This weekend, explore the natural world with the Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Adelaide Botanic Garden and In Bloom at Carrick Hill, or head to Palace Eastend and Prospect Cinemas for the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival.

Words Elisabeth Marie

One with nature

This spring, head outside and cultivate a deeper connection with the world around you as the Nature Festival returns from October 1 to 15. A diverse program of more than 300 events and activities across South Australia will help you exercise your green thumb and explore the natural world. Forage for wild produce and cook up a storm in the Adelaide Hills, see nature up close with a photographic exhibition at the South Australian Museum, learn about the First Nations people and their connection with the environment, or head across the ocean and learn about art and invertebrates on Kangaroo Island.

A cure for hiccups

In this musical production by Jude Henshall and Ellen Steele and presented by Windmill Theatre Company, a tired camper, a cheeky quokka and an inventive emu embark on a journey to help a koala cure a case of ear-shattering hiccups. Performed at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre from September 30 to October 7, Hiccup! features colourful puppets, sparkly lights, psych-rock-infused tunes and a story of friendship that is sure to entertain the whole family.

Capturing a wild life

Explore the marvels of nature in the Bicentennial Conservatory as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition arrives in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens on Friday, September 29. Seeking to share stories and species from around the world to encourage care and conservation of the planet, the photographs are by the world’s best wildlife photographers and capture animal behaviour across species to showcase the natural world’s diversity. On tour from the Natural History Museum in London, the exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm daily until Wednesday, January 31.

Al cinema Italiano

The ST. ALi Italian Film Festival is officially underway at Palace Nova Eastend and Prospect Cinemas with a lineup of new Italian films. The 2023 Festival Centrepiece is Marco Bellocchio’s Kidnapped – a historical drama based on the true events of a young Jewish boy’s kidnapping by the Vatican in the 19th century which caused a global scandal. Other festival highlights include the winner of Best Documentary at the 2023 David di Donatello Awards The Circle which follows the pupils of an Italian primary school over five years and The Last Night of Amore, a thriller set in Milan and starring Pierfrancesco Favino as a police lieutenant who finds himself caught in a web of crime and corruption on the eve of his retirement.

In bloom

Opening on Saturday, September 30 to coincide with the Nature Festival, In Bloom is a floral exhibition by Carrick Hill’s florist in residence Sky Allen of Arcadia aquatic. The exhibition, hosted in the memorable spaces of Ursula and Bill Hayward’s home, explores the idea of home by placing the floral installations and sculptures in dialogue with the couple’s artwork and furniture collection. Carrick Hill will also host a series of art and nature workshops and talks for the duration of the exhibition with floral masterclasses, guided tours and educational garden talks.

Me time

Prepare in advance to take some time for yourself and unwind at WellFest Adelaide which is taking over Adelaide from October 6 to 8. Breathe in deeply and stretch it out with a guided yoga session, pamper yourself with a luxury wellness spa treatment, learn how to put together a fast, fresh and fabulous meal that will nourish your body and mind, or engage in a new skill with archery “come and try”, paint and sip workshops, and pottery classes. With more than 50 events across the three-day wellness festival, there are many ways to revive, de-stress and restore.

For more of what’s on around South Australia this month, pick up the October issue of SALIFE, which is on sale Thursday, October 5.