lifestyle
The Garden of Unearthly Delights lights up Rundle Park/Kadlitpina.
Heaven on earth in The Garden
Opening the pearly gates for an extended six-week run from 14 February to 23 March, The Garden of Unearthly Delights returns for another Adelaide Fringe.
New in 2025, The RAA Garden Party is your chance to experience the very best of The Garden for free every Sunday, from mind-blowing magic to side-splitting comedy for the whole family.
Other program highlights include the world premiere of circus extraordinaries in La Ronde, the interactive fantasy of Dream State, and local Adelaide 36ers basketball star and previous Fringe Ambassador, Isaac Humphries’ powerful vocals in More of Me.
Co-director of The Garden of Unearthly Delights Michelle Buxton is excited to welcome festival-goers back for another year.
“With so many incredible new works and experiences on offer this season, ‘Gardeners’ are sure to be captivated, entertained and inspired from the moment they step through the gates,” Michelle says.
RAA members save 10 per cent on tickets to select shows at The Garden of Unearthly Delights (until allocation exhausted). Visit raa.com.au/GOUD for more details.
Top 5 home energy guzzlers
Everybody wants to reduce their energy bills, but where do you start? Here’s a list of power-hungry appliances in the average home, including approximately how much energy they consume, along with some tips, thanks to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water and SA’s Department for Energy and Mining.
1. Heating and cooling (40 per cent of your household energy use)
Don’t risk your health but save the aircon for the hottest days and set the thermostat higher. The CSIRO recommends setting your aircon temperature between 24C and 25C and only cool the areas people are using.
Use pedestal or ceiling fans – they cost only a few cents an hour to run and make your aircon more effective when used together. Instead of switching on the heater in winter, wear warm clothes. If the cold becomes too much, keep the heater between 18C and 20C.
2. Hot water (25 per cent)
Take a long shower and you’ll pay for the privilege. Limit showers to four minutes and install shower heads with a flow rate of 7.5 litres a minute. This can save more than 5000 litres of water annually. It will also greatly reduce the cost of heating the water. If you have an electric storage hot water service, keep the temperature at about 60C as any higher can add up to 10 per cent on your power bill.
3. Electronics (14 per cent)
Many appliances don’t fully power down but go into standby mode; they’re secretly using energy while you’re going about your business. No wonder they’re nicknamed vampire appliances. Unplug or turn off these appliances at the wall and you could save up to $100 a year.
4. Fridges and freezers (8 per cent)
Your fridge and freezer work 24/7, but you can reduce costs by ensuring they’re the right size for your needs and have a high energy star rating. The temperature of the fridge or freezer should balance food safety and energy efficiency (about 3C for a fridge and -18 for a freezer). Clean the door seals and coils regularly and keep fridges full to increase efficiency.
5. Kitchen and laundry appliances (5 per cent)
Cooking with microwaves and air fryers costs about half as much as using ovens and cooktops. Only run a full dishwasher, and wash your clothes in cold water and hang them outside if possible instead of using the dryer.
Run appliances during off-peak times when electricity is cheaper (or during the day if you have solar energy but no battery).
Looking for a fairer energy deal? Contact RAA Energy today at raa.com.au/energy or call 8202 8118
The Festival state
Over 17 days and nights from 28 February, the Adelaide Festival returns with a huge program of events to delight audiences young and old.
The absolute must-see ticket this Mad March is theatrical masterpiece Innocence. Directed by Australia’s own Simon Stone and fresh from rave reviews across Europe and America, the opera is exclusive to Adelaide Festival 2025 with four shows only.
International artists also making their Adelaide Festival debut include the Oscar-nominated Stephen Rea in Krapp’s Last Tape. Spanish flamenco dancer Rocío Molina (pictured above) thrills in Caída del Cielo (Fallen from Heaven) and Polish pianist, composer and singer Hania Rani makes her highly anticipated debut at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
If you’re looking for home-grown talent, The Walking Track is a free, guided tour featuring six short-performance works by local First Nations artists. Work of acclaimed Australian author and journalist, Trent Dalton, has also been adapted for the stage in Love Stories.
Adelaide Festival Artistic Director Brett Sheehy says he’s relished the opportunity to complete a program of opera, dance, theatre and music that audiences won’t experience anywhere else in the country.
“I’m thrilled to be back at the helm of our nation’s major cultural drawcard for the past 65 years, rightly deserving its moniker of ‘Australia’s International Festival’,” he says.
As part of the festival, Adelaide Writers’ Week also returns with an impressive line-up of authors including Tim Winton, Geraldine Brooks and Marcus Zusak.
Save on selected Adelaide Festival shows with RAA Rewards. Visit raa.com.au/rewards for details.
Trade Assist 24/7 available Easter long weekend
RAA’s Trade Assist 24/7 electrical and roofing service will be available for emergencies over the Easter holiday long weekend (18-21 April). So, if your roof is leaking or you need an electrician in a hurry, contact RAA Trade Assist and speak to someone to get the problem fixed.
RAA Trade Assist’s licensed electricians can help with everything from repairing a broken light switch to reconnecting your power. RAA Trade Assist’s tradies can also help you diagnose and manage leaking roofs and gutters.
For more information, visit raa.com.au/trade-assist or call 8202 4988.
IMAGES: Adelaide Festival/Simone Fratini; Getty.
