Wednesday 23rd July

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Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It’s Wednesday, July 23.

⛅️ Weather: 11° and partly cloudy, with a slight 30 % chance of showers. Overnight low of −3°.

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Coming Up: 💦 Platypus Month

This August marks the 12th year of Platypus Month! Our local waterways support several platypus populations, and as top‑level predators, the platypus is a key indicator of waterway health. ACT Waterwatch monitors their abundance to track the health of our waterways. This year’s Platypus Month features several events:

Platy Party: Platypus Month launches next Saturday at Jerrabomberra Wetlands with platypus‑themed activities, including a guided walk to learn how to spot these elusive creatures. Details here.

Platypus Month Surveys: Volunteer for group surveys throughout August at various waterways to help researchers collect data on our platypus population. With 34 surveys scheduled, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Details here.

Platypus Walks: Join one of four guided walks—three early‑morning outings along the Queanbeyan River and one at Tidbinbilla—where you can learn about the platypus and rakali. Queanbeyan River walks and Tidbinbilla walk.

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📆 This Weekend:

A few more weekend events I missed in Monday’s issue:

Midwinter Warmer Bush Dance: Warm up with a lively evening of music and dance, featuring the Argyll Ceilidh Band. All dances will be taught and called—no experience needed, and everyone is welcome. Details here.

Canberra Polo Record Fair: The Winter Edition of the Canberra Polo Record Fair returns this Sunday at the Polish Club in Turner. Browse a huge collection of records from local and interstate sellers, and grab a waffle, egg-and-bacon roll, or kransky hotdog. Entry by gold coin donation. Details here.

Christmas in July: Canberra’s Christmas store Under the Mistletoe is hosting Christmas in July this weekend. Enjoy hot chocolate and festive treats, fire pits for marshmallow roasting, music, entertainment, and a visit from Santa. Details here.

Slam Pro Wrestling: The Slam Pro Wrestling League—a family-friendly interactive sports and entertainment spectacle—returns to the UC Refectory this Saturday. Details here.

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Tidbits

Austin is Back: Season two of Austin—the hit ABC comedy filmed in Canberra—returns this Sunday. Catch it at 7:30pm on ABC or stream it on iView.

The End of the Cavalry?: The ABL has terminated the licence of the Canberra Cavalry. The league will continue with just four teams. Melbourne, Canberra, and Perth had all pulled out, but Perth has now been taken over by the ABL and will continue in the competition. With the license terminated, the current owners no longer have rights to the team and are ending their involvement. It’s unclear whether a Cavs team will return in 2026.

Raiders Can Play in Canberra: The NRL has changed its hosting rules, allowing Canberra to host a potential preliminary final at home instead of being forced to play in Sydney. Previously, “regional” teams were required to use larger stadiums.

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📚 Canberra Reads

Lifeline Open Book: Lifeline Canberra is hosting its 4th Open Book event—Candid Conversations on ‘Australia’s Relationship with China: The Present and the Future’—featuring Will Glasgow, North Asia Correspondent for The Australian; Ric Smith, former Ambassador to China and Indonesia; and Dennis Richardson, former Ambassador to the US. Details here.

Stella Day Out: A free one-day literary festival celebrating and promoting the outstanding contributions of women and non-binary writers to Australian literature. It’s happening in Canberra on August 2 at Harry Hartog ANU. Details here.

The Lies We Tell Ourselves: Local author Maura Pierlot launches her latest book for young people, The Lies We Tell Ourselves—a work tackling the core issues of adolescence—at The Book Cow next Thursday. Details here.

Prove It: Elizabeth Finkel will be in conversation with Joan Leach about her new book, Prove It: A Scientific Guide for the Post-Truth Era—a compelling journey through science’s major breakthroughs, from an award-winning Australian science writer. Details here.

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Classifieds:

R&B Fest: R&B Fest is coming to Canberra! Get ready for the ultimate Old School R&B celebration, where smooth jams and throwback hits light up the night. Details here.

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Classifieds support Canberra Digest

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Live Music

This weekend’s gig guide:

Thursday

• mumfighter (punk/hip-hop) @ Dissent

Friday

• Jeff Lang (blues/rock) @ Smith’s Alternative
• Belvedeer (punk) @ Dissent
• Stepson (metal/emo) @ The Baso
• ALTimate GRUNGE @ The Baso
• Lounge Baby @ Burns Club
• Stage Invaders @ Irish Club

Saturday

• The Burley Griffin (indie/pop) @ Smith’s Alternative
• Local Tough Guy @ Dissent
• Krampus / Missing Lincolns @ Smith’s Alternative

Sunday

• John Veneris @ Old Canberra Inn
• Dept of Rock All Stars @ Smith’s Alternative
• Composer Night @ Smith’s Alternative