Bloodsuckers poised to descend on Sydney

It's about to get bloody in Sydney.

Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires, an award-winning exhibition, will open at the Australian Museum in time for the autumn school holidays with the curtain dropping on Thursday, April 2.

The immersive exhibition features more than 100 objects, specimens, large-scale models, digital interactives and installations, combining science, pop culture and curiosity.

The exhibition was developed by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

Kim McKay, director and CEO of the Australian Museum, said the exhibition would bring visitors face to face with some of nature’s most sophisticated micro-predators, but with a new appreciation.

“Some of nature's most extraordinary survivors often give people the creeps, but this new exhibition, Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires, showcases just how astonishing these species are," she said.

"They have mastered the art of survival in ways that are impressive, demonstrating the power of evolution in action, playing critical roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

“By bringing this exhibition to Sydney, we're inviting people to look beyond the misconceptions and engage with the science that shapes our world. Inspiring curiosity and deepening visitors’ understanding of biodiversity is at the heart of the Australian Museum’s mission.”

The exhibition features vampire bats, black flies, candiru catfish and medicinal leeches, while exploring bloodsuckers’ impact on literature, mythology and popular culture.

Check out australian.museum/exhibition/bloodsuckers/ General public tickets go on sale on March 18.

Fly to the Philippines for $213 - but be quick

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, leading Philippines airline Cebu Pacific has launched a month-long campaign of anniversary offers, kicking off with one of its biggest international seat sales of the year.

Until March 11, travellers from Australia can book flights to the Philippines from $213 all-in, with travel available from November 2026 1 – March 31, 2027. 

Once in Manila, travellers can easily connect across the country through the airline’s extensive domestic network.

With 35 domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia and the Middle East, Cebu Pacific offers connections through hubs including Manila, Clark, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao.

Just a two-hour drive from Manila, Clark serves as a gateway to some of the Philippines’ top island destinations, including Boracay, known for its powdery white sand beaches, and Palawan, with famous renowned limestone cliffs and scenic lagoons.

Cebu Pacific operates in 35 domestic and 26 international destinations spread across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East and offers various payment options, including credit or debit cards and e-wallets. 

See www.cebupacificair.com or book directly via the Cebu Pacific app. 

Hobart festival aims to push the boundaries

From garlic to folk music, Tasmania is home to dozens of quirky festivals.

One of the zaniest, the Beaker Street Festival, returns to Hobart from August 6-17 marking its 10th year with the theme:The Second Act.

Over the past decade, the festival has grown from a niche science experiment into a nationally recognised cultural event, drawing interstate audiences for immersive, ideas-led programming set against Tasmania’s winter landscape.

The 2026 edition consolidates into two focused weekends, anchored by distinct precincts and experiences. 

The festival continues to blend hard science with social experience, positioning Hobart as a winter meeting place for thinkers, travellers and curious audiences nationwide.

Antarctica will be a key focus with Hobart showcasing its gateway-to-Antarctica status. 

Tickets are on sale now for the Festival's first event, VAST: Where Sound Meets the Cosmos.

This immersive work is an Australian-exclusive premiere aiming to transform Hobart’s oldest theatre, the Theatre Royal (above), into a 360° soundscape, combining performers, instrumentalists and spatial audio for "a journey into the universe". 

Full program details are still under embargo but you can find more info here:  https://www.beakerstreet.com.au/

Festival shines a light on Indigenous culture

Parrtjima, the annual award-winning Aboriginal-led light festival, returns to Alice Springs from April 10-19 for its 11th instalment, showcasing the world’s oldest living culture through large-scale light installations and a program of workshops, demonstrations, music and storytelling.

The festival will offer an expanded program this year under the theme Language, featuring new light installations, more workshops and interactive experiences and new masterclasses. 

The Indigenous-driven festival will also offer a new outdoor space called Dome, designed as a dedicated space for attendees to “pause, watch, and reflect on culture through film and animation”. 

There will also be a series of optional ticketed events beyond the main festival site, including watercolour masterclasses with artists from Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre, and a Merne Mwerre bushfood experience. 

The evet will showcase the work of more than 36 First Nations artists, as well as over 50 performers and guests across live music, dance, workshops and talks.

“This year invites us to come together at Parrtjima, where language and culture continue to illuminate age‑old traditions in new and powerful ways," says said Tourism and Events NT advisory board chairperson Paul Ah Chee.

"This program echoes the enduring legacy of Country and the stories that connect us across generations.

“We welcome everyone to come stand on the red earth, feel its heartbeat beneath your feet, and look up as Arrernte Country comes alive across the majestic MacDonnell Ranges.” 

The popular markets return during the opening weekend, and much-loved festival favourites Grounded and the iconic Ranges Light Show will run over 10 nights, reimagined by Artists in Motion.

The music programming includes Electric Fields, 3%, BARKAA, Drifting Clouds and Emma Donovan.

* Parrtjima is delivered by Tourism and Events NT in partnership with We Are Gather.

Check out parrtjima.com.au, where visitors can also explore itineraries, travel packages and planning tools. 

Images: Supplied

Newcastle Food Month returns bigger than ever

The very popular Newcastle Food Month returns in 2026 with over 70 feature events and a boast that it is now the largest and longest regional food festival in Australia.

Newcastle Food Month 2026 runs from March 28 with signature events and feature happenings across April.

SoundBites at Newcastle Racecourse

The opening weekend sees the debut of SoundBites on March 28 - Newcastle’s first large-scale, open-air celebration of food, wine and music of this size. This all-day festival brings together premium Hunter Valley wines, standout local chefs and producers, pop-up kitchens, live music and festival energy.

The Great Newcastle Waiters' Racer

The inaugural Waiters’ Race will be held on April 1 i partnership with First Creek Wines and the Hunter Culinary Association. This relay event will see teams of four navigate a purpose-built obstacle course while carrying trays laden with wine, beer and cocktails, aiming to transfer their precious cargo to teammates without a spill.

Customs House Autumnal Garden Party

On Saturdays 11 and 18 April, one of the city’s most iconic venues will be transformed for an elegant afternoon celebration. Expect seasonal produce, matched wines, roaming canapés and live 

entertainment in a lovely harbourside setting.

Throughout April, the Newy Tour co is hosting Walka & Talk and Eat & Art, a new walking tour which combines food, art and local stories. Guided by ewcastle’s most knowledgeable voices in the food and arts scene, the experience weaves through key precincts, stopping to taste along the way.

Newcastle’s newest wine bar, Cara, is bringing serious flavour to Food Month with an intimate Winemaker’s Table on April 9. Expect a curated multi-course menu paired with exceptional wines and the stories behind them. Seats are limited.

Food Month partner BMW, meanwhile, has paired the latest luxury models with a multi-course stand up EXP dining experience with head chef Josh Hannan at the wheel. Each course will be matched with First Creek wines.

 
Food Month Plate Dates return with a $30 meal-and-drink deal while for a festival that draws visitors from around the country.

Program and bookings at newcastlefoodmonth.com.au 

Images: Supplied, NFM

Melbourne welcomes a new international hotel

Melbourne has a new international hotel with the opening of Mercure Melbourne La Trobe Street on the edge of the CBD. 

Developed by Spacious Group with a $90 million investment, the 195-room property is being billed as the largest purpose-built hotel development to open in Melbourne CBD this year and the first new-build Mercure in the city centre in over a decade.

The 18-storey hotel features interiors designed by Sora Interiors and a hotel tower created by LiFE Architecture houses six suites, a restaurant and bar, and a gym. 

The lobby's aesthetic draws from the site's history as a tinsmith factory, most notably in an abstract artwork depicting tin offcuts that once would've littered the floors. 

The property' is a six-minute walk to Southern Cross Station, eight minutes to Marvel Stadium, and a 12-minute walk to Queen Victoria Market. 

“We're in a unique pocket of the city and are fortunate to have great separation between ourselves and other tall buildings on all sides,” said hotel GM Justin Phillips. “So no matter where you stay in the hotel, you've got great views, whether it's towards Docklands, back towards Flagstaff Gardens or views of the CBD and out towards North Melbourne.”

Guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows while select suites open onto private outdoor terraces. The décor in the rooms was inspired by the nearby gardens "with spring-inspired tones and nature-led hues layered through greens, blush pinks and soft neutrals".

The hotel teams share curated neighbourhood recommendations, from a gin masterclass at Little Lon Distilling Co, rooftop movie night at Brewmanity Beer Co or dinner on The Q Train. 

On level six, the lift doors open to reveal the hotel's restaurant and bar, Foundry, which is open to guests and the public. 

The bar spills onto an outdoor terrace that is likely to be a popular spot for after-work drinks. 

“The sun sets behind Docklands, and during golden hour, the buildings are illuminated and the water sparkles,” said Phillips. “It's just a very nice place to be at that time of day.”

The hotel is an Accor property. 

“The opening of Mercure Melbourne La Trobe Street is a hugely exciting moment for Accor and for Melbourne's tourism offering,” said Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Accor in the Pacific region. 

“The hotel brings a bold new expression of our Mercure brand to the heart of the city, thoughtfully designed for how today's travellers live, work and explore.”

With over 1,000 hotels in more than 70 countries, Mercure is the largest midscale hotel network outside the United States.