18 minute read
Things To Do
Jo Howell
Werribee Open Range Zoo
Even while we’re being safe and socially distant, the city offers an array of attractions to entice and excite.
Spring is a time of year that gets people back outdoors and exploring again. This year that’s become even more important now that we’re coming out of isolation and starting to return to normal life. Just remember that most attractions require you to book tickets in advance to maintain visitor numbers at acceptable levels.
Animal Attraction
There’s nothing quite like talking to the animals, and there’s no better place to do it than at Melbourne Zoo. Here, you can see giraffes, elephants, monkeys and lions, as well as some of Australia’s curious creatures like kangaroos, koalas, wombats and Tasmanian devils. The zoo has two other locations – Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary, which is home to only native species – and plays a huge role in the conservation of endangered animals around the world. +zoo.org.au
Healesville Sanctuary
Ewen Bell
Queen Victoria Market
Park Days and Picnics
Load up on the tastiest cheese, bread and other delicious flavours at Queen Victoria Market then head to one of Melbourne’s lush outdoor spaces. The Royal Botanic Gardens covers 38 hectares and features many different secret spots. Guilfoyle’s Volcano is actually a water reservoir and has great views of the city. Another favourite spot is tiny Batman Park set right on the Yarra River – it even has a public barbecue. +qvm.com.au +rbg.vic.gov.au
Adrian Vittoro Royal Botanic Gardens +Batman Park, 2A Spencer Street
Localing Tours
Get the Guide
Check out parts of Melbourne you may not have discovered. Localing Tours Melbourne offers personalised itineraries for private groups, so whether you want to discover Melbourne’s tastiest dumplings or coolest neighbourhoods (or maybe a bit of both), you’ll be shown around by a fun, knowledgeable local. See the city from a different perspective with Melbourne River Cruises. The two-hour tour takes you past ports and maritime history in one direction and the city’s gardens, parks and sporting venues in the other. +localingtours.com.au +melbcruises.com.au Melbourne River Cruises
Fed Square
Melbourne Style
Reconnect in the heart of your muchloved city at Fed Square and enjoy a colourful outdoor dining experience. Loads of seating, roomy outdoor comfort zones, live bands, roving entertainers and some seriously good food and drink options from long-time favourites each offering a uniquely Melbourne experience along with the views to match. Melbourne Architours offers guided walks that either focus on a specific style – CBD art deco, for instance – or a particular neighbourhood. Each is led by a local who works in architecture. +architours.com.au
+fedsquare.com
A family favourite has come to life at Old Melbourne Gaol.
Gather family and friends to work as a team or against one another to solve the mystery in the world’s first game of interactive Cluedo. You’ll be searching the gaol’s darkest corners to solve the murder of notorious
All Fun and Games
Cluedo at Old Melbourne Gaol James Thomas
solicitor Lionel Grey, who made a crust working for Melbourne’s most infamous criminals.
Each member of your group is given a detective book on arrival then the hunt for clues begins. Scan the alibis of legendary crooks and local heavies, go over the physical evidence and scan weapons for DNA. Surrounded by the walls of the gaol it’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in time, but this game of Cluedo also uses modern technology, like QR codes, to ensure participants feel as though they really are detectives.
For details and to book +oldmelbournegaol.com.au
SIGNATURE PROPERTY
20% off All cruises*
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Reconnect with nature in an inner-city oasis. Home to breathtaking landscapes, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s Melbourne Gardens is considered among the world's fi nest botanic gardens. Venture inside to explore curated Living Collections and discover specimens from across the globe, as well as rare native species. Wander between succulents erupting from the earth at Guilfoyle’s Volcano (pictured) and step beneath the lush canopy in Fern Gully. Or simply roll out a picnic rug by Ornamental Lake and spend your day relaxing. Tram: Route 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 or 72 to stop 19 Open: Daily, 7.30am until 5pm Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne Gardens Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne w rbg.vic.gov.au p 03 9252 2429 Find us on:
*T&C: Valid for adult and child tickets only. Cannot be redeemed with any other off er.
Melbourne River Cruises
Enjoy sightseeing or a trip to Williamstown and discover the best of what Melbourne has to off er. Yarra Sightseeing Cruises: One- or two-hour cruises. Daily from 10.15am – 4pm departing every 30 mins. City & Williamstown Ferry: One-way or return trip. Daily from 10.30am – 3.30pm departing every hour. Open: Daily, 9.00am to 4.00pm Special Off er: 20% discount on all cruises Use code MRC20 when booking Tram: Flinders street station stop 4 Train: Flinders street station Ticket kiosk: Southbank lower promenade Berth 2 (below Southgate food court) t 03 8610 2600 w melbcruises.com.au Find us on:
10% off Deluxe Entry* 10% off Cruise*
*T&C: Not valid with any other off er. Must be 18 years and over. Book online at icebarmelbourne.com promo code: deluxe10. Valid until 1 Jan 2022.
IceBar Melbourne
Australia's only ice bar, keeping things a fun and frosty -10°C here in Melbourne all year round! WARNING... Ice cold drinks and the coolest vibes inside! We will rug you up in gloves, Ugg boots and a snow cape or faux fur coat before sending you inside for your arctic experience. It's the perfect place to cosy up with a date, party with friends or chill with the family! Head to icebarmelbourne.com and hit the 'book now' button if you don't want to miss out! Special off er: 10% off Deluxe Entry. Includes snow gear, cocktail and a shot. Use code deluxe10. Online bookings essential The Atrium, Federation Square, Melbourne t 1300 ICEBAR w icebarmelbourne.com Find us on:
*T&C: Valid for adult and child tickets only. Cannot be redeemed with any other off er.
Spirit of Melbourne Cruising Restaurants
Enjoy one of our relaxing three-hour Yarra River dinner cruises when you book a place on our cruising restaurant. Cruise includes: + Entrée tasting platter + Main course (one selection per guest) + Dessert platter + Cheese tasting platter + Tea, coff ee and chocolates + Premium selection of Victorian red, white and sparkling wines, beers and spirits + Port or liqueur Adult: $145 | Child (14–17): $95 | Child (2–13): $60 Special off er: 10% off booking. Use code SOM10 Operating hours: Thu, Fri, Sat: 7.30pm to 10.30pm Offi ce and booking hours: Daily, 9am to 5pm Southbank Lower Promenade Berth 1 t 03 8610 2600 w melbcruises.com.au
Tokyo Tina - Chapel Street Mark Lobo Rentabike
On Your Bike
Take to two wheels for a day of exploring.
10am Head to Rentabike at Federation Square to sort yourself out with some wheels. 10.30am Take off over Princes Bridge then follow the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens. 11am Stop for a break at the Shrine of Remembrance and explore the surrounding gardens. 12pm Turn left at Domain Road. You’ll soon find the Domain Road Village, so stop for lunch of pizza, pasta or salad at Gilson. 2pm You’ll soon come to Chapel Street, where you can turn left over the Yarra River again and follow the trails back towards the city, passing the Sports Precinct on the way. +rentabike.net.au +shrine.org.au +gilsonrestaurant.com.au
Port Phillip Ferries
Escape the city and cruise to the coastal towns of Portarlington or Geelong. Enjoy wineries, seafood and the charm of the Bellarine Peninsula, or the vibrant city and attractive waterfront of Geelong. On-board licensed café, 400 seats and wildlife spotting on the bay. Tram: Route 35, 70 or 75 to stop D3 Train: To Southern Cross Station Cruising daily: 7 days a week. 7am to 7pm. 365 days a year. 131 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands t 03 9514 8959 w portphillipferries.com.au Find us on:
AC/DC Lane
Arts & Culture
Rediscover Melbourne’s creative side. Step out or stay in, but whatever you do make sure you take advantage of the vibrant arts scene.
Find inspiration down laneways, at major artistic institutions and on your computer at home. Reawaken your senses by delving into the many styles of art and culture to be found in Melbourne. After being confined for many, taking the time to enjoy cutting-edge contemporary practices and the classics will revitalise your mind and soul.
Discover laneways
We get it… You know Melbourne is famous for street art, and you’ve no doubt taken visiting friends and family to Hosier Lane to snap a pic for their Instagram. But let your feet do the walking and get reacquainted with the city while checking out cool niches. For a taste of Melbourne rock history, check out Amphlett Lane, a homage to the Divinyl’s lead singer Chrissy Amphlett. You’ll need to turn down a number of unlikely thoroughfares in Chinatown before finding Market Lane. Take in the latest street art then duck in to Hu Tong for delicious dumplings. +hutong.com.au
Hu Tong Josie Withers
ACMI
Culture On Screen
Are you gagging to get your artistic fix after months in lockdown? Thank goodness Melbourne’s cultural institutions are still bringing us the good stuff.While ACMI is getting ready to show off its renewed offerings, there are virtual screenings, Q&As with screen practitioners and workshops at its website. Hear some of Australia’s greatest speeches at Melbourne Theatre Company’s Audio Lab. To move the focus away from the words of white men, associate director Petra Kalive has also gathered literature, poems and works by women and First Nations people to record for the series. Check out the podcasts, comedy sets, virtual tours of NGV Australia and more at Virtual Square, Fed Square’s online offering. +acmi.net.au +mtc.com.au +fedsquare.com
The Blender Institute
Make It Yourself
If, having viewed some of the city's famed street art, you feel inspired, join a freehand workshop at The Blender Institute. During the 2.5-hour class, you’ll get tips and tricks from an artist, practise your spray-painting technique then design and paint your own masterpiece on MDF so you can take it home. Blender has a whole range of classes for beginners, including how to create a wallet from recycled plastic bags.
There’s a range of artistic sessions to join at Work-Shop. Learn how to make a silver ring, bake sourdough, create botanical illustrations, or weave a wall hanging. The short classes – most only last a few hours – blend practicality and creativity and suit all kinds of interests. +theblenderinstitute.com +work-shop.com.au
Melbourne Street Art Tours
Art On the Streets
Melbourne has been famous for street art for more than a decade now, with international artists and others from across the country adding to the everchanging murals on city walls. You can certainly take yourself to places like Rankins Lane and Duckboard Place to see what’s new, but if you want to learn more about the art’s history and the characters involved in the city’s scene, join a tour. Join an actual street artist for Melbourne Street Art Tours. The three-hour walk takes you to some of the best street art spots and finishes at The Blender Studios where you’ll meet some of the artists who work there. +melbournestreettours.com
view the video
Artists in Focus
Not Quite Real
Patricia Piccinini, Sanctuary
Patricia Piccinini, Graham
Top: Patricia Piccinini, Sanctuary 2018, Silicone, fibreglass, hair, 147 x 61 x 67 cm Images courtesy the artist and Tolarno Galleries.
Above: Patricia Piccinini, Graham 2016. Image courtesy TAC.
The provocative beings created by artist Patricia Piccinini explore the full realm of human relationships.
The first time many people became aware of Patricia Piccinini’s work was when Graham toured Victorian art galleries in 2016. Graham, created in collaboration with the Transport Accident Commission, represents the distorted anatomy a person would need to survive a high-impact car accident.
Graham is just one piece in Piccinini’s vast output that dates back to the 1990s when she graduated from the Victorian College of Arts. Among her most famous works are the hot-air balloon sculpture Skywhale and her creations blending human and animal forms that cause curiosity and discomfort in many viewers.
“I actively cultivate that,” she has said. “I make these works both attractive and alluring but also grotesque and disconcerting. I want to pull you in, to create a sense of empathy for these vulnerable creatures. But I also want to push you away – to make you feel like they’re unattractive and so not human.”
She and her team work from a Collingwood studio fabricating these hybrid works using silicone and human hair. And, while her works are seen all over the world – she currently has an exhibition in Austria – the NGV, Bendigo Art Gallery and TarraWarra Museum of Art all have Piccinini pieces in their collections. +patriciapiccinini.net
Nicholas Jones
Melbourne-based book sculptor Nicholas Jones creates pieces using paper to question the written word. Deriving inspiration from all over Melbourne, including buildings, people, nature and trams clattering past, Jones came to work with books after studying sculpture at the Victoria College of Arts and needing inspiration. He did what so many artists do and
Nicholas Jones Dave Carswell Nicholas Jones, Australia 1780 Annotated Vaugondy started making work about things that he loved; for him this was books. You can see Jones’ most recent piece at the Melbourne Visitor Information Centre at the Town Hall. Using thousands of autumn editions of the Official Melbourne and Victoria Guide, the installation is inspired by wasp nests and the idea of a truck filled with tourist magazines crashing through the side of the Town Hall spilling thousands of magazines across the floor. +bibliopath.org +melbourne.vic.gov.au/
arts-and-culture
Rone Returns
Melbourne street artist Tyronne Wright, also known as Rone, is set to move his exhibition at the Geelong Gallery to February 2021.
RONE Peter Tarasiuk
installations, Rone will transform the gallery rooms in response to the architecture and history of the building, and the gallery’s collection. He will also be showcasing his career pieces to date, from early stencil Known for his large-scale immersive
works and street art to photographs documenting major installations that have transformed abandoned spaces. +r-o-n-e.com +geelonggallery.org.au
Charcoal Lane Artra Sartracom
Eat & Drink
You’ve no doubt had enough of cooking for yourself, so get back to supporting our local hospitality industry. Brunch, drinks or dinner? Why not all of them?
They’ve been doing it tough since the beginning of the year, so now is the time to return to old favourites and search out recently opened restaurants and bars. Grab a book or your best friend and hit a contemporary cafe to start the day – espresso and smashed avo on toast have never tasted so good. Catch up with friends – in a responsible and socially distant way, of course – at rooftop bars, or celebrate the birthday you had in iso with a special meal and night on the town.
Something Different
“Most diners are usually quite sceptical about it at first,” says chef Khanh Nguyen of his Vegemite curry. It’s a dish he offers in limited amounts each night at contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant, Sunda. If it’s all gone when you arrive don’t worry – Nguyen focuses on lesser-known regional ingredients and native Australian produce throughout this menu. Native ingredients – wattleseed, finger lime, muntrie berries, even crocodile – are also at the forefront of Charcoal Lane’s offering. This restaurant is a social enterprise, offering training and jobs to young Aboriginal people. Check out the updated take on Indian cuisine at Daughter In Law. Tuck into duck paratha, naan pizzas and cocktails infused with tandoorcooked pineapple. +sunda.com.au +charcoallane.com.au +daughterinlaw.com.au
view the video
Fresh is Best
Whether you’re gathering breakfast supplies or packing a picnic basket, your first stop for produce should be Queen Victoria Market. You’ll find the best cheese, fruit, fresh bread, olives, ready-to-eat treats – the borek is excellent – and more, all under one roof. In the heart of the city, head down the stairs to find the David Jones Food Hall. Sit up at the bar for oysters or espresso, then load up on fresh sandwiches, luscious fruits, pastries and more. It’s not as big as the other two places, but Spring Street Grocer does a good range of gourmet items, and the cheese cellar features some of the best farmhouse offerings from Australia and further afield. +qvm.com.au +davidjones.com +springstreetgrocer.com.au Sunda
Cocktail Hour
Half of the space re-creates capitalist opulence and the other brings communist austerity to Melbourne. Berlin Bar is a city stayer – it opened in 2009 – thanks to its unique surrounds and excellent cocktail list. Bring together beer and whisky and you’ve got a boilermaker. At Boilermaker House, they take it up a notch, with more 900 whiskies from around the world and a rotating roster of craft beers on tap. Bring a touch of tropical paradise to your night out at The Luwow. Decked out like Honolulu in the 1950s, with a soundtrack to match, this bar refines and redefines classic tiki cocktails. +facebook.com/
berlinbarmelbourne
+boilermakerhouse.com.au +theluwow.com Boilermaker House
In the Mix Midweek
Its carpark surrounds may be unorthodox, but the Thai noodle soups served up at Soi 38 are the real deal. This is one tasty – and quick – lunch. Spice it up with Dainty Sichuan’s hotpots and stews all flavoured with chilli, vinegar and peppercorns. The good thing about Butchers Diner is it doesn’t close till 2am, so even after a late movie you can drop by for excellent cheeseburgers, tasty Japanese fried chicken or, on Thursdays, the handmade sausage of the week. +soi38.com +daintysichuanfood.com.au
+butchersdiner.com Butchers Diner
Best Bar None
Andrew McConnell Samara Clifford
Sharyn Cairns
Restaurateur Andrew McConnell’s new venture takes its cues from the grand venues of Europe and the US.
Now that it’s here it’s hard to believe a restaurateur hadn’t thought of it already. “The space reminds me of historic big-city restaurants in London or New York, the sort we don’t really have here,” says Andrew McConnell of the recently opened Gimlet.
“I’ve always opened restaurants that are accompanied by a small bar offering,” he continues. “Gimlet is, first and foremost, a cocktail bar that houses a dining room. I have always loved the spontaneity of dropping into a grand hotel and sitting up at Gimlet Sharyn Cairns the bar to enjoy a simple dish and a well-made martini. It’s one of life’s great pleasures.”
Gimlet is situated on Russell Street at Cavendish House, a 1920s Art Deco building McConnell first saw about 15 years ago and given a clubby makeover by design house Acme. “The central columns moor, not just the space, but the entire building,” he says. “They command the room and tell you exactly what it needs: an excellent bar.”
Guests can enjoy oysters and cocktails at that bar, pop in for lunch or take their time on the elevated dining level. Plus, brunch is served on the weekend. +gimlet.melbourne
High-end cocktail bars aren’t traditionally found in food courts, but there’s nothing traditional about BYRDI. Opened late last year by cocktail gurus Luke Whearty and Aki Nishikura – the team behind Singapore’s Operation Dagger, which appeared on The World’s 50 Best Bars list – it serves up cocktails built with care and precision. Order the Lilly Pilly, made with 30-day fermented apple, riberry and jasmine, or perhaps the Paperbark Martini, which features vodka, olive oil, olaroso, passionfruit vinegar and smoked paperbark.
Melbourne’s Mix Masters
BYRDI
BYRDI +byrdi.com.au
Peaches
Located above American barbecue restaurant Cheek on Swanston Street, Peaches is a blush-pink dream spread over three levels, including the rooftop. It’s the fourth venture from Adam Goldblatt and brothers Tom and Sam Peasnell, who lit up Preston previously with Dexter and Takeaway Pizza. This city spot is awash with candy-coloured booths, gold trimming and lush greenery, while the rooftop offers a central bar and outdoor lounges with city views. Nick & Nora’s
+peaches.melbourne
Peaches
Nick & Nora’s
Ready to step back in time? Inspired by the 1930s, Nick & Nora’s offers vintage glamour, cocktails and champagne (sometimes a mix of both), and classic canapés. It’s certainly got more than a touch of class, and you might want to glam up to complement the elegant surrounds of an expansive marble bar, velvet drapes and Art Decoinspired lighting and wallpaper. Oh, and plenty of nooks for getting cosy. +nickandnoras.com.au
