What do Kylie Minogue’s iconic gold sizzling pants,Australia’s first ever NFL sport, world-premiere exhibitions and one of the vital nation’s maximum bold new wellness locations have in not unusual?
They’re all a part of a wave of latest stories reinforcing why Melbourne and Victoria stays one of the vital international’s maximum dynamic customer locations. From main cultural moments and globally vital carrying spectacles to landmark lodge openings and transformative regional stories, the state continues to conform as rapid because it’s epic carrying tournament calendar, giving travellers extra causes than ever to discuss with in 2026 and past.
GLOBAL SPORTING SPECTACLES
Melbourne’s recognition as Australia’s carrying capital will succeed in new heights with a sequence of landmark global occasions.
NFL Coming To Melbourne, September 2026: Australia’s first-ever common season NFL sport which will probably be hosted on the MCG has been showed, with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to play on Friday Sept. 11, 2026 with a ten.35am AEST kick-off.
The a hundred and fiftieth Anniversary Take a look at: From March 11 – 15 2027, The G will host The a hundred and fiftieth Anniversary Take a look at, celebrating cricket’s wealthy legacy with a unique one-off fit between Australia and England, marking 150 years for the reason that first Take a look at on the MCG and 50 years for the reason that unforgettable Centenary Take a look at.
Surprise Stadium has introduced its new 365 Excursions, permitting guests year-round get admission to in the back of the scenes of one in every of Australia’s main carrying and leisure venues, with a brand new Roof Climb enjoy scheduled to release later in 2026.
In 2027, Males’s Rugby Global Cup 2027 is heading to Melbourne. Australia’s sports activities capital is about to ship one of the vital standout host metropolis programmes with 8 top have an effect on suits that includes house international locations Wales, Eire and Scotland, staged around the event within the Surprise Stadium. The enduring venue guarantees international elegance rugby and a festival-like environment for rugby fanatics.
MAJOR HOTEL OPENINGS & DEVELOPMENTS IN REGIONAL VICTORIA
Victoria’s lodging pipeline continues to increase, providing guests an exhilarating mixture of luxurious, wellness and immersive regional remains.
Crowne Plaza Melbourne Carlton, has opened, turning into Carlton’s first across the world branded lodge, introducing a brand new stage of worldwide recognised lodging to one in every of Melbourne’s maximum iconic inner-city precincts.
Levantine Hill in Yarra Valley will welcome to its grounds an architecturally-stunning new lodge complicated, designed by way of Fender Katsalidis architects in October 2026. Designed to suit naturally inside the panorama, and supplement its current cellar door and vineyard structures, the brand new lodge will supply 33 rooms of lodging for weekend escapes, weddings, occasions and meetings.
Close to Warrnambool, Yumakiah Coastal Retreats is predicted to welcome visitors from overdue 2026, offering a particular coastal lodging enjoy in southwest Victoria.
The ERDI Crew, proprietor and operator of a number of Accor-branded accommodations, has introduced the transformation of the Saint Kilda Seashore Lodge, which can reopen as Novotel St Kilda in October 2026. The lodge will characteristic 80 redesigned rooms, a brand new City and Kitchen bar and a number of other serve as and tournament areas.
NEW ADDITIONS TO THE GREAT VICTORIAN BATHING TRAIL
Victoria continues to spend money on international elegance wellness sanctuaries throughout its areas.
Phillip Island Scorching Springs, and ocean entrance thermal springs enjoy, is focused on a December 2026 opening, additional improving Victoria’s rising wellness tourism providing and including any other superb leg to the Nice Victorian Bathing Path.
12 Apostles Scorching Springs & Lodge is because of open in 2027 on a 79-hectare Nice Ocean Street website online and is predicted to change into Australia’s biggest sizzling springs bathing vacation spot, combining wellness, lodging, eating and top rate customer stories.
NATURE AND ADVENTURE IN REGIONAL VICTORIA
Victoria is improving its nature and tourism providing with main conservation initiatives, new cultural stories and progressed customer infrastructure.
Prior to the top of 2026, Wilson’s Promontory Nationwide Park will change into Victoria’s biggest conservation sanctuary. The kind of 10-kilometer, $6 million+ predator-proof fence around the Yanakie Isthmus is designed to get rid of presented predators (foxes, cats) and deer, making a safe local weather shelter for over 150 threatened species. Customer stories can also be progressed as a part of the $23 million Wilsons Promenade Revitalisation venture, permitting folks to discuss with, keep and be told concerning the Promenade in a extra relaxing, out there and sustainable method.
The Jap Maar Cultural Tourism Programme will see the rollout of latest guided strolling excursions and on-country stories geared toward supporting neighborhood individuals as excursion guides from 2026. The Jap Maar First Peoples are actively designing and imposing new interpretation stories throughout their Nation in southwest Victoria, with a significant center of attention at the Twelve Apostles precinct and Tower Hill. Those stories are designed to transport past conventional tourism, specializing in “sharing Nation”.
The extremely expected 12 Apostles Customer Centre will probably be entire by way of the top of 2026, converting how guests enjoy the area; offering more secure and more uncomplicated get admission to to nature’s largest points of interest, whilst protective the surroundings and cultural historical past at this impressive location.
VICTORIA’S EVER EVOLVING FOOD & DRINK SCENE
Melbourne continues to support its place as one of the vital international’s main foods and drinks locations.
CÔTE BASQUE by way of Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann to open within the former Becco website online on Crossley Side road in Melbourne’s CBD. Scheduled to open this iciness, ‘Côte Basque’ will be offering a Ecu grill impressed by way of the Basque coast.
Suspended above Federation Sq. and having a look out around the Yarra and town, the brand new Transit Rooftop Bar will reopen this spring, as an all-day and late-night bar and eating place with meals by way of Tony Twitchett, cocktails by way of Matt Linklater, and song by way of WAT Artists.
CHANDON Australia launches Fondue + Bingo at their Yarra Valley vineyard. To be had from Saturday 6 June till the top of August, this playful meals and wine enjoy contains 3 pairings of CHANDON glowing wine, a decadent shared cheese fondue with seasonal accompaniments, a self-guided bingo enjoy.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Victoria’s arts scene is about to polish with main new exhibitions, gala’s and public artwork stories around the state.
Australian Museum of Appearing Arts (AMPA) broadcasts ENCORE! 50 Gadgets. 50 Years. One Assortment, a brand new exhibition on show from 16 September 2026 – 9 Would possibly 2027 showcasing treasures from throughout Australia’s acting arts historical past, from icons together with Kylie Minogue, Hugh Jackman, Dame Nellie Melba and Archie Roach.
NGV gifts the world-premiere of Youngsters’s Play: Ragnar Kjartansson, the Icelandic artist’s first ever exhibition for kids. Taking inspiration from the lavish festivities of Ecu courts from the Rococo length that experience since advanced into the fashionable theatre custom of ‘dinner and a display’, Kjartansson invitations guests of every age to create their very own model of a theatrical banquet.
The NGV’s world-premiere exhibition, Plant Existence: The Nature of Design, will open on 28 August 2026 operating till 7 February 2027. The exhibition appears to the way forward for plant-based fabrics as a very important choice to plastics, artificial and non-renewable fabrics. From leather-based grown, to fungi, to gentle reactive bio-plastics, and fibreboard created from hemp and bio-resin, the exhibition options the paintings of main designers the use of plant-based fabrics.
Falls Creek has introduced the Flower of the Alpine Solar, a public artwork piece that has been ~5 years within the making. The fee was once finished by way of Artist Gio Veronesi.
Melbourne Global Jazz Competition (MIJF) has unveiled the primary artists set to look as a part of its 2026 program, providing an early glimpse into this yr’s competition forward of its go back from 16–25 October.
