Remember when we introduced you to Cobsmacking popcorn manufacturer Cobs Popcorn? They generously donated a hamper worth $100 filled to the brim of assorted Cobs Popcorn flavours for our Random Acts of Kid-ness benefiting Justin and his family.
The benefit raised more than $23,000 on the day and we were happy to be involved in a small but meaningful way.
Cobs Popcorn is Australian made using only natural ingredients, no additives, colours or preservatives and is produced in a nut-free factory. There are organic options available as well so it makes the perfect guilt free snack for everyone in the family!
Our favourite is Lightly Salted, Slightly Sweet, closely followed by the classic Butter flavor.
I was surprised that the Coco Crunch flavour wasn’t a bigger hit with the kids, Nacho Cheese has a spicy kick to it and no-one (except Isaac, on occasion) particularly liked the Sea Salt & Vinegar flavour.
The ‘Favourites’ range is perfect for eating as is for a sweet snack or for making a drool-worthy desert.
Recently, we attended the Kids Business Bloggers Brunch and met one of Australia’s most celebrated patissiers, Adriano Zumbo who made two delicious deserts using Cobs Popcorn! He has inspired me to create a popcorn sensation … stay tuned, my recipe will POP up on the blog soon!
We have spoken to the lovely people at Cobs Popcorn because we wanted one of you to be able to experience this Cobsmacking flavour sensation! They have generously given us a $100 worth of popcorn to give away to one of our lucky readers!
COMPETITION CLOSED
Congratulations to Nicholas P! We hope you enjoy your Cobs Popcorn!
Competition closes 6pm AEST Sunday 31st January, 2016. Winners will be announced shortly thereafter.
Terms and Conditions:
Open to residents of Australia only. By entering this competition, you agree to subscribe to the Kidding Around Australia mailing list, if you are not already subscribed. Your privacy is protected and you can unsubscribe at any time. By entering this competition, you are also agreeing to all other terms and conditions.
This is a game of skill not a game of chance. Entries not filling in all the required fields and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, by a non involved party. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will be drawn 31/1/1 6.30pm AEST and announced on this website. The winner will also be contacted via email. The prize consists of $100 worth of various packets of Cobs Popcorn.
One entry per household. Prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash. Kidding Around Australia will not be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage that occurs in connection with the prize or the winners participation in the promotion.
If you have a pre-schooler, then chances are you see Jimmy Giggle and his friends Hoot and Hootabelle every. single. day!
Jimmy Giggle and Hoot the Owl
We spoke with Jimmy recently about his exciting new album, Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party (which was released on November 6 and we LOVE it!), his live shows in Melbourne and Sydney in December and his first Christmas with 8 month old son, Lenny.
We also have tickets to his show in Melbourne on Tuesday Dec 22 to GIVEAWAY!
Thank you so much for chatting with Kidding Around Australia, Jimmy Giggle!
Can you tell us a bit about Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party album and tour? We thought we would put a Jimmy Giggle spin on traditional Christmas songs and album and we thought we would inject the Giggle spirit into Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer and sing some duets with other celebrities I have met over the years. Off the bat of that we thought we’d bring it to life and we are so excited that Ali McGregor said she’d come along as well as Hoot and Hootabelle and Santa and his elves. It’s going to be a lot of fun!
You’re a new Dad, congratulations! How is Lenny? Lenny is going on 8 months old. He’s really cool. It’s a rollercoaster ride, but it’s the best ticket I have ever bought. He is learning something new every week, he’s not crawling yet so our Christmas tree is safe for this year!
What is Christmas going to look like at your house this year? We will be home, we want to chill out and relax. I have been working a lot this year and we are looking forward to being home with little Lenny. I have already bought him a lot of presents and I am sure Santa will bring him heaps of presents too!
Do you travel very often with Lenny? I haven’t travelled with him yet, but he is going to come up to Sydney for 6 days when we do the shows up there so we will see how we go! Hopefully it goes well!!
What are your favourite destinations in Australia? Do you have anything on your wish list? I haven’t explored for leisure, I’ve travelled a lot for work. I like the experiences that come out of the blue. Recently, I was in Darwin and went and saw a crocodile show. It was fantastic. I love the beaches and exploring the nuances of a town. I am excited to share everything Australia has to offer with Lenny!
Do you have any special causes that you support (we like to support charitable organisations with our Random Acts of Kid-ness)? I am the ambassador for Barnardos Australia and I am a passionate advocate for people with celebral palsy and those on the autism spectrum.
Super Reporter Alegría also had some questions for Jimmy Giggle!
What is your favourtist talent? Moving my eyebrows independently. All those years of practicing in Primary School paid off!
How do you do your magic? A good magician never reveals his tricks.. it’s the magic of television!
How do you play piano so well? Practice makes perfect and if you look like you are having a good time you can do anything!
How do you get dressed so well? Firstly, thank you for noticing my cool outfit. It’s amazing you can get dressed really well when someone (the lady at the ABC) dresses you!
Why does the magic button always break? It hasn’t been through the proper testing. I am always mucking around with it, but it always gets there in the end!
Why does Hoot really like the night watch? He gets a break from my high pitch Jimmy Giggle voice and he gets to go around and say goodnight to everyone. It’s his little job and he really likes it!
How does he catch the clouds when he wants to ride on them? I don’t know! It’s weird because if I want to catch a cloud my arm would go straight through it! I don’t know!
Can you please get me a wand like Hootabelle’s so I can twinklify the sky too? I’m going to handball that one onto Santa … I think it’s one of kind. You will have to wrestle it off Hootabelle!
Thank you for talking to us Jimmy Giggle! It was fun talking to you!
As promised, we have a family pass (four tickets) Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party in Melbourne on Tuesday Dec 22 at 1:30pm.
Open to residents of Victoria, Australia only. By entering this competition, you agree to subscribe to the Kidding Around Australia mailing list, if you are not already subscribed. Your privacy is protected and you can unsubscribe at any time.
By entering this competition, you are also agreeing to all other terms and conditions.
This is a game of skill not a game of chance. Entries not filling in all the required fields and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, by a non involved party. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will be drawn 14/12/15 4.30pm AEST and announced on this website. The winner will also be contacted via email.
There is one (1) prize consisting of four (4) tickets to Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party on Tuesday December 22, 2015, 1.30pm performance.
One entry per household. Prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash. Kidding Around Australia will not be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage that occurs in connection with the prize or the winners participation in the promotion.
MORE INFORMATION
Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party tour dates:
THE CONCOURSE, CHATSWOOD SATURDAY DECEMBER 19
ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY SUNDAY DECEMBER 20
ARTS CENTRE, MELBOURNE MONDAY 21, TUESDAY 22 & WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER
We met Medela at the Kids Business Bloggers Brunch and were blown away by, not only their fantastic products for new mums, but also their work with charities and overseas projects.
As you know, we are very involved in humanitarian ventures and like to do our bit on this website via our Random Acts of Kid-ness. We wanted to share the work they are involved in – you never know there may be a cause that they support that you might feel called to support as well! (We have a little competition at the end of this post that might help you do this!)
Medela have been reaching out to the community, connecting with organisations that fit with their passion of helping others and have a purpose that fits with our values. Medela sponsor Life’s Little Treasures Foundation, which was founded by Shusannah Morris, who are dedicated to supporting families of sick and premature babies.
Shusannah Morris speaking at the Bloggers Brunch.
If you follow our Facebook and Instagram feeds, you will know that we have a nephew and twin nieces who were born prematurely. Our nephew was born at 30 weeks and his mum said that 12 years ago there was nothing like Life’s Little Treasures to help them navigate the scary world of NICU. They really do make a difference to the families of the seventy six babies born too soon each day in Australia #76borntoosoon.
Medela has been teaming up with The Nappy Collective for the past two years. The Nappy Collective is an organisation that collects disposable unused nappies at drop off points around Australia. These nappies are then donated to womens refuges and to centres for families in crisis to assist mum’s to provide nappies for their kids. They run two collections a year and Medela has enjoyed being able to provide support to this organisation through a Medela drop off Point and using social media to promote and raise awareness for this great cause.
So, don’t throw your nappies out when your baby outgrows them – donate them!
Medela have also been involved in many donations to great causes this year with donations to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre for disposable bra pads that were in high demand, arrangements to donate product samples to the Dandelion Support Network to help families in crisis and donations to Dads Group Incorporated who provide support and networking for new dads.
Medela feel very proud of their involvement in the Bangladesh Project, and rightly so.
Scope Global and The International Centre for Diarrheal Research, Bangledesh, in response to the increasing numbers of infant mortalities and morbidities in Bangledesh, have launched an intuitive to enable mothers to give breast milk for longer. This high morbidity and mortality rate is due, in large, to poor sanitation.
With thanks to Medela, Australian volunteer – Alysha Harkins, is providing education and support for mothers, families and the employers to establish and facilitate ongoing expression of breast milk in the work environment.
Alysha was provided with intensive education on breastfeeding, breast milk expression and technical training on hand expression, using the breast pumps and cup feeding prior to her departure and will continue to provide ongoing support during the 12 month project.
Medela Australia donated 20 Lactina pumps and 200 Lactaset hand pump kits.
Alysha is working with Bangladeshi mothers from a garment factory industry who often, due to the limited maternity leave, have to return to work once their baby is 2 months old. The mothers range from 15 – 35 years of age and they will typically have to work a 10-14 hour day, 5-6 days per week, which has proved extremely difficult to continue breastfeeding in the past. Can you imagine?
Along with high temperatures and humidity, there is poor electricity supply to homes and workplaces and a severe lack of refrigeration. The University of Toronto have donated a pasteurisation device to enable the expressed breast milk to be pasteurised and to be stored for longer periods in the Bangladesh climate.
We can’t wait to follow Alysha’s journey – I just know she is making a difference to the lives of many children and their families.
How can you get involved? Medela have given us a $50 voucher for The Pharmacy to give away to one of our readers! If you win you could buy something special for yourself or maybe you could make a purchase and donate it to someone in need this Christmas?
EDITED: CONGRATULATIONS TO JODIE P. – WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR PRIZE!
To enter, email info@kiddingaroundaustralia.com with THE PHARMACY in the subject line and tell us what you would buy with a $50 voucher by 5pm on December 13, 2015. Sorry, only Australian residents only. A winner will be drawn and announced shortly after the competition closes. Good Luck!
I hope you enjoyed learning about these different organisations as much as we did – it is great to know that businesses such as Medela are helping these wonderful organisations make a difference.
Heide Museum of Modern Art (or simply “Heide” to the locals!) is a 15-acre oasis in busy Bulleen, just a 15 minute drive from Melbourne’s CBD. If you didn’t know it was there you could easily drive past!
If exploring Heide’s collection of modern and contemporary art is your thing, it’s open every day except Monday and children under 12 are free. However, if you are looking for a free family friendly activity where the kids can run wild, you can’t go past the fabulous sculpture park and kitchen garden!
Pack a picnic and sit underneath one of the many shade trees. If you prefer to purchase your meal, Café Vue at Heide is open every day except Monday and offers a diverse range of yummy, locally sourced meals and has free WiFi. If you have kids in nappies, you can utilize Café Vue’s change room facilities!
Regardless of where you have a bite to eat, the kids will love to take a walk aroundthe Heide grounds exploring the different sculptures – they can even play detective with downloadable activity sheets. Click here to download.
Heide also have programs for kids and families such as Heide Art Bubs, Family Day or kid’s school holiday activities.
For little kids who want to play on everythingsomething, you might want to have a picnic at Heide, a little look around and then go for a play at the Wombat Bend Playspace which is in Duncan Street, Lower Templestowe.
Our guest contributor, Kirrilee, checked it out! Read her review HERE!
Location: 7 Templestowe Road Bulleen Victoria 3105
Days / Times: Open daily 10am-5pm, closed Mondays
Cafe Vue at Heide
* Tue-Fri 10am-5pm
* Sat-Sun 9am-5pm
* Thu-Sat 6-9pm
* Closed Mondays
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
Alegría and I were excited to go on a Mummy and Daughter date to the launch of Myer’s Giftorium – which is a wonderful place that has Christmas all wrapped up!
Upon arrival we were given a personalised gift bag – which, much like a kid on Christmas morning, we ripped right in to! In our gift bag we discovered toys, a custom Peanuts licensed print, a monogrammed mug, The Spirit of Christmas CD, Dilmah Tea, a leather pen, Roller Lash, gift vouchers and a personalised jar of Nutella. So. Much. Fun!
We were welcomed to the launch by Myer Ambassador Kris Smith who is a self-confessed “Selfie King”. I was happy to take him up on his offer – Alegría, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with him! I apologised and told him not to take it personally … to which he replied “Don’t worry, I have that affect on women”. Yeah, sure you do Kris!
Exploring the entire 6th floor of Myer Melbourne is a Christmas shoppers dream! There are gifts for everyone catering for every budget, from stocking fillers to music systems and if you don’t know where to start you can book an appointment with Myer’s trained “Gifticians” who will steer you in the right direction!
Personalised gifts are definitely all the rage this festive season with everything from embossed leather goods, to embroidered Santa sacks and stockings, custom Mr Men, Little Miss and Peanuts licensed prints and the hugely popular Nutella jars.
Star Wars is set to be a popular gift choice this year – Alegría and I participated in a Jedi training at the launch, which I am sure will be a hit with the kids whilst Mum and Dad decide on gifts! We bought Isaac a Mr. Potato Head Star Wars toy as a consolation for not coming with us! Star Wars along with Build A Bear Workshops are setting up in-store pop-up shops in every Myer store.
On November 10, Jennifer Hawkins will unveil the 60th season of the Christmas windows display at Myer’s flagship Bourke St store and Santa will take up residence in Santaland. Children can meet him, have a photograph taken and tell him all the goodies on their wish list. As a bonus, there is no more waiting in line with screaming kids! You can get in early and book* your time to meet him, so you can enjoy even more fun at Santaland. The Santaland Express train is only available at Myer Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Height requirements to ride the train safely: minimum 80cm, maximum 122cm. *Photo bookings are only available at Myer Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Hobart.
The Myer Melbourne Giftorium will officially open on November 14 with performances by Dami Im and Hi5. If you are not in Melbourne, don’t worry, the Giftorium experience will be available in all 67 Myer stores nationwide.
Thank you Myer and Kids Business for inviting us – on the way home, Alegría said “I had such a fun day with you Mum. Can we go again one day?”
We have been eagerly awaiting Santa’s Magical Kingdom’s return to the Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne this year, as it promises to be bigger and better than ever! We are also excited that our friends in Sydney are also able to join in the magic of Christmas this year when it opens for the first time at Sydney Olympic Park.
If you are new to the world of Santa’s Magical Kingdom – it is a festive family-friendly event with tickets selling out in Melbourne for the past 3 years!
The event includes:
• A magical Christmas walk-through wonderland
• Snowland with the all new Snow Castle
• A free gift, when you meet Santa
• A brand new International Christmas Show Spectacular
• Roving Christmas characters
• Meet the Original Snow Queen and Snow Maiden from Hans Christian Anderson
• Gingerbread Land, where you can decorate your own gingerbread man
• Interactive Letter Writing area with Mrs Claus
• Amusement Rides & Games, including laughing clowns, a Carousel, Santa’s Sleigh Ride, the Giant Ferris Wheel and one of the Largest Super Slides in the country!
WE HAVE AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR TWO LUCKY FAMILIES!
We have one family pass to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Melbourne (on Saturday 21st of November at 10am) and another family pass to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Sydney (on Saturday 12 December, 6pm – 9pm)!
Competition closes at midnight on the 1st of November, 2015. Good Luck!
Terms and Conditions:
Open to residents of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia only. By entering this competition, you agree to subscribe to the Kidding Around Australia mailing list, if you are not already subscribed. Your privacy is protected and you can unsubscribe at any time. By entering this competition, you are also agreeing to all other terms and conditions.
This is a game of skill not a game of chance. Entries not filling in all the required fields and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, by a non involved party. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will be drawn 02/11/15 9am AEST and announced on this website. The winner will also be contacted via email. The Prize is a family pass (4) tickets to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Melbourne (on 21/11/15 at 10am) and Sydney (12/12/15 at 6pm).
One entry per household. Prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash. Kidding Around Australia will not be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage that occurs in connection with the prize or the winners participation in the promotion.
MORE INFORMATION
DATES: Melbourne 21/11/2015 – 24/12/2015 and Sydney 12/12/2015 – 24/12/2015
TICKETS: On sale now, via Ticketmaster or through the booking office, 1300 307 740.
We have wanted to go to the Melbourne Star for such a long time, and now that we have finally experienced it, I don’t know why we waited so long! It’s fantastic!
When we were discussing going, my thoughts always led back to “Do I REALLYwant to be stuck with two kids for 30 minutes with no way of getting out?” My answer to that question is always Um, NO!! Ever the optimist, I thought “How bad can it be?” and off we went.
Driving to the Melbourne Star we crossed our fingers that the rain held off, although we really shouldn’t have worried as the cabins are heated and air-conditioned. On our approach, we were excitedly pointing out the “Big Wheel” when Alegría states matter-of-factly “I don’t like heights, remember.” With little more than a “You’ll be right” we didn’t give that statement much more thought…
We arrived, and of course “Andrea” Georgina’s childhood doll (who is enjoying a second chance at life through Alegría) had to come too. We parked both Isaac and Andrea’s prams in the pram bay and made our way through the interesting facts about Melbourne and onto our cabin.
Hilarious! Even dolly prams are not allowed on board!There are so many interesting facts regarding Melbourne that adorn the walls! Perfect for visitors.
The cabin’s don’t actually stop as you step on board (although they can if need be) and we were surprised as to how big the cabins are. 20 adults can fit comfortably and there is a bench seat in the middle for resting or little girls who don’t like heights. Yes, it turns out Alegría doesn’t like heights after all. Parents. Of. The Year.
This little man was fascinated!
Georgina Says
Isaac loved it and was free to move around – and as we were in the cabin by ourselves we weren’t worried about the kids at all. I get notoriously motion sick and the movement was so smooth that I didn’t get sick! Woo Hoo!
The 21 Melbourne Star cabins effortlessly glide through the air reaching a height of 120 metres – or the equivalent of a 40 story building. From our cabin, we had a 360-degree view and could see all of Melbourne’s landmarks and the surrounding areas.
With on board commentary, we did our best pointing out all of the interesting places and when we were stumped we used the map provided (with a clever compass that you line up with the ceiling of cabin) to identify points of interest.
Can you see the (Port Melbourne) beach?
Tim Says
The Melbourne Star is close to Docklands and Harbour Town’s restaurants, public toilets and is easily accessible with a pram. Make sure you take your valuables with you on board though as you do have to leave your pram at the entrance.
We are so glad that we went, and you’ll be pleased to know that Alegría got brave towards the end of the flight!
And was it as bad as I had imagined? No. It was not bad, not bad at all!
Why not treat the family to a nice day out on Father’s Day, 2015 and head to Melbourne Star where Dads will fly for $1! For more details click HERE
*We were guests of Melbourne Star, however our opinion’s are authentically our own.
MORE INFORMATION
Days and Times:
10am – 10pm daily. Last flight departs at 9.30pm, ticket purchases for the final flight of the evening must be made by 9.15pm.
1pm – 10pm Christmas Day (December 25) and Anzac Day (April 25).
Operational hours are subject to weather conditions and may be changed without notice.
Location:
Melbourne Star Observation Wheel
101 Waterfront Way
Docklands, Melbourne Vic. 3008
T: 61 3 8688 9688 (please press 5 to speak with a member of our Guest Relations Team)
E: contactus@melbournestar.com
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
TO ENTER THE YARRAWONGA COMPETITION PLEASE GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND GO TO THE PINNED POST ON THE TOP! GOOD LUCK!
As a young boy, Silvers Circus Ringmaster and Illusionist, Simon Tait, remembers the magic of the circus and how it made him feel. He was especially enamored with the clowns! I too remember my excitement at going to the circus for the first time as I was obsessed with the Enid Blyton Circus Series and was convinced I was going to run away with the circus. As it turned out, I didn’t run away with the circus, I didn’t even ask them if I could – although I was called up from the audience to participate in the show!
The same cannot be said for Simon – he lives his dream every day. At 21, Simon was fresh out of acting school when a circus came to his hometown of Rockhampton, QLD. He remembered how much he loved the circus as a child and decided to take his then girlfriend to the show. “I was so excited to go the circus again, but then when I got there it was so muddy I almost didn’t go in. I was wearing new shoes and I didn’t want to wreck them! My girlfriend persuaded me to go and I saw the most fantastic American mime!” Simon approached the clown after the show and explained that he had just finished school and I wanted to become his apprentice. “He said that he couldn’t decide that and I had to go and see the manager of the circus. I did, he put me on and I haven’t looked back”.
Simon remembers the early days where he would go into town on a Sunday with a bag full of 20 cent pieces to use the pay phone to ring his mum. He says “there has been great change for both performers and circuses as a profession. Technology has eased that feeling of separation from family as everyone now has mobile phones and Skype.” This instant access, says Simon, has made a big difference to life on the road. Another big difference is caravan design. “Some of the caravans at Silvers are mini apartments! They have taken being comfortable to a new level. They have walls that slide out and spas. They are exotic.”
Now, many of the performers have family that travel with them. In fact, at the moment Silvers Circus is home to a few toddlers and infants. “It really is like a big extended family situation”, says Simon. “If you are working there is always someone to watch over your children. They get to see and do so much, get so much life experience. Apart from the fact that when they get to an age they can start performing and begin to make a wage.”
Simon’s own children grew up in the circus and were home-schooled. He says “If you are travelling with children, and if you want to go on a 12 month tour around Australia, you can do Distance Education with your kids. It is actually very, very effective. My children did Distance Education and when they went to normal school they were streets ahead of the other kids. I think it’s because you have a one-on-one situation with the kids. It doesn’t take a lot of time, especially with younger children, you only have to put in a few hours into school work for the same results because you don’t have 30 kids in the class.”
Having travelled so extensively with his family, I asked Simon if he had any holiday destination tips:
“Definitely the Northern Territory is something completely different to what we know here in Victoria and it’s such a beautiful, amazing place. Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory is just heaven on earth. It’s beautiful.”
“Western Australia too, all the way down. Western Australia is just gorgeous. Perth is a beautiful to visit. The South West corner down near Margaret River has amazing forests with surfing, wineries and cheese.”
“There is a little beach called Twilight Cove, a little way out of Albany, WA. It’s the most picturesque beach I have seen. The water is so clear. It’s amazing.”
“Of course, the Islands off the coast of Queensland are fabulous too. Great Keppel Island, Magnetic Island and Green Island. They are all places you have to try and make your way up to.”
Even after 34 years with the circus, it is clear Simon loves the whole process.” It is amazing to watch the tent go up. It goes up like a machine. People are running around like ants and in 24 hours, the tent is up, the staging is set, the seating is in and the lighting and sound is in place. It’s amazing.”
“Technology has played a big part in how modern circuses are run”, says Simon. The tents, explains Simon, are designed so that the roof doesn’t lift off anymore when there is wind. The wind goes around the walls. “I’ve seen roofs come off buildings and the circus tent is still standing!”
Gone are the days where animals (except for three fan-tail doves) are part of the Silvers Circus acts. The focus is on the performers and with artists from all over the world Silvers are proud to present a wide range of acts in their shows.
Even a seasoned performer such as Simon still feels pre-performance nerves, although he likes to turn those nerves into excitement. “I love that I am able to take the audience’s hand and together we can run away with the circus!”
Simon believes that “the fantastic thing about Silvers Circus is that it is ‘the ultimate family experience’. It is perfect for everyone from 2 to 97. The teenagers are coming in in droves thanks to acts such as the Wheel of Steel and the Globe of Death (where three motorbikes travel at 60 km per hour inside a three and a half metre steel globe). “They miss each other by millimeters – I don’t know how they do it. I hold my breath every night.”
Globe of DeathWheel of Steel
Indeed, these acts are amazing and Simon, himself, is a very impressive Illusionist!
Alegría Says
My favourite part of the circus was when the doves turned into a girl!
But he’s not giving away any tricks of the trade. I caught up with Simon after the show and told him that I am always amazed by magic and it drives me crazy trying to figure out how it is done. “I’m not going to tell you either”, he said. To which I replied “I know, I know! If you tell me, you’d have to kill me”. Simon laughed and said “Yes, something like that!”
In truth, I don’t want to know. I never want to the circus to lose it’s magic. A magic that I feel as much today as I did when I was a little girl standing in under the big top.
Maybe these two clowns are the next generation of Silvers Circus performers?!
MORE INFORMATION
Georgina Says
At the entrance to the big top there are carnival games, a bouncing castle and concessions stand. After the show, you can meet one of the Globe of Death riders and have your photo taken. By far the best value show bag going around is the Silvers Circus show bag for $7! It will give your kids hours of entertainment!
$7 Silvers Circus Show Bag Contents
Make sure you give Ricardo a high-five after the show!
Do You Want To Run Away With The Circus?
Silvers Circus are looking for a semi-retired couple with a caravan to join their team! You would travel ahead of the circus liaising with local Councils, putting up posters and preparing for the circus’ arrival. If this is something that you are interested in please contact Margaret on the numbers below.
*Kidding Around Australia were guests of Silvers Circus, however, our opinions are genuine.
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
INCLUDING A BREATHTAKING NEW ACT –‘ANTIPODIST’ – THE FOOT JUGGLER –
THAT WILL HAVE YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT AS SHE JUGGLES BALLS OF FIRE!
Silvers Circus is a household name in Australia and after nearly three decades on the road maintains all the sparkle, glamour and death defying acts expected of Australia’s premier circus. Silvers Circus continues to provide jaw dropping entertainment for the whole family with new locations just announced:
Wallan, Hadfield Park – never been before!19 August – 23 August
Plenty Valley, Westfield Plenty Valley, McDonalds Rd, Mill Park 26 August – 13 September
Established in 1976, Silvers Circus provides world class family entertainment and fun. With extraordinary artists continually arriving from all parts of the world, Silvers are proud of the ever changing program they are able to present.
Silvers have introduced a new act to the show this year, Antipodist which means foot juggling. Klara J not only juggles footballs, and manages to shoot a ball into a hoop she juggles fireballs, an idea developed and only performed by Klara J in this country.
The 2 hour action show, featuring Ringmaster and Master of Illusions, Simon Tait will also include:
Wheel of Steel. Two young men with nerves of Steel, Dominik Gasser and Ramon Kathriner, run, jump, skip and flip through a routine of sheer physical ordacity, just as the apparatus they challenge defies description. Its wheels osolate and revolve from group level to dizzying heights. This spectacle will leave you chewing your nails and squirming in your seats! The Wheel of Steel…. (for strong constitutions only!!)
The Globe of Death. The world famousPhoenix Riders speed around inside a 3-1/2 meter diameter metal globeon motorbikes, missing each other by mere millimetres.
Hire Wire Act. It’s electrifying. Watch as the artist uses his talents to bravely step out into thin air on a silver wire thread high above the circus arena.
Hoola Hoops. Up to 80 hoola hoops at once are managed while a balancing act is taking place upon a mobile mirror ball all at the same time
Clowns. Expect the unexpected. This act is guaranteed to tickle the funny bone
The Roman Rings. A very unique act which is performed with extreme strength and elegance. Little girls will be amazed by the beauty and grown men in awe of the control and physicality.
Illusionist. Ringmaster Simon Tait has over 25 years’ experience in circus and will mesmerise the audience with his celebrated illusions and audience report.
MORE INFORMATION
TOUR DATES AND TIMES
Location:WALLAN:Hadfield Park
Dates:Wednesday 19th August – Sunday 23rd August
Tickets:Ticketmaster 136 100 orwww.ticketmaster.com.au or call the circus direct on 0413 880 044 or 0400 456 157
Prices:Adults From $30 Child (3-12 years) From $25
Concessions from $25
SHOW TIMES
AUGUST
Wednesday 19th 7.30pm
Thursday 20th 7.30pm
Friday 21st 7.30pm
Saturday 22nd 1.00pm & 7.30pm
Sunday 23rd 11.00am
Location: PLENTY VALLEY:Westfield Penty Valley, McDonalds Rd, Mill Park
Dates: Wednesday 26th August – Sunday 13th September
Kidding Around Australia 