What's happening in Melbourne
The best things to do this week
Celebrate Australian independent designers and artists at this weekend market
Tim Winton's beloved epic comes to the Malthouse stage in a production that doesn't always deliver on its promise
The beloved Australian classic has returned – but does it still measure up 27 years later?
Sing along to the biggest earworm in children's entertainment, in the company of actual sharks
A festival dedicated to our favourite four-legged friends is everything you hope it would be
This UK show takes a deep dive into extremism in a surprising and gripping way
Susie Dee's award-winning production of Patricia Cornelius's provocative play returns to Melbourne
This funny and surprisingly moving show about a pop princess is returning for a victory lap
The latest news
Competitions and announcements
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 Bar Awards issue on Thursday, March 7 and Friday, March 8 at Flinders Street Station Flagstaff Station Parliament Station
Collingwood’s backstreets are home to Rupert on Rupert, an eyeball-wooing bar and restaurant graced with high ceilings, light-drenched interiors and a mini forest’s worth of pot plants and trees. Ric Corinaldi and his wife Mali opened Rupert in 2015 and have since made it synonymous with cool cocktails, kicked-back Sunday sessions and many bespoke weddings. It makes sense as soon as you enter the big, heavy glass door that separates Rupert from its namesake Collingwood sidestreet. This place is so pretty it deserves a Hollywood screen test. Think big, brown Chesterfield couches paired with finely crafted wooden tables, an atrium-style roof and rooms flooded with greenery. Out the back, there are two custom-made fireplaces which come in handy when winter rears its very chilly head. There's also a sexy cocktail lounge out the back which is perfect for private dinner parties or events. Now, if you can tear yourself away from the interiors, you'll be able to settle down for a cheeky drink or even a full-blown meal as Rupert is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. Be sure to check the venue's website or Instagram in the lead up to a visit as they may be closed for private events. Even on a weekday, this light, bright and pared-back restaurant is buzzing. Head chef Samuel Wilson has put together a menu that’s made for sharing – but there are a couple bigger dishes you’ll want to hog all to yourself. Charcoaled ricotta gnocchi is saddled with butternut pumpkin an
Every circus is set up basically the same, right? You take one big top (preferably red and white striped), add a stage for the performers, some seats for the audience and maybe some barriers to separate the two. Circus Oz isn’t one for doing things like everyone else though. Circus Oz is shaking up the rules of circus with Wunderage: an immersive new show with no seats and no barriers between you and the performers. In Wunderage the audience isn’t just watching the show passively from the sidelines – instead they see it unfold all around them. Through mind-boggling physical feats, humour and an inspiring live score, Wunderage treads a tightrope (literally and figuratively) between who we are and who we might become. Step into the performance space and discover a room filled with giant blue boulders and tightropes up to four metres high. The performers move freely throughout the space – it’s hard to predict where they’ll appear next as they effortlessly ride bicycles on highwires, do handstands on teetering towers and flip, twist and somersault off precarious platforms. Try to keep calm as the acrobats twirl majestically in aerial slings and clamber up and down Chinese poles. The show is a collaboration with Brisbane performance art group Company2, who have infused it with the group’s sense of poetic theatricality, humour and fondness for pushing boundaries. Wunderage is a playful, heart-warming show that explores the desire for people to be something they are not. Wun
In 1971, Louis Nowra was fresh out of a Melbourne university when he was asked to direct a Gilbert and Sullivan production at a “mental hospital”. He wrote Così based on this experience and of being a young person during the Melbourne Moratorium protests to end Australia’s support for the war in Vietnam. First performed at Belvoir in 1992 (the real hospital closed in 1991), it reflected on attitudes towards protest, fidelity, theatre, women and mental health, as it mixed nostalgia with a celebration of the transformative nature of theatre, and faced a society that was finding a new line between what is funny and what is offensive. The play is part of the “Lewis trilogy”, which starts with Summer of the Aliens and ends with This Much is True. Neither play is as well known as Così, in which Lewis (Sean Keenan) directs a production of Mozart’s opera Cosi Fan Tutti with a cast of six hospital patients. It was made into a film in 1996, is always on a school syllabus and is regularly performed on school, community and professional stages. It’s not always comfortable watching jokes about going off meds, stuttering, being locked in cupboards and staff kissing patients. They wouldn’t be made today as our understanding of mental health and trauma has improved. But Nowra takes a different approach when Lewis upsets a performer during an onstage rehearsal. He apologises with “I wasn’t making fun of you, I thought it was funny”. And, more importantly, he changes the joke so that it isn
The best of Melbourne
Wondering what to do in Melbourne? Take a look at our ultimate bucket list: 50 fun things to do in Melbourne, plus what makes the city great, from the food to the festivals and everything in between.
If you're looking for a break from the inner-city grid, there's no better cure than a day trip from Melbourne.
Behold, our eat-and-destroy list – a guide to Melbourne's best restaurants, from fine dining to cheap eats
Expert tips for exploring the city's best attractions for zero dollars
Book in for the best Melbourne shows with our guide to new and upcoming theatre in Melbourne. Our theatre critics recommend the best shows to see right now, as well as the most exciting upcoming shows in Melbourne. For more Melbourne theatre information, check out our latest reviews and our guide to scoring cheap theatre tickets.
From world-beating cocktail lounges to down-and-divey saloons, here's everywhere worth drinking in Melbourne
When you think Melbourne, some of the words that come to mind surely must be 'coffee', 'laneways' and 'street art'. Street art covers almost every nook and cranny of our creative, colourful city, but there are more highly concentrated clusters than others. These are the street art hotspots that any self-respecting 'grammer should be snapping: the city's ten best street mural hotspots, in all their spray-painted laneway glory. Continue your art journey through Melbourne at these free galleries, or purchase your very own piece of art at one of these weird and wonderful shops.
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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Every circus is set up basically the same, right? You take one big top (preferably red and white striped), add a stage for the performers, some seats for the audience and maybe some barriers to separate the two. Circus Oz isn’t one for doing things like everyone else though. Circus Oz is shaking up the rules of circus with Wunderage: an immersive new show with no seats and no barriers between you and the performers. In Wunderage the audience isn’t just watching the show passively from the sidelines – instead they see it unfold all around them. Through mind-boggling physical feats, humour and an inspiring live score, Wunderage treads a tightrope (literally and figuratively) between who we are and who we might become. Step into the performance space and discover a room filled with giant blue boulders and tightropes up to four metres high. The performers move freely throughout the space – it’s hard to predict where they’ll appear next as they effortlessly ride bicycles on highwires, do handstands on teetering towers and flip, twist and somersault off precarious platforms. Try to keep calm as the acrobats twirl majestically in aerial slings and clamber up and down Chinese poles. The show is a collaboration with Brisbane performance art group Company2, who have infused it with the group’s sense of poetic theatricality, humour and fondness for pushing boundaries. Wunderage is a playful, heart-warming show that explores the desire for people to be something they are not. Wun
Melbourne takes to winter like a duck to (icy) water. Over at the Auburn Hotel the team is fully embracing the city’s seasonal chill, but don’t expect the same old winter pub hallmarks. The Auburn Hotel is celebrating winter this year by setting up igloos in their beer garden. Yes, those super popular igloos are back again for 2019. From May 1, guests at Auburn Hotel will notice new additions to the beer garden: igloos. Don’t stress that you’ll catch a cold in these igloos though – they’re the non-icy kind and come complete with comfy chairs, cushions, faux-fur throws and candles for an extremely snug igloo experience. They’re also completely see through so you can enjoy those crystal clear winter night skies without the accompanying shiver-factor. Bit of a social butterfly? There are two igloo packages: the regular igloo (which can fit groups of eight or less for $49 per person) or the large communal igloo (which fits 12 to 28 people or can be booked exclusively for big groups). When you book a regular igloo package you get a drink on arrival (your choice of American Honey Bourbon Hot Toddy, Espresso Martini, wine or a pint of Hawthorn), a chef's selection tasting board and a chocolate and honey fondue pot to share. Photograph: Supplied If you're opting for the large igloo package, you'll get a three-course feast with canapés on arrival. There's salt and pepper calamari, cured meats, soft and hard cheeses, sticky chicken wings and mains like 18-hour braised lamb s
It’s right about now, towards the middle of working year, that you’re probably craving a getaway. But before you rush to book accommodation on your usual go-to booking platform, stop to consider this: you could be earning Qantas Points for every dollar you spend^ on hotels. And you can use those points to book your next getaway. Qantas Hotels has more than 200,000 hotels to book internationally. They also have a Price Match Guarantee* so you never need to worry about paying more for your stay. So whether you’re taking the family on that dream trip, seeking a romantic retreat for you and your squeeze, celebrating with a group of your besties or living the high life at a hotel that everyone has heard of, book it through Qantas Hotels – and your Qantas Points balance will have the same healthy post-vacation glow as you do.
Every year, Hobart comes alive with Dark Mofo, the weird and wonderful festival by the city's Museum of Old and New Art (Mona). Whether you consider yourself a first-timer or veteran of the winter celebration, this is one trip you won't want to sleep on. Spirit of Tasmania, the official travel partner of Dark Mofo, is giving away the ultimate weekend getaway in Hobart and one lucky winner will get to bring three mates along with them. Dark Mofo has become the modern equivalent to winter solstice rituals, with its annual programming of gigs, feasts, exhibitions and free installations accompanied by popular events like the fiery eight-night Winter Feast, late-night parties and of course the Nude Solstice Swim. What better way to start the experience than by travelling to Tassie via the Spirit of Tasmania? All you have to do for a chance to win is to tell us why you'd like to party at Dark Mofo and why Spirit of Tasmania is the best way to get there. The winner will receive a return trip on Spirit of Tasmania for four adults, departing Melbourne on Friday June 14 and returning from Devonport on Monday June 17. You'll get to share a four-bed porthole cabin, a car spot on the ship, and eight dinner vouchers for the Tasmanian Market Kitchen onboard the ship. Don't worry about finding somewhere to stay in Hobart, because you'll also receive two nights' accommodation in Hobart for June 15-16. Been kicking yourself over missing those sold-out events at Dark Mofo? If you win this
How can artists and the creative sectors step up and make an impact on the most challenging issues of our time? How can creativity influence public debate and discourse? And how can the arts be the kind of gamechanger it always sets out to be? If you’re working in arts and culture (or hoping to forge a creative career), then get ready to grapple with these questions (and a whole lot more) at Creative Victoria’s third Creative State Summit. Held over two days at Melbourne Museum, the summit is an opportunity to hear from and meet some of the most innovative minds in the city and beyond, working across arts, culture, screen and design. Your ticket gets you access to the entirety of the two-day program, the theme of which is 'What's Next'. That question is more important now for creative professionals than ever, as technological and geopolitical changes shape the world at breakneck speed. Speakers at this year's event include Maxine Doyle, associate director of the UK's Punchdrunk and co-creator of Sleep No More; Nancy Bennett, creative director of Two Bit Circus in the US; Tara Mckenty, creative director of Google APAC; and Tamasein Holyman co-founder of Immersive Cinema, Mistress of Make-Believe, Underground Cinema and Secret Squirrel Productions. And that’s just scratching the surface; visit the website for full details. This Creative State Summit is produced by REMIX Summits and is part of Creative Victoria’s Creative State program – a $115 million strategy launched in A