Winnie Stubbs

No shocker here, but Australia is home to some of the most spectacular walking trails on the planet. From multi-day treks through red deserts and family-friendly coastal day walks and lush rainforest hikes, the land Down Under offers every kind of landscape imaginable – and trust us, they’re all bloody good.  If you’re ready to lace up your boots, we’ve rounded up the best hikes in Australia to tackle this year. We've categorised them by state, complete with distance breakdowns, trail difficulty ratings and expert local tips. See you on the trails! Editor's favourite hikes in Australia: 🥾 Best multi-day trek: Larapinta Trail, NT 🌊 Best for incredible views: Three Capes Track, TAS 😍 Best hidden gem: Scenic Rim Walk, QLD ❤️ Best outback adventure: Ormiston Pound Walk, NT 🌳 Best for serious hikers: Thorsborne Trail, QLD JUMP TO:NT | NSW | TAS | QLD | WA | VIC | SA | ACT 🥾 The best national parks in Australia🌊 The best coastal walks in Australia

Dancefloors come in all shapes and sizes in Sydney – sticky-floored pubs can double up as heaving rave caves, small bars morph into late-night party dens on sporadic Wednesdays, and on most Friday nights, warehouses across Sydney's Inner West transform into laser-lit super-clubs (though we can't spill too much on that front). The Harbour City cops a lot of flack for its nightlife, but we think it's all about just looking in the right places. To help you out, our team of local editors (including Time Out Sydney Editor Avril Treasure) has put together the ultimate guide to the most reliable dancefloors in Sydney right now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for somewhere more chill to whet your whistle? Here are our favourite hidden bars in the Harbour City.Want a live show? These are the best bars and pubs with live music in Sydney.

Looking for a fab new restaurant to check out? You’ve come to the right place. The other week I went to Trattoria Da Orazio – a new Italian restaurant from chef Orazio D’Elia in Rushcutters Bay – and it was excellent (order the bombetta pugliese and whimsical dessert platter). Surry Hills fine diner Arthur has reopened after a big reno – still serving a 100 per cent Aussie menu across food and drinks, now in a more accessible way (and a happy hour with $3 prawns!). And you need to make a booking at Ashe – the new Southeast Asian grill from the Bentley Group, led by talented chef Khanh Nguyen. It’s my pick of the new openings of 2026 so far. Enjoy. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for something to wash it all down with? These are our favourite bars in Sydney right now. Keen to eat your way around the city? These are the best restaurants in Sydney, from hot newcomers to the OGs.

Choosing the right hotel in Melbourne can be an almighty task. With so many incredible stays to choose between – from super modern sky-high towers to charming historic gems – it can be an overwhelming challenge to decide which one is right for you.Every traveller has their preference, but to make the job of deciding a little easier, our team of local experts have hotel hopped their way around the city to bring you our guide to the very best hotels in Melbourne. Many of the stays included in the list are favourites of Time Out Melbourne Managing Editor Leah Glynn, with our Travel and News Editor Winnie Stubbs (self-confessed hotel obsessive) chiming in and checking the guide to make sure it’s up to scratch.Whether you’re looking for a playful stay right in the CBD action (W Hotel, we’re looking at you) or somewhere more boutique in Melbourne’s buzzy inner north (Standard X), we’ve got your back. Read on for our guide to the best hotels in Melbourne.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:  These are the best places to go camping near MelbourneAnd these are our favourite glamping sites in VictoriaTime Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Australia is a nation rich with incredible artists and mind-blowing exhibitions. Whether you favour sculpture, painting, photography or textiles, there’s something for every kind of artistic persuasion ready to pop off at Australia’s biggest art exhibitions in 2026. We've rounded up just a few Aussie wonders that have us pre-booking flights in eager anticipation.  A winter standout is the never-seen-before-in-Australia glittering jewel collection from Cartier at the NGV, along with the blockbuster Monet to Matisse exhibition in Adelaide. Scroll on for our pick of the best art exhibitions in Australia in 2026. Our editors will update this guide as new exhibitions are announced. 🖼️ The best art galleries in Australia👀 The best museums in Australia

Good news, springtime lovers: we’re in the last month of winter for the year, and it’s shaping up to be a goodie. August kicks off with a bang, with the world’s largest fun run going down on Sunday, August 9. If you’re doing the City2Surf (like me), here’s everything you need to know. I better start stretching. It’s nearly cherry blossom time, with Auburn’s magical festival returning this month at Sydney’s Auburn Botanic Gardens. Book your tickets and see the whole park covered in a bubble-gum-pink blanket of flowers. It’s still whale-watching season – there are plenty of places to see the big beauties in Sydney! Here are some of our faves. This last month of the cold season will be delivering the culture goods, with an incredible round-up of theatre shows keeping us entertained, and the city’s best restaurants and bars serving up happy hour specials and price-slicing deals to keep the cost of living woes at bay. For a nature hit this August, we’d suggest taking an icy dip at one of Sydney’s best ocean pools, or getting some mountain air on one of the best walks in the Blue Mountains. If you need some help warming up, work your way through our guide to Sydney's best Sunday roasts, or settle in with a glass of mulled wine at one of Sydney’s cosiest pubs. Calling all Ted Lasso fans: Woollahra’s Lord Dudley is transforming into the Crown & Anchor this month (Aug 5-7) with themed pub grub, trivia, darts and free pies for the first 100 people through the door.Scroll on for our fu

Want to win ‘favourite child’ status this Father’s Day? Put down the novelty socks and jocks and give Dad what he really wants: quality time with you, good grub – and, a chance to crack those terrible dad jokes along the way. This year, Father’s Day in Australia falls on Sunday, September 6, so there’s still time to plan a special day that your dad deserves (or even an uncle, grandpa, father figure in your life). Whether Dad’s idea of bliss is an early-morning ocean swim, a lazy pub session, a trip to the fish markets, a brewery tour or dinner somewhere delicious, we’ve rounded up plenty of ways to celebrate the father figures in your life – with plenty of free/cheap options, too. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: Six magical spots to see springtime blooms in NSW – from cherry blossom to tulips These are the best motels in NSW worth the roadtrip Sydney Harbour has a dreamy new wood-fired sauna – and the cold plunge is the ocean

Here at Time Out, we love all hotels equally: the flashy five-stars, the cool boutiques, the well-thought-out budget stays. But some are, undoubtedly, better looking than others. Whether ‘beautiful’ to you is a secluded jungle lodge or an eco-cool city stay, a kitschy motel or a reawakened royal residence, we’ve got them all on this list (and then some).  Now, it goes without saying that any list of the world’s most beautiful hotels is entirely subjective and by no means exhaustive. But what we can offer is real-life experience: every place on this list has been visited by one of Time Out’s editors, writers and hotel experts. From Punjab to Palermo, California to Costa Rica, we can guarantee that each hotel packs serious wow factor, and you’ll have an excellent stay at them all.  The world’s most beautiful hotels at a glance 🏰 Best heritage hotel: Ashford Castle  ⛰️ Best for show-stopping scenery: The Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota 🌺 Most beautiful gardens and grounds: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze 🎨 Best for avant-garde art and design: Jackalope Hotel 👑 Best for all-out maximalism: The Fifth Avenue Hotel 🏊 Most beautiful pool: The Phoenicia Malta 🏙️ Most beautiful city-centre hotel: Le Pavillon de la Reine How did we choose the world’s most beautiful hotels?  Our global team of editors, writers and hotel experts spend a lot of their time reviewing hotels in their corner of the world. Every hotel on this list has been selected for a reason: show-stopping scenery, beautiful i

The ridiculously spectacular landscapes of NSW are a playground for hardcore hikers. But if you’re a less seasoned trekker – keen to get outside, but not quite ready to go full bush – there are still plenty of opportunities to experience the great Aussie wilderness without venturing too far from the bright city lights.RELATED READ: These are the seven ‘Great Walks’ of NSW In the national parks that sit on the city’s fringes, you'll find a whole heap of wonderful hikes that are perfect for first-time hikers not willing to commit to a full expedition. To bring you the best easy(ish) walks in the area, our team of local editors (including outdoors enthusiast, Travel and News Editor Winnie Stubbs) have laced up our boots and tested them out, so you know what you’re getting yourself into.RELATED READ: These are our favourite bushwalks in the Blue MountainsRead on for our list of the best easy day walks in NSW.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:This stunning trail close to Sydney is the perfect intro to overnight hiking Want more outdoorsy inspo? These are the best weekend escapes close to Sydney. And these are the best camping sites close to Sydney

Some of Sydney’s best eats are found in this lively part of the city, from a smoky Egyptian steeet food spot to New York-style diners and a moody izakaya that looks straight out of Tokyo. Time Out Sydney's local food writers, including Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way around King Street and beyond to bring you this guide to Newtown's best restaurants. And if you're thirsty, check out our guide to Newtown's best bars here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: The best Sydney restaurants for your dining hit list

The Blue Mountains region – the stunning, World Heritage-listed national park on the western edge of Sydney – is a go-to weekender destination for Sydneysiders looking for a nature reset, an indulgent spa escape, or an adrenaline-fuelled adventure. And for good reason. The magnificent prehistoric valleys are home to some of the best hiking trails in the state, as well as magical swimming spots and spectacular waterfalls. In the charming towns that punctuate the region, you’ll find cute cafés, perfect pubs, stacked vintage stores, and a good selection of day spas and bathhouses to help ease your mountain-weary muscles. If you’re looking for somewhere to rest your head after all that exploring, we’re here to help. From a gorgeous rustic cottage to an ultra-luxurious boutique hotel, the Time Out Sydney team (including Editor-in-Chief Alice Ellis, who has a house in the region) have tried and tested the best Airbnbs and hotels in the area. Time Out Sydney's Travel and News Editor (and self-confessed Blue Mountains enthusiast) Winnie Stubbs has overseen the list to make sure it's up to scratch – read on for our definitive guide to the best places to stay in the Blue Mountains. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants and cafés in the Blue Mountains.  Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our aff

Cupid’s day of love is coming up. Forget the ridiculously overpriced red roses and take your loved one out for a delicious meal at one of Sydney’s most romantic spots instead. Don’t have a hot date? No worries. Take your best friend, your mum, or yourself out for a great night. And if you don’t believe in Valentine’s Day (fair), these gems are romantic year-round for your next date night.  So, how did we pull together this guide? All the venues are cosy and intimate, vibey and have low lighting (none of that fluorescent doctor’s waiting room stuff). And, of course, they all serve top food and drinks with warm, relaxed service – so your night can flow with ease. From classy cocktail bars to chic wine haunts and candlelit restaurants, you’ll find Sydney’s sexiest spots below. Bring a pack of mints and you're good to go. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Want to take the pressure off? This is our guide to Sydney's best restaurants. Wooing on a shoestring? These are the best cheap eats in Sydney.

There’s always a lot going on at Sydney’s favourite house. So much so that it can be hard to keep track – with new headliners dropping every other week, and huge events taking over the various venues seemingly out of nowhere.  Keen to go to a show under the sails over the next few months? We’ve rounded up a few top picks in the Sydney Opera House winter to spring season:  Backstage tours give you a peek behind the curtain Explore the inner workings of Australia's most famous buildings on one of these expert-led tours. Dates: DailyTickets: From $48  Table Top Shakespeare will turn pantry items into Shakespearean stars Forget actors – this delightfully bonkers production has vases, jars, Dettol bottles and salt and pepper shakers taking centre stage. Six performers from acclaimed UK theatre company Forced Entertainment will retell Shakespeare’s most iconic tales using whatever they can find in the pantry, with plenty of relish, marmalade and dish soap along the way.Dates: September 22–27Tickets: $75 Curious will bring some of the world’s biggest thinkers to the Opera House Keen to expand your mind? The Sydney Opera House’s ideas festival, Curious, will reurn with a line-up of influential thinkers, comedians, creatives and chefs exploring everything from the mysteries of consciousness to family drama, the past and what the future might hold.Dates: October 4 & November 4Tickets: From $39 A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen will serve up a family story with a side of curry Part theatr

The beating heart of the Central Coast, linking the quickly-growing coastal region to the centre of Sydney via a (pretty damn scenic) direct train line, Gosford is on the up and up. And Voco Gosford – a brand-new 28-storey tower in the centre of town – is leading the charge. There is, undeniably, something that feels a little strange about the presence of a sparkling metropolis in such a sleepy town, but after spending a night here, it’s hard to deny that this well-appointed mega venue is a huge boost to the area.  What is Voco Gosford like? Rising up into the sky in the heart of the small town, Voco Gosford is a coastal-inspired hotel overlooking Brisbane Water – home to 130 rooms, six food and drink venues and plenty of spaces for events. It’s a seriously polished base for exploring the Central Coast, with the foreshore, beaches and national parks all within easy reach, and a huge rooftop pool primed for slow holiday mornings. What are the rooms like at Voco Gosford? Ranging from King Standard and Bay View rooms to Premium Balcony rooms, Queen rooms and King Suites, there’s a whole lot to choose from on the rooms front – meaning it’s a really great option for big groups looking for a base on the Cenny Coast. Lots of the rooms have private balconies and water or mountain views, and the influence of the surrounding area is beautifully evident in the design: all sandy tones and touches of ocean blue. Designed by Melbourne-based interiors firm Hecker Guthrie, the simple aesthet

Art enthusiasts, assemble. Australia’s biggest contemporary art event is back at Carriageworks in Redfern from September 3-6. Sydney Contemporary has returned with a Champagne-fuelled bang, featuring stunning works by more than 500 artists from 33 countries, represented by 100 galleries. The ambitious program is made up of large-scale installations, impressive works, photographs, performances and talks. And for the first time ever, Sydney Contemporary has spilled beyond the walls of Carriageworks, with public artworks popping up across the city. Fair director Zoe Paulsen says this year’s massive 10th edition is filled with “celebration and discovery, the familiar and the unexpected.” While the fair itself will take over Carriageworks as usual, this year's highlights extend to two beautiful waterfront spots. Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie has a striking new installation at Sydney Fish Market, while Joan Ross's bold video work will transform Pier Pavilion at Barangaroo – inviting passing Sydneysiders to engage with contemporary art outside the traditional gallery setting. Inside Carriageworks, expect everything from monumental sculptures and immersive textile installations to kinetic works and live performances. Melbourne duo The Huxleys will debut a joyous new performance piece, and Mike Hewson (the visionary behind AGNSW's universally loved exhibition The Key's Under The Mat) will transform the Carriageworks café with his signature immersive approach. Other headline names exhib

It’s been a big twelve months for Sydney on the art front – with the 25th Biennale of Sydney being named the best exhibition in the world worth travelling for, the beloved Brett Whiteley Studio re-opening in Surry Hills, and Mike Hewson’s Key’s Under the Mat changing the way we think about galleries. Mercifully, we’re not stopping there. This spring, one of Australia’s most celebrated artists is getting the blockbuster retrospective treatment that only the Art Gallery of NSW can offer, with Nolan: Origins landing this spring, exploring the formative years of Sidney Nolan’s career. Bringing together more than 150 works from public and private collections, the exhibition traces the period from the late 1930s to Nolan’s departure for the UK in 1953 – the years in which he developed the bold, distinctive style that would help redefine Australian art. According to the gallery, the major drawcard will be Nolan’s iconic Ned Kelly series, with all 27 paintings reunited in Sydney for the first time in more than 60 years. The series sees the bushranger transformed into a mysterious, almost mythical figure, and remains one of the defining achievements of Australian art. But there’s plenty more to discover, from Nolan’s early modernist works developed at Melbourne’s Heide to his vivid paintings of the Wimmera, K’gari, outback Queensland and Central Australia. The exhibition will also explore his fascination with Australian legends, including the Burke and Wills expedition, as well as his

It’s hard to name a more iconic Australian live music venue than the Sydney Opera House. In fact, I dare you. And while the Concert Hall, Utzon Room and other architecturally stunning indoor spaces have their merits, a show on the Opera House forecourt – out in the air, with views across the harbour – is beyond special.Last year, the Sydney Opera House On The Steps series brought some of Australia’s most beloved musicians to the Opera House forecourt, with Parcels, Ruel and Jimmy Barnes all performing outside of the country’s most famous building, as well as global acts including Franz Ferdinand, Loyle Carner and Boy and Bear. This year, On The Steps will return to the Sydney Opera House Forecourt from December 1 to 12, bringing nine nights of live music to what we think is the country’s most magnificent stage. Now in its fifth year, the Live Nation series has become something of a Sydney summer fixture, pairing big-name acts with that crazy-good Harbour Bridge-and-Opera House backdrop. For 2026, the headliners are particularly stacked. American punk-rock heavyweights Rise Against will kick things off on December 1, joined by fellow genre legends Dropkick Murphys, before Mercury Prize-winning electronic artist James Blake takes over the Forecourt on December 2. Then it’s over to Sydney’s own DMA’S on December 3, bringing their indie-rock anthems home, followed by British alt-rockers Wolf Alice on December 4. Fresh from taking home Group of the Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards, th

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to find yourself in the Supernatural Amphitheatre in mid-December, you’ll be familiar with the magic of Meredith. The beloved three-day, two-night music festival is an annual pilgrimage for a lot of music-loving Victorians (and beyond, myself included), and the recently-dropped line-up for this year’s event is looking seriously stacked. Meredith 34 will take over the famous pocket of countryside on Wadawurrung Country near Meredith from December 11-13, with a genre-hopping bill that runs from indie rock and punk to electronic, soul, hip-hop and (in true Meredith form) everything in between. Topping the bill this year is the shape-shifter that is Dijon, making his Australian debut with his cosmic blend of soul, R'n'B and rock, while hyper-pop provocateur underscores will bring her gloriously chaotic live show to the festival for the first time. We can also expect a very welcome return from Melbourne legends Eddy Current Suppression Ring, back at the 'Sup a decade after their last appearance.Elsewhere on the line-up, we can expect indie anthems from The Dandy Warhols, genre-bending neo-soul from Hiatus Kaiyote, and a big dose of dancefloor euphoria courtesy of DJ Seinfeld. New York hardcore outfit Show Me The Body, South London chaos merchants Fat Dog, electronic pioneer Suzanne Ciani and Detroit dance heavyweight Marcellus Pittman are among the other headline acts. Aussie favourites Killing Heidi are back too, alongside D Train, Ella Thompson,

The Adina tagline is Living Made Easy – and based on the rooms, facilities and thoughtfully location-specific aesthetic of the Adina properties I’ve stayed in, it totally checks out. Stepping into the designer lobby of Adina Bondi, you’d be forgiven for mistaken you were heading to your friend’s luxe new beachside home. Right in the beating heart of Bondi, home to 111 apartment-style suites, Adina Bondi is the perfect base for anyone who wants a commitment-free sample of life in Australia’s most famous beachside ’burb. What is Adina Bondi like? Sitting right in the heart of Bondi’s buzzy Hall Street, within the 33,000-square-metre complex known as The Hub, Adina Bondi Beach is a breezy, beachy hotel-apartment hybrid in a next-level location. It’s the sort of place where you can wake up, grab a top-tier coffee (our rec is Makuto), spend a day in the waves, then wander home with a bottle of wine for balcony drinks without ever needing to get in a car.  What are the rooms like at Adina Bondi? As per the Adina ethos, the vibe here is apartment living with hotel service. The 111 studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments are designed to give you a heap more elbow room than your average hotel room, with kitchens and laundry facilities making them perfect for longer stays and multigenerational trips. There are sofa beds and rollaway beds for larger groups, while various studio and one-bedroom apartments can be interconnected to create bigger spaces with extra bedrooms and b

There’s a lookout on the edge of the Jamison Valley called Sublime Point, and I’d argue it’s the most aptly named spot in the Blue Mountains. In its philosophical sense, the sublime describes something so vast and beautiful it borders on overwhelming – even terrifying. Stand here, gazing across an endless sea of knotted eucalypts framed by towering sandstone escarpments, and the meaning becomes pretty immediately clear. In my opinion, it’s not the only place in the BMs that inspires that feeling, either. You’ll find the same heart-stopping sense of wonder at Echo Point, where the Three Sisters rise from the valley to your left and bright red parrots swoop between the trees. And just a few steps away from Echo Point, you’ll encounter the word's other, less philosophical meaning. Fresh from a multi-million-dollar refurbishment, Lilianfels represents the sublime in the more familiar sense: impeccably designed and luxuriously appointed, it’s a note-perfect countryside escape. What is Lilianfels like? Grand, glamorous and gloriously old-world. Originally built in 1889 as the summer residence of Lieutenant-Governor of NSW Sir Frederick Darley, the heritage-listed estate has been serving as a mountain getaway mainstay for decades. Now, after a multimillion-dollar makeover, the appeal goes far beyond the hotel’s historic bones and immaculately manicured grounds. Service is first-rate, rooms are Instagrammable-as-heck, and the Martini trolley is ready for your post-hike hang by the fi

There’s a lot of incredible art to see in Sydney, but if you’re open to a getaway this springtime, we’d suggest heading up the coast to Newcastle – the coastal city that’s transforming into a creative wonderland for its multidisciplinary contemporary arts festival, New Annual. Across 10 days (from September 25 until October 4), the festival will bring together 402 artists, 40 events and seven new commissions – celebrating the stories, landscapes and creative energy that make Newcastle (traditionally known as Muloobinba) so special.This year, the coastline will take centre stage – with sunrise theatre, open-air exhibitions and works that (actually) shift with the tides. At Dixon Park Beach, acclaimed theatre-maker Roslyn Oades will present Sea Stories, an intimate sunrise experience exploring friendship and life by the ocean, while Penelope Green’s Ocean Rituals will turn the Bathers Way into an outdoor photographic exhibition. At Canoe Pool, Izabela Pluta’s monumental new commission Cavitation will evolve with the changing light, weather and waves, accompanied by live dance performances from Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub.Come sunset, Newcastle Ocean Baths will once again become one of Australia’s most spectacular gig venues for SOAK: Live at the Baths. Curated by Urthboy, the free concert series will feature performances from Hermitude, Claire O’Brien, 92Wrld, Kobie Dee and Karen Lee Andrews. Beyond the beach, the city’s pubs, parks and cultural spaces will come alive with

One of Australia's biggest NYE parties is so back – and if last year's lightning-fast sell-out is anything to go by, you'll need to move fast if you want to score tix. Beyond the Valley (BTV) has just unveiled the line-up for its 11th edition, with global dance titan John Summit, noughties icons Black Eyed Peas and rave superstar KI/KI leading the charge. Presented by Untitled Group and Triple J, the four-day camping festival has become a summer rite of passage for Victoria’s dance fans, drawing tens of thousands of people to Barunah Plains every year. To kick off its second decade in action, BTV is going big. Topping the bill is John Summit, one of the biggest names in dance music right now. Fresh from headlining Tomorrowland, selling out London's O2 Arena and Los Angeles' Kia Forum, and racking up more than one billion global streams, the Chicago-born DJ and producer will take on BTV’s hottest slot: the New Year's Eve countdown into 2027. Joining him for an Australian-exclusive performance is Black Eyed Peas. The six-time Grammy-winning group behind beloved poppy hits like 'Where Is the Love?', 'Boom Boom Pow' and 'I Gotta Feeling' will serve up their signature singalong anthems that are so perfectly primed for festival crowds. Electronic music fans will be looked after too. Dutch DJ KI/KI – a megastar in the global dance music scene right now – will return for an extended three-hour set. British grime pioneer Skepta is also back for his first BTV appearance since 2019/20.T

Dust off your sequins – a glittery-as-heck night of disco, circus and cabaret is taking over the Sydney Opera House this winter. Showing in the Studio from July 24 to September 13, Velvet Inferno is the very sparkly new evolution of the hit Australian production Velvet, promising wildly impressive acrobatics, powerhouse vocals and a solid soundtrack of disco anthems. The brilliant Marcia Hines will own the role of The Diva, with beloved multidisciplinary star Brendan Maclean taking on the fan-favourite role of Country Mike. Joining the Velvet family for the first time is singer-songwriter KYE as Gloria, whose coming-of-age story unfolds beneath a sparkling Studio 54-inspired mirrorball. The circus line-up is just as impressive. Expect next-level hula-hooping from Craig "Hula Boy" Reid, the Australian debut of Ukrainian roller-skating duo Duo Stardust, plus terrifyingly impressive aerial performances from Oleg Tatarynov and Zoe Marshall. Hyper-talented vocalists Emma Feliciano and Mateja Sardelis round out the cast. Soundtracked by disco classics including It's Raining Men, If You Could Read My Mind and No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), Velvet Inferno reunites the original creative team behind the global hit: director Craig Ilott, musical director Joe Accaria and choreographer Amy Campbell. More than a decade after Velvet first wowed audiences, the production continues to tour internationally, with an ongoing residency in Hamburg. Tickets start at $49.90. You can learn more an

Big news for dance music fans of Victoria: the famously fun touring festival Spilt Milk has just announced its 2026 Vic location, and it’s officially heading to Geelong/Djilang. Australia's biggest regional touring music festival has locked in a new five-year home at Kardinia Park, with support from Visit Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong keeping the event in the region until 2030. For context, Spilt Milk is a younger-leaning music festival that specialises in big name acts – with line-up alumni including Lorde, Post Malone, Childish Gambino, Flume and Doechii. After four mega successful editions in Ballarat, the one-day fest is making the move to Geelong, where it's set to bring tens of thousands of fans – and a major economic boost – to the city each December (popping up this year on Saturday, December 19).So who’s appearing this year? Scottish superstar Lewis Capaldi will headline Spilt Milk's 2026 return to Victoria, marking his first Australian festival run since his triumphant Glastonbury comeback and sold-out arena tour. He'll be joined by four-time Grammy nominee RAYE, fresh off the release of her chart-topping second album, alongside electronic heavyweight KETTAMA, US rapper Baby Keem, indie-pop favourite Maisie Peters, genre-bending pop star Remi Wolf and beloved Aussie outfit DMA'S, plus a stacked supporting lineup of emerging local and international acts.You can check out the full line-up (and sign up for presale access) over here.Stay in the loop: sign up

If you ask us, the best getaways aren’t all about five-star resorts and stacked itineraries. Sometimes, all you need is a quiet place to walk at sunset and a well-prepared picnic. And having travelled all across NSW, we’re confident in stating that this sunny state is home to peaceful picnic spots aplenty. According to travel publication World Atlas, there are seven small towns in NSW that stand out for their peaceful surroundings – from coastal villages shaped by ancient volcanic activity to mountain towns surrounded by bushland. And while we wouldn't necessarily describe every one of these places as completely sleepy – Byron Bay, we're looking at you – they all offer the chance to slow down and get out of the city. Here are the seven towns World Atlas reckons are among the most peaceful in the state. Kiama Just under two hours south of Sydney, Kiama is an easy choice for a restorative, pretty low-effort weekend away. The seaside town is best known for its enormous blowhole (the biggest known blowhole in the world), where waves can send up to 50 litres of seawater into the air, but there's plenty more to do once you've watched the ocean put on its show. The Kiama Coast Walk is the obvious place to start, winding along 20 kilometres of dramatic coastline, and the up-and-coming town itself has plenty of cafés, boutiques and historic buildings to poke around in. It’s worth noting that Kiama is one of the easier NSW getaways to reach without a car, with trains from Central takin

Sydney does a very good line in gorgeous green spaces, and as its name suggests, Wistaria Gardens is one of Western Sydney’s most whimsical. Hidden within Parramatta Park, this two-hectare heritage garden sits within one of Sydney’s most intact Edwardian-era landscapes, with original Japanese torii-style gates, century-old vines and a pretty interesting origin story tie to the former Parramatta Lunatic Asylum. This coming weekend, there’s a particularly good reason to pay them a visit. For two days only, the gardens will be carpeted in spring colour for Weekend in Wistaria, a free flower festival taking place on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20. For context, the gardens officially became part of Parramatta Park in 2022, after previously sitting within the Cumberland Hospital precinct. Since then, Greater Sydney Parklands has been working to restore the gardens, improving soil conditions, managing pests and undertaking regular horticultural maintenance. This weekend, they’re celebrating the peak of their impressive wistaria crop with a big free flower fest – a two-day event coinciding with the brief window when Wistaria Gardens’ famous vines reach peak bloom. The purple flowers typically put on their best display for just two to three weeks in mid-September, meaning the timing of your visit really does matter. The lilac-toned vines’ Instagram potential is reason enough to visit, but wisteria is also wonderfully fragrant, releasing a sweet perfume across the gard

There’s a whole lot in the works when it comes to Melbourne’s transport system, and the Metro Tunnel is just the beginning. Earlier this month, a brand-new train station opened in Melton, and now there’s another newbie to add to the list, with West Tarneit Station officially opening to passengers, giving Melbourne’s rapidly growing west a new train station, bus connections and hundreds of extra parking spaces. The newest addition to Melbourne’s rail network opened over the weekend, officially welcoming its first passengers on Sunday, September 13. Located on the Wyndham Vale line, West Tarneit Station has two fully accessible platforms, with ramps, stairs and a pedestrian underpass connecting the two sides of the station. There’s also a 400-space car park, a four-bay bus interchange and secure bicycle storage and hoops. For context, the Wyndham Vale line runs from Southern Cross through Footscray and Sunshine, stopping at Tarneit and now West Tarneit with a final city stop a Wyndham Vale before carrying on towards Little River and Geelong. The new West Tarneit Station will give residents another rail option in Melbourne’s rapidly growing west, making it easier to connect with Melbourne’s CBD, surrounding suburbs and regional Vic without relying as heavily on the car. The station has also opened alongside an overhaul of local bus services, with more than 1,100 additional services being added to the Tarneit bus network each week. A new Route 186 will run between Tarneit Statio

Forget your phone and surrender to the spectacle. Time Out Social Club is inviting lucky readers to the wildly popular Late Night Vice in Sydney and Brisbane – with the whole experience on us. As with all Time Out Social Club events, there’s a little extra in store for Time Out readers – guests at this one-off collaboration will score a backstage tour, access to a reserved seating and mingling area before and after the show, plus a cocktail on arrival. Expect two hours of cabaret, circus, cocktails and beautiful chaos, with jaw-dropping performers, cheeky surprises, acrobatics, pyrotechnics, confetti and a solid dose of late-night mischief. And, in true Vice fashion, no phones and no cameras – just you, the room and whatever happens next. Read on for all the details of the giveaways in each city... SYDNEY: 🗓 Friday, September 25 ⏰ 9:45pm 📍The Grand Electric, Sydney 🎟 Win one of 5 double passes by entering here (✏️ See giveaway Ts&Cs here)   BRISBANE: 🗓 Friday, September 25 ⏰ 9:45pm 📍The West End Electric, Brisbane 🎟 Win one of 5 double passes by entering here (✏️ See giveaway Ts&Cs here) Notes for both events: Rated 18+, Late Night Vice is strictly adults only. Slip into something fabulous and come along for a night of unexpected moments and a healthy hit of beautiful debauchery. And find out more about Late Night Vice over here for Sydney and here for Brisbane.

Lets face it: all eyes are on the MCG right now, with Victoria’s biggest stadium playing host to Australia's first official regular season NFL game on this very day. But over in the east, another of Melbourne’s most historic games grounds is set for a major revamp, with plans to breathe new life into Glenferrie Oval and its heritage-listed Michael Tuck Stand. The City of Boroondara’s vision for the Hawthorn precinct is to transform the ageing grandstand into a more welcoming community hub, combining sporting facilities with spaces for arts, culture, local history and community groups. The project forms part of a broader Glenferrie Oval precinct revitalisation, which also includes the demolition of the Ferguson Stand and the creation of new public open space on its former site. For context, the Michael Tuck Stand has a serious sporting pedigree. Built in 1938 as the flagship facility for the Hawthorn Football Club, the club played at Glenferrie Oval from 1903 to 1973 and continued to use the site as its administrative and training base until 2006. The Moderne-style grandstand is now listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and is considered historically significant for its connection to the development of Australian Rules Football in Victoria. But these days, the building is largely sitting on the sidelines. It has deteriorated over time and currently has health, safety and building compliance issues that prevent community groups and sporting clubs from using the space. The p

It’s a big week for Aussie NFL fans! On Friday, Australia will host its first-ever regular-season American football game, with Melbourne’s iconic MCG set to swap handballs for touchdowns when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams. Whether you’re a die-hard NFL fan or you’re just keen to see what happens when American football takes over the 'G, here’s everything you need to know about watching the game live in Australia. What date is the Australia NFL game? Australia’s first regular-season NFL game will take place on Friday, September 11, 2026. What time will the Australia NFL game start? The game will kick off on Friday, September 11 at: AEST: 10.35am (NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, TAS) ACST: 10.05am (SA, NT) AWST: 8.35am (WA) Thanks to the time difference, American fans can tune in on Thursday, September 10 at 5.35pm in Los Angeles and 8.35pm in New York. Where is the Australia NFL game being played? The game will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Which NFL teams are playing in Australia in 2026? The NFL Melbourne game will be an NFC West showdown, with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Los Angeles Rams. How can I watch the Australia NFL game? You can stream the game live in Australia for free via Channel Seven or 7plus from 10am. You can also tune in on Fox Sports/Kayo. How do I buy tickets for the NFL game in Australia? Tickets are still available for the NFL Melbourne game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. You can buy them t

Western Sydney is growing at a crazy rate, with a new international airport, new parks and a whole new CBD coming to life. On the accommodation front, there’s more to come too – with Parramatta officially set to get a new international hotel. DoubleTree by Hilton Parramatta is slated to open in late 2028, complete with 100 rooms and a heap of event spaces. Here’s what we know so far.  The hotel will sit within Deicorp’s new Cosmopolitan precinct at 34 Hassall Street, which will bring 597 apartments across two 46-storey towers, alongside retail, commercial and dining spaces. Designed by Turner Studio, the mega development will essentially create a whole new urban village on the park-side edge of Parramatta’s CBD. As for the hotel itself, there will be 100 rooms (ranging in size from 20 to 45 square metres), plus an all-day dining restaurant and lounge. The hotel will also be home to 667 square metres of event space, including meeting rooms, a boardroom and pre-function areas, as well as fitness and wellness spaces. From what we can tell, this one will be more of a business hotel than a destination itself, with the team explaining that the wellness facilities are “designed for today’s business and leisure traveller”. Exactly what those facilities will look like is still under wraps – renders show a shiny facade and luxe interiors, but there’s no news yet on whether guests will score a pool or spa on site. Renders: Supplied | DoubleTree by Hilton ParramattaDoubleTree by Hilton

There’s a lot going on when it comes to Melbourne’s transport network and, this month, another major development has been announced. Melbourne’s long-awaited Suburban Rail Loop is officially going underground, with tunnelling now underway between Burwood and Glen Waverley.The Suburban Rail Loop is slated to open in 2035 and, when complete, it will connect Melbourne’s middle suburbs with a new orbital rail line. The government says the project will cut travel times, ease congestion and provide rail connections to Monash and Deakin universities for the first time. According to the Victorian government, the project is currently on time and under budget. To move the project along, there’s some pretty complex engineering happening beneath our feet. The TBMs are being launched using an ‘umbilical method’ – a Victorian first – because of the confined space at the site. Essentially, the front section of the machine starts tunnelling while the rest of the enormous contraption is gradually assembled behind it. Photograph: Supplied | Victorian GovernmentSuburban Rail Loop tunnels The first tunnel boring machine (TBM), dubbed Alice, has started digging from Burwood towards Glen Waverley, marking another major milestone for the mammoth rail project. A second machine, Hacia, is already in the ground and is expected to begin excavating the second twin tunnel in the next few weeks. And if you’re wondering what's behind the names – Alice is named after musician Alice Ivy, while Hacia pays t

In case you missed it, American football is coming to Melbourne – and not just for a pre-season cameo. For the first time ever, the NFL is bringing a regular-season game to Australian soil, with the iconic MCG set to swap handballs for touchdowns when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams on Friday September 11, 2026. Whether you’re a die-hard NFL fan or you’re just keen to see what happens when American footie takes over the 'G, here’s everything you need to know. Why is the NFL in Melbourne big news? This will be the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia, making it a pretty major moment for American football Down Under. When is the NFL in Melbourne? The NFL Melbourne Game will take place on Friday, September 11, 2026. What time is the NFL in Melbourne? Kick-off is scheduled for 10.35am on Friday, September 11. Gates at the MCG will open from 7am, so there will be a whole heap of time to get through the gates and soak up the atmosphere before the game gets underway. Where is the NFL in Melbourne? The game will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Who's playing at the NFL in Melbourne? It’s an all-NFC West showdown, with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Los Angeles Rams. How to get tickets for the NFL in Melbourne? Tickets are now on sale, with general admission and hospitality options available through official ticketing partner Ticketmaster. You can buy tickets through Ticketmaster, or find all official NFL Melbourne ticket informatio

The Victorian Government recently approved a $1.5-billion skyscraper set to rise beside the river, at Southbank. Known as "The One", the 67-storey development at 1 Queens Bridge Road has been given the green light by the Minister for Planning, paving the way for a 240m tower featuring luxe apartments, a hotel, offices and more. Here’s what we know so far... The project sits on a 5,059sqm site at the corner of Queens Bridge Street and the Yarra River, and although the full build is looking pretty futuristic, the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel at its base will be restored and transformed into a new hospo hub, while the floors above will be home to high-end apartments, a luxury hotel, offices and a wildly impressive wellness offering (including pickleball courts, a pool, a sauna and a golf simulator). Render: Supplied | Cox1 Queens Bridge Road render According to the architecture firm Cox, the tower’s sculptural form takes its cues from the movement of the Yarra, with six vertical pleats running the full height of its facade. Down at street level, Queensbridge Square is also set for a rethink. The plans aim to transform the existing plaza into a more modern public space and a pedestrian connection along the Yarra. The development is big news for a site that has sat largely underutilised for more than 15 years. Construction is expected to get underway following the project’s planned launch in early 2027. Interested in finding out more about the residential side? You can re

Need a reason to get out at night but want a free activity? We’ve got you. This month, Melbourne is getting a seriously pretty springtime glow-up. For 13 sparkling nights, the city’s streets and heritage landmarks are being transformed after sunset with a series of new light projections, giving us another reason (beyond the bars) to stay around the CBD after dark. The displays are part of the City of Melbourne’s inaugural Light Up Melbourne program – a $2-million initiative designed to get more people into the city and give the nighttime economy a boost.Melbourne is heading into one of its busiest six-month stretches for major events, with the NFL, AFL finals, Australian Open Golf, the Boxing Day Test, Australian Open and F1 Grand Prix all on the calendar. So what should we expect from the light displays? First up, Melbourne’s floral emblem is taking centre stage, with the Swamp Everlasting being projected across the facade of Melbourne Town Hall September 1-5, 14-17 and 20, marking the return of spring and the city’s newly crowned official flower. Then, from September 6-11, the city will get a taste of American football fever. In partnership with Visit Victoria, NFL Prime Time Lights will see Melbourne Town Hall and Flinders Street Station illuminated to celebrate the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia. Ahead of the Cats v Blues clash, the underside of Princes Bridge will light up in Geelong colours, celebrating the completion of a major facelift of the histor

Earlier this year, a regional Victorian bakery took home gold at the Baking Association of Australia’s annual pie comp, and our readers went pretty wild – turns out, baked goods are a hotly contested topic. Now, the 2026 results of the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition are in, and Victoria has absolutely shown up for pie season. A stack of Victorian bakers have taken home top honours in this year’s comp – from a roo-rendang pastry in Ocean Grove to a classic beef pie in Melton. For context, this particular competition has been putting Australia’s pies and sausage rolls through their paces since 1989, giving bakers, chefs, pastry cooks and butchers an industry-backed benchmark for first-rate pastry products. The biggest haul for Vic this year goes to Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes in Ocean Grove, which picked up a whopping four category wins. Its Bombay Beef and Masala Mash Pie took out the Gourmet Potato Top Pie title, while the BBQ Brisket, Jalapeño & Cheese Pie won Best Gourmet Slow Cooked BBQ Pie. The bakery’s Penang Prawn Pie was crowned Best Gourmet Seafood Pie, and its Roo Rendang Pie won both Best Gourmet Game Pie and Best Gourmet Pie – as well as the competition’s Gourmet Pie award. Rolling Pin has several locations across the Bellarine and Geelong region, including its original Ocean Grove bakery, Queenscliff, Leopold and South Geelong. Photograph: Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes via InstagramPrawn and scallop pie   Over in Beaumaris, Pie Haus took home the Tom Lindsay Pe