Off The Leash - November 2025

LAWRENCE MOONEY Is a fish out of water

CHRISTMAS ON PARADE Darwin Christmas Pageant hits the streets

DECKIE DAYS ARE [ALMOST] DONE Lights down at Deckchair Cinema

MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN ALICE SINGS Beloved desert choir celebrates 10 years

ED'S LETTER

Yep, November. It’s here. Why is it that the first few months of the year seem to have a nice, easy pace, yet the latter months catapult us towards the next year? Baffling.

November is Ausmusic Month, so we’re using our platform to shine a light on our incredible music industry. We have so much talent spread the breadth of the Territory, with incredible original music being produced, and we really owe it to our musos that keep creating, despite the challenges they face.

We’re also putting out a call-to-action – not only wear merch from your favourite NT bands this Ausmusic T-Shirt Day – but to also blast their tunes to show your love and solidarity with our music makers. They make the music for us, let’s make some noise for them!

It’s this time of year that festivities kick into full swing. Get those jolly vibes rolling with the Darwin Christmas Pageant, Tactile Arts Christmas Makers Market, and Green Ant Christmas Craft Fair.

Our Performing Arts section is packed with theatre, comedy, and dance, with performances from the Victorian State Ballet, comedians Lawrence Mooney and Monty Franklin, and Tracks Dance Company’s gorgeous

senior troupe, the Grey Panthers.

There’s also a bunch of sweet music gigs to treat those ears of yours to. The formidable singer-songwriter that is Liz Stringer returns to Australia with an amazing tour to shine a light on our country’s housing crisis, Katie Noonan blesses us with the music of Jeff Buckley to mark 30 years since the release of his gorgeous album Grace (which was on high rotation for me back in the early naughts), and delightful desert community choir Alice Sings celebrate 10 wonderful years at Araluen Arts Centre.

There’s a bunch of incredible art exhibitions adorning the walls of galleries across the NT, providing a sweet reprieve from that Territory heat – you’ll likely see me kicking around at our many wonderful art galleries. Oh, and heads up, from the time this edish hits the streets, you’ve got about two weeks to get your flick fix at Deckchair Cinema before the projector retires for the year.

However you spend your November days, I hope they’re a sweet time – soundtracked by Territory musos!

THIS EDISH

FEATURE 4

AROUND TOWN 5

PERFORMING ARTS 7

BOOKS & FILM 10

EXPLORE 14

VISUAL ARTS 15

MUSIC 19

TEAM OFF THE LEASH

Tierney White Managing Editor & Development Manager

Rita Horanyi Assistant Editor

Danny Crichton Graphic Designer

Contributors Rosie Wild

GET IN TOUCH

editor@offtheleash.net.au

08 8941 7413

GPO BOX 2325, Darwin NT 0801

THANK YOU TO OFF THE LEASH PARTNERS

OUR COVER Cover proudly sponsored by Off The Leash Blacken Open Air 2025

Photo: Oliver Eclipse Photography

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Off The Leash Inc. acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.

This edition may contain the names, images, artworks and stories of people who have passed away. Please read with care. WED 5 NOV WEBSITE LISTINGS Upload anytime – this just gives you a chance to get a free listing in print!

OFF THE LEASH IS PROUDLY NOT-FOR-PROFIT

If you've got an exciting event or experience anywhere in the NT next month, we can help you get the word out. From free promotion on our website to cost-effective rates in our print magazine, there's something to suit all budgets.

SCAN TO DOWNLOAD OUR MEDIA KIT

STRATEGIC ACCOUNTANTS

OTL is a Territory‑wide publication due to the generous support of Michael Sitzler, for all Territorians.

Make Noise FOR OUR MUSOS

Ausmusic T Shirt Day & Share Territory Tunes WHEN THU 27 NOV INFO ausmusictshirtday.org.au

November is Ausmusic Month, so we’re putting out a call-to-action to get behind our incredible Territory music scene. GIGS offtheleash.net.au GRANTS grantsnt.nt.gov.au

SUPPORT musicnt.com.au MENTAL HEALTH & FINANCIAL SUPPORT supportact.org.au

Heavy metal music festival Blacken Open Air returned in September after a three-year hiatus, presented by The Black Wreath – a live music venue and record label in Mparntwe/Alice Springs. The Wreath’s founding father Pirate reckons music festivals in the NT offer unique experiences in special landscapes.

“Our region's so f-cking unique and stunning, and culture is like the tapestry that brings us all together, and music is the common denominator … Like, people just feel absolutely reborn and electrified, and call it a spiritual experience going to Blacken. There's been a lot of gratitude and people tell you it's ‘life changing’ – it's unique and important and vital – and we need those kinds of experiences in our life,” he says.

These events also increase visitation and spend to the NT, attracting both artists and punters locally, nationally, and internationally, to places they may not have otherwise traversed.

EING A MUSICIAN in the NT isn’t an easy slog. Despite the breadth of talent we have here in spades, the high costs paired with long distances to tour – even within the NT, and with the support of government grants! – make it unsustainable as a career. You won’t find many musos kicking around these here parts without also holding down a regular day job or picking up casual work to make ends meet.

Add to this the high cost of living for punters, and we have ourselves in a bit of a pickle. This Ausmusic Month, we want to let our readers know how they can get behind the NT’s music industry, with small, achievable actions that show the love.

It’s not just the local music industry that’s been impacted, with hangover effects still felt from the pandemic days. We’ve seen music festivals across the country fall by the wayside, either postponed or ceasing altogether, much to the disappointment of musicians and punters alike.

Locally, Wide Open Space Festival – a much-loved multi-day camping desert festival that occurs on the May Day long weekend – had to hit pause for 2025. In a statement put out in December last year, organisers flagged financial risk as the reason behind the heartbreaking decision.

“Huddle in everyone. We have some sad news to share with you. We have had to make the difficult decision to cancel Wide Open Space in 2025. The financial risk was too much for us to handle, and with only half of our budgeted grants coming through, we just couldn’t make it happen this year.”

“The landscape is a selling point as well, that's what tourism is about, it's kind of the same thing, there's a lot of synergy there. The last Blacken in ‘22 brought one-and-a-halfmillion dollars into the NT, so I think this year, it's probably doubled that, so it's not an insignificant amount,” Pirate says.

Mark Smith is Executive Director of MusicNT and says it’s a tricky time to navigate.

“Things haven’t quite bounced back since the COVID years, with venues themselves suffering. I think there is a cultural change happening in how people go out, and that affects the venues, which then affects the bands. I think there's a shift that is happening in the sector, but we just don't know where that shift is going to end up. And then, how do you navigate yourself as a band within that? I think we're in that strange transition time at the moment.”

The cost of touring also impacts musicians in the sense there are ears that won’t get to hear music, making breaking through to new audiences a huge challenge.

“I think over the last few years, it's definitely become more challenging for musicians to get out of the Territory … previously, our advice to bands was that you could do a quick run of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and come back, and it would actually work out, financially. But I think that's much harder,” Smith says.

“Within that, there's the general difficulty that artists are facing because there's just so much music out there. And so how do you cut through? Songs still do cut through, there's examples of that all the time, like Drifting Clouds or Andrew Gurruwiwi or Emily Wurramara … but that's not the norm. It's just a little bit harder for musicians to make a break from what they're doing.”

It’s important to acknowledge the incredible contribution of local, original music to our lifestyle and culture. The storytelling, the artistry, the atmosphere – what a sad world we would find ourselves in without music.

It’s at this point anyone reading this might be wondering what they can do. How can we support our wonderful music industry?

Buying tickets to gigs, following your favourite artists’ social media and streaming accounts, sharing your top tunes with your own social media following, and buying merch are some of the small actions we can take to show our support, regardless of how you may be impacted by the current cost of living crisis.

For musos reading this, consider signing up to MusicNT for a free membership, submit your original tunes for their Fresh MiNT e-newsletters, and subscribe to Grants NT – the Northern Territory Government’s grants mailing list – for potential grant support.

Off The Leash is also on standby to lend a hand! You can upload your gigs to our website at any time for free promo, and if you upload by our deadline, which is the 5th of the month prior to your event, there’s a huge chance we’ll be able to list it in about 10,500 magazines that are sent to over 200 locations across the NT. Use us, really.

Ausmusic T-Shirt Day also falls this month, so grab your local artist tees and wear them proudly. We’re also putting a call-out to our readers to share one of their top Territory tunes on Ausmusic T-Shirt Day, so share them on your Instagram stories, your BookFaces, play them at work, and blast them through your home speakers.

C’mon, friends. Let’s make some noise for our musos.

WORDS TIERNEY WHITE

Meganesia | 2025 Darwin Festival

Photo: Helen Orr

Drfiting Clouds | 2025 National Indigenous Music Awards

Photo: Benjamin Warlngundu Ellis

Southeast Desert Metal | Blacken Open Air 2025 Photo: Oliver Eclipse

NT Finalists | The Songwriting Prize 2025

David Garnham and (some of) The Reasons to Live, 2025 tour | Daly Waters Pub

Photo: Liam Smid

CANDY

CHRISTMAS ON PARADE

Ho, ho, ho, folks! Santa’s en route to the Top End, switching out his frosty North Pole digs for the hot, built-up tropics of Darwin.

A VERY DARWIN Christmas Pageant returns for a fourth year, set to delight as an entourage of floats parade through Darwin, starting at the Esplanade, working its way down Knuckey and Cavenagh Streets, before landing on Bennett Street where a main stage and Christmas Concert awaits.

Last year, 53 Christmas-themed floats from local community groups, schools, sporting clubs, religious organisations, and businesses hit the streets, wowing little ones and their families, and getting all into the festive spirit.

Five-year-old Finn, who was four at last year’s big event, says he loved it.

A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant WHEN SAT 15 NOV | 4-9PM AT DARWIN CITY COST FREE INFO averydarwinchristmas.com.au

WORDS TIERNEY WHITE

IMAGE CHARLIE BLISS

“I liked seeing the floats and when they threw lollies at us. And I got to see Santa.”

Christmas parades originated in Darwin back in the 70s, and after a

GET GIFTIN’

The Tactile Arts Christmas Makers Market returns to the air-conditioned Territory Netball Stadium, offering a weekend’s worth of gift ideas from local crafts folk.

THE TIME TO get on top of the Christmas pressie list has arrived, but if you’re stumped as to what to gift loved ones this Christmas, may we gently suggest you consider something locally made?

The Tactile Arts Christmas Makers Market is a hit this time of year, with a record-breaking 165 stalls on hand, chockers with goodies crafted by local artisans across a wide range of categories such as art, jewellery, clothing, ceramics, toys, and more.

Aneka Truman, Tactile Arts General Manager, says the benefits are plentiful when it comes to

supporting our hardworking creatives.

“Shopping at an event like this supports local talented and independent businesses, but also adds a personal, meaningful touch to holiday gifting,” she says.

“Supporting local artists is important for the Territory economy, providing an income for small businesses. In 2024, we estimated that combined stallholder revenue across the three Tactile Arts Makers Markets was over one-million dollars.”

The Christmas Makers Market

decades-long hiatus, were reintroduced in 2022 by City of Darwin in an effort to give the community a free, family-friendly festive experience during the build-up season.

Lord Mayor Peter Styles says it’s a highlight of the festive season.

“The pageant brings people from all parts of our community into the city to share in the fun and spirit of Christmas ... It’s also a great opportunity to showcase local creativity, and celebrate the community that makes Darwin such a special place.”

The pageant ends at the Bennett Street end of Smith Street Mall, where attendees can see the Lord Mayor’s Lighting of the Christmas Tree, and enjoy the Christmas Concert at the main stage.

With roving entertainment for the duration of the event, live music, Christmas carols, and dancing, it’s sure to get y’all feelin’ festive.

is one of three annual Makers Markets – formerly Craft Fairs –rolled out by the not-for-profit Tactile Arts, created to give local creatives an outlet for exposure and selling their goods. Plus, buyers get to take something home that’s unique and made with care. It’s good vibes all ‘round at this two-day gathering.

“The Christmas Makers Market is a huge opportunity for a variety of small creative businesses to market and sell their unique products to the public. As a consumer, it's not often that we have the opportunity to choose from so many handmade products – items

designed, produced, and created by NT artists,” Truman says.

This year’s Market includes a swag of food stalls, including cupcakes and popcorn, a stall from Waralungku Arts in Borroloola, plus kids’ activities and live music from local muso Lilla Wellington on both days. Truman says the venue provides both great accessibility and comfort for Christmas shoppers.

“This has been a great venue for the Christmas Makers Market, providing an indoor shopping experience with air-con, 150 underground parking spots, and

Entry’s by gold coin donation, via cash or card, so make tracks to the Christmas Makers Market and get giftin’ for your loved ones – or a perhaps a sneaky little something for yourself!

Tactile Arts Christmas Makers Market WHEN SAT 8 & SUN 9 NOV 9AM-4PM

A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant 2024

elevator access.”

The Tactile Arts Christmas Makers Market 2024

WORDS TIERNEY WHITE

TREASURES FOR ALL TASTES

WORDS RITA HORANYI

Looking for some handmade gems to gift loved ones this festive season? With over 150 stalls brimming with local arts and crafts, the Green Ant Craft Fair is the perfect place to pick up some pressies.

STEP INTO AIR-CONDITIONED comfort as the Territory Netball Stadium transforms into a vibrant festive hub for local artisans and makers of all sorts. From ceramics and textiles to paintings and books, the Green Ant Craft Fair has every kind of handcrafted treasure you could imagine, and is fiercely committed to its local handmade ethos.

“If the artist or the person doesn’t dramatically change the original state of something or produce it themselves, then they can’t come … There’ll be nothing that isn’t created in the NT,” says organiser Hannah Swales.

In addition to scooping up some gorgeous goodies, you’ll walk away knowing your pennies are supporting local creatives. The Fair also gives a leg up to young artists, offering a 50 percent discount on stall fees to those under 18, and promoting their products through social media for exposure.

“They’re up and coming, they’re going to step into bigger shoes later in life, so it’s really important to support them and make them feel welcome so they’ll keep coming back,” Swales says.

The Fair has pulled out all the stops to ensure the event is a fun day out, with live music and plenty of activities for the little ones, including a drawing competition and sessions with Fairy Jill. Gordon the Green Ant – a six-foot-tall velvet mascot – can be seen

WHAT'S ON

Top End

DED – Island of the Dead

Join the final Death Education and Discussion session for the year with death doula Heidi Grieg. Explore natural burials, compassionate end-of-life care, and the rituals that make death meaningful. Heidi shares from her experiences supporting families and fostering intimate, community-centred approaches to dying.

SAT 1 NOV | 2-4PM

DARWIN COMMUNITY ARTS FREE events.humanitix.com

Darwin Laksa Festival Finale

Thousands of Territorians and visitors are invited to enjoy the many delicious laksa or laksa-inspired dishes on offer from amazing local venues. Enjoy cooking demonstrations, roving entertainment, live music, and the presentation of this year's Laksa Festival awards.

wandering around contributing to the festive fun. Feast on sweet treats from Petra’s Raw Cakes or Sweet Little Vintage, or grab a feed from a host of food trucks.

Stallholders can win back their fees by dressing up their stalls, so expect plenty of festoons and decorations as people get into the Christmas spirit. Punters don’t miss out either, with two $250 door prizes up for grabs between 12 and 3pm on the second day. Winners are announced at 3pm on Sunday and have an hour to spend their $250 prize at the fair. What a fun way to wind up your weekend!

There’s also a photo booth/ family portrait space set up for those who want to preserve their memories, which points to the strong sense of community the fair cultivates.

“I try and create that relationship with the stallholders prior to the event, so they feel a bit like they’re part of a family,” Swales says.

It’s a feeling that’s sure to extend to patrons as well, so head on down and enjoy the fair’s welcoming embrace.

Green Ant Christmas Craft Fair WHEN SAT 29 & SUN 30 NOV 9AM-4PM AT TERRITORY NETBALL STADIUM COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ greenantcraftfair

enjoy the fun.

TUE 4 NOV | 11.30AM-3PM

MAYBERRY

$75 | $150 VIP mayberrydarwin.com

Collage Club

A monthly art class for adults at The Last Supper, perfect for unwinding and getting creative. Each session includes a short presentation, time to make your own collages, and the chance to share your work!

THU 6 NOV | 5.20PM THE LAST SUPPER

$23 thelastsupper.com.au

Kirtan Mantra Night – Palmerston

Come for an authentic evening of guided heartfelt kirtan – mantra meditation accompanied by music. Enjoy the atmosphere, make friends, and immerse yourself in a truly spiritual experience. The program includes kirtan, mantra breathwork, and a delicious vegetarian meal. This session is open to everyone.

FRI 7 NOV | 6-8PM GRAY COMMUNITY HALL FREE (DONATIONS WELCOME) asmy.org.au

WED 12 NOV | 7-9PM

AANT CENTRE

$75-$155 yourcentre.com.au

Life Drawing with Dan

Join a relaxed life drawing workshop open to all skill levels, focused on capturing the human form through short and long poses. Learn techniques in proportion, anatomy, and dimension in a respectful, inclusive space. All materials and a welcome drink included.

SAT 15 NOV | 4-7PM THE LAST SUPPER

$40 thelastsupper.com.au

End of Month Milonga

A milonga is a social dance event or party, where people gather to dance tango, milonga, and vals. Join the fun and tango the night away!

FRI 28 NOV | 8-11PM

COCONUT GROVE COMMUNITY HALL $10 northerntango.com.au

Geek Up

SAT 1 NOV | 3-11PM

DARWIN WATERFRONT FREE darwinlaksafestival.com.au

Murder Mystery: Night of Horrors at Countess Dracula's Castle Enter Countess Dracula’s haunted castle for a night of mystery, murder, and mayhem. Investigate a chilling crime while enjoying two and a half hours of bottomless pizza.

SAT 1 NOV | 6.30-9PM

THE LAST SUPPER $55 thelastsupper.com.au

Felt a Dryer Ball Bird – Needle Felting

Perfect for beginners or those looking to try a faster needle felting technique, this session uses a premade 100% wool dryer ball as your base. Learn simple and effective needle felting skills to transform your wool ball into a unique, handcrafted bird.

SUN 2 NOV | 9AM-12PM

TACTILE ARTS

$130 | $118 MEMB tactilearts.org.au

Melbourne Cup Day – Pink & Pearl Pony Club

Saddle up for Melbourne Cup! Hosted by Marzi Panne, expect glamour, gourmet bites, live race coverage, prizes, and all-day entertainment. VIP tickets include a drinks package, express entry, luxe seating, and extra sparkle. Giddy up and head on down to

DiGiT 2025 DiGiT (Darwin Interactive Games & Innovative Technologies) is the Northern Territory’s new creative tech festival, a flagship event showcasing the future of play, creativity, and technology. Presented by The Array under its pillars LEARN. MAKE. PLAY., DiGiT is a high-energy, multi-sensory celebration of the digital frontier, Territory-style.

SAT 8 NOV | 10AM-5PM

AANT CENTRE

$35 | $25 YOUTH | $15 CHILD yourcentre.com.au

Club Tropical Milonga

Enjoy an evening of social dancing with the local Northern Tango community of dancers. Come early to enjoy dinner at the venue before dancing the night away.

SAT 8 NOV | 7-11PM

CLUB TROPICAL RESORT DARWIN FREE northerntango.com.au

Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward

Don’t miss your chance to be part of a live audience with John Edward, one of the world’s most sought-after psychic mediums, author of several critically acclaimed New York Times bestsellers, and star of TV’s Crossing Over with John Edward.

A chance for young people to come together and have fun. Activities include Dungeons & Dragons, an art workshop facilitated by local young creatives, and board games, plus a DIY toastie station. Recommended for ages 15-25.

SUN 30 NOV | 1-4PM CASUARINA LIBRARY FREE launchdarwin.com.au

Fruit Bat Trivia

Grab your mates for an entertaining trivia sesh that'll have you flexing those brain muscles and battling it out over questions on pop culture, history, music, and more.

EVERY TUE | 7-9PM SILKS

EVERY WED | 6.30-8.30PM BREEZES BAR & BISTRO

EVERY WED | 7-8.30PM BEACHFRONT HOTEL

facebook.com/ danielleandrewscomedy

Musical Bingo

Join host Danielle for a fun session of musical bingo. Instead of numbers, players listen to snippets of popular songs and mark them off on their cards. B.I.N.G.O, baby!

EVERY THU | 6.30-8.30PM BREEZES BAR & BISTRO breezesbarbistro.com.au

Sunday Quiz Meisters Trivia

The Last Supper has teamed up with Quiz Meisters to bring you Darwin’s freshest and funniest free trivia every Sunday. Expect quirky questions, wild segments, and great prizes in a two-hour quiz that’s guaranteed to liven up

The Floral Sea Maid - Hunnah James

your weekend. A seriously fun way to end your Sunday.

EVERY SUN | 2-4PM

THE LAST SUPPER FREE thelastsupper.com.au

MIND & BODY

TRE TRE (Tension/Trauma Release

Exercises) uses movement, like shaking and tremoring, to help the nervous system to down regulate, encouraging relaxation, calmness and connection.

MON 3 & 17 NOV | 6.30-7.30PM

THE WELLNESS HUB DARWIN

$20 nebula.net.au

Mums and Bubs Pilates

EVERY MON (EXC. PUB HOLS) | 10-11AM

RICH LIFE HEALTH & FITNESS

$15 | FREE MEMB rlhf.com.au

Sunset Yoga

Watch the beautiful sunset over Cullen Bay Beach as you move through this flowing yoga class with smooth transitions. All abilities welcome. BYO mat or hire available.

EVERY TUE, WED & THU | 6PM

RICH LIFE HEALTH & FITNESS

$15 | $5 MAT HIRE | FREE MEMB rlhf.com.au

InVogue Dancing

Pop on your dancing shoes and enjoy a mix of standard ballroom and Latin American sequence dances.

EVERY FRI | 10AM-12PM

NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE

$8 infomania@internode.on.net

Breathwork and Meditation

EVERY SUN | 11.15AM

RICH LIFE HEALTH & FITNESS

$20 | $18 SEN | FREE MEMB rlhf.com.au

Kirtan Meditation

Kirtan is a form of meditation that utilises live music and mantras for a fully immersive experience. No experience necessary, and all are welcome. The program includes meditation, a wisdom talk, and a meal to finish.

EVERY SUN | 5-7PM

NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE

DONATION asmy.org.au/darwin

Red Centre

Todd Mall Markets

Alice Springs' Todd Mall comes alive with Sunday Market Days.

Browse the wide range of stalls selling art, craft, and local produce. Choose from handcrafted jewellery, paintings and clothing, homewares, bric-a-brac, and food, glorious food!

SUN 9 & 23 NOV | 9AM-1PM

TODD MALL FREE toddmallmarkets.com.au

Bindi Enterprises

This program offers participants the chance to create digital artwork and transform it into fabric repeats. Open to all skill levels, it fosters creativity and provides disability support.

EVERY TUE | 1-3PM

BINDI ENTERPRISES

$130-$300 bindienterprises.org.au

Friday Knock Offs

Find it hard to get to The Roastery during the week? Well, now one your fave Red Centre venues is open for knock-offs on Fridays. Stop in for an intimate catch-up, unwind and to start your weekend right. Coffee, cake, bevs at the bar, and grazing boards available.

EVERY FRI 4.30-8PM THE ROASTERY facebook.com/duyucoffeeroasters

Margi and Taco Saturdays

Turn your Saturday into Saturyay, amigos, with margs and tacos on the Epilogue Lounge Rooftop. Feel like busting a boogie? You can do that, too. Muy bien!

EVERY SAT | 5-10.30PM

EPILOGUE LOUNGE

$8-$35 TACOS | $15 MARGS epiloguelounge.com.au

PERFORMING ARTS

IS THAT YOUR MATE?

WORDS RITA HORANYI

HE’S THE CHARMING Aussie bloke who tours the world doing stand-up about being an outsider and the weirdness of our culture. Monty Franklin is back on the road on one of his biggest world tours yet, with a brand-new show that promises that trademark observational wit he’s known for.

If you haven’t seen him on Netflix or performing sold out shows at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, then you might have seen Franklin online. His hilarious videos have racked up over a billion views, explaining some of the odder parts of Aussie culture. Like, why Australians sound like birds or the different levels of bogan.

For Franklin, showcasing what makes Australia great is something he loves.

“I’m a very patriotic Australian, so I love showing how fun and great we are. We have a fantastically unique culture in Australia, that we aren’t even aware is very interesting to people outside of it. Subtle things like calling it fairy floss or calling a traffic cone a witches hat seems very normal to us, but it’s hilarious to those outside of Australia.”

His show, Is That Your Mate, continues to explore his fascination with cultural differences and offers an unflinching look at his life over the past year, covering everything from touring 80 cities to going through a divorce and turning 40. But despite the seriousness of some of the topics, and of the state of the world more generally, the show has a light touch.

“The world seems like a very heated and opinionated place right now, but as one of my comedic heroes [Steve Martin] said, ‘silly always wins’ … So, if you want a break from the seriousness of life, this show is a silly escape from just that.”

Expect a bit of lively crowd interaction and plenty of storytelling, as Franklin offers up his own pain so you can forget about your own.

When he’s not entertaining audiences with his stand-up and videos, Franklin’s busy on one of his many side hustles, which can range from producing short films to hosting radio and TV shows, and appearing on podcasts. One of the more exciting projects he has in the pipeline is a feature

film he co-wrote with comedy legends Rob Schneider and John Cleese, who are set to star in the film alongside Franklin.

“The Great Emu War is a true story that happened in 1932, when the Australian Government went to war with the Emus and lost. It’s fun and silly, but at its heart, it’s a love letter to Australia and showcases its beauty to the rest of the world through comedy.”

With a ripping yarn and talent like that, the film, due to be released in 2027, is pegged to be an Aussie classic.

Despite his extensive touring, it’s been about 15 years since Franklin last made it to the country’s northernmost capital, and he's keen to meet a few more locals. Given his capacity for astute observations, who knows what new comedic material these encounters could inspire!

Monty Franklin Is That Your Mate WHEN SAT 29 NOV | 7.30PM AT AANT CENTRE COST $55 INFO yourcentre.com.au

SWAN LAKE

Experience the majesty and visual splendour of one of the most iconic ballets, as Victorian State Ballet (VSB) brings Swan Lake to the Top End.

WORDS RITA HORANYI

AMAZING GREYS

Quite possibly the longest running dance group for seniors in the country, the Grey Panthers are a beloved Top End institution. Their latest show, Amazing Greys – A Grey Panther Cabaret, weaves storytelling and choreography together to share over 2,500 years of collective wisdom and experience.

WORDS RITA HORANYI

IMAGE DUANE PRESTON

SHOWCASING CHOREOGRAPHIC

REPERTOIRE from Frank Sinatra to Spice Girls, the Grey Panthers’ entertaining new show demonstrates that seniors not only still have the moves, but plenty of interesting stories to share as well.

Theatre maker and community artist Alyson Evans, a member of the Tracks Dance artistic leadership team, worked with the group to draw stories from the participants about how their lives are connected to the various pieces, and how dancing in general has enriched their lives.

The result is a joyful celebration, complete with sparkly costumes and plenty of pizzazz, of lives well lived.

For Tracks Dance Artistic Director, David McMicken, being able to offer this kind of positive representation of growing older makes working with the Grey Panthers particularly rewarding.

“Every time we dance or perform or put ourselves out in public, we’re showing that we’re not the general image of what a senior is … There is so much joy in the room when they’re performing. You don’t see our seniors and elders out there performing, so it’s quite a unique thing to see.”

Darryl Butler has been dancing with the Grey Panthers for 13 years and has choreographed several dances for the group, two of which are set to premiere as part of the performance.

DRAMA. ROMANCE. A sweeping score. Stunning costumes. And, of course, exquisite choreography. Swan Lake is rightly revered as one of the greatest works in the classical ballet repertoire, and it’s not hard to see why. Darwin audiences can delight in this enduring masterpiece, brought to life in a superb new production.

“There is no other ballet like Swan Lake. You really feel captured into the whole story. It has to do with the music as well. It’s just mesmerising, out of this world,” says VSB Company Director, Michelle Sierra

With original choreography by Sierra complementing the ballet’s iconic moments and a new twist to the story’s heartbreaking finale, the production skilfully blends the old and the new to create a fresh take on a beloved classic.

Designed to showcase the technique of the dancers and to clarify the story, Sierra’s choreography enhances the production without changing those key moments beloved by many.

“All the Acts have traditional elements in them that I don’t really touch … You have the White Swan Pas de Deux and that is iconic and not to be touched – it’s perfect the way it is,” says Sierra.

“In Act III … all the different countries that come to the

ball, I’ve rechoreographed all those pieces and I feel it suits our version … Act IV, I’ve also rechoreographed the opening and the second part, which still follows the lines of tradition, but it is readapted for our version. Again, all to tell the story, but it’s all based on the beautiful ballet that Swan Lake is.”

For Sierra, the way Swan Lake combines the old and the new is what makes it such a compelling and timeless work of art.

“Swan Lake is one of those one-of-a-kind pieces that really connects the ballet technique and skill of today with the musical score that was created years ago that remains timeless. [Audiences] experience a combination of the old and the new connected into one beautiful ballet. That’s really special and … with Swan Lake, you really feel all the worlds come together.”

Whether this is your first or your tenth time seeing this classic, be swept away by the sheer artistry and beauty of it all.

Swan Lake | Victorian State Ballet

WHEN FRI 21 NOV, 6PM | SAT 22 NOV, 3PM AT AANT CENTRE COST $55 | $50 MEMB/CONC $30 CHILD INFO yourcentre.com.au

For Butler, being involved in the Grey Panthers offers him a rich creative outlet.

“I get the joy of being creative. I’ve been a teacher most of my life and I just enjoy enabling other people in my age group to find that they are more than they thought they were. That they don’t have to stop being creative individuals,” he says.

One of the pieces Butler has choreographed is drawn from movements the Coomalie Grey Panthers group regularly practice,

and explores what it means to form a group and support others.

Although the dance work has been shaped by Butler, the moves the dancers make are their own.

It’s another way to give seniors a creative platform to express what’s meaningful to them.

“I wonder how older people have a voice in dance,” says Butler.

“There’s a lot of things we can’t do, but I think, as older people, there are things that we would do that younger people simply

wouldn’t do and that in itself is finding a voice.”

Make tracks to Tracks and enjoy a fun variety show that’s also a beautiful testament to the experience of our elders.

Amazing Greys – A Grey Panther Cabaret

LAWRENCE MOONEY IS A FISH OUT OF WATER

What happens when an inveterate city slicker decides to up and move to the country? Aussie comedy veteran Lawrence Mooney has a few thoughts on the topic that he’s ready to share in his hilarious new show, Dead Set Country.

Rita Horanyi sat down with the acclaimed comic for a yarn about ride-on mowers, finding community, and learning at long last when to shut up.

So, your latest show is about a city bloke finding himself in the country. It’s about a fish out of water, Rita.

What inspired you to write a show about that?

So, I have moved to the country, and I was a city boy born and bred. I grew up in Melbourne and spent the first 54 years of my life there, then got a job on radio in Sydney. And then my wife said, "Why don't I go and have a look at the Southern Highlands?”. Of course, women being five years ahead of men in the planning, she had designs and said, "Why don't we go and have a look at some houses?". And then next thing you know, we're here.

... And then it's all about, you know, learning about community. It's kind of slowing down … People are slower. You get up earlier, you do a lot more, and I'm in this beautiful position where I get to live in the country and my bus stop, if you will, is Canberra Airport. And so that's where I travel from to do comedy all over the country.

Sounds wonderful.

Yeah, it’s pretty good.

What’s your favourite thing about living in the country?

Oh, I think probably my ride-on mower, which I spent most of yesterday on … I love that thing more than life itself … And next to that, it'd be the kangaroos and the wombats. Though I've got to toughen up a bit, you know. I still get a little bit choked up when I see one dead on the side of the road, and people who have lived here for a while go, "Mate, it's the country. You need to stop getting so emotionally involved”. But I can't help it!

Fair enough! What’s been the most challenging thing about living in the country, besides the roadkill?

You’ve got to learn the rules. Country people don't like rabbits, so don’t speak up on their behalf … Also, you know, folk aren't big fans of wombats either. You can't be too affectionate about a wombat. In fact, country folk don't like much about the country. They hate cockatoos, they hate gum trees … And politics, always best to avoid it.

You know, my dad used to say never discuss sex, politics or religion at the dinner table, and it took me a long time to realise what that actually meant. What it means is, you're never going to change somebody else's opinion … As a bolshie 20 or 30 something, I was all about my opinions, but now … learning to be silent is a skill that I have acquired in the country … God, it saves you some trouble, Rita.

... There's an AFL coach that used to have this great saying that's like, if you argue with a f-cking idiot, pretty soon nobody can tell the difference.

[Laughs] That’s a pretty good saying. I like it, ‘cause it's so true.

What do you love the most about performing stand-up?

Lawrence Mooney Dead Set Country

WHEN WED 19 NOV | 8PM

AT AANT CENTRE

COST $60 | $56 MEMB/CONC INFO yourcentre.com.au

It's the immediate rapport with the audience … You've got, first of all, the great privilege of somebody having paid for a ticket with your name on it. So, they've actually, you know, planned to have you in their life for some weeks … Plus, even though it's a show I've done many times, every one's like a fingerprint. It's very unique … Nothing's ever certain with live performance … anything's possible.

"There's an AFL coach that used to have this great saying that's like, if you argue with a f-cking idiot, pretty soon nobody can tell the difference."

What are you looking forward to the most about heading to Darwin? Well, Darwin is always a very unique audience … It's like people that go to live in Darwin are looking for something that can't be found anywhere else in Australia. So, there's a freedom, there's a different kind of angle on life.

... As a kid, my first connection with Darwin came in 1974, ‘cause in Christmas 1974, I got a transistor radio off Santa. So, I was up, like any kid, at four in the morning, switched on my trannie, and the news comes through that Cyclone Tracy had hit Darwin. And I was riveted … and I followed the news … and when I was up in Darwin last time, I went to the Cyclone Tracy exhibit at the museum, and I was fascinated. So, yeah, I've got this connection with the wild and crazy town that is Darwin … There’s this great kind of melting pot of cultures and ideas, and I love going there.

IMAGE MONICA PRONK

WHAT'S ON BOOKS & FILM

Top End

25th Anniversary Gala Performance

Celebrate 25 years of Leisa's School of Dancing with a special gala performance. Young dancers present Act II of The Nutcracker, featuring beloved characters from Land of Sweets. Duprada Dance Company performs Les Sylphides and Body Sculpture, before a toe-tapping jazz finale.

SAT 1 NOV | 6.30-8.45PM

AANT CENTRE

$32-$42 yourcentre.com.au

Dave Thornton Live Thornton has appeared on The Project, Sam Pang Tonight, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala, and as Troy in Upper Middle Bogan. With sold-out shows nationwide, he brings his sharp wit to Darwin for one night only – don’t miss it!

SAT 8 NOV | 6 & 8PM

AIR RAID ARCADE

$40.50 topfloorcomedydarwin.com.au

Michael Connell Tricks For Your Mind

A high-energy science show blending juggling, memory feats, and Rubik’s Cube speed-solving to uncover how the brain works. Inspired by research from leading psychologists, this entertaining performance explores attention, learning, and neurodiversity, making science fun, accessible, and unforgettable for all ages.

THU 13 NOV | 7-8PM AIR RAID ARCADE

$23 | $20 CONC topfloorcomedydarwin.com.au

Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show

For the first time in Darwin, The Rocky Horror Show hits the Charles Darwin University Theatre. Don’t miss eight electrifying performances, packed with iconic songs, outrageous fun, and unapologetic glam. Let’s do the ‘Time Warp’ again!

FRI 14 & SAT 15 NOV | 7.30PM

SUN 16 NOV | 3.30PM

THU 20 NOV – SAT 22 NOV | 7.30PM SAT 22 NOV | 11.30PM

SUN 23 NOV | 7PM

CDU THEATRE

$55 stickytickets.com.au

Craic Hole Thursdays: Comedy with a Twist

Darwin’s most chaotic comedy night, Craic Hole Thursdays, brings 10 comedians, one bizarre topic, and five minutes each to win the crowd. Audience picks the winner!

THU 20 NOV | 7-9PM

AIR RAID ARCADE

$23 topfloorcomedydarwin.com.au

Seventeen by Matthew Whittet Darwin Theatre Company and Corrugated Iron Youth Arts unite to present an ensemble theatre work that captures the exhilaration and heartbreak of leaving adolescence behind. Through raw dialogue, movement and emotion, five teens face truth, change, and the bittersweet freedom of growing up.

WED 26 NOV – SAT 6 DEC | 7PM (EXC. SUN, MON, TUE)

BROWN’S MART

$35 facebook.com/ darwintheatrecompany

Rough & Raw Open Mic

Open mic comedy is unpolished and edgy. From new comedians doing their first set, older comedians trying new jokes, and visiting stars just dropping in, you never know who you’ll get. Arrive early to kick back and enjoy some tasty food and bevvies, before the laughs begin!

THU 27 NOV | 7-9PM

AIR RAID ARCADE

$10 topfloorcomedydarwin.com.au

Playshops

Darwin Playback Theatre is offering eight weeks of playshops (not workshops!). Each session has a different facilitator and form for you to play with and explore: clown, dance, music and more. No experience needed, just interest in play. Move your body, make new connections, and have fun!

EVERY SUN | 2-5PM

MELALEUCA AUSTRALIA

$10 | $5 CONC facebook.com/darwinplayback

Red Centre

Bubble Show for Christmas

Bubbles make the best gifts for kids, so Dr Bubble and Milkshake's Bubble Show for Christmas is the ultimate pressie. Come along and enjoy a bubbly and magical time in this live, interactive performance.

SAT 22 NOV | 11AM-12PM

ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE

$26 | $23 CONC/CHILD | $22 FAM araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

DECKIE DAYS ARE [ALMOST] DONE

This month, the projector dims on another year at the iconic Deckchair Cinema, so get your final flick fix before the Wet season kicks in.

TIERNEY WHITE

WORDS

IMAGE PAZ TASSONE

THIS YEAR HAS gone like a flash, and despite screening films pretty much every night since April, the arrival of November brings on a sense of FOMO as the last days of the Deckie arrive.

With little over two weeks left in the 2025 program, this is your friendly reminder to grab a ticket and pull up under the stars for some sweet seaside cinema.

Co-Operations Manager and Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF) Manager Erin Lucas says 2025 has been a hoot.

“It has been a bumper season, a record season. And we've just had so many tourists and locals through, and all our regulars returning, which just makes a really big difference. Especially with our staff as well, getting to know all the regulars that come through, every week is great,” she says.

“I didn't remember so many sold out nights, kind of continuously!” Lisa You, Co-Operations Manager, adds.

This year has also attracted an impressive list of special guests, with Peter Greste and Richard

Roxborough kicking things off for the season’s Opening Night, David Wenham for the NT Premiere of his hilarious flick Spit, and Dr Richard ‘Harry’ Harris for the screening of documentary Deeper last month.

“It's just been really nice, meeting these different people and hearing their stories. And then, you know, the audience … getting to hear from different people that they might never get an opportunity to in a bigger city because there's just so much noise … we get so many special moments here,” Lucas says.

Not only have we been able to enjoy the stories of special visitors, locals have importantly had the chance to shine on the big screen.

“It's been really lovely this year to see the success of local film, Tracy – the community's really gotten around that movie. We had three sold-out screenings here, we had a special fundraising night, we had a special presentation during DIFF. And so, to see that from a film society, you know, supporting local filmmakers and also seeing the community to get behind them with a local story, it's just beautiful.”

Not only did the Deckie run its regular program alongside a chockers DIFF program, it also ran regular fundraising events on Sundays to give back to the community, with more than $80,000 raised for local community groups. Off The Leash was a beneficiary of one such event, with a screening of Kneecap back in August that raised over $5,000 for our not-for-profit organisation.

Closing out the 2025 season is a screening of The Ballad of Wallis Island, a beautiful film about grief, particularly from a male perspective.

“We go out on a really nice film, that looks at the changes people go through in their lives. The central characters are two men that are both going through very different experiences of grief, and how to handle it and having a positive outcome at the end … the whole idea is about how we can be supporting other people and not just being self-centred. It's a really positive story about male relationships,” Lucas says.

“There are beautiful, sweet, comedic moments … and then, just to see someone discover, ‘actually, I'm going to get way more out of life for myself by being kind and giving to others’ is just gorgeous. I can't recommend it enough.”

If you already know you’re going to miss the Deckie over the Wet, firstly, get in there while you can, go see the last fundraiser, go to closing night. Secondly, why not get ahead for the 2026 season by nabbing a Deckie gift voucher, which you might like to spend on a Darwin Film Society membership?

Time to drop some hints for Santa, we reckon.

Deckchair Closing Night

The Ballad of Wallis Island

WHEN SUN 16 NOV | 7PM AT DECKCHAIR CINEMA

COST $11-$20 | $45 FAM INFO deckchaircinema.com

WINNING WORDSMITHS

Since 1984, the NT Literary Awards have celebrated the unpublished works of Territorians, and recently, the 2025 winners were revealed at a special awards ceremony at Library & Archives NT in Darwin, with the event live streamed to Red Kangaroo Books in Alice Springs.

THIS YEAR’S AWARDS garnered over 240 entries, with 20 unpublished works shortlisted across the seven categories –theatre, short story, flash fiction, essay, creative non-fiction, youth, and poetry. Winners received a piece of almost $6,000 in cash prizes, plus memberships to NT Writers’ Centre and double passes to select shows in Brown's Mart's 2026 performance program. Nice.

Belinda Mawby took out the Zip Print Short Story Award for her story Eternal, and it’s an important

opportunity for writers across the NT.

“The Awards are important because sharing stories connects us and celebrates the diverse voices across the Territory, from desert to salt water,” she says.

“To have my work recognised in my hometown and to stand amongst so many fine Territory writers is a great privilege. Very humbling … Knowing that your work resonates for even one person is immensely powerful.”

Congratulations to all shortlisted finalists and winners. If you’ve got some words swirling around in that head of yours, there’s no time like the present to start plotting them out on paper, as the 2026 Awards will be here before you know it!

WINNERS

Brown’s Mart Theatre Award

Jada Alberts | Black light

Charles Darwin University

Creative Non Fiction Award

Alex Eve | Severance and being seen

Charles Darwin University Essay Award

Sophie Collins | Rheumatic heart disease: a call to action on preventable, poverty-attributable deaths in the Northern Territory

Flash Fiction Award

Roland Bull | The important affair of the first male Moneypenny

Kath Manzie Youth Award

Lucy Tinapple | Deserted

NT Writers’ Centre Poetry Award

Meg Mooney | In the desert where I live

Zip Print Short Story Award

Belinda Mawby | Eternal

WORDS TIERNEY WHITE

DISCOVER CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

HOT MONTHLY TIPS FROM OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT TOURISM CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

WHEN THE DESERT heat sets in, there’s no better way to experience Central Australia than by plunging into one of its incredible waterholes. Framed by dramatic landscapes and ancient rock formations, these oases offer a refreshing contrast to the arid surroundings and a perfect spot to rest, swim, or simply take in the view.

Across the region, waterholes vary from permanent to seasonal, which spring to life after rain, which is plentiful as the region shifts into summer weather. Because many of the pools are tucked into shaded gorges, the water tends to stay cool year-round, making them a popular escape during the warmer months among tourists and locals.

In the West MacDonnell Ranges, swimming holes like Ormiston Gorge, Ellery Creek Big Hole, and Glen Helen Gorge are among the most accessible, with sealed roads leading right to their sandy beaches and permanent pools, ideal for a guaranteed dip.

Redbank Gorge is a seasonal treat, but it provides unmatched adventure when exploring its pools one by one, as you swim deeper in between two tall red rock walls.

Head east and you’ll find Emily Gap, John Hayes Rockhole, and Ruby Gap in the East MacDonnell ranges, also seasonal favourites best explored after rainfall.

Further north, near Tennant Creek, Tingkkarli/Lake Mary Ann and the Old Police Station Waterhole in the Davenport Ranges tempt travellers with clear, cool water. Access to the Davenports does require a four-wheeldrive, but the journey is well worth it.

Some waterholes, including Mutitjulu near Uluru, Kathleen Springs, and Garden of Eden in Kings Canyon, hold deep cultural and spiritual significance and are not open for swimming. Visitors are encouraged to respect these sacred sites.

Wildlife is often found around these natural pools, so it’s wise to check the latest conditions with local Visitor Information Centres before heading out.

ABORIGINAL BUSH TRADERS

Shop 4, 19 The Mall, Charles Darwin Centre aboriginalbushtraders.com

MAGNT

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher Street, The Gardens | magnt.net.au

Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards

NGARUWANAJIRRI MINTAWUNGA JILAMARA ANINGANI (Ngaruwanajirri

bark painting now)

An exhibition of recent bark paintings from Ngaruwanajirri, Tiwi Islands.

Artists include Alfonso Puautjimi, Gordon Pupangamirri, Alexandrina Kantilla, Graham Tipungwuti, Ken Wayne Kantilla, and Marie Yvonne Tipuamantumirri.

MON 10 NOV – WED 31 DEC

Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards is the longest running and most prestigious event for Indigenous artists in the country. The 2025 Telstra NATSIAA exhibition celebrates and reflects the breadth and specificity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, histories, cultures, and connections to Country.

UNTIL MON 26 JAN, 2026

Alfonso Puautjimi, 'Jilamara', natural ochres on stringybark, 50x52cm

Gaypalani Wanambi, 'Burwu, blossom' 2025, etched steel panels, aerosol paint, 299x299x3cm. Courtesy of the artist and Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka. Image: Georgina Campbell

UNTITLED GALLERY + STUDIO

Unit 3/1 Clocktower Caryota Crt, Coconut Grove darwincommunityarts.org

TRANSFORM

The Possibilities and Politics of our Trans Bodies

TACTILE ARTS

19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay tactilearts.org.au

A group exhibition of new and existing works by trans and gender diverse artists living in, or with strong ties to, Garramilla/Darwin.

FRI 14 NOV – THU 4 DEC OPENING FRI 14 NOV | 5.30PM

MODIFIED EARTH LAYERS

DEBBIE WALTER

Modified Earth Layers presents mixed media paintings as layered memory-scapes – cross-sections of time, place, and relationship. Influenced by landscapes and personal history, each work is a palimpsest of presence and absence, echoing themes of memento mori and the enduring marks we leave behind.

GYRACC

Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre

Lot 3238 Stuart Hwy, Katherine | gyracc.org.au

THE 50TH KATHERINE PRIZE

The Katherine Prize is an annual celebration of the extraordinary diversity that exists in the Northern Territory arts landscape. This exhibition brings together artists of all ages, cultural backgrounds, languages and regions of the NT, entries of any medium and by artists at all stages of their creative practice.

SHARING THE NATIONAL COLLECTION

For the first time ever, four First Nations artworks from the National Collection are on display alongside local creations as part of the Sharing the National Collection program.

UNTIL OCT, 2027

THE COPPER CASE: COUNTRY

The Art Cases program is a core part of the National Gallery’s Touring Exhibitions program. The Country Art Case brings together First Nation works showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, ideas, and stories about land and Country.

UNTIL SUN 16 NOV

CJ Fraser-Bell

J9 Stanton, 'Walking East after fire', 2024, recycled aluminium mesh and acrylic, collaged wall sculpture, 124x124cm

The art cases

Debbie Walter, 'Traces of people, Markings of time’, acrylic & mixed media on canvas, 75x105 cm

DARWIN VISUAL ARTS

8 McMinn St, Darwin dvaa.net.au

O’LOUGHLIN CATHOLIC COLLEGE’S CREATIVE ARTS EXHIBITION

Discover student creativity at the O’Loughlin Catholic College Creative Arts Exhibition at Darwin Visual Arts. Explore visual arts, woodwork, digital media, STEAM, and performances in a vibrant celebration of innovation and talent.

PROJECT PINE GAP

Project Pine Gap is a dream state reflection of the artworks displayed inside the joint-defence facility Pine Gap. What started as covert research has now expanded into a public campaign, showcasing replicas of what may be the most private artworks in the world – the Pine Gap collection.

NCCA

Northern Centre for Contemporary Art Vimy Lane, Parap |

SANCTUARY SUMMIT

Sanctuary Summit brings together contemporary artists from Australia and abroad to explore the dual symbolism of the tent as a space of refuge and a site of resistance. The exhibition encourages dialogue, encounter, and activation, interrogating how artistic practices can intersect as tools for mobilisation and transformation.

ARTBACK NT TOURING EXHIBITION

8 Hele Gallery, Mparntwe/Alice Springs artbacknt.com.au

WANGKA WALYTJA

This Artback NT touring exhibition celebrates the Papunya Literature Production Centre’s pioneering creation of Pintupi-Luritja literature through original artwork, storybooks, photos, manuscripts, and multimedia, reflecting community, history and culture.

Johnny Warangkula leading the young boys in dance. Warangulalu nintini pipirri tjuta. Three Mile, 1987. Photo: Papunya Literature Production Centre

nccart.com

Allison Chhorn, 'Skin Shade Night Day' (detail), 2022, installation view. The National 4: Australian Art Now, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2023, 4-channel digital video, HD, colour; 12-channel audio; shade cloth, coir. Photo: Jenni Carter

Matthew Walmsley (Yr 11), 'Untitled piece 2', 2025, oil on canvas, 61x82cm

MIDPUL ART GALLERY AT CDU

54 Cavenagh Street, Darwin cdu.edu.au/artgallery

Dr George Tjapaltjarri (born c.1930 – 2017), 'Puli-puru-tjunku' (detail), 1977, synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board, 56x41cm. Photo: Mark Ashkanasy. © Dr George Tjapaltjarri l Aboriginal Artists Agency Ltd.

THREE ECHOES

WESTERN DESERT ART

Curated by celebrated curator, writer, artist and activist, Djon Mundine OAM FAHA, Three Echoes – Western Desert Art showcases works by 57 acclaimed artists heralding from Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff), Papunya, and Utopia Aboriginal communities in the Western Desert regions of the Northern Territory, Australia.

LIBRARY & ARCHIVES NT

54 Cavanagh Street, Darwin lant.nt.gov.au

UNTIL SAT 28 FEB, 2026

ANNEXE GALLERY AT CDU

54 Cavenagh Street, Darwin cdu.edu.au/artgallery

Albert, Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku-Yalanji

SINGLE CHANNEL

Single Channel brings together key moving image artworks from 2000 to 2019 by some of Australia's most nationally and internationally significant artists.

UNTIL SAT 28 FEB, 2026

KONRAD WINKLER

Red Earth and Chalk Dust, a Retrospective

In the mid-1970s, photographer, teacher and artist Konrad Winkler captured the Northern Territory in all its chaotic glory. Primarily working between Cyclone Tracy (1974) and Self-Government (1978), he documented a Territory on the brink of change – raw, rebellious, playful, and unique.

UNTIL FRI 3 APR, 2026

Tony

peoples, 'I am visible' (video still), 2019, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra © the artist & Sullivan+Strumpf

Konrad Winkler, 'Hunting long-necked turtles, lower Top End', c.1976, Konrad Winkler Collection

"It's been an issue that I've felt passionately about for a long time. I just think we live in such a rich country, the divide between people that have a lot and people who don't have a lot is getting worse and worse."

of under the radar and you wouldn't really know about them unless you needed their services, but they're quite literally keeping people alive.

LIZ STRINGER

Award-winning Aussie singer-songwriter Liz Stringer returns to the motherland, from her base in London, with her national To Survive Tour – created to highlight issues related to Australia's housing crisis whilst raising funds for grassroots support organisations.

Tierney White caught up with her to chat about why the cause is so close to her heart and some of the issues impacting our Aussie musos today.

With Bubalo & Jami Ashenden

WHEN FRI 31 OCT | DINNER & SHOW, 6.30PM | 8.30PM

AT THE WATERTANK CAFÉ

COST $45 | $70 DINNER + SHOW

With Leah Flanagan

WHEN SAT 1 NOV | 6.30PM AT GYRACC

COST $37-$57

With Alice Cotton

WHEN WED 5 NOV | 7PM

AT DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB

COST $51

INFO lizstringer.com

Liz, thanks for the yarn. Can you tell us a bit about the To Survive Tour, what inspired you to raise awareness and funds for the housing crisis?

It's been an issue that I've felt passionately about for a long time. I just think we live in such a rich country, the divide between people that have a lot and people who don't have a lot is getting worse and worse.

In 2021, I did a fundraiser for Wombat Housing Support Services, and we raised a lot of money … rather than taking a percentage out of my ticket sales, which would have been a relatively small amount … We put QR codes up in the venue, and on the night, we got the audience to donate personally, just on their phones, and people were encouraged to donate whatever they could. It was everything from five bucks to 1,000 bucks being donated that night. There were about 750 people there, and we raised $12,000, which is massive. That went a long way for Wombat. It really made an impact.

And all these organisations are really small. They don't have a lot of government funding or big private sector funding. They're really running on volunteer work and on donations … and there are so many people in housing stress, and that's getting worse and worse … every part of the country has their own specific set of issues, but ultimately, the fact that housing is becoming less and less affordable and people that used to be able to rent or live in a certain area are getting pushed out, it's just an untenable situation.

The idea was, as a way to sort of keep the issue at the surface, using my platform as a musician. I have access to a lot of people who come to my shows, and people who are very like-minded and care about their communities. So, I just thought it was easy for me to do this. Even if we raise a couple of grand here and there, that amount of money just goes a really long way to these small organisations, and so I thought this would be a good way to kind of generate some support, financial and kind of, you know, emotional support for these groups that just work so hard.

In the NT, we have Katherine Women's Crisis Centre locked in, and Orange Sky Laundry in Alice Springs and Darwin.

Amazing, Liz. What a thing to be able to do. What do you hope your audiences take away from the tour?

I mean, I think a couple of major things, and one is that they understand what's going on in their specific area. I think that the housing crisis can be spoken about in a really kind of big national way, but actually to know in my community, in my city, in my town, these are what the issues are, and then also for them to meet this community group and understand what it is that they're doing, because so many of these groups are sort

Orange Sky allows people to have clean clothes, to have a feed, and even a chat. Stuff like that is so important to people's sense of dignity and pride, and I want people to meet this organisation and to see what they're doing, and then to consider supporting them in an ongoing way in some fashion … They're the two things that I really hope happen.

It’s Ausmusic Month in November, which is a great opportunity for us punters to support our Aussie musos. You’re a seasoned artist, with several albums under your belt. What are some of the challenges faced by Aussie musos today, do you reckon?

I think it's increasingly difficult, and I feel lucky, in a sense, that when I started releasing records in 2006, people were buying physical copies, streaming didn't exist, you know, it was a really different financial model as well. Social media wasn't a thing either, so I think the game has changed so much.

It's really difficult for artists to make a living, you know, which is, again, kind of ridiculous. Like, you couple that with the fact that that rents are going through the roof, that cost of living's gotten more expensive, and also because people have less expendable income, they're not going to shows as much. It's like a bit of a perfect storm of all these factors that mean that it is really difficult, particularly for new musicians, to kind of get any foothold financially.

I've been really lucky to be able to do this full time for over 10 years, and part of that is that I do a lot of session work and I've played in other bands, I’ve diversified a little bit, but I've also been able to live from my own music because I was sort of able to start building this fan base in a time before all of this sh-t started happening, you know? So, yeah, I think there are massive challenges.

Totally. How do you take care of your mental health, when on tour and just being a musician in general?

I don't know that I'm particularly good at it [laughs]. I stopped drinking nine years ago, that was a massive game changer for me, for my mental health. And I also, I run, and I do make sure I try and get enough sleep, and look after myself physically, which helps my head a lot. I'm quite an anxious person and have had issues with depression and anxiety forever, which is not unusual for creative types. So, yeah, I think it’s really simple things like making sure you get enough sleep, eating as well as you can.

It's really easy on the road to fall into like just eating, you know, potato cakes from the servo after gigs! [laughs]. And, if you are a drinker, then just keep an eye on the booze consumption because it makes you physically more tired and can bring on anxiety … Most people are living fairly hand to mouth, and I think that … looking after yourself in a sort of day-to-day way is important to me. It helps me, yeah.

What advice would you give to creatives that feel they’re pushing sh-t uphill, because it's not an easy slog?

No, it's really not. I think those things that we just spoke about are really important, and just remembering to plug out of the whole thing every now and then, like, get off social media. Go and do something else that you're interested in … I think it's important to just step away from it, go outside, spend time with your friends, write a song, just get out for a bit … and just remember why you make music and, you know, why that's joyful to you and concentrating on that, and realising that you just can't control what happens outside of yourself.

Liz Stringer The To Survive Tour

KATIE NOONAN

If you’ve had Jeff Buckley’s 1994 album Grace on rotation over the years, there’s a fair chance you’ve belted out ‘Last Goodbye’, ‘Eternal Life’ or ‘Grace’ in the shower, and you’re not alone. It’s also something award-winning Aussie artist Katie Noonan admits to.

In fact, Buckley’s album was so influential to her music career, she embarked on a national tour to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Tierney White had a chat with her about her love of the departed singer, and why she wanted to commemorate Grace’s three-decade anniversary with a tour.

Katie, it’s such a joy to chat with you. I was a fan of your band George back in the day!

Ah, well, I was very much a fan of Jeff Buckley back in the day. He was a big part of the reason why I started my band, to be honest!

What was the inspiration behind the tour?

Well, you know, this is my desert island disc. If they said, you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, this would be it. And it came out when I was in Grade 12, and I discovered it in my first year as an independent young woman when I was 18, I saw him playing live at Seags on the Gold Coast … February 1996. It was a truly transcendental experience.

I had just done a year of an opera degree and realised I didn't love opera enough for it to be my obsession, like, you know, my life goal. So, I quit uni and moved into an awesome share house, and then around about that time, I saw Jeff Buckley with my brother. I got in my brother's trusty Datsun Bluebird, and we drove down to the Gold Coast. It was sold out, I saw him play and just went, "whatever that is, I want to do that!” you know? And it was so transformative and inspiring, and basically the beginning of my career as an independent singer-songwriter.

I’m a big Jeff Buckley fan myself, and didn’t discover his music until the early 2000s, a few years after his passing in 1997. What is it about his music that drew you in, and how has he influenced you?

Katie Noonan: Jeff Buckley's Grace 30th Anniversary

must have been absolutely devastated when he passed in ‘97. I was. It was weird. I sort of had a premonition of it, it was really strange. I do have a bit of a sort of witchy, pagan, hippieness [laughs]. And the night before he died, I think I had a dream – or more like a nightmare – but yeah, it was very weird. It did seem like his flame shone so bright that he was here for a short time. He really was a star in that sense … like a shooting star, you know?

And there was incredible sadness in his lyrics. You know, his father [Tim] died of a heroin overdose when he was a little kid, and I don't even think he remembered meeting him, but he met him once. And then, you could hear in his lyrics that living in the shadow of his father was tricky, and he was obviously in and out of love with beautiful lovers like Joan As Police Woman and Elizabeth Fraser from Cocteau Twins.

You know, he lived big and lived hard. And some people just shine bright and intensely for a short time and yeah, I was incredibly sad, but also just so grateful that he left us this incredible record. And I got to see him live, and then it was the inspiration in my journey and finding my voice as an artist.

"I got in my brother's trusty Datsun Bluebird, and we drove down to the Gold Coast. It was sold out, I saw him play and just went, "whatever that is, I want to do that!” you know?"

First of all, it's his extraordinary voice, I mean, he has an extraordinary instrument, and what he does with it is so unique. He’s sort of, genre-less really, you know? It sounded incredibly unique, he sounded like no one else … and he sort of gave me the agency to do the same thing when I was forming my sound as a young singer, I was like, I just want to sound like me – I don't want to sound like anyone else – I want to be very true and honest, and I want to make music from a place of vulnerability and truth because that's absolutely what he did as well. And so, yeah, I really learned from him a lot.

He would have been about 10 years older than me, I think. And, you know, incredible songs, incredibly achingly beautiful lyrics. He was a Renaissance man. And then seven incredible originals and then three, you know, for want of a better word, covers or tributes …

Obviously, he's had such a huge influence on you and the direction of your musical career. And you’re so lucky to have seen him, I mean, you

And something about Jeff and his voice is his insane range. His falsetto is out of this world! Well, girls don’t have falsetto [laughs] … We don’t have Adam’s apples, so it's an incredibly challenging body of work for me, because of exactly what you’re saying, his range is absolutely ginormous. And so, I've had to take some of the songs up because they're just a little bit too low – not much – I've tried to do as many of them as possible in the original key. I've done at least three or four of the tunes in key …

Well, singing along to a Jeff Buckley song is probably very good vocal training. I studied acting at uni and we had voice classes, and I used to belt out some of his songs in the shower – is this something you’re also guilty of?

Oh, my God, yeah! I'm very guilty of singing along at the top of my lungs to Jeff Buckley tunes. Especially driving in the car … And as you know, it really is incredibly challenging music, because he's got about a five-octave range, so I do my very best!

Well, we can’t wait to see you in Darwin, Katie!

I'm thrilled to be coming … to Larrakia Country, because I haven't played Darwin in a really long time, so I’m really excited to be finishing the entire national tour up on Larrakia Country!

IMAGE TARA PALMER

MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN ALICE SINGS

Celebrating a decade of harmonies, high-notes, and a whole lot of community spirit, Alice Sings presents their annual concert at Araluen Arts Centre, filled with joyful compositions that make them truly singular.

IT STARTED SMALL, with a passing comment between friends about desperately missing the fun of group singing. They organised a gathering, and 15 people showed up.

10 years on – under the direction of Ed Gould and support from collaborators Dave Crowe, Ash Steel, Camille Bernardino, and Xavia Nou – that initial cohort has grown to an impressive 80-strong chorus, built from inclusivity.

“The choir is open to absolutely anyone who might benefit from the experience … Everyone should be comfortable being themselves and everyone has the right to be a part of music making. Everyone's individual contribution is what makes the choir unique,” says director, Ed Gould.

Alice Sings’ vibrant cohesion of diverse individuals has brought colourful harmonies to festivals, shopfronts, mountain-tops, school

halls, gorges, galleries, and parks. Their voices have been heard, year after year, echoing a cappella against the ranges at Kwartatuma/ Ormiston Gorge. They’ve sung renditions of pop tunes from icons like Barry White, The Flaming Lips, and Madonna, from ridge-tops at Inteye-Arrkwe for Wide Open Space Festival.

Through it all, the singing has kept people connected. They kept singing through the pandemic, linked online from their living rooms. They even kept singing when a fierce storm ripped through town during an end-of-year concert, toppling trees, flooding the venue, and shutting off power to all Mparntwe. Dancers held torches for the horn-section, and the choir sang, unmiked and undaunted, from puddles under a verandah.

“Some people have said the choir keeps them in town. For some, it gives a sense of community, and for others it’s a chance to

reconnect with a passion for music that they may have lost through the chaotic busyness of life,” Gould says.

The choir sings only original musical arrangements created specifically for them. This musical labour-of-love is sometimes contributed by Crowe or Nou, but is often borne from Gould’s late-night passion projects.

“The joy for me is to create original arrangements … I get a little obsessive and like to do all the string and horn arrangements from scratch. It involves listening to a song a lot and percolating on it, trying to distil the parts that make it special, then working out how we can bring a little Alice Sings flavour to it,” Gould says.

“For me, there's nothing more satisfying than starting with a blank page and ending up with 80-plus musicians on stage creating something unique.”

THE HEART OF COUNTRY

Despite his meteoric rise to country music stardom, Australian singer-songwriter James Johnston has retained his down-to-earth charm and homegrown roots, qualities that infuse his irresistibly catchy sophomore album, Where You’ll Find Me

WORDS RITA HORANYI

IMAGE JOSH KELLY

IF YOU’RE A fan of country music, or even if you’re not, the appeal of Johnston’s music lies in his honest, relatable depictions of life in rural Australia.

The staggering response to his debut album, Raised Like That –with 28 weeks at No. 1 on the ARIA Country Chart, two Golden Guitar Awards, and over 134 million global streams – shows that his heartfelt message and melodies resonate with listeners around the world.

His follow up album, Where

You’ll Find Me, offers more of the toe-tapping blend of traditional country sounds, modern production values, and pop sensibilities that has garnered him many fans. While the album has similarities in themes and approach to his debut, it’s a development, rather than a repeat.

“It’s the next step for me. My first album was … very much reflecting on where I had come from. It was those stories of being a kid, growing up in the country and all the rest of it … Since then, there’s been a lot of change in my life. I’ve gotten older, I’m married now, and got two boys … This album is a lot more present. It’s a lot more about the moment that I’m living now,” says Johnston.

“My songs, I always pull from my life … And that’s what this record is. It’s just songs from the everyday and celebrating the simple things, the roof over your head, having family and that kind of stuff.”

To launch Where You’ll Find Me, Johnston embarks on a national

tour, with Darwin on the hit list.

“I’ve never been to Darwin … I’m super excited about it, because I’ve always wanted to get up there and I’ve never even travelled up there … I’d love to jump in a chopper and go and see some crocs … hopefully I got a little bit of time!”

With his live shows known for their high energy and infectious sense of fun, Darwin audiences can expect to be scooting in their boots and completely transported.

“My concert is not a sit down concert at all. It’s full-on, we get the party started … I want people to come to my concert and forget about any of their worries. I want them to celebrate, I want them to feel part of a community … I want them to feel a joy in the room.”

James Johnston | Where You’ll Find Me

WHEN SUN 16 NOV | 6.30PM AT AANT CENTRE

COST $79-$269

INFO yourcentre.com.au

While it started out with Mariah Carey's ‘Always Be My Baby’ – and the choir still loves a pop classic! – they increasingly sing arrangements of original music by artists from Central Australia.

“I’ve been finding collaborations with local artists to be the most rewarding. The musos in this town are endlessly inspiring, and the talents of GUTS Dance have added splashes of choreography to the show to make us look that little bit more spectacular,” Gould says.

This year’s show features collaborations with local music artists Tom Snowden, Casii Williams, Katanga Junior, The Holy Dimes, Ash Steele, and Paul Ah Chee. The celebrations are supported by the musicianship of Nou, Crowe,

Bernardino, King Marong, a string quartet, and a brass band.

“You can expect strings, horns, dance moves, beautiful harmonies, original artists, and unique arrangements … We want our audience to share in the same joyous feeling we get when we sing,” Gould says.

So grab your tickets for a chorus of joy, originality, colour, and the magic that comes from herding chaos into harmony.

Alice Sings | 10 Years of Alice Sings WHEN SAT 8 NOV | 4PM & 6.30PM AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE COST $25-$40 INFO araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS

Arafura Music Collective presents two exquisite chamber concerts that highlight that the essence of chamber music lies in musical dialogue and communication.

UNLIKE THE MORE formal structures of orchestral music, chamber music is often likened to an intimate gathering between friends. Musicians echo and respond to each other fluidly, building a compelling rapport with each other, the music, and the audience.

Arafura Music Collective’s latest performances lean into this concept of chamber music as a conversation between friends.

The first concert, Jon’s Swan Song, offers audiences an opportunity to intimately connect with cellist and Artistic Director/Chief Conductor of Darwin Symphony Orchestra (DSO), Jonathan Tooby, through music.

Perhaps better known to Territorians for his work conducting DSO, Tooby is also an acclaimed cellist. A founding member of the highly successful, long-running Perth-based chamber ensemble, Darlington Quartet, Tooby has

also played in orchestras and in chamber music collaborations across the globe.

Tooby finishes up his tenure at DSO, and farewells Darwin at the end of this year, making this concert the perfect opportunity to experience what makes him such a special performer. Arafura Music Collective’s Creative Director and Producer, Claire Kilgariff, invites audiences to enjoy his warm and engaging conversations about music before he scoots.

“This is Jon’s gift to Darwin to have a chat with people about music … It’s going to be a very informal and relaxed performance … He’s playing in every piece … He’s picked the whole program … They’re all pieces that he loves to play and that are his favourites,” she says.

Some of the pieces close to Tooby’s heart include Saint-Saëns’ exquisite ‘The Swan’, as well

A TRIBUTE TO LOVE, CASH & CARTER

Get Rhythm is a Johnny Cash and June Carter tribute show that will leave you smiling, singing, and loving every second.

WORDS ROSIE WILD IMAGE ROCK ZAMPAGLIONE

THIS SHOW BEGAN with a date night between Melbourne-based singers and actors, Mark and Joanne Caligiuri.

“I grew up loving Cash’s music and the Carter family. When Mark and I started dating, the movie Walk The Line had come out. To my surprise, Mark wasn't too familiar with Cash’s music, so I said he should come and watch it with me. He instantly fell in love with the music and started listening to Cash’s songs,” says Joanne.

During the Melbourne lockdowns of 2020, the couple’s shared curiosity about the music of Cash and Carter became the creativity that fuelled this show. Together, they created Get Rhythm. They had a desire to respectfully capture the spirit of Cash and Carter, convey their connection and energy, and communicate some of their stories.

“I love how honest and courageous some of Cash’s songs were. The

as works by Rachmaninoff, Schumann, and Bach – all perfect vehicles for his lyrical, expressive style of playing. Guest artists Graeme Gilling (piano) and Aya Smith (violin) round out what are sure to be exquisite performances.

Arafura Music Collective follows up this enchanting evening with two performances of another concert. Featuring nineteenth century guitar specialist Professor Adrian Walter AM as a guest artist, Hearing Double offers an exciting program that explores the concept of musical dialogues in a multitude of ways.

“It’s about musical voices across time, style and culture and really revealing that idea that dialogue is at the heart of the chamber music idea. It’s about connection, listening, renewal … and it will give the audience an idea of the different ways that this idea of connection and dialogue has played out over different times,”

says.

From the more formal musical conversations of the Baroque era to the intimate back and forth of nineteenth century parlour music and beyond, each piece in the concert features two soloists that ‘talk’ to one another in a duet, before responding to the broader ensemble.

A highlight of the program is the performance of ‘Darwin Calypso’ by Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe that’s dedicated to Adrian Walter and his wife Anne, and was written for the 2002 Darwin International Guitar Festival, which Walter directed. With its swaying rhythms and Calypso style, the piece evokes the abundance and laid-back

atmosphere of the tropics, demonstrating how music can also be in dialogue with place.

Head along to one or both concerts and engage with these beautiful musical conversations.

Jon’s Swan Song WHEN SUN 2 NOV | 5PM AT CDU THEATRE, CASUARINA COST FREE-$40

Hearing Double WHEN SAT 8 NOV | 4PM AT GRAY COMMUNITY HALL COST FREE-$25

WHEN SUN 9 NOV | 5PM AT SUPREME COURT DARWIN COST FREE-$40

INFO arafuramusiccollective.org.au

stories in the music mean you can listen to it and never get tired of it,” says Mark.

The meanings behind the music motivated them to create a show that’s true to both the songs and the stories behind them, full of Cash’s grit, Carter’s determination, and the love between them.

“They had their ups and downs, but their love kept them together.

When you watch them perform live together, there's no doubt they were truly in love,” says Mark.

Dedicated to being a tribute to the look and sound of Cash and Carter, accompanied by some of Mparntwe’s most talented local musicians and filled with some of the duo’s most meaningful songs, the night is set to be a delight.

“When you look out in the crowd

and see people singing along, tapping their toes and laughing and smiling, it really is such a good feeling,” says Mark.

Get Rhythm | The Johnny Cash & June Carter Show WHEN SAT 1 NOV | 7.30PM

Kilgariff

Top End

Folk Music Workshop

A fun monthly music workshop where participants bring their own instruments and learn a folk tune or technique by ear from a rotating guest musician. All levels welcome!

SAT 1 NOV | 2-3.30PM DARWIN COMMUNITY ARTS

FREE topendfolkclub.org

Electric Storm Halloween Music Festival

Darwin's favourite Halloween Music Festival returns for a 13th year. Expect heavy-hitting bass, a stacked line-up of DJs, performers, and a brand-new location for 2025.

SAT 1 NOV | 4PM-MIDNIGHT DARWIN SHOWGROUNDS

$75-$115 electricstormfestival.com

This relaxing monthly arvo of music is a must-see, must-do, must-hear. Strum a song and belt out a ballad or kick back with a drink in the shade while other talented musos do!

SUN 2 NOV | 3-7PM

TRACY VILLAGE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB FREE facebook.com/firstsundayblues

Darwin Celtic Music Sessions

Drop in with your mates and your instruments for good tunes and some good craic at Darwin's monthly Celtic music session, featuring local and visiting musicians playing through an array of traditional and contemporary music from Ireland, Scotland and the Celtic diaspora.

SUN 2 NOV | 4.30-7.30PM

THE LAST SUPPER FREE topendfolkclub.org

Don’t miss Katherine’s biggest Build-Up party. Presenting a live DJ showcase for the first time, dance through the humidity at GYRACC with some of the Territory's finest DJs, C. Crater, JEM, and Mista Monk, bringing the heat and the beats for one night only.

SAT 15 NOV | 8-11.30PM GYRACC

$30 gyracc.org.au

The Australian INXS Tribute Show

Featuring an authentic six-piece band and Dellacoma Rio’s captivating portrayal of Michael Hutchence, The Australian INXS Tribute Show celebrates INXS hits like 'New Sensation' and 'Original Sin'. Hailing from Melbourne, this tribute has truly wowed audiences globally, from Dubai to South Korea.

FRI 28 NOV | 7.30PM

AANT CENTRE

$75 | $69 CONC | $65 MEMB yourcentre.com.au

Club Krock

Club Krock is an over 18s all-abilities nightclub offering a safe, inclusive space to dance, socialise, and have fun. Enjoy a night full of laughter, energy, and unforgettable memories!

SAT 29 NOV | 6-10PM CLUB TROPICAL RESORT

A LAMENT TO LOST SOULS

This local showcase has sold out the past two years, so it’s back by popular demand. Enjoy a very special night of music, paying homage to three of Ireland's finest departed musicians – Shane MacGowan, Sinead O'Connor, and Dolores O'Riordan. This hit night at The Rails is performed by The Bloody Marys with special guests, Leah Flanagan and Bailey May.

$10 clubkrock.org

Hot ‘n’ Cold Big Band

Experience this 18-piece sensation every Wednesday night, live on stage. Entry includes a free Swing Dance NT lesson – you're sure to impress your friends.

EVERY WED | 8-10PM

DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $10 facebook.com/darwinrailwayclub

Vinyl Candy Trio EVERY TUE | 9PM-MIDNIGHT SWEETHEARTS FREE thecinemacollective.com.au

Nat, Max & Rick Trio EVERY FRI | 12-2.30AM SWEETHEARTS FREE thecinemacollective.com.au

Nat & Max Duo EVERY SUN | 4-8PM THE CAVENAGH HOTEL FREE thecavenagh.com.au

Crystal Robins

EVERY SUN | 6-9PM THE FORESHORE RESTAURANT & CAFE FREE crystalrobinsmusic.com

Red Centre

Celebrate 15 years of songwriting excellence from deadly Desert Divas at this live showcase and panel discussion. MusicNT's Desert Divas continue to come together to write music and develop their craft with amazing women mentors. Enjoy some sweet tunes and nab yourself some hot new Desert Diva merch!

SAT 22 NOV | 5-7.30PM RED HOT ARTS FREE musicnt.com.au

Spoonbill – 20 Year Celebration Australia’s genre-defying sonic alchemist Spoonbill hits Alice Springs for a special 20-Year Anniversary show at The Black Wreath. Marking two decades of pushing bass boundaries and bending frequencies, expect a full-spectrum set of new material and reworked signature Spoonbill grooves, spanning lush cinematic layers, glitchy funk, deep bass, and everything in between. Supported by locals Wollemi, D Day, Clancy, Flozz and Lotus.

SAT 8 NOV | 6PM THE BLACK WREATH $50 facebook.com/theblackwreath

Lunchtime Live Music at The Roastery

Every Friday, head along to The Roastery for lunch, and enjoy a tipple from the bar and music.

Musicians from across the community take the stage while punters slide on into the weekend. Nice. EVERY FRI | 12-2PM THE ROASTERY FREE duyucoffee.net

Sunday Sessions Dive into some sweet tunes every Sunday at Alice Springs Brewing Co, and enjoy a few cold ones and a feed in the sunshine with friends and fam. Keen to strum a ditty or two? Throw your name in the hat!

EVERY SUN | 4-8.30PM ALICE SPRINGS BREWING CO FREE facebook.com/aspbco SAT 29 NOV | 7-11PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $27.50 | $35 DOOR facebook.com/ thebloodymarysfromdarwin

Build Up Beats

Desert Divas 15 Years Showcase

THERE’S MORE TO LOVE!

Discover Santa’s Village, dive into the Christmas Pool Party, and see what else is on at darwin.nt.gov.au/christmas

Christmas returns to Darwin with a festive lineup of events, kicking off with the new City of Darwin Makers Market, the Darwin Christmas Pageant and more in Darwin City.

Saturday 15 November 2025

CITY OF DARWIN MAKERS MARKET

4:00 - 7:00 pm

Shop local makers and artists in the Mall! Brought to you by DCRA.

LORD MAYOR’S LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

7:00 - 7:15 pm

Experience the magic at the Mall as the iconic Darwin Tree lights up.

DARWIN CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

6:00 - 6:45 pm

Celebrate the magic of the parade, with family-fun for all!

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

7:30 - 9:00 pm

Enjoy festive music, performances and food trucks at Civic Park!

The Christmas Pageant and Concert are proudly sponsored by: