You Can Still Hit Up These Awesome Summer Experiences With Your Squad
Live Boldly
Come summer in Australia, a huge amount of events and activities start to fill up the calendar. Between sports games and pop-up bars, and musicals and race days, we’re without a doubt spoilt for choice.
To help you decide, we’ve done the hard work and rounded up some of the top things going on around the country this January. Round up your squad, get that summer glam look sorted, and get out there and enjoy it.
Adelaide
The Big Wedgie
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The world’s tallest freestanding inflatable waterslide is in South Australia (well, one of them anyway – they’re also in Gold Coast, Perth and Sunshine Coast). It’s called The Big Wedgie and can be found at West Beach Parks (formerly Adelaide Shores) right by the sea. Standing 18.2m tall and 82m long, it makes for one seriously thrilling ride.
For the scaredy-cats, there’s The Just Right Wedgie, and, once you’ve had your fill of runs, there’s a whole heap of other inflatable rides to try at the waterpark.
Tickets start at $15, but if you hop online and buy them before going, you’ll save big.
Where: West Beach Parks, Military Road, West Beach
When: On until Sunday, February 10, 2019
The Moseley Beach Club
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Drawing inspiration from super-swanky clubs in Europe and South East Asia, The Moseley Beach Club will have you feeling like you’re in Mykonos or Bali’s Uluwatu, not beachside in Glenelg.
Spend an afternoon in the sun listening to live acoustic tunes or a DJ, sipping on fruity cocktails, and catching up with mates or your other half.
The club’s free to enter or you can shell out for a day bed or sun lounger, which gets you service straight to your area, and, for that alone, might be well worth it.
Where: Glenegl Beach, Adelaide
When: Open until Sunday, March 17, 2019
Canberra
Hot Air Ballon Ride
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You haven’t experienced Canberra until you’ve seen it from a few thousand feet up in the air in a big balloon that’s on fire. For those not afraid of heights, the folks over at Adrenaline have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The one-hour ride will see you and your mates soaring over the sights Canberra, from the city to the beautiful suburbs, parks and lakes, at sunrise (prepare accordingly for that brisk morning air). After touch-down, you also get to knock back a glass of Champagne to round out a sight-seeing adventure like no other.
You can grab adult tickets from $310 per person, and kids aged six to 12 years cost $220.
Where: Canberra City, ACT
When: Year-round
Brisbane
Jersey Boys
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The musical everyone’s been talking about, Jersey Boys, is back in Australia and will be in Brisbane in January. Telling the tale of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became major American music stars, you’ll hear famous Frankie Valli tunes ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Walk Like A Man’, and ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’.
Tickets start at $79.90, but a platinum option can set you back $199. Book ahead – it’s sure to be popular.
Where: QPAC, Grey Street and Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
When: Wednesdays to Sundays in January 2019
Sydney
Cliffnic with Outdoor Raw
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While this activity’s on all-year-round, it’s particularly enjoyable in summer. What exactly is a Cliffnic, you ask? It’s exactly like it sounds – a picnic halfway down the side of a cliff.
Run by Nowra-based company Outdoor Raw, the experience will see you first get comfortable using your harness and being cliff-side by abseiling. Then, you’ll climb down a ladder onto your picnic set-up. You’ll then spend the next couple hours soaking in the stunning South Coast scenery as gourmet picnic snacks are lowered to you on your perch.
Packages start at $400.
Where: Nowra, New South Wales South Coast
When: Year-round
The Pool At Pier One
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A pop-up pool under the Sydney Harbour Bridge? Why hasn’t this always been a thing?
For the second year in a row, Pier One Sydney Harbour will be running The Pool, a tropical-themed plunge pool off the side of a private pontoon. This time ‘round, its sun loungers and deck chairs will be decked out in tropical prints by Seafolly as part of its Seafolly x Chandon collaboration.
To use it, you’ll need to shell out $500 for the hire fee and $1500 minimum spend on food and drinks. But considering it has space for 30 of your nearest and dearest, it’s well worth the value.
Where: Pier One Sydney Harbour, 11 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
When: Open until Thursday, February 28, 2019
Hobart
MONA FOMA
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Like the MONA museum itself, MONA FOMA, its summer festival, is difficult to describe. Featuring everything from techno to Swedish pop, indie to Ethopian jazz and Polish punk to Saharan desert rock, it literally has something for everyone.
There are day passes available for $40 to $45 with a booking fee, and three-day festival passes for $79 to $99 with a booking fee.
Where: Inveresk Precinct, Launceston
When: Friday, January 18 – Sunday, January 20, 2019
Perth
Perth Festival
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When a festival proclaims it’s been “disrupting and celebrating Perth for 65 years”, you know it’s a must-see. With a huge array of free and paid events, Perth Festival is a yearly multi-art event featuring everything from art installations, film, music, dance, and so much more. It features the return of 2017’s extraordinary event Boora Waanginy: The Trees Speak, which turns Kings Park into a hyper-coloured wonderland telling the story South Western Australia’s unique flora and fauna, and the forces that threaten it.
Priced events range from $40 to $100, and there’s also a limited-time deal where you can catch a huge range of music, theatre, opera and dance events for just $36. If you want to save some dosh, though, there’s plenty of free sights and sounds to feast your senses on at Perth Festival.
Where: Perth, Western Australia
When: Friday, February 8 – Sunday, March 3, 2019
Melbourne
Australian Open
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A summer in Australia round-up wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the Australian Open. Attracting both the world’s best tennis players and international and Aussie celebrities, it’s always a massive affair.
There’s plenty of food stalls, pop-up restaurants, and entertainment including Craig David, Bastille, and Angus and Julia Stone.
Where: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
When: Monday, January 14 – Friday, January 25, 2019
Arbory Afloat
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Melbourne gets a touch of Sydney in nautical-themed floating pontoon Arbory Afloat. A bar and restaurant, it’s 19m bigger than last year’s and boasts 360-degree views of the Yarra River and CD skyline.
The cocktail list is long (don’t go past the Watermelon Sangria) and there’s plenty of seafood and pizzas to choose from, too.
And you have no excuse not to visit it either – it’ll be open from 11am to 1am, seven days a week.
Where: Arbory Bar and Eatery, 1 Flinders Walk, Melbourne
When: On until Thursday, February 28, 2019
Darwin
Parap Village Markets
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Start your morning with a wander around the Parap Village Markets. Sample local and exotic dishes, load up on fresh produce, and browse artwork and speciality crafts, all while listening to live music.
Feel good knowing you’re supporting the local community – the markets have the highest percentage of Territory products of all the Darwin markets. They’re on every Saturday, from 8am to 2pm.
Where: 3/3 Vickers Street, Parap
When: Every Saturday morning
(Lead image: Greg Elms / Visit Victoria)