Nicola Dowse

If you're not a fan of roughing it but love the outdoors, try staying in a cosy cabin near Melbourne. Perfect for getting off the beaten track without having to sacrifice access to indoor plumbing or needing to cook your food over an open flame, these cabins let you explore the bush while still enjoying creature comforts. On the road? Here are the best scenic drives to take in Victoria. Or make some bigger plans – here are ten Victorian national parks you should visit at least once in your life. RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs in Melbourne

We recommend getting out and exploring Melbourne on foot when the weather permits. But if you think the main streets are passé, we've got good news: you can traverse a good part of Melbourne CBD via laneway, without ever setting foot on a street in the Hoddle Grid.  But with over 40 laneways and arcades in Melbourne, how can you efficiently distinguish the good ones from the ones filled with garbage? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. When you're entertaining out-of-towners or keen to revisit some old favourites, consult this guide to the best laneways and arcades in Melbourne. Get out there and poke your head around corners to find graffiti-laden lanes filled with one-off shops, high-end restaurants and a few dozen hidden bars. RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best street art in Melbourne.

While we may not be known for our beaches in Melbourne, they'll still fit the bill  if you need somewhere to enjoy a warm, sunny day. We won't deny that there's better beaches up north, but our city still boasts a number of gorgeous golden spots to soak up the sun.  Here is our pick of the best beaches in Melbourne. Keen to eat beachside? Here are Melbourne's finest waterfront restaurants. Want to hit the beach, sans clothing? These are Melbourne's best nudist beaches.

The venerable American theatre critic Jonathan Kalb once remarked that the only way to really enjoy theatre was in large doses. The playwright Terrence McNally recommends three nights a week at a minimum. Excellent advice! But what about your precious doubloons? That much theatre doesn't come cheap – not unless you strategise. And we're here to help in that endeavour, with tips and tricks to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to seeing the best theatre, musicals and plays. Want to roll on after a show? Check out the best nightclubs and late-night bars in Melbourne.

Thar she blows! Whales are some of Earth's biggest creatures but they're also some of our most majestic. There's something magical about spotting a whale from the shoreline, seeing it breach or poke its tail through the briny blue. In Australia we’re lucky to have around 60 per cent of the global whale population living in our waters, meaning your odds of spotting one aren't too shabby. For Victorians, the prime whale watching season is roughly from May to October each year. While whales can be seen all along the state’s coast, you can improve your chances of getting a slice of the cetacean spectacular by visiting these locations. Looking to explore more of beautiful Victoria? Here are some of our state's most gorgeous natural wonders.

The roaring '20s are here again, and naturally, that means jazz is due for a comeback. Here in Melbourne, jazz never really went out of style, with a population of clubs dedicated to the city's hepcats. Whether you're after a full dinner show or just somewhere you can sit back and relax with a whisky and some Coltrane, these are the top places to listen to jazz music in Melbourne. Then take the music home with you at one of Melbourne's best record stores. Or drop into one of the city's slickest wine bars for a post-gig drink. Want more live music? Check out the best gigs happening in Melbourne this month.

Australia is home to more than 150 "big things" – huge outdoor novelty sculptures scattered across the continent. The reason behind our love of big things is unknown, though its been suggested the sculptures started as a reason to lure road trippers off the highways. Whatever the reason – whatever the cause – here our guide to some of Australia's best big things.  Want more weird and wonderful things? Here are the best overnight train journeys you can do in Australia.   

Australians have a love affair with art, and with incredible galleries dotted throughout the country, it’s also one of the top reasons we travel interstate. Every year, our nation welcomes blockbuster international exhibitions, along with major showings of our most colourful and creative local talents.  Whether it’s contemporary Aboriginal art in Alice Springs, delicate glassworks in Wagga Wagga, topical portraits in Canberra or 21st-century Chinese art in Sydney, these are the best public galleries worth visiting in Australia.  RECOMMENDED: These are the 20 top tourist attractions in Australia.

When visiting a new city, it’s highly likely that, at some point, you’ll find yourself standing in front of a big and beautiful museum or gallery. Come rain, hail or shine, these brilliant buildings are the place to brush up on historical happenings and learn a thing or two about local heritage.  Inside you’ll find some of our country’s greatest treasures and a huge diversity of subject matters too, ranging from natural history and cultural artefacts to science marvels and sporting achievements. Don’t wait until the next rainy day to explore Australia’s best museums with this ultimate guide.  RECOMMENDED: The 18 best art galleries to explore in Australia.

Dreaming of your next island getaway? Check-in and fully check out by booking a stay at one of Australia’s most dreamy resorts and lodges. These postcard-worthy destinations offer more than just a place to stay; they’re where you can connect with the very best of Australian culture, take in our country’s most stunning landscapes and embark on some of the nation’s top bucket list experiences. You can soak up the scenes from an outdoor bathtub in the Kimberley wilderness, get up close to wildlife from a fancy suite at Canberra’s zoo, relax at a secluded hilltop escape on the Tasmanian coast, or swim in crystal clear waters at a private island resort on the Great Barrier Reef. Here are all the resorts and lodges to book for your next Australian getaway.  Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel or accommodation offering featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

There's nothing like hitting the tarmac and heading out for an adventure on the open road. Of course, it's all about the journey, not the destination. With that in mind, we've rounded up some of the most beautiful drives across Victoria, from our famous, undulating coastal routes to snowy alpine highways.  Feel like a walk? Check out one of Victoria's best hiking trails. Or stay at home and enjoy a picnic at one of the city's nicest picnic spots. Want more? These are the best road trips from Melbourne. Plus, DO go chasing waterfalls: here's where to find the prettiest waterfalls in Victoria.

Chocolate is full of powerful antioxidants and helps the release of serotonin. Basically, it's good for you (or so we wish to believe). Melbourne is home to several specialty chocolate shops that would make even Willy Wonka a little jealous. Many allow you to order online, so you can get your fix to enjoy at home. If you're looking for chocolate in the form of ice cream, you can find a list of Melbourne's best ice cream and gelato here.

While the capital cities have Mardi Gras and Midsumma, out in regional Victoria, Daylesford has ChillOut. The festival is Australia's premier and longest running regional LGBTQIA+ pride festival, taking place on the March long weekend every year.  This year the theme is 'Boots and Bling', and we can picture all the glittery cowboy-esque cozzies. The festival will host more than 50 fabulous events, with drag queen darling Courtney Act headlining. Highlights of the five-day celebration include the iconic pride street parade, multiple massive dance parties complete with drag queen stars and DJs, a pool party and a community carnival. The ChillOut festival has been going for more than two decades thanks to the work of its parent organisation, also called ChillOut. The festival aims to reduce homophobia in regional schools and groups as well as instil a sense of pride throughout the community regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Thousands of people are expected to flock to Daylesford for the celebrations, so if you're keen to join the party, check out the full program and book tickets here.  Looking for queer parties in Melbourne? Here are the best gay bars in the city. 

Inside what was once was an old medical centre on Brunswick’s busy Sydney Road is a warm, inviting space lined with shelves of books and magazines. It’s not a library, though. In fact, one look at these books would likely make a librarian faint. Because these printed works aren’t for reading – they’re here to be snipped, sliced and torn up to be turned into artworks as part of Melbourne’s first studio dedicated to collage. That Paper Joint is a purpose-built and sustainable studio all about paper collage, running workshops to get people cutting and pasting together their own masterpieces. The venue is run by Maximillian Malone and Zoe Crook, who have made a hybrid space that’s part art studio and part creative workshop. “'Joining people through paper’ is the motto here,” says Malone. “Collage can be quite an introverted, diary-like and sentimental process, but we really want to create a super fun, exciting place for people to sit alongside one another creating in small, intimate groups.” Malone comes from a background in art design and like many, used his time in Melbourne’s lockdowns to reconsider what he wanted to do in life. “I've always felt creative [but] not necessarily had the natural talents to paint or draw,” he says. “What I've always found fascinating about collage is that you can create something amazing in a matter of minutes. Or you can spend a lot of time and hunt for interesting materials and build something over a number of weeks.” The threshold for engaging

Piccolina Gelateria is a cute pastel green gelato shop sitting pretty on Smith Street, Collingwood. They’re just up from Gelato Messina, but a little competition never hurt anyone. They don’t have the cultish following of Messina, but their gelato is just as tasty. Plus it’s made in the traditional Italian way and with natural ingredients. All flavours are made from scratch – everything from jam to nut butters to chocolate sauce. They’ve also got four vegan gelato flavours to try: passionfruit, strawberry, lemon and chocolate brownie. If you find yourself in Hawthorn you can also pick up some gelato from their Glenferrie Road store. Season three of Piccolina's much anticipated The Piccolina Gelato Project has just begun, an 8-week collaboration with some of Melbourne's most exciting chefs. Until August 15 2023, the gelateria will churn out 24 limited edition flavours, showcasing each chef's culinary ethos, creative flair and style of cuisine. Expect plenty of whimsical combos throughout the weekly menu rotation, with unconventional ingredients and fresh new takes on everyone's favourite ice cream.  Taste creations from Ross Magnaye (Serai), Nornie Bero (Mabu Mabu), Charlie Snadden-Wilson (Clover), chef and food writer Ella Mittas, Nagesh Seethian (Manzé), Ellie Bouhadana (Hope St Radio), Coskan Uysal (Tulum) and Brigitte Hafner (Tedesca Osteria). To find out which flavours are available this week, visit Piccolina or check out the website.

Smash Splash comes basically as advertised. It’s a venue where you can smash things, or you can splash things, namely paint. The 20-minute splash sessions give you the chance to get messy and splatter a room with paint.  After suiting up, up to three people enter the splash room where you can paint the walls red, blue, green or whatever colour. Smash Splash provides paint balloons which you can throw or smash at the wall with a bat, or you can go old-school and just use brushes or your hands to get creative. You can play your choice of music while splashing away plus you’ll have the chance to photograph your masterpiece once finished. The venue also operates as a break room, a place where you can go and (safely) destroy things to vent a little steam. You can throw glassware, smash items with baseball bats and sledgehammers, and really work out your repressed rage in a healthy way. All protective gear is provided and Smash Splash provides a special selection of items (like TVs) you can purchase to smash. RECOMMENDED: How to let off steam in Melbourne with these alternative stress relief activities.

It's been a hot minute since Lorde last graced Australian shores, but the wait is almost over. Lorde's rescheduled Solar Power tour brings her to Sydney this month (Mar 13-14) to showcase her distinct pop ballads at the Aware Super Theatre at the ICC Sydney. While Lorde may have burst onto the scene with a dark and almost melancholic style of pop with Pure Heroine and Melodrama, the star's Solar Power album is more sanguine. Lorde has said: "The album is a celebration of the natural world, an attempt at immortalising the deep, transcendent feelings I have when I’m outdoors. In times of heartache, grief, deep love or confusion, I look to the natural world for answers. I’ve learnt to breathe out, and tune in. This is what came through.” See Lorde as part of her Solar Power tour in Sydney on March 13 and 14, 2023. Want an affordable bite to eat on your way to the theatre? Here's our guide to the best cheap eats in Sydney.

Horridus the Triceratops has landed at Melbourne Museum with visitors able to visit the huge dino from March 12 as part of a brand new exhibition.  Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs takes over two levels of Melbourne Museum in an exhibition that tracks the story of the dinosaurs from the perspective of Horridus – i.e. that of a triceratops. Guests are plunged into the Cretaceous period for the exhibit, where they'll learn about the world in which Horridus lived and the creatures the dino lived alongside.  As part of the exhibition, you'll of course also be able to gaze in wonder at Horridus, the most complete triceratops skeleton in the world. This big guy comprises of 266 bones and tips the scales at more than 1,000kg. Museums Victoria's senior curator of vertebrate palaeontology, Dr Erich Fitzgerald, says: "Horridus the Triceratops is a simply spectacular fossil, with the science behind Triceratops revealed like never before. Until you’ve seen Melbourne Museum’s Triceratops, you haven’t seen Triceratops at all." In the exhibition visitors will also learn about the process of fossilisation and paleontology, tracking the story of the dinosaurs from Horridus's era right through to the modern day, where dinosaurs' descendants live among us as birds.  Entry to Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs is free with museum entry. The exhibition opens on March 12.  Recommended: learn more about Horridus the Triceratops.

For many people, their dogs are their children. Unlike normal children, however, they never stop being cute, rack up huge phone bills or get tired of your hugs. They also never go to school – but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a daggy-cool school photo taken. Dog Photog, a specialty dog photography studio, is hosting a school photo day for very good boys and girls this January. Bring your canine along and they’ll get their portrait expertly taken against the classic blue marble background from your school days.  Your dog won’t get detention for being out of uniform either, with Dog Photog providing props like polo tee shirt collars, ties and school pins (is your dog library monitor, prefect or school captain material?). It costs $55 to get your dog’s photo taken, or $85 for two dogs from the same household. This price includes one screen resolution image but you can purchase extra images and photo packs (yep, just like at school) for a little extra.  There are two school photo sessions available, on January 28 and 29. Both sessions will be held at 55 Cromwell Street in Collingwood and bookings are a must. Planning out your social calendar? Here are the best things happening in Melbourne this week.

Lido Cinema’s rooftop cinema makes a triumphant return this summer for another series of films under the stars.  Lido on the Roof will be hosting a number of alfresco sessions across the warmer months, with screenings of new release flicks like The Banshees of Inisherin and Babylon. Other films currently lined up include the 2022 Palme d'Or winner Triangle of Sadness, Steven Spielberg's heartwarming coming-of-age story The Fabelmans, horror flick M3gan and Tar – a psychological drama starring Cate Blanchett, whose performance is garnering plenty of Oscar buzz. There are also films for the kids (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) and those who love a hit of nostalgia (10 Things I Hate About You, The Big Lebowski). No need to BYO snacks: Lido's food and drink counter serves up great movie treats, from choctops and vegan-friendly popcorn to edamame and craft beers.  Check out the full program to see what's showing this year. ICYMI: Australia snubbed in Rolling Stone's Greatest Singers of All Time list.

Walking up the stairs of the Nicholas Building into RetroStar feels like stepping into another (very colourful) world. This vintage store specialises in 1940s-1990s clothing, shoes, accessories and bags.  Seventies fanatics can't go past the range of flares, kitsch tees and leather jackets. If you're looking for a '70s style that's cool rather than pisstake, this one's for you. Music nuts won't leave disappointed either, with a huge range of band T-shirts and streetwear. There's even a Christmas section for when you're feeling jolly, but also kitsch. Remember, RetroStar isn't an option and the prices are reasonable given the products (having said that, there is a $20 and less area for stylish cheapskates). Even if you're not into wearing vintage it's worth visiting RetroStar to wonder at the sheer collection of clothes from yesteryear. 

The open-air Queen Victoria Market is loud and proud, packed with veteran stallholders who are passionate about fresh produce (and are happy to tell you about it). It's popular with locals as their go-to for fresh fruit, veggies, meat and an outstanding variety of dairy and small goods, but has also become something of a 'must visit' for tourists.  And why not? With a huge number of stalls selling clothes, accessories and other bric-a-brac, the markets have evolved into more than just the place to get your weekly shop. Cafés line the market's outskirts and are usually heaving with brunchers every weekend. Be mindful of Queen Vic's opening hours before visiting (it's closed Monday and Wednesday) and be sure to get a hot jam doughnut before you leave.  In summer and winter, be sure to visit the Night Markets, held every Wednesday evening. Here, the market takes on a new guise as a hub for designers, food trucks and live performances. RECOMMENDED: How to do Queen Vic Market like a pro.

Celebrated English-Australian artist Bruce Munro is presenting his first-ever museum exhibition at Heide this winter. From Sunrise Road features both indoor and outdoor interactive installations that show off Munro's adept skill in working with light. Here in Australia, Munro is perhaps best known for his massive 'Field of Light' installation at Uluru. The installation was first shown in 2016 and has 50,000 flower-like spindle light bulbs cover the desert – and it's from this work that Munro's new outdoor installation at Heide, 'Candent Spring', draws from. Within 'Candent Spring' you'll also find 'Time and Again', a series of tessellating abstract clock faces or stainless steel water lilies marked with symbols that try to give the concept of time a visual representation.  During daylight hours 'Time and Again' works as mirrors, literally reflecting the passage of time as the sky changes from the morning, to noon and to dusk. At night, the gleaming discs shine like stars and are amplified by the clusters of "fireflies" (spindly, anemone-like fibre optic forms) that guests can walk in between and explore. From Sunrise Road continues indoors, with Heide presenting several of Munro's top works. 'Ferryman's Crossing' comprises dozens of recycled CDs meshed together like an ocean with reflecting beams of light projected onto the work in morse code. 'Ferryman's Crossing' is inspired by the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha, with the light projections echoing how mariners could communic

Chicken nuggets (or “nug” as the kids call them) might not be haute cuisine, but golly gosh are they wholesome and comforting. And very much deserving of their own festival – which is why northside food truck park Welcome to Thornbury is hosting a Chicken Nugget Festival this June. On Saturday, June 25, Welcome to Thornbury will welcome a stack of vendors hawking various variations of the humble nug. In the past, this event has seen a range of vendors coming together to dish out chicken nugget burgers, chicken nugget subs, chicken nugget pizzas, baos and doughnuts, among other snacks celebrating the humble nug. As usual, entry is free and there’s an on-site ATM. Children welcome until 8pm, dogs welcome all day and night. Looking for more things to do? Check out our guide to the best events happening in Melbourne this week.

The Easter long weekend is approaching, and a good proportion of Sydneysiders will find themselves on the road this weekend. To spice up the journey, you might want to consider making a detour via one of our state’s big things – the absurd novelty sculptures scattered across NSW and beyond. Australia is home to more than 150 “big things”, and around a third of them are here in NSW – making ours, arguably, the patron state of oversized sculptures. To bring a little brightness to your weekend away, we’ve rounded up five of our favourites. 1. The Big Merino Photograph: Mattinbgn | Wikimedia Commons   Location: Goulburn, NSW The story: Like many big things, the Big Merino is a testament to the prime industries of its locale. Goulburn is known for its wool industry, and the giant Merino ram was built in 1985 and modelled after a stud ram of the time called Rambo. After the Goulburn bypass was completed in the early 1990s, the sculpture became cut off from the bulk of the Hume Highway’s traffic – consequently, the Big Merino was moved almost a kilometre in 2007 to make it more accessible to passing travellers. The Big Merino also has a gift shop where you can buy locally grown wool items.  Relative size: The Big Merino is 15.2 metres high, 18 metres long and weighs 97 tonnes. Your standard Merino ram is around 1 metre tall and 80 to 100 kilograms, making the Big Merino 15 times larger and around 970 times heavier than the real thing. Realism: Pretty good! This big woolly boy real

ICYMI, the Queen Victoria Market precinct is undergoing a major redevelopment (a fancy food hall just opened) and now you find a cosy nook to devour a good book there too, as a brand new community library is now open to the public.   The Narrm Ngarrgu (meaning 'Melbourne knowledge' in Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language) library is part of a $500 million development on Therry Street, and it's the first new library in the City of Melbourne in the last decade. Three floors of the building make up the 3,100m2 library, including a dedicated children's library with unique carpet artwork designed by Aboriginal artist Maree Clark.    Photograph: Supplied   The $15.7 million state-of-the-art facility also has a family services centre (with maternal health consulting rooms and a playgroup area), podcast and audio recording studios, event spaces, meeting rooms and a creative makers' hub complete with 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines and paint booths. It's pretty much a one-stop shop for community services.  Melburnians can enjoy more than 80 heritage and never-before-seen artworks throughout the building, as well as a rooftop terrace featuring lush lawn areas, native plants and stunning views of the market precinct.  "Using the lure of literature, we’re attracting more city workers and residents to the Queen Victoria Market precinct – with a library, community spaces and essential family services in the heart of the city," said Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp. "We’re expec

Melburnians will soon have an extra transport option to zip around the city. From February 1, Melbourne is teaming up with Lime and Neuron Mobility to provide residents and tourists with 1,500 e-scooters to ride on.  The e-scooter rollout is part of a one-year trial that will place the vehicles in three inner-city council areas: Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip. Should it prove successful, the trial could  be extended.  The new low-emission e-scooters can travel up to 20km per hour and can be accessed via the Lime and Neuron apps, similar to how you might hire a Lime e-bike. The vehicles can be used in bike lanes, shared paths and low-speed roads but not on footpaths – riders also must wear a helmet while riding and give way to pedestrians on shared paths.  Photograph: Supplied / Lime Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp said: "The trial will provide another fun new way to get to your next meeting, meet people after work or explore our stunning city." "It’s going to be exciting seeing flashes of neon orange and green on our streets, and we can’t wait to see people safely scooting about." The Lime and Neuron e-scooters begin rolling out across Melbourne from February 1. This grocery (and RAT) service can deliver your order in just 15 minutes.

In 2016, Carlton lost one of its oldest buildings when two developers illegally demolished the Corkman Irish Pub (formerly the Carlton Inn). While we can't bring the pub itself back, we can remember it with a new public artwork memorialising the 160-year-old pub.  'Distant Things Appear Suddenly Near' is a new public art commission from Melbourne city council that recreates the façade of the Corkman hotel. Created by Irish artist, Sean Lynch, who says the artwork directly speaks to the notorious demolition of the building. "'Distant Things Appear Suddenly Near' places an emphasis on objects and understandings of spaces that have been marginalised in the continued growth of the contemporary city," said Lynch. The work also interweaves elements of another pubic work (specifically Hossein Valamanesh’s 'Faultline') and has an accompanying voiceover. The public work will live for the next 18 months at University Square in Carlton, just around the corner from where the pub itself once stood.  Here are more public artworks that you should know around Melbourne.  

Travelling into the Melbourne CBD is about to get a lot cheaper, with the state government giving away 250,000 free public transport vouchers this summer. To encourage people back into the city over the festive season and summer holidays, 50,000 public transport vouchers are up for grabs across five event categories. Those categories include Christmas, performing arts, galleries and attractions, dining, and shopping.  The vouchers are available from the PTV website from Thursday, December 16. Those successful in securing a voucher simply need to show it to staff when entering or exiting their station (or if stopped by a ticket inspector) while travelling on the valid voucher date. Vouchers can be used from December 18 onwards. Even if you miss out on a free travel voucher, you can still take advantage of free public transport across the network on Christmas Day and on New Year's Eve. The free holiday travel periods run from 3am December 25 to 3am December 26, and from 6pm December 31 until 6am on January 1. No special ticket is required on metro transport, simply don't use your Myki during those periods. If you're catching a V/Line service you'll still need to make a free booking to secure a spot. Metro trains and most trams will run all night on New Year's Eve as well. It's not all good news, however, with metro public transport fares increasing an average of 2.3 per cent from January 1, 2022. That rise means that daily fares in zone 1, zone 2 and zone 1 and 2, will be 20 ce

Circus Oz has announced today that it will cease operating following a poll that had company members reject reforms laid out in a government review.  Over the last two years, Circus Oz has undergone an internal assessment that looked at different artistic and business models that would allow the company to prosper, support performers and the art form, and entertain audiences. A vision to achieve these goals was confirmed by the Circus Oz board. This year, Circus Oz underwent an independent review commissioned jointly by Creative Victoria and the Australia Council for the Arts. This review highlighted "systemic issues holding back the company" and asked for certain reforms to be made (such as broadening membership criteria and introducing an entirely skills-based board) if Circus Oz wanted to continue to receive public funding.  Following this, Circus Oz company members (a body that is made up mostly of former Circus Oz employees) were anonymously polled to indicate whether they would support the proposed reforms. The poll indicated that a formal vote to accept the reforms would fail – meaning the company would lose vital government funding, leading to the decision to close Circus Oz for good after more than 40 years of operation. Circus Oz was launched in 1977 and had only recently announced its first show post-lockdown, an innovative city-wide production called Everything but the Circus. The board has released a statement stating: "After surviving the pandemic challenges and

The Earth’s environmental issues have been given the back seat in the face of the current coronavirus pandemic and after years of discouraging single-use items, they’ve made a roaring, necessitous comeback in the form of masks, face shields and gloves.  But UK designer Alice Potts is proving that the two issues can work together, creating 'Dance Biodegradable Personal Protective Equipment (DBPPE) Post Covid Facemasks', a series of 20 “fully degradable” face shields out of sustainable bioplastics as part of the blockbuster NGV Triennial exhibition. While the face shields really capture the 2020 zeitgeist, they aren’t what Potts originally planned to present for the blockbuster exhibition. Potts was approached to take part in the Triennial prior to lockdown, and the idea was that she’d present one of her sweat crystallisation works – where she turns literal sweat into crystals and crystalline objects. “Then Covid happened and I think that changed everyone’s work and everyone’s practice,” says Potts. “I had a massive fear that if I used people’s sweat and crystallised it, would Covid still be able to survive as a crystal?” With that in mind, Potts turned her attention to the bioplastics elements of her practice – material that looks and feels like plastic but is made out of organic matter like algae and seaweed (and in Potts’s case, made from discarded food waste). “I made it a challenge for myself, to develop materials with all the restrictions that were going on. So the [UK's]

Subscriptions are out but performances are back on at Malthouse Theatre, with the company shifting to a new model for its 2022 season. Those keenly awaiting the annual season launch are out of luck, with Malthouse moving away from disclosing all its secrets at once in favour of rolling production announcements throughout the year – the first of which have just been revealed.  In 2022, Malthouse presents ten new Australian productions, shepherded in by the company's summer outdoor stage program that's on from now until April. Lockdown-proof, digital productions that have been in the works while theatres were shut in 2021 are also in the works, including a massive, user-friendly and innovative archive of Malthouse's history called M Stories and an incredibly in-depth and interactive digital version of Because the Night that essentially turns the watershed production into a video game that can be played anywhere with an internet connection. Photograph: Supplied / TS Publicity That's before we even get to the indoor, in-real-life productions that are planned, the first of which is comedy Stay Woke (Feb 25-Mar 13) by Aran Thangaratnam. The work revolves around brothers Niv and Sai, who head off on a ski trip hoping to resolve their lifelong rivalry. But the holiday chit-chat turns political, with Sai's girlfriend Kate ending up in the middle of it. Malthouse artistic director, Matthew Lutton, calls Stay Woke an "astonishingly good and addictive comedy", with the work featuring G

Melbourne's annual New Year's Eve midnight fireworks have a little competition this year. To help ring out 2021, Melbourne is hosting Australia's largest ever drone display, with 350 drones taking to the sky to wow audiences with a dazzling aerial performance.  The seven-minute drone swarm will take place over Dockland's Victoria Harbour twice on New Year's Eve, before both the 9.30pm and midnight fireworks displays. Melbourne lord mayor, Sally Capp, said: "With 350 drones lighting up the sky – this will be one of the first drone shows of this scale to ever take place in the southern hemisphere." The show comes from international drone art organisation Celestial, which has previously provided a drone performance for Edinburgh's 2020 New Year's Eve celebrations, as well as for Amnesty International's 60th anniversary. Take a look at the Edinburgh performance below to get a sense of the scale and spectacle of the Melbourne event.  Melbourne will once again instate ticketed celebration zones for the New Year's Eve displays, with zones planned in Alexandra Gardens, Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens and Treasury Gardens. These areas will feature family-friendly entertainment, food trucks, music and amenities, and you must be fully vaccinated to attend.  The New Year's Eve Street Feasts are also back for 2021, with eight precincts around Melbourne (including in Russell Place, Cohen Place and at Fed Square) to host food pop-ups from favourite local restaurants as well as live musi

Renowned Australian entertainer Bert Newton will be honoured by Melbourne's east end theatre district tonight in memory of his contribution to the city's performing arts community. At 7.30pm on Thursday, November 11, some of Melbourne's most famous theatres will dim their lights for one minute as a tribute to Newton. The dimming of the lights is a tradition reserved only for those who've gone above and beyond in contributing to the theatre industry, with participating venues (such as the Princess, Regent, Athenaeum and Comedy theatres) unanimous in their decision to grant this honour to Newton.  Born in Fitzroy in 1938, Bert Newton entered the entertainment industry at the age of 15 working for radio station 3XY which was based out of the Princess Theatre. During his career Newton was also part of the great revival of Melbourne's theatre industry, and has performed most of the city's major theatres in productions of Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music, The Producers, Annie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Wicked. CEO for the Marriner Group, Jason Marriner, said: "Bert made an enormous contribution to the theatre, and we should be forever grateful that so many of his iconic performances were on the stages of Melbourne’s east end theatres.” A state funeral service for Bert Newton AM MBE will be held at St Patrick's Cathedral in East Melbourne on Friday, November 12 and will be live-streamed. 

If you've been hankering to see the full mammoth magical production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Melbourne, you better book your tickets ASAP. From March 27 2022, the original five-hour, two-part production will close to be replaced by a one-part, reimagined production that will reopen at the Princess Theatre in May.  The one-part, reimagined production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child comes from the play's original creatives, including Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and (of course) J.K. Rowling. Thorne and Tiffany said: "Revisiting the play has been an illuminating process of rediscovery; we challenged ourselves to find a new way to distill our story in the simplest and most truthful way possible." While not as long, the new version still follows the same story, in which audiences return to Hogwarts 19 years after the seventh book ended.  Melbourne isn't the first city to debut the condensed version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, with the Broadway production reopening with the world premiere of the new one-part play on November 16, 2021. Toronto and San Francisco will also host the reimagined play, while the West End and Hamburg productions will continue with the original two-part format.  Those wanting to see the original two-part production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child can book tickets now for performances until March 27, 2022. Tickets for the reimagined one-part play go on sale November 19 for performances from May 2022 – or you can sign up for th

Been missing family and friends in NSW? From November 1, fully vaccinated Victorians can freely travel to Sydney and regional NSW. That means you can hop on a plane or in the car from today and travel to NSW without having to quarantine. Previous to November 1, all Victorians (regardless of vaccination status) were required to spend 14 days in quarantine if entering NSW. However, Victorians aged 16 and over who are not fully vaccinated cannot enter NSW for recreation purposes or a holiday from November 1. All travellers must apply for a permit to enter or re-enter Victoria, with different restrictions in place depending on your vaccination status. From November 1, Victoria (as well as NSW and the ACT) is also allowing fully vaccinated Australian citizens or permanent residents to return from overseas without having to quarantine. You can also depart Australian for international destinations from the same date, so long as you are fully vaccinated and get tested and receive a negative result within 72 hours of your departing flight.  Confused about what's currently open in Melbourne? Here's everything you need to know.