St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
You could spend all day going from room to room now that the beloved 'Espy' is back, after a $15 million renovation. Antiques complement its Victorian…
Must-see entertainment in Victoria
Melbourne
Melbourne's original outdoor cinema hits the Royal Botanic Gardens from the end of November through March, screening current releases and retro classics…
Victorian High Country
The tiny hamlet of Swanpool – population 207 – is a blink and you'll miss it kind of place 38km north of Mansfield en route to Benalla, but the village's…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
One of Melbourne's most iconic live-music venues, this divey pub has been hosting a roster of local and international punk, heavy metal and hardcore bands…
Victoria
Ballarat’s best original live-music venue showcases local and touring rock and indie bands in its grungy band room.
Victoria
In operation since the 1850s, the Theatre Royal is a Castlemaine landmark that hosts a fantastic range of cinema as well as touring live bands. Recent…
Geelong
The BC has long been Geelong's premier live-music venue, and has spawned the likes of Magic Dirt, Bored! and Warped, seminal bands in the 'Geetroit' rock…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
Rising gracefully beside Luna Park, the art deco Palais (c 1927) is a St Kilda icon, with everyone from the Rolling Stones and Rufus Wainwright to the…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
This 1936 art deco darling has had more ups and downs than a fading Hollywood star. Saved from permanent closure, it's one of Melbourne's best-loved…
Melbourne
At the back of a car park near the train tracks is not usually a great spot to hang out, but here you'll find a street-art-covered warehouse facade…
Victoria
The new owners of this much-loved grungy band room have made food a big feature, but thankfully they're still booking quality Aussie indie bands: there…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
Featuring a company of top-drawer talent, Red Stitch is one of Australia's most respected actors' ensembles, staging new international works that are…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
The Prince is a legendary St Kilda venue, with a solid line-up of local and international acts spanning hip-hop, dance, rock and indie. It's been going…
Warrnambool
Warrnambool's premier live-music venue, Loft hosts Aussie indie bands like You Am I as well as DJs and local acts.
Great Ocean Road
This art-deco theatre (built 1937) shows new-release films daily in peak season.
Victoria
At the Glenrowan Tourist Centre, Ned Kelly’s Last Stand is an over-the-top animated performance where Kelly’s story is told in a series of rooms by a cast…
Victoria
Every night at dusk this 360-degree laser, light and water show re-creates the creation of the Murray River from prehistoric times to the present day…
Geelong
Who would've thought some dude tickling the piano, taking requests, and accompanying drag shows (Sunday night; $10) would be the hottest ticket in town?…
Melbourne
More than 50 years old, Melbourne-based Australian Ballet performs traditional and new works in the Arts Centre and around the country. Take an hour-long…
Melbourne
Set up by Lonely Planet founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler to showcase 'books, writing and ideas', this centre has become an important part of the city's…
Victoria
Launched in early 2019, the sound-and-light show at Sovereign Hill tells the story of the Indigenous Wadawurrung before launching into the discovery of…
Melbourne
This building may look like a framed piece of giant honeycomb, but it’s actually home (or hive?) to the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra (www.mco.org.au), with…
Melbourne
The MSO has a broad reach: while not afraid to be populist (it's done sell-out performances with Burt Bacharach and Kiss), it usually performs classical…
Melbourne
In 2019 Melbourne's most legendary live-rock bar had to vacate its divey AC/DC Lane basement, ending up a few blocks away in this heritage-listed 19th…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Located onsite at Circus Oz's headquarters, this spiegeltent was built in Belgium in 1910. It's been here since 2006, when it was renamed after Aussie…
Melbourne
There's stand-up featuring Melbourne’s best-known funny people most nights of the week here. If you like to live dangerously, Tuesday's when professional…
Melbourne
One of the city’s most atmospheric live-music venues, the Forum does double duty as a cinema during the Melbourne International Film Festival. The…
Geelong
Branching out from its inner-Melbourne location in Fitzroy is this live-music venue in a similar hipster locale. It does smoked meats – beef brisket,…
Melbourne Region
Dating from 1926, this iconic venue has recently been restored. It re-opened in 2018 in time to host performances during the World Circus & Cabaret…
Melbourne
The band room here is one of Melbourne’s most popular midsize venues. It's seen plenty of action over the years, from Dinosaur Jr to the Buzzcocks. If…
Melbourne
Founded in 1953, MTC is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia. It stages up to a dozen productions each year, ranging from contemporary …
Geelong
Opposite Kardinia Park, the boutique Pivotonian is named after an old term for Geelong people: the town was known as Pivot City during the gold rush. The…
Victoria
A relic of the 1960s, when there were more than 330 drive-in cinemas across Australia, this National Trust-listed drive-in cinema is one of just a handful…
Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre
Victoria
This modern complex hosts a variety of events including touring plays, musicals and occasional concerts from well-known Australian bands and musicians. In…
Melbourne
See the latest in art-house, docos and foreign films at this cinema, a locals' favourite. Cheap Monday screenings ($7/10 before/after 4pm).
Melbourne
Down a typical Melbourne laneway, this eccentric little cabaret club stages acts from drag and improvised comedy to Glee singalongs and theatre. The rooms…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
A barn-sized space with a dance floor that sees lots of action. Music is generally in the Latin, jazz or funk vein; check online for bigger gigs and exact…
Melbourne Region
A grand 1930s picture palace, Cameo has a main auditorium with plenty of art deco pizzazz, a number of smaller cinema spaces, and an outdoor screen where…
Melbourne
An atmospheric venue well suited to cabaret, the Toff also works for intimate gigs by rock gods, avant-folksters and dance-hall queens. The moody bar next…
Melbourne
As theatre-lovers wait for La Mama Theatre (205 Faraday St) to rebuild following a fire in 2018, it's business as usual at the nearby larger venue, La…
