Brooke Munday

One of Australia’s crowning glories is, without a doubt, its wildlife. For many people travelling to, or around Australia, getting to see a vibrant array of animals in real life is one experience that most aren’t willing to skip. And we get it – you can't really beat seeing a baby koala in the flesh by much.  Although many zoos around the world freak us out, there are a great number of ethical zoos and nature reserves scattered across Australia that do the right thing as far as animals are concerned.  Here, we’ve rounded up the eight best ethical zoos and wildlife sanctuaries to see both native and non-native animals in Australia. Each of these locations has been selected for its strict adherence to animal welfare guidelines, conservation efforts, and the work that they do to care for endangered species, both in captivity and in the wild.  Because, if there's one thing that's more important now than ever, it's getting to know the many wonderous creatures who also call this planet home – and then making sure we do our best to protect them.  RECOMMENDED: Australia has added a record-breaking number of Australian animals and plants to its threatened species list.

OK, so maybe it's not the most spectacular or famous in the world, but Melbourne’s skyline has a lot to offer. But to see it in all it's glory, you need to know where to go to make the most of it. So we thought we’d help you out to find some of the best views of Melbourne. Just don't forget your phone – you're going to want to document this.  Get more great photos with our guide to the 10 most Instagrammable places in Melbourne, or go for a walk and get to know some of the city's most beautiful buildings while you're at it.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Melbourne this week.

If you can't eat gluten, dining out can be difficult to navigate. So many foods use gluten as a binding and preserving agent, and for coeliacs, the risk of cross-contamination is also a problem. That’s why we rounded up this list of gut-friendly restaurants and cafés where you and your gluten-free pals can dine in peace, safe from the spectre of surprise gluten. Don't eat meat? Right this way to the best vegetarian restaurants in Melbourne. Once you've eaten well, why not tick something off your Melbourne bucket list. Recommended: The 50 best restaurants in Melbourne

If anyone in their right mind can say that they don’t love cuddling and fawning over adorable animals, then move right along, because this list is for sane people. From farms to forests and the sea, these are some of the best places to get up close with native wildlife in Victoria. Looking for more fun things to do in Melbourne? We've found the best day trips from Melbourne and the best tours around town to try.  RECOMMENDED: The best activities for kids in Melbourne.

Lavender grows pretty darn well in Victoria. So much so that we have a number of lavender farms dedicated to growing the woody, sweet-smelling shrub. Sure, you can find lavender bushes thriving throughout Melbourne, but there is something really amazing (not to mention photogenic) about visiting a lavender farm where you can stroll through purple fields.  Best of all, many come with their own cafés so you can enjoy lunch once you’ve finished frolicking amongst the flowers. Just so you know, lavender fields are at their most beautiful in December and January. For more floral excursions, consult our guide to the best spots to see flowers in Melbourne year-round. Just after green spaces where you can relax? Here are the best parks in Melbourne.

Just over one hour from Melbourne's CBD, Jirrahlinga is a sanctuary for Australian native wildlife as well as a zoo, so there is a hospital section for treating injured animals. At Jirrahlinga you can see lots of Australian native fauna, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, birds, reptiles, dingoes, echidnas and more. Keepers are knowledgeable and friendly, and if you're lucky they'll let you pat a koala, hold a snake or have an up-close encounter with a lizard. Look out for the bird near the office that does a perfect imitation of the office phone ringing, followed by, "Hello, Jirrahlinga?".

Much loved by fashionistas and everyday shoppers alike, Toms is a shoe store with a difference. Toms is known for its super-comfy canvas shoes and philanthropic efforts, including providing safe water to those in need, restoring sight to the vision impaired, and providing shoes to those who can’t afford them. For its first Melbourne location, Toms has partnered with Proud Mary coffee (one of our absolute faves) to build an in-store barista service. Behind its exposed brick walls and timber cladding, the brand also hosts a variety of events on site, including morning yoga and meditation sessions and live podcast recordings.  

If you’re looking for a spot with more than just animals then Maru is a good place to start. With a mini-golf course and bistro, there’s plenty to do between patting koalas and spending time with kangaroos. Check out the park’s sheep shearing demonstration or sit back and watch one of the reptile talks, then grab some lunch and keep exploring.

This public community farm is just a short drive from the CBD and offers guests the opportunity to see and feed a whole bunch of animals from deer to alpacas, buffalo, camels and sheep. It’s wheelchair accessible with the opportunity for disabled people to ride animals and explore community gardens. 

If, like us, you like your products sustainable and organic, then Act of Wine may be your new favourite spot to pick up an evening bevvy. Act of Wine is a boutique wine store in Southbank that sells A-grade wines from smaller creators. Their focus is on uplifting brands that use sustainable methods of production and make good, ‘honest’ wine. You'll find anything from funky natural wines to more traditional drops including a selection of artisan spirits and craft beer. Architecturally, the store itself is a culmination of natural resources and tones that reflect the brand’s love of high-quality fixings. It features materials like rammed earth, concrete, and timber, designed to offer a tactile representation of the wine’s origins.

Opened midway through 2018, Yours and Mine is a nightclub located in Carlton. The team behind Yours and Mine includes Nergal Youkhanâ, founder of party brand Charades and Sydney’s iconic Chinese Laundry; Mitchell Gee, who has worked with Autosea, Burn City Disco and Dance Flaws; and Adam Ward, largely known for his involvement in Funktion-One sound systems and US brand SPUNDAE. The venue features a six-metre-long screen and a Funktion-One sound system and will soon expand to include a second floor.

Tucked between wineries on the Mornington Peninsula, Red Hill Lavender Farm features a picturesque lake and orchard perfect for an afternoon stroll. When the property was purchased in 2007, the farm was created as a haven, with hand-planted crab apple orchard and olive trees. Should you stop by, be sure to bring a picnic basket and enjoy your lunch amongst the fields, or stop by the farm’s restaurant for a bite. On your way out you can stop by the farm gate and spoil yourself with some fresh, local produce and lavender-scented products on offer.

The Warratina Lavender farm was built in 1991, set into the foothills of the Dandenongs. It has grown to over 10,000 lavender plants, which are harvested by hand using a traditional sickle. The lavender that's farmed at Warratina is used to create a range of scented goodies, including as soaps, candles, essential oils and furniture oil. After wandering through the lush, purple fields you might want to stop by the estate’s tearooms for lunch or light refreshments.

With so many bottomless brunch options popping up around Melbourne, how is one supposed to choose? Well Elsternwick's Bang Bang at the Rifle Club is here to make that decision a teensy bit easier with their new hawker-style bottomless brunch. Every Saturday and Sunday, Bang Bang is inviting guests to try the restaurant’s usual brunch favourites with the added appeal of bottomless drinks and food. For $59 you can indulge in the Hawker Feed Me menu with bottomless cocktails or for $49, enjoy the non-alcoholic mocktail option with all the tastiness, minus the inebriation. Some of the drinks on offer are a pink Pomelo Mimosa, the Bang Bang Mary, Graperol Spritz, and glasses of Prosecco. The menu, on the other hand, includes freshly shucked oysters, pomelo betel leaf, smoked trout san choy bow, French fries, satay chicken skewers, and salt and pepper squid. Each session is two hours long and will take place between 11am and 3pm, with final bookings at 1pm. Best to call them on 8692 2680 to land a booking. If you're looking for a bottomless brunch but hawker-style isn't to your tastes, try this bottomless Mexican brunch.

Melbourne sure does love a good food truck gathering. Lucky for southsiders, a brand-spankin' new one is heading your way. On Sunday, October 14, Hank Marvin food truck market is launching at Dendy Park, in Hampton East. If the name sounds familiar it's because this new spot is a branch of the one in Alma Park in St Kilda East, which has been so successful (they've had over 150 market days!) that its founders decided to expand. The market will run from 9am to 3pm every Sunday, offering up music, street food, craft beers and even kids entertainment. Like its first site, the market will be comprised of some of the best food trucks Melbourne has to offer. Photograph: Shara Henderson For those with canine friends, you’ll be pleased to know that dogs are welcome at Hank Marvin (provided they’re on a leash), so you can bring them down and have them enjoy the sunshine and tasty treats right alongside you. Launch day on October 14 will show off over 30 trucks, including original toasties by Toasta Food Truck, coffee by Hallelujah Coffee, cookies by Whoopies Cookies, and handmade Japanese confectionary by Minnie Sweets. Best of all the market has free entry, so you can pop in at your leisure and make the most of all it has to offer. Find Hank Marvin Market at Dendy Park every Sunday from October 14. We ranked the best food trucks in Melbourne, and here's where you'll find them around town. 

Set to the backdrop of an Italian-style vineyard, this new glamping spot on the Mornington Peninsula offers guests a slice of luxury outside the confines of the hazy city streets. Mornington Peninsula Glamping is opening this October for those who want to visit the outdoors with all the comforts of home. The grounds, which are part of the Blue Range Estate Wines vineyard, include panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay and the Bass Strait, giving it that seaside Mediterranean feel. Photograph: Supplied The tents are powered by solar panels and each boasts pillow-top queen-size beds and a fireplace to keep you nice and toasty in the cooler months. The site also includes a shipping container which has been converted into bathrooms so that guests can enjoy the comforts of a hot shower and plumbing. Photograph: Supplied You also won’t need to cook for your stay as the vineyard has an Italian restaurant featuring the estate’s delicious array of wines.  Founder Christian Melone says he was inspired by his Italian grandparents, who immigrated to Australia in the 1980s and established their own vineyard. Melone wanted to bring people a taste of his Italian roots without the expensive, 18-hour flights. "I saw an opportunity to attract people of my demographic who wouldn’t necessarily spend large sums of money on accommodation. I want people to experience diversity from city life without compromising luxury." Prices start at $265 per night and there are ten tents on offer. Find out mor

Thank the gelato gods because Piccolina Gelateria is branching out from its Smith Street flagship and Hawthorn stores, and taking root in St Kilda just in time for summer. All of Piccolina’s creations are made in-house, including their nut butters, jams and, of course, gelato. The gelato itself is made the traditional Italian way using natural ingredients and includes a selection of vegan and gluten-free flavours, from strawberry to passionfruit, lemon and chocolate brownie (with 70.5 per cent dark chocolate). Yum! Whatever your gelato needs, this new store continues Piccolina’s tradition solving those summer sweetness cravings. It will be open daily from noon 'til 11pm from Friday, October 12.  Need more ice cream? These are the best gelato and ice cream places in Melbourne.

Who doesn’t love tiny cakes, finger sandwiches and a freshly brewed pot of steaming hot tea? If feeling like you’re taking part in a scene from Downton Abbey is your thing, you may be familiar with the ins and outs of a good afternoon tea (which nearly everyone calls high tea, but yes, afternoon tea is correct). The Windsor Hotel is partnering with the Royal Women’s Hospital to add something sweet to your next afternoon treat. For every afternoon tea bought between Monday, October 1 and Friday, October 5, $10 will be donated to raise funds for research, development and initiatives at the Royal Women’s Hospital. The money will go towards the hospital’s 160-year-long effort in saving the lives of women, children, and current and future patients. Places range between $25 and $95 per person with a 15% discount for seniors. Love a good high tea? Here are the best high teas in Melbourne. Love a warm and fuzzy feeling? Here's how to do some good in Melbourne. 

Today, the State Library of Victoria is ending the decade-long closure of its Russell Street entrance, and opening up a new entrance on La Trobe Street.  Visitors to the library will need to get used to these as the building's main Swanston Street entrance will also be closing temporarily to make way for a series of ground floor renovations.  Accompanying the new entrances will be two new reading rooms, which will be decked out with a range of digital features designed to bring the library into the modern age, and a huge artwork by Melbourne artist Tai Snaith. There is also some good news for bookworms as the library’s Readings Bookshop will grow 60 per cent larger in the renovations. Almond Milk Co., Melbourne’s largest almond milk manufacturer, will also be opening up a new café called Guild as part of the refurbishment. Today's unveiling marks the halfway point in an $88.1 million redevelopment project called Vision 2020. These openings are just the latest in the redevelopment with the plans set to include a centre for entrepreneurship called StartSpace, a Conversation Quarter designed to connect visitors to both national and international events in real time, a world-class exhibition space called the Victoria Gallery, and a treehouse-style children’s loft and running track. The marble staircases will also be reopened along with the library’s 1920s murals and a new elevator to the Ian Potter Queen’s hall to improve accessibility. Read more about the upgrades coming to the

For the uninitiated, Fitzroy hotspot Naked for Satan has spent the past eight years charging customers for toothpicks, which they then use to skewer their pintxos. These Spanish-style pintxos are comprised of a slice of sourdough decked out with a medley of delicious savoury toppings. The best part? They sell them for 50 cents a pop.  This week, however, marks the end of an era as Naked for Satan puts to rest their classic bite-sized pintxos. Apparently, patrons have devoured over five million of the crusty morsels over the years. The team has decided to retire the super popular tapas style, with plans to usher in a new concept for the downstairs entrance to the bar in October. Stay tuned for updates! Did you hear? Melbourne is getting a pop-up Argentinan beer garden for summer. Plus, pop-up floating bar Arbory Afloat is coming back this month.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a way to make wine and cheese better, but Taylor Made Wines are giving it a go. This weekend they’re teaming up with Deliveroo to bring you a wine and cheese box right to your door – and it’s only $10. The box features a selection of delicious vino from the team at Taylor Made Wines, as well as cheese and treats from Maker and Monger and Piece of Cheese. Expect anything from marcel petite comte and clothbound cheddar paired with quince, dip, accoutrements and your own bottle of Taylor Made's pinot noir or BDX.  To score your cheap-as-chips box of cheese and wine, all you need to do order it on the Deliveroo app. The deal is available for three days only, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and best to get on it ASAP because there are only 100 available each day. To make things even more bougie, some of the deliveries will even be made with a horse and carriage. Order yours on the Deliveroo app. The offer is only available between 4pm and 7pm from Friday, August 31 to Sunday, September 1, and only to people aged 18 and over in the Windsor, South Yarra, Prahran and St Kilda area.  The Queen Vic Market is getting another hawker-style night market. Plus, we spoke to a cheesemonger all about arachnid-infested cheese (it's delicious!)

The first rays of spring sunshine have peeked through Melbourne’s winter clouds, and we’re ready to clear out our black winter wardrobes and work some floral prints. Just kidding – Melburnians don’t wear colours. But just because we like to steer clear of anything that doesn’t have us blending into the night doesn’t mean we don’t like to see some flowers. So here is a list of all the best places to stop and smell the roses. Gorge Scenic Drive, Beechworth Historic Park 3 hours from Melbourne by car   Gorge Scenic Drive Photograph: Supplied     Take advantage of the Beechworth Historic Park walking tracks as you enjoy the wildflowers. And if you’ve got the time, pop on over to Mt Pilot for some sweeping views and great photo ops. Best time for flowers: September to early October Lerderderg campground area, Lerderderg State Park 1.5 hours from Melbourne by car   Lerderderg State Park Photograph: Supplied     Closer to the CBD, this spot offers up a selection of heath, wattles, peas and orchids for your flowery perusal. Best time for flowers: late September to October Wildflower Drive, Greater Bendigo National Park 2.5 hours from Melbourne by car   Greater Bendigo National Park Photograph: Supplied   You know a place is legit when it’s named ‘Wildflower Drive’. Visit Bendigo’s surrounding forest and stop by this strip of road for some colourful sights. Best time for flowers: late September to October Anglesea Heath, Great Otway National Park 2 hours from Melbourne by car

You fell in love with the jelly-deliciousness of bubble tea. You’ve become addicted to the uniqueness of bubble coffee. Now, let us introduce you to the next step in bubbly drinking goodness thanks to Industry Beans: bubble coffee.  Earlier this year, Industry Beans changed the game for jelly-bubble drinks with the creation of their bubble coffee and now they’re stepping it up with the introduction of their new salted caramel infusion. Made with Industry Beans' blend of house-made caramel sauce and condensed milk, then paired with their famous coffee-infused tapioca pearls, this drink has a butterscotch kick to satisfy your sweet-tooth. The drink is available now at the café’s CBD and Fitzroy locations. The search is over: this is the best coffee in Melbourne's CBD. After brekky? Here are our favourite breakfasts in Melbourne.

By popular demand, Carlton North’s Babajan is opening its doors for dinner from 6pm on Friday and Saturday nights. For just $40 per person, guests can indulge in a shared feasting menu that includes a medley of delicious barbecue dishes such as crispy-skinned snapper with tomato, kalamata olives and tahini, or a mouth-watering 12-hour braised lamb shoulder. Photograph: Supplied If that’s not enough to get you excited, the a la carte menu offers a selection of mains including a barbecue half-chicken, pickled barbecue octopus, chicken shish and lamb kofte, as well as a variety of snacks, from pan-fried kefalograviera to hummus with pine nut butter, to house-made pickles and shaved pastirma. If you can’t make it to dinner, Babajan is still open from 8am to 5pm Tuesdays to Sundays and offers a counter full of Turkish and Greek-inspired salads and pastries. Hungry? See more of our favourite cafés around Melbourne. Or if you're after coffee, we ranked the best coffee spots in the CBD.