The controversial exhibition is alive and well, and it’s coming to the Gold Coast.
Life imitates art, as the old adage goes. That proved true last year when Ladies Lounge, an installation by Kirsha Kaechele at Tassie‘s Mona, became the centre of a legal controversy. Ladies Lounge is a lavish space filled with exclusive artworks – but they’re only visible to visitors who aren’t men.
The installation recreates and subverts gendered power imbalances by prohibiting men’s access to it. But the message behind the work came full circle when a disgruntled male museum visitor sued for gender discrimination.
After a lengthy legal battle, the artwork eventually won the right to exclude men, and recently concluded its acclaimed run in Mona earlier this year. Excitingly, and likely to the chagrin of that one guy that started this whole legal mess, Ladies Lounge is back – and it’s going on tour.
Leaving MONA (and Tasmania) for the first time, the work is coming to the Gold Coast where it will exhibit at Home Of The Arts (HOTA) for 10 days as part of contemporary arts festival BLEACH*. It will be on display for free (for gals only!) between 31 Jul and 10 Aug.
The Ladies Lounge leaves Tasmania for the first time and will appear in the Gold Coast’s HOTA Gallery as part of BLEACH* Festival. (Image: Supplied)
Also on the festival’s programming is a display of Patricia Piccinini’s Skywhales, a conversation with acclaimed American artist Jeff Koons and other big names in the art. Beyond that, catch music, opera, drama, food and more. It’s an action-packed programme that’s putting the sunny region on the map as a contemporary arts hub.
No such thing as too much art? Plan a trip to our favourite Gold Coast art galleries while you’re there.
Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
City buzz, gourmet trails, surf breaks and art scenes are all at your fingertips.
When it comes to planning a trip, picking a holiday destination is the easy part. The real dilemma is where to set yourself up for the night. Do you go coastal, city, or countryside? Somewhere remote and rugged, or right in the action? Luckily, the Sunshine Coast, and huge number of amazing Sunshine Coast day trips, have kindly made the choice for you.
Ditch the hotel-hopping and suitcase-lugging. Instead, base yourself at Novotel Sunshine Coast or Mantra Mooloolaba , where big-city culture, vine-covered valleys, and theme parks are all within a two-hour drive.
1. Sunshine Coast to Brisbane
Drive time: 1 hour 20 minutes (105km)
Shake off the sand from your sandals and swap the beach for the throb of the Queensland capital. Ease in gently with a bougainvillea-filled stroll through South Bank, iced latte in hand, before cooling off at Streets Beach lagoon – Brisbane’s answer to the coast (but without the waves).
Once firmly in big-city mode, hit up the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) , home to Australia’s largest collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Dive into the past at the Queensland Museum, where prehistoric fossils of Australian dinosaurs and megafauna collide with First Nations cultural collections and interactive science exhibits.
All this learning got you hungry? Howard Smith Wharves calls. Here, riverside dining delivers breweries with meat-forward menus, Japanese fine dining and overwater bars. If you’ve got room for more, Fortitude Valley’s shopping boutiques await you and your wallet.
Wander the Gallery of Modern Art. (Image: TEQ)
2. Sunshine Coast to the Scenic Rim
Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (170km)
Make your way inland to the Scenic Rim for the state’s best vineyards and age-old volcanic slopes. Start your day early (like, sparrow’s breakfast early) at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park . Here, take a treetop walk through the canopy and hand-feed the wild birds who flock here.
Next, it’s your turn to eat. Here, the food scene operates where locally sourced produce is an expectation, not an exception. Order a picnic basket crammed with regional wine and cheese to devour next to the creek at Canungra Valley Vineyards . Or perhaps a grazing platter of vegan and non-vegan cheeses at Witches Falls Winery .
Feeling bold? Tackle the Twin Falls circuit in Springbrook National Park. Or keep the gourmet life going with a Scenic Rim Brewery tasting paddle, best enjoyed while taking in the rise of the Great Dividing Range.
Enjoy a cheese platter at Witches Falls Winery. (Image: TEQ)
3. Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast
Drive time: 2 hours (180km)
Surf, sand and sparkling skylines might be the Gold Coast’s MO, but there’s more to Surfers Paradise and beyond. Kick things off with a beachfront coffee at Burleigh Heads, then hike through Burleigh Head National Park to look over the ocean and whale sightings (dependent on the season, of course).
Cool off in the calm waters of Tallebudgera Creek before chowing down on the famously buttery Moreton Bay bug rolls at Rick Shores . Travelling with the kids? Then you can’t miss Australia’s theme park capital, with Dreamworld ’s big rides and Warner Bros. Movie World ’s Hollywood treatment at hand to keep the family entertained.
Dive into Tallebudgera Creek. (Image: TEQ)
4. Sunshine Coast to Tweed Heads
Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (200km)
Dare to cross enemy lines? Then welcome to New South Wales. Tweed Heads blends the laid-back attitude of the Northern Rivers with high-quality dining, experimental art, and farm-fresh indulgence – a combo worth the drive.
Start strong with a long, lazy brunch at Tweed River House , then swing by Tropical Fruit World for exotic finds like red dragon fruit, handfuls of lychees and black sapote. Next, hit M|Arts Precinct – an art deco hub of micro galleries, artist workshops and one-off boutiques.
Round off the day with sunset drinks at Husk Distillers among the glowing cane fields, and order one with their famous Ink Gin. You’ll thank us later.
Taste the famous Ink Gin at Husk Distillers. (Image: Destination NSW)
5. Sunshine Coast Hinterland
Drive time: 1 hour (70km)
Strap on those hiking boots and make tracks inland, where volcanic peaks, misty rainforest and hinterland townships beckon. Ease in with the Glass House Mountains Lookout Walk, or, if you have energy to burn, tackle the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk for a 360-degree sight of the surrounding summits.
Next: Montville. This township delivers European-style architecture and old-world appeal. Nearby, settle in at Flame Hill Vineyard, where a large pour of estate-grown wine comes with encompassing views of the countryside.
Not ready to leave the hinterland villages just yet? Of course not. Meander past art galleries and indie shops at Maleny. Nab some fudge from Sweets on Maple for a sweet fix. Or go salty at Maleny Dairies with a farm tour and a chunky wedge of their deliciously creamy cheese.
End the day among the eucalypts and rainforests of Kondalilla National Park. Here, the Kondalilla Falls Circuit winds down through trees humming with life to a rock pool beneath a waterfall – as if designed for soaking tired feet before heading back to the coast.
Take on the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk (Image: TEQ)
