Melbourne's annual arts festival RISING might not return until winter (running from Saturday, June 1–Sunday, June 16), but tickets are already selling out to some of the most-popular events. If you've been thinking about heading to Victoria's capital to catch hidden laneway gigs, free exhibitions and international performances, then you best start making some serious plans. To help you get the most out of this year's festival, we've teamed up with the crew at RISING to bring you three exclusive travel packages that can be booked until Tuesday, April 30. [caption id="attachment_950619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Damien Raggatt[/caption] First off, we've got our hands on a select number of Day Tripper tickets, which give punters access to a huge day party on Saturday, June 8. For just one arvo, the arcades and laneways surrounding Melbourne Town Hall will be taken over by post-punk, acid house, hip hop and disco tunes, as well as video works and contemporary dance performances. It will be huge. This package gets you access to the block party and afterparty, and includes a two-night stay at The Howey (with a full mini-bar worth $100), which is just a short walk from all the fun. The second RISING travel package will get you VIP access to see Dirty Three's performance at Hamer Hall, which has already sold out to the general public. We're the only ones still offering access if you want to see the trio perform live on Friday, June 14 or Saturday, June 15. This deal also includes a two-night stay at The Howey (again with a full mini-bar worth $100), a couple of drinks vouchers and priority entry to the festival club. Seats are highly limited for this one, so don't wait long to nab them. Lastly, we've secured a few tickets to Sydney drill legends ONEFOUR on Saturday, June 8. The lads' raw stories of crime, poverty and social dislocation have clocked over 500-million streams, with rap stars like A$AP Ferg and The Kid LAROI also fans. Book this RISING travel package for $549 and you'll receive two tickets to the show, plus a two-night stay at Causeway 353 (with $50 of mini-bar credit). Head to Concrete Playground Trips to book these exclusive RISING packages, which are only available up until Tuesday, April 30. Top image: Ian Laidlaw.
When news hit that Studley Park Boathouse was getting a $5.8-million revamp, including brand-new dining options and a multi-level riverside deck, we were understandably excited. Now, we have an opening date for the historic boathouse: Studley Park Boathouse will reopen to the public on Thursday, 31 August, unveiling a new cafe, restaurant, pizzeria, gelato cart and outdoor dining deck along the Yarra. Australian Venue Co. (Yarra Botanica, Fargo & Co, BrewDog Pentridge) has worked closely with Parks Victoria on the transformation to protect and enhance the heritage site. "Studley Park Boathouse is a beloved part of Melbourne's history, so it was important to us to preserve its character while revitalising it for the modern Melbourne community. We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors back to the revitalised space," Australian Venue Co. CEO Paul Waterson says. On the bill: a sun-filled dining room offering a leafy outlook overlooking the Yarra River and parkland. Boasting floor-to-ceiling windows, a sophisticated yet sensible interior is promised, with touches of rattan, white timber and natural hues to tie the space together. Small and large plates run to the likes of hiramasa kingfish tartare with apples and chives, Lilydale free-range chicken and a 'Tipsy Trifle' which combines baileys, fig leaf custard, cherries and strawberries. Image: Render, supplied The wine list leans local, championing an entirely Victorian menu sourced within 100km of Studley Park Boathouse. Sip through 16 wine-by-the-glass options, or opt for a seasonal tasting paddle that will showcase drops from the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Heathcote and the Pyrenees in spring. Downstairs, residents familiar with the former kiosk will find it revamped as the Pavilion bar, which extends to a large, al fresco dining area and riverside dining deck. A pizzeria will serve eight different woodfired options, including a charred pumpkin and ricotta number, meatballs with blue cheese, or chorizo paired with n'duja and roasted peppers. Meanwhile, a redesigned cafe named The Perch will cater brunch on weekends. All food and bevvy options are available at any location throughout the revamped Studley Park, so you can pick your favourite spot to perch and spend the afternoon tasting through the offerings. Picnic packages complete with blanket hire and a new 'Row-sé' package bundles together boat hire, glasses of rosé, pizza and gelato. The team is also preparing to host a line-up of pop-up events and live entertainment throughout the year, including live music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. To celebrate the opening, guests to Studley Park Boathouse on weekends between 2–4pm across 2–17 September will snag a complimentary welcome drink on arrival, free slices of roaming pizza and complimentary boat hire sessions. Kids can also score free ice-cream all day on weekends. [caption id="attachment_894549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Render, supplied[/caption] Studley Park Boathouse is set to reopen on Thursday, August 31. Head along between 2–4pm, between 2–17 September, to score a complimentary welcome drink on arrival, free slices of roaming pizza and complimentary boat hire sessions. Kids can also score free ice-cream all day on weekends. Images: Flickr, Alpha, renders - supplied.
Wake up, Prime Video viewers: in 2023, your streaming queue is getting nostalgic. If The Wiggles can top the Hottest 100, take their rainbow-hued skivvies to Mardi Gras and make a date with Falls Festival (and maybe Little Nas X), then of course they can be the subject of a new documentary that'll hit the online service next year. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will tell exactly the tale you think it will, following the group's career over more than three decades, including the new levels of fame and popularity that 2022 has thrown their way. Sure, Dorothy the Dinosaur mightn't need an origin story, but OG Wiggles Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt are getting one, with Sally Aitken (Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) directing. Prime Video is promising never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, too, as part of the feature-length film. "When we first formed The Wiggles more than three decades ago, our aim was to educate and inspire children through music, and that continues today," said Field. "Looking through the archives has brought back so many incredible and emotional memories, from our first shows for 30 children to touring America and the world, playing to arenas. It's been such an incredible and evolving journey and we can't wait to share our story with everyone." Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles forms part of Prime Video's 2023 slate of original Australian content, with the streaming platform running through all the Aussie-made efforts you'll be able to watch next year — some newly revealed, others already announced. Sitting in the latter category but certain to be a must-see is Deadloch, the latest series from The Kates. This time, The Katering Show and Get Krack!n's Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney are writing, executive producing and showrunning a mystery-comedy starring Kate Box (Stateless) — yes, another Kate — as a Tasmanian cop. When a local man turns up dead on the beach, the sleepy titular town is thrown into chaos. (And no, it won't be by accident that Deadloch subverts the usual dead girl trope that's such an engrained part of these kinds of TV series.) Also on Prime Video's 2023 list: five-part doco series Dance Life, following students at Brent Street; plus movie The Defenders, a documentary about Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi's arrest while honeymooning in Thailand, and former Socceroos captain Craig Foster's efforts in response. And, similarly among the highlights, there's Class of '07, about the mayhem that follows when an apocalyptic tidal wave hits during an all-girls college's 10-year reunion; and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, an adaptation of Holly Ringland's debut Australian novel starring Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers), Alycia Debnam-Carey (Fear the Walking Dead), Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Hotel Mumbai), Alexander England (How to Please a Woman) and none other than Sigourney Weaver (Ghostbusters: Afterlife). Comedians Joel Creasey, Rhys Nicholson, Dave Hughes, Tommy Little and Lizzy Hoo will score specials, too. And if you're wondering exactly when you can get watching, release dates for the whole slate still to be revealed. The just-announced titles Prime Video's 2023 Australian slate don't yet have exact release dates. Keen an eye out on the streaming service itself for further details.
Hamer Hall's culinary offering has scored a major boost with the arrival of Pawa Cafe and Bar, a new all-day eatery heroing sustainably produced indigenous ingredients. Named for a Gunditjmara word meaning 'to cook', it's the brainchild of a husband and wife duo: Gunditjmara and Yuin culinary entrepreneur Niyoka Bundle, plus Head Chef Vincent Manning. A permanent home for the pair's Pawa Catering brand, the venue is serving up a fresh take on modern Australian cuisine — not only celebrating native ingredients, but working closely with farmers and foragers that are dedicated to ethical and sustainable practices. Bundle's inspiration comes both from the classic Aussie comfort food of her youth, and childhood camping trips spent hunting animals like emu and kangaroo. Expect Indigenous flavours with a twist of nostalgia and a good whack of creativity. By day, Pawa plates up a cafe-style offering featuring Seven Seeds coffee alongside the likes of strawberry gum brownies, lilly pilly croissants and roo meat pies. Drop by later for grazing platters loaded with native additions like red wine kangaroo salami, paired with Victorian vino and cocktails made on Pawa's own Taka Gin — a drop infused with native lemongrass and lemon-scented gum leaf. There's plenty of innovation on show along the way, from the use of lilly pilly as a tart sweetener to the substitution of saltbush or warrigal greens for salt. And you'll find scores of local suppliers championed throughout the menu, with offerings from the likes of Cobb Lane, Home Grown Cocktails and The Everleigh Bottling Co. Images: Jake Roden.
Much to the delight of movie lovers, Palace Cinemas already boasts eight spots to worship the silver screen around Melbourne, including the historic wonder that is The Astor and Pentridge's picture palace in an old prison. Come spring, that number will rise to nine, with the independent cinema chain set to launch its latest venue in Moonee Ponds: Palace Penny Lane Cinema. The just-revealed site will feature 11 traditional screens indoors, all boasting the usual Palace experience. Think: leather recliners, 4K projection and, for fans of wine with their flicks, double pours. Fancy seeing a movie under the stars, too? Palace Penny Lane will also double as a rooftop cinema. Film buffs will find their next must-visit haunt on Puckle Street in the Penny Lane development, hence the name, and Palace has dubbed it an "entertainment hub". "We have listened to our customer's desires and recognised the need for a premium cinema experience in Melbourne's west. Palace Penny Lane Cinema aims to bridge that gap by delivering quality films in a luxurious setting," said Palace Cinemas CEO Benjamin Zeccola, announcing the new site. "We are dedicated to continuing the legacy of pairing a fine wine with an even finer film at Palace Penny Lane. From spectacular blockbusters to renowned international gems, our unique blend of entertainment and hospitality sets the stage for unforgettable memories and an elevated moviegoing experience." Palace's Movie Club will also make the jump to the new venue, of course, if you like cheaper seats, free entry on your birthday and access to special events. Exactly when the new site will open and what'll be playing upon launch hasn't yet been revealed — watch this space, then get ready to watch the big screen. Palace Penny Lane Cinema will open on Puckle Street, Moonee Ponds in spring 2023 — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced. Head to the Palace website for further details.
There's a new kid on Melbourne's bubble tea block, but this one's no amateur. In fact, Milksha is one of Taiwan's leading bubble tea chains. First launched back in 2004 — and now boasting over 240 outposts across Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Macau — the company has chosen Melbourne as the home of its first Aussie location, opening the doors to a shiny new Elizabeth Street store on Saturday, September 21. Known as Milkshop to its Taiwanese fans, Milksha was founded by a dairy farmer and sets itself apart from competitors by using fresh milk. Fifteen years on, it's finally bringing its creamy bubble teas Down Under. With hopes of winning a new legion of local bubble tea fans, Milksha Melbourne is serving up its signature yoghurt drinks, seasonal juices, specialty teas and milk blends. While the brand's loose leaf teas are sourced from Sri Lanka and Taiwan, the local store is teaming up with our own award-winning Saint David Dairy to handle the entire milk supply. [caption id="attachment_742369" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Harris[/caption] So, what else will you find in your Milksha drink? Well, if bubble tea's your thing, you'll want to check out the honey pearl toppings — tapioca pearls cooked in honey and flash-frozen before being shipped to Melbourne. There's also matcha from century-old Japanese brand Izumo Tousuien, fresh taro milk made with taro imported from Taiwan's famed Dajia District, Valrhona cocoa and a range of vibrant toppings such as milk pudding and herbal fairy-grass jelly Other tea flavours include brown sugar, wintermelon, earl grey and oolong, while the yoghurt drink comes in strawberry, avocado and blueberry. And, if the packaging of some other bubble tea joints makes your eyes water, you'll be happy to know Milksha's got the planet on its side. The store's using biodegradable bamboo straws, as well as paper bags and cup holders. Find Milksha at 134 Elizabeth Street, CBD — it's open from 11am till 10pm daily. Images: Tim Harris. Updated: October 1, 2019.
Fresh from starring in page-to-screen Australian series Invisible Boys, Aussie actor Joseph Zada is headed to the arena. Hunger Games fans, meet young Haymitch. When the franchise's latest book Sunrise on the Reaping becomes its next movie — with the latter due to hit cinemas in 2026 — Zada will be in its key role. Two crucial pieces of casting have been announced for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping: Zada following in Woody Harrelson's (Fly Me to the Moon) footsteps as Haymitch Abernathy, plus Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl) as the character's girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird. Together, they'll be helping take the saga back to 24 years before Abernathy met Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings) in the first The Hunger Games novel. The new film couldn't be in the works if Suzanne Collins hadn't entered the arena again, of course, stepping back into Panem and The Hunger Games' past — and into the tale of a well-known character from her initial three books in the dystopian franchise — with the saga's second prequel. After the author first went down that route with 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, her next jump backwards hit bookstores in March 2025. When the novel was announced, naturally a film was as well. It might've taken three years for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to become a movie, but Sunrise on the Reaping is hitting the big screen just a year after the book made its way shelves. This time, the focus is on the Second Quarter Quell, with Haymitch winning those games — and Sunrise on the Reaping's narrative kicking off on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. Harrelson portrayed Haymitch in 2012–15 movies The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II, with filmmaker Francis Lawrence helming every one of them since Catching Fire — and also doing the same on The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. He'll be back in the director's chair on Sunrise on the Reaping. For Zada, this isn't his only big post-Invisible Boys project. He's also treading where James Dean once did, playing the same character as the late, great icon in a new version of East of Eden opposite Florence Pugh (We Live in Time), Mike Faist (Challengers) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) — and he has the page-to-screen adaptation of We Were Liars also on the way, hitting streaming in June 2025. There's obviously no trailer yet for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but you can check out the trailer for all of the past Hunger Games movies below: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will reach cinemas on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 Down Under. We'll update you with more details when they're announced. Via Variety. Top image: David Dare Parker, Invisible Boys. Hunger Games images: Murray Close.
The ever-popular Deeds Brewing finally has a taproom and tasting bar of its own, located in the same 2600-square-metre former mechanics workshop its brewery calls home. With room for 150 people across a ground floor and booth-filled mezzanine level, the lofty, mod-industrial space offers views of the brewing equipment and fermentation tanks from wherever you sit. A 28-tap lineup focuses on Deeds' own house creations, pouring year-round sips like the XPA (from $5.5) and Juice Train NEIPA (from $8) alongside a rotation of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The beers are backed by a curation of local wine, Aussie spirits and cocktails, plus brewery tours and tastings will also be on offer. A clever yet approachable menu from Head Chef Paul Kasten (Stomping Ground, Host Dining) incorporates both beer and classic beer ingredients throughout. Expect bites like focaccia teamed with malt butter, hop-cured salmon with creme fraiche and Geraldton wax, and brussels sprouts elevated with pale malt and onion cream. Blue Grenadier might be coated in a Deeds draught batter and matched with malt vinegar, while a wagyu MS9+ blade fillet comes served alongside an ale glaze and green chilli harissa. And if dessert's on the cards, prepare to be won over by the likes of a stout brownie or a malted whipped cheesecake with caramelised puff pastry. Paired with a serve of Deeds' latest dark, malty creation, of course.
The first WorldPride to ever be held in the southern hemisphere is upon us, boasting more than 300 shows, gigs, exhibitions and parties, and taking over Sydney across 17 days from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5. On the program: everything from art exhibitions and film festivals to dance parties and big-name international headliners, in one helluva jam-packed festival. We've pulled together a list of ten events popping up throughout the festival that feature once-in-a-lifetime lineups or celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride in their own unique way. From the long-awaited return of the annual Mardi Gras parade to its spiritual home through to multi-day party programs, these are the cream of the crop that will have you considering last-minute flights to Sydney. Explore our picks for the best WorldPride events this massive program has to offer. LIVE AND PROUD: SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE OPENING CONCERT Who else to open the Southern Hemisphere's first WorldPride than Australia's pop princess Kylie Minogue? Sydney shall be so lucky, with the iconic hitmaker taking to The Domain for a blockbuster concert kicking off the festivities on Friday, February 24. But, it doesn't end with Kylie. Live and Proud will also feature appearances from Charli XCX and Jessica Mauboy, with local legends Casey Donovan and Courtney Act on hosting duties. If you can't be there in person, the performance will be broadcast live nationwide on the ABC as well. [caption id="attachment_749877" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Feng[/caption] MARDI GRAS PARADE One of Sydney's biggest nights of the year is returning in a massive way in 2023. Not only is this Mardi Gras parade the event's 45th anniversary, as well as its return to Oxford Street, but it's also part of WorldPride. It's all happening on the streets of Darlinghurst on Saturday, February 25. The theme: gather, dream, amplify. All of the colourful floats and community groups the parade is known for will begin to march from 6pm, with the parade continuing until 11pm. Expect more than 12,500 marchers and 200 floats throughout the five-hour celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. DOMAIN DANCE PARTY Two days after Kylie takes to The Domain, another megastar will arrive, with Kelly Rowland headlining DJ Dan Slater's Domain Dance Party. DJ Suri and DJ Isis Muretech will also be on the decks, but the big star is clearly the former Destiny's Child member, who'll work through tracks from across her career. Fancy getting sweaty on the dance floor with 10,000 people? That's what's on offer on Sunday, February 26, with Rowland, the DJ lineup, onstage dancers and surprise acts all providing good times. MARDI GRAS FAIR DAY Fair Day is traditionally one of the first events of Mardi Gras each year, but in 2023 it's going one better: happening on Sunday, February 19, it's also the first major event of WorldPride. Get ready for a family-friendly, pup-friendly, eco-glitter-friendly day in Camperdown's Victoria Park that's inclusive, relaxed and free. This year's Fair Day will feature a fancy dress competition for dogs, over 300 market stalls, pop-up bars, a main stage with leading queer performers in Australian music, plus the chance to shine brightly with your nearest and dearest chosen family. Highlights from the performance lineup include Eurovision champion Conchita Wurst, a Sissy Ball vogue showcase, The Buoys, Nana Miss Koori, Carla Wehbe, Jamaica Moana and Latifa Tee — plus pop-up bars from the likes of Archie Rose and Squealing Pig. RAINBOW REPUBLIC: SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE CLOSING CONCERT While we'd love the celebrations to continue year-round, nothing lasts forever, and WorldPride will be coming to an end on Sunday, March 5 — but not before one last pop-filled party. Wrapping things up will be Rainbow Republic, another hit parade in The Domain featuring German pop star Kim Petras. Joining the 'Unholy' and 'Coconuts' hitmaker is MUNA, G Flip, Peach PRC, Alter Boy, BVT and Vetta Borne. Keiynan Lonsdale (Love, Simon, The Flash, Eden) will also be performing and taking to the stage between acts on hosting duties. MARDI GRAS FILM FESTIVAL The annual Mardi Gras Film Festival returns with a bumper edition celebrating both WorldPride and its own 30th anniversary. Fans of queer cinema, rejoice: this annual Sydney film fest is screening 166 films at eight venues around the city, running from Wednesday, February 15–Thursday, March 2. MGFF highlights include All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, 2022's Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning documentary about queer artist Nan Goldin, her life and career, and her battle against the billionaire Sackler family — plus closing night's The Venus Effect, with the Danish movie about two young women in love enjoying its Aussie premiere. The full fest program includes 100-plus sessions in cinema, outdoors and on-demand, alongside panel discussions, workshops, networking events and parties. Plus, there's an online component showing 21 movies nationwide. [caption id="attachment_887917" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Davies[/caption] DAY FOR NIGHT: THE PLEASURE ARC Festivalgoers should prepare their endurance for The Pleasure Arc, a 24-hour party packed with incredible talent set to immerse attendees in an extravagant queer utopia. Enjoy some of Australasia's best queer artists including House of Sle, House of Silky, Marcus Whale, Basjia Almaan and imbi during the opening weekend of the festival across Saturday, February 18–Sunday, February 19 at Carriageworks. In charge of keeping the tunes rolling during the overnight extravaganza will also be the Your Pleasure DJs, meaning there won't be a dull moment across the non-stop party. [caption id="attachment_887907" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] MARRI MADUNG BUTBUT Also at Carriageworks is Marri Madung Butbut (Many Brave Hearts): Sydney WorldPride First Nations Gathering Space. This six-day program from Thursday, February 23–Tuesday, February 28 celebrates Indigenous LGBTQIA+ artists and communities. Kicking off the festivities is a free-to-attend opening night party, the Djarraba Disco, featuring some of Eora and Naarm's best performance artists lighting up the dance floor. From there, you can head along to 11 different free events and several ticketed pop-ups ranging from variety shows to heartfelt plays. "Marri Madung Butbut is a place where everyone is welcome to experience the rainbow heart of the oldest surviving culture on the planet," explains Festival Creative Director Ben Graetz. ALL THE SEX I'VE EVER HAD We've all heard of the saying "the older you are, the wiser you are" — and in this case it stands true. It is common knowledge that we can glean so much from our elders with their breadth of experience. So when it comes time to learn about experiences pertaining to love, romance and sex, who better to ask than the ones with the most expertise? Strap in — or on — for a wild ride, as All The Sex I've Ever Had returns to Sydney completely revamped for WorldPride. The Darlinghurst Production Company has teamed up with Canada's Mammalian Diving to bring an LGBTQIA+ edition of the hugely successful, 90-minute tell-all production back to Sydney. From Tuesday, February 21–Friday, February 24, plus a 5pm show on Sunday, February 26, you can draw upon the wisdom of queer local senior citizens at the Eternity Playhouse Theatre. You'll also experience the climaxes of truly raw storytelling as these generous elders recount some of the highest highs and lowest lows when it comes to dating, relationships and sexuality. THE ABERCROMBIE WORLDPRIDE PROGRAM Following years of lockouts and lockdowns, the dance floor has finally made an emphatic comeback in Sydney. Part of this return is the reopening of storied nightclub The Abercrombie, which is making full use of its 24-hour license and multiple dance floors for WorldPride by rolling out a stacked program of parties. Curated by DJ Kate Monroe and party-starter Xander Khoury, the program runs from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, and enlists the help of party crews like Heaps Gay, Kerfew, Fur Ball and the Queer House Collective to bring together three weeks of packed dance floors, thumping bass and joyous energy. From full-venue takeovers and post-parade kick-ons raging until 8am to rooftop recovery brunches, this lineup has packed in as much dance music and good times to WorldPride as possible. The entire program features plenty of free events as well as a few ticketed nights — and all events are free for drag performers and First Nations attendees. Sydney WorldPride runs from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5 — for information, or for tickets, head to the event's website.
Whichever miniatures are stuffed inside a snow globe, a simple shake surrenders them all to the same fate: flakes falling in their tiny dome. Pop culture's enduring murder-mystery obsession can feel much the same way. When the pieces start raining down in Disney+'s seven-part miniseries A Murder at the End of the World, there's much that instantly feels familiar from a heavily populated field of recent and classics whodunnits. That checklist includes a confined single setting, potential victims cooped up with an unknown killer, rampant secrets and lies, fingers pointed everywhere, Nordic noir's frosty climes, an eerie butler, a wealthy host who might just have the most to lose and, of course, a gifted gumshoe sleuthing through the group. A Murder at the End of the World radiates its own Gen Z Sherlock Holmes vibe, though. That's even how its sharp protagonist is described, and early. In the role of 24-year-old hacker-turned-author Darby Hart, Emma Corrin (Lady Chatterley's Lover) also turns Agatha Christie. The OA creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij have put their own intriguing, involving, can't-stop-watching spin on their addition to the genre, as they make clear early. As the duo share writing duties and split time in the director's chair — with Marling also co-starring — they take cues from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Stieg Larsson's sequels as well, all while also sliding their series in alongside Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery; however, the mood, ambition, pursuit of weighty themes, shadowy conspiracies, earnestness and love of telling puzzle-box tales match perfectly with their last show, plus their film collaborations Sound of My Voice and The East. A Murder at the End of the World is a murder-mystery that's as much as twisty, chilly game as it is a musing. Its name nods to its remote Iceland setting, where untimely death does indeed stalk, and also to humanity's possible demise if the warming earth becomes uninhabitable. Among the assembled guests beckoned to a yet-to-open Scandi minimalist-style hotel, topics of conversation include the climate apocalypse, technological possibilities, space's potential, robotics, ever-present surveillance and AI — which the handpicked group's billionaire recluse host Andy Ronson (Clive Owen, American Crime Story) prefers to call "alternative intelligence". Whether the money and power that's splashed around by rich innovators is a lifeline or catastrophic also lingers, even when it isn't specifically addressed. (Yes, A Murder at the End of the World slips into the affluence-savaging terrain that everything from Succession to The Fall of the House of Usher has trodden upon of late.) Introduced walking to a bookstore listening to 'The End' by The Doors and therefore bringing Apocalypse Now to mind, then reading aloud from her true-crime tome The Silver Doe, Darby's existence has been entwined with death since her childhood. The daughter of a coroner, she grew up around crime scenes and in the morgue, and can recite crime statistics about unidentified murder victims. When she was a teenager, she also started investigating a Jane Doe who was found in her town, putting her own detective skills to the test after apathetic law enforcement decided there wasn't enough information to go on. Darby's debut novel steps into that case, particularly the road trip she took with fellow Reddit-aided citizen detective Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson, Scrapper) to solve it. Flashbacks to the journey flicker through A Murder at the End of the World, twinning the show's two quests to find killers. In the present-day storyline, an unexpected invite follows Darby's reading, with Ronson selecting her to attend an exclusive ideas salon where the future fuels the discourse. From the moment that she steps onto a private jet that looks like a library, she stands out — and long before freshening up the pink in her cropped hair, too. Also en route to the Iceland chatfest: smart-city designer Lu Mei (Joan Chen, The Heart), astronaut Sian (Alice Braga, Hypnotic), filmmaker Martin (Jermaine Fowler, The Drop) and businessman David (Raúl Esparzam, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit). Upon arrival, not only Ronson, his famed coder wife (and Darby's idol) Lee (Marling) and their five-year-old son Zoomer (Kellan Tetlow, This Is Us) await, but also climatologist Rohan (Javed Khan, Blind), activist Ziba (Pegah Ferydoni, Almania) and robotics whiz Oliver (Ryan J Haddad, The Politician) — plus security head Todd (Louis Cancelmi, Killers of the Flower Moon) and his doctor partner Eva (Britian Seibert, The Knick), all-knowing AI butler Ray (Edoardo Ballerini, Quarry) and Bill, who is now a Banksy-esque artist known as Fangs, and that she hasn't seen for six years. For the innately cautious Darby and for A Murder at the End of the World's viewers alike, there's zero doubting that everything at this symposium isn't what it seems — and everyone for that matter. Then there's a body in the hotel's frozen midst, with more questions showering down, Darby the chief person doing the asking and the reception mostly biting. Interpretative dance doesn't play a part, but The OA's commitment to fleshing out its own engrossing realm and reverberating on its own frequency remains alive and well in Marling and Batmanglij's latest project. They're masters of atmosphere. They adore dwelling in complexity. They know how to make compulsive viewing, too, and to think and feel big while doing so. (Another function of the parallel timelines: swelling, sweltering emotions, as a new couple on the road chasing a serial killer are bound to feel, then carry with them for life.) Marling and Batmanglii also push Corrin to the fore, as well as far away from stepping into Princess Diana's shoes in The Crown's fourth season. The resulting performance is magnificent. Casting is as crucial to any whodunnit as a case to solve — or two here — with A Murder at the End of the World's lead proving an impeccable choice. Their task is considerable, both as their Nancy Drew surrogate embarks upon a chase with American Honey's warm aesthetic and as the character gets so immersed in iciness that they could use The Killing's jumpers. While flitting between those sultry and glacial surroundings, and from the eagerness of a shy but razor-smart teen pursuing a passion and discovering more of the world to a warier twentysomething grappling with loss and survival, their face conveys a blizzard of thoughts and feelings. Cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (Sharper) patiently and probingly stays close, usually. A Murder at the End of the World's penetrating frames also revel in Corrin's chemistry with Dickinson, a pair to run away to the end of the world with. This is a stylishly shot and seductive series, but it's all the more alluring when Corrin and Dickinson are together at its centre; empathy beats at the core of Darby and Bill's approach to righting the world's wrongs and finding justice for victims that time has forgotten, as it does in the portrayals behind them, plus the series around that. Owen and Marling make another entrancing pair, embodying the trait that Marling and Batmanglii love as much as sincerity: slipperiness. Craftiness abounds in the plot, in its hack-or-be-killed tech-driven sleuthing and in weaving together the show's many potent fixations — misogyny, capitalism and economic inequality among them. Shake this snow globe for more and you won't want to stop. Check out the trailer for A Murder at the End of the World below: A Murder at the End of the World streams via Disney+ from Tuesday, November 14.
Just like that, the sun is shining, and the spring school holidays are here. Wondering how you'll keep the minis busy while you're still working, cooking, shopping and the rest? We've come to your rescue — with ten irresistible activities happening in and around Melbourne. Head to Werribee Park to meet more than 30 walking, talking, roaring dinosaurs. Then, make tracks to Werribee Open Range Zoo to go behind-the-scenes on the elephant trail. Plus, there's the NBA's first-ever visit to Australia, pizza-making classes for future chefs, free ferry rides across Port Phillip Bay, and loads more. Your house is now officially a whine-free zone. [caption id="attachment_1010802" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Supplied[/caption] Get Up Close and Personal with the Prehistoric at Dinofest at Werribee Park Whether you missed Dinofest (Melbourne East) last school holidays, or loved it so much you want to do it all again, you're in luck. The prehistoric event is happening again, and this time, in the delightful grounds of Werribee Park Mansion — with more than 30 roaring, walking, life-sized dinosaurs. This is your chance to meet a Stegosaurus up close, and give it a pat or a bite to eat. Other dinos that'll be keeping you company include a Triceratops, Spinosaurus, Pachycephalosaurs, Ankylosaur and the mighty Brachiosaurus. In between encounters, learn about the history of the Tyrannosaurus, go on a dino dig, feel a real dinosaur bone, and get into some dino-themed art and crafts. Dinofest is on daily throughout the holidays, and on Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12. [caption id="attachment_1027610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Supplied[/caption] Learn to Make Australia's Best Pizza at Shop 225 Got the next Curtis Stone or Emma Dawson on your hands? Help them accelerate their culinary skills at Shop 225. The Pascoe Vale-based restaurant was named Australia's best pizzeria in 2025, and it's running two pizza-making classes for budding minis this spring school holiday — on Thursday, September 25, and Thursday, October 2. For $60 a pop, participants will learn to make pizzas from scratch, from stretching and tossing the dough, to designing their own toppings, to baking their creations in a woodfired pizza oven. [caption id="attachment_1027583" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Supplied[/caption] Let Loose at Luna Park's School Holiday Events Luna Park is embracing the spring school holidays with a bunch of activities. A petting farm is open daily from 11am-4pm, bringing cuddles and cuteness from baby goats, bunnies, sheep and more. Entry is included with your ticket. After that, whisk the little ones away (if you can) to the face painting station, where they'll be transformed into the magical creature of their dreams. Then, it'll be time to feast on hot jam doughnuts, churros, hot chocolate and more, before hitting the rides. Luna Park is open every day of the school holidays, plus on Monday, October 6. [caption id="attachment_1027613" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Visit Victoria website[/caption] Hit the Court at the NBA x NBL Melbourne Series This school holiday might be forever remembered for one thing: the very first time the National Basketball Association (NBA) made its way from the States Down Under. More specifically, the New Orleans Pelicans are getting ready to play two preseason games against NBL teams at the Rod Laver Arena. Catch them up against Melbourne United on Thursday, October 2, then in competition with South East Melbourne Phoenix on Sunday, October 5. On top of that, there's a family-friendly fan night on Saturday, October 4, featuring skills challenges, a three-point contest and live performances. Plus, on Thursday, October 2, you can watch the Pelicans in action at an open training session. [caption id="attachment_1011753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Supplied[/caption] Meet Friendly Giants at Werribee Open Range Zoo's Elephant Experience Is your little one the next Doctor Dolittle? Nurture their love of animals at Werribee Open Range Zoo these school holidays. Two new elephant experiences are on the program. The first is the Elephant Experience, which gives you 75 minutes behind the scenes of the zoo's new, 21-hectare Elephant Trail. You'll visit an elephant barn, watch a training session and learn what it takes to look after a herd of four-tonne creatures. The Elephant Experience is available on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, and costs $171 per person. The second is the Elephant Wellbeing Walking Tour, a 60-minute guided stroll that brings you insights into elephants, their behaviour and their environment. It happens at 1.30pm every Saturday and Sunday. [caption id="attachment_1027618" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Supplied[/caption] Hop Aboard Port Phillip Ferries' Free Rides Port Phillip Ferries are celebrating the school holidays with a host of watery adventures. On Tuesday, September 30, climb aboard a Magical Movie Singalong Cruise to spend an hour or two singing along to all your favourite cinematic hits. Listen out for tunes from Frozen, the Lion King, Moana, Toy Story, Grease, the Little Mermaid and loads of others. Then swap music for art on an overwater trip to the Archibald Prize, currently showing at Geelong Gallery. Port Phillip Ferries has partnered with the gallery to offer ferry + exhibition tickets at a steal. Last but not least, any time you catch a regular service during the holidays, kids aged 4-16 can travel free. Just enter the code PPFKidsFree when booking. [caption id="attachment_1027625" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Supplied[/caption] Meet Thomas the Tank Engine on the Bellarine Railway Thomas the Tank Engine and his array of friends have been adored by kids for 80 years. To celebrate, the Bellarine Railway at Queenscliff is hosting a Day out with Thomas on Saturday, October 4, and Sunday, October 5. Over two days, enjoy unlimited rides on Thomas, a meet-and-greet with Sir Topham Hatt, fire engines, bubble blowers, mini golf and prize packs. Family tickets (from $110 for two adults and two children) include a 45-minute ride along the Bellarine. All the action will take place at Queenscliff Station, and you can book via the Bellarine Railway website. [caption id="attachment_1027841" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: The Playground Project webpage[/caption] Climb Through Art at The Playground Project Keen to take your kid to an art exhibition, but not so keen on having to make sure they don't touch anything? The Playground Project is the answer. Unlike hands-off art shows, this one lets visitors climb, crawl and fall. That's because it's a celebration of the history of the mighty playground, explored through photos, videos, archival materials and texts from all over the world. And there are three installations where the little ones can put this history into practice. See The Playground Project at the Incinerator Gallery in Aberfeldie between now and Sunday, October 12. Have Tonnes of Fun at The Melbourne Royal Show The biggest event on the spring school holiday calendar is the Melbourne Royal Show. Whatever your kid's into — from rides and show bags to food and animals — they can lap it all up from Thursday, September 25-Sunday, October 5, at the Melbourne Showgrounds. In one day, watch them meet a 1,000kg bull, shear a sheep, wander around a LEGO play land, and ride the Beast (for over 16s) or the Circus Train (for 0-5s). After that, catch a Blue Ribbon Competition or two — from the battle for best dog, starring more than 3,000 dogs, to the Royal Horses in Action contest. [caption id="attachment_1027983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image credit: Visit Bendigo website[/caption] Snack, Sip and Frolick at Bendigo Bloom From now till the end of November, Bendigo is celebrating spring with its annual Bloom festival. Nearly 100 activations are on the program, across wine, food, art, history, comedy and, of course, the great outdoors. Take the kids along Bloom After Dark, a free illuminated trail of giant flower displays and interactive installations. Visit the Village of Gnomes in Canterbury Park Gardens. Stroll through hundreds of acres of canola fields on the Cornella Canola Walk in the Heathcote region. And, from Friday, October 3-Sunday, October 5, check out the Loddon Valley Arts Festival. You'll find the rest of the epic program on the Bendigo Bloom website.
"Nature holds us all to account" is one of Force of Nature: The Dry 2's trailer-friendly lines. Even for those who didn't see the film's sneak peeks in the months between its arrival and the feature's release — a period stretched by Hollywood's 2023 strikes, pushing the picture's date with cinemas from August to February 2024 — it sounds primed for promo snippets when it's uttered in the movie itself. But this Australian detective franchise has earned the right to occasionally be that blunt and loaded with telling importance in its dialogue. And, it makes it work. In 2021's The Dry and here, in a flick that could've been called The Wet thanks to its drenched forest setting, the Aaron Falk saga uses its surroundings to mirror its emotional landscape. Nature holds its characters to account not just in a narrative sense, but by reflecting what they're feeling with astute specificity — so much so that the parched Victorian wheatbelt in the initial movie and the saturated greenery in Force of Nature are as much extensions of the series' on-screen figures as they are stunning backdrops. Chief among this page-to-film realm's players is Falk, the federal police officer that Eric Bana and his Blueback director Robert Connolly treat like terrain to trek through and traverse. His stare has its own cliffs and gorges. His life upholding the law and beyond has its peaks and valleys as well. In The Dry, it was evident that the yellowed, drought-stricken fields that monopolised the frame said plenty about how much Falk and everyone around him was holding back. In Force of Nature, all the damp of the fictional Giralang mountains — Victoria's Otways, Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley IRL — speaks volumes about what's streaming through the movie's characters inside. Cinematography is one of this franchise's strengths, and that Andrew Commis (Nude Tuesday) lenses the second picture's location just as evocatively and meticulously as Stefan Duscio (Shantaram) did the first is crucial: these features make their audience see every detail that envelops Falk and company, and therefore constantly spy the parallels between their environs and their inner turmoil. As adapted from author Jane Harper's bestselling books, the two Falk films so far understand one of the basic aspects of being human that's also rarely grasped so convincingly: that there's no escaping the fact that who we are and what we've experienced colours how we see what's in front of us. As Connolly keeps exploring both as a director and a screenwriter — he penned Force of Nature's script solo — this truth rings accurate whether a person has spent decades trying to ignore something or if they're drawn into territory linked to a matter that's always cascading in their heart and mind. The latter is the second flick's scenario, with Falk on a missing-person investigation in a place that connects to his history. The Dry used a similar setup, but it only comes across as neat and repetitive if you can't see how closely art is aping life and how everyone inherently views the world. New locale, scenery, weather conditions, colour palette, case, involved parties and reasons that Falk is pondering his past: they're among Force of Nature's departures from its predecessor. Same protagonist, flashback-heavy structure, emotional approach, revealing use of topography, star, filmmaker: so goes the returning elements. This is a movie that combines new shoots with old foliage, then, and compellingly. The Dry was a solid twisty Aussie mystery aided by Bana at his best in the lead and thematically meaningful imagery, as Force of Nature is now. Its most-unsuccessful part is its title, blatantly stressing the relationship between the features as if viewers wouldn't pick it anyway. (If Harper's third and final Falk book gets the cinematic treatment as well, which likely depends on how well Force of Nature backs up The Dry's $20-million-plus in Aussie box-office takings, presumably that picture will be clunkily dubbed Exiles: The Dry 3.) Sodden ranges beckon one of Australia's rare whodunnit sagas due to a corporate hiking retreat for the Melbourne-based Bailey Tenants, where Alice Russell (Anna Torv, The Last of Us) works. After setting off with just her boss Jill (Deborra-Lee Furness, Blessed) and three colleagues — Lauren (Robin McLeavy, Homeland), who has a daughter (debutant Matilda May Pawsey) the same age as her own (Ingrid Torelli, Five Bedrooms); and sisters Beth (Sisi Stringer, Mortal Kombat) and Bree (Lucy Ansell, Strife) — for company, plus one map between them and only basic supplies, she isn't with the group when they re-emerge. None of the remaining women have answers about Alice's whereabouts. They've all visibly been through an ordeal. And Alice's absence isn't deeply mourned, as Falk and his partner Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie, Ruby's Choice) are soon diving into with the returnees, plus Jill's husband Daniel (Richard Roxburgh, Prosper). This isn't the detective duo's introduction to Alice. This isn't Falk's first time at this spot, either. So spreads Force of Nature's branches (and so gives the editing a workout, with Alexandre de Franceschi back from The Dry and and Penguin Bloom's Maria Papoutsis joining). The film tracks the search for Alice in the present, what happened leading up to her disappearance, Falk and Cooper's attempts to get her to be a whistleblower against her employer before that, and Falk's childhood (with The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart's Jeremy Lindsay Taylor returning as Erik Falk, his father, and Preacher's Archie Thomson playing the younger Aaron). Force of Nature isn't short on plot — and thankfully it also isn't lacking in weight and texture in Connolly's hands, just as atmosphere, tension and intrigue aren't an issue. It was a masterstroke to enlist Bana as Falk — a choice that, aided by his fine-tuned mixed of charisma and intensity, continues paying off in his second spin in the part. This is a contemplative performance with gravitas again, including in probing the ethics of his on-screen alter ego's actions. As the headstrong Alice, Torv is equally exceptional, especially as someone who is far from the dutiful informant or likeable potential victim. Indeed, the casting all round is spot on, with Furness dynamite in her first feature beyond voicework in a decade and a half, McLeavy putting in another complicated portrayal in an Aussie movie 15 years after making a helluva debut in The Loved Ones, Roxburgh as excellent at playing cunning as he was in Prosper, and Stringer and Ansell commandingly digging into their sibling characters' layers. Their efforts match the rain in the forest, the unease among the traipsing women and the thrall of this franchise as it grows — because all three keep soaking in.
Remember when Pizza Hut announced that monstrosity with whole cheeseburgers baked inside the crust and everyone thought our country was reaching a critical moment in the obesity epidemic? Well, good news! American burger chain Carl's Jr is coming to Australia. Well-known in the US for their total disregard of the health conscious, Carl's Jr is a bastion of oil-soaked gluttony that makes McDonald's look like a salad bar. Many of the burgers on their regular menu contain more than 1000 calories — more than double the content of a Big Mac — and suggestions of their move to Australia were last year met with comments from the Federal Health Department. Though the franchise already has 15 locations across New Zealand, Carl's Jr will be trialling its run across the Tasman with some isolated stores on the central coast of NSW and none in our capital cities. But, much like our well-balanced blood sugar levels, that won't last long. Currently looking for franchisees, Carl's Jr is reportedly aiming to open 300 Australian stores within the next 10-15 years. Of course, there's not much you can do about fast food like this. Even with the mandatory nutritional information printed on the side, if a dude wants to eat a heart attack in a bun, he'll eat one. C'est la vie. It's the corporation's marketing strategy which might cause bigger problems. Since they employed Paris Hilton to ineffectually wash this car in 2005, Carl's Jr's advertising has perpetuated some pretty heinous crimes against feminism. Their ads, which have featured the likes of Kim Kardashian and Heidi Klum, all operate on a somewhat basic mathematical level: sauce = jizz, burgers = vajayjay, dumb people's erections = profit. Prior to their launch in NZ, a similarly offensive Carl's Jr ad was actually banned from airing at all. So we're not hugely looking forward to what they come up with in Australia but understand it's a bit of a mixed bag. Carl's Jr Australia: great news for sex pests and very bad news for people with high cholesterol. Via Gizmodo.
Ned's Bake and Bistro has been kicking around South Melbourne since 2017, pumping out fresh sourdough loaves, pastries, cakes, sandwiches and brunch bites. It's since expanded to Middle Park Armadale and Albert Park — making Melbourne's southeast its home. Earlier this year, the Middle Park venue experimented with opening for dinner service, and it's clearly been a success because the team is set to do the same with its South Yarra spot. From Thursday, October 10, the team will be extending Ned's opening hours, delivering a new bar menu from 3–5pm and a dinner menu from 5pm–late (Tuesday–Saturday). Leaning into its Mediterranean roots, Ned's evening offerings will be very similar to those at Middle Park, focusing on classic European comfort food served in a semi-casual setting. You can expect a selection of handmade pasta dishes, including the pappardelle with lamb ragu and pecorino cheese, and the tagliolini packed with spanner crab, chilli and lemon. A classic steak frites with Montpellier butter, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, grilled octopus and lobster-loaded croissant will also feature on the spring dinner menu. These are all set to be paired with local and European wines, plus a smattering of cocktails. Ned's Armadale and Ned's Albert Park will soon follow with their own dinner service, as the team plans to transform each of the venues into an all-day diner. These changes are all a part of the the Valarc Group's (The Meatball & Wine Bar, Tartine Bistro and Ines Wine Bar) ambitious plans for expansion. Not only did they recently acquire Ned's, but they also plan to open more Ned's sites soon, plus a slew of new venues — including a cocktail bar above Ines, a European restaurant in Middle Park Village, an Italian deli in Kyneton and a boutique winery in the Macedon Ranges. It's full steam ahead for these hospo heavyweights. Ned's South Yarra — found at 134 Toorak Road — will open for dinner service on Thursday, October 10, open 5pm–late from Tuesday–Saturday. For more details, you can visit the venue's website.
Whether you think you can dance or know for a fact that you can't, we have got a hell of a midweek activity for you. Held each and every Tuesday and Wednesday at The Workers Club in Fitzroy, Groove Therapy is a relaxed, hour-long dance class for the aspiring street dancer in all of us. There's no pressure, no recitals and — most importantly — no mirrors. Indeed, the workshops are designed for beginner students who might feel intimidated by a more professional environment. Don't let that fool you though, because the instructors are legit, and will have you popping and locking in no time. It's perfect for those of us who dream of burning up the dance floor, but have never had the moves to back it up. What's even better is that partial profits from the dance classes go to a good cause — community dance classes for minority groups, such as refugee women and elderly people with dementia. Image: Daniel Lidmila
It took a tad longer than most of Melbourne's other culinary precincts, but it seems Collingwood and Fitzroy are finally well and truly aboard the modern Mexican bandwagon. Meat-free favourite Trippy Taco was flying solo for a long time, before Mamasita's long-awaited second venue Hotel Jesus took over the former Collingwood Post Office space towards the end of 2016. Now Fonda has arrived at the fiesta, with the group choosing a buzzy Smith Street corner as the location for their seventh Melbourne Mexican joint. David Youl and Tim McDonald have breathed new life into the strip's familiar former pink cheesecake outlet, transforming it from dingy corner shop into a two-storey space that's light, bright and surprisingly massive. They've worked in that signature Fonda energy — it's all blond wood laced with pops of colour, and a bouncy soundtrack turned up loud. A sunken open bar and kitchen take centre stage on the lower level, surrounded by curvy timber booths and high communal tables. Then, upstairs, you'll find a separate bar — for easy access to margaritas — and a sun-drenched, openair terrace out back. The menu's an upbeat arrangement of snacks and larger plates, making it ideal both for quick bites and those all-out feasting sessions. It's easygoing and yet big on the details, incorporating fresh-pressed tortillas, quality Aussie meat and non-GMO corn. A basket of white and blue tortilla crisps ($9) works a treat alongside those after-work Coronas ($8), or as a prelude to something bigger. If snacking is all you're doing, the DIY tostada board ($21) is gold. A selection of six-inch tacos reads like a roll-call of the classics, though if you look closely, you'll find it's interspersed with clever additions. Lightly battered prawns work beautifully alongside pineapple, caramelised kimchi, and Japanese mayo ($7.50), while market-fresh rockling gets a kick from pickled carrot, chipotle aioli, and a drizzle of lime ($7.50). Heartier appetites will flock straight to the trio of quesadillas ($15-16), or the burritos, which are loaded up with black beans and quinoa. Here, again, the list covers all the favourites, with the meatiest being the chopped beef ($16) — a tasty mix of shaved cabbage, house salsa, and a subtle chipotle aioli. To wash it down, the bar's whipping up six different margaritas, as well as a handful of signature creations, with options by the glass or the jug. If you like your drinks sweet, you'll appreciate the gin-based Netflix & Chill ($17), which blends grapefruit and honey with ginger, coriander, and a hint of fresh chilli. Otherwise, go for the tangy embrace of a burnt orange margarita ($17) — an infusion of el Jimador Blanco tequila, vanilla, burnt orange, lime, and OJ. It goes down nicely with a taco on the terrace with the sound of a tram rumbling up Smith Street in the background. Images: Brook James.
Melbourne's Midcity Centre on Bourke Street is home to Tokyo Motto, an eatery offering an enticing experience, transitioning from a casual Japanese restaurant by day to moody izakaya bar by night. The brains behind the operation is Spring Chee, a seasoned pastry chef and restaurateur with more than two decades of experience in Melbourne's hospitality scene at venues such as Le Mille Creperie, Sugar Labo and Sweetie Moustache. With Tokyo Motto, Chee brings everyday Japanese-style dining to Melbourne, with a menu focused on championing locally sourced ingredients. During the day, patrons can expect a mix of traditional and not-so-traditional Japanese dishes. A menu highlight is the Japanese curry made with "Golden" curry sauce infused with a blend of stone fruits and fresh bee honey — a recipe discovered by Chee during her travels in Japan. Other menu highlights include the omurice, showcasing a tornado egg omelette and thick-cut katsu — a take on a recent Japanese trend using a pork loin done sous vide-style for 24 hours. For those looking to have some fun, the Ice Cream Spicy Miso Ramen offers a blend of spicy and sweet, thanks to the literal ice cream cone floating in the middle of the spicy ramen bowl. It's all about balance. As evening approaches, Tokyo Motto transforms. Starting from 9pm, the venue becomes an izakaya bar, offering a range of classic izakaya snacks, including everyone's favourite karaage, alongside a selection of Japanese cocktails, beer and sake.
Sydney has no shortage of history, both owned and borrowed, to learn about this summer. From the long cultural history of the First Nations custodians of the land to the colonial bones of Sydney's architecture to the modern-day melting pot of cultures and stories, every era leaves its mark. We've combed through the Harbour City and found some historical gems that deserve your attention, whether you're a local or a visitor, starting with a new and exciting opportunity that will only be in the city for a few months. RAMSES & THE GOLD OF THE PHARAOHS — THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM The Australian Museum is always a top choice for history in Sydney, and this exhibit running until May 2024 is unlike anything the museum has ever hosted before. Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs is a multi-sensory, immersive experience for all ages and is exclusive to the Australian Museum. The exhibition explores the life and reign of the late Ramses the Great, Egypt's second longest-reigning Pharaoh, and is comprised of over 180 objects, each dating back approximately 3000 years. Ramses II lived well into his 90s, old even for a monarch, and each object captures important details of the era and his life. Items on display include jewellery, ceramics, small mummified animals, royal masks, and even the actual sarcophagus that Ramses was entombed in in 1213 BC. You'll also find an optional multisensory VR experience that will transport you virtually to two of the era's most significant monuments, the tomb of Queen Nefertari and the temples of Abu Simbel. [caption id="attachment_923966" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] QUEENSCLIFF TUNNEL AND HOTEL STEYNE — MANLY Sydney's own history spreads well beyond the centre of the city, from bush to coast. On the coastal side of town is a suburb that is one of the most well-known to the culturally, coastally and historically inclined — Manly. On the north side of Manly Beach, on the border of Queenscliff, is the Queenscliff Tunnel. It could easily be dismissed as a detail in the rocky headland, but it is actually a manmade tunnel, supposedly carved in 1908 by local fishermen to act as a shortcut between Freshwater and Manly Beaches. It's open to visitors but on an elevated cliff face, so remain cautious. Back on flat ground is another historical highlight, Hotel Steyne. Originally built in 1859, the pub has been destroyed by two mysterious fires, but the current building dates back to 1923 and is one of the best pub feeds in Manly. ILLOURA RESERVE AND THE FENWICK — BALMAIN EAST Among some of the lesser-known harbourfront historical areas, specifically in Balmain East, is Illoura Reserve. Before the arrival of European settlers, the area was a swamp, only established in land purchases in the early 19th century as a part of a 222-hectare grant to colonial Surgeon Dr William Balmain. Seeing the connection? Since then, the area has been used as a harbourside industrial precinct and a tip. One building that has stood since the 1880s is The Fenwick. Originally a store for harbour tugboats, it evolved alongside Illoura Reserve and is now a stunning waterfront cafe and art gallery. The menu stars local and seasonal produce, and the second-floor gallery showcases a range of local and international artists, with everything available for purchase. [caption id="attachment_923971" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tim Downey via Flickr[/caption] PADDINGTON RESERVE GARDENS — PADDINGTON Away from the harbour, in the inner east hub of Paddington, we find a historical site that holds great significance to the city. More than just a public park, these are the Paddington Reservoir Gardens. This was where most of Sydney's water was pumped from its construction in 1866 to its closure in 1899. In its prime, it had a hefty capacity of just over 9000 megalitres. Still, it was closed and repurposed into a storage yard until 1934, when it was partially converted into a service station. When the roof collapsed twice in the 1990s, the station was again closed. Following a major restoration, the site was reopened as a park in 2009, combining elements of its history with overland reserves that had been constructed prior. Now, it's known for its beautiful but eerie appearance, almost like post-industrial Roman undercity ruins, but on Oxford Street. [caption id="attachment_826667" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CREMORNE RESERVE AND MACCALLUM POOL — CREMORNE POINT Across the city and harbour is the suburb of Cremorne, one of the most disputed shorelines of Sydney Harbour's history. Once a site of great significance to the Cammeraygal people, the land was acquired by Europeans in 1833. Over the following years, it would be a public amusement park, residential development, and even almost a coal mine in the early 1890s. Thankfully, the point and reserve are now protected as a heritage conservation area. One of the gems of the location is MacCallum Pool, a harbour swimming pool originally constructed by local residents. It was maintained by locals until hygiene concerns of harbour swimming prompted North Sydney Council to take over maintenance in 1930. Renamed to MacCallum in tribute to one of its most loyal civilian carers, Hugh J MacCallum, the council has since restored the pool and added decking, landscaping and fencing to secure the pool and its visitors. [caption id="attachment_827016" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] FOUNDATION PARK, FORTUNE OF WAR AND THE DOSS HOUSE — THE ROCKS The Rocks precinct is synonymous with Sydney's history, being one of it's oldest and most iconic heritage precincts. One hidden detail, an unmarked alleyway off Argyle Terrace, is Foundation Park. At first glance, it looks like a collection of discarded furniture, but it's actually a living museum designed to recreate the space and feel of Sydney's oldest homes. The history of The Rocks extends to some of its extremely popular venues, such as Fortune of War and The Doss House. Fortune of War is regarded as Sydney's oldest pub, originally built by a former convict settler in 1828. The name comes from its regulars, sailors and soldiers who were leaving and arriving in Sydney for (or from) war. The Doss House is equally historic, a heritage-listed underground whiskey bar with rooms that pay tribute to the building's many past identities, from a bootmaker workshop to a cheap accommodation for the desperate and even an illegal opium den. [caption id="attachment_923973" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ryan Frank via iStock[/caption] BADU MANGROVES AND HOMEBUSH BAY — HOMEBUSH When you think of Homebush, history and nature might not be the first thoughts that come to mind. But one of the best-kept secrets of Sydney can be found in Homebush. Badu Mangroves is a 56-hectare slice of wetland between Homebush Bay and Bicentennial Park. Overlooked for most of Sydney's history, this haven of local wildlife was choked by pollution for decades but is now thriving again thanks to a restoration program and can be explored via an elevated boardwalk. The mangroves, as mentioned, are adjacent to Homebush Bay, and from the boardwalk, you can spot the famous 'floating forest', the wreck of the SS Ayrfield. Originally built in 1911 and part of a fleet of cargo ships that ferried coal, oil and wartime supplies, it survived WWII but is now being slowly broken down by a mangrove forest. A small slice of history, forever locked in the waters of the Parramatta River. For more information on Ramses & The Gold of the Pharaohs, or to book tickets, visit the website. For more experiences in Sydney, keep exploring Concrete Playground.
Aunty Donna fans, we're living in a golden time for the sketch comedy group's jokes making their way from skits to IRL. Obviously, everything is still a drum and always will be. On top of that, though, Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane are making a sitcom about whipping up morning browns, have dropped an Always Room for Christmas Pud picture book and are releasing a $30 bottle of wine literally called $30 bottle of wine. If you're already giggling at all of the above, then you know the skits that they all spring from — and, when it comes to the new vino, you're ready to chug-a-lug. First, though, you'd also best be prepared to aerate the wine by pouring it into a decanter, then wait an hour before drinking. Then, you'll need to swirl, sniff, maybe find a cupcake in your glass, spit some wine out to explore the flavours and just generally feel like a fancy rich type. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Built To Spill Wine (@builttospill.wine) Saying that it costs $30 a lot, and respecting it because it costs $30, are also essential. So is singing the Home and Away theme song, apparently. Obviously, you don't have to take Aunty Donna's $30 Bottle of Wine skit as actual instructions, but watching said clip while drinking is definitely recommended. The $30 bottle of wine — which isn't just any bottle of wine, of course — hails from a collaboration with Built to Spill. The wine label was started by Tai Tate (ex-Porteno, Mary's, P&V) back in 2020 and has built itself up a following since, with this collaboration coming after Tate was introduced to the world of Aunty Donna by tattoo artist called Sanchez. The latter has now done the honours with the bottle's label, in fact, and yes, the words "$30 bottle of wine" feature prominently. Tate advises that the wine, which retails for $29.95 and ships from Monday, November 28, is probably worth more than $30. A natural shiraz from Macedon by Trutta Wines, it features bright red fruits and cacao, plus notes of cranberry and wild cherry. Go on, give all that a mention as you're sipping — you have to, it's the $30-bottle-of-wine way. Built to Spill is selling Aunty Donna's $30 bottle of wine solo, and in a bundle with Always Room for Christmas Pud. Ace Christmas present alert, clearly. All that's left now is to revisit the sketch that started it all, because you can never watch it too many times. Check it out below: For more information about Aunty Donna's $30 bottle of wine, head to the Built to Spill website. Orders are open now, and bottles ship from Monday, November 28.
Renowned chef and restaurateur Matt Moran has announced the launch of his new burger brand, Proper Burgers. Reflecting his cooking philosophy of 'simple food, done properly,' the elevated burgers will make their debut this summer. Matt Moran says, "I have been cooking my whole life, and one thing I have learnt is that simple food, done properly, is hard to beat. That's what Proper Burgers is all about. For me, that means starting with grass-fed beef, seasoned properly and cooked with care. It means soft milk buns, sharp cheese and sauces we make ourselves. It's the kind of burger you remember — simple, satisfying, and bloody delicious. Big flavour. Nothing fancy, just damn good burgers." On the menu, classic burgers, snacks and sides are all designed to reflect Moran's commitment to top-quality produce. The Original Proper Burger features grass-fed beef and a tangy Proper Sauce, whereas the Proper Chook showcases southern crumbed chicken with a cabbage and herb slaw. On the side, you're not limited to ordinary, soggy take-out fries. Instead, go for popcorn prawns, corn ribs with parmesan and chipotle mayo, or crunchy salt and vinegar onion rings. While the first shopfront will open at Optus Stadium, it will form the foundation of a broader national vision. Moran plans to expand the brand to reach audiences who value high-quality food that is not overly complicated for its own sake. Images: SoCo Studios. Proper Burgers will open at Optus Stadium over the summer. If you're looking for a great feed now, check out this iconic Melbourne burger, which was crowned the 14th best burger in the world, or this Sydney number, previously ranked ninth best burger globally.
Triple J's Hottest 100 is back for another year, counting down the best songs of 2025 as voted by listeners around the country. The nation's biggest music event kicks off from 12pm on Saturday, January 24, 2026, and while you could tune in from home, it's far better with a cold drink in hand and a crowd singing along beside you. Across Australia, venues are turning up the volume and opening their doors for Hottest 100 listening parties, complete with drink specials, live sets and all-day kick-ons once the number one song drops. From inner-city pubs and coastal beer gardens to small-batch breweries and rooftop bars, here's where to celebrate the countdown in style this weekend. NSW: Akasha Brewing Company – Five Dock The Lord Gladstone – Chippendale 4 Pines Truckbar – Brookvale Resin Brewing – Bulli Darlo Bar – Darlinghurst East Village Hotel – Darlinghurst Taphouse Sydney – Darlinghurst The Strand Hotel – Darlinghurst The Golden Barley Hotel – Enmore Bombies – Freshwater The Governor – Macquarie Park Sauce Brewing Co – Marrickville The Courthouse Hotel – Newtown The Marlborough Hotel — Newtown The Old Commodore Hotel — McMahons Point Drink West – Penrith Public House – Petersham Salisbury Hotel – Stanmore General Gordon Hotel – Sydenham The Australian Heritage Hotel – The Rocks La La La's – Wollongong The Illawarra – Wollongong VIC: The Wine List – Euroa The Catfish – Fitzroy Top Yard — Melbourne CBD Holmes Hall — Moonee Ponds Welcome to Thornbury — Northcote Esplanade Hotel — St Kilda Westside Ale Works — South Melbourne QLD: Ric's Bar — Fortitude Valley WA: Rocky Ridge Brewing Co — Busselton Inglewood Hotel – Mt Lawley Rosemount Hotel – North Perth ACT: Assembly The People's Pub – Braddon Capital Brewing Co – Fyshwick NT: One Mile Brewery – Winnellie Don't see a listening party near you? Head to the website for the full list.
When SXSW Sydney first started revealing details of its 2025 lineup, it promised more free programming on this year's bill. If you're keen to head along to the event's third year — after making its Harbour City debut in 2023, then returning in 2024 — without spending a cent, you'll want to make a date with Tumbalong Park, then. Again, the spot is playing host to the fest's budget-friendly activities, including everything from live music to movies, as well as DJ sets, talks, fashion showcases, pop-ups and more. Free sessions have always been a component of SXSW Sydney, but adding more was never not going to be a welcome move. Accordingly, after outlining that there'd be a significant expansion of its free programming, the festival has upped its Tumbalong Park lineup to 85-plus hours of events. At SXSW Sydney Unlocked, as the hub has been dubbed, there'll be more than 200 options to engage in the fest between Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19. This part of the lineup runs every day, but will feature extended hours from Thursday–Sunday. Weekday lunch breaks are a particular focus, spanning programming from 12–1.30pm Monday–Friday, as are happy-hour sessions from 4.30pm Tuesday–Friday. So, SXSW Sydney clearly wants the city to join in whenever suits everyone's daily schedules — and via everything from guest appearances to surprise hosts, too. Highlights include the return of FOMA: Fabrics of Modern Australia on the runway; gigs by Indonesian hip hop stars Tenxi, Filipino folk-pop singer Angela Ken, J-Pop boy band Psychic Fever and Chinese Tencent singer Tia Ray; and Blak to the Future: A Celebration of First Nations Creatives' celebration of Indigenous filmmaking. Or, hit up twilight gigs in the Seymour Centre courtyard, get line-dancing lessons and see a range of country talent — Max Jackson, The Washboard Union, Lewis Love and Big Wheels — at Tumbalong Honky Tonk, and explore the Australian Space Agency's space-themed hub. There's also Small Fry Rock for families, with Grinspoon's Phil Jamieson and Little Birdy's Katy Steele taking to the stage. The Rubens are set to celebrate ten years of 'Hoops', while K-pop is also getting a moment. On the Saturday, if you fancy attending the Games Showcase and Innovation Expo without bothering your wallet, that's also on the agenda. "SXSW Sydney Unlocked represents the very heart of what SXSW Sydney is all about: access, discovery and connection. We're incredibly proud to offer a dynamic, free program that invites everyone, from families and students to workers on their lunch break, to experience the energy and ideas that define this global event," said SXSW Sydney Co-Managing Director Simon Cahill. "Whether you're watching a runway show, getting hands-on with future tech at our expo, or dancing with your kids in the park, this is a celebration of ideas and imagination, and everyone's invited." SXSW Sydney 2025 will run from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues, including Tumbalong Park. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Images: Jess Gleeson, Paul McMillan and Ben Gibson.
Holidaymakers love staying in them. TV shows sing their praises. Everyone has wondered what their days would be like if they lived the tiny house life. Expect to explore that train of thought at the National Gallery of Victoria until April 2025, all thanks to the latest temporary addition outside the NGV International on St Kilda Road in Melbourne: Home Truth, the NGV's Architecture Commission for 2024. How big does the average Australian home need to be? How many tiny houses could fit in the space that a standard Aussie abode takes up? These mightn't be the normal questions that anyone tends to ponder when they visit an art gallery, but it's the query that Home Truth wants everyone to contemplate right now. First, you'll see and enter a standard-sized Aussie house. Inside, you'll then find an abode of much smaller size — and you'll notice the difference between the two. Each year, the NGV unveils a site-specific pop-up construction that experiments with design concepts while musing on subjects of public importance. This year's pick is a tiny house — which wouldn't sound out of the ordinary if it wasn't a pint-sized abode within the frame of the average Australian home, and if drawing attention to the contrast wasn't its aim. Created by Melbourne-based architecture and design studio Breathe, Home Truth continues the firm's focus on sustainable architecture that'll endure and has a purpose — and, since Wednesday, November 13, it's getting NGV visitors walking through a house-within-a-house labyrinth. The larger building represents the average 236-square-metre Australian residence. Nestled within it, the smaller-scale home is designed to spark conversations about alternative modes of housing. To get from one to the other, visitors enter via the larger house's garage door, then wander through rooms and hallways. When you reach the tinier home, you'll feel like you've hit the centre of a maze. Attendees will notice two different materials distinguishing each abode, too, with the bigger spot constructed from framing pine and the smaller house from the waste-made and silver-hued saveboard — offering up a comment on how homes are currently built in Australia as well. "Through its clever play on scale and materials, this thought-provoking work of architecture sparks a fascinating conversation about housing and sustainability in this country," explained NGV Director Tony Ellwood when he announced the 2024 Architecture Commission back in September . "Home Truth speculates that overconsumption of space and materials translates into ecological and social consequences — for both us and the planet. But importantly, it offers a provocative vision of a new way of thinking about building — seeing the value of living in spaces that are of smaller scale — a vision that prioritises people and planet," added Ewan McEoin, NGV's Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture. Home Truth follows 2023's stunning pick (This is) Air, a giant inflatable sphere that breathed, as created by Australian architect Nic Brunsdon with Sky Castle, Airship Orchestra, Cupid's Koi Garden and Lost Dogs' Disco' ENESS. The 14-metre-high piece did indeed expand with air, then release it — so, yes, it inhaled and exhaled all day — to get everyone thinking about humanity's need for and relationship to air, how essential it is, how dependent we all are upon the element, how finite it is and how its quality is being impacted. In the past, NGV's Architecture Commission has also seen a colourful mini Parthenon, a bright pink pool to wade through, a bamboo garden with its own deck and an unforgettable pink carwash pop up, all as part of an initiative that started in 2015. 'Home Truth' by Breathe is on display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne until Sunday, April 27, 2025 — head to the NGV website for further details. Images: installation view of the 2024 NGV Architecture Commission: Home Truth by Breathe. on display from 13 November 2024 until April 2025 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Derek Swalwell.
If you're planning to snap up one of IKEA's joyfully sculptural Gustaf Westman tablewares next month, there's another collaboration that should be on your radar. This time, the furniture juggernaut has tapped in Tekla Evelina Severin, a Swedish interior architect who goes by Teklan. Celebrated for her playful geometric sensibilities and expert eye for colour composition, Teklan has imagined up a seven-piece collection of whimsical speakers. The standouts are a pair of KULGLASS lamps that double up as Bluetooth speakers. Their swirly shades are a delightful nod to soft-serve ice cream, rendered in reddish-brown and mint green tones drawn from Teklan's childhood memories – she even matched the mint green to a soap bar from her grandparents' home. Originally a minimalist white speaker crafted by IKEA product designer Ola Wihlborg, the SOLSKYDD speaker has been transformed by Teklan into a trio of colourful collectibles. The round speakers come in three sizes: a portable model that pops in every room; a medium version sporting green, brown and beige stripes; and a large textured orange one that can be mounted on the wall. All speakers in the SOLSKYDD family can sync up with each other and other IKEA Bluetooth speakers, so you can play your tunes throughout the house. The lineup also features the iconic FADO lamp, a mood light reimagined with a gentle brown pattern across to its surface. This isn't the first time IKEA has worked with Teklan and her distinct aesthetic — earlier this year, she released 14 climbing rope-inspired charging cables. The full Teklan range is scheduled be launched globally in December 2o25.
When Freaks and Geeks first aired on Australian TV, it was one of those series that you had to actively search the television guide for. If you were devotedly scouring the listings at the time, then you already knew that the Paul Feig (Another Simple Favour)-created show was instantly among the coming-of-age greats, and also destined for a cult following. The past quarter century has proven that true of this glimpse at 80s-era suburban high-school life, but here's something that viewers back in the late-90s and early-00s couldn't have foreseen: a 14-hour marathon featuring all 18 episodes of the series screening at SXSW Sydney in 2025. Feig has already been announced as SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival keynote speaker and its first recipient of the new SXSW Sydney Screen Pioneer Award. When that was revealed, so was the news that the Harbour City fest would pair his visit, chat and accolade with a retrospective of his work this year. That lineup has now been unveiled, spanning three key titles from across the filmmaker's career, including that all-day stint with Freaks and Geeks. If you're keen to binge-watch the Jason Segel (Shrinking)-, Linda Cardellini (Nonnas)-, Seth Rogen (The Studio)-, Busy Phillips (Girls5eva)-, John Francis Daley (Game Night)- and Martin Starr (Tulsa King)-starring show on the big screen, that's on the agenda at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick on Saturday, October 18, kicking off at 9.30am. Or, a few days earlier, you can see the cinematic comedy sensation that is Bridesmaids, complete with Feig in attendance and taking part in a Q&A. If you have any burning questions about the Maya Rudolph (Loot)-, Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale)- and Rose Byrne (Physical)-led flick, Wednesday, October 15 is your chance to ask them. For the film's wedding-themed chaos, you'll also be heading to the Ritz Cinema. The third part of the retrospective program is a Sunday, October 19 session of The Heat, Feig's odd-couple buddy-cop comedy with Sandra Bullock (The Lost City) and Melissa McCarthy (Only Murders in the Building), also at the same venue. Beyond its tribute to the director, writer, producer and actor who also helmed Unaccompanied Minors, Spy, Ghostbusters, A Simple Favour, Last Christmas, The School for Good and Evil and Jackpot! — and co-starred in the OG Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and has The Housemaid with Sydney Sweeney (Echo Valley)-, Amanda Seyfried (Long Bright River) and Brandon Sklenar (Drop) on the way — SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival lineup already includes six other features. So, as announced earlier, you'll be able to catch By Design, $POSITIONS, Dead Lover, Zodiac Killer Project, The Last Sacrifice and Bokshi. Among that group, body-swap effort By Design features Juliette Lewis (The Thicket), Mamoudou Athie (Kinds of Kindness) and Robin Tunney (Dear Edward); horror-comedy Dead Lover is a SXSW Austin award-winner; Charlie Shackleton (The Afterlight) digs into a famed serial killer; and everything from comedy to folk horror features. [caption id="attachment_1010540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frank Micelotta[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1015902" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NBCU Photo Bank[/caption] SXSW Sydney 2025, including the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, runs from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues — with the Paul Feig retrospective showing from Wednesday, October 15–Sunday, October 19. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details and tickets.
Have you been known to look at a doughnut and think "you belong with me"? Do you consider sweet treats your karma? Does happiness to you come in round orbs of pastry? Do you have your eyes open for all things Taylor Swift — or just for free doughnuts? The pop superstar has hit Australia, finally bringing her Eras tour Down Under thanks to three shows in Melbourne and four in Sydney. Her Aussie stint starts today, Friday, February 16. And to celebrate, Krispy Kreme is getting in on the action to give out free doughnuts to Swifties, and also to anyone — as long as you're wearing a friendship bracelet when you head into its Australian or Auckland stores. The chain is known for giving away its round treats, including handing out 100,000 of them each National Doughnut Day. In 2023 for Halloween, it also doled out freebies if you went in in costume. So, it's thoroughly unsurprising that it's linking in with Swiftmania. To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, make a beeline to your closest Krispy Kreme store in Australia or Auckland on Friday, February 16 while wearing a friendship bracelet. The last part isn't optional. You'll then receive one original glazed doughnut per person, and you don't have to buy anything else to nab the treat without paying a cent. This is a while-stocks-last giveaway, so getting in as quick as someone trying to nab Taylor Swift tickets is obviously recommended. That gives everyone a heap of places to flock to: 38 in Australia and six in New Zealand. Sydneysiders are able to hit up stores stretching from Penrith to the CBD, Victorians can visit locations from Chadstone to Collins Street, and Queenslanders have Albert Street in the Brisbane CBD and Surfers Paradise among the choices. For residents of Perth, Hay Street, Cannington and more await. In Aotearoa, all options are in Auckland — including at Newmarket, Chancery Square and the domestic airport terminal. Krispy Kreme's Taylor Swift giveaway is taking place in-store on Friday, February 16 in Australia and Auckland. To find your closest shop and check its opening hours, head to Krispy Kreme's Australian and New Zealand websites.
When Guillermo del Toro last made a movie for Netflix — and last made a movie, too — Pinocchio not only streamed via the platform, but had a date with cinemas, where all of the director's films should be seen, first. The same plan is in place for the filmmaker's next picture, thankfully, the streamer has just announced. Del Toro officially adapting Frankenstein after riffing on it across his career? Now that absolutely demands the big-screen treatment. Netflix has revealed that the Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight)- and Jacob Elordi (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)-starring take on Mary Shelley's horror masterpiece will release in select picture palaces on Thursday, October 23, 2025. To watch it at home, it'll be available to stream from Friday, November 7, 2025 Oscar-winning The Shape of Water director del Toro will be the first to tell anyone, as he did at Neflix's annual Tudum event for 2025, that he's long had an obsession with Frankenstein, that he's been weaving that affection for it into his work since he first hopped behind the camera and that making his own adaptation of the gothic-horror masterpiece is a dream come true. "This is, for me, the culmination of a journey that has occupied most of my life," he advised the crowd at the time. So far, from its trailer and images, that love for Shelley's now 207-year-old novel is evident in every frame of del Toro's Frankenstein. "I first read Mary Shelley's book as a kid, and saw Boris Karloff in what became, for me, an almost-religious stage," he continued at Tudum while accompanied by Isaac and co-star Mia Goth (MaXXXine). "Monsters have become my personal belief system. There are strands of Frankenstein throughout my films — Cronos, Blade, Hellboy, big time on Pinocchio, and a long, long [list], et cetera." Isaac portrays the feature's namesake, aka Victor Frankenstein, the scientist driven by tragedy to attempt to conquer the line between life and what exists beyond it. As the trailer notes, "only monsters play god". As Victor advises himself, "in seeking life, I created death". Also uttered in the movie's debut sneak peek, reinforcing its theme: "what manner of creature is that? What manner of devil made him?". Goth is Elizabeth, Victor's fiancée. From there, Christoph Waltz (Old Guy), Ralph Ineson (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Charles Dance (The Day of the Jackal), Lars Mikkelsen (Dalloway) and del Toro regular Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Pinocchio) are also part of the cast. Frankenstein will never stop entrancing filmmakers, as it has James Whale back in 1931 when Karloff played the monster, Mel Brooks (Dracula: Dead and Loving It) with 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein, Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) on his 1994 take, Danny Boyle (28 Years Later) with his stage adaptation, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) via Frankenweenie and Yorgis Lanthimos (Kinds of Kindness) in Poor Things, plus Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) with 2026's The Bride!, just to name a few other examples. Check out the trailer for Frankenstein below: Frankenstein is releasing in select cinemas on Thursday, October 23, 2025 — and streaming via Netflix from Friday, November 7, 2025. Images: Ken Woroner/Netflix © 2025.
Though the news isn't a total surprise to anyone paying attention to Good Charlotte's social channels, or to anyone who spied the mysterious billboards around the nation, Good Charlotte has confirmed dates and venues for a 2026 ANZ tour. As per Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the US pop punk group have today confirmed a lineup of arena shows in Perth, Brisbane, Bendigo, Sydney and Auckland. Joining Good Charlotte for the tour will be fellow US heavyweights Yellowcard, and Australia's own Kisschasy. "Australia is such a special place to Good Charlotte and to me personally, it feels like a home away from home in many ways, and we can't wait to head back there for some big shows," Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden said. "It's been far too long since we've spent time with our Aussie fans, we're all in for a big treat." [embed]https://open.spotify.com/album/5IbeeWff9kyS6ZU67NdyQD?si=uWyoDRgLQK-cBxUnpamSBg[/embed] In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ in support of their latest album, Motel Du Cap – the US band's first album in seven years – Madden confirmed that they intend to hit Australia in early 2026 for arena shows around the country. "We were trying to surprise dates this year, but it's been too hard with something with the venues or something," Madden revealed. "I don't know. It's been too hard to get dates, whatever the complications have been this year, because we wanted to drop [the dates] around when the record comes. I think it'll be arena shows, so it's harder to move those things around. So I think we're gonna come as quickly as we can at the top of '26." [embed]https://youtu.be/-DfXG1IozRU?si=apjjTG76wTu04Y5d[/embed] "That's what we're talking about right now." Motel Du Cap is the band's first full-length release since 2018's Generation Rx. In 2020, Good Charlotte released the single "Last December." Since then, band leaders and brothers Joel and Benji Madden have focused on various business ventures outside of music, including livestream platform Veeps, Joel's Artist Friendly podcast, and an entire artist management company MDDN. [caption id="attachment_1033843" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Scott Dudelson/Getty Images[/caption] General public tickets go on sale from 11am on Monday, October 20th. Click here for more details and to view all the dates and venues.
Few films in recent memory better capture the heartbreak of loss, the agony of indecision or the burden of familial duty than Rama Burshtein’s Fill the Void. A favourite on this year's international festival circuit, including the just now concluded Jewish International Film Festival here in Australia, the picture explores life in Israel’s most conservative religious sect, and one young woman’s choice between independence and obligation. Fill the Void is set within the confines of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community of which Burshstein herself is a member. The story concerns the Mendelman’s, a well-off family from Tel Aviv splintered by despair after eldest daughter Esther dies in childbirth. Their grief is compounded when Esther’s devastated widower Yochay (played by Yiftach Klein) declares his intention to remarry abroad, taking the newborn baby Mordechai with him. Believing that the loss of Esther’s child will be too much for the family to bear, Esther’s mother Rivka (Irit Sheleg) attempts to convince Yochay to stay and wed Esther’s 18-year-old sister Shira (Hadas Yaron) instead. If nothing else, Fill the Void is an intriguing, remarkably immersive look at an intensely private people who are rarely depicted on screen. Duty and religious decorum informs everything in this film, from the most incidental day-to-day practices to decisions of life-changing importance. The world the characters inhabit is also one of deep-seated patriarchy. Yet tellingly it is the film’s female characters, particularly young Shira, that exhibit the greatest internal strength. Just as the practices of the Haredi community may seem strange and outdated to outsiders, so too does Fill the Void feel like a movie from a different time. Not once are unmarried male and female actors permitted to make physical contact, as such immodest behaviour would not accord with religious law. Yet rather than diminish the film’s emotional power, this restriction works to enhance it. Without overt displays of affection, Burshstein and her cast are forced to rely on more subtle devices. In a moment where two actors in an American production might share a kiss, Klein and Yaron steal a glance. Where other films might contain effusive declarations of passion or anger, Fill the Void leaves feelings unspoken. Klein and Yaron are both phenomenally good, expressing everything with almost nothing. Burshstein’s cinematography is incredibly intimate, at times almost uncomfortably so. With soft lighting and blurred backgrounds, it often feels as though we’re viewing the film from under the soft, white mesh of a bridal veil; in the same room as Shira and Yochay, yet separate at the same time. We can empathise with their heartache and uncertainty, because such feelings are universal. But we will never fully appreciate the manner in which they experience them.
What if you were at a Titanic museum and Céline Dion was there? What if she was not only your narrator, but her songs accompanied the tale that she was telling? What if Titanic, the king of the boat-set blockbuster world, got an off-Broadway musical-comedy parody that went heavy on Dion, then? That's Titanique — and it's coming to Australia. This amusing ode to James Cameron's (Avatar: The Way of Water) movie docks in Sydney from Thursday, September 12, 2024 to make its Aussie debut. Nearing three decades since Titanic first splashed into cinemas, the film's status in popular culture will clearly go on. Near, far, wherever you are, you'll need to set sail for the Harbour City to see Titanique, which is playing an exclusive season at The Grand Electric in Surry Hills. "I am so excited that Sydney will be the next stop on Titanique's international cruise. If you love Céline Dion, if you love the film Titanic and you love having a completely silly night out, then this show is for you. Titanique is a nonstop waterfall of pure joy that will literally melt your troubles away. I can't wait to see you there!" said Tye Blue (RuPaul's Drag Race), Titanique's director and co-writer. "I am so thrilled that Titanique will make its maiden voyage to international waters in Sydney for its Australian debut, and I cannot wait to see that Aussie sense of humour embrace this hysterically funny nautical fantasia when it comes to life down under this September," added Titanique's original producer Eva Price. Titanique will dive back into the story of Jack and Rose until at least early November, with Drew Weston and Georgina Hopson stepping into Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Kate Winslet's (The Regime) shoes as Jack and Rose — and Marney McQueen playing Dion. It was back in 2017 that the show premiered in Los Angeles, and in 2022 that it set a course for off-Broadway. It also has berths in Toronto, Montreal and London in its future. So far, the production has three Lucille Lortel Awards to its name, plus two Dorian Awards and the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical, among other gongs. And as for the songs, co-writers Blue, Marla Mindelle (Sister Act) and Constantine Rousouli (Cruel Intentions) — with the latter two originally starring as Céline and Jack — have worked in everything from Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On', of course, to Where Does My Heart Beat Now' and 'A New Day Has Come'. Titanique plays The Grand Electric, 199 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, Sydney from Thursday, September 12, 2024 — head to the show's website for tickets and further information. Images: NYC Off-Broadway cast, Daryl Roth Theatre, NYC, Evan Zimmerman.
Sorry Sydney. Melbourne is getting the country's first-ever 67 Pall Mall outpost, due to launch some time in mid-2025. This incredibly luxe, global private members club is set up exclusively for wine lovers who want to sample the very best drops out there. It's not for those of us hunting down $15 bottles of ok wine at the local bottle shop; it's for top-tier wine drinkers who are willing to spend big. The joining fee is $3500 per person (being waived for a limited time!) and the current discounted yearly fee for members who sign up early is $2300 on top of that. If this is beyond your spending limits, perhaps shoot this article over to your rich sister or that well-to-do mate who always shouts the good drinks — because they might be able to bring you in as a guest. [caption id="attachment_942250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 67 Pall Mall Singapore[/caption] So what's the deal with 67 Pall Mall? Memberships for 67 Pall Mall are highly sought after around the world. The group has sites in Singapore, London, Switzerland, France and Hong Kong. The venues are known for being some of the most incredibly designed spaces, filled with the world's greatest wines that are served and chosen by accredited master sommeliers. A huge selling point for wine connoisseurs is the fact that 67 Pall Mall offers an unmatched selection of wines by-the-glass to members — 1000 to be exact — and sells them with very minimal markup. Most of these drops are never offered by the glass so it presents a rare opportunity. What's in store for Australia's first club? The first Australian site is touted for Melbourne's Spring Street. Spread across the top three floors of the 16-story building, the private members club will let folks sip on fine wines while taking in views across the Treasury Gardens, MCG and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Floor 14 will boast a wine bar and all-day dining room with impressive 270-degree views of the surrounding area. One level up, members will get access to private rooms and semi-formal dining experiences. And the top floor will feature an extensive champagne menu, a raw bar, open air balconies, and a secluded whisky bar. This is top-end luxury stuff that's hard to come by in Australia. 67 Pall Mall's CEO Grant Ashton says, "Melbourne was chosen above all other cities as our first outpost in Australia due to its close connection to independent and outstanding wine producers, allowing us to engage with a passionate wine culture and a knowledgeable collector community." Peter Gago, chief winemaker of Penfolds, whose wines are poured in 67 Pall Mall Clubs across the globe, also commented: "From London to Singapore, 67 Pall Mall has evolved into the world's premier wine Members' Club. Now, expanding to a prime site overlooking the MCG in Melbourne, it's truly remarkable. "Melbourne, a strategic gastronomic hub, with Yarra Valley vineyards and Mornington Peninsula nearby, will soon boast 67 Pall Mall as a wine mecca. It'll attract wine enthusiasts and curious minds alike, continuing the Club's tradition." 67 Pall Mall is set to open in mid-2025 at 85 Spring Street and is currently taking applications for new members (at heavily discounted prices). For more information, head to the club's website here.
In news that won't surprise Melburnians, the city has been ranked Australia's number one night-time economy hotspot. From Fitzroy's buzzing bars to the fine dining restaurants in the CBD, Melbourne is doing its part for the economy by enjoying life after dark. This is according to the Visa Australia Night-time Economy Index 2025, a new in-depth analysis measuring data such as spending, vibrancy, venues open and even the amount of nightworkers boosting the economy after dark. Trailing just behind Melbourne is Sydney's CBD, which came in with a night-time Vibe Score of 74.3. So close. [caption id="attachment_1029745" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Martin Vlnas[/caption] The Visa Vibe Economy report, commissioned by Visa and conducted by McCrindle, reveals that the Victorian capital is dining out at restaurants more frequently than other cities after dark. The report surveyed 2,009 Australians to learn how we spend our evenings (and how much cash we splash on a night out). [caption id="attachment_912072" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Nick & Nora's[/caption] Who's going out after dark? While Australians may be proponents of morning run clubs and coffee catch-ups pre-work, it turns out that there are a few of us who still make the most of the evenings. According to the report, nearly half of Australians are going out at night at least once a week, with an average of 5.8 night-time outings per month. Not bad. Gen Z is at the head of the pack, with 73 per cent of the demographic making it out at least once a week. Millennials are right behind their younger siblings with an average of 7.2 nights out per month. Melbourne and Sydney may be leading the night-time charge, but other cities aren't glued to their couches all week. People in Wollongong and the Gold Coast are keeping the night alive, with an average of 6.3 nights out per month, followed closely by Brisbane at 6.1 nights a month. [caption id="attachment_868653" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] What are we up to on a night out? In good news for business owners, the majority of nights out are spent in our world-class restaurants. While most Australians prefer to keep their dining local, Gen Z is maintaining its adventurous reputation by being the demographic more likely to try cuisine in a new suburb. Outside of restaurants, 46 per cent of Australians are heading to the cinema to watch a movie after dark, with night markets and bars and pubs also ranking high on our evening activities. How much are we spending? With so many Aussies enjoying a night out with friends, the report finds that the majority of us are factoring evening activities into our spending. More than half of Gen Z actually consider spending after dark an essential part of their budgets. According to the report, the average we're forking out for an evening on the town is $120 or less per person. On the other hand, 66 per cent of respondents reported that cost is one of the main barriers to heading out for the evening. Feeling safe is also a major factor in shaping how, when and where Australians go out. [caption id="attachment_1026041" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Ennui[/caption] The future of the evening economy Sadly, many Australians feel their local nightlife isn't as vibrant as it could be—and want to see councils and businesses invest in making it better. Whether it's the after-effects and behavioural changes post-pandemic or the cost of living crisis, the report shows that nearly half of Australians believe their local nightlife needs investment to feel more vibrant. The report notes that Australians are asking for more night markets and festivals, affordable night-time options, and safer public spaces over the next two to five years. Despite Australians' reputation for being morning people, it's clear we're doing our bit for the economy by seeing our friends for a meal out, sipping on a pet nat in a Collingwood wine bar and enjoying the night markets in Sydney. So, consider this your sign to do your part and book an after-dark experience this weekend. Discover the vibe near you. Lead image: Getty/ Prasit Photo
It's National Cocktail Day again – and Dolly is shaking things up in the name of your budget. For a few glorious evenings, you can sample the bar's entire premium cocktail range for just $16 a pop. It's an excellent excuse to try Dolly's brand-new signature take on the Kir Royale – a sweet, bubbly French favourite infused with crème de cassis. Alternatively (or in addition), go for a classic, such as an espresso martini, cosmopolitan or limoncello spritz. Whatever your choice, you'll be sipping the night away in Dolly's lush, 1930s-inspired European surroundings. Think marble-topped tables, velvet banquettes and stunning arched mirrors. The $16 deal is available between 5pm and 10pm from Tuesday, March 25 to Saturday, March 29. Make a booking – or roll the dice and walk in. By the way, if you happen to be a Marriott Bonvoy member, you'll get another $4 off each tipple, bringing it down to $12. Not a member? You can sign up on arrival. Cheers to that!
Your Yarra Valley wine-sipping itinerary has just scored a bold new addition, with the much anticipated launch of Hubert Estate. Now open and welcoming in patrons, the new destination winery is the work of Gerry and Andrew Ryan, (Mitchelton Winery, Nagambie Brewery & Distillery, The Prince). And it's an absolute doozy, featuring a modern Australian restaurant, new-look cellar door, art gallery, event space and boutique wine store. The Coldstream site formerly home to St Huberts winery has been given a complete transformation at the hands of celebrated design studio Cera Stribley, with its most striking feature being the main building — cut dramatically into the earth, crowned by an expanse of lawn and overlooking the vines. The multi-faceted estate is set to serve an array of wining, dining and cultural experiences, headlined by Quarters — a restaurant of modern Australian and Euro influence that's led by Executive Chef Michael Smith (former Head Chef at Coda and Tonka). Celebrating both lunch and dinner, the diner will hero dishes cooked over charcoal and wood on the kitchen's custom-made grill, along with a selection of wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta creations. Meanwhile, Hubert Gallery of Art is set to showcase a strong curation of Indigenous works, and event space Harriet promises to sweep you off your feet with its stunning fitout and breathtaking views. Wine lovers are also in excellent hands here, thanks to the newly revamped St Huberts cellar door, where you can sample the full house range of wines, or settle in to enjoy a bottle over some local cheese and charcuterie. The adjoining boutique wine store Notes is stocked with up to 70 drops from across Australia, championing new techniques and emerging varietals above all. And the Hubert Estate fun doesn't end there. Also in the works are plans for a designer hotel and wellness centre, to grace the precinct by 2024. Find Hubert Estate at 1–3 St Huberts Road, Coldstream. Quarters is open from 10am–6pm Wednesday and Thursday, 10am–9pm Friday and Saturday, and 10am–6pm Sunday. The Cellar Door is open daily from 10am–6pm.
A vibrant new cafe has opened in the heart of Fitzroy, and it's doing dairy differently. St David Dairy is Melbourne's only micro-dairy, which harvests its raw dairy in a more humane process than typical dairy farms and produces all St David Dairy products. At the cafe, you can take a look behind the scenes at the process, putting a whole new spin on the delicious ice creams and coffee you can enjoy onsite. While the dairy industry sometimes cops some backlash, St David turns this narrative on its head – striving to produce dairy products the way they should be, bringing small, local dairy back to the streets of inner Melbourne. "At St David Dairy, our primary goal is to create a community-focused space that celebrates local dairy production while fostering connections between our customers and the source of their food," says Kristian Thanas, General Manager at St David Dairy. "We aim to provide an experience that not only highlights the quality and sustainability of our products but also educates our visitors about the importance of traceability in food sourcing." And at the cafe, you can see it for yourself. Sit back and sip on coffee while you watch the team make the products from scratch. Handcrafted on sight, every product is hand poured and quality assured. Everything here is local, with dairy sourced from the green rolling hills of Gippsland straight to Fitzroy. Now you can have a little bit of the Victorian countryside during the middle of the day in the inner city – the best of both worlds. "We chose Fitzroy for its vibrant community and strong sense of local identity. This area is known for its appreciation of artisanal and sustainable food practices, making it the perfect fit for St David Dairy," says Thanas. Local and fresh milk is sourced daily, and each batch is tested every single morning by 'stretching' to ensure each next drop is fit for your coffee. It's ethical and sustainable, leveraging smaller supply chains, both in size and proximity. Can't make it to the farmers market this weekend? No worries, you can buy farm-to-table products straight from the cafe. Tick off shopping while you sip on your coffee, finishing two jobs in one. The cafe sells St David Dairy's milk, award-winning butter, cream, cheese and yoghurt. Plus, they now even have an ice creamery in the cafe. Going forward, the cafe will also host workshops, including a butter master class, coffee cupping, ice cream pairing, and events that educate people about sustainable practices, artisanal practices and the importance of sourcing locally. "What sets St David Dairy's cafe apart from other offerings in Fitzroy is our unique integration of the dairy experience within the cafe environment. Our cafe menu features innovative dairy-based dishes and beverages (including the customer refill station – glass bottling milk) that highlight our artisanal products, all crafted with an emphasis on freshness and quality," notes Thanas. Fitzroy's newest cafe offers a vibrant injection into the dynamic neighbourhood, playing a new role in education and community involvement. You'll simply have to go and check it out for yourself. Visit the website or the store at 16-18 St David St Fitzroy. Images: Supplied.
Maybe you hop on the ballot the moment that it opens each year. Perhaps you wait to find out who'll be behind the mic before trying to nab tickets. Either way, Golden Plains dropping its lineup is always big news. In 2025, get ready to see PJ Harvey, Fontaines DC, 2manydjs and Kneecap — and also Wet Kiss, Durand Jones & The Indications, Magdalena Bay, Osees and Thelma Plum. And yes, that's just the beginning. "Something special in the soil this season. In the water, in the manna gum, in the air, the ether, the atmosphere, the troposphere. And it has all landed right here, in a wonderland designed and refined over 30-odd years for the sole purpose of hosting something truly remarkable," said the festival team, announcing the lineup. "Right size, same shape, ample time, abundant space." Come Saturday, March 8–Monday, March 10, 2025, it'll be time to dance among the autumn leaves in regional Victoria again, at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre in the same place that Meredith Music Festival also calls home. And now that the lineup is here, you still have the chance to put your name down to get tickets. This round of Golden Plains will mark the fest's 17th year. The ticket ballot has been a part of the event since its debut — and this year's is now open until 10.17pm AEDT on Monday, October 21, 2024, which means that clicking ASAP is recommended. [caption id="attachment_976058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Theo Cottle[/caption] Catering to 12,000 punters each year across three days and two nights, the fest has long proven a favourite for its one-stage setup, which skips the need for frantic timetabling. And, like Meredith Music Festival, its sibling, Golden Plains is also known for the Aunty crew's star-studded bills. If you're wondering how the roster of talent has shaped up in past years, 2023's fest boasted Bikini Kill, Carly Rae Jepsen, Soul II Soul and Four Tet, while 2024's featured The Streets, Yussef Dayes, King Stingray and Black Country, New Road — and plenty more. [caption id="attachment_976059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kira Puru[/caption] Golden Plains 2025 Lineup PJ Harvey Fontaines DC 2manydjs Wet Kiss Durand Jones & The Indications Magdalena Bay Osees Kneecap Thelma Plum Grace Cummings Bahamadia Hermanos Gutiérrez Ela Minus Bonny Light Horseman Adriana Mulga Bore Hard Rock CCL Teether & Kuya Neil Skeleten Zjoso Jada Weazel Elliot & Vincent Storytelling with Uncle Barry Sun Ra Arkestra Golden Plains returns to the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre from Saturday, March 8–Monday, March 10, 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, or to enter the ticket ballot before 10.17pm AEDT on Monday, October 21, 2024. Golden Plains images: Chip Mooney and Ben Fletcher.
It's the absolute last thing Melbourne needs right now, but just after 9am this morning, Wednesday, September 22, the city was hit by what's reported to be an earthquake. Yep — we're out here deep into Lockdown 6.0, having clocked up over 200 days of stay-at-home orders, and the universe goes and dials up the drama with the literal shifting of tectonic plates. Just who exactly Melbourne pissed off so badly, is yet to be revealed. The experts over at the Seismology Centre shared details of the quake on Twitter, confirming a magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit Gippsland and was felt right across Melbourne, a good 100 kilometres away. The earth shakes lasted about 20 seconds, which proved pretty exciting stuff for this particular writer who hadn't even had their morning coffee yet. The preliminary magnitude 5.3 estimation is yet to be officially confirmed and may be revised. As you can imagine, Twitter fired up instantly following the quake, as people rushed to swap notes on Melbourne's 843576th bad news event of the year. There'll be more information to come as the experts recover from this sneak environmental attack. But in the meantime, here are some winning reactions from the Twitterverse. We'll bring you more information as details unfold on the earthquake event from this morning. Sounds like Melbourne's going to be in need of a good construction industry — Josh Withers (@JoshuaWithers) September 21, 2021 im pretty sure an earthquake is the sixth seal opened during the apocalypse. good news melbourne, just one to go! — Jim Malo (@thejimmalo) September 21, 2021 Statewide earthquake in Vic, 5.6. Whoever is writing this script of the impending apocalypse is getting ridiculously heavy-handed, I mean just fucking introduce a fun love interest or something and give us a breakhttps://t.co/erVIIzC7Ny — Marieke Hardy (@mariekehardy) September 21, 2021 pic.twitter.com/appe69o1u5 — fungbunger (@parsfarce) September 21, 2021 At what point do we accept that God hates Melbourne? — James Colley (@JamColley) September 21, 2021 FACT: Melbourne are 0-1 in VFL/AFL Grand Finals that immediately followed magnitude 6.0+ earthquakes in Victoria pic.twitter.com/7cGOgsMfUY — Michael (@HiReception) September 22, 2021
Hidden down Hardware Lane is the last place you'd think to find East China Trading Co, but you'll be glad you did. Melbourne's (relatively) new kid on the block, the cocktail, dumpling and rum bar is inspired by the trading companies of old world Shanghai — think commodities like coffee, tea, spices and sugar. The venue plays with stripped back walls and contrasts its low-key vibe with pops of colour and bright cocktails dotted around intimately sized table. The Ananas Chilli Fizz cocktail, which features cold press pineapple juice and pineapple vinegar topped with shredded angel hair chilli, is a popular choice among revellers. Oozing with an honest and accessible sophistication, the cocktail menu offers non-alcoholic old fashioneds, martinis and sours, giving non-drinkers the choice to order more than just a lemon lime and bitters. On the food menu you'll find your favourite Chinese dim sum selections. Everything from barbecue pork bao to xiao long bao soup dumplings, paired perfectly — albeit untraditionally — with one of the 200 rums the bar showcases on its shelves. With vegan and vegetarian options available, you can tailor your basket to suit everyone at the table. As you enjoy a drink and chat with friends, you'll feel the subtle, vivacious hum of ECTC's sister bar below. Golden Monkey has been a nightlife destination on Lonsdale Street for over 12 years and has recently undergone an exciting facelift. Wander downstairs into the basement to find a dark, opium den-styled hotspot for cocktails, live bands and DJs Thursdays through to Saturdays. Red, moody lights illuminate a lively bar and cosy booths nestled away in each corner. Opened by life-long friends Adam Ong and Michael Chen, ECTC combines an appreciation and knowledge of cocktail making with a cheeky playfulness, inviting people in to escape from the laneway and have a night to remember (or to forget). Images: Julia Sansone
If your well-intentioned New Year's Eve self swore that this would be the year you'd learn new skills, expand your horizons and maybe even listen when your dad explains how to do your taxes, then, boy, do we have the provisions for you to make good on those promises — no matter what month it is. We've rounded up ten of the best short courses in and workshops in Melbourne to help you acquire said skills, from making wine and keeping bees to playing a ukelele and using commas correctly. New life skills don't always come easily, but these courses should make it fun to try. Happy learning. WORK THE WHEEL AT ABBOTSFORD CONVENT'S CONE11 Cone11 at Abbotsford Convent gets props for pottery studio in the loveliest surroundings in Melbourne, and might just win awards for teaching you the art of the throw. Sign up to the eight-week term for beginners and you'll be throwing shapes on the wheel, trimming and glazing in no time. With small class sizes and the ability to take home and eat or drink off the pieces you make, you'll be feeling both very smug and artistic by the time eight weeks is up. When: Dates vary. Where: Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford. Cost: $495 for the eight-week term. STOMP GRAPES AND MAKE YOUR OWN WINE AT NOISY RITUAL Noisy Ritual is a winery smack-bang in the middle of Lygon Street in Brunswick East. They market themselves as a people-powered urban winery, and they're not wrong — as well as a wine bar and a cellar door, they also do live music, food and function as an event space. But the coolest thing over here is their membership program, which is basically a year-long course, workshop and discount bonanza. Membership entitles you to three different winemaking workshops (stomping, pressing and bottling), three barrel tasting sessions and a whole bunch of free and discounted wine. Learning how to make wine stage-by-stage is cool, but getting your feet all grapey and then drinking the finished product are obviously the best parts. When: 2019 memberships are open now. Where: Noisy Ritual, 249 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. Cost: $390 for a yearly membership. START TRAINING FOR THE CIRCUS AT NICA The National Institute of Circus Arts will get your feet firmly off the ground with their aerial short courses, which are designed to improve your strength and flexibility while also making sure you have heaps of fun hanging out in the air. Aerial hoop, tissu, trapeze and rope are all activities you can conquer in the safety of a well-padded studio — it will work your upper body and core strength while also fulfilling your past (or present) dreams of joining the circus. Class sizes are small too, so you can be assured that you're safe in the eyes (and maybe arms) of a pro circus trainer. When: Classes run in terms of ten weeks; dates vary. Where: The National Institute of Circus Arts, 39-59 Green Street, Prahran. Cost: $456.50 for a ten-week term. LEARN TO STRUM A TUNE AT THE MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF UKULELE They say anyone can play the ukulele, and even those with tiny hands or no rhythm would have no trouble, owing to its small stature and four-chord progression tendencies. The Melbourne School of Ukulele runs eight-week group courses for you and your tiny axe, so go pick one in a cool colour, sling it under your arm and off you pop — classes are run in the CBD, Fitzroy, Camberwell and Murrumbeena. And if you don't have your own uke, for $30 extra, the school can provide one for you. It's your time (to learn to play that one Jason Mraz song like you've always wanted). When: Dates vary — and class times vary with studio location. Where: The Melbourne School of Ukulele have studios in Murrumbeena, Camberwell, CBD and Fitzroy. Cost: $250 BYO ukulele, $280 for one thrown in. MAKE A TERRARIUM AT WORK-SHOP Make entire green worlds on a miniature scale with Amy Wong from Petite Green at Work-Shop in Fitzroy. Amy runs workshops devoted to making mini-landscapes out of ferns and indoor plants, moss, soil and rocks. All you need to do is bring a glass vessel big enough to fiddle around inside, then you can make your world, pop a couple of figurines inside to make it looked lived in, and voila — you've got a unique little ecosystem to talk to when you get lonely. Amy will also share her knowledge of soil composition and terrarium care as well as the best plant selection for both open and closed terrariums, so your little terrariums can carry on nourishing themselves inside their glass walls all year-long. Booking is essential as workshops tend to sell out. When: Dates vary, but workshops are held every few weeks. Where: Work-Shop Melbourne, 195 Argyle Street, Fitzroy 3065. Cost: $90. LEARN WHEN TO USE A SEMICOLON AT STOP. GRAMMAR TIME. The Good Copy in Collingwood is fighting the good fight against bad grammar by running classes on the ins and outs of punctuation and grammar (and the inarguably inherent importance of their, there and they're). Their monthly two-day intensives will teach you the art of clauses, commas and copy — and coffee, as they keep you hopped up on cups of joe for sharp minds. Book in if you've always wondered what exactly a colon is and whether you have a semicolon somewhere inside of you or not (hint: you don't). When: Courses run monthly. Where: The Good Copy, 19-21 Johnston Street, Collingwood. Cost: $350. BECOME A BACKYARD BEEKEEPING PRO AT CERES Bees are fascinating creatures with much more going on than just honey and humans getting them confused with their meaner cousins, wasps. At CERES in Brunswick East you can learn about colonies and their survival techniques in the three-day complete backyard beekeeping course with beekeeper Benedict Hughes. You'll learn how to get started as a beekeeper, gain knowledge about diseases and pests of bees (and lots of bee facts), and obtain the general courage needed to start keeping the tiny tuckers in the first place. You'll meet some cool people and some cool bees. When: Dates vary. Where: CERES Community Environment Park, corner Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East. Cost: $390 full ticket, $350 if you bring a friend. MAKE YOUR OWN SPOONS AT HANDSOME AND CO. The rule of thumb is that every kitchen has far too many spoons for normal use, but never the right sized one you're after. Add to this chaos with Handsome and Co.'s one-day organic carving course. The Richmond school of fine woodworking and design run frequent carving and spoon-making courses on weekends for those wishing to create a handmade soup or cereal vessel. Bring nothing but your hands and your spoon vision, and you'll be instructed on the art of carving, shaping, sharpening and finishing. When: Dates vary. Where: Handsome and Co, 19 Lincoln Street, Richmond. Cost: $340 general admission, $306 for students. MAKE YOUR OWN SAUSAGES AT THE MEAT ROOM If squeezing large amounts of meat into thin casings and texting your mates that you'll be having a barbecue this weekend is on the horizon for you, The Meat Room can sort you out. Check out their sausage making workshop, a sell-out hit which teaches you the fine art of sausaging over the course of a day, and also throws in morning tea and a woodfired pizza lunch. As if life skills and tasty pizza weren't adequate bang for your buck, perhaps the kicker is that you get to take home four kilograms of pork sausages you've made. Seriously, you'll need to have a barbecue. When: Dates vary. Where: The Meat Room, 26 O'Gradys Road, Kilmore East. Cost: $200 (including morning tea and lunch). BECOME THE FRED ASTAIRE OF YOUR GENERATION AT DANCE FACTORY Tap dancing is a great excuse to make heaps of noise in a musical, art-approved way — it's also stacks of fun and very skilful when it comes down to it (although it's an activity that ticks the harder than it looks box). East Richmond's Dance Factory offers a short course of ten weeks for tap beginners, working on technique and musicality and making satisfying amounts of foot noise. Also, you'll have a beaut party trick if you've got your shoes on, you old Fred Astaire. When: Wednesdays, 6-7pm. Where: Dance Factory, 4-10 Yorkshire Street, East Richmond. Cost: $170 for the ten-week term.
Designed by architect Robin Larsen, the Clifftop at Hepburn boasts seven remarkable cabins that will take your rural retreat to the next level. Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal views across the rolling bushland toward neighbouring cliff faces. With unconventional amenities like Lord of the Rings pinball machines and eclectic Japanese massage chairs, each cabin presents a bespoke design that blends perfectly into the hillside landscape. Nearby Daylesford and Hepburn Springs present some spectacular day-long hikes, or you can refresh yourself straight from the source at Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve. [caption id="attachment_722684" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Top images: Visit Victoria
Godzilla is still big, but the picture around cinema's most-famous kaiju gets smaller in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the Japanese-created creature's new TV series. This ten-episode show sits within the American Monsterverse, which has previously filled movie theatres with 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong — and it hits streaming, arriving on Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, with a scaled-down focus on family drama. People matter in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, far more than they have in any of the US franchise's instalments so far. The folks hopping around the globe chasing the giant critter and its fellow titans are also worth caring about. As a result, there's nothing little about how engaging Monarch: Legacy of Monsters proves. Getting Kurt and Wyatt Russell involved helps. The real-life father-son pair portray the same character — not for the first time; see: 1998's Soldier when Wyatt (Under the Banner of Heaven) was still a child — with not just ease but charisma. That isn't surprising; as the younger Russell's resume keeps demonstrating through Cold in July, Ingrid Goes West, Lodge 49, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and more, the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree when it comes to acting talent. Wyatt slips into Lee Shaw's military uniform in the 1950s, Kurt (Fast and Furious 9) plays the retired elder version in the mid-2010s, and jokes reference how well the pivotal figure has aged to make the maths work out (in the later timeline, Shaw has to be in his 90s). Needing to make that gag is worth it for such stellar and captivating casting. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters isn't about Shaw's family, however — at least not as bonded by blood. In 2015, a year after the G-Day events of the 2014 film, San Franciscan teacher Cate Randa (Anna Sawai, Pachinko) is suffering from kaiju-inflicted PTSD and mourning her missing father Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story), making a trip to Japan to pack up his Tokyo apartment challenging several times over. There, she finds artist Kentaro (Ren Watabe, 461 Days of Bento), a shared history and links to secret government monster-hunting organisation Monarch. Those ties comes courtesy of a satchel filled with documents that Bill Randa (John Goodman, returning from Kong: Skull Island) is seen tossing into the sea in a 70s-set prologue; having possession of it sparks chaos for not only Cate and Kentaro, but also the latter's hacker ex-girlfriend May (Kiersey Clemons, The Flash). When a shadowy international outfit is on your trail, who can assist? Given that Shaw was a 50s-era colleague of Hiroshi's parents Keiko (Mari Yamamoto, also Pachinko) and Bill (played by Inventing Anna's Anders Holm in the earlier timeline), his help is swiftly needed. Amid Cate, Kentaro, May and Shaw's attempts to evade the "like the CIA, but for Godzilla" operation pursuing their every move, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also dives into Shaw, Keiko and Bill's backstory. Shaw is enlisted into the monster realm exactly because he's enlisted, then deployed to ensure Keiko's safety as she follows her research into strange radiation trails in The Philippines — a phenomena that fellow scientist Bill is also interested in. While the Russells provide Monarch: Legacy of Monsters with its biggest names, and add depth to Shaw's emotional journey by perfecting the same mannerisms and line deliveries — not to mention letting that family charm kick in — series co-developers Chris Black (Severance) and Matt Fraction (Da Vinci's Demons) have cast their show well across the board. When beastly behemoths are simply being talked about rather than sighted, the human story never feels like filler padding out the frame until the next monster melee, which stems as much from the performances as the commitment to ensuring that pixels aren't the sole attraction. Each with their own Russell, both groups provide space for everyone's part of the narrative, plus the portrayals that go with it, to make an impact. Screenwriting convenience and cliche comes into play in fleshing out some backstories, but Clemons and Yamamoto especially have no trouble selling it. In addition to excellent casting, the series welcomely makes an even better move: taking the Monsterverse back where all things Godzilla started off-screen, aka Japan. When the creature that has multiple Tokyo statues devoted to it, plus a dedicated store as well, first erupted into cinemas in 1954 to spark a 33-film homegrown saga, it was in the shadow of World War II as an indictment of nuclear conflict's destruction and consequences — and those origins get the most meaningful nod yet in the US franchise through Keiko, Cate and Kentaro. All things Godzilla thankfully haven't moved to America IRL. Godzilla Minus One returns the kaiju to live-action Japanese movies in 2023 for the first time since 2016's exceptional Shin Godzilla, while three animated flicks (2017's Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, and 2018's Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater) have filled the gap in-between. But there's been an emptiness to the Monsterverse when it has barely cared about that history, even if making titans a worldwide threat and noting that Zilly doesn't respect national boundaries has merit. Call them kaiju, call them titans, call them massive unidentified terrestrial organisms (or MUTO): they're as meaningful as they've always been in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. While the show's main attention might reside with two eras of people on two different searches, Godzilla and its fellow critters aren't ignored. They wander, smash and swim. They cause awe and fear alike. They tower, sleep, destroy and — with Zilly in particular — protect. As Monarch: Legacy of Monsters hones in on people, in fact, it explores the array of reactions that Godzilla can inspire, the range of thinking as well and, as intended for almost seven decades, the self-reflection about atomic bombs and warmongering that the very idea of Godzilla was designed to conjure up. Balancing heart and weight while feeling grounding amid gargantuans isn't a tiny task. Making sure that people and titans are equally as important to the narrative isn't a minor feat, either. Nor is using special effects to wow with onslaughts and dwarf with scale, getting a theme tune echoing into earworm territory almost as much as the stone-cold classic original Godzilla music and making a TV entry to a franchise that plays like the main attraction. Whichever Godzilla tales that Japan spins will always be the kings of the saga, and long may they continue charging onto screens — but Monarch: Legacy of Monsters puts down a giant footprint for Hollywood's dalliance with the atomic lizard, and a much-needed one given that more will only keep coming, including the silver screen's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in 2024. Check out the trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters below: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, 2023.
The team behind one of Melbourne's most acclaimed Japanese restaurants, Ishizuka, has opened their second venue, Oden, on Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD. The new restaurant offers Melburnians a refined interpretation of the traditional and treasured Japanese dish oden, a hot pot dish of various ingredients such as vegetables and fish cakes simmered gently in a light broth. Executive Chef Katsuji Yoshino explains, "Oden is deeply rooted in Japanese history and offers unparalleled comfort, especially suited to Melbourne's cool winters." Yoshino will follow the lead of traditional oden establishments in Japan and take inspiration from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Yoshino's menu includes individual oden pots, appetisers, and grilled skewers. The incredible list of ingredients available to add to the oden pots includes prawn balls, octopus cakes, avocado, abalone, sausage, fish cake, fried tofu patties and enoki mushrooms. There are also luxe signature add-ins on offer, such as a half-boiled egg with truffle, a caviar tomato and an eel omelette. The restaurant's elegant and refined concept is reflected in its design. The sleek fit-out is the work of award-winning architecture group Russell & George, which has taken inspiration from traditional oden cooking pots to bring the hammered copper aesthetic to life. Owner Melanie Zhang is no stranger to refined Japanese cuisine. Her fine-dining establishment, Ishizuka, showcases the Japanese craft of kaiseki, a decadent yet delicate degustation-style meal. "Oden has long been one of my favourite dishes, and being able to bring this iconic culinary tradition to Australia in such a sophisticated way is truly a proud moment", says Zhang. "We are creating a space that honours both the traditional roots of Oden while elevating it to a new level, offering our guests a luxurious yet comforting dining experience." Images: Jana Langhorst
No one makes neon-lit, red-hued, emotion-dripping tales of yearning and loneliness like Wong Kar-Wai, as everyone who has seen 2000's In the Mood for Love knows. It isn't the Chungking Express, Happy Together, 2046, Ashes of Time: Redux and The Grandmaster filmmaker's only masterpiece, but the 1960s Hong Kong-set romantic drama is utterly unforgettable as it unfolds its love story against a backdrop of festering societal tension. Viewers have fallen for the film for almost a quarter of a century now. Sydney Opera House clearly feels the same way. Back in 2020, it hosted and livestreamed dreamy song cycle In the Mood — A Love Letter to Wong Kar-Wai & Hong Kong, which delivered exactly what its title promised. Come 2025, the venue will also welcome in the Australian premiere of In the Mood for Love in Concert. As everything from Batman, Back to the Future, Home Alone and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse to The Lion King, The Princess Bride, Black Panther and Star Wars films has in the past — and plenty more — the iconic movie will return to the big screen while an orchestra brings its score to life. In this case, the film will flicker across Sydney Opera House's HD silver screen as conductor Guy Rundle leads a 39-piece group of musicians playing live. Ready to get audiences swooning, In the Mood for Love in Concert has locked in two shows on the one date, at 2pm and 7pm on Saturday, March 22. The BAFTA-nominated and César-winning film — which also picked up two awards at Cannes, including Best Actor — stars the great Tony Leung (Hidden Blade) and Maggie Chen (Better Life) as Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen. In a complicated time and place, the two neighbours are drawn together when they begin to suspect that their partners are not only being unfaithful, but that they're having an affair with each other. While In the Mood for Love is rightly acclaimed for its affecting performances and evocative direction, as well as its gorgeously lush cinematography, its score is just as exceptional. Indeed, the filmmaker has called it "a poem itself". This is a stellar opportunity to find out why — and to discover why this movie, and Wong Kar-Wai, keep proving so influential. Check out the trailer for In the Mood for Love below: In the Mood for Love in Concert plays Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall at 2pm and 7pm on Saturday, March 22, 2025, with ticket presales from Tuesday, November 5, 2024 and general sales from Thursday, November 7, 2024 — head to the Sydney Opera House website for more details.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from March's haul. Brand-New Stuff You Can Watch From Start to Finish Now Girls5eva One of the funniest TV comedies of the 2020s is back with its third season, and as hilarious as ever. So what are you waiting five? If that question doesn't make any sense, then you clearly haven't yet experienced the wonder that is Girls5eva. It starts with a numerical pun-heavy earworm of a theme tune that no one should ever skip, then bounces along just as catchily and sidesplittingly in every second afterwards. A move to Netflix for season three — after streaming its first and second seasons via Peacock in the US and Stan in Australia — might just see the Tina Fey-executive produced music-industry sitcom switch from being one of the best shows that not enough people are watching to everyone's latest can't-stop-rewatching comedy obsession. In other words, this a series about a comeback and, thanks to its swap to the biggest player in the streaming game, now it's making a comeback itself. If it becomes a Netflix smash, here's hoping that it'll be famous at least one more time. Two years have passed for longterm fans since Girls5eva last checked in with Dawn Solano (Sara Bareilles, Broadway's Waitress), Wickie Roy (Renée Elise Goldsberry, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and also a Hamilton Tony-winner), Summer Dutkowsky (Busy Philipps, Mean Girls) and Gloria McManus (Paula Pell, Big Mouth), but the gap and the change of platforms haven't changed this gem. Consider the switch of streamer in the same way that Dawn and the gang are approaching their leap back into their girl group after two decades: as an all-in, go-hard-or-go-home, whatever-it-takes relaunch. Now firmly reunited, the surviving members of Girls5eva have taken to the road. So far, however, their big Returnity tour has been happy in Fort Worth. In the Texan city, their track 'Tap Into Your Fort Worth' keeps drawing in crowds, even if that's all that concertgoers want to hear. Also, the Marriott Suitelettes for Divorced Dads has become their home away from home, but resident diva Wickie isn't content just playing one place. Always dreaming huge, massive and stratospheric, she sets the band's sights on Radio City Music Hall, booking them in for a gig at a fee of $500,000. Cue a six-month timeline to sell it out — a feat made trickier by the fact that the show is on Thanksgiving — or risk ruin. Girls5eva streams via Netflix. Read our full review. 20 Days in Mariupol Incompatible with life. No one should ever want to hear those three devastating words. No one who is told one of the most distressing phrases there is ever has them uttered their way in positive circumstances, either. Accordingly, when they're spoken by a doctor in 2024 Oscar-winner 20 Days in Mariupol, they're deeply shattering. So is everything in this on-the-ground portrait of the first 20 days in the Ukrainian port city as Russia began its invasion, with the bleak reality of living in a war zone documented in harrowing detail. Located less than 60 kilometres from the border, Mariupol quickly segues from ordinary life to an apocalyptic scene — and this film refuses to look away. Much of its time is spent in and around hospitals, which see an influx of patients injured and killed by the combat, and also become targets as well. Many of in 20 Days in Mariupol's faces are the afflicted, the medics tending to them in horrendous circumstances, and the loves ones that are understandably inconsolable. Too many of the carnage's victims are children and babies, with their parents crushed and heartbroken in the aftermath; sometimes, they're pregnant women. Directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mstyslav Chernov, and narrated by him with the grimness and soberness that can be this movie's only tone, 20 Days in Mariupol even existing is an achievement. What it depicts — what it immerses viewers in with urgency, from shelled hospitals, basements-turned-bomb shelters and more of the city destroyed day after day to families torn apart, looting, struggling to find food and bodies of the dead taken to mass graves — needs to be viewed as widely as possible, and constantly. His footage has also featured in news reports, but it can and must never be forgotten. Doctors mid-surgery demand that Chernov's camera is pointed their way, and that he shows the world the travesties taking place. The Ukrainian reporter, who has also covered Donbas, flight MH17, Syria and the Battle of Mosul for the Associated Press, does exactly that. He's doing more than ensuring that everyone bears witness, though; he makes certain that there's no way to watch 20 Days in Mariupol, which shows the vast civilian impact and casualties, and see anything but ordinary people suffering, or to feel anything other than shock, anger and horror. 20 Days in Mariupol streams via DocPlay. STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces To do justice to Steve Martin's life, career and impact requires more than just one movie. So, the engagingly and entertainingly in-depth, intimate, affectionate and informative STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces explores the comedian and actor's existence in a pair of parts. The first is subtitled 'Then', honing in on his childhood and early stand-up days. The second, aka 'Now', jumps in when he made the leap to movies in the late 70s, which is where The Jerk, Pennies From Heaven, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Parenthood and LA Story comes in — and, of course, includes his tours with his ¡Three Amigos! co-star Martin Short, as well as their murder-mystery-comedy TV hit Only Murders in the Building. The initial half gets Martin narrating, sharing reflections personal and professional as accompanied by archival footage aplenty (and ample tapes of his stints in front of audience). The latter section treats him as an interviewee, with his wife Anne Stringfield, Short, Jerry Seinfeld (who has had Martin as a guest on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee) and Tina Fey (who also co-starred with Martin in Baby Mama) among the talking heads. Behind it all is documentarian Morgan Neville, an Oscar-winner for 20 Feet From Stardom, as well as a filmmaker who is clearly taking his stylistic cues from his subject. That's noticeable in STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces' moniker, for starters — it throws caution to the winds of grammar and title formats just as Martin has to comedy rules, as the two-part film makes plain again and again. No matter how well-acquainted you are with Martin, insights flow freely in this fascinating way to spend three hours surveying the ways that he's made people laugh over decades upon decades, beginning with doing magic tricks and working at Disneyland on his school holidays in the 50s. Revelations bound through about Martin as a person, too; more than once, he notes that his life has felt as if it has played out backwards, and not just because he only first became a father in his 60s. Clips of his stand-up act, and the response to it in the 60s and 70s, are gold. Hanging out with the man who originally was only going to create Only Murders in the Building, not star in it, when he's bantering with Short are as well. STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces streams via Apple TV+. Spaceman Should astronaut become a dictionary-certified synonym for melancholy? Cinema believes so. Its latest case in point comes via Spaceman, where life temporarily lived above and beyond the earth replaces gravity with loneliness and disconnection for Jakub Prochazka (Adam Sandler, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah). He's six months into a solo trip past Jupiter to investigate an eerie phenomenon in the heavens when this adaptation of Jaroslav Kalfař's 2017 sci-fi novel Spaceman of Bohemia kicks off. His quest is both time-sensitive and celebrated. South Korea is in close pursuit, he's frequently being told by Peter (Kunal Nayyar, Night Court), his contact at ground control — and Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini, Cat Person) happily keeps dialling him in for PR opportunities. As he soars through a strangely purple sky, however, endeavouring to fulfil his mission while pleading for maintenance approval on his crumbling ship, all that's really on his mind is his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan, Maestro). Pregnant and left at home alone, she's no longer taking his fast-as-light-speed phone calls. Then Hanus (Paul Dano, Mr & Mrs Smith) scurries in beside Jakub, demanding attention — as a giant spider in space is always going to. For the best part of a decade now, seeing a live-action movie starring Sandler has meant heading to Netflix. In Australia, even Uncut Gems, his greatest-ever performance, arrived via the streaming platform. Alongside The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and Hustle, add Spaceman to the list of such features that give their star worthy parts and would've made welcome cinema releases. It isn't new news that Sandler is an excellent actor in dramatic and/or weightier roles, or that his career is more than the Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore-style comedies that he first became known for. Spaceman director Johan Renck (Chernobyl) has cast him expertly, in fact, in this tale of isolation, arrested development, otherworldly arachnids and amorous entanglements. Sending Sandler on an Ad Astra-, First Man- and Solaris-esque trip proves contemplative and empathetic — and, amid spider's-eye flashbacks to his complicated childhood in the Czech Republic, time spent with Lenka on the ground and floating around the film's claustrophobic main setting, also brimming with raw and resonant emotion. Spaceman streams via Netflix. The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin Who needs facts when you can have a ball with irreverently riffing on history? It worked for Blackadder, then with The Great and Our Flag Means Death, and now does the same for The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. It was evident from the concept when it was announced, and the trailer afterwards as well: this series is firmly in the same mode as the pirate comedy that gave streaming two wonderfully funny and heartfelt seasons, then was cancelled. The similarities don't stop being apparent now that Noel Fielding's latest stint of silliness is here with its six-instalment first season. Accordingly, viewers looking for something to help with their Our Flag Means Death heartbreak have somewhere to turn. Everyone who loves The Mighty Boosh's Fielding when he's getting surreal — something that his The Great British Bake Off hosting gig can't quite offer, even with his outfits — is also catered for. Awaiting in The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin is an entertaining jaunt that's exactly what anyone should expect given its premise, star, his fondness for whimsy and flamboyant outfits, plus Britain's love of parodying its own past. Fielding co-writes and executive produces, alongside leading — and his brother Michael is among the fellow The Mighty Boosh alum on-screen. Dick jokes abound, because who could pass up the opportunity given its protagonist? A who's who of English comedy also features. The year is 1735. The place is the UK, obviously. The subject is a real-life highwayman. If Dick Turpin isn't familiar, he's the son of a butcher, he was his father's apprentice, but then took on a different career as part of the Essex gang. In reality, he was executed by hanging at the age of 33. In The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, standing on the gallows provides the opening. From there, the series steps through his time as a thief after being a vegan pacifist didn't gel with the family business. The key things that Dick takes with him when he leaves home, when his father John (Mark Heap, Significant Other) quickly replaces him with his cousin Benny (Michael Fielding, Merry Little Batman): eye-catching purple boots and a sewing machine. Soon enough, he has a crew by his side — and an instantly amusing revisionist history about Britain's equivalent of Ned Kelly is the result. The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. 3 Body Problem How do you follow up Game of Thrones? So asks one of the biggest questions in pop culture over the past decade. HBO's hit adaptation of George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series ended five years ago, but the network behind it, the TV industry in general, and everyone involved in it on- and off-screen has been grappling with that query since the series became a worldwide smash. For the cable station that made it, more Game of Thrones shows is the answer, aka House of the Dragon, the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight and other floated spinoffs. For Hollywood, leaning in on fantasy franchises has been a solution. And for David Benioff and DB Weiss, the showrunners on the Westeros-set phenomenon, bringing another complex book saga to the small screen is the chosen path. Those novels: Liu Cixin's Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy, which arrives as 3 Body Problem, with 2008 book The Three-Body Problem as the basis for its eight-episode first season. Invasions, feuds, jumping timelines, a hefty cast of characters: they're all still in place. So are John Bradley (Marry Me), Liam Cunningham (Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter) and Jonathan Pryce (Slow Horses) among the cast, answering the "what comes next?" question for three Game of Thrones actors. Also, that composer Ramin Djawadi (Jack Ryan) is on music duties again isn't difficult to notice. With 3 Body Problem, which sees Benioff and Weiss team up with True Blood and The Terror's Alexander Woo to bring Cixin's text to the screen, sprawling high fantasy gives away to time- and space-hopping hard sci-fi, however. The danger to global stability still springs from a battle for supremacy, but one where countdowns start dancing in front of some people's eyes, particle accelerators stop functioning properly, other folks can't be seen in security footage, scientists seem to be killing themselves and aliens linger. The series begins with a physics professor being beaten to death in front of a crowd containing his daughter during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Then, it flits to London today to watch the entire sky wink, gleaming helmets spirit whoever dons them into a complicated and intricate virtual-reality game, and what lurks beyond the earth — and who — play a significant part. 3 Body Problem streams via Netflix. Read our full review. Road House It's a brave actor who tries to follow in Patrick Swayze's footsteps. The late, great star was one of a kind, other than the fact that the 80s and 90s screamed out for him to team up with Kurt Russell on-screen. But folks persist in attempting to take his lead, including Diego Luna (Andor) in the also Swayze-starring Dirty Dancing prequel Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Édgar Ramírez (Dr Death) in the terrible 2015 Point Break remake and now Jake Gyllenhaal (Guy Ritchie's The Covenant) in Road House, another do-over of a Swayze hit. Gyllenhaal fares best in a film that isn't its predecessor in a swathe of ways — there's less sleaze to the titular establishment, and in general; less heat to its central romance; less zen about its protagonist; and no throats being ripped out — but is aided immensely by its key casting. No one needed a Road House remake, let alone one where its cooler is a former UFC fighter who has fallen on troubled times in and out of the octagon. Surely no one wanted to witness a strutting Conor McGregor make his acting debut, and so gratingly, as one of the new Road House's villains. But Gyllenhaal leaning into eccentricity as Dalton works a charm. The plot remains largely the same, albeit shifted to Florida, which sees director Doug Liman (Chaos Walking) also take a few stylistic cues from Miami Vice. In the eponymous venue, Dalton — Elwood, not James — is recruited to take over security by Frankie (Jessica Williams, Shrinking), with her bar suffering from a violence problem. Thugs keep smashing up the place, and patrons. Also, bouncers are constantly leaving the job. There's a cool, calm and collected air to Dalton's quest to clean up the joint, which contrasts with his inner turmoil. Soon, though, he's being threatened in an attempt to run him out of town. Daniela Melchior (Fast X) co-stars as the doctor that becomes his love interest, Billy Magnussen (Lift) as the drug-peddling nepo-baby baddie with designs on The Road House's land, Arturo Castro (The Vince Staples Show) as a motorcycle-gang henchman who genuinely appreciates Dalton's approach and Hannah Love Lanier (Special Ops: Lioness) as a bookshop-running teenager, but Road House circa 2024 is Gyllenhaal's show. This isn't the first attempt to capitalise upon the original Road House's success — even if it was nominated for five Razzies — thanks to 2006's Road House 2. Being better than that is a low bar, but this Road House clears it. Road House streams via Prime Video. Apples Never Fall On the page and on the screen, audiences know what's in store when Sydney-born and -based author Liane Moriarty's name is attached to a book or TV series. Domestic disharmony within comfortable communities fuels her tales, as do twisty mystery storylines. When they hit streaming, the shows adapted from her novels add in starry casts as well. Indeed, after Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, it might come as a shock that Nicole Kidman (Expats) is nowhere to be found in the seven-episode Apples Never Fall. The Australian actor will be back in another version of Moriarty's tomes, also with a three-word title, with The Last Anniversary currently in the works. Fresh from an Oscar nomination for Nyad, Annette Bening is no mere stand-in right now. Also, where Kidman has co-starred with Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show), Laura Dern (The Son) and Alexander Skarsgård (Mr & Mrs Smith), and also Melissa McCarthy (The Little Mermaid), Michael Shannon (The Flash) and Luke Evans (Good Grief), Bening is joined by Sam Neill (The Twelve), Alison Brie (Somebody I Used to Know) and Jake Lacy (A Friend of the Family). If Lacy's involvement brings The White Lotus to mind, he's again at home playing affluent and arrogant — but no one is on holiday in Apples Never Fall. Rather, in West Palm Beach, the tennis-obsessed Delaney family finds their well-off existence shattered when matriarch Joy (Bening) goes missing, leaving just a banged-up and blood-splattered bicycle, a strewn-about basket of apples and her mobile phone behind. Her adult children (Lacy, Brie, Thai Cave Rescue's Conor Merrigan Turner and The Speedway Murders' Essie Randles) are worried, while husband Stan (Neill) first advises that his spouse is merely ill, a choice that does nothing to stop suspicion rocketing his way. In addition to charting the search for Joy, the Queensland-shot Apples Never Fall bounces through ample backstory. After its introductory instalment, each episode focuses on one of the family; across them all, the timeline is split into "then" and "now". It soon becomes apparent that the doting Joy and determined Stan were talented players, then established the Delaney Tennis Academy when his aspirations were cruelled by injury, and she sidelined hers to support him and have their kids. Another person looms large over the narrative, too: Savannah (Georgia Flood, Blacklight), who graces the Delaneys' doorstep in its flashbacks, fleeing from domestic abuse — or so she claims. Apples Never Fall streams via Binge. Read our full review. Breeders Sitcoms about raising a family are almost as common as sitcoms in general, with the antics of being married with children up there with workplace shenanigans as one of the genre's go-to setups. Thanks to the OG UK version of The Office, Martin Freeman knows more than a little about employment-focused TV comedies. Courtesy of The Thick of It and Veep, actor-turned-director Chris Addison and writer Simon Blackwell also fall into that category. But Breeders, which the trio created and thrusts them into the world of mining parenting for laughs, isn't your standard take on its concept. As became immediately evident when the British series began in 2020, and remains the case now that it's wrapping up with its current fourth season — which aired overseas in 2023 but is only hitting Down Under in 2024 — this show does't subscribe to the rosy notion that being a mother or a father (or a son or daughter, or grandmother or grandfather) equals loveable chaos. There's love, of course. There's even more chaos. But there's also clear eyes, plus bleakness; again, this is largely helmed and scripted by alumni of two of the best, sharpest and most-candid political satires of the 21st century, and always feels as such. Season four begins with a time jump, with Breeders' overall path tracking Paul Worsley (Freeman, Secret Invasion) and Ally Grant's (Daisy Haggard, Boat Story) journey from when their two kids were very young — including babies, via flashbacks — to their teenage and young-adult years now. Consequently, five years on in the narrative from season three, another set of actors play Luke (Oscar Kennedy, Wreck) and Ava (debutant Zoë Athena) in this farewell run as the first is moving in with his girlfriend and the second explores her own love life, as well as grappling with the inescapable reality that her elder brother's ups and downs have always monopolised her family's attention. Paul and Ally also have the ailing health of Paul's parents Jim (Alun Armstrong, Tom Jones) and Jackie (Joanna Bacon, Benediction) to manage, in addition to the ebbs and flows of their own often-fraught relationship, plus just dealing with getting through the days, weeks, months and years in general (Ally turning 50 is one of this season's plot points). That this all sounds like standard life is part of the point; watching Breeders is like looking in a mirror, especially in its unvarnished and relatable all-you-can-do-is-laugh perspective. Freeman's knack for swearing will be especially missed. Breeders streams via Disney+. New and Returning Shows to Check Out Week by Week Palm Royale More things in life should remind the world about Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, 2021's wonderfully goofy (and just wonderful) Florida-set comedy starring Kristen Wiig (MacGruber) and Annie Mumolo (Barbie), plus Jamie Dornan (The Tourist) singing to seagulls. The also Wiig-led Palm Royale is one such prompt. Thankfully, watching the page-to-screen dramedy doesn't cause audiences to wish that they were just viewing Barb and Star, though. The two share the same US state as a locale, too, alongside bright colour schemes, a bouncy pace and a willingness to get silly, especially with sea life, but Palm Royale engages all on its own. Adapting Juliet McDaniel's Mr & Mrs American Pie for the small screen, this 60s-set effort also knows how to make gleaming use of its best asset: Saturday Night Live, Bridesmaids and Ghostbusters alum Wiig. In its ten-episode first season, the show's storyline centres on Maxine Simmons. A former beauty-pageant queen out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, she thinks nothing of scaling the wall to the titular country club, then breezing about like she's meant to be there — sipping grasshoppers and endeavouring to eavesdrop her way into a social-climbing friendship with Palm Beach's high-society set — and Wiig sells every second of the character's twist-filled journey. Even better: she heartily and entertainingly conveys the everywoman aspects of someone who has yearning for a better life as her main motivation, and isn't willing to settle for anything less than she thinks that she deserves, even in hardly relatable circumstances. There's no doubting that Maxine is both an underdog and an outsider in the milieu that she so frenziedly covets. When she's not swanning around poolside, idolising self-appointed bigwig Evelyn Rollins (Allison Janney, The Creator) and ambassador's wife Dinah Donahue (Leslie Bibb, About My Father) among the regulars — their clique spans widow Mary Jones Davidsoul (Julia Duffy, Christmas with the Campbells) and mobster spouse Raquel Kimberly-Maco (Claudia Ferri, Arlette) — and ordering her cocktail of choice from bartender Robert (Ricky Martin, American Crime Story), she's staying in a far-from-glamorous motel. Funding for her quest to fit in with the rich and gossip-column famous comes via pawning jewellery owned by her pilot husband Douglas'(Josh Lucas, Yellowstone) comatose aunt Norma Dellacorte (Carol Burnett, Better Call Saul), the plastics and mouthwash heiress who ruled the scene until suffering an embolism. Palm Royale streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. High Country The role of Andie Whitford, the lead part in High Country, was written for Leah Purcell. It's easy to understand why. There's a quiet resolve to the character — a been-there-seen-that air to weathering tumult, too — that's long been a part of the Indigenous Australian star's acting toolkit across a three-decade career that started in 90s TV shows such as GP, Police Rescue and Water Rats, and has recently added The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and Shayda to her resume (plus much in-between). Andie is a seasoned police detective who takes a job back in uniform overseeing the town of Broken Ridge, which is located in the mountainous Victorian region that gives the mystery series its name. A big reason for the move: stability and work-life balance, aka relocating for the sake of her personal life with spouse Helen (Sara Wiseman, Under the Vines) and daughter Kirra (Pez Warner, making her TV debut). An existence-resetting tree change is meant to be on the cards, then. But her arrival, especially being installed as the new police chief, doesn't earn the sunniest of welcomes. Then there's the missing-person cases that swiftly start piling up, some old, some new, some previously explained by pointing fingers in specific directions. High Country's framework, down to its character types, is easily recognisable. Creators Marcia Gardner and John Ridley, who worked with Purcell on Wentworth, know what everyone does: that a great story can make any whodunnit-driven procedural feel different. So, also part of the series are Andie's retiring predecessor (Ian McElhinney, The Boys in the Boat), who is fixated on a past disappearance; the former teacher (Henry Nixon, The PM's Daughter) he's certain is responsible, who has become the town outcast; a local ranger (Aaron Pedersen, Jack Irish), one of the few other Indigenous faces in town; the financially challenged proprietor (Linda Cropper, How to Stay Married) of a haven for artists; cop colleagues of varying help and loyalty (Romance at the Vineyard's Matt Domingo and Wyrmwood: Apocalypse's Luke McKenzie); and rabble-rousing siblings (Boy Swallows Universe's Nathaniel Dean and The Clearing's Jamie Timony). Crucially, where the show takes them always feels like its own journey. This might also be the second Aussie effort in two months to use this part of the country as a backdrop, following Force of Nature: The Dry 2, but High Country is similarly no mere rehash there. High Country streams via Binge. The Regime After past wins for Mildred Pierce and Mare of Easttown, Kate Winslet might just add another Emmy to her mantle for The Regime. When the British actor turns her attention to TV for HBO, she unveils spectacular performances — something that she does everywhere anyway (see also: the 30-year-old Heavenly Creatures, 20-year-old Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and more-recent Ammonite, for instance), but this working relationship has been going particularly well for her. Winslet's latest small-screen stint for the US network takes her into the realm of satire, and to a Central European country under authoritarian rule. Nothing for the nation's current leadership is quite going to plan, though. This is a place where Chancellor Elena Vernham singing 'If You Leave Me Now' to open an official dinner, keeping her deceased father in a glass coffin, and overhauling the palace that she calls home due to fears of moisture and black mould are all everyday occurrences. Each of the above happens in The Regime's first episode, as does hiring a soldier linked to a scandal involving the deaths of protestors at a cobalt mine — with his new gig initially requiring him to monitor the air quality in every room that the Chancellor enters. Winslet (Avatar: The Way of Water) is mesmerising as Vernham, who takes her cues from a range of IRL world leaders — it's easy to glean which — in a show that's as captivating as its lead performance. She has excellent company, too, spanning the always-ace Matthias Schoenaerts (Amsterdam) as said military man-turned-Vernham's new advisor, Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie) as her regular offsider, plus everyone from Hugh Grant (Wonka) to Martha Plimpton (A Town Called Malice) popping up and making the most of their supporting parts. The Regime's creator Will Tracy wrote The Menu and also episodes of Succession, so he has experience being scathing; his time on the staff of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver also shows its influence. If he'd been watching Armando Iannucci's The Death of Stalin while dreaming up this (including nabbing Riseborough from the cast), that wouldn't come as a surprise, either. With Stephen Frears (The Lost King) and Jessica Hobbs (The Crown) behind the camera, The Regime is a probingly directed effort as well as it works through its six chapters. The Regime streams via Binge. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January and February this year, and also from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2023. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from last year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023, 15 newcomers you might've missed, top 15 returning shows of the year, 15 best films, 15 top movies you likely didn't see, 15 best straight-to-streaming flicks and 30 movies worth catching up on over the summer.
A lot of time, skill and dedication goes into building up a collection of precious goods. There's going to be a big opportunity to both flex your collection and gawk at others when the first-ever CollectFest rolls around. CollectFest is set to bring together enthusiasts of all fields, whether you're into comics, sneakers, toys and figurines, coins, stamps or more. You'll be surrounded by your people, and everyone will have a reason to celebrate, trade and sell to their hearts' content. CollectFest still has some time before it kicks off, as it's not taking place until Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6, 2025 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Tickets are projected to sell fast, so be ready when early bird tickets go on sale from Monday, August 12. Stay tuned for more information as it comes. The first-ever CollectFest will take place from July 5–6, 2025, at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Early bird tickets go on sale from Monday, August 12, 2024. For more information or to get tickets, visit the website.
Money might not grow on trees, but furniture and artworks sure do. Visit Full Grown's field in Derbyshire, UK, and you'll see what we mean. The trees there are "grown into" chairs, pendant lamps and sculptures straight from the ground, albeit with slight human intervention. Think of it as a natural factory where unique objects are created with sunlight, water and soil, rather than on production lines. Full Grown's founder, Gavin Munro, has been working on the concept for a decade. "We started out ten years ago in a plant pot in my mum's garden," he says in his Kickstarter video. "But we quickly moved on to trying it out in a field." The process takes between four and eight years. It begins with training and pruning young trees to grow over "formers". Along the way, they're grafted together, ensuring they grow into a solid object. Then, it's a matter of nurturing the tree, so it becomes strong as it matures. The harvest takes place in winter, followed by drying out, planing and finishing, to expose the wood's textures and grain. Munro says it's important to "let the trees take the lead", yet be present "at the right times, to make subtle changes to the shapes and patterns that we want". He describes it as a "kind of zen, 3D printing". The practice has roots in ancient Greece and Egypt, where people "grew" stools. And, now that the Full Grown team has perfected the art, they're ready to take on the world. They're looking for your help to expand operations through a crowdfunding campaign. With 25 days to go, a £10,000 goal has already been smashed. Donations of £5 plus are welcome. Throw 850 quid or more their way to score a raw pendant lamp. The Full Grown Kickstarter campaign finishes on January 30, 2017. For info and to donate, visit their Kickstarter page.
New experiences, new challenges, new collaborations: for people and organisations alike, no one should ever stop notching up firsts. In 2024, for instance, Bangarra Dance Theatre unveiled its first-ever mainstage cross-cultural collaboration after more than three decades of existence, with Horizon adding tales from across Oceania to the iconic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company's remit. In 2025, the organisation is backing that up with another history-making production, Illume, which is Bangarra's first-ever visual arts collab. Hosting its world-premiere season at the Sydney Opera House in June, then heading to Melbourne in September, Illume sees Bangarra's Artistic Director Frances Rings team up with Goolarrgon Bard visual artist Darrell Sibosado. Featuring dance, visual arts and music, the end result focuses on light — and takes inspiration Sibosado's Bard – Bardi Jawi Country. Think of it as the next best way to experience being there. Why has light proven so pivotal in Indigenous culture? Why is it considered a connection between physical and spiritual worlds? What impact does artificial light pollution have upon the land and sky, and how does it affect First Nations people's links to sky country, celestial knowledge and skylore? These questions are all at the heart of Illume. Although every Bangarra production is stunning, it's easy to see why this kaleidoscopic addition to the dance theatre's repertoire is set to wow, all while also contemplating the climate crisis. In the Victorian capital, it's taking over Arts Centre Melbourne from Thursday, September 4–Saturday, September 13. Images: Daniel Boud.
Brunswick, say hello to Joey Smalls. A little older (and somewhat wiser) than her rowdy CBD brother bars New Guernica and Chuckle Park, Joey Smalls is set up for relaxing summer days in her cosy courtyard or snug winter nights in a booth. In other words, you probably won't be on the dance floor spilling your vodka sodas all over everyone here. This is a much more casual affair. At Joey Smalls, the design seems to sit somewhere between American diner and modern Melbourne, though the final result makes it hard to say. A cave-like formation surrounded by polished wood and an Americana specials board results in a strange mix of styles — but it works. An excellent roster of DJ's will likely be playing a range of soul, funk, house or hip-hop most nights of the week with the odd special event or performance. Huxtaburger are supplying the food with the simple burger menu that Melbourne knows and loves. There are a few surprises thrown in too, such as the okonomiyaki fries ($15), which are covered head to toe in Kewpie mayo, bonito, special okonomiyaki sauce and a sprinkling of seaweed. Regular Huxtaburger prices apply with a burger setting you back $9.50-$12 depending on how fancy you want to be. Interesting local and imported beers are available by the bottle and on tap. The cocktail menu, while not exactly unique, is full of cheerful classics that won't break the bank. The Chilli Coconut Margarita ($15) and Passion Palomo ($15) are both tasty options to go with, but it's the wallet friendly Smoke 'n' Stormy ($10) — a twist on the classic Dark and Stormy — that is the crowd favourite. Licensed until well past your bedtime, Joey Smalls is a welcome addition to Sydney Road.
