Fan-boys-and-girls unite: The Australian Movie and Comic Expo is coming to Melbourne this October! The unique event is a must-attend for all self-confessed ‘movie-geeks’ and pop culture aficionados. An expo for the whole family, the event will encompass everything from live events to unforgettable exhibitions.

Every year, a roster of international and local entertainment figures take part in a movie and comic expo like no other. Formerly known as the Armageddon Expo, the organisers have always done their utmost to ensure proceedings are engaging and entertaining. And this year looks set to be one of the best yet.

Expo organisers will be honouring the ‘Back to the Future’ film trilogy, cult 60’s TV series ‘Get Smart’ and comic icon ‘The Flash’ with a series of guest appearances and Q&A events. Guests will gather to discuss the social impacts of these important pop-cultural milestones, as well as in-depth investigations on the art and methods behind creation.

So far, several high profile guests have been announced. These include voice-over couple Hal Rayle and Maggie Roswell (known for their work on The Simpsons), local comic book artist Tristan Jones (who recently completed a Mad Max: Fury Road adaptation) and comic legend Dean Rankine. Also in attendance: 80’s screen heartthrob and Stargate actor Lou Diamond Phillips and Marty McFly’s original girlfriend, the actress Claudia Wells.

In addition to these standout events, organisers have also sought to provide a diverse array of entertainment options. The Back To The Future DeLorean and the 1966 Batmobile will be on display, and guests are encouraged to enjoy live demonstrations, cosplay competitions, a unique ‘Lazer Tag’ arena and a LEGO Brickvention designed for the event.

In this new Golden Age of comic-book heroes and villains, there are plenty of good reasons to re-fuel the flux capacitor and head out to the Australian Movie and Comic Expo!

What: The Australian Movie and Comic Expo 2015
Where: Melbourne Showgrounds, 276-318 Epsom Road, Flemington VIC 3032
When: 17/10/2015 to 18/10/2015
For booking and more information visit: www.ticketek.com.au

Crabtree & Evelyn offer original fragrances, luxurious toiletries and gourmet foods made with fruit, flower and plant essences. For gifts that transform the ordinary rituals of daily life into extraordinary experiences, visit Crabtree and Evelyn today!

Good clean family fun

For local and international guests, the Royal Melbourne Show is an iconic and distinctive part of Victorian culture. The community event brings together the best in agricultural and urban life, offering visitors a range of unique old-world social events and family fun. It’s not to be missed…

This year, the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) has organised one of its best festivals ever. There’ll be entertaining competitions and challenges, educational and interactive events for the young ones, and plenty of good food and beverages for the older folk. This year’s animal precinct will feature alpacas, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, cats and dogs, and, as always, there will be plenty of carnival rides, stunt shows and live performances to keep you entertained for days.

Gourmands will be pleased to hear that some of the region’s top producers will also be in attendance, offering patrons the chance to gain an intimate knowledge of some of Victoria’s finest fresh food. ‘Pop-up’ restaurants will serve a rotating roster of tasty treats throughout the event, and organisers have even lined up live cooking shows featuring some of Australia’s top chefs and cooking personalities. What more could a lover of all things food related ask for?

Live music acts, including Justice Crew and Jessica Mauboy, will have festivalgoers grooving throughout the Show, and festivities continue after dark with a nightly Fireworks Spectacular and Freestyle Motorcross Stunt Show, which wraps up at 7.45pm. Featuring a jet-theme and daredevil displays, it’s the perfect way to cap off a fun-filled day.

For tickets and bookings, be sure to visit the Royal Melbourne Show website. There you’ll find a detailed breakdown of the events, show times and maps for the whole family. It’s a rollicking good time, so dust off your cowboy boots and head out to the big country (the Melbourne Showgrounds) for a heck of an Australian show. And, of course, don’t forget the showbags!

What: The 2015 Royal Melbourne Show
Where: Melbourne Showgrounds, 276-318 Epsom Road, Flemington, VIC
When: 19 September–29 September, 10am – 9pm
For more information: www.royalshow.com.au

Burch Family Wines is Western Australia’s largest family-owned and operated winery. For the best in locally grown Australian wine, visit the Burch Family Wines website today!

The legend of Kevin Sorbo…

Fans of ‘geek culture’ should prepare themselves, because the 2015 Oz Comic-Con season has begun! The pop-culture event brings together the best of the comic and film worlds, while also capturing everything in between. This week, the Adelaide event began, thrilling fans with an array of special guests and notable artists.

Games of Thrones actors Finn Jones and Daniel Portman were on hand for the Adelaide festival, discussing their experiences with the ABC.

“It’s a really nice little city actually,” Mr. Jones said of Adelaide. “We’ve been to some nice restaurants and we love the Central Markets. We played karaoke. That was fun. It’s nice to get people out of the house, off their phones and into the real world.”

The event will also bring together several famous faces including The Walking Dead’s Sonequa Martin Green, Doctor Who notable Billie Piper, Ex-Hercules hunk Kevin Sorbo and horror icon Robert Englund (aka Freddy Krueger). Also in attendance at the Adelaide (and Perth) dates will be Stargate star Michael Shanks and Lord Of The Rings actor Billie Boyd. Fans are encouraged to check their local events for different guests and stars in attendance.

Visitors are often treated to exclusive panel sessions and exciting talks, as well as countless displays and competitions involving guests. There’s also plenty on offer for autograph seekers, hoping to get the ‘John Hancock’ of their favourite movie and TV stars. From TV writers to cosplay champions, the 2015 Oz Comic-Con has something for everyone!

The event will travel around Australia over a series of months, with the last Oz Comic-Con event taking place in Sydney during late September. Tickets are available online and through the venue sites, so be sure to grab yourself a ticket while you can!

When and Where:
Adelaide: April 18-19 | Showgrounds
Melbourne: June 27-28 | Convention & Exhibition Centre
Brisbane: September 19-20 | Convention & Exhibition Centre
Sydney: September 26-27 | Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island

Who:Michael Shanks, Sonequa Martin Green, Billy Boyd, Billie Piper, Kevin Sorbo, Robert Englund, Chad Coleman and many, many more…

For more information visit: https://www.ozcomiccon.com

Image from the Hotel Urban: www.tripadvisor.com.au

Everyone wants to enjoy their stay at a hotel. But we all live in the real world – things go wrong. And when things go wrong there are usually a variety of responses. These responses fall into two categories: Emotional and non-emotional. Emotional responses usually hijack us and focus our energies on how we feel about what went wrong rather than on doing anything constructive about it.

Unfortunately it’s usually the staff at the front desk who bear the brunt of hotel complaints. If food and beverage department are the stomach of a hotel, concierge is the back, then the front Office staff are the face. They are the ones through whom just about everything is channeled. They are the ones asked to ‘do something about it’. And they are the ones usually held responsible (whether or not they actually are).

When problems arise the goal should be to rectify them rather than to vent. With that in mind, here are some tips for dealing with front office staff should things go awry during your next stay:

1. Be specific about your complaint. As much as possible know the time, place and details of the incident. This will allow staff to get moving towards a solution faster and more effectively.
2. Try to remember names. Especially remember the name of the staff member to whom you made the initial complaint. Sometimes, with shift changes for example, information gets lost. Knowing the name of the person actioning your complaint gives incoming staff a central resource.
3. Always feel comfortable asking to speak to management if you’re unhappy with how things are progressing. That’s what they are there for. Even though staff will be doing all they can to rectify your problem, sometimes they either lack the authority or reach to do so.
4. Remember you are dealing with people, not lackeys. The people at the front desk are often the most highly qualified and busy people in the building; so don’t talk down to them or be dismissive.
5. As an adjunct to the above, don’t start by asking to speak to a manager because you think front office staff are incapable. With their considerable responsibility comes far-reaching powers, you’d be surprised what these people can do on their own initiative.

Staff at the front office want you to be happy. Being angry, disappointed or dismissive neither helps you, nor helps them to help you. Next time things go wrong during your hotel sojourn remember these five suggestions – and have a good stay.

This article was brought to you by Hotel Urban – a unique Melbourne Hotel perfect for business or pleasure.

Image: www.photograph-melbourne.com

Image: www.news.com.au

A study undertaken by the British Hotel Association has found women are more likely to steal items from hotel rooms than men. Often these will be small items like cups and saucers or clothing hangers and laundry bags.

Hotels everywhere agree the most often stolen room item to be towels. Last year Holiday Inn alone reported a loss of more than 560,000 towels throughout its franchise.

But hotel losses are not confined to petty theft.

Recently items such as safety deposit boxes, televisions and desk lamps have been either intercepted or found to be missing when guests vacate a room. Incredibly, when found with the smuggled items guests almost universally claim they don’t know how the item made its way into their suitcase!

Hotel managers winced with the introduction of flat screen TVs. What was already a tempting ‘lift’ suddenly became even more ‘portable’ with new slimline versions of the old tube. To safeguard their property hoteliers linked TVs to a coded in-house system. So even if someone managed to get the flat-screen home, it wouldn’t work

The American Hotel and Lodging association estimated theft in hotels to cost in excess of US$100 million last year.

Image: www.travelpod.com

Interestingly, there is much conjecture over whether hotel thefts mirror the state of the economy around them. Some hoteliers claim they see a rise in thefts as times become leaner. Others argue the opposite: That as an economy declines so too do bookings. And the tougher times become the more only the wealthy are able to make room bookings. Since they are already wealthy, these guests have no need to steal, are therefore less likely to, and so theft rates actually decrease.

Hotels report larger scale thefts are increasingly focusing on guests rather than the hotels themselves.

A recent audacious robbery took place at the upmarket Peninsula in Hong Kong. The Peninsula is one of the most high-tech and security conscious hotels in the world; but no hotel is ever completely immune from tricksters.

A man wearing a pair of slippers shuffled up to the main desk late one evening, telling staff he had lost his room key. He spoke good English and demanded his key be replaced. He was able provide the required identification details – room number, name of the occupant, birthdate etc.

Once issued with another key the man entered the room and again telephoned the front desk. This time he shame-facedly admitted he had forgotten the password to his room safe, and asked for assistance to open it.

This slick manoeuvre allowed him to walk out the Peninsula’s front doors with nearly five thousand dollars in cash, a laptop, wallet, and some small (though expensive) luggage.

This article has been proudly bought to you by the Swanston Hotel Grand Mecure – http://www.theswanstonhotel.com.au: Sumptuous accommodation, outstanding location, right in the Melbourne CBD.

The Queen Victoria Market. Melbourne’s most eclectic market offers a veritable smorgasbord of food, trinkets and anything else you could think of. It’s a good place to meet for breakfast or lunch, and the fare on offer is best consumed on the hoof. Visitors can dine on any number of exotic foods available at the many stalls. There’s also a fresh fruit and grocery section which draws in local crowds over the weekends, so be prepared for it!

The Eureka Skydeck. The Southern Hemisphere’s Highest Viewing Platform does not disappoint, with a grand and unencumbered view of the majestic city. It’s also the ideal first place to visit, because it’ll allow visitors to get a sense of topographic perspective. There’s also a special thrill- The Edge- which allows visitors to go ‘over the edge’ in a glass box! Sunset is the best time of day for the clearest view, so it’s sometimes quite busy. It’s best to book ahead and maybe even consider the “sun and stars” ticket providing 2 entries (one in the day and one at night).

The Dandenong Ranges. This awe inspiring mountain range has some fine little spots nestled in its scrub. Visiting in the winter allows a whole new perspective, with wildlife and flora in their natural element.  You can also take the Puffing Billy Railway, a highlight of mountain life. The Dandenong Ranges are also the ideal place to get away from the busy CBD and relax a little.

Hot Air Ballooning. Hot air balloon rides over Melbourne offer tourists an unforgettable way to see the city. It’s also a romantic way to spend a bit of time off the road. Rides normally depart in the morning, the best time for sightseeing. There are tailored rides going to the Yarra Valley, famed for its picturesque vineyards and rural setting. So be sure to take a hot air balloon ride, if you can, and see the view from the top!

The Great Ocean Road. One of Australia’s most scenic drives, the Great Ocean Road is a gorgeous diversion and a must-see. Stretching on for 243 kilometres, drivers are treated to an evolving landscape filled with dazzling sights. Pick any spot and you’re sure to see something quite unique; but the Twelve Apostles is one Australian landmark you won’t want to miss! It really is the perfect way to cap off your unforgettable trip to Melbourne.

So, the next time you find yourself on the way to Melbourne, consider our sage advice and check out a few of these top-notch tourist hot-spots.

This article was proudly sponsored by The Grand Hotel Melbourne, a heritage-listed apartment hotel in the heart of the city. For a truly memorable holiday, stay at the Grand Hotel Melbourne!

You don’t believe in magic? You’re wrong. Though I must admit the various covens have done very well in keeping it quiet. But trust me, magic – and I’m not talking the pulling-a-rabbit-out-of-the-hat type magic – is as alive and well as it has ever been.

And I’m talking about the dangerous type.

About three months ago a long standing dispute between various covens exploded into outright war. I witnessed one of my brothers wither and die in the space of three days. An Aboriginal Kurdaitcha Man (executioner) pointed the bone at him and cursed him; cursed him good.

A Chinese Shaman paralyzed an English wizard while he was in a crowd on the Melbourne streets. Through just the merest, briefest touch the Shaman directed his chi through one of the poor fellow’s pressure points.

It has now been five months – he has just regained control of his eyes.

And the English coven, the descendants of Aleister Crowley, well they gave as good as they got. Several Melbourne homes are now inhabited by demons that will drain the blood from your body while you sleep and send you mad in a day.

Eventually the war got to the point where the magical fraternity were bringing attention upon themselves. Too many curious disappearances, too many strange deaths, too many questions.

The problems, in short, became bigger than of the disputants in Melbourne. For if these magical communities were discovered then it wouldn’t be long before communities around the world were identified. And then it wouldn’t be long before they were either regulated or disbanded.

And so the governing body, from Salem Massachusetts (and nobody messes with these hombres), arrived to broker a deal.

The first problem they had was finding a place all three parties could meet. None of them trusted the others. Places, you see, have power. And power comes in different forms. The Aboriginal Kadaitcha can harness the power of the bush, The Chinese Shaman can control the elements, the wizards can direct the power of Holy places.

It’s like acupuncture. The world has pressure points, just like the human body. Stonehenge, Ayres Rock, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall are just a few places that exert immense power. And this is why the choice of meeting place was so crucial. Melbourne is an old city (old by Australian standards). It contains a lot of history and lot of ghosts; it contains a lot of power, if one knows where to look, power that could be used by one of the factions to influence the negotiations.

But the Massachusetts peace-brokers were no fools; they’d done their research and found a neutral zone right in the heart of Melbourne: the Ether Conference Center has been constructed along the lines of Ayurvedic philosophy. Since the Indian fakirs had no part in this dispute it seemed the ideal place for the warring parties to hammer out a truce.

By rights I shouldn’t have attended, I’m nowhere near high enough in my brotherhood. But the ranks of our council had been thinned somewhat and so I was brought along to make up the numbers.

Our betters had booked the Harmony Room of the Ether conference Center. The  light colors of the room calmed everyone immediately, the wood floors grounded and settled everyone, the recessed walls allowed for private conversations when the need arose.

In fact, the Ether Conference Center was ideal for the use it was put to. Yes, it was beautiful; yes it was well equipped and staffed; but more than this it exerted a calm over everyone.

A peace deal emerged from the three-day meeting. It was one that disappointed each of the factions, so I suppose it must have been fair.

“I’d better order before you lot, else there’ll be nought left,” I joked. I had gone down to breakfast at the Cocoon Breakfast Bar down on the mezzanine level of the Swanston Hotel. This sumptuous hotel, right in the middle of the Melbourne CBD offered the most glorious breakfasts I’d eaten on any of the five continents. But this morning I had to wait a brief time for a table. A short line of big men preceded me.

The large man to whom I spoke smiled, but said nothing.

“Are you gentlemen part of some sporting team?” I asked, feeling that so many large fellows all in one room had to be more than a coincidence.

The bear/man turned to me again. “Yes sir,” he growled, “We’re the All Blacks Rugby team.”

“And who are you playing?”

He paused at this and looked at me hard. “Australia.”

Well, I felt a right Charlie. “Please forgive me. I travel a great deal and have no knowledge of rugger.” I tried to pass off my ignorance by redirecting the conversation. “I myself am an artist. I’ve come to the Swanston Hotel to take part in their featured day tour to the Great Ocean Road.”

We fell to conversation over breakfast. This man may have looked a brute, but he was clearly intelligent and knowledgeable about art. He had an Aunt who was a renowned painter in New Zealand and had at one point tried his own hand at watercolours.

“I don’t know when you fellows have your match, but speak to the concierge about the day tour, it leaves tomorrow bright and early. I’m told it’s not to be missed.”

This was my first time at the Swanston Hotel. As I said, I travel a great deal, but I am always very careful about where I stay. My lodgings must be comfortable, they must be central to the area I am exploring, and they must offer good food. The Swanston meet these criteria in spades. And in fact offer even more. Things like the day tour and various attractions tours only reaffirmed it as the right choice for my visit to Melbourne.

The next morning was cold and dark, the sun barely peeping over the horizon, when I was joined at the bus stop by several large, bleary-eyed, bruised fellows. Evidently my recommendation of the day tour had made the rounds and a few hardy souls had accepted the challenge.

It is one thing to experience the wonders of the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles, Torquay and Bells Beach; to cast your eye over the Great Australian Bite and think ‘there is now no land between me and the Antarctic. It is another to do it in the comfort offered by the Swanston Hotel and the good company of its guests.

I do recommend it.

Most of Australia’s cities and towns are situated  within a few kilometres of the ocean, which means 85% of Australia’s population lives within one hour’s drive of the coastline, it comes as no surprise then that an Australian beach culture thrives.

We’ve collated a list of 10 of Australia’s top beaches that you should definitely include in your next trip to Australia.

Whitehaven Beach, Queensland

Whitehaven Beach is known for its white sands, which can be attributed to the fact it contains 98% pure silica which gives it a bright white color. Interestingly, local rocks do not contain silica so it has been suggested that the sands were brought to the beach via prevailing sea currents over millions of years. Unlike regular sand, the sand on Whitehaven Beach does not retain heat making it comfortable to walk barefoot on a hot day. Voted one of the best beaches in the world, Whitehaven beach is a must-see when visiting Australia.

Turquoise Bay, Exmouth

Turquoise Bay in the Cape Range National Park has one of the most beautiful, perfect beaches in Western Australia, and some pretty amazing snorkelling too.The reef encloses a lagoon of crystal-clear water of the most brilliant shade of Turquoise, and beneath the surface, the shallow lagoon is teeming with tropical fish.

Cable Beach, Broome

Western Australia’s most famous beach is one of the most beautiful in the world, with turquoise waters and impeccable white sand.

Burleigh Heads Beach, Burleigh Heads

Burleigh Heads is directly in-between Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise offering a wonderful National Park where you can get to see some fabulous scenery and a range of wildlife. There are amazing views of the surrounding coastline from Burleigh Heads and a patrolled beach.

Byron Bay Beach, Byron Bay

Byron Bay’s beaches are dotted with lighthouses and surrounded by bottlenose dolphins, rays, whales and sea turtles. Theformer New South Wales whaling station turned tourist town is still strongly influenced by its recent bohemian past, where a hippie culture thrived. Visit to see the beautiful natural marine life or to unwind thanks to the relaxed vibe of the main town.

Coolangatta Beach, Coolangatta

The beaches of Coolangatta have some of the Gold Coast’s best surfing conditions and most picturesque scenery. Greenmount Beach and Rainbow Bay are the Gold Coast’s only North facing beaches providing sheltered conditions for swimming. A walk around the point to Snapper Rocks improves your chances of seeing the whales on their annual migration throughout the cooler parts of the year.

Manly Beach, Manly

Manly is alive with screeching seagulls, long sandy beaches, small coves, inlets, swaying Norfolk Pines, bikinis and cold icy beer.  Manly features a National Trust Oceanfront Promenade and is easily accessible by ferry or jetcat operating from Circular Quay (city) to Manly Wharf. The short walk up the Corso leads to the ocean beach.

Surrounded by the ocean and harbour on three sides, Manly is unique with its 18 small cove harbour and ocean beaches. It lays peacefully as a peninsula with stunning and breathtaking views. Now a major tourist beach resort  it has become one of Sydney’s most popular beaches and an international destination for overseas travellers.

Palm Beach

Palm Beach is situated approximately 40km from Sydney CBD and is Sydney’s most northerly beach positioned on the Pacific Ocean foreshores; it has the magnificent waterways of Pittwater nestled behind, which is an inlet of Broken Bay. Palm Beach is famous for not only for its natural beauty but it’s also the setting of  the popular TV series “Home and Away”.

Palm Beach is 3km long with a superb surfing beach; it also has a delightful 50 metre ocean swimming pool where many of the locals head for  their morning swim. Palm Beach is well worth a day trip to experience this tranquil peaceful and casual beachside village, or a relaxed weekend away.

Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas

Four Mile Beach (Port Douglas) is one of the best known and most popular beaches of northern Australia. What was a sleepy coastal town in the 1970’s became an international tourist destination by the late 1980’s.

The northern end of the beach, just 1 km from the town centre, is the most accessible and most popular. It is also the site of the Port Douglas Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1984, that patrols the beach as well as maintaining a stinger enclosure. Down the beach is the large Mirage Resort which provides three beach access tracks. Further access tracks are available through the residential development along the southern half of the beach, including one at the sailing club.

Cottesloe Beach, Perth

Cottesloe Beach is one of the most popular of all Western Australia’s city beaches. It is located midway between the Perth central business district and the port of Fremantle in Perth’s western suburbs, only 15 minutes from the city centre. Cottesloe is renowned for its relaxed lifestyle and has been a popular seaside holiday destination for Perth locals for more than 100 years. Its village atmosphere and rich maritime heritage is sure to entice you to explore beyond its golden sands. It’s also the perfect place to watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean.The wide grassy Cottesloe Esplanade, shaded by giant Norfolk Pines, offers lovely spots for family picnics, beach and cricket.

However, over time the term White Night has been reconceptualised to incorporate activities and festivals rather distantly associated to sunlit nights. The Nuit Blanche (French for white night) was officially founded by Jean Blaise in Paris in 2002 after the deputy Mayor invited Blaise to host an event. A single, all-night long celebration showcasing the streets of Paris as an exciting contemporary art scene ensued. The White Night Festival is now an annual event celebrated in over 23 major cities across the globe. Australia’s cultural capital, Melbourne, is one such city. 
2013 marked the debut of the White Night Melbourne Festival in Australia. And Melbourne’s  12-hour arts and cultural celebration certainly didn’t disappoint. Over 300,000 people flocked to White Night Melbourne in 2013 from all around the country and even the world to experience the wonder of viewing Melbourne lit up at night. The night features street performances, exhibitions, art and lighting installations, film screenings, fashion displays, concerts, dance shows and classes and plenty of interactive events. And it’s central location makes staying at Melbourne CBD hotel accommodation easy and convenient.

Yet in 2014 on the 22nd February, word on the street is that the flamboyant celebration is set to be bigger – in budget, geographical size and number of installations and performances – and better than…well, last year.

White Night Melbourne is a 12 hour long celebration from dawn until dusk (officially 7pm-7am) which completely transforms Melbourne’s city centre into one huge cultural playground. The family friendly event runs from the National Gallery of Victoria in the South right up to around RMIT and the State Library in the North. Melbourne’s streets, laneways, cultural institutions and public venues will all be radically transformed and resplendently lit so as to create an entirely new space, perhaps closer to your conceptions of Wonderland than ordinary Melbourne.

A secret garden, tattooed city, molecular kaleidoscopes at the State Library, synchronised dance shows at Melbourne baths, light tunnels and interactive pom pom making are just some of the smaller events being hosted on the night. The major venues include a completely metamorphosed Flinders Street Station, which becomes a rustic, perfectly amplified music venue, the wonderland precinct which sees all the major buildings and laneways of Flinders Street lit up in a majestic sea of vibrant lighting illuminations, a special Bond James exhibition at the Melbourne Museum and a huge R & B music stage on Bourke Street.

Essentially, every nook, every secret passageway and every corner of the Melbourne CBD will have something intriguing, astonishing or entertaining to show you. White Night Melbourne is an explorative journey of hidden wonders and dazzling spectacles. Victorian Prime Minister, Denis Napthine, believes the more exciting and more innovative White Night Festival of 2014 will truly put Melbourne on the map as “one of the greatest arts and culture cities of the world”. And that to me sounds like something you don’t want to miss out on.

Make a weekend of this incredible festival by central right in the heart of the action at Swanston Hotel. With art installations, music performances and interactive shows right at your doorstep you simply can’t pass up a getaway like this. Because White Night Melbourne is the only festival of its kind in Australia, anyone in the country on the night of Saturday 22nd February has no valid reason not to be in the centre of Melbourne’s flamboyant family-friendly celebration. Then get some shut eye the following day at Swanston Street Melbourne CBD hotel accommodation. Book your flights and plan your trip now to avoid missing out on this lavish and exciting annual event.