Australian theatre fans haven't yet had the chance to see Dear Evan Hansen on the stage without leaving the country, but that's finally changing in 2024. When Sydney Theatre Company announced its season for this year, it revealed that the six-time Tony Award-winner would grace theatres in the Harbour City. In excellent news for folks around the rest of the country, the season will now make stops in Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide as well. When a musical becomes a Broadway sensation, FOMO tends to sink in for Aussie theatre aficionados. Rave reviews might start pouring in, and awards as well, but seeing whichever production has New York talking usually requires a Big Apple trip — an expensive endeavour even for the biggest stage aficionado. The other option: waiting patiently for NYC's brightest shows to head Down Under. It happened with Hamilton eventually, and now it's happening with Dear Evan Hansen. Dear Evan Hansen premiered in the US in 2016, then made the leap to the big screen in 2021. The next stop, back in stage form, is Sydney's Roslyn Packer Theatre from Saturday, October 12, then Playhouse Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne from December 2024, Canberra Circuit Theatre from February 2025 and Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide from April 2025. Brisbanites and Perthians, runs for both cities haven't been revealed as yet — so start crossing your fingers. Created for the stage by songwriting and composing duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — who nabbed an Oscar for La La Land's 'City of Stars' — with playwright Steven Levenson (Fosse/Verdon), the musical spins a coming-of-age story about a plethora of high school struggles. Dear Evan Hansen follows its titular anxious teen, who is advised by his therapist to pen letters to himself to highlight the good aspects of his day. Then one of his notes ends up in a similarly lonely classmate's hands, sparking a complex chain reaction. STC, who is putting on the production with Michael Cassel Group, has also announced a number of cast members who'll bring Dear Evan Hansen to life on Australia's stages. Get ready to see Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins) as Evan's mother Heidi, Natalie O'Donnell (MAMMA MIA!, Come From Away) and Martin Crewes as Cynthia and Larry Murphy, Georgia Laga'aia as Zoe Murphy, Harry Targett as Connor Murphy, Carmel Rodrigues as Alana Beck and Jacob Rozario as Jared Kleinman. You'll need to wait until August to find out who'll be following in Ben Platt's (Theater Camp) footsteps — after he played the lead part on both Broadway and in the film — as Evan in the Aussie show. Dear Evan Hansen Australian Season: From Saturday, October 12, 2024 — Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney From December 2024 — Playhouse Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne From February 2025 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra From April 2025 — Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide Sydney Theatre Company's production of Dear Evan Hansen will kick off in Sydney in October 2024, then tour the country. Head to the show's website for tickets, waitlists and more details. Images: Universal.
If you're reading this, it's likely you're in New South Wales — maybe you've lived here your whole life, maybe you're a relatively new transplant, maybe you're visiting for a few months — but how much of its 809,000 square kilometres of bountiful land have you really explored? Next time you head for an outdoor adventure, instead of sticking to your favourite beach or local park, venture a little further afield and check out what regional NSW has to offer. Spanning ocean and desert, NSW boasts an abundance of local food, live music and breathtaking nature to take in. From the lush Orange vineyards to the crystal waters of Nelson Bay, there are festivals and events for every taste. And it's all happening in the new year. Now's your chance to explore. Without some planning, however, your next few months are going to look a little dull. To help you out, we've teamed up with Destination NSW to put together a handy list of top things to do with your entourage just in time for the new year.
After reinvigorating the idea of the New York steakhouse with their inner-city opening Clam Bar (one of our favourite newcomers of 2023), Dan Pepperell, Mikey Clift and Andy Tyson are expanding downwards. Meet Neptune's Grotto, an exciting new subterranean Italian diner which will take over the space beneath the inner-city diner. This will be the fourth venue from the accomplished and always boundary-pushing trio. They first linked up on Bistrot 916, bringing their respective experience at award-winning venues such as Restaurant Hubert, 10 William Street, Alberto's Lounge and Rockpool Dining Group to the sleek French bistro in Potts Point. Since then, they've brought the Harbour City Surry Hills' Pellegrino 2000, a mainstay on our best restaurants in Sydney list and the spot that none other than Taylor Swift chose to dine at while in town — plus the aforementioned Clam Bar, a CBD collision course of the luxurious and the fun, bringing together prawn cocktails and egg salad with caviar and porterhouse steaks. [caption id="attachment_910199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pasta at Pellegrino 2000[/caption] Clam Bar is located on top of the expansive underground space that was formerly home to Tokonoma by Toko. That's where Neptune's Grotto will be located, arriving on the corner of Young and Bridge Street with a menu dedicated to Northern Italian cooking and a hidden entrance around on Loftus Lane. When it arrives in the Sydney CBD right by Circular Quay at some point in May, guests can expect a selection of dishes built around stuffed pasta and slow-cooked sauces, with regional specialties like tortellini alla panna being given the spotlight. As with all of Pepperell, Clift and Tyson's venues, there will be a playful, one-of-a-kind energy differentiating Neptune's Grotto from your standard Italian restaurant. [caption id="attachment_944249" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The space when it operated at Tokonoma.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_801368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bistrot 916, Cassandra Hannagan.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_910345" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pellegrino 2000[/caption] [caption id="attachment_908265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Clam Bar, Jason Loucus.[/caption] Neptune's Grotto will arrive at the corner of Young and Bridge Street in May 2024. Keep an eye on the Neptune's Grotto Instagram page to stay up to date.
Passion. Vulnerability. Determination. This is what Mia Thompson offers when asked what's needed to make a career out of dance. The full-time artist speaks from a position of experience, having had both feet planted in the world of dance since childhood. "I started dancing when I was 4," Thompson shares. "I wouldn't say I was a superstar — just running around in a cute little tutu thinking everything's great. I have six sisters, so I think it was a way to get us into a controlled space together that was also artistic. It's in our family's blood to be artistic." Embarking on any creative journey is difficult — embarking on one as your 9–5 that satisfies your inherent creativity and enables you to share your craft with the world is especially so. With the support of LG SIGNATURE — a proud partner of Sydney Dance Company and supporter of the wider arts community — we had a chat with Thompson, exploring her travels to the world's stages, her current position with Sydney Dance Company and what it takes to be a full-time dancer. [caption id="attachment_866757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pedro Greig[/caption] "I THOUGHT WHAT YOU DID WITH DANCE WAS TEACH" Not fussy on her favourite style, Thompson fell in love with all forms of dance. Ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop — for Thompson, it was a joy to just be moving. In high school, after watching an older sister perform, she realised that the world of dance extended further than the classes she was in. "I thought what you did with dance was teach," she laughs. "I saw the Queensland Ballet do The Sleeping Beauty and I was like, 'They're getting paid to do that?! I want to do that!'" After finishing high school, Thompson joined Queensland Ballet's professional program. "I did one year but the director didn't really like me — he thought I was only doing it 'cos my sister was. I was told it'd be unlikely that I'd get a contract with them, and that I could stay and get my training or find another program with a segue into another company." A heavy blow, but a blessing in the end. Because, what's vital to flourishing in the world of professional movement art? "A school or teacher that supports you as an individual. You can go to the top school in Europe, but it might not be the top school for you. If they don't understand you, they're not going to give you the most that you can get out of yourself as an artist. I was so headstrong on getting a ballet career, so being in a contemporary [dance] company now, maybe Queensland Ballet could see something I couldn't." Following her training in Queensland, Thompson went westwards with a successful audition for WAAPA. Living away from home for the first time, evolving as a dancer and starting friendships, the tingle for travel set in. Thompson secured a spot in the Scottish Ballet where, in 2018, she was promoted to first dancer. [caption id="attachment_865975" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rimbaud Patron[/caption] LANDING ON HOME SOIL While at the Scottish Ballet, she met her future fiancé. "He wanted to do contemporary and I told him about Sydney Dance Company. We were just friends at this point, and I was like 'You should go'." He auditioned, got in and the pair got together, giving long-distance love a go for a year. In the audience of a Sydney Dance Company production — and seeing the new-found articulation in her partner's body — Thompson had a revelation: "With ballet, you're striving for perfection. Watching the [Sydney Dance Company] dancers — the way they moved and the understanding they had for their body — there was nothing that I could relate to. I wanted that, I wanted to be able to speak on behalf of myself and my body." Dance is a notoriously cutthroat industry. There's limited spots, stiff competition and a relatively short career span. "You have no idea how many dancers, even in Europe, are just desperate to get into Sydney Dance Company. We are the leading contemporary dance company in Australia, even in the world. Young artists leaving school are just so keen to get in, they want to know everything about you, it's like we're celebrities. It's very easy to forget — I remember myself at that age, dancers would walk past and my jaw would drop. Even before I auditioned, that was me looking at the company." The chance to audition arose and she took it. She got the longed-for call and high-tailed it Down Under, finishing her time with the Scottish Ballet as Cinderella. As Thompson speaks, she radiates an almost palpable enthusiasm for her vocation. Sydney Dance Company's stellar reputation is one that has not only been earned, but continues to be a work in progress. "If we're not performing, a typical day starts at 9.30am and ends at 6pm. You rehearse repertoire or create new work, explore ways of moving. You can have your steps, but every day I see dancers in the mirror or talking to each other trying to find new ways to develop it. It literally never stops growing, which is beautiful in itself." [caption id="attachment_866753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pedro Greig[/caption] "IT'S FLOW STATE" When seated behind a desk, it's difficult to imagine a work life dedicated to exploring and executing movement. Beyond perfecting shape after shape, there's a bottomless list of to-dos. "After a show," Thompson shares, "you'll see most of the dancers in a cubicle, with our feet shoved in an ice bucket to cool." Plus, there's warm-up classes, prehab/rehab (to safeguard those hardworking bodies), rehearsals, feedback sessions and self-review videos, collaboration, hair and makeup, stage direction and spacial notes. The end result? Expertly controlled dancers commanding the stage, allowing audiences to connect and feel something. When asked what it feels like to perform on stage, Thompson's eyes widen and she lifts her chin. "When I dance I feel a great sense of freedom and release," she smiles. "It's like I'm in a trance. There's no better feeling than feeling completely lost on stage, surrounded by your colleagues. Working with them but also feeling completely alone in this world. It's my happiness, it's my sadness, it's my expressive therapy. It's flow state." Defining what it takes to be a full-time dancer is so subjective that it's no simple task. But, when you reflect on Thompson's persistence and determination, her desire to understand her body and to collaborate on stage, and the palpable energy and emotion that buzzes around her when she speaks about dancing, it's clear that it's not just a job. "Some days can feel like work," Mia finishes. "But the minute you step out on stage, you just get lost in it." A supporter of the wider arts community, LG SIGNATURE is a proud partner of Sydney Dance Company. Head to the website to learn more about the partnership. Top image: Pedro Greig
Now that spring has sprung, what better time to give your old ceramics collection a spruce up? Especially since you can score some fab pieces on the cheap, at Mud Australia's one-day-only Sydney seconds sale. The legendary Aussie label is opening the doors to its Marrickville studio on Saturday, November 23, and is slinging a whole assortment of its handmade porcelain and homewares for at least 40 percent off the regular price. There'll be dinner sets, bakeware, tableware, vases, lights and pot plants (and more). Head along from 9am to find some very pocket-friendly deals on designs that are samples, slightly chipped, left over from discontinued lines, imperfectly glazed, or as the team describes, "outrageously organic". You've got until 4pm to load up on cute ceramic bargains and sort out your mates' pressies (and Christmas pressies, it's soon) for the rest of the year. Mud's seconds sale runs from 9am–4pm.
A general store and bakery has arrived in Annandale — and its woodfired breads are so good, the shop regular sells out. The 20-seat venue is run by long-time hospitality vet and pastry chef Kimmy Gastmeier (Rockpool, Tetsuya's and The Porteño Group) and her friend Aimee Graham, with a little help from Aimee's husband Kenny Graham (Mary's Underground, The Lansdowne and The Unicorn) and the rest of the Mary's Group. "Jake [Smyth], Kenny and I had been trying to find a site for years," says Gastmeier. "And I'd decided to let it go and sell everything I had collected for the dream shop when it all came through." Fed up with the Sydney hospo scene, Gastmeier left for the Blue Mountains some years ago, where she started the Cherry Moon brand by baking her goods out of hired kitchens. But now, Cherry Moon finally has a permanent home — and Gastmeier and Graham are doing things the old-school way. [caption id="attachment_733301" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] "I'm interested in artisanal food, woodfiring and staying true to the traditions of whole foods," says Gastmeier, who purchased a traditional scotch oven from an old Ballarat bakery (made way back in 1869) for the shop and rebuilt it with a master oven builder. "A lot of people were coming in and thinking we're a regular cafe," says Gastmeier. "But we're more of a bakery and the menu really showcases the oven." All of the bread is made using ancient grains like emmer and spelt, along with stone-ground flour from Gunnedah's Wholegrain Milling Company. The team also roasts whole pumpkins in the fire embers and smokes potatoes in whey, which is leftover from the house-made ricotta (served wrapped in fig leaf) and cultured butter. Apart from all the bread, Cherry Moon is also baking pastries, galettes, fruit tarts and seasonal tarte tatin, along with Italian-style cream puffs. Portuguese custard tarts are cooked in the woodfired oven, too, as are sourdough pizzas. A small cafe menu is also up for grabs and includes the likes of sourdough topped with avocado, tomato, basil and finger lime; and plates of woodfired cauliflower served with burrata, harissa, fermented zucchini and cashew and chickpea cream. Charcuterie and ploughman's lunches are also on the docket for the near future. [caption id="attachment_733296" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] On the general store shelves, you'll find Aimee Graham's fermented goods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, keffir and tonics. Other drinks include coffee by Newtown's 212 Blu, a house chai blend and cold-pressed orange and green juices. And, to round out this already impressive offering, Cherry Moon is also scooping ice cream made in-house using all native and foraged ingredients — at the moment, there are fig leaf and saffron, wattle seed, plum and fennel pollen, and peach melba varieties. "I want it to feel like you're stepping back in time to grandma's kitchen," says Gastmeier. "So everything is served on beautiful old crockery, plates and silverware, and there's a lot of 1960s bric-a-brac." Speaking of grandmothers, it was Gastmeier's grandma who put her through chef's school at the age of 16, and the Cherry Moon logo is in her handwriting. Find Cherry Moon General Store at 77 Nelson Street, Annandale. It's open from Wednesday–Saturday 7am–4pm and Sunday 11am–4pm.
If you've ever sat in the theatre and thought, 'those actors are just too damn far away', then Griffin's Really Intimate Theatre is for you. For one day only, Griffin Theatre Company are taking to the streets around Circular Quay to offer unassuming passers-by a one-on-one theatre experience inside their specially built pop-up venue. The shows are free, go for five minutes and involve one of a rotating cast of Griffin's finest performers. Kind of like a theatre world equivalent to 'Five Minutes in the Closet'. Architect Jon King has stepped into to design the cosy, two-person venue. To experience a Really Intimate Theatre, simply look for Griffin's representative at East Circular Quay on the promenade in front of the Quay Grand Hotel (on the way to Sydney Opera House) between 10am – 2pm on Saturday, May 9.
The State Theatre has an illustrious history. Originally opening in the 1930s as a magnificent setting for live shows and the best movies in town, it went on to become the home to the epic Sydney Film Festival in the 1970s. Then, in the 90s, live performances started to take centre stage once again. Today? The State Theatre is a grand, art deco space that hosts a varied program of live music and theatre performances under its glittering chandeliers, from enchanting ballets to musicals and even the exhilarating tunes of the best tribute artists around. Oh, and it still plays host to some Sydney Film Festival screenings, too. Basically, expect this grandeur theatre to level up any event that takes within its walls. Image: Flickr
As the ongoing conflict in the Middle East shows no sign of slowing down, the widest-spanning impact for Australia and the world is yet another price hike, this time at the petrol station. With the world's global oil supply throttled by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and despite ordering the largest releases of stockpiled oil in history, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued warnings for Australia and other countries facing limited fuel supplies on how to curb demand and limit consumption. The advice is welcomed by Aussie drivers, who are staring down some truly eye-watering price boards across the country. At the time of writing, the cheapest fuel prices in NSW are $2.35 a litre in Rozelle, in Victoria, it's $2.37 in Northcote, and the same low price up in Queensland, specifically in Wynnum. Meanwhile, tanks of diesel aren't coming in any cheaper nationwide than for $2.69 a litre in Googong, ACT. [caption id="attachment_1085445" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Getty[/caption] The IEA is now warning member nations like Australia that drivers should begin taking daily precautions to help prolong supplies — not hoarding, or stealing petrol — but in the form of easy everyday adjustments to routine. While Australia doesn't source its crude oil directly from the Middle East, the Asian countries we do source fuel from could soon focus on shoreing up their supply instead of meeting export demands, as evidenced by the last 24 hours, when six fuel supply vessels bound for Australia were cancelled or deferred. So, how can Australians be proactive and do their part to extend the supply? Firstly, work from home whenever possible, and take public transport to work when able (in NSW, the Rail Tram and Bus Union is calling on the state government to lower or scrap public transport fees). If driving on the highway, reduce speeds by ten kilometres per hour below the limit to extend time between refills. And if driving is a must, consider car sharing with friends, family, neighbours or colleagues to limit individual fuel consumption. Avoid air travel unless absolutely necessary, and if possible, limit the use of gas cooking at home. [caption id="attachment_1085447" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Getty[/caption] Several of the IEA's recommendations are aimed at governments and organisational bodies, including alternating private vehicle access to certain roads to reduce congestion and high-consumption driving, limiting LPG supplies for transport to maintain supplies for everyday essentials and optimising commercial vehicles' loads and driving practices to optimise fuel consumption. If driving can't be avoided due to your own personal circumstances, there are a number of tools you can use to find cheap petrol prices near you. State governments in VIC and NSW offer fuel-checking services, or independent platforms like PetrolSpy and 11-Seven track the lowest prices in Australian suburbs and nationwide daily. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
It's that time again for 2024: time for Australia's Red Centre to glow with other hues, including across ranges dating back 300 million years, thanks to giant puppets and on the ochre earth. Every April, Parrtjima — A Festival in Light returns to the Northern Territory with art, music, talks and an all-round celebration of First Nations culture. This year's event is on now, kicking off on Friday, April 12 and running till Sunday, April 21 — and if you're not there or on your way, this is what you're missing out on. When Arelhe Urrperle strolls along, people take notice. A six-metre-tall puppet that weighs 600 kilograms wandering around draws attention. Seeing it mosey through Alice Springs Desert Park, sharing Arrernte stories and language, is a main attraction at 2024's Parrtjima — A Festival in Light, in fact — and just one of the highlights of this Indigenous arts festival. Erth, which has also brought dinosaurs and sharks to life around the country in the past — and held prehistoric picnics featuring puppets — is behind Arelhe Urrperle. In New South Wales, Marri Dyin, which also reaches six metres in height, has taken a stroll at Vivid Sydney 2018 and 2019, plus at the Nights on Crown Festival in Wollongong in 2019. Arelhe Urrperle is specific to the Red Centre, however, with Erth's puppeteers training local Indigenous performers to operate the roving puppet for Parrtjima's 2024 run. Representing Arelhe matriarchs, Arelhe Urrperle is one of this year's signature installations — and a new addition to Parrtjima for 2024. Fancy feasting your eyes on illuminated cars that form a collage of work celebrating Eastern, Western and Central language groups? Walking through an immersive passageway that pays tribute to late Arrernte leader Dr MK Turner? Thanks to fellow installations Arrernte and Honouring, they're also on the festival's program right now. One of the Northern Territory's annual highlights — and one of its dazzling sights, alongside natural features Uluru, the Tjoritja gorges and Kings Canyon, plus nightly light show Wintjiri Wiru, as well as Bruce Munro's Field of Light and Light Towers — this arts, culture and storytelling event takes place against the MacDonnell Ranges. 2024 marks the ninth Parrtjima, with its lineup focusing on the importance of interconnectedness across First Nations culture for this year. That's partly happening through two things that are always on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attractions, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. The Ranges Light Show has taken over additional projection space in 2024, while Grounded has become more interactive. Over its opening weekend, the program also included a three-night marketplace for the first time in the fest's history. The Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) Buy Blak Market featured both food and other products from local Aboriginal businesses. On the music roster across the entire event, Troy Cassar-Daley, Shellie Morris, Miiesha and Mulga Bore Hard Rock are taking to the stage. Cassar-Daley and Morris are also on the talks lineup, alongside Floyd Doyle and Dr Josie Douglas. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 21, 2024, at venues around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: Parrtjima – A Festival in Light. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Oh, 2023 — you've been an interesting one. With the cost of living through the roof during a time when we were all desperate to head out and enjoy our post-lockdown lives, it's been a real rollercoaster. Keen to send off this year in style, no matter what it's brought your way? You're in luck. There are plenty of places celebrating New Year's Eve in Sydney with events big and small. After all, Sydney loves NYE. Whether you're eager to see the back of 2023 with a few champagnes in hand, or looking to start 2024 on a boogie-filled high with DJ sets and a good ol' d-floor session, a slew of Harbour City bars, pubs and restaurants are happy to help. We've compiled a list of the best Sydney spots to ring in the New Year with style, regardless of your budget. While lots of events have officially sold out, there are still plenty of memorable parties that you can score tickets at the last minute. And, if you've still got some fight in you, there are some cheeky New Year's Day kick-ons included. [caption id="attachment_798924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] FREE Cafe Freda's: The Oxford Street iteration of this Sydney institution opened on New Year's Eve 2019–20, so the day holds a special place in the Freda's team's heart. As such, the corner wine bar is one to throw an end-of-year celebration, and this year is no different with its free NYE/third birthday party. Going down from 5pm–2am, there will be DJ sets from a host of Freda's regulars. Entry is free, and it's walk-in only. Barangaroo House: DJ sets, cocktails, water views and tasty eats will be available across all three levels of Barangaroo House this New Year's Eve. House Bar, Smoke Bar and Rekodo will all be hosting parties, with each space celebrating a different era, including the 70s, 90s and 00s. Free entry to all three levels means you can move between spaces throughout the night. If you want to secure a spot, you can make a booking — plus, you can also pre-purchase a bottle of champagne for the midnight countdown. Parramatta Park: A family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration is popping up in Western Sydney's Parramatta Park. There will be food trucks, a 9pm fireworks display and a pop-up bar. You'll also be able to send off the year to hits like 'UFO' and 'Pictures' thanks to a headline set from Sneaky Sound System. The Bank: Put on your dancing shoes and get ready for a huge night of celebratory tunes at The Bank courtesy of a b2b set from Dom Alessio and Adam Lewis. The best part? Entry is free all night, and the party won't stop until 4am. Marly Bar: The Marly is going neon across all three levels this New Year's Eve. The beloved Newtown pub will be throwing a free UV NYE Party from 8pm–4am, with DJs filling the dance floor on all three levels of the venue — including its underground rave cave Tokyo Sing Song. The Newport: Up north, you can spend NYE waterside with the Barney Cools DJs and two fireworks displays at The Newport. The venue's also offering $7 schooners of beer and $10 schooners of boozy pub squash. Get down early — entry is free all afternoon, with a $25 cover charge kicking in at 6pm. UNDER $50 The Abercrombie: After eight years in the wilderness, The Abercrombie reopened with its 24-hour license intact this time last year. One year on, it's throwing a huge first birthday party on Saturday, December 23, and backing it up with a New Year's Eve celebration on December 31. Catch Human Movement, Troy Beman, DJ Macaroni, Flexy Ferg and Raquel among a huge lineup of DJs running over multiple levels of the club. Tickets are $34–42, which includes up to ten hours of partying, with the tunes continuing way past the countdown, all the way until 6am. Harbord Hotel: Local favourites Set Mo will be ringing in the new year at the Harbord Hotel to close out 2023. The party kicks off at the Northern Beaches favourite at 5pm, with sets continuing until 2am. Tickets are $35. Club 77: Sevs will be running its Sundays at 77 program for NYE with Berlin-based DJ Claire leading the lineup. You'll be able to party from 10pm–4am at the beloved underground rave cave. Tickets are just $10 if pre-purchased or $25 on the door. Crowbar: Sydney stalwart Crowbar is bringing two of the hottest rock bands out right now to Parramatta Road with duel headline sets by Dear Seattle and Teenage Joans. The Toothpicks and Great Job! will be in support, rounding out a lineup primed for local pop-punk and indie-rock lovers. Tickets are $46. UNDER $200 Dear Sainte Eloise: Dear Sainte Éloise is hosting a special New Year's Eve party so you can bid adieu to 2023 in style. The Potts Point diner will be open from midday, serving a seafood-heavy menu and hard-to-find wines. The set menu, designed by DSE's new Head Chef Elias Selloum, kicks off with small bites like kangaroo tartare and oysters, before moving on to French Provençal-style bouillabaisse stuffed with seafood galore. You'll also be sampling drops throughout your meal from DSE's well-curated wine cellar. Tickets are $130. Manning Bar: The party crew behind Cockatoo Islands' beloved MODE Festival will be taking over Manning Bar with an eight-hour openair rave. International DJs CCL, Maara and Objekt will be joined by local legends Moktar and Mazzacles for the Camperdown dance party. Tickets are available through Resident Advisory for $81. Ivy: Merivale's multi-storey mega club is hosting two NYE parties. Carl Cox is headlining Defected Sydney in the main space, while LF System will be bringing their global smash 'Afraid to Feel' to the Ivy Pool Bar for an NYE Pool Party. Tickets to Cox alongside Danny Howard and Riva Starr will set you back $174, while passes to the poolside shindig are on offer for $67. Lady Banks Rooftop: Bankstown's sky-high bar will be hosting dinner at 6.30pm featuring honey truffle focaccia, roasted chicken, cauliflower, salads, gelato and canapes. DJ sets kick off from 8pm, continuing the party until the early hours of the morning. If you're looking for a place in Western Sydney with panoramic views stretching from the Blue Mountains to the CBD, this one's for you. You can secure a spot for $179. Odd Culture: The beloved King Street wine bar is hosting a moody candle-lit celebration in its mezzanine level. There will be a banquet dinner and a one-night-only menu of rare and vintage cuvees. A seat will set you back $150, which includes all of your food, plus a drink on arrival. The Old Fitz: Woolloomooloo mainstay The Old Fitz is hosting a jazzy end-of-year party with Coucou Zazous providing the soundtrack. For $120, you'll be treated to champagne on arrival; a set menu featuring oysters, raw tuna, wagyu bavette steak and chocolate mousse; and live music. BLOWOUT Dean & Nancy on 22: Maybe Group's sky-high hotel bar Dean & Nancy on 22 is hosting a New Year's Eve party tucked into the Sydney skyline. There are a few packages ranging from $200 per person to $2100 for a booth of six to seven. Each booking includes a signature cocktail on arrival; champagne at midnight; and a curated menu featuring jamon iberico, kingfish ceviche, scallop ravioli and octopus. FBi Radio's Jack Shit and Liz Ham will be providing the entertainment for the night on the DJ decks. Make a booking at the Dean and Nancy website. Hickson House: The building housing The Rocks' Hickson House is no stranger to a celebration, with the working distillery and destination cocktail bar set in the former Saatchi & Saatchi garage — the location of many infamous warehouse parties. For $320, tickets to this extravagant Sydney New Year's Eve party include an array of canapes, DJs providing the music, and a premium three-hour beverage package featuring the venue's own gin, as well as wine, craft beer and house spirits. Best of all, you'll also get access to The Rocks precinct with views of the Harbour Bridge fireworks from Hickson Road. Whalebridge: Waterfront French diner Whalebridge is making the most of its vantage point right by the Sydney Harbour Bridge with a huge NYE dinner. Guests will be treated to a shared four-course menu, champagne on arrival and a deluxe wine package. Steamed Murray cod, aged wagyu rib-eye, caviar and creme fraiche tarts, lobster rock oysters and raspberry vacherin will all make appearances at the feast. Tickets to the harbourside celebration range between $600–1000, depending on where you're seated. View Sydney: When people think of prime viewing locations for the fireworks, their minds often go straight to the CBD, but there are plenty of panoramic views to be enjoyed on the other side of the bridge. View Sydney is making the most of its vantage point by throwing an end-of-year soiree. The no-holds-barred cocktail event features four food stations — seafood, Texas barbecue, Asian eats and dessert — plus a full beverage package including Manly Spirits cocktails, Australian wines and beers. This view-heavy party will set you back a pretty penny. Get set to drop $637 on your ticket if you want to secure your spot. Bennelong: Wondering what the most expensive New Year's Eve experience is in Sydney? From what we can tell, it's Bennelong, Peter Gilmore's iconic diner below the Sydney Opera House where a booking will set you back between $1600–2220. If you have that kind of money to splash on a single night, you'll enjoy a four-course menu from the Bennelong kitchen, a premium drinks package, a glass of champagne on arrival and at midnight, and live entertainment. W Sydney: Much-hyped wave-shaped hotel W Sydney is now open, and it's sending off 2023 in style at its rooftop bar. There are a few packages that you can purchase here. The $550 tickets will get you into Level 29 and include a four-hour beverage package, canapes, a live hibachi grill and oysters. If you want to celebrate one floor higher, entry to Level 30 will set you back $899, with an oyster and caviar bar, plus after-midnight snacks and free-flowing champagne. Browse all of the packages to determine how you want to spend NYE. NEW YEAR'S DAY Field Day: New Year's Day tradition Field Day is back with another genre-bending dance-ready lineup for the first day of 2024. RÜFÜS DU SOL, Central Cee, G Flip, Genesis Owusu, Sub Focus, Ross From Friends, Claptone and Destroy Lonely are all on the lineup alongside fast-rising local DJs like Logic1000 and Dameeeela, plus The xx's Romy bringing her Fred again..-backed dance project to Sydney. You can still nab tickets for $217. Club 77: After partying until 4am on New Year's Eve, Seventy Seven is backing it all up the next day with another late night. On January 1, the William Street club will be hosting Dave Stuart, Trinity and Magda Bytnerowicz, with music pumping until 4.30am. Tickets are $10 if pre-booked or $25 on the door. Greenwood Hotel: North Sydney fave Greenwood is welcoming in 2024 with four stages of dance music, including headline sets from none other than Basement Jaxx and Faithless. NYD 2024 Day One: Reverence will see more than 30 electronic tastemakers behind the decks from 1–11pm. Tickets are $104. Manly Pavilion: If you want to start the year dancing by the water, head up to the Northern Beaches for a DJ set from Winston Surfshirt. Alongside the local funk and pop kings, there will be DJ sets all afternoon long, and your $60 ticket includes a complimentary drink on arrival. Woollahra Hotel: Anyone with a sore head on New Year's Day can head to the Woollahra Hotel for the pub's Monday meal deal. You'll be treated to $15 mixed-dozen dumplings — the perfect recovery brunch from a big night of celebrating.
If you're someone who loves chocolate and hazelnuts, and doesn't have an allergy to either, the odds are that you're rather fond of Nutella. Most folks fall into that category, which is why the world has seen everything from Nutella food trucks and dessert bars to Nutella hotels and festivals pop up — and plenty of eateries slathering the spread on and in other food stuffs, too. Your new way to get your Nutella fix? In bar form. Until now, you might've thought of Nutella bars as places that you can visit — because, as outlined above, they have definitely existed over the years. From Monday, January 4 at Australian supermarkets and convenience stores, however, Nutella bars are also something that you can buy and eat (and carry around with you in multi-packs for a Nutella-on-the-go situation). Nutella's new product is called B-ready, and it squeezes the spread into a wafer shell — with some wheat puffs as well. So, when you bite into one, you'll taste some Nutella, and get quite a crunch in the process. The Nutella B-ready bars are now available either individually, or in packs of six — if you can never seem to stop yourself when it comes to the choc-hazelnut spread. They'll cost you $2 for one, or $4.99 for a six-pack. Nutella B-ready bars are now on sale at Australian supermarkets and convenience stores.
Perched above the Cartier flagship store on the corner of Pitt and King Streets in the CBD, JŌJI is a Japanese-inspired rooftop bar and diner that draws on the principles of Shibui, Wabi Sabi, and Datsuzoku, reflected in the venue's inventive cocktail menu and reimagined dishes. This dynamic concept offers a playful take on traditional flavours, promising an experience that evolves from tranquil afternoons to lively evenings. As night falls, the venue — which trades until 2am seven days a week — will showcase an array of entertainment, including live DJ performances and vinyl sessions, making JŌJI as much a nightlife hotspot as it is a go-to for knock-off sundowners. This generous space features a cocktail lounge, dining area and a panoramic terrace with views of Sydney's busy CBD. The interior is designed for various gatherings, from intimate dates to larger celebrations. Guests can immerse themselves in the Tokyo-esque atmosphere by sitting at the kitchen or bar counter, where they can interact with staff as they create drinks and dishes, or soak in the energy of the city while looking down on Sydney's black-label shopping district. The drinks menu honours tradition with a healthy dose of experimentation, including standout mingles such as the bamboo cocktail, which uniquely combines tequila, tomato, and apricot, alongside a classic whisky highball that reflects the elegant simplicity of Japan's favourite classic. Executive Chef Erik Ortolani has curated a menu that leans on sharing plates and features three sections: raw, not raw, and Robata. The centrepiece of the kitchen is a custom 2-metre charcoal grill, infusing the hot dishes with rich smoky flavours. Notable plates include the quail and pork jowl tsukune with shiitake koji and Kingfish served with umeboshi and yuzu kosho dressing. Desserts like mochi sorbet and purin provide a sweet finish, while a late-night menu features the JŌJI burger, a singular take on a crowd-pleaser made with Japanese wagyu bolognese. Architect Matt Darwon has crafted JŌJI's decor with a striking balance of bold metallic accents, deep burgundy tones and warm Tasmanian blackwoods, creating an inviting space that reflects the essence of the venue's modern Japanese influences. But the jewel in the crown of this bar and diner is its Sydney skyline views, offering a retreat where guests can unwind as they overlook the hustle and haste of the city streets below. Images: Jana Langhorst
When the ABC decided to take a few cues from Britain's music quiz and comedy panel TV series Never Mind the Buzzcocks by creating Spicks and Specks, Australia's national broadcaster likely knew that it had a hit on its hands — but it mightn't have realised just how beloved the show would become. 2025 will mark two decades since the series debuted. It hasn't always been on the air every year since, but it will be back for next year's milestone. Get ready to bust out all that music knowledge, and also to play along with one of the nation's favourite television shows — again. Among everything that the ABC has ever broadcast, be it news, entertainment, after-school kids shows, oh-so-much Doctor Who and late-night music videos to keep you occupied after a few drinks all included, the Adam Hills-, Myf Warhurst- and Alan Brough-led Spicks and Specks is among the all-time highlights. Exactly when the next season will hit in 2025 hasn't been revealed, but 2024's run arrived from June. There's no word yet on new guests, either, but a heap of top Australian talent will sit around and talk about tunes as always. 2024's guests included Anthony Callea, Marlon Williams, Elly-May Barnes, Nooky, Montaigne and Dan Sultan, as well as Mark Seymour, Oli from Lime Cordiale — and also Hamish Blake, Tommy Little, Steph Tisdell, Abbie Chatfield, Shane Jacobson and Jenny Tian. Here's how it works, if you need a refresher: Spicks and Specks' contestants answer questions, compete for points and just generally prove funny, too. That's the concept behind the series, which pits Aussie musos and comedians against each other. It was a weekly favourite when it first aired between 2005–2011 — and it keeps being resurrected. As fans are well-aware, Spicks and Specks has enjoyed more comebacks than John Farnham, although that has meant different things over the years. When the program was first revived back in 2014, it did so with a new host and team captains, for instance. And when it started to make a return with its original lineup of Hills, Warhurst and Brough, it first did so via a one-off reunion special. That 2018 comeback proved more than a little popular. It became the ABC's most-watched show of that year, in fact. So, the broadcaster then decided to drop four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20 and, for 2021, to bring back Spicks and Specks in its regular format. In 2022, ten new episodes hit — and then the show returned again in 2024. To tide you over until new episodes, here's a clip from 2024's Spicks and Specks run: Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV and ABC iView in 2025 — we'll update you with more details when they're announced.
Brisbane's hyped-up and Island-signed foursome The Cairos are about to embark on a national tour that you cannot afford to miss but certainly can afford to attend. Immediately following a national support slot for Sydney big timers The Holidays, the triple j Unearthed-winning newbies to Island Records are taking their celebrated sound across the country with their own headliner tour. The Brissy lads are keeping the motor running off the back of releasing their brand new debut album Dream of Reason. Tracks 'Desire' and 'We All Buy Stars' just scream "hear me live" and if the feedback coming out of their recent Asia tour is anything to go by, this is going to be one of the most justified sub $30 spends this year (now you can't even use budget-related gripes as an excuse to not go). Plus they just got a new keyboard. Now you're really obliged to head along. Make sure to get there early as Chinese psych band Nova Heart kicks things off. Seems Beijing psychedelia proves a perfect support pairing ahead of the Brisbane up-and-comers, so pop in early for a crispy Good God cocktail and a fully-fledged bliss out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LAsjO3UIUsY
Open since 2000, this Cronulla-based butcher is all about offering affordable, quality meats. This classic butcher will offer you hormone-free whole chooks, easy-to-cook skewers, thick rib-eye steaks, tender lamb backstraps and a range of sausages. This is the sort of butcher you can walk into with absolutely no clue what you want to buy, then walk out with a bag full of meat and some cooking inspiration. You'll also find local eggs and seasoning options here, too. [caption id="attachment_776639" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption]
Concrete Jungle opened quietly on April 3 as Chippendale's new 'green' cafe — from fitout to menu, owner Moe Mrad hopes to bring something a little different to the suburb's cafe scene. As well as sounding mighty similar to Concrete Playground (hey, we were all thinking it), the name is a nod to the now iconic Central Park building around the corner, which successfully combines industrial and natural elements. Mrad has approached his fitout in a similar manner in order to embody the cafe's name — designed by Guru Projects, the concrete floors and exposed columns are broken up by bits of greenery, and suspended plants adorn the ceiling. Local artists will be encouraged to use the wall space as well. On the food side, the team is staying green by serving a decidedly healthy and eco-conscious menu. "Sustainability regarding food is a big thing for us and a lot of our menu is plant-based, but with ethically sourced meat and fish elements on there as well," says sous chef Iain Haywood. Along with head chef Bryan O'Callaghan, the team even consulted with a nutritionist to ensure that their dishes provide as complete a package as possible — think in-house smoked salmon served with a decadently rich 64-degree egg, and pumpkin served with pan fried scallops and savoury granola. The most "health nut" item on the menu is probably the 'Nourish Bowl', which is a vegan dish of in-house fermented cabbage, beetroot humus, avocado and a special quinoa mix, all topped off with sesame dressing. In the interest of remaining halal, Concrete Jungle will not be serving pork — but, halal or otherwise, meat isn't the focus here. "We do appreciate the ethical way the animals are butchered with halal, but meat isn't our main focus and our dishes aren't designed for just for vegans or healthy eaters, either," says Haywood. "We hope the menu is designed to be accessible to everyone, but also help people to care more about the food they're eating." "We want this place to be a headquarters for your everyday Sydneysiders and act as a refuelling station," adds Mrad. For now, the space will be open for breakfast and lunch, with dinner on the far horizon. Find Concrete Jungle at 58 Kensington St, Chippendale. For more information, head to their Facebook page.
If you said Darlinghurst was hiding stand-out Mexican food behind a sandwich shop, people might not believe you. But, like a certain billionaire-turned-vigilante, at night, Mrs Palmer Sandwich dons a cape and boots to become La Farmacia, dishing out less justice and more tacos and red-hot chilli cocktails. La Farmacia — translating to 'the pharmacy' — is about making folks feel good. There's a 16-strong margarita menu and, for the daring, the Reaper — a sip that mixes Carolina Reaper-infused tequila and doubles it down with a habanero rim. Food-wise, there are all the regulars — like grilled corn, guac and tacos — plus ceviche, cactus salad and queso fundido (a Oaxacan cheese pot topped with grilled chorizo or mushies). On Tuesdays, all tacos are half price — that's $3, people.
Kicking off a new side hustle or small biz idea can be a challenging quest, but with the right connections and resources it doesn't have to be. In partnership with Fiverr, we're spotlighting budding entrepreneurs who are getting their businesses off the ground in style. Ask most beer drinkers what they love about their favourite brew, and few would say it's the complex molecular structure that gets them craving a cold one. But Daniel Rojas, Gina Pacheco and Shivam Tandon aren't your run-of-the-mill beer enthusiasts. While the trio of chemical engineers are, like the rest of us, partial to knocking back a few brews at their local, they took things up a notch by making their own tipples. Together, they created The Zythologist, a new, science-based Aussie brewery founded at Monash University, where the three met. "We just love to learn how things work. We also love beer," Rojas told Concrete Playground. "For us, it's about understanding what's happening at a molecular level, [along with] how to bring [out] flavours and unique aromas." So, how do three chemical engineers end up making A-class brews? The three co-founders set out to understand the science of brewing and got hooked on the challenging process of making beer. It began with Rojas and Pacheco, who founded Monash Brewlab, Australia's first student-led nano-brewery, with Tandon joining shortly after. It has since become an educational lab, where students can apply the scientific principles learned in lectures and tutorials to create a product loved by uni students the world over: beer. Riding on the success of the uni-based brewery, the trio launched a commercial spin-off. Initially, they created Scholars Ink (a nod to the mates' tertiary achievements), which produced two debut brews — a mango lassi sour and a sessionable 4.2-percent dark ale. Both sold out in less than two months. Fast-forward to 2021 and they now have The Zythologist — and it's got big plans. [caption id="attachment_818393" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Desa[/caption] Not prepared to rest on their laurels, Rojas, Pacheco and Tandon brought The Zythologist back to where it all began. Their entrepreneurial idea was validated through the Monash University's central startup hub, The Generator, where they won a $5000 grant from Fiverr to help evolve their unique business proposition. For the uninitiated, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects small business owners — or anyone with a burgeoning side hustle — with freelancers across a range of disciplines, including social media marketing, SEO services, illustration, and video and animation. Its easy-to-use design and global database of freelance experts makes it simple-as to get started and give your side hustle a leg up. So, what does all this have to do with The Zythologist? Well, first on the three mates' to-do list is to put some of that cash towards rebranding from Scholars Ink to the new-and-improved The Zythologist — with the help of Fiverr freelancers, naturally. "'Zythologist' comes from [the term] 'zythology', which is the study of beer and brewing, Rojas told CP. "We want to create this persona of The Zythologist [as] the connoisseur of everything related to beer." It goes without saying that their plans for The Zythologist don't stop at a new brand identity and shiny website. Rojas says he and his co-founders are keen to leverage their expertise to launch a consultancy and analytics service, while also making new brews and ensuring their product and production processes are kinder to the planet. The ultimate goal? To move the brewing industry in a more sustainable and efficient direction, with better beer across the board as a result. [caption id="attachment_818388" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Desa[/caption] If you weren't lucky enough to snap up a six-pack of the trio's maiden brews, don't worry — there are more on the boil (yes, pun intended). First up, The Zythologist is working on a big, dessert-like imperial pastry stout, brewed in collaboration with Burnley Brewing. And, not ones to do things by halves, Rojas, Pacheco and Tandon are also working on a non-alcoholic beer to tap into the growing no- and low- alcohol trend. "The science behind brewing can be quite complex, and every time you add another ingredient or treat it differently, the dimensions increase by an order of magnitude," Rojas told CP. "For non-alcoholic [beer], I think it's even more difficult, because what we want to do is emulate the [same] sensation you would have from a normal beer. Accomplishing that — and having [an ABV of] less than 0.5 percent, which is the threshold for a non-alcoholic beer — is actually quite hard." While Rojas, Pacheco and Tandon will likely dabble in more traditional brews like pale ales and IPAs eventually, it's pretty clear that these three mates are enjoying pushing the boundaries and making unconventional brews. As for the rest of us, there's really no better motivation to crack a cold one — alcoholic or otherwise — than knowing it's for science. Bottoms up. Have your own booming side hustle — or need a hand getting it off the ground? Check out the Fiverr website and connect with freelancers around the world, all just a click away. Lead image: Shivam Tandon, Gina Pacheco and Daniel Rojas. All photography by Melanie Desa.
The Toxteth Hotel, lovingly referred to as 'The Tocky' by locals, has been a Glebe staple for decades and continues to attract an unusually eclectic crowd of Carlton-drinking, Akubra-donning patrons sitting next to ironically moustached students wearing tight pants and sipping a schooner of Young Henrys. While this crowd combo wouldn't work in most places, it's a mix that The Tocky has become known for. This old-school Aussie/new-school hipster scene is in part due to the Lo-Fi and The Standard revamp back in 2012, when they transformed the beer garden into a inner west pub dream. The greenhouse-like space is centred around an open bar and is frequented by yuppies and students who love an outdoor schooner and schnitty. The Pimm's Garden Bar is serving up pints of craft along with overly-garnished cocktails, like the Bloody Mary that uses a salt rim made of Grizzly's Jerky. The Tocky is far from a craft beer bar, but they are hosting Crafty Wednsdays with Wayward, Batch and Young Henrys on tap. But the real draw for all patrons is the ace pub food that has continued to stay on-point throughout the years. It's not your average specials offering though, as weekly dishes have been known to include lamb brains. The prawn cakes ($21) deserve a regular spot on the menu; a fresh mixture of dill and capers and a crisp fennel and rocket salad goes well with the Marie Rose bisque. The 'pickled things' ($9) — which include a pickled egg — is a nod to the pub's British origins, while the southern fried chicken ($13) draws on American influences. Both are worth a taste. If you're looking for classic pub grub, The Tocky Burger ($18) is just that — it's a super satisfying combo of streaky bacon and gooey cheddar cheese, topped with a special Thousand Island sauce. While pubs aren't known as dessert joints, don't make the rookie mistake of not saving room in your belly for sweet stuff. The weekly special is usually top notch, but the vanilla and lemon cheesecake is unreal ($12). Served with blueberry compote and vanilla ice cream, this is the perfect, decadent end to any pub meal. Not looking for anything fancy? Well, with $14 meals Monday to Friday — including a chargrilled beef rump — you can still come to The Toxteth for that reliable bang-for-your-buck pub grub too. Images: Kitti Gould
In a normal year, the five movies that comprise Small Axe would've likely screened in cinemas, and would be in the running for a heap of the film industry's shiniest trophies as a result. The entire quintet is directed by Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave and Widows filmmaker Steve McQueen, and every entry is as phenomenal as anything he has ever made. Given his resume, that isn't a statement we make lightly. The focus: the treatment of London's West Indian population from the 60s through until the 80s, with the series of films exploring the racist behaviour directed their way and the methods in which the community waged their resistance. The powerful Mangrove gets the series started, bringing a potent true tale to the screen with a cast that includes Black Panther's Letitia Wright — and, although it is excellent, so is the dance party-set Lovers Rock, the John Boyega-starring Red, White and Blue, biopic Alex Wheatle and the school-focused Education.
Don't already have a date with Taylor Swift's Eras tour booked when it hits Australia in February 2024? Perhaps it won't be a cruel summer after all: more tickets are releasing on Friday, November 10. When Sydney and Melbourne stops for Swift's career-spanning showcase were announced back in June, it sparked a rush for seats. Before general sales even started, the 'We Are Never Getting Back Together', 'Shake It Off' and 'Bad Blood' musician had announced an extra gig in both cities. And, the Victorian Government even declared her Melbourne stint a major event so that anti-scalping legislation would apply to tickets. So, the response has clearly been huge — and now Swifties will have another chance to head along. Tour promoter Frontier Touring has announced that additional tickets will drop across all Aussie concert dates, with the Sydney shows releasing their extra tickets at 10am and the Melbourne shows doing the same at 4pm — all AEDT. Included among the new batch will be seats with a partially obstructed side view, with prices starting at $79.90. There'll still be limited tickets in the new release, but accessibility options will also be on offer. Expect another busy Ticketek day, obviously, with the singer-songwriter's Australian shows already garnering "historically unprecedented demand". Swift is playing the MCG in Melbourne across Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18, and then heading north to hit the stage at Sydney's Accor Stadium from Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26. At all gigs, she'll have Sabrina Carpenter in support. [caption id="attachment_907314" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] That blank space in your calendar that you were hoping to fill with Swift working through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular? You now have another attempt to do so. Sadly, Swift still hasn't added concerts in any other cities across Australia — as Frontier has previously advised, "no further dates will be added for the Australian tour". This'll be Swift's first tour Down Under since 2018, when she brought her Reputation shows to not only Sydney and Melbourne, but Brisbane and Perth, too. And if you're wondering what's in store, then you clearly haven't seen Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour as a movie, aka a concert film of her latest shows that's been screening in cinemas Down Under since October. TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR AUSTRALIAN DATES 2024: Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift will bring The Eras Tour to Australia in February 2024. Additional seats will go on sale on Friday, November 10 — at 10am AEDT for Sydney shows and 4pm AEDT for Melbourne shows. Head to the tour website for further details.
It's been 17 years since Shannon Noll was robbed of the inaugural Australian Idol title – what else is there to say about the man? He's had ten consecutive top ten singles, his work has received 17 separate platinum certifications and his track 'Lift' was the most performed Australian song of 2007. Everybody knows Nollsy has a huge following wherever he goes. Whether shown by his popularity on I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, or the fact he's seemingly spending the entire month of November touring every regional venue in the state he possibly can, from country NSW to the coast. A bunch of his gigs already sold out, so if you want to see the Aussie legend — ironically or not — head over here for details. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
Victoria has no shortage of standout destinations to explore throughout the year — natural, beautiful and sometimes downright surprising. The state is one of Australia's smallest, yet it boasts a diverse array of stunning landscapes, from tumbling waterfalls in the middle of dense forest to ancient volcanic craters teeming with wildlife. Here, we've rounded up eight unexpected natural sights just waiting to be explored. Start plotting some epic adventures around this lineup of must-see Victorian landmarks. Recommended reads: The Best Natural Hot Springs in Victoria The Best Walks in and Around Melbourne The Best Beaches in Melbourne The Best Places to Go Glamping in Victoria [caption id="attachment_785503" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darren Seiler for Visit Victoria[/caption] Pink Lakes, Murray-Sunset National Park As far as bodies of water go, these ones are what you'd call true show-stoppers. Up in the wilds of northwestern Victoria, the Murray-Sunset National Park is best known for its four eye-catching Pink Lakes, which feature solid salt beds and a vibrant blush tinge thanks to the red algae growing in their waters. With the lakes shifting in colour throughout the day, the vast, flat territory makes for some pretty magical photo ops, especially during sunset and at dusk. You can soak up the untouched surrounds while trekking one of the area's many walking trails, and you can even spend a night onsite at the campgrounds, taking advantage of the open starry skies and lake views. [caption id="attachment_785511" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn for Visit Victoria[/caption] The Pinnacle Lookout, Halls Gap Rising up above Halls Gap, The Pinnacle Lookout is The Grampians' crowning glory, in more ways than one. It clocks in at an impressive 720 metres above sea level and boasts some unimaginably good panoramic views to match. The spectacular summit is accessed by a bunch of different hiking trails (starting from a medium-grade 45-minute trek), which'll take you winding through a rugged region of leafy bushland and rocky outcrops. Make your way up to the top and take in those dramatic vistas over the National Park's peaks and valleys. You'll feel like you're standing atop Victoria's own version of the Grand Canyon. [caption id="attachment_785496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Garry Moore for Visit Victoria[/caption] Buchan Caves, Buchan Some of you might find it hard to get excited about a cave. But this huge subterranean network, filled with majestic limestone formations, really is some exceptional stuff. Carved out by underground rivers almost 400 million years ago, Gippsland's Buchan Caves are the largest of their kind in Victoria, and are also a site of huge Aboriginal cultural significance. You can take guided tours of the two main lit sections, known as Royal Cave and Fairy Cave, winding your way amongst the stalactites, stalagmites and calcite-rimmed pools. What's more, the adjoining Buchan Caves Reserve boasts loads of native wildlife, bushland walks and idyllic picnic spots. You can even make a mini-getaway of it and spend the night at one of the campsites. It's one of our favourite Victorian caves to explore. [caption id="attachment_845835" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Great Ocean Road Tourism[/caption] Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, Tower Hill If you ever want to see what life is like within a dormant volcano, simply venture a few hours west to the site of Tower Hill, near Port Fairy. Here, a 30,000-year-old volcanic crater houses the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, featuring a striking backdrop of cone-shaped hills, wetlands and lakes. And as well as boasting gorgeous scenery and bushwalks aplenty, this one's steeped in history. A significant Indigenous landmark and Victoria's first national park, the site was driven to ruin by early settlers before volunteers restored it to the natural beauty it is today. The crater is also home to scores of native wildlife species — keep an eye out for the likes of koalas, kangaroos and spoonbills kicking around in this unique habitat. [caption id="attachment_785501" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Watson for Visit Victoria[/caption] Californian Redwood Forest, Beech Forest Take a trip out to the Otways' famed Californian Redwood Forest and you'll find yourself quickly enveloped in an otherworldly haven of peace and tranquillity. Created over 85 years ago, this plantation of towering Californian redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) makes for quite the nature spectacular, with its uniform rows of tree trunks, hushed forest floor and shards of sunlight filtering through the upper branches. Nothing offers a change of perspective quite like taking in the full stature of these arboreal giants on a stroll through the 1400-strong forest. Some of the redwoods reach a whopping 55 metres tall. Enjoy a picnic lunch, hug a few trees and revel in a much-welcomed dose of Mother Nature. [caption id="attachment_785504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pennicott Wilderness Journeys[/caption] Skull Rock, Tidal River Victoria lays claim to plenty of famous rock formations, but this skull-shaped number emerging from the waters off Wilsons Prom might just be the coolest. Cleft Island — also known as Skull Rock for obvious reasons — is a giant granite formation near the very southern tip of the state. It's been gradually shaped and smoothed by waves over centuries, and features a giant grassy cave hollowing out one side. For a close-up view, you can (normally) jump on a 2.5-hour cruise, departing daily from Tidal River. And if you're visiting during migration season, you could even spy a few of the area's less eerie residents, including sea birds, dolphins and fur seals. [caption id="attachment_785502" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn for Visit Victoria[/caption] Trentham Falls, Trentham As one of the state's longest single-drop waterfalls, Trentham Falls is always a majestic sight to feast your eyes on. And, at a soaring height of 32 metres, we reckon the falls certainly get the tick of approval from TLC. Located within the lush forest of Coliban River Scenic Reserve — about 90 minutes northwest of Melbourne — this impressive water feature looms large against ancient basalt rock, with the whole scene framed by leafy native vegetation. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to get too close, but you'll find the best vantage point from atop the dedicated viewing area, just a short trek from the car park. Take a moment to admire the dancing water, surrounded by shady manna gum and messmate trees, and we promise you'll feel worlds away from the big smoke. [caption id="attachment_785540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gillian via Flickr[/caption] The Organ Pipes, Keilor North It's not too hard to see where this unique rock formation gets its name from, with its row of towering cylindrical columns that look like they could just about start pumping out tunes. Gracing the side of a big basalt cliff, the distinctive design was naturally created back in ancient times by cooling lava. Now, it serves as a constant reminder that this region is on the edge of one of the world's largest ancient volcanic lava flows. You'll find the geological gem located within the Organ Pipes National Park, just 30 minutes out of the CBD. While you're there, be sure to catch some of the park's other quirky resident rock formations, including the mosaic-like Tessellated Pavement and another that looks like the spokes of a giant wheel. Top Image: Californian Redwood Forest, Beech Forest.
When you were a kid, your biggest demonstration of self-control was not throwing Jaffas at the heads of people sitting in front of you at the cinema, right? Well, here's your chance to let loose and make up for lost time. Once a month, at Cremorne's decadent Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, there's a screening of The Room — an American independent romantic-drama film. Tommy Wiseau not only starred in the feature, he also wrote, directed and produced it. The film quickly developed a cult following, after everyone realised it was terrible and unintentionally hilarious. The best bit of this screening is that you and everyone else are 100% permitted to throw spoons at the screen. Making as much noise as you like is most definitely on the agenda, too.
One of the crown jewels of Sydney's arthouse cinema scene, Palace Verona offers a comfortable, stylish and luxurious cinema-going experience in the heart of Oxford Street (and a fully licensed one, too). It's well-known for its curated list of independent and cult films — from overseas, and also spanning many a local highlight. While it may lack the size of some of its larger competitors, Palace Verona more boasts plenty of passion, heart and old-world charm. On offer here is a captivating cinema experience — one not to be missed by film nerds, artsy types and simple lovers of fine storytelling on the silver screen.
A familiar sight to backpackers galivanting across Europe, catching a bright-green FlixBus is one of the cheapest, most convenient and comfortable ways to get across the continent. Now, the long-distance coach company is preparing to launch in Australia, revealing its first two routes hitting the road on Thursday, November 20. Kicking operations off down under, passengers can soon commute from Melbourne–Sydney and Canberra–Sydney. And to encourage people to climb abroad, prices across the network start at just $9.99 until the end of November. While cheap, the FlixBus experience isn't as no-frills as you might imagine. Featuring free Wi-Fi, power outlets to keep charged, plenty of legroom and toilets, passing the time on the journey between capital cities can be surprisingly comfortable. "We're confident that Flix will resonate with Australians by setting a new benchmark for convenient, affordable and sustainable travel powered by technology," says Flix Founder and CEO, André Schwämmlein. For the Melbourne–Sydney route, stops take place in Albury, Canberra, Sydney International Airport, Sydney Domestic Airport and Sydney Central Station. Then, for those making the shorter journey from Canberra–Sydney, expect 12 daily departures hitting the same strategic stops on the way to the Harbour City. "As in every market we enter, we are committed to a long-term presence as a trusted and reliable partner in the travel sector, and we are taking the first steps by opening sales on Australia's busiest travel corridor," says Schwämmlein. Besides the cost benefits, FlixBus says hitching a ride on a coach from Melbourne to Sydney also reduces an individual's carbon footprint by approximately 90 percent. "These new routes embody our commitment to making sustainable travel affordable to everyone travelling in Australia," describes Senior Managing Director of FlixBus Australia, Yvan Lefranc-Morin. FlixBus routes from Melbourne–Sydney and Canberra–Sydney commence on Thursday, November 20. Head to the website for more information.
When game day is on the horizon, you'll likely be in the market for one of the best sports bar in Sydney to catch a game — thankfully, there's no shortage of excellent spots that can accommodate all the sports fans in the harbour city. Sports bars are perfect for simulating the excitement and adrenaline you feel when you're at a game — with the bonus of not having to buy a ticket. So, whether you're looking to catch an international match with your mates or looking for a great spot to pre-game before heading to the stadium, we've got a list of the best sports bars in Sydney. Read on to see if your favourite spot made it to the list and, if not, maybe your new local will be found below. Recommended reads: The Best Pubs in Sydney The Best Bars in Sydney Sydney's Best Beer Gardens The Best Sydney Restaurants
If you're already thinking ahead to summer, here's three trends that'll be shining in Australia: spots, gourds and kaleidoscopic reflections. You'll see them all over your social feeds. You'll spy them in exhibition merchandise sported by anyone who visits NGV International. And, most excitingly, you'll be surrounded by the trio at the Melbourne art gallery, which will be hosting a huge Yayoi Kusama retrospective as its summer blockbuster. When we say that Yayoi Kusama, the exhibition, is big, we mean it. While the Japanese artist's work is no stranger to Aussie shores — and was the focus of a comprehensive showcase at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art back in 2017–18 — NGV International's ode to the iconic talent will be the largest that country has ever seen. When it displays from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025, more than 180 works will feature, the world-premiere showing of a brand-new infinity mirror room among them. It's a massive endeavour for the NGV, too. "It's the largest space that's been given a living contemporary artist, across the entire ground floor," Wayne Crothers, NGV's Senior Curator of Asian Art, tells Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_950475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Chandelier of grief 2016/18 at Tate Modern, London, © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] The NGV has curated Yayoi Kusama with input from Kusama, with the end result stepping through the 95-year-old artist's eight decades of making art via a thematic chronology. Some pieces hail from her childhood. Some are recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s: they'll all appear. Half of the exhibition will be devoted to the past four decades — so, pumpkins galore; giant paintings; and an impressive and expansive range of room installations, complete with her very first infinity room from 1965, plus creative interpretations since from the 80s onwards. Again, this is a hefty exhibition. It's one of the most-comprehensive Kusama retrospectives ever staged globally (and the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving Australia). "We've been wanting to do a major exhibition with this artist for a long time. We're very focused on contemporary art. We're very focused on Asian art. And Kusama hasn't had a big solo show in in Australia for some time — and she's still very active. So there's past works, but also some contemporary works being produced right at the moment," continues Crothers. [caption id="attachment_950477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin 1981, Collection of Daisuke Miyatsu © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] If you're keen to be one of the first people in the world to be wowed by Kusama's new infinity room, it'll be as immersive as such spaces always are when she's behind them. Even the NGV team don't know the full details of the piece that's being produced especially for the exhibition, so it'll be a surprise to everyone. It'll be complemented by the aforementioned array of rooms, which is "one of the largest displays, for our audience, of those immersive rooms that have ever been assembled globally," Crothers advises. Eager to see a five-metre-tall bronze sculpture of a pumpkin? 2020's Dancing Pumpkin, which has just been acquired by the NGV, will feature. And, for the first time in Australia, 2019's THE HOPE OF THE POLKA DOTS BURIED IN INFINITY WILL ETERNALLY COVER THE UNIVERSE will unleash its six-metre-high tentacles — as speckled with yellow-and-black polka dots, of course. Almost six decades since first debuting at 1966's Venice Biennale — unofficially — Narcissus Garden will be a part of Yayoi Kusama in a new version made of 1400 30-centimetre-diameter stainless silver balls. Now that's how you open an exhibition, as this will. NGV's Waterwall is also scoring a Kusama artwork specific to the space, while the Great Hall will be filled with the giant balloons of Dots Obsession floating overhead. [caption id="attachment_950474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Flower Obsession 2017 on display in NGV Triennial from 15 December 2017 – 15 April 2018 at NGV International Melbourne. Image courtesy of NGV[/caption] Basically, wherever you look across NGV International's ground level, Kusama works will be waiting, spanning paintings, installations, sketches, drawings, collages and sculptures, as well as videos and clothing. Dots will obviously be inescapable. One section of the gallery will replicate Kusama's New York studio. Over 20 experimental fashion designs by the artist will also demand attention. Infinity Net paintings from the 50s and 60s, Accumulation sculptures and textiles from the 60s and 70s, and a Kusama for Kids offshoot with all-ages interactivity (fingers crossed for an obliteration room) are also on their way. The must-see exhibition for Melbourne locals and travel-worthy event for art lovers located outside of the Victorian capital will benefit from pieces from the artist's own personal collection — and rarely seen photos, letters (including to and from fellow artist eorgia O'Keefe), posters, magazines, teen sketch books and films — while others will be sourced from Japanese and Australian institutions. [caption id="attachment_950473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama. The obliteration room 2002–present. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] "Kusama's imagery has become part of the general common visual vernacular of the society," notes Crothers. "And I think our role in the exhibition, or what I've really taken on, is to introduce how profound the journey has been that's led her to this point of global visual recognition, going right back to a very ambitious teenager in rural Japan, and then the letter correspondence and New York, and delving into a lot of archival material." "There are few artists working today with the global presence of Yayoi Kusama. This world-premiere NGV-exclusive exhibition allows local audiences and visitors alike the chance to experience Kusama's practice in deeper and more profound ways than ever before," said NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM in the summer showcase's official announcement. "We are indebted to Yayoi Kusama for her passion and collaboration on this special project. Without the artist's personal dedication to this exhibition — and excitement to share her worldview with Australian audiences — none of this would be possible." [caption id="attachment_950480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Portrait of Yayoi Kusama c. 1939 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Infinity mirror room – Phall's Field 1965 at the Castellane Gallery, New York © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] Yayoi Kusama displays at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Top image: excerpt of Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA.
Fresh from starring in page-to-screen Australian series Invisible Boys, Aussie actor Joseph Zada is headed to the arena. Hunger Games fans, meet young Haymitch. When the franchise's latest book Sunrise on the Reaping becomes its next movie — with the latter due to hit cinemas in 2026 — Zada will be in its key role. Two crucial pieces of casting have been announced for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping: Zada following in Woody Harrelson's (Fly Me to the Moon) footsteps as Haymitch Abernathy, plus Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl) as the character's girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird. Together, they'll be helping take the saga back to 24 years before Abernathy met Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings) in the first The Hunger Games novel. The new film couldn't be in the works if Suzanne Collins hadn't entered the arena again, of course, stepping back into Panem and The Hunger Games' past — and into the tale of a well-known character from her initial three books in the dystopian franchise — with the saga's second prequel. After the author first went down that route with 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, her next jump backwards hit bookstores in March 2025. When the novel was announced, naturally a film was as well. It might've taken three years for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to become a movie, but Sunrise on the Reaping is hitting the big screen just a year after the book made its way shelves. This time, the focus is on the Second Quarter Quell, with Haymitch winning those games — and Sunrise on the Reaping's narrative kicking off on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. Harrelson portrayed Haymitch in 2012–15 movies The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II, with filmmaker Francis Lawrence helming every one of them since Catching Fire — and also doing the same on The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. He'll be back in the director's chair on Sunrise on the Reaping. For Zada, this isn't his only big post-Invisible Boys project. He's also treading where James Dean once did, playing the same character as the late, great icon in a new version of East of Eden opposite Florence Pugh (We Live in Time), Mike Faist (Challengers) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) — and he has the page-to-screen adaptation of We Were Liars also on the way, hitting streaming in June 2025. There's obviously no trailer yet for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but you can check out the trailer for all of the past Hunger Games movies below: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will reach cinemas on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 Down Under. We'll update you with more details when they're announced. Via Variety. Top image: David Dare Parker, Invisible Boys. Hunger Games images: Murray Close.
Clearing out your wardrobe, sifting through your old clothing and making a pile to give to a new home rank among life's necessary but often overlooked tasks. It's also an easy process to get just partway through — pulling unloved shirts off their hangers and bagging up a heap of your old outfits to donate to charity, but then letting said bag sit in your hallway for months and months. Sound familiar? If you have the enthusiasm to gift your pre-loved clothing to a new home, but never quite get around to dropping off your old pieces for whatever reason, then you might be interested in The Iconic's new donation scheme. Called Giving Made Easy, it's an extension of the online retailer's free returns mechanism. Just print out a pre-paid shipping label from the company's website, pop it on a box or satchel filled with clothes that you're never going to wear again, then take it to an Australia Post box or office. Obviously, it still involves you actually moving your pile of unwanted clothes out of your house — but even if you never manage to make it to a Salvation Army or St Vincent's store or bin, you're never too far away from a post box. Once posted, your old threads will be sent to the Salvos to sell in their 330 shops across the country, which raise money to assist folks dealing with homelessness, addiction, domestic violence and emergency situations. To nab a label, you will need to have an active account with The Iconic. Once you've done that and printed out the label, you can stick it on any box or satchel you choose. And if you're a customer with one of the company's delivery satchels in your possession after your last order, you can also use that to send in your pre-loved pieces. The initiative is part of The Iconic's efforts to help reduce textile waste, with around 6000 kilograms of fabric and clothing ending up in Aussie landfill every ten minutes. As always when you're donating pre-worn clothes, pieces will need to be in good condition. If you'd happily give it to a friend as it is, then it's okay to give it to the Salvos. The charity is accepting dresses, tops, t-shirts, singlets, skirts, pants, shorts, jeans, coats, jackets, jumpsuits, playsuits, sweats, hoodies, jumpers, cardigans, suits, blazers, shirts, polos and activewear, as well as footwear and shoes. Used underwear, socks and hosiery won't be taken, nor anything that's damaged. To find out more about The Iconic's Giving Made Easy scheme — or to download a pre-paid shipping label — visit the online retailer's website. Top image: The Iconic.
Here's what it will look like when the Sydney Light Rail finally launches into action in 2019. The brand new trams, dubbed the Citadis x05, are the world's longest light rail vehicles to date and we're the very first city to nab 'em. Built in France and Spain by Alstom, the trams ring in at 67 metres and can carry 450 passengers, which is nine times the capacity of a bus. The new schmick design was unveiled in Randwick on Tuesday, August 1 by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Andrew Constance, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. "It is a really exciting day to be standing here with the first of our world-class light rail vehicles and offering the people of NSW a glimpse of this innovative, modern vehicle," said Premier Berejiklian. Despite its behemoth size, the Citadis x05 is pretty efficient. Compared with your average bus, it uses four times less energy, as well as ten times less energy than a car. It's also very, very wheel-friendly — think loads of room for prams and wheelchairs, double doors, low floors and easy-to-reach intercoms. All in all, there will be 30 tram sets operating in the CBD and South East Light Rail, which will run from Circular Quay and the CBD through Surry Hills, Moore Park and Kensington, ending in Randwick and Kingsford. You can expect to see the Citadis x05 getting some test runs around town later this year. Sure, from the outside the tram basically looks like every other modern light rail vehicle we've seen. But, even though Sydney is still obviously behind Melbourne on the tram scene —and, let's be honest, in a lot of ways — we can finally firmly lay claim to having the best of something other than beaches. Which are amazing and unbeatable.
A new exhibition exploring the beauty of underwater plant life has opened at the Royal Botanic Garden's outdoor exhibition space, The Calyx. Inside the Tide recreates kelp forests, coral reefs and seagrass meadows above the ground — using land plants in order to demonstrate the marvelous aesthetic and ecological value of these marine environments. "When most people hear the word seaweeds, they think of the dead stuff rotting on the beach or it touching their legs when they're trying to swim," Dr Yola Metti says. "There's a huge lack of awareness of the benefits of marine algae in general. One of the biggest things we can be thankful for is the amount of oxygen algae produce." Over 20,000 plants have been installed inside the venue, including one of the largest vertical green walls in the southern hemisphere. The plant wall, that most recently played home to thousands of flowers for the exhibition InBloom, now springs forward with the lush green tones of underwater plant life. "Our land plants are the actors with cactus and other succulents playing the roles of corals, and ferns and ivy becoming the seaweeds," Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Curator Manager David Laughlin said. "We have pandanus trees on the sandy shore with mock seagrass meadows we've created to feel like you're by the beach but in the heart of the city, surrounded by our beautiful gardens." The horticultural exhibition has been created in collaboration with puppetry and arts collective Erth who has helped transform The Calyx into a marine world with expressive sculptures of sea creatures and interactive elements that both children and adults can engage with. Inside the Tide is running from Friday, December 3 through until July next year. Throughout the exhibition, The Calyx will be open 10am–4pm daily and entry is available via donation. This exhibition marks the reopening of The Calyx following InBloom and maintenance that was conducted during Sydney's lockdown. The new exhibition took horticultural staff months to install and prepare. The Calyx is located at The Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquaries Road. Inside the Tide will run from Friday, December 3, 2021–July 2022.
Over on Crown Street, Night Parrot leans into top-notch wines from the likes of Lo-Fi Wines' Das Juice, Adelaide Hills' Vinteloper and Yarra Valley's Punt Road Winery. The bar recently changed hands but things remained unchanged for now, so you can sip funky natural drops alongside a selection of Asian-style snacks, including handmade dumplings, bao and Korean popcorn chicken. Images: Stefan Posthuma
ANZAC Day is upon us for 2020; however with the usual parades and dawn services cancelled and downscaled due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year's commemorations are looking considerably different than usual. Given that pubs, bars and RSLs are closed across the country thanks to social-distancing requirements, the great Aussie tradition that is two-up has also been affected — but, like most aspects of normal life at the moment, the game has moved online. At 2up 2.0, you can yell "come in spinner" while you're playing along virtually (and while drinking brews and eating ANZAC biscuits, too, if that's part of your April 25 routine). As you're watching digital coins flip, you'll also be helping a very worthy cause, with 100-percent of the site's proceeds being donated to Wounded Warriors to help support Australian servicemen and women and their families. To play, all you need to do is head to the site — and, while purchasing virtual coins in order to make a donation to diggers is obviously encouraged, you'll receive 100 free virtual dollars just for signing up. Prizes are on offer from Rocks Brewing Co, while a leaderboard keeps track of how everyone is faring. And remember that you'll only be able to play along today, Saturday, April 25, as that's the only day each year that two-up is legal to play in most places in Australia. To play 2up 2.0 and donate to Wounded Warriors, visit the game's website.
It's been a big year for Sydney hospo group Merivale. On top of reopening The Newport back in March, they've rounded out the year by opening their long-awaited Oxford Street double venue Fred's and Charlie Parker's and also buying Botany Road's Tennyson Hotel for a cool $37.5 million. And to top off a huge 2016, they're opening another new venue today, Monday, December 12. In April of 2015, they bought the iconic Queen Victoria Hotel in Enmore — and now, 19 months later, they're ready to open her back up. Like Fred's and Charlie Parker's, the Queens Hotel (as it's now known) will comprise of two venues: a restaurant and a bar. Downstairs will be home to Queen Chow, a Cantonese restaurant lead by Papi Chulo duo Christopher Hogarth and Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Eric Koh, formerly of Mr. Wong. The menu is packed full of twists on traditional Hong Kong street fare like salt and pepper cuttlefish and silken tofu and prawns with chilli bean mayo. They'll also have a whole roast duck with plum sauce on the menu, and a typhoon shelter crab, which is deep fried and served with garlic, chilli, black bean and pulp from soybeans. Dayum. If your tastes run more towards delicious pillows of filled dough, the dim sum menu has been lovingly designed by Eric Koh, guided by his 30 years of dumpling experience. He'll be serving up steamed, baked and fried dumps for lunch, dinner and late night supper — the latter of which should really be a legal requirement of all bars. And once you've gorged to satiation at Queen Chow, head upstairs to The Smelly Goat (excellent name, team) for some bizarre cocktail combos. We've got a lot of faith in the Merivale team (we recently drank a cocktail flavoured with grass from Centennial Park at Charlie Parker's), so we're willing to give their weirder inventions a try — like the Dutch Courage cocktail with carrot, Maker's Mark and white wine. Could go either way. But we're champing at the bit to try the Moloko Plus – it comes with Crunchy Nut milk, white rum and cardamom. Sounds very Momofuku Milk Bar and totally acceptable to drink at breakfast. Naturally, because it's Merivale, you'll be sipping these concoctions in supremely well-styled surrounds. The bar will have a salon feel with fabric-lined walls and black timber panelling, plus an onyx bar top and taxidermy bird boxes filling the space. It's been done in collaboration with Merivale regulars Amanda Talbot and Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative, who have also styled the downstairs restaurant as well. The Queens Hotel is Merivale's first venture into Sydney's inner west, so it'll be interesting to see how to the venue is received by locals. End-of-year drinks, anyone? The Queens Hotel opens at noon on Monday, December 12 at 167 Enmore Road, Enmore. It will be open for lunch, dinner and supper seven days a week. For more info, visit merivale.com.au/queenshotel.
No matter the name and no matter the hook, it seems that whosoever takes over the premises of 44 King Street shall open and operate a live-music themed bar in the basement. Once the home of lively New Orleans-themed joint The Swinging Cat, the venue is now home to Lucille's: the divier little sibling of nearby country music hotspot Jolene's. Recently opened by the same husband and wife duo that runs the aforementioned York Street mainstay, Simon and Lucille Rose-Hopkins, Lucille's is inspired by the pair's travels to the rock and blues heartland of the United States, and is named after Rose-Hopkins herself. In turn, she's named after a musical legend: "The name of the bar was a funny coincidence. Lucille is the name BB King gave his guitar after it was saved from a fire started at a bar… over a fight over a woman named Lucille. Lucille's parents saw BB King on a trip to the States many years ago and decided to name her after the guitar as well," said her husband and co-owner, Simon. While Jolene's is a love letter to the "classier side of Nashville," as the duo puts it, Lucille's takes inspiration from their favourite dive bars in Memphis and Dallas, with plenty of southern character and charm. True to the great blues and rock bars of the south, Lucille's welcomes regular live music from established and upcoming artists alike every Thursday from 7.30pm, and every Friday and Saturday from 8pm. The menu is simple but satisfying. The daily happy hour offering tells you everything you need to know about drinks: $14 margaritas, $7 beers, and $8 wines and select spirits from 5–7 pm daily. There's also a range of cocktails — some simple (like the whiskey and fresh apple), and some house specialties named after country songs, like Bright Lights, Big City and Southside of Heaven. The food is what you would imagine: comforting, moreish, Southwest-style snacks and shared plates to accompany the rock and blues tunes. Choose from mac and cheese balls, buffalo chicken bites, hotdogs and more, and you'll be whisked across the world to the home of the blues in no time.
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.
"Well, Kriv got talking to me, you see. At a certain point late in the filming of The Correspondent, he mentioned in passing that he wanted to talk to me about another thing. And when he told me about the idea, I had some initial reluctance, because I guess playing another important Australian political figure wasn't the first thing that would come to mind on my list of most-desired projects," Richard Roxburgh tells Concrete Playground. The Australian actor is chatting about director Kriv Stenders, who he worked with on 2019's Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan, then on 2025 cinema release The Correspondent and now on Joh: Last King of Queensland as well. "And I guess the way that he talked about it, the way that he pitched it to me, I just thought it was such a kind of crazy, excellent idea that I thought I had to go for." In Roxburgh and Stenders' aforementioned movie collaborations so far, the former has continued a trend that's popped up repeatedly across his career: portraying real-life Australian figures. Danger Close tasked him with stepping into Brigadier David Jackson's shoes. In The Correspondent, he helped bring journalist Peter Greste's ordeal after being arrested in Egypt, then put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, to the screen. Now, however, Roxburgh is playing former Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen — and doing so not in a drama, but in a documentary. Joh: Last King of Queensland initially premiered at the 2025 Sydney Film Festival, then made its way to streaming via Stan. While Stenders has compiled a wealth of archival footage to fill its frames, as well as contemporary interviews with the politician's family members and friends, plus journalists, historians and more, Roxburgh couldn't have a more pivotal part. In recreations of the final days that the conservative figure at the doco's centre spent in office in 1987 after years leading the Sunshine State — when he refused to leave, in fact — the acclaimed actor delivers Bjelke-Petersen's speeches. Stenders grew up in Queensland, and has crafted a cautionary portrait of Bjelke-Petersen's time in charge of the state. The prolific filmmaker, who has kept jumping between fiction and fact, and the big and small screens, via everything from The Illustrated Family Doctor, Lucky Country, Red Dog and its sequel, Kill Me Three Times, the Wake in Fright miniseries, Jack Irish, Bump and Last Days of the Space Age to The Go-Betweens: Right Here, Brock: Over the Top and Slim & I, has also made another timely film with Roxburgh after The Correspondent also proved exactly that. Watching Joh: Last King of Queensland's survey of one man's authoritarian-style power, a regime filled with corruption and the vast suppression of dissent, for instance, means seeing blatant parallels to global politics today. [caption id="attachment_1015675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images[/caption] Despite his initial hesitation, Roxburgh felt that this was a unique opportunity. "It really did. It felt really quite odd, and I was still unreally unsure about it when we started shooting it — but Kriv was so determined about it and was loving what he was seeing so much, he kept reassuring me that it was just going to slot into what he was doing. So, I trusted him," he advises. He was aware of the type of material that would surround his performance in the documentary, too. "I picked Kriv's brains about a lot of it, so I did know quite a bit of what was going on. I knew the people he'd interviewed, what the general thrust of their interviews were. I was across quite a bit of that stuff." Portraying Bjelke-Petersen doesn't just follow Roxburgh's time as Greste and as Jackson for Stenders. He has played former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke twice, in both Hawke and The Crown. His performance as corrupt police office Roger Rogerson in Blue Murder won him his first Australian Film Institute Award — the accolades that are now the AACTAs — and Logie. Then there's Roxburgh's efforts as pianist Percy Grainger in Passion; as Ronald Ryan, the last person legally executed in Australia, in The Last of the Ryans; and in Bali 2002 as Graham Ashton, the Australian police's operational commander in the investigation into the bombings. That parts as real-life Australian figures keep coming his way, alongside interrogations of power and how it impacts those in prominent positions — streaming series Prosper and The Dry sequel Force of Nature equally fit the latter bill — were also topics of discussion in our second chat for 2025 with Roxburgh. Among other subjects, we spoke with him about putting in another performance for Stenders that places him in one space alone, as portraying Greste largely did; not growing up in Queensland under Bjelke-Petersen like Joh: Last King of Queensland's director; if there's a real-life Aussie that he's keen to take on next; and the diversity he's enjoyed beyond his stints inhabiting IRL names, with Thank God He Met Lizzie, Oscar and Lucinda, Mission: Impossible II, Moulin Rouge, Van Helsing, Rake, Sanctum, Looking for Grace, Go!, Elvis, Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe and Lesbian Space Princess just some of his other projects. On the Theatre Feel to Roxburgh's Solo Scenes in Joh: Last King of Queensland — and the Process of Stepping Into Bjelke-Petersen's Shoes "It was a weird little moment in time, obviously. Because it felt after a couple of days, I said to Kriv, like a stage production that no one would see about the life and times and great strangeness of this powerful Australian political presence. So it was odd. But I think the more I settled into it, into the rhythms of that character, and tried to burrow into what he was doing in those last three days when he was alone, the more settled I felt. I thought it was going to be easier than it ended up being — because I thought, the way that Kriv talked about it, we weren't going to do makeup, we weren't going to do any of the lookalike stuff, in particular. But there were some elements that were so key to his personality, and so key to the way that he crafted sentences — the way that he conveyed information. And then there were other things, like the fact that he had polio as a child. There were so many things that went into the physical and vocal life of the character that ended up being so important and, in a way, they were sine qua non. I had to at least find the song of it. I had to find that cadence, that particular gift for clouding argument, for obfuscation, for changing sentences midstream. And you couldn't do that in the end without actually doing it. So it ended up being quite a lot of work — a lot of pre-work." On Getting Into the Mindset of a Leader That Everyone Wants Out of Office But Is Refusing to Leave "There's quite a bit of really excellent footage of Joh strongly inhabiting his argument, whatever the argument is. And so that was really useful to see how he commanded the space in those times. There was a lot less of his cloudiness, his wooliness, his diversion, obfuscation, when he was speaking like that — and a lot more control and determination, incredible determination, that he was absolutely right. Joh was an absolutist. He believed in his authority, and the fact that it was a kind of gift to Queensland from god, as it were, because he felt like he was obeying divine instruction. He was always serving his version of his lord. And so there's, to my mind, a really salient warning in that as well." On Whether There's Anything That's Key to Roxburgh in Inhabiting, Rather Than Merely Impersonating, a Real-Life Figure "I guess it's not more than it is for any other character you do. It's just a different landscape, because it's a landscape that everybody's seen before. So the difference is that an audience is going to watch it with a precondition and pre-understanding of what that character is meant to look like or how they were. It's not really different in the sense that you always have to find yourself in the in the centre, in the makeup of — and I don't mean makeup as in hair and makeup, I mean in the cellular energy of that individual, which doesn't change whether the character is fictitious or was somebody who lived and was very much in the public eye. But the difference is that everybody knows that landscape. So the people watching this documentary, at least 90 percent of them will be enormously familiar with the personality and personage of Joh. And so they'll be coming in with a pre-understanding or a preconditioning to what that character is like. So that's the thing. The risk is to do the comedic version of the character, because there were so many great versions of that and I didn't want to fall into that." On If Having an Outsider's Eye, Not Growing Up in Queensland, Helped with Roxburgh's Task in Joh: Last King of Queensland "Interesting thought. I don't know the answer to that. I feel like probably my work would be the same no matter what. Because your work, when you're inhabiting that character, is going to be always the same — and in a sense, it's to not judge it. Because Joh, whatever we think of him, he had his own incredibly powerful reasons for doing what he did — and incredibly powerful self-justifications for doing them." On What Interests Roxburgh About Interrogating the Nature and Influence of Power On-Screen "I think it's definitely something that interests me, because it's so front and centre in the human experience — because we're either living it, aiming for it ourselves, or we're suffering at the hands of it. And so it's always there. And it's such a rich and compelling part of what it is to be a human being, as evidenced in everything that Shakespeare ever wrote. There's no drama, in a sense, without it, without the mechanics of it in one way or another." On Why Portraying Prominent Real-Life Australian Figures Keeps Coming His Way "No clue why I get offered these things because I obviously don't look a thing like Bob Hawke. I don't look at thing like Joh Bjelke-Petersen, either. I don't know why this happens. And as I said, I did have really strong tendrils of reluctance when Kriv was first talking to me about this. And he said 'look, I understand if you don't want to do this, having played Bob and various others — Peter Greste and other Australian famous figures'. But then I think I just really love the audacity of this project. I love the audacious way that Kriv was finding to tell this story. I just thought 'it's a great, really ballsy, wonderful piece of cinematic thinking that I loved I really'. I just really dug it. And I trust his opinion." On the Parallels That Joh: Last King of Queensland Draws Between Joh-Era Queensland and the US in 2025 — and If It Felt Like This Would Be a Timely Film While Making It "Yeah, it did. I think it's really fascinating because I have spoken to 30-year-olds in Australia who didn't know the name Joh Bjelke-Petersen, and I thought 'holy crap, come on, everybody should know that name'. These people need to be known about. As the famous saying goes about history repeating, I just think there's so many shots across the bow in that administration of Joh Bjelke-Petersen. There's so many warnings about untrammelled power and where it can lead — that one tiny rollback of something here then leads to a bigger rollback of democracy there, which just keeps leading democracy further and further afield, until you end up with, I think, a kind of deeply embedded, corrupt, pretty rotten administration where there is so much fear, so much resentment, so much anxiety. And where anybody with a slight sense of sitting outside the paradigm had to escape to safety. And I don't think that's a great place to be, and so I would love Australians to know about what happened under the administration of Joh Bjelke-Petersen." On How Roxburgh and Stenders' Working Relationship Has Evolved Over Multiple Films Now "A lot of trust in it. I really do. And a lot of the time, not having to say too much to each other. I'll still pick his brains and he'll obviously give me direction and talk about stuff. We will do that. But I think I just know what he's after. I can assess what he's after at any given moment, I think. And sometimes, we just scratch our heads after a scene and say 'I don't know if that? Did we get that right? Or do we — fuck it, let's do another one'. So there's a really great, very relaxed, trusting shorthand, I would say. And I think Kriv is an artist who is at his peak of his powers. I think he's doing such really, really interesting, strong work." On How Roxburgh Sees His Almost Four-Decade On-Screen Journey So Far "I think I've been really lucky because I've had a working life in the thing that I love. And I do still love it. I love the hell out of it. I love doing what I do so much. I love the various shapes of it. So I also like the idea of producing, of directing, of creating material, as well. I love being able to step between theatre and film and television. I like the gradation of difference that exists between film and television. I like all of it. I love all of it. So I feel really lucky and I feel privileged in the matter that I have had a life in it, and been able to make life in it. Because it's not always the case, and it can be a tough life at times. But I feel incredibly fortunate." On the Diversity That Roxburgh Has Enjoyed Across His Career — Even If Recurring Trends and Themes Pop Up "I love it. I love the kind of weird, wacky, family-photo-album madness of that particular curriculum vitae, I guess. I think, again, I'm lucky. I'm lucky to have experienced things that were ridiculous comedies. I love my time on Rake so much, because it was familial because I was deeply involved creatively — and it was so meaningful to me on lots of levels. But I think it's just a really madcap photo album that is kind of fascinating to thumb through, not that I ever do. But I guess one day in my dotage I'll be siting around, thumbing through: 'my god, I did this thing called Go!. I did this thing called — can anybody remember Lesbian Space Princess? I mean what did I do in that?'. I think it's fascinating. It's crazy." On Whether There's Any Other Key Australian Figure That Roxburgh Is Keen to Portray "No — I can say in all honesty there's not particularly. That person does not exist particularly at the moment. Generally what happens more is that you get offered something and your first thought is 'well, that's insane. That's ridiculous. Why would they? I don't. I'm not. I couldn't play that person'. And it goes from there so. No, I would say this — it's not like I would ever sit around thinking 'I'd love to have a crack at that character'." Joh: Last King of Queensland streams via Stan.
Along with delivering quintessential Southern hospitality, Memphis is the destination that allows you to walk the brick-lined streets that witnessed the astronomical talent — and unprecedented ascent to fame — of Elvis Presley. The birthplace of rock 'n' roll, and home of blues and soul, is all electrifying energy and originality. This June, Baz Luhrmann is bringing the bright lights, creative flair and distinct directorial prowess he's known for to the euphonious history of Memphis with Elvis. The energetic and emotionally charged film charts the rise (and rise) of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler), celebrating the inimitable musician's music and life against the backdrop of an evolving cultural climate in 1950s and 60s America. Using the lens of Presley's relationship with his enigmatic manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), the bold picture tells a story of musical self-expression and monumental stardom — and the coinciding loss of innocence that was broadcast on a global stage. As hips shook, money was made and a rock 'n' roll icon immortalised. https://youtu.be/xSbQ_ERfmFQ To celebrate the release of Elvis in cinemas Thursday, June 23, Memphis Tourism is giving you the chance to win two tickets to the Australian premiere on the Gold Coast — which is where the feature was shot — on Saturday, June 4. To be in the running to rock and roll your way to the red-carpet experience, enter below. [competition]851551[/competition] Top images: Hugh Stewart (first two); Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures (third) © 2022 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. BERGMAN ISLAND Each filmmaker sits in the shadows of all who came before them — and as cinema's history lengthens, so will those penumbras. With Bergman Island, French writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve doesn't merely ponder that idea; she makes it the foundation of her narrative, as well a launching pad for a playful and resonant look at love, work and the creative wonders our minds conjure up. Her central duo, two filmmakers who share a daughter, literally tread where the great Ingmar Bergman did. Visiting Fårö, the island off Sweden's southeastern coast that he called home and made his base, Chris (Vicky Krieps, Old) and Tony Sanders (Tim Roth, The Misfits) couldn't escape his imprint if they wanted to. They don't dream of trying, as they're each searching for as much inspiration as they can find; however, the idea of being haunted by people and their creations soon spills over to Chris' work. Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage has already been remade, albeit in a miniseries that arrived on the small screen a couple of months after Bergman Island premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival — but across one half of Hansen-Løve's feature, that title would fit here as well. Her resume has long been filled with intimate looks at complicated relationships, including in 2009's Father of My Children and 2011's Goodbye First Love, with her movies both peering deeply and cutting deep as they unfurl the thorny intricacies of romance. Accordingly, when Chris and Tony find themselves sleeping in the bedroom where Bergman shot the original Scenes From a Marriage, it's a loaded and layered moment several times over. That said, the thing about willingly walking in someone else's footsteps is that you're not bound to taking the exact same path — as Bergman Island's characters learn, and as the filmmaker that's brought them to the screen clearly already knows. Turning in finessed and thoughtful performances, Krieps and Roth bring a lived-in dynamic to the film's first key couple, with the chaos that swirls from being in the same line of work but chasing disparate aims not just flowing but bubbling in their paired scenes. He's the kind of Bergman fan that's adamant about going on the Bergman safari, a real-life thing that all visitors can do, for instance, while she prefers being shown around informally by young film student Hampus (acting debutant Hampus Nordenson). But their Fårö escapades only fill half of Bergman Island, because the movie also brings Chris' budding script to life. She tells Tony the tale, seeking his assistance in working out an ending, but he's too immersed in Bergman worship to truly pay attention. The feature itself, Hansen-Løve and the audience all savour the details, though — eagerly so. There, in this film-within-a-film, 28-year-old director Amy (Mia Wasikowska, Blackbird) visits an island, too — "a place like this," Chris advises, and one that visibly resembles Fårö. She dances to ABBA to cement the Swedish ties, and also spends her time on the locale's shores wading through matters of art and the heart. The catalyst for the latter: her ex Joseph (Anders Danielsen Lie, The Worst Person in the World). They're both attending a wedding of mutual friends, and their lengthy, passionate and volatile history quickly pushes to the fore. While they've each moved on, they're also forever connected, especially when placed in such close quarters. Accordingly, that tumultuous relationship is as bedevilled by other creative endeavours, and also by the thrall of history, as Chris' quest to put pen to paper. And, via the movie-inside-a-movie concept, there's an evocative sense of mirroring that couldn't spring any firmer from Bergman himself. Read our full review. WASH MY SOUL IN THE RIVER'S FLOW A silent hero and a rowdy troublemaker. That's what Ruby Hunter calls Archie Roach, her partner in life and sometimes music, then characterises herself. She offers those words casually, as if she's merely breathing, with an accompanying smile and a glint in her eyes as she talks. They aren't the only thoughts uttered in Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, which intersperses concert and rehearsal clips with chats with Hunter and Roach, plus snippets of biographical details from and recollections about their lives as intertitles, and then majestic footage of the winding Murray River in Ngarrindjeri Country, where Hunter was born, too. Still, even before those two-word descriptions are mentioned, the film shows how they resonate within couple's relationship. Watching their dynamic, which had ebbed and flowed over three-plus decades when the movie's footage was shot in 2004, it's plain to see how these two icons of Australian music are dissimilar in personality and yet intertwine harmoniously. Every relationship is perched upon interlocking personalities: how well they complement each other, where their differences blend seamlessly and how their opposing traits spark challenges in the best possible ways. Every song, too, is a balance of disparate but coordinated pieces. And, every ecosystem on the planet also fits the bill. With Hunter and Roach as its focus, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow contemplates all three — love, music and Country — all through 2004 concert Kura Tungar — Songs from the River. Recorded for the documentary at Melbourne's Hamer Hall, that gig series interlaced additional parts, thanks to a collaboration with Paul Grabowsky's 22-piece Australian Art Orchestra — and the movie that producer-turned-writer/director Philippa Bateman makes of it, and about two Indigenous stars, their experience as members of Australia's Stolen Generations, their ties to Country and their love, is equally, gloriously and mesmerisingly multifaceted. When is a concert film more than a concert film? When it's Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, clearly, which is named for one of Kura Tungar's tracks. Bateman could've just used her recordings of the legendary show, which won the 2005 Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert, and given everyone who wasn't there the chance to enjoy an historic event — and to bask in the now-late Hunter's on-stage glories more than a decade after her 2010 passing — but that was clearly just the starting point for her movie. With Roach as a producer, the documentary presents each of its songs as a combination of five key elements, all weaved together like the feather flower-dotted, brightly coloured headpiece that Hunter wears during the performance. With each tune, the film repeats the pattern but the emotion that comes with it inherently evolves, with the result akin to cycling through the earth's four seasons. First, a title appears on-screen, overlaid across breathtakingly beautiful images of the Murray and its surroundings, and instantly steeping every song in a spectacular place. From there, the Kura Tungar rendition of each tune segues into practice sessions with Grabowsky and the AAO of the same track, plus both text and on-the-couch chatter between Hunter and Roach that speaks to the context of, meaning behind and memories tied to each piece. Hunter's 'Daisy Chains, String Games and Knuckle Bones', which springs from her childhood, gets that treatment. Roach's unforgettable 'Took the Children Away' does, too. 'Down City Streets', as written by Hunter and recorded by Roach, also joins the lineup. The list goes on, and the power that each song possesses alone — which, given the talent and topics involved, is immense — only grows when packaged in such a layered manner. Read our full review. THE SOUVENIR: PART II In showbusiness, nepotism is as inescapable as movies about movies. Both are accounted for in The Souvenir: Part II. But when talents as transcendent as Honor Swinton Byrne, her mother Tilda Swinton and writer/director Joanna Hogg are involved — with the latter working with the elder Swinton since her first short, her graduation piece Caprice, back in 1986 before Honor was even born — neither family ties nor filmmaking navel-gazing feel like something routine. Why this isn't a surprise with this trio is right there in the movie's name, after the initial The Souvenir proved such a devastatingly astute gem in 2019. It was also simply devastating, following an aspiring director's romance with a charismatic older man through to its traumatic end. Both in its masterful narrative and its profound impact, Part II firmly picks up where its predecessor left off. In just her third film role — first working with her mum in 2009's I Am Love before The Souvenir and now this — Swinton Byrne again plays 80s-era filmmaking student Julie Harte. But there's now a numbness to the wannabe helmer after her boyfriend Anthony's (Tom Burke, Mank) death, plus soul-wearying shock after discovering the double life he'd been living that her comfortable and cosy worldview hadn't conditioned her to ever expect. Decamping to the Norfolk countryside, to her family home and to the warm but entirely upper-middle-class, stiff-upper-lip embrace of her well-to-do parents Rosalind (Swinton, The French Dispatch) and William (James Spencer Ashworth) is only a short-term solution, however. Julie's thesis film still needs to be made — yearns to pour onto celluloid, in fact — but that's hardly a straightforward task. As the initial movie was, The Souvenir: Part II is another semi-autobiographical affair from Hogg, with Swinton Byrne slipping back into her on-screen shoes. This time, the director doesn't just dive into her formative years four decades back, but also excavates what it means to mine your own life for cinematic inspiration — aka the very thing she's been doing with this superb duo of features. That's what Julie does as well as she works on the film's film-within-a-film, sections of which play out during The Souvenir: Part II's running time and are basically The Souvenir. Accordingly, viewers have now spent two pictures watching Hogg's protagonist lives the experiences she'll then find a way to face through her art, all while Hogg moulds her two exceptional — and exceptionally intimate and thoughtful — movies out of that exact process. Julie's graduation project is also an escape, given it's patently obvious that the kindly, well-meaning but somehow both doting and reserved Rosalind and William have been pushed out of their comfort zone by her current crisis. Helping their daughter cope with her heroin-addicted lover's passing isn't something either would've considered might occur, so they natter away about Rosalind's new penchant for crafting Etruscan-style pottery instead — using small talk to connect without addressing the obvious, as all families lean on at some point or another. They provide financing for Julie's film, too, in what proves the easiest part of her concerted efforts to hop back behind the lens and lose herself in her work. Elsewhere, an array of doubt and questions spring from her all-male film-school professors, and the assistance she receives from her classmates is quickly steeped in rivalries, envy and second-guessing. Read our full review. FACING MONSTERS "If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price." Uttered by Patrick Swayze in 90s surfing action flick Point Break, that statement isn't directly quoted in Facing Monsters. Still, when it comes to the underlying idea behind those words — that anything at its absolute pinnacle comes at a cost, especially seeking bliss hanging ten on giant swells — this new Australian documentary unquestionably rides the same wave. Directed by Bentley Dean, and marking his first movie in cinemas since 2015 Oscar-nominee Tanna, the film focuses on Kerby Brown, the Aussie slab surfer who is at his happiest atop the biggest breakers possible. He's turned hunting them into his life's mission — think Point Break's 50-year storm, also set in Australia, but every time that Kerby hops on a board — and Facing Monsters commits that pursuit to celluloid. Helming solo unlike on Tanna — which he co-directed with Martin Butler, as he did on prior documentaries Contact, First Footprints and A Sense of Self as well — Dean understands three key aspects to Kerby's story. The thrills, the spectacle and the calm: they're all accounted for here, including simply in the astonishing imagery that fills the film. There's no shortage of talk in Facing Monsters; Kerby himself, his brother and frequent partner-in-surf Cortney, his partner Nicole Jardine, and his parents Glenn and Nola all chat happily. But this movie makes much of its impact, and captures plenty that's pivotal, all via its visuals alone. Cinematographer Rick Rifici has long shot the sea as if it's an otherworldly space, including while working as a camera operator on Storm Surfers, as a water cinematographer on Breath, and as the underwater camera operator on Dirt Music, and he's as as crucial here as Kerby. The long, wide, lingering image that begins the film is one such unforgettable moment — essential and exceptional, too. Kerby floats in a sea of lush but rippling pink, face to the sky, his board strapped to his leg. It's a near-supernatural sight, and a transcendent one, but amid the unshakeably striking beauty of the shot, uncertainty also loiters. An unspoken query, too: is this a picture of bliss or bleakness? Next comes a quick cut, letting Kerby's bloody face and bandaged head fill the the screen instead, and making it instantly clear that his love of riding big waves has physical and severe consequences. The gorgeous visions return from there, and the intimacy as well — the latter largely flowing from talk from this point forward — but Facing Monsters' first frames truly do say it all. Indeed, it's noticeable that the remainder of the movie feels like it's paddling after this opening sensation and atmosphere. Facing Monsters is a documentary about chasing, of course — waves, obsessions, addictions, demons, solace and happiness alike. The dangerous nature of slab surfing plays out like a quest as much as an adventure, driving Kerby ever since he and Cortney got bored with the swells at Kalbarri in Western Australia, where they grew up, then starting seeking out bigger and bigger possibilities. That's there in the chatter as well as the imagery, in a film that aims to convey the what and why behind its subject's choices through immersion first and foremost. It's fitting, then, that watching Facing Monsters sometimes resembles riding high — when its visuals express everything they need to — and sometimes floats in shallower waters. Ensuring that audiences share the awe and wonder that Kerby experiences on his board is easy with Rifici's astounding help; diving deeper into exactly what else makes its point of focus tick, and has through swirls of drugs and booze, life-threatening incidents in the surf, and becoming a father, is a far more evasive task. BOOK OF LOVE In 2018's The Nightingale, Sam Claflin gave the performance of his career so far while playing thoroughly against type. As a British lieutenant in colonial-era Tasmania, he terrorised the film's female protagonist to a nerve-rattlingly distressing degree — and his work, just like the phenomenal feature he's in, isn't easy to watch. Book of Love, his latest movie, couldn't be more different; however, Claflin's portrayal could use even a sliver of the commitment he demonstrated four years back. The film around him could, too. Here, he plays a floundering novelist who doesn't want to do a very long list of things, so it makes sense that he takes to the part with a dissatisfied attitude that drips with not only unhappiness, but pouting petulance. He's meant to be one of this dire rom-com's romantic leads, however, and he constantly looks like he'd rather be doing anything else. Author of The Sensible Heart, Claflin's Henry Copper is instantly as dour as his book sounds. It too is a romance, but he's proud of its sexlessness — to the point of boasting about it to bored would-be readers who definitely don't make a purchase afterwards. He's also seen using his novel as a pick-up line early in the movie, and that goes just as badly. In fact, his whole career seems to be a shambles, and the prim-and-proper Brit can't understand why. But he's also surprised when he's told that his latest has become a bestseller in Mexico, and he's hardly thrilled about the whirlwind promotional tour his brassy agent (Lucy Punch, The Prince) swiftly books him on. Upon arrival, where his local translator Maria Rodríguez (My Heart Goes Boom!) doubles as his minder, he's visibly displeased about everything he's asked to do — more so when he discovers that she's taken the liberty to spice up his work. Of course, Maria's revisions — a wholesale rewrite that plunges The Sensible Heart into erotic page-turner territory — are the sole reason that Mexican women are lining up at Henry's events to throw themselves at him. And with both his British-based and Mexican agents adamant that his publicity tour must go on, he's forced to grin and bear that truth as they take a road trip across the country. Henry and Maria are a chalk-and-cheese pair in a host of other ways, naturally, but apparently sparks can't help igniting in this contrived scenario. It's telling that BuzzFeed Studios is behind the film, the site earns a mention in the movie and its plot feels like a gif-heavy listicle from the outset. Indeed, based on how slight and stereotypical every aspect of Book of Love proves, writer/director Analeine Cal y Mayor (La Voz de un Sueño) and co-writer David Quantick (Veep) don't appear to have spent much time fleshing anything out beyond that potential starting point. Tired, not wired: that's the end result, including Book of Love's place in the current literary-focused subgenre of romantic flicks that's also spawned the 50 Shades movies, the After films and fellow forgettable 2022 release The Hating Game. Claflin's patent disinterest is the least of the feature's troubles given that its storyline is nonsensical, there's no sign of chemistry between its leads, the dialogue couldn't be flatter and the travelogue setup has already been overdone. The charismatic Rodríguez certainly deserves better, even if no one else involved inspires the same description solely based on their efforts here. She's stuck playing a character that's been given as much depth and texture as a full stop — the archetype: feisty put-upon single mother with big dreams but crushing responsibilities — but she's also the only part of the movie that feels remotely real. OFF THE RAILS In need of a bland and derivative friends-on-holidays flick that's painted with the broadest of strokes? Keen to dive once more into the pool of movies about pals heading abroad to scatter ashes and simultaneously reflect upon their current lot in life? Fancy yet another supposedly feel-good film that endeavours to wring humour out of culture clashes between English-speaking protagonists and the places they visit? Yearning for more glimpses of thinly written women getting their grooves back and realising what's important on a wild Eurotrip? Call Off the Rails, not that anyone should. Coloured with every cliche that all of the above scenarios always throw up, and also covered from start to finish in schmaltz, it's a travel-themed slog that no one could want to remember. A grab bag of overdone tropes and treacly sentiment, it also doubles as an ode to the songs of Blondie, which fill its soundtrack — but even the vocal stylings of the great Debbie Harry can't breathe vibrancy into this trainwreck. Alongside its woeful been-there-done-that plot, its lack of personality, its yearning to be the next Mamma Mia! and all those Blondie tracks — the prominence of which makes zero sense given how briefly and haphazardly each song, hits and deeper cuts alike from a lengthy list, are deployed — Off the Rails does have another claim to fame to its name. The British film also marks the last on-screen appearance of Kelly Preston, who passed away in mid-2020; however, it isn't the swansong that any actor would want. Her involvement does give the movie's messages about making the most of one's time, embracing what you love and keeping in touch with the people who matter while you can a bittersweet tone, but not enough to wash away its mix of dullness and overdone mawkishness. Or, to invest depth into what's largely 94 minutes of middle-aged travellers arguing about anything and everything. Once close, Kate (Jenny Seagrove, Peripheral), Liz (Sally Phillips, Blinded by the Light) and Cassie (Preston, Gotti) now just call on big occasions — and even then, they're barely there for each other. But when fellow pal Anna dies, they reunite at her funeral, and are asked to carry out her final wish by her mother (Belfast's Judi Dench, in a thankless cameo). The task: catching a train across Europe, through Paris to Girona, Barcelona and Palma in Spain, to recreate a backpacking jaunt the four took decades earlier. Specifically, they're headed to La Seu, a cathedral with stained-glass windows that look particularly spectacular when the sun hits at the right time (the film calls it "god's disco ball"). Anna already bought their Interrail passes, and her 18-year-old daughter Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips, Fortitude) decides she'll join the voyage, too. Amid the bickering, which fills most of debut feature director Jules Williamson's scenes and screenwriter Jordan Waller's dialogue, the usual antics all roll out. Old feuds are unearthed, transport often goes awry every which way it can and the main middle-aged trio cause middle-aged women problems (getting drunk, getting lost, causing a scene in a boutique, delivering a baby and the like). Menopause earns some discussion, romance also springs — which is where the always-welcome but underused Franco Nero, aka cinema's original Django, comes in — and life lessons are ultimately learned. If that sounds tediously stock-standard on paper, it certainly plays out that way in a sunnily shot but always plodding ostensible comedy. Few performances could improve this plight, and Off the Rails' happily one-note efforts can't either, especially when its most interesting character and corresponding portrayal — courtesy of Dormer-Phillips as Maddie — keeps being pushed aside. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; December 2, December 9, December 16 and December 26; January 1, January 6, January 13, January 20 and January 27; February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24; and March 3. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Eternals, The Many Saints of Newark, Julia, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Zola, Last Night in Soho, Blue Bayou, The Rescue, Titane, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Dune, Encanto, The Card Counter, The Lost Leonardo, The French Dispatch, Don't Look Up, Dear Evan Hansen, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Lost Daughter, The Scary of Sixty-First, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, The Matrix Resurrections, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Worst Person in the World, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, House of Gucci, The King's Man, Red Rocket, Scream, The 355, Gold, King Richard, Limbo, Spencer, Nightmare Alley, Belle, Parallel Mothers, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted, Quo Vadis, Aida?, Cyrano, Hive, Studio 666, The Batman and Blind Ambition.
Lego Camera is a 3-Megapixel camera made entirely out of its namesake. It is a new go-to gadget for any shelf that’s looking a little bare and any hands that are feeling a little bored because, being Lego, you can add extra pieces to build a totally customised camera. Fortunately, it can't be pulled apart, which means you won’t find yourself scrambling on all fours looking for that missing piece. The camera, available online at Urban Outfitters, has pretty simple features: fixed focus, digital zoom, in-built flash and a 1.5 inch colour-screen with memory to store 8 shots. This may be marketed to the younger generation, but for those who never outgrew their childhood Lego fixation to operate this is certainly a fun option. [Via Desktop Mag]
This Queen's Birthday Long Weekend, Sydneysiders are allowed to travel to regional NSW once again, but it doesn't mean everyone can — or wants to. If you're staying local, it's certainly no time to despair. With restrictions easing, the city's shops, cultural institutions and hiking trails are reopening, so there's plenty to explore. From starting your day with a flaky fresh-from-the-oven pastry to ending it watching a flick on the big screen at a drive-in cinema, our fair city has lots to offer. As some COVID-19 rules are still in place though, it's not 100 percent business as normal, with limited capacities and social distancing measures at most indoor and outdoor venues. So, we suggest you check the relevant websites before making plans. To find out exactly what you can and can't do under NSW's current restrictions, have a look over here. [caption id="attachment_652424" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Infinity Bakery Paddington by Kitti Gould[/caption] START YOUR DAY WITH A FLAKY FRESH-FROM-THE-OVEN PASTRY There's nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries to whip your appetite into a frenzy. And that first bite of fluffy doughnut or glazed danish, not too long out of the oven? That's one way to kick off your long weekend. You can do just that at long-standing Sydney favourite Infinity — led by brother and sister duo, William and Sophie Peterson — which has outposts in Manly, Paddington and Darlinghurst. Alongside its range of sourdough — white, wholemeal, spelt and rye — you can find expertly made pastries, including croissants, cinnamon scrolls and piping hot pies, plus cakes, muffins, sandwiches and a brownie that can't be beaten. If you want to keep the bakery crawl going, check out the some more of our favourite bakeries across the city. [caption id="attachment_770818" align="alignnone" width="2000"] 'And Now' at White Rabbit by Kimberley Low[/caption] EXPLORE THIS THREE-STOREY ASIAN ART EXHIBITION To celebrate its tenth anniversary last year, Chippendale's White Rabbit Gallery launched a huge two-part retrospective. The first half, dubbed Then, featured giant pink fibreglass undies, a porcine car with an 11-metre gold tongue and 30 life-sized naked figures. Now, the follow-up exhibition is taking place, fittingly called And Now. Showcasing 15 key works from the second part of White Rabbit's life, 2011–2019, the show takes over the three-storey gallery with videos, giant sculptures, paintings and performative pieces. A three-part video installation by Liu Chuang will see Stephen Spielberg, Zhou Dynasty bells and bitcoin come together (figuratively) to explore issues of displacement in Bitcoin Mining and Field Recordings of Ethnic Minorities, while Zhu Jinshi's The Ship of Times — made from 14,000 sheets of xuan paper, 1800 pieces of fine bamboo, and 2000 cotton threads — will symbolise spiritual transformation. You'll also find a tall pillar of red glass by ceramicist Liu Jianhua, a performative video piece by Patty Chang in which she washes a rotting whale carcass, and two works by provocative artist, and former Ai Wei Wei studio assistant, Zhao Zhao. Want to keep your art adventure going? Here are three other IRL art exhibitions happening around Sydney this month. MEANDER THROUGH SYDNEY'S CHINESE GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP At the south end of Darling Harbour, you'll find a hidden oasis: the Chinese Garden of Friendship. While the silhouette of the city skyline shadows the garden, you'll be put at ease by the towering willow trees and soon forget your woes. The garden is peaceful and harmonious, making it the perfect place to stop and recharge your batteries or devour a good book. Take a deep breath and you'll feel instantly revived. If you're keen to stretch your legs and explore, the garden has waterfalls, sculptures, lakes and local wildlife, such as koi carp, water dragons and lots of pretty birds. While Lotus at The Gardens is currently closed, you'll find plenty of snacks nearby at Steam Mill Lane and Darling Square. The gardens are open every day from 10am–4pm daily and entry is $8. VISIT BABY BABOONS AND WOBBLY WOMBATS AT SYDNEY'S NEW ZOO Sydney's first new major zoo in 100 years — aptly called Sydney Zoo — is reopening its doors to the public on Saturday, June 6. Located in the city's west near the Great Western Highway, it's home to more than 100 animals, including, African painted dogs, hyenas, spider monkeys, tigers, zebras, 11 chimpanzees and 13 baboons (and three baby baboons), as well as Aussie wombats, echidnas, dingos, emus, koalas, Tasmanian devils and kangaroos. You can check out all these animals from pram and wheelchair-friendly raised boardwalks, too. It doesn't stop there either, with the zoo also home to the country's largest reptile and nocturnal house — with 60 different species, including the world's most venomous snakes, ghost bats and giant grasshoppers — and an aquarium with fish and penguins. Before you head in, you need to book a ticket, which you can do over at the website. [caption id="attachment_650370" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Barrenjoey Lighthouse Track by D Finnegan for NSW Parks[/caption] HEAD ON A STUNNING SEASIDE WALK (AND PRETEND YOU'RE ON HOLIDAYS) In the spirit of turning off and seeking out some wholesome nature, we tracked down some top-notch seaside walks to freshen up your routine. From the shores of the northern beaches to the bush tracks of the Royal National Park, recharge this weekend by embarking on one of Sydney's best coastal walks. One you'll really want to scope out this weekend is the Palm Beach to Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk. Perched at the top of Sydney's northern beaches, just 90 minutes from the CBD, Palm Beach is the ultimate spot for a staycation. It boasts the laidback vibes you'd expect from a tropical escape, minus the airfare. So, it's the ideal spot for an easy day trip from the big smoke. While you're there, head to the top of the peninsula for the Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk. This cruisey three-kilometre trail takes you through the bush to the lighthouse, with sweeping views of Palm Beach and beyond. Tip: take the short but steep Smugglers Track route for the best views (and photos). [caption id="attachment_771678" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Skyline Blacktown Drive-In[/caption] CATCH A FLICK AT SYDNEY'S ONLY PERMANENT DRIVE-IN CINEMA Most of Australia's cinema industry has earmarked July as its relaunch date, aiming to reopen in time for the planned release of Christopher Nolan's Tenet. But if you're a movie buff keen for some big-screen fun before that, Sydney's drive-in theatre is filling the gap — and, given that their whole concept involves folks watching flicks in cars, social distancing is already part of the experience. Blacktown's Skyline Drive-In is hosting screenings from Thursday–Sunday each week (plus a Monday night session on the Queen's Birthday public holiday), with four flicks playing each night. Films on the bill include The Invisible Man, IT: Chapter Two, Spies in Disguise, Joker, Grease and Knives Out, with horror-themed Friday nights and retro programming on Saturdays also on the agenda. Its diner is also back in business, serving burgers, hot chips, choc tops and other snacks. [caption id="attachment_757975" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Una Mas by Steven Woodburn[/caption] HIT UP A BAR, PUB OR RESTAURANT During lockdown, many of the city's hospitality venues had to close (or offer takeaway only), but now a whole swag of them are back and welcoming dine-in (and drink-in) customers once again. Whether you want to down a single pint at a pub or go for an eight-course dinner (with bottomless booze) at a restaurant, you can. If you want to hit up Mary's new rooftop burger bar in Chippendale or visit a new pop-up Israeli street food spot on the lower north shore, you can do that, too. Or, hit up any of the reopened bars and pubs, as well as restaurants and cafes of your choosing. Hot tip: with venues allowed a maximum of 50 customers (or one per four square metres) many require reservations, so check before heading in. Top image: Barrenjoey Lighthouse Track by D Finnegan for NSW Parks
Nestled in amongst the shops and cafes of Marrickville Road, a small bar jostles with local patrons that spill out onto the pavement, while live local acts fill the air with music. Welcome to Gasoline Pony. A small bar setting the standard for the area, the Pony features an impressive selection of natural wines, cocktails and craft beer paired up with hearty bar food and live music. Couldn't get much better than that right? Wrong. It continues to impress with its smart, compact courtyard out the back of the busy main bar. Simple wooden furniture offers a chilled out, low-lit space to relax over a few drinks, before heading in to check out the bands. Perfect spot for a mid-week drink with friends and a great spot for a casual date. Images: supplied.
Freshwater's legendary Harbord Hotel has levelled up your next beachside hang with the launch of Bombies, a brand-new rooftop bar and music venue that blends laidback 1970s beach house energy with a lively late-night buzz. Open from Friday, June 6, the sun-drenched new space will bring state-of-the-art staging, a stacked entertainment program and sweeping ocean views to a spot just metres from the waves where surfing was first introduced to Australia. Occupying the first-floor space that was once the caretaker's residence, Bombies is positioning itself as a vibrant gathering place for all, whether it's for a post-surf drink and snack, or after-dark entertainment such as local and international musical talent, live-band karaoke, curated film screenings and comedy nights. The venue is channeling the same sense of spontaneity for which it's named — 'bombies' is surf slang for the offshore reefs that create wild, unpredictable waves, drawn from the Aboriginal word 'bombora'. [caption id="attachment_1007506" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessica Nash Photography[/caption] The tone is very much set with the design of the venue, which tips its hat to the golden era of beachside living through a contemporary creative lens. It's the work of Bondi studio Alexander & Co — which was also behind the venue's massive 2021 redesign — and is anchored by warm wood and terracotta tones offset by mural-covered brick, glass blockwork, mid-century furniture and bold textured fabrics. Come summer, these will all be awash with sunlight, capturing the energy of a buzzy beach house party. Similarly, the refreshed food and drink offering leans coastal and breezy. Expect salty, summery flavours via signature dishes like smoked mortadella skewers with buffalo curd, green olives, mint and pickled pepper; a crab sambo with avocado, chive and pickled eschalots on thick-cut white bread; and the achiote-marinated chicken espetada served with gem leaves, peppers, red onion, salsa roja and a house-made flat bread. In keeping with the retro theme, the menu also features a next-level club sandwich: a sky-high stack of chicken schnitzel, pancetta, avo, egg, mayo and gem lettuce served with potato crisps. [caption id="attachment_1007505" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessica Nash Photography[/caption] The drinks list also plays into the year-round summer vibe. Highlights include the Bombora, a mix of Patrón Silver, triple sec, pineapple acid and orange, and the bright and zesty Piper Perch, in which Brookie's Slow Gin is elevated with Peychaud's bitters, hibiscus and lime. Bombies is the next chapter of the Harbord Hotel's full-venue restoration — later this year, the venue will unveil a cutting-edge recording studio open to local artists, while longer-term plans include the return of boutique accommodation. Nearly 100 years after it first opened, the art deco venue is once again ready to make waves. [caption id="attachment_1007504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessica Nash Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007508" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessica Nash Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007507" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessica Nash Photography[/caption] Bombies is now open on the first floor of Harbord Hotel, located at 29 Moore Road, Freshwater. For more information, head to the venue's website.
In a year that's seen us all pondering holidays close to home, the New South Wales National Parks department has just gifted the state's residents another new reason to book a local trip. It already gave everyone three great excuses to enjoy a local getaway back in September, courtesy of three refurbished cottages in supremely impressive locations — and now it has added another beach house, in Murramarang National Park, to the list. You'll find Judges House in Yellow Rock on the south coast. Wondering about the name? It was owned by a Supreme Court judge and used as a family getaway, before being given to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. And, because it sits within a 30-minute drive from Batemans Bay, it's a nifty choice if you want to feel secluded but also don't want to be too far from the rest of the world. Thanks to that location, Judges House boasts views out across Batemans Bay — and you'll have access to a beach while also being surrounded by bushland. So, it's a best-of-both-worlds kind of deal, if you can't choose between a coastal holiday and trees as far as the eye can see. [caption id="attachment_794552" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] John Spencer, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment[/caption] Here, for between $350–$450 per night — with a seven-night minimum stay — you can vacation in a group of up to six. The self-contained three-bedroom abode also comes with a fully equipped kitchen, indoor and outdoor toilets and showers, an open-plan living space, a big wraparound deck and an outdoor barbecue. In terms of things to do, swimming ranks high on the list, as does kayaking, canoeing and fishing. Or, you can wander through walking tracks that trek through coastal bushland, and also head to the national park's rocky coves — and spot birds, dolphins and whales in the process. Judges House is now available for bookings. For more information, or to make a reservation, head to the NSW National Parks website. Images: John Spencer, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
To put it mildly, it's been a challenging year so far. And though the effects of the first half of 2020 can be felt in almost every corner of the world, small businesses are especially feeling the toll. Which is why investing your hard-earned dollars in local businesses across Australia is a great way to put your money to good use and spend consciously. To help you do just that, we've teamed up with Square to bring you a list of local businesses across Australia that can deliver ethically sourced coffee, a new leafy housemate or a cake to cheer up a friend. Square has the tools to help businesses, even when business is not running as usual, like contactless payment systems and online stores with pickup, delivery and shipping services. So, whether you choose to shop online, pop into these small businesses, or buy a voucher for a future trip, you'll be spending your money wisely and keeping the little guys in business at the same time. BUY GREEN BABIES FROM THE PLANT SOCIETY Set up by Jason Chongue and Nathan Smith in Melbourne in 2016, The Plant Society has you covered for all things green whether you live near one of its stores or not. If you're in Melbourne and Sydney, its Collingwood and Paddington stores have an extensive range of plants — from swiss cheese vines to chinese money and fruit salad plants — as well as handmade ceramics, homewares, planter kits, candles and plenty of gardening gear. But, no matter where you live, you can browse its online store to shop for ceramic planters, keep cups, plants, seeds and candles to brighten up your living space. Plus, to help deliver your goods to you safely, The Plant Society offers free delivery for all purchases over $150. You can also buy gift vouchers from $30, if you'd like to spend now to support the small business in the future. [caption id="attachment_758750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Dungan[/caption] STOCK UP ON VINO AND FROMAGE FROM THE CHEESE & WINE CO If you're a fan of wine, cheese and intimate date nights, and live in Sydney, you should pay The Cheese & Wine Co in Neutral Bay a visit. The small wine bar features a consistent rotation of the best local and international wines and cheeses, along with charcuterie and antipasto platters. The bar is open for 90-minute seatings for tapas-style dishes, accompanied with stellar drops of wine. Practising social distancing, The Cheese & Wine Co is limiting its capacity right now, so it's best to book online beforehand, and its also open for walk-ins for breakfast and lunch sittings. If you live locally, can also purchase a takeaway bottle of wine by ordering online and picking up in store. HAVE CAKE DELIVERED FROM KOI DESSERT BAR You may be familiar with the name Reynold Poernomo from MasterChef. Before he was winning hearts on national TV, he and his family created KOI Dessert Bar in Chippendale. The laneway dessert bar offers a range of savoury snacks and desserts — think pie tee tart, pumpkin with mascarpone and a guava and green apple meteor. If you're in Sydney, you can book a four-course dessert tasting menu from $95 per person, Sunday to Thursday. Or, for at-home indulgence, you can choose from a rotation of smaller desserts and cakes to take away. Visit KOI's Cake Shop for mascarpone tiramisu, passion colada and pear mousse, or a larger celebration cake, such as strawberry lychee, nomtella or mango yuzu ($55–160). Delivery stretches to Sydney's eastern suburbs, inner west, north shore and CBD, or you can select scheduled pickup at its Chippendale or Ryde stores. SEND BAKED GOODIES FROM FALCO Falco is a small-batch bakery in Melbourne's inner north that boasts a range of baked goods alongside coffee that's been roasted just around the corner. The bakery specialises in traditional methods with innovative twists; its sourdoughs range from oat porridge and toasted sesame to a classic wholemeal. For something a bit sweeter, it's hard to go past its peanut butter and miso cookies, cardamom buns, fruit danishes and jalapeño and cheddar croissants ($4–5). During lockdown, the bakery has daily pre-order and delivery options, too, making it easier and safer to get your baked goods if you're staying at home. Not in Melbourne? Send a gift to a friend, such as the Falco tote ($20) and a bag of single origin ground coffee ($19) within three kilometres of the Collingwood store. HAVE FRESH GROUND COFFEE DELIVERED FROM MARKET LANE Market Lane is a much-adored Melbourne coffee roastery and retailer. The folks here source beans from across the globe and then roast them in small batches in Brunswick East. The beans are then distributed to seven stores across the city, from Prahran to Brunswick East and through the city's CBD. If you're not Melbourne-based, or prefer to brew at home, you can purchase espresso or filter beans from the roastery's online store and enjoy free standard shipping Australia wide on all purchases over $30. There's also a fortnightly subscription (from $20), meaning you'll never run out of coffee again without having to leave your house. Planning ahead? Market Lane has a range ready for Father's Day (September 6), too, including pour over kits, a heavy duty apron, coffee subscriptions and gift vouchers. [caption id="attachment_716231" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] ORDER VINYL FROM COTTONMOUTH RECORDS If you're a fan of good booze and even better tunes, you'll love what Cottonmouth Records has on offer. The record store and bar, located in Sydney's Enmore, is where you can pull up a pew and sip on a pale ale, XPA or IPA as you peruse the stacks of vinyl records surrounding the bar's walls. Here you'll find black gold from the likes of James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Beastie Boys, Blink-182, Lenny Kravitz, 2Pac and the Spice Girls, among many, many others. Not in Sydney? You can browse Cottonmouth's online record store where it sells an extensive selection of records from Blondie to Zappa, and everything between. Records start from $20, and shipping is calculated according to distance from Sydney. [caption id="attachment_741542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simon Shiff[/caption] BUY A GIFT CARD FROM HENRY LEE BARBERSHOP Collingwood's Henry Lee Barbershop may have its physical doors closed due to Melbourne's lockdown, but its online shop is very much still open for business — and you don't have to live in Melbourne to support this small business. Online, you'll find everything from hydrating and volume shampoo and conditioner to miracle treatment, wax, oil and hair putty by Australian brands Eleven, Fatboy and The Groomed Man. While you're there, you can also grab yourself or a mate a gift card (starting from $50) for when the barbershop reopens — after all, we'll all need a little TLC come September. To truly show your local love on your sleeve, you can order some of the barbershop's merch, too, including Henry Lee logo tees from $40. Find out how Square is supporting small businesses with the tools they need to grow, here.
