TOURISM
VICTORIA
EVENTS
Level 32, 121 Exhibition Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia Tel 03 9653 9777 Fax 03 9653 9757
Compiled in February 2009
Victoria’s Events June 2009
Melbourne
Harvey Norman State of Origin 1, 3 June
Melbourne will host the opening match of the 2009 Harvey Norman State of Origin series as Rugby League
showcases its growing bond with a city famous for staging world-class sporting events.
Melbourne has been at the forefront of Rugby League’s success over the past three seasons, celebrating
an NRL Premiership, three straight minor premierships, three successive grand final appearances, a
thrilling 2006 Origin decider, a blockbuster World Cup clash between Australia and England and the start of
work on a new multi-million dollar stadium.
For more information: visit www.nrl.com.au Tickets available through Ticketmaster: 1300 136 100 or
www.ticketmaster.com.au
The Light in Winter, 4 June – 5 July
In 2009 Fed Square gives us two more bright reasons to rug and up and head for the city. Directed by
Robyn Archer, The Light in Winter is a light-based festival that brings together artists, designers and
communities to explore their ideas of light, enlightenment and hope. In 2009 The Light in Winter will present
two elements: Volume, a spectacular installation by British artists, United Visual Artists and The Gift of Light
– in which more than ten of Melbourne’s multicultural communities work together with an artist to share the
meaning of light from their culture.
For more information: www.fedsquare.com or call +61 3 9655 1900
Good Food and Wine Show, Melbourne, 5 - 8 June
The Good Food and Wine Show is Australia's largest consumer food and wine exhibition. Held at the
Melbourne Exhibition Centre, the event showcases every aspect of cooking and entertaining, from food and
wine to homewares and white goods and features some of the biggest name celebrity chefs from home and
abroad including the one and only - Gordon Ramsay. Visitors can participate in cooking demonstrations
and tasting sessions in the Wine Theatre with Australia's top winemakers and brewers. Tickets are
available at the door.
For more information: call Liz Jones on 03 9261 4539 or go to www.goodfoodshow.com.au
To purchase a ticket in advance and for general inquiries: call Ticketek on 13 28 49.
Melbourne Winter Masterpieces – Salvador Dali: Liquid Desire, 13 June – 4 October
Salvador Dalí: Liquid Desire is the first comprehensive retrospective of the work of Salvador Dalí ever to be
staged in Australia. The exhibition is drawn from the holdings of the two largest collections of Dalí in the
world - the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí in Figueres, Spain and the Salvador Dalí Museum in St
Petersburg, Florida.
A full retrospective, the exhibition will comprise more than 200 works in all media – painting, drawing,
watercolour, etchings, sculpture, fashion, jewellery, cinema and photography. The exhibition will trace the
genius of Dalí from his earliest years as an exceptionally talented 14-year-old, to the final majestic paintings
created when the artist was in his seventies.
For more information: Call: 03 8620 2222 or visit: www.ngv.vic.gov.au Admission fees apply. NGV
International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Australia v Japan World Cup Qualifier, 17 June
Australia faces Japan at the MCG in this exciting soccer qualifier for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
For more information: visit www.footballaustralia.com.au
Tickets available through Ticketek www.ticketek.com.au
Circus Oz 2009, Under the Big Top, Birrarung Marr, 17 June – 12 July
Circus Oz returns to wow home crowd audiences under the Big Top at Birrarung Marr. Enjoy a whiz bang
performance from the Circus Oz team that is cheeky, funny and utterly entertaining. Revel in the strength,
agility, beauty and irreverent humour of the internationally acclaimed circus. Accompanied by live music,
wonderful costumes and hilarious acts, the circus is sure to delight both young and old.
For more information: www.circusoz.com
For tickets: call Ticketmaster on 136 100 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.au
Australia v Italy Test Rugby, 20 June
The Qantas Wallabies return to Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium bringing sports fans an opportunity to
experience the best in International Rugby when they take on Italy. In 2008, Melbourne was the venue for
the first Qantas Wallabies Test of the year when they were victorious beating Ireland 18-12, and will be
keen to come away with another win.
For more information: visit www.rugby.com.au Tickets available through Ticketmaster: visit
www.ticketmaster.com.au
Melbourne Winter Masterpieces – A Day in Pompeii, 26 June – 11 October
Melbourne Museum has secured the exclusive Australian rights to show the exhibition A Day In Pompeii
featuring exquisitely preserved artefacts from the archaeological collection of the Soprintendenza
Archeologica di Pompei (SAP). The exhibition is presented as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces
series. The exhibition tells the fateful and intriguing story of the eruption of Mt Vesuvius on 24 August,
79AD. Visitors will glimpse into the final moments of ‘everyday life’ in this once-thriving seaport of the
Roman Empire, and experience the haunting body-casts of the victims 2000 years after the eruption. A
Day in Pompeii takes visitors back in time to experience life and death in this cosmopolitan city. The
exhibition features exceptional objects that lay buried in Pompeii’s ruins for over 17 centuries. Included are
room-size frescoes, marble and bronze sculptures and everyday household items - all of which evoke the
richness and culture of daily life in the Roman Empire’s favourite vacation resort.
For more information: Visit www.museumvictoria.com.au Admission fees apply
Regional Victoria
National Celtic Festival, Portarlington, 5 - 8 June
Celts from around Australia will converge on Portarlington during the June long weekend for Australia's
largest and most diverse celebration of Celtic culture. The National Celtic Festival celebrates and promotes
Celtic culture through a vibrant and progressive festival incorporating music, dance, literature and drama.
The three-day program is structured around a series of concerts, small acoustic performances, workshops
including language workshops, a community stage, community dance, singing performances, dramatic
performances, displays and street performances.
For more information and ticketing: call Geelong Performing Arts Centre on 03 5225 1200 or contact the
festival office on 03 5241 2499 or visit: www.nationalcelticfestival.com
Winter Wine Weekend, Mornington Peninsula, 6 June
Spend the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend eating and drinking at the annual Winter Wine Weekend on
the Mornington Peninsula. Enjoy great wine, tasty food, live music – a sample of what the idyllic region has
to offer. The launch event is the Winter Wine Fest, held at the Red Hill Showgrounds between 11am and
4pm.
For more information and bookings: call 03 5989 2377 or visit www.mpva.com.au
Media inquiries: call Cheryl Lee on 03 5989 2377 or email mpva@mpva.com.au
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Winter Weekends in Port Fairy, 5 - 7 June
June is the time to enjoy the first in a series of four weekend festivals in the beautiful coastal town of Port
Fairy. The theme for June’s Winter Weekend is Comedy, Art & Jazz and features art exhibitions, comedy
concerts, jazz performances and film viewings over the entire weekend.
For more information: visit www.visitportfairy.com.au
Woodend Winter Arts Festival, 5 – 9 June
The Woodend Winter Arts Festival is a celebration of music, literature and the visual arts. Lovers of the
written word can enjoy workshops and discussions on a variety of Australian contemporary writing. Local
artists will open their studios to visitors. The event will be held at St Ambrose Church and Hall and various
venues around town. Local restaurants will celebrate with special menus.
For more information: visit www.woodendwinterartsfestival.org.au
Media inquiries: call Irene O’Duffy on 03 5427 3092
The Australian Kelpie Muster, 6 - 8 June
Held annually over the Queen’s Birthday weekend, The Australian Kelpie Muster, incorporating the
Casterton Kelpie Festival and Casterton Working Dog Auction, is a celebration of Casterton as the
birthplace of the Kelpie. The festival takes a light-hearted look at the Kelpie’s vital role in rural life in
Australia. On Sunday, the nationally-renowned Working Dog Auction is held, attracting a crowd of over
1,500.
For more information: call the Casterton Visitor Information Centre on 03 5581 2070
Media inquiries: call Rod James on 03 5579 1374
Brown Brothers Winter Festival, Milawa, 7 - 9 June 2008
The Brown Brothers Winter Festival will be a fun-filled three days of great wine and food. Visitors will be
entertained by live music and tempted by delicious gourmet food. The Epicurean Centre will be open daily
for lunch between 11am and 3pm, serving up some great wine and food matches from its new winter menu.
The cellar door is open from 9am to 5pm.
For more information: call 1800 001 515 or visit www.brown-brothers.com.au
Media inquiries: Michelle Nicholas on 03 5720 5434
Rutherglen Winery Walkabout, 6 - 7 June
This renowned festival in North East Victoria will again delight wine lovers from far and wide on the June
long weekend. The entry fee includes the 2009 official Winery Walkabout Tasting Glass and the opportunity
to spend two days among 20 participating Rutherglen wineries sampling the unique range of varietals on
tasting at each winery. From sparkling shiraz and classic table wines to luscious vintage ports and mellow
muscats, Rutherglen Winery Walkabout is a chance to compare, contrast and buy the magnificent wines.
For more information: 1300 787 929 or visit www.rutherglenvic.com
Snow Season Opening Weekend, 6 - 8 June
Over the opening snow season weekend, Victoria’s ski resorts celebrate with a wide variety of fun activities
at Mt Buller, Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and Mt Baw Baw.
For more information: visit www.skivic.com
Mt Buller Opening Weekend Celebrations, 6 - 8 June
Mt Buller celebrates the start of the 2009 snow season with a fun-filled street party in the heart of the resort.
The festivities kick off at 4pm on Saturday 6 June in the Village Square, and include live entertainment,
musical acts and free family activities. Kids can enjoy face-painting, helium balloons and hot chocolate. The
celebrations include a spectacular fireworks display. On Sunday 7 June go along to the Olympic Winter
Institute Black Cockatoo Dinner to help raise funds to send our athletes to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic
Games.
For more information: call (03) 5777 6077 or visit the Mt Buller website: www.mtbuller.com.au
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The 10th Annual Eastern Subaru Shortest Lunch, Yarra Valley, 20 - 21 June
Head to the Yarra Valley and visit some of the smaller wineries for the annual Shortest Lunch held on the
shortest weekend of the year. Enjoy a delicious progressive lunch accompanied by superb wine with a
backdrop of beautiful countryside. There are 15 wineries participating in the event, each offering plates of
food and wine by the glass or bottle. The event runs from 10am to 5pm each day and entertainment from
noon.
For more information: call 03 5962 4800, or visit www.yarravalleywine.com
Media inquiries: call Diana Viggers on 03 9730 1349
Fun4Kids Festival, Warrnambool, 28 June – 5 July
Head to Warrnambool during the winter school holidays to enjoy the award winning Fun4Kids Festival
which is staged in a large indoor village. Fun4Kids features 12 zones full of activities, interactive workshops
and intriguing displays. Two monster stages with non-stop live shows everyday provide fun and affordable
entertainment for all the family. There are magicians, musicians, pantomimes, bands, ballet and hilarious
creatures roving the venue.
For more information: call Brooke Wilson, Festival Director on 03 5559 4816 or visit
www.fun4kids.com.au
For more information contact:
Natalia Standfield
Senior Media Officer
Destination Communications
Tourism Victoria on 03 9653 9814
Email: Natalia.Standfield@tourism.vic.gov.au
For media images please contact operators direct or register online at visionsofvictoria.com
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