The brief for this review was a piece of cake (or pie, if I may). Eat the food, bathe in nostalgia and plant the tongue firmly in the cheek. But the stars did not align that way. For me, there are only fond memories of the old school Pizza Hut. The all-you-can-eat buffet packed with every kid's dream snacks: soft serve, bacon bits, chunks of green jelly and, I suppose, there were probably pizzas, too. Pizza Huts were everywhere, until they weren't anymore. But, after a few years in the lab, the Hut has started to scratch it's name into the honour board of fast food joints again. Their latest move is the fast-casual dine-in 'concept store', the first of which has just opened in Waterloo. The shop itself looks halfway between grandma's kitchen and an American highway diner in which the only guests are on the lam, truckers, or the inexplicably lost. Sparse tables, an open kitchen, a red-and-white-chequered design theme and an eclectic playlist of popular music invoke an odd feeling of waiting for something to happen — the just out-of-reach feeling you'd experience if you were trapped in a Samuel Beckett play. The menu is pretty much what you'd expect from a Pizza Hut, but the inclusion of unique sides like the chipotle waffle fries and jalapeño poppers are a fun touch. Order at the counter, get your numbered buzzer, sit yourself down with a Coors and wait for the magic. I really wanted the pizza to be average, at best. I wanted to be able to write a review that made people laugh, and still said, "how good is takeaway pizza, though". But when my spicy chorizo pizza landed on the table, I was sucker-punched by the gorgeous beast in front of me. Crisp crust. Liberal and evenly spaced meats. Cheese that's crisp on the top, but runs gooey down each slice. I didn't want it to be. I really didn't want it to be. But the pizza was good. Actually good. The concept store isn't the Pizza Hut five-year-old me is so fond of remembering, but it does exactly what it says on the packet — it's fast, it's casual, and it's definitely a restaurant. Pizza Hut, Waterloo, offers unlimited pizza by the slice Mon–Thurs from 5.30pm. For $19.95, you get unlimited slices of pizza, garlic bread and access to the dessert bar.
If you like to fill your time staring at a screen, small or big, there's never a bad year to do it. Great shows and films, terrible ones, everything in-between — they all arrive every single year. That said, if you're a fan of savvy TV series with something to say — and plenty about the world to savage, skewer or expose — then 2021 has been a particularly excellent year. Some of the absolute best series of the past 12 months took a look at the chasm between the wealthy and everyone else, the way women in entertainment are treated, or sitcom and rom-com tropes, and turned it into exceptional television. Other 2021 standouts transformed true crime and podcasting obsessions into an amusing murder-mystery, examined race relations in America in a searing fashion, stepped back to the AIDS crisis of the 80s and early 90s, and spun a slice-of-life comedy around Indigenous American teenagers. And yes, the list goes on. Thankfully, all of the year's highlights are also now available to stream — so here's your catch-up viewing for the summer. THE WHITE LOTUS With Enlightened, his excellent two-season Laura Dern-starring comedy-drama from 2011–13, writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) followed an executive who broke down at work. When she stepped back into her life, she found herself wanting something completely different not just for herself, but for and from the world. It isn't linked, narrative-wise, to White's latest TV miniseries The White Lotus. The same mood flows through, however. Here, wealthy Americans holiday at a luxe Hawaiian resort, which is managed by Australian Armond (Murray Bartlett, Tales of the City) — folks like business star Nicole (Connie Britton, Bombshell), her husband Mark (Steve Zahn, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and the teenage trio of Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria), Paula (Brittany O'Grady, Little Voice) and Quinn (Fred Hechinger, Fear Street); newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Songbird) and Shane (Jake Lacy, Mrs America); and the recently bereaved Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, Promising Young Woman). From the outset, when the opening scene shows Shane accompanying a body on the way home, viewers know this'll end with a death. But as each episode unfurls, it's clear that these characters are reassessing what they want out of life as well. In The White Lotus, a glam and glossy getaway becomes a hellish trap, magnifying glass and mirror, with everyone's issues and problems only augmented by their time at the eponymous location. In terms of sinking its claws into the affluent, eat the rich-style, this perceptive, alluring and excellently cast drama also pairs nicely with the White-penned Beatriz at Dinner, especially as it examines the differences between the resort's guests and staff. The White Lotus is available to stream via Binge. Read our full review. THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Two words: Barry Jenkins. Where the Oscar-nominated Moonlight director goes, viewers should always follow. That proved the case with 2018's If Beale Street Could Talk, and it's definitely accurate regarding The Underground Railroad, the phenomenal ten-part series that features Jenkins behind the camera of each and every episode. As the name makes plain, the historical drama uses the real-life Underground Railroad — the routes and houses that helped enslaved Black Americans escape to freedom — as its basis. Here, though, drawing on the past isn't as straightforward as it initially sounds. Adapting Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same moniker, the series dives deeply into the experiences of people endeavouring to flee slavery, while also adopting magic-realism when it comes to taking a literal approach to its railroad concept. That combination couldn't work better in Jenkins' hands as he follows Cora (Thuso Mbedu, Shuga), a woman forced into servitude on a plantation overseen by Terrance Randall (Benjamin Walker, Jessica Jones). As always proves the case in the filmmaker's work, every frame is a thing of beauty, every second heaves with emotion, and every glance, stare, word and exchange is loaded with a thorough examination of race relations in America. Nothing else this affecting reached streaming queues in 2021 — but even one series like this made it a phenomenal year for audiences. The Underground Railroad is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF There's never been a show on TV quite like Kevin Can F**k Himself, but there have been too many series that resemble half of this clever and cutting dark comedy. Whenever Allison Devine-McRoberts (Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek) is around her manchild of a husband Kevin (Eric Petersen, Sydney to the Max), she's clearly in a sitcom. The lights glow brightly, her home looks like every other cosy abode in every other apparently amusing show about an obnoxious man and his put-upon wife — including all the ones starring Kevin James — and multiple cameras capture their lives. Also, canned laughter chuckles whenever something supposedly funny (but usually just cringeworthy) occurs between Kevin, his ever dimwitted best pal and neighbour Neil (Alex Bonifer, Superstore), Neil's one-of-the-guys sister Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden, The Righteous Gemstones) and Kevin's ever-present dad (Brian Howe, Chicago Fire). We've all seen this setup before, and Kevin Can F**k Himself's creator Valerie Armstrong (Lodge 49) definitely knows it. But, whenever Allison is blissfully free from her horrible hubby, murkier tones and a much more realistic vibe kick in. Just one camera films her struggles, and she's clearly in a premium cable drama. This is when Allison starts trying to do something about her terrible marriage, including a plot not just to leave Kevin, but to ensure that she'll be free of him forever. On paper, the creative decisions behind Kevin Can F**k Himself's two halves are a high-concept gimmick, and purposefully so. They're deployed devastatingly on-screen, however. Thankfully, Kevin Can F**k Himself has been renewed for a second season, too, so more of its savvy charms and astute social commentary — and Murphy and Inboden's memorable performances — await. Kevin Can F**k Himself is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. Read our full review. HACKS It sounds like an obvious premise, and one that countless films and TV shows have already mined in the name of laughs. In Hacks, two vastly dissimilar people are pushed together, with the resulting conflict guiding the series. Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) and her new boss Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown) couldn't be more different in age, experience, tastes and opinions. The former is a 25-year-old who made the move to Hollywood, has been living out her dream as a comedy writer, but found her career plummeting after a tweet crashed and burned. The latter is a legendary stand-up who hasn't stopped hitting the stage for decades, is approaching the 2500th show of her long-running Las Vegas residency and is very set in her ways. They appear to share exactly one thing in common: a love for comedy. They're an odd couple thrust together by their mutual manager Jimmy (Paul W Downs, Broad City), neither wants to be working with the other, and — to the surprise of no one, including each other — they clash again and again. There's no laugh track adding obvious chuckles to this HBO sitcom, though. Created by three of the talents behind Broad City — writer Jen Statsky; writer/director Lucia Aniello; and Downs, who does double duty in front of and behind the lens — Hacks isn't solely interested in setting two seemingly mismatched characters against each other. This is a smart and insightful series about what genuinely happens when this duo spends more and more time together, what's sparked their generational conflict and what, despite their evident differences, they actually share beyond that love of making people laugh. And, it's a frank, funny and biting assessment of being a woman in entertainment — and it's also always as canny as it is hilarious. Hacks is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. RESERVATION DOGS Not content with just having two of the best current sitcoms on his resume — that'd be Wellington Paranormal and What We Do in the Shadows — Taika Waititi has gone and added a third. If you didn't know that he was one of Reservation Dogs' creators, executive producers and writers, you'd likely guess from the laidback tone; however, this is firmly a case of Waititi helping to get an exceptional show off the ground, and also lending his star power to assist emerging voices and under-represented communities. The 'reservation' part of this comedy's title is literal. In rural Oklahoma, that's where Indigenous American teenagers Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, also seen in Beans) and Cheese (debutant Lane Factor) live, spend their days and meander about while dreaming of being somewhere else. Their ideal destination: California. Their number-one pastime: rustling up cash by whatever means they can to fund their big getaway, including by hijacking a delivery van filled with potato chips in the show's first episode. It's that heist and the aftermath that gives this quartet their Quentin Tarantino-style nickname, but Reservation Dogs isn't about bold and flashy moments. It's about the daily reality as Bear and his pals navigate their present existence and hope that they can soon escape it. In other words, this is a series that's deeply steeped in conveying the small details in its characters' lives, and giving audiences the chance to spend time with them. It's a show that's as much about hanging out as propelling a plot forward and, in the hands of Waititi and fellow co-creator/executive producer/writer Sterlin Harjo (Mekko), it's a coming-of-age gem. Reservation Dogs is available to stream via Binge. IT'S A SIN More than two decades after creating Queer as Folk, Russell T Davies has given the television landscape another excellent queer drama. The screenwriter and television producer has been busy over the intervening period thanks to everything from Doctor Who to Years and Years — and he also has 2015's Cucumber to his name, too — but It's a Sin is one of the very best things on his lengthy resume. Stepping back to the AIDS crisis of the 80s and early 90s, the five-part miniseries follows a group of friends chasing their dreams in London. Ritchie (Olly Alexander, Penny Dreadful) heads to the city to become an actor, and to avoid telling his stern parents that he's gay. Roscoe (Omari Douglas) flees his parents' home when they keep threatening to take him back to Nigeria. Colin (Callum Scott Howells) arrives for an apprenticeship at a high-end tailor shop, but soon finds himself seeking an escape from his lecherous boss. Given the era, there's no doubting where the story will head. It's a Sin is as joyous and vibrant as it is soulful and heartbreaking, though. Ritchie, Roscoe and Colin not only cross paths, but form a makeshift family in their modest flat, with the former's college friends Jill (Lydia West, Dracula) and Ash (Nathaniel Curtis) rounding out the quintet. Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Fry also feature, but they're never It's a Sin's stars — because, in series that looks and sounds the period part at every moment, the show's five main players are simply phenomenal. It's a Sin is available to stream via Stan. MARE OF EASTTOWN Kate Winslet doesn't make the leap to the small screen often, but when she does, it's a must-see event. 2011's Mildred Pierce was simply astonishing, a description that both Winslet and her co-star Guy Pearce also earned — alongside an Emmy each, plus three more for the HBO limited series itself. The two actors and the acclaimed US cable network all reteamed for Mare of Easttown, and it too is excellent. Set on the outskirts of Philadelphia, it follows detective Mare Sheehan. As the 25th anniversary of her high-school basketball championship arrives, and after a year of trying to solve a missing person's case linked to one of her former teammates, a new murder upends her existence. Mare's life overflows with complications anyway, with her ex-husband (David Denman, Brightburn) getting remarried, and her mother (Jean Smart, Hacks), teenage daughter (Angourie Rice, Spider-Man: Far From Home) and four-year-old grandson all under her roof. With town newcomer Richard Ryan (Pearce, The Last Vermeer), she snatches what boozy and physical solace she can. As compelling and textured as she always is, including in this year's Ammonite, Winslet turns Mare of Easttown into a commanding character study. That said, it's firmly an engrossing crime drama as well. Although yet again pondering the adult life of an ex-school sports star, The Way Back's Brad Ingelsby isn't just repeating himself by creating and writing this seven-part series, while The Leftovers and The Hunt's Craig Zobel takes to his directing gig with a probing eye. Mare of Easttown is available to stream via Binge. GIRLS5EVA First, a word of warning: the hit song that brought fictional late 90s/early 00s girl group Girls5eva to fame is such an earworm, you'll be singing it to yourself for weeks after you binge through the sitcom that bears their name. That's to be expected given that Jeff Richmond, the composer behind 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's equally catchy and comedic tunes, is one of the talents behind it. Tina Fey and Robert Carlock produce the series, too, so you also what type of humour you're in for. Starring Sara Bareilles (Broadway's Waitress), Busy Philipps (I Feel Pretty), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton) and the great Paula Pell (AP Bio), Girls5eva follows four members of the eponymous band two decades after their heyday. Their initial success didn't last, and life has left the now-fortysomething women at different junctures. Then a rapper samples their hit, they're asked to reunite for a one-night backing spot on The Tonight Show, and they contemplate getting back together to give music another shot. As well as being tremendously well-cast and immensely funny, the series is also bitingly perceptive about stardom, the entertainment industry and the way that women beyond their twenties are treated. Also, when Fey inevitably pops up, she does so as a dream version of Dolly Parton — and it's as glorious as it sounds. Girls5eva is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. SQUID GAME Exploring societal divides within South Korea wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but its success was always going to give other films and TV shows on the topic a healthy boost. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between the acclaimed movie and Netflix's highly addictive Squid Game — the show that's become the platform's biggest show ever (yes, bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton). Anyone who has seen even an episode knows why this nine-part series is so compulsively watchable. Its puzzle-like storyline and its unflinching savagery making quite the combination. Here, in a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. That includes series protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, Deliver Us From Evil), a chauffeur with a gambling problem, and also a divorcé desperate to do whatever he needs to to keep his daughter in his life. But, as it probes the chasms caused by capitalism and cash — and the things the latter makes people do under the former — this program isn't just about one player. It's about survival, the status quo the world has accepted when it comes to money, and the real inequality present both in South Korea and elsewhere. Filled with electric performances, as clever as it is compelling, unsurprisingly littered with smart cliffhangers, and never afraid to get bloody and brutal, the result is a savvy, tense and taut horror-thriller that entertains instantly and also has much to say. Squid Game is available to stream via Netflix. YELLOWJACKETS When Yellowjackets begins, it's with an intriguing mystery, a killer cast — led by the compulsively watchable Melanie Lynskey (Mrs America), Juliette Lewis (Breaking News in Yuba County) and Christina Ricci (Percy vs Goliath) — and a deep valley full of trauma. In their high-school years, Shauna Sheridan (Lynskey, and also The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager) and Natalie (Lewis, plus The Tomorrow Man's Sophie Thatcher) were key players on the titular high-achieving New Jersey soccer team, while Misty (Ricci, as well as Shameless' Samantha Hanratty) was the squad's frequently bullied student manager. Then, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private plane in 1996, they entered Lost territory. That crash saw the survivors stranded in the wilderness for 19 months, and living their worst Lord of the Flies lives, too. As established in a stellar first episode directed with the utmost precision by Destroyer's Karyn Kusama, Yellowjackets isn't simply interested in an inherently disturbing experience that'd change anyone's life. It's just as obsessed with that transformation itself — with how, after falling from the sky, learning to endure in such remote surroundings and plummeting into a horror movie, someone copes when normality supposedly comes calling afterwards. Flitting between the two 25-years-apart time periods, it's about tragedies endured, paths taken, necessities accepted and the echoes that linger from all three. Its first season isn't over yet, but this instant must-see is already chilling, perceptive, resonant and potent. Yellowjackets is available to stream via Paramount+. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING If you've ever listened to a true-crime podcast, decided that you'd make a great Serial host yourself and started wondering how you'd ever follow in Sarah Koenig's footsteps, then you should be watching Only Murders in the Building. The Disney+ series follows three New Yorkers who follow that exact same process. Actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) are all obsessed with a series hosted by the fictional Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva), to the point of bonding over it as strangers. Then, when someone turns up dead in their building, they decide that they can sleuth their way through the case — by getting talking themselves, naturally. But being a true-crime podcast diehard and making a true-crime podcast clearly aren't quite the same thing, and turning amateur detective isn't clearcut either. Entertaining and exceptionally well-cast, Only Murders in the Building makes makes the most of its main trio's mismatched vibe. It's filled with hearty affection for everything it jokes about, resulting in an upbeat satire of true-crime obsessions, podcasting's pervasiveness and the intersection of the two. It adores its single-setting Agatha Christie-lite setup, it's always empathetic, and it also loves peppering in highly recognisable co-stars and guest stars such as Fey, Nathan Lane (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels), Amy Ryan (Late Night) and even Sting. The series is also written and acted with enough depth to pair relatable character insights with its bubbly, clownish fun. If Knives Out was a sitcom, and also a little goofier, it'd turn out like this — and that's a delight, obviously. Only Murders in the Building is available to stream via Star on Disney+. Read our full review. STARSTRUCK When Rose Matafeo last graced our screens, she took on pregnancy-centric rom-coms in 2020's Baby Done. Now, in Starstruck, she's still pairing the romantic and the comedic. In another thoughtful, plucky and relatable performance, she plays Jessie, a 28-year-old New Zealander in London who splits her time between working in a cinema and nannying, and isn't expecting much when her best friend and roommate Kate (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) drags her out to a bar on New Year's Eve. For most of the evening, her lack of enthusiasm proves astute. Then she meets Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral). He overhears her rambling drunkenly to herself in the men's bathroom, they chat at the bar and, when sparks fly, she ends up back at his sprawling flat. It isn't until the next morning, however — when she sees a poster adorned with his face leaning against his living room wall — that she realises that he's actually one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Yes, Starstruck takes Notting Hill's premise and gives it a 22-years-later update, and delivers a smart, sidesplittingly funny and all-round charming rom-com sitcom in the process. When a film or TV show is crafted with a deep-seated love for its chosen genre, it shows. When it wants to do more than just nod and wink at greats gone by like a big on-screen super fan — when its creators passionately hope that it might become a classic in its own right, rather than a mere imitation of better titles — that comes through, too. And that's definitely the case with this ridiculously easy-to-binge charmer. Starstruck is available to stream via ABC iView. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing highlights? We also rounded up 12 of 2021's best TV highlights that you might've missed. And you can also check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. Plus, we picked 12 standout new 2021 series in the middle of the year, too.
Underground CBD favourite Burrow Bar moved from its original home in De Mestre Place to 96 Clarence Street with big plans to expand into two levels and open a restaurant above the bar. Those plans became a reality with the opening of Cash Only Diner, a Vietnamese eatery serving up dishes with roots in owner Chau Tran's family heritage and the dishes of Hue, Vietnam. Tran has taken dishes she learned from her mother — a classically trained chef who studied at a French finishing school in Hue — and, with the help of co-owner Bryce McDonough and the Burrow Bar team, has put together a menu that bursts with flavour and showcases the cuisine of the coastal Vietnamese city. The venue embraces seasonality and so the menu changes day to day. Some dishes you could enjoy include the cá kho tộ, caramelised and braised salmon served in a clay pot and dripping in marinade; the giò thủ, a pork and mushroom terrine; and C.O spring rolls filled with prawn and minced pork. Every Tuesday, aka Tuesday Noodz-day, where the venue runs a new noodle special with limited bowls that showcase regional noodles and unique dishes, not many people have heard of or get to try outside of Vietnam. Cash Only Diner sits above Burrow Bar, meaning you can bet the drinks are as exciting as the food. Pair your Vietnamese feast with a selection from the cocktail menu, like the green mango negroni, a pineapple and gin creation called Napoleon's 2nd Vice, and a boozy Vietnamese iced coffee, a creative twist on the espresso martini.
In 2023, IKEA celebrated 80 years of operation. To mark the occasion, it unveiled the Nytillverkad collection, which scours the company's design archives to bring back pieces that've proven a hit in the past, and also riff on its prior highlights in general. Like anyone commemorating a big birthday, the Swedish giant isn't done with the festivities yet. Just because it's now 2024, that doesn't mean that it can't keep dropping retro products. With the brand's lengthy history, there's a reason that almost everyone can't remember a time the chain was a homewares go-to. Started by Ingvar Kamprad, aka the IK in IKEA's moniker, it began in 1943 and moved into furniture in 1948. The company then opened its first store in Sweden a decade later — and came to Australia in the 70s. It's the decade of IKEA's Aussie arrival — and the 60s as well — that gets a massive nod in the Nytillverkad collection's latest drop, which hit stores and online on Wednesday, January 10. Think: shaggy rugs, bold patterns and swivel armchairs. Think bright pops of colour as well. Among the side tables, cushion covers and more, 12 of the newly available pieces are re-introductions, with IKEA's Karin Mobring and Gillis Lundgren reviving them from the brand's history. "Vintage furniture has made a big comeback lately, and there's been a growing demand for certain IKEA products that have become collector's favourites," said IKEA Sweden Global Design Manager Johan Eidemo. "That is why we decided to bring back a selection of our design icons, and we are excited to see interest coming from customers of all ages, especially young people who are discovering our design legacy and using these vibrant solutions to express themselves at home. To us, these products are the essence of democratic design, they are timeless, as they combine a beautiful form, a great function, sustainability, an affordable price, and quality that lasts long." Does your lounge room need a white and chrome two-tier side table that first graced IKEA's catalogue in 1971? A yellow-hued armchair from 1969? A black armchair that's designed to reduce stress from 1967? A pendant lampshade that debuted in 1979? They're part of the Nytillverkad range's current vintage focus. Prices vary from $5.50 for a cushion cover to $299 for an armchair — and like with all IKEA limited-edition drops, including its recent first-ever workout collection, you'll want to get in quick before everything sells out. IKEA's Nytillverkad collection is on sale now in Australia, in store and online, until stocks last. Head to the IKEA website for further details.
The upcoming federal budget has many waiting with bated breath, especially those hoping for urgent action to tackle Australia's severe housing crisis. But ahead of the wider announcements on Tuesday, the ABC has reported that this year's federal budget will include funding for an AI tool that can approve housing developments. The housing crisis is a major part of affordability concerns that are driving voting decisions nationwide, and the federal government seems to want to address the problem rapidly. But not immediately. The AI program, which will reportedly take four years to develop, comes with $105.9 million in funds and is intended to speed up project approvals and tackle the supply problems in the housing market by sharing environmental data. In a statement celebrating the news, Home Industry Association Managing Director Jocelyn Martin said, "Australia's environmental approvals system has not kept pace with the scale or urgency of our housing challenge. This Budget begins the shift toward a modern system that uses better data, digital tools and AI to deliver faster, clearer and more consistent decisions." [caption id="attachment_1100893" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] VM Studios via iStock[/caption] The news of this technology push comes off the back of the government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation strike team, which was deployed in August of 2025 to address a backlog of project approvals, and is reportedly on track to achieve a target of 26,000 approvals by July of this year. Other changes to come on Tuesday include $2 billion to support infrastructure for new housing lots, changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing, as well as $250 million in funding to establish Australia's first National Environmental Protection Agency, which, among other things, will cut back on delays from environmental approvals, presumably with some assistance from the aforementioned AI tool, should it be finalised. The pressure is on for major parties to tackle the housing crisis, as frustrations from a lack of any concrete measures from Labor and Liberal has seen a notable uptick in popularity for independent candidates, Greens and even One Nation, which won its first lower house election in 30 years at the Farrel by-election on Saturday. [caption id="attachment_1100895" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Juan Gomez via iStock[/caption] After that result, Shadow Housing Minister Andrew Bragg said of the major parties, "We are where we deserve to be, over the last 10 years we haven't done enough policy work, and I think the generation of millennials, my generation, are pretty dirty on the major parties and with good reason.… it's been about a decade since we've had a decent policy." The 2026 federal budget will be delivered in full by Treasurer Jim Chalmers at 7.30pm AEST on Tuesday, May 12. Lead image: Phillip Witke via iStock
When Michael Shanks began writing Together over half a decade ago, he didn't start casting in his mind at the time. He didn't pen it thinking that a real-life married couple would play Tim and Millie, his debut feature's protagonists, either. To fuel the Australian filmmaker's leap from YouTube, shorts and TV — including Time Trap, The Wizards of Aus, The Slot, Parked and Rebooted, as well as visual effects on 2019 miniseries Lambs of God— to becoming the talk of Sundance 2025, scoring the first major sale of this year's fest, then playing SXSW in Austin and opening the Sydney Film Festival, however, Shanks was thinking about long-term relationships. They couldn't be more at the heart of his delightfully wild and smart body-horror must-see. So, enlisting two leads who've been together since 2012 and wed since 2017 is indeed perfect. Those stars, and also producers of Together: Alison Brie (Apples Never Fall) and Dave Franco (The Studio), adding another joint project to a shared list that already featured the latter's directorial efforts The Rental and Somebody I Used to Know, as well as the likes of The Little Hours, The Disaster Artist, BoJack Horseman and Krapopolis. Initially, though, Shanks drew upon his own romantic situation — one that owes a debt to the Aussie end-of-school rite-of-passage that is Schoolies. When an Australian thinks of that week of typically Gold Coast-set revelry playing a part in a horror film, a picture about falling for someone, sharing a life with them, commitment and co-dependency isn't a concept that naturally springs to mind. But that's Together, which is also a movie about love sticking. It takes that concept literally. Franco's Tim and Brie's Millie kick off Together as enmeshed in each other's existence as a couple generally, usually, normally can be. A big move, also literal, is their next step by each other's side: relocating for Millie's job as an elementary school teacher. But their going-away party turns awkward when a marriage proposal doesn't quite go as it should — and as aspiring musician Tim begins gleaning how shifting out of the city for Millie will practically impact his ability to play gigs and keep chasing his dreams. Tension accompanies the pair to their leafy new regional surroundings, then, where greenery-lined hiking tracks beckon, Shanks' key duo fall into a cave and the two find themselves even more linked, and unable to be apart, than ever. What if bonding with your other half had a physical dimension beyond cohabiting, sex, other displays of affection and the standard couple details? What if deciding to always be one of a pair was a corporeal connection right down to your flesh? Of the two big 80s music classics with "tear us apart" in their title, think INXS' Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs-topping 'Never Tear Us Apart' over Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' — and not just because Together was shot Down Under, in Melbourne where Shanks is based. How love can change you, the anxieties that it can cause and the resentments that it can spark, and what it truly means to join your existence with someone else's: these are the ideas that Together ponders as it explores transformations inspired by fluttering hearts in its own distinctive and compelling way. Confronting painful real-life situations, while never being afraid to carve its own path into horror tropes such as unsettling new locales, creepy trips into bushland, eerie isolated houses and more: Together does this, too, as it spins a tale that favours life over the horror staple that is death, grief and loss. And in a picture that's firmly a body-horror flick with searing-into-your-brain setpieces to prove it, but is as much a romantic drama as well — and that always anchors its spectacle in the story, never getting gory purely for the sake of it — Franco and Brie are firmly "a dream cast", as Shanks describes them to Concrete Playground. The word "dream" earns a few mentions in our chat. "It's really, really insane," he tells us of Together's journey so far this year, even before reaching cinemas in general release on Thursday, July 31, 2025 Down Under and the day prior in the US. "Getting the film made just alone was a dream coming true, and then it getting into Sundance was a dream come true. And then it playing Sundance and selling to Neon was a dream. So it's kind of hokey to say, but it's sort of this dream that just keeps coming true. It's what every filmmaker dreams of." "When we played at Sundance for the first time, we'd spent months in post-production, just basically myself and an editor [Sean Lahiff, Territory] and an editing assistant, working on the film. We didn't do test screenings. It was just us in a little room. And then we thought it was maybe pretty good — like, we were pretty happy with the movie. And then at Sundance, we were in this theatre of 1000–2000 people, and it's like 'this is literally the first audience that's going to see it. We've got no idea. It's a midnight screening. It's a packed house. Here we go'," Shanks continues. "Five minutes in, there's a little scare, and we could feel the audience gasp — and we went 'oh'. And a few minutes after that, there's this little joke and the audience laughed, and we just felt like 'oh wow, this is going well, I think'. And fortunately it did. And now it's played SXSW and it played a couple of festivals in Italy, and it played in Mexico. And I'm traveling the world in a way I never thought I'd be able to just off the back of a film. It's an incredible privilege. It's been an amazing year," he advises. With the filmmaker that's given Australia another example of YouTube-to-worldwide horror feature success after Talk to Me and Bring Her Back's Danny and Michael Philippou — and whose script for HOTEL HOTEL HOTEL HOTEL featured on the Blacklist — we also contemplated that Schoolies link, dug into Brie and Franco's pivotal involvement, examined why making Together without an IRL couple as its stars might've been a nightmare and discussed the movie's vivid body-horror imagery, among other subjects. On How Schoolies Played a Part in Inspiring a Horror Film About Falling in Love, Commitment and Codependency — and When the Idea for Together Came to Shanks During His Long-Term Relationship "Oh, it was many years in. Because yeah, we met at Schoolies. I would have been 17, I think. And then we didn't start dating until a few months — we became friends, and we started dating a few months after. And then we've been together now — that was 16–17 years ago, so we've been together that long. I'm 34 now, I was writing the script in my late 20s. And that was about when we were moving into our second home together, and we were really beginning to amalgamate our lives, I guess. It really became true that we've been together for so long, we only had the same friends. The Venn diagram of our friendships was just a circle. And we went to all the same events, we listen to the same music, ate the same food, breathed the same air. And now we were living in a second house together. We had a cat. And I was like 'there is no part of my life that's separate from this person'. And likewise. And I started to, I think, confront something that a lot of people go through, of realising 'oh, do I still have independence while I'm committing to this forever-monogamous relationship' — and 'our lives are so intertwined, do I really know where I end and she begins?'. The Radiohead song 'Where I End and You Begin' probably helped dislodge that idea as well. And that was where this jumping off point was — where you already are committing to sharing a life with somebody in such totality, what if you took that even further into a physical, flesh-bound sharing, to take a real relationship and intertwine it in a physical way. That just felt like such an over the top and interesting, operatic exploration of those themes, that also would satisfy the kind of genre-filmmaker obsessive that I am." On Making a Horror Film About Love Instead of Genre Staples Like Grief, Loss and Death "It just felt really natural to me. I mean, the jumping off point to me was honestly just the idea of 'oh, what if people sharing a life started to get so close that they started to share flesh?'. That was sort of that simple. And then it was when I started to fill in the details of that story, and realising that I was putting so many specifics from my own life and the observations I've made of the couples around me in my friendship circles, that I realised that 'oh, this really is a love story' — and a dark, twisted love story. When the actors, Dave and Alison, came onboard, they paid me a great compliment — which was that they said 'reading the script, if you would pull out all the horror, it would still work as a relationship drama'. Which I was really pleased to hear that, despite all the crazy scenes of nastiness and body horror and stickiness and puppets and practical effects and insanity, it's all bound to a character journey and these two people that start in these very different emotional places. And where, like in most romantic movies, rom-coms or rom-dramas, we're basically there to see 'can they can they put this aside and realise that they love each other?'. Or, 'do they realise that they don't love each other and they need to extricate themselves from what has become perhaps a toxic relationship?'." On Casting Real-Life Partners — But Not Actually Penning the Film with That in Mind "No, I kind of wrote it just generically, just set in Australia, because why not? I think it was originally sent Trentham, because I have a friend who makes wine out there — and I was like 'aah, that's my kind of rural in Victoria'. But then I had a chance meeting with Dave, because I had another script of mine that was being passed around Hollywood people in LA. And off the basis of that, I got a meeting with Dave, and we just connected. So I already had the script, and I was like 'hey, maybe have a look at this — maybe you'll like it'. And he read it and loved it and gave it to Alison. And then within a couple of days, we were on a Zoom, the three of us, and kind of figured it out. So that was amazing. Them separately, just as actors and performers, were a dream cast. But them together as an actual married couple, it adds so much to the performances, to the metatextual elements of the film, as well as just an ease of working with them. We needed them to be so physically and emotionally intimate across this film, and the fact that they have such comfort being vulnerable with each other, it created an ease of work as well as an emotional truth that I don't think we could have done with any other actors." On How Pivotal Casting an IRL Couple Proved to Be to the Film "It would have been, especially if they didn't get on, it would have been a nightmare. There was a day on set where they basically had to be fully nude the whole day in front of each other. It's like 'okay, well that's easier to do when they're a husband and wife'. There were days on set where they had to be physically joined via a prosthetic appendage that we didn't have the budget to make a second of — so we couldn't remove it. So if they needed to go to the bathroom, they weren't allowed to separate. We needed them to go to the bathroom together. And of course, you could never impose that on actors, but because they were producers on the film and they're married, they would just be like 'oh, yeah, no worries. Definitely, definitely. We'll just do that'. It was so great. Dave said something in some interviews that I think is really sweet — is that he also said that working with Alison, he feels like it makes him give the best performance, because she knows him so well that he can't be fake in front of her. So he really has to go for it or she'll call him out. Which is — not that I witnessed any calling out, but they worked so well together and it was a huge honour to work with them." On What Brie and Franco Brought to Their Performances — and Shanks Being Able to Benefit From Not Just Their Relationship But Also Their Experience "Thankfully, because they were onboard as producers, I had a lot of time with them even before they arrived in Australia to do the shoot. We had lots of sessions over Zoom, really going through, going over the script and going over the character journeys, and tweaking little things here and there — even intellectually rather than performing it, just kind of speaking it out. And then in pre-production, we had a few days of rehearsal, which were just more read-throughs. And when you're on set, time is money like crazy, particularly for an independent, low-budget film like this. So thankfully when we were on set, it's kind of like — our cinematographer, Germain McMicking [Ellis Park], was amazing, and you tell him what you want and he'll do it. And then he doesn't require much direction because he's a pro. He's so good at it. And same with Dave and Alison, as they're just such pros and they understood the material so well that my job as a director, in terms of their performances, was just ever-so-slightly giving them notes just to tweak. They were always, always in the right area because of the amount of prep that we'd done and the professionalism. And that was great to lean on as well, because I've been working in this industry since I was 17, but this is by far the biggest, longest and most-dramatic thing that I've ever worked on. So having these people that have been doing it for just as long on a much grander scale really, really helped." On Always Anchoring the Film's Body-Horror Setpieces in the Story "I think it was that I just know from being a genre filmmaker. I was really confident in all the horror and all the setpieces. That's what I'm most practised as. And so when I was breaking out the script, I was breaking it out not in terms of the horror, but just in terms of an emotional journey. And just dotting out in character arcs and knowing, because of the nature of the story, that it would be so easy for me to have this journey be interrupted by or enhanced by the horror setpieces. And also, I think something that some people are being surprised by when they walk out of the movie is how much fun it is and that it's quite funny — because again, when I sat down to write it, I was thinking I was writing romantic drama/horror. Scary, you know, serious. I've got this comedy background, but as the situation gets more and more out of hand, it was just impossible to resist — 'well, this is what would actually happen in that scenario' — and lean into something that's fun. So hopefully you'll laugh, you'll cry, it will change your life." On Crafting Horror Imagery That Leaves an Imprint "Well, I get frustrated sometimes with horror films — or with any films in general — when there's not unique images that come out of it, when there's no setpieces that stick with you, when things are just a bit generic. And I also thought the specificity of this concept meant you can only do this once. And I don't know if as a filmmaker, if I'll ever make a horror film again — if I'll ever make body-horror film again. I'd like to. But I certainly could never make this premise again. So if this is the premise, I really was thinking to myself 'you've got to squeeze as much juice out of this as possible'. And so, 'if this is the premise, great, what are ten setpieces that you can only do with this premise' — and just making sure that that's the case. And just really wanting to — really wanting to — leave the audience with something memorable. I hope people, when they leave the cinema, will say that they had a good time and that they've never seen a film quite like this." Together opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Images: Germain McMicking / Ben King.
If you've been waiting for the cold months to kick into high gear, you might have seen news about how the possible impending El Niño could lead to disappointingly warm weather. Forecasts released this week by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology confirm that, but not an El Niño yet. Here's what your winter could look like across the country. A quick refresher if you're not already familiar: El Niño is one half of a regular weather cycle that defines rainfall and ensuing weather changes on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. We've just started to climb out of its opposite, La Niña, which brings more rain and cloud cover to Australia, but El Niño sees the clouds and the ensuing moisture become scarce. It's generally triggered by rising ocean temperatures, which block that moisture from crossing the ocean. You can read more about the causes of El Niño here. Earlier this year, it was reported that we are headed for a so-called "Super El Niño". The symptoms of a Super El Niño in the Pacific Ocean haven't started yet, but forecasts for the coming months point to some very El Niño-esque rainfall (or lack thereof) across the country. The biggest impacts will be felt by farmers, and also alpine towns hoping to welcome snowsport tourists. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bureau of Meteorology (@bureauofmeteorology) For the southern states, forecasts are predicting below-average rainfall, especially from June. In the NT and the northern parts of WA and QLD, it's a different story: above-average rainfall is predicted, but the baseline is very low and easily exceeded thanks to the annual dry season. In central and northwest Australia, rain forecasts are consistent with average winter weather, which is dry year-round. The temperature is looking similarly toasty, with the chance of higher-than-average minimum and maximum temperatures averaging between 60 and 80 percent across the country. While the differences aren't dramatic, mostly a one-degree increase against the average, some regions will suffer more than others from, namely Australia's alpine townships. [caption id="attachment_750966" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tourism Snowy Mountains[/caption] Drier and warmer conditions almost universally lead to less snowfall, which can put tourists off from making the annual pilgrimage to resort towns like Perisher, Falls Creek, Mount Buller and Thredbo. But as BOM senior climatologist Caitlin Minney told the ABC, spontaneous rainfall systems like Southern Ocean cold fronts and East Coast lows can drive sudden and plentiful snowfall — so don't put the snow gear in storage yet and keep a ready eye on the forecast. It's looking quite likely that an El Niño will be officially declared in winter, which means we can expect drier conditions for as much as a year to come, including a higher-risk fire season and a greater chance of drought. Follow the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for the most up-to-date information and weather forecasts.
Although it sits outside the CBD, Newtown has everything you could want from a city centre. The inner west suburb — and its bustling bloodline, King Street — is packed with thrift shops, live music venues, pubs, vegan spots, nurseries, rooftop bars and even a cinema. No matter what you enjoy doing in your spare time, Newtown can deliver it — wander through one of the many vintage clothing stores and catch a limited release film at the Dendy, then, when night falls, grab a bottle of pét-nat to take home or join locals and uni students at the pub for a happy hour pint. If there's one thing Newtown has too much of, it's choice. So we've joined forces with American Express to create a guide to the must-visits — the stores that locals love. These eight shops sell everything from vintage Levis to indoor plants, and you can shop small up and down King Street with your Amex Card.
Not only is The Rocks home to some of Sydney’s most secretive cafes and innovative restaurants, it’s also got the views. Situated directly across the water from Bennelong Point, the area is perfectly positioned for uninterrupted vistas of the Opera House, Circular Quay and the Harbour. The trick is knowing exactly where to find them. Here are five eateries in The Rocks where your meal comes with significant doses of sea and sky. GLENMORE HOTEL Book a table on the Glenmore Hotel's rooftop for 180 degree views of the Harbour and CBD. It's glorious in the sunshine, but even on rainy days, you can honour your lunch date, thanks to a retractable roof that'll keep you dry. Built across the road in the 1880s and moved, literally brick-by-brick, to its current location in the 1920s, the Glenmore is one of the few buildings on Cumberland Street to have survived the building of the Harbour Bridge. A nine-month renovation in 2012 brought it well into the 21st century. The menu offers hearty pub fare, from eight-hour beef brisket to beef and red wine pot pie to pan-roasted salmon with mixed quinoa. 96 Cumberland Street MCA CAFE The MCA Cafe combines multimillion dollar views with a casual feel. Its fourth floor, waterfront position means that the vista is extraordinary, taking in the Opera House, the Bridge and Kirribilli. But because the interior has been given a canteen-like fit-out, with red plastic chairs and counter service, you can adopt as relaxed an approach to lunch as suits you. The menu, taken care of by Fresh Catering, is varied, fresh and creative, featuring the likes of smoked trout salad with couscous, tomato, spinach, tarragon and nigella seeds, and roasted salmon with green beans and rosemary kipfler potatoes. Open every day from 10am – 4pm and late night Thursdays until 9pm. 140 George Street ALTITUDE @ THE SHANGRI-LA The Altitude Restaurant affords genuinely dazzling views. That's because it's on the 36th floor of the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel and it's fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows. The fancy-pants menu rises to the occasion. While you're working through your seared scallops with Iberico crumb, braised abalone, salsify and dried persimmon or blueberry sorbet with white chocolate, basil gel and sugar glass, gaze out over Harbour and city panoramas that stretch for miles. Try to get there for sunset. THE DINING ROOM @ PARK HYATT What Altitude offers in dizzying heights, the Park Hyatt Dining Room offers in its spectacular proximity to the water. A table here is about as close to the Harbour as you can get without jumping on a ferry. And the 4 metre, floor-to-ceiling glass doors make the indoor-outdoor transition seamless. Like Altitude, The Dining Room is for fine dining. Dishes include Darling River kangaroo loin with oscietra caviar, horseradish and lemon myrtle, and cobia and black sesame mousseline with pimiento del piquillo and chorizo condiment. WOLFIES Wolfies' home is a 19th-century sandstone storehouse in Campbell's Cove. For the best views, reserve an outside table. To mix historic atmosphere with harbour glimpses, opt for one of the cosy, mahogany-floored private rooms. Star attractions of the contemporary Australian menu include the hot and cold seafood platter loaded up with crayfish, tiger prawns, Balmain bugs and loads more; the grilled Moreton Bay bugs; and the chateaubriand. Top image: The Glenmore.
With sea levels expected to rise at least 80 centimetres by the end of the century, scientists, architects and designers have been looking at ways to adapt. The nation of Kiribati, which lies just two metres above the ocean, has confirmed plans to buy land from Fiji and is even considering the purchase of a man-made island. In the Netherlands, architectural firm Waterstudio, founded by Koen Olthuis, is committed to "developing solutions to the problems posed by urbanisation and climate change". They've been coming up with large-scale floating projects, including a Sea Tree, an Ocean Flower in The Maldives and a Floating Boulevard in Antwerp. Now, construction is set to start on the world's first floating apartment block, known as The Citadel. Sixty luxury units, covering two acres of water and built on a concrete caisson, will comprise the project. They'll be constructed on a polder — a low-lying section of land that usually floods during heavy rain — of which there are 3500 in Holland. The usual Dutch practice is to drain them, in order to protect nearby buildings. However, The Citadel will take rising and falling water in its stride, floating accordingly. Each apartment will have its own garden terrace and lake views. Boat docks, a car park and a floating road (providing connectivity to dry land) are also part of the plan. Energy efficiency will be achieved via greenhouses and by taking advantage of the cooling potential of water. It's expected that, eventually, the construction of more floating buildings will see The Citadel become part of a buoyant town. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4nQ2ENphg00 Via Gizmag.
The Throsby bills itself as the smallest of Wollongong's small bars, but what it lacks in size it makes up for with heart. Situated in the heart of the city, the bright open space features timber detailing and has a fittingly coastal feel. When it comes to drinks, wine is the order of the day — The Throsby even hosts regular wine club meetings. The venue has doubled its offering lately, teaming up with Ain't Nonna's who take over the kitchen Wednesday– Sunday. Ain't heard of Ain't Nonna's? It's the brainchild of the husband and wife team, Cassandra and Matthew Bugeja, alumni of the fine dining scene, including Becasse. The focus is on home-style Italian cooking with an emphasis on fresh pasta. The seasonal menu includes the likes of casarecce eggplant and shiitake mushroom ragu and caponata peppers. Images: The Palm Co
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to sunny Queensland for a special stay at Mirage Whitsundays, Airlie Beach. We love this place so much that we teamed up with the resort to offer an exclusive four-night travel deal — including a sunset sailing cruise and one-hour scenic flight with spectacular views of the outer Great Barrier Reef below. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Queensland: Beautiful one day. Perfect the next. Which all means that while summer is an obvious time to head to the Sunshine State, we reckon a winter escape is just as good. The temps are still warm-ish, the crowds are less-ish and the general consensus is that it's a great time to visit. (Full stop. No ish). So, if you're on the hunt for a mid-year exodus, but your budget and annual leave allowance limit it to the non-European-variety, our recommendation is to book a stay at the Mirage Whitsundays. Nestled in Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, the Mirage is the place to base yourself if you're all about spectacular sunrises, salty sea breezes and super easy access to the 74 tropical islands that make up Australia's most famous archipelago. THE ROOMS If you're not a fan of starting your day with breathtaking, turquoise-tinted, island-dotted views, then the Mirage Whitsundays may not be the best choice for you, and we suggest you search for an alternative. However, travellers who don't mind a hotel with a little water frontage will be pleased to hear that every single room at the Mirage promises exactly that. Whether you choose a self-contained apartment, villa or penthouse, opt for an elevated panorama or a ground-level vista, your European-style kitchen, spacious terrace and modern bathroom will always come with a side of sea breeze. We hope you can find a way to make it work. FOOD AND DRINK G&T lovers rejoice. Airlie's only gin bar, Whisper Restaurant And Gin Bar, is located smack bang in the middle of the Mirage. If you're after an excellent range of gins (more than 90) or creative cocktails that heavily feature them, or you prefer a fine wine or cold beer, then you've come to the right place. Not a drinker? Fret not. The restaurant is also home to daily breakfasts (the chia puddings come highly recommended), an Indonesian buffet feast on Friday nights, and bottomless brunches every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-1pm. There's even a free courtesy bus to get you there and back, so you don't waste precious feasting time. THE LOCAL AREA Not to point out the obvious, but if you've booked a stay at the Mirage, easy access to the beaches of the Whitsundays and maybe a day or two to check out the Great Barrier Reef probably had something to do with it. If you only had time to do one thing, we recommend you visit Whitehaven Beach, which was named the Best Beach in the World a couple of years ago. Assuming you do the smart thing though, and book our four-night travel deal, you'll have a little more time to explore more. Just for starters: take a stroll through the Whitsunday Great Walk (Conway Circuit); drive to nearby Hideaway and Horseshoe bays; visit the beautiful Cedar Creek Falls; island-hop by cruise, sail or jet ski; or snorkel among the largest coral reef system on Earth. For those who really just can't get their head around rocking a bikini or boardies between June and August, please read on for a way around this dilemma. THE EXTRAS Those who can't be convinced to embrace their inner Ariel and go 'Under the Sea' can still experience all that the reef has to offer through an above-the-ocean sunset cruise or an above-the-clouds scenic flight. Or both. Included in day four of this package, the former gives you the chance to settle in for a two-hour boat ride with complimentary welcome drink and yummy snacks, just in time to watch the sun dip below the horizon. Meanwhile the latter is an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy a private flight over amazing blue waters, white sand beaches and even a naturally heart-shaped reef. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
For decades, Australians have been told that a hard-earned thirst needs a big, cold beer. In Iceland, a well-deserved soak also needs just that — and a whole tub full of brews. Helping keep the Scandinavian nation on the top of everyone's travel bucket list, it now boasts its first ever beer spa. Yes, that involves sitting in yeasty goodness while drinking it. Just opened in Árskógssandur in the country's north, Bjórböðin features nine tubs just waiting for beer lovers to take a dip in their favourite beverage. Seven two-person baths, made from Kambala wood, can be found inside, while two larger hot tubs capable of seating 8 to 10 people take the brew-soaking action outside. Each is filled with beer, water, hops and yeast, and don't worry — while you can knock back a few draughts while they're there, drinking the bathwater isn't on the agenda. Visitors steep themselves in the warm brew for 25 minutes at a time, then head for a 25-minute spell in a relaxation room. To get the most out of the soak (because bathing in beer is all about boosting your skin and hair, not just sitting in the tasty amber liquid), showering for a few hours isn't recommended. For those keen on making the trek, there's also a restaurant on site, helping everyone pair their drinking with a meal. And if you're eager to bathe in brews in more than one place, plan an Iceland-US round trip, with a beer hotel planned in Columbus, Ohio. Image: Bjórböðin.
You get what you pay for. I learnt this the hard way eating cheap Vietnamese on Illawarra Road in Marrickville one night when a waiter stacked our empty dishes on the table in front of me (!) only to knock them over and spill the combined remnants of our dinner on my skirt (!!!!!!!!). We left without much of an apology from the staff, no apologetic meal discount and I ended up wearing eau du sauce poisson for the rest of the night. Nice. This would never happen at Bay Tinh, just a block off Illawarra Road. Fancy it is not, but is lovely to sit down to a Vietnamese meal without feeling like tasered cattle under butcher's lights in an in-'n'-out noodle house. Instead, Bay Tinh gives its diners the time, space and surroundings to enjoy Vietnamese food more fully. You can (and should) choose your dishes entirely from the entrees and 'house specialities' sections of the (mostly southern Vietnamese, with a couple of visits up north) menu. Chao tom banh hoi ($8 entree size) opens the meal on a delicate note, combining marinated prawn grilled on sugarcane skewers with rice noodle cake, pickles, the freshness of mint and lettuce and 'special sauce' that's thick and a little too sweet. Never fear though — ask the friendly staff for some chilli to dip into instead and they will happily oblige. The banh xeo (pancake with pork, prawns and bean sprouts, $14.50) is a killer. Bay Tinh's proprietor, Harry Hoang, loves to tinker with his native cuisine — in this case he's fermented his pancake batter for a result that is lighter and more crisp than most renditions yet collapses beautifully over the fatty pork and prawns. The canh chua ($8.90), a sweet and sour soup with chicken, is a clear broth packed with fresh vegetables and pineapple. Sweetness prevails again here — a little more emphasis on the sour note would have made it a perfect chaser for the pancake. Ga rut xuong (half chicken, $28.50) shows Harry's fondness for experimentation paying off again. Deboned chicken is stuffed with minced pork, spices, vermicelli and shiitake mushrooms, cooked sous vide and then deep fried. Although the plum sauce the dish is finished with is heavy on the sweetness, the combination of the crisp chicken skin, soft meat and musky warmth of the shiitake stuffing work together beautifully. We end the meal with an apt French-Vietnamese flourish: brown sugar-caramelised banana inside a Vietnamese-style pancake with Belgian chocolate sauce and ice cream. Moreish and rich, this dessert met its end with much plate scraping. Checking the time we realise it's late — the evening has slipped by as we enjoyed a typically fast cuisine rather slowly for a change, and with much more pleasure. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
When it opens in May 2023, SEA SEA looks set to be much more than your usual coastal hotel in New South Wales. Co-owners George Gorrow (co-founder of Ksubi fashion label and creator of The Slow hotel in Bali) and Cisco Tschurtschenthaler (a model, keen surfer, raw food chef, yoga teacher and founder of Cisco & The Sun Home) will use this new Crescent Head site to host art exhibitions, a fashion line and a homewares collection. And yeah, you can spend a few nights there as well. In terms of design and functionality, the 25-room hotel will take inspiration from Australia's 70s surf culture. Each room will be filled with bespoke, artisan-produced furniture and crafts paired with bold pieces of artwork. If it's anything like The Slow in Bali, it will be a visually stunning space where patrons can really relax. The food and drinks offerings will be a big part of the experience, too. The venue is teaming up with Sydney's much-loved P&V Wine & Liquor Merchants and mixologist Antonello Arzedi (who has previously worked at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar) to level up the drinks menu. Food will be looked after by Daniel Medcalf of Cabarita's No 35 Kitchen and Bar and, previously, The Dolphin Hotel and The Slow Kitchen and Bar in Bali. Guests and visitors can also make their way over to Room 13, where Gorrow's passion for art and design will keep taking centre stage. This 90-square-metre project space will house a rolling series of art exhibitions, changing every six weeks, and also play host to musical performances curated by Wesley Heron, the hotel's Music Director. You can even tune into the venue's in-house radio station from your room — curated by Reverberation. [caption id="attachment_878246" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wesley Heron, SEA SEA's Music Director.[/caption] Also a feature: Gorrow's new fashion label Non-Type, which will be sold at the hotel. That venture sees him team up with another Ksubi co-founder, Gareth Moody — keep an eye out for the label's tailored pants, board shorts, wetsuits and leather blazers. Cisco Tschurtschenthaler's aforementioned homewares range Cisco & The Sun Home will be sold at the hotel as well, with the owners clearly putting a lot of themselves into this venture. And, of course, the new boutique hotel will be right by the beach. In fact, SEA SEA will be just 400 metres away from a must-surf Crescent Head point break. So, grab your surfboard (or boogie board) and prepare for an epic seaside vacay down in this laidback town. SEA SEA will open in Crescent Head, New South Wales on May 1, 2023, and will start taking bookings from the beginning of December. Head to the hotel's website for further information. Now you can book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips, and discover inspiring deals on flights, stays and experiences.
A clear sign of a great place to feast is a short menu — there's not a lot of choice, but it's a good bet that what is on offer is top notch. To see this theory in action, head to Banh Cuon Ba Oanh on Marrickville's Illawarra Road. The tiny Vietnamese corner spot is signposted with its sunshine-hued walls, hanging baskets and long lunchtime lines. And it specialises in a singular dish: banh cuon. The dish consists of thin rice noodle — made in house — filled with mince and wood-ear mushroom, then folded into delicate parcels. Banh cuon cha que ($11) sees the filled noodles served alongside fried cinnamon pork, fresh herby greens, dipping sauce and housemade fried onions. Want to pump it up? Adding a $3 serve of extra cha que (fried cinnamon pork) or a $3 hit of thit nuong (grilled pork) is a very sensible choice.
As the state capital and one of the region's most vibrant cities, Sydney is bursting at the seams with diverse cultural happenings. Luckily, we're here to guide you. We've rounded up a trifecta of the most thrilling and culturally important experiences over the coming months.
Melbourne isn't the only patch of Victoria that's gaining a new place to celebrate creativity in 2025, and adding something different and welcome to Australia's cultural scene in the process. While the state's capital city is set to become home to the Australian Museum of Performing Arts in December, championing the nation's contribution to music, theatre, opera, circus and dance in a city that's never short on any of those artforms, Halls Gap at the foothills of Gariwerd/Grampians National Park is gaining the National Centre for Environmental Art before winter is out. Again, the venue's focus and its location match perfectly. If you're going to open an Aussie-first gallery that's dedicated to works about the natural world, doing so in stunning surroundings is a must. The National Centre for Environmental Art is the brainchild of the Wama Foundation and, as it hones in on artistic narratives heroing the earth, will form part of the organisation's new art and environment precinct. When it begins ushering patrons through its doors — at a yet-to-be-revealed midyear 2025 date — the National Centre for Environmental Art will launch as stage one of the broader hub, alongside the Gariwerd/Grampians Endemic Botanic Garden, plus new artwork around the grounds. From there, immersing art within the landscape will continue to be a highlight of stage two, which will also boast a sculpture trail. So, you'll be enjoying the site's affection for both creativity and nature indoors and out. Inside, Western Australian artist Jacobus Capone will be in the spotlight at the centre's debut exhibition, with End & Being contemplating the planet's warming, the crisis as a result and the influence that humans have had upon the situation. The Fremantle-based artist creates everything from paintings and video installations to photos and performances — and will take visitors to Bossons Glacier at Mont Blanc in France without leaving Victoria, all by documenting a performance staged above and beneath the icefall. [caption id="attachment_1006306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Astrid Muller[/caption] "Our program, encompassing new commissions, group exhibitions and nationally touring shows, will be rooted by a spirit of inquiry. Our take on the genre of environmental art is expansive, offering ample space for both playful exploration and deep contemplation," explains Wama Foundation CEO Pippa Mott of the National Centre for Environmental Art's aim. "Jacobus and I are deeply honoured to be part of Wama's inaugural exhibition and to present a project that, like Wama, seeks to foster a dialogue between art, humanity and the environment," added curator José Da Silva, who is also UNSW Galleries' Director and previously was part of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's team in Brisbane, including leading the Australian Cinémathèque. "Capone's work, with its profound sensitivity to environmental change and human vulnerability, speaks directly to that mission, and has guided our decisions to present this particular project." [caption id="attachment_1006309" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Astrid Muller[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacobus Capone and Moore Contemporary[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006311" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacobus Capone and Moore Contemporary[/caption] Find the Wama Foundation and The National Centre for Environmental Art at 4000 Ararat-Halls Gap Road, Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia sometime from winter 2025 — head to the Wama Foundation website for more details.
Summer in Sydney is always welcome, this year more so than ever. Back are the long days, the beach escapes and the long-awaited gatherings with friends. With so much to enjoy, you may not always have time to plan ahead but, with help from our friends at Jacob's Creek, we've put together the definitive list of restaurants and bars to head to for last-minute catch-ups. Think of it as the plan for when you don't have a plan. [caption id="attachment_671515" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leticia Almeida[/caption] THE WINERY, SURRY HILLS Gather your posse for a get-together at The Winery, the always buzzing bar in Surry Hills. The verdant outdoor garden space is the perfect place to be on a summer's afternoon, with the light filtering through the trees making your beautiful people even more so and the days seem endless. All the catching up and people watching is tough work, so you'll soon need to venture to the bar (or send an obliging pal for you). Light and fresh, Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé is the ideal accompaniment for such a gathering. [caption id="attachment_717351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Karina Lee[/caption] COOGEE BAY HOTEL, COOGEE Like gin and tonic, Sydney summers and beach days are made to be together. After a day in the surf at Coogee Beach, head over the road to Coogee Bay Hotel for an impromptu session with your pals and the taste of salt still on your lips. In keeping with its beachside location, the atmosphere is languid here; the most important decision you'll need to make is what drink to start with. One that's done, settle into the garden for the best view of the beach as the sun goes down. [caption id="attachment_688657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Enzo Amato[/caption] SEAN'S PANAROMA, NORTH BONDI Chances are you and your friends will find yourselves at Sydney's most iconic beach this summer. Why not take advantage of the location and head to Sean's Panaroma? While many other restaurants have come and gone, Sean's has remained steadfast, welcoming diners through its doors since 1993. There's a clear recipe for success here: chef Sean Moran's passion for produce teamed with an unpretentious neighbourhood charm. The roast chicken is the stuff of legend. Adding to the appeal, Sean's is also BYO so bring along a chilled bottle (or two) of Jacob's Creek Better by Half Pinot Gris to share with the table. [caption id="attachment_780365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] SLIMS ROOFTOP, DARLINGHURST Where do you head with your mates when you want a drink with a view but don't have a plan? Slims Rooftop, with its mix of enviable city views and greenery is the perfect choice. The bar sits atop Darlinghurst's Hyde Park House and it makes the most of its aerial location with an eye over Hyde Park and the high rises beyond. Gather under one of the bright umbrellas splashed across the verandah and order a round as you drink in the westerly sun. SOCAL, NEUTRAL BAY An unexpected touch of California in the lower north shore, SoCal is an ideal spot to drop into for a last-minute summer soiree. With its beachside vibes, marked by a coastal colour palette, lush greenery and washed timber, this rooftop bar is not the kind of place you expect to find in suburban Neutral Bay. Like the venue, the food is relaxed. It's also designed to be shared — think tacos, quesadillas and slow-barbecued meats, made in the on-site smokehouse. Find yourself there for weekday happy hour and you'll be seriously tempted by the frozen slushy cocktails ($12). BERT'S, NEWPORT If you and your crew are in the mood for some off-the-cuff fanciness, then Bert's is the place to be. It takes minimal planning to have a great time here because most of the details have already been taken care of. Set inside Merivale's Newport behemoth, the brasserie is all class, with its panoramic windows, sun-drenched central bar and impeccable detailing all working together to create a palatial hotel feel. It would be almost criminal not to order from the oyster bar to start, with a glass of bubbles to match. After that, let the unhurried atmosphere wash over you as you settle in for the afternoon. THREE BLUE DUCKS, ROSEBERY You'll smell it before you see it: the spit roast cooking in the garden of Three Blue Ducks' Rosebery outpost. It's all the excuse you need to get some friends together and join the crowds for a long lunch. Beyond the barbecue, vegetables are celebrated in all their glory. Roasted until charred, piled into vibrant salads or whipped into dips, they're the perfect accompaniment or main event. Among all the eating, your group is sure to work up a thirst. SCOTCH AND CO, BARANGAROO It's a familiar scenario: you get together with friends for a catch-up and realise you're all so hungry you could eat a doorframe. Scotch and Co is on hand to help. This classy steakhouse, located at the bottom of the International Towers in Barangaroo, has extensive views over the harbour. Seafood makes a strong play on the menu, including fresh rock lobster, which will pair excellently with Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Chardonnay. But don't skip the steak. While some of the wagyu prices may make your eyes water, the result is mouth-watering enough to help you forget. Reconnect with your friends and family this summer with a bottle of Jacob's Creek. Discover the Jacob's Creek range and purchase a bottle today from all good liquor retailers. Top image: The Winery by Letícia Almeida Please drink responsibly.
They first toured Australia in 1982. They've returned plenty of times since, including on the Big Day Out and Vivid lineups. When they were last here in 2020, the pandemic got in the way, causing them to cut short their plans — and now New Order have locked in their latest visit Down Under five years later. "It's an honour to be coming back to perform in one of our favourite places. We sadly had to cancel a Melbourne show in March 2020, as a consequence of COVID and are so happy we can come back to play again," said the Manchester-formed band, announcing their next Aussie dates. "We've always loved playing in Australia and are excited to be returning for a run of very special shows in 2025. Good things come to those who wait!" [caption id="attachment_976837" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erin Mc via Flickr[/caption] 'Blue Monday', 'Temptation', 'Bizarre Love Triangle' — more than four decades after forming, the group will play them all on a four-city Australian tour that starts at Perth's RAC Arena, then plays the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne and Riverstage in Brisbane, before hitting the Sydney Opera House Forecourt for two nights, all in March 2025. Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner started New Order out of Joy Division, following the tragic death of the latter's lead singer Ian Curtis, and helped pioneer the synth-pop sound that not only helped define the 80s but has been influential ever since. If you've seen the films Control and 24 Hour Party People, you've seen part of New Order's story on-screen. And if you've caught them live before, you'll know that they're always a must-see. In Sydney, the group join Sydney Opera House's March run of forecourt concerts, which also includes Fontaines DC and PJ Harvey. "The incomparable New Order on the forecourt will be one of *those* Opera House moments to remember forever (and my 16 year-old self with his hopelessly worn-out tape of Substance can't quite believe it). Fontaines DC's moment is right now, and it's an honour to host one of the world's most fiercest live bands on the Forecourt for their massive Australian return," said Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall. [caption id="attachment_976838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] RL GNZLZ via Flickr[/caption] New Order Australian Tour 2025 Wednesday, March 5 — RAC Arena, Perth Saturday, March 8 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Tuesday, March 11 — Riverstage, Brisbane Friday, March 14–Saturday, March 15 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney New Order are touring Australia in March 2025, with tickets on sale from 10am local time on Thursday, October 31, 2024. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: RL GNZLZ via Flickr.
Outback adventures don't come much more unusual than a visit to Lightning Ridge. Situated close to the Queensland border in the northwestern NSW hinterland, this rural locale is renowned for its unique black opal mines that attracted fortune-seekers from far and wide in the early 20th century. As well as exploring dinosaur fossil dig sites, ancient bore baths and quirky museums, you'll come away with many stories to tell after a visit to Lightning Ridge. In partnership with Wild Turkey, we've handpicked everything you need to explore during your visit to this slightly weird and very wonderful place. [caption id="attachment_843112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John (Flickr)[/caption] FOSSICK FOR OPALS The history of opal mining in Lightning Ridge dates back to the 1880s, when miners discovered valuable gemstones hidden beneath the earth's surface. You can get a thorough education on these mineral-like creations at The Big Opal – the first opal mine licensed to open to the public. While there are stunning handcrafted pieces to admire in the gallery, taking a tour underground provides a more immersive perspective. With this place operating as a working mine for much of the year, wandering the sandstone tunnels offers a glimpse into this century-old treasure trove. You can even try your hand at fossicking while you're there, too. [caption id="attachment_843231" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James de Mers (Pixabay)[/caption] DIG FOR DINOSAUR FOSSILS If digging for bling isn't your thing, how about searching for dinosaur fossils? At the Australian Opal Centre, visitors are welcome to register for Lightning Ridge Fossil Digs, which gives you the chance to discover opalised fossils buried for over 100 million years. With the next dig scheduled for August 2022, you can sign up for six days of adventure alongside some of Australia's leading palaeontologists and researchers. Previous excavations here have resulted in several world-first discoveries, so your trip might just make history. [caption id="attachment_843233" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ester Westerveld (Flickr)[/caption] DISCOVER THE WORLD OF CACTI Lightning Ridge's arid outback climate makes it the perfect spot for Bevan's Cactus Nursery, one of the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Founded in 1966, the nursery is home to approximately 2500 cacti varieties of all shapes and sizes, with the oldest plant nearly 150 years old. Head along to view the incredible species on display — just watch where you put your hands. Bevan's Cactus Nursery is also home to a supremely rare collection of opals, including speckled black, crystal and white gems that are bound to catch your attention. [caption id="attachment_844634" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dillon Seitchik-Reardon / Places We Swim[/caption] RELAX IN AN OUTDOOR BATH Lightning Ridge's surrounding landscape is undoubtedly dry, but you won't notice when you slide into the Artesian Bore Baths. Situated on the outskirts of town, these openair and naturally heated thermal pools provide the ideal spot to rest and recuperate after a long day in the sweltering sun. The Great Artesian Basin — Australia's largest freshwater resource — heats these rejuvenating watering holes from deep underground, helping them maintain a temperature of 40 to 50 degrees. Free to access and open 22 hours a day, this therapeutic experience is a far cry from your average inner-city wellness spa. VISIT AN UNDERGROUND ART GALLERY It seems like much of what makes Lightning Ridge special takes place underground. Chambers of the Black Hand is another unique landmark, a sprawling opal cave featuring tableaux hand-carved into the sandstone walls. Produced by artist and opal miner Ron Canlin, this incredible artistic endeavour was started in 1996. Today, the subterranean lair is adorned with figures carved into the mine walls with a small pick-axe and a butter knife. You can explore themed sections dedicated to native animals, dinosaurs and pop culture references like Lord of the Rings. There's also an underground shop where you can purchase opals directly from the source. COMPLETE THE CAR DOOR TOURS The outer reaches of Lightning Ridge are home to a collection of fascinating landmarks and landscapes, with the self-guided Car Door Tours ensuring you journey to the very best. Just follow the green, blue, red and yellow wreckage lining the roads that leave town in all directions. You'll reach the Opal Mine Adventure on the Blue Car Door Tour, while the Red Car Door Tour swings by Ridge Castle – an offbeat mining camp with panoramic countryside views. These trips range from 10 to 45 minutes of drive time, making them perfect for a quick cruise. Even if you don't take yourself on a tour, you'll become familiar with the car doors pretty quickly — they function as de facto street signs in Lightning Ridge. [caption id="attachment_843236" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John (Flickr)[/caption] EXPLORE LIGHTNING RIDGE'S QUIRKY MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND MONUMENTS Lightning Ridge might be best known for its enduring opal mining history, but the community's collection of bizarre museums is definitely a close second. Bottle House Museum is one such structure, constructed from 5800 bottles and featuring a wide variety of curiosities for sale inside. A short drive away, the Astronomers Monument is another kooky landmark dedicated to scientists like Copernicus, while the colourful Beer Can House does what it says on the proverbial tinnie. If you love off-the-wall antiques and unusual souvenirs, don't miss the Kangaroo Hill Complex. Perhaps the most emblematic of the town's unusual art spaces is Amigo's Castle. This 15-metre-tall structure, based on Italian ruins, was hand-built with ironstone boulders in the 1980s, and is home to a small gallery, underground cellars, a corner turret and no roof, while the grounds surrounding the castle contain all sorts of tongue-in-cheek oddities. [caption id="attachment_843109" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John (Flickr)[/caption] If you're unable to resist the charms of Lightning Ridge and need to take a piece home with you, head to the more traditional — but no less colourful — John Murray Art Gallery, the exclusive home for works by the celebrated eponymous artist. Murray's works showcase the beauty and the character of the Australian outback with wit and whimsy. Stop into the gallery to see Murray's photorealistic works up close, and exit via the gift shop where you can pick up original paintings, prints, cards and souvenirs. Murray is also the creative mind behind Lightning Ridge's newest mascot, Stanley the Emu. Unveiled in 2013, Stanley is an 18-metre-tall steel emu made primarily from VW Beetle bonnets and doors, and is an unmissable sight that greets visitors just 10 kilometres out of town. Find out more about Wild Turkey's Discovery Series at the website. Top image: Craig Gibson (Flickr)
Sydneysiders love pizza. Sydneysiders also love a bottomless deal. So it is cause for celebration that Harbour City folk can finally celebrate both these passions at once, courtesy of Surry Hills pizzeria, 170 Grammi. Luigi Esposito — the pizzaiolo who helped ignite Sydney's love of woodfired slices, most notably at his popular chain of Neapolitan restaurants, Via Napoli — is laying on a Roman feast every Friday lunchtime. From midday–4pm, diners can get their fill of Rome's most quintessential cuisine, including freshly fried suppli (Rome's answer to arancini), schiacciata, a traditional crisp flatbread loaded with slices of mortadella, and of course, 170 Grammi's pizza-fication of classic Roman mains, including the already-iconic carbonara and porchetta pizzas. Be sure to leave room for dessert. 170 Grammi's maritozzi (cream-filled Roman doughnuts) come in a range of styles, from classic flavours like traditional vanilla and pistachio to more contemporary twists, like Nutella and Kinder Bueno. During your 90-minute seating, you'll enjoy free-flowing Aperol spritzes, as well as a selection of wines, beers and soft drinks. And at $69 per person, inclusive of all drinks and food, not only is this one of the most delicious bottomless deals in Sydney — it's also one of the most affordable. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Tasmania, with its perfectly calibrated natural conditions for turning out brilliant produce, is a paradise for foodies, attracting some of Australia's best and brightest. The locals know it and it calls acclaimed chefs and writers to up sticks and chase their flavour bliss in the rugged south. We've got five tastemakers of the Tasmanian food industry that you should keep an eye on. Passionate advocates and entrepreneurs, their food spans north to south, from flavours of the wild to tastes of terroir and the finest produce the earth and sea can offer. Whether they're homegrown Tasmanian talent or keen mainland foodies who uprooted for a more delicious life, they all share a love for this land and all it produces. We've partnered with Tourism Tasmania to find out what inspires their culinary creations, and captures their hearts — and tastebuds. MASSIMO MELE "Keep it fresh, use the best ingredients and let the produce be the hero." It's a recipe for success and it has served Massimo Mele well. Tasmanian-born Massimo has cheffed his way through restaurants in the US, London and Italy. But he found his home turf was the best place on earth to make the most of this ethos. As Food Director at Grain of Silos in Launceston, he's created a fine dining experience that shows off rustic roots, from refined riffs on wholesome classics to naming local producers. As Culinary Director at Peppina, Mele's flagship restaurant at Hobart's famous Salamanca Place, he can offer 'Italian the Tasmanian way', staying true to core principles of seasonal, local and Nonna-inspired. That means championing artisans, handpicked produce, small-batch, single-vineyard wines, and the home comfort of a porchetta roast and tiramisu — all made for enjoying with others. KIM SEAGRAM Did you hear? Launceston is an official UNESCO City of Gastronomy. And culinary industry overachievers like Kim Seagram are one good reason why. Her passion has helped launch a multitude of exciting hospitality endeavours. One example is Black Cow Bistro, which serves up "Tasmania on a Plate" in its Launceston home. Black Cow's culinary approach is centred on the sacred power of the cow as a symbol of nourishment, abundance… and flavour. She is the co-founder of Launceston's Harvest Market and is also the Chair of Fermentasmania. Stillwater, the luxury accommodation and restaurant offering that was developed with the help of Kim's talent and expertise, has an unparalleled location — sitting right beside Cataract Gorge. With water sourced from Cape Grim, food from passionate local producers, sustainably harvested seafood and character-filled rooms filled with Tassie products, it's a true immersion. Finally, there's Abel Gin — Seagram's collaboration with distiller Natalie Fryar, capturing the tastes of the Tasmanian wilderness. And that's why we referred to her as a culinary overachiever. BEN MILBOURNE Influenced by his dad's seafood cooking, his grandmother's passion for great ingredients and his home in the unique landscape of Tasmania's north west coast, Ben Milbourne's life as a professional foodie was inevitable. He's grown up on some of the best produce in his own backyard. After his success on season four of MasterChef Australia, he continues his commitment to celebrating the people who farm, fish and make the incredible ingredients he has been lucky enough to have access to. His TV series Left Off The Map showcases the best of the best in Tassie, a grand tour every locavore should take notes from. Where to eat, where to stay — a true foodie's guide to exploring Tasmania. Plus he has recipes to do that produce justice. Fact is, travelling in Tasmania gives you access to the kind of ingredients chefs go absolutely wild for. Why not try it out, if you have the chance to cook with the best? [caption id="attachment_867641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Gibson[/caption] ANALIESE GREGORY What drives an acclaimed young chef from Michelin star restaurants of Paris and Sydney to leave it all behind with a dramatic tree change? The call of idyllic cottage life in one of the finest food and vino regions in the world. Analiese Gregory wrote her book, How Wild Things Are, to share her knowledge of farming, fishing, hunting, foraging and sourcing food from the farms and wilderness of Tasmania, and — of course — how to cook it beautifully. If you've watched her SBS series A Girl's Guide To Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking… you'll already know some of her favourite small-batch, local growers and makers of Tasmania. And if you're lucky, you might find her making culinary magic with this produce at events and pop-ups when you visit. MATTHEW EVANS Champion of sustainability, regeneration and learning farming by trial and error (and now great success), Matthew Evans is a writer, cook and farmer. Evans, together with his partner in life and in business, Sadie Chrestman, established Fat Pig Farm in the beautiful Huon Valley. He thinks Tasmanian producers are worth making noise about, and he's published numerous books on food, farming and even good soil. You can follow his journey from food critic to food producer on SBS series Gourmet Farmer, where he shares the spotlight with many local mates and collaborators, including Nick Haddow of Bruny Island Cheese and Glen Huon Dairy Farm. Sign up for a workshop in sustainable farming skills or try the food for yourself at a Fat Pig Farm Feast, a long afternoon celebration of sharing seasonal produce sourced as much from the farm as possible, with matched drinks and a guided tour, so you can see exactly where it all comes from. It doesn't get more farm-to-table than this ultra-locavore experience. Ready to plan a trip for your tastebuds around Tasmania? To discover more of what the island state has to offer, visit the website.
For the person who's always between flights, cities or Airbnb check-ins, the best gifts aren't novelties — they're things that solve a real problem, hold up to repeated use, or make the in-between moments feel a little less like dead time. This edit was put together by CP's travel writers: the people who actually live out of carry-ons and know which things earn their place in a bag. From a London-designed rolling trunk built for serious packers to a camera that's quietly replacing the digicam, these are considered picks for the person who treats the world like a second home. Shopping for someone who lives for movies, marathons and home cinema setups? Explore our guide to the best gifts for screen addicts. Trunk, Carl Friedrik London-based Carl Friedrik has spent years building a reputation for luggage that takes its design cues from the founder's Swedish heritage — and the Trunk is the clearest expression of that yet. Built from a polycarbonate shell with an aluminium frame and genuine leather trim, it centres on an 80/20 main compartment specifically designed to handle bulky, irregular items that standard suitcases won't accommodate. Three included packing cubes and retractable internal dividers make organisation feel considered rather than crammed, and it comes backed by a lifetime warranty. Shop now. LED Light Therapy Face Mask, Nanoleaf A compact LED mask designed to earn its place in a carry-on. Nanoleaf's model offers notably stronger and more even coverage than others in its price range — triple the LED density — with clinically backed light modes spanning red for fine lines, yellow for inflammation and more. For long-haul regulars whose skin pays the price of recycled cabin air, it's one of the more functional wellness upgrades going. Shop now. Meridian Tote Bag, State of Escape State of Escape's neoprene bags have earned a devoted following by doing exactly what a travel bag should — holding a lot, weighing very little, and not looking out of place anywhere. The Meridian is a structured take on their signature tote: rope handles, a detachable shoulder strap and a silhouette that moves from airport terminal to evening easily, without asking you to change bags. Shop now. Heartbreaker Jewellery Case, Status Anxiety Status Anxiety has built a strong reputation for considered leather goods at a reasonable price point, and this compact jewellery case is one of the more useful things they make. Pebble leather exterior, soft-lined compartments — it keeps rings, chains and earrings organised and scratch-free without adding meaningful weight or bulk. The kind of thing that's easy to underestimate until it saves a favourite necklace from a tangled mess on arrival. Shop now. Handheld Steamer, Philips Wrinkled clothes are one of travel's more avoidable indignities. Philips' 1400W handheld steamer heats up in 35 seconds and works across cotton, linen and delicates — fast enough to be genuinely useful between the suitcase and the meeting, without the faff of ironing boards or the expense of hotel pressing. Shop now. Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm The X-T30 III is the kind of camera that makes you wonder why you ever used your phone. Compact enough to disappear into a jacket pocket, it shoots with 26.1 megapixels and comes loaded with 20 of Fujifilm's signature film simulations — Classic Chrome, Velvia, Provia — that render colour and texture in a way no smartphone algorithm can replicate. Our editor tested it and came back a convert. Read the full verdict here. Shop now. Avedon Dark Havana Sunglasses, P. Johnson P. Johnson is best known for bespoke suiting, but their eyewear carries the same handmade Italian craftsmanship. The Avedon is a warm tortoiseshell acetate with a slightly oversized profile — classic enough to wear anywhere, distinctive enough to make an impression. The kind of sunglasses that get noticed before you do. Shop now. Tech Kit, Bellroy Melbourne-born Bellroy has made a career out of solving the small, persistent frustrations of modern life — and the Tech Kit is one of their best. Made from recycled ripstop with a zip-through layout that reveals all your cables and chargers at once, it means no more upending a bag at security or tracing the same knot of wires for ten minutes. Compact, considered, exactly like everything else they make. Shop now. LM Workroom Hat, Lee Matthews Lee Matthews has been making considered, quietly elegant Australian clothing since 1989, and the Workroom bucket hat is a good distillation of what the brand does well: soft cotton construction, a structured silhouette that packs flat without losing shape, and a design that reads as intentional rather than incidental. Works as hard in a warmer climate as it does heading to the airport in winter. Shop now. Isla Round Luggage Tag, The Daily Edited A monogrammed leather luggage tag sounds like a cliché until you're standing at baggage claim watching three identical black suitcases go past. The Daily Edited's Isla is smooth leather with a clean circular silhouette — simple, personal, and the kind of thing that turns a functional necessity into something worth noticing. Shop now. Expandable Checked Bag, July July has spent years refining what a good suitcase should actually do, and the Expandable Checked Bag reflects that. A built-in compression system keeps everything held in place, a separate laundry bag lives inside the lid, and the expandable design gives you the flexibility to come home with more than you left with. The kind of luggage that makes you wonder what you were putting up with before. Shop now. The Watch Roll, Maison de Sabre For anyone who travels with more than one watch, the logic of a dedicated roll is hard to argue with — and Maison de Sabre's full-grain leather version makes the case even more convincingly. Soft-lined to prevent scratching, structured enough to hold everything in place and compact enough to slip into a toiletries bag. A gift that will be used on every single trip. Shop now. Gift Card, Airbnb For the person who has everything they need and just wants more time somewhere else, an Airbnb gift card is one of the more open-ended and genuinely useful things you can give. Redeemable anywhere on the platform — a coastal villa, a city apartment, a countryside retreat — it's less of a present and more of an invitation. Shop now. Ceramic Reusable Bottle, Frank Green Melbourne-founded Frank Green has become one of the better-known names in reusable drinkware for good reason — their ceramic-lined bottles are well-designed, well-made and genuinely effective at keeping water cold. Triple insulation keeps drinks temperature-controlled for hours, and the ceramic lining keeps the taste clean in a way that standard stainless steel can't always claim. Better than anything from the airport vending machine. Shop now. Rio Passport Holder, Wolff Studios A passport holder that justifies its existence by actually doing more. Wolff Studios' Rio holds two passports, three cards and a boarding pass in buttery soft RFID-secure leather — which means everything is in one place, accessible in seconds and shielded from electronic skimming. A quiet but genuinely practical upgrade for anyone who travels regularly. Shop now. Universal Strap, Rikka Small, useful and genuinely fun — Rikka's candy-coloured phone straps clip to any device and keep it close without demanding a case. For anyone who's spent more than five minutes panicking about where their phone is in a foreign city, this is a simple fix that earns its place in a pocket immediately. Shop now. The Signature Pouch, Ouvert Ouvert's Signature Pouch does the thing that most toiletry bags don't: it looks good enough to leave on a hotel bathroom shelf. The plush exterior houses a fully waterproof lining — practical insurance against leaking serums and exploded sunscreen — with enough room for a proper skincare routine without sprawling into half the bag. Shop now. Ginger Shampoo Gift Bundle, Cooki A haircare duo that travels without compromise. Cooki's ginger-infused shampoo and conditioner come in reusable metal tins — zero plastic, airport-friendly and genuinely better for the hair. Tucked into a natural-fibre woven bag, this is one of the few gifts that manages to be both considered from an environmental standpoint and entirely practical in a carry-on. Shop now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence our recommendations, but they may earn us a small commission. For more information, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground Newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
How better to temporarily break free from the everyday routine than by heading on a holiday escape somewhere worlds apart from your normal life? Imagine swapping life in the city for a few nights soaking up some spectacular coastline or enveloping yourself in lush rainforest. Well, if it's a unique getaway you're after, you'll find a smorgasbord of unconventional Airbnb stays dotted all across Australia. A Newport cabin floating on the water, a converted vintage bus nestled in the Tamar Valley and even a historic French provincial castle tower in Rutherglen are all options at your fingertips. Whether you're planning that ideal vacation, or still in the dreaming stages, here are ten of Australia's best Airbnb stays. Recommended reads: The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Islands to Visit in Australia The Best Beaches in Australia [caption id="attachment_774843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Bus Hideaway, Tasmania This vintage bus has been retired from the roads, but it's living a pretty happy life reborn as a cosy getaway for two, moored on a remote farm in peaceful Tamar Valley bushland. It's an eco-friendly hideaway, crafted from lots of upcycled materials, heated by a cosy wood fire and stocked with organic, locally sourced goodies — right through to the luxurious linens on the comfy king-size bed. This little gem is kitted out with a full modern kitchen, proper gas-fuelled shower and a composting loo that won't have you feeling like you're roughing it too hard. And with zero wi-fi, it's the perfect excuse to unplug and unwind — the book collection, DVD player and acres of Tassie wilderness are sure to keep you happily entertained. From $220 a night, sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774846" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] Dinky Di's Dugout, South Australia Ever wanted to indulge your inner earthworm with a subterranean stay? Best put Coober Pedy on your holiday radar. The South Australian town is famed both for its opal mining and its underground dwellings, built to withstand the area's scorching temperatures. And you can call one of these 'dugouts' home for a few nights — namely this two-bedroom, two-bathroom number that's carved into the earth just north of the town centre. It's got all the trimmings you'll need for a comfy cave getaway, with full kitchen, laundry and an outdoor barbecue area. This underground beauty even comes with a healthy dose of natural light, thanks to the windows set right across its front. From $185 a night, sleeps seven. The Salty Dog, New South Wales This floating cabin on the sea takes 'waterfront property' to a whole new level. Featured in countless Australian travel guides and even International publications, its easy to see why this boathouse is filed under unconventional. Found in Newport, this tiny home on the ocean features a combined kitchen and dining area as well as a cozy loft bedroom. Windows are a-plenty for splendid views of the marina, and emphasising that boat-on-the-water feeling. During your stay, make sure to stop by the beach - only a 20-minute walk from the cabin - or Newport's local businesses. And yes, they give you a boat so you can leave. From $635 a night. Sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Shed at Broger's End, New South Wales Occupying a quaint patch of green between the Kangaroo River and Brogers Creek in NSW's southern highlands, this former machinery shed has been given new life as a rustic country escape. And it's got unplugged group getaway written all over it. The low-footprint, sun-powered home features lots of recycled materials, boasting a sprawling but cosy living area with vintage furniture pieces throughout. And you'll find no shortage of nifty extras to help elevate your downtime here — think, woodfired pizza oven, firepit, expansive herb garden, onsite chooks laying fresh eggs for brekkie and even an outdoor bath for soaking under the stars. Hit the river for activities, or go wildlife-spotting on one of the many kilometres of nearby walking trails. From $550 a night, sleeps seven. [caption id="attachment_774853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Tower at Mount Ophir Estate, Victoria If you've ever fantasised about living it up in a fairytale castle, you can quit dreaming and lock in a stay at this 115-year-old French provincial-style tower, located at Mount Ophir Estate in the heart of Rutherglen winemaking country. As far as couples' escapes go, this one comes with a fairly exxy price tag — though it also boasts three separate levels, some truly gorgeous interiors, a library, and a lavish top-floor bedroom suite with 360-degree views. Breakfast is included with your stay — we get the feeling it'll be top-shelf — plus you've got access to the property's bikes whenever you're in the mood for some exploring. And of course, don't forget all those wineries right on the doorstep. From $518 a night, sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774854" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Airbnb[/caption] Alikra Eco-Glamping Retreat, Victoria Tucked away among scenic Dandenong Ranges forest, this straw-bale yurt is the ultimate antidote to all that big city craziness, with space to sleep two nature-seekers and a unique design that keeps things comfy all year round. Hang out in the wilderness of this 40-acre property, revelling in nature, getting acquainted with the farm animals or just clocking in some off-grid time in this beautifully appointed former artist's studio. There's a firepit, a rustic outdoor kitchen and a light-filled bedroom stacked with soft furnishings collected from all across the country. Hiking trails abound in this pocket of Melbourne, though you'll also find a healthy stock of books and board games for cosy days spent lounging at base camp. From $295 a night, sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774856" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Little Red Barn, Queensland Secure your own little patch of leafy, Noosa Hinterland wilderness with a stay in this cheerfully restored red timber barnhouse. With space to sleep seven, it's working a stylish old-meets-new fit-out, where timber floors and soaring vaulted ceilings complement plush white linens and contemporary bathroom features. Depending on the weather, you can snuggle up by the living room's fireplace, take a soak in the old-school claw-foot bath out on the deck, or unwind with a dip in the concrete water tank swimming pool overlooking the rolling green hills. Put this one on the list for your next group getaway — it's got a big, open living area, plus roomy wrap-around verandahs for those outdoor hangs. From $450 a night, sleeps seven. The Beach Dome, Queensland This quirky beachside dome has a look that's as cheery as its tropical Far North Queensland surrounds, nestled among palm trees just metres from the sands of Cairns' Trinity Beach. The self-contained, two-bedroom bubble is like a cool, coastal oasis, decked out in plenty of bright whites and upbeat pastel tones. Though it's compact, it's got space for four guests (plus an extra, if you use the rollout bed), a modern kitchen and bathroom, and even a cute front porch primed for afternoon wines overlooking the ocean. In addition to four other domes, the property's also home to its own pool, just in case you want to shake things up between beach sessions. From $130 a night, sleeps four. [caption id="attachment_786395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arabella on Airbnb by Love Space Photography[/caption] Arabella, New South Wales Settled on a 140-acre property that looks straight out of a fairytale, this tiny home is for nature lovers and off-the-grid fanatics. And when we say off the grid, we mean it. No internet, reception, two kilometres off the main road and water from the natural spring nearby. This dwelling is an eco-experience in every sense of the term. However, as unconventional as the time home is on its own, the stand-alone one-way glass shower truly takes the cake. Soak in nature while soaking in the tub with 360 views of the gardens around the entirely-glass structure. While you're having your inevitable picnic in sprawling outdoors, be sure to try to spot the wild alpacas, kangaroos, and echidnas. From $445 a night, sleeps three. Stargazing Bubble 'Etoile', Victoria Sleep among the stars from the comfort of the indoors in this award-winning accommodation. Set atop the mountains overlooking the rolling hills and ocean below, this out-of-the-box retreat is made to bring stargazing to the next level, providing panoramic views of the night sky as well as a telescope and pair of binoculars. When you're not staring at the stars, the outdoor patio comes with deck chairs and a mini barbecue to use after a day of exploring. The interior of the bubble features a four-post queen bed with wrap-around privacy curtains, a lounge area, kitchenette, and a bluetooth speaker. Bubble acoustics are out of this world! A connecting bubble for the bathroom has all the amenities for a comfortable stay, and don't forget to look up in the shower to see a mini stargazing roof. From $795 a night, sleeps two. Images: courtesy of Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Life-changing meals aren't just found in the hottest restaurants. Whether you're travelling on a budget or just want to find out what dishes locals actually hold nearest and dearest, looking beyond the standard menu ensures you encounter something a little more exciting. Luckily, taking your next culinary adventure off the beaten path is just a matter of opening yourself up to kaleidoscopic street food markets and tucked-away joints. Together with Intrepid, we've curated a list of epic food experiences that you can enjoy that aren't in a restaurant. Monjayaki You've probably heard of okonomiyaki, but what about its lesser-known cousin? Monjayaki sees fresh ingredients like cabbage, corn, kimchi and cod cooked on a piping-hot griddle, then shaped into a doughnut as rich dashi broth is poured into the middle. Once mixed and fried, it's similar to okonomiyaki, just with a runnier texture and more delicious caramelised bits fused to the bottom. Synonymous with Tokyo's Tsukishima district, monjayaki is the ideal Japanese street food to try on your next trip. Cao Lau Vietnamese staples like pho and banh mi are deservedly adored, but it's not every day you can enjoy a hot bowl of cao lau. The most beloved dish in Hoi An — a fascinating port city shaped by its merchant past — what makes this local meal so special is how its noodles are prepared. Soaked in wells where water is mixed with wood ash collected from the Cham Islands, this gives the noodles a smokey flavour and firm texture. Typically served with thinly sliced pork, greens and bean sprouts, plan your trip to Hoi An to experience the dish. Bindae-Tteok Travelling to South Korea means you're bound to encounter a myriad of mazey markets bursting with sumptuous dishes you won't likely find on any restaurant menu. In Seoul, the go-to destination is Gwangjang Market — a sprawling gastronomic haven made even more popular by Netflix's 'Street Food' series. Across 5,000 stalls, flavours that tantalise your tastebuds are around every corner, including the wonders of bindae-tteok. This street food favourite sees mung bean batter combined with cabbage, kimchi and pork, then deep-fried to perfection and served with condiments like soy sauce and vinegar. Chiles En Nogada Finding authentic Mexican cuisine in Australia can be tricky. So, if you're planning a real food adventure to experience the good stuff, setting your sights on the country's national dishes is a smart way to get your palate up to speed with what's what. Native to Puebla, chiles en nogada bursts with bright flavours, featuring stuffed chillies covered in creamy walnut sauce. Best eaten when pomegranates are freshest from August to October, the dish's patriotic red, white and green ingredients give every bite a little extra zeal. Medfouna Influenced by cultures from Europe to Asia, traditional Moroccan food is the amalgamation of countless flavours. Yet for a dish beloved for hundreds of years by the country's nomadic Amazigh people, medfouna ensures you discover the taste of High Atlas cuisine. Nicknamed 'Amazigh pizza', medfouna is a stuffed flatbread set atop hot stones and buried beneath the red sand to cook. Loaded with meats, nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices, it's soon dug up and cut into slices, resembling pizza as you've never seen before. Ambul Thiyal Every Sri Lankan food extravaganza needs an abundance of hoppers, sambal and lamprais. Yet being a tropical paradise, overlooking the region's seafood is a mistake. Ambul thiyal, a sour fish curry, is one dish that elegantly balances the cuisine's intense spices with tangy goodness. Commonly made with fresh tuna, a fragrant mix of aromatic spices brings this beloved curry to life with black pepper, cinnamon, pandan and turmeric adding more and more flavour. Served with rice, the secret ingredient is goraka — a tiny tropical fruit loved for its tartness. Baccala Mantecato Italian cuisine is found worldwide for good reason — it's fresh, fun and made to share. However, it's best not to lump the country's cuisine together as a monolith. When you're chasing the best Italian flavours, the region-to-region, town-to-town variations make all the difference. An essential Venetian dish, baccala mantecato, or salted cod, is a stellar example of this local heritage. Brought to Venice from Norway by 15th-century traders, the cod is soaked and whipped, then served on toasted bread or polenta — perfect when sipping on an aperitif. Malai Ki Sabzi It's hard to imagine food more flavourful than Mughlai cuisine. Renowned for its rich, colourful dishes, much of what you'll taste is packed with potent ingredients like saffron, cardamon, cream and butter. Malai ki sabzi is a traditional meal that captures the magic. Local vegetables are cooked with cream and given a pungent boost with the full-flavoured combination of garlic, turmeric, coriander and green chilli. Take a food adventure to India to learn how to make this incredible dish with help from a cook specialising in Mughlai cuisine. Pachamanca Based upon centuries of colonial rule and immigration, Peruvian cuisine is a melting pot of global influences. In fact, two of the country's most popular cuisines — 'nikkei' and 'chifa' — showcase how local flavours have merged with Japanese and Chinese culinary ideas. The cuisine emerging from atop the Andes mountains is just as special. Meaning 'earth pot', pachamanca is the ideal introduction, with scorching hot rocks used to cook pork, lamb or chicken seasoned with black mint and broad beans. Journey to Cusco to get a taste. Francesinha Toasties are still enjoying time in the culinary sun, so why not feast on the Portuguese version of a croque monsieur? Almost every cafe in Porto has its own version, but a tried-and-true francesinha sees layers of beef, ham and sausage stacked between two thick slices of toast. This decadent creation is next draped in melted cheese from top to bottom, then drenched in a traditional sauce made from tomato and beer. Served alongside a big portion of fries, a Portugal food tour will highlight how the 'little French sandwich' is really a fully-fledged meal. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website. Top Images: Gwangjang Market, Mike Swigunski
Muogamarra Nature Reserve, a hidden oasis of native wildflowers located near Cowan, is closed to the public most of the year in order to protect its fragile ecosystem and its Aboriginal cultural heritage. But, every now and then, it opens for everyone to enjoy for a limited time. That time is about to arrive for 2023, with the reserve welcoming guests for six weeks in August and September this year. The reserve is a thing of beauty, playing home to more than 900 species of native wildflowers that fill the area with a sea of vibrant colours when they bloom. Waratahs, angophoras, old-man banksias, pink boronias and native orchids — they're all here among the site's expansive bushlands and rainforests. You can also catch a glimpse of Aboriginal rock engravings and take in expansive views of Hawkesbury River, Berowra Creek, Bar Island, Milson Island and Spectacle Island. If this all sounds right up your alley, you've got a couple of options when planning a trip to Muogamarra Nature Reserve. You can book one of four different guided tours led by experienced NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) volunteers, who will take you through the reserve, teaching you about the floral wonders surrounding you. The tours each cover different sections of the park, and range from three to ten kilometres of walking. Or, if you want to tackle the reserve by yourself, you can also reserve a time slot for a self-guided tour. Slots for both are limited, so the NPWS is encouraging anyone keen to explore the wildflower haven to get in quick. Each of the four guided tours and the self-guided tours are available to book at different dates and times between Saturday, August 12–Sunday, September 17. Head to the NSW National Parks website to see the selected dates and to make a booking. Muogamarra Nature Reserve is located three kilometres north of Cowan Station, on the western side of the Pacific Highway. It will reopen to the public for 2023 across selected dates between Saturday, August 12–Sunday, September 17.
Australia has lost an icon, with news of Olivia Newton-John's death sadly announced on Tuesday, August 9. Across more than half a century in the entertainment industry, the British Australian singer and actor helped give the world everything from Grease to Xanadu — and songs such as 'I Honestly Love You' and 'Physical', too. There are plenty of ways to pay tribute to Newton-John. Singing 'You're the One That I Want' and 'Hopelessly Devoted to You' all day counts. Rewatching Grease for the billionth time does as well. And, so does getting 'Xanadu' or 'Magic' stuck in your head. Or, you can truly take the star's advice and get physical at Retrosweat's tribute sessions. The aerobics outfit is dedicating two sessions this week — its regular classes at 7pm on Tuesday, August 9 and at the same time on Thursday, August 11 — to the Aussie legend. Each one runs for 60 minutes, and dressing like you're stepping out of Newton-John's 'Physical' clip (or even wearing anything Grease or Xanadu-themed that doubles as workout attire) is recommended. Sydneysiders can head along at 242 Young Street in Waterloo on Tuesday — and 525 Crown Street in Surry Hills on Thursday. Fancy joining in at home or from outside of Sydney? Retrosweat livestreams its classes, including these two, if you join its Retrosweat Home Video service. In preparation for the classes — and just to bask in Newton-John's 80s-era glory — you can revisit the 'Physical' music video below:
There are seemingly endless picture-perfect stays across Australia to choose from, so convincing yourself to smash that book button is often easier said than done. Yet keeping tabs on what like-minded holidaymakers are sharing on socials is one way to avoid analysis paralysis when it comes to finding a short-term stay that delivers a breathtaking experience. With this in mind, Airbnb has turned to social media to identify which stays have generated the most Instagram and TikTok engagement over the past 12 months. Resulting in a list capturing the most-loved stays on the platform, a single Aussie Airbnb made the final cut — and it's as serenity-inducing as you'd expect. That'd be Gilay Estate, a meticulously designed off-grid tiny house that calls the similarly small New South Wales town of Quirindi home. Nestled into the state's food bowl on a family farm, this wonderfully cosy Airbnb offers a charming perspective over the laidback farming region, blending contemporary comfort with the natural beauty of Liverpool Plains. When you're not tucked up next to the fireplace with a glass of wine in hand, guests are welcome to stroll the scenic grounds, unwinding amid the fresh country air. Alternatively, the surrounding paddocks and open skies can be enjoyed from the outdoor hot tub or adjacent firepit, primed for sunset cookouts that evoke a slow-living ethos. According to Airbnb, the global survey data used to create the list shows that younger travellers are using platforms like Instagram and TikTok to discover new destinations. Delving a little deeper, Airbnb says the most-loved listings often share some key characteristics, those being the chance to connect offline and feel inspired by unique surroundings. As for the rest of the most-loved list, there's no shortage of fascinating stays to explore. In the US, guests can relish a soothing escape perched right alongside Washington State's glacier-fed Cascade River. Meanwhile, an unsurprising hit on social media is Quetzalcoatl's Nest, a Javier Senosiain-designed stay that reflects Mexico's organic architecture movement. Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out Australia's best Airbnb hosts for 2025 or head to the website to see the full list.
It seems like Merivale have gone a little loco lately. First the insanity of Freaky Tiki, now this: a downtrodden Surry Hills pub transformed into a Mexican cantina. El Loco is a temporary solution to the reinvention of this venue, a prequel to a fully blown Mexican restaurant. But we think the wild mishmash of this whirlwind transition is the best part about it. Gone is the band room and, while we deeply regret the loss of another live music venue in Surry Hills, it's looking good. The previously sound-proofed walls have been pulled apart and repainted with brightly coloured cacti and skulls in Mexican hats. Lights hang from exposed beams and the busy kitchen stands open for observation. While there's a few options on the menu, this place is all about the soft tacos (all $5). Don't expect an entirely traditional offering, however. While this place is conceptually Mexican, the food's strength is its subtle Asian twist. I loved the Carne Asada, with lemongrass beef and salsa verde, and the Queso de Soya, chilli marinated tofu with pico de gallo. The front room remains more recognisable as a pub-style bar, with classic tap beers, wine and spirits still on offer. The new addition here is the tequilas, with over twenty varieties to pick and choose from. The cocktail menu is a little pricier than the food, with all options at $13.50, but the margaritas are justifiably delicious. With opening hours that stretch to 3am on weekends, this is a great late night option for a drink and a bite. Remember that it's only temporary though, so make the most of these tacos and get in quick.
Jackie, by Chilean director Pablo Larrain, is a captivating and unflinching portrait of private grief amidst one of history's most public tragedies. It is, as the name suggests, neither a film about JFK's assassination nor about JFK himself, but rather a study of first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and the unfathomable burden of responsibility she both assumed and had thrust upon her in the immediate aftermath of her husband's murder. Portrayed by Natalie Portman with uncanny fidelity, Jackie's story is told via a series of flashbacks as she gives her account of events to Pulitzer-winning journalist Theodore H. White (listed in the credits merely as 'the journalist' and played by the ever reliable Billy Crudup). White's handwritten notes of that interview were made public the year after Jackie's death, and reveal the extent to which she insisted upon oversight of the final copy to ensure JFK's legacy was honoured – including her emphasis of the 'Camelot' theme that would forever become synonymous with the late President's name. Much like Clint Eastwood's recent Sully, the most dramatic moment in Jackie – her husband's assassination – is reserved for only the final stages of the film. For the bulk of the running time, Larrain instead chooses to focus squarely on the minutes, hours and days that followed the Dallas shooting. Gone for the most part are the glitzy ballrooms and lavish parties, replaced by hospital waiting rooms, cramped bathrooms and the back seat of a hearse. The choice is well considered, demonstrating precisely how alone Jackie was in those trying days, save for Robert Kennedy (Peter Sarsgaard) and her faithful White House social secretary Nancy Tuckerman (Greta Gerwig). Jackie was a woman in a man's world, and everyone of them felt entitled to tell her what to do, where to go and, most importantly, how to feel. That in that environment, under those conditions, she still found the strength to stand up to so many is a testament to Jackie's character, and forms the bulk of the film's thematic line. Portman's performance is phenomenal, an extraordinary embodiment of the physical and aural cues that made Jackie such an icon in her own right. It's such a remarkable likeness, in fact, that the film does on occasion veer dangerously towards a mere showcase of Portman's abilities at the expense of advancing the story. Thankfully, these moments are short lived and quickly forgotten. Portman has honoured her subject with a fine portrayal that, like Jackie herself, refuses to hide behind artifice – an unflinching, bare bones turn that only grows stronger the closer the camera comes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZTXv5NpgaI
Located above the current Sydney Fish Market site, the Sydney Seafood School has been a staple for top-notch cooking classes for over 30 years now. Following some reduced seasons of classes due to the pandemic, the school is back with a hefty spring season of classes featuring some of the best chefs in the biz. The program is expansive but highlights include a Sundowener Session with Lankan Filling Station's O Tama Carey where the acclaimed chef will take guests through some of her favourite Sri Lankan dishes over a drink. There's a healthy seafood and veg class with online sensation Tom Walton, a First Nations Seafood class with Rockpool Dining Group's Luke Bourke, and a masterclass with Danielle Alvarez formerly of Fred's. Other classes in the program are based around specific dishes, with attendees mastering the art of Singapore chilli mud crab, Malaysian laksa, Spanish tapas, sea urchin and retro Australian-Chinese. To check out the full program head here. The cost of classes ranges from $110–240 — and with this quality of dishes and calibre of chefs, you're getting a lot of bang-for-your-buck. Hot tip: tickets to any one of these would go down a treat as a gift. Top image: Franz Scheurer
If Felix was in a Paris arrondissement rather than the Sydney CBD, no one would blink a perfectly curled eyelash. Yes, it's a little piece of Paris and no one's complaining. From the (sometimes) French waiters bustling around the tiled floors to the decadent crustacean bar and elaborate murals on the ceiling, Felix is the bistro the city has been waiting for - and we can't get enough of the Steak Frites. It's a humming, buzzing, people-watchers delight in here: all beautiful wooden finishes, crisp white table cloths and intricate tiling. Energetic chef Lauren Murdoch, a Merivale star from Lotus and Ash Street, delivers food of the same exceptional quality. All the classic French cues are here: the ever-changing 'Plat du Jour', the rotisserie section and that incredible oyster bar. You can lounge at the noisy bar and nibble some chicken liver pate with your champagne, or slide straight onto a banquette and begin with something raw and delicious. Ocean Trout Terrine ($20) or the classic Prawn Cocktail ($18) are a good place to start before you move on to something a little more serious, like Steak Frites, Lamb Pie ($32) or newly trendy Skate ($28), with brown butter sauce, capers and caramelised witlof. If you swing by for a light lunch, there are salads that take the leaf to another level. Grilled Rainbow Trout ($20), with pickled vegetables and radicchio, is the perfect mix of sweet and slightly sour, while a classic Reuben Sandwich ($18) brings a little bit of New York to the table. After a lighter than light Passionfruit Soufflé ($18) to complete the ultimate bistro experience, I'd be surprised if you don't leave saying 'Tres Bon'. [nggallery id=75]
UPDATE, March 4, 2021: God's Own Country is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. When God's Own Country begins, it's with a quiet Yorkshire farmhouse swiftly disturbed by the sound of retching. Johnny Saxby (Josh O'Connor) has had yet another boozy night out, and he's suffering the consequences. Unfortunately for him, the land and the livestock won't wait for his hangover. It's an appropriate opening to a film that looks like a gritty, austere, social realist drama, but contains much that cannot be constrained. The after-effects of drinking have nothing on lusty, bubbling emotions. The first feature film from writer-director Francis Lee, God's Own Country pairs its struggling farm setting with surging desire, and asks its characters to weather hardships with both. Shot in the part of England the filmmaker grew up in, on a property much like his own father's, the movie follows Johnny's reaction when handsome Romanian Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu) arrives to assist during lambing season. Initially, Johnny's reluctant and even rude, though he can't help being impressed by the newcomer's skills with the job at hand. But cold nights spent in the countryside eventually warm up more than his appreciation for hard work. As something physical blossoms into even more, Gheorghe proves a positive influence on Johnny's self-destructive tendencies. If that description reminds you of another movie, you're certainly not alone. The phrase "British Brokeback Mountain" has been used to describe Lee's film since it premiered at Sundance in January. More than just a convenient way to describe a rural queer romance, it's a comparison that's well and truly earned. Men working the land and making a connection; concerns about the response of Johnny's unwell father (Ian Hart) and stoic grandmother (Gemma Jones); scenic sights and swelling feelings: the commonalities are all there, although God's Own Country ultimately follows its own path. More importantly, both films present a raw and affecting love story teeming with honesty and emotion. One thing's for certain: this isn't a restrained affair. Instead, it wears its heart proudly on Johnny and Gheorghe's muck-covered sleeves. It's a film that's unafraid to depict the harsh realities of farm life, or delve into the frustrations and troubles that come with it. Nor does it shy away from the heated passion of its erotic scenes. Blood, spit, mud, rough tumbles and tender moments all wash across the screen, drawing viewers into a realistic, resonant account of the two men's growing intimacy. In the process, God's Own Country does what every romance endeavours, but can't always manage: it ensures that every stolen glance, hard-earned smile, quiet gesture and clenched hand is felt by more than just the people on the screen. Pitch-perfect performances by O'Connor and Secareanu help, of course, with the actors giving their characters both texture and sincerity. So too does the fond but still clear-eyed way that cinematographer Joshua James Richards lenses everything from the sparse, sprawling hills to Gheorghe and Johnny's breathless encounters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-N_tdBhCjI
'Male sex addiction' sounds almost tautological. If you're a man, research indicates you already turn your thoughts to sexual intercourse around 13 times a day (or 4,745 times a year). If you're a teenager, that number is so much larger NASA hasn't even invented it yet. But of course the key word is 'addiction'. However often men think about sex, few have the time, ability or — in this case — compulsion to continuously act upon it, and those that do find tend to find themselves trapped in a debilitating, self-destructive spiral. Shame, directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger) and co-authored by Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady), gives us an insight into that cold and lonely world. Michael Fassbender stars as Brandon, an affluent New York City suit (we never find out his actual job) epitomising success and self-assurance to the outside world. He's handsome, confident and irresistible to women — capable of enticing complete strangers into romantic trysts with little more than lingering stares on a crowded subway carriage. Yet there's nothing even remotely romantic about Brandon's encounters. The motivation isn't companionship; it's sex, and when strangers aren't accommodating, prostitutes and masturbation take their place. Allusions to American Psycho's Patrick Bateman are not unwarranted, particularly given the ordered and sterile apartments in which they both reside. Like Bateman, Brandon effectively ghosts his way through a thin and trifling existence, oscillating between observing those around him with marked curiosity and quiet indifference. His condition precipitates detachment: a joyless obsession rendering him an outsider within an exclusive elite. But while Bateman's hunger for sex and violence was propelled by the need to fill a void, Brandon's hunger is the void. His addiction consumes him, along with his time and money, and it's only the unexpected arrival of his impulsive sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan), that seems capable of interrupting his paralysing routine. Given its subject matter and tenor Shame would seem a curious film to describe as 'beautiful', yet there's simply no avoiding it. Between the performances, the cinematography and even the tragic plot, McQueen has crafted something sublime here. Both Fassbender and Mulligan are mesmerising as the troubled siblings condemned to lives of disappointment for reasons the film only ever hints at, and the supporting cast (led by James Badge Dale) shines around them. Shame deals with sex addiction without ever becoming a movie about sex addiction, and what we're left with is an intimate and uncompromising character study that lingers long beyond the credits. https://youtube.com/watch?v=62nelnMXW3M
City Recital Hall will host a high-octane reimagining of a sci-fi classic this March, when Hear My Eyes — Terminator 2: Judgment Day lands in Sydney for a one-night-only anniversary special. Celebrating 35 years of James Cameron's cyberpunk blockbuster, the immersive event pairs a 4K screening of the original theatrical cut with a live electronic score and laser show, transforming the film into a full-scale audiovisual experience. Presented by Melbourne collective Hear My Eyes — which has previously reimagined films including Two Hands, Pan's Labyrinth and Hellraiser — the event sees Belgian techno producer Peter Van Hoesen performing a newly composed live score that promises to be cerebral and bass-heavy. He'll be joined by the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS) Synthesiser Ensemble, while Australian artist Robin Fox adds precision laser choreography that echoes the film's exploration of human-machine duality. Released in 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day remains one of the most influential action films ever made. The winner of three Academy Awards, the film was celebrated as much for its groundbreaking visual effects and captivating action sequences as for its ever-relevant themes of technology and humanity. This immersive screening offers a new way to experience one of cinema's most enduring thrill rides, inviting fans and newcomers alike to relive the Connors' fight against Skynet in a way that feels as bold and urgent as it first did 35 years ago. Image Credit: Supplied
The Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), curated by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, are annual awards for First Nations artists from across the country. This year, NATSIAA award winners will be announced online — and all Australians can get to know the nominees via a virtual gallery — as well as vote for their favourites in the Telstra People's Choice Award. Each year, the awards celebrates contemporary artworks across a broad range of disciplines. Think paintings, craftsmanship, photography and textile works. There are 65 finalists from across the country, and what makes the awards so special is the diversity in storytelling; there are perspectives from coastal regions, desert towns, cities and everywhere between. [caption id="attachment_776094" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Telstra Bark Painting Award Winner 2019, Noŋgirrŋa Marawili. Photo: Fiona Morrison[/caption] For 37 years, Telstra NATSIAA has represented the art of the nation — culturally, geographically and historically, as well as looking to our future. And long-standing partner Telstra has been part of the awards for almost three decades. For those who plan to visit the Northern Territory, you can also experience the artworks in person at the Telstra NATSIAA Exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory from Saturday, August 8. And it's good news for those of us who'd usually miss out on the awards ceremony, as this year's presentation (usually held on the grounds of the museum) will be broadcast online. You can join host Brooke Boney on Friday, August 7 to find out which artists have won by visiting the Telstra NATSIAA website from 6pm. While you're there, check out the fully interactive, virtual gallery and chuck a vote in for your favourites.
Parramatta might be smack bang in the middle of the Sydney metro area but it's home to a surprising amount of natural beauty. There are adventures of all kinds to be had — from swimming in wild water holes to strolling through ancient mangrove forests and discovering Indigenous bush foods. So, if you've been looking for new places to explore, here are eight ideas to launch you into action. Consider starting your day with a ferry trip: it's a one-hour journey from Circular Quay to Parramatta Wharf, which takes in all sorts of watery wonders, from Goat and Cockatoo Islands to Kissing Point and Homebush Bay. Once you've arrived, you have a bunch of ways to spend the day discovering something special. [caption id="attachment_703446" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Drewitz via Destination NSW[/caption] SWIM IN LAKE PARRAMATTA After closing for 72 years, Lake Parramatta reopened for swimmers in 2015. You'll find it just north of Parramatta CBD, surrounded by 70 hectares of bushland. If getting in the water isn't your thing, try getting on it — specifically, in a rowboat which you can hire from Parramatta Rowboats. Grab a snack at Lake Parramatta Cafe or take your own and cook up a storm on one of the lakeside barbecues. There's also plenty of space to roll out a picnic blanket and relax. If you're feeling active, there are a number of walking tracks to conquer, from the 4.2-kilometre Lake Circuit, which follows the shoreline, to the 1.5-kilometre She-Oak Track. [caption id="attachment_748077" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CYCLE THE PARRAMATTA PARK LOOP One of Sydney's great city parks is Parramatta Park, which has 85 hectares of greenery. See the best from two wheels on a cycle around the Parramatta Park Loop. This easy, 3.2-kilometre route passes through pretty grasslands and mature treescapes. Be sure to check out Grey-Headed Flying Fox Camp, home to around 5000 endangered creatures. To extend your adventure, follow the connecting cycle path leading to Sydney Olympic Park along the Parramatta River. WALK BADU MANGROVE BOARDWALK Before European invasion, the Parramatta River was flanked by mangrove forests. These days, many of them are gone, but, on Badu Mangrove Boardwalk, you can still surround yourself with trees that are centuries old. Wandering among the twisting branches and above-water roots, you'll also see the many creatures that call mangroves home, from crabs to cormorants. Be sure to wander north to the waterbird refuge to see all sorts of birds, including Australian pelicans, black-winged stilts and sharp-tailed sandpipers. Take your binoculars with you. PLAY IN DOG-FRIENDLY PARKS Have a four-legged friend who wants to get in on your adventures? There's a stack of parks in Parramatta where he or she is welcome off the leash. Get started at Dan Mahoney Reserve, which just happens to be across the road from dog-friendly pub Albion Hotel. Also worth a run are Burlington Memorial Park in Northmead, Dan Moore Reserve in North Rocks and Cowells Lane Reserve in Ermington. Should you or your pooch work up an appetite, there's a bunch of dog-friendly cafes to choose from, including River Cafe on the waterfront and Social Hideout in North Parramatta. DO LAPS AT THE BRAND-NEW AQUATIC CENTRE Six years and $88.6 million in the making, Parramatta Aquatic Centre has been one of the most highly anticipated openings in the area. The 40,000-square-metre facility is now welcoming swimmers, just in time for summer. For the littles, there's an indoor learn-to-swim pool and water playground — and a creche, if you really need some 'me time'. Whether you want to get your heart pumping in the gym (or a group fitness class) or unwind in the sauna or steam room, you'll be able to cool off in the 50-metre outdoor pool, then treat yourself to a smoothie at the on-site cafe. MASTER A 1080 AT THE JAMES RUSE WATER AND SKATE PARK James Ruse Water and Skate Park is a great spot to hang out during the warmer months, with barbecue facilities, picnic tables and plenty of shade available. A generously sized playground and skate park provide entertainment for kids, both big and small, all year round. There is also a water playground active from September to May, 9am to 8pm — perfect for those sweltering summer days. HAVE A SHOT AT ARCHERY Get your Robin Hood on at Sydney Olympic Park's Archery Centre. Built for the 2000 Games, it's now an educational facility where members of the public can have a go at the mighty bow and arrow. Casual sessions happen at 10am and 2pm every Saturday and Sunday (plus again at 5pm in summer) and run for about 1.5 hours. All equipment, as well as introductory instructions, is provided. If you get a taste for the game, you can continue to the Silver Arrow Program, during which you'll learn ten top shooting techniques over three one-hour sessions. WANDER THROUGH A ROSE GARDEN There is plenty to check out in the sprawling Parramatta Park, but the Rumsey Rose Garden is undoubtedly the prettiest (and the best-smelling) part. The peak of spring (October-November) is the best time to visit when the area, which once served as a lumber yard and a bowling club before being transformed into a garden in 1995, is in full bloom. Here, you'll find one of the biggest collections of fragrant heritage roses in the country, including some species that are rarely found in Australia. Stroll through the gardens, stopping to smell some of the more fragrant buds, and then continue your refined adventure by visiting Wistaria Gardens. FOLLOW PARRAMATTA VALLEY CYCLEWAY Parramatta River begins just north of the Parramatta CBD and meanders east for 15 kilometres, before flowing into Sydney Harbour. Thanks to a shared cycle path, which follows the water, you can experience it at a leisurely pace on foot or bicycle. You'll begin at the river's head in Parramatta Park and can continue as far as you'd like. Along the way, admire the views of Parramatta Park and Sydney Olympic Park. If you need some fuel, there are a few waterside cafes and restaurants to try, including 1021 Mediterranean at the southern end of the Alfred Street Bridge or Sahra By The River for Mediterranean-inspired eats. And if you really want to stretch your legs, head to Armoury Wharf Cafe in Olympic Park. For more historical landmarks and things to discover in Parramatta, head this way.
An escape to Aotearoa New Zealand can cater to all your holiday desires, whatever they may be. Whether your idea of a perfect getaway is to be gazing out at incredible scenery, absorbing it all on a hike, bike, paddle, swim or walk, or being pampered into a state of utter relaxation, New Zealand will take your breath away. Make where you stay part of your holiday too, rather than simply a place to rest your head after an experience-packed day. From camping out under the stars beneath one of the darkest skies on Earth to retreating into luxury residences next to vineyards and cellar doors, or even going completely off-grid, the getaways you'll find in New Zealand are uniquely extraordinary. Although New Zealand beckons for a holiday year-round, the seasons will shape your sojourn too. Revel in the charm of changing landscapes in autumn, catch your breath on alpine walks and in hot springs in winter, or experience the energy of spring as native wildlife and vegetation start afresh. No matter when you visit, you'll be welcomed with manaakitanga, a Maōri value encompassing a deep sense of connection and welcome, for a holiday you'll wish never had to end. We've partnered with 100% Pure New Zealand to curate some of our favourite stays in New Zealand, including which season they're best experienced in, to help you plan an unforgettable trip. Flick the switch for incredible getaway venues in autumn, winter and spring. Jump to switcher
Think that Uber has completely transformed the idea of getting a ride from A to B? Actually, that's just the beginning. Airbus has just announced plans to start building a new kind of short-distance transportation that'll really make catching a cab completely different. Given that the company specialises in building aircraft, the fact that they're taking taxis into the sky shouldn't be that surprising. Yep, where their proposed helicopter-like vehicles are going they don't need roads — or, in a turn of events that might thrill or frighten you depending on how adventurous you are, they don't need drivers either. Their battery-powered CityAirbus will be designed to ferry about both passengers and small parcels without anyone at the helm, and will be booked and ordered via smartphone apps. The project is aimed towards easing urban congestion, particularly in some of the world's largest, most crowded cities. Of course, given that everyone is just getting used to concepts such as driverless cabs on the ground and slurpees delivered by drone, Airbus will have plenty of hurdles to scale before their futuristic technology becomes available to the masses, legal issues included. That hasn't deterred the industrious company, however, who continue to look onwards and upwards. Work started in February this year, test flights of the first protoype are slated to take place in 2017, and Airbus has stated the end product might be zooming about in as little as ten years, so watch this space — or the skies, more accurately. It seems that the world of flying cars that science fiction efforts like Back to the Future, The Fifth Element and even The Jetsons have been promising us for years might soon be a reality. Image: via Airbus.
They're the stories we all lapped up as kids, telling us about enchanted creatures, magic and more. They're behind plenty of movies that still grace our screens, too. And, they're the focus of a huge Australian-exclusive exhibition at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) across the summer of 2023–24. Yes, we're talking about fairy tales. The entrancing showcase is indeed called Fairy Tales and, taking over GOMA's entire ground floor, it explores how these folklore-, myth- and legend-related narratives have fascinated audiences through art and culture over not just years and decades, but centuries. If creepy woods have influenced sculptures, or tales of princes and princesses have inspired painters, expect to see it here, in a blockbuster showcase that runs from Saturday, December 2, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024. [caption id="attachment_758872" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama[/caption] Also included: everything from drawings and installations through to fashion, as well as films and filmic elements, such as props, and costumes. There's also an accompanying movie program in GOMA's Australian Cinematheque, of course, so you don't need to wish for big-screen wonders as well. Wicked witches, magic animals (fierce and friendly alike), coming-of-age tales, shifting gender roles, bravery, loyalty, castles, coaches, pumpkins — they all feature. Artists involved include GOMA favourites Yayoi Kusama and Patricia Piccinini, plus Jana Sterbak, Kiki Smith, Abdul Abdullah, Ron Mueck and Charles Blackman. The list goes on, like breadcrumb trails. And, if you like huge site-specific installations, the South Brisbane gallery has commissioned something special from Henrique Oliveira. The Brazilian artist has transformed the exhibition's first piece into a stunning gnarled and twisted woodland that you won't want to stop wandering through. Exhibition images: Sarah Ward.
Jump in your car smack-bang in the middle of Adelaide and, in 40 minutes, you'll be among the rolling hills and idyllic vineyards of McLaren Vale. Very few wine regions on the planet are so easily accessible from a big city. Without leaving the area's four square kilometres, you can visit more than 70 cellar doors, eat your way through Mediterranean-style dishes, cycle along the Shiraz Trail and venture inside an architecturally impressive rubik's cube. And just beyond lies the rugged cliffs and dreamy coves of the Fleurieu Peninsula coastline. We've created this comprehensive guide to the breathtaking coastline, so you can spend more time sipping on great wine and less time lost down dirt roads. If you have the time, immerse yourself in the Clare Valley and the Limestone Coast, too. Or explore Adelaide — there are plenty of underground bars and fairy light-lit rooftops to uncover. 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 limitations on where you can go on a holiday. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. [caption id="attachment_680419" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Red Poles, Adam Bruzzone[/caption] EAT Thanks to its combination of fertile soils, proximity to the sea and Mediterranean-like climate, McLaren Vale is a chef's — and food lover's — paradise. There's a cornucopia of restaurants and bars to choose from. Start with a caffeine hit and bagel at Dal Mare Coffee, where you can also hire a bicycle, or Mullygrub, which does excellent coffee and hearty brekkies, such as the hot-smoked salmon bowl. For lunch with vineyard views, head to Gather at Coriole; its menu takes inspiration from foraged ingredients — think buffalo curd with citrus and pink peppercorn and potatoes with cultured cream, native juniper and chives. Then there's The Salopian Inn, run by passionate chef Karena Armstrong, who draws on produce from her flourishing organic kitchen garden, and Red Poles, a quirky eatery dotted with artworks and cute courtyards. Alternatively, a mini-trip to Italy is on the menu at Pizzateca for woodfired pizzas with expertly crispy and chewy bases. [caption id="attachment_680418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maxwell Wines[/caption] However, the most unusual setting for a meal in McLaren Vale has to be Maxwell Wines' underground limestone cave. Dug out single-handedly a century ago for the purpose of growing mushrooms, this extraordinary space is now a 50-seat restaurant. Head chef Fabian Lehmann, who cut his teeth in Europe's Michelin-starred institutions, offers simple yet luxurious dishes, such as lobster with celeriac and yuzu or chicken with mushrooms and leek. If you're exploring further afield (which is definitely recommended), be sure to visit McLaren Flat for lunch or dinner at The Currant Shed. Or, drive to Port Willunga to feast on super-fresh seafood and local produce at Star of Greece. [caption id="attachment_680416" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alpha Box and Dice, Adam Bruzzone[/caption] DRINK The majority of McLaren Vale's wineries are small-batch, boutique operations, so, no matter where you go tasting, you're likely to come across out-of-the-box drops. However, if you're extra adventurous, make Inkwell Wines your first stop. Its wines are all single vineyard, additive-free and made with minimal interference, ensuring their expressiveness. Other spots keen on experimentation are Alpha Box and Dice, where head winemaker Sam Berketa is currently working on an A–Z of wines, and Mollydooker, whose intense drops have their origins in 114 acres of vineyards along Seaview Ridge. Meanwhile, Gemtree is devoted to organic production. [caption id="attachment_680415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitolo Wines[/caption] Meanwhile, Mitolo Wines comes out of a rich Italian heritage, with the family having arrived in Australia from Abruzzo in the 1950s. From there, head to SC Pannell to sample an array of Mediterranean-style varietals from Spanish tempranillo to Portuguese touriga nacional, and on to Hither and Yon — its range includes aglianico, a variety from southern Italy, and Spanish mataro. If beer's more on your mind, there's Goodieson for left-of-field brews — from mango NEIPA to coffee stout — as well as Shifty Lizard in Willunga. While you're seaside, you might as well sample a single malt whisky or two at Fleurieu Distillery. [caption id="attachment_650548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] D'Arenberg Cube[/caption] DO With so much food and wine to work your way through, you'll probably want to get active at some point. Do just that on the Shiraz Trail, a 32-kilometre off-road cycle path that winds its way from Willunga to McLaren Vale, passing numerous wineries, restaurants and cafes. Another option is a visit to Goolwa, a sweeping beach a half-hour drive southwest of McLaren Vale, for a cockling session. Cockling, for the uninitiated, involves shuffling in the sand to uncover pipis, which you can take home and turn into a tasty soup or pasta. Note that cockling is only permitted between November and May, and any pipis smaller than 3.5-centimetres wide must be left to their own devices. To add a bunch of local produce to your pipi soup, head to Willunga Farmers' Market, which has been a gathering spot for farmers, growers and producers since 2002. Back in McLaren Vale, there's the famous D'Arenberg Cube. This incredible, five-storey architectural masterpiece, inspired by the rubik's cube, holds all sorts of wonders, including a wine sensory room, a virtual fermenter, an alternative realities museum and an array of installations. [caption id="attachment_680411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Jetty Port Willunga[/caption] STAY To sink into total luxury after eating and drinking all day and all night, check into The Jetty, Port Willunga. You'll have an entire apartment to yourself, perched on absolute beachfront, with epic views over Gulf Saint Vincent's azure waters. Plus, you can count on a private deck, a deep hot tub and a king-size bed. Meanwhile, at The Farm Willunga, you'll be sleeping in an apartment on an organic, biodynamic olive grove and vineyard. Expect to arrive to a bottle of complimentary wine and your own balcony overlooking rural vistas backdropped by the ocean. Breakfast takes the form of a gourmet hamper, crowded with local goodies. On the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula lies Port Elliot, home to Jimmy Smith's Dairy, a dairy-turned-bed and breakfast. With the help of Studio AKA's Amy Grundy, local couple Noel and Robyn Akmens transformed the original building into a series of stunning rooms. Original features, such as bluestone and airy ceilings, interweave with contemporary touches, including handcrafted furniture, built by Noel himself. Also on the southern side are the Beach Huts Middleton, a series of super-cute dwellings, painted in cheery, bright stripes. All come with a welcoming bottle of bubbly and, depending on which you choose, dashes of comfort — from spa baths to barbecue areas. 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. Top image: D'Arenberg Cube via SATC. 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.
The service industry has really been through some things lately. 'Shake up' doesn't even come close. Crowd-sourcing, app-ification, and hyper-localisation mean that the service industry we enjoy looks nothing like what our parents knew. And the latest offering from the team behind Paramount Coffee Project, Reuben Hills and Melbourne's Seven Seeds is a testament to this brave new world. When it was announced back in August, Paramount House Hotel promised it wouldn't be a hotel in the traditional sense of the word — a promise which it most certainly kept. It's not a glitzy chain where everything looks and feels the same no matter which country you're visiting. It's more of an immersive local experience which gives visitors a genuine slice of life in Surry Hills. The hotel is part of Paramount House, which currently houses Paramount Coffee, a co-working space and Golden Age Cinema. The downstairs cafe acts as the entrance to the new hotel lobby, and a two-storey extension houses the 29 suites. The hotel also contains a rooftop gym and outdoor cafe — dubbed Paramount Recreation Club — and a brand new restaurant from Ester named Poly. (Yes, it does room service.) "We hope to encapsulate the spirit of Surry Hills and offer the guest an immersive local community experience," said Ping Jin Ng, who co-owns the hotel along with Russell Beard and Mark Dundon. "We are considered but not staged, generous but not lavish and we will offer a memorable and inspiring stay — not just comfortable and slick." The vision for the hotel has been realised by Melbourne architecture firm, Breathe. You may know them for their work on Seven Seeds, Brother Baba Budan, Host, the Collingwood Arts Precinct, The Commons and Transformer. It's connected two buildings on Commonwealth Street, added a copper-clad extension to the roof and decked it out with little luxuries like private terraces and generous spots of greenery. All of this helps make Paramount House Hotel one of the very best hotels in Sydney. Rooms start at $225 a night, and have a mini bar stocked with snacks from LP's Quality Meats and Tom Shobbrook wines, and Aesop products in all the bathrooms — of course. Images: Tom Ross and Sharon Cairns.
For Sydney-based cinephiles, there's no time of year quite like Sydney Film Festival. This year, just as Cannes concludes, it returns for its 73rd edition, taking place from Wednesday, June 3 to Sunday, June 14. This year's program is built on 248 films sourced from 81 countries, so with such an abundance of choice, you're likely to find more than enough to keep you busy for the festival's duration. With a program this big, we may as well start with the biggest moments. Opening the festival during the Opening Night Gala on June 3 will be the Australian premiere of Silenced, a documentary from Selina Miles that follows human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson fighting against the weaponisation of defamation law to be used against survivors and journalists. This year's Sydney Film Prize competition will see a number of major entries vying for the $60,000 prize. Including but not limited to the postwar Germany set, Sandra Hüller (Project Hail Mary)- starring Fatherland, a taut and provocative thriller set in the tinderbox of 2022 Russia in Minotaur, the Léa Seydoux (No Time to Die)-starring Gentle Monster, a thought-provoking drama set around parenting styles starring Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) and Renate Reinsve (Backrooms) in Fjord, and the Australian-made queer romance horror Leviticus. Other films running in the competition include the emotional story of reconciliation in the wake of the Rwandan Genocide, Ben'Imana, a near-future drama where grieving parents turn to AI to rebuild their family, Sheep in the Box, a comedic dinner-party turned sexual awakening in Olivia Wilde's The Invite, an intoxicating mission set in the lawless Bulgarian borderlands in The Dreamed Adventure and No Good Men, a political rom-com examining sexism and relationships in Afghanistan before the 2021 Taliban takeover. Beyond the competition, a number of major stars, both local and international, feature in the festival lineup. There's Hugh Jackman's part as a dying outlaw king alongside Jodie Comer in the gritty historical fiction The Death of Robin Hood, there's also the true story of a dramatic 1977 hostage situation between a disgruntled developer (Bill Skarsgård) and an insurance executive (Dacre Montgomery) in Dead Man's Wire. There's also a 1980s NYC-set queer love story starring Rami Malek in The Man I Love; a chronicle of Vladimir Putin's rise to power starring Jude Law and Paul Dano in The Wizard of the Kremlin; Pressure, starring Andrew Scott as a meteorologist who must help decide to launch the D-Day invasion, a satire of privilege starring Elle Fanning, Callum Turner and Riley Keough in Rosebush Pruning and a one-of-a-kind psychosexual horror remake starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The Documentary Australia Award also returns with a lineup of true stories sourced from around the world. That includes the cross-country adventure of a lifetime for four young Queensland bull riders in Rodeo Dreams, an eight-year profile of a piano doctor in The Piano Tuner, the story of a six-day, tight-budget mockbuster action film production in suburban Adelaide in Mockbuster, the world's greatest whistling competition in Whistle, and an Indigenous PNG community's fight against a project that would pollute the river they depend on in Sukundimi Walks Before Me. Other documentaries outside of the program include an award-winning look into a friendship between an ageing Macedonian farmer and a stork in The Tale of Silyan, an equally hopeful and disturbing look into the wild frontier of AI, starring those who create it and those who caution against it in The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptomist; a portrait of two Indigenous Mexican mycologists preserving ancient knowledge alongside modern science in Daughters of the Forest; an award-winning documentary on polar bears in Manitoba in Nuisance Bear; a love story between a Lebanese journalist and Syrian camerman told across 13 years in Birds of War and many, many more. Miniaturised programs return, bringing lineups of new and restored films organised around themes like fashion, art, music, sustainability, disability, European female and genderqueer filmmakers, indigenous films, family films, the strange and scary and more — including a program of Brazilian films curated by the Oscar-nominated director Kleber Mendonça Filho (The Secret Agent) and a retrospective on the pioneering work of the late great Barbara Hammer. As for the theme that unites them all? As Festival Director Nashen Moodley puts it, "We want to invite you to join us at SFF this year, where each moment offers an opportunity for discovery and empathy. Art and cinema help us make sense of the world, take us into the lives of people far away from us, and remind us to remain vigilant about our own rights and freedoms. And we can't forget, they're also an enormous source of joy." We could go on and on. As mentioned, there are hundreds of films to choose from and only twelve days to see them all. So don't wait any longer, open up your calendar and book tickets or a flexipass to catch as many films as humanly possible — 'tis the season. Visit the Sydney Film Festival website for more information or to get tickets. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
There's a new gin in town and it's pink. And when we say pink, we mean really pink — like, Grease girl gang pink. This delightful concoction will be in glasses for spring and its creators are the master distillers at Bass and Flinders, which you'll find on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Dubbed Cerise, the gin gets its pinkness from a blend of cherries and raspberries, which is layered with hibiscus and orange blossom aromas. These ingredients are sourced from farms at nearby Red Hill. All bottles are made in small batches, to keep the gin's high quality and delicate flavour profile. Apparently it will have a slight sweetness, similar to Turkish delight. As with all Bass and Flinders gins, the spirit is based on grapes. "Using grape spirit for gin provides another dimension to the gin's botanicals and adds to the viscosity, texture and flavour — this, combined with seasonal produce, produces extraordinary spirits," says head distiller Wayne Klintworth. The gin will go on sale on September 12. It'll be available for a limited time, only at the cellar door and via the distillery's website. Bass and Flinders have been making unusual gins and other spirits, including vodka, limoncello, grappa and a five-year-aged brandy called Ochre, since 2009.
Search for Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Mulan and Cinderella on Disney+ and you don't just get one option. Thanks to the Mouse House's devotion to remaking its animated hits in live-action, viewers can watch versions brought to life with actors, too. Come April, search for Peter Pan and the same will apply, courtesy of the Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore)-starring Peter Pan & Wendy. The first of Disney's do-overs for 2023, arriving before The Little Mermaid, this one is heading straight to streaming. There, it'll join Lady and the Tramp and Pinocchio, too, with both also bypassed cinemas. And, this take on JM Barrie's classic hails from a filmmaker with experience bringing animated fare to live with flesh and blood, with David Lowery also behind the gorgeous Pete's Dragon. Based on the just-dropped trailer, Peter Pan & Wendy's storyline goes heavy on the latter, as she meets that other titular figure, tiny fairy Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys. With her brothers, she's spirited off to Neverland, where Captain Hook awaits — listing off her full name like she's in trouble, in fact. Cast-wise, Ever Anderson — daughter of actor Milla Jovovich and filmmaker Paul WS Anderson, and also seen in the pair's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter — plays Wendy, while Alexander Molony (The Reluctant Landlord) gets flying as Peter. They're joined by Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish) as Tinker Bell, Joshua Pickering (A Discovery of Witches) and Jacobi Jupe (Cupid) as John and Michael Darling, and everyone from Molly Parker (Pieces of a Woman) and Alan Tudyk (Strange World) to Jim Gaffigan (Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania). With Lowery coming to Peter Pan & Wendy fresh from The Green Knight, the first trailer for the former shares the latter's love of lush greenery — and memorable villains. Indeed, don't go expecting a dashing, debonair version of Law as Captain Hook. Lowery's version of Peter Pan aims to take cues from both the novel and Disney's animated adaptation. "We wanted to invigorate our retelling with emotional sincerity, an open heart, and a grand yearning for adventure. Hundreds of incredible artists spent many years bringing this film to the screen; I'm excited for audiences to see their work, to go on this ride, and to rediscover an evergreen tale from a new perspective," the filmmaker said. Check out the Peter Pan & Wendy trailer below: Peter Pan & Wendy will be available to stream via Disney+ from Friday, April 28.
Some things are just so stunning that they need to be seen multiple times, and getting to walk through Vincent van Gogh's dazzling artworks at Melbourne's multi-sensory digital art gallery The Lume is clearly one of them. So, the popular exhibition that it first opened with, and that's also toured a version around the country, will come alive again in the Victorian capital from Boxing Day 2024. Made your own Lego version of The Starry Night? Next, you can walk through the iconic painting projected large across the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Arriving a few weeks after Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius closes in early December, the timing of the experience's return means that you'll be able to pair summer's sunny days with some sunflowers. The big two will be back, of course — aka two of van Gogh's most popular works transformed into vivid new guises. Again, when you see The Starry Night, you'll actually be walking through it as it takes over an entire room. Love Sunflowers (the painting, as well as the plant)? Then get ready for the immersive Sunflower room, where golden petals stretch as far as the eye can see. A family-friendly experience, the van Gogh exhibition creates the sensation of diving right into the Dutch artist's paintings — and you definitely won't feel like you're just standing in an ordinary gallery. Attendees encounter van Gogh's world-famous works in fine detail thanks to state-of-the-art technology from the Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which is behind The Lume. Think: high-definition projectors throwing 360-degree images onto four-storey-high walls in a 3000-square-metre gallery, with a classical musical score accompanying the vibrant colours, too, as presented in cinema-quality surround sound. While plenty will be familiar when the experience brightens up Melbourne again — including an immersive cafe inspired by the artist's Café Terrace at Night and an artist studio where you can learn the techniques behind his pieces — Finding Vincent in shared VR is making its global premiere, taking the idea of stepping into van Gogh's creativity up another level. "We have always embraced the fusion of art and technology to reimagine how audiences engage with masterpieces. This shared VR innovation is the latest step in that evolution, merging creativity with cutting-edge digital capability to create moments of awe that go beyond the traditional gallery visit," says Grande Experiences and The Lume Melbourne founder Bruce Peterson. Van Gogh at The Lume opens at The Lume, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, from Thursday, December 26, 2024 — head to the venue's website for tickets and further information. Images: Morgan Sette / Miles Noel Photography / Grande Experiences.
