What's happening in Melbourne
The best things to do this week
See the face that stops a nation, when Australia's most prestigious (not to say uncontroversial) art prize comes to Tarrawarra Museum
Melbourne's biggest book lovers have moved to the vibrant Queen Victoria Market
Relax in a hot spring and watch a flick at Peninsula Hot Springs’ amphitheatre cinema
The Westin's kids high tea has received a complete Wonka makeover
The city of gold will become the city of lights when White Night comes to Ballarat this September
For two and a half weeks in September, Melbourne becomes a hub of independent theatre, comedy, live art, visual art and left-field events
The latest news
Competitions and announcements
We want to inspire you to go out and eat these Signature Searches for yourselves with a little bit of extra incentive. All you have to do is get out there, try them, and collect 'em all with brag-worthy food pics. If you share your fave dish on Instagram you'll go in the draw to win the local equivalent of a golden ticket – vouchers to all try all four dishes (worth $300) for free! Here’s how: Step one: Read all about the delicious Signature Searches here. Step two: Try one or more dish (full suite is highly recommended) Step three: Post your favourite on Instagram and make sure you tag #foundongoogle Step four: Sit back and wait to win the golden loot. Competition ends Midnight 30th Sept
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You only need to hop in a car or a train for just over an hour to get to Ballarat. This spring, the historical city west of Melbourne is playing host to a bumper crop of big events worth travelling for. There's the Ballarat International Foto Biennale (August 24 - October 20), White Night Ballarat (September 21-22), AFL games and the huge Spilt Milk music festival (November 30). Can't wait to make your way to Ballarat? Here's a good reason to start planning your trip. Visit Ballarat is giving away an all-expenses-paid weekend itinerary of your choosing to one lucky winner. The full prize pack includes:- Two night's accommodation;- All meals in your destination;- All activities in your destination;- $500 Mastercard gift card so you can shop up a storm. All you need to do to win is head to the Visit Ballarat website via the link below and fill out a quick little survey Enter now The competition opens on Friday 2 August 2019 at 5.30pm (AEST) and closes on Wednesday 25 September 2019 at 4.59pm (AEST). The winner will be notified by email on Thursday 26 September, so keep your eyes peeled as it could be you! If the prize isn’t claimed within 48 hours (before Friday 27 September) the prize will be re-drawn and a new winner will be notified via email. Click here to read this competition’s full terms and conditions.
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Melbourne International Arts Festival 2019 is coming, bringing with it an outstanding program of international and local music, theatre, art and performance. To celebrate, we have selected three terrific shows and paired them with three nearby restaurants – and we’re giving away tickets and dinner to all of them to one incredibly lucky Time Out reader. That means by entering, you'll get the chance to win three superb nights out during Melbourne International Arts Festival. For any fan of culture and fine dining, this Golden Ticket is the one thing you'll want this October. The Flaming Lips + Cookie In 1999, the Oklahoma odd-balls known as the Flaming Lips released their ninth studio album The Soft Bulletin. To celebrate the album's twentieth anniversary, the Lips are bringing their elaborate, technicolour party to Hamer Hall. Tickets are selling out fast so winning this competition is a surefire way to see the band on the Friday, October 4 show. Plus, you'll get to pre-game with a mod-Thai dinner at Cookie in the CBD. What Girls Are Made Of + Rice Paper Scissors After dinner at laneway eatery Rice Paper Scissors in the CBD, you'll get to see What Girls Are Made Of on Thursday October 10. Cora Bissett might now be best known as a theatremaker in Scotland, but back in 1992 her band, Darlingheart, found success. This show uses excerpts from her teenage diary to reveal all that she experienced as a young woman. The Nico Project + Lello Pasta Bar Nico fascinated the world
By Time Out in partnership with Google We’ve all had that moment. You’ve heard about some weird and wonderful dish (Vegemite curry? Pixel avocado?) but you haven’t the slightest idea where to get it. So you plug a few words into Google, and voilà: your new food obsession. With directions and opening times, no less. Time Out loves showcasing unforgettable food and drink experiences around town, so we’re partnering with Google to celebrate those one-of-a-kind Signature Searches that no food fan will want to miss. From the incredibly photogenic to the completely out-there, these are unique dishes worth searching for. Start exploring them below, and once you’ve chosen your favourite, vote for it in the Time Out Food Awards, and don't forget to share a delicious pic on Instagram using the hashtag #foundongoogle. And while you’re in the neighbourhood, cast your net wider with our special Area Guides – find unforgettable experiences and eat your way around the competition. Tough work, right?
In partnership with Google, we’ve hunted down four truly one-of-a-kind Signature Search dishes that no food fan will want to miss. Once you’ve chosen your favourite, vote for it in the Time Out Food Awards. We’ve also teamed up with Google to create Area Guides around each Signature Search so that you can continue your search-powered journey of discovery.
Time Out Melbourne magazine is now completely free. While newsagencies will no longer stock the quarterly magazine, you can pick up a copy at selected cafés, shops, entertainment venues and hotels around the city. In addition, friendly Time Out helpers will be handing out copies at major city train stations on the day of publication. You can pick up a copy of our Accessible Melbourne issue on Thursday, June 6 and Friday, June 7 between 6.30-10.30am at: Flinders Street Station Flagstaff Station Parliament Station Missed the last drop? You can read past issues of Time Out Melbourne magazine digitally through the links below:
The best of Melbourne
Wondering what to do in Melbourne? Take a look at our ultimate bucket list.
These Melbourne tourist attractions are tried and true winners.
Behold, our eat-and-destroy list – a guide to Melbourne's best restaurants, from fine dining to cheap eats.
Book in for the best Melbourne shows with our guide to new and upcoming theatre in Melbourne.
From world-beating cocktail lounges to down-and-divey saloons, here's everywhere worth drinking in Melbourne.
We have a reputation for coffee excellence for a reason.
With so many cheap eats options in Melbourne, it's not hard to eat out without breaking the bank.
If you're looking for a break from the inner-city grid, there's no better cure than a day trip from Melbourne.
Stop and smell the flowers at these unsung gardens around Melbourne.
Expert tips for exploring the city's best attractions for zero dollars.
These are the street art hotspots that any self-respecting 'grammer should be snapping.
Melbourne area guides
The heart of the city, home to Chinatown and some of Melbourne's best restaurants and arts institutions.
Inventive bars, geek girl boutiques and envelope-pushing eateries. Plus live music institutions.
Whether you are after great eats, a night out or a film at a Victorian-era cinema, Elsternwick is a great place to find yourself.
We should err on the side of caution when describing Williamstown as “greater Melbourne”. Not only will the locals love to tell you it’s only 20 minutes to the city (and no tolls!), but there’s a beach that’s accessible via public transport, a gorgeous pier to stroll down and stunning views towards the city and across Port Phillip Bay. As Melbourne's first seaport, Williamstown has swiftly developed into a trendy seaside suburb with a village feel. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants, you can hop on a bike and circle the water’s edge, or just find a quiet spot to sit and think about all the things you still have left to do. Looking for more fun in the west? Check out our guides to Footscray and Yarraville while you're here.
Exceptional Italian food, gelato and coffee, plus an excellent museum and theatre.
Kensington has northwest charm in spades: there are wide, tree-lined streets, plenty of public transport and green spaces aplenty.
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There's a good chance you don't know Haroon Mirza's name just yet, but the London-based artist is making a huge impression overseas with his artworks, which combine installation, electricity and a frequently startling use of sound. This exhibition is Mirza's first solo show in Australia, and will utilise all of ACCA's gallery spaces as one giant musical instrument. From there, other artists will be invited into the space to collaborate. Read our interview with Mirza about all you'll experience in the exhibition.
On Saturday, September 28 the last siren on of the AFL season will ring out across the hallowed grounds of the MCG. No matter who wins, Grand Final Day is always one of the most exciting days of the year for Melbourne, with even non-supporters keen to join in the city-wide celebrations. Of course the city’s bars and hotels are keen to get in on the action too, with a stack of special offers and packages available for those who want to watch the big game in style. Here are eight places to enjoy the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne.
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For some people, cars are a means to get from A to B. For others, cars are feats of engineering: intricate and beautiful machines that are mechanical works of art. If you're of the later persuasion, or leaning that way, then you'll be gratified to learn that for three days this October (11-13), Melbourne will be home to an exhibition of rare, vintage and collectible cars when Motorclassica comes to the Royal Exhibition Building. Motorclassica is Australia’s only internationally significant exhibition of cars and motorcycles. More than a car show, the three-day event showcases luxury vehicles from across the decades and has lined up a terrific program to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Even before Motorclassica officially kicks off the celebrations will begin on October 10 with Tour Classica – a parade of elegant heritage cars from Alexandra Gardens to Royal Exhibition Building, where they’ll assemble for the show. Other highlights of Motorclassica include the Australian International Concours d’Elegance (the annual awards for rare and classic cars with estimated 140 entrants expected for 2019) and a heritage number plate auction – last year $525,000 changed hands for one number plate alone (the Victorian ‘911’ plate). Visitors to Motorclassica will also be able to watch automotive artisans at work at the restoration theatre; see tributes to Bentley, Alvis, Citroën, Abarth and Mini; get behind the wheel with a vehicle test drive; and relax in style in the VIP Lounge.
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This year marks a new evolution for Melbourne's expansive Fringe Festival (Sep 12-29), which is packed with around 450 performances, exhibitions and events. After 20 years based in North Melbourne, Fringe is moving its hub to Trades Hall, which will be buzzing with art for the full three week program. We know as well as anybody that the Fringe program can be overwhelming. If you don't know where to start, here are some of our faves. You can check out the full program on the website. Only into comedy, cabaret or dance? Sort by section on the site and you'll find individual genres. RECOMMENDED: How to score cheap theatre tickets and the best art exhibitions in Melbourne this month.
After dozens of matches, hundreds of goals and more than a few frothy beers, the 2019 AFL season is finally coming to an end. But before that happens, Melbourne will be treated to the cream of the AFL crop as the finals series kicks off. And no one is more excited about the finals seasons than Melbourne’s oldest licensed pub, the Duke of Wellington. If you haven’t been lucky enough to score some (highly coveted) tickets to the thrilling finals, then the Duke is your best friend during the last few weeks of the footy season. The pub has a grand total of 17 screens across three floors (including a rooftop bar), so it’s got a little more going for it than your mate’s dodgy plasma. Every game will be screened live so you won’t catch any footy FOMO. Put away the footy franks and frozen pies: the Duke also offers finals food deals that score goals every time. Every game day you can order a pie and a pint for $15, or for the fancy fans you can get a $25 steak and wine combo. Plus even if you are one of the lucky ones heading to the MCG, the Duke is an ideal place to begin your game day celebrations. The 166-year-old pub is located on the corner of Flinders Street and Russell Street, making it the perfect location for a pre-game bevvy or two. The pub is the closest to the MCG of any CBD pub and the tram to the ‘G stops outside the front door (and it’s just a short walk if you’re athletically minded). It’s also the place to celebrate (or commiserate) after a match with 16 beers on
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