Max your summer in Melbourne

Get ready to dive into the hottest season of the year at Le Splash – the swanky pool bar at Le Méridien Melbourne. Formerly only open to the five-star hotel's guests, Le Splash will welcome the public onto its stunning rooftop for the first time ever this summer.  Le Méridien's signature Au Soleil program is all about cool Euro summer vibes – think vibrant Mediterannean-inspired cocktails, live DJs and stunning 360-degree views of the prettiest corner of the CBD. Yep, we can't think of a sweeter spot to soak up the rays. And if the temps are too hot during the day? Luxuriate in the frosty delights of a Whispering Angel rosé sorbet or the exclusive Limoncello Drop from the comfort of your very own sun lounger by the pool. Maybe you'd also like to graze from the bar's sophisticated food menu (lobster rolls or pommes frites, anyone?), or head downstairs post-swim to elegant subterannean restaurant Dolly for a swish dinner. There'll also be poolside games like backgammon and a calendar of special curated experiences to make the most out of your summer in style. And don't forget a scoop of the hotel's famous gelato for dessert – after another year around the sun, you deserve it. The summer splash pass is available from Monday to Thursday all summer long. Each pass entitles you to pool access from 10am to 2pm (so that's four hours of sweet sun and swim time) and it's $70 per person – inclusive of a complimentary drink. And that aforementioned gelato? That's included in the...

Ever wanted to participate in a séance? You can now do so in this performance which takes place in total darkness. Sounds spooky, right? You'll need to proceed with an open mind... Séance is a 20-minute sonic experience where your senses become vulnerable to persuasion. It explores the psychology of a group of people who have been bombarded with suggestible material, and asks that they believe in what might be conjured up into the room with them. Suddenly, the line between what is real and what is imagined becomes blurred. Séance will run for a three-month season at the Art Centre Melbourne forecourt until February 23. Tickets are on sale now via the website. This review was originally written in 2022, when Flight was last in Melbourne – please be aware that some elements may have changed. "It's only 20 minutes," I think to myself. "How scary could it get for 20 minutes?"  I'm sitting in a pitch-black shipping container with my hands on a table in front of me and noise-cancelling headphones over my ears. The headphones are the only sensory input I have – for now, at least. And what they're telling me is pretty damn scary. Séance is an immersive sound experience created by Brits Glen Neath and David Rosenberg, in collaboration with Melbourne team Realscape Productions. It relies on psychology and our inclination towards superstition to alter guests’ perception of reality, all while never leaving the shipping container.  But boy howdy, it sure feels like you are in a real...

Here's a guaranteed way to not cure your fear of flying: step inside a plane cabin recreated inside a 40-foot shipping container, don a pair of high quality binaural headphones and plunge headfirst into complete darkness. Flight – an immersive and truly terrifying Darkfield experience – returns to Melbourne by popular demand after a successful run in 2022. It takes you on a turbulance-filled journey through two worlds, two realities and two outcomes. Just know that there are many ways in which the plane lands safely – but will that be your final destination? Flight will run for a three-month season at the Art Centre Melbourne forecourt until February 23. Tickets are on sale now via the website. This review was originally written in 2022, when Flight was last in Melbourne – please be aware that some elements may have changed. You know the drill: check your boarding pass, find your assigned seat, stow your baggage in the overhead bin and fasten your seatbelt. Make sure your tray table is in the upright position, and make sure your window blind is open for take-off. On a monitor in front of you, a flight attendant in a blue uniform details the safety features of this aircraft. She explains that you should take a minute to find your nearest exit, bearing in mind it might be behind you. As she adjusts her pink scarf, she... wait a minute, wasn't her uniform blue? The screen flickers and she's back to blue, and you wonder if you imagined the pink. And then the lights go out. ...

When it comes to ice cream, are you a classic chocolate-and-vanilla type of person, or are you game for more experimental flavours? (Hello, goat's cheese and basil pie – yes, really!) Whatever you fancy, the annual Ice Cream Festival has something tasty for you.  The famous Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, along with its sister venues on the Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula, are hosting the annual scoop-a-thon from February 12-23. And in news that is sure to have you salivating, 12 new flavours will be dropping every day – so you're gonna want to go back for seconds (and maybe even thirds). The line-up of flavours is set to include Limoncello Spritz, Nutella custard doughnut, salted caramel s'mores, chocoloate crackle, blueberry and an exclusive Wicked-inspired concoction. Yum! There will also be dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free and vegan options available, so no one misses out on the fun. And that's not all... true ice cream aficionados can partake in a 45-minute tasting session, during which you'll sample 12 one-off flavours. Bookings for these workshops are essential, and cost $28. Plus, if you enter the Guess the Flavour competition, you'll be in the running to win a year's supply of ice cream – yes please! Entry to the festival is free, with ice creams starting from $6.20 for a single scoop in a cup or cone. For more information, head to the website. Craving more icy treats? These are the best ice cream and gelato shops in Melbourne.

Werribee Open Range Zoo is bringing back its Sunset Safari for a seventh season, inviting visitors to embark on an immersive safari adventure at dusk when the animals tend to be at their most active.  Every Saturday until February 22, visitors can hop on a bus at the zoo and watch as the summer sun sets and illuminates the open range. You'll get to witness majestic animals like zebras, ostriches, giraffes and lions as they roam the savannah, and learn from zoo guides about efforts to protect them from endangerment and extinction. And for the first time ever you'll be able to spot a precious southern white rhino calf, with baby Jabulani joining the herd of adult rhinos. “Sunset Safari comes around just once a year and it’s getting better and better,” says Dr Mark Pilgrim, the Werribee Open Range Zoo director. “It’s a truly unforgettable experience and such a wonderful opportunity to see these iconic animals up close during Melbourne’sdazzling summer evenings.” In addition to the after-hours safari tour, you can also explore the walking trails (among meerkats, monkeys and wild dogs) at dusk and catch live performances of drums, song and dance. Food and beverage options include an African-inspired barbecue, à la carte dining and cocktails at Hippo Beach (these are all sold separately). The Sunset Safari experience runs from 5.30pm to 9pm on Saturday nights, and costs $62 for adults and $32 for children. Head to the Zoos Victoria website to purchase your tickets.  Looking for...

Flowers can brighten up any day, but what can make it even brighter is the simple pleasure of getting to pick them yourself. Beloved community garden CERES is spreading this blooming joy throughout the warmer months, welcoming visitors every weekend to come and harvest a fresh bunch.  On Friday and Saturday mornings from 9.30am, head to the Coburg site for the Festival of Flowers, where you can pick your own blooms at Joe's Market Garden. There are blossoming sunflowers, zinnias and cosmos to choose from, and you'll be able to build a beautiful bouquet with up to ten individual stems. Sessions are $30 and while walk-ins are welcome, bookings are recommended. You can book a spot here.  Plus, there'll also be special floral events held on some Saturdays, including workshops on how to put together the perfect bouquet, flower vase arranging with floral experts and even eco-dyeing tote bag classes for kids. Book your place in an upcoming workshop here.  And because nothing says romance quite like a beautiful bouquet, CERES is also hosting some romantic floral-themed events. Weed Dating is back, with a session running on February 1. On Valentine's Day, there'll be a special evening flower picking session, as well as drinks, wood-fired pizzas and DJs creating a swoon-worthy vibe.  The Festival of Flowers will run until the end of April, with U-pick flower sessions happening every weekend. Find out more on the CERES website.  Are you a floral fanatic? Here's a guide on where to...

Whack on something dazzling and dust off your dancing shoes as the much-loved NGV Friday Nights returns this summer. The popular event returns for 18 weeks during the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International.  This world-premiere exhibition features more than 180 works, including an NGV-specific piece transforming the iconic Waterwall and an installation of giant balloons in the Great Hall called 'Dots Obsession'. The blockbuster showing has taken over the entire ground floor of the gallery, filling it with works from the artist best known for her unique use of dots. From December 20 until April 18, you can take an after-hours journey through immersive installations, including Kusama’s beloved infinity rooms. Grab a tipple from one of the multiple bars (including the Moët and Chandon Champagne Bar and the Four Pillars Gin Bar), or enjoy a set menu at the NGV Garden Restaurant from acclaimed Aussie chef Martin Benn. If a snack is more your vibe, head to the Great Hall or Gallery Kitchen for a Japanese-inspired menu. The trendy tunes are another key drawcard of NGV Friday nights, with DJs performing in the Great Hall every night. These musicians have been chosen to compliment the energy of Kusama’s work with upbeat J-pop and electro rhythms. The stacked line-up includes Small Fry, Jnett, Aqueerius, Rainbow Chan and takeovers from both Midsumma and Asia TOPA.  NGV Friday Nights runs from December 20 until April 18. For further information and to book tickets visit the NGV...

Ever wanted to participate in a séance? You can now do so in this performance which takes place in total darkness. Sounds spooky, right? You'll need to proceed with an open mind... Séance is a 20-minute sonic experience where your senses become vulnerable to persuasion. It explores the psychology of a group of people who have been bombarded with suggestible material, and asks that they believe in what might be conjured up into the room with them. Suddenly, the line between what is real and what is imagined becomes blurred. Séance will run for a three-month season at the Art Centre Melbourne forecourt until February 23. Tickets are on sale now via the website. This review was originally written in 2022, when Flight was last in Melbourne – please be aware that some elements may have changed. "It's only 20 minutes," I think to myself. "How scary could it get for 20 minutes?"  I'm sitting in a pitch-black shipping container with my hands on a table in front of me and noise-cancelling headphones over my ears. The headphones are the only sensory input I have – for now, at least. And what they're telling me is pretty damn scary. Séance is an immersive sound experience created by Brits Glen Neath and David Rosenberg, in collaboration with Melbourne team Realscape Productions. It relies on psychology and our inclination towards superstition to alter guests’ perception of reality, all while never leaving the shipping container.  But boy howdy, it sure feels like you are in a real...

Here's a guaranteed way to not cure your fear of flying: step inside a plane cabin recreated inside a 40-foot shipping container, don a pair of high quality binaural headphones and plunge headfirst into complete darkness. Flight – an immersive and truly terrifying Darkfield experience – returns to Melbourne by popular demand after a successful run in 2022. It takes you on a turbulance-filled journey through two worlds, two realities and two outcomes. Just know that there are many ways in which the plane lands safely – but will that be your final destination? Flight will run for a three-month season at the Art Centre Melbourne forecourt until February 23. Tickets are on sale now via the website. This review was originally written in 2022, when Flight was last in Melbourne – please be aware that some elements may have changed. You know the drill: check your boarding pass, find your assigned seat, stow your baggage in the overhead bin and fasten your seatbelt. Make sure your tray table is in the upright position, and make sure your window blind is open for take-off. On a monitor in front of you, a flight attendant in a blue uniform details the safety features of this aircraft. She explains that you should take a minute to find your nearest exit, bearing in mind it might be behind you. As she adjusts her pink scarf, she... wait a minute, wasn't her uniform blue? The screen flickers and she's back to blue, and you wonder if you imagined the pink. And then the lights go out. ...

When the sun's shining, all you really need are a few ingredients for the perfect summer party: good food, beer and music. The Suburban, an independently owned pub in Ringwood, totally got the memo – which is why it's collaborated with the good folks at Mountain Culture Beer Co to host a super cool pop-up – 'the Backyard' – until the end of February.  Every Wednesday to Sunday from noon until late, Ringwood's Civic Lane will be home to 10 taps of Mountain Culture's best-loved craft beers, DJs and live musicians, and heritage-listed street art. Brimming with cool warehouse vibes, the Backyard is set to be the number one hang-out spot for Ringwood locals and those sensing the pop-up's bright aura from further afar. Street foods on offer include classic burgers (we're drooling over the smash patty and the KBBQ chicken options), hearty rice bowls (pick tofu, salmon or beef), sea salt-dusted hot chips, ice cream and more.  Love an ice-cold pint or two? Mountain Culture Beer Co has won the GABS Hottest 100 for the past two years in a row, so you can bet a frothy one here will hit the spot. “To partner with Mountain Culture, one of the best breweries in Australia, showcasing 10 taps of their incredible beers is very exciting for us at the Suburban," says Andy Croucher, the pub's director. "This worldclass street art has been largely unseen. Written on one of the walls is: ‘Stories have to be told, or they will fade away,’ and I think that says it all. There are stories in this...

One thing we love about Melbourne summer is that there is fun to be had no matter where you live. You can celebrate the warm weather locally, or you could venture out to a new place you’ve never been before. One place to definitely check out – whether you're a local or not – is Bunjil Place in Narre Warren. All summer long, there will be activities aplenty for families, kids and lovers of all things arts and culture.  Country music lovers rejoice! Making its debut at Summer Stage is Citybound, Melbourne’s only country music festival, headlined by the sensational Taylor Moss. Or if country tunes are not quite your thing, Kozy Fest, curated by Squid the Kid, will feature a line-up of fresh new voices set to shake up the scene. For something a little bit different, we recommend Beats Bingo (plus DJ Yay), where instead of numbers they play snippets of your favourite tunes. Alongside the epic playlist, you'll enjoy sing-along acoustic covers, mini games and theatrical performances that will get everyone up and dancing. For the girls, gays and theys, there is Glitter Groove – the biggest queer party in the South East. After a smashing debut at the Midsumma Festival 2024, Glitter Groove is back for Midsumma 2025 and will be sparklier than ever. Then for some laughs, there’s Dolly Diamond’s Rather Large Variety Night with special guest drag queens Iva Rosebud, Jens Radda and draglesque performer Azcadelia.  For a wine tasting with a side of belly laughs, you can’t look past In...

Whether you’re yet to grace restaurateur Chris Lucas’ opulent Society with a visit or you’re a die-hard dinnertime loyalist, it’s well worth a look in for a weekend lunch. From Friday to Sunday in the afternoons, the swish restaurant is hosting the Society Social, an extravagant multi-course affair featuring a generous array of savoury dishes and a roving dessert trolley to dazzle you at the end.  The offering was inspired by Lucas’ recent adventures in Paris and New York, cities where palatial dining rooms reign supreme and lunch is a social occasion in and of itself. Expect a fine dining experience but with a casual, unstuffy air and minus the enormous price tag (it costs just $77 per person for your choice of two courses or $99 if you opt for a third). You’ll start with artisanal housemade bread and butter and a rainbow of market-fresh crudité hand-picked daily from local farms. Opt for a crisp disc of radish dunked into taramasalata or a tree-like cauliflower bud smothered with smoked eggplant or crème fraiche. Repeat and relish the lavish assortment of textures and flavours before easing into your meal with one of Society’s signature drinks – or a bottle of Champers to make it a long and lazy one.  If you’ve got your eye on another varietal, just ask for the beverage director Loic Avril and his team of sommeliers, one of which will assist you in selecting the perfect drop from the impressive 10,000-bottle cellar. A selection of Society’s cult favourite snacks follow,...