RISING, Melbourne’s premier festival of music, art and performance, has unveiled its full 2026 program, with more than 100 events set to take over the city from 27 May to 8 June. The winter festival will transform theatres, town halls, railway ballrooms, civic squares and galleries across Naarm/Melbourne into shared spaces for large scale performances, installations and live music. Organisers say the program will bring together artists and audiences from Australia and around the world as the city heads into the colder months. In total, the 2026 program features 376 artists and includes seven world premieres and 11 Australian premieres.…
Author: Melbourning
Melbourne families will soon be able to step into a world of fairy tales and adventure when Disney On Ice returns with its latest production, Magic in the Stars at Rod Laver Arena from 2-6 July 2026. The hugely popular figure skating spectacular will bring a cast of beloved Disney and Pixar characters to the ice, combining storytelling, elaborate costumes and high energy skating into a family friendly live show. Audiences can expect to join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their friends on a journey through some of Disney’s most iconic stories. The production blends classic tales with newer favourites,…
Acclaimed Australian singer songwriter Katie Noonan will return to Melbourne this winter, announcing a headline show at Melbourne Recital Centre as part of a national tour tied to the release of her upcoming album Alone But All One. The concert will take place on Saturday 1 August 2026 and forms the final stop on a tour that will see Noonan perform across the country following the release of her 30th studio album, which arrives on Friday 26 June. The new record explores themes of love, change and personal reinvention and marks Noonan’s first songwriting collaboration with acclaimed author Trent Dalton.…
Hot cross buns and lamingtons are getting a whisky soaked makeover this Easter thanks to a new collaboration between Speyside distillery Benriach and cult bakery Tokyo Lamington. The limited edition treats will be available from Tuesday 10 March until Monday 6 April, including at Tokyo Lamington’s Carlton store in Melbourne. Leading the collaboration is the Scotch Cross Bun, a twist on the traditional Easter staple. The bun is layered with fruit infused with Benriach’s The Original Ten single malt Scotch whisky and finished with a smooth Scotch glaze that adds a slightly richer edge to the familiar flavour. The second…
A new lineup of contemporary German language cinema will arrive in Melbourne this autumn as the 2026 HSBC German Film Festival returns to local screens from 6 May to 27 May. Presented by Palace and German Films, the annual festival will once again showcase a mix of powerful dramas, true stories, comedies and family friendly films at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas. The event remains Australia’s only dedicated celebration of German language cinema. Leading the program as the Festival Centrepiece is Amrum, the latest film from multi award winning director Fatih Akin. Set on the island of…
One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary art will take over NGV International this winter, with the gallery unveiling the first major Australian solo exhibition by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson. Opening on 26 June 2026 in Melbourne, Ragnar Kjartansson: Mercy will bring together eight new and recent video works that blend music, humour and theatrical spectacle. Drawing on influences from literature, cinema and pop music, Kjartansson’s work often balances comedy with melancholy while exploring themes such as love, masculinity and repetition. A centrepiece of the exhibition is The Visitors, a nine screen installation first created in 2012 that has…
Visitors to one of Australia’s most recognisable natural landmarks will soon have to pay to see it, with the Victorian Government announcing plans to introduce an entry fee for the Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road. The charge will be tied to a new visitor booking system and the opening of a major visitor centre expected to launch in late 2026. While the exact price has not yet been confirmed, it is expected to be set following consultation with local councils, tourism operators and traditional owners. The Twelve Apostles attract millions of visitors each year and the government says…
Families looking for a colourful escape will soon have a new reason to head out, with Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience set to open in Melbourne this April. The globally touring attraction will transform the Fever Exhibition and Experience Centre in Brunswick into a playful universe filled with light, colour and giant bubbles, inviting visitors to explore more than 10 imaginative rooms designed to spark curiosity and creativity. Already experienced by more than two million people worldwide, Bubble Planet has built a reputation for its whimsical mix of immersive projections, optical illusions and interactive installations. The experience has previously drawn…
Some of Port Phillip Bay’s most scenic beaches have also emerged as its cleanest, with Santa Casa, Portsea and Mt Martha Surf Life Saving Club topping the latest rankings for water quality over the summer season. New data from the EPA Beach Report has ranked bay beaches based on the number of Good, Fair and Poor water quality forecasts issued throughout summer 2025–2026. Black Rock, Half Moon Bay, Sandringham and Eastern Beach also featured among the top performers. At the other end of the list were Carrum, which ranked last at 36th, followed by Frankston Surf Life Saving Club, Frankston…
After winning over audiences and critics alike, the acclaimed comedy Heartbreak Hotel is returning to Melbourne for a strictly limited season at Arts Centre Melbourne this winter. The cathartic two hander will run at the Fairfax Studio from 14 July to 19 July 2026, giving local audiences another chance to experience the award winning production that blends humour, music and science to unpack the messy reality of heartbreak. Created by Aotearoa New Zealand theatre company EBKM and directed by Eleanor Bishop, the show follows a woman navigating the emotional fallout of a breakup. Written and performed by Karin McCracken alongside…
A new $30 million ferry terminal suspended above the waters of Port Phillip Bay has opened in Sorrento, marking the end of a decade long project by Searoad Ferries and delivering one of the most striking new pieces of coastal architecture in Victoria. The glass walled structure, built entirely on pylons stretching into the bay, officially opened today and is designed to serve as both a transport hub and a destination in its own right. The building effectively floats above the water, offering panoramic views across the bay while welcoming passengers travelling between Sorrento and Queenscliff. “This has been ten…