Autumn comes with fiery red, bright orange and deep claret foliage and roaring fires, but it also brings new openings and experiences throughout Victoria, Sue Wallace reports.
Art After Dark
Rug up as you wander around Melbourne’s cultural treasures for two art-filled nights (May 13-14, from 6pm to 1am), stepping from the dark into the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Federation Square, ACMI, the State Library of Victoria and Melbourne Museum. It’s Melbourne’s take on Europe’s Night of Museums and features limited-time-only experiences, both free and ticketed, that span live music, visual and performing arts, and food and drink. It includes rare screenings, immersive dome experiences, exhibitions and cultural events.
St Kilda Film Festival
Movie lovers are set to be spoilt at this festival from May 27 to June 5, with a variety of short films from comedies and documentaries to horror films and animation. The festival also features the winners of Australia’s Top Short Film Competition. It’s on at St Kilda’s iconic Astor Theatre.
Rising
Three years in the making, this new Melbourne festival is all about reawakening the city with music, art, ceremony and performance events. It runs from June 1-19, with free events and ticketed experiences as varied as a contemporary art exhibition in Chinatown and rooftop drinks to The Wilds exhibition in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl – think fluoro sculptures and an ice-skating rink. Book at the plant-filled glasshouse bistro The Lighthouse, helmed by acclaimed chef David Moyle of Longsong fame, for an elaborate fine-dining experience.
See: rising.melbourne
The Picasso Century
More than 70 of Pablo Picasso’s famous works will feature in this winter’s NGV blockbuster exhibition, ‘Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, The Picasso Century’, held from June 10 to October 9. There will also be more than 100 works by 50 of Picasso’s contemporaries, drawn from premier French national collections and the NGV Collection. The exhibition looks at his extraordinary career and dialogue with the many artists, poets and intellectuals he associated with, including Salvador Dali, Alberto Giacometti, Françoise Gilot, Valentine Hugo, Marie Laurencin, Dora Maar, André Masson and Henri Matisse. Thirteen sections trace the development of his striking work.
See: ngv.vic.gov.au
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Direct from Broadway, this brand-new production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened at the Princess Theatre this week and combines the Potter adventures in one dazzling afternoon or evening performance. Tickets are currently selling for dates up until October 2.
Hamilton
Get your fix of American history set to catchy hip hop tunes at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Hamilton showcases the rollercoaster life of US founding father, Alexander Hamilton. It’s fast paced with more than 20,520 words in total – a massive 144 words a minute. The blockbuster show features a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway and is a sell out every night. Tickets are currently selling for dates up until September 18.
Botswana Butchery Restaurant Melbourne
Set to open on May 24, this restaurant on the corner of Flinders Lane and Exhibition Street in the city features a menu with classic dishes for people who love their meat, fish and game with rich sauces and condiments. See: botswanabutchery.com.au
Grill Americano Melbourne
Inspired by Northern Italy’s renowned steakhouses, restaurateur Chris Lucas has opened his new restaurant in Flinders Lane. Think handmade pastas, specially procured beef including the rarest wagyu breeds, fresh seafood and classic Italian desserts. There’s also a 2000-bottle wine list and cocktails on offer.
See: grillamericano.com
Huberts Estate
Nestled in the scenic wine corner of the Yarra Valley, the redeveloped Hubert Estate and the St Hubert’s Cellar Door has been designed by architectural and interior design studio Cera Stribley. The Estate houses a modern Australian and Euro-inspired restaurant, Quarters, and a long-established art gallery immersed in Indigenous culture, the Hubert Gallery of Art. There’s also an event space with a backdrop of the Yarra Valley and a revamped Cellar Door, as well as a boutique wine store Notes. There are plans for a hotel and wellness centre down the track.
See: hubertestate.com.au
Four Pillars Gin’s Healesville
A new al fresco-style gin garden – Jude’s Gin Garden – function areas, a stunning crafted copper bar plus a dedicated Four Pillars Gin Shop all feature in this revamped centre. The redevelopment will enable the production of more than one million bottles of gin and accommodate up to 200,000 visitors annually. The old and new buildings are enclosed by a stunning copper ‘veil’ made from 1650 metres of raw copper tubing, giving Healesville a stunning new landmark. Signature gin masterclasses and gin maker sessions can be booked.
See: fourpillarsgin.com
Curlewis Clubhouse and Accommodation
The new $20 million Curlewis Clubhouse and Accommodation facility has opened its doors on The Bellarine.
Sleeping 126, the new complex is a welcome addition to the golf club and restaurant.
Sixty eco-suite constellations are nestled amid the landscape flanking one of the region’s best golf courses. The signature restaurant, Claribeaux, offers a menu reflecting a French influence, contemporary fusion and sustainable local produce.
See: curlewisgolf.com.au
All Saints Estate Rutherglen
Bonnie at All Saints Estate at Wahgunyah near Rutherglen, is the first stage of a multi-million dollar redevelopment by the Brown family.
It’s the latest addition to the Brown’s wine and food-focused family business that showcases the best of the Rutherglen region, including All Saints Estate, St Leonards Vineyard, Mount Ophir Estate, Thousand Pound Wine Bar and the yet to open Kin restaurant that’s replacing The Terrace. The casual eatery is all about shared plates and delicious woodfired pizzas showcasing great regional produce.
See: allsaintswine.com.au
Alba Thermal Springs and Spa
Mark your diary: from October, you can luxuriate in the warm thermal waters of this shiny new spa destination in Fingal, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, one hour from Melbourne. Located on a landscaped 15-hectare property, it offers 31 bathing pools including geothermal pools, cold plunge pools and herbal-infused botanical pools indoor and out, and spa service with restorative rituals, massage and facial therapies, hammam and Vichy experiences, body scrubs and wraps, manicures and pedicures. Melbourne chef and restaurateur Karen Martini will head Thyme restaurant featuring locally sourced, seasonal produce.
Glenbosch Wine Estate at Everton near Beechworth
New ecofriendly self-contained studio cottages with woodfired hot tubs and beautiful valley views are set in this picturesque winery. Owners Nika and Dirk Bester, originally from South Africa, now produce wine and gin available for tasting and sales at their cellar door and restaurant amid stunning rural vistas. The cottages are for couples, with family units planned next year.
See: glenbosch.com.au
Melbourne Staycations
There’s a host of new hotels that have recently opened, with many offering autumn/winter staycation packages. They include the Courtyard by Marriott Flagstaff Gardens, Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins, Voco Melbourne Central and AC Hotels by Marriott Melbourne Southbank. The Sofitel Melbourne on Collins has undergone a multimillion-dollar refurbishment.
