Roam a secret rooftop opening for the first time in 100 years. Stay at a new tiny home with a roll-out bed for open-air stargazing. And have one last Negroni at an essential Melbourne bar before it closes. Here’s what Broadsheet Melbourne editor Tomas Telegramma is checking out in Melbourne in October.

Discover the undiscovered
For the first time in 100 years, Melbourne’s grandiose Royal Exhibition Building is opening its dome promenade to the public – you’ll be able to roam the rooftop and take in views of Carlton Gardens in full bloom. In the city, locally (and internationally) lauded Melbourne street artist Tyrone “Rone” Wright is transforming Flinders Street Station’s mysterious, long-abandoned ballroom and upper level into an 11-room time capsule of mid-century Melbourne. His signature ethereal portraits of women will loom over each space. Plus, hidden in a car park ticket booth is where you’ll find Melbourne’s newest, tiniest natural-wine shop, Soi 38’s sibling La Cave Garage. And in the bayside suburb of Beaumaris, four delightful mid-century modern homes will open for tours for one day only.

(Hot) spring into action
This month has some Big Bathing Energy. Two new luxurious, long-awaited hot springs – and one sultry bathhouse – are opening in Victoria. One is called Alba, and it’s undoubtedly the state’s most Instagrammable new thermal springs. Opening in Fingal on the 15th, it has 31 pools, a rooftop restaurant and “digital-detox requirement” that means it’s an entirely phone-free zone. Also on the Mornington Peninsula is Aurora Spa & Bathhouse, the final piece of the puzzle at Sorrento’s completely reimagined Conti Hotel. And then there’s an ambitious hilltop destination in Metung – in the state’s east – from the Peninsula Hot Springs team: expect private bathing barrels and lagoon-side glamping. Due for a soak sesh? Read all about the trio of new relaxation destinations.

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Arrivederci to two Italian spots
Melbourne was delivered a one-two punch this week with the announcement that two popular Italian-influenced spots are closing in the CBD. The first is the pint-sized Bar Americano; tucked down Presgrave Place, it’s known for its stiff drinks, superb service and standing-room-only set-up. It’s as quintessentially Melbourne as laneway bars come – and you’ve only got until the start to December to get one last Negroni. The second is Little Collins Street’s pasta paradise Pentolina, one of the city’s most reliable fresh pasta destinations, serving lesser-seen shapes with good old-fashioned Italian hospitality in a discreet laneway location. It's saying goodbye with a final new menu before it shuts up shop on December 17.

New galleries to get to
For the best part of two years, Melbourne’s galleries were closed. But in the wake of lockdowns – and the restrictions that lingered long after – the city’s art world has been slowly (but steadily) recovering. A flurry of impressive new gallery openings has hit recently, so this month we rounded up 10 you should have on your radar, including new locations for big Aussie art names and impressive debut galleries. There’s one in an art deco former bank and another in a reimagined Brunswick home, plus a vibrant hub for the works of APY Lands artists. And prominent art dealer Daine Singer has moved from Fitzroy to Brunswick, opening a beautiful gallery in an old dressmaking factory twice the size of its predecessor.

Meet Stella the Stargazer
Last month, we introduced you to Stella, South Yarra’s new four-storey Italian destination. But there’s a new Stella in town. Or – to be more precise – out of town. Stella the Stargazer is Victoria’s newest limited edition off-grid accommodation. And she’s a beauty. Made with rustic materials sourced from a huge farming shed in Warrnambool, Stella features a roll-out sleeping platform that allows for open-air stargazing through a giant glass and steel roof. Another feature of Stella is that she can rove. The tiny home will pop up in different Victorian regions – including Gippsland, the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians – for eight-week stints. The Gippsland experience includes a welcome pack with breakfast provisions sourced by chef Alejandro Saravia (Farmer’s Daughters, Victoria).