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Is there anything better than heading to your local pool on a hot day? No â unless there's also an epic waterslide waiting for you to slip down. From spiralling towers to rides that will make you weightless, there's no shortage of extreme waterslides in and around Melbourne. Here's our list of the best â now all we have to do is wait for Melbourne's unpredictable weather to serve us up a sunny day...
Keen to make a splash? These are the best outdoor pools in Melbourne.Â
On the ground level of dining and drinking wonderland 127 Brunswick youâll find Ichi Ni Nana, one of the few places in Melbourne where you can enjoy an authentic Izakaya dining experience.
The menu features a range of fresh and authentic Japanese dishes, from sushi and sashimi to gyoza and tapas share plates. A number of robatayaki (a method of charcoal cooking similar to barbecue) dishes are also on offer as well as a range of yakitori items, charcoal-grilled skewers with your choice of ingredient.
The drinks menu features a truly daunting sake list. If youâre feeling a bit lost, or want to know what sake pairs best with your meal, simply ask the helpful staff and theyâll be able to guide you through to find which sake is best for you. There is also an equally impressive cocktail and wine list, as well as a selection of beers and soft drinks to choose from.
For early risers there is the Ichi Ni Nana Street Food Stall and Coffee Stop. Open from 7am this hole-in-the-wall counter offers takeaway coffee and food including muffins, sushi and even houses a bottle shop in case your sake reserves are running low.
Functions spaces are also available for hire and are perfect for your next birthday or upcoming staff party.
Just a short walk from Dennis train station lies Johnson Park, a favourite getaway location for Northcote locals. It may be small but it has plenty to offer.
The open and inviting space is home to many large and shady trees, as well as a collection of smaller shrubs and native plants which line the foot and bike paths. The grassy areas are perfect for lazing around on a weekend afternoon or for an impromptu game of cricket or footy. Dogs are allowed into the park but they must be kept on their leads.
The park also features playgrounds suited to both kids and teenagers with slides, swings, climbing frames and spider web obstacles.
For sunny days there are uncovered picnic tables scattered around the park but if the weatherâs not on your side then you can grab a table under the rotunda.
Located in the heart of Yarraville the thin strip of grassland and greenery that makes up Cruikshank Park is like an oasis in the suburbs.
The park hosts plenty of trees which provide ample amounts shade to relax under after a day in the sun. The kids can climb, jump and explore their way through the large playground or race around the BMX track. Looking for something a bit more sporty? Then head across to the free tennis courts for a match.
Doggos can also roam free around the park but have to be on leashes from 8-10am and 3-5pm daily.
The park is also available for weddings as well as fitness sessions with your personal trainer. If youâre thinking of holding an event at Cruikshank Park then make sure you head to the Maribyrnong Council website to book a space.
If you wander across the park into McNish Reserve then you might even spot Mimi the Dinosaur amongst the trees.
Beer, glorious beer! Owner Kieran Hennessy, along with partner Shayne Dixon, has built a one stop shop for all your beer needs. While BeerMash mostly focus on take-home âgrowlersâ and âsquealersâ (different sizes of refillable bottles) they also have a license, meaning you can take up some real estate at the bar and sample a newest craft beer while you wait for your order to be filled.
The walls are covered, literally covered, with different beers for sale, as well as a selection of spirits for those who arenât too partial to a pale ale. The stock is always being updated and the knowledgeable staff are on hand to help you pick the perfect beer for whatever occaison. But the star attraction of this Collingwood favourite is the yellow tiled wall adorned with 20 sparkling beer taps. Written on the tiles next to each tap youâll see the name of which brews are on offer, with craft beers usually taking up at least 12 of the taps, while the remainder are saved for cold-brew coffee, kombucha, cider or maybe even a wine or two.
Even though its doors lead out onto the busy Smith Street, the exposed brick walls and large rafters running along the roof give the space a sense of calm and seclusion, making it the perfect place to sit with a new favourite beer in hand and watch the world rush past.
Since its inception in 1852 the Supreme Court of Victoria has been the state's highest authority of common law and equality.
Throughout its more than 175 year history the court has seen a range of criminals take the stand, everyone from common thieves to bushrangers. Some of the more high profile cases that have been heard within the court include the leaders of the Eureka Stockade rebellion as well as Australiaâs most famous outlaw, Ned Kelly.
The court was also the where the sentencing for Ronald Ryan and Jean Lee took place, the last man and woman, respectively, to be hanged in Victoria.
The court has been housed in its current Williams St location since the late 1800s, after construction started on the building in 1873 and lasted for nearly a decade.
Weâve all been there. Itâs late at night and youâre crawling through your neighbourâs garden, trying to snag a piece of that one glorious succulent thatâs about as big as your ever-present uni debt. Youâll inevitably return with one sad little leaf that you will probably kill because the laws of horticulture are a cruel and unusual mistress. Thankfully some super-cool people with some super-green thumbs are here to help.
Little Succers is a succulent delivery service for those of us who need some nature in our lives but are too incompetent to look after anything more than a plant designed to survive in the desert.
Bored in iso? Little Succers has plenty of plant-based projects, from pots you can colour in to build-your-own terrarium kits. Delivery is free Australia-wide. The terrarium kits come with the container itself, soil, sand, charcoal, coloured sand and pebbles, decorations and miniatures (like an adorable tiny toy flamingo), mini gardening equipment, instructions and of course, succulents.
Your delivery comes potted in a special, succulent-loving soil, meaning youâd have to really go out of your way to kill them. We recommend hitting up their website for tips to care for your new green friend as you begin to move on from your dark, checkered past of plant ownership.
You can order succulents for yourself, and they also make great gifts. The plants come with cute, raunchy gift cards, like "Happy succing birthday" and "Life would succ without you".Â
Want more green? Here
Fun fact: kittens are usually born from September through to April, which means weâre currently smack bang in the middle of kitten season. Cats can give birth to up to 18 kittens at this time, meaning that there are currently a lot of lonely little felines out there. The Cat Protection Society of Victoria is hoping to change that.
These cat loving heroes have been fighting the good fight for over 70 years, taking in cats and kittens alike and helping them find that special someone to love them. Each year they aim to get 90 percent of all cats in their care adopted, that means a goal of about 900 four-pawed pals finding new homes. This is where you come in.Â
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SO FESTIVE AND CUTE!
Photograph: Supplied
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You can help give these poor cuddly souls a new home. Kittens are $170 to adopt and the price drops the older the cat is, with cats older than seven being the cheapest at only $60. The cost of each adoption also covers desexing, microchipping, vaccinations, parasite treatments, a thorough vet check and two weeks of health cover to ensure that your new feline friend settles into their new home purr-fectly.
If you want to support the Cat Protection Society directly, tax deductible donations are also a great idea. For only $5, you can help keep a cat fed for a week which would make all the difference to the lives of these cats.Â
So come and visit their centre in Greensborough, find a new furry friend and support an organisation that wonât rest until every cat has someone to cud
There are few things better in life than finishing a plate of ribs and licking sweet, sticky sauce off your fingers. Chicago favourite Lillie's Q knows this better than most. They're legends in the American barbecue game and they make the good stuff. We're talking the kind of good youâd sell an organ for so you could head back stateside for another hit.
Luckily Lillie's Q chef Charlie McKenna is in Australia so we can get our fix with all our organs intact. McKenna has set up his grill at Fancy Hank's from March 13 to 15 for three days of char gillinâ, meat cookinâ, lip smackinâ goodness. And since heâs a two-time Pork Shoulder World Champion you know itâs going to be worth the queues that will inevitably form. You get a second bite at the pulled pork plate when he makes an appearance at carnivorous carnival Meatstock from March 17-18.
At the pop-up you can also purchase a range of Lillie's Q signature sauces and rubs. They're the flavours of America built on three generations of experience and barbecue know-how and their products are 100 per cent natural and gluten-free, meaning you can chuck them on just about anything.
Book a table via Fancy Hankâs website, with food available from 5-11pm across the three days.
Not enough pork on your fork? Melbourne has a range of American style barbecue joints.
Fancy putting on the chef's hat yourself? Melbourne's best public barbecue spots are the perfect place for you this summer.
London-based artist Pamm Hong is trying to change the way people talk about data. Actually, sheâs just trying to get people to talk about data at all. The designer and artist is coming to town for the Sydney Design Festival. Her work, the âWatermelon Sugar Wellness Labâ is featured as part of the Common Good group exhibition, sheâll also present a talk explaining the concept and themes of her work. Time Out chatted with the artist to get her insights on connectivity, privacy and the importance of remembering the internet is a millennial.
âWe forget that the internet is 27 now, the smartphone is even younger, and social networks even more. Itâs so much a part of our lives I just think that we forget how we got here in the first place⊠Weâre connected even if we donât think we are and essentially I just wanted to shine a light on how data visualisation can help us understand ourselvesâ.
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Pamm Hong, 'Watermelon Sugar'
Photograph: Supplied
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The âWellness Labâ, a simplified version of the original âWatermelon Sugarâ concept, allows people to see their data actualised in the form of an avatar. The goal isnât to judge people on their online habits, itâs to spark a conversation about a technology and the reality weâve fooled ourselves into thinking we control. âI think awareness is a big part, but also itâs just peaking curiosity, and inspiring different ways to look at something that is very seriousâ.
The name of the artwork comes from Richard Brautiganâs book In Watermelon Sug
Mobile phones: That thing your grandmother has but doesnât fully understand how to use. It seems that thereâs a new must-have phone hitting the shelves every few days. We camp out in line to get our hands on one, casually tossing aside the older, seemingly out-of-date models. This can add up to a lot of waste and it's estimated that there are close to 5 million unused phones in Sydney alone.
Hereâs the deal: Recycling phones is way better than throwing them out. About 99 per cent of the bits and pieces in mobile phones can be reused, but 40 million tonnes of electric still end up in landfill, which equates to a loss of about $68 billion in resources, which is no bueno. This is where you come in. Â
This summer not-for-profit legends MobileMuster and OzHarvest have teamed up to try and combat both of the problem of mobile phone waste and the 3.6 million people who experience food insecurity every year though their campaign called Mobile for a Meal.
Instead of just ditching your old Nokia brick or Motorola flip phone (remember those?), look up where the nearest recycling location is on the website (there are 3,500 sites nationwide), then drop off your old phone along with its charger and accessories. Itâs that easy. You can even send it through the post if you canât make it in person. For every phone that MobileMuster receives OzHarvest will provide a meal to someone going hungry or struggling to put food on the table.
Their goal is to recycle 70,000 phones, meaning 70,000 meal
If you look up into the sky tonight you might notice something a little different. The Super Blood Blue Moon will be traversing the stars in a rare combination of three different lunar events. Â
But what is it exactly? A sign of the forthcoming apocalypse? We hope not. Weâve put together helpful little breakdown of the different elements of tonight's lunar spectacular:
Supermoon: Whatâs that in the sky? Itâs a bird? A plane? No, itâs Supermoon! This comes about when the moon is full and also in its closest orbit to Earth, known as being at perigee, which is a fancy science word we didnât know before today.
Blue Moon: This is what happens when thereâs two full moons in one calendar month. Technically Sydney wonât see a blue moon this time around since the moon wonât be full until after midnight, meaning that it will be February, and for those playing along at home thatâs a different month to January (but donât worry, thereâll be one in March for NSW folks to enjoy).
Blood Moon: Not as macabre as it sounds. This occurs when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon, called a full lunar eclipse. The moon is then illuminated by scattered light from the Earthâs atmosphere, giving our closest cosmic neighbour that distinctive red shade.
These events arenât all that rare on their own, with each happening every few years or so. But together, these astronomical wonders falling on the same night is something special indeed and the best part is it's completely safe to look at.Â
But w
Doff your hats, sound the trumpets and practice your curtsey because something royal is coming to Pyrmont this weekend.Â
In the lead up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games the baton (the Gamesâ version of the Olympic torch) will arrive this Saturday February 3. Everyone is encouraged to come out and line the streets to see the baton continue its journey that has taken it through more than 70 Commonwealth nations.
The baton has been on the road for nearly 388 days since the relay was started by the Queen herself in March 2017. It is made with wood from native macadamia trees with macadamia nuts being planted along the batonâs long journey. The front edge of the baton is made from reclaimed plastic collected from waterways around the Gold Coast.
The last piece of the body is made up of a stainless steel stringer which separates the wood and plastic. The steel is engraved with three letter alpha codes for each of the Commonwealth countries and will reflect each distinct landscape its carried through.
The baton also carries a message from the Queen, printed on paper made from local spinifex and contains an interior that changes colour to reflect the vibrant beachside home of this yearâs Games. Sadly, she's not delivering it herself.Â
Keep calm and carry (the baton) on.
Ring in the Year of the Dog with these Chinese New Year celebrations across Sydney.
Melburnians love a good picnic, almost as much as they love dressing for both summer sun and winter blizzards within a 24-hour span. But more often than not by the time you get to your favourite picnic spot the beer is warm, the foodâs cold and you realise you forgot the rug.
Now the good folks at The Recreation have taken the picnic game to a whole new level. They've put together a couple of tasty, take-away hampers perfect for your next outing down the park. Best of all? The Recreation is only a stoneâs throw from Edinburgh Gardens, meaning you donât have to go far to find the perfect spot to relax and enjoy your lunch.
Each of the hampers feature tasty summer meals with one catering to vegetarian picnickers. You can either collect one of the pre-made hampers, or sit down with a couple of aperitifs while you wait for them to whip one up for you. Head into the bottle shop on the weekends to make your order and pick up a few bottles of the good stuff for picnic promenade through the park. Each hamper is $65 and will soon be available through Uber Eats.
This is the perfect idea if you like to enjoy your fine dining under a shady tree, or on the beach. Now all you have to remember to pack is the picnic rug. Â
The two hampers on offer are:Â
First optionÂ
Bread and butterPork and pistachio terrine, chicken liver parfait, piccalilli, cornichonsBarbecue free-range Milawa chicken Potato saladMixed leaf saladTomme d'abondance and croutonsSticky date pudding, chantilly
Second OptionÂ
Fair employment crusaders Scarf are bringing back their campaign Do More Than Drink for a third year.
Scarf help people who have faced hardships in their past, including individuals from refugee and migrant backgrounds, get started on new career pathways with training to help them enter the hospitality industry. People are referred from such organisations as the Brotherhood of Saint Laurence, the Red Cross and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
Ambassadors include food critic and cravat-connoisseur Matt Preston and mentors are sourced from the best bars and eateries in the city, including Cumulus Inc and Garden State Hotel. So far theyâve offered training to 174 individuals, with 70 per cent of all their graduates finding employment within the industry.
Through their Do More Than Drink campaign, youâll be able to donate at your favourite Melbourne watering hole.
From December 3 to 10, there'll be donation jars set up in 46 participating bars including Geraldâs Bar, Los Hermanos, and our 2017 Pub of the Year, the Lincoln. On the last weekend of the campaign, one dollar from every drink sold will be automatically donated, with the 46 bars splitting duties from December 8 to 10. See the list below to find out who's donating when.Â
Sunday December 3:The B.East
Friday December 8: New Gold MountainDouble HappinessLucky CoqCarwyn CellarsThe Rum Diary BarThe Rooks ReturnBellevilleStomping Ground Brewing CoGerald's BarNeighbourhood WineJoe TaylorBack Alley Sally'sThe Local Taphouse