Fringe Focus Taiwan 2025 is set to electrify Melbourne this October with daring, boundary-pushing works that span the full cycle of life, from babies discovering their first movements to older adults reclaiming the stage through dance. Now in its sixth year, the program has become a cornerstone of Melbourne Fringe’s Curated Program, and this year’s edition (30 September – 19 October) promises bold encounters that embody the festival theme Action Heroes. Three extraordinary works headline the season, each spotlighting voices and bodies often overlooked in mainstream performance. Free Steps – Swinging Years by Su Wei-Chia and acclaimed Taiwanese company HORSE…
Author: Melbourning
Trentham has officially been named the Top Tiny Tourism Town at the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards, triumphing over stiff competition from Robe (SA), Kalbarri (WA), Huskisson (NSW), Stanley (Tas), and the Town of 1770 (Qld). This national recognition comes just months after Trentham was awarded the 2025 Victoria Top Tourism Town in the Tiny Tourism Town category. Taking out the Gold Award, Trentham edged out Huskisson, which claimed Silver, and the Town of 1770, awarded Bronze. Mayor Cr Don Henderson said the accolade was a significant achievement for the town and surrounding region. “We are incredibly proud and excited…
Mau P is finally coming to Australia. The Dutch DJ and producer behind global club anthem “Drugs From Amsterdam” has announced his highly anticipated debut down under, bringing his high-octane live show to Sydney’s Roundhouse on Friday 27 March 2026 and Melbourne’s Timber Yard on Saturday 28 March 2026. Mau P, born Maurits Westveen, has been on a meteoric rise since “Drugs From Amsterdam” erupted onto the global stage in 2022, clocking nearly 200 million streams and holding down Beatport’s Top 10 for over a month. Since then, he’s delivered a string of club-shaking singles including “Gimme That Bounce”, “Your…
After nine years without new music, The Temper Trap are back, and fans won’t want to miss it. The band has announced an exclusive East Coast Australian tour this October, marking a triumphant return for the globally acclaimed indie-rock band. They’ll perform three intimate shows: Brisbane’s The Princess Theatre on Friday 24 October, Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre on Saturday 25 October, and Sydney’s Liberty Hall on Sunday 26 October. The band’s new single, ‘Lucky Dimes’, showcases a bolder, heavier edge while staying true to their signature sound. Frontman Dougy Mandagi’s distinctive vocals cut through scuzzy guitars and thumping drumbeats, making the…
“Melbourne. 1907. Horseless carriage around the corner. Modern man don’t like this automobile… Pray to God to KILL ALL MOTOR-CARS.” This lament of a Brunswick Hansom cab driver forms the unsettling, humorous, and surprisingly prescient foundation of HORSEPLAY, a new one-man show at the that grapples with technological redundancy, grief, and the anxieties of a rapidly changing world. Written and performed by Naarm-based actor Jono Lawrence and directed by Caitlin Mathieson, HORSEPLAY transports audiences between two worlds. The early 1900s set explores a cab driver’s existential dread as the motor car threatens his livelihood, his horse, and his sense of…
More than 65,000 hectares of new national parks are going to be created in the central west of Victoria following the introduction of the Parks and Lands Public Bill into state parliament today. The move marks one of the most significant expansions of public land in recent years, giving Victorians more spaces to explore, relax, and connect with nature. The legislation will deliver the Mount Buangor, Pyrenees, and Wombat-Lerderderg national parks, alongside the Cobaw and Hepburn conservation parks. Bendigo Regional Park will also see an expansion, while the Mirboo North Immediate Protection Area will gain permanent protection as a new…
Lime is rolling out new designated parking bays across the City of Port Phillip and marking the moment with a community giveaway designed to teach riders how to “park like a pro.” The Ride & Refuel: Park Like a Pro event kicks off on Thursday 18 September at 88 Acland Street, St Kilda. From 7:30am to 10:30am, riders who finish their trip in a designated bay and upload their end-of-trip photo correctly can swing by for a complimentary smoothie, matcha latte or green juice. Free rides will also be on offer through Lime’s First Ride Academy, giving new users a…
Irish pop phenomenon CMAT is set to return to Australia in January 2026 with her EURO-COUNTRY tour, playing shows in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. She’ll be playing at The Forum in Melbourne on 27 January 2026. The announcement follows a sold-out UK and Ireland run and a breakthrough Glastonbury performance that cemented her as one of the most exciting live acts in Europe. On stage with her Very Sexy CMAT Band, the Dublin-born songwriter is known for her unique blend of sparkling country-pop, sharp humour and emotional depth. Her latest album, EURO-COUNTRY, recorded in New York with long-time collaborator…
The state government has dropped draft maps for 25 so-called “activity centres” where new homes will be built, stretching from bayside to the burbs, with a simple pitch – stack more homes where the transport already is. By 2051, the plan is to squeeze in more than 300,000 extra homes. The first wave zones includes: Carnegie, Oakleigh and Tottenham on the new Metro Tunnel; Hawthorn, Glenferrie and Auburn on the Belgrave/Lilydale line; bayside stops from North Brighton through to Sandringham; and Brunswick and Coburg, backed by the 19 tram and a soon-to-be beefed-up Upfield line. Heidelberg’s in, too, thanks to…
Australia’s most reliable beer-powered export, Cosmic Psychos, are back with album number twelve, I Really Like Beer, dropping Friday, November 7. True to form, they’re not sitting around waiting for a fuss – the tour kicks off the very same day. No easing in, no polite lead-up. Straight into it. The record was hammered out on tape with Paul Maybury at Secret Location Studios, slotted in between Knighty’s vineyard graft and CFA callouts. The result? Exactly what you’d hope for from the Psychos: raw, loud, stupid in the best way, with the odd pearl of wisdom smuggled beneath the distortion. The…
Geelong’s creative heart will be transformed into a playground of art, music, and performance for one unforgettable day and night this October. On Saturday 11 October, ROAM Geelong will bring hundreds of artists into the streets from 4pm to 10pm, offering a multi-sensory journey through storytelling, sound and spectacle. Presented by the City of Greater Geelong and supported by Visit Victoria’s Regional Events Fund, the inaugural event will showcase a mix of internationally acclaimed artists and homegrown talent – with more than 60 percent of participants from Greater Geelong itself. The program is as diverse as it is ambitious. Johnstone Park will host Tomorrow…
Enchanting intergalactic illumination will light up Arts Centre Melbourne this summer as Patch Theatre’s award-winning immersive show ZOOOM tours to Melbourne for the very first time. Combining state-of-the-art technology with old-school whimsy, the performance for young people aged 4–8 will play at the Fairfax Studio from 6 – 11 January 2026. In ZOOOM, a child who cannot sleep journeys across the universe to help a lost star find its way home. With original music, lasers and projections, the Ruby and Independent Arts Foundation Award-winning production takes audiences on a transformational adventure with light — revealing the dark as a magical place. Inspired by Crockett…