Author: Melbourning
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical Cats is set to return to Australia this year to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live has today announced the iconic musical will return to Sydney in June, followed by seasons in Adelaide and Melbourne. In Melbourne, Cats will play at Hamer Hall from December with the waitlist now open for fans to be first in line to buy tickets. Cats first opened in Australia on 27 July 1985 at the Theatre Royal in Sydney, heraldic in an era of the British “mega-musical”, Based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of…
Circus Oz has today announced the return of their New York-bound spectacular, Circus Oz Non Stop, to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Following a sold-out 2023 season at the Forum Melbourne, this strictly limited eight-show season will run from 16-20 April at Melbourne’s Town Hall – their first performance at this iconic venue in over 20 years. Don’t miss the chance to witness this home-grown act before it embarks on a whirlwind tour across regional Victoria, interstate, and finally, to the bright lights of New York City. Presented by a multi-generational ensemble, for audiences of every age, Circus Oz Non Stop is a dazzling mix of…
After a groundbreaking debut in 2024, Manchester’s legendary Warehouse Project is set to make its electrifying return to Australia this April, bringing its signature underground rave culture to Sydney and Melbourne for two unmissable events. Kicking off on Thursday, April 24, The Warehouse Project will take over Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion for a one-night-only event. The following day, Friday, April 25 (Anzac Day), the party moves to Melbourne’s PICA, transforming the iconic venue into a pulsating late-afternoon-into-night spectacle. This year’s lineup is headlined by Partiboi69, who will bring his signature Area69 experience, fusing trippy computer-animated visuals with high-energy sounds from Electro Dank, Ghetto Freak, and K-Tech. Joining him are vinyl virtuoso Héctor Oaks,…
Pack your picnic basket and dust off your dancing shoes—Costa’s Picnic Extravaganza is turning the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne into a lively, nature-filled playground on Sunday 16 February. Hosted by the ever-charismatic Costa Georgiadis, this free, family-friendly event promises a day of music, creativity, and sustainability in one of Melbourne’s most iconic green spaces. Georgiadis is an Australian landscape architect, television presenter, and passionate environmental educator best known as the host of Gardening Australia on ABC TV. With his signature bushy beard, boundless enthusiasm, and deep love for nature, he has become a beloved figure in sustainable gardening and permaculture – known…
From the acclaimed queer theatre makers behind The Inheritance, In The Club, and The Gospel According to Jesus and Queen of Heaven comes Djuna—a bold new work by trans playwright Eva Rees. Presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy and directed by Kitan Petkovski (Bullet Heart Club), this psychological thriller pushes boundaries with its raw exploration of identity, power, and human connection. Set in the confined intimacy of a hotel room, Djuna follows a two-year affair between Djuna (Jay Gold), a young trans woman, and Marcus (Dion Mills), an older man who identifies as heterosexual. Both are queer in their own ways, from different generations, seeking refuge in this…
Geelong’s transformation into a premier dining and tourism destination takes another bold step forward with the opening of Woolstore, a stunning new restaurant and bar set to debut on 7 February. Housed within a century-old woolstore in Newtown’s river-end precinct, the venue is a striking blend of historic preservation and modern elegance. Towering seven-metre industrial glass windows flood the space with light, while original tallowwood flooring—complete with lanolin markings—pays homage to its past. The two-level venue accommodates 150 guests, featuring a ground-floor dining room and cocktail bar anchored by a hand-tiled oval table seating 12. A second cocktail bar sits…
Australian music icon Diesel is continuing his Bootleg Melancholy Album Tour in 2025. With Richie Vez on bass and Lee Moloney on drums, the tour will resume in March in Warragul, followed by Melbourne, Launceston, Hobart, Perth, Batemans Bay, Newcastle, Sydney, Wyong, Adelaide with proceedings drawing to a close on Saturday 3 May in Elizabeth. The two set performance showcases Diesel’s impressive career spanning more than three decades, with boundless energy and vitality infused into every song. “With so much material to draw from, I’m excited to blend new songs with classics,” Diesel said. “We make quite a bit of sound for a…
RocKwiz’s Really Really Good Friday will return to Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall for its ninth annual live show on Friday 18 April 2025. Hosts Julia Zemiro (Fisk, Eurovision, Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery, Great Australian Walks) and Brian Nankervis (ABC Radio Melbourne’sThe Friday Revue) will kick start Easter with the long-weekend’s biggest and best night out, alongside high-profile comedians and musical guests, unpredictable audience members, the exemplary RocKwiz Orkestra and Dugald. For nine years, the team behind the iconic live music trivia television show, RocKwiz has brought a night of trivia, music and laughter to Arts Centre Melbourne. As always, the evening’s special guests will remain a surprise until the night and…
Victoria’s Goldfields, home to the most intact and expansive goldrush landscapes in the world, has taken a major step toward international recognition by being added to Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List. This marks the first formal step toward securing UNESCO World Heritage status, a move that acknowledges the region’s extraordinary historical, cultural, and environmental significance. Spanning more than 20 per cent of Victoria’s landmass, the Goldfields tell the story of the 19th-century gold rush that reshaped the state. From the grand Victorian-era buildings of Bendigo to the hard rock open-cut mines of Castlemaine, the landscape remains a living museum of…
After more than two years of closure, Melbourne’s historic Degraves Street Subway at Flinders Street Station has finally reopened, marking a major milestone for commuters and heritage lovers alike. The underpass, which has linked passengers to platforms and Degraves Street since the 1950s, had been closed due to Metro Tunnel construction but is now back in service with significant upgrades. The restoration effort focused on both modernising the space and preserving its historic charm. Key improvements include the installation of six new lifts, providing step-free access between platforms for the first time in the station’s history. If you do head…
Alphington’s dining scene has just been elevated with the arrival of Zero95 and Meno Zero at The Bend. This eagerly awaited opening brings the best of Southern Italian cuisine and world-class gelato to the neighbourhood, offering a seamless blend of savory and sweet indulgence. Spanning 250m², the venue features two distinct yet connected spaces—Zero95, a woodfired pizza bar serving expertly crafted Italian dishes, and Meno Zero, a gelateria offering 24 exquisite flavors. Inside, guests can dine in the main area with its striking custom-built Neapolitan pizza oven, relax at the bar, or enjoy alfresco seating for up to 60 in…