Swan Bay Express Train Rides offers a unique scenic adventure through the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula
All aboard the Swan Bay Express Train, gifting locals and tourists alike a ride through the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula and enjoy the stunning scenery and fresh ocean air.
Perfect for families or anyone looking for a unique adventure, the Swan Bay Express Train is a must-do experience, currently running from 5 March 2023 to 30 April 2023.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
A journey you won’t forget, guests can take a scenic train trip along picturesque Swan Bay in carriages that are fully enclosed yet offer the time-honoured option of raising a window to really become part of the passing landscape.
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The volunteer Booking Officers will issue passengers with an Edmondson ticket as a souvenir of the trip and offer a printed Lineside Guide and Spotto Activity Sheet for the kids – so make sure you ‘check in’ at the booking office window before jumping on-board!
Fur passengers are welcome to travel with their families, providing they are friendly with fellow passengers and travel in the carriage allocated by our volunteers. Space may be limited and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Passenger Fares:
$17 adult
$15 concession
$13 Child
$55 Family1 (2 adult/2 children)
$65 Family2 (2 adult/3 children)
The train rides run from Bellarine Railway Queenscliff, Wadawurrung Country, 20 Symonds St, Queenscliff.
One Year of Living The Dream: Gus Unger-Hamilton on alt-J’s fourth album
After a whirlwind of seven years of album releases and what has been labelled an overnight success story, the band were exhausted but only needed a quick year-inhale to jump back into the studio. This time it was a studio of their own.
“It works really well for us that we feel at home when we are recording. I think on the third album [RELAXER] we went to record in this quite swanky studio in Shoreditch London called Strongroom which is a very good studio, but it was very expensive and very much like, a bit of a flex on our part and I think it didn’t work on our part. We agreed to an unrealistic deadline and the album turned out poorer in so doing,” explains keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
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“We’ve found a place to write and record in which was really nice because it wasn’t like write, write, write, record, record, record. It was write for a couple of weeks and then record for a couple of weeks, go back to writing. It was a nice way to work. I’d like to continue that in the future.”
Plastered and decorated with alt-J accolades and shining achievements, the London studio shrines their successes, serving as a cocoon to help them build The Dream, sans deadlines.
“[The pandemic] was obviously a big disruption but in the end, I think having these big breaks and lockdowns were a good thing because it meant we didn’t go stir-crazy in the submarine atmosphere of the studio. On the whole, I think it meant we took longer to make the album and write more songs, and the album turned out better than it would have done had we taken less time. Creatively, it was a net gain for us but I don’t want to say that the pandemic was a good thing because it wasn’t,” he comments.
The same year their debut master An Awesome Wave hit the double-digit milestone, The Dream would become the fourth player in alt-J’s album game. That was a year ago but The Dream lives on. Extending their sonic story through songs ‘U&ME’ and ‘Hard Drive Gold’, The Dream both proposed and answered a burning question.
“I think it’s more trying out new things and seeing how far we can go whilst it still being alt-J and I think the answer to that is pretty far. On this album, we’re doing some house music, some barbershop, doing this post-punk fuzzy 80’s rock whilst all the while remaining true to ourselves as alt-J. I think it’s just this perpetual answer as to, “What is an alt-J song?”. Anything can be an alt-J song if alt-J writes it and that’s a really nice feeling,” Unger-Hamilton says.
The Londoners will be heading down under, paddock hopping on the Groovin’ The Moo touring festival. They’ll be joining fellow UK artists Fat Boy Slim, Nothing But Thieves, Laurel, Sophie May and Eliza Rose alongside Ball Park Music, Denzel Curry, Ocean Alley and triple teens; Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Teenage Dads, and Teenage Joans.
“It’s great to know there are going to be other UK artists on the bill. Certainly, when we have done touring festivals like Laneway in the past, it has been really nice to make friends with other bands on the bill and moving around the country together is a nice feeling. I’m looking forward to the backstage atmosphere a lot.”
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Additionally, they will be spilling songs across stages for their own The Dream headline shows across the east coast and west coast with an eager excitement to visit fans across the country.
“It feels like a home away from home for us. We’ve never had quite a response like we’ve had in Australia I would say and New Zealand as well. Back in 2012 when we first came out it was really incredible. It seemed like people had really taken us to their hearts in Australia. Particularly being a country we had never been to before, it was extremely heartwarming really for us.
“It’s something we always want to come back to and I think as a part of the world for us it feels a bit more at home than say America culturally speaking; it feels like you can be yourself a bit more which is great.”
Make them feel at home during their Bendigo for Groovin’ The Moo appearance on Saturday 29 April. Tickets at gtm.net.au
Lachlan Denton unveils third album ‘Furnishings’, documenting the songwriter’s shift from Music to Furniture making
As a songwriter, Lachlan Denton is mid-20 and going on 70.
Poised with wisdom beyond his years, the Naarm-based musician’s newest offering explores a wealth of home truths; retrospectively reflecting on loving relationships taken for granted and prudently documenting the shift of Denton’s life and focus from music to furniture making.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Opener ‘Zac’ explores the linear nature of loss, with Denton powerfully singing to his deceased brother Zac, assuring him that although gone too soon, his legacy and “light still burns bright”.
“My last solo record was all for and about my little brother Zac. After I wrote that record, I decided I wanted to write songs for all the members of my immediate family, to say the things that could easily go unsaid before our time is up. I wanted to pick up where I left off with a song for Zac to open the record. Zac is omnipresent in my life. I think about him every day and I find I’m always re-visiting the moments we spent together. I was thinking about the idea of time not being linear. What if all those moments we spent together were all happening all at once, just as the present,” Denton says of the single.
“As if in this moment we were on the stage again together or on my grandparents farm in the school holidays of our youth. I guess this song is about saying, no one moment has any more meaning than another, and that although Zac isn’t here now, in a tactile sense, those moments from another time, we spent together, can still have the same weight as the present, if we wish to see if that way.”
The commemorative ‘Braeside’ explores Denton’s longing for simple yet unattainable enjoyments such as enjoying “a hot cup of nan’s Milo one last time”, whilst ‘Dad’ talks about maturing as a man, presenting realisations of accountability through a series of conflicts faced with his father growing up.
They are lamentations laid bare, again delineating Denton as a lyricist unafraid to leave himself unguarded. But whilst the lyrics may be vulnerable in nature, Furnishings’ is presented through a mirage of vibrant pop-rock melodies and the upbeat, jangle-pop sensibility of Echo & the Bunnymen.
This gives Furnishings an overall tonal quality that feels too experimental to act as Denton’s musical retirement. And considering the level of depth its lyrical content conveys, it doesn’t seem like he has finished saying everything he has to say yet.
This leaves me with the impression that although Denton may be moving onto furniture making for now, he’s not done with music yet.
Check out the album here.
American rocker Jackson Browne cancels Sydney and Melbourne concerts over the weekend
After initially postponing Thursday night’s Melbourne show due to illness, American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne went on to postpone scheduled performances at Aware Super Theatre, Sydney, on Saturday 14 April and Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, on Sunday 16 April.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jackson Browne announces Australian tour
In a statement over the weekend, the singer said:
“My Dear Friends,
I’m sorry to have to tell you that I’m still very sick, and have to postpone my concert at the Aware Super Theatre in Sydney. Though I have been taking antibiotics, and have had three days of vocal rest, that has not produced the results I was hoping for. In fact, I don’t actually know what kind of infection I have.
This means that I must postpone the rescheduled Melbourne show also. I’m very disappointed, because our shows have been going so well, and we have all been so excited to play for you. I’m disappointed too, not to get to hear Liz Stringer! I promise to get back here at the first opportunity, and play these two shows.”
Fans are urged to hold onto their tickets, with details of the rescheduled dates to be confirmed in the coming days. Tickets for the original Sydney and Melbourne shows will be valid for the new dates – ticketholders will be contacted directly by Ticketek with details.
Patrons unable to attend the rescheduled dates are able to obtain a full refund. For any further questions, please contact Ticketek via the link here.
Jackson Browne Tour Update
Saturday 15 April
Aware Super Theatre, Sydney, NSW
POSTPONED
Sunday 16 April
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC
POSTPONED
Tuesday 18 April
Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland, NZ
Wednesday 19 April
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, NZ
Friday 21 April
Town Hall, Christchurch, NZ
Harry Connick, Jr. announces long-awaited return to Australian stages in December 2023
Legendary live performer Harry Connick, Jr. has announced his long-awaited return to Australian stages – for the first time in a decade – when his Back Live tour hits our shores this December.
Kicking off in Perth on Sunday 3rd December before touring to Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne, Harry and his band will celebrate the transformative power of live music with a six-city national tour, showcasing songs from across his entire career-spanning catalogue of hits, from originals to standards and everything in between.
Harry Connick, Jr. Australian Tour 2023
- Sunday 3 December – PERTH, RAC Arena
- Tuesday 5 December – ADELAIDE, Festival Theatre
- Friday 8 December – SYDNEY, Aware Super Theatre
- Tuesday 12 December – BRISBANE, Convention & Exhibition Centre
- Friday 15 December – CANBERRA, Royal Theatre
- Sunday 17 December – MELBOURNE, Hamer Hall
- Monday 18 December – MELBOURNE, Hamer Hall
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
“This is an exciting time for me for many reasons,” Harry Connick, Jr. said of his Australian tour announcement.
“It’s no secret that I absolutely love your country – I’ve been touring Australia since the ‘90s, after all – so how has it been more than ten years since I last performed? I’m lucky to be able to do lots of things in my career, but for me, home base is music. All I want to do is uplift audiences and I still get a kick out of performing the songs, that move me to this day, so hopefully people can feel that. If folks leave feeling better than when they came in, then it’s been a great night. I want to give people the best show they have ever seen!”
The foundation of Harry’s art is the music of his native New Orleans, where his parents opened a record store. Since he could reach the keys (aged around three), Harry has played piano. His family would regularly head into the French Quarter to listen to music and Harry began sitting in with jazz bands from about the age of nine.
He went on to study music at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and the Manhattan School of Music before releasing his self-titled major label debut for Columbia Records when he was just 19. Then, two years later, Harry’s Grammy-winning soundtrack for 1989’s blockbuster romcom When Harry Met Sally… – which went multi-Platinum and marked the first time he’d performed with a big band – fast-tracked his global career trajectory.
As a pianist, singer, composer, actor and performer, Harry is a cut above, which is why he’s dominated the entertainment sector for over three decades now. He’s debonair, timeless and classy – it seems everyone’s wild about Harry and what’s not to love? Since he first stole our hearts in the late-’80s, Harry – a 3x Grammy and 2x Emmy winner and 2 x Tony Award nominee – has sold in excess of 30 million albums thanks to his prodigious voice, piano prowess and knack for orchestrating dynamic arrangements. A singular voice with exceptional interpretive ability, Harry’s quick wit and easy rapport with everyone in his orbit also make his live shows unforgettable.
In 2019, Harry was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And his recent stint on the judging panel for Australian Idol’s revival served to reignite our love for him. Harry and his band definitely missed playing shows while the world shut down and they can’t wait to remind Australian audiences how it’s done come December.
Avalon Airport set to become home of Victorian Motorsport
Start your engines folks, Motorsport in Victoria is on track to shift into a new era, with the Avalon Airport Precinct named as the site of the state’s proposed Home of Motorsport.
Announced by the Victorian State Government, the 150ha plot at Avalon has been earmarked for the new home of an elite multipurpose motorsport precinct, alongside a $1.6 million Labor Government investment that will help with the design and planning of Victoria’s Home of Motorsport.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
Motorsport in Victoria supports more than 4,300 jobs and the number of events each year can top 1,000, including international drawcards such as the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Potential proponents will be asked to demonstrate how the Home of Motorsport could deliver key aims including growing participation, boosting jobs, providing educational links and enhancing Victoria’s renowned major events standing.
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The design and planning phase will consider the best track configuration which could cater for uses ranging from test days and grassroots competition to elite events.
A new Home of Motorsport is listed as a priority in the recently announced 2022-32 Victorian Motorsport Infrastructure and Participation Strategy, which will help to sustain the high number of motorsport events held in Victoria from grassroots to elite level.
Victoria accounted for more than 22 per cent of all four-wheeled motorsport participation across Australia in 2019.
The proposed Home of Motorsport will help support regional Victoria to host more high-octane major events which includes the recent Australian International Airshow 2023.
“Motorsport is a great Victorian passion and pastime for many, and it also supports thousands of jobs and delivers significant economic benefits to our state,” says Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos.
“A Home of Motorsport at Avalon would inspire and encourage the development of up-and-coming drivers in their efforts to become household names like local heroes Oscar Piastri and Cameron Waters.”
Currently, Victoria hosts the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, and the Sandown 500 for Supercars.
Stay tuned for more details or find out more here.
The Tony Award-Winning production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ returns to Melbourne for Christmas 2023
Winner of five Tony Awards®, the Old Vic’s big-hearted, smash-hit production of A Christmas Carol was a runaway hit in its debut season at the Comedy Theatre last year, delighting audiences and critics alike.
From the writer of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the director of Matilda the Musical, this magical new interpretation of Charles Dickens’ timeless story will return to Melbourne from Friday 17 November to Sunday 31 December, with tickets on sale on Friday 21 April.
A Christmas Carol in Melbourne 2023
- Comedy Theatre, Exhibition Street, Melbourne
- 17 November to 31 December 2023
- Tickets from $49.50 (plus booking fee)
Stay up to date with what’s happening on stages around the region here.
“We are thrilled to bring this incredible production of A Christmas Carol back to Melbourne in 2023. The production will have its eighth season in London this year where it has become a staple of the theatrical calendar in what has become a Christmas tradition,” says Torben Brookman from Australian producer GWB Entertainment.
“After witnessing the incredible joy that the production brought to Melbourne audiences in 2022, we’re excited about providing the same opportunity here and look forward to welcoming both new and returning audiences to this magical and joyous theatrical experience.”
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After premiering at London’s The Old Vic in 2017, A Christmas Carol has become a much-loved festive staple over the past seven seasons. The role of Scrooge has been performed by a raft of celebrated actors including Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill), Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead), Stephen Mangan (The Split), Stephen Tompkinson (DCI Banks), Paterson Joseph (Vigil), and Owen Teale (Games of Thrones, Line of Duty). Australian screen icon David Wenham played the role in the 2022 inaugural Melbourne season. Casting for the 2023 season is yet to be announced.
Dickens’ 1843 novella tells the story of a selfish and greedy old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates everything related to Christmas. Ultimately a tale of compassion and redemption, after being visited by Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, Scrooge is changed into a better man.
The production is brought to life with scenic and costume design by Tony Award® winner Rob Howell, music and arrangements by Tony Award® winner Christopher Nightingale, lighting design by Tony Award® winner Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Tony Award® winner Simon Baker, movement by Lizzi Gee, and includes 12 cherished Christmas carols including ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘Silent Night’. The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol will again fill the Comedy Theatre to the brim with music and merriment.
Tickets on sale at 10am on Friday 21 April at christmascarolaustralia.com.au
Bringing modern circus with a twist to the region, Silvers Circus is back in Geelong for April
Prepare to ooh and ahh, laugh, cheer, clap and be ‘wowed’ with Silvers Circus currently taking residence in Geelong for the month of April, bringing magic and fun right to our doorstep.
Taking over the huge outdoor space at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre on Cnr Colac & Pioneer Rd, Waurn Ponds, Silvers Circus allows attendees to enter a world of entertainment where your imagination will soar like never before, in this completely re-imagined modern circus spectacular.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
Established in 1976, Silvers Circus has become a household name. After decades of providing jaw-dropping entertainment for the whole family, Silvers Circus has become one of the top 10 circuses of the world, while maintaining all the sparkle, glamour and death-defying acts.
Running until April 30, with multiple shows across the weeks across varied times, Silvers is delivering a 90 minute spectacular where you can expect to see performances from elite artists from around the globe.
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Alongside all the glorious bits and pieces that come with any circus, the circus is headlined by Mr Walison Muh, who you might from his recent very successful appearances on “Australia’s Got Talent”. Bound to induce convulsive laughter and tear-stained cheeks as his interactive style of comedy will take you somewhere unexpected.
There’s also Daniel Vilar whose juggling skills and high energy are sure to impress, Yonas Abey who displays such delicate balance that he can manoeuvres himself from one single wheel to another mid traverse, The Wonder Dogs, the ethereal Amanda who twists and folds as she displays her strength on the aerial hoop.
Another highlight is the Dinosaurs Fluffy & Spike act. Be transported back 165 million years and come face to face with the leathery lizards of the Jurassic era. Live on stage our 2 Dinosaurs, Fluffy and Spike, will be on their best behaviour to entertain you.
The show is further rounded out by Hard Balance, Gypsy Gomez who plays the tunes on her Hi-Tech deck, whilst spinning up a whirlwind of hoops, and of course The Phoenix Riders. Requiring nerves of steel and laser focus, The Phoenix Riders defy gravity (and sanity) in the steel ball that we call The Globe of Destiny. It’s high-octane power that you’ll feel in your bones. A punch of power for the thrill seekers.
These acts and many more class acts will be performed throughout the night. Silvers circus is guaranteed to have an act for everyone and to tap into the nostalgia we hold for an authentic and unique circus experience. It’s true when they say there is no other circus like Silvers Circus.
Experience the magic and be amazed. Head here for more info and tickets.
There’s a tribute to Kate Bush happening in Hepburn Springs this May
Kate Bush is one of the most unique and innovative artists of the last forty-plus years, finding fame at 19 with her hit single ‘Wuthering Heights’ and from there, constantly reinventing her style and challenging genre conventions.
With ‘Running Up That Hill’ garnering new recognition and fans thanks to Stranger Things, the songs of Kate Bush had been on top of the world charts for months straight just last year.
Now in celebration of the 45th Anniversary of ‘The Kick Inside’, the Palais-Hepburn is hosting a tribute night: ‘Running Up That Hill: The Songs of Kate Bush’ this May. Taking place on Friday, May 5, the beloved venue have put together a seven-piece band to pay tribute to Kate Bush in all her kooky glory!
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
As the first British solo artist to top the UK album charts, Kate Bush’s reign as the queen of artpop is undisputed. Known for her unconventional lyrics and performance style, Bush has received 13 Brit awards including taking out the winning spot as Best British Female Artist in 1987.
Whether you’re a die-hard Bush devotee or just discovered her music through Stranger Things, this is the show celebrating the icon’s discography is for you! The band – Second Hand News – are pulling out all the stops, playing her biggest hits and deep cuts to please every fan.
Featuring some of Melbourne’s best musos, this is a show not to miss, with performances from Cat Sanzaro, Freya Long, Sean Sully, Marlee J. Dalton, John Abougelis, James Wingard and Chris Thomas-Sievers.
Since forming in 2019 with a mission to bring the most loved songs by the best artists to the stage, the group have performed in various tributes over the last decade, playing Fleetwood Mac, Talking Heads, Kate Bush, Buddy Holly, Oasis and more. Their regular Fleetwood Mac tribute has toured Victoria widely, playing to packed crowds at the Palais-Hepburn, Sooki Lounge, the Westernport Hotel, the Corner Hotel, the Barwon Club, Cherry Bar, the Prince Bandroom, and the Grand Mornington to name a few.
Grab your tickets here.
The Bellarine’s new $9.15M circular library (with a glorious green rooftop) is now open
The brand-new $9.15 million Boronggook Drysdale Library, featuring an innovative circular design and green rooftop in Drysdale town centre, has officially opened to the public.
The new library, jointly funded by Council ($8.156 million) and the Victorian Government ($1 million), will provide communal multi-purpose spaces, quiet study areas, an adult changing places facility, an internal courtyard garden and a City of Greater Geelong customer service point.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
The first of its kind in the Greater Geelong region, the state-of-the-art library features 4,300 plants, including 18 different native species on its rooftop, providing habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. The living habitat was included in a bid to ‘mitigate urban heat island effects and protect against increasing peak temperatures’, provide insect and bird habitat and improve site ecology through drought tolerant and adapted plantings.
The library’s name, Boronggook (Bo-rong-gook), is the traditional Wadawurrung name for the area and means ‘turf’.
Sitting atop Drysdale Hill at 10 Wyndham Street, the site was once the gathering place for Traditional Owners. This legacy has been translated into a modern concept, with the circular design incorporating a terraced amphitheatre.
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“The new Boronggook Drysdale Library will be an incredible asset to the local community – from the dedicated children’s space to the thousands of new collection items to the rooftop garden,” says Vanessa Schernickau, Chief Executive Officer Geelong Regional Library Corporation.
“While our libraries will always provide spaces for people to read and connect to free Wi-Fi, libraries are no longer just about borrowing books. Our vast range of programs and events appeal to people of all ages, from vital early literacy programs to cyber safety sessions to craft sessions where people gather to create, but more importantly to connect.
“New libraries such as Boronggook have been designed with new ways of working in mind – there are light filled spaces to work and collaborate and affordable meeting rooms available to hire.”
The Boronggook Drysdale Library is located at 2-8 Wyndham Street, Drysdale. You can view the opening hours and more information about the new library here.
Ballarat Heritage Festival returns in May with candlelight concerts, iconic Tweed ride and beard comp
Ballarat is getting ready to wind back the clock for the latest instalment of the award-winning Ballarat Heritage Festival, delivering an immersive, engaging and fascinating experience for visitors in a way to go beyond the surface with big beards, bike rides, lost trades, traditional crafts, walking tours, and steam trains, and more.
With a storied history and incredible streetscapes, Ballarat is an exciting place to explore and from Friday 19 May to Sunday 28 May, this 10-day event delicately intertwines the past and present to create a unique offering unlike any other.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
A fascinating festival to put the city’s rich heritage, unique stories and vibrant creative community front and centre, by the end of the festival, visitors will leave the city having loved everything about it, from its epic laneways, authentic stories and local creatives, to the amazing chefs, winemakers, and brewers who use the best produce our region has to offer.
This year, there will be more than 50 events delivered, with the City of Ballarat working closely with many diverse community groups from across the city.
Ballarat Heritage Festival 2023 program highlights include:
Candlelight Concerts | Friday 26 May
Experience some of the greatest pieces of film music of the modern era in the candlelit Ballarat Civic Hall. Thousands of candles create the atmosphere as the orchestra captivate you with scores from Hans Zimmer, John Williamson and more. Experience The Lion King, Star Wars, and many more in this amazing atmosphere.
Craft Lab 23 | Saturday 20 May and Sunday 21 May, Saturday 27 May and Sunday 28 May.
Now in its third year, Craft Lab is a celebration of traditional artisanal skills coupled with a contemporary flair. Over four days, 17 carefully selected practitioners from across the Ballarat region will share their knowledge and techniques, showcasing some of the best crafts and design items produced locally.
From upholsterers to spinners, shoemakers to armory makers, wild weavers to eco-dyers, visitors can get up close to see, touch and feel the different crafts from the practitioners themselves. There will also be opportunities for visitors to take part in talks, demonstrations and workshops where they can try their hand at their own crafts with the support and guidance from experts.
The Great Takeaway | Thursday 25 May
The Great Takeaway is a chance for visitors to dine amongst some of the finest materials, textiles, glassware and ceramics produced in the Ballarat region – and then be able to take the handcrafted materials home with them.
A ticketed event, the Great Takeaway is an exclusively tailored dinner for up to 60 guests who will be seated in the exhibition display of Craft Lab in the heritage venue of the Mining Exchange to enjoy a three-course meal with drinks and entertainment.
Ballarat Antique Fair | Friday 19 May to Sunday 21 May
Make your way to one of Ballarat’s classic art deco buildings to pick-up one-off heirlooms, period pieces and collector’s items.
To be held at Civic Hall, you will be able to browse more than 26 antique dealers selling a variety of beautiful, delicate and interesting pieces – from jewellery to furniture; artwork to ceramics; silverware to linen, and objet d’art.
Ballarat Tweed Ride | Saturday 20 May
Ballarat’s iconic Tweed Ride returns! Take a unique ride through Ballarat’s historic and picturesque autumn streets in high style.
A casual event of fashion, cycling and fun, riders dress in vintage and heritage-inspired outfits wearing tweeds, velvets, capes and kilts. With all types of bikes welcome, keep an eye out for some of the quirkiest cycle styles.
Heritage Harvest Weekend | Saturday 27 May to Sunday 28 May
Join Sovereign Hill for a big weekend celebrating autumn harvest, growing seasonal food in abundance, and preserving it through age-old practices brought to Australia from around the world.
Discover the flavors of autumn with a specially curated food and producers’ market, explore your foodie passion or discover new ones in a series of exclusive culinary workshops or ignite the imagination of your little ones, through interactive play in the Little Explorers zone.
Beard & Stache Competition: Saturday 27 May
As part of The Ballarat Heritage Weekend, the esteemed Ballarat Beard and Stache Competition is back at Hop Temple on Saturday, giving people that chance to enjoy some spectacular staches and beards, celebrating all kinds of facial hair.
You can enter your stach-tacular beards in any applicable category. Think moustache, full beard, partial beard or the verdi (an impeccably groomed beard style). There is also a “just for fun category,” where you can play around with fake beards or freestylers. Even the ladies can get involved. With free entry and more than $1000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, you’d be mad not to get around it. Shave your if’s and but’s for later. Even if beards aren’t your thing, this event will definitely have them grow on you.
Hosted at Hop Temple, this event promises good food, good beer and good beards.
About 20,000 attendees are expected to attend the festival, which last year won bronze at the Victorian Tourism Awards in the Festivals and Events Category.
For full details on all of the events or to book tickets for events that are likely to sell out, visit the Ballarat Heritage Festival website.
Victoria’s new ‘cash for cans’ scheme to launch in November
Australia’s most convenient and accessible beverage container recycling scheme will begin on 1 November 2023, allowing Victorians to cash in on their used cans and bottles.
Announced as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s landmark reforms to the state’s waste and recycling sector, Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme, CDS Vic, will allow Victorians to return their used drink cans, bottles and cartons for a 10-cent refund. This will reduce Victoria’s litter by up to half, create new economic opportunities, generate 645 jobs and turn drink containers into new recycled products.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
VicReturn will be the Scheme Coordinator and Visy, TOMRA Cleanaway and Return-It will be Network Operators.
CDS Vic also offers Victorian charities, community groups, environmental groups, sporting clubs and educational organisations new ways to raise funds. These groups and organisations will be able to receive container donations from the community, run a refund collection point or host a container collection drive.
This will encourage more community participation and education around recycling while ensuring households, local clubs and groups can share in the cash benefits of recycling their used cans, bottles and cartons.
The Network Operators will establish and maintain a network of more than 600 refund collection points across the state, making the scheme accessible to all Victorians.
“Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme will maximise the number of cans, bottles and cartons being recycled into new products, put extra cash in Victorian pockets and will reduce the amount of litter in our environment by half,” says Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt.
“CDS Vic will be Australia’s most accessible and convenient container deposit scheme, with more than 600 refund collection points across the state.”
Within 12 months of the scheme starting, the network operators will be required to have a minimum of one collection point per 14,500 people in metropolitan areas, at least one per town of 750 people in regional areas, and at least one per town of 350 people in remote areas.
CDS Vic is part of the Labor Government’s $515 million investment to transform the state’s waste and recycling sector. This includes the new standardised four-stream waste and recycling system, which will help meet our target of diverting 80 per cent of all material away from landfill by 2030.
More information can be found at .
Read the Premier’s release here.
The NHL brings world-class ice hockey to Melbourne for the first time ever
Two National Hockey League games are set to take place in Melbourne this winter and it’s shaping up to be a big couple of nights on the ice.
Not only will it be the first time the NHL has ventured into Australia, but it’s also the first time the league has ever played outside of the Northern Hemisphere.
The NHL comes to Melbourne
- Melbourne will be the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to host the National Hockey League
- The LA Kings and the Arizona Coyotes will play at Rod Laver Arena on September 23 and 24
- NHL Melbourne tickets will be available on April 18 with a sell-out expected
Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.
The Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes will face off at Rod Laver Arena on September 23 and 24 as part of the preseason and the NHL’s 2023 Global Series. The NHL will build a temporary ice rink inside the venue and the teams will practice at the nearby O’Brien Icehouse in the days leading up to the events.
While hosting professional ice hockey down under may seem a little counterintuitive, the government of Victoria hopes this partnership will help promote tourism and solidify Melbourne as a global sports capital.
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For the NHL, it’s a chance to help break new ground with their sport, give ex-pats and international hockey fans something to cheer about and hopefully pick up a few new supporters along the way. As it stands, there is a small ice hockey presence in the country – we currently have our own semi-pro league and around 20 indoor rinks.
“The intention would not be to come to Australia, play and never come back,” said David Proper, NHL Senior Executive Vice President of media and international strategy. “The intention is to make this a recurring set of games and help continue to grow hockey in the market.”
NHL Melbourne tickets will be on sale to the public on April 18 at 1pm with a variety of travel and hospitality packages available. High demand is expected for this historic game – we suggest booking quickly so you don’t miss your chance.
To grab NHL Melbourne tickets to see the hockey on September 23 or 24, head here.
‘Chaotic in the best of ways’: Melbourne’s Terry release their new album ‘Call Me Terry’
Melbourne’s music scene boasts a revolving door of musicians trying to carve out a sound that’ll help differentiate them from the crowd. And while so many try, many struggle with their ‘new sound’ almost always getting lumped in with one of the city’s pre-established subgenres, or being so ‘new’ that audiences end up finding it whack.
But where others struggle in the pursuit of originality, Terry naturally succeeded.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
It’s as if, amongst the Melbourne music scene, there are punks; arts punks; cinematic-inspired desert rock outfits… and Terry.
Featuring members from Constant Mongrel, The UV Race, Primo!, Sleeper & Snake, Chateau and Rocky; the alt-rock outfit marks themselves as one of the few acts with a sound so unique that it’s hard to explain. Combining elements of alt gothic-country (Gold Duck), futuristic jazz (Market), and pensive post-punk (Jane Roe) all in one, it really is a sound that can only be described as Terry.
And it’s awfully easy to get lost in the world of Terry.
From the contrast of multi-pitched vocals on ‘Miracles’ to the sharp, tinny guitar tones and steadfast drumming of ‘Centuries’, Call Me Terry has a lot on offer. And with its sound tying in everything from horns and string arrangements to Al Montfort’s famed ‘Fuzz Factory’ (which includes a tremolo in his pedal chain), it’s chaotic in the best of ways.
Seven years, four albums and four 7’s later, you can now “Call Me Terry”.
Call Me Terry is out now via Anti Fade Records and Upset the Rhythm (UK). Check it out on Bandcamp here.
WIN! We’re giving away a double pass to Stars & Bars Music Festival
Stars & Bars Festival returns to Heathcote this month, bringing together a combination of amazingly talented artists, Heathcote’s finest wine, beer, spirits, food and hospitality, and some genuinely unique locales as the backdrop for this experiential festival event.
Essentially a hybrid of a country music festival, food and wine festival and regional bus tour, Stars & Bars Festival will see punters take part in an experimental whistle-stop tour of Heathcote on Saturday, April 22 2023.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
To celebrate the festival’s return to Heathcote, we’re giving away two double passes to the festival, worth more than $200. The winner will jump aboard the luxury bus tour, which will showcase all eight acts across five beautiful locales over 12 hours with complimentary wine-tasting sessions, afternoon tea and access to the evening session.
Bus Departs 10:30am from Heathcote Visitor Info Centre in the Main Street & arrives back on the doorstep of Palling Bros Brewery at 6:00pm to kick off the Evening Session ( entry included in Bus Tour Ticket ).
To enter, all you need to do is fill in the form below to be in the running. You’ve got to be in it to win it.
The competition closes Thursday, April 20. By entering, you agree to receive marketing collateral from Forte and competition partners. For more info, check out our privacy policy.
Head to www.starsandbars.com.au/
The White Lotus creator Mike White and star Jennifer Coolidge to headline Vivid Sydney 2023
In one of the biggest announcements in its 13-year history, Vivid Sydney has today revealed that creator, writer and director of The White Lotus, Mike White, and star of the series, Jennifer Coolidge, have been added to the festival’s program for 2023.
The two global megastars will join forces for Mike White & Jennifer Coolidge in Conversation – an exclusive event as part of Vivid Ideas – to discuss their career peaks, valleys, and much more in a fascinating, funny, and unforgettable chat with hilarious anecdotes from their decades of experience in Hollywood.
Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.
The White Lotus has taken the world by storm, with its unapologetic parody of the luxury class and the current appetite for ‘eat the rich’ satires. With season three on the way, Mike White has become a household name, with a fascinating underdog backstory that includes writing blockbuster scripts, acting, competing on Survivor and The Amazing Race, and critically creating acclaimed films and TV shows.
The hit series has also caused something of a ‘Cool-naissance’, with Jennifer Coolidge starring in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons as lost multimillionaire Tanya McQuoid. Previously known for scene-stealing roles in comedies such as American Pie, Best in Show and the Legally Blonde franchise, the actor’s talents have been recently celebrated, seeing her win awards at the Golden Globes, Emmys, Critics Choice Awards and SAG Awards for her role as Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus.
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Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said this event was a blockbuster addition to the Vivid Sydney program
“There is no doubt this Vivid Ideas event with the series’ leading talent Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge will be a huge drawcard for fans from near and far,” Minister Graham said.
“Sydney is a city where creative industries, ideas and conversations can thrive. I am pleased to see this event added to the program. I hope it will be an opportunity for Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge to fall in love with NSW when they visit.”
Vivid Sydney Festival Director, Gill Minervini said, “We’re thrilled to share that The White Lotus creator, Mike White, and star of the series, Jennifer Coolidge, will join this year’s Vivid Sydney line-up. Securing these huge megastars cements Vivid Sydney 2023 as the biggest and most culturally relevant program yet.
“This exclusive event will allow audiences to see behind the curtain on what has become a massive cultural zeitgeist and hear from two of the hottest figures in the creative industries right now,” said Ms Minervini.
Mike White & Jennifer Coolidge in Conversation will be hosted at the Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour, on Saturday 10 June from 7.30pm to 8.45pm and will be moderated by Benjamin Law. Tickets are available now at https://www.vividsydney.com/event/ideas/mike-white-jennifer-coolidge-in-conversation.
The event will bolster an already impressive Vivid Sydney program as the festival returns from Friday 26 May to Saturday 17 June with more than 300 events and activations over 23 days.
Vivid Ideas will bring together the world’s brightest minds and creative leaders and in past years has attracted headline speakers including visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, psychotherapist Esther Perel, Hollywood trailblazer Spike Lee, fashion influencer Margaret Zhang, and for this year, Hollywood’s hottest duo, Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge and bestselling British author, Jeanette Winterson.
Reflecting this year’s festival theme, ‘Vivid Sydney, Naturally’, the Vivid Ideas program will include 60 intriguing talks and workshops, including the Global Storytellers, Vivid Ideas Exchange events, immersive experiences and partner events, allowing audiences to challenge the status quo, explore human nature and ask: what can we learn from nature?
For more information and to keep updated about the program, go to vividsydney.com
Goin’ Up The Country: Stars & Bars Music Festival is the must-attend experimental whistle-stop tour of Heathcote
Off the back of its trail-blazing inaugural outing in 2022, Stars & Bars Festival returns to Heathcote in 2023.
Bringing together a combination of amazingly talented artists, Heathcote’s finest wine, beer, spirits, food and hospitality, and some genuinely unique locales as the backdrop for this experiential festival event, Stars & Bars Festival will see punters take part in an experimental whistle-stop tour of Heathcote on Saturday, April 22 2023.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Created by Lincon Boyd, the brains behind the beloved past NaranaFest, this year’s newly minted edition returns with some fresh new locales, familiar favourites and a stellar handpicked lineup representing everything from Alt-Country, Americana, Heavy Groove, Funk & Soul, Blues & Roots and Electric Jungle Boogaloo.
Essentially a hybrid of a country music festival, food and wine festival and regional bus tour, this year there are two ticket options up for grabs.
The first is the luxury bus tour, which will showcase all eight acts across five beautiful locales over 12 hours with complimentary wine-tasting sessions, afternoon tea and access to the evening session. Bus tour tickets are limited, and they go for $100.
For those that can’t spend the whole day, there’s a secondary option to join the Festival at Palling Bros Brewery in the Beer Garden from 6pm where you’ll witness four of the acts. Evening tickets are just $40 with limited tickets available at the door.
The Locales
The unique central Victorian Goldfields locales are at the heart of Stars and Bars. Much more than just pubs, breweries and wineries, these locales are hand-picked, immersive spaces with stories to tell, perfectly suited for musical performances with a mix of indoor and outdoor stages backdropped with stunningly serene vistas.
The adventure begins with a visit to the 150-year-old pub Tooborac Hotel & Brewery. A country hotel circa 1857 with an onsite brewery, this charming spot is Victoria’s oldest National Trust-listed country pub – renowned for being family-friendly with a warm and inviting atmosphere.
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Next is a visit to boutique winery Domaine Asmara, located in the heart of the rich Cambrian region of Heathcote in Victoria. This little gem is a family-owned vineyard producing complex and flavoursome wines.
Arriving for afternoon tea, punters will indulge in the surroundings at the five-star boutique winery Wren Estate in the shadow of Mt Camel. With a beautiful olive grove and new cellar door, Wren Estate’s wines are produced in small batches from the home block and micro-managed by Michael Wren, who has over 20 vintages experience across Australia, Europe and the US.
Located just minutes from Heathcote on Wild Duck Creek, Condie Estate is a small-batch producer owned by Richie & Rosanne Condie. Their fruit is organically grown in two vineyards and the wines are made by hand.
The final destination on this whistle-stop tour, is Palling Bros Brewery and its newly expanded Beer Garden, delivering the perfect backdrop for the climactic Evening Session. Located in the heart of the central Goldfields, this stunning tin-shed establishment specialises in handcrafted artisan beer, fine dining, and fittingly, live music.
The Artists
As you taste and explore along the countrified Musical Bus Tour, you’ll also get to enjoy the live country, blues and folks music from some of Victoria’s biggest and brightest stars:
The Seven Ups
Back from headlining last year’s event, The Seven Ups are guaranteed to get the dancefloor moving. Hailing from the northern suburbs of Melbourne, the original seven-piece Lo-Fi Heavy Groove party band skillfully blend influences from 1970s underground Funk with Jazz, Psych and Fuzz Rock.
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Karl S. Williams
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, visual artist and poet, Karl S. Williams is an artist you never saw coming. Bringing along his trademark solo set, frequently referred to as a visceral and ‘spiritual experience’, Williams promises to leave his audience slightly altered in the best way possible. With his heart on his sleeve, this is blues, roots, folk and Americana, but not as you know it.
Leslie D.King & The Trembling Shakes
With influences drawing far and wide from The Alabama Shakes and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats to Big Smoke and Steve Smyth, stellar musician Leslie D. King and his carefully hand-picked band The Trembling shakes are fun, soulful and full of emotive energy that only can come from the heart. Telling tales of love, loss, finding yourself and promises made to friends, King is armed with some new tunes and a killer live set.
Jungle Jim Smith
Guaranteed to kick out the jams playing gritty, foot-stomping blues and garage grooves, Jungle Jim Smith is a one-man electric boogie band that has to be seen to be believed. Switching effortlessly between a 3-string cigar box guitar and a reverb-drenched 6-string all the while cranking out primal foot-powered drum beats, you can expect everything from improvised jam-lands to rockin’ tunes to get the dance floor shakin’.
Nathan Seeckts
A powerful singer-songwriter who effortlessly fuses the sounds of Americana, folk, country and blues delivered with a commanding voice that is equal parts gravel and passion, Seeckts has earned himself a solid reputation over the years for his world-class songwriting ability. With equal amounts of power and immediacy in his music, catch him at his best at Condie Estate.
Riley Catherall
Melbourne-based Australian country-Americana artist, Riley Catherall has been a name gracefully on the rise within the Australian Alt-Country Music scene. Earning a reputation as one of the country’s most promising songwriters through his poetic sincerity and alluring live shows, not only does Riley’s song tug at the heartstrings with his ability to story tell, but he’s also able to keep us captivated for the entirety of any performance. Witness that magic at Wren Estate.
Rhianna Fibbins
Having spent many years with her sister in country band ‘The Sideshow Brides’, Rhianna’s solo career sees her truly shine, with her unique brand of country music that weaves the nitty gritty with a touch of homespun longing. Born and raised in the Hunter Valley, the now locally-based singer-songwriter shares warm and emotive songs close to her heart, weaving themes of true heartbreak and grit with optimistic charm.
Pete Daly
With a back catalogue of songs demonstrating his natural, kinetic feel for the acoustic guitar and gentle, earthy vocals with flecks of alt-country and cinematic surf rock solos, Pete Daly promises a memorable performance when he kicks off proceedings on the famous Tooborac Hotel stage. There’s a sense of insular reflection, sparse instrumentation gives his recordings and live performances an isolated yet contemplative quality.
Head to www.starsandbars.com.au/
Adelaide rock band Bad//Dreems announce Australian tour for June and July
Adelaide rock band BAD//DREEMS have announced they’ll be travelling around the country this June and July, rejoicing in the radiance of their new pub-rock-meets-art-rock album ‘HOO HA!’ which will be released May 19.
Hailed as one of the most vital guitar acts in the country, BAD//DREEMS will be serving up their pub prose like parmas in this exclusive album tour, taking fans on a vaudevillian romp, chock full of characteristically wry observational lyrics and rhyming slang, creating a cultural experience for all.
BAD//DREEMS Tour 2023
Friday June 23 Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide
with Children Collide and Twine
Saturday June 24 Corner Hotel, Melbourne
with Children Collide, Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice and Doe St
Friday June 30 Triffid, Brisbane
with Children Collide, Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice and Arthington Stack
Saturday July 1 Factory Theatre, Sydney
with Children Collide, Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice and Sad Girls Sex Club
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
BT from Love Police, who will be presenting the tour, says: “Our love affair with the Baddies started back in 2014 with their excellent single, My Only Friend. Over the last ten years we’ve become mates, partners, raconteurs, and we were honoured to be asked to put together a national tour for this sick new album. Together with the band we’re presenting a curated evening from doors until curfew.We look forward to guiding the band and their loyal supporters through an evening of unreal music and good times.”
‘HOO HA!’, album #4 for Bad//Dreems, began its life post-pandemic in a small studio in Adelaide, located in a disused neo-gothic incinerator designed by Walter Burley Griffin and containing Billy Thorpe’s old Neve recording desk. “We had a new found appreciation and zest for being able to play together that created the energy of the album,” Marwe said of the experience.
The songs were taken to Melbourne and recorded with Dan Luscombe (Amyl and the Sniffers, Courtney Barnett, the Drones) at Soundpark Studio in early 2022. The result epitomises the power of Bad//Dreems, where pub rock meets art-rock and where high and low culture collide to paint a vivid picture of our times.
Today BAD//DREEMS also released a new single off their forthcoming album. New Breeze captures the frustration, malaise and confusion of the post-pandemic world.
“We looked forward to a utopia at the end of the pandemic, but life is never that simple. You end up just pissing in a different breeze” says Alex Cameron (guitar) in relation to the song’s creation.
In a similar vein to the spontaneous pub prose of previous single ‘See You Tomorrow’ front man Ben Marwe leads the listener with a Canned Heat-esque flute hook. Going up the country indeed.
General public tickets on sale Wednesday, April 19 from here.