William Dunn

Is there anything better than heading to your local pool on a hot day? No – 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 – 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. 

This corner café has set up shop in an old milk bar, and has become a favourite amongst suburbanites in the West. Located just a short walk from Newport train station and only just around the corner from Port Phillip Bay, The Pint of Milk is a warm and inviting local hangout, and a prime place to scratch that caffeine itch. The café’s interior still resembles its milk bar history, with the worn timber, old milk bottles and a image of an old school milk man on the far wall decorating the space. There are also a number of outdoor tables available, but be quick as they fill up fast. The menu reads like a greatest hits album, but with a few tweaks on classic dishes here and there. Breakfast runs all day while the lunch menu opens at 11am. Bagels, scrambled eggs and avocado and feta on pumpkin sourdough are joined by a bean cassoulet and lemon and chilli grilled calamari to calm your rumbling stomach. There are also a range of home made biscuits available at the counter. The drinks menu features the usual café fare with juices, teas and sodas all on offer while the good folks at Five Senses Coffee supply the beans for your favourite morning beverage.

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 ‘growlers’ and ‘squealers’ (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 aren’t 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 you’ll 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.

Located in the northern suburb of Greensborough, the Kalparrin Gardens are a favourite with locals, as well as local ducks. Within the gardens you’ll find barbecue facilities and picnic areas as well as tennis courts, BMX jumps, a skatepark and a bike trail. The centerpiece of the gardens is Kalparrin Lake, with its picturesque footbridge. The water in the lake comes from storm water drains and is stored to be used on the surrounding grassland of the gardens and sporting facilities. While the water sits in the lake it is cleaned in part by the natural wetlands around it, harvesting close to 17 Olympics sized swimming pools of water a year. This process means that the irrigation and water supply of the gardens and nearby areas is fully sustainable. The playground in the gardens is situated right on the lake with a fence separating the two, meaning children can jump, climb and explore the slides and swings safely.

Just around the corner from St. Peters train station you’ll find Aslan Coffee Roasters, a speciality café that works exclusively with beans sourced from Indonesia. The name comes the Turkish word for lion, a reflection of the strong flavours of the coffee on offer. The café is hard to miss, with a large and colourful lion’s head mural greeting customers outside. Aslan’s coffee selection is constantly being updated as they select beans from different areas of Indonesia, with an aim to promote the coffee quality of our close neighbour. Feel free to ask the welcoming staff if you’re unsure of where to start your Indonesian coffee journey. There are also fresh juices available as well as a selection of loose leaf teas from T Totaler.

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 weather’s 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 you’re 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.

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 Australia’s 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.

Located just next to Flagstaff Station this weekday-only CBD café is cosy and welcoming and features a menu dedicated to everything toast.  That’s not to say that all you’ll get to accompany your excellent morning coffee is a piece of warm bread, oh no. Order from the ‘Signature Toasts’ menu and you’ll be rewarded with a fresh slice of quality bread from Noisette, piled high with the finest ingredients available. There are savory or sweet options, depending on your brekkie preference or brunch hankering. You could go simple with the peperoni butter, Roma tomato and provolone cheese or maybe you’d prefer your toast with prosciutto, grilled cheese, jalapenos and green tomato chutney. If you’re looking to indulge your sweet tooth then you’ll have to decide between the seasonal berries, passionfruit curd and biscuit crumble topped with Melbourne’s own Rooftop honey, or the fresh ripe banana with hazelnut cacao butter, maple syrup and grilled s’mores. All serves of toast are grilled with St. David Dairy salted butter. All Press Espresso provide the coffee while Mörk hot chocolates are available for those going caffeine free.

This CBD café is all about doing one thing and doing it well. For owner Kerrin Rattray and the team at Larder Section that one thing is sandwiches. Stroll into the sleek and minimalist Hardware Lane store and you’ll be greeted with a lunch menu as long as your arm. Just about every sandwich imaginable is on there from a classic reuben or the blat to the slow braised lamb or pulled pork rolls.   There are a few other dishes available such as the mezze plate, kofta (house made Middle Eastern meatballs) and the pork, slow cooked for 10 hours and served with house made barbecue sauce. Coffee comes from Dimattina and there are also fresh juices, loose leaf teas and nutella hot chocolates on offer. If you’re after a stiffer drink to finish off your day then there’s beer, cider and wine available as well. The café itself is small, with the focus on take away lunches rather than dining in. However for those who would prefer to take a seat there are is a bench along the window, a small communal table in the middle of the compact space, as well as a few chairs outside in the laneway.

This Williamstown local has been poaching coffee lovers from the CBD since it opened. The white interior is bright and inviting, with plenty of seating to accommodate the large number of locals, regulars and new customers that stroll in every day. The menu at Kodama is open all day, so need to worry if the breakfast cravings hit a little late. You won’t leave hungry with mouth watering temptations such as the french toast waffles with maple syrup and bacon, roast butternut squash pasta and The Big Willi (a decadent big brekky) on offer. Meals are best paired with a quality coffee courtesy of Axil Coffee Roasters. If nothing on the menu is calling your name then investigate the cabinet up the front, which features an ever changing selection of sandwiches as well as pastries from both Cobb Lane and Candied bakeries. You can also indulge your sweet tooth with delights from Butterbing. Kodama’s menu makes a special note about their poached eggs. Prepared in a different way to most other cafés the look a little different, but are, of course, still delicious.   The name Kodama is derived from the Japanese spirits that live inside trees, keeping nature in balance, and it doesn’t get much more balanced than a relaxed spot to enjoy a good coffee and some tasty eats.

If you follow Alice down the rabbit hole then chances are you’ll find yourself at Bayswater favourite the Hatter and the Hare. Located just a short walk from the Bayswater train station, this charming café is well worth a trip out of the CBD. Each of the dishes on the menu is a reference to Alice in Wonderland, from the Off with their Heads (crispy corn and zucchini fritters), the Tweedledum Burger (brisket burger braised with peach and bourbon) and the Mad Hatter’s Breakfast (a classic and quite sizeable big brekkie). You can thank Five Senses Coffee for providing your daily caffeine hit, while milk comes from St. David’s. The Hatter and the Hare also make their own sparkling sodas in house and all juices are freshly squeezed. But the cakes are what this café are known for. With a whole two pages of the menu dedicated just to the cake list you’re sure to find something to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you’ve got an event coming up you can even place an order for a cake to be prepared, just make sure you do it at least two weeks in advance. If you’re after a taste of the high life then make sure to book yourself a spot at Hatter’s regularly occurring high teas. You’ll be able to enjoy the tastes and style of a classic high tea in a relaxed setting, meaning you won’t have to put up with all that pomp and circumstance just to have a good cucumber sandwich and earl grey.

Tucked away just off High Street and housed in a repurposed corner store is a quaint little café that oozes charm. Red Door Corner Store has made a name for itself amongst Northcote locals for serving scrumptious brunch dishes with a distinctive Australian spin. Step through the easily recognisable red doors and take a seat in the welcoming interior or the relaxing rear garden. The counter is covered with freshly baked pastries as well as jars full of cookies and other scrumptious snacks. The menu features a mix of popular brunch treats like the crumpets or apricot and fig fruit bread (both made in house) as well as some more fancy flare with the gin and citrus house-cured ocean trout and the brisket bagel with Gippsland grass-fed beef. The menu also features information on where Red Door Corner Store source their produce, with much of it coming from local suppliers in and around Melbourne’s suburbs. The coffee is roasted by the folks at Market Lane and Dukes Coffee Roasters while the tea selection comes courtesy of Storm in a Teacup. 

We’ve all been there. It’s late at night and you’re crawling through your neighbour’s garden, trying to snag a piece of that one glorious succulent that’s about as big as your ever-present uni debt. You’ll 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 you’d 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".  Want more green? Here

Fun fact: kittens are usually born from September through to April, which means we’re 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.    SO FESTIVE AND CUTE! Photograph: Supplied   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.  So come and visit their centre in Greensborough, find a new furry friend and support an organisation that won’t 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 you’d 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 gillin’, meat cookin’, lip smackin’ goodness. And since he’s a two-time Pork Shoulder World Champion you know it’s 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 Hank’s 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, she’s 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 ‘Watermelon Sugar Wellness Lab’ is featured as part of the Common Good group exhibition, she’ll 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. “We forget that the internet is 27 now, the smartphone is even younger, and social networks even more. It’s so much a part of our lives I just think that we forget how we got here in the first place… We’re connected even if we don’t think we are and essentially I just wanted to shine a light on how data visualisation can help us understand ourselves”.   Pamm Hong, 'Watermelon Sugar' Photograph: Supplied   The ‘Wellness Lab’, a simplified version of the original ‘Watermelon Sugar’ concept, allows people to see their data actualised in the form of an avatar. The goal isn’t to judge people on their online habits, it’s to spark a conversation about a technology and the reality we’ve fooled ourselves into thinking we control. “I think awareness is a big part, but also it’s just peaking curiosity, and inspiring different ways to look at something that is very serious”. The name of the artwork comes from Richard Brautigan’s book In Watermelon Sug

Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens has launched a brand new free, high-speed Wi-Fi network. Forty smart-nodes have been ‘planted’ across 63 acres of the Gardens, meaning you’ll no longer have to climb a tree to fetch a strong Wi-Fi signal. The nodes help to boost 4G mobile connectivity and are set up to support the 5G upgrades. It means the park is now a legitimate place to staying connected with the office during your lunch hour, while you take a wee nap under a shady tree. As well as providing Wi-Fi, each node also offers a range of additional services for visitors to the Botanic Gardens, including electric vehicle charge points and general use power points (because what’s the use of free internet if your phone is dead?) And if that wasn’t enough, they've launched a new multilingual garden app available in English and Mandarin. The app features an augmented reality experience, which gives visitors additional information and insights into their natural surroundings, as well as history of the gardens, alerts about events and where to find the nearest cafés. Most exciting of all, the app will soon include a plant database, meaning you’ll be able to identify the flora growing in the Gardens. Heading to the gardens early? Why not add some of these activities to your morning routine.

The world is full of strange sports: toe wrestling, chess boxing, curling... While we might live in a country dominated by AFL across the winter and cricket in the summer, strange sporting start-ups have a serious following amongst their competitors. 'Headis' is one such sport, and it’s just so strange it might actually be fun. Have you ever looked at a table tennis bat and thought ‘My head would be better suited to this job’? You have? Seriously? Well then this is the sport for you. The sport’s creator is René Wegner, who decided to play table tennis with a soccer ball when the soccer pitch at their German university was occupied. And lo, Headis was born. Over the years the sport was refined, with René taking the ‘head’ part of soccer as well as most of the rules and all of the table from table tennis. While it might seem strange to you and I, Headis has almost 80,000 players across Europe, with the sport included in the programs for many universities. Representatives from 12 countries competed at the recent World Championships in Germany. In the hopes to spread the sport’s reach, René is coming to Sydney for a series of demonstrations. UNSW’s O-week visitors can try out the sport themselves, while Sydneysiders can see how it’s done in a series of pop-up matches across the city. René will be hoping to showcase the sport’s fun and casual atmosphere, as well as highlighting the respect and sportsmanship at the heart of the competition.  The actual matches themselves are quite

Mobile phones: That thing your grandmother has but doesn’t fully understand how to use. It seems that there’s 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. Here’s 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.   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. It’s that easy. You can even send it through the post if you can’t 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.   But what is it exactly? A sign of the forthcoming apocalypse? We hope not. We’ve put together helpful little breakdown of the different elements of tonight's lunar spectacular: Supermoon: What’s that in the sky? It’s a bird? A plane? No, it’s 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 didn’t know before today. Blue Moon: This is what happens when there’s two full moons in one calendar month. Technically Sydney won’t see a blue moon this time around since the moon won’t be full until after midnight, meaning that it will be February, and for those playing along at home that’s a different month to January (but don’t worry, there’ll 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 Earth’s atmosphere, giving our closest cosmic neighbour that distinctive red shade. These events aren’t 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.  But w

Doff your hats, sound the trumpets and practice your curtsey because something royal is coming to Pyrmont this weekend.  In the lead up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games the baton (the Games’ 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 baton’s 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 year’s Games. Sadly, she's not delivering it herself.  Keep calm and carry (the baton) on. Ring in the Year of the Dog with these Chinese New Year celebrations across Sydney.

They say you shouldn't mess with the classics, but new café Riddik is not one for following the well-trod path when it comes to breakfast, which is why they have no less than six different kinds of eggs Benedict on the menu. Upon hearing this news some might wonder if chef Adam Robins (of Penny House fame) has all his eggs in one carton. But maybe his experimentation with the eggs-meat-butter combo are just crazy enough to work. Choices include the standard eggs benny with poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise on sourdough, as well as the eggs Atlantic, which comes with spinach and salmon. There's also the pastrami option, which answers the question of what would happen if a Reuben sandwich and an eggs benny had a baby. The fried soft shell crab version comes with a coriander and mint slaw and some chilli hollandaise, while the braised spring lamb has grilled asparagus and a minted hollandaise. The coup de gras is their crispy skin and sweet soy braised pork belly edition, which comes with an apple walnut and coriander slaw and a blood orange hollandaise sauce.  But if eggs aren’t really for you that's OK. There’s French toast stuffed with fresh berries and French cheesecake, a burger rubbed with coffee (!) and served with cola infused barbecue sauce, and meatballs filled with buffalo mozzarella. Riddik has a morning to night licence, enough space to seat 133 people and it’s only about half an hour out of the city. Located in a former bank with walls covered in murals by Europ

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 food’s 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 stone’s throw from Edinburgh Gardens, meaning you don’t 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.   The two hampers on offer are:  First option  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 Option 

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 they’ve 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, you’ll 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 Gerald’s 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.  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