Libertine Parfumerie, a leading destination for niche and luxury fragrances, invites scent lovers to an immersive day of olfactory discovery at Ace Hotel Sydney this September. Known for introducing some of the world's most prestigious perfume houses to the Australian market, Libertine is bringing its expertise out of the boutique and into an elevated series of masterclasses at the stylish Surry Hills hotel. Three unique experiences will take place across the day. Kicking things off is the Creed Discovery Masterclass, where ticketholders will be among the first to discover the historic house's newest fragrance alongside an edit of the 265-year-old brand's most celebrated scents. The Gourmand Masterclass may spark delicious sensory overload by pairing food-inspired perfumes with eight creative mini desserts. Finally, the Perfume & Cocktails Masterclass is an after-dark exploration of fine fragrance and mixology, where eight mini cocktails (including two mocktails) are matched with complementary perfumes, served with a selection of canapés. All sessions will be led by Lucy Borland, an internationally renowned fragrance expert with over 30 years' experience in the beauty and fragrance industry. Each guest will be welcomed with bubbles on arrival before embarking on their chosen sensory journey. Tickets also include a $69 voucher to redeem on purchases made during the event, plus a luxurious gift with purchase on qualifying perfume buys. Whether you're a seasoned perfume connoisseur or just fragrance-curious, this is a rare opportunity to explore the artistry of perfumery in a luxurious, experience-driven setting with one of Australia's foremost experts.
No longer will denizens of the west have to venture into the Sydney CBD for a Neil Perry hamburger. Following on from the success of his first budget burger venture The Burger Project in World Square — and the five others that have sprung up since — the Rockpool chef is today firing up the grill on a second Burger Project location in Parramatta. The first Burger Project began its life primarily as a means of bringing the next best thing to Perry's much drooled-over $24 Rockpool beef burger to the masses — without the prohibitive price tag. Parramatta diners can expect 14 variations on the humble hamburger, including the chilli cheese, Magic Mushroom and the katsu fried chicken, the names of which are all fairly self-explanatory. The new location — the group's first in western Sydney — is located on the ground floor of Parramatta's 28-storey V by Crown complex. With street frontage and room for 90 patrons, the glass-walled eatery has been designed by architect Grant Cheyne. The complex is soon to open a brand new luxury hotel, which will feature 72 suites, a retail precinct, some flashy facilities — which include a swish pool that's only open to residents and guests — and a brand new openair terrace bar by the Eau de Vie team on level 26. Since opening in Sydney back in 2014, the celebrity chef's high-end fast food joint Burger Project has expanded rapidly, particularly after Perry's Rockpool Group was acquired by the Urban Purveyor Group last year. The Parramatta store will be their sixth in Sydney and their ninth Australia-wide, having recently opened two in Melbourne and one in Brisbane. Burger Project Parramatta opens at 11am on Friday, March 10 at Shop 1 and 2, V by Crown, 134-140 Marsden Street, Parramatta. For more info, visit their website.
Looking for something meaningful to do on January 26? You can head to Sydney University, where Indigenous-run social advocacy group We Are Warriors is once again bringing together a lineup of First Nations musicians, dancers, filmmakers and artists from across the country for a day dubbed Blak Powerhouse. The goal? To empower First Nations youth, share their art and push for action. Now entering its fourth year running, Blak Powerhouse returns to Manning House on the Sydney University campus for a free night of Blak pride and joy through live music and DJs, dance, panel discussions, weaving workshops, interactive art installations, market stalls and short film showcases. [caption id="attachment_1066365" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nikhil Ninan[/caption] From 6pm, the event will open with a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country from Aunty Nadeena Dixon and a dance performance from We Are Warriors founder, Nooky. Then come performances from Rapper Ziggy Ramo, R&B Soul vocalist Mi-Kaisha, hip hop rap duo Birdz & Fred Leone, rapper BARKAA and First Nations supergroup 3%. Elsewhere, panel discussions led by First Nations creatives Aretha Brown, Rudi Bremer, Travis De Vries and the We Are Warriors team will lead discussions of cultural practice, connection and power. For some keepsakes from the event, you can browse the market stalls all night, but you'll also find some potential new ink at Aretha Brown's Tattoo Parlour or a family portrait by WAW. You can try your hand at weaving in a workshop led by Aunty Dixon from 7pm, enjoy a short film showcase presented by We Are Warriors and Powerhouse, and get a feed from the food trucks on site. We Are Warriors was launched on January 26 in 2022 as an organisation dedicated to celebrating Blak excellence and fostering the next generation of First Nations creatives. In its first year, it delivered a feature presentation at Semi Permanent and launched WAW Fest as part of Vivid Sydney, before hosting the first Blak Powerhouse in 2023. We Are Warriors founder Corey Webster (aka Nooky) said, "Blak Powerhouse continues to be shaped by community, led by First Nations voices and grounded in deep cultural practice. We are honoured to partner with We Are Warriors to present this extraordinary, one-of-a-kind event to celebrate First Nations culture in Sydney on January 26." Blak Powerhouse will run at Murray House from 6 to 11pm on Monday, January 26. For more information or to book a ticket, visit the website. Top image: Nikhil Ninan
If there's a question that no employee wants to hear from the person setting company agendas, pulling strings and signing paycheques, it's "what do we do?". In The Consultant, Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) asks a variation of it early — "what do we make?" he queries at CompWare after he arrives amid grim circumstances. The mobile gaming outfit came to fame under wunderkind Sang (TV first-timer Brian Yoon), so much so that school groups tour the firm's office. Then, during the visit that opens this eight-part Prime Video thriller, a kid shoots and kills the company's founder. That doesn't stop Regus from showing up afterwards clutching a signed contract from Sang and spouting a mandate to do whatever it takes to maximise his legacy. Regus is as stern yet eccentric as Waltz has become known for — a suit- and tie-wearing kindred spirit to Inglourious Basterds' Hans Landa, plus Spectre and No Time to Die's Ernst Stavro Blofield. He first darkens CompWare's door in the thick of night, when only ambitious assistant Elaine Hayman (Brittany O'Grady, The White Lotus) and stoner coder Craig Horne (Nat Wolff, Joe vs Carole) are onsite, and he won't take no for an answer. There's no consultant job for him to have, Elaine tells him. There's no business to whip into shape, she stresses. By the next morning, he's corralling employees for an all-hands meeting and telling remote workers they'll be fired if they don't show up in-person within an hour, even if he proudly doesn't know what CompWare does — or care. Giving the small screen its latest moody and mysterious workplace nightmare, The Consultant adapts horror author Bentley Little's 2016 novel of the same name, but plays like Severance filtered through Servant. Similarities with the former come with the setting, tone and keep-'em-guessing setup, while commonalities with the latter arise from sharing creator Tony Basgallop. Both series kick off with a blow-in, unsettle a group already coping with tragedy and reorder their status quo with severe methods. Both lace the chaos that follows with nods towards the supernatural, and both ask what bargains we're willing to make — or not — to live the lives we're striving for. The Consultant hinges upon two ideas: the disdain all workers have for head honchos who slash and restructure without knowing the daily grind, bothering to understand it or even pretending to get to know their staff; and the lengths someone might be willing to go to, including what they may accept and overlook, to advance their own careers. Regus doesn't waste any time earning ire, whether through arbitrary firings — he claims one worker smells of "putrid fruit" — or by pitting his employees against each other to fight for a management office. But, as he sits in the top-floor suite still splattered with Sang's blood, he also accepts Elaine's self-given title bump to Creative Liaison and rushes Craig's new game into production. There's still plenty getting Elaine and Craig questioning, such as Regus' around-the-clock calls, the basement records room filled with invasive personal files that no one previously knew about, his sudden rule changes — one day, shoes are verboten — and how he whisks off Sang's visiting mother (Gloria John, Shifter), who actually now owns the company, but doesn't take her to her hotel or anywhere else she can be found. Elaine and Craig also have a romantic past to deal with, The Consultant's most obligatory narrative detail. Plus, Craig is preparing to marry the Catholic Patti (Aimee Carrero, Spirited), who isn't fond of his slacker vibe or his at-work friendships. And, there's a helluva mid-series night that involves a sky-high nightclub, a Russian model (Gena Heylock, Chicago Med) with prosthetic limbs and a wild car ride. The heavy splashes of red that colour The Consultant's opening titles and much of CompWare's office lighting aren't subtle. Neither is the "devil made me do it" excuse offered by Sang's boy killer or the soundtrack's use of Elvis Presley's '(You're the) Devil in Disguise'. But Basgallop excels at keeping viewers guessing about whether the diabolical events that come his characters' way have nefarious sources, or if they're as easily explainable via everyday details. His two currently streaming series are also masterclasses in using their confined settings — The Consultant steps beyond CompWare HQ rarely, like Servant and its Philadelphia brownstone — to bubble with unease. The Severance comparisons kick in again here, too, weaponising and satirising a tech company's look and feel, as well as its attitude and atmosphere. While O'Grady backs up her stellar turn opposite Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney in The White Lotus with another astute performance — and character — and Wolff conveys disaffected but driven with ease, The Consultant wouldn't be as quick a binge without Waltz. Quentin Tarantino has built two films around him, with both Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained winning the actor Oscars, and he's perfectly cast here. There's also a slipperiness to Waltz's involvement that matches Basgallop's fondness for the same trait. Viewers know exactly how the series' biggest-name star will play Regus and he doesn't disappoint, but that alone doesn't explain everything about the sinister character. As Waltz gets menacing and malevolent, and O'Grady and Wolff flit from shock to acquiescence and back again and again, The Consultant makes expected points about corporate culture, its cut-throat dynamics and increasingly 24/7 demands; the 21st-century employment landscape and its ruthlessness towards employees; and the engrained mindset that has everyone dutifully complying with authority. Familiar but still topical, sly, smart and shrewd: that's the thematic terrain the series traverses, and well. Try not to think of recent social-media moves when Regus starts throwing his weight around, for instance. Try not to ponder your own horrible bosses — yes, Waltz has played one before in Horrible Bosses 2 — and career pressure points, too. There's no point trying not to get drawn into this tense, suspenseful and slickly made series, however, which boasts Destroyer and Yellowjackets' Karyn Kusama among its directors, and lures in viewers as easily as addictive mobile games. Check out the trailer for The Consultant below: The Consultant streams via Prime Video.
Sydney has a lot of outdoor pools in stunning spots, but one of the oldest and most iconic is the Andrew "Boy" Charlton Pool near the Royal Botanic Gardens — Australia's first ever swimming races took place there in 1846. In 1968, the pool, formerly known as the Domain Baths, took on its current name in honour of Andrew "Boy" Charlton, who set five world records at various Olympics. Duck out from your desk on Tuesday and head to the pool for some picturesque laps.
Beyond: Two Souls is a staggering achievement in gaming. If you're a semi-regular gamer, you already know that. But it's if you don't include games in your current recreational repertoire that the information is most pertinent. Because Beyond is quite unlike your Grand Theft Autos, Call of Dutys, Wii tennises and nearly every other blockbuster title on the market, and it might be the one that sucks you in. Made for a reputed $28 million, Beyond stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe in leading roles and screened its demo at this year's prestigious Tribeca Film Festival. It sits somewhere between cinema and what we think of as games, crafting an interactive drama that you play in the first person. French studio Quantic Dream, who explored a similar form with Heavy Rain (2010), are really concerned with the possibilities of immersive storytelling using new technologies. Curious? Here are a few reasons to give Beyond: Two Souls a go. Because you like film and TV Let's face it, of all the screen arts, video games are not the ones known for their complexity of story, character or emotion; they're known for their abundance of things to shoot at. But storytelling comes first in Beyond: There are some action scenes, but they happen in the broader context of the life of one specific girl, Jodie Holmes (Page), who is blessed/cursed with various psychic powers that make her valuable to the CIA and government research departments but chilling to her parents and peers. Her whole life she has felt a connection to the invisible 'entity' Aiden, and much of the tension in the game comes from the love/hate relationship she has with her constant companion. As the player, you see Jodie from the ages of six to twenty-one, though you play the chapters out of chronological order, piecing together the puzzles of her life. "We tried to create an interactive experience, more than just another video game," said Beyond's writer/director David Cage at a recent game preview in Sydney. He takes his cues from the world of cinema, adding elements from the game designers' toolkit to make you even more invested in the story. Because you want to see Ellen Page's Oscar-worthy performance There are so many sub-reasons it's great to see Ellen Page in the main role in Beyond, and the fact that she's not some 'sassy' and pneumatically boobed animation — she's Ellen Page — is just the tip of the iceberg. "A mix of technology and talent" is Cage's catch cry for Beyond, which would've been a far lesser game without the perfect female lead to embody your journey. And embodying it really is — Page is not just lending her voice or her face; she and the rest of the cast acted out this 2000-page script in a bare room kitted out in the latest in performance capture technology. They even developed a new method of capturing eye movement, placing small markers all around the eye to track minute muscle contractions and so basically eliminating that 'cold dead eyes' effect that has long plagued computer-generated imaging. The process is truly a sight to behold. In this sometimes testing, sometimes liberating environment, Page puts in an entrancing performance as Jodie, a character who's a pretty intense contradiction of feelings over many years of her life. "It's really bare acting," says Cage. "It's just you in this silly suit and all you can trust is your imagination, the script, the director helping you and, of course, the other actors. But it's really about acting in its pure, pure form." Because you think emotional journeys are the core of story "The idea is really to make you feel emotions that are usually rarely found in video games," says Cage. Specifically, rather than stress, competition and (a hopefully cathartic) rage, there's more hurt, mourning, nervousness, pride and love. Beyond's emotional palette is that of growing up, moving forward and mourning (Cage was inspired to write the story after the death of someone close to him). While there's plenty of this kind of exploration going on in indie games, such as That Game Company's phenomenal Journey, Beyond is perhaps the only big-budget, high-production-value game with this agenda. "We really tried to put you in the shoes of this young woman," says Cage. "You will feel like you've known her since she was a kid because you've been with her in the happy and difficult moments of her life, you know what she went through and where she comes from. My hope is that by the time you are done with the game and you turn off the console you will be a little bit sad, because you may never see her again." Because you won't get stuck on level 6 Or any level before or after. Beyond is all about the consequences your actions have on a life. And just like life, there are no do-overs. Instead, the game will funnel you on to the next chapter, via a slightly different road. Get caught by the cops? Maybe your invisible friend can help you out of those cuffs. Asphyxiate in a fire? Here's that 'come toward the light' sequence you were definitely going to see at some point. You will not keep dying at that one tricky spot in perpetuity. That means no matter your skills, Beyond will take you about 12 hours to play through. The control scheme is also a bit different and quite simple — an annoyance to some regular gamers but great for newbies. Quantic Dream have carefully designed the gameplay to be so integrated into the story that it's basically invisible, and at its best moments, it's very elegant. The goal is not to pull you out of the story with the trials of a complex controller dance but to allow you to lose yourself in it. And if it's the controller itself that unnerves you, Beyond even allows you to sync up your Android or iOS device and use familiar swipes and taps instead. Because you won't be able to help it Beyond has its successes and failures it's true, but its single-minded inventiveness is so inspiring, film and new media makers are lapping it up. It's a bold step in the direction of 'convergence', which sees film and games blend, borrow from each other and sometimes forge something completely new. Don't play it now and you'll instead see some flicker of it, in some medium, some time in the future. Beyond: Two Souls is out now on PS3.
True Detective started with Matthew McConaughey (The Rivals of Amziah King) and Woody Harrelson (Last Breath) as its leads. Next came Taylor Kitsch (American Primeval), Colin Farrell (The Penguin) and Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret). Mahershala Ali (Jurassic World Rebirth) and Stephen Dorff (Bride Hard) did the honours, too, followed by Jodie Foster (Nyad) and Kali Reis (Rebuilding). And if the world is lucky, Nicolas Cage (The Surfer) could join that list. Variety is reporting that Cage is in talks to star in True Detective's fifth season — which The Hollywood Reporter notes is expected to arrive in 2027. So far, the only details confirmed include that the new episodes will be set in New York's Jamaica Bay area, and that Tigers Are Not Afraid filmmaker Issa López, who wrote and directed every one episode of True Detective: Night Country, is due to return. [caption id="attachment_793116" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jim Bridges/HBO[/caption] Cage can and has played everyone from Dracula, a man who thinks he's a vampire, himself, a heartbroken lumberjack and an alpaca-milking dad to black-and-white film noir-style Spider-Man, twins, an Elvis obsessive, a terrorist switching faces with an FBI agent, a man everyone dreams about, a serial killer and an Aussie expat who just wants to hit the waves at his childhood beach (and much, much more). A cop on the case in True Detective? It'd be dream casting. The series was renewed for season five after its fourth season dropped in January 2024 and became the most-watched season of the show ever. Across the show's run, it's always been a case of new batch of episodes, new police officers, new case, as the series has been delivering since 2014. "Issa Lopez is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO's creative spirit. She helmed True Detective: Night Country from start to finish, never once faltering from her own commendable vision, and inspiring us with her resilience both on the page and behind the camera," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, back when season five was revealed. "From conception to release, Night Country has been the most beautiful collaboration and adventure of my entire creative life. HBO trusted my vision all the way, and the idea of bringing to life a new incarnation of True Detective with Casey, Francesca and the whole team is a dream come true. I can't wait to go again," added Lopez. There's obviously no trailer yet for True Detective season five, but check out the full trailer for True Detective: Night Country below: Season five of True Detective doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when more details are announced. True Detective: Night Country streams via Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review. Via Variety/The Hollywood Reporter. Top image: Jason Bollenbacher/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images.
Summer in Australia must've treated Kesha well at the beginning of 2025, because she has just confirmed a return visit in 2026. In January, the pop star ventured Down Under for two gigs, playing a House of Kesha show in Sydney and also the Australian Open's music lineup in Melbourne. Next year, she'll be taking to the stage at a series of headline concerts around the country, with stops in four cities confirmed so far. Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are on the two-time Grammy-nominee's itinerary when she brings The Tits Out tour this way. The gigs are part of the biggest headline run of Kesha's career so far, which kicked off in July 2025 in the US and also has European shows locked in for March 2026. In Australia, Riverstage in the Queensland capital is the singer's first destination, hitting up the venue on Thursday, February 19. She'll also play Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Sunday, February 22; Adelaide's AEC Arena on Tuesday, February 24; and Perth HPC on Thursday, February 26. At the time of writing, there's no Sydney gig on the agenda to date — but if you want to start speculating about a Harbour City stop, it's worth noting that Kesha will be in the country during 2026's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It's taking place from Friday, February 13–Sunday, March 1, with the parade on Saturday, February 28. No lineup details have been announced as yet. [caption id="attachment_975223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendan Walter[/caption] With ten top-ten singles across her career so far, plus six albums under her belt — 2023's Gag Order and 2025's Period among them — Kesha has no shortage of tunes to draw upon live. 'JOYRIDE', 'TiK ToK', 'Only Love Can Save Us Now', 'Your Love Is My Drug', 'Take It Off' and 'We R Who We R' are among the tracks on her current setlist. Kesha is making the trip Down Under in what's already a big month for tours, with February 2026 also welcoming Lorde's Australian shows and seeing G Flip kick off their next national run of gigs. Kesha The Tits Out 2026 Australian Tour Dates Thursday, February 19 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, February 22 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, February 24 — AEC Arena, Adelaide Thursday, February 26 — Perth HPC, Perth Kesha is touring Australia in February 2026, with ticket presales from 10am on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 and general sales from 10am on Friday, August 8, 2025 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Ryan Bakerink/FilmMagic.
What runs the film world right now? Concert flicks, which are having a big-screen moment again. In the space of mere months, three huge examples of the genre will play cinemas worldwide, much to the delight of folks who like getting their movie and music fix in one go. First comes Taylor Swift's Eras tour concert film in October. In Australia, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, aka the best concert flick ever made, will return to picture palaces in November. And now RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will do the same worldwide from December. Beyoncé is no stranger to splashing her sets across a screen, after HOMECOMING: A Film By Beyoncé did exactly that on Netflix back in 2019. That movie covered the superstar singer's time on the Coachella stage, and came with a 40-track live album as well. This time, Bey is focusing on her 56-performance, 39-city world RENAISSANCE tour in support of the 2022 album of the same name. Now wrapped up after starting in Stockholm in Sweden in May and finishing in Kansas City, Missouri in the US on Sunday, October 1, the RENAISSANCE tour featured everything from 'Dangerously in Love 2', 'Cuff It', 'Formation' and 'Run the World (Girls)' to 'Crazy in Love', 'Love On Top', 'Drunk in Love' and 'America Has a Problem'. Sadly, audiences in Australia or New Zealand haven't experienced that setlist for themselves, with the tour skipping Down Under shows so far. Accordingly, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ is the first chance for Bey fans in this part of the world to join in without heading overseas. "When I am performing, I am nothing but free," says Beyoncé in the just-released trailer for the new concert flick, which dropped along with the news that the movie exists. "The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free," the musician continues, in a sneak peek that includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, crowd shots and, of course, spectacular concert footage. RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ charts the tour from its first show until its last, as well as the hard work and technical mastery that went into it on- and off-stage, as 2.7-million-plus fans have seen in person. In North America, it'll hit cinemas on Friday, December 1, and play for at least four weeks from Thursday–Sunday, including in IMAX. Exactly when the film will debut Down Under hasn't been revealed as yet — nor where the movie will screen — but prepare for lift off ASAP afterwards. Check out the trailer for RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ below: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will start screening in North America from Friday, December 1, with opening dates in other locations still to be announced — we'll update you when Australia and New Zealand details are revealed. Images: Julian Dakdouk / Mason Poole.
Harbourside hotel Pier One is coming in hot for the summer with an exciting new swimming pop-up for Walsh Bay sun seekers. From November–February, the hotel's PIER Bar is launching a floating pontoon that will feature a swimmable netted pool in the harbour. For revellers looking for a unique way to enjoy Sydney's glittering waterfront without breaking the bank, Pier One is offering free access to their pontoon, complete with pool toys for on-the-water relaxation. A curated selection of drinks and snacks will be available on the pontoon for groups to enjoy at an extra cost. PIER Bar's pop-up pontoon will even be accessible by boat, with moorings located just a five minute stroll from hotel. Special packages will be available for groups of twelve or more. Along with some spontaneous swimming, the Walsh Harbour hotel will be offering a new menu to kick off the new season. An array of seafood dishes will be available, including lobster rigatoni, calamari, soft shell crab baskets and tuna poke bowls. Summer greens complete the new menu, featuring a rockmelon, prosciutto, radish and rocket summer salad. Images: Anna Kucera
Imagine that you're 22, you're settling into your chosen career and you're suddenly the name on everyone's lips. Imagine you've gone from never seeing an episode of the past decade's biggest TV sensation to starring in its prequel, in fact. In other words, imagine that you're Australian actor Milly Alcock, who has had a better, brighter and more chaotic 2022 than the rest of us. Before August, the Sydney-born talent was best known for an impressive resume of homegrown parts. Now, she's forever the young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. Ask Alcock what the year has been like and she's candid. "It's all weird. One day you're you, and then suddenly someone places value on you," she advises. "And you're like 'why me? Why me? Okay, I guess I'll take it. I guess I'll run with it'. So life's been weird, wacky and wonderful, basically, but yeah, it's been such a big year. This year feels like the longest year of my life but in the best possible way." Alcock is chatting with Concrete Playground on the phone from the UK, where she shot House of the Dragon in 2021, and where she's now based as her international career takes off. But after working her way through roles on Australian shows such as Wonderland, Janet King, A Place to Call Home, Pine Gap, Fighting Season and Les Norton, she knows the part that made 2022's dreams happen: her AACTA-nominated role on Upright. Created by Chris Taylor from The Chaser, the show's' first season cast her as Meg, a 13-year-old pretending to 16 who literally collides with Tim Minchin's Lucky while she's running away across the country. An odd-couple dynamic ensues, and so did one of 2019's Aussie TV standouts. Three years later, a second season is here. This time, the headstrong, whip-smart Meg is 17 and no longer speeding across the desert. But Upright wouldn't be Upright if it didn't send Meg and Lucky on another soul-searching, life-defining road trip, this time to Far North Queensland to find Meg's mum. The old adage proves true once again: it isn't just about the destination but the journey. At the heart of the show is a sense of connection and solace, as two lost souls forge a bond that helps them process their individual struggles. That means that Upright's lead performances couldn't be more pivotal; indeed, without Alcock and Minchin as Meg and Lucky, it wouldn't be the success it is, let alone have returned for season two. With Upright's second season now airing on Foxtel and streaming via Binge, Alcock fills us in on the series that helped bring her to attention, making the leap to 2022's biggest TV blockbuster, playing determined young women and handling everything that House of the Dragon's fame has brought her. ON INITIALLY GETTING CAST IN UPRIGHT "You just read the audition scene for Meg and you're like: 'I want to play this character'. You don't even usually see those types of characters on Australian telly at all, and I felt such a kinship with her as soon as I read her on the page. Then when I met Tim, I was like 'please hire, please hire me, this is incredible!'. I owe my Upright my career, because it gave me such a beautiful body of work at such a young age." ON MAKING UPRIGHT'S FIRST SEASON "It was incredibly exciting. I was 18, I just dropped out of school, and I went and travelled around Australia for three months shooting a TV show. I'd never worked like that in my life — I'd never gotten a part like that ever, and I just wanted to do it so well. I just remember being like 'I can't fuck this up, I have to do it right, I have to do it right, I have to nail it, I have to make sure I'm making all the right choices and looking after myself and everything'. I was travelling around and I was without my family, and it got a bit difficult, but it was a massive learning experience." ON RETURNING FOR UPRIGHT'S SECOND SEASON "I didn't think that a second season was going to happen because of the way the story wrapped up — and the time passes. I was like, 'oh it's been three years, we're not going to do another one'. But we did. Meg is such a beautiful person and I'm always excited to talk about Meg, and play Meg." ON CO-LEADING UPRIGHT WITH TIM MINCHIN "We're friends; we just get on and act. And we just go 'these people have chemistry, let's give them the kind of chemistry that this scene warrants because of where they're at in their heads'. I think that Lucky is a bit of a mentor to Meg without her wanting to admit it. He's the only parental figure in her life that kind of guides her in any way. I think Tim and I's relationship reflects that narrative a bit, and we pull from that." ON JUMPING FROM AUSTRALIAN TV TO A HUGE HBO PRODUCTION "It was incredibly daunting. It was the most amount of fear I've felt in my entire life because I was like 'if you fuck this up, you're not going get to another chance'. It really felt like I had to prove myself very quickly, and I wanted to. I was Australian. Everyone was British. It was the pandemic. I didn't get to see my family while we were shooting. I didn't know anyone in London. So I really focused on my work because it was why I was there. I was there to do a job. But quickly, you realise that it's all the same, people are lovely and they're the same — and just the way that it functions is different and bigger because there's more cogs in the machine than there is in a smaller production like Upright, and like other jobs I've done before. I met a lot of amazing people and a lot of beautiful people, and they saw me and were like 'okay, we've got to look out for this one because she's a long way from home'. I was mortified for the first three months, basically. Yeah, absolutely mortified." ON NOT WATCHING GAME OF THRONES UNTIL BOOKING HOUSE OF THE DRAGON "When Game of Thrones is like 'we're doing prequel auditions', and you haven't really done a lot of acting before like I had, you're like 'oh yeah, of course I'm going to audition for this'. It's a massive show — not only a big show, but a very well-written show. It had great characters, and a great story, too. I was like 'yeah, of course'. But I hadn't seen the show before. I knew of it. I knew the accolades, I knew the reputation it had, I knew the status of it, but I hadn't seen it until I booked the job. It was incredibly exciting but also incredibly daunting, because I was like 'oh fuck, I have to do this. I have to live up to that. I don't know if I can do that'. It was exciting and scary. It was a rollercoaster, but you just keep going up. I haven't gone down yet. Then I read a bit of Fire & Blood. I wanted to really get an understanding of what was at stake in this world and be able to contextualise it into the world that we live in on earth. I would go to the library and just kind of study, basically. I would make graphs on what the houses are, what that means, what their titles were, what their status was like in our kind of world — all to understand it." ON PLAYING STRONG, DETERMINED YOUNG WOMEN "That's the way the jobs have landed because until House of the Dragon, I haven't been able to pick and choose — I still can't really pick and choose. I'm so young, I'm still starting out. With House of the Dragon, I was working against amazing actors — Paddy Considine and Rhys Ifans and Matt Smith — who have had a very big and beautiful and broad careers that I admire. I think that it's difficult because on one side, I want to play everyone. But then on the other hand, I know I'll read a script and be like 'this is a great part but I know I'm not that girl'. You just read a part and you're like 'I just can't play her, I'm just not her. In my heart and in my soul, I know I'm not her'. Unless you're a phenomenal character actor like Paddy, like Meryl Streep, like all those kind of legends, you kind of have to lean into parts of who you are. I think that I've been so lucky that there's parts of me that people have picked out and been like 'you can play that role'." ON THE CHANGE THAT HOUSE OF THE DRAGON HAS BROUGHT "I didn't expect anything. I didn't go in expecting anything with this. I think I was protecting myself, because everyone was like 'it could be a flop because it's a prequel'. But I think very early on, we realised that it had a lot of potential just from reading the script alone — but no, I didn't prepare myself at all. I just thought that if nothing comes of this, my life stays exactly the same. If something comes of it, everything changes. I think that for me to be able to do the work while we were shooting, I needed to not get swept up in what could happen because I needed to really focus. The opportunities have changed massively. People around me have changed. A Pandora's box has been opened, and I got to have a little peek inside. I think that just the way that people treat me is a bit different, which is the hardest thing to grapple with. It's weird. One day you're just you and then you're not. And you're like 'why am I chosen, what made me so special?'. I don't see it because I see me every day, I can feel the good bits and the ugly bits — especially the ugly bits, because you're stuck with yourself. It's just tricky. I mean, I'm 22 — I still can barely use a washing machine, let alone [process] what all of this is. But the most important thing is just keeping the right people around me and keeping my head on my shoulders, having that screwed on right — which I think I'm doing." Upright screens on Foxtel and streams via Binge, with both seasons available to watch in full. House of the Dragon's first season is available via Foxtel and Binge. Read our full review.
Next time you're looking for a healthy lunchtime meal near Circular Quay, you'll be able to head to the MCA. Its in-house cafe, which has a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the harbour, has just launched a new vegetarian menu in collaboration with Sydney cafe and picklery Cornersmith. In great news for CBD pickle lovers, it means that you'll be able to get your daily dose of the cafe's salty and briny vegetables (in toasties, salads and bibimbaps) without heading out to Annandale or Marrickville. The Cornersmith menu, which launched on Friday, March 1, is available from 10am–4pm every day — and till 9pm on Wednesdays (when the gallery stays open late). Its launch corresponds with the gallery's new exhibition, Janet Laurence: After Nature, which explores the environmental challenges facing the world today — from coral bleaching to deforestation — through living sculpture, photography and video. It's only fitting, then, that Cornersmith's ethos is also focused on the environment. The cafe and cooking school advocates low-waste and uses minimal meat and produce that is sourced locally and sustainably. And it's making damn tasty fare — and it's super affordable, too. Everything on the new MCA Cafe is under $20 — from the kimchi and cheddar toastie with coriander slaw ($12) to the a brown rice bibimbap with kimchi ($16) and poached egg roll with red cabbage, chilli and pickles ($10). Meat-eaters will be happy to know that they can add leg ham ($2) to the latter if they please, while vegans will find solace in the Vegan Surprise Plate ($16), which comes complete with vegan cheese. Like the MCA's new exhibition, the Cornersmith menu is around for a good time, not a long time. So if you'd like to get your city dose of Cornersmith eats, you'll need to head along before Monday, June 10, 2019. The regular MCA Cafe menu will also be available during this time.
Dance music lovers are well and truly catered for this Spring. With the S.A.S.H. Sleepout geared for September, lovers of big drops and tight beats have already been planning carpools for the warmer months. Planning an exclusive dance music haven to rival your imagination, festival promoters Disktrict want to keep the tempo high until November with the second instalment of Return To Rio — with the 2014 lineup announced this morning. Founded by Ricky Cooper (Tricky) and Nick Law (Lawless), Disktrict launched as a local dance party arbiter of Sydney's east in mid-2012. It didn't take the DJ duo long to dabble into festival territory, holding a rainy but relatively successful Return To Rio a year later. The three-day dance music festival has released its 2014 lineup for November, with Ibiza favourite Ten Walls headlining a solid beats-heavy crew — including Berlin-based DJ and producer Lake People, Sydney 'We Speak No Americano' duo Yolanda Be Cool, Leftroom/Crosstown Rebels label mates Laura Jones and Gavin Herlihy, '80s house pioneer Mr C Superfreq and '90s underground acid house king MC Scallywag. RETURN TO RIO 2014 LINEUP: TEN WALLS (LIVE) LAKE PEOPLE (LIVE) LAURA JONES MR C MC SCALLYWAG GAVIN HERLIHY YOLANDA BE COOL NEIL HODGKINSON GOODWILL SIMON CALDWELL KEN CLOUD BEN KORBEL NICK LAW + MORE Taking over the Del Rio Riverside Resort in Wiseman's Ferry for a weekend in mid-November, Return To Rio shares many of the same traits with the ill-fated, end of summer retreat, Playground Weekender. Due to a major risk of flooding, the five-year-strong dance festival was cancelled in 2012 just hours before it was meant to take off, and wasn't able to recover from the financial blowout. Hopefully the weather doesn't make any threats this time around. Ticket prices have taken a small leap up from $120 to $150, but Return to Rio have delivered a severely beat-heavy lineup akin to last year's, which included Mad Racket, S.A.S.H., Love Bombs, Start Cue, Murat Killic, Wonderland Ave and a truckload of others. Return to Rio runs November 14 – 16 at Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wiseman's Ferry. Tickets and more info available here. Images by Kate Ryan.
This foreshore Pyrmont park, named after what the area was known as to the local Eora People, is a favourite among visitors and locals alike. Located within a sheltered bay, it overlooks the quieter side of Darling Harbour as well as the Anzac Bridge to the west. The grassy, 1.8-hectare park offers heaps of shaded space for picnicking, plus barbecue facilities and a playground. There's also an onsite cafe (set adjacent to the playground) for those who are too lazy to pack a picnic. When you're not lounging in the grass, go for a walk along the waterfront, or grab a seat on the steps and cool your feet in the sparkling water. On a warm day, be sure to bring along your swimmers for a full dip, with a designated swimming hole available. Image: James Horan, Destination NSW
Spoiler warning: this interview incudes specifics about The Survivors if you haven't watched the full series before reading. "Being new," Thom Green offers. "If it's fresh. If you haven't tackled it before. That's always a good drawcard, right?". "I really love a strong perspective in storytelling," adds Shannon Berry. "Good team, good filmmaker," pipes back in Green. "If it's someone you've always wanted to work with, whether that be a director or producer, a writer, an actor or an actress, that's always another good keyword or a key factor when picking a job," he furthers. And for Berry, too, " I think well-written". She continues: "I love reading scripts. Scripts are the baseline for everything, and I think when you get a script and it's just really good and you can really imagine everything, that's what's super exciting. It's reading a script and you go 'I cannot wait to see how this turns out' — or 'I cannot wait to be a part of it'." These are some of the pivotal elements that Green and Berry, co-stars in The Survivors, look for in a new project. With the six-part Netflix adaptation of Jane Harper's 2020 novel of the same name, they've ticked those boxes. Green comes to the series with a packed resume that already spans Beneath Hill 60, Dance Academy, Halo, Downriver, Eden, Of an Age, Ladies in Black, Exposure and Apple Cider Vinegar, to name just a few of his previous credits. Berry is an alum of Offspring, Romper Stomper, The Wilds, Foe, Winner, High Country, Fake, Watson and more. The pair have encountered all of these crucial aspects before, then, but bringing an adaptation of such an acclaimed author's work to the screen — a writer whose Aaron Falk books have proven huge hits on the big screen as The Dry and Force of Nature — was always going to stand out. In The Survivors, Green plays Sean Gilroy, one of two of characters who lost their older brothers to a tragedy 15 years prior. When Toby Gilroy and Finn Elliott attempted to rescue the latter's sibling Kieran (Charlie Vickers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) from flooding coastal caves during a storm and didn't make it home, the scenic Tasmanian town of Evelyn Bay was forever changed. Kieran left quickly. Sean remained. Their respective parents — Damien Garvey (Nugget Is Dead?: A Christmas Story) and Robyn Malcolm (After the Party) portray Brian and Verity Elliott, Martin Sacks (Darby and Joan) is Julian Gilroy — are understandably still haunted by their grief a decade and a half later. As the anniversary of the incident approaches, Kieran comes home, his partner Mia Chang (Bridgerton season four's Yerin Ha), another ex-local, plus their new baby with him. The pain of a loss like this won't ever subside. The town's close-knit community hasn't been telling itself the full story, though. Everyone knows that someone else went missing on the same day that Toby and Finn drowned, but 14-year-old Gabby Birch's (Eloise Rothfield, How to Make Gravy) disappearance isn't treated in the same way. Berry plays recent arrival Bronte, who is staying with Gabby's sister Olivia (Jessica De Gouw, The Union), has become close with her fraying mother Trish (Catherine McClements, Apple Cider Vinegar) and is so furious that the teen's absence keeps being overlooked that she begins investigating it herself. With Kieran's return at its core, The Survivors charts the past lingering over and colliding with the present in multiple ways, then, including when there's another tragedy and the police start searching for a killer. [caption id="attachment_1008349" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Organic PR.[/caption] With George Mason (Black Snow), Miriama Smith (End of the Valley), Johnny Carr (Strange Creatures), Julian Weeks (Prosper) and Don Hany (Neighbours) also among the cast, Australia's newest Harper adaptation is filled with folks grappling with trauma, no matter where their tale starts or ends. Some have lived it for much of their lives. Others are determined to interrogate it. In their roles, Green and Berry are tasked with tackling the reality in different ways. Sean might appear externally laidback, but he's clearly deeply impacted by the events of 15 years ago. Bronte views Evelyn Bay, plus Gabby's disappearance and Finn and Toby's deaths, with outsider eyes — and, while making friends and settling in, even if only briefly, is driven to do what she can to redress a wrong. Being cast in The Survivors was an exciting prospect for both Green and Berry for an array of reasons — those key factors listed above and more. Green was already a fan of the book, while Berry revelled in the experience of reading it knowing that she'd be stepping into its tale. What does being part of a series like this mean to the two Australian talents? What did they initially see that they could bring to Sean and Bronte? When an intimate dynamic among a tightly bound community teeming with secrets and complicated family dynamics is so pivotal, how do you cultivate that with your co-stars? They're some of the other topics that we dug into with Green and Berry, alongside leaving an imprint in a limited time, the sense of responsibility that accompanies translating Harper's novel to the screen, the long-running appeal of murder-mysteries in Australia and more. On Being a Part of a Tasmania-Set Mystery Series About Tragedies Past and Present Colliding — and One That Adapts a Jane Harper Novel Shannon: "Well, this was my first time going to Tassie. I've never been to Tassie before. So it was amazing to come with the show. And I was just so excited to work with so many Aussie legends. And I've worked before with both Cherie Nowlan [The Irrational] and Ben Lucas [Nautilus], the directors, so it was really exciting to come back together with them again. And I think just it's really amazing to tell Australian stories and to film them here, and to show how beautiful our country is. Tasmania is just such a beautiful place, it kind of became a character within itself. And that's what I really loved about it." Thom: "I think for me, I loved the book. I absolutely adore the book. So that was a huge reason why I wanted to do it. Tasmania as well. I love Tasmania. And then it was the cast. It was the cast, and Cherie and I had worked together on Dance Academy so many years ago, and so that was also — there were so many factors on why I wanted to come do this. But I think that it was the book, mainly, because I was such a big fan. I was like 'I've got to be a part of this'." On Green and Berry's Starting Points with The Survivors on the Page — and Their Approaches to Helping Bring the Book to the Screen Thom: "I read it the year it came out — and then when I was cast in this, I didn't actually go back to the book. I knew the story, but I think I was actually drawing more from stuff I'd seen, to give it my own flavour. So that was building the wardrobe, and the hair and makeup, and you're building all that. So I didn't go back to the book. I didn't try to draw anything from that. I decided to take a step back and do my own thing, so hopefully it did it justice." Shannon: "I read the book. I had read The Dry previously, so I was familiar with her work. Love The Dry. But I had not read The Survivors until I found out that I was cast on the show. So that was super exciting. I think it's such a rare experience to read a book for the first time and see your character's name and go 'that's me' — which was just a really cool, really cute experience. And I'm a huge reader. I love to read. So it was just really special to read it and imagine myself in that world and imagine all the potential. And I think it's been absolutely amazing to watch it. It makes me giddy to think about." Thom: "Yeah, it's one of those things as well, like you can do jobs and sometimes the experiences can be less than glamorous — and this was actually so much fun. We all just got along so well as well, so it just makes it, you go into work each day enjoying it, and then you're wrapping for the day and everyone's hanging out with each other. And it reads on the screen." Shannon: "100 percent." Thom: "It always reads on screen." On Building the Show's Close-Knit Character Dynamic with the Rest of the Cast Shannon: "I feel they made it so easy. It got to the point where I knew I wasn't going to be working on it for a whole lot of time, and meeting you all, I then got very jealous that I wasn't going to be able to spend as much time with you guys [to Thom] as the rest of them — because everyone was just so lovely and so welcoming, and it very quickly really did feel like a family vibe. I always feel that when I step into Aussie spaces with Aussie cast and crew. Everyone's just absolutely the best. So I did feel quite jealous when all of my stuff was done and I had to leave you guys to your own devices." Thom: "I think a good indicator is that, what, it's been 14 months since we wrapped, and George Mason was Facetiming me yesterday from Perth, from his next job, to have a yarn. So that's just a good indicator of how well we all got along." [caption id="attachment_1008351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Organic PR.[/caption] On What Green and Berry Were Excited to Bring to Sean and Bronte Thom: "I think that I felt very comfortable talking to Tony [Nowhere Boys, Glitch, Stateless, Clickbait and Fires' Ayres, who is behind The Survivors' streaming adaptation] and to Ben and to Cherie about the complexity of Sean. So that I felt I was able to bring — from my first take, I remember thinking 'I think I know how to do this'. And you kind of do your take and you sort of go 'well, this is what I think'. And Tony came back and said 'that's what we think as well'. So talking to Ben, there's so many layers. Everyone, every single character in this story, has layers. But I think that was what I felt — that's the part I'm quite happy with what I did, was that vulnerability and intelligence." Shannon: "I think with me, I really enjoyed relating to Bronte. We both moved out really young, moved across the country to a different place, and had to make our own friends and find our own way. So that was really exciting, reading the book, to relate to her in that way. And also talking with Cherie a lot about her art project, and she's so passionate about what she does, and I really relate to her in that sense as well. So it was really exciting to talk about her shared passions and how that drives her in this universe. And I just really related to that a lot. So that was super exciting, to remind me of my young days." Thom: "I'm going to say as well, but for Shannon, Shannon wasn't with us the entire time. So when an actor has to come on, and only come in to do a day or two, and then knock it out of the park and get on the plane and leave — that's a testament to Shannon." On the Task of Conveying the Impact of Trauma in Layered Performances Thom: "It takes a lot. You've got to really sit with the script for a while, I think. It sounds really morbid to think, but if you've dealt with it, you can draw from that — if you dealt with it your personal life. Some people don't like to do that. Some people do. I like to — I do sometimes. I feel like it helps. But I think it just takes a lot of time of sitting with the director and really fleshing out each layer, as I was previously mentioning — fleshing out each single layer and just building on top of it. So when you get on the set and you're setting up for the take and you look at the director, you go 'okay, now what do we need to remember? This, on top of this, on top of this, on top of this'. And then as long as you're thinking, it usually shows in your eyes and your body. That's how I approach it." Shannon: "Yeah, taking it with the instinct on the day. You've done all your research." Thom: "Yeah. Yeah. Exactly right. You're letting it go. How about you?" Shannon: "Yeah, I agree. I agree with everything that you said. Because a lot of Bronte exploring Evelyn Bay and this, she has this whole relationship with Trish that we never get to see in the show but is so prevalent and so alive throughout conversations — I think a lot of it was, yeah, sitting with the script and thinking a lot about 'what would those conversations have been like?' What would their relationship have been like?'. And having that in the back of my brain. So then, when I went in on the day thinking about where I had met these people before, even where I'd met Sean, when we meet each other, and thinking about how I met Ash [Mason's character] — I think it was just doing a lot of prep, and I write a lot of diaries for characters that I do sometimes. So I wrote a lot in Bronte's POV about where I met those people and what we had done together, and then coming in with that. And then just going on the day with instinct." Thom: "Then, I think on top of that as well, so if you've seen very strong series that deal with it and seeing what works — like what affects you when you watch it? What part of the show do you like? You know, in shows you might watch. So that's another visual to draw from, going 'okay, well that works on camera for that type of genre' — especially for this, the mystery, the murder-mystery genre in particular. You watch some of your favourites, there's too many titles to name right now, but watching what you enjoyed the most of that and going 'okay, can I use that? Can I take a little bit from that and a little bit from that, and put it all together in my little tool chest?'." On Leaving an Imprint and Making the Most of Your Character's Scenes When They're So Pivotal to the Narrative Shannon: "I think before doing the show, it reminded me a lot of Twin Peaks — it reminded me a lot of Laura Palmer. So I was privately calling myself the Laura Palmer of the show. But I think it was definitely a challenge to make sure that — I think the most important thing, for me rocking up, was making sure that I had a strong sense of self within her. And that I had a strong sense of who she was, what her dreams were and why she was there. And yeah, I think it was just made really easy by the fact meeting everyone and getting to work with you [to Thom] and getting to work with everyone, it was easy for her to feel fleshed out and like I belonged — which I think made it a whole lot easier." [caption id="attachment_1008350" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Organic PR.[/caption] On Expressing a Laidback Air, Alongside Pain and Vulnerability, in a Storyline That's Keeping Audiences Guessing Thom: "It's so difficult trying to, that balancing act. I still remember days on set with Cherie — and particularly with Cherie with her episodes, and going 'we need to do this again because of A, B and C', and then having to say 'well, we don't, we can't show our hand too early. We can't show this. We can't show that'. So trying to mask certain things. We're trying to throw a curveball. I kept saying to Cherie my biggest thing was trying to mask one aspect with another, and that was trying to help throw people off for the whole thing. But you're 100-percent right, just trying to convey that, it's really tricky. You really need to go through each episode and see where your character's come from, where they're going, and make sure you're following that line, that throughline, the entire way through. Otherwise, people who watch it will go 'that doesn't make sense. Why was this person doing this after doing this?'. I think in the end, I think we did pretty good. I think we did pretty good with keeping that balance. But it's hard to say, right? You watch something and you're like 'could have done this, could have done this'. It's very, very hard — I think, probably the hardest I've had to do that." On Whether Any Pressure Comes with Starring in an Adaptation of a Well-Loved Novel From an Author Whose Other Books Have Already Sparked Hit Films Thom: "I think so. Definitely. The Dry was so successful. And you've got Eric Bana — then you've got Force of Nature with Anna Torv. And then it's like, then you're like 'alright, now it's Shannon and Tom and The Survivors'." Shannon: "I think at the end of the day, you just want to make sure you're walking away, when you're doing the job and then also when you finally get to see it, that you have that feeling of doing it justice." Thom: "Yeah, you're right." Shannon: "And that you feel like you've done the best that you can." Thom: "Yeah, 100 percent." Shannon: "I think I'm really happy. Are you happy? [to Thom]" Thom: "I'm happy. But we had a good team. Like Tony, and Andy Walker [The Survivors' producer, Deadloch], were ... " Shannon: "Amazing." Thom: "I think at times, I don't know about you but for me, it only really dawns on me, I think, when someone like yourself [to Concrete Playground] raises that or brings that up. On set, it didn't feel like that. On set, it just felt like we were making a cool project with our friends and a cool crew. And then afterwards, you go 'oh yeah, shit, that's right. This is — yeah, we're in good company here'." On Why Murder-Mysteries Seem to Strike Such a Chord in Australia — Whether We're Making Them, Watching Them or Both Thom: "It's like when that time — was it like 2010? — when Nordic noir really blew up with Trapped. And I inhaled Trapped and Fortitude, all on SBS On Demand, and it was like then it exploded. And then The Bridge was also happening at the same time, and the American adaptation. And there was Broadchurch. So it was all happening elsewhere, and I think Aussies just flocked to it. As to say why, are we just perverse? Do we just want to watch it?" Shannon: "I think maybe also, I think Australia as an environment is so vast, and I think it's just such an excellent backdrop, too, to a lot of murder-mystery." Thom: "Yeah." Shannon: "Like you think of really good shows like Mystery Road, and there's all of that desert. We always just have such beautiful landscapes for such devastatingly twisted stories, which I think there's something to be said in that contrast." Thom: "I can't understand like the psyche, why we all love it — but I mean, I inhale them. I absolutely inhale them from everywhere, from each country. So I think now, it's like we've got some cracker series that are murder-mysteries, and I'm sure there's more to come. But as to saying why, like why we and devour them so much, I don't know. But hopefully people ... " Shannon: "Devour this one." Thom: " … devour this one the same." On What Green and Berry Make of Their Respective Paths to The Survivors Thom: "My foundation is coming from — I mean, my first job was a murder-mystery, actually, now that I'm remembering. It was actually a murder-mystery for Channel Ten back in the day. But for stuff like Dance Academy, I started with young-adult television, and then I think mine was quite diverse. I went from that to the Halo series for Microsoft in Canada. And it was like guns and aliens. And then it's Of an Age, this romantic, queer love story set in Melbourne. And now it's this murder mystery, which is so, at times, can be quite confronting. Diverse, I think, is the keyword there." Shannon: "I think I agree. It's been — I love working in Australia, and I'm so lucky to have done so many Australian things in my time. And yeah, I think I'm just really lucky to be able to sit here and say 'yeah, I'm an actor. I did it'. I'm from Perth originally, so it was always that feeling of isolation being in Perth and wanting to do acting. But I've just been really lucky. And I've been really lucky to do a lot of incredible things, meet so many incredible people. And then, yeah, getting to work with Cherie and Ben both on The Wilds, separate seasons, and coming back to work with them again, was just such a treat. I've just been really lucky. I think that's the main word, lucky. I'm so honoured to be able to do a lot of things in Australia and beyond." The Survivors streams via Netflix from Friday, June 6, 2025. Images: courtesy of Netflix © 2025.
If you're looking for your latest glimpse of the next Star Wars movie, there's no need to travel to a galaxy far, far away, because the full final trailer has just dropped in this one. Two months before the main franchise's ninth episode (and 11th theatrical flick overall) hits cinemas, Disney has delivered its last sneak peek of Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker — as well as reiterating the claim that this flick will end the whole Skywalker saga. Don't worry — more Star Wars movies are definitely in the works, courtesy of two big-screen spinoff trilogies by Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi helmer Rian Johnson and Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, respectively. Just next month, new TV series The Mandalorian will start screening on Disney's new streaming platform as well. An Obi-Wan Kenobi-focused television show is also in development, with Ewan McGregor returning as the beloved Jedi master. And, even if The Rise of Skywalker wants to tell us otherwise for now, we have a good feeling that we won't see the last of all of the other Star Wars characters that everyone already knows and loves. Given The Rise of Skywalker's title, the way that The Last Jedi wrapped up and the theories that have been swirling around Daisy Ridley's Rey since she was first introduced in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, it should come as no surprise that the scavenger-turned-pilot takes centre stage in the new trailer — as she did in the first teaser earlier this year. Also popping up are Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron and John Boyega's ex-stormtrooper Finn, helping out the film's plucky heroine once more; Adam Driver's Kylo Ren, wielding his red lightsaber for the dark side yet again; and long-standing series favourites Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO, of course. The late Carrie Fisher features as well, with the actor's appearance as General Leia Organa made possible by using previously filmed footage. And two other familiar characters also rejoin the fold, including Billy Dee Williams' Lando Calrissian and a sinister figure who's once again heard rather than seen. The huge cast list keeps going, with Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran and Lupita Nyong'o all returning, Mark Hamill also included, and Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie among the Star Wars newcomers. As he did with The Force Awakens, JJ Abrams also sits in the director's chair. Feel the force with the full final trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qn_spdM5Zg Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker releases in Australian cinemas on December 19. Images: (c) 2019 and TM Lucasfilm Ltd.
If your experience with hats goes about as far as throwing on a beanie or cap, Strand Hatters will change all that. The unassuming hat shop located inside the CBD's historic Strand Arcade feels as though it's from another time. The dark oak and brass finishes ooze old-worldly charm, while the shelves are stacked with a specialised offering of Kangol, Akubra, and Brixton designs. Aside from hats, you'll find a small selection of other accessories to accompany your new look, including fancy picnic blankets, scarves, canes and umbrellas. Don't know where to start? Let the store's experienced hat aficionados work their magic to help you find your perfect fit.
Kangaroo Island is known for its spectacular coastal views, wildlife, wineries and pristine beaches. It's clear to see how it got on the New York Times list of the best places to visit in 2023 and our own list of the best islands to visit in Australia. To help travellers get the most out of a trip to Kangaroo Island, we decided to create this complete guide. It highlights the best places to stay, where to eat and drink and what special activities to book ahead of time — whether you're looking for adventure or a little bit of luxury. All you have to do is get yourselves there, either by ferry or plane from Adelaide. [caption id="attachment_759309" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bay of Shoals Wine by Meaghan Coles[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Straight off the ferry? Head to Millie Mae's Pantry for a full brunch made with ingredients from the kitchen garden, or pick up something to take with you for lunch while you adventure through the island. If you've stayed in Kingscote, start the day off with coffee from Cactus. It's well worth coming back later in the day for dumplings, tacos or whatever is on the menu that night. A winery tour is a must while you're in town, so make sure to hit Bay of Shoals Wines, which boasts the closest vines to the sea in the southern hemisphere. Nearby, there's also The Islander Estate Vineyards for vino made by a renowned Bordeaux winemaker and, for balance, Kangaroo Island Brewery where you can stop for lunch and try a few local cold ones. Also worth checking out on the far east side of the island is False Cape Wines — known for its minimal intervention drops — and Dudley Wines, which has incredible views and live music on the first Sunday of the month. But if organising this alone seems like too much hassle or you'd rather someone else drive you around, then wine tours are the way to go. This full-day wine and nature tour starts from Kangaroo Island and this alternative food and wine tasting safari starts from Adelaide. On each of these Kangaroo Island day trips, you'll taste great local vinos, eat some tasty local produce and get up and close with friendly Aussie wildlife. [caption id="attachment_759308" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Penneshaw Hotel by Adam Bruzzone[/caption] For the island's best fish and chips, we have to recommend KI Fresh Seafood in Kingscote. It's attached to a petrol station, but don't let that put you off — take away and enjoy on the water's edge. For a finer affair, head to dinner at Sunset Food and Wine. The modern bistro looks out over American Beach and is owned by Jack Ingram, former executive chef of Southern Ocean Lodge, a Kangaroo Island favourite that was sadly destroyed in the bushfires of 2020. The menu is stacked with fresh local seafood and produce, including rock lobster, kingfish sashimi and Kangaroo Island honeycomb. Otherwise, the Penneshaw Hotel is perched on a clifftop and offers a decent pub feed overlooking the wide open sea. And lastly, you should check out the monthly farmers and community market day at Penneshaw Oval, which also happens on the first Sunday of the month (between October and April). [caption id="attachment_759315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chapman River[/caption] DO If you're arriving by ferry, you'll get into Penneshaw — and from there you can head straight to Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari to swim with dolphins. In Lashmar Conservation Park, you can also watch out for wildlife as you kayak along the Chapman River to Antechamber Bay, where you'll find a lovely private beach perfect for a dip. Making your way west, seafood lovers should spend an afternoon at American River, where The Oyster Farm Shop will sort you out with fresh local oysters, marron, abalone and King George whiting, before you explore the protected wetlands of Pelican Lagoon. Of course, one of the best things about Kangaroo Island is the beaches: crystal clear, blue waters, long stretches of glittery white sand and lazy days spent soaking it all in. The best ones? Emu Bay on the island's north coast, where you can drive your car right onto the four-kilometre stretch of white sand and spend a day in the tranquil waters, or — a little further west — Snelling Beach for an epic sunset. Spend a day exploring the shops and sights of Kingscote, the island's largest town, just south of Emu Bay. Stop in at the Spinners and Weavers Shop for handmade natural fibre treasures, take a tour of Island Beehive and pick up some local honey, shop art at Shep's Studio and Fine Art Kangaroo Island, and visit Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil distillery. Be sure to make time for a two-hour blend-your-own-gin experience at Kangaroo Island Spirits. Next, you should head southwest to Vivonne Bay for surf and to sandboard down Little Sahara with the help of Little Sahara Adventure Centre. Alternatively, you cab join a quad bike tour to explore the grass and bushland before heading to the Seal Bay Conservation Park for a guided tour of the sea lion colony. [caption id="attachment_759307" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ecopia Retreat by Stirling West[/caption] STAY Kangaroo Island has lots of luxury accommodation and you can go off-grid in style at Stowaway Kangaroo Island. Imagine curling up in the window seat of a luxurious private cabin on the edge of Lathami Conservation Park and a privately owned sheep farm, soaking in views of the bush and ocean in the distance. Both of the cabins, aptly named The Nest and The Sleepy Hollow, come with a huge soaker bath with sweeping views, a hot tub out on the deck, a sauna and a local produce hamper. Otherwise, make yourself at home at Ecopia Villas on a vast property in the middle of the island, complete with exclusive access to the Eleanor River and hundreds of acres of wilderness. Or you can book an all-inclusive package with bespoke 4WD tours at the Sea Dragon Lodge and Villas, or fall asleep to the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs of the island's eastern-most point at Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge within the Cape Willoughby Conservation Park. If you'd rather keep it simple (and cheap), pitch a tent at one of these gorgeous camping spots that are all mere steps from the beach and have their own toilets, barbecues and picnic facilities. These stunning sites help place Kangaroo Island on our list of the best camping spots in Australia, as voted by our readers. We aren't the only ones who love Kangaroo Island — you guys do, too. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. All images courtesy of the South Australia Tourism Commission.
Set amongst the rolling hills above Orange, you'll find luxury cabins planted in the heart of a cherry orchard: Basalt. It's named for the volcanic rock of the now-dormant volcano Gaanha-bule (Mount Canobolas) that enriches the soil of said cherry orchard. Basalt has three secluded studios which sleep two people, each with its own unique design and backstory. The Chaser Studio — a homage to those who chase their dreams as the orchard operators did in the 1970s when they turned the neglected piece of land into the fruitful orchard it came to be — is perched atop the hill overlooking the cherry trees, enjoying 180-degree views to the north, east and south. The Drifter Studio is named for fruit pickers from all walks of life who have passed through the orchard over the years. Finally, the Yonder Studio is situated 80 metres from the nearest studio and is the most secluded of the three — it is grafted into the hillside and looks out over the neighbouring eucalypts. Each studio is fitted out with a king-sized bed, kitchenette, bath (with views), internal wood fire and outdoor firepit, telescope for land- and stargazing, aircon and continental breakfast for your first morning. You may feel like you're a world away while staying at Basalt, but it's only a short 11 kilometres from the town of Orange and offers numerous add-ons — including winery tours, stargazing sessions and Indigenous cultural experiences — as well as recommendations for experiences visitors can take while in the Orange region. Be entranced by the seasonality of the natural surroundings, no matter what time of the year you plan to visit — enjoy lush bountiful summer days, auburn autumnal leaves, frosted bare branches in winter or budding blossoms in spring. It's an excellent hub from which to explore the Orange region. Images: Monique Lovick
While a leisurely night of making your way through a feast of pasta and wine is an absolute treat, who doesn't love a quick, affordable bite? After nailing the former for the past decade with his restaurant group Totti's and the beloved Pinbone before that, chef Mike Eggert is turning his attention to the latter with his new CBD restaurant Oti'. Set to open on Wednesday, May 10 in the former Lorraine's Patisserie shop just off George Street, Oti' will specialise in two beloved staples of the quick, no-fuss culinary experience — pizza by the slice and sandwiches. Sambos will start from $15, while pizza will be available from $12 a slice. It will also be the latest addition to the CBD's late-night feed options, keeping the kitchen firing until midnight Thursday–Saturday each week. This corner of the Ivy Precinct will operate as a weekend hub for after-hours eats, with the recently revamped Jimmy's Falafel just a few doors down from Oti'. The menu will be ever-changing but what you can expect is plenty of classic Italian ingredients loaded between slices of schiacciata or piled on top of the thick, fluffy Roman-style pizza basses. Prosciutto, salami, mortadella, olives, capers and plenty of vegetarian-friendly fillings will be making appearances, as well as eight different kinds of cheese including Totti's signature burrata. "When Lorraine [Godsmark of Lorraine's Patisserie] retired I was given the enviable position of coming up with a new concept for the space. This concept of a pizza-by-the-slice and Italian sandwich shop is a passion project that Justin [Hemmes] and I had been talking about for years, so it's surreal that we're finally doing it," says Eggert. "We love the vibe of Jimmy's Falafel and how people line up down George Street for the takeaway offering, so we hope to have a similar success with Oti'." To celebrate the opening, all pizza slices and sandwiches will be half price all day on the opening day. From then on, you can check the Oti' Instagram page for the daily specials. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Oti' (@oti.slice) Oti' will open at Shop 5, Palings Lane, Sydney on Wednesday, May 10. It'll be open 11am–8pm Sunday–Wednesday and 11am–midnight Thursday–Saturday.
This year, due to Australia's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Sydneysiders won't be heading to the now-cancelled Sydney Royal Easter Show, but they can pick up showbags from their local Woolworths. After the show's scrapping for 2020, Bensens Showbags has brought a heap of its top pop culture-themed showbags to 210 supermarkets across NSW. Whether you're after a Friends bag, a Stranger Things number or a Harry Potter one, you'll find them filling the shelves at Woollies. The supermarket chain is stocking 12 different showbags, all for $30 each. You can see the full list here. [caption id="attachment_765741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chicane Showbags[/caption] If you'd prefer a Bertie Beetles, Wonka or Kit Kat bag, you'll also find those online at showbags.com.au, which is delivering a huge range of candy and chocolate-filled bags across Australia. We mentioned Bertie Beetles first, of course, because they've become such a show favourite — and to reflect that fact, there are ten different options available. Ordering online does take 1–3 business days, though, so if you'd like one before the weekend, you may need to swing by Woolworths. If you do, check out the the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health. Woolworths is now selling 12 showbags at 210 of its NSW supermarkets. You can check out the full list of participating stores here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Home meal delivery providers HelloFresh and Youfoodz are in hot water with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), with the popular services accused of misleading customers over their subscription and cancellation terms. With legal proceedings underway, the ACCC claims that both HelloFresh and Youfoodz breached Australian Consumer Law by advertising that consumers could easily cancel subscriptions using their online account settings before a specified cut-off time. However, the watchdog suggests the reality was much different, with consumers only able to cancel the first delivery if they spoke with a customer service representative. Meanwhile, the ACCC statement says many customers were still charged for their first delivery after they'd attempted to cancel. "Despite what HelloFresh and Youfoodz represented to new Australian subscribers, tens of thousands of consumers were charged for their first order, even though they cancelled their subscription before the cut-off date," said ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward. There were also widespread complaints about customers unknowingly signing up for subscriptions. Here, the ACCC alleges that HelloFresh required consumers to provide payment details to view the service's meal selection. When consumers visited the page, they were unaware they had entered into an ongoing subscription and were charged for a first delivery. Following the Australian government's recent announcement of a crackdown on misleading cancellation policies and so-called subscription traps, draft legislation is expected to arrive in early 2026. In the meantime, the ACCC is seeking compensation orders for affected consumers from HelloFresh and YouFoodz. For more information, head to the ACCC website to read the full statement.
For all the talk of the inner west becoming a culinary Brooklyn to Sydney's Manhattan — a stretch given the much smaller person-to-band ratio and number of restaurants — there's been little movement in the finer dining scene in the past year. There was Hartsyard, Spencer Gutherie and Sixpenny, and then it went quiet. Congrats to former The Bridge Room and Quay chef Jason Saxby and front-of-house man Mark Russo for opening this new Italian joint bang in the middle of Enmore Road, which has been revitalised with the aforementioned Hartsyard. Yes, it looks like a set from The Godfather and, yes, there's 'old world charm' mixed with nouveau Mediterranean cooking, and not like your mama used to make. Much has already been made of the quaint curtains on the front windows, the faintly tacky paintings on the walls and the menus stuck in vintage hardback books. It's not exactly gloss rather a dusty cover to the meals. Saxby bent the norm at The Bridge Room with nice, quirky takes on traditional dishes, but he's free from the semi-corporate environment there. It's almost a surprise to have a chef of such standing in humble Enmore Road, amid the takeaway chippers and bottle shops. Saxby is still finding his feet and so the menu and specials are in flux at the moment, or at least the basic ingredients. What will be present among the pages of whatever novella you find at your table is a neat little bowl of fried school prawns with deep-fried broccoli and almonds, and a side plate of tomato and capsicum salsa rossa. There are no Italian standards on the menu, but rather busy, fussy dishes such as the wild hare ragu intertwined with scarlet red, hand-rolled beetroot pasta ($24). The glazed beef cheeks with semolina gnocchi, broad beans and radicchio ($28) is a hit, too, but the desserts oddly fall flat after the previous dishes. The semifreddo ($16) is an odd mix of thyme, strawberry and balsamic vinegar, while the chocolate, hazelnut deconstructed 'rocher' ($16) is overly familiar in one form or another in restaurants these days, and is the only non-surprise on the menu. Russo and Russo have opened at the right time — the food is wintery, warm and welcoming, much like the restaurant itself.
UK garage superstar Sammy Virji is turning things up in Australia, following the announcement of his largest-ever tour on our shores with the reveal of a landmark performance at the Sydney Opera House. Taking over the revered stage on Monday, March 9, it marks the premiere of his debut live show, pairing an electrifying experience with an iconic venue. Tailor-made for the SOH, this milestone sees Virji step beyond the DJ booth into a one-of-a-kind live environment for the first time. [caption id="attachment_999595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Underworld at Sydney Opera House.[/caption] Bringing infectious energy with his boundary-pushing selections, Virji has been on quite a roll in recent times with the release of his second album, Same Day Cleaning. Crowning his monumental rise to the top of the UKG scene, Virji has also collabed with the likes of Chris Lake, Skepta, Flowdan and Giggs as his global profile continues to soar. With virtually no stage in Australia more significant than the Sydney Opera House, be among the first to experience Sammy Virji's live show, where high-energy, club-first tunes make history for one night only. Tickets are on sale from 12pm on Friday, January 30 — presale registration is now open. [caption id="attachment_871453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Flaming Lips at Sydney Opera House.[/caption]
From the wild, WTF and wonderful finalists, the Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced their 204 Archibald Prize winner. Fiona Lowry has won the prestigious prize for her portrait of Penelope Seidler. Runner up was Mitch Cairns with his portrait of Red Richardson AM. The Wynne and Sulman Prizes have also been announced. Taking the Wynne for landscape or sculpture was Michael Johnson with his abstract Oceania High Low: And the Sulman (best subject painting, genre painting or mural project) landed on Andrew Sullivan's T-Rex: Check out our picks for weirdest and most wonderful Archibald finalist tales over here.
Having recently spent a crazy couple of months living in Berlin, the news of East Berlin club Salon Zur Wilden Renate installing a real life maze in the two-storey abandoned building comes as no surprise. With the intention of creating an other-worldly, ethereal experience, the Peristal Singum labyrinth uses confined spaces to confuse your sensory perceptions, where one visitor at a time is forced to crawl, duck, and slide to their salvation. Prepare for a lucid mind where your whole metaphysical being is questioned while disproportionately-sized objects create the illusion of fantasy characters that roam rooms that seem smaller than they actually are. There is no marked pathway, so drinking too much prior to entering may not be the wisest of ideas. Peristal Singum
Even though we've been at home a bit more than we'd like recently, we can still enjoy a good at-home party. From casual drinks to housemate dinners and raves in our bedrooms, there's no end to the good times you can have, really. Plus, when you're at home, you make the rules. Feel like playing DJ for an evening or cooking up a Masterchef-worthy feast? Guess what, you can. You'll probably want to level-up your cocktail game, too, so you can really impress your mates by shaking and stirring up a storm at your next shindig. Everyone knows tequila gets a party started, so we've teamed up with top-quality distiller 1800 Tequila to help you bring the fun times to your living room. 1800 Tequila has been producing its premium tequilas for more than 200 years — so it's safe to say it knows its stuff when it comes to agave. Together, we're bringing you delicious tequila-based drink recipes that go well beyond pre-mix margaritas. Next time you're throwing a celebratory bash — or you just want to mix up a beverage at the end of the WFH week — test out these four creative cocktails. TEQUILA OLD-FASHIONED Serves one Let's start with a classic. This one's for when you feel like an old-school drink, but with a bit of an edge. Replace the usual bourbon with 1800's barrel-aged tequila, which has a bit of spice, plus flavours of toasted oak, vanilla and butterscotch. You'll want to sip this one slowly, preferably when you're discussing sophisticated things like politics and literature. Ingredients 60ml 1800 Reposado Tequila 5ml agave syrup 2 dashes orange bitters Pink grapefruit (optional) Ice Method Place ice in a rocks glass — or a tumbler — and add half the tequila (30 millilitres). Then, add agave syrup and bitters, stir to combine. Pour in remaining tequila and more ice. Stir again until combined and chilled. Garnish with a pink grapefruit twist and serve. Or, just skip straight to this quick how-to video for a full rundown. COCONUT MARGARITA Serves one If the colder weather has you dreaming of sipping ice-cold drinks by the beach, look no further. This coconut-infused margarita brings the vacay vibes in spades and will level-up any at-home soirée. You'll need a cocktail shaker for this one, so we recommend watching a baby-faced Tom Cruise in Cocktail for some tips before you invite the crew round. Ingredients 25ml 1800 Coconut Tequila 25ml white crème de cacao 7.5ml coconut cream 25ml fresh lemon juice Method Half fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients and shake well until chilled (about 30 seconds). Strain into a champagne flute and serve. JALISCO NEGRONI Serves one A twist on the classic Italian aperitif, this drink is best drunk before you sit down to a feast. Or whenever you feel like a boozy, bitter beverage — remember: your house, your rules. By using french oak-aged tequila in place of gin, you'll end up with a richer concoction, making it a great winter go-to. Ingredients 30ml 1800 Añejo Tequila 30ml sweet vermouth 30ml Italian bitter orange liqueur Orange (optional) Ice Method Pour tequila, sweet vermouth and bitter orange liqueur into a double rocks glass — or a tumbler — and add ice. Stir until combined and chilled. Top up with more ice if desired. Garnish with an orange twist and serve. TEQUILA 'N' TONIC Serves one The tequila 'n' tonic is a variation on your standard G&T. It's simple and easy-drinking — and is your best bet if you're a bit of a bartending novice. Plus, it's a great go-to for when you're cutting shapes with a bunch of mates on your at-home makeshift dance floor. There's zest, a refreshing hint of mint and, of course, tequila. Ingredients 30ml 1800 Silver Tequila 90ml dry tonic water (Fever-Tree Light or Capi Dry recommended) Handful fresh mint Pink grapefruit (optional) Ice Method Pour tequila and tonic into a tall glass over plenty of ice. Garnish with fresh mint and a pink grapefruit wedge and serve. Become your own bartender with 1800 Tequila and try out these four reinvented classic recipes to impress your mates at your next at-home party. Need to stock up your liquor cabinet? Jump online here or head down to your local Dan Murphy's. Remember to Drinkwise.
It's one of the grand dames of Sydney's pub scene, but this spring lower north shore institution The Oaks will leap right into the future, when it unveils its most significant makeover yet. With an impressive 133 years under its belt, the historic pub is now in the midst of a hefty upgrade, as the site is reimagined with three distinct new offerings under the one roof. The first new venue, slated for September, is Taffy's: a sports bar that's heavy on the pop culture references. You'll catch a life-size cut-out of cricketing great Richie Benaud, a novelty Hulk Hogan beer tap and a giant eight-person foosball table, along with retro games and a stack of sport screens. A food menu will feature imaginative reworkings of pub snack classics, with the likes of reuben-inspired spring rolls (filled with pastrami and cheese) and duck nachos with fried wonton skins instead of corn chips. Meanwhile, the cocktail list will showcase gutsy drops such as a smoked barrel-aged negroni and the 20-tap beer list will change monthly. Taking an entirely different direction is the elegant conservatory-inspired space Alala's, which is scheduled for an October debut. This lush spot will boast lofty bay windows and a Parisian-style patio looking out on the pub's legendary namesake oak tree. This one will be your go-to for lunch — think, open sandwiches and house-made tartines — and seasonal, produce-driven cocktails. Summer is coming, after all. The sports bar is named after longstanding publican David 'Taffy' Thomas, who at the age of 86 can still be spied behind the bar pulling schooners, and Alala's takes its moniker from his mother, the matriarch of the Thomas family — who purchased the pub back way back in 1975. The space between the two, also slated for an October opening, will play host to the new Oaks Bottle Shop and Takeaway. It'll rock a lineup of brews selected by a cicerone (a certified beer expert). The space itself will take its cues from a 1940s milk bar, with a rotisserie promising gravy-drenched hot roast rolls (from midday until 1am, mind you) and a cast iron oven turning out freshly baked bread on the daily. In here, you'll also find a tasting table where you'll have the chance to sample before selecting your takeaway booze. The pub's upper levels scored a makeover of their own back in 2016, reimagined as The Oaks Upstairs. Taffy's, Alala's and The Oaks Bottle Shop and Takeaway will all open by October at The Oaks, 118 Military Rd, Neutral Bay.
WOMADelaide is returning to Adelaide's Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla from Friday, March 6 to Monday, March 9, 2026 — and the festival's first lineup announcement has landed, featuring 49 artists from around the globe. Headlining the 29th edition are Yothu Yindi, Obongjayar and Marlon Williams, with a program that will span from Bhutan to the Kimberleys, Cuba to Ukraine, and far beyond. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WOMADelaide (@womadelaide) Yothu Yindi will celebrate 35 years of Tribal Voice, while London-based Nigerian artist Obongjayar — known for his feature on Fred again..'s hit 'adore u' — will bring his blend of Afro-funk to Adelaide. Marlon Williams will perform alongside Kapa Haka group Ngā Mātai Pūrua, and Indian-American artist Ganavya will showcase her fusion of spiritual jazz and South Asian classical music. Other highlights include 82-year-old First Nations gospel singer Kankawa Nagarra, Cuban Grammy-nominee and Buena Vista Social Club alumnus Roberto Fonseca, Palestinian DJ Sama' Abdulhadi (returning after seven years), and soul sensation Jalen Ngonda, fresh from his Glastonbury debut. The festival will also feature Australian exclusives, including Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker's groundbreaking Rosas danst Rosas, Ukrainian-Canadian project Daughters of Donbas, French electronic act Orange Blossom, and Bhutan's first-ever representatives, the Bhutan Balladeers. They join previously announced acts including Yolngu rapper and dancer Baker Boy, US singer-songwriter Iron & Wine, Irish folk group Beoga and Pacific Break winner Mantis from Vanuatu. Since its debut in 1992, WOMADelaide has become one of Australia's most beloved festivals, celebrating music, arts and dance from across the world. The 2026 event will also see the return of Taste the World, WoMarkets, KidZone, Planet Talks and The Sanctuary Restaurant, alongside Around the Park performances scattered throughout the site. "Few festivals in the world are able to showcase the breadth and diversity of music, arts and dance on such a large scale while appealing to all ages and tastes," says WOMADelaide Director Ian Scobie. "It's a glorious opportunity to discover new sounds and embrace artists you love." WOMADelaide 2026 will run from Friday, March 6 to Monday, March 9 at Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla in Adelaide. Head to the WOMADelaide website for tickets and the full lineup. Images: Supplied
Maiz — one of our picks for the best restaurants in Sydney — has just introduced one of the city's best bottomless brunch offers for you to inject into your weekend. Round up a group of friends and head to south King Street for Barra Libre, a 90-minute session of free-flowing drinks paired with highlight dishes from Maiz's menu of central Mexican street food. The drinks menu is the first impressive element that sets this bottomless feast apart from your standard mimosa-filled affair. At Maiz, you'll be treated to unlimited margaritas, Tecates and prosecco — plus Rosa Maria Spritzes made with Tequila Blanco, berries, rosemary, lemon and grapefruit soda. Food-wise, the 100-percent gluten-free feast kicks off with a spread of snacks that includes esquites, guacamole, house corn chips, papas a la diabla (a spicy potato dish) and tostadas. From there you'll get to take your pick between cactus ceviche, braised hibiscus al pastor, 18-hour barbacoa and chicken in a tinga sauce. Rounding out the feed, you'll get to choose from Maiz's array of paletas, a Mexican spin on the classic ice block. The flavours span far and wide, including watermelon and chilli, poached peach iced tea, and cucumber and lime. If you aren't drinking, you can opt to enjoy just the food for $50 per person, otherwise the boozy brunch will set you back $89. The deal is available every Saturday, with bookings between midday until 3pm.
Cold winter weather demands comfort-inducing food, with soups, pastas and pies making up much of the weekly menu. Yet when you need a sweet treat, few bites go down better than a hot cinnamon doughnut. And with Friday, June 6, welcoming the return of National Donut Day, there's no better time to order up a steamy bunch. Best of all, Donut King isn't taking any half-measures when it comes to celebrating the big day in 2025, with the iconic brand giving away free hot cinnamon doughnuts from dawn to dusk to mark the occasion. "The magic of our hot and fresh cinnamon doughnuts bouncing along the conveyor belt and landing in a delicious carousel of sweet cinnamon is the moment we seek to share with our loyal fans every day," says Raquel Hine, Marketing Manager at Donut King. "It's what makes us famous for being the home of the hot cinnamon doughnut and why we make every National Donut Day a huge celebration for everyone to take part, absolutely free, all day!" All you have to do to score your free hot cinni doughnut is find your nearest participating Donut King store on Friday, June 6. With over 200 locations spread around the country, there's a good chance one is easily within touching distance. Alternatively, just follow that enchanting cinnamon sugar aroma that wafts from every store. On a side note, we meant it when Donut King isn't cutting any corners this National Donut Day. The team recently revealed a seriously sweet escape — the 'Hot Cinni' Hotel' — produced in collaboration with Ovolo Hotels and available for strictly limited bookings. Transforming two suites in the heritage-listed Ovolo Woolloomooloo, expect shimmering pink accents, cinnamon-painted walls, colourful pop art and even exclusive room service dedicated to hot cinnamon doughnut deliveries. Plus, the rest of the hotel features spice-forward cocktails and cinnamon-inspired nibbles. Donut King's free cinnamon doughnuts are available at participating Donut King locations on Friday, June 6 — limited to one free doughnut per customer. Head to the website for more information.
Any cocktail drinker will be at least vaguely familiar with vermouth. It's been swirled around and tipped out of your martini glass, mingled with gin and Campari in your Negroni, and brought in to help balance out the bourbon in your Manhattan. But it's rarely the star of the show. However, this aromatised wine (yes, it's made from wine — but more on that later) is gaining some overdue attention of its own of late. Melbourne has already seen a bit of a vermouth revival at bars like Bomba and Heartattack and Vine, and Sydney's catching up to the party. Not only is Sydney's first dedicated vermouth bar Banksii set to open later this year at Barangaroo, but CBD bar Since I Left You is rolling out Vermouth Hour later this month and several high quality producers of Australian craft vermouths — like Regal Rogue, Maidenii, Margan and Causes & Cures — continue to gain popularity. Similar to sherry, vermouth has somewhat of a bad rep in Aussie culture. But Rebecca Lines, Banksii's sommelier and vermouth expert, says that's something we need to get over. "I'm keen to shake off the 'oh that dry oxidised stuff my grandma had in her pantry' mentality," says Lines. "There are incredible quality styles on offer now and plenty coming out of Australia." So we thought vermouth needed to be newly tasted — and appreciated — by us, your willing participants. [caption id="attachment_576289" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Don LaVange via Flickr[/caption] WHAT'S THE STORY? Vermouth is made up of at least 75 percent wine. It's then fortified with a neutral spirit like brandy, then distilled or 'aromatised' with botanicals — one of which is the bitter herb wormwood (wermut in German), which is where the name comes from. Botanicals used vary hugely but can feature herbs, spices, bark, roots and seeds. It can be red or white, sweet or dry (or in some cases semi-dry) — but generally red is sweet and white is dry. Around the time of its invention in Italy it was "the popular aperitif of the 18th Century with Europeans sipping it in the fashionable cafes," says Lines. Vermouth is still popular in Europe as part of the aperitif culture, particularly in Spain where vermuterias (vermouth bars) are seriously fashionable. [caption id="attachment_576287" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Regal Rogue[/caption] WHY DO I CARE? Much of the appeal of vermouth lies in its hybrid nature. It has a lower alcohol content than spirits (around 15-24 percent), yet has more character than wine from the aromatisation process, similar to that of gin. Mark Ward is the founder of Australia's first native vermouth Regal Rogue, which has been on shelves since 2012. He suggests its popularity is reflective of broader social movements. "People are moving away from hard spirits and have become a lot more conscious of lower alcohol and lower sugar drinks," Ward says. "They're looking at digestives and aperitifs as the go-to." Like most new craft vermouths, Regal Rogue is made for drinking on its own, preferably chilled or over ice. But Ward says it's the diversity of the drink that makes it so fantastic. "You can have it neat, chilled, have it long with a tonic, aperitif-style, or in a cocktail." Its versatility is part of its unique character, agrees 2015 Australian Bartender of the Year, Lee Potter Cavanagh. "The great thing about vermouth is that it'll last longer in the fridge than a normal wine and also has a more impactful flavour," he says. "It's great for home consumption because of this, and it tastes great by itself or in simple mixes." [caption id="attachment_576286" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Margan Family Wines[/caption] WHO'S DOING IT? Vermouth is not geographically classified, which means it can be made anywhere and still be called vermouth (unlike, say, Champagne). Margan Family Wines in the Hunter Valley recently announced the release of a Semillon-based vermouth, and Australian brand Maidenii is widely celebrated, with Lines even choosing to team up with them for a custom vermouth on tap at Banksii. Ward was particularly inspired by native Australian botanicals when creating Regal Rogue's red, white and dry varieties. "When we're infusing spices and things like that, people can sometimes think it's going to taste like cinnamon or something, but it's more like pepperberry and wattleseed," he says. Around 15 other things also go into the wine, with botanicals like basil, grapefruit, native thyme and star anise giving vermouth its characteristic complexity. Ward has seen the rise of craft vermouths all over the world — including the US, which is now a major producer. ACME's new one, Bar Brosé in Darlinghurst, is similarly embracing vermouth, says Ward. "They're a an example of guys doing great food, but also pushing and educating about vermouth-based cocktails and aperitifs," he says. According to Ward, the addition of Bar Brosé and the soon-to-be Banksii to the Sydney bar scene is both "great for category and for Sydney itself". IS THIS PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER? We certainly hope so. The art of the aperitif, (or, as we like to call it: how to have a few drinks before dinner without turning up hammered) has taken way too long to truly take hold in Australia. And vermouth looks set to bring some personality to the aperitivo disco; it suits crispy, salty, crunchy snacks like anchovies, olives and potato crisps. However, as Potter Cavanagh points out, vermouth is often still "lumped with the bar and often sits open and oxidised on the back bar, when it should be listed and cared for the same as any other wine — even if this one has been aromatised". And until vermouth is fully embraced by restaurants and wine bars alike, Lines suggests going to any good cocktail bar (one where they stock and care for their vermouths) and ordering one on the rocks. Vermouth suits Australia's laidback nature and warm sunny climate, says Lines. "Vermouth is made for relaxing and sipping in my mind." [caption id="attachment_566219" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bar Brose[/caption] CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. WHERE CAN I GET IT? Most good cocktail bars will stock and properly care for vermouth. But here's where you're guaranteed to get a good drop. Bar Brosé Chiswick Maybe Frank Since I Left You (they'll even be running Vermouth Hour from June 20-30) Cafe Sydney Banksii (opening September 2016) Top image: Thomas E. Graham.
Through our travel booking website Concrete Playground Trips, you can book unforgettable travel packages, exclusive accommodation deals and a whole series of experiences and tours. For this particular article, we're focusing on Australian adventure trips that are currently available on CP Trips for travellers who are keen to get out in nature and go exploring. These packages will take you swimming under remote waterfalls, hiking to breathtaking vistas and cycling from vineyard to vineyard. Book any of these deals to experience some of Australia's greatest sites in style, taking your holiday to the next level. QUEENSLAND [caption id="attachment_891464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Guillaume Marques (unsplash)[/caption] KAYAK, SANDBOARD AND SNORKEL AT MORETON ISLAND Travel to Moreton Island from either Brisbane or the Gold Coast for a full day of fun in the sun. Your guide takes you by 4WD along the sands to the famous Tangalooma Wrecks, where you'll see incredible coral reefs on snorkel and kayak outings. You'll also go inland for an exhilarating sandboarding experience on the famous massive sand dunes. This action-packed tour also includes a lunch on the beach and time to soak up the scenery of Moreton Island, the third largest sand island in the world. BOOK IT NOW. ROCK CLIMBING IN BRISBANE AFTER DARK The Kangaroo Point cliff face is a unique sight in the heart of Brisbane. For this experience, you'll climb the urban cliffs while they are lit up in the evening, looking out at Brisbane's glimmering skyline and serpentine river. And thanks to the different climbing routes, it doesn't matter what your experience level is. Beginners to total pros can enjoy this three-hour adventure. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_891465" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lacie Slezak (Unsplash)[/caption] OVERNIGHT TWEED COAST CAMPING AND SURFING GETAWAY This Tweed Coast overnight surfing getaway provides a two-day surf camp experience as you discover this world famous section of the Australian coast. Surf all day, make some new mates, spend the night camping, and enjoy provided meals including a beachside barbecue. Select your pickup location when booking; several locations are available from Brisbane to Gold Coast and Byron Bay. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_891469" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frankie Dixon (Unsplash)[/caption] THREE-DAY 4WD TOUR AROUND K'GARI (FRASER ISLAND) This is a proper Queensland bucket list experience for lovers of the outdoors. On this trip, you'll explore both coasts of the world's largest sand island on one eco-adventure. Start your getaway in style with a pre-night stay at Kingfisher Bay Resort. Relax on island time and enjoy full access to the resort facilities before you spend two days driving around K'gari's crystal-blue lakes, wild rainforests, hidden stretches of coast and cameo appearances from the island's wild dingo population. And if you want to charter your own yacht around the island (with your own skipper) then check out this luxury tour. BOOK IT NOW. VICTORIA CYCLING TOUR AROUND THE YARRA VALLEY WINE REGION This guided cycling trip will take you to several wineries in the Yarra Valley region, giving you the opportunity to taste some wine (in moderation, since you will be cycling on roads), tuck into some woodfired pizza for lunch and soak up the sights of this world-famous wine region. During the day, you'll cycle up to 20-kilometres — so prepare to get a bit active. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_891472" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shawnn Tan (Unsplash)[/caption] TWO-DAY CAMPING AND SURFING TRIP ALONG THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD This small-group tour (of 10-15 people) will start from Melbourne and take you down to Victoria's dramatic Great Ocean Road. You'll stop off at beaches for surfing lessons and lunches before setting up base at a new campsite — staying in a spacious teepee-style tents built by the beach. The two guides will take you to all the best secret viewing spots for kangaroos, koalas and Australian native birds before you set your sights upon the Twelve Apostles. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_818655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] PRIVATE WILSON'S PROMONTORY HIKING TOUR FROM MELBOURNE Wilson's Prom is huge. It can be challenging to explore — especially if you don't have your own car. That's when a bespoke tour like this one is the perfect option. Your guide will take you on hikes to private beaches and sand dunes as well as epic summits with views across the whole region. You'll find some of the very best coastal views during this tour. And if you're looking for something a little more cost-effective, you can try this tour of Wilson's Prom. BOOK IT NOW. WHITE-WATER KAYAKING ADVENTURE ON THE YARRA RIVER Head to Wonga Park for a high-octane day trip just an hour or so out of Melbourne's CBD. You'll be geared up with life vests and helmets before jumping into a two-person inflatable kayak that will take you down the rolling rapids. Prepare to get soaked and have a good laugh. If you go in the wetter months, you're guaranteed even bigger rapids. BOOK IT NOW. WESTERN AUSTRALIA SUNRISE HIKE AND MEDITATION IN THE PERTH HILLS This one is for the morning people out there. Or those of us who wish we could be. Meet at Sullivan Rock carpark nice and early and follow the guide on a leisurely hike through jarrah and banksia forests before reaching the summit of St Vincent at sunrise. Find a spot on the large granite slopes overlooking the expansive Western Australian plains and let the first sunlight of the day wash over you during a guided meditation. It's an altogether unique and rejuvenating experience. BOOK IT NOW. QUAD BIKE AND SANDBOARDING EXPERIENCE This is a super fun way to explore Western Australia's Lancelin Sand Dunes. You'll ride quad bikes, get driven in dune buggies and go down massive dunes on sandboards with a bunch of other travellers. It's a great vantage point from which to see this part of the country, overlooking the Indian Ocean and surrounding bushland. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_683983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] ROTTNEST ISLAND CYCLE, SNORKEL AND FERRY TRIP Getting to Rottnest Island is easy enough – just jump on the ferry from Perth. But once you get there, getting around to explore the best bits of this spectacular natural playground could require a little direction. That why this tour is so good. You'll get a bike for the arvo and ride around hidden beaches before snorkelling in calm pristine waters, marvelling at the bright coral and marine life. Alternatively, you can book this five-day Perth staycation that will take you to Rottnest Island and the Pinnacles. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_891479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Keller (Unsplash)[/caption] SIX-DAY COARAL COASTER FROM PERTH TO EXMOUTH (VIA NINGALOO REEF) Go on a proper Western Australia adventure during this week-long trip. With unspoilt beaches, deep red deserts and an abundance of wildlife, this will be an unforgettable Australian holiday. You'll also tick a bunch of spectacular destinations off your bucket list — including the Pinnacles, Hutt Lagoon Pink Lake, Murchison Gorge, Kalbarri National Park, The Stromatolites at Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef. BOOK IT NOW. NEW SOUTH WALES UNDERWATER SCOOTER EXPERIENCE IN CLOVELLY This is a proper local Sydney experience set in the waters of beloved Clovelly Beach. You'll get to use an underwater scooter which is basically a small propellered device that you hold in your hands) that pulls you along underwater. Use this device to find the infamous blue groper or simply pretend you're chasing your favourite Bond villain for 90 minutes. Instructors will also be on hand to help you out. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_891481" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacques Bopp (Unsplash)[/caption] BLUE MOUNTAINS 4WD ADVENTURE If you've got a car and are willing to hike a little, you can see some spectacular parts of the Blue Mountains — but this trip takes you even deeper. Your driver will traverse rough roads to take you into rarely explored parts of the national park including exclusive access to private property in Capertee Valley and experience the epic views. It will also include a lunch in a cosy country pub. Winner. BOOK IT NOW. BATEMANS BAY OYSTER TASTING KAYAK TOUR Yup, you read that right. This trip combines oyster tasting with kayaking — think of it as a pub crawl, but on the water and with super fresh oysters. Paddle around local oyster farms along the Clyde River Estuary system in Batemans Bay with a guide, tasting some of the freshest molluscs you'll ever have the pleasure of eating. It's a whole lot of fun. And done in stunning surrounds. BOOK IT NOW. FULL-DAY CANYONING TRIP IN EMPRESS CANYON For the uninitiated, canyoning is a type of mountaineering that involves travelling into canyons in a variety of ways. And this trip ticks most of them off the list. The day will include abseiling down waterfalls, cliff jumping and bouldering. It has got to be one of the most thrilling ways to explore this rainforest in New South Wales. BOOK IT NOW. NORTHERN TERRITORY [caption id="attachment_840362" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Helen Orr for Tourism NT[/caption] KING'S CANYON HIKING TOUR King's Canyon, famously where the queens from Priscilla Queen of the Desert hiked in feather-clad bird outfits, is a big bucket list destination — not just for fans of the film. Located between between Alice Springs and Yulara, this has to be one of the very best places to go hiking in Australia. Walk along red rock cliffs, through maze-like gorges and around beautiful bushland. The views across the surrounding desert are also just next level. And this big day trip takes you to all the best bits. BOOK IT NOW. CHAMBER PILLAR AND RAINBOW VALLEY 4WD TRIP Go off-road during this full-day tour around the Rainbow Valley — a remote region in Australia's Red Centre. The small group 4WD experience takes you deep into the Red Centre's beautiful and remote sand hill country in comfort and style. You will discover the history of the early explorers, local First Nations culture and stories, the iconic Simpson Desert and stunning landscapes and rock formations. In between short hikes, you'll be driven around in an air-conditioned 4WD car to catch your breath and cool down. BOOK IT NOW. DAY TRIP TO LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK WATERFALLS If you've ever seen images of people jumping into spectacular natural waterholes and pools in a tourism ad for the Northern Territory, there's a very good chance the footage was shot at Litchfield National Park. Making a visit here is an experience we should all have at some point in our lives. And booking this package will get you right there. You'll be picked up from Darwin and transported to the famous Florence Falls for a day of exploring and swimming in extraordinary (croc-free) waters. BOOK IT NOW. TASMANIA [caption id="attachment_891488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Fotheringham (Unsplash)[/caption] THREE-DAY ACTIVE ADVENTURE FROM LAUNCESTON TO HOBART This trip explores some of Tassie's most scenic locations. Start your journey with a huge day out at Cradle Mountain World Heritage area, an area of immense grandeur with amazing walks and scenery. Travel onwards to Hobart via the Wineglass Bay lookout for some of the world's best coastal scenery. Keep your eyes open and your footsteps light to encounter the local animals in the wild. Lastly, walk amongst the history at the World Heritage Port Arthur Historic Site and enjoy the action of a Tasmanian Devil feeding. It's an incredible way to experience Tasmania's vast natural landscape. BOOK IT NOW. SAILING TRIP IN HOBART'S BAY AND THE DERWENT RIVER During this experience, you'll be sailing in a Sydney to Hobart race maxi — really sailing. This isn't a champagne-and-sunset-dinner on a luxury yacht kind of experience. You'll be getting a workout as you cruise around Hobart's breathtakingly beautiful bay. You might see penguins, dolphins or seals (regular visitors) and sometimes even whales and orca. That is when you're not grinding the winches and taking a turn on the helm. End the experience with an altogether civilised afternoon tea in town. BOOK IT NOW. KAYAK IN THE TASMAN PENINSULA Get up-close and personal with the southern hemisphere's highest sea cliffs and resident Australian fur seals. At sea level you'll truly appreciate its scale, gazing up at 200-metre-high fluted rock formations, peering into natural sea caves, photographing the towering Candlestick, and searching for climbers on the Totem Pole — a sheer column famed amongst thrill-seeking rock climbers. BOOK IT NOW. BMX RIDE DOWN MOUNT WELLINGTON On this adventure, you'll ride a mountain bike down the foothills of Mount Wellington past bushland and wildlife as you feel the wind rushing through your hair. At the end of the ride, you'll be invited to join the guide at a local Hobart pub for a few beers and enjoy the unique opportunity to drink from the famous (to locals, at least) handlebar that holds a glass of beer. Look it up. BOOK IT NOW. SOUTH AUSTRALIA FARM FOR OYSTERS IN COFFIN BAY This is a great little experience to tag onto any trip along South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. You'll don some sexy looking waterproof overalls, wading in the water as you learn about oyster farming while tasting some of the freshest oysters you'll ever have — straight out of the clear blue waters. For more sightseeing, you can even take this longer boat tour around the oyster farm. BOOK IT NOW. KANGAROO ISLAND QUAD BIKE TOUR Explore an otherwise inaccessible part of Kangaroo Island on a guided ATV tour through open grassland, native bush and rocky terrain. Master the controls of your own bike as your group zooms past gorgeous scenery, and Australian wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas and more. For something a little different, check out the Sunset Safari, a more wildlife orientated tour which heads out just as more of the island's famous critters start to emerge for the evening. Or do you prefer two wheels? Try this cycling tour of the island instead. BOOK IT NOW. KAYAK TRIP IN A DOLPHIN SANCTUARY It's not every day that you get the opportunity to paddle your way down a 10,000-year-old mangrove forest creek with the opportunity to see dolphins along the way. But that's not all. You'll also be kayaking up close to shipwrecks and relics of a bygone era. It's a special experience that simply can't be replicated anywhere else. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_883581" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Skopal (Unsplash)[/caption] THREE-DAY ADVENTURE IN THE FLINDERS RANGES This is small group Eco tour of the famous Flinders Ranges gives guests the opportunity to see the incredible rock formation of Wilpena Pound and the Ranges themselves while learning about local Aboriginal culture. You'll search for the rare Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby, see an abundance of kangaroos, emus and wedge tailed eagles, visit ancient Aboriginal cave paintings, meet the locals and enjoy campfires and camp cooking. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
You can pop along to the zoo any day, but seeing a wild thing in its native habitat is far more exciting — although, it's admittedly slightly trickier. While spiders and mozzies don't have too much trouble making themselves known, our cuter, fuzzier, more loveable creatures are shy, shy, shy. Whether you want to lunch with a 'roo, catch penguins on parade, swim with a whale shark or spot a platypus, there are plenty of places around this big ol' country of ours that will help make that dream you've been harbouring since your mum read you Blinky Bill come true. Just remember, you're heading into their territory — you can look (and make awwwing noises), but don't touch. Or feed them. Or do any shitty stuff. Basically, let them do their thing and enjoy being a quiet observer in the presence of 100% adorable animals. If you can do that, here's where to find them. FOR KANGAROOS: PEBBLY BEACH, MURRAMARANG NATIONAL PARK, NSW Finding a kangaroo in the wild isn't difficult. In fact, far too many of the unsuspecting, headlight-blinded creatures hang out on country roadsides. But if you want to meet a particularly friendly bunch, head for Murramarang National Park's Pebbly Beach, near Batemans Bay, about four hours' drive south of Sydney. But be warned: they might well expect to share your lunch. FOR LITTLE PENGUINS: SUMMERLAND BEACH, PHILLIP ISLAND, VIC Come sunset every evening, Victoria's little penguins waddle along Phillip Island's Summerland Beach to rest after a hard day's fishing at sea. These tiny guys are the smallest type of penguin on the planet. To prevent disturbance, viewing is organised by Phillip Island Nature Parks. You can jump on a platform, opt for a skybox or take a ranger-led eco explorer tour. [caption id="attachment_553183" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Arturo Pardavila III via Flickr[/caption] FOR KOALAS: KENNETT RIVER ON THE OTWAY COAST, GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC There's only somewhere between 43,000 and 100,000 koalas left in the wild in Australia, so they're not easy to spot. But one place where you're pretty much guaranteed to find them is along the Otway Coast section of Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Your best bet is to pull over in Kennett River, 174 kilometres west of Melbourne, and take the Kennett River Koala Walk, starting on Grey River Road. [caption id="attachment_552453" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Didier B via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] FOR AUSTRALIAN SEA LIONS: SEAL BAY CONSERVATION PARK, KANGAROO ISLAND, SA Due to widespread hunting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Australian sea lion is one of the world's rarest seals. Thankfully, the surviving population is now protected in a few places, including Kangaroo Island's Seal Bay Conservation Park. Sheltered bays and beaches provide plenty of spots for seals to rest — in between fishing and teaching babies to swim. You can get amongst it with self-guided tour or one with a tour guide. [caption id="attachment_552418" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jolene Faber via Flickr[/caption] FOR QUOKKAS: ROTTNEST ISLAND, WA European invasion didn't do much for the poor old quokka, whose mainland population has suffered over the past couple of centuries. But, on Rottnest Island just off the coast of Perth, it's a different story. Thanks to a distinct lack of predators and loads of food, the cat-sized marsupial is thriving, with latest counts at 12,000 or so. However, you can't feed them, as it tends to poison them — and if you see anyone behaving like these jerks, let someone know. [caption id="attachment_552450" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Martin Pot via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] FOR NUMBATS: TONE-PERUP NATURE RESERVE, PEMBERTON, WA In the 1980s, Australia's numbat population reached a near-extinction low of 300. The only places where they'd managed to survive were two reserves in south-west Western Australia: Tone-Perup and Dryandra Woodland. Today, they have been re-introduced to a few more sanctuaries around the country and their numbers have slightly increased — but to see them in their natural habitat, you'll need to go to one or the other. Understandably, numbats aren't particularly extroverted, so be prepared to wait. Give yourself more time with an overnight stay — there are a few accommodation options in the reserve. FOR WHALE SHARKS: NINGALOO REEF, WA Between April and July, hundreds of whale sharks head to Ningaloo — Western Australia's answer to the Great Barrier Reef — to feed their 18-metre long bodies on generous plankton feasts. Despite their mammoth size and disconcerting name, they're gentle creatures and you can swim alongside them without fearing for life or limb. It's not a free-for-all though — the human to whale shark ratio is generally limited to 10:1 and travelling with a tour group is mandatory. Every May, Exmouth hosts its annual Whale Shark Festival. [caption id="attachment_552409" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Manuel Heinrich via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] FOR TURTLES: HERON ISLAND, GREAT BARRIER REEF, QLD In November every year, two of the world's most vulnerable turtle species — green turtles and loggerheads — head to the Great Barrier Reef's Heron Island to nest. If you're staying nearby, all you have to do is wander down to the beach to see them. That said, the folks on Heron Island are fiercely protective of their precious guests, so strict guidelines apply to turtle watching. Keep your distance and don't flash lights in the sweet little critters' eyes — it confuses them. FOR PLATYPUSES: BROKEN RIVER, EUNGELLA NATIONAL PARK, QLD After numbats, the platypus is the hardest animal on this list to find. You need to patient, quiet, still and willing to hang around at either dawn or dusk. To make your mission easier, try your luck at Broken River, in Queensland's Eungella National Park. Right near the picnic ground, you'll find a platypus-dedicated viewing platform. FOR CROCODILES: MARY RIVER, NEAR KAKADU NATIONAL PARK, NT You won't catch any sane person swimming in Mary River — two hours' drive east of Darwin — as there are more saltwater crocodiles here per square metre than there are anywhere else on Earth. (Salties, by the way, are the killers — the freshies aren't so bad.) The good news is, you can watch them from a safe distance by taking a boat ride. Top image: Craig Siczak via Flickr.
Not only a destination to soak in crystal-clear waters during the warmer months and explore undeveloped islands, New Zealand's Far North has a food culture worthy of shouting from the rooftops. With a big focus on seasonal produce, menus are ever-changing and no two visits to the Bay of Islands will taste the same. Thanks to its handy placement on the fringe of the world's largest ocean, you can expect to lap up an abundance of seafood plus locally made cheese, chocolates and wine all year round. This is your guide to eating and drinking in the Bay of Islands. Before even setting off on your island adventure, the outskirts of Kerikeri has a number of eateries worth swinging into. The Rusty Tractor is a good place to get a feel for the community and refuel with generous portions. The family-friendly cafe is the kind where everyone knows everyone. On this visit the barista could be found hopping between the coffee machine and working in the gardens, while another local was spotted making himself at home behind the counter for a chat. The menu offers a contemporary (and hefty) take on breakfast classics, including mince on toast with poached eggs and onion rings, mushrooms in a cobb loaf with pea and feta salsa verde, and cinnamon sugared doughnuts. If you're in the business of caffeine, the cafe uses first-rate Supreme beans and has the option of a four-shot coffee bucket. If you have an afternoon to wile away, Marsden Estate is a short trip from the airport. At the winery you can enjoy an educational wine tasting before settling on your preferred varietal. We also suggest grabbing the antipasto platter of local cheeses, handmade terrine, dips and spreads and perching under the vines in the courtyard. Afterwards, take a stroll around the subtropical vineyard gardens with another glass of vino in hand. [caption id="attachment_986518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Old Packhouse Market[/caption] For something on the run (especially if you're around on a weekend), head to The Old Packhouse Market. Found in Kerikeri, literally in an old packhouse, the weekly gathering of more than 100 vendors is the perfect spot to load up on supplies before heading off on a road trip. Expect to pick up everything from homemade pies to raw milk, deep-fried oyster po' boys and fruit and vegetables from producers that reside just around the corner. Enjoy your finds while listening to live music, receiving a palm reading or getting a reflexology massage. Across the road is another must-visit attraction. As soon as you enter Makana Confections the smell from the adjoining factory will be tugging on your heartstrings. The best part is that free samples are handed out upon arrival in the gift shop so you can try before you buy — you'll also see staff crafting the exact same thing through the window, so you know it's fresh. The cafe offers a lineup of gelato, chocolate truffles, cakes and slices for dine-in or takeaway. While you're in Kerikeri, head to Cafe Jerusalem for authentic Israeli cuisine that encapsulates the flavours of the Levant. En route to Russell, you'll pass through Paihia. Here you'll have the option of quick bites spanning kebabs, pizza and ribs. On the other side of the one-way bridge from the township lies the official birthplace of New Zealand, Waitangi. As part of the historical Waitangi Treaty Grounds you can enhance your visitor experience by witnessing the unveiling of a traditional hāngi — a Māori method of cooking in the earth with hot stones. Hāngi chefs will introduce the cooking process before you tuck into the feast. [caption id="attachment_986502" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paroa Bay Winery[/caption] Once off the car ferry en route to Russell, make a short detour for Paroa Bay Winery, a family-owned property set against the rolling hills and overlooking Paroa Bay. The boutique vineyard has a big focus on sustainability, using techniques of dry-grown vines across chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, syrah, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and merlot. Go for a tasting flight and stay for the Mediterranean and European-inspired menu at onsite restaurant, Sage. With its award-winning restaurant set right on the water, The Duke of Marlborough is a pristine destination to stop in Russell for a bite to eat. The property was erected in 1827 and later became the first licensed hotel in New Zealand. The property still retains its vintage appeal; the rooms are grand with high ceilings, the walls are covered with marine memorabilia and the solid furniture certainly has a story to tell. The restaurant is all about showcasing local seasonal produce and modern interpretations of classic favourites. You can expect to sample local oysters or oven-roasted fish that was caught directly in front of the hotel. The beverage list is extensive with over 100 wines and 30 beers from the Bay of Islands to Burgundy. The wine tasting rack is a good option for indecisive diners, offering three generous samples to sip back as the sun drops over the inlet. [caption id="attachment_986497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Gables[/caption] Just down the main strip from The Duke is The Gables, the oldest licensed restaurant in the country. The building was originally built by an immigrant shoemaker who purchased the land from a Māori chief. It's now owned by Robert and Jenny Loosley, who have retained the old world charm and a collection of documents — including the original deed of sale. The kitchen aims to showcase classic New Zealand flavours, with fresh local seafood and grass-fed meat big players on the menu. Elsewhere is Hone's Garden in the warmer months offers wood-fired pizza, fresh beer and friendly community vibes; and Hell Hole is a great option to start your day with loaded bagels and fresh coffee. GETTING THERE Kerikeri Airport is the region's main port of call. From Auckland Airport it's a breezy 50-minute flight to the sleepy terminal. Alternatively, it will take you just over three hours to drive from Auckland to Paihia and Russell. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here.
Sydney has its fair share of karaoke spots, from the slew of neon-lit bars in the CBD to more off-the-beaten-track spots like The Pickled Possum in Neutral Bay and Sizzling Fillo in Lidcombe. One Sydney venue throwing its hat in the ring to host all of your sing-along dreams is The Little Guy in Glebe which has opened a tiny karaoke room out the back of the bar. Named Poppie's Karaoke, the room is the only spot in Glebe facilitating karaoke right now and can accommodate up to 15 patrons. The Little Guy is calling it Sydney's "littlest" karaoke bar, playing on the venue's name (although it's hard to compete with some of the truly tiny spots throughout the city like El Primo Sanchez's two-person room). [caption id="attachment_653352" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Little Guy, Kitti Smallbone[/caption] One thing that sets these sing-alongs apart from pretty much any other microphone-wielding Sydney joint is that you can enjoy the beloved bar's drinks list while you're rocking out. In place of the vodka sunrises and Heinekens of a classic karaoke bar, you'll find everything from craft beers, martinis and Doom Juice natty wines through to guava Cruisers and Moet. There's also a special Poppie's Punch available on the menu, bringing real house party energy to the room, as well as free popcorn to snack on between ballads, LED lighting, a laser machine and all of the classic tracks you could want. "We've got good tunes, a beautiful beer garden right on our doorstep, a pool room upstairs, great drinks and free popcorn. What else can you add to that? Karaoke. That's what you can add to that," says Dynn Szmulewicz, owner of The Little Guy, Sunshine Inn and Enmore Country Club. The room can be booked from 3–11pm Tuesday–Saturday and 3–10pm on Sundays and costs $10 per person for 50 minutes of karaoke. You can book online or if you're heading into The Little Guy for a drink, you can try your luck nabbing the room without a reservation. There's also an option to book the room for an entire night (seven hours) if you've got a birthday or function. Poppie's Karaoke is now open at The Little Guy, 87 Glebe Point Road, Glebe. For more information head over to the Poppie's Karaoke Instagram. Images: Angus Bell Young
Sashimi, wine and sake are the name of the game at Tanuki, the Bay Street restaurant from the Matteo team. Named after a mischievous figure in Japanese folklore (see: Studio Ghibli's Pom Poko), this spot offers a raw bar, internal courtyard, impressive sake collection and late-night lounge, all in one stunning space right next door to the Double Bay pizzeria. The venue is centred around a 30-year-old Japanese liquid amber tree with a surrounding dining bench. There are several zones to discover throughout the space, whether you're dropping in for a drink and a plate of seared salmon temarizushi or sticking around for a full feast. Leading the kitchen is Head Chef Ken Wee Lee, who brings experience from Sushi e, Zuma and Toko on a menu split into categories like sashimi, nigiri, tempura and robata. Menu highlights include Alaskan king crab cooked on the robata grill and served with truffle gratin, spatchcock presented with pickles and barley miso, and wagyu beef gyoza paired with a yuzu ponzu for dipping. There's also a pair of set menus, with the reasonably priced $80 selection rolling through edamame, kingfish sashimi, wagyu beef tartare, scallop and prawn toast, chicken karaage, the steak of the day and matcha tiramisu. An all-star cast leads the way behind the bar, with the cocktails, sake and wine lists curated by General Manager Joong Charpentier (ex-Sushi e, Hemmisphere), Bar Manager Sean Guardian (ex-Mr Wong) and Head Sommelier Ambroise Moriceau (ex-Bennelong, Armorica). Alongside the extensive sake and wine selections, you can opt for an inventive highball or peruse the signature cocktails like the 'Umeboshi' crafted with a collision of tequila, plum umeshu, strawberry and wasabi leaf, and togarashi. Tanuki is a jack-of-all-trades-style venue, offering a myriad of experiences, all set in a moody space designed by Matters + Made. Wander in from Bay Street, find your spot and decide what type of night you're in for.
Sometimes, your tastebuds crave something special. They hanker for the kind of dish you're not going to eat every day, aka a treat yo'self type of culinary experience. Here are three things that they probably demand in that situation: lobster, truffles and champagne. If that's your idea of an indulgent meal, Lobster & Co has you sorted between Tuesday, February 8–Friday, February 18, which is when it's popping up in Sydney at the ICC Forecourt in Darling Harbour. From 11am–3pm and 5–9pm daily, you'll only really find those three aforementioned items on the menu, too, because it's solely serving up lobster rolls with truffle fries and glasses of champagne. You'll pay $50 a pop for the food combo, which features a whole confit lobster tail sourced from The Geraldton Fishermans Coop in Western Australia, as served on a caramelised brioche bun with buttermilk fennel slaw, plus a side of parmesan truffle fries. As for the champers, that'll cost you $20 extra. Images: Karon Photography.
Negronis and Italian bar snacks are at the centre of Surry Hills' new aperitivo bar which opens tomorrow, Wednesday, September 14. Bar Conte is the project of Raffaelle Lombard and his partner, interior designer Victoria Hampshire who have worked together to transport you to the Amalfi Coast through a sleek bar inspired by Italy's aperitivo culture. "I have dreamt of this concept for the past 10 years. The negroni is my drink of choice, and has been since I was a young man growing up in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. It's bitter, strong and clean — the ultimate pre-dinner drink. We felt it deserved its own dedicated bar," Lombard says. The obvious place to start at Bar Conte is with a negroni. There are more than 20 varieties on the menu. Alongside your classics, there's a range of intriguing combinations: the Negroni Sbagliato 1972 combines Campari, Cinzano 1757 and prosecco; the Il Professore is a mix of Campari, Campano Rosso Vermouth and Kimbo coffee liqueur; and the Rhubarb is made from Glendalough Rose Gin, Cinzano 1757 and Rabarbaro liqueur. "The temperature and the quality of the vermouth is what makes a good negroni," according to Lomard. "Growing up in Italy, our family homes were always stocked with vermouth, and on special occasions I would be able to try them. 30 years on, I have grown to love those flavours, there is so much nostalgia and many memories for me when it comes to vermouth." Further along the menu and you'll find a selection of classic cocktails — martinis, margaritas, spritzes and sours — followed by European wines and beers. Accompanying the drinks is a creative array of bar snacks pulled together by Head Chef and co-owner Steve De Vecchi (ex-The Apollo). Think rosemary focaccia, wagyu carpaccio and marinated eggplant caprino. There are also menu items infusing the bar's signature drink, including oysters with a negroni dressing and negroni-infused salumi. Located on the corner of Riley and Foveaux Street, across from Forrester's, Bar Conte has transformed a corner terrace formerly occupied by a convenience store into an inviting 38-seat bar accentuated with a warm burnt red, forest green and brass fit-out. "I have always had a love of bottle green and brass, with bottle green tiles and forest green marble, complementing the warmth of the parquetry floor and the deep red walls that are a reference to our life and travels in Italy," said Hampshire. Bar Conte is located at 340 Riley Street, Surry Hills. It's open from 4.30pm Monday–Thursday and from 11.30am Friday-Saturday. Images: Steven Woodburn
A new restaurant inspired by French cuisine and specialising in seafood has opened in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from a mainstay of Sydney's hospitality scene. Whalebridge is the latest venue from The Sydney Collective, the team behind the Watsons Bay Hotel, The Farm in Byron Bay and The Imperial. It boasts a prestigious head chef, ultra-luxurious menu and unbeatable harbour views. Now open in the former Circular Quay digs of longstanding seafood restaurant Sydney Cove Oyster Bar, the harbourfront venue is headed up by Executive Chef Will Elliot who has previously worked across London's St John, Melbourne's Cumulus Inc. and fellow Sydney CBD French bistro, the beloved Restaurant Hubert. "What's exciting about Whalebridge is the opportunity to prepare and plate a menu which is entirely new to Sydney," says Elliot. "These are produce-driven dishes rooted in traditional French technique and the articulation of those flavours." On the menu, you'll find house specialities that celebrate French cooking and fresh local seafood including bouillabaisse de Marseille and lobster thermidor. An array of charcuterie and an expansive selection of caviar will be on offer to start you off, as will mains like stuffed zucchini, duck confit and steak or mussel frittes. Accompanying the dishes will be a 150-strong wine list pulling from renowned regions in both France and Australia. "I love good produce treated simply, that's why I love French cooking. It has very humble origins, but it's been refined over so many years to bring out the best in something, without masking what made it good in the first place," Elliot continues. Most striking at Whalebridge is the view, with an uninterrupted view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the outdoor seating that's calling out to be enjoyed with a glass of French wine and a spread of oysters, scallops and kingfish. Whalebridge is open midday–3pm and 5–9pm Monday–Thursday, and midday–9.30pm Friday–Sunday.
When the warmer weather breezes in, do you start having yacht-life dreams? Is yacht rock your summer soundtrack of choice, too? Does hanging not just by but also in and on top of the water sound like your ideal way to laze away your weekends and holidays — while kicking back on daybeds, getting comfy in cabanas, taking a dip in the pool and overlooking a marina? It was back in late 2021 that word of La Luna — aka Australia's first European-inspired floating beach club — initially arrived, and news of its plans to set up shop on the Gold Coast. Earlier in 2022, the Seaworld Drive venue's waterside restaurant opened, but it's taken some time for the whole place to follow suit. Now, that time is upon us. Living the yacht life without actually getting on a yacht: that's just become a reality on the Glitter Strip, whether you're a local looking to break up your routine, a Brisbanite eager for any excuse for a trip down the highway or you're vacationing from further afield. From its white-heavy decor to its overall concept, La Luna gleans its cues from its counterparts on the other side of the world — and from Mykonos and Saint-Tropez in general — with influences taken from the setups in Tulum in Mexico as well. Get ready for luxe poolside stints; yes, you'll find those daybeds right by the water, including king-size versions for getting cosy with up to three people. If you'd prefer a cabana, they're available for four-hour bookings catering for ten (standard), 12 (in a lower-level location) and 15 (in the grand cabanas) guests. Or, you can simply choose a sun lounge for two hours — but whatever you opt for, there's a fee. The cheapest seats require a minimum spend of $150 per person, and the price only goes up from there. Menu-wise, the poolside fare includes plenty of the ocean's finest — oysters, kingfish ceviche, yellowfin tuna tartare, caviar, seafood cocktails, fried crispy baby squid, Moreton Bay bug buns, and lobster and scallop ravioli are all on offer — as well as wagyu beef burgers, fruit platters, sorbet and gelato. As for drinks, patrons can sip cognac mango iced teas, lychee martinis, strawberry and kiwi gin sours, plus all the classic concoctions. Or, pick from a small range of on-tap beers, and sparkling, rose, red and white wines. Feeling flush? A $1454 bottle of champagne is available for waterside splurges. La Luna is the brainchild of the Gennari Group, which is already behind the Gold Coast's Koi Broadbeach, Glass Dining & Lounge Bar, The Loose Moose, Maggie Choo and Roosevelt Lounge. Also up and running: onsite restaurant Mare, with Meyjitte Boughenot overseeing the kitchen team. Cruisy bites to eat, long lunches and drinks on the pontoon are all the focus, with the cuisine heroing Mediterranean dishes. If you like the poolside menu, many of the same options are also available here. Expect a heftier range, however, including char-grilled steaks, four types of pasta, and a 14-page drinks list. Find La Luna Beach Club at Marina Mirage, 74 Seaworld Drive, Gold Coast — open 11am–late Wednesday–Sunday.
It's been a long 15 years since NSW beer-lovers have been able to crack open a tinnie of Reschs pilsener, that much-loved can affectionately coined the Silver Bullet. Producer Carlton & United Breweries replaced these venerable vessels with an arguably inferior bottled version in 2005, and fans have been mourning the loss ever since. But all is right in the world once again, with CUB finally responding to the public's thirsty pleas and putting the legendary tins back into production. From next week, Reschs Silver Bullets will be gracing your local bottle shop once more, reclaiming their rightful place in beer fridges across the state. What's more, the relaunched can has scored a tick of approval from the Reschs Appreciation Society — a crew of hardcore fans that was founded a decade ago and includes some of the Silver Bullet's strongest advocates. The new tin design features the same silver tones and map of NSW worn by the original, but with a more modern finish. There's also an added shout-out to the Society on the bottom of each carton. [caption id="attachment_778022" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reschs Appreciation Society members[/caption] "We stopped making Silver Bullets 15 years ago because sales were down," explained Reschs Marketing Manager Hugh Jellie in a statement. "But the Society's passion has helped us realise this was a mistake." The new 375-millilitre Silver Bullet cans will replace the equivalent pilsener stubbies, but you'll still be able to get your hands on the 750-millilitre glass longnecks. The beer recipe itself remains unchanged. The Society is celebrating the return of their beloved brew with a live-streamed knees-up at Paddington's Imperial Hotel on Saturday, August 15. Access is for members only, but you can sign up for free here. Reschs Pilsener's revamped Silver Bullet cans will start rolling out from the start of August. Find them at your local NSW bottle shop.
"Alright, when's the murder-mystery start?" That's a line in the first teaser trailer for Knives Out sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and it sums up what we're all thinking. If you loved the 2019 OG movie, then you've been hanging out to spend more time with Daniel Craig as Blanc, Benoit Blanc. Get ready to do that a little earlier, and on the big screen. The first of two Netflix followups to that hit flick arrives this year — to stream on Friday, December 23, in fact — but it's also going to score a cinema run. The streaming platform tends to take that approach in the latter half of the year, when its slate is filled with movies that've premiered on the international film festival circuit, feature a heap of big-name talent, hail from impressive boxes or all three. Glass Onion ticks all of those boxes. In this case, however, you'll be able to get sleuthing in a cinema between Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29 — a month before the movie heads to streaming. And, you'll want to get in quick, as it's only showing for that one week. After that, you're back to waiting for an early Christmas gift. This time around, Edward Norton (The French Dispatch), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision), Leslie Odom Jr (The Many Saints of Newark), Jessica Henwick (The Gray Man), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Music) and Dave Bautista (Thor: Love and Thunder) all join Craig, and the action moves to Europe. If you saw the original — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how it works from there. There's a lavish setting, that aforementioned big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. Glass Onion takes place on a Greek island, but also sends its various players on a cruise — and yes, thinking about Agatha Christie, including this year's Death on the Nile, is a natural reaction. "Lock the doors. Stay in your rooms. Everyone is in danger," Blanc advises in the sneak peek, because all of that goes with the territory as well. Is the culprit Bautista's Duke Cody on the yacht? Hudson's Birdie Jay in the games room? Hahn's Claire Debella by the pool? You'll have to watch to find out. Just like its predecessor, Glass Onion is both written and directed by Rian Johnson, with the filmmaker moving onto the franchise after 2017's Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi — and still indulging his love of on-screen puzzles, as shone through in Brick and Looper as well. Check out the first trailer for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery below: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will hit Australian and New Zealand cinemas from Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29, then become available to stream via Netflix from Friday, December 23. Images: John Wilson/Netflix © 2022.
The imminent opening of the new Sydney Metro line has been hogging the public infrastructure spotlight of late, but there is another Sydney transport project also nearing completion that deserves to be on your radar. While the City and Southwest Metro line will connect Chatswood north of the harbour with Sydenham in the south, the new L4 Light Rail line will offer easier access between Westmead and Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD in the city's west. Since December 2023, testing has been taking place on the new light rail route to ensure all 16 stops on the 12-kilometre line and the systems that serve them are in good working order. Much like the tests currently being conducted on the Metro extension, the L4's final phase of assessments, which commenced on July 8, has been putting operators through their paces, with simulations of emergencies and unexpected disruptions to make sure no situation, no matter how challenging, is beyond the capabilities of light rail staff. A date for the start of public services is yet to be announced. "L4 will deliver more convenient and connected journeys for tens of thousands of people every day. This will make it easier for people to move between work, home, and key areas like the Westmead Health Precinct, Parramatta CBD and CommBank Stadium," NSW Premier Chris Minns said. "The people of Western Sydney deserve this kind of public transport — and these final tests mean it's looking like all systems go for the L4 in the coming months." The opening of the L4 line is just one of a number of transport initiatives being delivered in and around Parramatta that will make Western Sydney more connected. A second light rail line with 14 new stops connecting Ermington with Olympic Park via Parramatta was granted funding in the state's 2024/25 budget and the Western Sydney extension of the Metro is scheduled to reach completion by 2032. These infrastructure works are closely aligned with Parramatta's 25-year rejuvenation pathway. The Parramatta 2050 vision aims to transform Sydney's western CBD into a world-class cultural, educational and creative hub by the middle of the century. Job creation initiatives, investment in cultural institutions like Riverside Theatres and the soon-to-open Powerhouse Parramatta, support for live music and hospitality venues to revitalise the 24-hour economy, and the construction of a major new indoor arena where festivals, sporting events and marquee happenings can be staged are all part of the draft plans. The creation of a new university campus at Westmead will also better position Parramatta as a drawcard for international and domestic students. One of the more ambitious undertakings outlined in the Parramatta 2050 plans will establish five distinct zones around the city, each serving a different purpose. These will include a Health and Innovation District in Westmead and North Parramatta; a Headquarters District in the CBD as a hub for international investment and business; a Model City District around Camellia and Rosehill modelling green infrastructure and regenerative approaches to urban living; a Future Jobs District in Silverwater as a pathfinding enterprise for emergent industries; and a Celebration District at Sydney Olympic Park where major public events are held. Find more details about the new L4 Light Rail route on the Transport for NSW website. Images: Transport for NSW
While some people say eating something fresh and healthy will help fix a hangover, in our opinion, there's nothing better than a big piece of crispy fried chicken sandwiched between a couple of pieces of bread to fix a lingering headache. The humble fried chicken sandwich comes in many forms, popping up in different versions all over the world — and all over Sydney. Whether you like it southern-style with a spicy kick, as a classic schnitty on sourdough, or stuffed in pita bread with garlic sauce, this city has you covered. For when you're looking for something to soak up those 'few too many' schooners, or next time you're looking for somewhere new to grab Friday lunch, here are our picks for Sydney's best fried chicken sangas.
Think there's just one Hottest 100 in January? Think again. The second important countdown of the month actually goes rather well with the music poll that just proclaimed Kendrick Lamar's 'HUMBLE' the nation's best track of 2017. In the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers list, great brews are in the spotlight. And, just like its music counterpart, a new victor has come out on top. That'd be Balter Brewing Company, the Gold Coast-based outfit part-owned by surfers Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr and Bede Durbidge. It beat Stone & Wood — the winner of both the 2015 and 2016 polls — to the number one spot, jumping up from fourth last time around in only the brewery's second year of operation. They also had five beers in total in the 2017 list. Now that's something to toast to, ideally with their winning 'XPA' American Pale Ale in your glass. Clearly, plenty of folks did just that throughout 2017. Run by GABS — or the annual brew fest also known as the 'Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular' — the countdown is a 'people's choice' poll is decided by booze-lovers around the country. Elsewhere on the list, 24 brews that first wet lips in the past year were included in the GABS Hottest 100, and 71 from indie brewers as well. If you're particularly keen on either, GABS have also released rundowns of the Hottest 100 New Craft Beers and the Hottest 100 Indie Craft Beers, plus the next 100 from the main countdown. If you're thinking "less background, more beer", here's what you've been waiting for: the rundown of the best beverages from the past year that just keep tempting tastebuds. Working your way through them isn't just a great way to show your appreciation for locally made brews — consider it research for the 2018 countdown. GABS HOTTEST 100 AUSSIE CRAFT BEERS OF 2017 'XPA' American Pale Ale (Balter, QLD)* 'Pacific Ale' Australian Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW)* 'Crankshaft' American IPA (BentSpoke, ACT)* 'Newtowner' Australian Pale Ale (Young Henrys, NSW)* 'Single Fin' International Pale Ale (Gage Roads, WA)* 'Mosaic' American IPA (Pirate Life, SA) NEW 'IPA' American IPA (Balter, QLD)* NEW 'Jedi Juice' New England IPA (Hop Nation, VIC)* NEW GABS 'Beechworth Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (Bridge Road, VIC)* 'KRUSH!' American Pale Ale (KAIJU!, VIC)* 'Little Dove' International Pale Ale (Gage Roads, WA)* 'Former Tenant' Red IPA (Modus Operandi, NSW)* 'IIPA' Double IPA (Pirate Life, SA) 'Hop Hog' American Pale Ale (Feral, WA) 'IPA' American IPA (Pirate Life, SA) 'Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (4 Pines, NSW) 'Juicy' New England IPA (3 Ravens, VIC)* NEW 'Future Factory' Double IPA (Modus Operandi, NSW)* NEW 'Back To The Brewer' New England IPA (Mountain Goat, VIC) NEW 'Pale Ale' Australian Pale Ale (Black Hops, QLD)* NEW 'Sonic Prayer' American IPA (Modus Operandi, NSW)* 'One Fifty Lashes' Australian Pale Ale (James Squire, NSW) 'Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (Pirate Life, SA) 'Sprocket' American IPA (BentSpoke, ACT)* NEW 'Coast Ale' California Common (Capital, ACT)* 'Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (Little Creatures, WA/VIC) 'Barley Griffin' Australian Pale Ale (BentSpoke, ACT)* 'Trail Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (Capital, ACT)* 'Wild Yak' Australian Pale Ale (Yak Ales, VIC) 'IPA' American IPA (Fixation, NSW)* 'VPA' American Pale Ale (Nail, WA)* 'War Hog' American IPA (Feral, WA) 'XPA' International Pale Ale (Philter, NSW)* NEW 'Vanilla Milk Stout' Sweet Stout (Thirsty Crow, NSW)* 'Atomic' American Pale Ale (Gage Roads, WA)* 'Windjammer' American IPA (Green Beacon, QLD)* 'Kolsch' Kölsch (4 Pines, NSW) 'Furphy Refreshing Ale' Kölsch (Furphy, VIC) 'India Red Ale' Specialty IPA (Prancing Pony, SA)* 'The Matriarch' New England IPA (CoConspirators, VIC)* NEW 'Indian Summer Ale' Australian Pale Ale (4 Pines, NSW) 'Throwback' American IPA (Pirate Life, SA) 'Pilsner' German Pilsner (Balter, QLD)* NEW 'Korben D.' Double IPA (Akasha, NSW)* 'Golden Stout Time' Sweet Stout (Big Shed, SA)* GABS 'Cloud Catcher' Australian Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW)* 'Twisted Palm' American Pale Ale (Burleigh, QLD)* 'Bling' American IPA (Bridge Road, VIC)* 'Three Sheets' Australian Pale Ale (Lord Nelson, NSW)* 'Mount Tennent' American Pale Ale (Pact, ACT)* 'The Mountie' Specialty Beer (Stockade, NSW)* NEW GABS 'Squish' Specialty IPA (Fixation, NSW)* NEW 'Wayfarer' American Wheat (Green Beacon, QLD)* 'Hopsmith' American IPA (Akasha, NSW)* 'Hornet' American IPA (Black Hops, QLD)* NEW '3 Bolt' American Pale Ale (Green Beacon, QLD)* 'Summer Hop Ale' American IPA (Young Henrys, NSW)* 'Small Ale' American Pale Ale (Colonial, WA/VIC)* 'Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (Colonial, WA/VIC)* 'Steam Ale' California Common (Mountain Goat, VIC) 'Natural Lager' Pale Kellerbier (Young Henrys, NSW)* 'Dark Ale' Porter (White Rabbit, VIC) 'Spearhead' Australian Pale Ale (Cricketers Arms, VIC) 'Fat Yak' Australian Pale Ale (Yak Ales, VIC) 'IPA' Specialty IPA (Colonial, WA/VIC)* 'Pale' American Pale Ale (Modus Operandi, NSW)* 'Dog Days' Australian Pale Ale (Little Creatures, WA/VIC) 'Evil Eye' Red IPA (Capital, ACT)* 'Pale Ale' Australian Pale Ale (Kosciuszko, NSW) 'Taco' Specialty Beer (Two Birds, VIC)* GABS 'Old Mate' American Pale Ale (Moon Dog, VIC)* 'Summer Ale' Blonde Ale (Mountain Goat, VIC) 'Garden Ale' Australian Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW)* 'Hazelnut Brown Ale' English Brown Ale (Bad Shepherd, VIC)* 'Tusk' Double IPA (Feral, WA) 'Hazy Craze' New England IPA (White Lies, QLD)* NEW 'Session IPA' Specialty IPA (Modus Operandi, NSW)* 'Aftermath' Double IPA (KAIJU!, VIC)* 'TPP Strong Pale Ale' American Pale Ale (Pirate Life [SA] / Ballast Point [USA]) NEW 'Vanilla Malt Thickshake' Winter Seasonal Beer (Pirate Life, SA) NEW GABS 'The Punch' Gose (Hop Nation, VIC)* 'Juicy Banger' Dry Hopped Lager (Blackman's, VIC)* NEW 'Biggie Juice' New England IPA (Feral, WA) NEW '7 Bells' Gose (Green Beacon, QLD)* NEW 'Blood Orange New England Rye IPA' New England IPA (Dainton, VIC)* NEW 'The Swindler' Australian Pale Ale (James Squire, NSW) NEW '28' American Pale Ale (Burleigh, QLD)* 'India Pale Lager' Pale Lager (Beerfarm, WA)* 'Bighead' Pale Lager (Burleigh, QLD)* 'Black Metal Disco' Sweet Stout (Balter, QLD)* NEW 'Passion Victim' Australian Pale Ale (Two Birds, VIC)* NEW 'Robust Porter' Porter (Bridge Road, VIC)* 'Session Ale' Australian Pale Ale (Mismatch, SA)* 'Pale' American Pale Ale (Mornington Peninsula, VIC)* '8bit' American IPA (Stockade, NSW)* 'Alt Brown' American Brown Ale (Balter, QLD)* 'Sparkling Ale' Australian Sparkling Ale (Coopers, SA)* 'Bright Ale' Australian Pale Ale (Little Creatures, WA/VIC) 'Little Bling' Specialty IPA (Bridge Road, VIC)* 'Rogers' American Amber Ale (Little Creatures, WA/VIC) * — Brewed by an independent brewery. NEW — First brewed in 2017. GABS — Brewed especially for GABS Beer, Cider & Food Fest. Image: Balter Brewing Company.
Giving Australians the Shake Shack experience we can't otherwise have because Shake Shack somehow doesn't operate on our shores yet, Betty's Burgers isn't short on reasons for burg lovers to stop by. And, it's also known for serving up quite the range of specials, including lobster rolls, prawn rolls and steak sandos. But if you want to try its latest creation — and, given that it's a truffle cheeseburger, you will — you'll also need to book a flight. In a first for both Betty's and Virgin Australia, the two brands have teamed up to add burgs to the latter's airport lounge menus in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That means that pre-flight burgers can now be a part of your departure routine — as long as you have access to Virgin's airport lounges, that is. There are a few other caveats involved, too. Those truffle cheeseburgers are only available at the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airport lounges, and so is the chain's new take on popcorn chicken, if that prompts you to pay for membership. Also, you'll need to be flying on a Thursday or Friday, and at around dinnertime, as that's when the Betty's menu items will be available. Still, if you have a trip in your future and you love burgs, this'll set your stomach a-rumbling. It's the latest step in Betty's efforts to spread its burgers far and wide, after initially setting up shop in Noosa, first expanding to the Gold Coast, and then setting up shop in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. For more information about Betty's Burgers and its new Classic Plant burg, head to the chain's website.
Want to invest in crypto but aren't sure where to begin? Or are you already investing and want to avoid paying those pesky trading fees? Whether you're a crypto pro or total novice, you can now start investing in crypto sans trading fees via the Finder app. To celebrate the launch of Finder's new fee-free crypto-trading function, it's throwing a Bitcoin Drop Party where it'll be giving away a share of Bitcoin to everyone who signs up to the app. Once you've joined, you'll then have the chance to score even more Bitcoin via daily prize drops until the virtual party wraps up at 5pm on Monday, March 7. There's $200,000 worth of Bitcoin in total to be won, so don't worry, there's plenty to go round. Keen to join the party and to nab yourself some free Bitcoin while you're at it? The Finder Bitcoin Drop Party is happening online until 5pm, Monday, March 7. For more information and to read the terms and conditions, visit the website.
