Byron Bay isn't short on beachside hangouts, but a new arrival is raising the bar for long lunches, sun-drenched cocktails and a poolside view. Located just behind Main Beach, Roca first opened in December 2024, serving Latin-inspired cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner among colour-drenched interiors. Now, one year after the restaurant's Byron debut, the team has expanded with a new luxe pool club next door: Roca Cabana. Designed as an all-day destination, Roca Cabana blends Byron's relaxed coastal energy with a polished resort feel. Guests can expect expertly crafted drinks alongside fresh seafood, sandwiches, burgers and light daytime favourites from the club's Raw Bar and ceviche menu. Entry includes access to the venue's pool, which will be heated to a balmy 28 degrees in winter and comes complete with complimentary towels. With views of Byron Bay's famous lighthouse as the backdrop, the adults-only pool club invites guests to lounge poolside with full glasses and chilled house beats. Swim, sip and soak at Roca Cabana before towelling off and heading next door for a long lunch or dinner, Latin style. Designer Chris Schneider helped conceptualise the new space. "My partner is Chilean, and during our visits there, I was inspired by the colours, textures, and warmth of South American culture. Roca Cabana blends that inspiration with Byron's own laid-back elegance," says Chris. Terracotta hues, vibrant Spanish-blue mosaics by the pool, shimmering copper accents and rendered curves bring the concept to life. For Chris, the design was intended as a nod to the adobe architecture of South America. "The space feels both transportive and uniquely local. It's a fusion of cultures that reflects our food and our story." Roca's Food Roca Byron Bay has already made a name for itself as the town's only dedicated Latin American restaurant. Guests can enjoy dishes from Peru, Argentina, Chile and Brazil as Roca's Latin American flavours are fused with the best local produce on the Northern Rivers. The restaurant offers an extensive tapas menu as well as mouth-watering local meats grilled on Roca's authentic Argentinian Parilla BBQ. The grilled dishes are crafted to pair perfectly with Roca's extensive wine list, including Malbec and Carménère, directly imported from Argentina and Chile. Roca Byron Bay also offers a curated signature cocktail menu featuring fusion drinks such as the Chimitini (imagine a dirty martini with chimichurri), or the Ginebra Maté, a refreshing cocktail made with infused Argentinian Yerba Mate, gin and elderflower. With a menu designed to share "familia" style and an authentic Argentinian Parilla BBQ, Roca Byron Bay is an East Coast destination worth making a trip for. Why Byron Bay? With its famous beaches and buzzing bar scene, Byron Bay might already seem well catered for, but Chris says the idea was to offer a different kind of escape. "Whether you're visiting Byron or are lucky enough to call it home, I believe everyone deserves a touch of luxury, and we wanted to create an elevated poolside experience." Just a minute's walk from Main Beach, Roca Cabana also offers a stylish fallback for those days when the surf (or the weather) doesn't quite cooperate. Between its Latin-inspired design, poolside cocktails and seafood-driven menu, Roca Cabana adds a new kind of daytime escape to Byron Bay's social scene. Whether you're settling in for oysters and prosecco, dipping between sun loungers and the pool, or stretching a long lunch well into the afternoon, the new pool club is designed for exactly the kind of slow, sun-soaked afternoons the Northern Rivers does best. Book your luxe pool club day out now. Roca Cabana is running events across the Easter long weekend, including back-to-back DJs all day on Thursday, April 2, Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5, plus cocktail specials including $15 aperol spritz and frozen coconut margs. On Easter Monday, April 6, Roca Cabana is hosting a Long Weekend Recovery with Caesar's Cocktails by the pool. Guests can either walk in on the day or book a daybed in advance by emailing lifeguard@rocacabana.com. Image Credit: Supplied
Two Succession brothers facing off in the same category. A musical crime melodrama making history, earning more nominations than any film not in the English language ever has. Brazil's second contender for Best Actress ever — the daughter of its first, in fact. A female filmmaker in the running for Best Director for only the tenth time in 97 years. They're some of the big stories among the 2025 Oscar nominations, involving A Real Pain, The Apprentice, Emilia Pérez, I'm Still Here and The Substance. There's more where they came from — but which of those movies, and the talents involved, will earn shiny statuettes on Monday, March 3, Down Under time? And will Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Nickel Boys and Wicked have any luck, too? Just like in 2022, 2023 and 2024, we've watched everything — many of which you can as well in Australia right now — and singled out who and what will likely be credited as an "Oscar-winner" moving forward. Surveying 11 categories, we've also named which nominees deserve to, and what else might be in with a chance. Best Motion Picture The nominees: Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Emilia Pérez I'm Still Here Nickel Boys The Substance Wicked Should win: The Brutalist Could win: Conclave Will win: Anora What a field. Worthy films will always miss the cut among the ten Best Picture nominees each and every year (Love Lies Bleeding, A Different Man, The Apprentice, I Saw the TV Glow, A Real Pain, Challengers, Babygirl, Hard Truths, All We Imagine as Light, Kneecap, La Chimera and Kinds of Kindness are just some absences in 2025), but the current batch nominees still showcase a staggering variety of movies. Sandy sci-fi blockbusters, hit musical adaptations, body-horror, papal thrillers, multiple features that show how stunning that filmmaking ambition and an unflinching vision can prove: they're all there. Brady Corbet's The Brutalist is a towering achievement. It could repeat its Golden Globes glory at the Oscars. It should. But Anora won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, then top gongs from America's Directors Guild and Writers Guild, and is also a tremendous winner. Conclave emerging victorious wouldn't be a miracle, though, after its BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild wins. Best Director The nominees: Anora, Sean Baker The Brutalist, Brady Corbet A Complete Unknown, James Mangold Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard The Substance, Coralie Fargeat Should win: Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Could win: Sean Baker, Anora Will win: Brady Corbet, The Brutalist Some films feel like a force of nature — and like a vision ripped from a filmmaker's mind wholesale to dance and strut across the screen, too — and Coralie Fargeat's The Substance is one such movie. Jane Campion is the only woman to have been nominated for Best Director twice so far (for The Piano and The Power of the Dog), but this shouldn't prove the only nod in Fargeat's career. Likely down to Brady Corbet and Sean Baker, where the field actually goes might depend on which of the pair's features win Best Picture — and if the Academy is in the mood to share the love or consolidate it. Awarding Corbet's achievement for a three-and-a-half-hour film that's had audiences glued to the screen, was made using a format in VistaVision that was favoured by Alfred Hitchcock on masterpieces such as North by Northwest and Vertigo, and brings back intermissions seems the most probable — and well-deserved — bet. Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role The nominees: Cynthia Erivo, Wicked Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez Mikey Madison, Anora Demi Moore, The Substance Fernanda Torres, I'm Still Here Should win: Demi Moore, The Substance Could win: Mikey Madison, Anora Will win: Demi Moore, The Substance She's been giving stunning speeches around Hollywood, and Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild-winner Demi Moore best have another prepared. Rewarding her for a deeply committed performance more than four decades into her acting career, and after a significant time lacking substantial roles, also rewards The Substance's hefty and blatant fight against women being deemed past their prime when they hit a certain age. If Mikey Madison repeats her BAFTA feat, the Anora star will join the top-ten youngest-ever Best Actress-winner's ranking, knocking Gone with the Wind's Vivien Leigh off the list. The film's final scene alone, in all of its emotional glory after Ani's rollercoaster ride, could nab her the accolade alone. Had Marianne Jean-Baptiste been nominated for Hard Truths, however, it'd be hard to see how anyone else could grasp the accolade. Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role The nominees: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo, Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes, Conclave Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice Should win: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist Could win: Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown Will win: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist Will the youngest-ever winner of the Best Actor Oscar make history again 22 years later, joining the incredibly small list of two-time victors (only ten other performers have one this accolade twice or more)? Or will someone else not only grasp this year's prize, but also that spot as the gong's freshest-faced recipient? The Brutalist's Adrien Brody is the former. A Complete Unknown's Timothée Chalamet is the latter. Neither of their movies would be the films that they are without either actor leading the charge. Intensity simmers in their respective performances alike. Either could take it — but Brody's portrayal wouldn't just be a once-in-a-lifetime piece of work for another actor; it'd be impossible. As for the rest of the field, in other years Colman Domingo for Sing Sing, Ralph Fiennes for Conclave and Sebastian Stan for The Apprentice (or for A Different Man, which he won the Golden Globe for) would be certain winners. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role The nominees: Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown Ariana Grande, Wicked Felicity Jones, The Brutalist Isabella Rossellini, Conclave Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez Should win: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez Could win: Isabella Rossellini, Conclave Will win: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez Emilia Pérez will always be the first non-English-language film to receive 13 Oscar nominations, but its chances of scoring a big bag of trophies have dwindled courtesy of lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón's awful past tweets. As a result, the excellent Zoe Saldaña, portraying the eponymous character's conflicted lawyer, might end up being the movie's only winner — and hers is a powerhouse performance. Or, Emilia Pérez mightn't even be a lock here, despite Saldaña winning the Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award in the lead up. Isabella Rossellini is exceptional in Conclave as Sister Agnes, the nun that's also the Head Caterer for the bickering cardinals — and it'd recognise her for her entire career, and redress the fact that she wasn't nominated for David Lynch's Blue Velvet. Ingrid Bergman, her mother, won three, including in this category in 1974 for Murder on the Orient Express. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role The nominees: Yura Borisov, Anora Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce, The Brutalist Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice Should win: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain Could win: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain Will win: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain There's no bad picks in the Best Supporting Actor field. There's the vulnerable yet irreverent portrayal that's clearly going to win — the recipient of accolades at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Film Independent Spirit Awards as well — and there's also the spur-of-the-moment speech that everyone will get to enjoy when Kieran Culkin does, but each one of the five nominated performances is outstanding, including from first-time Australian nominee Guy Pearce for The Brutalist. Jeremy Strong is on another level even for him in The Apprentice. The lifelong Oscar fan will win one of the coveted awards before his career out. He knows what it's like to lose out to Culkin, though, and not just on-screen in Succession — the only time that they were both nominated for the Best Actor in a Drama Emmy in the same year, Culkin won (beating Roy family patriarch Brian Cox, too). Best Original Screenplay The nominees: Anora, Sean Baker The Brutalist, Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg September 5, Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum and Alex David The Substance, Coralie Fargeat Should win: A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg Could win: The Brutalist, Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold Will win: A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg Sean Baker took out this category for Anora at the Writers Guild Awards, where Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold weren't nominated for The Brutalist. But at the Oscars, A Real Pain should go home a winner in every field — two in total — that it's up for. The Academy does have a history of pairing the winner of Best Original Screenplay with Best Supporting Actor, including with Django Unchained and Green Book. As a performer, Jesse Eisenberg has only been in the running for an Oscar once, in 2011 for Best Actor for The Social Network — and in a different year, he could've been nominated for starring in A Real Pain as well. His script for the film makes the personal universal, and understands existential angst and anxiety, and how it manifests in different manners, with both intensity and humour. That said, this could also be where Coralie Fargeat gets some love for The Substance. Best Adapted Screenplay The nominees: A Complete Unknown, James Mangold and Jay Cocks Conclave, Peter Straughan Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard in collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Sing Sing, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin and John 'Divine G' Whitfield Should win: Sing Sing, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin and John 'Divine G' Whitfield Could win: Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Will win: Conclave, Peter Straughan The possibility that either or both of Nickel Boys or Sing Sing could go home empty-handed from this year's Oscars is a travesty. Each 2025 releases in Australia, where the former sadly didn't get the big-screen date that it deserves, they're already among the year's best for viewers Down Under. Both possess screenplays of deep feeling — one adapting a Pulitzer Prize-winner, the other drawing from a helluva slice of real life. Nickel Boys emerged victorious at the Writers Guild Awards, but over A Complete Unknown, plus three films not in the running here: Dune: Part Two, Hit Man and Wicked. Here, this looks like Conclave's guaranteed time to shine, and the Vatican City-set script based on Robert Harris' novel about electing a new pope after the sudden death of the last one — and what the manoeuvring around it says about faith — is indeed a gem. Best International Feature The nominees: I'm Still Here The Girl with the Needle Emilia Pérez The Seed of the Sacred Fig Flow Should win: The Seed of the Sacred Fig Could win: The Seed of the Sacred Fig Will win: I'm Still Here Once a near lock for Emilia Pérez, Best International Feature now has fellow multiple-nominee — and fellow Best Picture and Best Actress contender — I'm Still Here in its sights. Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles has notched up two nods in this category over his career, and winning for his Fernanda Torres-led account of love, loss and holding onto life under the shadow of a dictatorship would be an extra-nice feat given he was last in contention for Central Station starring Torres' mother Fernanda Montenegro. Dialogue-free animated marvel Flow deserves to win every award that it's nominated for, so this and Best Animated Feature, but The Seed of the Sacred Fig is as powerful as filmmaking gets — with Mohammad Rasoulof (There Is No Evil) fighting on- and off-screen against the regime that's long tried to silence his voice. Best Animated Feature The nominees: Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Should win: Flow Could win: The Wild Robot Will win: Flow Flow's title couldn't be more perfect. To watch Latvia's first-ever film to be nominated for an Oscar is to swirl, surge and sweep along with the gorgeous dialogue-free feature, and with the animals — a cat, some dogs, birds, a capybara, a lemur and more — that are trying to survive, and learn how to heal together, when a flood gushes in. It's astonishing. The Wild Robot doesn't scrap chatter, but it too is heartfelt and wondrous as it watches animals carve out an existence — here, with the sudden arrival of a robot (voiced wonderfully by Lupita Nyong'o) disrupting the usual status quo, and also redefining what makes a family. Australian claymation Memoir of a Snail would easily win in many previous years, deservedly so. For big-name animation studios Pixar and Aardman, it doesn't look likely that Inside Out 2 and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will back up Inside Out and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit's past Oscars. Best Documentary Feature The nominees: Black Box Diaries No Other Land Porcelain War Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat Sugarcane Should win: Black Box Diaries Could win: Porcelain War Will win: No Other Land Fury or hope? What takes home 2025's Best Documentary Feature prize might come down to how voters want to feel. There's no escaping anger while watching No Other Land or Black Box Diaries, both deeply personal docos featuring their filmmakers and telling their stories — one about the Israeli campaign of displacement in the West Bank region of Masafer Yatta, the other about a Japanese sexual-assault survivor taking on the system that won't punish her attacker. In Sugarcane, too, digging into the abuse experienced at a Catholic Church-run mission school isn't just a job for Julian Brave NoiseCat, nor an outrage-free watch for audiences. Porcelain War heads to Ukraine, as 2024's victor 20 Days in Mariupol did — but there's more optimism in its heroing the power of art, even in small acts, amid the fight. It's also among Australia's Oscar hopes for 2025, as an Aussie co-production. The winners of the 2025 Oscars will be announced on Monday, March 3, Australian time. For further details, head to the awards' website. Wondering where to watch this year's Oscar contenders? We've put together a rundown for Australia.
A brunch that's fit for your friends, your partner, your family and even your dog. This cosy cafe serves up just the right blend of wholesome for your recovery from a long week, or just a long Friday night. Come for elevated breakfast classics such as orange and honey french toast with mascarpone and a mushroom bruschetta croissant with prosciutto, tomato and goat's cheese. After brunch, take a stroll around the heritage-listed building formerly known as the Female Factory, where female convicts were housed in the 1800s.
Sprawling over volcanic hills and boasting not one, but two harbours, Auckland may be New Zealand's largest city, but it still offers hidden corners to get away, without having to hit the highway. With lush native rainforests and black sand beaches in the west, sheltered golden sand beaches in the east, and a cultural hub of a CBD packed with eclectic eateries, it's hard to find a dull moment Tāmaki Makaurau. Visiting is truly a rare experience — one moment, you're hiking through rugged bush, staring across stunning sea-views, and an hour later, you can be strolling through Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki or having a cocktail at a lively inner-city bar. There really is something for everyone in this picturesque and culturally diverse city. So, whether you're travelling from across the pond in Australia, or you're a Kiwi yearning for a staycation, we've pulled together ten of the most unique stays for your next break. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in New Zealand The Best Places to Go Glamping in Australia The Most Unique Stays You Can Book Around New Zealand The Most Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island NZ Summer House, Riverhead This one bedroom pool house is situated on a equestrian lifestyle property 30 minutes from Auckland's CBD. Close to vineyards, award-winning restaurants, West Coast beaches and popular bush-walking spot Riverhead Forest, it's the perfect place to park up for a mix of adventure and relaxation. From $271 a night, sleeps two. Piha Hut, Piha This newly built one bedroom house is nestled amongst Nīkau palms in Piha, a seaside spot known for great surf, rugged scenery and nearby waterfalls. The sheltered deck looks onto Lion Rock, a volcanic monolith with Māori carvings and war memorials. From $118 a night, sleeps two. Piha Retreat, Auckland Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Chris Tate, this retreat house is perched amongst native rainforest and boasts some of the area's most epic views of Lion Rock. Watch the sun go down from the outdoor bath, while your companion cooks up dinner on the deck's barbecue. From $248 a night, sleeps four. NYC Style Loft, Auckland If you're after a chic urban stay a stone's throw to restaurants and bars abounds, this industrial warehouse style apartment may be your next city getaway spot. From $135 a night, sleeps four. Luxury Piha Escape, Piha This architecturally designed abode with sweeping sea views is perfectly positioned on Piha, Auckland's world famous surf beach. With two bedrooms, an open plan living room and a massive timber deck, it's a perfect oasis for a beach getaway with friends. From $769 a night, sleeps eight. Relaxing Coastal Retreat, Manukau Heads Live out your castaway dreams at this coastal cabin positioned on a small farm. If the driftwood fence isn't enough to get you excited, the outdoor bathtub, sea-views and close proximity to a winery and golf club just might. From $190 a night, sleeps two. Alfriston Stables, Alfriston Transformed from unused stables to a jaw-dropping industrial-style loft, this country escape has everything you need for rural R&R. Perched at the end of a tree-lined lane, with moody renovated interiors, a large swimming pool and a desk for your leisure. From $124 a night, sleeps two. Blackpool House, Waiheke Island This secluded home set amongst the magnificent Taraire trees is an architectural wonder. The spacious structure melds a contemporary sensibility with a retro interior that makes for a warm and inviting stay. Be sure to take full advantage of the naturally lit mezzanine library that looks out on Te Huruhi Bay. From $390 a night, sleeps two. Te Kouma Heights Glamping, Manaia Find luxury off the grid in this tent for two with endless ocean and farmland views. Enjoy fully equipped solar power, a king bed and two claw-foot outdoor tubs facing the glittering Coromandel Harbour. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Coastal Acres Escape, Āwhitu Journey through rolling green pastures and whites sans at this home on the Tasman sea. Just an hour and a half outside the Auckland CBD and tucked between towering dunes, your worries will was away in these double claw foot baths with perfect views for a sunset soak. From $207 a night, sleeps six. 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.
Phones and laptops are hardly the best screens for watching movies. At the cinemas, there's big screens, however, and then there's IMAX. The large-format system has been around for more than half a century, but it's a huge time for it in Australia right now. In 2023, Sydney's IMAX reopened, after it closed down back in 2016 to be rebuilt. In 2024, both the Gold Coast and Canberra scored their own IMAX screens. A second Melbourne venue has been confirmed as well, launching by the end of 2025, and now four more sites around the country are also on their way. Indeed, news that Village Cinemas Fountain Gate will give the Victorian capital another IMAX is still fresh, but that hasn't stopped an additional quartet of hefty screens from being announced. These four will hail from EVT, the hospitality company behind Event Cinemas. Three will welcome in movie lovers in 2026, with the fourth arriving before 2027 is out. EVT is also responsible for IMAX Sydney and IMAX Event Cinemas Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast, so it's no stranger to the world of giant picture palace screens. It also has IMAX venues up and running in New Zealand and Germany. All four of its new Australian sites will feature state-of-the-art IMAX with Laser systems, meaning that viewers can expect 4k laser-projection, bright images, a wide range of colours, deeper contrast and increased resolution. If you're wondering where Down Under these IMAXs are opening, that is yet to be revealed — but they're part of a lineup of seven new IMAX sites that EVT is opening worldwide. Also not known so far is whether these new Aussie IMAX sites will follow in Pacific Fair's footsteps, converting a screen within an existing cinema. Whichever eventuates — and wherever in Australia nabs IMAX screens, including whether IMAX is headed to cities that already boast one of its setups or is venturing further afield — this is the largest-ever deal for new Aussie IMAX locations. It does seem that at least some of these four screens are destined for new areas, however. "Moviegoer demand for IMAX significantly eclipses our current footprint in Australia and EVT continues to be very proactive and strategic in filling that gap, with IMAX locations set for new areas across the country," said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond. "EVT and IMAX share a passion and keen focus on delivering the best possible cinematic experience, and we look forward to adding even more locations in one of our most productive markets worldwide," continued Gelfond. "A key element of the EVT entertainment strategy is to target investment into 'fewer and better' locations," said EVT CEO Jane Hastings. "Our customers love the IMAX format and when you pair that with our broad range of premium seating options, we continue to deliver world class moviegoing experiences." Three of EVT's four new IMAX locations will open in 2026, and the fourth is set to arrive in 2027. We'll update you when further information is revealed — keep an eye on the brand's website for more details in the interim. IMAX images: IMAX Sydney, IMAX Pacific Fair and IMAX Queensgate NZ.
Coca-Cola Amatil, one of the largest manufacturers of beverages and food products in the Asia-Pacific, is the latest company to make a big-ticket move in the fight against plastic waste, announcing it'll phase out all single-use plastic straws and stirrers from its Aussie operations. The company is now switching to fully recyclable and biodegradable paper straws sourced from BioPak and Austraw, for its distribution services to around 115,000 venues across the country, which include everything from grocery stores to petrol stations, bars and cafes. Stocks of the current single-use products will be run out over the next two months, with the more eco-friendly alternatives available from February. While it's a great move for the environment, as highlighted by the ABC, it also has potential to marginalise disabled members of the community. A number of Aussies with disabilities rely on straws to eat and drink, and reusable versions aren't always an alternative. And it seems this is just the start for Coca-Cola Amatil's sustainability shake-up, as the group moves towards its goal to have 100 percent of its Australian packaging fully recyclable by 2025, including bottles, cans, plastic wrap, cardboard and glass. With over 700,000 customers across its brands, ditching the plastic will have a big positive impact. The company says it's currently working with suppliers on a range of sustainable solutions for products like plastic spoons and frozen drink scoops. Last year, it also announced a range of environmental targets it hoped to achieve by 2020, including using at least 60 percent renewable or low-carbon energy in its operations, and significantly reducing the overall carbon footprint of its drinks. The straw phase-out follows similar recent moves by the likes of IKEA, McDonald's and Melbourne's Crown Casino, and comes as South Australia reveals it's looking at implementing its own state-wide ban on single-use plastic items.
Chucking a sickie is as true blue Australian as breaking out an impromptu Nutbush boogie. Now you're being encouraged to mute your office notifications, as Visit Sunshine Coast is giving away all-expenses-paid, two-night escapes designed to clear your head through pristine nature and non-stop warm weather. With applications now open until Thursday, September 11, ten lucky winners will be randomly selected on Thursday, September 18. If you're among the chosen few, you have just 12 hours to pack your bags and organise a friend to join you on this spur-of-the-moment 48-hour adventure. Touching down on the Sunshine Coast, winners get to choose from three relaxing mini-breaks designed for peace, calm and wellness. Think ocean floats, tranquil spa treatments, rainforest walks, long lunches and farm stays — all intended to help with workplace-related burnout. According to Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel, almost two-thirds of Australians have experienced professional burnout. "Whether it's a dip in the sea or a hike through the rainforest, a nature-based break is just the right medicine, and we're inviting Aussies to come and find their own sunshine moment." Top image: Jesse Lindemann.
After opening several colourful Mexican cantinas around the city in 2019, Rockpool Dining Group has expanded its Sydney footprint again — this time, with a European and American-inspired joint that specialises in wings. Inside Circular Quay's Gateway Centre, Winghaüs by Bavarian has room for 145 people across a range of high-top tables, benches, bar stools and leather booths. It's the second Bavarian offshoot of its type to open in the country, with the inaugural Brisbane outpost launching last September. Chicken is the main culinary attraction — buffalo wings specifically — although you'll also be able to tuck into fried wings dusted in either chipotle or habanero powder, or opt for boneless chicken tenders. They're all available in servings of ten, 15, 20, 50 or 100 pieces, with eight hot sauces on offer — ranging from mild Texas barbecue to super-hot habanero — and five dips. For folks hankering for other US diner-style bites, chicken burgers, sides such as onion rings, potato gems and deep-fried pickles, plus New York-style cheesecake ($9) are all available. And if you like your desserts both sweet and warm, a selection of deep-fried chocolate bars ($8) are likely to prove a highlight, with hot, gooey Mars, Snickers and Picnics all on offer. While the menu skews American, European influences come through in the drinks and decor. Like The Bavarian, Winghaüs features a stein chandelier made from 500 one-litre glasses, and serves German brews such as Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Franziskaner, Spaten and Hofbräu. US tipples like Budweiser, Stella Artois and Goose Island also feature, plus Aussie beers like 4 Pines and Pirate Life. And, cocktail-wise, the bar's taps pump out margaritas, old fashioneds, spritzes, negronis and espresso martinis. The best time to head in is undoubtedly after work — the 5–7pm weekday happy hour includes 50-cent wings, $6 pints, $11 steins and $7.50 espresso martinis and negronis. Sydneysiders can also expect plenty to keep them entertained at the diner-style spot, whether you're settling in at the long bar or getting cosy in a leather booth beneath neon signs. Given that sports memorabilia line the walls, it should come as no surprise that big-screen TVs also play up to 20 live sports at a time.
Though technically taking its inspiration from The Hamptons, The Pines in Cronulla, with its chic, neutral palette, pops of greenery and meat-heavy menu (though it's got a vegan one, too) would fit right in in the south of France. The beachfront eatery, which opened November 2020, has James Metcalfe as its exec chef and former Rockpool and Merivale sommelier Chris Hoy heading its beverage list. The menu is extensive and features everything from four-week dry-aged steaks ($38) and koji cured-flank ($38) to smoked ham and pineapple pizza ($29). For a real treat, order the seafood bouillabaisse ($110), which feeds two and comes with a whole baguette. Images: Rachel Kara
If you're planning on spending this winter hidden away perfecting your Tropfest entry, there's no need to do it at home on your lonesome. Between June and August, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) is offering a stack of intensive short courses that'll have you scripting like Kubrick and shooting like Scorsese in no time. Whether your focus is film, documentary, TV or radio, there's something for you – and every class is taught by an industry pro. Dedicated writers can jump on the Short Film Screenwriting Intensive, run by Tropfest dominator Jonathan Ogilvie, or Writing for TV with master Vicki Madden. Either way, you'll be conquering structural difficulties, coming up with nail-biting plots and learning how to pitch. On the other hand, if you're plagued by visions of yourself in the director's chair, you might want to go for a filmmaking intensive — available in both five-day and three-week formats — or the Feature Documentary Intensive, under the guidance of Dylan Blowen, who smashed out The Snowman and A Northern Town. Unless you're all about sound, in which case, the Radio Intensive will be more up your canal. Finally, for those with Scarlett Johansson-esque vocal tones or plans to take over triple j, there's TV and Radio Presenting, and anyone who likes to have the last word can get stuck into the TV Editing Intensive. Be sure to book online before all spots are snaffled.
First films are special. With Aftersun as her feature debut, Charlotte Wells knows this. Ahead of dedicating time to writing her second movie, a project eagerly awaited by the cinema-loving world, the Scottish filmmaker is deep in celebrating fellow directors starting out — leading the jury for the Bright Horizons competition at the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival, then jumping to Venice afterwards to do the same for its debut film accolade, the Luigi De Laurentiis Award. She's an apt choice for both, given Aftersun's dream run from its premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival onwards. Widespread acclaim came the coming-of-age gem's way, and deservedly; so did a strong bond with viewers who saw themselves in a picture that Wells drew in part from her own experiences. When Concrete Playground first interviewed Wells at the beginning of 2023, as Aftersun was about to enjoy its Australian theatrical release — after its local premiere the year prior in MIFF's the Bright Horizons competition, fittingly — she advised that she "had naively not thought about what came after making the film". She continued: "it's been really special. I don't think you set out to make films to get that type of award recognition, but it's been really nice to see the work recognised, and the work of my collaborators recognised". At the time, Wells and Aftersun had been nominated for four BAFTAs, but hadn't yet won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. (Among the prestigious award's other recipients before and since: We Need to Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really Here's Lynne Ramsey, Senna and Amy's Asif Kapadia, Pride & Prejudice and Atonement's Joe Wright, American Honey and Bird's Andrea Arnold, Shame and Widows' Steve McQueen, Moon and Source Code's Duncan Jones, Four Lions' Chris Morris and, most recently, Rich Peppiatt for Kneecap.) Speaking with Concrete Playground again now, Wells is grateful for the opportunities that Aftersun's recognition gave her to share in that success with its cast and crew, and with her family. "I kind of took each of them as an opportunity to recognise different people who had a role in the shaping of the film," she explains. For portraying Calum, father to 11-year-old Sophie (then-debutant Frankie Corio), in a movie that sees the adult version of the latter (Celia Rowlson-Hall, Vox Lux) look back on the dad and daughter's 1999 holiday to Turkey, Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) earned his own acclaim for Aftersun: an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, and the same recognition from the BAFTAs, Gotham Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards and a wealth of critics' associations, plus winning the field at the Irish Film and Television Awards. Speaking about the experience to GQ in 2024, he shared that he was keen to have "a De Niro–Scorsese relationship" with Wells. She's eager to collaborate again as well, she tells Concrete Playground. "I'm excited to work with him again." Casting Aftersun wasn't simple, Wells stressed to us in 2023. "I think when before I worked on things that were inspired by experiences that I had or people that I knew, my instinct was always to cast away, as far away as possible, and that was my instinct here — and yet I was constantly drawn back, apparently, as Barry Jenkins [the Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk and Mufasa: The Lion King filmmaker produced Aftersun] likes to point out in public when we're together, to people who were fairly close in resemblance to their sources of inspiration. And that was really challenging in the casting process," Wells told us at the time. "And Lucy [Pardee], our casting director, was really patient with me as I was constantly articulating wanting something and then responding to something very different, and I think that's just the push and pull of one's subconscious throughout this process. And some things were easier to separate from myself than others. Casting proved to be really quite tricky in that way. But ultimately, I don't think it was a physicality that I responded to most of all, but I think it was an energy more that I was looking for. I think it was the stability that I feel in Paul, and the vulnerability that he's able to portray." Back to 2025: in Melbourne for her Bright Horizons Jury President stint, Wells also chatted with us about Aftersun's BAFTA, the film's resonance with and love from audiences, becoming closer with Mescal and Corio while actually taking the movie around the world, and, yes, what's next. [caption id="attachment_1018670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA[/caption] On Aftersun's Widespread Recognition, Including Winning the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer — and Its BAFTA Scotland Award Wins "The special thing about home screenings and home awards was the opportunity to share it with my family. My mum and brother were there that night, and the film team. Any time I was anywhere with our crew, in whatever configuration that was — that night was with my producers and Paul and Frankie — it was just a really special place to be. I just enjoy all of those people so much. And that felt like in many ways — I think that was the last event that Frankie, or maybe there were a few in the US after, but if felt like one of the last events with kind of all of us there, and it felt like very much the peak, I think, collectively of that experience for the three of us, Paul, Frankie and I. It was a really special night, and it definitely helped the film continue to be seen and pick up momentum with audiences. It played really well in the UK, which was a really special thing. But more than anything, I think about that night, I think about having my mum there and just having the opportunity to acknowledge her. I think that's what was so nice about many of the award ceremonies is, I kind of took each of them as an opportunity to recognise different people who had a role in the shaping of the film — either directly, like our team, or indirectly, like family." On If Wells Has Any Thoughts on Why Aftersun Resonated So Strongly with Audiences "Yeah. Maybe. No. I don't know. I think there's something about a parent-child relationship that is a lot more relatable than I maybe thought. I had always thought personally of Aftersun as Sophie story, I suppose because to the degree it was a personal film, that was my story, and I saw the film as being through her eyes — and the overarching point of view of the film was Sophie as an adult looking back. I didn't really count on so many people connecting with Calum, which I think really broadened people who felt like the film was also about or for them. But I think ultimately, themes of grief, specifically parental grief and that pivotal coming-of-age moment — not just for Sophie age 11 or so, but also for Calum kind of tipping into his 30s, just connected with a lot of people. I think the alchemy of those things together just gave it a certain reach. At least, that's how I think about it. But I'm always curious on other people's take on this, because it's just a special thing, I think — a moment in time where people happen to connect with something that you've made. I think it's always hard to identify exactly why, but those are the things I tend to think of when I reflect back on it — and I consider that every film I make will not be about themes or characters that can connect with so many people." [caption id="attachment_1018669" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images[/caption] On Paul Mescal Saying That He Wants to Have "a De Niro-Scorsese Relationship" with Wells "I love Paul. I'm excited to work with him again, and definitely giving present consideration as to what that next project will be. It's kind of funny, because I think on set, Frankie and Paul really had the closest relationship between the three of us — and that was what was important. That was the most-important thing to me, was that those two were connecting and that they had a foundation on which to build the performances on-screen. But really afterward and through the distribution and sharing of the film, I really got to know both of them a lot better. So it's kind of a funny thing. I feel like the three of us became a lot closer in the sharing of the film than we were on set, just because we were pulled in the directions of our respective roles there. So it will be really nice to get back on set with Paul at some point and have that foundation, and I think we were able to have a certain trust in the making of Aftersun that you're able to have in a feature that is very difficult in a short. The idea of building on that in future projects is really exciting. Yeah, I'm all for it." On How Taking the Film Around the World, Including Festivals and at Awards Ceremonies, Brought Wells, Mescal and Frankie Corio Closer Together "I think for a film, the vast majority of it is not production — unfortunately, because production is, in so many ways, the most-fulfilling part, at least for the director. It's the part I would like to be experiencing a lot more often, but it's really the shortest part. You're editing for two, three, four times as long. You're writing for many times more than that. And then you're promoting the film for more as well. So yeah, it's a funny thing. I think people tend to think about production itself, but it's just a small, although very important, obviously, part of the process of making a film." On What's Next for Wells — What She Can Share Right Now, At Least "Can? Want to? I think I went into this post-Aftersun process wanting not to be in the position I'm in right now again, which is to say not knowing exactly what comes next. I think I had a fancy of when I got into the edit for Aftersun I would start writing again, which really turned out to be not so much a fancy as a delusion as to what's possible — because the edit process was so consuming. And I took a bit of time. It was nice to have that time just to live my life a little bit again. And I wanted to know not just what's next, but what's next after that, so inevitably that takes a little bit of time. So now there are a few things in the works, I suppose, is all I'll say — a couple of which are kind of New York-based, where I've lived for a long time now, which is exciting." The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, visit the MIFF website. Aftersun is available to stream via SBS On Demand and iTunes. Read our review, and our interview with Wells from 2023. Aftersun images: Sarah Makharine.
There's a good chance you've never experienced hot pot the Shabuway. From its home on Dixon Street, Haymarket, this 120-seat venue offers a bold reimagining of Japanese-style hot pot in an all-you-can-eat, fully self-serve format. Guided by the Wannian Alliance, the same team behind cult-favourite buffet-style restaurants like Butchers Buffet and Gyuniku, Shabuway now occupies the former Arisun space — the hospitality group's legacy venue that stood for 35 years. Here, guests experience a meeting of Japanese, Korean and Chinese influences, where each table centres around a yin-yang pot featuring distinct cooking sections for two broths. Over at the buffet, it's a sprawling affair, adorned with rotating hot and cold dishes, fried goods, house-made soups, and a dessert station with a soft-serve bar and toppings from crushed Oreos to M&M's. There's even a DIY bao bun station, where diners can fill fluffy steamed buns with smoked duck, spicy pork, bulgogi beef brisket and house-made condiments. Led by Executive Head Chef Joanne Lee, the kitchen is constantly restocking sumptuous flavours, from chicken and ginseng soup to an array of sliced meats, including chicken tenderloin, pork belly and decadent wagyu MB9+ signature rolls. The drinks menu is also well-stocked, with sweet soju options, renowned Asian beers and a refined tea selection for when you prefer a hot beverage. Although dining is the main event, Shabuway hasn't overlooked design. Decked out with timber tones and fresh green accents, an inviting atmosphere is supported by indoor and al fresco dining areas that flow naturally back and forth between the self-serve stations. Open daily, all-you-can-eat prices vary across lunch and premium dinner services, with this shabu-shabu spot offering unmatched buffet goodness, perfect for tailoring a precise hot pot session. Images: Johnny Norris
It's easy to forget all about the Parramatta wing of the program when there's so much other Sydney Festival stuff going on. But you'll want to head west to check out the musical offerings of their Festival Garden in the Salon Perdu Spiegeltent. What's on? First up is nine-piece Melbourne Afro-inspired band Saskwatch (January 18, 7pm). Think Aretha Franklin and James Brown combined with a dash of contemporary New York-style soul. This one's standing tickets only — but we don’t think you'll be wanting to sit down. A few days later (January 20, 7pm) is something completely different with Leah Flanagan's Midnight Muses. It'll be a collection of songs, music, and stories arranged by Flanagan, backed by a five-piece band and inspired by poet Sam Wagan Watson. If that’s not your thing, then British singer and multi-instrumentalist Lianne La Havas (January 22-23, 7pm) might be more up your alley with her neo-soul and scuffed folk-pop. Then there’s New York’s indie, contemporary, and classical sextet yMusic (January 24,25 7pm). You might have heard some of their members performing with Björk, Jay Z, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Peter Gabriel, Vampire Weekend, or other groups. To finish up, there’s two-man show Norman Blake and Joe Pernice (January 26, 7pm; 27, 5pm), performing both their new material as well as stuff from as far back as their first show in a tavern in Toronto. You can fuel your adventure through one of the nearby Fast Festival Feast partners. Courtney's Brasserie and El-Phoenician are both offering two tailored courses for $55. Time to go west.
Sydney winemaking duo Sebastian Keys and Zachary Godbolt are bringing their beloved natural, organic and vegan wine brand DOOM JUICE to a new cellar door in St Peters next month. The inaugural venue for the brand will open to Sydney wine lovers on Friday, September 2 from inside the garage of the former White Horse Hotel digs which The Music & Booze Co has transformed into The House of Music & Booze. The cellar door will boast a takeaway bottle shop and a bar opening up to a sunny courtyard complete with red neon lights and a DOOM Juice mural created by local favourite Struthless. Tastings, artist residencies and DJ sets will pop up in the courtyard — plus, most excitingly, the bar will host a weekly pop-up bistro pulling together the cream of Sydney's culinary crop. "We've been wanting to do a cellar door for quite a while in the inner west," said Keys to Concrete Playground. "The whole point of DOOM JUICE really, we wanted to be a really great way to get into natural wine, to be one of the first points of call into the wine world." Led by Bastardo's Jack Fitzhenry, St. Lawrence Bistro will pull together a new menu each Sunday curated by a different chef. The DOOM JUICE team has already locked in the likes of Toby Stansfield (The Old Fitz), Marcelo Munoz (Continental Deli CBD), Wesley-Cooper Jones (P&V), Sammy Rozsnyoi (Cafe Paci), Luka Coyne (Fish Shop), Ed Saxton (Sagra) and Anna Ugarte-Carral (10 Hats) to take over the kitchen across the first couple of months. Each chef will take the reins for the week and pull together their own array of seasonal snacks to pair with the top-notch vino. "Every week will be different. [The chefs] are all working on their own speciality things," confirmed Keys. DOOM JUICE has built a cult following in Sydney with two sold-out vintages. The team's 2021 vintage has become a mainstay in pubs, bars and independent bottle shops across the Inner West and inner-city, offering a Gewurz, rosé and skin-contact sauvignon blanc viognier blend. The cellar door will be open Friday–Sunday until 10pm, offering the Inner West yet another ideal weekend drinking hole, with the courtyard sure to be a hit during summer. It will join Syndey party collective Fruit Bowl at the venue, who's been hosting its weekly Fruit Bowl Sundays events at The House of Music & Booze since late May. DOOM JUICE's cellar door will open Friday, September 2 at 9 Victoria Street, St Peters. It will be open 3–10pm Fridays and midday–10pm Saturday–Sunday.
If you're spending a night in a hotel for a romantic evening away from your own sheets, W Brisbane wants to give your next visit to the riverside spot a buzz. Because it's that time of year where everyone's thinking about love and lust (like that's not happening everyday anyway), the inner-city hotel is transforming its suites into sexual wellness havens. And as well as nabbing access to an in-room lingerie selection, you'll also get to play with a mini bar filled with sex toys. Whether you're enjoying a Brissie staycation or you're in town from further afield, you you can book into the hotel chain's new 'love your buzz' package, which is on offer in partnership with Lovehoney Australia. It's available from Monday, February 14 (of course) up until Thursday, March 31 — and while it doesn't come cheap, with prices starting at $1569, hopefully you and your partner will be coming into quite the pleasurable stay. As well as that $800-plus mini bar filled with sex toys and the Lovehoney lingerie — both complimentary — the room includes access to a 'sexologist concierge' service, which lets you book in a free phone consultation through sexologist Chantelle Otten's clinic. You'll also be able to watch a dedicated on-demand streaming service filled with educational sexual wellness videos (so no one will be blushing over in-room movie rental charges), and listen to playlists that've been curated by sexologists and sex coaches to get you in the mood. The package features champagne on arrival as well, plus breakfast for two in your room and a bath soak — because you'll be staying in one of W Brisbane's luxury suites, which has a tub. If you do celebrate Valentine's Day, this is quite the way to do it. And if you're after something slightly less pricey, there's also a 'what the buzz' package from $969 (yes, we meant it when we said slightly cheaper) that comes with a night in a luxury suite, champers upon arrival, a bubble bath, in-room brekkie for two and a Lovehoney couples sex toy kit. For more information about W Brisbane's 'love your buzz' and 'what the buzz' packages, or to book a room before Thursday, March 31, head to the hotel's website.
The crew at Beyond Cinema are at again, bringing yet another of their immersive, movie-themed experiences to both Sydney and Melbourne. In the same vein as previous hits like that Mad Hatter-esque Botanic Gardens tea party and last year's Moulin Rouge! cabaret-style sing-along, it's set to be an indulgent, multi-sensory affair — this time dedicated to the Hugh Jackman-led smash-hit musical The Greatest Showman. While we know the event's happening this July at a couple of secret Sydney and Melbourne locations, most other details are been kept under wraps for now, in true Beyond Cinema form. But if past events are anything to go by, you can bank on a wildly imaginative evening, that blurs the lines between cinema and reality while giving those vocal chords a serious workout. This one promises to have you singing along to all the films award-winning hits, while witnessing impressive moves from acrobats, aerialists and more — just like PT Barnum would've orchestrated in the late 1800s. Circus-inspired dress-ups are, of course, encouraged, so you'd best start rewatching the flick for some costume ideas and song practice. [caption id="attachment_711479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beyond Cinema's Great Gatsby event.[/caption] Beyond Cinema's The Greatest Showman event will at a yet-to-be-revealed Sydney location on Saturday, July 13 and Melbourne spot on Saturday, July 27. You can sign up for more details at here.
For 117 years, drinkers of the inner west have been gathering at the Salisbury Hotel for a brew and a chin-wag. This week, the pub reaches the end of a major, year-long renovation. Next time you visit, expect an extended, repositioned kitchen; wooden beams and cobblestone; and a quirky outdoor beer garden, with a Chinese elm tree and a 1926 bright red brewery truck. The menu's had an overhaul, too, under Singaporean-Malay chef Ridz Ma'rop (ex-Henson Park Hotel, The Trinity). The motivation for the revamp was publican Trish Larkin's desire to increase the pub's appeal to everyone, families included. "The Salisbury is a meeting place for all, young and old," she says. "We wanted to create a pub environment where you'd be happy to take your mum, grandad or children — somewhere that has a consistently solid offering and where all are welcome." To that end, the new menu is all about high-quality pub classics. The Brew Truck Angus burger comes with egg, beetroot, pineapple, bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce and chips, while the Salisbury steak sandwich features roasted tomato, onion relish, lettuce, aioli and chips. There's also a beef and Guinness pie with colcannon, and maple-miso salmon with Asian slaw and ginger-shallot dressing. Drop by on Thursdays for Curry House, when 20 bucks buys you a curry and sides, plus a Young Henrys' longneck. Then, on Sundays, it's time for The Feast—a $100 cornucopia of meats, fish and sides that feeds four. Behind the bar, in addition to Young Henrys, you'll find beers by 4 Pines and Stone and Wood, as well as a bunch of Australian wines. If you're travelling in a group, nip through to The Hall, where there's a 12-seater table beneath a high ceiling. Otherwise, continue through to the beer garden to find banquettes, or head back inside to drink and make merry among the pub's exposed brickwork, recycled timber, wooden beams and cobblestone. On Wednesdays, get involved in Drag Bingo and, on Sundays, kick back to live music. Find The Salisbury at 118 Percival Road, Stanmore. Opening hours are Monday-Saturday, 10am-midnight, and Sunday, 10am-10pm. Visit the hotel's website for further details
Hungry locals are spoiled for choice along Fountain Street, Alexandria, and Nguyen Brothers definitely has the hearty Vietnamese offering down pat. The team behind former Marrickville eatery Yen for Viet are responsible for this eatery. Nguyen Brothers is a fresh take on this much-loved southeast Asian fare. The menu has all the usual suspects and is sure to satisfy no matter the weather. Balmy summer nights can be spent enjoying a vermicelli bowl with sugar cane prawn or grilled chicken salad. In winter, a belly-warming cooked brisket pho is the way to go. The modern approach carries through to the fit-out: unlike the dimly lit and slightly cramped qualities that normally distinguish a Vietnamese eatery, the space is bright, spacious and airy. Wood heavily features in the design (chairs, tables, the ceiling and wall panelling) and is contrasted by flourishes of copper and the colourful rooster paintings that line the walls. Other menu highlights include Vietnamese crispy pancakes and grilled pork belly for an entree, while the salt and pepper squid is especially flavoursome. For mains, try the wok-fried wagyu beef cubes with snow peas and onions or the deep fried whole barramundi (sometimes snapper) served piping hot with a side of tamarind fish sauce. Drop by during lunch for a banh mi with grilled meats and pickles or try one of its zesty salads. It's the perfect place to swing by for a casual lunch or an easy dinner with a new or old friend. Images: Kitti Gould.
The idea behind The Lume was always a stunner, giving Australia its first permanent digital-only art gallery. When the Melbourne venue started welcoming in patrons in 2021, it lived up to its immersive, multi-sensory promise, initially with a spectacular Van Gogh exhibition that let visitors feel like they were walking right into the artist's work, and then with the French impressionism-focused Monet & Friends Alive. The latest showcase set to grace the site's agenda has those past shows beat, however, heroing First Nations art and music. On display from Friday, June 23, Connection features more than 110 Indigenous visual and musical artists in a dazzling fashion. At this Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre gallery, the art gracing its walls towers over patrons, with the space filled with large-scale digital pieces. And Connection is full thanks to more than 550 works — digitals and originals alike. Earning some love: art by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Tommy Watson, Anna Pitjara, Lin Onus, Sarrita King, Kate Constantine, Wayne Qulliam, Clifford, Gabriella and Michelle Possum Nungurrayi, and many more, in a walk-through exhibition that presents its pieces through the themes of land, water and sky Country. Their work is scored a soundtrack by Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach, Emily Wurramara, Gurrumul, Alice Skye, Baker Boy and others, plus composers such as William Barton. Grande Experiences, the company behind The Lume and its touring exhibitions — Van Gogh Alive made its way around Australia, plus Monet in Paris from June — says that Connection boasts the largest representation of First Peoples art and culture ever assembled. It spans over 3000 square metres, and its remit is just as sizeable: highlighting pieces by past and present artists, and surveying the entire country and Torres Strait. Shining a spotlight on emerging talents while showing their work alongside their inspirations is another key mission. If it sounds familiar, that's because a smaller version premiered at the National Museum of Australia in 2022, with Grande Experiences joining forces with the Canberra gallery. Connection also benefits from an advisory panel featuring Constantine, Quilliam, King, Aboriginal art specialist Adam Knight, the National Museum's lead Indigenous curator and academic Margo Ngawa Neale, arts executive Rhoda Roberts AO, and designer and film producer Alison Page. Updated: Thursday, October 12.
An escape to New Zealand's Waiheke Island feels miles away from the bustle of central Auckland, though it's only a quick ferry ride from downtown. It's an island of varying landscape, with the turquoise-blue waters of the coast giving way to rolling green hills inland. This gives visitors endless options, too — from bushwalks and beaches to art galleries and, most notably, the plentiful wineries on offer. The whole island is easily explored by bus or bike, and trips from the vines of one winery to the next take only a traipse through the vineyard. You could spend a week here and still not hit all of the artisanal producers dotting the island. Join an art walking tour, try your hand at archery or distil your own bespoke gin, just to name a few things waiting for you on this wine island. Here's how to spend your days on Waiheke — what to taste, what to do and where to stay on the island. [caption id="attachment_663060" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julian Apse.[/caption] DRINK Thanks to the microclimate on Waiheke, there are close to 30 wineries and cellar doors dotted around the island. Wine excursions are one of the most popular attractions, and cellar doors can be enjoyed both with a guide or by simply following your own nose on public transport. Perched on a hill and a 30-minute walk from the ferry terminal is Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant. With its stunning panoramic views, the spot has always been a popular location for proposals, weddings or special weekend visits via helicopter. Wine tastings are available from the cellar door seven days a week, where you'll be guided through four of the winery's varietals across 30 minutes. [caption id="attachment_642965" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mudbrick.[/caption] Go deeper into the island, all the way to the far side, and you'll reach Man O' War. This picture-perfect winery is an excellent spot to while away an afternoon sampling flagship and single vineyard drops. When you've settled on your varietal of choice, find a spot on the grass and enjoy a casual game of lawn cricket with views across to the Coromandel Peninsula. If you're after something away from the tourist trail wineries of the island, head to Te Motu. Continue past big brother winery Stonyridge, and you'll be presented with a shed that has been transformed into a five-star restaurant where you can sample five aged red wines in the tasting room — drops that are not typically available by the glass. Other cellar doors worth checking out while you're roaming the island include Obsidian, Passage Rock, Tantalus Estate, Goldie Estate, Peacock Sky and Cable Bay. And for something entirely different, head to Rangihoua Estate for a lesson in olive oil tasting. [caption id="attachment_663061" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matthew Crawford.[/caption] EAT While the Island of Wine is its official moniker, Waiheke has an equal measure of exceptional restaurants. Casita Miro is a glasshouse-like structure located on a rolling, Spanish-influenced vineyard. Here, order one of their Spanish wines alongside the tapas and raciones sharing menu featuring fine Iberian meats and cheeses. You can also top off the meal with a good range of Spanish sherry. The outdoor area keeps the Spanish theme going, featuring an evolving mosaic inspired by Gaudi's infamous Parc Guell. [caption id="attachment_663048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Poderi Crisci.[/caption] Off the beaten track and on to another European country, you'll find award-winning Italian eatery Poderi Crisci. With a setting that welcomes comparisons to the Tuscan countryside, the restaurant-vineyard is owned by Antonio Crisci, the founding father of Auckland's famed metre-long pizzeria Toto's and Parnell institution Non Solo Pizza — a regular contender for the best Italian in Auckland. As well as a rustic a la carte menu, the restaurant is known for its Sunday long lunch. Set aside a good five hours for this one. [caption id="attachment_629210" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Oyster Inn.[/caption] Just up from the ferry and with a large sun-soaked balcony, The Oyster Inn has a roadside allure that draws you upstairs even if you're not in the business of having lunch. A table outside is the quintessential dining position to take in views over Oneroa village and make the most of the seafood-led menu. Not feeling seafood? Down the road, Dragonfired serves up wood-fired street food from its small black trailer. Spending most of its time sitting in the car park by Little Oneroa Beach, the food truck keeps a bustling trade through summer and is widely thought of as the best takeaway spot on the island. The pizzas, calzones and pocket breads are best enjoyed right on the beach and with a bottle of island red, of course. Other eateries to add to the list include the ever-popular Island Gelato, Ringawera artisan bakery for fresh baked goods and the Te Mataku Bay Shop for freshly shucked local oysters. [caption id="attachment_663072" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christian Nicolson: Barebottomland; photographed by Russell Street.[/caption] DO Adventurers, art lovers and foodies can equally feel at home on Waiheke. For a bit of everything, Wild on Waiheke offers an unusual combination of archery and clay bird shooting mixed with a vineyard and craft brewery — plus, a beanbag dotted-lawn, beer garden and regular live music to boot. On the artsy side of things, the ideal way to see it all is with the Waiheke Island Art Walk. The four-hour walk begins at the Waiheke Community Art Gallery in Oneroa and proceeds through artist collectives, galleries and studios, with the tour including an artisan glassmaker, shoemaker and goldsmith. For lunch, the tour makes a stop at the home and studio of artist Gabriella Lewenz, Church Bay Studio, which boasts stunning views over the bay. Finish off among nature with the walk back along the Atawhai-Whenua Forest and Bird Reserve — just one of several walking tracks on offer throughout the island. After your epic culture walk, unwind back in town at the Waiheke Community Cinema. The 16-seat cinema consists of comfy couches rather than theatre seats and shows a mix of new and cult classic films. For a boozier way to relax, book into one of The Botanical Distillery's events that allows visitors to create their own botanical gin and handcrafted tonic, which will be distilled for you during the experience. [caption id="attachment_647794" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flamingo Pier.[/caption] If you're looking for an extra reason to visit, there are several events throughout the year worthy of a trip over. In February, nab a doubleheader by checking out Sculpture on the Gulf coastal art exhibition and attending the Flamingo Pier annual music festival — which only takes place in London and on Waiheke each year. Over Easter long weekend, there's the Waiheke Jazz Festival; in November you can participate in the Waiheke Walking Festival; and in December, Sculpt Oneroa kicks off its ten-week art display. [caption id="attachment_605870" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Fossil Bay Lodge.[/caption] STAY From boutique hotels to cottages, vineyard stays to glamping tents, there is an overwhelming number of accommodation options to choose from on Waiheke — and a lot of them exist at many of the places you'll be venturing to already. If you're after boutique vibes, The Oyster Inn also holds three hotel rooms along with its breezy restaurant. Plus, they offer complimentary pickup from the Matiatia ferry. For wine lovers, Mudbrick's cottages offer a luxurious stay within their rolling vineyard and cellar door. The charming, two-bedroom cottages include a kitchenette and washer-dryer, plus a private barbecue and even a private spa pool. An easy walk to Oneroa, it's an ideal stay for someone who wants access to both. Getting there may be the best part of all — you can take a helicopter that lands directly on the Mudbrick estate, with three 'heli-partners' to choose from. More rustic types should opt for Fossil Bay Lodge, which offers simple cottages along with a range of glamping tents for $100–$120 per night. You won't quite be roughing it, however — each tent includes a private ensuite with hot shower, queen-sized beds, wooden floors and even a phone battery pack, as well as share facilities like a fully-equipped kitchen, lounge area and free wifi. LET'S DO THIS, HOW DO I GET THERE? Flights to Auckland from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are super short — around three-and-a-half hours on average — and Air New Zealand flies direct from all three cities and offers accessible fares. Once you arrive in Auckland, Waiheke Island is only a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown. Fullers ferries provide the most regular option, leaving about every 30 minutes, with a return adult ticket costing $38. Or, if you're looking for something a bit swankier and have the cash to spare, you can hop on an Auckland Seaplane and make the trip by sky instead of water, catching all of that breathtaking coast along the way ($400 return). Head over here to check out all of the options to reach the island. https://youtu.be/9hTMc9qm_1g Book your flights to Auckland with Air New Zealand and start planning your next long weekend away.
UPDATE, Friday, February 7, 2025: Blur: To the End and Blur: Live From Wembley Stadium are both available to stream via DocPlay. In Blur: To the End, headlining London's famous Wembley Stadium is the pinnacle of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree's careers so far. For two nights in July 2023, the Britpop band played their biggest-ever gigs to a crowd of 150,000 — shows that had been a dream not just since the group initially formed in 1988, but when high-school friends Albarn and Coxon watched 1985's iconic Live Aid concert on TV. Blur enjoyed no shortage of highlights in 35 years beforehand, of course; thinking about British music in the 90s means thinking about the foursome instantly. Still, in the latest documentary to turn the camera their way, which is playing big screens in Australia thanks to the 2024 British Film Festival, there's no doubting what standing on Wembley's stage at this point in their journeys, after reinventions, hiatuses, reunions, solo projects and more, means to the band. If the feeling that's written across Albarn, Coxon, James and Rowntree's faces when To the End finishes could be summed up by a snippet from one of their songs, the "woo hoo!" chorus from 1997 hit 'Song 2' would actually work nicely. That sensation — that immense emotional reaction, too — is evident not only in the intimate doco from Transgressive record label co-founder, filmmaker and lifelong Blur fan Toby L, however. It's also clear in accompanying concert film Blur: Live From Wembley Stadium, which captures the first night's show in like-you're-there detail (including largely sticking close to the band, so that viewers can truly witness what the gig means to them as they work through a two-hour set filled with everything from 'Popscene', 'Girls & Boys', 'Parklife' and 'Country House' to 'This Is a Low', 'To the End', 'Tender', 'The Universal' and 'The Narcissist'). Asked about what that pure joy was like to witness — Albarn comments in the film that the moment was as good as it gets — Toby L stresses how it genuinely did feel like the pinnacle for the band. "I can honestly say yes. And I know that if all four of them were asked that question, they would all agree. Which is amazing, because what must be it like to be at this point in your lives where you feel you've done one of your best albums, and you've done your best and biggest gigs?" he tells Concrete Playground. "I think just on a completely subconscious level for any performer, even if they pretend they don't want to get to that level, I think there's that sense of attainment and achievement that is the zenith of possibility. To not only play it, but to headline it and sell it out, I think it is the bucket list for every artist, potentially, that wants to get to a certain level." "And the feeling in the stadium both nights was so electric. I've been through a lot of big gigs and a lot of stadiums and a lot of festival shows, and they're always fun but, truthfully, sometimes the scale is just hard to make it feel personal and intimate. But somehow those gigs were. And anyone that was there — people that work in the music industry, everyone has recounted how something happened that was next-level in terms of the emotional connection," Toby L continues. "So yeah, it really was what the film portrays, that sense of it being a bit magic, and Damon being quite rarely open about the fact it's kind of the pinnacle, that was the truth. And I feel honoured and privileged to have been part of that in a small way." [caption id="attachment_980200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Bastienne-Lewis[/caption] Toby L's own Blur journey also began decades back, as a fan since he was a kid. He has an early tie to Wembley, too, but at the indoor Wembley Arena, which sits next to the stadium. In the 90s, he saw his first-ever live gig at the venue — and yes, at that show when he was at age of ten, he was watching Blur. From his mid-teens, a career linked to music beckoned. He's blogged, founded music sites, organised live events, hosted TV, started his label 20 years back, and directed Olivia Rodrigo's Sour Prom, Rihanna's 777, Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22 and more. Collaborations Albarn and Coxon first came through Transgressive, before he heard word about Blur's Wembley Stadium shows. That connection didn't mean that Toby L was a sure thing behind the camera when the idea of immortalising the gigs arose. His plan was always exactly what audiences can experience now, though: the full concert experience in one film — plus the path to it, through Blur reuniting in Albarn's country house in Devon to make their first album in eight years, then doing warm-up gigs, playing other festival sets and finally hitting Wembley, in another. The latter eschews the biodoc treatment for the here and now, for four men musing on their twists and turns together and apart, and for diving into friendship and mortality as well. Live From Wembley Stadium and To the End make a helluva pair, which Melburnians can see in a double feature at The Astor Theatre for one night only. How did the band respond to the two-movie plan? How did Toby L carve out a space for To the End when past documentaries such as No Distance Left to Run and Blur: New World Towers exist? How open were Albarn and company to such a close-up approach? We also chatted with the filmmaker about the above — as well as how being a fan shaped his role as a director, ensuring that the concert film felt equally intimate, and the longevity of both Blur and Oasis. ("Let's put it this way: I think Blur were my first band, and working with Liam was also a completely wonderful experience. Totally different. But a wonderful thing," he advises.) On the Pitch to Make Two Films About Blur's Wembley Gigs — and the Band's Reaction "It all stemmed back from me discovering about the gigs on the d-low, as it were. I was with Damon talking about a completely different project, and Wembley came up in discussion. I think he might have cheekily brought it up with that cheeky glint in his eye and his shining gold tooth, probably he was quite excited about the surprise element of it about to hit the newswires. I'd already done some filming with Damon around his second solo album, so he knew that I was in that world slightly. I think I probably quite embarrassingly and tritely said 'I'd love to throw my hat in', quite literally that basic. And I remember him just saying cryptically, both supportively but then also very vaguely, 'I would like that, too'. Then that was it. It wasn't spoken about for with him probably for another six months, during which time I felt that that was enough latitude for me to put a treatment together of what I would do with the documentary and the concert film. The original treatment and proposal that I put together, which was the written treatment, it was quite extensive, it was quite specific, and it stipulated that I felt there were two films. I felt that people would want to see a concert film, almost eternally as an evergreen Blur piece of memorabilia or document of that moment. But then I felt there was an opportunity for a wider story, hence the documentary, which was about getting older and growing up, and reconciling friendship, and mortality, and I guess some deeper human themes. And I just thought that'd be interesting to transpose into the situation Blur were finding themselves in, where they were getting back together for the first time in almost a decade, and they were that much older and about to undertake their biggest challenge yet, which was their biggest-ever gig. So it felt like to me there was a really cool story there that wasn't necessarily predicated on 'and then this album came out in this year, and then they had this fight with Oasis' and all the shit that most people can find on a Wikipedia page. So that was the premise of it, really. It was that — and then me waiting for months and hearing nothing. I thought I might have disgraced myself or embarrassed myself. Then suddenly, quite out of nowhere, I had a breakfast with the band's manager. I thought she was going to let me down because I hadn't heard anything. We're talking about other things and other projects, and then about an hour and a half into two-and-a-half hour breakfast, that's when she dropped the bombshell that they'd gone through the treatments and they thought mine was the strongest, regardless of relationships, which was really flattering. Then I had to have a meeting with all four of them the following week or so to convince them I could do it. Ten days later, we were filming in Devon." On Making To the End to Complement, Not Repeat, Past Documentaries About Blur "In a weird way, there was a relief that No Distance Left to Run had come out. Because that film did the job of 'if you don't know who Blur are or even if you do, here's their story'. It was the legacy story, if you will. It talks the viewer beautifully through how they came to be, and some career highs and lows, and key eras in their career, and the initial downfall. I thought that film did that job, so it was a relief that I didn't have to retread that old ground. But the one thing I felt that was completely up for opportunity was 'where are Blur at now?'. They're mid-to-late 50s, they're about to do, again, genuinely their biggest-ever gigs. There's nothing bigger than doing Wembley Stadium, in a way. So it just felt like this was a pivotal moment to reflect on their present state of being rather than reflecting on their career as a whole. Inevitably there are moments and flashbacks to their career, but really it's all in the context of the here and now. And I guess I wanted to do a bit more of a philosophical, emotional character portrait of the four of them, which I felt hadn't necessarily been done in the other documentaries. The other documentaries, even though this has a specific journey of sorts, they had more of a clear function than an emotional character study. Ultimately, I was lucky that the band were up for going there. Because I could have had this in my head and then, understandably, they might have been like 'fuck off, that's a bit personal'. Thankfully, they didn't respond that way. They understood what the essence of the project was — that my intent wasn't to expose them or show them up, it was to unveil a perspective that many people don't often see in a stadium band, which is the vulnerability and the drive and the motivation behind what it takes to be that kind of individual. And also what it takes to maintain a relationship after such a long time, which isn't easy. A lot of people have this entitlement that bands can and should live forever but, I don't know about you, how would you like it if you were stuffed in a tour bus for years on end even with your closest friends or family, and being forced to smile for the media and perform on no sleep? I think it's going to drive anyone a bit bananas. So I think that's kind of where I was coming from with the project. I was wanting to show something that could create a real bridge between the viewer and the subject, and hopefully a totem of empathy in this fractured age of ours." On the Band's Openness to To the End's Intimate Approach "We all agreed that was the way it was going to be best. That was the way I portrayed it in my treatment, and that was the way they were comfortable with it being captured. I think they had maybe moments before where they've been filmed for other projects and television, where they were just a bit — they're at this point in their career where they don't need to do this, right. It's like they don't need to do any of it. Their career is set. They don't necessarily need to reunite at all. They don't necessarily need to come back with a great album. They don't even necessarily need to make a documentary of any of that activity. But the reason they're doing it is because they want to, and they feel that there's a purpose to it. So equally the filmmaking had to have that element to it. It needed to not be interruptive to the point that the band couldn't do what they needed to do. And it needed to be an honest portrayal and a mirror to their activities. I actually think that's way more interesting than 'let's get the lighting up, let's sit them down, let's ask them the same questions — oh, retake that answer because we didn't get audio'. I just think it's so much more exciting to be in the present. It's technically quite a hard thing to do as a documentary crew because on the one hand, you're trying to be invisible and fly-on-the-wall — but then on the other, you need to also make sure you're guiding the viewer at points so it doesn't just feel like complete empty, vapid voyeurism with no purpose. So it's this tightrope you're walking between being sensitive to what's going on, but then also making sure that you're getting the insights that will contextualise the moment in real time. It's a tough thing to get right, and there are many famous examples of filmmakers being barked out by artists to 'get the eff out of the dressing room'. And that's always the risk, that you go too far or, equally the other way, you don't go far enough and then you haven't really got much to work with. Thankfully, the band were open to that way of working, and I think it's hopefully to the film's credit that the viewer gets that level of intimacy and access that is probably increasingly uncommon in these sorts of projects." On How Seeing Blur at Age Ten and Being a Fan Since Childhood Shaped Directing Two Films About the Band "I think being a fan is really useful, actually, because you just got that knowledge. It's quite an embarrassing, hilarious thing to say, but occasionally there'd be moments where they're trying to recount a song title from 1992 that was the B-side to a single — and being a massive nerd, you can go 'oh, was it this one?'. And then they all look at you and go 'yes, that's what it was'. And the irony is, apart from being vaguely helpful in moments like that, there's also just that sense of trust. You're not there to do a hatchet job. You're not there to trip them up. You're not there to be secretly a dissenting voice that's trying to throw them down. You are a fan. So you're coming at it from a pure place. So then the challenge becomes, in terms of credible filmmaking and documentary-making, how do you straddle that fandom with telling the truth and making sure you're being as objective as any one person can be objective? So that then is probably the other tightrope to walk, ensuring that your enthusiasm and your passion and your love for your subjects doesn't contaminate the need to extract truth, and to make sure that there's an honesty to the whole thing. Because otherwise it could just fall into being sycophancy or just a PR puff piece. And that was another thing we said when we all got together, that we hated documentaries that were too clean and too 'and isn't life perfect'. To that end, I think I really made sure that the enthusiasm of being a fan of the band didn't cloud my judgment. And hopefully anyone that watches it will agree that it's rare to see a band this vulnerable on-camera of their level, and so hopefully people will appreciate the fact that this is definitely a real account of who they are." On Finding Intimacy in Live From Wembley Stadium, Too, to Convey the Experience of Being There to Cinema Audiences "I love the way that you picked up on that approach because that was definitely, again, conscious. I just thought that the worst way to capture this gig was going to make it just be 'look, it's the Wembley Stadium gig, let's have fucking loads of wides and let's make it just look big, and yeah!'. It just felt naff. I also just feel that the art of Blur live is the emotion and the chaos, and then countered by the beauty and the ballads, so the only way to really portray that for me is to have cameras quite close to them. The idea of just dotting the cameras at some distance — obviously we've got lots of dynamic shots at various ranges in the stadium, but most of the cameras, over 50 percent of them, are just in and around the stage, and all on the audience, really close-up on the audience. Because I just thought the story is going to be on stage and the story's going to be in the moshpit. That's going to be where this magic happens. And yeah, we're going to have some big shots at the stadium, yada yada yada, but that stuff's fairly generic to me. You could put those in any concert film of any stadium shoot and it could just apply to stock footage for any artist. But the bit that was special for me was going to be the reactions of the band playing this environment and the excitement of it all — and, again, the audience and their adulation for the moment." On Where You Land on What Gives a Band Longevity When You've Made Films About Both Blur and Oasis "I think obviously it's the songs. I think songs have to permeate not just in the era in which they're conceived, but most truthfully resonate with periods beyond that. A great folk song that was written probably in the 1700s or whatever travels around the hills and finds its way to become a traditional song all around the world, and then eventually becomes blues music. Good songs travel and they last, and I think songwriting is at the core. I think then beyond that, obviously the performance of the song, the recording and the way in which it becomes indelibly linked to people's lives. If you capture the zeitgeist, which both Blur and Oasis did, as examples, it brings people back that were there first time round — or even people that weren't there, they feel that essence of connectivity and culture just resonate in the chords and in the performances and in the vocals. And that's what is effectively bottling magic. That's what music is, it's trying to find magic and it's bottling it, really, either in performance or in recording. Both bands just had that essence of reality. They came at writing and culture in completely different ways, but totally valid respective ways. And they just endured. I know for a fact that you could play most Blur songs to a small child and they're going to enjoy them because the melodies are good. And then most adults are going to connect to them because the themes lyrically still resonate to this day. The album Modern Life Is Rubbish by Blur, that could have been released last week, sadly. And that's ultimately what makes great art: stumbling across something that in the moment feels real, but then for decades onwards still manages to resonate. That's the art of it all, really: trying to find something eternal in the moment. " On What You Learn About Blur When You're Making Not Just One But Two Documentaries About Them "I think you learn that everyone, even if we've all got our own personalities, our own characteristics, we're all kind of the same person really. We all have our own needs and vulnerabilities, and strengths and weaknesses, and really that's what binds us all as a human race. And that's why I think it's so harrowing, the state of the world that we find ourselves in right now. Because I think that there are forces that are trying to falsely attribute disparity to our state of being, when actually we're all fucking similar and that's what we should be focusing on, our common ground, not our points of distinction. I think what I learned was that the fallibility and the brilliance in them is eminently what unites us all. It's kind of in all of us and in all of them. So in that way, it was very grounding. As the ten-year-old fan, what did I learn? I just learned that my favourite band were a great band to get behind. They were really complex in many ways, in terms of their unique quirks and things. They were very, very entertaining and very funny. They were very sweet and emotional people. And, ultimately, there's no other band like them to go on the stage. They really tear it up in a way that I don't think anyone before or since them has been able to do. And so for me, what I learned was, yeah, it was a great band to fall in love with at the age of eight years old or whatever it was." The 2024 British Film Festival tours Australia in November and December, wrapping up on Sunday, December 8. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website. Both Blur: To the End and Blur: Live From Wembley Stadium are playing at the festival's stops across the country, with the Blur double feature showing at Melbourne's Astor Theatre on Saturday, November 16, 2024. Images: Altitude.
Hungry, mon amis? Whether you're hankering for a hearty helping of steak frites and crème brulée, a warming bowl of French onion soup with a side of chicken liver parfait, or you're inclined to dine fine on escargot, millefeuilles and other cordon bleu showstoppers, Sydney's array of French restaurants — from humble bistros and swanky brasseries to elevated eateries serving haute cuisine — have plenty to satisfy. Here is our pick of the best places in Sydney for French feeds of every kind. Recommended reads: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney The Mexican Restaurants in Sydney The Best Pizza in Sydney
Due to its location, Tasmania stands apart from the bulk of Australia. It's an island at the bottom of the continent, so of course it's separate from the rest of the country. But, for much of 2020, the Apple Isle has been shut off from the nation in another way — with Tassie enacting strict border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, just as many other states on the mainland did as well. Thankfully, while most Aussies couldn't head to the country's southern-most state for much of this year without seeking permission and then going into quarantine, border restrictions don't have any dominion over our tastebuds. You mightn't have been able to spend time in Tassie for big stretches of 2020, but drinking beverages by Tasmanian producers has always remained on the menu. Obviously, it still does — letting everyone nationwide do what Tassie residents have always done and show their love for the Apple Isle's top drops. Whether you prefer a refreshing cider, a hearty vodka or gin, or a nice vino, that's great news. Tasmania has all of the above covered. Indeed, when BWS asked the state's drinkers to name their favourite local picks as part of the bottle retailer's Local Luvvas initiative, those aforementioned beverages from Plenty Cider, Hellfire Bluff Distillery and Pepik Wines topped the poll. All three brands will now receive an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores — and we spoke with the teams at each about loving their jobs, showcasing homegrown produce, garnering local support and making it through 2020. APPLE CIDER FROM THE APPLE ISLE Of course Tasmania makes great apple cider. When tasked with picking their favourite brewed beverage, including beer, of course Tassie residents went with apple cider, too. That kind of local support no longer comes as a surprise to Plenty Cider co-owner Grace D'Arcy, but it is always heartily and eagerly appreciated. "People really resonate with where we are from, and love the fact they know where it is — and they understand the quality of the produce that comes from the area," she says. "Without local support, Plenty wouldn't exist, so we can't thank Tasmanians enough for what they have done for us and for many small businesses across the state throughout COVID-19". Plenty Cider is not only a celebrated homegrown brand, but is also beloved for its use of 100-percent southern Tasmanian-grown apples. And yet, the company's journey actually started with a different kind of alcohol and type of fruit. It wasn't hard to make the switch, though, D'Arcy explains. "The transition from wine to cider ten years ago was an easy choice to make, as cider was an emerging sector with so much hope and potential." Cider is also an easy field to be passionate about. That might sound self-evident — who wouldn't want to spend their days turning fruit into a sweet and delicious drink? — but D'Arcy's enthusiasm shines through. "There is also plenty of room for innovation and creativity. This is what keeps me passionate, along with striving to continuously improve and craft delicious ciders," she says. "When a cider is fruit-driven and you get that fresh full flavour on the palate, nothing is better." GIN AND VODKA MADE ABOVE A ROCKY COASTAL OUTCROP Potatoes might not be as synonymous with Tasmania as apples, but they're the reason that one of the state's other much-loved drinks producers exists. The site that Hellfire Bluff Distillery calls home is actually a potato farm on a cliff above Marion Bay that dates back more than 30 years. "We were looking for a way to value-add to the potatoes we grow," advises marketing coordinator Kyla Flanagan. "We wanted to bring something unique to the well-respected Tasmanian spirits market and, after investing a significant amount of time and research, in 2017 we launched Hellfire Bluff Distillery with our premium potato vodka." Clearly, local fresh produce is crucial here. "The distillery was built out of our love for premium Tasmanian ingredients, driven by our passion for farming sustainably, and influenced by our beautiful wild and remote region," Flanagan says. Hellfire now not only makes vodka, but also three styles of gin, a selection of small-batch liqueurs, and other limited-edition releases — using rainwater sourced from the farm, locally sourced lemons in its limoncello, and other "quintessentially Tasmanian ingredients," she explains. "When we say our products are handcrafted, we really mean it." Given how pivotal all things local are to Hellfire, it's hardly surprising that the distillery has proven a big hit in the community. "Product provenance has always been important to our customers, and local support has been integral to our brand from the very beginning," says Flanagan. And that homegrown love is a source of inspiration, too. "It's important to us that people feel connected to where their purchase comes from, and gain an understanding and insight into the business they are supporting," she notes. TURNING 61-HECTARES OF LAUNCESTON-GROWN GRAPES INTO VINO It was back in 2004 that Josef Chromy launched the wine brand that bears his name, setting up shop just south of Launceston on a scenic and sprawling 61-hectare vineyard. Pepik is one of its labels, and its moniker also has a close connection to its founder — because 'Pepik' is Josef's nickname, as given to him by his mother. Chromy handpicked Tasmanian winemaker Jeremy Dineen to lead the business, a role that the latter still holds today. As Pepik sales and export manager David Milne explains, making wine isn't just a job here — it's a passion, an obsession and a puzzle all in one. "It's the challenge of crafting the best wines from whatever the vintage throws at you that keeps things interesting," he says, with Pepik favouring "a minimal intervention style of winemaking to allow beautiful, aromatic Tasmanian fruit to achieve full expression in the glass". The resulting tipples, especially Pepik's pinot noir, have proven popular locally. But in 2020, the true level of community support has actually surprised Milne. "As a small wine producer in Tasmania, we probably didn't realise just how strong our following was until this year," he says. "People have made a concerted effort to support the local brands that they love and want to see come out the other side of this pandemic… In a year like no other, we've never been so honoured to be carried on the shoulders of our tribe." To find these or other Tasmanian drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
After a couple of years spent staring at screens our brains are pretty thirsty for some lush green scenery. We are in the mood for tumbling waterfalls, secluded swimming spots and remote rainforest hikes that make us feel like we're living in an endless summer. Luckily for us, Tropical North Queensland fits the bill nicely — and you won't have to renew your passport to get there. In this part of the world, summer lives on a little longer with refreshing tropical rains and warm autumn days. The national parks are a little quieter and the waterways run a little deeper during this time of year, making it the ultimate time to explore the rainforest from top to bottom. From canopy walks, to castles and kayaking — there are plenty of ways to experience the rainforest this autumn.
Almost a decade since its arrival on the scene, Love Isabelle has attracted discerning jewellery fans both in Australia and around the globe for its vintage-inspired designs and meticulous detailing. Now, the Sydney-born brand has a new flagship boutique that mirrors this aesthetic, shifting its Manly Beach location to a design-led haven that blurs the lines between retail, hospitality and private lounge. Designed in collaboration with Sydney-based interior design studio Coffey Hallett, the in-store experience strives to be tactile and personal, elevating the pieces on display while shaping how visitors encounter them. Leaning into the brand's vintage cues, considered details like retro Italian lighting and rich two-tone walnut and burl joinery set a lounge-like tone that stands out from the everyday retail encounter. Complementing functional details like integrated drawers, sleek high-gloss surfaces, sculptural elements and a centrepiece mirror wall add light and depth. Yet this gallery-like space also showcases Love Isabelle's penchant for the archival. Featuring barstools sourced from Marketplace reupholstered in Dedar's Jamu Jungle fabric — a deep dive into Italian eBay and local bazaars resulted in many of the pieces on display. But perhaps the most attention-grabbing detail of the Manly boutique is the presence of a jewellery bar. Here, guests perch on a stool, trying on pieces with the help of handheld mirrors. As you consider your purchase, you're welcome to sip on custom Love Isabelle sparkling or still water, plucked from the integrated bar fridge. With this, the retail journey unfolds slowly and intentionally, adding to the mid-luxury atmosphere. All in all, the concept speaks to the idea of walking into a treasure chest, which you might use to pass down your most cherished jewellery or receive as a keepsake from a loved one. Since the arrival of Love Isabelle in 2017, the brand's belief in brick-and-mortar is still as strong as the day it launched. "Being able to see, feel and try on pieces in real life creates a deeper connection and confidence you simply can't replicate digitally," says Love Isabelle Founder, Isabelle Sidd. However, visitors can expect more than just a refined shopping space. Love Isabelle plans to use the new location for in-store events and activations, such as jewellery-making nights in the courtyard and community piercing sessions. Plus, the brand is making moves south, having recently announced the arrival of its debut Melbourne boutique in the heart of Armadale. Love Isabelle's Sydney Boutique is now open Monday–Saturday from 9am–5.30pm and Sunday from 10am–4pm at Shop 4 199/205 Pittwater Rd, Manly. Head to the website for more information.
Another stalwart pub in The Rocks has been given a new lease on life. The Orient Hotel has recently reopened after a three-month renovation, which has taken the venue back to its heritage roots. The public bar and sandstone courtyard have both been restored and there's a renewed focus on live music, with bands on seven days a week. The corner pub's reopening will be a welcome addition to The Rocks' nightlife, with the all-day offering available from morning until late daily and a 3.30am weekend licence allowing for some legit late-night gigs. The heritage building was built in 1844 and boasts a multifaceted history as a Chinese laundry, a butchery and, most notably, a shipping company called Orient Line who docked its boats in Sydney Cove, just in front of the hotel. It's now owned by Ryans Hotels, the group that also runs CBD venues the Paragon Hotel, The Ship Inn and Taylor's Rooftop. Expanding on the hotel's refurbished offering is a new cocktail terrace Mrs Jones, which is named after Jane Jones, the Orient's 1897 licensee who was a well-known publican in the area. It officially launches this Thursday, May 17. The space has its own concealed entrance on Kendall Lane and the terrace lounge overlooks The Orient's interior courtyard and the laneways below. Designer Kate Formosa has drawn on the hotel's maritime roots with a replica Orient Line boat model, blue-and-white woven chairs and timber floorboards, all while giving the terrace a greenhouse feel with a lush garden fit-out and sliding glass panel walls. Ex-Merivale drinks-maker Tommy Donnison is heading up the bar and has curated a sizeable cocktail menu with heaps of classics, plus signatures including the Fizzy Jones (gin, green apple liqueur, Baileys and lime juice soda) and the Purple Haze (vodka, blackcurrant and cacao liqueurs, vanilla syrup, blueberries and egg white). For eats, chef Brad Copeland (ex-Est., MG Garage, Bistrode) has created a menu for both venues that aims to showcase Australian produce and focuses on share plates — ideal for nibbling on with cocktail in hand. Think slow-cooked lamb croquettes with truffle honey, panko-crumbed prawns with garlic mayo and peking duck spring rolls, along with your requisite charcuterie platters. For larger dishes, sous vide Queensland kangaroo rump and crispy pork belly accompany pub classic schnittys, parmas and burgers. The Orient Hotel is now open, with Mrs Jones opening May 17 at 89 George Street, The Rocks. Both venues are open seven days a week from morning till late. Head to the respective websites for opening hours.
While the city may be famous for its beach and wellness lifestyle, the Gold Coast also has a thriving cultural scene. One that's filled with local makers, independent boutiques and art spaces. From gallery exhibitions and circus performers to Indigenous tours and food markets, Get Up and Gold Coast and discover the city's cultural side with this insider guide. [caption id="attachment_1072421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] La Clique[/caption] HOTA, Home of the Arts The first stop on a cultural tour has to be HOTA, Home of the Arts. It's a precinct that brings together galleries, live performance, cinema and dining all under one roof. On now is the free exhibition A Bigger View, which spans artists, decades and continents to showcase large-scale artworks and masterpieces from the National Gallery of Australia and major works from HOTA. Among other talented artists, the exhibition also includes two pieces by Henri Matisse and one by Pintupi artist Long Tom Tjapanangka. Alongside art and exhibitions, HOTA also hosts theatre, including international productions such as the high-energy circus cabaret La Clique, which returns in March after its sold-out debut in 2025. The show blends daring acrobatics and stunts with burlesque and comedy to create a captivating night out. Also in March, for one weekend only, comes Duck Pond, an "exuberant take" on the famous Swan Lake ballet in circus form. If you want to elevate your cultural day out, head to Palette, HOTA's flagship restaurant. It's the Gold Coast's only three-hatted restaurant, with a menu that is inspired by the gallery's exhibitions. [caption id="attachment_1067580" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre[/caption] Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre A huge part of the Gold Coast's culture is its Indigenous history. Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, located at Burleigh Headland, offers locals and visitors the opportunity of guided walks, exhibitions and storytelling experiences to showcase the Yugambeh language and Country. Learn about the land's history and its First Nations people to gain an even deeper sense of its cultural heritage. To inspire you to Get Up and Gold Coast, Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre is offering two weekday walkabout tours for the price of one. Bring a friend or family member along for free and discover ancient stories and Burleigh's vibrant culture. [caption id="attachment_1067581" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Swell Sculpture Festival[/caption] Gold Coast Festivals Many art festivals choose the Gold Coast as their home base. First on the calendar in July is the Surface Miami Street Art Festival, which features large-scale murals and live painting in the Gold Coast suburb of Miami. In September, the Swell Sculpture Festival transforms Currumbin Beach into an openair gallery for Queensland's largest outdoor sculpture exhibition. BLEACH* Festival is an annual citywide celebration of performance, visual art and music that takes over the Gold Coast's laneways and theatres. In 2026, BLEACH* will take place in October, so keep an eye out throughout the year as the program is unveiled. Between these festivals and many others, you've got a cultural calendar that rivals other Australian cities. [caption id="attachment_1067583" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mint Art House[/caption] Independent Boutiques If you're looking for local creators and small businesses to support when in the Gold Coast, head to James Street's boutique stores in Burleigh. Located mere steps from the ocean, the independent shops and designers offer thoughtful curation and pieces that will remind you of your trip to the Gold Coast. For something even more unique, Mint Art House in Burleigh Heads is an artists' collective that's also a gallery, studio and events space selling unique ceramics and souvenirs for you to take home. [caption id="attachment_1067586" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miami Marketta[/caption] Food Culture Looking to experience some of the Gold Coast's food culture? There are an abundance of markets and cafes that focus on community and creatives. Miami Marketta is a hub of creativity, good food, and live music. Described as the first creative precinct on the Gold Coast, different spaces and events are run side by side, and night markets and street food reign supreme. At HOTA Farmer and Artisan Markets, local designers, artists and artisans host stalls every Sunday morning, offering the best in farm-fresh produce, delicious food, handcrafted wears and more. For a Gold Coast-style brunch, Stable at Cornerstone in Currumbin is a sun-filled space where seasonal produce and specialty coffee take precedence, while Sun Devil (located in Strange Days vintage clothing store) proves that some of the Gold Coast's best cafes are where you least expect them. This is just a snippet of the cultural events, festivals and activities happening on the Gold Coast. Because while we love the city for its theme parks and beaches, it's also a growing cultural haven. Image credit: Supplied Lead Image: Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
The only thing prettier than a white Christmas is a pink one. That's exactly what you can expect when one of Darlinghurst's hottest hotels hosts its annual East Village Sydney Winter Garden to coincide with the start of the chilly season. As well as resurrecting the fairy light and fairy-floss-coloured approach of previous years, Winter Garden East Village Sydney 2023 will focus on festive decorations, hearty feeds, faux fur throws and heaters on full blast, all designed to transport you to a traditional European Christmas market experience. The return of the popular four-cheese fondue for two, served with pickled vegetables, cured meats and bread, is the main attraction on the menu. A little partidge-in-a-pear-tree told us that it's even spiked with booze. However, if your feelings towards fondue swing to the sweet end of the scale, be sure to check out the Belgian chocolate fountain for dessert — served with cakes, fruit, brioche and biscuits to dip into your sauce. Other culinary delights will include dishes inspired by the cool yule markets of Germany, France and the Netherlands. Such as crispy potato pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer) served with spiced applesauce, vol-au-vents filled with a truffled chicken stew and Dutch cinnamon doughnuts. Ready to invest in the second stage of the 'eat, drink and be merry' concept? Winter Garden East Village Sydney comes complete with an impressive winter drinks menu — such as traditional Glühwein mulled wine; a smoked rum old fashioned; a winter spritz featuring Montenegro, grapefruit liqueur, ginger and burnt rosemary; and coquito shooters made with vegan eggnog, coconut, condensed milk, vanilla and cinnamon.
Winter in Woollahra has become unimaginable without Sunday roast at Bistro Moncur. And, now that the chilly weather has set in, it's back for another round — with a menu that changes every six weeks. The season kicked off with Dewsbury pork belly, and has since moved onto Riverina lamb rump. It arrives at your table with Yorkshire pudding, duck fat potatoes, pumpkin puree, petits pois a la francaise, and rosemary jus. All this will set you back $45 a plate. Like the rest of Bistro Moncur's creations, the brains behind the Sunday roast is London-born chef Tom Deadman. He took over the 30-year-old kitchen in 2022, having worked at Read's in the UK (which had a Michelin star at the time), as well as Becasse in Surry Hills and Hotel Centennial, also in Woollahra. Looking for other Sunday roasts? Hop next door to try Woollahra Hotel's offering, to NEL Restaurant for a ten-course degustation, or to The Botanist in Kirribilli for a fancy beef wellington.
There are 11,761 beaches in Australia. So it goes without saying that choosing the nation's most epic stretches of sand is no easy feat. Still, we've taken on the challenge. And, having considered the entire coastline, we've teamed up with Jim Beam to come up with ten of the best beaches in Australia so you can book a group holiday — from South Australia's sweeping Coorong Beach, which is one of the longest beaches in the world, to Queensland's Whitehaven Beach, which is famous for its incredible beauty, rather than its length. Remote and not close to major cities, these are not your local favourites — these are the top beaches in Australia. Get your bucket list ready, hit up the group chat (because every beach adventure is best enjoyed together) and start planning your next waterside getaway to at least one of them. Recommended reads: The Best Coastal Spots for Whale Watching Across Australia The Best Islands to Visit in Australia The Best Beaches in Sydney The Best Glamping Sites in Australia [caption id="attachment_694321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] NINETY MILE BEACH, VICTORIA Sometimes, size does matter. That's true in the case of Ninety Mile Beach, which is actually 94 miles — or 151 kilometres — long, making it one of the longest beaches in the world. It runs along the state's northeastern coastline, parallel to the (also epic) Gippsland Lakes. And there are all kinds of adventures on offer. Spend days (and days) wandering along the sand, uninterrupted by rocks or headlands while soaking up the surf and looking out for whales. Visit Ninety Mile's cute seaside towns, like Woodside, Seaspray and Golden Beach. And, if you're a camper who's happy to swap creature comforts for serenity, pitch your tent at Emu Bight, on the shores of Lake Victoria within The Lakes National Park, and use this guide to explore the water. Editors note: Emu Bight is currently closed due to bushfires in the nearby area. Check the government's Emu Bight site for more updated info. [caption id="attachment_743661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] RED ROCK BEACH, NEW SOUTH WALES Some beaches are epic, not only for themselves, but for what surrounds them. Take Red Rock, 30 minutes' drive north of Coffs Harbour. The Australian beach takes its name from its stunning headland, a 20-metre-high formation of 300-million-year-old jasper, also known as red quartz. Much of the sand is backdropped by national park and keen hikers should conquer the 65-kilometre multi-day Yuraygir Coastal Walk — or at least a section of it. If you find yourself needing human civilisation, visit the tiny coastal community of Corindi, where you can camp or stay in a cabin at Reflections Holiday Park. Take your time exploring the area and Red Rock Beach, one of the best beaches in Australia. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] WHITEHAVEN BEACH, QUEENSLAND Whitehaven Beach was famous for its looks even before Instagram existed. Located on Whitsunday Island, this seven-kilometre-long wonder is known for its sand, which, made of silica, is among the whitest, brightest and purest on the planet. To visit, you'll need to climb aboard a tour from Airlie Beach — be it by yacht, powerboat, ferry or seaplane. You'll be sorely tempted to take a dip in the crystal clear waters when visiting Whitehaven Beach, easily one of the best beaches in Australia. And, for extraordinary views of the beach, island and surrounds, get yourself to Tongue Point Lookout. If you'd like to stay overnight, there are several campsites nearby. [caption id="attachment_743612" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CAPE TRIBULATION BEACH, QUEENSLAND Cape Tribulation in Queensland's Far North is where two Heritage-listed wildernesses — the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest — come together. Cape Tribulation Beach is the first one north of the cape, around two hours' drive north of Port Douglas. Begin your adventures at Kulki with a ten-minute stroll to Cape Tribulation Lookout, which looks north over Cape Tribulation Beach, backdropped by mountains. And to add a second sandy spot to your itinerary, take the one-hour Cape Tribulation to Mason's Store walk, for views of Myall Beach. [caption id="attachment_743652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] COORONG BEACH, SOUTH AUSTRALIA This breathtaking stretch of sand forms the southwestern border of Coorong National Park, on South Australia's southeast coast. It runs for around 220 kilometres, between Port Elliot in the north and Cape Jaffa in the south — and it's considered the longest beach in Australia. It's also where the Murray River meets the sea, after a 2500-kilometre journey from the Australian Alps. Just behind Coorong Beach are the Coorong Wetlands, where the original Storm Boy (1977) film was shot. Consider a paddling tour along one of the best beaches in Australia, be it a three-hour sunset fling or a multi-day expedition. Keep your eyes peeled for threatened species, including the orange-bellied parrot, freckled duck and southern bell frog. [caption id="attachment_743610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] 75 MILE BEACH, QUEENSLAND Another beach that's legendary for its awesome size is 75 Mile Beach on K'gari. This sandy behemoth forms most of the east coast of the island — which is the world's biggest sand island — and lies just off the coast, around six hours' drive north of Brisbane. The attractions here aren't just endless sea and sky, but also multicoloured and adventurous. Yes, there are sharks in the water and dingos on land, but the main attraction here is the length of the beach. Consequently, one of the most popular ways to travel 75 Mile Beach is by 4WD tour. That said, you can also go exploring on foot and camp or glamp at the dedicated Beach Camp Fraser Island. And be sure to stop off at Nudey Beach, which was named the best beach in Australia for 2018. [caption id="attachment_743683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill, Tourism Tasmania[/caption] WINEGLASS BAY, TASMANIA Like Queensland's Whitehaven Beach, Tasmania's Wineglass Bay is known all over the world for its good looks. As you've no doubt guessed, the bay gets its name from its smooth curves, which resemble a wine glass. You'll find one of the beast beaches in Australia on on Tassie's east coast, within Freycinet National Park. To get some perspective, follow the three-kilometre walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout from Wineglass Bay car park. An even more epic adventure is the full-day Hazards Beach to Wineglass Bay Circuit, an 11-kilometre hike that takes in two beaches, wilderness and pretty views. [caption id="attachment_743719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] CABLE BEACH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Cable Beach, on the edge of Broome, is best known for its camel rides. Every evening, the humped beasts traipse along the shoreline, delivering tourists to some of the most beautiful sunsets in Australia, if not the world. It's hard to think of a better way to experience Cable Beach. But, if that's not your thing, you can hire a bike and cycle along the sand. Alternatively, settle for relaxing on the sand, swimming or sipping cocktails when visiting one of the best beaches in Australia. As well as its white sand, Cable Beach is famous for its rich red ochre cliffs, which create a striking contrast with the blue, blue sky. [caption id="attachment_743663" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Stanley via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] COSSIES BEACH, COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS Add a bit of island hopping to your beachy bucket list chasing with a quick getaway to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. These magical wonderlands of coral are in the middle of the Indian Ocean, a 4.5-hour flight west of Perth — which is pretty far-flung, but they're still considered an Australian territory. There's no shortage of gorgeous beaches, but one of the most magnificent is Cossies, on Direction Island, which beach expert Brad Farmer named Australia's best beach in his book 101 Best Beaches 2017. Keen snorkellers should definitely spend some time at the Rip, a haven of colourful corals, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, reef sharks and other intriguing underwater creatures. And if you're looking for a place to stay when visiting one of the best beaches in Australia, try nabbing a room at Cocos Seaview. [caption id="attachment_743664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Linear77 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] EIGHTY MILE BEACH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA One of the best things about Western Australia's many beaches is that they come with sunsets. And, on Eighty Mile Beach — which sprawls between Port Hedland and Broome — you get 220 kilometres of them. It's also a marine park, so you can count on plenty of sea life, including dugongs, dolphins, sawfish and flatback turtles, that come here to nest. Spend your time looking out for these and other wondrous creatures, or get into some strolling, swimming or fishing. There are spots to camp, too, including Cape Keraudren Coastal Reserve. Like Jim Beam, surfing and other outdoor adventures are all about bringing people together, so get out there this summer and find your tribe in the great outdoors. Top images: Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.
Booze delivery legend Jimmy Brings really came into its own during lockdown. Not only was it bringing drinks to homes within 30 minutes — allowing punters to have spontaneous lockdown sessions — it also delivered emergency rolls of toilet paper during that TP drought. Now, taking it up a notch, Jimmy Brings is offering you the chance to win six full months of free drinks for both you and your best mate. The prize is valued at a whopping $2000 and the competition has already begun, so best to get your entry in ASAP. To enter, simply post a pic of you (or you and your mate) enjoying a Jimmy Brings delivery on Instagram or Jimmy Brings' Facebook page, tagging @jimmybrings and #JBVibeCheck. The photo must include Jimmy's face, whether it's a delivery box, bag, magnet or internet cutout — anything will do. You can enter as many times as you want, too. The pic with the best 'vibes' will then win six months of loot, along with undying love from one very lucky friend. Jimmy Brings has been a go-to for its range of wine, beer and spirits since way back in 2011. It delivers organic drops, wine bundles and party packs, plus mixers and other extras — like chocolates, bags of crisps, Panadol and Berocca — to homes across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. And, if you're you're still avoiding that midweek bottle shop run, the online bottle-o delivers seven days per week until late. So, go ahead, get your order in and get snapping. The Vibe Check comp will run from Friday, July 17 until 11.59pm on Sunday, August 16. Anyone from NSW, Vic, Qld, WA, ACT or SA can enter. For more information and for full terms and conditions, head to the website. 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.
In these belt-tightening times of inflated living costs and cautious spending, the arrival of a new cheap-eats option is cause for celebration. Joining the collection of eateries at the newly minted dining hub, Sydney Place, Sil Bi Jip is a bricks-and-motar venue with the spirit of a pocha — a Korean street food stand. Its economic philosophy is captured in the restaurant's name, which roughly translates to 'the actual cost'. The price of a meal closely matches the cost of the ingredients it contains, offering diners incredible value for money. The menu stars Korean street food's greatest hits, which, during lunchtimes, is served in the style of dosirak (lunch boxes), gimbap (rice roll), Korean hot dog or the quintessential Korean rice bowl, deop bap. In the evening, Sil Bi Jip shifts gears, becoming a lively neon-lit bar serving a broad range of street snacks and classic Korean beverages, including 21 types of Korean liquor including soju and makgeolli. Diners can choose from a selection of small plates including makhoe (fisherman-style sashimi), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), gyeran mari (Korean-style rolled omelette) and mok sal gui (char-gilled pork neck), ideal for an informal supper over a few drinks. "At Sil Bi Jip, our goal is to feed people nourishing, high-quality dishes at an affordable price point, offering everything we love about Korean street food", says Sil Bi Jip's owner Dennis Oh. "Whether you're looking for a warming and filling rice bowl by day or some snacks and specialty drinks by night, we can't wait to welcome the community in to experience our 'small Korea' right in the heart of Sydney." Sydney Place is one of the most recent additions to the city's boom in hospitality precincts. Located on the doorstep of One Circular Quay, where a luxury residential development and Australia's first Waldorf Astoria Hotel are currently under construction, Sil Bi Jip joins an impressive roll call of more than 20 venues ranging from slick afterwork drinking dens like Bar Besuto and Jacksons on George, to fast-casual dining options such as Malay Chinese Noodles, Lode Pies and Kosta's Takeaway. Find Sil Bi Jip at CQT12/180 George Street, Sydney, open Monday–Friday, 11.30am–3pm, and Monday–Saturday, 4.30–10pm. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Kera Wong
Truffle season is now in full swing, and Madame Truffles has returned with its best pop-up shop yet. This time around, it's taking over Handpicked Cellar Door for three straight months — from June 13 — and it features flaming cheese wheel pasta, truffle ice cream and a free weekly happy hour. The star of the show is the truffle pasta, mixed in a flaming cheese wheel and topped with fresh shavings of the fancy fungi. It's portioned for two people at $70 a pop ($35 per person, minimum two people), so make sure to bring a mate along. Another truffle-filled treat on offer is a wine flight of Handpicked's finest paired with truffle-topped cheese and charcuterie ($59 all up). There will also be a free truffle happy hour every Sunday at 2pm, with space for only six people per session. Those lucky few will get a mini masterclass — along with plenty of tastings, of course — but booking is essential. Keep an eye on the website to snag your spot. For a full on masterclass, head along on July 18 when Madame Truffles herself will host a course on both Australian and European truffles. She'll explain all the ins and outs, from farming and storing to handling and preparation. A wine tasting, truffle pasta sample and gift pack will all be included in the $95 ticket price. The shop will also sell heaps of truffle items to take home, including truffle ravioli and truffle ice-cream, plus truffle butter, truffle honey and truffle salt. The pop-up will run every Thursday through Sunday from 11am–9pm, so there's plenty of time to get your hands on all of it. Images: Nastia Gladushchenko.
In order to empower at-risk children, Spanish organisation Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk Foundation has launched an anti-abuse advertising campaign embedded with a secret message. When the average adult views the bus stop billboard, they will only perceive a disheartened boy with the words "Sometimes, child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it." However, when viewed from below the height of the average 10-year-old, the boy's face appears bruised and the text now reads, "If somebody hurts you, phone us and we'll help you," alongside the number for their anti-abuse helpline. This feat of eye magic is achieved through a lenticular top layer, which displays different images at varying angles. While it is chilling to ponder that ANAR is targeting children travelling with their abusers, it is also inspiring that such innovation is stemming from the non-profit sector. And, thus, that the campaign aims to empower children, rather than sell them hamburgers or new phones. However, some fear that this will trigger new advertising strategies aiming to sell from the waist down — targeting kids into asking for specific brands upon seeing messages their parents have missed. As Gizmodo's Andrew Liszewski asks, "how long will it be before toy companies start doing to the same thing to hawk their products directly at kids?" (We give them three months.) It's still not as much of a worry as the Minority-Report-esque interactive billboards that IBM are reportedly developing. Apparently they could scream out our kid's name to tell them they could use a Guinness. Eeek.
Anyone with a curious impulse in their heart and a phone in their hand can eat well on holiday. But to eat great? For that, you'll need to do a bit of prep and make some bookings at these pilgrimage-worthy restaurants on NZ's South Island. They've made their name on farm-to-table feasting, seafood that's travelled basically a negative number of food miles and foraging in fields home to hobbits and elves. People want in. The South Island is full of mountains to climb, artsy small cities to explore, glassy lakes to gawp at — all perfect ways to work up and appetite for these culinary experiences and then the perfect diversions while you digest the meal of the year. [caption id="attachment_687223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rodney F.[/caption] FLEUR'S PLACE Fleur's Place is a beautiful fishing shed turned cosy restaurant tucked away in the seaside village of Moeraki, right on the waterfront at the old jetty. This little gem is not to be missed if you're a fan of the freshest catches out of the sea. Fleur's showcases the best of New Zealand produce with signature dishes such as green-lipped mussel pots, hearty seafood soup, fish (literally caught and delivered straight off the boat to the back kitchen of Fleur's) and, if you're lucky, some rare finds such as abalone. Fleur's gets incredibly busy, so it's best to book a table before you go. Really there's nothing that beats eating fresh seafood while watching the waves hitting the shores of Moeraki. It's also around a ten-minute drive from the world-famous Moeraki Boulders, so why not kill two fish with one stone. 169 Haven Street, Moeraki. RIVERSTONE KITCHEN While Oamaru might be known for its blue penguins and steampunk, it also serves amazing food that attracts connoisseurs from all around the world via Riverstone Kitchen. After rising through the ranks of illustrious London kitchens and serving as head chef at Brisbane's E'cco Bistro, Bevan Smith came here and opened up shop on his family's farm with wife Monique in a remote patch of NZ countryside. Now, it's a pilgrimage site, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As is right, given the set-up, the ingredients that start in these fields end up in the restaurant's dishes (which in turn end up in the kitchen's renowned recipe books). Meat comes courtesy of the neighbours. Try the dreamy cheese soufflé ($22) paired with apple and hazelnut salad or a venison massaman curry with roast cauliflower, peanuts and crispy shallots ($36). 1431 State Highway 1, Oamaru. GATHERINGS After working on an organic vegetable farm in North Canterbury, chef Alex Davies launched the Gatherings pop-up concept where the food he cooked represented a taste of the region, the time and place. The concept has since evolved into a permanent restaurant and living wine bar focusing on sustainable, local and seasonal cuisine. The overarching theme is to highlight the connection of what we eat and the planet that we live on. From its original plant-based tasting menu, Gatherings has pivoted towards family-style eating — and introduced sustainably-caught fish in the process. The takeaway 'Fish Supper' was introduced post-COVID-19 lockdown as a way to keep the wheels in motion. The concept has now become the restaurant's main offering, as a more affordable option for the community in trying times and to allow diners to feast as a family or friend unit. Southland's Gravity Fishing supplies the catch to order (and nothing more), which means that repeat diners will likely have an entirely different experience every visit. Diners have the option to order a whole fish for the table and buy smaller Canterbury-centric dishes around it. 5/2 Papanui Road, Merivale, Christchurch. AMISFIELD Located in Central Otago, Amisfield is a specialist producer of pinot noir and aromatic white wines, with a two-hatted bistro on-site. Basically, it's your one-stop portal to a world of amazing wine and food. Your meal unfurls by way of a 'trust the chef' degustation menu of three to seven courses ($140, $60 for matching wines), stopping off at the likes of titi (muttonbird) with seaweed and konini berries and hidden truffles in edible soil. The hyper-seasonal menu is the work of executive chef Vaughan Mabee, who earned his stripes working at Danish restaurant Noma. Another factor giving Amisfield its edge? Mabee works with a dedicated forager, who helps keep his stores packed with little-known local ingredients that invigorate the cooking each night. Amisfield provides the ultimate gastronomic experience against probably one of the most beautiful backdrops in New Zealand. Bookings are essential. 10 Arrowtown-Lake Hayes Road, Frankton, Queenstown. ARBOUR The philosophy of Arbour is "eat, sip, gather". It's a modern and elegant restaurant that champions local produce in its carefully crafted three-, four- or seven-course offering ($79–99). Diners can get an authentic taste of the region through fresh and simple ingredients that are married together in creative ways. So you'll see beef sirloin cooked with parsnip and smoked potato dumpling; john dory smoked and paired with leek, black truffle and 63-degree egg; and corn 'porridge' with various alliums, hazelnut and bacon. Here in the colder months? Head indoors, where Arbour has a 'prep bench' experience ($139 per person) that offers you the seven-course tasting menu, along with the dinner theatre of watching the kitchen in full flight. You'll want to catch owner-operators Bradley Hornby and Liz Buttimore in action — the latter is 2017 Cuisine Good Food Awards Restaurant Personality of the Year, after all. 36 Godfrey Road, Fairhall, Blenheim. Start planning your trip to New Zealand's south with our guide to the South Island journeys to take here.
Surry Hills' beloved drinking establishment and local institution The Cricketers Arms has welcomed a winning new update to the dining room. Head up the stairs from the boisterous revelry of the always-jammed front bar to find Chez Crix, a bistro with unpretentious but beautifully-executed French-leaning food and a predictably excellent drinks offering including a forward thinking wine list focused on natural and low-intervention drops and killer martinis. The evolution of Chez Crix has been a collaborative effort from long-time owner Dominic Juillet, Head Chef Antoine Vassallo and and General Manager and drinks list curator Jackson Duxbury (formerly of The Agrarian Kitchen and Franklin Hobart). And the result is a laid-back dining room with a frisky atmosphere where the service is warm and effortlessly efficient. Duxbury sums it up perfectly: "Our community, and the legacy of the Cricketers Arms, is certainly at the forefront. We talk a lot about the sense of ownership long-term patrons hold of the venue — it's the people's pub. For years, this place (certainly downstairs), has felt like an extension of people's living rooms. We hope Chez Crix feels like an extension of their dining room." While the feel of the room does indeed have a casual dinner party vibe, the food is several notches beyond what the average person can achieve on a Friday night in the home kitchen. Antoine Vassallo has pulled together a menu of approachable hits like a gorgeously juicy roast chicken with jus gras and steak frites with Bordelaise sauce, and the house-made chicken liver parfait (to be ordered with a chewy baguette) might just be the pick of the menu. The wine list is firmly focused on natural wines and the entries traverse the globe with selections from across Australia, Europe and beyond. If you're perpetually wine-curious or just plain indecisive, leave your choices in the hands of Duxbury and the floor staff who'll delight you with a compelling selection by the glass or bottle. Chez Crix is the restaurant the Cricketers Arms deserves and has been long overdue for. Booking is very much recommended as the venue has been full-to-overflowing ever since it opened.
After hosting a sellout weekender in 2024 to celebrate its 15th birthday, Strawberry Fields is turning sweet 16 in 2025 with another three-day festival filled with impressive acts hitting the decks and the stage, all on the banks of the Murray River. When you're not catching Detroit Love featuring Carl Craig and Moodymann, Gilles Peterson, Chaos in the CBD and Interplanetary Criminal at Tocumwal in regional New South Wales this November, you'll be seeing Tommy Holohan, Malugi, Lady Shaka and ISAbella. They're a mere few of the 80-plus DJs and live acts on the just-dropped lineup. Other names on the bill across Friday, November 21–Sunday, November 23 include KOKOROKO, WITCH, and Circle of Live featuring Albrecht La'Brooy, Move D and Sebastian Mullaert — plus Dita, Wax'o Paradiso and Horse Meat Disco. Or, for more than three hours, Mama Snake, DJ Scorpion and Andy Garvey will play B3B. Aurora Halal, DJ Sweet6teen, Fafi Abdel Nour, DJ PGZ B2B Yikes and Karen Nyame KG are on the roster, too. Strawberry Fields is among the Australian music festivals that aren't just about who's providing the soundtrack, even though it clearly doesn't skimp on talent. This fest boasts a setup and setting worth spending a weekend enjoying no matter which acts are on the bill, with its location is a hefty drawcard all by itself. Having multiple stages pumping out tunes in leafy surroundings, and also a bush spa for a soak between sets, will do that. Festivalgoers clearly agree. As was the case in 2024, 95 percent of Strawberry Fields' tickets were already snapped up before the lineup dropped. If you were waiting to see who was on the bill first, though, more are going on sale from 9am on Friday, July 11. Folks lucky enough to nab a ticket can look forward to epsom salt baths, plunge pool sessions and sauna trips, then, plus hanging out in the festival's Mirage Motel space again, and hitting up an expanded range of workshops and talks — alongside onsite glamping and camping. Strawberry Fields' commitment to sustainability remains strong, too, with its rewash revolution system diverting over 300,000 single-use plastics from landfill so far, renewable energy powering the entire fest and all carbon emissions offset via Treecreds. Strawberry Fields 2025 Lineup DJ Afrodisiac Anu Aurora Halal Ayebatonye Baby J Bella Claxton Chaos In The Cbd Dameeeela Detroit Love (featuring Carl Craig and Moodymann) Dita DJ Friday B2B Sweetie Zamora DJ Pgz B2B Yikes DJ Sure DJ Sweet6teen Fafi Abdel Nour Gene On Earth Gilles Peterson Horse Meat Disco Interplanetary Criminal ISAbella Jenny Cara Josh Caffé Karen Nyame Kg Kirollus Kuzco B2B Quicksticks Kyle Hall Lady Shaka Malugi Mama Snake B3B DJ Scorpion B3B Andy Garvey Mazzacles Messie Mismeg Move D Myles Mac B2B DJ Possum Naycab Neptunes Trident Poli Pearl Regularfantasy Roka Sampology B2B Frank Booker Slothboogie Super Flu THC Tommy Holohan Toni Yotzi Vanna Wax'o Paradiso Wolters B2B Ned Bennett Zalina Live Asanti Beats Becca Hatch Bumpy Circle of Live (featuring Albrecht La Brooy, Move D, Sebastian Mullaert) Close Counters Corto.Alto D.D. Mirage Devaura Drifting Clouds Drmngnow / Bricky B Ella Haber Ella Thompson Empress Ferrari Party Flewnt Inkabee Jerome Thomas Juman Kokoroko Mathew Jonson Minyerra Moontide No News Rodriguez Jr. Serebii The Pro-Teens (MF Doom Tribute) Waari Wilson Tanner Witch Wrong Way Up Xpress Point Strawberry Fields 2025 takes place at Tocumwal, New South Wales, from Friday, November 21–Sunday, November 23. The final release of tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, July 11. Head to the festival website for further details. Images: Duncographic / Will Hamilton-Coates / Max Roux.
Swashbuckling pirates and their landlocked mistresses can find solace from the high seas at Manly's Moonshine Rum and Cider Bar. Deep red leather chesterfield booths are dimly lit by overhead lanterns, providing a mellow and intimate setting. Casanovas be warned, this is not the setting for a romantic evening for two. On Thursdays and Sundays live folk rock music leads the crowd from a toe tap into a full-blown jig, giving you the sense that the rigging scattered throughout the tavern style room is the only thing keeping the hedonistic excess from spilling out onto the streets. The Moonshine crew takes their craft seriously and their house policy is clear, nailed above the bar for all to see: 'If you seek cocktails, try Hemingways'. With over 100 rums to choose from, staff simplify the process by stowing their personal favourites in a hammock strung up above the lengthy distressed timber bar. The burly, bearded, bikie/pirate lookalike behind the bar recommends the El Dorado, which is smooth and served, as it should be, on ice with lime. If you don't share the same fire in your belly for rum, try one of the many boutique ciders on tap, brewed across Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The barman's choice for something sweet is the Apple Thief Pink Lady Cider, which is lightly carbonated with a clean flavour, and tart finish. Our choice is a pint of Batlow Premium Cider, which packs a fuller flavour than most. Moonshine stands out from the usual Corso crowd — a happy blend between Manly's picturesque waterfront setting and a venue that knows how to baton down the hatches and have a good time.
Put it down to the ongoing Y2K revival. Or, put it down to açai war fatigue. Put it down to whatever you like — froyo is back. But even throwbacks aren't immune to reimagining, and Haymarket newcomer OH MY YO is taking things in an unexpected direction, bringing together the worlds of frozen yoghurt and fine dining. It's been brought to life by Howin Chui, who recently opened Master Cow Hot Pot in World Square. For this project, he's tapped Executive Chef Zac Ng (XOPP, Sepia, and the owner of hatted Darlinghurst fine diner Restaurant Ka) to oversee an ever-evolving menu of self-serve frozen yoghurt rooted in Cantonese flavours and Australian ingredients. Expect a tangy, textured and layered base, designed to hold up against a wide range of flavours, from the traditional to the surprising. At launch, the six-strong frozen yoghurt menu features core picks like original, strawberry and yuzu, passionfruit, matcha and vegan coconut, alongside a limited-time Moutai collab, which leads the series of the venue's rotating specials. It's a bold opener, but encapsulates the venue's playful-meets-nostalgic ethos — Ng is already working on upcoming flavours like soy sauce and Hong Kong french toast. There's also a DIY topping bar with 20 revolving options, from mochi to Nutella and seasonal fruit, as well as a menu of drinkable yoghurts with flavours like avocado, strawberry and purple rice. The venue itself — a slick, 56-square-metre fitout by Darren Kong — blends Hong Kong design cues with a vibrant street sensibility. The space can seat up to 40 across its indoor and outdoor areas, and a pet-friendly area will also be unveiled soon, complete with custom water bowls and pup-friendly frozen yoghurt.
It's been 12 years since the Red Hot Chili Peppers last made a headline tour of Australia. And they're finally on their way back down under. In February and March 2019, the LA-based rockers will play all over the country, including a one-off A Day on the Green and their first-ever show in Tassie. To catch them on the Green, get yourself to Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong, on Saturday, March 2. You can expect to hear tunes from the Peppers' new (and eleventh) studio album, The Getaway, as well as old hits, like 'Californication', 'By The Way' and 'Under The Bridge'. Since making their first release — a self-titled EP — in 1984, the band has sold more than 60 million albums, won five Grammys and entered the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Outside of its one-off A Day on the Green appearance — an Aussie-wide festival that is also playing host to our own Kyle Minogue — the Peppers will also be playing headline shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth and a smaller show out on Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley. If you fancy a trip down south, or are maybe hanging around after Mona Foma, the Peppers are heading to Tasmania for the first time ever, to perform at a rare intimate show — with a capacity of just 1290. Supports acts for all shows will be announced soon. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 2019 DATES Tasmania — Derwent Entertainment Centre, February 17 Sydney — Qudos Bank Arena, February 19 Hunter Valley — Hope Estate, February 23 Brisbane — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, February 25 Melbourne — Rod Laver Arena, February 28 Geelong — A Day on the Green, Mt Duneed Estate, March 2 Perth — NIB Stadium, March 5 Pre-sale tickets for A Day on the Green will be released at 10am on Wednesday, November 22, with all other Live Nation pre-sales going live at midday on Thursday, November 23. All shows go on sale to the public at midday on Monday, November 26. Image: Steve Keros.
Once upon a time Woollhara was heavy on pub grub of varying quality, then the team of The Wine Library opened an Oxford Street space. Tucked in a very unassuming shop for this legendary street, The Wine Library melds a high-top bar at the front, nooky intimacy out the back and a trim courtyard in the middle. At 7pm you'd be hard-pressed to swing a kitten. There's a queue that snakes out the door as locals and blow-ins from across the bridge cram in for their share of prosecco and a selection of small bites or a bottle of Super Tuscan and some delectable pasta dishes. Working backwards around the clock, at 5pm The Wine Library is civility defined. There's room to crook your elbows and make your way through a wine list pregnant with hundreds of options. There's Spanish pink that's dangerously affable, and the wines by the glass come in two-sized pours. For a Friday or Saturday lunch, it's just right. There's plenty of room to breathe and time to ponder the clipboard menu, which takes a jolly tour all over the world. Grab some edamame or gruyere croquettes to start, work your way to burrata with yellow peach, basil and truffle oil or tiger prawns with garlic, butter and herbs; upgrade to crumbed market fish with peas and beurre blanc or ricotta and spinach cannelloni with Napoli sugo and pesto. If you can't resolve a meal without something sweet, you shouldn't miss the lemon tart paired with creamy Jersey milk ice cream. Perfect to share and pick at with a moscato. Otherwise, take refuge with an affogato, with or without liqueur — all in all, pretty heavenly. Updated March 2024 Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)
At the south end of Mann Street in Gosford, you'll find a beautifully designed cafe with Mediterranean dishes and elegant cocktails. It's a popular brunch spot; the sunny eatery is open from breakfast till 3pm daily, and when the menu clocks over from brekkie bowls to long lunch territory you'll want to order a souvlaki pita. It comes with a choice of three fillings: slow roasted lamb shoulder, house-made falafel or grilled chicken with garlic aioli, tzatziki and eggplant dip. Not your vibe? The brisket cheeseburger has a reputation all its own. But what you're really here for is a leisurely catch up with friends over a boozy lunch. The wine list features natural drops like From Sunday's chardonnay and Lucky's syrah/pinot noir, both from Orange. There's also Lost Buoy sauvignon blanc from Adelaide Hills, pale ales from local brewery Six Strings, and yuzu vodka spritzes and salted white grapefruit mojitos. Take yours to the terrace, or linger in one of the cosy booths.
Even under normal circumstances, heading to the UK to see a theatre show isn't in most folks' budgets — which is why, for years now, Britain's National Theatre has beamed its performances into cinemas around the world via a series called NT Live. At the moment, with venues closed across the globe, the latter is obviously on hiatus. Enter a new initiative: National Theatre at Home. As the name makes plain, National Theatre is making its previously recorded productions available to viewers at home — so you can now get cosy on your lounge, put your feet up and pretend you're at the theatre. Shows will stream for free via NT's YouTube channel, with a different performance available each week. Each production will launch on a Friday morning, Australian and New Zealand time, then be available to stream for seven days. It all kicks off with Richard Bean's One Man, Two Guvnors starring James Corden, who won a Tony Award for his performance in the production's 2012 Broadway run. Catch it from 5am AEST on Friday, April 3 (7pm UK time on Thursday, April 2). Then, head back on April 10 for Sally Cookson's stage adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, journey to Bryony Lavery's version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island on April 17 and enjoy William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night on April 24. On May 1, one of National Theatre's biggest and best shows will drop: its stripped-back version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as directed by Trainspotting and Yesterday's Danny Boyle, and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. When the production was performed live back in 2011, Cumberbatch and Miller swapped roles each night, alternating between playing Victor Frankenstein and his revived creation — and both versions are hitting the NT's YouTube Channel. After that, on May 7, comes more Shakespeare: Antony & Cleopatra, featuring Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo as the fated titular couple. Then, when May 14 rolls around, viewers can check out a never-bef0re-seen archival recording of Inua Ellam's Barber Shop Chronicles. Fans of classic American plays and fantastic actors can look forward to A Streetcar Named Desire from May 21 — with none other than Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois, alongside Ben Foster and Vanessa Kirby. On May 28, James Graham's This House will hit YouTube, while June 4 sees Tom Hiddleston join forces with the Bard for a performance of Coriolanus. Keep an eye on the National Theatre at Home website, too, because more productions are likely to be added afterwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh9_EdHDsV4 Top images: A Streetcar Named Desire, Johan Persson. Frankenstein, 2011, photo by Catherine Ashmore. Jane Eyre, 2015, Manuel Harlan. One Man, Two Guvnors by Bean, Author - Richard Bean, Director - Nicholas Hytner, Designer - Mark Thompson, Lighting - Mark Henderson, The National Theatre, 2011, Credit: Johan Persson. Updated May 9.
Perspective can be a tricky thing to find when you're deep into a second stretch of lockdown, dreaming about the small freedoms being enjoyed by the rest of the country. After all, Melbourne's currently up against some of the world's toughest COVID-19 restrictions, with the return to normality looking anything but speedy. But one local video production company has found a way to embrace all those uniquely Melbourne lockdown feels, and created a documentary based on the phases of our stage four plight. Titled Iso-Cray: A Story of Melbourne Locked Down, Monster & Bear's latest work hopes to kick-start some important discussions about how we're all coping — really — and what we can do to help others through this funky time. While the nightly news is focused on the bigger picture, this ten-minute video creation is celebrating the day-to-day reality, normalising the lockdown moods in the hopes of doing good things for Melbourne's mental health. Plus, it should give interstate mates a solid glimpse at what's really happening down south. The short flick documents everyday life through this latest bout of restrictions, sharing stories of creative resilience from real people in iso all across the city. The cross-section of folks on camera is diverse, but those iso-cray feelings are the same across the board. Basically, whatever you're going through, you sure ain't alone. "I think we all recognise this is a once in a 100-year event, and it's refreshing to see a city (and the broader state) giving each other permission to feel every kind of emotion on the spectrum," said Monster & Bear Creative Director Sarah Hickey in a statement. "We should all be able to share our feelings right now, and we shouldn't be ashamed of it." Tune in to see the kaleidoscope of emotions that is a bunch of real locals living their lockdown lives — from living room dance sessions to late-night musings and some good old-fashioned screaming. Iso-Cray: A Story of Melbourne Locked Down is available to watch in full now.
So you've just finished a big day on the slopes and you're looking for a way to warm up. Luckily there's a bevvy of bars and pubs at your fingertips. In Queenstown at the bottom of New Zealand's South Island, the practice of après-ski ('after-ski') is as important as the time spent skiing or snowboarding — or spectating, if that's more your vibe. Perhaps you're after a quiet cocktail while enjoying mountain views, or maybe you're with a large crew and want to sink some cold brews by the fire — there will be something in this stunning alpine region that takes your fancy. But with over 150 bars and pubs to choose from, you need to make sure you're heading to a spot suited to your exact needs. We've put together some of our favourite spots for après-ski in Queenstown (and Arrowtown) so you're set to order the first all-important beverage of the evening — as well as the last one of the night. CARGO AT GANTLEY, ARTHUR'S POINT Built in 1865, this stone pub once catered to miners during the gold rush — now it caters to the many winter holidaymakers in the region. Head straight off the mountain and through the door of this cosy fireside spot, which is one minute from the base of Coronet Peak. That makes it an essential place to start your après-ski experience and suck down an extremely hard-earned beer — we're not here to waste any precious minutes. Don't just take our word for it — this historic spot pot also just won the Supreme Award at the Lion Hospitality Awards for Excellence. So yeah, you might say it's pretty high on the list. Find it: 172 Arthurs Point Road, Arthurs Point, Queenstown LODGE BAR, LAKEFRONT This might be a controversial inclusion due to its position alongside a Rodd & Gunn store, but we maintain Lodge Bar to be one of the best bars in Queenstown thanks to its warm wood ambience and picturesque views. You'll feel like you've stepped into an alpine retreat thanks to the strong supply of blankets, furs and rugs to wrap up in while you order a few apéritifs and catch up with a friend or loved one. On holiday in Queenstown alone? No problem. Park up in one of the single seats by the window and people-watch to your heart's content while watching an incredible sunset. Find it: 2 Rees Street, Queenstown RED'S BAR, QT HOTEL It's not often a hotel bar is the place to be, but when it comes to Queenstown's excellent QT hotel, it's no surprise this bar is a cut above the rest. You won't just find miscellaneous hotel patrons in this chic and colourful spot: Reds caters to tourists and locals alike, thanks to its cool decor and excellent service. The highlight has to be the jaw-dropping views. One long wall of floor-to-ceiling windows allows you to take in the mountains and Lake Wakatipu, which would probably heighten the taste of any drink — but these bevvies barely need it. If you like your spicy margaritas extremely spicy, get the crew to whip one up for you — it's exactly what you need to warm up from the inside out. Find it: 30 Brunswick Street, Queenstown LITTLE BLACKWOOD, STEAMER WHARF With a prime location on Steamer Wharf, this bar recently won Best Bar at the Lion Hospitality Awards for Excellence and we can see why. Fuel up after a big day on the slopes by making your own custom cheese and charcuterie boards — that means all the meats and cheese you love, and none you don't. This spot also has one of the best cocktail menus in the area, including a list of five (we say again, FIVE) different types of espresso martini — perfect if you need a pick-me-up. Get decision-making anxiety? Play 'Trust the Bartender' — the talented team behind the bar will do the hard yards for you. Chic and industrial cool, this cosy bar often plays host to some of the country's best live musicians, making the vibes 10/10. Find it: 88 Beach Street, Queenstown View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Fork and Tap Arrowtown (@theforkandtaparrowtown) THE FORK AND TAP, ARROWTOWN If you're more on the Arrowtown side of the region, head to this pub which gives all the wholesome winter vibes thanks to its open fire and historic stone building. It's one of those spots where everyone seems to know each other and the daily specials are chalked up on the blackboard, so nab a table near the fire and enjoy the great energy. If you're looking for the perfect winter warmer, opt for the mulled wine which comes in a cinnamon-sugar-crusted glass. It's like a hug in a mug. Find it: 51 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown SUNDECK, CENTRAL QUEENSTOWN Cocktails? Check. Open fire? Check. DJ spinning club bangers at 5pm? Check. A rooftop bar boasting epic views, you have to get in early to nab a table at this popular spot. Sure, you have to head up three flights of stairs to find it, but don't let that put you off. It's an absolute go-to if you feel you've gone a little bit too hard too early, and need somewhere to burn off the post-ski beers. With about five people behind the bar at any one time and constant hordes of patrons reaching for spare seats, it's chaos in the best way — but the staff won't baulk at making you a margarita or martini even when the line is six-deep and we love them for that. Find it: Top floor, 4 The Mal, Queenstown LITTLE AOSTA, ARROWTOWN From notable chef and restauranter Ben Bayly, this rustic Italian spot is serving up all the Euro-inspired cocktails, pizza and pasta to soothe the wounds of not being overseas for Euro summer with your friends. Order a Negroni Sbagliato ("Negroni by mistake") and cosy up by the open fire outside from 3pm — and no, no actual skiing experience required. Our tip? Stay for dinner, and warm up with an Italian feast, served family-style. Find it: 18 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown Top image: Steamer Wharf, Little Blackwood
Sydney's lower north shore recently scored itself an impressive new addition, with The Alcott opening its doors in Lane Cove in late July. Complete with restaurant, roomy outdoor terrace and its own spritz bar, the 200-seater brings plenty to the table. It's a modern, multifaceted space for all occasions, and it has been designed by Pony Design Co, who recently kitted out The Fernery nearby in Mosman and Camperdown's Acre. The venue also boasts an upbeat fit-out built on bold feature tones and a menu anchored in the Mediterranean. In the kitchen, Head Chef Richard Slarp is plating up fresh seasonal fare with a wholesome edge. Best enjoyed in that al fresco dining space are dishes like the saltbush lamb ribs with almond sumac and coriander, crispy brussels sprouts paired with romesco, and a show-stopping whole calamari, chargrilled and matched with tomato breadcrumbs and pickled fennel. On the weekends, The Alcott opens its doors earlier — at 11am — for brunch. It serves up shakshuka, smashed avocado and a hearty Warm Green Bowl, with sweet potato hummus, kale, pumpkin seeds and poached eggs. Those wanting to turn their back on winter altogether will find their oasis in the spritz bar, serving cocktails infused with flavours like rosemary, grapefruit, elderflower and lychee. The cocktails are backed up by an extensive wine selection, with plenty of love for Euro-leaning Aussie drops.
Sydney Opera House has furiously backpedalled after yesterday's Festival of Dangerous Ideas program release. Amongst the announcements of squeal-inducing names like Salman Rushdie and Pussy Riot, the announcement of a presentation playing devil's advocate to 'honour killings' was instead met with a collective WTF. Led by Sydney-based activist, writer and member of Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, Uthman Badar, the speech titled 'Honour Killings Are Morally Justified' was scrapped by the Opera House last night. In a screenshot of Badar's abstract (nabbed by Pedestrian before the Opera House could sweep it under the rug) the speech was explained as an unpacking of Western bias, that 'honour killings' (when usually men kill their usually female family members for bringing shame on the family, most often for adultery, refusing an arranged marriage or finding themselves rape victims) could be seen as the West having a big ol' fist shake at cultures they don't understand. Yep. What. After angry social media posts, talkback radio rants and FODI boycotts were called, the cancellation was quietly announced on Facebook by the SOH last night. The team explained the speech was meant as a balance-finder — one that clearly missed the mark. "The Festival of Dangerous Ideas is intended to be a provocation to thought and discussion, rather than simply a provocation," said SOH's Facebook post. "It is always a matter of balance and judgement, and in this case a line has been crossed. Accordingly, we have decided not to proceed with the scheduled session with Uthman Badar. "It is clear from the public reaction that the title has given the wrong impression of what Mr Badar intended to discuss. Neither Mr Badar, the St James Ethics Centre, nor Sydney Opera House in any way advocates 'honour killings' or condones any form of violence against women." Find more information about the remaining FODI lineup over here. Via ABC, Pedestrian and SMH.
Sydney Writers' Festival last night launched its 2018 program at its new hub of Carriageworks, unveiling a powerful lineup of speakers and guests to match a very powerful theme. Artistic Director Michaela McGuire announced the festival's 21st edition, which runs from April 30 until May 6, will dive deep into an exploration of "power and its adjacent qualities, and its relationship to sex, money, politics, identity, and the state of the world". Headlining this year's impressive group of big-name guests are three international literary legends, including André Aciman — author of novel Call Me By Your Name, which inspired the coming-of-age big screen drama of the same title. He'll take the stage for a talk centred around ideas of power, along with Korean-American author Min Jin Lee, and Alexis Okeowo, who penned the award-winning A Moonless, Starless Sky. Other international heavyweights on the bill include Amy Bloom — discussing her bestselling story about the affair between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and a journalist — as well as The New Yorker's Ben Taub on his time in Syria, and Robert E. Kelly, the 'BBC Dad' from that fateful TV interview. Meanwhile, Robert Drewe, Jane Harper, Helen Garner and The Slap's Christos Tsiolkas are just some of the talent flying the flag for Australia's literary scene. Festival goers will also have the chance to hear from a swag of politicians-turned-writers, including Jacqui Lambie, Sam Dastyari and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The hefty event program includes what promises to be a huge SWF Gala at Sydney Town Hall, an all-day YA literary festival and a host of great family-friendly events. Tickets to the 2018 Sydney Writers' Festival are on sale now and you can grab yours at swf.org.au. Images: Prudence Upton.
There's nothing quite as tranquil as a lake. There's something about the still water that forces your brain to relax — regardless of how wired you've been or for how long. Australia's massive open plains and long mountain ranges create plenty of space for lakes to form, from Western Australia's brilliant pink watery delights to Queensland's tropical swimming holes to the endless expanse of Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre. Been feeling a bit frazzled lately? It could be time to hit the road and spend a day or two beside one of these natural beauties. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are restrictions on where you can go on holiday. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. [caption id="attachment_741619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] HUTT LAGOON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA If you like your pink gin, flowers and homewares, you need to visit Hutt Lagoon. It's quite remote, being located on the Coral Coast, around 515 kilometres north of Perth, between Port Gregory and Kalbarri. If you're visiting on a road trip, you'll get the best views along Port Gregory Road. But do be tempted to see it from the air on a scenic flight. Hutt Lagoon's pink is always changing, with the most stunning shades usually on show at sunset. The lake gets its colour from dunaliella salina, which is an algae that produces caroteinoid. [caption id="attachment_741600" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] LAKE MCKENZIE, QUEENSLAND In sore need of some sand and sun? Make tracks to Fraser Island in Queensland, to visit Lake McKenzie. This natural phenomenon is a perched lake — that is, a special kind of lake that contains rainwater. And rainwater only. Unlike most other lakes, it's sealed off from groundwater and isn't connected with any streams or rivers. On top of that, the sand in and around Lake Mckenzie is made entirely of silica. All this means it's unbelievably clear, whether you're taking a dip or enjoying the views from the shore. [caption id="attachment_741605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] LAKE MUNGO, NEW SOUTH WALES Strictly speaking, Lake Mungo isn't a lake. But, it was one tens of thousands of years ago. And it's still one of the most important places to see in Australia because it's where the oldest human remains were found, being those of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady, who lived at least 40,000 years ago. If you're up for a road trip, take the 70-kilometre Mungo Track. There are also plenty of walking trails, including the ten-kilometre Zanci Pastoral Heritage Loop and a bunch of short strolls to lookouts and significant spots. [caption id="attachment_741602" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] LAKE EACHAM, QUEENSLAND Around 1400 kilometres north of Brisbane lies Crater Lakes National Park and, within it, you'll find Lake Eacham. This dreamy spot — formed by a volcanic crater — is encircled completely with rainforest. Spend your time in whatever way suits you, be it swimming, fishing, hiking, picnicking or jumping in a kayak (but note that motorboats aren't allowed). Both Lake Eacham and the forest in its vicinity are part of the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics of Queensland, which means they're protected so tread with care. [caption id="attachment_690974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill via Tourism Tasmania[/caption] LAKE ST CLAIR, TASMANIA Lake St Clair — found in the southern section of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tassie — took two million years to form, via slow-moving glaciers. Of all the freshwater lakes in Australia, it's the deepest, at 160 metres. There are many ways to experience this watery wonder, from short walks to multi-day camping expeditions. If you like a little luxury with your wilderness experience, then a stay at Pumphouse Point or Lake St Clair Lodge might be the way to go. [caption id="attachment_741599" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn via Visit Victoria[/caption] LAKE EILDON, VICTORIA Lake Eildon's claim to fame is the town of Bonnie Doon, where you'll find the Kerrigans' holiday home from 1997 film The Castle. These days, it's listed on Airbnb, so you can experience "the serenity" for yourself. But what's less known about Lake Eildon is its epic size. With 515 kilometres of shoreline, the lake is so big that it holds six times the water of Sydney Harbour. You won't run out of territory to explore, whether you spend your time kayaking around Eildon's many inlets or stick to picnicking on land. [caption id="attachment_741635" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ockert le Roux via South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] BLUE LAKE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA Maybe Blue Lake should be called Blues Lake. That's because it changes colour. Visit between March and November, and you'll see a deep, dark, wintry blue. Change your schedule to sometime between November and March, and you'll be met with a striking turquoise. Either way, the best way to experience it is on foot via the 3.6-kilometre walking track that follows the shore. You can also go underground on an aquifer tour. Blue Lake is just outside of Mount Gambier, in South Australia's southeast, right near the state's border with Victoria. [caption id="attachment_741624" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Drewitz via Destination NSW[/caption] BLUE LAKE, NEW SOUTH WALES One of the loveliest spots on the walk to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko is Blue Lake. It's a cirque lake, which means it was formed by glacial erosion during the Ice Age around 10,000 years ago. Though you can't tell when you're standing on the shore, Blue Lake is a whopping 28 metres deep. Plus, it contains the freshest water on the Australian mainland. Both the lake and the 320 hectares surrounding it were recognised as a Ramsar site in 1996, so they're protected under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. [caption id="attachment_741634" align="alignnone" width="1920"] South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] KATI THANDA-LAKE EYRE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA This extraordinary natural wonder is the most famous lake on this list for a few reasons. First up, it's the biggest lake in the country — at 9,500 square kilometres. Secondly, it's home to the lowest point on the Australian mainland, at 15 metres below sea level. Thirdly, when it's full of water, it's as salty as the sea. So don't arrive thirsty. Also, if you're keen to see the lake at its most dazzling, check on water levels before hitting the road. It's dry a lot of the time, with a large amount of water arriving just once every eight years. In fact, during the past 150 years, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre has filled to capacity on only three occasions. [caption id="attachment_741617" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] LAKE HILLIER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Another of Western Australia's pink watery sights is Lake Hillier. When we say this lake is pink, we really mean it. We're not talking pale pastel, either — we're talking bright, brilliant, lollipop pink. And what makes the colour even more dramatic is Lake Hillier's location on Middle Island, where it's separated by a narrow strip of land from the deep blue of the Southern Ocean. To get there, you first need to get to Esperance, on Western Australia's southern coast, then catch a boat or plane. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Image: Hutt Lagoon via Tourism Western Australia. 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.
