnecessary gaol time for low-level offenses.” If this news has you booking a one-way flight to NYC, you might be interested to know that drinking’s not the only pastime to have been decriminalised. Others include littering, riding between subway cars, taking up more than one subway seat and — wait for it — urinating in public. Via The Observer. Image: Ben Duchac.
If your 2024 resolutions involve seeing stunning art and travelling, here's one of the best ways to tick both boxes: a visit to digital-only art gallery teamLab Borderless in Tokyo. Not only is the Japanese venue finally set to reopen in a new location, but it'll welcome folks back in with a spectacular array of never-before-seen installations. If you fancy being surrounded by bubbles, jelly, flowers and oceans, you'll be especially thrilled. When it initially launched in 2018, teamLab Borderless instantly became one of the most spectacular must-sees on any Tokyo trip; however, the venue has been closed for a year and a half while shifting to its new site at Azabudai Hills. Come Friday, February 9, it'll reopen its doors with another dazzling array of artworks — pieces that epitomise terms like breathtaking, kaleidoscopic, glorious and delightful, and are worth a trip to Tokyo to see all by themselves. The new teamLab Borderless will span both evolved and brand-new artworks. So, even if you've been before at its old digs, you won't just be seeing the same things — even though they're definitely worth enjoying more than once. While the full range of works that'll feature at teamLab Borderless 2.0 still hasn't yet been revealed, the list keeps growing — and impressing. Pieces announced so far include the jaw-dropping Light Sculpture series, which cycles through an array of light formations and colours, as well as an eye-catching mirrored infinity room-style space that's tentatively been titled Microcosmoses. Among the world-premiere installations, there's also Bubble Universe: Physical Light, Bubbles of Light, Wobbling Light, and Environmental Light, which is comprised of spheres that look like soap bubbles and jelly, and will move through various colours. With Flowers and People — Megalith Crystal Formation, you'll spy florals bud and blossom, then wither and decay, repeating that pattern endlessly. And thanks to Black Waves — Megalith Crystal Formation, the sea gets a nod. Attendees can also enjoy Giant Solidified Spark, which is a sphere made from rays of light — plus Wall Without a Wall, which you'll see as a wall even though nothing physical exists. In its original guise, teamLab Borderless was also anointed the most-visited single-artist museum in the world during its first year of operation. Expect that to happen again in central Tokyo, where it's relocating to from its past Odaiba base. That means that you'll no longer be crossing over Tokyo's gorgeous Rainbow Bridge to get there — but your eyes will have much to feast on inside. If you were lucky enough to mosey around the OG spot before the pandemic, you'll know that the Borderless experience involves vibrant, constantly moving, always-changing interactive digital art keeps that keeps glowing and rearranging before your eyes. As the name makes plain, nothing is fixed or static here. Pieces move from one space to the next, and interact with other works. Sometimes, several different projections and installations mingle together. For attendees, peering at the end results isn't merely a passive experience, with the venue encouraging patrons to "wander, explore and discover". teamLab might be best-known for its Tokyo site, but it doesn't only operate in Japan. A second teamLab Borderless has already been open in Shanghai since 2019, and others are slated for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Hamburg in Germany — the former without an exact opening date, the latter slated to launch in 2025. The organisation also operates a different museum in Macao, and has its first teamLab Phenomena on the way for the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, again targeting a 2024 launch. The list goes on, with teamLab's works a drawcard wherever they pop up. teamLab Borderless Tokyo: MORI Building Digital Art Museum will reopen at its new location at Azabudai Hills, Garden Plaza B B1F, 1-2-4 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo sometime on Friday, February 9, 2024, with tickets on sale from Tuesday, January 16 — for more information, visit the museum's website. Images: teamLab, Exhibition view of teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM, 2024, Azabudai Hills, Tokyo © teamLab, courtesy Pace Gallery.
If you're a fan of true-crime stories, then you'll know a disturbing truth: that there's no shortage of real-life tragedies that films and series in the genre can draw upon. White House Farm's inspiration comes from the notorious killings known as the White House Farm murders, which took place outside an Essex village and saw five members of the Bamber-Caffell family lose their lives, and continued to garner headlines intermittently in the decades since as appeals were lodged and reviews took place. Across six episodes, the show not only heads back to August 6, 1985, but also follows the investigation into the case. Feeling tense is part of the package, even if you're already familiar with the details. Cast-wise, Snatch's Stephen Graham and Game of Thrones' Mark Addy play the detectives trying to get to the bottom of the traumatic and complex situation — and fellow GoT alum Alfie Allen also pops up.
If there's ever been a dish that's tailor-made for winter, it's fondue. Sure, it instantly conjures up visions of the 60s and 70s, but dipping bread, fruit, marshmallows and more into hot, melted cheese or chocolate is as timeless as it is delicious. It's also the centrepiece of Living Room's new menu, with W Brisbane's resident bar getting gooey in a big way. Designed for at least two people, there's two options available. Feeling like something sweet? Then stick strawberries, mini waffles, honeycomb, raspberry muffins, or pancake and croissant pieces into a tub of Valrhona chocolate. Fancy something savoury? Do the same with apricots, figs, dates, charcoal breadsticks, dehydrated banana pieces, seasonal mushrooms, and Woombye washrind and triple cream brie. Your fondue date will set you back $49, and you get your gang in on the action for an extra $24.50 per person — up to six people in total. You can also spike your chocolate fondue for an extra $20, with espresso martini, brandy alexander, whisky and Kahlua on offer Running from Thursday to Saturday each week from 4pm, Living Room's new menu also features oysters, truffle fries, sardines with sourdough, soft lobster sandwiches and charcoal sliders. And, if you're looking for something to wash it all down with, you'll find plenty of bubbles. Champagne flights are available, each featuring three different glasses for between $48–100, so consider this a treat yo'self kind of outing.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, you can't go on a holiday (locally or overseas). But, you can start dreaming. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. Winding through the rugged expanse of Victoria's Wimmera Mallee region, lies the country's largest outdoor gallery, where the artworks are metres tall, and grace not walls, but towering grain silos. First dreamt up back in 2016, evolving from a small community art project, the now famed Silo Art Trail unfolds over 200 kilometres, where six large-scale works have transformed structures in Brim, Patchewollock, Lascelles, Rupanyup, Sheep Hills and Rosebery. The mural portraits, painted by a collective of artists in conjunction with Yarriambiack Shire Council and international street art agency Juddy Roller, capture the spirit and history of this unique corner of the world, each work offering a snapshot of its host town. If you're visiting the art trail from Melbourne, the closest silo is in Rupanyup — approximately 3.5-hours' drive from the CBD. From there, it'll take you just over two hours to reach the other end of the art trail in Patchewollock. That's the order we've listed the artworks here, but to design an alternate route, head to the Silo Art Trail website. [caption id="attachment_681273" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] RUPANYUP, JULIA VOLCHKOVA When you reach Rupanyup, you'll spy a realistic pair of faces by Russian muralist Julia Volchkova, an homage to local youngsters Ebony Baker and Jordan Weidemann. Kitted out in their sports gear and looking bright-eyed and fearless, the characters are a nod to the region's younger generation and the realities of rural life for adolescents. Here, Volchkova has used monochrome tones to capture a spirit of strength, creating a lifelike mural similar to her large-scale works depicting locals across Southeast Asia. [caption id="attachment_681271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] SHEEP HILLS, ADNATE Shining a light on the region's indigenous history and community, the 80-year-old GrainCorp silos in Sheep Hills now boast a vibrant portrait of four locals — Wergaia Elder Uncle Ron Marks and Wotjobaluk Elder Aunty Regina Hood, alongside children Curtly McDonald and Savannah Marks — with a bold, dreamtime-inspired night sky as the background. The striking piece is the work of Melbourne artist Adnate, whose creative focus often lies in sharing the stories and cultures of Aboriginal Australians. Here, he has embraced the concept of customs and wisdom being passed down through the generations, and the strong ancestral bonds shared among the area's indigenous community. [caption id="attachment_681276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] BRIM, GUIDO VAN HELTEN The striking Guido van Helten mural in Brim is where it all began in 2016, spurring inspiration for the rest of the project after putting this sleepy town on the map. Melbourne-raised van Helten kicked things off strongly with his earthy-toned portrait of four farmers, all varying ages, themed around shifting ideas of community identity. The artist's work using translucent aerosol paints lends a faded, ghostlike quality to the characters, shaking the concept of time. [caption id="attachment_681274" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] ROSEBERY, KAFF-EINE The latest addition to the Silo Art Trail is a captivating Rosebery mural by lawyer-turned-street artist Kaff-eine. She has set out to embrace the region's past, present and future, with a portrait of a young female sheep farmer, alongside one of a horseman bonding with his four-legged mate. Elements like cowboy boots, Akubra hat and oilskin vest aren't just an unmistakable nod to country life, but capture the strong sense of symbolism that is signature to much of Kaff-eine's work. [caption id="attachment_681275" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] LASCELLES, RONE Meanwhile, over in Lascelles, there's a sense of quiet wisdom that emanates from the portrait of fourth-generation farming couple Geoff and Merrilyn Horman, wrapped around two decades-old grain silos. Captured by Melbourne's Rone in 2017, this one speaks to a people's deep, long-running connection to the land, with monochrome hues and water-blended paint creating a hazy, ghostly effect through the work. [caption id="attachment_681272" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] PATCHEWOLLOCK, FINTAN MAGEE In Patchewollock, Fintan Magee's 2016 silo mural was inspired by a stay at the local pub, where he met his portrait subject, local farmer Nick "Noodle" Hulland. The colourful, 35-metre-tall piece is a fitting ode to the hard-working Aussie farming community and its rugged spirit. Hulland's shown gazing to the horizon wearing the classic faded flanny, sun-bleached hair and weathered face that so often go hand in hand with life on the land.
It has been 87 years since Perry Mason first started sleuthing his way across the page, 86 since the defence attorney character initially hit the big screen, 77 since he made the leap to radio serials and 63 since he made his TV debut. In other words, this is a fictional figure with more than a little history — but 2020's version, starring Matthew Rhys, just might be the best yet. Brooding, moody, slinky, and making the most of thematically fitting, visually stunning inky black tones and lingering shadows, the HBO series heads back to 1932, when Los Angeles and the US in general are struggling with the Great Depression. Traumatised from World War I and grappling with a tough divorce, Mason is struggling as well. Then he's hired on a missing-child case as a private detective, and this star-filled series — think: John Lithgow, Robert Patrick and Tatiana Maslany, among others — kicks into quite the compelling gear.
When Tenacious D return to Australian and New Zealand stages in winter 2024, it won't just be a tribute — it'll be the real two-man comedy rock group, aka Jack Black and Kyle Gass, performing their first Down Under shows since 2013. The duo has announced July dates in seven cities, playing arenas as part of their The Spicy Meatball tour fresh from sellout gigs in the US, UK and Europe in 2023. In the 11 years since Tenacious D last took to the stage Down Under, plenty has happened, including for Black and Gass. Black's acting resume has added everything from Goosebumps and two Jumanji movies to Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, voice work on Rick and Morty and lending his vocals to Bowser in The Super Mario Bros Movie. Gass popped up in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Hacks. And in 2018, the band released their fourth studio album Post-Apocalypto. [caption id="attachment_939746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Now, the Grammy-winning pair, which first came together in the 90s as theatre students in Los Angeles, has locked in dates in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia — plus Wellington and Auckland in Aotearoa. Expect tickets to go quickly if the overseas response is any guide. In London alone, Tenacious D's O2 show was all snapped up the week that it was announced. [caption id="attachment_939740" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Travis Shinn[/caption] From not just their latest record, but also Tenacious D's self-titled 2001 debut, 2006's The Pick of Destiny — the soundtrack to the film of the same name — and 2012's Rize of the Fenix, attendees will hear 'Wonderboy', 'Tribute', 'Kickapoo', 'Low Hangin' Fruit' and more get a spin. Also on the band's current setlist: 2023's 'Video Games', the group's first single in five years, and their cover of Chris Isaak's 'Wicked Game'. They've been busting out Thin Lizzy's 'Jailbreak', Gerry Rafferty's 'Baker Street' and Led Zeppelin's 'Good Times Bad Times', too — but not The Super Mario Bros Movie's 'Peaches'. Tenacious D The Spicy Meatball Australia and New Zealand Tour 2024 Dates: Sunday, July 14 — ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, July 16 — Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle Thursday, July 18 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, July 20 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Monday, July 22 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Wednesday, July 24 — TSB Arena, Wellington Friday, July 26 — Spark Arena, Auckland Tenacious D are touring Australia and New Zealand in July 2024, with ticket presales from 9am AEDT on Wednesday, February 7 and general sales from 12pm local time on Friday, February 9 — head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Sven Mandel via Wikimedia Commons.
As part of the flurry of streaming services always competing for our eyeballs, FanForce TV joined the online viewing fold during the COVID-19 pandemic as a pay-per-view platform. The service runs all year round, of course, but it goes the extra mile for both National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week, which is when it hosts the First Nations Film Festival (previously known as the Virtual Indigenous Film Festival) — yes, twice each year. In 2023, the fest enjoys its second run between Sunday, July 2–Monday, July 31, stretching the celebrations across almost an entire month — all solely online. The returning event will show six features that you can view whenever you like, plus three shorts, pairing the latter with a live discussion on one specific night. On the features bill: Ella, a powerful documentary about Ella Havelka, the first Indigenous dancer to be invited into the Australian Ballet in its half-century history; The Saltwater Story, following Bundjalung canoemaker Kyle Slabb taking a group of men to North Stradbroke Island by sea; and Homeland Story, which heads to the small Indigenous community of Donydji in northeast Arnhem Land. Or, there's also Etched in Bone, Angels Gather Here and Journey West. The first focuses on Washington DC's Smithsonian Institution returning stolen human bones, and the Aboriginal elder who crafts a ceremony to restore his ancestors' spirits afterwards; the second charts Jacki Trapman's trip to Brewarrina for her parents' 60th wedding anniversary; and the third sees a walk that hadn't happened for almost three decades reenacted. 2023's NAIDOC Week theme is 'for our elders, which drives this film fest's selections as well. Viewers can tune in on a film-by-film basis, or buy an all-access pass to tune into everything. And for the First Nations short film program, it livestreams at 8pm AEST on Wednesday, July 5, with actor, broadcaster, comedian and musician James Williams chatting with The Fred Hollows Foundation's Director of Social Justice and Regional Engagement Jaki Adams afterwards. Top image: The Australian Ballet Production Vitesse with Ella Havelka and Christopher Rogers-Wilson. © Jeff Busby
His resume includes a racially confused rapper, a Kazakh journalist, an Austrian fashion reporter and a fictional dictator. But Sacha Baron Cohen's cavalcade of colourful characters doesn't stop there. In Grimsby, the man also known as Ali G, Borat and Brüno becomes a welfare-receiving, soccer-mad, booze-guzzling father of nine from England's north, in the first of his films not to bear the name of its protagonist. Taking its title from a place rather than a person doesn't demonstrate the movie's broader range, though. Instead, it indicates the film's mostly muddled nature, with gross-out jokes Cohen's main concern. In the eponymous Lincolnshire town, Nobby Butcher (Baron Cohen) satisfies his sexually voracious girlfriend (Rebel Wilson), oversees his brood of kids, and parties at the local pub, all while pining for his long-lost brother. Discovering that his sibling has been spotted after a 28-year absence, he heads to London, but instead of a happy reunion with secret service agent Sebastian (Mark Strong), he foils a top-secret mission. When Sebastian is branded a rogue operative in the fallout, Nobby pledges to help him. First, they hide out in Grimsby, before hopping from South Africa to Chile to stop a terrorist attack. With Grimsby, Baron Cohen attempts once again to dissect ignorance and prejudice – in this case, his target is class and prevailing attitudes about the less wealthy. Yet the slyness that typically surrounds his silly satire has been dialled several notches down. While he's never laughing at the people he's depicting – even adding a blatant late celebration of so-called scum (his words) into the mix – he's more often focusing his attention on bodily functions and primal urges. Genitals, placing items in places they're not meant to go, fatal illnesses, and fornication of the human and animal kind all ramp up the crudeness, though the humour is hysterical one minute and stretched the next. Indeed, even when the chuckles flow freely, Grimsby struggles with consistency. As an actor, Baron Cohen is clearly committed to his well-meaning clown of a character, as is Strong playing the more serious side of their odd couple double. Sadly, fellow cast members including Wilson, Isla Fisher and Penélope Cruz are given little to do. As one of the film's co-writers, Cohen flits busily between topics, targets and pop culture references with a scattergun approach. The same chaos extends to the feature's action-comedy claims. Spy spoofs just keep coming to screens, making Grimsby's espionage genre parody fall flat in the wake of Spy and Kingsman: The Secret Service. The well-shot first-person-shooter-style segments are effective, but they're awkwardly shoehorned in. Dumped in the middle of the movie's exaggerated absurdity, they're enough to give you whiplash. Yes, you'll laugh during Grimsby, but you'll also spend much of its brief 83-minute running time adjusting to its patchiness.
New Farm Deli and breakfast go together like eggs and hollandaise, like salmon and avocado or bacon and more bacon. Visit this early morning institution in the heart of Merthyr Village for weekend brekky and you're guaranteed to encounter a bustling, buzzy crowd seated both inside and out, watch orders fly out the kitchen and onto the tables of hungry patrons or hear the non-stop whir of the coffee machine as it grinds Di Bella beans and steams the milk for the caffeine cravers. Churning out endless cups of coffee and plates of every bacon and egg combination imaginable is a breeze for these guys, which they do seven days a week. With a menu a mile long you won't struggle for choice – in fact the sheer number of options available makes ordering a serious affair! If you too can't decide between the Fresco (smoked salmon, avocado and grilled tomato on toast) and the Merenda (pan fried mushrooms, Roma tomatoes and bacon on toast) but have the usual unwavering hankering for haloumi, you can simply make your own combination. A plate of poached eggs, grilled Roma tomato, haloumi, avocado and mushrooms with Turkish bread prove New Farm Deli are flexible and put the customer first. Not only can you choose from an endless list of breakfast options or make your own here, there are also made-to-order or cabinet-ready sandwiches and rolls as well as tarts, quiches, salads, burgers, generous bowls of pasta and an array of mouth-watering sweet treats that taunt you from behind the glass. Think hearty, homemade Italian-Mediterranean. Plus the Deli adjacent means you can pick up your specialty produce at the same time. Once you've drained the last drop of Di Bella or polished off your eggs browse the cheese and small goods counter or pick up various sized jars, cans and bottles of imported goods. New Farm Deli might not be winning any awards for food innovation or breaking new ground but boy do they know how to serve up comfort food, just the way you like it.
Winter is upon us, the gloves and beanies are out of storage, and it's time to start loading up on sweets and carbs. That's how every June starts — and, every year, Krispy Kreme wants to help with the latter. How? By giving away an extremely excessive number of doughnuts. You're probably now wondering what constitutes an excessive amount of doughnuts. No, polishing off a packet by yourself doesn't count, at least in this instance. Krispy Kreme's giveaway is going big, with the chain slinging 100,000 original glazed doughnuts in conjunction with National Doughnut Day. Whether or not you're a big fan of food 'days', we're guessing you are quite fond of free doughnuts. To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, head to your closest Krispy Kreme store in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia on Friday, June 2. That gives you more than 40 places to flock to, with Sydneysiders able to hit up 15 stores stretching from Penrith to the CBD, Victorians needing to visit nine locations from Chadstone to Collins Street, and Queenslanders given eight different doughnut shops to pick from (with the most central in Albert Street in the CBD). And, in Adelaide you have eight stores to visit, while residents of Perth can make a date with one of four Krispy Kreme locations. The National Doughnut Day deal isn't available at BP outlets, 7-Eleven stores, Jesters or Woolworths, or via online orders or third-party deliveries. There's also a limit of one freebie per person, and the giveaway only applies to the original glazed variety. The 100,000 doughnuts will be spread across the participating stores, so you'll want to get in relatively early if you want to kick off your Friday with a free sweet and doughy treat. Obviously, whether you nab one or not is subject to availability. Krispy Kreme's free doughnut giveaway is happening in the chain's stores around the country on Friday, June 2. To find your closest shop and check its opening hours, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
As the colder months approach and more days inside are on the horizon, you might be thinking it's time to give your pad a little refresh. Creating a beautiful living space will help you cherish more time spent at home — but actually creating that personal space can feel like a daunting task. Sure, your Pinterest board is a work of art and you binge celebrity house tour videos on YouTube. But, when it comes to recreating that stylish feel in a small space or a rental (without dropping $400 on a cashmere pillow), it's hard to know where to begin. Luckily, we have interior designer Steve Cordony on our side. In partnership with Samsung, Steve has given us some top tips to help you create the home of your dreams no matter how tight the budget or space you're working with is. START WITH A MOOD BOARD Good news: your endless scrolling on Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram isn't all in vain. In fact, according to Cordony, this is step one for any design project. "My approach is always the same. No matter if I am styling a tablescape or a whole house, I always mood-board reference images and visuals that create an overall concept, and subsequently blueprint, for the project," he says. Collect your favourite design images to form your own aesthetic. Whether you are drawn to a colourful, eclectic style or you're more into neutrals and minimalism, creating a mood board will help you establish the look you are going for. DEVELOP YOUR OWN 'STYLE DNA' While creating a mood board is an excellent way of getting inspired, it's important to not get too swept away with what's in vogue. "Just like your fashion choices, you should never try to be 'on-trend' rather than create your own unique style for your home," Cordony explains. Sure, trends are fun. But if you're on a budget, it won't be worth investing in something that'll soon feel outdated. Instead, find styles that resonate with you personally and fit in with your lifestyle. Once you develop your own sense of style, you'll know how to adapt to changing design trends and create a space that is both contemporary and timeless. As Cordony puts it: "Because I have a strong sense of my style DNA, I can allow these changes to develop and shift my work, but never alter it." FUSE THE PRACTICAL AND AESTHETIC The most important element of design is ensuring your space coincides with your lifestyle. This means choosing a couch that elevates your space while being comfortable, not opting for fabrics that look nice but are impossible to clean, and having a functional space that suits your Netflix ritual. Let's face it, the TV is a pretty central component of any home but can be tricky to style. "So many spaces I visit always try to hide it which often makes it look out of place," Cordony says. With the option to have the legs on or off, Samsung's The Serif TV will easily adapt to your personal style. "The reality is television is part of most people's everyday lives. And with incredible technology and design options at our fingertips, styling an interior with the TV in mind, and thinking of it as a piece of art or sculpture, allows you to fuse practicality and aesthetics, which is the hallmark of a successful interior," Cordony explains. PLAY WITH LIGHT For those working with a less-than-ideal smaller space, a few easy changes can brighten things up. Cordony's tip? "Keep it light! A white paint like Porters Popcorn or Dulux Vivid White instantly creates a crisp background to build your space and bounces light from wall to wall," he says. And, don't forget the magic of the mirror. "Mirrors are my go-to tip for making spaces feel larger than they are, as well as choosing bigger furniture rather than petite pieces to mirror the smaller scale space". SMALL DETAILS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE According to Cordony, simple changes can make a world of a difference when refreshing your space. "My biggest budget styling tip is hardware — think new door and joinery hardware. They will instantly lift any space and create a bold statement with a metallic accent," he says. Cordony is also a believer in the basic rule of thirds to create layers and contrast in a space. Understanding placement can make a big difference to your space without breaking the bank. "If you have amazing pieces but they're all spread out with no thought or consistency, then your eye has too many places to travel and often items get overlooked," he tells us. Instead, he suggests making smaller scenes with contrasting objects. "Creating vignettes in the space and thinking about balance and layering is key to a well-curated interior". If you're looking to add a touch of designer aesthetic to your living space, check out the products Steve Cordony used in our recent styling videos. To find out more about Samsung's The Serif, created in collaboration with celebrated industrial designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, visit the Samsung website. Images: Jarrad Shaw
It's that time, Brisbanites — time to embrace the change from summer to autumn by having brunch in beer gardens. We're well aware that you can basically do that all year round in our fair city; however when the hottest part of the year starts to fade, you might as well celebrate in the appropriate fashion. The Osbourne Hotel's Bottomless Drink Pink Brunch is definitely approaching the occasion with the right spirit, with the Fortitude Valley venue rolling out quite the shindig from 10.30am–12.30pm on Saturday, March 7. For $49, attendees can choose from a range of luxe dishes and pair them with bottomless rosé and bottomless pink gin spritzes. Yes, the drinks part of the event is unlimited, so prepare to sip your way through plenty of wine and cocktails, too. Food-wise, you can take your pick of one dish from the hotel's brunch menu — which, at previous events, has included truffle scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and poached egg bagels, and maple-smoked bacon and haloumi on sourdough.
You can see Oprah, and you can see Oprah, and you can see Oprah: Oprah Winfrey has announced a December 2025 trip Down Under, bringing in-conversation events to five cities across Australia and New Zealand. If you're in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland, you'll be able to see the famed talk-show host get chatting — in intimate sessions rather than on TV, where The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 years. This is Winfrey's first jaunt this way in a decade — and that tour sold out, so expect this one to be popular as well. Authenticity and resilience will be among the topics of conversation, in what's designed to be a series of inspirational sessions. "One of the things I have always enjoyed is sitting down for real, honest, enlightening conversations, and this experience is all about that," said Winfrey, announcing the tour. "The energy, warmth and spirit I feel in Australia and New Zealand have stayed with me, and returning will be an opportunity to reconnect, reflect, and be reinspired — together. I look forward to sharing stories, ideas, and meaningful connection about what's possible in our lives moving forward." Added Paul Dainty of tour promoter DAINTY: "Oprah Winfrey is a cultural icon whose influence spans generations. Her ability to engage, uplift and empower audiences is unparalleled. We're honoured to bring this extraordinary event to Australia and New Zealand — it's not just a conversation, it's a moment that will resonate with people from all walks of life." The media figure, actor, author, producer and philanthropist's visit Down Under will kick off at the ICC Sydney Theatre, then head to Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Spark Arena. Oprah in Conversation Australia and New Zealand 2025 Dates Thursday, December 4 — ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney Saturday, December 6 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Monday, December 8 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Thursday, December 11 — Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Sunday, December 14 — Spark Arena, Auckland Oprah Winfrey in Conversation is touring Australia and New Zealand in December 2025, with ticket presales from 10am on Wednesday, August 6 in New Zealand and from 10am on Friday, August 8 in Australia — and general ticket sales from Friday, August 8 in NZ and Tuesday, August 12 in Australia. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Disney/Eric McCandless.
“Let's get coffee and cake at the hardware store!” said no one ever. But those who have discovered Gallery B in Enoggera will know this suggestion is not as crazy as it seems. Past the screwdrivers, hammers and tool boxes is one of the northside's best kept secrets. Gallery B is an oasis for lovers of vintage, featuring a plethora of unique handbags, jewellery, knick-knacks and clothes. It also offers a humble range of sweet treats and drinks, all homemade on site. After checking out the cake cabinet and with much deliberation, a morning tea of scones with jam and cream and an orange and poppy seed gluten-free friand were chosen. The light scones were deliciously warm and upheld their name as a morning tea staple. The hearty friand was presented with peach slices and a drizzling of syrup and proved to be just as tasty. Both sweet treats were presented on quaint mis-matched crockery and brought out on silver trays, which perfectly matched the eclectic feel of the gallery. For drinks, try the iced coffee and iced chai latte. If the combo of great cake, iced drinks and treasures isn't tickling your fancy, you'll be sold by the view. Gallery B's dining area is located on a wooden verandah overlooking lush greenery. This is polar opposite to the view at the front of the hardware store as it is located on a main busy road. The peaceful cafe gives no hint of the hustle and bustle outside the front door. What's more, the staff at Gallery B are completely welcoming and attentive to their customers. It's obvious that they are passionate about both their store and the food they create. This little cafe and gift store is far from being a one-trick pony and hosts art classes every Wednesday and also clairvoyant readings. After stumbling across Gallery B you won't be able to wipe the smug smile from your face. On their website is the grand claim that they are “the only boutique gallery in the world where your boyfriend will be happy”. The same could be said for the girls as never before has a hardware store seemed so appealing.
For a country surrounded by stunning coastlines, Australia hasn't been pulling its weight in the beach club department. Sure, we have waterside bars, but truly relaxing on the sand with a beer in your hand isn't something you can do legally in most of the country. The Gold Coast toyed with the idea, but it didn't come to fruition. And when Fremantle's Bathers Beach House opened up, it scored the nation's first liquor license for alfresco beach dining and drinking. The Gold Coast also played around with the beach club concept — aka European-style lounging, sipping and relaxing by the shore — however Adelaide has beaten it to the punch. If you're down South Australia way from mid-January, make a beeline to the beachside hotspot of Glenelg, and specifically the new Moseley Beach Club. An extension of the existing Moseley Bar & Kitchen, the club will boast eight premium sunbeds and 48 sun lounges on the Glenelg foreshore, which will be available for eager beachgoers seven days a week. Unsurprisingly, you'll need to book ahead to nab a comfy berth — but, once you're there, you'll also find a bar and casual dining area, with the entire space catering for a total of 350 people. The Moseley will also offer live acoustic music on weeknights and DJs on weekends. If you're wondering why the SA venue was able to achieve something nowhere else in the country has, it's simple: tourism. The local council, the City of Holdfast Bay, is acting upon independent research that found visitors would come to Glenelg more often if there was a licensed pop-up bar on the beach. For now, the Moseley Beach Club will run for 75 days until April, opening from noon to 9pm from Monday to Thursday, noon until 11pm on Fridays, 10am to 11pm on Saturdays and 10am to either 9pm on 11pm (if the next day is a public holiday) on Sundays. Entry is free before 5pm and $5 afterwards, while catching some rays on a lounge will set you back $50, which is redeemable on food and beverages and includes a free beach towel hire. Premium sunbeds are $100.
Forget about Ingmar Bergman, Stellan Skarsgard and Noomi Rapace. The cinema of Sweden has a brand new face — and by new, we mean very, very old. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Jonas Jonasson, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is the single most profitable film in the history of Swedish cinema. What drove audiences in such numbers to such a singularly unfunny comedy we'll chalk up to cultural misunderstanding The film, to its credit, delivers exactly what it promises to. On the day of his centennial, geriatric explosives expert Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson) decides he's had enough of life in his retirement home and promptly shimmies through the curtains for a stroll. While at the bus station purchasing a one-way ticket to wherever, Karlsson accidentally comes into the possession of a suitcase full of drug-money — the first in a series of hi-larious coincidences and knee-slapping misunderstandings that follow the senior citizen wherever he seems to go. Indeed, the addlebrained pensioner is no stranger to misadventure. As flashbacks soon reveal, Karlsson apparently met, and influenced, most of the major figures of the 20th century, including Franco, Stalin and both Eisenhower and Reagan. He was also the lynchpin in the Manhattan Project, served as a spy for both sides during the Cold War, and spent some time in a Siberian gulag for his troubles. The film's most obvious compatriot would be something like Forrest Gump, but frankly, the comparison doesn't flatter. Gump wasn't exactly the sharpest hammer in the cutlery draw, but he had a certain childlike innocence that helped endear him to an audience. Karlsson, on the other hand, is just plain dumb. As such, it's difficult to care about either his past or his present, the latter of which sees him on the run from some skinhead bikers, intent on getting their money back in whatever way they can. The comedy is broadly slapstick, but with an undertone of callous black humour. Putting aside the fact that Karlsson helped invent the atom bomb and apparently feels not the least bit bad about it, the film regularly sees him cause the deaths, albeit mostly accidental, of people who cross his path. As it turn out, stupidity and nastiness doesn't make for an entertaining mix. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared can hardly disappear from cinemas soon enough. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6SEiaODjTZw
Picking something to watch is about to get harder, and Australian viewers are set to get even more spoilt for choice. The list of streaming services available Down Under is already hefty, but there'll be at least 50 more channels to choose from once the end of August hits. The reason: the launch of Pluto TV on our shores, which is coming via Network Ten's 10 Play platform. Up and running in the US for almost a decade, Pluto TV is completely free to watch. The catch: it's a FAST service, aka free ad-supported streaming television. So, just like in the days before anyone had even dreamed up Netflix and the like, or pay TV, you won't pay a cent to watch — but you will have to see commercials. Pluto TV's big drawcard is delivering its smorgasbord of content via channels, rather than just having audiences scroll through hundreds or thousands of shows and movies to decide what to watch. Basically, it replicates the linear TV experience on free-to-air, but via streaming. You'll still need to do some choosing, though, given that there's a lengthy roster of themed channels to choose from. And to watch, you'll be headed to the new Pluto TV area on 10 Play, rather than to a specific standalone service. Paramount, which owns and operates Pluto TV and also Network Ten, hasn't revealed the exact number of channels that'll arrive in Australia from Thursday, August 31 — other than it'll be 50-plus. And, while it also hasn't unveiled the full list of what each will show, it has named some specific options. Fancy only viewing South Park? I Love Lucy? Happy Days? Dynasty? MTV's reality shows? Nickelodeon classics? They'll all have their own channels. Whatever else Pluto TV adds to its Aussie offering — Hawaii Five-O, an MTV channel focused on Shores shows, and Nick Toons have also been announced so far — it'll be drawing from the Los Angeles-based company's partnerships with 400-plus international media outfits. And, it'll be expanding the service in yet another location, with Pluto TV already up in running in more than 35 markets. "These 50 Pluto TV channels represent our first step to engage with Australian audiences and we are happy to mark this milestone by partnering with 10 Play, demonstrating once more the strength of our Paramount ecosystem," said Olivier Jollet, Executive Vice President and International General Manager for Pluto TV. "As pioneers in the FAST industry, we are bringing a new and unique user experience through curated channels dedicated to this market. Our mix of local and international content which matches the needs of our local audiences is what makes Pluto TV so valuable for viewers, clients, and partners across the world," Jollet continued. August is clearly a great month for Nickelodeon fans — Network Ten also just added a free-to-air channel devoted to the brand, the first in Australia outside of pay TV, separate to the upcoming Pluto TV options. Pluto TV's channels will be available via 10 Play from Thursday, August 31.
Hyrule is heading to the big screen, and Link and Princess Zelda along with it. After almost four decades of mashing buttons to save the magical land, fans of The Legend of Zelda will be able to see the game franchise make the leap to cinemas. Coming off a huge year for film adaptations of its titles thanks to box-office smash that is The Super Mario Bros Movie, Nintendo has announced that it's turning its beloved Ganondorf-battling action-adventure series into a feature. The Legend of Zelda will have something else in common with Nintendo's favourite plumbers: it's getting the live-action silver-screen treatment first. While animation worked well for Mario's latest date with picture palaces in 2023, Link, Zelda and the like will be flesh and blood. Just imagine how Hyrule's stunning landscapes will look. The Legend of Zelda's move into movies will boast Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director and Fellow of Nintendo, as one of its producers — alongside Avi Arad, whose resume includes all the Spider-Man flicks (live-action and animated), some X-Men films, early Marvel titles like Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and also Ghost in the Shell and Uncharted. While it's too early for any news on stars, The Maze Runner filmmaker Wes Ball will be directing. And the film will indeed hit cinemas, with Sony distributing — and co-financing the movie with Nintendo. No details about the feature's storyline have been unveiled so far, either. Accordingly, if you're wondering which game or games it might follow — and if your favourite, be it the OG 1986 The Legend of Zelda, 1991 masterpiece A Link to the Past, 1998's Ocarina of Time or 2013's A Link Between Worlds, for instance, might get a nod — there's no answers as yet. "By producing visual contents of Nintendo IP by itself, Nintendo is creating new opportunities to have people from around the world to access the world of entertainment which Nintendo has built, through different means apart from its dedicated game consoles," said the company in a statement announcing the film version of The Legend of Zelda. "By getting deeply involved in the movie production with the aim to put smiles on everyone's faces through entertainment, Nintendo will continue its efforts to produce unique entertainment and deliver it to as many people as possible." Given that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hit Nintendo Switch back in May, 2023 is clearly a big Zelda year, even if the film obviously won't release before 2024 hits. Exactly when it will start showing in cinemas is also among the details that haven't yet been revealed. The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Images: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Melbourne's restaurant scene is vast and varied. But what do the Meatball and Wine Bar, Circa The Prince, Little Hunter, The Estelle, Izakaya Den and Jacques Reymond have in common? Their plates, that's what. Behind this homewares evolution is Glenn Tebble Homewares, from Unique Pottery, who create tableware and tailor-made designs for restaurants and chefs. Made from stoneware, each piece is designed and created right here in Melbourne and embraces the unique, ever-changing nature of the food scene. Through his time working with chefs and restaurateurs, Glenn Tebble, the man behind Glenn Tebble Homewares, came to find that people were looking for items that just didn't exist yet. And so, their bespoke range was born. Together with chefs, Glenn designs and creates products on a need-by-need basis. Collaborating with some of Melbourne's best restaurants, Glenn tells us how some of these ideas came to fruition. Scott Picket and Ryan Flaherty – The Estelle "Long-time customers and all-round good blokes from The Estelle Scott Pickett and Ryan Flaherty have always been a good source of inspiration. With their history in Michelin star restaurants overseas, the boys were often coming to us with ideas, and not just from the design side of things. The boys suggested what we now call the splatter range. "We developed a new colour option by using two kinds of glazes, whether it was a two toned colour or an abstract kind of finish. It opened a gateway for a whole new line of products — some of the glazes also present a textured look and feel." Meatball and Wine Bar "The team at Meatball And Wine Bar were on the hunt for a specific bowl for their balls. As I had worked with their management team previously, they approached me. We designed what is currently our most popular bowl. It was made it to the specifications, and managed to streamline it with our existing larger bowl, creating a new range. As you can see, the gents at Meatballs are very happy with the result." Simon Denton – Izakaya Den "Some time back now, I approached Simon Denton, from Izakaya Den. Simon loved our range and went on to purchase a large quantity for his underground gem. Simon also liked our large sushi plate, but he also wanted one a little smaller. Again, I got the design team onto it and it was in his restaurant within six weeks. We must have made an impression, as when Denton launched his revamp of the old Verge site, now Numa Numa, he came to us for his bespoke noodle bowls." Paul Wilson – Melbourne Pub Group "Paul Wilson came to me with a plastic shaped taco holder that they had been using — just as the taco scene went crazy in Melbourne. He wanted something similar but a lot sexier! We made two versions, one that could hold two tacos and another that could hold four. The end result surpassed his expectations. We have since seen more chefs use their creative flair — with Guy Grossi using it as a panini holder and, thinking outside the square, other ideas have been for mini hotdogs, souvlakis and as a vessel for a cheese display." Tony Twitchett – Taxi Dining Room "Tony Twitchett from Taxi Dining Room in Melbourne loved our range, but at the time we had nothing that suited his needs. He required a large rippled square platter for his signature duck dish and their amazing sashimi. So, we put a conservative spin on his idea and we came up with one of the very few square plates that we have in our range.”
The end of the world is coming to Mona. Where a library once sat, nothing but sand, water and debris will soon lurk. The Tasmanian gallery is remaining where it is. Dark Mofo is still on the calendar for 2025. And no, after becoming the first museum to receive Wu-Tang Clan's rare Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album on loan earlier in 2024, it isn't dropping the mic and saying goodbye. For a year, however, the inimitable Australian venue will fill part of its interior with a post-disaster landscape, all thanks to a new sculpture by French artist Théo Mercier. Commissioned specifically for the site, DARK TOURISM will display from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026 in Mona's former library. Using only sand and water, Mercier will create a scene that looks like the aftermath of a disaster — hence the debris — with the piece commenting on humanity's need travel to locations with grim histories, as well as making a statement about planet's changing climate. [caption id="attachment_980537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.[/caption] "What does it mean to sculpt catastrophe, or to construct collapse? Like others who have painted ruins in the past, DARK TOURISM is about sculpting contemporary ruins, which are also natural disasters," explains Mercier. "Faced with this frozen landscape, humans find themselves at the heart of the devastation, as spectators and consumers. But there's something contradictory about this project, something romantic and utopian at the same time. Because the sand allows the world to tremble and shuffle itself in infinite figures." [caption id="attachment_950179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artists and Mona, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "When Théo was last in Hobart he said he was 'going for a walk'. He walked to the top of kunanyi. He's back, and he'll be doing something just as mad at Mona," added Mona Owner and Founder David Walsh. Crafting DARK TOURISM at the venue, Mercier will be using Tasmanian sand to ponder how people face the worst — in the past and impending — with the tourist trade in Pompeii, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Paris' catacombs and Port Arthur given as examples of the type of dark tourism that the sculpture will be in dialogue with. "Théo's work is a reminder of the fragile and temporary nature of the world around us, and of life itself," notes Mona's Sarah Wallace, who curated the piece alongside Jarrod Rawlins. "I hope visitors will be drawn in by the intricate detail in this captivating installation, while reflecting on the questions he raises about how we cope with catastrophe." [caption id="attachment_980535" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Théo Mercier, 2023 © Jérôme Lobato[/caption] DARK TOURISM will display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania, from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026. Head to the venue's website for more information. Top image: Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.
On the big screen, Beetlejuice has already made a comeback, with a sequel hitting cinemas in 2024. The original 1988 film is rarely far from cinemas anyway, proving a staple at retrospective screenings. But watching the ghost with the most sing and dance onstage? That's a brand-new experience for Australian theatre audiences. Start chanting three times: seeing the Beetlejuice musical Down Under is a reality in 2025. Penned by the nation's own Eddie Perfect and debuting on Broadway in 2019, this take on Beetlejuice still focuses on the character from Tim Burton's beloved 80s flick, of course — just with songs and dance routines. Cinema's famous 'bio-exorcist' haunts Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Saturday, May 17, 2025 for its Aussie-premiere run, with Perfect starring. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to head along, but you will spend time with a couple with one: Barbara and Adam Maitland. And, you'll see what happens when they start to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moves into their house and they decide they need that bio-exorcist. In the Beetlejuice musical's Aussie debut, audiences are also in for an acclaimed production directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), and with a book by Emmy-nominee Anthony King (Broad City) and Scott Brown (Sharp Objects) — plus Perfect's Tony-nominated original score, of course. The show picked up a whopping eight Tony nominations in 2019, and won Timbers a Drama League Award for Excellence in Directing, plus both Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nods for set design. Images: Matthew Murphy, 2022.
Calendars out, Marvel fans: if you've been looking forward to adding more superheroes to your small-screen viewing in 2023, Disney+ has just the solution. First, Secret Invasion is on its way this winter, focusing on Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury. Then, come spring, both the second season of Loki and the debut of newcomer Echo will follow. 2023 marks two years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe's God of Mischief first hit streaming queues, doing so with a final promise: "Loki will return in season two". When it premiered, it was just the third MCU series to hit Disney+ after WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and it's been followed by Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms Marvel and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. But a couple of years has felt like a hefty wait for more of Tom Hiddleston (The Essex Serpent) getting his superpowered trickster on. The date to lock into your diary now: Friday, October 6, with the new batch of episodes set to pick up where season one left off. So, expect more chaos from the MCU favourite, more of Owen Wilson (Marry Me) as Mobius M Mobius, more banter (naturally) and more clone trickery. "Loki is back at the TVA, he's had a very difficult confrontation with Sylvie, and Mobius and Hunter B-15 don't know who he is," Hiddleston advised back in 2022, before season two also scored a brief sneak peek as part of Disney+'s streaming highlights trailer for 2023. [caption id="attachment_862338" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] As for Hawkeye spinoff Echo, it's locked in for Wednesday, November 29 — and it'll enjoy a first for the MCU on streaming. Disney+ usually drops a few episodes at once for each show, then unfurls the rest weekly afterwards. But this one will arrive all at once on the same day. Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) is the Echo's focus — and, as first seen in Hawkeye, she's the gang leader who is deaf that had Clint Barton in her sights for a stint of revenge. In a series also starring Chaske Spencer (The English), Tantoo Cardinal (Three Pines), Devery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs), Cody Lightning (Run Woman Run), Graham Greene (The Last of Us) and Zahn McClarnon (Dark Winds), the character now gets an origin story. There's no trailer yet for either Loki season two or Echo, but you can check out Disney+'s 2023 trailer below: Loki season two will premiere on Disney+ on Friday, October 6, while Echo will arrive on Wednesday, November 29. Top image: ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Heading to the casino when you turn 18 is one of those coming-of-age bucket list items many a Queenslander experiences. Dropping by for a meal anytime after that, not so much. Whether you're a Goldie local or just an occasional visitor to the coast, Jupiters Casino is attempting to change that. Been recently in the vicinity of that massive structure on Broadbeach Island? You would've noticed that change is a-coming to the Gold Coast casino physically, and within the $345 million transformation, their dining options are actually looking pretty noteworthy. Three new restaurants have opened their doors, and two more will join them, as the casino attempts to become more than a high roller hotspot and more of a 'dining destination'. We'll see. In the already-trading camp sits Kiyomi, Cucina Vino and Garden Bar and Kitchen, offering up a range of tasty Japanese, Italian and modern Australian meals, respectively. If it's sashimi, sushi, sake and shochu you're after, you'll find it at Kiyomi, which was just awarded a Chef's Hat at the 2017 Brisbane Times Good Food Guide Awards. Overlooking the venue's pool, Cucina Vino is Jupiter's first outdoor dining establishment, serving up antipasto, wood-fired pizza, traditional pasta dishes and more. And then there's the newest of the bunch so far, Garden Bar and Kitchen, an all-day eatery doing breakfast bruschetta, southern fried chicken and colourful cocktails. Slated to join them are Mei Wei Dumplings and M&G Café and Bar, the former serving up just what you'd expect (plus noodles, with everything also available to take away), and the latter a cafe-style spot. Add a revamped Atrium bar to the mix, which is due to open over summer, plus the existing Zen Chinese restaurant, and Jupiters might just be worth a culinary-inspired visit. Find Jupiters Casino at Broadbeach Island, Broadbeach. Check out their website for further details.
