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EVENTS CALENDAR
WHAT’S ON in Melbourne
January February March
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20 January – 2 February AUSTRALIAN OPEN ausopen.com
22 January – 5 February CHINESE NEW YEAR chinesenewyear.com.au
25 January – 27 January FESTIVAL OF SAILS festivalofsails.com.au
26 January AUSTRALIA DAY RACES AT HANGING ROCK country.racing.com/ hanging-rock
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5 – 14 February SIDNEY MYER FREE CONCERTS mso.com.au
15 February – 15 March SHREK THE MUSICAL - HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE shrekthemusical.com.au
21 February – 8 March ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2020 icc-cricket.com
29 February – 1 March LONSDALE STREET GREEK FESTIVAL greekcentre.com.au
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6 – 22 March MELBOURNE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL melbournefoodandwine.com.au
8 – 11 March MOOMBA FESTIVAL moomba.melbourne.vic.gov.au
12 – 15 March FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX grandprix.com.au
25 – 29 March MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW melbflowershow.com.au
April May June
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3 – 13 April RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ripcurl.com.au
6 – 28 April TESSELAAR KABLOOM FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS kabloom.com.au
1 – 30 April HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD – MELBOURNE’S PRINCESS THEATRE
24 April – May 3 BRIGHT AUTUMN FESTIVAL Brightautumnfestival.org.au
25 April ANZAC DAY
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2 – 3 May GRAMPIANS GRAPE ESCAPE grampiansgrapeescape.com.au
5 – 7 May WARRNAMBOOL MAY RACING CARNIVAL country.racing.com
15 – 17 May LA FIERA ITALIAN FESTIVAL MYRTLEFORD lafiera.com.au
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17 – 28 June MELBOURNE CABARET FESTIVAL melbournecabaret.com
20 June MANSFIELD LANTERN FESTIVAL mansfieldlanternfestival.com.au
Arts Centre Melbourne is both a defining cultural landmark and Australia’s largest performing arts centre. Discover it for yourself
Hamer Hall
At the centre of Melbourne’s cultural precinct sits Arts Centre Melbourne. As Australia’s largest performing arts venue, Arts Centre Melbourne is a vibrant meeting place for the performing arts, artisan markets, restaurants, cafes and Australia’s largest performing arts collection. The State Theatre, located beneath the iconic Spire in the Theatres Building, has one of the world’s largest stages, which hosts performances by Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet, along with the Playhouse and the Fairfax Studio. On the banks of the Yarra River is Melbourne’s premier concert venue, Hamer Hall, home to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and a variety of musical performances. Across the road in Kings Domain is the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, a popular outdoor venue in summer, while the Australian Music Vault in the Theatres Building features a free exhibition, open daily, showcasing Australian contemporary music. Arts Centre Melbourne is also the proud custodian of one of the most significant public collections of Australian visual art outside the major state art galleries, including paintings by Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Inge King, Jeffrey Smart, John Olsen and Roger Kemp. TOURS & MARKETS Guided tours of Arts Centre Melbourne depart daily and take visitors through vast theatres extending five floors underground to uncover the fascinating story of this entertainment precinct. From 10am – 4pm on Sundays, local artisans fill Arts Centre Melbourne’s lawn to showcase unique, locally produced handmade goods ranging from arts and crafts to freshly made delicacies. EAT & DRINK Beneath the Spire, The Barre has a vibrant atmosphere with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Drop in for a pre-show glass of sparkling and a share plate, a meal with a fine wine or a late-night drink to discuss the show you’ve just seen. Next door to The Barre, Café Vic offers a delicious cake and coffee selection and dining for lunch and dinner, while Protagonist, on the forecourt, is ideal for on-the-go coffee, food and drinks or kicking back and relaxing with a cocktail in the sunshine. Located within Hamer Hall overlooking the Yarra River you’ll find Bombini Buzz, serving micro-roasted Melbourne coffee and ice cream during the day and morphing into a pre-show bar. There’s also Fatto, with its breathtaking city views and an all-day Italian menu, Teatro Mediterranean cuisine and tapas restaurant, and Sake Restaurant & Bar, which combines the very best of modern and classic Japanese. For a magnificent performing arts experience, visit Arts Centre Melbourne. The Barre Guided Tours
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Needto know
Book tickets at artscentremelbourne.com.au, call 1300 182 183, or visit the Theatres Building Box Office, located under the Spire on Level 5, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.
SPECIAL OFFER: tixatsix Line up at the Theatres Building Box Office at 6pm every night for your shot at one of 20 tickets to a range of performances on sale for just $30. Limit of two per person per night.
An elegant custom with a surprising history, high tea is a celebrated event in Melbourne. Here are a few of our favourite places to indulge
There is something eternally appealing about the age-old tradition of high tea. It evokes a certain sense of occasion. A chance to dress up and mingle, to get a taste of society life. So it might surprise you to know it began as a working class tradition. In 1800s Britain ‘high tea’ was served between five and seven o’clock in the evening after a hard day of labour and consisted of a hot dish followed by cakes, bread, butter and jam, taken at high tables rather than in a lounge, hence ‘high’ tea. What we now call high tea started out as afternoon tea, a luxurious spread served mid-afternoon and accompanied by tea and friends, dreamed up by an English duchess who couldn’t abide the long wait until dinner. Around this time
the fourth Earl of Sandwich, one John Montagu, dreamed up the idea of place of placing meat and other fillings between two slices of bread, and lo! The sandwich was born – a new fixture on any high tea menu and a lunch game changer that persists today.
History lessons aside, there’s still something very pleasant about settling down to a high tea, so we’ve compiled a list of our favourite places to partake around Melbourne.
ARIA BAR @ THE LANGHAM Renowned for its bespoke afternoon teas, The Langham Melbourne honours the traditional high tea with beautiful cakes, delicate ribbon sandwiches and petite fluffy scones.
Service takes place in the relaxing Aria Lounge and features the Langham’s own signature tea blend. Prices start at $59 per person. Choose from the Wedgwood High Tea or Chocolate Indulgence High Tea, and customise the experiences with extras such as free flowing sparkling wine or replenished sweets and savouries. melbarestaurant.com.au/aria
CONSERVATORY, CROWN Enjoy a special afternoon tea full of sweet circus treats at Conservatory. Indulge in high tea stands and dessert buffets including specially hand crafted circus desserts such as Magician’s chocolate hat, Ice cream chocolate lollipops and a Donut Ferris wheel. Prices start at $75 per adult and $37.50 for children. crownmelbourne.com.au
HOPETOUN TEA ROOMS Tucked within the Heritage-listed Block Arcade, the windows at Hopetoun Tea Rooms are a sight to behold, piled high with all manner of cakes, tarts and muffins. Inside, tastefully decorated rooms create a refined atmosphere as you tuck into a traditional high tea menu laden with dainty sandwiches and glorious cakes. In the 1890s this was a fashionable place for society women to meet over afternoon tea and it retains its appeal as a stylish meeting place. hopetountearooms.com.au
HOTEL WINDSOR With a history dating back to 1883, High Tea at The Hotel Windsor is a quintessential Melbourne experience. Indulge in a selection of finger sandwiches, savoury canapés, exquisite French pastries and freshly baked scones, served on an elegant three-tiered stand. Start with a glass of French sparkling wine served on arrival, and choose from a wide range of freshly brewed specialty teas throughout the session. On weekends, be tempted by a bonus dessert buffet and chocolate fountain. Plan ahead with The Hotel Windsor’s downloadable guide to High Tea etiquette, which includes tips on “tier panic”, how to hold a teacup and where your napkin should go. thehotelwindsor.com.au
MADAME BRUSSELS Preferring the term ‘garden party’ over ‘high tea’, the offerings at Madame Brussels are nonetheless a little bit fancy, featuring a fruity cocktail jug to share (one for every three people in your group) and a spread of old-fashioned sandwiches, spinach and cream cheese roulade and housemade sausage rolls, followed by chocolate eclairs, mini cupcakes and scones with fresh jam and cream. From noon – 3pm every weekend, $55 per head. madamebrussels.com PARK HYATT MELBOURNE With picturesque views overlooking Trilogy Gardens, high tea in The Lounge at Park Hyatt Melbourne is a serene affair, incorporating high tea treats including handmade petit desserts, assorted finger sandwiches and house-baked scones with jam and cream, served with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine, espresso coffee or leaf tea. Prices start at $55 per person. melbourne.park.hyatt.com
SOFITEL ON COLLINS Open daily, Sofi’s Lounge is an art gallery and tea room in one, dripping with fresh flowers and natural light. High tea decadence can be enjoyed from 2.30pm with a buffet selection of freshly cooked crepes, elegant finger sandwiches, hot and cold savouries, freshly baked scones with home-made jams and whipped cream, a selection of cakes and desserts with a glass of sparkling wine and tea or espresso coffee. Prices start at $65 per head. sofitel-melbourne.com
THE WESTIN Soak up the refined atmosphere of The Westin Melbourne’s Lobby Lounge and enjoy a modern twist on the traditional high tea. Savour the many indulgent treats on offer before replenishing with an aromatic coffee, or Jing Tea herbal infusion. ‘Jing’ means ‘essence’ in Mandarin, and this whole experience of high tea at the Westin is the essence of class. Bookings essential. westinmelbourne.com/hightea
Something DIFFERENT
If you want to take your high tea experience to the next level, why not try finger sandwiches and petit fours in the Rainforest Room at Melbourne Zoo? Operating one Sunday a month, prices start at $79 for adults and $36 for children (with discounts available for zoo members) and include an hour of complimentary access to the zoo (zoo.org.au). Indulge all your Jane Austen fantasies with a half-hour cruise around the Royal Botanic Gardens’ Ornamental Lake, followed by high tea at the Terrace Restaurant (punttours.com.au), or treat the cinefile in your life to high tea at Cinema Nova on weekends for just $45 including film admission (cinemanova.com.au). You can also indulge in a progressive high tea in the form of a walking tour with Foodi (foodi.com.au).
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE: Conservatory at Crown; heavenly sweets served on Wedgwood china form part of The Langham Twilight Tea; high tea with garden views at Park Hyatt Melbourne.
