Why winter in Melbourne is actually the best

Yes, it’s cold. Yes, it’s wet. Yes, it’s amazing, and you’re going to love it.

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Yes, it’s cold. Yes, it’s wet. Yes, it’s amazing, and you’re going to love it.

It’s surprisingly colourful. Locals really embrace it, so there are lots of incredible things to do, including exciting art installations and exhibitions, world-class theatre productions and thought-provoking events. Here’s a list of some of this winter’s best - all exclusive to Melbourne.

Just remember to pack your coat (and your scarves and socks).

Come From Away

Come From Away is a critically-acclaimed new musical that recently won four awards and is based on a remarkable true story. It’s set in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, when 38 planes and 6579 passengers were unexpectedly ordered to land in the small Canadian town of Gander. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but eventually uneasiness turned into trust and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

It’s smart, funny, charming and heartwarming and has won a number of awards, including a prestigious Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, since it debuted on Broadway in February 2017.

It’s produced by Rodney Rigby and Junkyard Dog Productions.

“Come From Away’s universal themes of hope and humanity have captured the hearts of audiences on Broadway, across the USA and Canada and we are thrilled to now be able to share it with Australians,” Junkyard Dog’s Sue Frost and Randy Adams said in a statement.

Come From Away will open at the Comedy Theatre on Saturday 20 July, making the most of the 90-year-old heritage-listed building’s recent refurbishment.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is an original two-part stage play set 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. This incredible production will play exclusively at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre until February 2020.

Aeirin Fabella travelled from Sydney to Melbourne to see it in February and says, “this production must be a bucket-list item”. She says the combination of magical illusions, expert acting and audio effects really does bring the magical world to light on stage.

“I felt we’d become part of the Hogwarts cohort with the decals on the walls featuring the Hogwarts ‘H’ and the antique dragons as light fittings,” she says.

However, the production remains shrouded in secrecy, with fans promoting the hashtag #keepthesecrets to maintain the excitement of the play and keep the surprises intact for future audiences.

“I can’t share too much, but I will say there is no singing as some people had assumed featured in the play.”

National Gallery of Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria will unveil a new exhibition on May 24 as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. It’s called Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality and Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape and it offers a unique perspective on present and past Chinese art and culture.

The thought-provoking collection will feature eight of the Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army, which were created between 221-207BC and unearthed in the Shaanxi province in 1974. The discovery is considered one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.

The warriors, along with two full-sized horses and two replica bronze chariots, will be shown alongside works from contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang. It includes an installation of 10,000 suspended porcelain birds, which create a three-dimensional impression of a drawing of the sacred Chinese Mount Li.

The immersive and impressive parallel exhibitions are designed to give a unique perspective into Chinese culture and its enduring philosophical traditions.

White Night Melbourne

Melbourne has a population of almost five million people and last year some 600,000 locals and visitors attended White Night. It’s a unique arts festival that showcases the cultural institutions of the city alongside live music, culinary experiences and fine art with live performances, installations and projections.  

In 2019, White Night will be reimagined to become a three-day extravaganza across three distinct precincts, each with their own theme under the guidance of Artistic Director, David Atkins OAM. To be held on 22-24 August 2019, more information is set to flow in the weeks ahead as the program comes to life with a mix of artists from across Australia and the world.

Basically, White Night Reimagined will be Melbourne as you’ve never seen it before.

“This event will give Melbourne a bigger stage to entice audiences and demonstrate Victoria’s rich cultural offering – Melbourne has always been the cultural capital and this initiative will ensure it maintains that mantle,” artistic director David Atkins OAM said in a statement.

“This reimagined event will create unique and exciting opportunities for artists, performers, cultural practitioners and institutions with a broader program and more nights to experience it.”

Rain Room

Random International’s Rain Room artwork will premiere in the Southern Hemisphere in a purpose-built pavilion on the corner of Acland and Jackson Streets in St Kilda. It’s a 100 square metre responsive field of continuous rainfall - basically, you can be fully immersed in the rain while staying dry, because the millions of water droplets stop falling wherever you move as you walk through the space.

Some 500,000 people have already experienced the installation in London, New York, Shanghai and Los Angeles since it was created in 2005. Ticket sales commence in June and the Rain Room will open in August.

Originally published as Why winter in Melbourne is actually the best