Things to do in Melbourne today

What do you get when you cross cheese with high tea? You get High Cheese – an indulgent cheese-centric experience returning to the Westin Melbourne for its third year. Taking over the hotel’s Allegro Restaurant from May 26 to October 17, this ever-popular event sees executive chef Apoorva Kunte joining forces with Richmond specialty cheese shop Supercheese, plus Punt Road Wines for a celebration of cheese and wine. High Cheese gives your traditional high tea a delicious spin with a three-tiered menu that shines the spotlight on cheese. Think sweet and savoury bites with expertly paired wines – all designed to showcase the versatility of great (or should we say, ‘grate’?) fromage. It’s a brie-lliant excuse to spend an afternoon grazing. Supercheese owner Jeremy Spradbery has selected cheeses for their quality, provenance and personality, drawing from niche local and international producers. Guests will move through a  progression of creations by chef Kunte, including a shared centrepiece and a final sweet offering, paired with a glass of Punt Road wine. “Supercheese has an incredible eye for producers with real character,” says Kunte. “For us, it’s about showcasing cheese in a way that feels elevated, unexpected and true to the ingredient.” To keep things fresh, the experience will evolve mid-season with a refreshed menu launching in August – which gives you a gouda reason to return. High Cheese at Allegro Restaurant is available every Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm onwards...

Get ready to ‘Turn Towards the Heat’ because that’s the theme for this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival. Returning from September 29 to October 18, it’s three weeks of audacious art, kooky performance and out-there experiences at venues across Melbourne and beyond.  Best of all, it gives independent artists a platform to experiment, take risks and tell stories from the margins.  Given this year’s theme, expect boundary-pushing performances and genre-defying works that challenge expectations and spark curiosity. And it all kicks off with the Opening Night Gala at the Capitol Theatre on September 29, hosted by Michelle Brasier.  Celebrating its 10th season, Deadly Fringe showcases bold new First Nations work. Don't miss Dhandha/Campfire by Joel Bray Dance, a free participatory installation at Fed Square combining light, sound, sculpture and daily performance rituals around a sculptural campfire. Also look out for Ocker by Na Djinang Circus, a free roving circus spectacular, and Estuary by Ngioka Bunda-Heath, a dance duet exploring identity and connection to Country. Accessibility takes centre stage with Radical Access, which challenges artists to rethink how art can be made and experienced. Among the highlights is Manifesto of Silences by Irene Holub, a deaf-led work that combines sign language, movement, projection and immersive sound to explore deaf histories. The Passport program allows you to travel the world without leaving Melbourne. Featuring international artists...

The perfect backdrop for your next Instagram pic awaits – and it's going to be blooming gorgeous. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival returns to the Dandenong Ranges from September 12 to October 11. Celebrating its 71st year, this much-loved festival transforms five acres of farmland into a kaleidoscope of more than one million bulbs in full bloom. And in 2026, the Yarra Valley Floral Day Pass makes it easy to turn your flower-filled outing into a full-day adventure. Available on select midweek dates, the pass includes access to both the Tesselaar Tulip Festival and CherryHill Orchards' Blossom Festival, just a ten-minute drive away. For $50 per adult, you'll get entry to both venues, plus score a complimentary tractor ride through the tulip fields and a refreshing cherry Spritz. While the tulips are undoubtedly the stars of the show, there's plenty more to enjoy. There are themed weekends: Turkish (September 12-13), Dutch (September 19-20) and Irish (October 10-11); two children’s weeks featuring characters from The Octonauts and Peppa Pig; All That Jazz (September 25-27); and Rock the Fields (October 3-4). There are also food and market stalls, tractor rides and plenty of photo opportunities in those fields of tulips. Our tip? Make sure to check out Australia's largest wooden clog at the Clog Shop. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival runs daily from September 12 until October 11, 10am to 5pm. For more information on tickets, head here.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time...

It stretches 242 kilometres from the Yarra Ranges to Port Phillip Bay, winds through the heart of Melbourne and is home to an abundance of wildlife. Originally referred to as Birrarung, it became known as the Yarra River in the 1830s after a surveyor reportedly misunderstood local Aboriginal people saying ‘Yarro Yarro’, meaning ‘it flows’. For generations, it has been central to the lives and culture of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong Boonwurrung peoples. Yes, we’re talking about the Yarra River/Birrarung, whose catchment is home to more than one-third of Victoria’s population. And to celebrate it, Birrarung Riverfest is returning for a fourth year. Running from September 27 to October 18, it features more than 70 free events along the river, from Warburton to Westgate Park. And who better to champion the cause than comedian, author and broadcaster Sammy J, this year’s Riverfest ambassador.  Highlights from the program include an Open Day at Wandersloe Sanctuary and riverside picnic with Yarra riverkeepers on September 27, learn-to-paddle sessions for schoolkids on September 29, an eight-kilometre walk along the Birrarung on September 30, and an evening walk at Finn’s Reserve on October 2 to spot the elusive platypus. There’s also an opportunity to plant indigenous groundcovers and shrubs on October 4. And that’s just week one. Sammy J will MC and perform at River Rhythms, a singer-songwriter competition in Warburton on September 27, before leading the Big Birrarung Paddle on...

You’ve probably heard about the Rs of living more sustainably: refuse, reduce, recycle, repair and reuse. Now it’s time to reset. Fed Square’s free sustainability-focused RESET Festival returns to Melbourne this spring, running across September into the school holidays. The program is designed to make greener living a whole lot more fun – think live music, workshops, swaps, outdoor cinema, family activities and plenty of creative ways to live better every day. Get to the Planting Party on September 5, featuring live music, food, a plant market, workshops and hands-on activities at the Skyline Car Park and Test Garden. It’s also marks the end of a month-long effort to plant thousands of native plants across different Victorian sites. On September 12, the Zero Waste Festival brings repair and mending sessions, clothes, book and fabric swaps, sustainable cooking and creative activities for kids. It culminates in the first ReWear Runway, showcasing garments transformed through repairing, reclaiming and repurposing. Then there’s Book Doof on September 13 – essentially a daytime rave for readers. Bring a book, grab a free tea or coffee and settle in to read, journal or sketch while a DJ spins vinyl from the Atrium balcony.  The school holidays bring even more sustainable fun, including the Big Toy Swap on September 23 and upcycling workshops. Kids can also enjoy free outdoor screenings of classics including Flipper (September 30), Free Willy (October 1) and Fly Away Home...

Ever wanted to soar above a rainforest canopy or wander beneath the frozen surface of the polar seas? Melbourne Museum invites you to do just that with Our Wondrous Planet, a breathtaking, immersive exhibition celebrating the interconnected magic of life on Earth. Spanning reef, rainforest, ice and soil, this multisensory experience drops visitors into the planet’s most vital ecosystems. Room-sized projections, interactive moments and storytelling bring the natural world to life. More than 800 remarkable animals from across the globe take centre stage, appearing in environments that pulse, swirl and shimmer. Witness the beginnings of a coral reef, come face-to-face with rainforest icons, glide through icy waters and explore hidden root networks and organisms working quietly beneath our feet. The exhibition is anchored by distinct spaces: Our Family, showcasing animals from the much-loved Wild gallery and exploring the human place in the tree of life; Our Roots, a reflective First Peoples-led space centred on care, reciprocity and connection to Country; and Our Moment, an interactive zone encouraging visitors to work together on the planet’s biggest challenges. What sets Our Wondrous Planet apart is its blend of First Peoples and scientific knowledge, showing how everything on Earth is connected and how small human actions can make a difference. Family-friendly, visually spectacular and thought-provoking, this exhibition entertains while leaving plenty to reflect on. Our...

Love video games? You’re invited to step inside one at ACMI, where acclaimed Chinese artist Feng Mengbo transforms modern Chinese history into a surreal, interactive adventure. Presented by ACMI and the City of Melbourne’s Now or Never festival, Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart reimagines China’s rapid 20th century modernisation through this retro video game. Inspired by the Long March of 1934-36 (the military retreat of the Chinese Red Army that helped establish Mao Zedong’s rise to power), the artwork takes history into unexpected territory. Visitors can guide a Red Army soldier across two giant screens, navigating a pixelated world filled with supernatural creatures, pop culture characters and historical references. The soldier is armed with an unlikely weapon: Coca Cola cans. The visuals draw on iconic 1980s games including Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter II, while the different levels weave together historical landmarks, Cold War science fiction and retro video game imagery. Feng, who grew up during China’s Cultural Revolution and the later period of economic reform, is a pioneering figure in Chinese digital and interactive art. Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart reflects his fascination with how technology and popular culture can reshape the way we understand history. 'Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart' is on now until January 31, 2027, in the foyer near the ACMI Shop. Entry is free; no bookings are required. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne...

From the bush to our own backyards, the eucalypt has long shaped the Australian landscape and imagination. A new exhibition at the Potter Museum of Art delves into the significance of this iconic tree with more than 163 works and five significant new artist commissions. Opening on July 10, Ngarn Wa’ngal: Art of the gum tree draws on Australian art history and contemporary works from the University of Melbourne's collection, alongside major loans from across the country to explore the tree as a source of creative inspiration. Colonial paintings by John Glover, Eugene von Guérard and Frederick McCubbin will sit alongside 20th century works by Arthur Boyd, Hans Heysen, Albert Namatjira, Grace Cossington Smith and Jessie Traill, as well as contemporary artists like Nici Cumpston, Vincent Namatjira, Joan Ross and Christian Thompson. Translating to “breathing for us” in the Woi Wurrung language, Ngarn Wa’ngal considers the gum tree as both subject and symbol, prompting conversations around Indigenous sovereignty, Australian identity, ecology, climate and the global legacy of the eucalyptus.  A major feature of the exhibition is five new commissions created specifically for the showcase, including a photographic work by Jane E. Brown using early carbon-printing techniques; an installation of seed-filled papier-mâché forms by artist Dean Cross of Worimi descent; a large-scale piece by interdisciplinary artist Megan Evans featuring eucalyptus leaves collected over decades; a...

From Cleopatra and Mark Antony's empire-toppling romance to Romeo and Juliet's family-defying affair, love has often been an act of rebellion. Rebel Heart: Love Letters and Other Declarations takes matters of the heart seriously in this sweeping, immersive new exhibition at the State Library, drawing on its extraordinary archives to trace how people have dared to love across centuries of Australian history. The exhibition runs for almost a year and brings together handwritten letters, private diaries, rare manuscripts and deeply personal objects to weave a tapestry of passion, heartbreak and devotion. You’ll encounter Victorian-era same-sex couples living together against the odds, a mid-century interracial marriage that challenged the White Australia policy, and the prison romance between bushrangers Captain Moonlight and James Nesbitt. Fragile keepsakes are also featured in the show, including a haunting 1853 mourning brooch woven from lovers’ hair, alongside letters that read like a late-night confessional. What makes Rebel Heart especially distinctive is how it bridges the past with the present. Historical stories are amplified by newly commissioned music from Australian artists Angie McMahon, Mindy Meng Wang, Mo’Ju and Amos Roach, each responding to real love stories held in the library’s collection.  The exhibition also explores how rebellion and romance play out today – from DMs and fandoms to fan fiction and even AI relationships. It’s set to be a smart,...

Remember when we collectively discovered just how obsessed men were with the Roman Empire? Consider this your warning: a major, Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is officially bringing Ancient Rome to Melbourne Museum in April 2026.  Rome: Empire, Power, People is a large-scale exhibition developed by Museums Victoria in collaboration with Italian partners, drawing on extraordinary loans from the Museo Nazionale Romano and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze. More than 150 original objects dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE will be on display from April 1 to October 25, 2026 – all shown in Australia for the very first time. You can expect original statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday artefacts that trace Rome’s story from the fallout of Julius Caesar’s assassination through the rise of the Empire and its eventual collapse. The exhibition will foreground the lived experience of being an ancient Roman – think experiencing the theatrics of the gladiator arena, the hustle and bustle of marketplaces, domestic life inside Roman homes, and the luxury and politics that shaped the Eternal City. Immersive scenography and multimedia elements will also be used to transport Melburnians through imperial splendour and ordinary life, revealing how Roman ideas of power, governance and spectacle continue to shape the modern world. Beyond the gallery, the Roman theme is taking over the whole museum. Expect Italian-inspired food and drink offerings, exclusive...