Shops around the state opened their doors for Easter Monday trading for the first time today, as the State Opposition argued the move would benefit only the big chains. Did you think it was a good idea? Vote in our poll The decision to allow shops around the state to trade today, Easter Monday, for the first time will benefit only the big chains, the State Opposition argues. South Australia today came into line with other states when stores are able to open their doors from 11am to 5pm. Labor’s industrial relations spokesman Kyam Maher said the only winners in Mr Lucas’ move would be big companies. “Current laws mean small SA family-owned businesses can compete with the big guys and workers get well-earned time off to spend time with family,” he said. “Granting an exemption for Easter Monday will only benefit big interstate chains like Coles and Woolies, at the expense of small SA family-owned businesses.” Treasurer Rob Lucas, who last month used his discretionary powers to allow today’s trading, had told the Sunday Mail he was confident shoppers would embrace the move. He said it would mean there would not be four restricted trading days — Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day – in seven days. Mr Lucas previously used the discretionary powers to allow Boxing Day trading in the suburbs rather than just in the Adelaide CBD. Mr Maher said it had been a failure with the figures for trading last December “some of the softest … seen for years”.<doc-sep>You’ve got a few days off over Easter, so what are you going to do with them? Here’s our guide to the best things to do, see and eat over the long weekend. You’ve got a few days off over Easter (and beyond, if you’re among the hordes taking three annual leave days to get 10 days off). So what are you going to do with them? If you’re staying in town for the long weekend, there is an abundance of things to do, see and eat over the Easter break. WHAT’S OPEN ON GOOD FRIDAY AND THE EASTER LONG WEEKEND WHAT TO COOK FOR YOUR EASTER FEAST THE BEST CHOCOLATES TO BUY THIS EASTER Here’s our guide to what’s on in Melbourne on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and the Easter Monday public holiday. EASTER 2019 DATES Good Friday: April 19 Easter Saturday: April 20 Easter Sunday: April 21 Easter Monday: April 22 The Good Friday Appeal raises money to help kids like Kiana, 1, who has spent the past year at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Picture: Jay Town GOOD FRIDAY APPEAL KIDS DAY OUT Celebrate Easter while supporting the Good Friday Appeal at the annual Kids Day Out. There will be plenty of activities including ice sakting, a teddy bear hospital, amusements, entertainment and a fresh food fair. MORE GOOD FRIDAY APPEAL NEWS If you can’t make it to the Kids Day Out but want to support the annual Royal Children’s Hospital fundraiser, check out a host of other Good Friday Appeal activities, buy a raffle ticket or or watch the Do It For the Kids evening show on the Good Friday Appeal Telethon on Channel Seven. Good Friday Appeal Kids Day Out, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Friday, April 19, 10am-5pm. Free entry, activities cost up to $10. COMEDY FESTIVAL It’s the final weekend of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which means it's your last chance to catch some of the world’s funniest people in person. But there’s plenty on to keep the laughs rolling right across Easter Weekend. Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor will host the Moosehead Benefit on the final day of the comedy festival. MOOSEHEAD BENEFIT Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor will host this year’s Moosehead Benefit, the annual full stop to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The benefit features the must-see artists of the festival - though the line-up is kept secret until the night. In past years it’s featured the likes of Hannah Gadsby, Wil Anderson, Adam Hills, Lano & Woodley, Rhys Nicholson and Tommy Little. 2019 Moosehead Benefit, Melbourne Town Hall — Main Hall, Easter Sunday, 7.30pm. GOOD AZ FRIDAY Aaron Chen, Larry Dean, Sam Jay, Sarah Keyworth and Steph Tisdell are among the stellar line-up at this free Good Friday session. Join Triple J’s Ben and Liam for laughs, a live Like A Version by Melbourne’s Slowly Slowly, and lots of chocolate. Just make sure you rock up early to get a seat. Good Az Friday, Melbourne Town Hall - Main Hall, Good Friday, 1pm. WHO WILL GET TOP GONGS AT COMEDY FESTIVAL? HUMPHRIES DUMPED FROM COM FEST AWARD Wil Anderson’s new show, Wil-Informed, runs until Easter Sunday. Picture: David Caird MUST-SEE COMEDY SHOWS, FREEBIES AND SPECIAL EVENTS Prominent UK comedian Joe Lycett performs his only three shows of the festival from Good Friday to Easter Sunday at Melbourne Town Hall and the Arts Centre. Catch him while you can. Same goes for Indian YouTube sensation Kanan Gill, who’s at the Arts Centre from Friday to Sunday. Saturday Night Live TV star Chris Redd will perform his only solo show at The Westin on Good Friday. And if you haven’t already seen them, make sure you don’t miss the shows we awarded five stars, James Acaster and Cassie Workman. Simon Amstell, Double Denim, Blake Freeman, Damien Power, Daniel Kitson, DeAnne Smith, Joel Creasey, Luke Heggie, Phil Wang, Tom Ballard, Wil Anderson and Nath Valvo all received 4.5 stars from us, and should also be high on your list. HOW YOUTUBE MADE KANAN GILL A GLOBAL SUPER STAR WHY LANO & WOODLEY GOT BACK TOGETHER HERALD SUN COMEDY FESTIVAL REVIEWS The Indian All-Star Comedy Showcase, featuring Anauvab Pal, Kaneez Surka, Naveen Richard and Sonali Thakker, is in town for three days only, with four shows on offer from Good Friday to Easter Sunday at The Forum. And it’s your last chance to rub shoulders with the who’s who of comedians (including Kanan Gill, Chris Redd, DeAnne Smith, Dilruk Jayasinha, Simon Amstell, Joel Creasey, Becky Lucas and Fin Taylor) at The Festival Club at Max Watt’s from 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday nights. There’s free family fun on offer at Fed Square for The (Very) Big Laugh Out Loud on Friday and Saturday, and at Melbourne Museum Plaza on Friday only. Comedy Club for Kids runs at the Arts Centre Spiegeltent every day until April 21, and at Chadstone every day except Good Friday. EASTER EGG HUNTS GREAT LUNA PARK EASTER EGG HUNT Choco-mad kids can search for more than 30,000 Chocolatier eggs at the iconic St Kilda fun park over two days, with hunts running from 12.30pm to 3.15pm on both Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Check out the new Speedy Bettle, Moon Balloons and mini-train rides, and watch out for the Mad Hatter and the energetic Easter bunny acrobats bouncing about on both days. Great Luna Park Easter Egg Hunt, St Kilda, Sat-Sun 12.30pm-3.15pm, entry free with unlimited ride ticket ($17.50-$149.95). Luna Park open every day, 11am-8pm. Visitors young and old can enjoy rides and a ginormous Easter egg hunt at Luna Park over the Easter weekend. Picture: Supplied. MELBOURNE EASTER SHOW Head to Cranbourne Turf Club between Good Friday and Easter Monday if you like your Easter egg hunts with a side of monster truck battles. The Melbourne Easter Show, running from April 19-22, will also offer children’s activities, roving entertainers, carnival rides and showbags. Tickets for the Easter Egg Hunt cost $10 each, which includes a bucket to collect eggs. Melbourne Easter Show, Cranbourne Turf Club, Grant St, Cranbourne, April 19-22, entry free but $10 for Easter Egg Hunt, various times. SCULPTURE PARK AT PT LEO ESTATE Search for 3000-plus eggs among renowned artworks from around the world at the beautiful Point Leo Estate on the Mornington Peninsula. The Easter Sunday event will also feature a Koko Black Chocolate pop up, face painting by Twinkles Starry Faces, colouring stations, food options, live music and a Koko Black grand prize for one lucky winner. Gates open 9am for 10am egg hunt kick-off Pt. Leo’s Easter Egg Hunt, Merricks, Sunday, April 21, from 9am. Entry free for children under 3, $20 per child (including one adult), per additional adult. The Wave Swinger, one of the non-water attractions at Adventure Park Geelong, which wraps up its season on Easter Monday. ADVENTURE PARK GEELONG Make the most of the unseasonably warm weather for the rest of the school holidays with a trip to Victoria’s biggest theme park. Adventure Park’s annual Giant Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Easter Sunday, where thousands of chocolate eggs will be up for grabs and children can meet the Easter bunny. Adventure Park , Wallington, Sunday, April 21, 10am - 5pm (Easter egg hunt at 2pm.) Entry included in general admission ticket ($27-$44.50). Closed Good Friday. EUREKA SKYDECK Hop to the deck of Melbourne’s tallest building this Easter for a number of eggcellent activities and prizes. Find the bunnies hidden across the Skydeck and go in the draw to win a prize if you guess the correct amount. Eureka Skydeck, Southbank, open from 10am-10pm daily (last entry 9.30pm). Skydeck tickets vary, ranging from $10-$48. MORE EASTER EGG HUNTS AROUND MELBOURNE WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND Sample some of the goldfields’ finest brews and wines at the Ballarat Beer Hop. BALLARAT BEER HOP It’s an Easter hop for big kids. The first annual Ballarat Beer Hop kicks off on Easter Saturday and will see participants work their way through Ballarat’s favourite venues, sampling the wares at six of 12 of Victoria’s top breweries and six wineries. The one-of-a-kind experience is a collaboration between six of the state’s best regional venues: Hop Temple, The Mallow, Campana’s, Freight Bar, Housey Housey and PWTN. Buy a ticket at your starting venue and then follow the map to find the other venues. The ticket gets you two 100ml beer samples at each venue (12 in total) and one 50ml wine sample at each venue (six in total). Ballarat Beer Hop, various locations, Saturday, April 20, from 11am. Tickets $40 (plus booking fee). Chin Chin’s highly anticipated Crab+Cray takes place on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. CRAB+CRAY FEAST AT CHIN CHIN Chin Chin’s new event space will play host to the restaurant’s first ever Crab+Cray. Guest can anticipate an array of tasty seafood dishes designed by executive chef Ben Cooper, which includes chilli tamarind mud crab and black pepper lobster, prawn and lemongrass spring rolls and smoked trout miang. Get your seafood fill at one of two sessions on Good Friday (1-4pm or 6-9pm), or the restaurant’s third session from 1-4pm on Easter Sunday. Crab+Cray Feast, Chin Chin, Melbourne CBD, Good Friday, April 19, 1-4pm or 6-9pm, or Easter Sunday, 1-4pm. Lunch $99pp, dinner $105.53pp. Enjoy Easter lunch with a view at Balgownie Estate in the Yarra Valley. EASTER LUNCH AT BALGOWNIE ESTATE Can’t be bothered cooking your family’s Easter Sunday lunch? Head to the Yarra Valley for Balgownie Estate’s special Easter buffet lunch and three-hour beverage package at Rae’s Restaurant. There will also be an Easter egg hunt from 2pm, with live music on the deck from 3pm-6pm. Balgownie Estate, 1309 Melba Highway, Yarra Glen, Easter Sunday, April 21, open from noon. Dining packages start from $115pp (adults) and $35pp (kids). Pidapipo is approaching Easter sweets a little differently this year. EASTER SWEETS AT PIDAPIPO Pidapipo gelateria has teamed up with master chocolate makers Hunted + Gathered to celebrate Easter with not one, but three limited-edition Easter treats. Take your pick from the Colomba gelato sandwich (a twist on the Columba di pasqua) — featuring a limited-edition gelato flavour of candied orange, almond croccante and Hunted + Gathered 70 per cent dark chocolate chip — or a chocolate bar made with candied orange, pearl sugar and roasted almond; or just a cup of the limited-edition candied orange gelato. The items will be in Pidapipo stores from Good Friday. The cake, gelato and bar will also be available on Uber Eats until April 28. Pidapipo, 8 Degraves St, Melbourne, 299 Lygon St, Carlton, and 85 Chapel St, Windsor, open 12pm-11pm daily. Get your seafood fix at The Atlantic over Easter. FISH & CHIPPERY’S BARRAWING FUNDRAISER Little sibling to renowned seafood restaurant The Atlantic, the Fish & Chippery brings seafood extraordinaire Nick Mahlook’s ocean-to-plate philosophy to the masses. On Good Friday, the venue will offer $1 barrawings with all proceeds going to the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal. Or you could head to The Atlantic for a bottomless Easter Sunday brunch designed by Mahlook, with two hours of free-flowing bubbles and a two-course menu for $110 per person. Fish & Chippery by The Atlantic, Crown Riverwalk, Good Friday, 11.30am-10.30pm, Easter Saturday 11.30am-10.30pm, Easter Sunday noon-8pm. The Atlantic, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, Fri-Sat 6-11pm, Easter Sunday 6-10pm. Both closed Easter Monday. MILL & BAKERY’S HOT CROSS DOUGHNUTS The cosy, artisan bread house on the Docklands waterfront offers an assortment of pastries, high tea, lunch options, sweets and superb coffee. For Easter, Lisa Van Zanten has created delicious orange custard-filled spiced hot cross doughnuts. Anzac cookie sandwiches with salted caramel are also available from until Anzac Day. Mill & Bakery, Shed 9, 161 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, open 7am-2pm on Easter Saturday. Closed Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. The delectable and detailed Chocolate Mousse Egg at 400 Gradi restaurants across the state this Easter. CHOCOLATE MOUSSE EGGS AT 400 GRADI It’s famed for its pizzas, but it’s dessert that will take centre stage at 400 Gradi this Easter. The pizza house has added a limited-edition chocolate mouse egg to its menu for the weekend. Filled with a mango and lavender sauce, it’s a sweet Easter treat with a twist. 400 Gradi, Brunswick, Eastland, Essendon.<doc-sep>
The Easter long weekend is the perfect chance for many Australians to get away from home, but for others it’s one of the busiest times of the year. Across the country, shops and services will shut down from Good Friday, through Saturday and Easter Sunday to Easter Monday as part of the national public holiday period. Despite that, there are some businesses that stay open for the Easter period. Here is a breakdown of all the stores and services that will be both open and closed over the long weekend. FOOD AND DRINK Most major supermarkets will be closed, including Coles, Woolworths and Aldi. See our state-by-state breakdown for any exceptions and revised hours over the entire weekend. Most McDonald’s stores will be open nationwide, except for those in food courts, while petrol stations and smaller chain stores can open at their discretion. All 7-Eleven stores across the country will be open to fuel all your coffee, petrol, ice and snack needs. If you’re in need of a last-minute meal, most food delivery services such as Foodora, UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog, will be operating as normal over the long weekend. In Sydney, the Fish Market will also be open for a 12-hour stint from 5am to 5pm on Good Friday - the busiest day of the year there. In total, 50,000 people are expected to flow through the doors and 650 tonnes of seafood is expected to be sold, spanning 100 different species of fish. For three hours between 11am and 2pm, the Easter Bunny will also make a surprise visit to pass out chocolate to shoppers. When it comes to accessing pubs and alcohol over Easter, rules vary state-by-state. In New South Wales and Western Australia some pubs and breweries will be open on Good Friday from noon until 10pm, while some restaurants can also serve alcohol during those times. Across the country, bottle shop and bar opening times vary. ENTERTAINMENT Most retail centres, including Westfield, Kmart and Big W stores will be closed across the country. Event Cinemas and Hoyts branches will be opened nationwide on Good Friday, although session times may vary. ATTRACTIONS Despite all the closures around the country, plenty will remain open for kids and adults alike to have some fun over the Easter long weekend. Here’s what is open across Australia: New South Wales Sydney’s favourite smiling face, Luna Park, will stay open right through the long weekend. On Good Friday and Saturday, the theme park will open its doors from 10am to 10pm, and will close by 9pm on Easter Sunday and 6pm on Easter Monday. The biggest attraction in town, the Sydney Royal Easter Show, will also have festivities running at full-speed every day. Gates will open daily from 8.30am and the show will provide entertainment until 9pm. The Showbag Pavilion will also stay open until 9.30pm and the Coca-Cola Carnival – showcasing some of the best theme park rides and games – will be open until late. In the CBD, the Sea Life Sydney aquarium will also stay open from 9.30am to 6pm, while Taronga Zoo will open its gates at the same time, but close by 5pm daily. Victoria Further south, Luna Park Melbourne will also open its gates each day throughout the holiday. The theme park will be operating from Good Friday to Easter Monday from 11am to 11pm, and up until 8pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Melbourne also has its own annual Easter Show – opening gates to punters from 10am to 9pm daily over the long weekend. The Sea Life Melbourne aquarium will match its Sydney counterpart in opening from 9.30am to 6pm, with last entries accepted by 5pm daily. Queensland In the nation’s theme park capital, the Gold Coast’s major attractions will all be operating for holidaymakers looking for some adrenaline. Dreamworld and Whitewater World will both open from 10am to 5pm, however attraction and ride hours may vary. Both Movie World and Sea World will open slightly earlier, from 9.30am until 5pm, but rides will only begin to operate from 10am. TRANSPORT New South Wales Trains: Sydney Trains will run a public holiday timetable with express trains running to Sydney Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park from Central, Blacktown, Penrith and Schofields. Services will leave Central Station every eight to 10 minutes from 9am until 9pm. Driving: Roads around Sydney Fish Market are expected to be extremely busy including the Western Distributor, Anzac Bridge, Wattle Street and Pyrmont Bridge Road.