"Secret" art alleys, just farmers, and migratory seabirds: 22 - 29 October


Hello and goood morning!

How is it already the tail-end of October? It feels like maybe someone hit fast-forward while we were ordering a second round, or is that just me? Time’s gone a bit slippery, but the vibes are still strong, and this week’s mix is stacked.

Coming up this week across the board is comedy that sneaks up on you, film screenings for nice night out, garden festivals in full bloom, rainbow sparkles taking over one small town, cover bands belting out your favourite classics, open-mic poetry for brave hearts, and live music from pubs to halls to twilight lawns. Guess it's another true week for "choose your own adventure" (or three!).

Since it’s also the last full week of the month, we’re peeking ahead to November and December and lining up some of the big hitters so you can lock in the highlights you’ll use to round off your year (yes, we’re mildly terrified we just wrote “round off the year,” too!).

Ready to plot your next few brilliant outings? Let’s roll!

Cue Up: this week's Events

West

Free Screening: Just A Farmer
Wednesday 22 October 2025 – 4:00 pm | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Heart-on-sleeve Aussie indie drama for a midweek matinee reset.

CCG 2025 Awards
Thursday 23 October 2025 – 4:00 pm | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Local talent gets the spotlight—caps, claps, community pride.

Lyn Bowtell – Paper Cuts Tour
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 7:30 pm | Noojee Hotel, Noojee
ARIA-winning country songwriter up-close in the hills.

No Judgement
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 7:00 pm | Travellers Rest Hotel, Thorpdale
Local covers with country-pub charm.

Kitty Flanagan – Glad Game (sold out)
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 8:00 pm | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Deadpan zingers and big belly laughs.

Gardivalia Festival of Gardens – Open Gardens Weekend
Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 October 2025 – 10:00 am–4:00 pm | Various gardens across Baw Baw (West Gippsland)
Sixteen private gardens fling open the gates for spring colour, country charm, new stops and old faves.


South + Bass

Wild Words Poetry Night
Wednesday 22 October 2025 – evening | Archies Creek Hotel, Archies Creek
Open-mic verse with a friendly crowd and country-hall vibes.

Meeniyan Marty Gras
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 7:00 pm–10:30 pm | Meeniyan Town Hall, 97 Whitelaw St, Meeniyan
The tiny town goes full sparkle: DJ Golden Fleece drag stars Gloss, Birthday Girl, Kali Fornikate, prizes for best dressed, and a whole lot of rainbow joy.

Damien Leith performs Roy Orbison
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 7:30 pm | Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre, Wonthaggi
Award-winning vocalist in theatre mode.

Mick n I
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 7:30 pm | The Wooli Tavern, Cape Woolamai
Sing-along Saturday on the Island.

BLUE SABBATH
Sunday 26 October 2025 – afternoon/evening | Archies Creek Hotel, Archies Creek
A lap-steel-and-drums blast through Sabbath’s early catalogue—heavy, gritty, fun.


Central

The Siren’s Torment (theatre)
Thursday 23 October 2025 – evening | GPAC Little Theatre, Traralgon
Moody, modern fable with atmosphere to spare.

The Mafeking Hillbillies
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 1:30 pm | Stratford Courthouse Theatre, Stratford
Senior's singalong with toe-tappin’ bluegrass, country and more.

Kathleen Halloran + Ricki Wood – Live in the Glen (double bill)
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 7:30 pm | Live in the Glen, Glengarry
Guitar firepower and songwriting spark in an intimate room.

No Promises – The Jam Club
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 2:00 pm | The Jam Club, Morwell
Harmony-rich arvo set, your coffee will thank you.

WONDER
Sunday 26 October 2025 – 11am | GPAC Main Theatre, Traralgon
Celebrating iconic songs and popular music

East

The Pop Up Pub: Mama Dee Trio + The Dusty Minstrel
Friday 24 October 2025 – from 5:00 pm | Nowa Nowa Public Hall / Mingling Waters, Nowa Nowa
A rolling Friday-night sampler: folk, storytelling, and blues-rock by the creek.

Mike Elrington - Friday Night
Friday 24 October 2025 – 6:30pm | Mingling Waters, Nowa Nowa
As they say at Mingling Waters - can't sing? That's okay - live music is here for your Friday evening.

Ashley Carmody – Slipway Sessions
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 1:00 pm | The Slipway, Lakes Entrance
Waterfront tunes for your foreshore wander.

Halloween Dance - Lakeside Rockers
Saturday 25 October 2025 – evening | Lucknow Memorial Hall, Lucknow
Halloween rock ’n’ roll dance night: slick shoes, faster spins.

Olivia Lay – Sunday Session
Sunday 26 October 2025 – 12:30 pm | Mingling Waters, Nowa Nowa
Soulful songs in a sweet bush setting—good for the ears, great for the mood.

🔍 Heads up: Event details sometimes change without notice — always double-check with an organiser or official event page before you head on out!

Trivia

AKA the "Spring Sky Circus":

Answer at the end of the newsletter

Properties for Sale

Because who doesn't like to indulge in checking out what's on the market around the place, every now and then?

The Little Legend: 43 Mary Street, Heyfield VIC 3858

This one is neat-as a pin and right in the sweet spot: it's a classic 3-bed, 1-bath cottage on a sweet, manageable block, making it ideal for first-home makeovers or a spruce-up-and-hold-onto.

Just stroll on into town, to schools and the reserve, and then come home to easy parking and a sun-soaked yard, just begging for a veggie patch and Sunday arvo entertaining setup. With solid bones, an accessible and walkable location, and a low-stress footprint, it's prime “make it yours” territory.

43 Mary Street, Heyfield VIC 3858

Aaaaand also this one......

The KinG: 335 Riverview Road, Heyfield VIC 3858

All hail a serious Macalister Valley irrigation dairy: ~238 ha (588 ac) of productive country with a stunning family homestead and a beautiful outlook, this one is set up for scale and proper capacity.

It’s a rare combo of blue-chip location + big acres, so you can look forward to (or plan for long seasons, efficient water, and room to expand your herd or diversify. Listed at $8.4M, this is a working landscape with a glorious home to base yourself in.

335 Riverview Road, Heyfield VIC 3858

Air Time: Happening Soon

Check out our November & early December Gippsland wrap to help you suss out your end-of-year event plans....as always, we recommend you check out the events as some of them are ticketed and some do sell out.

West

HANS – Young, Fun & 21
Sunday 2 November 2025 – 3:00 pm | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Sequins, sass and music chaos—pure glitter therapy.

5th Annual Roller Derby Pride Cup
Sat 8 November 2025 | Warragul Leisure Centre, Warragul
Absolute derby extravaganza with junior bouts, community stalls and loads of fun!

Of the Land on Which We Meet
Saturday 8 November 2025 – 7:30 pm | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Contemporary dance that honours Country with striking movement and imagery.

Luke McGregor — Okay, Wow
Saturday 29 November 2025 – 7:00 pm | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Awkwardly incisive stand-up from a fan favourite.

CraftAlive Gippsland (expo)
Thu 13 – Sat 15 November 2025 | Lardner Park, Lardner
Big craft fair with workshops, demos and stalls—makers’ heaven.

A3 Festival (electronic music & arts)
Fri 28 Nov – Mon 1 Dec 2025 | Lardner Park, Lardner
Large-scale audio-art weekender with heavyweight DJs and installations, camping on-site.

South + Bass

Frank Yamma & Radical Son (double header)
Saturday 8 November 2025 – 8:00 pm | Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan
Two towering First Nations voices in one powerful night.

Meg Washington
Friday 14 November 2025 – 8:00 pm | Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan
Platinum singer-songwriter brings the velvet bops to South Gippy.

Tropical F* Storm
Saturday 8 November 2025 – from 4:00 pm | Archies Creek Hotel, Archies Creek
Genre-bending art-rock under the hills—intense, brilliant, unmissable.

Central

Katie Noonan — Jeff Buckley’s Grace
Saturday 1 November 2025 – evening | GPAC, Traralgon
A soaring re-imagining of a cult classic—note-perfect chills.

Tyers Art Festival (46th year)
Friday 7 – Sunday 9 November 2025 | Tyers Hall, Tyers
Regional art showcase with gala opening and full weekend exhibition.

Morwell International Rose Garden Festival
Friday 7 – Saturday 8 November 2025 | Morwell Centenary Rose Garden, Morwell
Thousands of blooms, workshops, markets, live entertainment — free, family-friendly.

Ben Knight — The Parent Teacher Interview
Saturday 22 November 2025 – 8:00 pm | GPAC, Traralgon
A hit stand-up hour from the ex-teacher turned comic.

A Very Wedge Christmas
Thursday 4 December 2025 – 2:00 pm | The Wedge, Sale
Festive favourites and carols—bring the cheer.


EAST

GSO — Baroque to Brilliance
Sunday 16 November 2025 – afternoon | The Forge Theatre, Bairnsdale
Sparkling baroque program meets modern polish.

Bairnsdale Christmas Carols Festival
Sunday 14 December 2025 – afternoon/evening | All Abilities Playground precinct, Bairnsdale
Community carols with local ensembles, food trucks and stalls.


​🔍 Heads up: Event details sometimes change without notice — always double-check with an organiser or official event page before you head on out!

Sample This: Foundry, Bairnsdale

Gippsland’s hidden art alley

If you’re in Bairnsdale and haven’t slipped down that alley beside the old Woolies to peek at Foundry yet, you’re almost doing the town an honest disservice. Foundry is a not-for-profit artist collective run by volunteers that's dedicated to putting incredible local makers front and centre in the spotlight (you know, where they belong!).

You’ll find it at 75A Nicholson Street, tucked down the laneway behind the bakery. You know, one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it hideaways that 100% will reward your curiosity. The space itself is a small but mighty showcase of Gippsland creativity, and represents more than 65 artists and makers from across the region.

Inside, it’s a sensory roll-call of handmade goodness: recycled sterling-silver jewellery, fine art prints, illustrated cards, natural-fibre vintage clothing, hand-stitched toys, and eco-friendly homewares. Everything here is all proudly local, right down to the display fittings. The place hums with a lovely combination of good design and artist visibility that’s become Foundry’s calling card

Part of the fun is finding it. Hidden behind the main street, it feels a little bit like a secret you’ve been let in on. The collective’s volunteer crew has built something quietly powerful: a space that’s constantly shifting, hosting new works and exhibitions in its tiny Hallway Gallery, and proving that art can thrive far from city postcodes. Local media calls Foundry “a surprise haven for unsuspecting passers-by,” which I do think pretty well nails it.

Standouts for me during a recent stop in were some super cute soft toys that were wonderfully tactile and charming, made from upcycled vintage woolen blankets (because I can't help but collect vintage wool blankets, and they were really cute soft toys!), and the gorgeous pens made from various recycled and reclaimed Aussie timbers that looked like they were turned on a lathe and just really nice and comfy to handle.

Next time you’re heading east, we strongly recommend you park the car, grab a coffee, and duck down that laneway. Foundry’s shelves change as fast as the seasons so you never know what you'll find, and you’ll walk out with something made by actual* human hands, having discovered one of Gippsland’s best-kept secrets.

Check In

🌅 Sunrise / Sunset

  • Wed 22 Oct: ~6:18 am / 7:38 pm AEDT

🌕 Moon & Celestial Events

  • Waxing crescent this week; great evening crescent for photos now; brighter half-moon follows the day after this period.
  • Scorpius & Milky Way core: still gorgeous after dusk in the southern sky, detail improves once the Moon sets late evening.
  • Orionid meteors: just past peak (22 Oct); still active through early Nov. Best chances after midnight to pre-dawn from dark sites. New-moon week just passed, so skies remain reasonably dark for stragglers.
  • Comets: C/2025 R2 (SWAN) and C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) were forecast to be naked-eye possible around 20–23 Oct. If they’ve stayed bright, you may still nab them low in the sky under dark conditions. This is your 'just for fun' wildcard.
  • Planets:
    • Saturn: prime evening target in Pisces (post-opposition, bright and steady).
    • Jupiter: rising late evening, excellent after midnight → pre-dawn.

Cue Up: this week's Markets

Happy fourth weekend of the month and the last weekend pre-Halloween (if that's your thing!). These are your markets across Gippsland this week:

WEST

Yarragon Community Craft & Produce Market
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 9 am–1 pm | Waterloo Park / Yarragon Public Hall, Yarragon
Handmade, home-grown and plenty of pantry-fillers.

SOUTH + BASS

Mirboo North Market
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 8:30 am–1 pm | Baromi Park, Mirboo North
“Growers, Bakers, Merchants & Makers” with lively village vibes.

Inverloch Lions Community Farmers Market
Sunday 26 October 2025 – 8 am–1 pm | The Glade, The Esplanade, Inverloch
Coastal produce haul plus easy foreshore strolling.

Kongwak Market
Sunday 26 October 2025 – 10 am–2 pm | 1487 Korumburra–Wonthaggi Rd, Kongwak
Every-Sunday vintage/collectables favourite with coffee and live tunes.

CENTRAL

Traralgon Farmers’ Market
Saturday 25 October 2025 – 8 am–1 pm | Kay Street Gardens, Traralgon
Fourth-Saturday staple: fresh produce and small-batch goodies.

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.

Alrighty, that's us for this wonderful week:

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)
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Have a damn good day and a great week ahead, and catch you on the flipside!

SL
Publisher, Original Mixtape
Gippsland's On-Demand Vibe Captain & Mix Curator

P.S. Trivia answer - C. the Short-tailed Shearwater (Muttonbird) returns to Phillip Island late each September, after travelling all the way from Alaska. They nest at Phillip Island each year and raise fledglings, before heading back overseas once more.

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