Winter is here, Rising is over, and the temptation to hibernate is rising as quick as the temperature is dropping. Fear not though, because there’s plenty to do in Melbourne to embrace the winter, and this week, we went to check out one of the more unique activities: curling. On a rooftop, no less. Good Heavens on Bourke Street, which can claim to be Melbourne’s biggest rooftop bar, have opened their open-air curling rink – stylised as Kurling – as part of a cold-weather makeover that has transformed it into Heavens Above. It’ll bring a little competitive spirit to winter 2025, and in the name of investigative journalism, we rounded up a handful of the Secret Melbourne team to go check it out!
But first, we hit the bar. It was the end of a long working day, after all. I personally made a beeline for an excellent Whisky Sour, whilst the Frose Tips – made with Whispering Angel rose, strawberry puree, and coconut flakes – was a team favourite. Ex-Black Pearl bartender Matt Linklater has added that to the cocktail list for winter, amongst a few standouts that include a S’mores Espresso Martini that I’m eyeing up for next time.
Food comes courtesy of Good Heavens’ head chef Jarrod Di Blasi, and it hits the spot nicely. We took a meandering route through the menu to try as much as possible, but the corn ribs and the brisket loaded fries were hearty comfort on a chilly night. There are a handful of enticing Heavens Above specials on offer as well, including some properly indulgent mac & cheese toasties with smoked garlic and porcini mushrooms, devilled eggs topped with caviar, and a moreish chocolate mousse served with cold-pressed yuzu oil and fleur de sel.
Well fed and watered, we hit the Kurling for a little light competition, Admittedly, I was not expecting great things here, since out of the eight of us that visited, I was the only one who hadn’t needed to Google what curling actually was. So naturally, after hitting the centre with my first throw, my performance nosedived from there, but at least everyone else started getting the hang out it. Good Heavens suggest that style points are on offer for curling with a drink in hand, so maybe that’s the strategy to adopt?
The Kurling rink has been set up with the assistance of Victoria Curling Association – Australia’s largest curling association – so if you catch the bug, you know where to go. If you’re keen to check Good Heavens out, now’s the time: they’re hosting a fabulous Winter Solstice Party on Saturday June 21, where you can dive into the brilliant food and drink menu and curl to your heart’s content. Or should that be Kurl?
