Vacationing closer to home shouldn't mean settling for unimaginative getaways. Australia has its own collection of holiday paradises, stunning sights and supreme vacation vibes without the long-haul flight — including the lush hinterland region of Queensland's Sunshine Coast, sitting around 90 minutes north of Brisbane. Here, you'll find cosy couples' cabins, treehouse hideaways and stunning rural retreats, all perfectly located to the area's famed nature walks, hinterland villages and sandy beaches. We've done the hard work for you and pulled together a list of the most stunning Sunshine Coast hinterland stays you can book right now. Pick a winner, pack your bags and get ready to recharge those batteries with a blissed-out rainforest retreat. Recommended reads: The Best Dog-Friendly-Stays in Queensland The Best Places to Go Glamping in Queensland The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Island Stays in Queensland 629 Balmoral Ridge, Balmoral Ridge Stay on top of the world at this stunning ridgetop retreat, complete with epic views and a roomy deck from which to soak it all in. From $690 a night, sleeps four. Blue Summit Cottages Luxury Escape, Witta Boasting a fireplace, living room spa and sweeping views across the treetops, this self-contained cottage makes for an idyllic couples' escape. From $414 a night, sleeps two. Pencil Creek Cottage, Mapleton Break from reality at this charming couples' cottage, set among the leafy surrounds of Mapleton. Log fire, four-poster bed and peaceful deck, all included. From $297 a night, sleeps two. Cuddle Cottage, Montville This picture-perfect cottage for two comes kitted out with a romantic loft bedroom, plus a sunny terrace for afternoon cocktails with a view. From $195 a night, sleeps two. The Farm on Razorback Ridge, Montville A lofty retreat set on ten hectares of farmland and rainforest. Enjoy sunny days splashing in the pool and nights unwinding by the fire. From $1146 a night, sleeps ten. Bird Song Valley, Montville Experience your own slice of hinterland paradise at this breezy revamped Queenslander, complete with crisp styling, wraparound verandahs and a luxurious master tub. From $375 a night, sleeps six. Couples Spa Suite Retreat, Montville Unwind and reconnect in this luxury honeymoon suite. The balcony spa bath, bio-fuel fireplace and treetop views are getaway goals. From $350 a night, sleeps four. Treetops Seaview, Montville With its breathtaking outlook, this private treetop hideaway feels worlds away from reality. Lounge on the sun-drenched deck, or soak up epic views in the spa. From $512 a night, sleeps two. Cobhearthome, Maleny Tread lightly with a stay at this award-winning Mediterranean-style eco-cottage, decked out with colourful murals and boasting views across lush green rainforest. How much? From $230 a night, sleeps four. The Wilds Container Home, Dulong This converted shipping container home is an architectural delight, enveloped by nature. Enjoy a stylish hideaway, with luxe features and a private, leafy setting. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Treehaus, Valdora Tranquility meets style at this breezy nature retreat. Unwind with the help of luxurious linens, a blissful courtyard garden and a toasty fire pit. From $180 a night, sleeps four. The Bower Couples' Cabin, Wootha Surrounded by rainforest, this charming timber cabin makes for a romantic hideout year-round. Snuggle fireside, unwind in the claw-foot tub, or laze by the shared pool. From $165 a night, sleeps two. All images courtesy of Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Arriving in the Blue Mountains village of Leura, the town's soundtrack normally consists of lorikeets and perhaps the distant trickle of cool-climate cascades. But with the opening of Little Sista, this historic commune and its picture-perfect shopping strip has scored a different kind of groove. Opened by Andrew and Dora Tsaroumis, this focaccia-first cafe is bringing plenty of flavour to the scene, with the family's Greek heritage informing its considered menu. Yet it goes deeper, too, drawing on the Hellenic philosophy of filoxenia — meaning "friend to strangers" — where every guest is embraced as part of the family. Besides this welcoming ideal, what gives Little Sista its edge is its love of vinyl tunes. Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, daily-made focaccia takes centre stage, while the cafe setup you'd normally expect feels a little more like a 60s lounge room. Linger with your sanga, bopping your head to the rhythm of the day. Don't assume the vinyl setup plays second fiddle. Built into custom cabinetry, a curated record collection is proudly displayed, while a Rega Planar 6 record player, Wharfedale Linton speakers and a Marantz Model 40n amplifier deliver the warm and uncompromising sounds of wax. As for the food menu, the Med-leaning options satisfy from the first bite. Take the crowd favourite — the 'Everything She Wants' — featuring prosciutto, mortadella, sopressa and more, served with mozzarella, pesto and sundried tomatoes. Meanwhile, Little Sista builds on everyday cafe staples, serving up iced lattes and matcha alongside fresh juices, traditional tiramisu and playful stone-fruit cheesecake served in cans, ready for a windy cruise through the Blue Mountains. "Everything centres around the focaccia, made fresh and served the way we love to eat it — simple, generous and made to be shared," says Andrew Tsaroumis, a Leura hospitality veteran for over 20 years. "It's fresh, it's fun and it still feels like home." Little Sista is open daily from 8am–4pm at 4/130-138 Megalong St, Leura. Head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
The start of the new year brings many exciting restaurant openings to Sydney, including an old-school Italian joint coming to The Rocks. Grappa, a beloved Leichhardt establishment, is set to open its second outpost in early 2026, in an iconic building within The Rocks. Charlie Colosi and his father, Antonio, opened Grappa in 1999. Ever since, it has been serving classic Italian food, and a healthy selection of wines with a cellar boasting over 300 bottles. And no surprise given its moniker, the venue also specialises in grappa, with over 100 varietals to sample. Now, Charlie and his wife Virginie are bringing their well-known old-school hospitality, warm service and timeless food to a vibrant new spot in the CBD. "The Rocks has an energy we've always loved, and bringing Grappa there just felt right, especially in the iconic building that housed the first Rockpool. We're all about old-school hospitality: making guests feel at home the second they walk in. The food will always be our pride and joy — all pasta, pizzas, bread and desserts are made in-house, and the wood-fire oven will bring the same flavour people know from Leichhardt, with the addition of custom wood-fired grills from the Brick Chef to cook amazing seafood, meats and vegetables," says Charlie. While the new venue will resemble its predecessor in its food and hospitality offerings, it will be elevated with a cocktail bar and al fresco dining with enviable views of the harbour bridge. Charlie says, "We want guests to feel like they've had a night in Italy without leaving Sydney. Great wine at fair prices, a standout grappa list, and an amazing vintage bar upstairs where people can go and unwind after a big meal. We can't wait to open the doors and start looking after people the way we do best." Images: Supplied.
From Sydney's sandstone cathedrals to cosy, hidden bookstores, there's Harry Potter™ inspiration everywhere if you look hard enough. In December, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is performing the first film's entire majestic soundtrack live for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone™ In Concert at the Sydney Opera House. To get you excited for all things wizarding world, we've created the ultimate Harry Potter™-inspired day in Sydney that feels straight out of Hogwarts. So, pack your wands (leave the owls) and enjoy a magical day out. Brunch at The Grounds Coffee Factory, South Eveleigh Begin your quest at The Grounds Coffee Factory in South Eveleigh, where whimsical styling and a hearty meal will set the tone for your day. Located inside The Locomotive Workshop, a heritage-listed railway factory built in the 1800s, the Coffee Factory offers industrial charm that could be the breakfast spot for Platform 9 ¾. Slide into one of the train-inspired booths and enjoy their delicious diner-style menu. [caption id="attachment_1077698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phillip Minnis[/caption] Head to the Great Hall, AKA St Mary's Cathedral Next, jump on a train to Hyde Park and head to St Mary's Cathedral. It's the site of the first Catholic chapel in Australia, opening in 1838. The grand building is inspired by 13th century Gothic architecture, making it a perfect replica of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Take your time wandering the chapel and admiring the stained glass windows. You can almost hear the Sorting Hat ceremony taking place under the high ceilings. [caption id="attachment_1077699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gavin Guan[/caption] Find Dark Academia Energy at Sydney University Quadrangle Still keen on some Harry Potter™-inspired architecture? Head to the University of Sydney's Quadrangle. Despite being the grounds of a university, the quadrangle is so famous it literally has its own Wikipedia page, and its main building and interior were listed on the City of Sydney's local government heritage list. The neo-Gothic architecture is awe-inspiring, and you can even join guided tours, including the University's heritage group tour. Simply wear a Griffyndor scarf, enjoy some dark academia, and you're basically in Hogwarts. Find the Magic at Berkelouw Bookstore Every wizard needs a good spellbook, and at Berkelouw in Paddington, there are three (yes, three) storeys of new, rare, and secondhand titles that'll help you feel like you're walking along Diagon Alley. The heritage terrace adds to the charm, and there's something magical about climbing a staircase to a library. Grab a copy of Harry Potter™ and enjoy a break at their cafe, Cafe 1812. Cosy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESCAPE THIS | Sydney Escape Rooms (@escapethissydney) Wizard Chamber Escape Room Ready to put your magical skills to the test? Wizard Chamber Escape Room lets you and your friends face off against dark sorcerers and solve magical puzzles. With immersive set design and high-stakes challenges, it's the closest you'll get to battling the dark arts (without enrolling in Hogwarts). Simply ensure your witch or wizard friends are 9 years or older, and you can embark on your mission to save the world of magic. Old Mates Sydney After all that dark arts fighting, you'll be ready for a drink. If not with children, head to Old Mates Sydney for an underground whisky pre-concert. With leather booths, old books, and moody lighting, you can pretend you're in the Leaky Cauldron sipping on Butterbeer with Ron and Hermione. [caption id="attachment_1077697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney Symphony Orchestra[/caption] Finish With the Magical Sydney Symphony Orchestra For the grand finale, make your way to the Sydney Opera House and experience the magic of the first film live with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone™ In Concert. Running across five performances from Wednesday, December 2 to Saturday, December 5, the film that began the series will be screened in high definition, while the in-person orchestra brings John Williams' epic score to life. Whether you're a lifelong Potterhead or want to introduce the magic of the series to a new generation, hearing the spellbinding score live and in person is sure to be a memorable end to a magical day. Book your tickets now. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone™ In Concert is rated PG. Please note: children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times when attending concerts at the venue. All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.
A new and unique dining experience has arrived at Martin Place from the team behind some of Sydney's most renowned restaurants. Aalia is the new flagship restaurant from Esca, the hospitality group in charge of Nour, Lilymu, Henrietta and Cuckoo Callay. The group's latest and most extravagant offering, Aalia, is opening in the new dining precinct in the former MLC Centre space. The 150-seat restaurant offers to take diners on a journey through the history of Middle Eastern food. The dishes have been created by the restaurant's Executive Chef Paul Farag of Nour to demonstrate the rich culinary diversity of the area. "Through food, we're trying to showcase a beautiful region of the world which almost everyone seems to forget has a luscious coastline, flanked by oceans, rivers, and seas," Farag says. "I want this menu to reflect a lighter way of shared eating — in the same way you assume a Mediterranean restaurant is going to be bright and fresh in flavour, this is truly the same principle for Middle Eastern cuisine." Diners will be presented with a wide array of raw and mezze options to begin their meal. Oysters ($6), king salmon ($29), potato and lentil tart ($9), king prawn skewers ($18) and hand-stretched haloumi ($23) are all on offer for those looking to create an abundant table of shared dishes or ease into the meal before turning to the impressive selections of seafood and meat. As for the larger dishes, think Murray cod masgouf ($65), almond-crusted John dory ($54), lamb neck shawarma ($56) and mb5+ dry-aged wagyu rib ($26/100g). There's also Persian caviar service on offer, served with malawach, shallots, labneh and a sprinkling of chives. The indecisive among us can leave the selections up to the chefs with the $125 per person banquet menu, curated by Farag himself. Designed to share, the degustation is available for parties of four or more and features the lamb shawarma, almond John Dory and haloumi, as well as eggplant mes 'a' aha, quail skewers, a spread of Middle Eastern sides and a decadent Valrhona chocolate kataifi for dessert. "The idea behind the menu itself is to start with a few raw dishes and mezze, followed by mains and sides, with each dish crafted to represent a particular region or specific era of Arabic culture," Farag says. Highballs, spritzes and inventive cocktails are all on offer to accompany your one-of-a-kind feast. Start off easy with a peach vermouth and hopped grapefruit spritz ($20), or opt for something a bit more stiff like the tobacco old fashioned ($24) made with raw cacao bourbon, date molasses and orange tobacco. Venue images: Christopher Pearce
Easter, no matter your religious inclinations, is a time for leisure. When that long-awaited long weekend rolls around, it's all in on chocolate, but beforehand? A particular treat becomes the focus of bakeries around the world. And, thankfully, a stack of local Sydney bakeries are here to fix your hot-crossed cravings, both the classic and unconventional, launching their goodies from kitchens and storefronts all over town. Have a read of our selections, and we guarantee that soon you'll be tucking into some handcrafted Easter buns, plump with fruit, loaded with spices and slathered with lashings of butter. From the traditional glazed version to some crafty new-world remixes, here's where to get your sweet treat fix this Easter. Humble Bakery First things first, the classics. The classic hot cross bun is a simple thing, glazed bread, the definitive cross, spiced fruit…memorable, yet humble. Where else to get a refined example of the classic than at Humble Bakery? Returning for 2026, Humble's classic hot cross bun sees freshly ground cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger mixed into dough with raisins, sultanas, apricots, cranberries and an orange peel, then baked and finished with a spiced glaze. You can get them individually in-store or pre-order online, from now until Monday, April 6. Find Humble Bakery at Shop 2, 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills, Shop 1, 333 Kent Street and Shop 19, 16-20 Loftus Lane. [caption id="attachment_1082512" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Trent Van Der Jagt[/caption] Brooklyn Boy Bagels Brooklyn Boy Bagels is adding a bit of Manhattan-style spin to the Easter menu, with not one but three hot cross bun-style choices to keep us fed throughout the Easter period. There's a classic, made with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sultanas, cranberries, and candied orange, then finished with an orange and maple glaze. But for the unconventional, the Hot Cross Bagel reimagines the treat in bagel form with a vanilla glaze cross, and a Red Velvet Hot Cross Bun puts some colour and cocoa powder into the mix, best enjoyed with Brooklyn Boy's cultured butter, hazelnut or cream cheese spreads. Get them individually in-store or by the six packs online. Find Brooklyn Boy Bagels at 74 Reservoir St, Surry Hills and 19 Carrington Rd, Marrickville. Tokyo Lamington The masters of cubed baked goods, Tokyo Lamington, is joining the Easter season with a few different treats. This year's spin on the hot cross bun is the product of a collaboration with Benriach Distillery called the Scotch Cross Bun — which sees the fruit infused with Benriach's The Original Ten and the bun finished with a scotch glaze. There's also the Scotch Caramel Easter Lamington, pairing a chocolate sponge with a decadent whisky caramel centre. Order yours online now. Find Tokyo Lamington at 277 Australia St, Newtown and 140 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville. Kafe Kooks If you've ever tucked into a side dish of crispy roti bread and thought, "why can't I eat more meals with this?", you've clearly never been to Kafe Kooks. This Ultimo eatery heroes the humble roti with every menu item, including an unconventional but delicious-sounding Easter treat. The Hot Cross Bom reimagines things with buttery, hand-stretched roti stuffed with cinnamon and raisins — a departure from the norm, but delicious nonetheless. You can get yours in-store now until the end of Easter. Find Kafe Kooks at 63 Mountain St, Ultimo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonoma Artisan Bakers (@sonomabakery) Sonoma Sonoma's hand-crafted breads and pastries have long had a cult following among Sydney's sweet-tooths and carb-lovers. Of course, that includes much-loved seasonal creation, the 'Not Cross Bun' — a riff on the classic hot cross bun featuring mixed fruits, sweetly spiced dough and an orange glaze, each emblazoned with a signature Sonoma 'S'. You can order them for pickup online, then enjoy them as Sonoma recommends, with cultured butter or a scoop of ice cream if you want to really indulge. Find Sonoma at 32-44 Birmingham St, Alexandria, R10/178 Campbell Parade, Bondi, 215a Glebe Point Road, Glebe, 80 Norton St, Leichhardt, Shop 1/12-16 MacMahon Place, Menai and Shop 1, 779 New South Head Road, Rose Bay. Loulou Since its beginnings, Loulou has opened up six locations across Sydney to serve its classy French fare — and that ethos extends to its take on hot cross buns. What's more French in a baked context than brioche? Loulou's Hot Heart Buns are brioche galore, a buttery delight of a base that uses 500 grams of butter for every kilogram of dough. The three choices? Traditional, chocolate chip, or chocolate-hazelnut custard-stuffed. You can get yours at Loulou Milson's Point, Petit Loulou and Cafe Loulou. Find Loulou at 61 Lavender St, Milsons Point, 1 Elizabeth St (Cnr Elizabeth & Hunter St), Martin Place and 168 McLaren St, North Sydney. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Concrete Playground Sydney (@concreteplayground) Shadow Baking Born from the same mad culinary geniuses behind Messina, Shadow Baking treats never disappoint. That much extends to their Easter range, which is seeing Hot X Scrolls land in their stores across Sydney. These are a marriage of a croissant and a hot cross bun, with two flavour options. Classic Fruit is a laminated spiced pastry filled with spiced fruit and vanilla custard, and Dark Chocolate, which adds that very ingredient to the mix — making a treat that tastes as good as it looks. Get yours by the six-pack in-store now. Find Shadow Baking at 243 Victoria St, Darlinghurst and 1 Rich St, Marrickville. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Flour and Stone (@flourandstone) Flour and Stone Woolloomooloo's cult-favourite neighbourhood bakery is being typically quirky for their spin on the Easter season. This year, it's Easter Buns are inspired by a Florencian Easter treat named Panderamirino. These are brioche buns infused with orange zest, rosemary, cardamom and currants, glazed with egg wash and dusted with sugar. Get them in-store or pre-order for delivery online now. Find Flour and Stone at 43 Riley St, Woolloomooloo. Baker Bleu Though predominantly a Melbourne bakery, Baker Bleu does indeed have a Sydney outpost where you can find its renowned Easter treats. While you can't go wrong with the cinnamon-and-ginger-spiced traditional variety, those in the know line up for one particular product during the Easter period: the sour cherry and dark chocolate buns. The mix of acidic sour cherries, creamy 64% couverture chocolate and warming spices makes this one of the best buns in the game. And this year, to complement said buns, Baker Bleu is adding an iced hot cross bun latte, an iced cherry chocolate drink, and hot cross bun soft serves to their Easter menu. Find Baker Bleu at 2 Guilfoyle Ave, Double Bay. Martha's We've explored plenty of gourmet tune-ups on the classic recipe, and plenty of fun alternatives too, but no other bakery except Martha's has a rotating mix of hot cross buns on offer. Starting this week, three flavours will roll out once a week. First up is a classic-style bun with whipped butter and pink salt, followed by a chocolate and dulce de leche bun in week two, and a finale of a peanut butter and jelly bun: a ruby chocolate bun with strawberry compote and whipped peanut cream. Find Martha's at 312 Great N Rd, Wareemba. Norma's Deli Ordering hot cross buns individually is the sensible choice, by the six pack, that's more fun — but how about in a wheel of 30 buns? Now you're talking. For that, you need to head to Norma's Deli in Manly, where you can order a massive made-for-sharing wheel of either classic or chocolate hot cross buns. Pick it up fresh for $68 and take it straight to the table, where you and any backup you might need can tear it apart with your bare hands and no small amount of festive Easter glee. Find Norma's Deli at 74-78 The Corso, Manly. Images: supplied Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
The City of Sydney has announced its largest expansion on the Special Entertainment Precincts initiative yet, with proposals prepped to boost late-night trading for over 5000 businesses in 20 precincts across Sydney, enhancing nightlife possibilities for hundreds of thousands of Sydneysiders. These precinct rulings began in 2021 in Enmore, protecting businesses within designated areas from noise complaints and other restrictions after dark. After performing extensive community consultation, the City of Sydney has announced that a number of existing entertainment precincts will receive further benefits, and several other late-night trading zones will be "upgraded to a later tier". These expansions include Harris Street in Ultimo, Meagher and Shepherd Streets in Chippendale, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Botany Road and the Hollywood Quarter (parts of Campbell, Foster and Commonwealth streets in Surry Hills). Venues in these designated zones will be able to trade later, and will be granted access to a number of NSW Government benefits, including an 80 percent discount on liquor licence fees, and an extension to licensing hours. Announcing the expansions, Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO, said: "This will be the largest overhaul of late-night trading of its kind in Australia." "Our community has resoundingly voiced its support for our plans so far, highlighting the fact that we want to see a nightlife that reflects our status as a global city," Moore added. "The community has also asked us to allow some areas to trade even later and we've listened." [caption id="attachment_850746" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ben Sanford[/caption] Factoring in the potential fallout for residents and following acoustic testing in the proposed areas, the City of Sydney has included bespoke sound rules in the proposals. Though the hours are meant to be extended as a baseline, the sound levels of specific areas will be determined by the time of day and will be tailored at a street-specific level. "Businesses will have clarity about how loud they can be at what time, while residents will rest easy in the knowledge that their needs have been taken into account," Moore explained. One venue included in the expanded offer is Butter, already a cornerstone of late-night dining, and now it's getting ready to build on that in a big way. Co-Founder Julian Cincotta can't wait for the new opportunities, saying, "For businesses like ours, later trading means we can better support live music, events and collaborations across the neighbourhood." "What's exciting about these changes is that they support the whole ecosystem of a precinct rather than individual venues operating in isolation. It allows hospitality venues, bars and cultural spaces to operate in sync with each other, rather than shutting down just as the area is getting busy." For more information on Special Entertainment Precincts and to find out more about the latest rollout, visit the City of Sydney website. Lead image: Ed Hurst for City of Sydney Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Working from home is a dangerous perk. Whether you're a freelancer or lucky enough to have a flexible full-time gig, using your couch as your office can end in disaster. You start with good intentions. You write a list. You send a few emails. You open that report that needs fixing. Then you open Facebook. Next, you check Instagram. And text back your mate to lock in drinks on the weekend. And then it's 11.15 am and you're no closer to the finish line. Sometimes, we need some fresh air to get the work done. Although a visit to the library can be productive (we recommend heading to the ones in Green Square or Surry Hills if you're in the area), there's something strangely motivating about working from a cafe. There's the soft hum of conversation, the friendly faces behind the bar and, of course, infinite quantities of caffeine on hand. If you're looking for the perfect spot to pull up a stool and hit to the keyboard, we've rounded up ten of the best Sydney cafes you need to visit with your laptop in hand.
Is a long lunch complete without oysters? Ask any Sydney local, and they'd give you a firm 'No'. Ideally enjoyed with a crisp and cold beverage in hand, freshly shucked oysters make for the perfect dining delicacy. This season, there's one oyster in particular to seek out: Albany Rock Oysters. Harvested on the south coast of Western Australia, and available from November through to April, the oysters thrive in the region's cool, nutrient-rich waters. This results in a bright and balanced flavour profile of sea spray brine and grassy undertones with a hint of watermelon rind and cucumber to top it off. Below, we've rounded up eight Sydney venues where you can order Albany Rock Oysters and what drink to pair with them. Book a table, text the group chat, and enjoy while they're still on the menus this season. Bathers' Pavilion, Mosman It's a fact of life that oysters taste better with an ocean view. Sorry, we don't make the rules. Set on Balmoral Beach and overlooking Middle Harbour, Bathers' Pavilion combines the beachside elegance Sydney's known for with a modern European-Australian menu. Bather's Pavilion also serves over 350 wines, so order your fresh oysters with a Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris or New Zealand Chenin Blanc while admiring the view. Felons Seafood, Manly Manly is built for summer seafood sessions, and Felons Seafood is one of Sydney's best venues to enjoy it in. Felon's Seafood Manly offers fresh seafood produce, including Albany Rock Oysters, with a waterfront view. Enjoy small share plates and large seafood-focused platters, paired with one of Felon's signature crisp lagers. [caption id="attachment_757979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Mimi's, Coogee Described as coastal fine dining, Mimi's at Coogee Pavilion serves freshly shucked oysters with a white Kampot pepper mignonette. Featuring a touch of Mediterranean influence and Sydney glamour, Mimi's is a perfect long lunch destination. Pair your oysters with Mimi's range of champagne for special celebrations. Otto, Woolloomooloo Lauded for its modern Italian food, Otto in Woolloomooloo is a mainstay of the Sydney dining scene. With harbour views, fresh linen and Italian hospitality, Otto is one to add to your Saturday lunch list. Pair your freshly shucked Western Australian oysters with a glass of chilled Swinney Frankland River Riesling, also in WA. Public Dining Room, Mosman One of Sydney's renowned fine dining restaurants, Public Dining Room, celebrates the best local, seasonal produce with a large focus on fresh seafood. The restaurant overlooks the picturesque Balmoral Beach, so you can enjoy Albany Rock Oysters while sipping on a bright gin and tonic on a warm afternoon. Flaminia, Circular Quay Flaminia brings a different angle to the oyster long lunch: more inner-city date-night energy than relaxed Sunday lunch. If you like your seafood with a side of mood lighting and a stellar wine list, you're in the right place. Order a serving of freshly shucked oysters and a glass of Italian prosecco before a show at the Sydney Opera House. Lugarno Seafood Restaurant, Lugarno If you're in the mood to go full seafood feast, Lugarno is an old-school Sydney venue that delivers. The restaurant has been around for over three decades, serving fresh (and tasty) seafood daily. Settle in for an entreé of Albany Rock Oysters before diving into Lugarno's à la carte menu. Pair your meal with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for a relaxing, long lunch by the water. Felons Brewing Co, Manly Wharf Sometimes you don't need a white tablecloth long lunch. You just need sun, a harbour breeze, and oysters that are served cold and freshly shucked. Felons Brewing Co at Manly Wharf is ideal for a casual afternoon outing that still feels like a treat. Pair your oysters with a crisp pale ale and a Manly sunset. Try Albany Rock Oysters before the season passes. Lead Image: Steve Woodburn
Presented as part of the Sydney International Art Series 2025–26, Data Dreams: Art and AI is an exhibition that's sparking nuanced conversations surrounding artificial intelligence. MCA has brought together ten visionary contemporary artists at the forefront of technology to unpack how AI is transforming the way we exist in the modern era. Spanning a series of interconnected gallery spaces, the exhibition looks at the cultural, political, and environmental impact of artificial intelligence that society is currently grappling with. [caption id="attachment_1076493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamish McIntosh[/caption] Through multi-sensory installations, paintings, films, sculptures, and imagery, Data Dreams aims to tackle the big questions: Who holds the power behind the algorithm? How is AI shaping our perception of reality? And, of course, what does it mean to be human in an era of such intense technological change? The exhibition isn't encouraging AI "slop", but rather, exploring how we are intersecting with the technology. A number of international artists (who have been at the forefront of critically engaging with artificial intelligence for decades) have contributed their work, including Angie Abdilla, Kate Crawford, Vladan Joler, Fabien Giraud, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Christopher Kulendran Thomas, Agnieszka Kurant, Trevor Paglen, Hito Steyerl, and Anicka Yi. Their pieces contemplate everything from algorithmic bias and surveillance to the environmental cost of the data economy. [caption id="attachment_1076490" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamish McIntosh[/caption] Billed as the first exhibition of its kind at an Australian institution, Data Dreams offers a rare chance to see how leading international artists are responding to artificial intelligence today. Supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW, the exhibition is exclusive to Sydney, so you won't catch it anywhere else in the country. The mind-bending exhibition is ticketed with Adult entry starting from just $35 and free entry for MCA members and under 18s. MCA is also open late on Thursday nights from 5–9pm with 2-for-1 tickets on offer. So, consider this your cue to log off and take a critical peek behind the AI curtain. Book your tickets now. Lead image: Anna Kucera
One of Potts Point's beloved diners enters a new era, with Franca Brasserie evolving simply to Franca. With an abbreviated name and a renewed focus, Franca will move towards a more relaxed rhythm of hospitality, while maintaining its philosophy of generous cooking and convivial dining. "Our clientele has always guided our approach. The original concept was classical, individual courses. But somewhere along the way, almost every table became shared. We've been watching our guests for seven years, and this is us following their lead," says founder Andrew Becher. The slight name change reflects a return to the original meaning, 'lingua franca', being the shared language that historically connected cultures across the Riviera. Under Becher's guidance, the next stage in Franca's offering is considered a refinement rather than a reinvention. Executive Chef José Saulog leads the kitchen with a menu that blends classic technique with coastal Euro influences. "The flavours and spirit of coastal Europe, crystallised through classical French technique — that was always the vision for Franca. We feel the time is right to rediscover this, and we have drawn in flavours from Spain, Italy, North Africa and beyond. The result is generous, confident food that we feel suits this city and suits this space," says Saulog. Diners will snack on the likes of crab toast and mushroom parfait, before sharing generous plates of duck lasagne with foie gras, béchamel and preserved tomato and Bonito with confit ratatouille. Group dining will become the focal point with two shared menus designed for parties of eight or more to sample the best the menu has to offer. Drinks are no afterthought in the Euro-inspired dining room. The wine program, curated by Waldeck Ray and Riley O'Doherty, moves confidently between Europe and Australia and is built around the table, rather than the individual, with a focus on bottles rather than glasses. The signature aperitif, an ice-cold mini martini with wakame vermouth, a fresh oyster and caviar, is the ultimate way to start a meal at Franca, setting the tone for an elegant yet relaxed evening out. Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Sorry coffee lovers, becoming an adult is realising that water is actually the ultimate drink. And for one day only at Yo-Chi stores around the country, you can fill up for free and score yourself a sweet two-for-one treat at the same time. Taking place on Wednesday, March 25, Yo-Chi is inviting everyone to fill a reusable bottle or vessel at each store's free water station. Sparkling or still, the choice is yours. But just know plastic isn't accepted — this promo is all about saying goodbye to single-use bottles. View this post on Instagram As your reward for getting hydrated and making an eco-friendly move, the free froyo that comes with your feel-good refill is more than a small bonus. It's buy-one-get-one-free, with the Yo-Chi of lesser value complimentary up to $12. Back in 2022, Yo-Chi stopped selling bottled water, recognising its significant environmental impact. Despite up to $10 million in lost sales, the company turned to free water stations, where every refill means less plastic waste going to landfills. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
The Sydney pub scene has undergone something of a revolution over the past decade, with countless historic watering holes refurbished and revitalised rather than left to just fade away. Some have stripped back the old-school pub vibes in favour of sleek, creative design, while others have changed just enough to keep the roof from caving in — lovingly preserving beer-stained carpets, wood-panelled bar tops and decades of character. This list of the 25 best pubs in Sydney includes a little bit of everything: old and new, sprawling beer gardens and roaring fireplaces, chicken parmies and caviar, and just about everything in between. Read on to see if your favourite local has made the cut — and to potentially discover a local treasure that's been hiding right under your nose. Recommended reads: The Best Bars in Sydney Sydney's Best Beer Gardens The Best Sydney Restaurants The Best Wine Bars in Sydney
The Flynn has undergone a $2 million-plus renovation, ringing in a new era of hospitality. The megapub's new chapter showcases an elevated food offering, a modernised space, and a renewed focus on quality hospitality. From the hospitality group East Coast Collective, The Flynn aims to offer restaurant-level food and service without the hefty price tags. "We wanted to elevate the experience without losing what people love about a great pub. You'll find a level of quality you don't always expect, but with the same relaxed vibe and great value," says Co-owner and Group General Manager Josh Green. At the centre of this transformation is a revitalised menu by acclaimed chef Justin North, which showcases pub classics alongside Asian-inspired dishes and Mediterranean influences. You'll find King Prawn rolls alongside classic steak frites, green tea tuna noodle salads, next to chicken parmis. You won't go thirsty with a selection of spritzes, signature cocktails, and a solid lineup of beers on tap. The massive venue, which can accommodate 200 people, has been reimagined by EJE Architects to create a lighter, more contemporary space, which still maintains the vibrant energy of a CBD pub. Images: Trent van der Jagt. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Each of Sydney's best Italian restaurants is different in its own way. Many of the old-school institutions have been serving the same tried-and-trusted dishes for decades — after all, there's no need to reinvent food that's already been perfected. The service at these classic diners can either be laidback and homey or refined and romantic — simply choose your preferred vibe. And then you have the new wave of Italian eateries in Sydney. Treat yourself to fine dining degustations in converted lofts. Sip on negroni sbagliatos while your basil pesto is freshly made at your table. Or sample some innovative fusions as Italian fare is blended with cuisines from around the world. Whether you're craving tiramisu served by the scoop, pasta dishes swimming in rich sauce or fresh-baked focaccia still warm from the oven, these are the Sydney Italians that can give you your fix. Recommended reads: The Best Pizza in Sydney The Best French Restaurants in Sydney The Best Restaurants in Sydney The Best Wine Bars in Sydney
Potts Points proudly welcomes Parisian-inspired Le Frérot. The all-day diner serves crisp croissants from first thing in the morning and slings midday salads and sandwiches before transforming into an elegant yet easy-going bistro come evening. Standing alongside its older sibling, Franca Brasserie, which you might save for a special occasion, Le Frérot is designed to be a casual and inviting space to be enjoyed seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Le Frérot is the latest venture from Rivage Hospitality, which follows the success of their upscale, elegant French brasserie Franca, serving reimagined French classics such as a chicken liver parfait eclair with hazelnut praline and a pumpkin tarte tatin with blue cheese. Andrew Becher, Managing Director of the group, says, "We're absolutely delighted to be opening Le Frérot in the heart of Potts Point. This new cafe, bar and bistro will bring a fresh French concept to the neighbourhood, right alongside our beloved Franca…Le Frérot gives our guests an all-day dining experience while adding an exciting new layer to what we offer across Franca and Armorica. It's a natural little brother to Franca, with familiar nods to what has made it so successful, but with its own unique character and energy." Taking the lead in the kitchen is José Saulog, Group Executive Chef, who brings classic technique and a creative vision to create a menu that is both luxe and accessible. Mornings are made easier with fresh boulangerie baked goods, woodfired tartines, as well as more lavish dishes such as steak and eggs, Moreton Bay bug benedict and spanner crab omelettes. Classy lunch options include a smoked duck salad or a classic tuna nicoise, as well as speedy sandwiches. Bottomless fries are the star of the show come evening. Served alongside mussels in white wine and kombu butter, pork cutlets, roast duck breast and Black Angus hanger steak, they'll keep coming, as long as you keep eating. Le Frérot has introduced a series of weeknight specials that are too good to pass up. Making Mondays more manageable is Le Frérot's M&M Mondays, where margaritas and martinis are available for just $10 each. At that price, expect a rough wake-up on Tuesday morning because you'll be hard-pressed to stop at just one. And if you're looking to make the mid-week grind a little more exciting, why not try Le Frérot's T Bone Tuesdays? Grab a whopping one-kilogram T-bone steak, served with bottomless fries, for just $99, (just be prepared for the meat sweats). Images: Supplied.
Travel back to the glory days of the late oughts, when Two Door Cinema Club's jangly guitars and undeniably catchy synth lines ruled the world of indie-dance. With the band returning to Sydney, selling out a headline show at the Hordern Pavilion within days, TDCC has just added a second and final appearance at the venue. And for OG fans of the band, it's set to be a show dripping with nostalgia. That's because Two Door Cinema Club will perform their acclaimed debut album Tourist History in full, giving a huge sell-out crowd the chance to relive the band's greatest hits, including 'What You Know', 'Something Good Can Work' and 'Undercover Martyn'. Yet the band won't be doing it alone, inviting The Vaccines to ramp up the indie-laced hooks and rhythms even further. Linking up for this special run of shows, this top-notch support act will celebrate the 15th anniversary of their breakthrough record, performing What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? in full. Happening on Sunday, November 22, Millennials everywhere can expect a night to remember. After all, it's not every day you get to experience an era-defining album from start to finish, while reminiscing on the late-night house parties, the dance floor jams, the tight jeans and excessively long fringes that came and went.
Trading Hamilton for Fortitude Valley, Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery has recently revealed its brand-new flagship clinic in the heart of the James Street precinct. Yet it's more than just a new look. Guided by interior design firm Studio Collective, this considered space aims to redefine healthcare interiors through the lens of boutique hospitality design. In practice, that means saying goodbye to cold, austere waiting rooms and harsh lighting that makes you feel under the spotlight. Instead, Studio Collective have replaced the clinical cues with a softer design language, where warmth, tactile materiality and human-centred design help foster an experience that aspires to be the antithesis of traditional healthcare design. "We were very clear that we didn't want the space to feel clinical," says Studio Collective Director Casey Talbot. "Our aim was to create an environment where people feel at ease the moment they arrive, more like stepping into a private home or hotel than a medical facility." And it's not just patients who see the benefits. With the clinic's support staff making the move across town, the back-of-house areas match the quality guests experience. According to Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Business Manager Lauren Dinneen, the calm and welcoming space "has a real impact on how our team feels at work and how patients experience their visit." To shape the experience, each material was carefully selected for its sensory effect. Here, softly rendered walls, silver travertine, and warm timber tones establish a restful base, while soothing lighting and layered textures evoke an ambience that reassures rather than intimidates. Meanwhile, mid-century furniture and finishes further enhance the space's character. However, these design-led details remain thoughtfully proportional to stringent healthcare and commercial standards. Bringing over a decade of experience designing for aged care and retirement living, Talbot says striking the balance between beauty and performance was essential. "People expect spaces that support emotional wellbeing as much as clinical outcomes. This project sits right at that intersection, and it's a direction we're excited to continue exploring." Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery is now open at 151 Robertson St, Fortitude Valley. Head to the website for more information or check out Studio Collective for more design-led spaces. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If a cosy escape is on the cards, you've got your pick of idyllic stays located among the spectacular bushland of NSW's Blue Mountains. An hour's drive west of Sydney, this famed region is home to leafy treehouses, wilderness-hugged cottages and secluded cabins, all the perfect setting for a nature-filled mountain retreat. So you don't have to spend hours scrolling and invest more time into packing your bags, we've pulled together 15 of the most enchanting Airbnb stays in the Blue Mountains. Book a spot and plan your escape. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in NSW The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Luxury Getaways From Sydney Romantic Orchard Escape, Blackheath A cosy farm stay for two, this open-plan beauty spills onto a spacious deck, with an incredible outlook across the mountains. From $829 a night, sleeps two. The Hill Station, Mt Tomah Adjacent to the botanical gardens of Mt. Tomah, this leafy retreat for two boasts an ultra-private location hidden among lush bushland and gardens. From $385 a night, sleeps two. Amaroo Mountaintop Villa, Katoomba With panoramic views of rolling mountains, this timber-filled retreat will have you and your mates feeling like kings. The outlook is best enjoyed from the outdoor spa. From $510 a night, sleeps 12. Cuckoo's Nest, Katoomba This lovingly restored cottage is located among bushland and has space for two, a barbecue ready for use and lots of rustic charm. From $190 a night, sleeps two. Spectacular Vineyard Lodge, Megalong Valley Enjoy a taste of vineyard living at this secluded boutique cottage, complete with a sunny deck unfolding onto vine-covered slopes. From $295 a night, sleeps four. Wondernest, Blackheath A luxe, Scandi-inspired abode, tucked away among the bushland of Blackheath. Cosy up and watch the stars twinkle through the bedroom skylights. From $476 a night, sleeps four. The Shed on Central, Wentworth Falls This one-time garden shed is now a quaint country cottage with a cosy rustic charm. A secluded couples' retreat for those who like relaxing in nature. From $198 a night, sleeps two. Cloud Parade, Leura A designer space with sweeping views to match, this elegant ten-guest home feels like it's perched at the top of the world. From $850 a night, sleeps ten. Two-Bedroom Eco Woolshed, Kanimbal Unplug at this eco-friendly cabin, set on 250 acres of Kanimbla farmland. Uninterrupted mountain views by day and fireside hangs by night. From $320 a night, sleeps four. Three-Bedroom Eco Woolshed, Blackheath A bigger version of the above getaway, this eco-friendly cabin with a sprawling backyard has a roaring fireplace and is primed for small group getaways. From $320 a night, sleeps six. Nugaroo Cottage, Bilpin A rustic hideaway complete with cosy loft bedroom, toasty woodfire and tranquil farm setting. Plus, plenty of friendly resident farm animals to visit. From $441 a night, sleeps four. The Hilltop Cabin, Kanimbla Soak in the beauty of Kanimbla valley with the perfect romantic escape — perched neatly on a hilltop. The dreamy countryside views are best enjoyed from the outdoor pool or next to the toasty fireplace. From $1030 a night, sleeps two. Seven Sisters Escarpment Views, Medlow Bath This mountaintop cottage feels worlds away from reality. Especially if you're taking in the views from one of two gorgeous outdoor bathtubs. From $340 a night, a sleeps four. Shuffkeshoes, Blackheath With its tranquil bush setting, two-person spa bath and toasty log fire, this Blackheath gem might be the ultimate hideout. From $375 a night, sleeps four. Piccolino, Wolgan Valley A tiny home with some truly spectacular surrounds. This one is stylish, eco-friendly and primed for unplugged getaways in the wilderness. From $340 a night, sleeps two. Top image: The Hill Station at Mt Tomah. All images: courtesy Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Sydneysiders love to boast about their good weather, pristine harbour and many beaches, with over 100 beaches scattered around the New South Wales capital. So, when it comes to picking Sydney's best waterside brunch spot for your next day out, the options are basically endless. Luckily for you, we've tackled the tough assignment of narrowing down Sydney's best waterside brunch spots. Whether it's an airy cafe perched on the beach or a local harbourside haunt, they all have one thing in common – good coffee and tasty food, with a side of impressive waterfront views. Don't be fooled, these cafes aren't limited to summer brunch sessions either. With Sydney's crisp, clear blue skies during the cooler months simply begging for a day by the water to get rid of any winter blues, many of Sydney's best waterside brunch spots will offer warm blankets and indoor heating. But, really, if good food and even better scenery aren't enough to get you going in the morning, what is?
There's something uniquely satisfying about buying vintage. The thrill isn't just in the sustainability credentials, it's in the surprise and storytelling of it all. Like rummaging through your nan's wardrobe — you never know what might be tucked between the pencil skirts and mothball-scented knits. A YSL pantsuit? Burberry scarf? An Hermes Kelly bag? (One can dream.) Whether you're chasing a bargain-bin dopamine hit or splurging on archival designer, Sydney has no shortage of vintage gems. From eclectic Newtown to the laidback Northern Beaches, these are the best vintage stores in Sydney to add to your crawl. Zoo Emporium Unit B/180 Campbell St, Surry Hills View this post on Instagram A post shared by @zooemporiumvintage Go on a sartorial safari at this Surry Hills staple, renowned for its funky frocks, oversized eyewear, and luxury glam. For over 35 years, Zoo Emporium has welcomed vintage enthusiasts through its kooky doors — promising a time capsule of sorts, with some of the best (and boldest) finds from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Upstairs, you'll find some rarer designer pieces — Vivenne Westwood tartan skirt, anyone? — while downstairs is an assortment of grandpacore garments, bargain bins, and sale bits and bobs. If you're short on time, Zoo Emporium is an essential stop. Storeroom Vintage 294-296 Crown St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 View this post on Instagram A post shared by StoreRoomVintage (@storeroomvintage) The '90s and noughties expert, Storeroom Vintage, radiates "I'm with the band" energy. While its legendary Surry Hills retail store just recently closed, you can still get your vintage fix online. There's everything from Harley Davidson and band tees — Billie Eilish picked up a Green Day shirt during one of her many visits — to oversized streetwear, preppy polos, and designer shoulder bags. With stores in both Newtown and Surry Hills, it's an easy addition to your vintage crawl. That — or keep a close eye on Instagram, where curated drops regularly appear (and disappear just as quickly). Potts Point Vintage 2/8A Hughes St, Potts Point View this post on Instagram A post shared by Potts Point Vintage (@pottspointvintage) If you've got an eye for the eccentric and a penchant for period drama, Potts Point Vintage is the place. A long way from its Katoomba roots, fashion enthusiast Arnold Kieldgaard opened the pint-sized emporium just off Macleay Street in 2014. Specialising in vintage occasion wear — from bridal dresses (with over 40 in stock) to finely-tailored men's suits — plus leather goods and quirky accessories, it's a favourite among stylists and film industry insiders alike. If your vintage obsession extends beyond clothing, you'll also find collectible mid-century Italian glass art, oil paintings and curated Art Deco china. Reunion Shop 2/112 Enmore Rd, Newtown View this post on Instagram A post shared by Reunion (@reunionstore.co) You've heard of SWOP, but do you know Reunion? Founded in 2023 by SWOP's Beth Wicks, this Enmore Road space brings more pre-loved fashion to spirited environmentalists and sentimentalists alike. Devoid of fast-fashion, the 2023-founded venue's all about repurposing and re-loving high-quality, contemporary and vintage wares. One week, you might spot a Celine Phantom bag on display; the next, a Juicy Couture tracksuit. There's also a dedicated size 16+ section, plus online and Instagram shopping for those who prefer to shop from home. Fabrique 1 Wilson St, Newtown 127 Oxford St, Darlinghurst View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fabrique Vintage (@fabriquevintage) Looking for the perfect Canadian tuxedo? Fabrique's got you covered. Expect every kind of denim wash and cut, classic Americana motifs — from Western boots to chunky belt buckles — leather staples, and a dollop of French-girl favourites like Breton stripes across its Darlinghurst and Newtown stores. Sourcing from Europe and the US, the edit feels well-travelled without veering into kitsch territory. Axl Studio 12 Macleay St, Potts Point View this post on Instagram A post shared by AXLSTUDIO (@axlvintageandart) There's no (vintage) place quite like Paris — but Axl Studio comes close. Not only channelling Marais charm (bonjour, red-and-white pinstriped awnings and Persian rugs), the Potts Point store also offers a curation to satisfy the French-girl chic. Founder and artist Athena Levendi scours the world's major fashion cities for one-off designs and modern luxuries, from Issey Miyake to Oscar de la Renta. Don't be dissuaded by the labels — current and archival pieces are often more accessible than you'd think. Route 66 Shop 2/82-84 Enmore Rd, Newtown View this post on Instagram A post shared by Route 66 (@route66store) Inspired by the iconic North American highway, this Newtown gem is the brainchild of Tina Lowe and Ross Waddington. After spending time on the cinematic road, the duo created their own Americana affair — a goldmine for denim, cowboy boots, Western shirts and trucker hats. What culminates is an experience that feels far more authentic than costumed, making it hard to leave empty-handed. Di Nuovo 92 William St, Paddington View this post on Instagram A post shared by Di Nuovo (@di_nuovo_paddington) Among the colour-splashed boutique and content-creating Instagrammers of William Street sits Di Nuovo — meaning "to start again" in Italian. Set within a gorgeous Victorian terrace (it's Paddington, after all), the intimate vintage mecca houses some of Sydney's most curated designer brands and styles. Expect everything from Chanel ballet flats to silk maxis by The Row, as well as tailored Scanlan Theodore pantsuits. If you leave with a goodie, wear it — this is very much a see-and-be-seen postcode. SWOP 219 Oxford St, Darlinghurst View this post on Instagram A post shared by SWOP (@_swop) It's always worth a look in SWOP. The nationwide favourite (with outposts in Melbourne and Brisbane) offers some of the best pre-loved, high-quality pieces — swapped for cash or in-store credit by everyday tastemakers. Expect on-trend and archival finds at their Darlinghurst store, from Dries Van Noten, Acne Studios, and Comme des Garçons — and don't skip the accessories. The occasional Fendi Baguette does pop up. Reseller 16B Lawrence St, Freshwater 26 Darley Rd, Manly View this post on Instagram A post shared by Reseller (@resellerstoreau) If you're not on the Northern Beaches, Reseller might not be on your radar — but it should be. With stores in Manly and Freshwater, locals are encouraged to drop off their designer wares and sophisticated staples, meaning you'll find plenty of summer-coded and boho looks, from SIR to Zimmermann, alongside vintage Levi's and elevated basics. Unsurprisingly, there's also a chic selection of sunnies to top things off. Irreplaceable Store 411 King St, Newtown NSW View this post on Instagram A post shared by IRREPLACEABLE STORE (@irreplaceablestore) On any given day, you might spot a streetwear obsessive — or Zendaya, she was there — hunting for rare sneakers here. Specialising in covetable sneakers, from Nike Dunks to Balenciaga Tracks, Irreplaceable Store also stocks chore jackets, camo, and graphic tees. There's also a ton of vintage paraphernalia, from VHS tapes to vintage books. Absolute chicken soup for the nostalgic soul.
Since the craft beer boom of the 2010s, there's been no shortage of brews to test out in watering holes across the country. Whether you like your tinnie with a pineapple tasting note or prefer a smooth lager brewed just down the road, local craft beer remains a hugely popular subset of the hospitality industry. As a result, suburbs outside the inner-city enclaves of Fitzroy and Brunswick are building their own breweries and craft-beer-loving communities. Smiley Brewing Co. is the first microbrewery and taproom in the Melbourne suburb of Pakenham. It was founded in 2023 by partners Trent and Kylie Butcher and is located in a modern warehouse on one of Pakenham's industrial estates. The ingredients in their brews are sourced locally whenever possible, and they serve a core range of up to seven award-winning beers alongside cocktails, wine, and a rotation of delicious food trucks. Given that Trent and Kylie are in the thick of Melbourne's brewery operations, we spoke with Trent to learn more about the flavours and habits that are shaping the craft beer landscape in 2026. Crisp Lagers Are Back Over the past decade, we've seen a myriad of wild and wacky craft beers flood the market. According to Trent, however, people are now gravitating towards the classics: the humble lager. "We have an Australian lager, which is always extremely popular and usually our biggest mover." This popularity was reflected in Smiley Breweries' seasonal sip over the summer: the Mexican Cerveza, AKA Mexican lager. "Australia tends to follow the patterns of what happens in the US," says Trent. "Crisper lager-style beers are tending to be more popular." These beers prioritise refreshment over intensity, proving that perhaps people are trying to get back to the simple things in life. Hazy Still Isn't Going Anywhere Known for its juicy, tropical flavour profile and velvety mouthfeel, Hazy beers (like Indian Pale Ales) are still high up on breweries' lists. "Hazy beers tend to do well, and they have for a couple of years. We have a hazy pale ale, which is a big seller. It alternates between that and the draught beer as to what's the biggest mover for the month," Trent divulges. Sober Curiosity Is On The Rise One of the biggest shifts in the craft beer space isn't about flavours but how people are drinking. "Mid-strength, lower ABV [alcohol by volume] options are popular," shares Trent. "Not everybody's out to drink to get drunk as such." Instead, drinkers are opting for moderation, without sacrificing taste. And a good craft beer, Trent says, is something that you want to go back for more of. "It's something that you can sit and drink and comfortably have a few beers and not feel like you've had too much or that the beer itself is too heavy or too complex." What's Next? As the weather cools down (and we move away from Mexican Lagers), what's on the menu for Smiley Brewing Co and other local breweries? "Moving into autumn, we're just about to brew an amber ale, which is a popular autumn beer," says Trent. "And then as we move into the cooler months, we'll go for more of the darker beers like stouts." Smiley Brewing Co. has become a pub and community gathering spot, giving locals access to great Australian craft beers. Across the board, there's clearly a desire to focus on beer that people know and love, not just the novelty chocolate and lime craft brews of yesteryear. If the last decade of craft beer was about pushing the limits, in 2026, brewers are pulling back just a fraction to meet drinkers where they are.
With more than a century in the journalism game, Time Magazine has seen and done more than most. With this in mind, it's fair to say the editorial team is well-qualified to create a list that's loftily named The World's Greatest Places, an annual record published since 2018. Divided into distinct sections — 'Places to Stay' and 'Places to Visit' — two spots in Oceania scored a place on the former, with four more landing on the latter. On Australian shores, Sea Sea Hotel is the country's sole accommodation representative, set on Dunghutti Country near the NSW surf town of Crescent Head. Meticulously considered from top to bottom, the hotel's kitchen is also a standout amenity. Pairing modern-casual dining with an ocean-slanted, ingredient-focused menu, former Iceberg's chef Daniel Medcalf has shaped an epic experience designed to showcase the very best of the surrounding Macleay Valley region's native pantry. Also making Time's cut in our backyard is Flockhill — a historic 36,000-acre sheep station located in New Zealand's Cragieburn Valley. From a sprawling base amid the Southern Alps, this luxury accommodation is one of the most lavish ways imaginable to explore the country's wild side. Besides stays, Time had nice things to say about four places to visit across Australia and New Zealand. That includes the newly relaunched Sydney Fish Market and Pilbara's Murujuga Cultural Landscape — the world's densest collection of petroglyphs and megaliths. To see the full list, head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
On the hottest, coldest and wettest days of the year, Sydney's climate-controlled and cosy cinemas beckon more than ever, particularly the charming independent and boutique options — screening the best new releases alongside indie, arthouse and classic films in atmospheric spaces packed with cinematic character. Unfortunately, cinemas are facing tough times. With rising ticket and snack prices, theatres no longer draw the same crowds as they used to, and over the years, the city has lost some of its loveliest screens to financial struggles and renovations. That's why it's more important than ever that we support the amazing venues that remain. Here we present our pick of Sydney's best boutique cinemas, from the velvet-upholstered art deco kind to the sleek and modern, and all are set to please any ardent cinephile or those just looking for an easy date option. Whatever you're keen on, Sydney's boutique and independent cinemas are some of the best around and well worth checking out. Before you book a ticket, have a look at what's screening in theatres this month. [caption id="attachment_1064143" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Douglas Lance Gibson[/caption] Golden Age Cinema and Bar Golden Age Cinema and Bar, loved as one of Sydney's most charming contemporary theatres, actually comes with over 80 years of history. The space was originally opened in 1940 as the Sydney HQ of Paramount Pictures, welcoming everyone from theatre executives and critics to military personnel on shore leave right up until the 1970s. In 2013, it reopened in its current form, with a fit-out still reminiscent of those old days, heroing primarily underground cinema from its Surry Hills address. There's no Hollywood blockbusters here; the program is exclusively of the indie, arthouse and international variety organised in screenings, themed film series and special one–off events. There's also live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays, and film trivia every Tuesday. Address: 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills [caption id="attachment_1064144" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace[/caption] Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace A touch of old Hollywood glamour on Military Road, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace is an icon of Sydney's lower North Shore. The building dates way back to 1935, when it was originally opened as the Cremorne Orpheum Theatre, up until 1979, falling by the wayside until a restoration and rechristening to its current identity in 1987. The Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace also features independent film programming, offering regular arthouse and international screenings alongside select major studio screenings. There's also regular special events, concert screenings, film festivals, in-conversation events and something of an obsession with Tommy Wiseau's legendary disaster of a film, The Room, which holds a regular place in the programming. Address: 380 Military Rd, Cremorne Ritz Cinemas Another icon of Sydney's Art Deco history, the Ritz was opened in 1937, and despite several expansions over the decades, it's still family-owned, independently operated and undergoing updates to keep up with new openings. Major renovations overhauled the ground floor and auditoriums in 2023, and plans for a new rooftop cinema space are in the works. On the screenings front, the Ritz offers films big and small in the regular program, alongside special themed programs, advance screenings and a regular offering of select films new and old screened in 35mm and 70mm, a real treat for any cinephile. Address: 45 St Paul's St, Randwick Dendy Newtown Possibly the best arthouse cinema in the Inner-West, the Dendy lies at the heart of the King Street hub and is popular with the night-owl crowd. With an impeccable selection of current release arthouse cinema and major releases, the Dendy is also in easy browsing distance of King Street's near-bottomless selection of bars, boutiques and restaurants — ideal pregaming before the big screen. Dendy also has a stacked lineup of special offers. Daily discounts for members, seniors, students and all customers, film festivals, retrospectives, interactive screenings, 35mm screenings and more. Address: 261-263 King St, Newtown Roseville Cinemas Located on Sydney's North Shore, Roseville Cinemas was originally planned to be a town hall, until it became a theatre in 1919, underwent art deco renovations in the 1930s and then came into the ownership of Hans van Pixteren in the 70s, whose family still owns the cinema today. Roseville Cinemas is one of the few surviving boutique cinemas in Sydney's suburbs, and has maintained a loyal community in its spot on the Pacific Highway. You've probably driven past it at some point, thanks to that prime address. Roseville Cinema screens a limited range of independent films, live theatre recordings and the occasional blockbuster, ideal for an easy, quality night on the north shore. Address: 112 Pacific Hwy, Roseville [caption id="attachment_738784" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Trent Van der Jagt[/caption] Govinda's Restaurant and Cinema Govinda's is a bit of an odd one, yet a true Sydney institution. It's actually a vegetarian restaurant in Darlinghurst, which, thanks to its cosy movie room, is at once a boutique cinema and a quiet space dedicated to yoga, chanting and 'uplifting the consciousness'. Open every day but Monday, a proper evening at Govinda's is a culinary as well as cinematic experience. At $32 for dinner and a movie, it's one of the most whimsical and cost-effective date options on offer. The Bohemia-inspired movie room is upstairs, and patrons are invited to kick off their shoes and recline on floor cushions, couches or tub chairs. There are generally three films to choose from each night, all at different times, and they generally cover the current release art house range pretty solidly. Address: 112 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst [caption id="attachment_1063750" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Palace Moore Park[/caption] Palace Cinemas One of Australia's endearing boutique chains (not words that are typically paired together, but hear us out), Palace Cinemas owns and operates three theatres across Sydney (formerly four, including until this February the Chauvel), and an additional 22 interstate. That's Palace Central Cinema inside the Central Park Mall, Palace Norton Street Cinema in Leichardt, Palace Moore Park Cinema in the Entertainment Quarter — all of which offer regular discounts throughout the week, matinees and themed screenings and more. Address: 99 Norton St, Leichardt; Central Park Mall, Chippendale; 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park [caption id="attachment_1064155" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Event Cinemas[/caption] Event Cinemas Boutique Now, Event Cinemas, that's not what you can typically call boutique. But, in 2019, the nationwide cinema chain opened a new level of theatregoing — a step up from the already luxe Gold Class — Boutique. Available at only two Event Cinemas locations in Sydney, with George Street hosting the bookish Library and velvet-decked Paparazzi themed theatres with order-to-your-seat food and drink menus, while Campbelltown hosts a Parlour Lane-themed theatre that includes popcorn with every ticket. Address: 505/525 George St, Sydney, and 200 Gilchrist Dr, Campbelltown [caption id="attachment_981883" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Pat Stevenson[/caption] Westpac OpenAir One of Sydney's seasonal boutique cinemas — Westpac OpenAir may very well be the most beautiful cinema in the country. Set out on Mrs Macquarie's Point, the backdrop of the Sydney skyline and harbour would be enough to elevate any old outdoor screen, but the 350-metre screen adds a premium feel that no blow-up screen could recreate. Add that to its version of a snack bar: three on-site eateries with menus made by top Sydney chefs, and that makes Westpac OpenAir a summer must-see for Sydney cinephiles. Address: Mrs Macquarie's Point, Sydney Barangaroo Mov' In Bed Another notable entry on the Sydney summer calendar of open-air cinemas, Barangaroo Mov' In Bed mixes luxury with comfort in a very at-home movie night-styke experience…only outdoors. The setting? An artificial beach in the shadow of The Crown, with a 15-metre 4K screen playing hit new films for an audience lying comfortably on king and queen beds. Said comfy attendees listen in via noise-cancelling headphones and can snack on popcorn and beverages, and even order local takeaway that can be delivered to you by a butler. Address: Harbour Park, Barangaroo Now that you know where to find your nearest boutique theatre, decide what to watch their with our monthly theatrical guide. Lead image: Gavin John Photography/Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Images: supplied
If we're being real, the cost of things right now has probably put a bit of a snag in your travel aspirations for 2026. But you know what's bound to help? A $10,000 flight fund designed to get you exploring the globe over the next 12 months. Behind the initiative is YouTrip — a fintech firm specialising in a multi-currency mobile wallet — where the crew has just launched a nationwide call for its latest campaign. That'd be the chance to become one of ten unofficial YouTrip travel interns. If you get picked for the 'job', there's not a whole lot to stress about. Just use a new YouTrip card to book up to $10,000 in international flights, get reimbursed for the full cost and share at least three travel stories or posts from your adventures. Ready to apply? The campaign runs from Wednesday, March 18–Monday, April 20, and is open to Aussies of any age. The first five winners are selected through a random prize draw, open to anyone who signs up for a YouTrip account. Meanwhile, the remaining five winners will be chosen through a social media giveaway, where participants enter by signing up for YouTrip and commenting on the campaign post about their unique travel talent. "Australians love travelling, but they're also incredibly savvy about how they do it: finding smarter routes, hunting down better deals and ways to stretch their travel budgets further," says YouTrip COO Kelvin Lam. "The Travel Intern search is about celebrating that travel talent." YouTrip's Travel Intern Giveaway runs from Wednesday, March 18–Monday, April 20. Head to the website for more information and competition details. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Surry Hills has landed a new Taiwanese social-dining bar housed in a quaint converted Victorian terrace. The venue, Linla, is built around the ritual of 'raising a glass together' and named for the sound and feeling shared between friends doing just that — a moment of celebration and connection that defines the spirit of the restaurant. Behind the new venue is Taiwanese-born restaurateur and bartender Charles Chang. He is also responsible for the neighbouring Japanese fusion restaurant Moku, and was formerly a proud finalist in the Top 100 Diageo World Class Competition. "Linla isn't about one culture or one cuisine. It's about the moment when people raise their glasses together. That sound, that feeling – that's what we wanted to build the entire space around," says Chang. With Moku, Chang demonstrated his restraint and discipline, and now with Linla, he has an opportunity to present a more playful, community-led expression of Taiwanese street culture and food. The kitchen is led by Head Chef Montien Thipwongsa, whose passion for cooking began in his grandmother's kitchen. While influenced by Thai flavours, the pan-Asian concept of Linla gives the chefs freedom to experiment beyond traditions. The share-style menu is bold and creative, featuring vibrant dishes such as wagyu beef tartare with scallion pancake and yuzu olive oil, Tiger Prawn salad with tropical fruits and chilli fish sauce, and grilled scallops with green chilli nuoc cham. Hero dishes include the Cha Cha Cha chicken with corn ribs, avocado puree and fermented chilli oil, and the playful Night-Market Crispy Chicken, where crunchy chicken bites are shaken in a paper bag at your table with Szechuan seasoning, garlic chips and basil. Chang has designed an easy-drinking menu of fresh and fruity cocktails such as the Pine and Bloom with pineapple mead, elderflower, dry vermouth and MSG saline, and the Tomato Salad 2.0 with tequila, tomato, ume salt and ginger soda. Don't miss the MI-Bubble, a cheeky take on bubble tea with aged rum, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, black sugar, small tapioca, Milo, and milk. And make sure you tap into your dessert stomach to make space for the fairy bread bao — a modern take on a nostalgic classic. Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Have you ever struck gold in an op-shop? It's a high, isn't it? The thrill — akin to finding money on the ground or winning a game — comes from small victories like picking up a piece that emulates a current trend (say, anything aquamarine right now) or a trinket to fill that empty space on your shelf. Dedicated thrifters take on bigger conquests, such as finding a brand new wedding dress at a regional Salvos. Op shopping has long been a practical (and sometimes, necessary) cost-cutting measure. A recent study from Salvos and Glow Research has pulled back the curtain on the incredible highs and lows of the op shopping experience — naturally, 60% of Australians value the savings, but the data reveals that more shoppers are rummaging the racks for fun today. Almost three-quarters of respondents agree that the experience feels like a treasure hunt, and that finding the right item brings a sense of personal accomplishment. You never know what lies in your local second-hander, but you're likely to luck out. A crystal chandelier, a rare Dobro guitar — these are among the items of "exceptional value" that 68% of Aussies have purchased at op-shops. This unending potential for discovery explains why two in three Australians find op shopping more exciting than browsing boutiques or department stores. Hard-to-find items have a maverick appeal, but the unique potential and individuality of these items also raise the stakes for shoppers. Something mass-produced can be bought anytime, but who knows when you'll see those vintage leather boots again? Salvos reports shoppers are twice as likely to regret leaving something behind at the op shop than at a regular retail store. It's the opposite of buyer's remorse; 48% of shoppers have returned to the op shop for a previously abandoned item. If they're lucky, it hasn't been snapped up by another discerning eye. Interestingly, op shops backed by charities even offset the guilt of impulse spending for almost 70% of respondents. As sustainability becomes an increasingly urgent topic, you're less likely to feel guilty when you're avoiding fast fashion. Still, moderation is always wise. This data was supplied by Salvos and was based on a study of a national representative sample of 1000 Australians. Images: supplied Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
They like jumpsuits, one name and living in the same suburb. That's The Kates' quick description of themselves, and of their fame as The Kates, as they've been known ever since The Katering Show proved the funniest thing on the small screen in 2015. Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney didn't start their careers together, but they've become Australia's comedy queens by proving a razor-sharp, whip-smart duo — first while satirising cooking shows in a webseries that was picked up by the ABC for its second season; then by taking on morning television with fellow pitch-perfect two-season parody Get Krack!n; and now with Prime Video's Deadloch, which started streaming its Tasmania-set comedic murder-mystery on Friday, June 2. "There were so many Kates in the show," McCartney notes of their latest project, which The Kates originally gave the working title Funny Broadchurch. One such Kate: Wentworth and Rake's Kate Box, who plays one half of reluctant detective duo in Deadloch's titular small town opposite The Breaker Upperers' Madeleine Sami. "Kate Anderson was our special makeup effects artist. Katie Robertson, Katie Milwright — Katie Robertson is on the show, Kate Milwright was one of the cinematographers — and we had another Kate, Kate Fox, doing locations," McCartney continues. "It was basically if your name was Kate…" adds McLennan, "then you got a job," finishes McCartney. Sami "is in the process of getting her name changed to Kate," McCartney keeps joking. "She hasn't started the paperwork yet," pipes in McLennan. No matter how many other Kates had a hand in Deadloch, the series is instantly recognisable as the work of The Kates. Within seconds of a man being found dead on a beach in the first episode's opening moments, the corpse's penis is on fire. When Box's small-town sergeant Dulcie Collins informs the next of kin, he bellows that he loved him like a brother — but has to be reminded that, yes, the deceased was his actual brother. And when Sami's Eddie Redcliffe blows in like a whirlwind of swearing and Hawaiian shirts, she's the stereotypical arrogant outsider cop, but satirically so. Indeed, with their male victim and female investigators, The Kates gleefully riff on the cop-genre status quo, flip the script to focus on the characters usually robbed of a voice and, although it wasn't originally their aim, balance sidesplitting laughs with making an excellent crime procedural. Deadloch is also an inescapably Australian murder-mystery series in its Tasmanian gothic look, its excavation of the nation's treatment of its First Peoples and, as frequently dropping from Sami's mouth, its love of cursing. The latter gave rise to The Cunt Essay, The Kates explain, to justify why its use of language couldn't be more ordinary on an Aussie-set show. From responding to the standard treatment of women in dead-girl crime thrillers to getting that homegrown vernacular over the line — and scrapping their own filmed cameo in the series, too — we chatted with McLennan and McCartney about all things Deadloch. ON THE NUMBER OF DEAD-WOMAN CRIME SHOWS SOMEONE NEEDS TO WATCH BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO RESPOND McCartney: "Roughly 800, I reckon. I just don't know if there is a single crime show that — if it's not in the first two minutes of a murder show, then you will still eventually see a dead woman." McLennan: "And once you're aware of it as well, you'd watch them and, sure, they're showing you the body of a dead woman, but they would always show a gratuitous shot of her boob. You would always see a nipple. You've got these very serious detectives standing over a body, and you just don't need to see a blue nipple. You don't need to see it." McCartney: "There's always that one at the crime scene. But then you go to the morgue and they have another conversation with the forensic pathologist, and rather than putting a sheet up, they're always completely nude on the slab as well." McLennan: "So we just thought what would be really interesting is if you actually gave those victims a voice. To us, we wanted to know about the backstories of these people that would normally be portrayed as victims in these types of shows. Also, we're just terrible at writing men, so it was easier just to have a dead one instead of writing dialogue for him." ON DEADLOCH'S STARTING POINT AS "FUNNY BROADCHURCH" McCartney: "We thought of the idea in about 2015, when we had just had kids, and the kids were newborns. So we were at home at 3am, in that witching hour of not quite knowing if you exist — and sort of knowing, 'well, I think I do exist because I have a Twitter profile, but I think that's the only thing that tethers me to this realm now because it's so late and I have spent so much time by myself as a tit machine with the baby'. During that time, we both, for whatever reason — and I don't really know what this says about our mental health at the time — but we just gravitated towards crime shows. There was a lot at that point as well, there was a bit of an explosion of Scandi noir. You know, like.. I can't think of a single one. What's that one with jumpers? What's the jumpers? You know, jumpers?" McLennan: "The jumpers?" McCartney: "Jumpers. The Scandi jumpers one." McLennan: "Do you mean The Bridge?" McCartney: "No, The Killing." McLennan: "The Killing." McCartney: "And then The Bridge, and then there was…" In unison: "The Return." McCartney: "And then there was…" In unison: "The Fall." McCartney: "The Fall. Yeah, silk shirts. Gillian Anderson. Silk shirts." McLennan: "And you told me to watch Broadchurch, and I thought it was a comedy because Olivia Colman was in it and I knew her from comedy. So I'm like 'oh, it's a comedy'. So I strapped myself in to watch this funny comedy show. And I'm like 'yeah, this is not a comedy'. But we thought 'what if we did take a show that had that small town, lots of secrets, lots of characters, and you just nudge the comedy". You just nudge the needle up a little bit. We had the idea just after we made The Katering Show. We were pitching Get Krack!n overseas, and we would do the spiel about Get Krack!n and then people would sometimes say 'do you have any other ideas?'. We'd just throw in the Deadloch idea as this last-minute 'we've also got this other show with the working title Funny Broadchurch'. And people just really grabbed onto it. McCartney: "Like, they got it." McLennan: "So we knew that it had legs. We made Get Krack!n and then we thought we'd pitch this other show, and luckily Amazon Prime were ready to jump on board with this." ON MAKING A COMEDIC MURDER-MYSTERY THAT ALSO WORKS AS A MURDER-MYSTERY McCartney: "It wasn't actually [the initial plan]. When we first conceived of it, this was at The Katering Show, that's where we were at in terms of what we were working on. And we did originally conceive of it as being a 30-minute show. And then, we just grew in confidence and ambition as we got into Get Krack!n — and then by the final season of Get Krack!n, we started to really experiment with using that interplay of something dark, then something funny. I think that informed us and bolstered us — that may not be a word — in our confidence and our ability to to be able to pull off something like this. And also having that experience. We'd done a few series. And the things we're trying to emulate, they are a lot longer because of the moodiness and the cinematic quality of it — and you just need more time. And because we're not in it — personally, I'm a terrible actor, so there's only so much I can do — but if you get someone like Kate Box or Madeleine Sami or Alicia Gardner, or anyone like that in your show, you can ask them to do a lot more with the characters. You can actually have proper characters." McLennan: "We wanted the space to tell the story and to do it justice, and to do in a way that felt like it was a rich, rewarding experience for the audience. I think around the time that we going through this creative process with it, Killing Eve had just come out — and I don't know if it did necessarily break the mould, but it made it pretty clear to us that you could tell a story that was longer than half an hour and there was an appetite for that from the streaming services as well." McCartney: "It was the appetite, really. Because we'd already thought about it, we'd already gone 'oh, I think I think this is how it needs to be, this is the kind of show we're looking at, I think we want it to be a proper show'. But the fact that people were watching it and responding to it, there was a precedent that we could go 'people will hang in there'." McLennan: "It certainly made us — when we knew that we had the hour up our sleeve, it's like 'well, we'd better made this crime story really good'." McCartney: "It's a lot. It has to be interesting. Because people aren't going to watch something for an hour if they don't care about the characters, if there aren't actual stakes. You can't just do cop jokes. You can't sit above it and laugh, going 'aren't we clever'." McLennan: "You've got to be invested in it. And play the stakes of the crime." ON DECIDING NOT TO APPEAR ON-SCREEN McCartney: "With Get Krack!n, by the end it was a challenge to have the kind of control over what we were doing that that we like to have, and to make sure that our voice is all-encompassing, and also be on screen. It's a very different brain, and you necessarily have to kind of let things go by the wayside if you're in that role — if you're trying to do those two roles together." McLennan: "I remember being on the couch when we were filming Get Krack!n, and I had my phone and I was answering emails, and then we'd have to go for a take and I'd shove the phone under…" McCartney: "Always shoving it under our legs." McLennan: "And it just felt like the acting was getting in the way of the other job." McCartney: "And we wanted to do the other other job more, because we were pretty done with being on camera as it was." McLennan: "I think audiences were pretty…" McCartney: "They were probably pretty done with us as well." McLennan: "But we did cast ourselves in a cameo in the show. And we filmed that cameo." McCartney: "Probably about half a day, I'd say. So not only did we spend half a day on it, like the production spent half a day filming our cameo, but we also took time out of our personal, very busy showrunner schedule, to do it. So it was like a loss in two ways." McLennan: "Because we were watching rushes, and assembly edits were happening as we're going, we got to see that scene pretty quickly in the edit — and we were so bad that we cut ourselves and recast." McCartney: "So it does exist, but it's in the vault. It's in the Amazon vault. It's in one of those seed things that are in Antartica." ON CASTING KATE BOX AND MADELEINE SAMI McCartney: "Mads was actually a writer on the show. We knew her from quite a way back. We knew she's an extremely funny physical comedian and we've been fans of hers for ages, and obviously we've been massive fans of Kate Box as well." McLennan: "The whole casting process was done over Zoom. I mean, interestingly, we were working with Mads writing scripts with her when the audition process was happening, but we pretended that we didn't know that we were getting her into this." McCartney: "We were secretly in love with her and really hoped that she would play this part." McLennan: "We wanted to keep things very separate, because obviously if we didn't cast her, then that would maybe be a little bit awkward. So we're like 'let's just keep this as two separate streams'. She's like 'guys, did you know I've got an audition?', 'And we're like 'great!'. And the more we worked with Mads, the more that we could see that she was a pretty good fit." McCartney: "In fairness, she was a perfect fit. Setting down a self tape at the best of times is the pits, and really one of the key reasons why I stopped being a performer — but, but, doing it via Zoom, auditioning over zoom…" McLennan: "So Mads and Boxy had both done their separate reads of their characters, and then we got them to do a chemistry test — which again, you can imagine how we that is over Zoom." McCartney: " Zoom chemistry, just you can feel it pinging off the screen, can't you?" McLennan: "But you kind of could with those two." McCartney: "You could, yeah." McLennan: "I remember that day of getting them to do the callback, and to do these scenes together. It was like this immediate calm came over us, like 'this is going to be okay'." McCartney: "Yeah, this is going to be really good." McLennan: "Yeah, they're really good." McCartney: "Boxy is so fucking smart — not the Mads isn't — but Boxy is so smart, and so good at her job. On the page, you don't necessarily see that Dulcie is as funny as she is. And she just got it. So it was the moment she started saying those words, we were like 'not only is this what we hoped the character would be, but it's so much more'. She can do anything, so it seems a bit cheeky to be like 'hey, in this comedy, can you be the straight woman?'. But we needed someone that good at comedy and drama to play that part because everyone else can be a bit silly, but we needed someone to have the stakes all the time, because the audience needs that person." ON KEEPING DEADLOCH'S DIALOGUE UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN McLennan: "To be honest, we wrote all of the scripts and we did not receive a note on the language in the scripts. And then, just as we're going through the process of getting the show happening — you go through this process where people look over everything, just to make sure that everything's okay — there was just a question on the the volume of swearing. And there is a lot. It opened up a conversation, so we responded to that with what's now known as The Cunt Essay. Our setup director Ben Chessell wrote a thesis essentially on Australians' relationship to the word cunt and other swearing." McCartney: "The local usage of it, and how that differs from overseas usage of it. And how, within this context, it's actually not really even a swear word — in fact, it can be a very nice term. And it's used in advertising campaigns! So we just talked about it in its context in the Australian vernacular, and its cultural context. And also, I think he talked about how it speaks to Australianness as well, that we've taken this word — there's no hierarchy, there aren't bad words, we're not as puritanical because we don't have that secretly underpinning our constitution and our heads of government. He also then tied it into something else, he was talking about reclaiming it — which was a bit more of a stretch, I would say, if we're honest about it, and I think he knew it was a bit of a stretch. But it was very wordy. It was about seven or eight pages." ON MAKING MORE SEASONS OF DEADLOCH McCartney: "You always think about things being more than one series, but we'd always thought of it as being an anthology series. So, retaining some of the characters and moving them to a different location, probably — it was always going to be set around Australia. So, that's the hope. That's the plan. That's the secret mutterings between us." Deadloch streams via Prime Video. Read our full review of season one.
2025 was a bumper year for new Sydney restaurant and bar openings — and 2026 is already shaping up to be just as big. From buzzy chef-led debuts to long-awaited revivals, the city's next wave of venues is already taking shape. Below, we've rounded up the upcoming openings we're most excited about, with new names added as they're announced. These are the venues we think will shape how Sydney eats over the next 12 months. Recommended reads: The Best New Restaurants and Bars in Sydney Right Now [caption id="attachment_1056414" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Li Photography[/caption] Darling Glebe What to know: One of Sydney's most storied dining rooms is set to embark on a new chapter. Darling Glebe will occupy the dramatic sandstone grotto that was once home to pioneering farm-to-table restaurant Darling Mills, unfolding across five distinct spaces, including an intimate chef's table serving French-leaning omakase and a moody late-night martini bar. At the helm is chef and restaurateur Jeff Schroeter, whose CV includes The Savoy in London, Manhattan's Royalton Hotel, and Sydney institutions Bistro Moncur and Bayswater Brasserie. Find out more here. When it opens: February 2026. Vitelli's Upstairs What to know: Wunderlich Lane is getting ready to welcome a new Italian. Taking over the former Baptist Street Rec. Club space, Vitelli's Upstairs brings a buzzy New York red sauce-style experience to the Redfern hospitality precinct. Expect a menu of comfort classics, from porchetta ribs, crispy lasagne bites and fresh pasta made daily by the Grana team, to milanese and tiramisu in multiple forms. Next to the main dining room, a 20-seat cocktail bar pours classic Italian cocktails alongside a late-night menu that includes a Sicilian take on a bao, and a Calabrian chilli and stracciatella cheeseburger. Find out more at the venue's website. When it opens: February 2026. [caption id="attachment_1065000" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] The James What to know: SRG Hospitality (Ormeggio at the Spit, Sails on Lavender Bay, Vineria Luisa) will debut a contemporary British concept inside The Langham this summer. Marking the beginning of a new partnership between the luxury hotel brand and the second-generation hospitality company, The James is shaped by Head Chef Sam Tuchband's time working in London, and features a menu of ingredient-led comfort classics — think wagyu beef wellington carved tableside, braised short rib with cauliflower and Madagascan pepper, Waldorf salad dressed with spanner crab and a sticky toffee pudding soufflé with rich toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream — served in a handsome, theatrical setting. When it opens: February 2026. [caption id="attachment_787009" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jorge Farah and Ibby Moubadder by Nikki To.[/caption] Besa What to know: ESCA Hospitality Group — the team behind Nour, Joji and two-hatted Aalia — is expanding its Bondi footprint this summer with a breezy new tapas restaurant. Besa will be helmed by Head Chef Alan Kropman (Aalia, Sean's), who'll oversee a coastal Spanish-influenced menu that heroes fresh local seafood and seasonal vegetables. When it opens: February 2026. [caption id="attachment_1065705" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Sahtein What to know: Sahtein is bringing the everyday flavours of Beirut to The Rocks this summer. Taking over The Dining Room in Hunter St. Hospitality's The Collective precinct, the restaurant will focus on generous, traditional Lebanese dishes cooked over wood fire and charcoal using halal produce. At the helm is Executive Chef Mike Flood alongside Head Chef Rifat Katranci (Jimmy's Falafel), with Hunter St. Hospitality Culinary Director Santiago Aristizabal shaping the direction after travelling to Beirut last year to inform the approach. When it opens: February 2026. [caption id="attachment_1065757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Da Orazio Trattoria What to know: Da Orazio Trattoria brings chef Orazio D'Elia back to Rushcutters Bay — and to the kitchen where he says he "found [his] voice". Opening in the former Marta Osteria and Popolo site, where D'Elia's star first rose, the breezy trattoria draws on central and southern Italian cooking inspired by the chef's heritage and travels. Unlike his Bondi venue, this one skips pizza in favour of pared-back, produce-driven dishes that let the ingredients do the talking. When it opens: March 2026. [caption id="attachment_1066023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm Photography[/caption] Spezia What to know: Spezia will bring an openair Italian piazza vibe to a historic Circular Quay site when it opens at The Lands by Capella — the soon-to-open luxury event venue by Capella Sydney — this autumn. Located at the end of a hidden passageway between the heritage sandstone walls of the former Department of Lands building, the all-day restaurant draws inspiration from the forgotten flavours of the Silk Road, reimagining classic Italian dishes with subtle spice-driven twists — think: cavatelli alla nerano with zucchini, pink peppercorn and nutmeg, and an allspice-spiked tiramisu. Spezia also marks the Sydney debut of Florence Guild, the group behind Melbourne's hatted Freyja, with Executive Chef Jae Bang (whose CV lists Norway's three-Michelin-starred Re-naa, San Sebastian's three-Michelin-starred Arzak and pioneering Spanish restaurant El Bulli) at the pass when it opens, and Freyja Head Chef Aaron Caccia (Re-naa, Copenhagen's Noma) relocating to Sydney permanently to lead the kitchen day-to-day. When it opens: April 2026. Grappa What to know: More than 25 years after opening on Norton Street, much-loved Leichhardt institution Grappa is heading into the CBD with a second location in The Rocks. Set to take over the original Rockpool site on George Street, the new outpost will be run by founder Charlie Colosi — who opened the original with his father, Antonio, in 1999 — alongside his wife, Virginie. Expect the same warm hospitality, handmade pizza and pasta, and a formidable cellar featuring more than 300 wines and over 100 types of grappa, as well as new additions, including a cocktail bar, private dining rooms and al fresco seating with Harbour Bridge views. Find out more here. When it opens: First half of 2026. Horderns Restaurant and The Polo Bar What to know: When Bowral's historic Milton Park estate reopens in 2026 as Ardour Milton Park Bowral, it'll be home to two distinct dining concepts led by Executive Chef Mark Holland (ex-Nomad, The Paddington Inn, Michelin-starred The Box Tree, UK). Horderns Restaurant will spotlight seasonal Southern Highlands produce through communal, family-style dishes in a sun-washed space overlooking the estate's manicured gardens, while The Polo Bar offers a relaxed yet sophisticated all-day setting for small plates, hand-cut charcuterie and an elegant drinks program. Find out more here. When it opens: First half of 2026. Top image: David Li Photography.
As a tourist, it's easy to get swept away by Sydney's inner-city galleries, restaurants, and bars. But just 25 kilometres south of the capital lies the Sutherland Shire — a destination known for its lush nature — including stretches of beaches (and Sydney's only beach directly accessible by train, Cronulla), as well as the Royal National Park. To learn more about the Sutherland Shire, we spoke with local restaurateur and owner of Hazel Kitchen and Bar, James Lancaster. Located within the Hazelhurst Arts Centre in Gymea (a historic cottage that transformed into an arts haven), Hazel Kitchen and Bar is a cafe-restaurant and events space showcasing the best in local produce and Sutherland Shire dining. We asked James for the best-kept secrets in the local area for you to save next time you find yourself south of the city. CP: What do you love the most about the Sutherland Shire? James: Natural beauty, beaches, forests, waterfalls, and an abundance of incredibly talented people in our community: artists, chefs, musicians, and actors. The Shire really has something for everyone to enjoy. [caption id="attachment_1078693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter Harrison[/caption] CP: Why should someone make a trip to the area? James: The coast has some incredible beaches, whether you enjoy calm water swimming at Gunnamatta Bay, Boat Harbour aquatic reserve, Wattamolla Beach, or Jibbon Beach. There are so many waterfalls, wonderful swimming holes, and bushwalks for all fitness levels, making it [somewhere] everyone should explore. There's a great food scene, from casual cafes to wonderful restaurants. The nightlife is vibrant with cool bars, a funky live music scene, and an incredible depth of talent across music, theatre, and visual arts. CP: If you only had one day in the Sutherland Shire, where would you go? James: I'd start with a swim at North Cronulla, followed by breakfast up the road at Rushi. Then I'd head up to Hazelhurst Gallery to check out an exhibition, before a delicious lunch at Hazel Kitchen and Bar. Next, I'd head to the Royal National Park for an afternoon walk and a freshwater swim at Olympic Pool, just past Karloo Pools. I'd pop into Audley Dance Hall Cafe on the way to grab a great coffee and takeaway for afternoon snacks. After sunset (and listening to birds in the forest), I'd head out to Brass Monkey to listen to some live music and have a few cocktails. CP: What do you think is the Shire's best-kept secret? James: The Royal National Park. Though large and commonly known, there are many secret waterholes, trails and endless adventure. For food, my favorite secret spot is tucked down the side of the Coptic Church in Kirrawee and is almost impossible to find. In Paradise is a gem for real Napoletana style wood-fired pizza. Super thin, great ingredients, charred crust, and, if you like chilli, ask Alfonso for his harrissa sauce… it's delicious. CP: Hazel Kitchen and Bar sits within the Hazelhurst Arts Centre. What's it like having a cafe and restaurant in a location with such rich Australian art history? James: The art and artists have really taught us to be more free and flexible in what we do. The inspiration from watching the art change around us all the time is liberating. The community that participates in the Arts Centre, the studios, the exhibitions, and the wonderful gardens brings us joy. We are very blessed to a view of art on one side, a beautiful garden on the other and a kitchen making delicious food in the centre — perfect combinations really. CP: Talk to us about Hazel Kitchen and Bar: what's your top menu recommendation? James: For breaky, I love the breakfast roll with its streaky bacon. For lunch, I often eat the green goddess salad, or if I'm in more of a dining mood, I'll have a grass-fed Scotch fillet and spice-roasted cauliflower with one of our sommeliers' wines from around the world. That lunch can morph into dinner and a few cheeky cocktails. CP: What's Hazel's philosophy? James: Being a public space, we really wanted a comfortable restaurant, a place you can relax and ponder the art you've just experienced over a coffee, scones and jam, or with a martini if you've really been thought-provoked and need to deep dive. We've curated a space for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and those moments in between. The peaceful gardens and the running creek provide the perfect backdrop to the ever-changing art inside the gallery and on your palette. CP: What does the Sutherland Shire do differently from Sydney City? James: So much diversity is accessible in a relatively small area. All your senses can be ignited in a few hours, and there's always more to explore and experience. It's adventures for all your senses. Images: Supplied.
When you need an actual escape, not one that just sounds good on paper, travelling far beyond city limits sometimes feels like the only way forward. But the good news is that you won't have to spend hours on the road with the Aruna Estate ready and waiting for your arrival. Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, this luxury farm stay offers 70 secluded acres of bliss-filled serenity, tucked into the rolling hills of the Southern Highlands. Bringing together architectural design, sustainability and easygoing sophistication, owners Antony and Chris Spanbrook imagined Aruna Estate as a place to reconnect with nature without sacrificing comfort. What's more, they envisaged a stay where slowing down felt genuinely restorative. That means by the time you're back behind the desk, you won't feel more exhausted than when you first hit the road. "The name Aruna carries a layered cultural meaning," says Antony. "In Thai, 'Arun' signifies dawn or daybreak, and in Japanese, 'Aruna' translates to 'moon love'. For Chris and I, the name reflects the beauty we see here from dawn through to night. It captures the sense of stillness, connection and quiet magic that this landscape offers." Yet there's no singular way to experience Aruna Estate, with the accommodation available suited to a range of stays, from romantic weekends to group celebrations. You'll have to painstakingly choose between four modern villas, complete with cosy fireplaces and outdoor fire pits, or a pair of custom-designed off-grid cabins made for peaceful bush immersion — think private decks with fire-powered bathtubs. Meanwhile, The Residence is a boutique guest lodge, featuring en suite rooms and a communal lounge. But it's the on-site experiences that ultimately set Aruna Estate apart. During your stay, you're invited to indulge in yoga or meditation sessions on a purpose-built deck surrounded by bushland. There are also in-villa wellness treatments, a tennis court and an infinity-style pool overlooking the valley. Further afield, abundant walking and cycling trails wind through the property and into the surrounding forest. While there's plenty around the estate to keep you occupied, this part of the Southern Highlands is flush with acclaimed wineries, cellar doors and gourmet producers. With this in mind, you can ease through the days in quiet isolation, then explore the region's celebrated food and wine scene once you've worked up enough energy. Grounded in nature yet defined by quiet luxury, Aruna Estate is an escape worth seeking out. Aruna Estate is now open at 200 Kareela Road, Penrose. Head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If you're planning to mark St Patrick's Day properly this year, take a leaf out of the Irish playbook: a drink in the sunshine (when they see it), great live music, and excellent Irish whiskey. Across Sydney's CBD, a select few pubs right at the heart of the celebrations are pouring signature serves all day: starring Tullamore D.E.W. While not all of them are strictly traditional Irish pubs, they're all serving good craic and a drop of the good stuff. Here's where to raise a glass and celebrate St Patrick's Day the proper way. The Orient Hotel Another Rocks institution and prime pub crawl stop, The Orient Hotel is pouring Tullamore D.E.W. Irish coffee, Tully Lemon Lime cocktails, and boilermakers across the St Patrick's Day weekend. There are multiple locations for you to spread out and enjoy the festivities, including a beer garden area, a tree-shaded courtyard, plus a delicious bistro pub menu to keep you going. [caption id="attachment_843734" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Forresters Forresters in Surry Hills is a local tavern that's been around for over 100 years. While it's a classic Australian pub, this March they're serving $12 Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Coffee, Tully Old Fashioneds for $22, and Tully Highball cocktails for $10, perfect for celebrating St Patrick's Day. Pair your whiskey drinks with delicious pub fare before heading to the next bar for an Irish session. Taphouse Taphouse in Darlinghurst is a local pub inspired by taps, tunes, and Chinese food. Given the Irish people's love of Chinese cuisine (4-in-1, anyone?), Taphouse is a great place to start the night. Enjoy delicious dishes and Tullamore D.E.W. cocktails, including $12 Irish Coffees, $22 old fashioneds, and $10 highballs. Lord Nelson Brewery Another institution in the Rocks, Lord Nelson Brewery, is housed in a sandstone building and holds the title of Australia's oldest continually operating hotel and oldest pub brewery. This makes it the perfect place to pull up a stool and enjoy some Irish craic (and drinks). Choose from cocktails including Tully's Irish Coffee, a Tully Lemon Lime cocktail, and a boilermaker to celebrate St Paddy's Day. Duke of Clarence Tucked behind Darling Harbour lies the Duke of Clarence. With cosy interiors and an extensive back bar, this pub has all you need for your St Patrick's Day bar crawl. The food is award‑winning (literally), and you'll also find drink specials for St Patrick's Day, including Irish coffee, a boilermaker, and Tully Lemon Lime cocktails. Whether you're mapping out a full pub crawl through The Rocks or locking in on one venue for the day, be sure to enjoy St Patrick's Day and celebrate like a local this year. Sláinte.
Charcoal chicken, hot chippies, and a mean garlic sauce. The holy trinity, one perfected in its deliciousness by the beloved Lebanese-style charcoal chicken chain El Jannah. Best enjoyed in a wrap, burger or with your bare hands — it's as versatile as it is tasty, and from right this second until sold out, it won't cost you anything. Today marks the conclusion of summer, and you might be feeling a bit glum. Well, El Jannah's grandmothers (aka Taytas) are worried about you; "you too skinny," they said, "you need to eat whole chicken now". Maybe that's why they said it's okay for their grandkids to run this deal, which is estimated to see $2 million worth of chicken leave the kitchens and enter Australian stomachs without a dollar spent. View this post on Instagram A post shared by El Jannah (@el__jannah) More specifically, it's 100,000 whole charcoal chickens, each with a side of the top-secret-recipe garlic sauce, redeemable in every El Jannah store from today until stocks run out. Considering the brand — which started as a lone chicken shop in Western Sydney back in 1998 — now operates almost 50 stores in three states, we wouldn't wait too long to go and get yours. To redeem the offer, you'll need to download the El Jannah app and join the Legendary Rewards program, then simply redeem in-store to claim your juicy, smoky delight and its tangy accompaniment. If you're already a legendary rewards member, don't panic; you can refer a family member or friend to redeem your portion of the goods. El Jannah's 100,000 free chickens offer is only while stocks last, T&Cs apply, find out more on the website and find your nearest El Jannah store here.
Every March 17, Australia becomes a little greener. Pubs fill early, and even the most sunburnt beer gardens lean into a bit of Irish charm. St Patrick's Day might be Ireland's national day, but Australia likes to get in on the action, too. To celebrate this year's St Patrick's Day, in partnership with Irish whiskey brand Tullamore D.E.W., we asked a handful of Irish expats a simple question: what actually culturally connects these two nations year-round? Here's what they told us. Sport As A Cultural Pastime If there was one similarity among the expats, it was sport. Alex has only been living in Australia for three months, but can already see the cultural similarities between Ireland and Australia's beloved pastimes. "Sport is a huge identity in both places, with Ireland having Gaelic football and hurling, and Australia having AFL. Both take pride in our national sports and even combine for an International Rules game once in a blue moon, where the rules of Gaelic and Australian football are combined for a test match," says Alex. Ellie and Alannah, who've both been in Australia for three years, agree that sports, as well as drinking, and outdoor events like festivals, are equally popular in both countries on either side of the globe. Whether you're watching from the nosebleed seats at the MCG or catching a match in the pub, there's a good chance you'll rub shoulders with an Irish expat while enjoying your favourite game. Heading To The Pub [caption id="attachment_817241" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Mercantile Hotel[/caption] This insight probably won't come as a surprise. Another common similarity between the Irish and the Aussies is our love for the local pub. "Australian and Irish pub culture are very similar in a lot of ways, mainly because of Irish immigrants' influence on early Australian pubs," says Alex. But he adds the biggest difference is that Ireland's are smaller and cosier. "[They're] often referred to as 'old man pubs' and have more intimate atmospheres that focus on conversation." While both nationalities enjoy pub culture and a tipple with mates, the Irish expats made it known in our survey that the feel of pubs in Australia is definitely not the same as back home. "Irish pubs are local and traditional," says Alannah. "They stay open later and are probably more inviting because of the wet weather. It's a place to gather and meet people." Ellie agrees, saying, "Australian pubs are way bigger compared to a homely, cosy Irish pub." Despite the lack of "cosiness", Tara, who's been in Australia for seven years, says that Australia's beer gardens make up for it. "Aussie pubs close earlier, but there are lots of beer gardens here, which I love, and Ireland doesn't have." As Alex (succinctly) puts it, "In both countries, the pub is far more than a bar. It's a social hub where people come together to meet friends after work, watch sports, and listen to live music. This is especially strong in 'local pubs' where your local is more of a community, rather than a place to just drink." Slàinte to that. We Both Love Our Comfort Food [caption id="attachment_1010367" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cut Bar and Grill[/caption] When it comes to food, nostalgia turns up in the form of pastry. "I'd say Australia's wide range of meat pies gives a similar vibe to Irish comfort food," says Alex. "Grabbing an Aussie staple such as steak or cottage pie can weirdly feel like a cold winter's day back in Cork." Ellie and Alannah also agree that pie of any type reminds them of home, especially chicken and leek pies. Yum. Sunday roasts also loom large. When Tara was asked which Irish traditions she still holds onto, she didn't hesitate: "A Sunday roast weekly! And going to the Irish bars." The throughline is comfort food that's hearty, familiar, and best shared around a table. What's The Craic? According to the Irish expats, humour is a strong bonding mechanism between the two nations. "The Irish and Aussie sense of humour is our biggest similarity," says Alex. "The same sarcasm, self-deprecation, teasing as a sign of affection, and not taking oneself too seriously that you see in your local Aussie pubs is widespread across Ireland." Ellie agrees that our humour is quite similar, with a lot of sarcasm forming its foundation, though she adds, "Irish people, I would say, are more jokey and take themselves less seriously." Alannah sees both humours as "similar, with underlying sarcasm". "The Irish are more sarcastic and take things less seriously," says Alannah. Of course, nationalities are not monolithic, and Leah, who's spent over three years in Australia, believes Irish people are funnier. "Australians have dry humour," says Leah. Where opinions diverge, the importance of banter doesn't. As Alex says, "The banter and storytelling from both is why we historically get along so well." [caption id="attachment_1081442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whether you're newly arrived from Cork or born and bred in Carlton, Tullamore D.E.W. is inviting everyone to lean into that shared spirit. So, whether it's March 17 or not, gather your mates, pull on something green, and settle in at your local. If the expats are right, the formula is simple: good company, a bit of banter (or craic), and a glass raised to wherever you call home.[/caption] 18+. Drink responsibly.
Sydney has no shortage of French diners. But even a wave of new Parisian restaurants hasn't seen restauranteur Andrew Becher shy away from his love for rich French cuisine, opening Armorica Grande Brasserie in 2023. The Surry Hills spot is Becher's second venue in this style to accompany Potts Point's Franca. The 150-seat restaurant is located in the former home of Toko after it relocated to the CBD late in 2022. Under the guidance of the Armorica crew, the digs have been transformed into a lavish French-influenced dining space with timber detailed ceilings, European oak joinery, brass gantries and an open kitchen centred around a custom-built grill. The grill is put to full use at Armorica, with plenty of fire-heavy dishes that utilise top Australian produce to create classic northern French feeds. From beef tartare and spanner crab cakes to grilled rock lobster and whole chicken served with chicken skin and thyme gravy, you'll be left impressed — and full — from the grill menu. Pair those dishes from the grill with Head Chef Jose Saulog's vibrant delights from the sea and land, including highlights from a raw menu and a selection of pasta. Expect duck breast and plum jus, swordfish with chargrilled fennel, and an outlandish seafood tower featuring oysters, prawn cocktails, octopus roulade and rock lobster. All of this exquisite produce needs to be matched by an equally high-quality wine list, of course, and Armorica is coming to the table with a 400-strong vino program focused on traditional winemakers creating exceptionally drinkable drops. Plus, there are also plenty of sweets on offer. Group Executive Chef Travin DeHoedt has created five signature desserts to round out your meal, including the signature Armorica chocolate bar, made with Valrhona chocolate mousse, salted caramel and choc chip cookie. An absolute treat. And for a limited time only, you can get the signature bar for a takeaway Easter treat. But get in quick as they're sure to sell out.
There's no shortage of Japanese restaurants in Sydney, but Barangaroo's AORI takes a slightly different approach. From the team behind Alegre and Callao, the 240-seat King Street Wharf venue marks a natural evolution for the group, leaning into traditional Japanese craft with contemporary touches, including a nod or two along the way to the Nikkei flavours that put Callao on the map. Head Chef Kim Chi (Saké Restaurant & Bar) and Head Sushi Chef Eric Lee (Nobu, Sokyo) oversee a menu built around raw seafood, premium meats and charcoal cooking. Expect dishes like koji-marinated Glacier 51 toothfish with ponzu, daikon oroshi and wasabi, Tasmanian lamb rack with miso eggplant and black garlic butter, and Australian and Japanese wagyu served simply with jus, freshly grated wasabi and black garlic purée, with the option to add house chimichurri. The raw bar balances classic technique and subtle creativity. Local tuna, kingfish and salmon headline the sashimi offering, sitting alongside more composed plates like wagyu beef tartare with iburigakko, macadamia, smoked almond and chilli oil, and tuna nigiri topped with egg yolk purée and sesame oil powder. Japanese whisky and saké lead a drinks program by Bar Manager Owen Glover (ex-Merivale), while an international wine list and guided tasting flights play a strong support role. Cocktails follow the same ingredient-led approach as the kitchen, with highlights like the Yamazaki 12-based Aori Old Fashioned, smoked tableside with applewood and shiitake, and a shared frozen Roku gin and prosecco cocktail finished in front of guests. While there's a neat throughline of restraint and precision, AORI leans into moments of quiet theatre: a sushi ferris wheel presents the raw bar selection, a roaming trolley offers tableside steak service, and ceviche arrives with a flourish of dry ice. It all takes place in an expansive, open-plan dining room that draws on ryokan and onsen design, combining timber, stone, warm lighting, and sculptural finishes with impressive views of Darling Harbour. In addition to the main dining area, arranged around an open kitchen, AORI also boasts a balcony and bar spaces, private and semi-private dining rooms and a resident DJ who shifts the mood from relaxed daytime dining to a more energetic evening service.
It was in the early 2000s that Melbourne-born jazz/funk band The Cat Empire exploded onto the world stage with its international sound layered with Australian charm. They wasted no time shooting to the tops of the charts with tracks like 'Hello', 'Days Like These' and 'How to Explain'. In 2024, they proved they'd still got it with a debut orchestral tour, partnering up with orchestras like the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to bring a new layer to their sound. In 2026 — the people chant for more, because they'll be doing it again on the 2026 Encore Orchestra Tour. Front and centre on that tour is a return to the Sydney Opera House, where they'll once again join forces with SSO for a three-night run in the legendary concert hall. They'll also be recording a new album during the shows, Live at the Sydney Opera House. Reimagining The Cat Empire's catalogue to a scale only achievable with an orchestra, these shows blend the band's sound with expanded symphonic arrangements by long-time collaborator Roscoe James Irwin. With hints of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, flamenco and global influences, it's the kind of concert experience that reminds you that, as Double J said, "The Cat Empire aren't so much a band, they're a live music institution." Reviewing the 2024 concert, Sydney Arts Guide wrote, "Such musical cooperation from such a range of expert, experienced performers made this concert a special collaboration in which the fluid, accomplished Sydney Symphony Orchestra plus the Sydney Opera House became accessible to even more music lovers than usual." In its review, Scenestr said, "Sydneysiders and those travelling abroad and interstate who attended the show were in for an exemplary night with an ensemble of musicians alongside a conductor and arranger, as well as audio and lighting technicians (all world-class) who made the evening's spectacle enriching and enthralling." Want to sample the sounds before you commit to a ticket? You can listen to the newly released single 'Bulls - Live at Sydney Opera House', recorded during the 2024 concerts and released to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the original single. The Cat Empire '2026 Orchestral Encore Tour' will run from September 5–6. Tickets go on sale at 10am local time on Thursday, March 19. Get yours on the Sydney Symphony Orchestra website. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox. Images: supplied
You might listen to podcasts on your own — in the car, at your desk, or while making dinner — but feeling part of a listener community is often what makes the format so special. With the arrival of DomeFest, an Australian-first podcast fan festival, this shared experience is taking place IRL, as multiple podcasts take over the Hordern Pavilion's stage for a one-day festival-like experience on Sunday, March 29. The brainchild of creative events agency Finely Tuned and Dome — an industry-first podcast community and audience insights platform — DomeFest features four of Australia's most beloved podcasts and their massive fanbases in an entirely new setting. "Podcasts are traditionally a solo experience", says Dome Co-Founder Sophie Greiner, "The Dome ecosystem is about challenging that; bringing together like-minded communities who exist behind one degree of digital separation." For the debut event, the focus is on progressive Gen Z and Millennial women, where aspects of pop culture, identity and relationships lead the conversation. Hosted by queer content creator, comedian and activist Milo Hartill, the podcast lineup features It's a Lot with Abbie Chatfield, which reaches 400,000 listeners every month, and The Psychology of Your 20s, a Global Top 20 Spotify podcast hosted by renowned mental health advocate Jemma Sbeg. Also on the agenda is Big Small Talk — Hannah Ferguson and Sarah-Jane Adams' sharp news and pop culture breakdown — and Momentum by Missing Perspectives, a women's sport show highlighting fresh conversations around sport, fitness and health. Supported by live music, stellar food and drinks, giveaways and community-driven chats, trading in your headphones for face-to-face connection at DomeFest brings a whole new meaning to your favourite podcasts. Tickets are on-sale now, and currently all available with a 50 percent discount — get yours here.
All hail the king of Korean barbecue buffets—a sprawling 500-square-metre restaurant on Sussex Street in Haymarket with space for 200 diners, 60 individual barbecue stations and private rooms for up to 30 guests. After struggling to meet customer demand at its original Chinatown outpost, Sydney chain Butchers Buffet has moved 20 metres down the road, opening not only its largest restaurant to date but also (it claims) the largest all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue buffet in the country. Butchers Buffet has enjoyed meteoric success since opening its first outlet in Eastwood in 2019. Booming popularity led to a string of new venues in Strathfield, Blacktown, Cabramatta and Chinatown. However, with overwhelming numbers of diners vying for a table in Haymarket, it seemed the only solution was to go big—really big. Open seven days a week, Butchers Buffer offers a choose-your-own-adventure dining experience. Guests chart their own culinary journey rather than following an existing menu, choosing from a diverse meat selection including bulgogi, soy-marinated scotch fillet, wagyu beef belly, spicy pork belly, beef ribs and more. There's also a hot food section where diners can get their fill of prepared dishes, including pork short ribs, house-made dumplings, potato noodles and, of course, Korean fried chicken. Visitors can wash down their meal with a wide range of beverages that include Korean beer, flavoured soju and ice teas. While the menu is primarily aimed at carnivores, the restaurant does cater to certain dietary preferences. Halal-friendly cuts of chicken and beef are available upon request, and seasonal additions keep the menu fresh for regular customers. But it's not just the food that has Sydneysiders flocking to Butchers Buffet. With slick, modern decor, neon lighting and a K-pop soundtrack, party vibes abound, making the chain an especially big hit with younger patrons. However, while the atmosphere of the restaurant may be contemporary, the philosophy behind the food, overseen by Executive Group Chef Joanne Lee, is all about the rich traditions of Korean dining culture. "Butchers Buffet ensures that only the freshest ingredients and quality meats are used," Lee explains. "Our meats and food selections have been carefully picked, freshly prepared, and deliciously made. Even our sauces are made daily in-store without any preservatives." Find the Chinatown branch of Butchers Buffet at Shop 8, 363 Sussex Street, Haymarket, open Sunday–Thursday, 4.30–10pm and Friday–Saturday, 4.30–11pm. Prices start at $36.99 per adult and $21.99 per child for lunch, and $46.99 per adult and $29.99 per child for dinner. Head to the venue's website for more details.
The Ingenia Holiday Parks Sydney Family Easter Show is returning to the Showring at Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, bringing 18 jam-packed days of Easter fun to the Eastern Suburbs. Running daily from 10am on Thursday, 2 April through to 4pm on Sunday, 19 April, the Ingenia Holiday Parks Sydney Family Easter Show delivers the Easter Show traditions families love in one value day out. With entry priced between $15–$30, three-hour unlimited ride passes available for $50, Easter Egg Hunt tickets for $15, and two hours of free parking on site, it's an affordable way to make some new Easter memories. Headlining the 2026 program is Sydney's Biggest Easter Egg Hunt. This interactive, Easter-themed adventure invites kids to hunt for hidden treasures before going into the draw for a Giant $2,000 Easter Basket Giveaway. One lucky family will score a prize pack filled with family-friendly goodies, including an Ingenia Holiday Parks travel voucher. You could turn your Easter outing into a future family holiday. Also new for 2026 is the Outback Jack Stockman Show, a thrilling live performance showcasing horsemanship, working sheep dogs, and traditional whip cracking. It joins a packed entertainment lineup featuring a high-energy motorcycle and bike stunt show complete with gravity-defying tricks, live stage performances, and music throughout the day, plus a daily reptile show where kids can learn about fascinating (and slimy) creatures up close. Beyond the big-ticket entertainment, the Ingenia Holiday Parks Sydney Family Easter Show is brimming with family fun. Expect carnival rides ranging from gentle spins for little ones to adrenaline-fuelled thrills, classic carnival games, showbags, and market stalls. There'll also be an adorable baby farm animal nursery (complete with bunny cuddles), and plenty of food stalls serving up Easter treats. Special event days add even more to the program. The Dogs in the Park Dachshund Festival on Sunday, April 12, features the popular Dachshund Derby, best dressed competitions, and themed market stalls. On Sunday, April 19, the National Greyhound Adoption Day offers visitors a chance to meet beautiful greyhounds looking for their forever homes. The Ingenia Holiday Parks Sydney Family Easter Show offers an outdoor day out for families looking to make the most of the school holidays. Pre-book tickets online now to avoid missing out on fun, excitement, and unforgettable Easter memories. Images: Supplied
It feels like I woke up one day — sometime in the last six months — with a mysterious pull towards the occult. Witchcraft, tarot, crystals: things that once felt "woo woo" and faintly contrived suddenly began to feel ritualistic. The lines between meditation and manifestation blurred into something I'd more readily describe as secular spirituality. My friends and I sincerely gift each other carefully chosen crystals imbued with particular properties. Everyone seems to have an oracle deck of choice. I know of more than one bride who has quietly tasked an Etsy witch with guaranteeing sunshine on her wedding day. Like most trends I seem to absorb by digital osmosis, it probably began with TikTok (or, more specifically, "WitchTok"). Yes, there are the cursed tarot readings that appear on your FYP when you're at your most emotionally fragile, but it runs deeper than that — it's women speaking about matriarchy; women talking about intuition, cycles, and reclaiming control; women gathering online in ways that could, theoretically, be described as covens. In 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade; in Australia in 2023–24, an average of one woman every eight days was killed by an intimate partner; and by 2026, the word "manosphere" has entered global common parlance. Surveying what it feels like to be a woman right now, I do have to wonder if a modern witchcraft revival is less about Ouija Boards and gothic aesthetics, and much more about female autonomy, intuition, and collective power. "Witchcraft" as a covert disguise for fourth-wave feminism. [caption id="attachment_1079397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fiona Horne[/caption] Witchcraft has always resurfaced at moments of rupture. It crests when institutions feel brittle and women sense that something is shifting beneath them. In the 1970s, it threaded through second-wave feminism. In the 1990s, it returned via underground punk grrrl movement, The Craft and a generation of teenage girls learning to name their anger. In 2026, it is back again — algorithmic, aesthetic and quietly radical. And few people understand that arc better than Fiona Horne. Long before Etsy witches and TikTok tarot, Horne publicly identified as a practising witch in the late 1990s, publishing Witch – A Personal Journey at a time when the word still carried real stigma. She had already been in the public eye as the frontwoman of Def FX, but stepping "out of the broom closet," as she has described it, positioned her as a lightning rod for modern witchcraft. "I never get asked if I worship Satan anymore," she tells me, reflecting on the cultural shift. "I never get asked if I'm a white witch or a black witch or a good witch or a bad witch. There's just more understanding now. People know that a witch is someone who honours nature as sacred, who recognises a Goddess as well as a God, who does spells and rituals to help and heal themselves and others." Nearly three decades later, Horne is releasing her 17th book, Coven – Where Witches Gather, alongside a companion oracle deck, and embarking on a national tour designed to bring witches — and the witch-curious — together in person. "The alchemy that occurs when we come together is really potent," she says. "There's something that happens in a circle that doesn't happen alone. We celebrate seasonal rites together. We create intentional circles. We support each other. It's about ethical gathering. It's about boundaries. It's about leadership. It's about healing. It's about remembering that we're not meant to do this alone." If fourth-wave feminism is about collective voice, witchcraft offers up collective ritual — but these days, it doesn't always look like a candlelit circle. Michelle Cook is a psychic, medium and practising witch who also hosts the podcast How to Witch, Bitch!, described as "an overview of witchcraft for the new and experienced alike."In a fitting crossover, Fiona appeared on the show while travelling in Egypt, and the two Australian witches' conversation drifted less toward spectacle and more toward what modern practice actually looks like. "[It used to be] the kid on her own in the corner of the classroom getting down into the bush and doing some spells. And now all of a sudden — it's so massive," says Horne. View this post on Instagram A post shared by How To Witch, Bitch! (@howtowitchbitch) In 2026, the next generation of teenage witches is discovering the craft not through dusty metaphysical bookstores or even '90s cult-classic movies, but through TikTok and Spotify. The music streaming platform has reported dramatic surges in manifestation-themed playlists and spell-inflected audio — some up nearly 300 percent in recent years — suggesting that ritual language hasn't disappeared. It has simply migrated. "If words are spells [that's why it's called spelling], then songs could be your ritual. Your playlist could be your altar," says Cook. "The energy you listen to is the energy you're inviting in." The coven, in other words, might now look like a shared Spotify link. The altar is portable, the circle digital, the incantation algorithmically delivered. But the resurgence runs deeper than algorithms, Cook insists. "Women are looking for something that they feel they have control over. They're looking for something that's theirs. Something that says, 'I can influence my world. I can choose what I bring in.'" That search for agency sits squarely within the concerns of fourth-wave feminism. When bodily autonomy is contested and social contracts feel unstable, reclaiming power at a symbolic level becomes both personal and political. Lighting a candle will not rewrite legislation; gathering in a circle will not dismantle patriarchy, but it does create a space where women's voices are centred rather than mediated. Horne articulates witchcraft less as spectacle and more as ethics. "The core laws are simple," she explains. "Do what you will, but do not harm. Do not interfere with another's free will. And understand that what you send out returns. There's accountability in that. There's responsibility." #witchtok That distinction matters in a marketplace increasingly eager to monetise magic. In February 2026, VICE reported that Etsy had begun removing sellers offering spellcasting services, despite the platform's longstanding prohibition on selling supernatural outcomes. Sellers described the move as abrupt, even likening it to a "modern witch hunt." The policy itself was blunt: you can sell a candle, but not the promise that it will fix someone's life. "[It was] preying on fear," Cook says plainly of some online spell-selling spaces. "That's not what this is meant to be. It's not about dependency. It's not about giving your power away to someone else and saying, 'Fix it for me.' It's about coming back to yourself." And the archetype itself has shifted. "When we think of a witch, we think of a woman who is in power, who's in control of her life," says Horne. "If we were describing a man, it would be great. But when we're describing a woman, suddenly it's a bad thing. So reclaiming that word matters. It matters that we say, 'Yes, I'm powerful. Yes, I trust myself.'" Strip away the iconography of pentagrams, cauldrons, and altars, and this message feels like the quiet core of the revival: not supernatural intervention so much as authority redirected inward. In that sense, witchcraft begins to look less like rebellion and more like recalibration — akin to meditation, mindfulness, or even some forms of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Maybe it's more about hope, or control, or a combination of both. Is modern witchcraft just accessible, secular spirituality dressed up in a velvet cape? If history is any guide, this wave will crest and quieten again. The aesthetic may change, the algorithms will pivot, but the underlying impulse remains evergreen and essential — women gathering, naming their experience and refusing to relinquish authority over it. FYI I wrote this piece while listening to my own Spotify spell playlist. When in Rome. Images: Larnce Gold
In 2017, when Warwick Thornton's Sweet Country first reached cinema screens, the blistering Indigenous Australian western won awards in Venice, Toronto, Luxembourg and our own backyard. It's a sublimely shot and performed work of art that powerfully interrogates Australia's past and draws parallels with the country's present, so that's not surprising — and it joined a long list of acclaimed work by Indigenous Australian filmmakers. Thornton himself is no stranger to the spotlight, with his debut Samson & Delilah winning the Camera d'Or at Cannes in 2009. Sixteen years earlier, Australian artist Tracey Moffatt premiered BeDevil at the prestigious international festival, too, with her feature marking the first ever directed by an Australian Aboriginal woman. From Ivan Sen's Mystery Road and Goldstone to Rachel Perkins' Bran Nue Dae and Jasper Jones, the list of exceptional films by Indigenous Aussie directors goes on. Showcasing the breadth and depth of the nation's filmmaking talent — and, crucially, showcasing Indigenous Australian stories — they demonstrate Aussie cinema at its best. And if you're wondering where to start, here are 25 movies that you can stream right now. Mystery Road, Goldstone, Toomelah and Limbo When Ivan Sen and Aaron Pedersen (High Ground) teamed up for 2013 film Mystery Road, they gave Australia the ongoing gift of outback noir. Sen's writing and directing was so finessed, Pedersen's performance as Indigenous Australian police officer Jay Swan so riveting and the movie's entire concept so engaging that it's no wonder everyone wanted more. So, another followed. Across fellow big-screen effort Goldstone, Swan went to a different remote corner of the country, tried to solve a different case and became immersed in a different set of small-town politics. In both films, the franchise lays bare the state of Australia today, especially when it comes to the nation's treatment of its First Nations peoples. And if you're instantly hooked, it has also spawned its own two-season TV series also starring Pedersen — plus an exceptional prequel series as well. Also worth seeking out: Sen's 2011 drama Toomelah, as set in the titular New South Wales town, with ten-year-old Daniel (Daniel Connors, who is also in Mystery Road) at its centre. And, in 2023, Sen brought Limbo to cinemas, this time starring Simon Baker (Boy Swallows Universe) in a black-and-white Coober Pedy-shot tale about another police officer riding into a small Aussie town, and looking into a case that few people have been all that fussed about until now because the victim isn't white. Mystery Road streams via ABC iView, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. Goldstone streams via ABC iView, Netflix, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Ivan Sen and Aaron Pedersen. Toomelah streams via Netflix. Limbo streams via ABC iView, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Ivan Sen and Simon Baker. Samson & Delilah, Sweet Country and The New Boy Before Warwick Thornton turned his camera on himself in the personal and reflective TV documentary The Beach — which is the best piece of Australian television that hit screens in 2020 — he directed two of the great Aussie films of the 21st century. And, since then, he's also added another, The first: a love story, a tale of fighting to survive and an unflinching look at teenage life in Australia's red centre, aka 2009's equally heartwrenching and stunning Samson & Delilah. Indeed, it's little wonder the multi-award-winning movie firmly put Thornton on the international map. With Sweet Country, he then returned to the Northern Territory with a film that makes a firm statement, as becomes clear when an Indigenous stockman (Hamilton Morris) kills a white station owner in self-defence. He's forced to flee with his wife Lizzie (Natassia Gorey-Furber), but a local posse is soon on their trail. As Sweet Country decisively confronts this all-too-real situation, it also confronts the country's history of racial prejudice. In 2023's The New Boy, Thornton headed to a remote monastery with a mission for Indigenous children, where Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett, Tár) is in charge. Her faith is tested when the titular child (newcomer Aswan Reid), a nine-year-old orphan, arrives and has his own experience with religion, which clashes with the mission's take on Christianity. Samson and Delilah streams via SBS On Demand, Stan, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Sweet Country streams via ABC iView, Netflix, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The New Boy streams via SBS On Demand, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Warwick Thornton. BeDevil One of Australia's most astonishing films — and yet one of the country's lesser-celebrated gems — Tracey Moffatt's BeDevil took the Queensland visual artist, photographer and filmmaker to Cannes and back. That external validation is all well and good; however it's really just the cherry on top of a potent triptych of haunting tales that demands attention on its own merits. In not only her first and only feature, but the first feature by an Australian Aboriginal woman, Moffatt takes inspiration from ghost stories told to her as a child by both her Aboriginal and Irish relatives. A thoroughly distinctive and immersive horror movie is the end result, and one that smartly and engagingly explores Australian race relations in a disarmingly unique way. Surreal, eerie and simmering with intensity, it'll also show you the Aussie landscape in a whole new light. BeDevil streams via SBS On Demand and Vimeo. Sweet As In Sweet As, the red earth of Western Australia's Pilbara region couldn't be more pivotal. For this coming-of-age drama, Jub Clerc (The Heights) deploys the patch of Aussie soil as a place where teenagers find themselves. The first-time feature director and writer draws upon her own adolescent experiences for her full-length debut, while also crafting the first WA flick that's helmed and penned by an Indigenous female filmmaker. Murra (Shantae Barnes-Cowan, Firebite) is one of Sweet As' adolescents learning to be shutterbugs; with her mother (Ngaire Pigram, also a Firebite alum) grappling with addiction, the 16-year-old's police-officer uncle Ian (Mark Coles Smith, Mystery Road: Origin) enrols her on a trip that she doesn't initially want to take — with youth workers Mitch (Tasma Walton, Scrublands) and Fernando (Carlos Sanson Jr, Bump) as guides and chaperones, plus Kylie (newcomer Mikayla Levy), Elvis (Pedrea Jackson, Robbie Hood) and Sean (fellow first-timer Andrew Wallace) as her new friends. Sweet As is available to stream via SBS On Demand, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson A searing and impassioned take on a well-known Australian tale — a First Nations, feminist and anti-colonial version, too — The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson is the film that Leah Purcell (High Country) had to make. See: her lengthy history with Henry Lawson's short story of almost the same name. In 2016, she adapted The Drover's Wife for the stage. In 2019, she moved it back to the page. Now, she's brought it to the screen — and the end result is a must-see. Only minutes in, in what marks the actor-turned-director's feature filmmaking debut, it's easy to see why Purcell keeps being drawn to retell this 19th century-set story. In her hands, it's a story of anger, power, prejudice and revenge, and also a portrait of a history that's treated both women and Indigenous Australians abhorrently. And, ever the powerhouse, she writes, helms and stars. The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson streams via SBS On Demand, Stan, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Moogai First, The Moogai was a SXSW Midnight Shorts Grand Jury Award-winning short. Then, writer/director Jon Bell and his stars Shari Sebbens (The Office) and Meyne Wyatt (Strife) returned to turn this tale of Australia's past haunting its present on- and off-screen into a feature. This is an Aussie horror film born out of the Stolen Generations where the monsters of colonisation, White Australia policies and attitudes since remain inescapable, and where Indigenous children today are also snatched away by a literal monster — and it's a brilliant idea, as well as one that instantly feels as if it needed to have been made decades back. The Moogai begins on the Red River Aborigines Mission in 1969, where two sisters (debutants Aisha Alma May and Precious Ann) attempt to avoid being separated from their family by white men, only for one to be spirited away instead by the picture's namesake. When it jumps to half a century later, the film spends its time with Indigenous couple Sarah (Sebbens) and Fergus (Wyatt) as they prepare for the arrival of their second child, but find themselves dealing with malevolent forces. The Moogai via Netflix and YouTube Movies. Read our interview with Shari Sebbens, Meyne Wyatt and Jon Bell. Bran Nue Dae, Jasper Jones and Radiance When Rachel Perkins brought hit Aussie musical Bran Nue Dae to the big screen in 2010, she turned an already beloved stage musical into one of the country's cinema box office successes. The lively love story takes a road trip through 60s-era Australia, and brings plenty of famous faces along for the ride, with Jessica Mauboy (The Secret Daughter), Ernie Dingo (Squinters) and Deborah Mailman (Total Control) among the cast. Then, in 2017, she adapted another Aussie classic. This time, she set her sights on Craig Silvey's novel Jasper Jones, which examines race relations in a rural Australian town — particularly the treatment of the teenage titular character (Aaron L McGrath, Gold Diggers), who is considered an outcast due to his ethnicity. The book was already intelligent, thoughtful and engaging, and the film proves the same. Similarly worth watching is Perkins' moving 1998 filmmaking debut, Radiance, about three sisters (Wentworth's Rachael Maza, Deborah Mailman again and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart's Trisha Morton-Thomas) working through their baggage after their mother's death. Bran Nue Dae streams via SBS On Demand, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Jasper Jones streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Radiance streams via ACMI Cinema 3. The Sapphires, Top End Wedding and Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra An actor and a filmmaker, Wayne Blair boasts an eclectic resume. You've seen him on-screen in Wish You Were Here, The Turning, Emu Runner, Seriously Red and The New Boy, and he both directed and featured in episodes of Redfern Now and the second season of the Mystery Road TV series. Behind the lens, he's also helmed episodes of Lockie Leonard, and directed the 2017 US TV remake of Dirty Dancing. But, Blair is probably best known for The Sapphires and Top End Wedding. They're both big films — and Blair has a definite feel for feel-good material. One follows a group of four Indigenous Australian female singers (Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Preppers' Shari Sebbens and The Artful Dodger's Miranda Tapsell) sent to Vietnam to entertain the troops. As for the other, it tracks an Indigenous Australian woman's (Tapsell again) whirlwind quest to stage her perfect nuptials in her hometown of Darwin. Also on Blair's resume: documentary Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, about Australia's acclaimed Indigenous dance theatre. Co-directed with Nel Minchin (Matilda & Me, Making Muriel), it's a powerful portrait that also steps through the nation's past and focuses on three siblings — Stephen, David and Russell Page — with dreams as big as their talents. The Sapphires streams via Prime Video. Top End Wedding streams via ABC iView, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra streams via ABC iView, SBS On Demand, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Here I Am Marking not one but two feature debuts — for writer/director Beck Cole (Deadloch) and star Shai Pittman (Around the Block) — Here I Am tells one of the oldest tales there is. It's also a prime of example of taking a familiar narrative and giving it a new voice; viewers have seen this story before in various guises over decades and decades, but never championing Indigenous women. When Karen (Pittman) is released from prison in South Australia, she embarks upon a quest for redemption, including reconnecting with her unimpressed mother Lois (Marcia Langton) and her young daughter Rosie (Quinaiha Scott). Unsurprisingly, that reunion doesn't go smoothly, but both Cole and Pittman are committed to riding the ups and downs. Both hit the big-screen for the first time in a striking fashion, and with a film that proves both intimate and clear-eyed in its multi-generational portrait. Here I Am streams via iTunes and Prime Video. We Are Still Here It begins with stunning animation, shimmering with the rich blue hues of the sea. From there, everything from lush greenery to dusty outback appears in its frames. The past returns to the screen, and a vision of the present finds a place as well — and crossing the ditch between Australia and New Zealand, and venturing further into the South Pacific, is baked into the movie's very concept. That film is We Are Still Here, which makes an enormous statement with its title, responding to 250 years of colonialism. Of course, filmmakers in the region have been surveying this history since the birth of the medium, because the topic is inescapable. Combining eight different takes from ten Indigenous filmmakers (including Here I Am's Beck Cole, A Chance Affair's Tracey Rigney, Carry the Flag's Danielle MacLean and A League of Her Own's Dena Curtis from Australia) instantly makes We Are Still Here stand out, however — and this Pacific First Nations collaboration isn't short on talent, or impact. We Are Still Here streams via SBS On Demand, Netflix, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Spear An Australian dance movie that uses its fancy footwork to step through the plight of the country's First Nations peoples, Spear is a striking cinematic achievement. First-time feature helmer, Bran Nue Dae and The Sapphires choreographer, and Bangarra Dance Theatre artistic director Stephen Page turns the company's performance work of the same name into a big-screen spectacle unlike anything crafted locally, or anywhere else for that matter. Mood, music and movement are pivotal, as a teenage boy wanders from the outback to the city to try to reconcile his ancient culture in a modern world. His journey is just as transporting for those watching as it is for everyone within the movie, as well as anchoring one of the most expressive pieces of Australian film perhaps ever made. Watch his with the aforementioned Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra for a fantastic double feature. Spear streams via ABC iView and Beamafilm. Read our full review. Satellite Boy On paper, it might seem easy to spot exactly why Satellite Boy proves so charming. Writer/director Catriona McKenzie smartly enlisted the now-late David Gulpilil (Storm Boy) as Indigenous elder Jagamarra, one of ten-year-old Pete's (first-timer Cameron Wallaby) guardians and the person teaching him about life on the land. It's a stroke of casting genius, clearly — and crucial to the film. That said, this dreamlike 2012 movie has several impressive casting touches as it traverses the Western Australian landscape, including unearthing young Wallaby as its lead and similarly finding fellow debutant Joseph Pedley to play Pete's pal Kalmain. McKenzie's feature also boasts a delightful narrative, which sees the two boys take to the bush en route to the city to save the home that Pete adores: a rundown drive-in cinema that this big-dreaming kid simply wants to get back into action. Satellite Boy streams via iTunes and Prime Video. Buckskin and Finke: There and Back The past few years have been memorable for Dylan River. The Alice Springs filmmaker directed delightful SBS web series Robbie Hood, was the cinematographer on rousing Adam Goodes documentary The Australian Dream, worked as the second unit director on the aforementioned Sweet Country, lensed The Beach (with the latter two both helmed by his father, Warwick Thornton), co-directed Mystery Road: Origin and was behind the wonderful Thou Shalt Not Steal. He also wrote, directed and shot two impressive documentaries of his own: Buckskin and Finke: There and Back. The first tells the tale of Jack Buckskin, Australia's only teacher of the near-extinct Kaurna language, while the second covers the rough, tough, two-day off-terrain trek that gives the doco its name. Both prove insightful, and showcase the astute skills of one of Australia's emerging filmmaking talents. Buckskin streams via SBS On Demand and Vimeo. Finke: There and Back streams via SBS On Demand, Netflix, DocPlay, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. It's also one of our ten best movies of 2019 that hardly anyone saw. Servant or Slave and Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky Watching a documentary directed by Steven McGregor involves exploring Australia's complicated history. There's much for the director of Black Comedy and co-writer of Mystery Road, Redfern Now and Sweet Country to cover, of course. In 2016's Servant or Slave, he turned his attention not only to the nation's Stolen Generation, but to the Indigenous girls who were forced to work as domestic servants. The powerful film features five women recalling their experiences — and it's impossible not to be moved and horrified by their accounts. With 2020's Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, the filmmaker takes a more irreverent approach to Australia's past, while still remaining just as probing. The charismatic Steven Oliver leads the show on-screen, as this clever and engaging movie revisits the story of Captain Cook from a First Nations perspective, including via songlines with the assistance of Indigenous performers. Servant or Slave streams via SBS On Demand, DocPlay, Brollie, Prime Video, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky streams via SBS On Demand.
