Skating, Songs and Striptease Make for Chilly Winter Fun in Perth

The James St Amphitheatre is set to become an ice rink

It might be tempting to stay indoors, but a number of events around town are hoping to entice you out into the chilly weather during the winter months.

Need something to entertain the kids? A 250 square metre outdoor skating rink will be open in the James Street Amphitheatre from July 4 to 20, just in time for the school holidays.

If you’re a whiz on a pair of skates it could make for a romantic date, particularly if your loved one is less coordinated and needs to hold onto you for dear life. Adults can indulge in a little mulled wine or cider afterwards, while the kids (and the big kids) can renew their sugar high on hot chocolate and cookies.

It’s the first time Winterland has been held in Perth, though a similar event was held in Fremantle in 2012. More details are available here.

If a snowball fight is more up your alley, pack up the family and head to Bindoon this Sunday for the Wear Ya Wellies Family Fun Day at Edmonds Place Reserve. A "snow truck" will provide the winter-themed fun, along with quirky competitions such as "Welly Toss" and Tug-O-War.

The City of Perth will also host its own snowfield in Forrest Place starting 7 July, but it's only for kids aged under 12 and their parents.

Those who really want to heat things up might find some saucy inspiration among the acts at this year’s Perth City Winter Arts Season, which runs until the end of August.

Generally, winter is a time when most people want to be putting more clothes on and not taking them off, but if you’re willing to risk hypothermia, there are burlesque workshops running, as well as striptease shows by national and international performers.

Also part of the Winter Arts Season, a monthly supper club held in the undercroft of the Perth Town Hall on the last Friday of each month. The set-up is a bit of a do-it-yourself degustation with street food vendors selling their wares and local musicians providing the entertainment.

If you’re really into the local music scene, the Hidden Treasures series will run every Thursday in July. It’s the fourth time the event has been held in Fremantle with a variety of acts scheduled to play in venues a little left of centre, including the Navy Club and the Fremantle Workers Club.

Finally, for something more sedate and (most importantly) free, Brookfield Place in the city will be illuminated once more for this year’s Winter Lights Projections.

From 12 to 28 July, a number of Perth’s historic buildings will be lit up with scenes of snow and ice. For more information, click here. 

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Skating, Songs and Striptease Make for Chilly Winter Fun in Perth

The James St Amphitheatre is set to become an ice rink

It might be tempting to stay indoors, but a number of events around town are hoping to entice you out into the chilly weather during the winter months.

Need something to entertain the kids? A 250 square metre outdoor skating rink will be open in the James Street Amphitheatre from July 4 to 20, just in time for the school holidays.

If you’re a whiz on a pair of skates it could make for a romantic date, particularly if your loved one is less coordinated and needs to hold onto you for dear life. Adults can indulge in a little mulled wine or cider afterwards, while the kids (and the big kids) can renew their sugar high on hot chocolate and cookies.

It’s the first time Winterland has been held in Perth, though a similar event was held in Fremantle in 2012. More details are available here.

If a snowball fight is more up your alley, pack up the family and head to Bindoon this Sunday for the Wear Ya Wellies Family Fun Day at Edmonds Place Reserve. A "snow truck" will provide the winter-themed fun, along with quirky competitions such as "Welly Toss" and Tug-O-War.

The City of Perth will also host its own snowfield in Forrest Place starting 7 July, but it's only for kids aged under 12 and their parents.

Those who really want to heat things up might find some saucy inspiration among the acts at this year’s Perth City Winter Arts Season, which runs until the end of August.

Generally, winter is a time when most people want to be putting more clothes on and not taking them off, but if you’re willing to risk hypothermia, there are burlesque workshops running, as well as striptease shows by national and international performers.

Also part of the Winter Arts Season, a monthly supper club held in the undercroft of the Perth Town Hall on the last Friday of each month. The set-up is a bit of a do-it-yourself degustation with street food vendors selling their wares and local musicians providing the entertainment.

If you’re really into the local music scene, the Hidden Treasures series will run every Thursday in July. It’s the fourth time the event has been held in Fremantle with a variety of acts scheduled to play in venues a little left of centre, including the Navy Club and the Fremantle Workers Club.

Finally, for something more sedate and (most importantly) free, Brookfield Place in the city will be illuminated once more for this year’s Winter Lights Projections.

From 12 to 28 July, a number of Perth’s historic buildings will be lit up with scenes of snow and ice. For more information, click here. 

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Cool Yule: Darling Harbour's 'Icemen' ready to sculpt away

Edward Fraze and Don Harrison Jr, aka the "Icemen", have readied their tools - now all they need is a big ice block. Photo: Brendan Esposito

Darling Harbour has a pair of pocket aces up its sleeve in its attempt to draw families and tourists to the precinct as the mercury dips: two "extreme ice sculptors" from Colorado. 

Armed with chisels and chain saws, "Icemen" Edward Fraze and Don Harrison jnr will give three live sculpting performances from Tuesday night until Friday. 

The pair will have just 30 minutes to transform large slabs of ice, weighing up to 150 kilograms, into winter-theme pieces, and Fraze says audiences can expect a "very high energy, very intense performance".

"As the performance starts, one of us will take one part of the sculpture and the other will take the other part, and we just go to town. We almost race each other," Fraze said. 

The duo "like to improvise along the way", and Fraze hinted that a menagerie of icy polar bears, penguins and other snow-loving creatures would grace the Harbourside Amphitheatre before melting down to a puddle – eventually. 

While Sydney's winter is substantially milder than the Americans are used to, a supply of dry ice and water will slow the melting process. 

The free Extreme Ice Show is part of Darling Harbour's Cool Yule festival, which runs for four weeks until July 13. Other activities include a snow pit, an open-air ice-skating rink, a 25-metre inflatable snow slide, firework displays and a frozen forest installation. 

Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) - International Music Day - Saturday June 21

The Australian Children's Music Foundation is a North Sydney based charity devoted to bringing the magic of music in the lives of disadvantaged children. 

The ACMF is proud to be appointed as the organisers for the Sydney music activities for the global event 'Fete de la Musique'.  

This event occurs annually on June 21 in over 450 cities worldwide and this is the first time Sydney has participated on such a scale.  We have received fantastic support from a number of organisations to bring this event to life, including the NSW Premiers Dept.  The purpose of the event is to celebrate all genres of music, both amateur and professional, with free performance in a variety of locations.  Any donations collected on the day at the stage areas will go towards providing ACMF music programs to disadvantaged children around Australia.

I've enclosed a media release and poster about the event.

We have over 150 artists performing in the following locations:

7.30am-9.30am:          Weekend Sunrise will be doing their weather broadcast crosses from the Rocks area where we have musicians

9am-4pm:                                Stage in the Rocks

9am-4pm:                                Stage at Darling Harbourside Ampitheatre

10am-12noon:             Musicians in Pitt Street Mall

10am-12noon:             String Quartet at Qantas Lounge at Sydney Airport

10am-3pm:                              Musicians on the Manly Ferry

11am-1pm:                              Street performers on QVB forecourt (cnr George & Park St entrance)

11am-1pm:                              Musicians at Central Train Station

11am-1pm:                              Musicians at Bondi Pavilion

View the official Web page http://acmf.com.au/

NSW Government announces $7.2 million to transform the Australian Museum

The Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Troy Grant MP today announced $7.2 million for the transformation of the Australian Museum.

The Australian Museum, the nation’s oldest and one of the most important scientific research, educational and cultural institutions, will receive $4.7 million over two years to complete a Master Plan to develop the current museum site. The New Australian Museum Master Plan will include new spaces dedicated to education and learning, a large temporary exhibition space to host international blockbuster exhibitions as well as a dedicated gallery to display the Museum’s internationally significant Pacific collection.

A further $2.5 million has also been granted to implement Stage 1 of the New Australian Museum which will significantly improve the visitor experience and accessibility. The planned works in Stage 1 include a new entrance on William Street, a new gallery space highlighting biodiversity, as well as a new rooftop brasserie with spectacular views over the city to the harbour.

Mr Grant said, “The NSW State Government recognises the importance of the Australian Museum to the city, the state and the nation and is funding these important works and future planning to ensure the Australian Museum can deliver a world-class visitor experience to the people of NSW and to interstate and international tourists.”

Kim McKay AO, CEO and Director of the Australian Museum said, “We are excited to receive this funding from the NSW Government which will allow us to immediately begin transforming the museum. The visitor experience will be markedly improved by moving the main entrance to William Street. Our permanent gallery space will be added to for the first time in over 30 years with the creation of 632 m2 of exhibition space on biodiversity featuring more than 400 animals.

“This is our first step in a visionary long-term Master Plan for the entire Australian Museum site. The planning funds will allow us to develop detailed plans over the next two years. I’m also delighted we can make immediate changes to transform the visitor experience – with a new gallery, new entrance, improved visitor circulation and new rooftop brasserie,” Ms McKay said.

Source: http://australianmuseum.net.au/media/Museum-transformation

Experience the Magic of Winter at Cool Yule in Sydney’s Darling Harbour

Cool Yule Festival Sydney

Rug up, chill out and enjoy Cool Yule in Sydney - a fabulous month-long winter festival from June 13 – July 13, 2014, with Darling Harbour transformed into a spectacular Antarctic playground for all ages to enjoy.

From snow-pits for the kids to open-air ice-skating, mind blowing ice carvings, a floating iceberg, a glittering frozen forest and more, Darling Harbour’s Cool Yule is a magical celebration of winter.

Experience the thrill of a Lindt Lindor Zorb Ball ride in Cockle Bay, picture yourself in Queenstown when you climb inside Air New Zealand’s giant Snow Globe, enjoy the thrill of Thredbo’s ski slopes on an 80 ft inflatable slide and enjoy the fabulous frosty fireworks every Saturday at 8.30pm in Cockle Bay during the Festival.

To help you enjoy the Cool Yule Festival, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour is offering a hot deal sure to warm everyone’s hearts:

Cool Yule Hot Deal at Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour

• $199* per night stay in a loft-style apartment (minimum 2 night stay)
• $100* extra for Saturday night
• Two hot chocolates and mugs to keep

Situated in the heart of Sydney directly opposite Darling Harbour, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour is a popular accommodation choice for couples and families looking for a ‘home away from home’ in close proximity to all Sydney’s major attractions.

With 30 recently renovated loft-style one-bedroom apartments, each with a queen sized bed and sofa bed, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour offers all the comforts of home with the convenience of a perfect city location.

Located in two separate buildings in Sussex and King Streets, guests can choose from the larger, contemporary-styled Sussex St apartments with views over Darling Harbour or a New York styled King Street apartment with access to rooftop pool.

Apartments have full kitchen and laundry facilities and spacious living rooms. Discount parking of $30 for 24 hours is provided nearby at 170 Sussex St Wilson Car Parking.

*Terms and conditions apply. Valid June 13-July 13, 2014. Additional guests $50 per guest per night (up to 4 people). Rates non-refundable. Upgrade for $50 per night if available.

To book online, visit www.metroapartmentssydney.com  or you can ring the toll free Central Reservations line on 1800781620

View all accommodation Hot Deals currently available at Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour

Powerhouse Museum: the Plan to Woo Sydneysiders Back

Time to revitalise: Museum director Rose Hiscock aims to turn it into a "buzzing must-visit location for young 20-somethings"

Sydneysiders have fallen out of love with the Powerhouse Museum but new director Rose Hiscock plans to rekindle the passion, revealing a fresh strategy to bring back the crowds to its three sites.

Ms Hiscock, the director of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, which includes the Powerhouse, the Powerhouse Discovery Centre at Castle Hill and the Sydney Observatory, outlined her new strategic plan days after announcing that the institution would cut a fifth of its staff.

Employees were stunned by the announcement on Thursday and some expressed fears a predicted loss of 55 staff would be greater.

Installed as director in July last year, Ms Hiscock said the operating structure of 35 separate areas would be simplified to 16 teams, and that she had been open with staff about the need to manage the museum responsibly.

"The staff are naturally concerned about the changes and their position, but the executive team and all of our people are focused on the future of our organisation," she said.

Up to $5 million annually from staff cutbacks would be reinvested in permanent and temporary exhibition renewal, site developments, new programs and gallery spaces, with a master plan being developed to: 

1. Redevelop the Powerhouse by integrating into the Darling Harbour precinct with a new entrance expected to face the planned Goods Line walkway linking Central with Haymarket, Ultimo and Darling Harbour.
2. Ensure the Sydney Observatory becomes a leading tourism attraction as part of the Barangaroo development
3. Open up the Powerhouse Discovery Centre, the home of its giant collection store warehouse, to greater community involvement and tapping the potential of Sydney's west.
4. Pedestrians will be be able to walk the first section of Sydney's version of New York's High Line by the end of the year between Central Station and Darling Harbour. The line – part of which will consist of raised walkways – is to be built in two stages and include major destinations such as the Frank Gehry-designed Dr Chau Chak Wing Building being built at the University of Technology and the Powerhouse.

Ms Hiscock said Sydneysiders had fallen out of love with the Powerhouse Museum, with attendances declining over the longer term, but she wanted to double the number of visitors within five years by focussing on school and tertiary education students and young adults. She said the museum needed to capitalise on the revitalisation of Darling Harbour and Ultimo, turning the museum into a "buzzing must-visit location for young twenty-somethings" as a first date outing with bars, cafes and restaurants.

She said the museum also had to regain its critical reputation by revitalising and expanding its permanent exhibition galleries and focus on key disciplines including technologies, health and medicine, physical sciences, engineering, architecture and the built environment, design and decorative arts, fashion and contemporary culture.

A museum wing dedicated to fashion was cited as a possible example of how the museum's 500,000 item permanent collection could be exhibited for the general public but also work as a resource for high school and tertiary education design students as well as form a backdrop for events such as Australian fashion week.

"At the moment, we have a small and popular temporary exhibit about the work of designer Catherine Martin," Ms Hiscock said. "But imagine a wing that tells the story of fashion in Australia where you can look at creations from the beginning of settlement through to Jenny Kee, Collette Dinnigan to Catherine Martin."

Ms Hiscock said the potential of the Sydney Observatory and the Powerhouse Discovery Centre had been untapped. She said the observatory should be one of the must-visit tourist destinations, comparing "its charm" with the Royal Observatory Greenwich in Britain, which updated its attractions with the opening of a planetarium in 2007.

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