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…
Author: Melbourning
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…
Rock heavyweights Guns N’ Roses are heading back to Australia in 2026, bringing their stadium sized world tour to Melbourne with a huge show at Marvel Stadium on Friday 11 December 2026. The Melbourne concert forms part of a six date Australian run before the band heads to New Zealand, marking one of the biggest rock tours to land in the country next year. The tour kicks off on 29 November 2026 in Adelaide before rolling through Townsville, Brisbane and Newcastle, arriving in Melbourne for the Marvel Stadium date before continuing to Sydney on 14 December. Fans can expect the…
The ageing Red Stairs in Southbank could soon be transformed into a greener and more inviting public space, with the City of Melbourne unveiling draft concept designs for a major makeover of the well known Queensbridge Square landmark. The proposed upgrade would lower the existing structure, introduce new landscaping and improve safety around the site, which has become a prominent but increasingly tired feature of the busy riverside precinct. Often maligned by locals as an eyesore, the Red Stairs were originally installed in 2005 ahead of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The preliminary $1.7 million plan includes reducing the height of…
One of the world’s biggest electronic music festivals is gearing up for its Melbourne return, with ULTRA Australia unveiling the full lineup for its 2026 event at Flemington Racecourse. The festival’s seventh Australian edition will take over the iconic venue on Saturday 11 April 2026, bringing a heavyweight roster of international DJs and producers alongside a strong lineup of local talent. Leading the charge are global hitmakers The Chainsmokers, French electronic powerhouse DJ Snake and German producer Zedd. They will be joined by Dutch superstar Oliver Heldens, trance favourite MaRLo, hard dance icon Darren Styles, Ukrainian melodic techno artist Miss…
More than 90 new murals will appear across Frankston later this month as the Frankston Street Art Festival returns, once again turning the city’s laneways into one of Australia’s largest outdoor street art galleries. The ninth edition of the festival will run from 16 March to 22 March, bringing leading Australian and international artists together to create a wave of colour and creativity across the city. Among the works planned are nine large scale murals by feature artists including Buff Diss, Creature Creature, Father Marker, Juzpop and Melbourne artist Jack Rowland. One of the most intriguing additions this year will…