Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah has accepted an invitation to appear at the 2027 Adelaide Writers' Week. The Adelaide Festival confirmed the news as it unveiled its next program. In January, the festival board removed her from the 2026 program, citing her past statements, a decision the Festival Corporation later apologised for. The 2027 festival will run from February 25 to March 14 and includes West End play Oedipus and Bela Bartok's opera Bluebeard's Castle.
The Arcadians, a theatre group in the Illawarra, is staging the musical Crazy For You from November 6 to 21 at the Miner's Lamp Theatre. The story follows a young banker trying to rescue a theatre, which mirrors the group's own situation as it raises funds for vital renovations. Producer Matthew Verhelst said the cast includes strong leads William Christie and Ella. Guest choreographer Brendan Cascarino was brought in from Sydney to create a solo for Bobby. Every performance of the show is set to feature tap dancing from the full cast.
A weekly guide to arts events in Fremantle has listed upcoming exhibitions, films, music and storytelling performances. Highlights include Dual Nature, an art exhibition at Palette Fremantle running from 13 October to 8 November 2026. Fremantle Design Week runs from 16 to 25 October 2026 with more than 60 events. Piazza Walls, a street art festival at South Terrace Piazza, runs from 28 November to 13 December 2026, with 15 murals planned across the precinct.
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Australian pop star Kylie Minogue will voice Clowder, a cat witch, in Warner Bros.' animated musical comedy Bad Fairies. Cynthia Erivo leads the cast as Jayne Staplegun, a fairy who sparks a rebellion, alongside Jonathan Groff and Ncuti Gatwa. Catherine Tate has been cast as the Fairy Godmother. The film, directed by Megan Nicole Dong, is the first release under a new first-look pact between Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation. It is scheduled for cinemas on May 27, 2027.
New trees have been planted near 30 and 34 Marine Terrace in Fremantle's West End, adding greenery and future shade to a highly urbanised area. The City of Fremantle worked with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to choose suitable locations and tree species that suit the heritage setting. Purpose-designed tree pits capture stormwater, which helps water the trees and improves drainage in the area. The City's Urban Forest team will maintain the trees and shape their growth to protect heritage sightlines. The planting supports the City's Urban Forest Plan, which aims to increase tree canopy.
A man reported missing from Kedron since Friday 16 October has been found safe, police say. Police thanked the community for its help. Earlier, police had appealed for public help after raising concerns for his welfare due to a medical condition. Investigators believed he may have been travelling by public transport in the Kedron, Brisbane CBD or West End area. The media release has been updated to remove identifying details and images for privacy reasons.
House prices in seven Queensland suburbs could more than double by 2036, according to new realestate.com.au data. Woodridge is forecast to rise from $781,000 to $1.64 million, a gain of more than $858,000. Kingston is also tipped to climb sharply. West End's median unit value could reach $1.84 million, while economists warn that such growth would come at a high cost to housing affordability. The projections assume historical trends continue and are not guaranteed forecasts.
The award-winning stage show Paddington: The Musical will be staged at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney for 10 weeks from September 2027. The production has run in London's West End since 2025 and will continue there until at least 2028. It won seven Olivier awards earlier this year, including best new musical. Its producers said they wanted to open only in cities where the show could match the scale of its London staging. Dates for other Australian cities and the cast have not yet been announced.
The award-winning stage show Paddington: The Musical will be staged at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney for 10 weeks from September 2027. The production has run in London's West End since 2025 and will continue there until at least 2028. It won seven Olivier awards earlier this year, including best new musical. Its producers said they wanted to open only in cities where the show could match the scale of its London staging. Dates for other Australian cities and the cast have not yet been announced.
Eleven Edge Early Learning childcare centres in Queensland, South Australia and the ACT have been ordered to close within 48 hours. The centres could not be sold after the group entered voluntary administration in August. Many families had little notice and are now scrambling to find alternative childcare. Administrators at KordaMentha say families are being contacted in writing and given details of nearby services with spare places. Goodstart Early Learning has acquired 31 other centres in the sale process.
Eleven childcare centres run by collapsed operator Edge Early Learning will close, after administrators could not find buyers for them. Administrators KordaMentha found offers for 53 centres in Queensland and South Australia, including 31 proposed for GoodStart Early Learning. Seven closing centres are in Queensland, three in South Australia and one in the ACT. Some parents learned of the closures only days before they take effect, on October 14. Families who prepaid fees will be refunded by the end of October, and parents have been told of nearby centres with some vacancies.
Ian McKellen and Roger Allam star in Frank & Percy, a film about two older men who fall in love after meeting while walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath. The film was adapted from a West End play and has the same cast and director. It premiered at the 2026 London Film Festival. Supporting cast includes Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley and Derek Jacobi. The film will have its Australian premiere at the Palace Cinema in late October.
Debra Rule is well known in Fremantle for her work in establishing and running the Fremantle Community Bank. She arrived in the city from Tasmania at age five, attended local primary and high schools, and later returned to South Fremantle Senior High School as a teacher librarian. She then built a career in strategic information and change management. Before that, she held a range of jobs in old Fremantle and was a member of the South Freo Bulldogs Cheer Squad.
The Melt Festival of Queer Arts will feature over 100 events in Brisbane from 21 October to 8 November 2026. Highlights include a 15-metre pink duck leading the River Pride Parade, free family-friendly Mini-Melt sessions, and performances by Courtney Barnett and Mel C. The festival, run by Brisbane Powerhouse, offers a mix of ticketed and free events, including workshops, parades, and live music. Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the Crisafulli Government supports events that boost tourism and showcase Queensland's arts scene.
