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Holidays 'hit-lists', an island lighthouse, and the Spring Equinox: 17-24 September
Published 3 months ago • 10 min read
Hi there and gooooood morning!
Spring is having a big "equal-rights" moment this week: that's right, the equinox is almost upon us!
It comes just twice a year (in spring and autumn), at which point both day and night are equal lengths. From here on out, we're cruisin' towards bigger days and shorter nights, all the way through to December’s summer solstice. Bring on longer golden evenings 🌅, and say goodbye to fumbling for torches at 5:30pm 😂.
My trip is still underway, but we're getting close to winding things down and and heading home. Travel is always a blast and I enjoy it so much, but there's also something to be said for returning back to home base, and being able to get back into the groove of my own rhythms, in my own space.
On your menu this week we have: a frankly fantastic café recommendation I swung by shortly before I popped overseas (the kind that completely fixes Mondays and Tuesdays), plus some school-holiday ideas to help keep the small humans entertained, and hopefully, your sanity intact, with a bit of cheek to carry you through til school restarts🤞. Let’s go!
Know about an upcoming event, and think we need to know about it? Email us to give us a heads up, or submit an event here
Cue Up: this week's Events
West
St Paul’s Junior School: The Little Mermaid JR Thursday 18 September 2025 – 5:30 pm; West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul Junior School goes “under the sea” with a bright, zippy Disney JR production.
Hayley Jensen Country Soul Album Tour Friday 19 September 2025 – 7:30 pm; Noojee Hotel, Noojee Soaring vocals and some of Hayley's hit singles live on Friday at the Nooj.
The Mason Boys (Live at the Robin Hood Inn) Saturday 20 September 2025 – 8:00 pm; Robin Hood Inn, Drouin West Boot-stompin’ country-rock, to pair with a parma and a night of singing along.
Cush Ryder (Sunday Session) Sunday 21 September 2025 – 1:00 pm; Noojee Hotel, Noojee Laid-back arvo guitars by the river — easy like a Sunday in Noojee.
South + Bass
Creative Spark – Opening Night Saturday 20 September 2025 – 6:30 pm; Berninneit Gallery, Cowes Fresh local art gets its moment; sip, mingle, and meet the makers. Frenzal Rhomb — A Man’s (Still) Not a Camel 25th-ish Anniversary Tour Saturday 20 September 2025 – 9:00 pm; Westernport Hotel, San Remo Punk royalty storming San Remo. It’ll be fast, loud and gloriously sweaty. HOT PINK — The Australian P!nk Tribute Saturday 20 September 2025 – 9:00 pm; Welshpool Hotel, Welshpool A big-voice tribute night built for belting along to the bangers.
Open Mic — Phillip Island Golf Club Sunday 21 September 2025 – 2:00 pm; 34-44 Settlement Rd, Cowes Friendly island vibes; bring a tune or just clap the locals on.
Central
Zoë Foster Blake — Something To Say Wednesday 17 September 2025 – 7:30 pm; Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Smart, funny, and a little bit spicy — Zoë brings the stories and the lols to GPAC.
Arj Barker — The Mind Field Friday 19 September 2025 – 8:00 pm; The Wedge, Sale World-class stand-up, deep thoughts, sillier answers. Classic Arj.
BABBA — ABBA’s Greatest Hits Saturday 20 September 2025 – 7:30 pm; The Wedge, Sale Sequins, harmonies, and every singalong you’re secretly waiting for.
Rhythm in Blue — Air Force Big Band Tuesday 23 September 2025 – 7:30 pm; The Wedge, Sale A 17-piece swing/jazz blast through big-band classics — crisp uniforms, even crisper charts
East
Marina Prior & Michael Cormick — CENTRESTAGE Thursday 18 September 2025; Forge Theatre & Arts Hub, Bairnsdale Two musical-theatre powerhouses, one golden night of showtunes and duets.
Katherine Fraser Dance — Alice’s Travel in Wonderland Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 September 2025 – from 2:00 pm; Forge Theatre, Bairnsdale Young local dancers tell an Alice tale with heart — family-friendly and sweet.
Olivia Lay (Live at Mingling Waters) Sunday 21 September 2025 – 12:30 pm; Mingling Waters, Nowa Nowa Sunday lunch and original tunes beside the lake, wholesome to the core.
Stone Nation Sunday 21 September 2025 – 2:00 pm; Marlo Hotel, Marlo Surf-coast grooves and a cold one by the Snowy, the perfect arvo energy.
🔍 Heads up: Event details sometimes change without notice — always double-check with an organiser or official event page before you head on out!
Trivia Circuit-Breaker:
Gabo Island Lighthouse off the coast of Croajingolong National Park, is built from which kind of stone?
From the street you’d swear Badger & Hare is a quiet country shopfront. Step inside and (surprise!) it’s full of a cosy buzz, happy chatter, and that “we’ve-got-you” hum that only a well-run café can convincingly pull off.
On my latest stop there, I ordered a pork belly salad (honestly I can't remember exactly what it was called, sorry!) but I can confirm, I immediately forgot my table manners. The crisp-edged pork bites were doing a shimmy over fresh greens with a zippy dressing with juuust enough crunch to make my teeth applaud. I know what you're thinking (and I generally agree) - salads don’t usually get headliner status from me, but this one? This one was superb. It was a party-in-my-mouth, without any regrets.
The coffee is almost worth the trip by itself: clean shots, silky milk, just perfect. It was one of those cups you finish and instinctively look around like, “Could I…? Should I…? Yes, I need another.” The service at Badger & Hare is also fantastic, it was peak "country-warmth" - friendly and responsive, but also slickly efficient (definitely a winning combo in my book).
Would I recommend stopping in? 100%. Detour-worthy? Absolutely. Grab anything from their menu (it's all delicious!), pair it with your choice of cuppa, and let the good vibes completely uncrumple your week. If you catch me pretending to “check my emails” at a corner table, I’m absolutely just negotiating whether I can justify one more coffee..... (naturally, I absolutely can).
🌅 Sunrise / Sunset: from around ~6:16 am / ~6:03 pm
🌕 Moon & Celestial Events
New Moon on 22 September at 5:54 am AEST (0% illumination). Prime dark-sky week!
Also, the spring equinox hits 23 Sep at 4:19 am! Welcome to being exactly halfway towards the longest day/shortest night of the year, and confirmation we're well on the way towards summer!
Scorpius & Milky Way core: in the southern sky after dusk.
Zodiacal light: around the equinox the faint pyramid glow is best after dusk, try to spot it ~60–90 min after sunset from a dark site
Planets:
Saturn at opposition on 21 Sep, visible all night in Pisces (binoculars reveal the “star” that refuses to twinkle).
Neptune at opposition on 23 Sep, faint, but also up all night; more of a "small telescope" target.
Jupiter & Venus: both pre-dawn in the eastern sky — low but still photogenic if the horizon is clear.
Go The Distance: Holidays Hit-List
We know, school-hols are here again (it feels like they were just the other week!) with alist ideas spread right across Gippsland. Hopefully this gives you some easy wins for bored kids, aunties on duty, or grandparents (who provide the endless snacks).
I'd suggest you could mix-n-match these with some of the previous odds and ends we've shared, depending on interests - e.g. you could consider breaking these things up with some nice springtime walks, visits to waterfalls etc.
Cowes, Phillip Island. Optical illusions, mind-bending rooms and an indoor Magic Manor = hours of “how is that even possible?!” This one's perfect for grey days and the café’s handy for regrouping and refueling between giggles. More info
Wonthaggi, Bass Coast. Head underground for a dry, atmospheric wander through heritage tunnels, there's lots of history, plus hard hats and zero rain/weather concerns. The above-ground precinct (and café) rounds out the day. Tours run daily (check times & book). More info
Morwell, Latrobe. Tenpin bowling, glow laser tag, arcade games and bumper cars! It's all indoors, and 100% energy-burning. Book a lane and unleash your inner league champion, then refuel at the café. More info
Warragul, Baw Baw. A classic holiday combo: 12 lanes of bowling + arcade machines. School-holiday hours and sweet family deals pop up often so hop online to check, and book ahead to have a high-score showdown. More info
Trafalgar, Baw Baw. A nostalgia-packed indoor stroll through Australia’s storied Holden history, complete with cars, memorabilia and “my first ute” tales from pretty much every generation. This one is a sweet pit-stop on your journey, and and you can grab in town too. More info
Maffra, Wellington. Rotating displays of classic cars, bikes and curios are featured inside a roomy heritage shed in Maffra. It’s colourful and surprisingly captivating, even for non-revheads, well worth checking out. More info
Lakes Entrance, East Gippsland. These are indoor heated pools with family sessions and inflatables on select days, making it perfect for coastal trips, especially if the weather happens to sulk. Towels, goggles, and smiles = sorted. More info
Word Scramble:
Here are three (unrelated) words from this weeks' edition - can you work them out?
Answers at the end of the newsletter
Know about an upcoming market, and think we need to share it? Email us to give us a heads up, or submit a market here
Cue Up: this week's Markets
WEST
Warragul Farmers Market Saturday 20 September 2025 – 8:30 am–1:00 pm – Civic Park, Warragul Fresh veg, small-batch goodies, and half the shire saying hi.
Drouin Craft & Produce Market Saturday 20 September 2025 – 9:00 am–1:00 pm – Civic Park, Young St, Drouin Rotary-run, community vibes, crafty finds and produce.
SOUTH + BASS
Prom Country Farmers Market (Foster) Saturday 20 September 2025 – 8:00 am–12:00 pm – Foster War Memorial Arts Centre Gardens Proper farm-fresh haul from hills to inlet, so make sure to bring an extra tote.
Rail Trail Community Market – Leongatha Sunday 21 September 2025 – 8:30 am–1:00 pm – Leongatha Railway Precinct Makers and growers with breezy rail-trail stroll vibes.
Kongwak Market Sunday 21 September 2025 – 10:00 am–2:00 pm – 1487 Korumburra–Wonthaggi Rd, Kongwak Vintage treasure hunt + cosy country atmosphere, every Sunday.
CENTRAL
Sale Producers Market Saturday 20 September 2025 – 8:00 am–1:00 pm – Sale Showgrounds Locally made, baked and grown, an easy "brunch-and-browse".
Gormandale Craft & Produce Market Saturday 20 September 2025 – 10:00 am–2:00 pm – Mechanics Hall, 45 Main St, Gormandale Country hall charm, CFA snags and handmade gems.
Sale Sunday Market Sunday 21 September 2025 – 7:00 am–1:00 pm – Thompson River Canal Reserve, Sale Classic trash-and-treasure market, expect bargains and a bacon-and-egg roll.
Glengarry Market – Makers, Bakers & Growers Sunday 21 September 2025 – 9:00 am–1:00 pm – Main St, Glengarry Plenty of stalls and easy Sunday vibes—coffee stop highly recommended.
EAST
Bairnsdale Uniting Church Car & Boot Market (Lucknow) Saturday 20 September 2025 – 8:30 am–11:00 am – Corner Great Alpine Rd & Lanes Rd, Lucknow Low-key rummage, local bargains—bring coins and curiosity.
Lindenow Community Market Sunday 21 September 2025 – 9:00 am–1:00 pm – Lindenow Hall & car park, 150 Main Rd, Lindenow A village market with a bit of everything and loads of community spirit. Occasionally weather events can cause changes to markets, but Facebook is pretty reliable if you want to check that things are going ahead as planned.
And there you have it, hopefully this has helped you sort out some of your plans for this week!
Feel free to tell a friend about us, or warn an enemy, or perhaps tip off the local CFA raffle queen, who somehow manages to sell a whole book in sixty seconds flat.
Last little bits:
Tell us about events and things you know are happening so we can spread the word (free) - or email us, or message us on socials - whatever works for you.
Email us if you have suggestions, or if you'd love to talk to us about what you do, who you are, or toot someone else's horn so we can feature you (or them) (free)
Share your referral code (at the bottom of this email) with mates/enemies/your favourite local barista below (free, for them, and you).
P.S - I'm still generally (mostly, with a tiny sprinkle of not) on holiday, but I 100% love hearing from readers! If you want to say Hi, you're most welcome to reply back 😊
P.P.S. Answers - Trivia - B = Gabo Island lighthouse was constructed out of the pink granite on the island, and it's the second tallest lighthouse in Australia.
Answers - Word Scramble: Tenpin, Magic, & Badger.
This week's roast goes to Aiden in Metung, who attempted a "graceful" jetty jump; and executed an incrediblle bellyflop so crisp, even the pelicans applauded.
We give it 4 pistols out of 7.
P.P.P.S - in case you haven't noticed yet, our ratings are akin to Calvinball (for any of your Calvin and Hobbes fans out there!) - we play by our own rules and the ratings change on a whim. As a result, they may appear slightly unhinged (sorry, not sorry!).
A$5.00
Smashed Avo Fund
We’re hunting down Mrs. T’s secret lamington stash🔎 and eavesdropping on the pub’s latest buzz — so you don’t have to. ... Read more
If you live in Gippsland..... get the good stuff, no static.🦘🚗🌳
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Dropping every Wednesday morning, just in time to save your weekend plans. Get local events, new eats, weird gigs, small-town heroes, pop-ups, markets, and the odd wombat fact — all in one inbox hit. Subscribe for free⬇️
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