MOUNT GAMBIER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
This historic town on the Limestone Coast is known for its sapphire-blue lakes but there’s also a creative side.
There’s nothing drag artist, mental health advocate and selfconfessed “king of the mount” Kyra Sykes loves to talk about more than their hometown. “Whether individuals are into the arts, sports or nature, unwavering support from the locals encourages you to keep pushing to create beautiful things.”
Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre
“The late Australian ballet dancer and director Sir Robert Helpmann is my ultimate idol, a queer person who left Mount Gambier and went on to create amazing things globally. The Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre (countryarts.org.sa) in the centre of town perfectly encapsulates everything he stood for. As I was growing up, it was the one place I felt I was able to truly be myself, even before I knew what that meant. If you sweet talk the Country Arts SA staff, they might let you enjoy the gallery of images and memorabilia of Sir Robert on the upper level. Most people don’t even know it’s there so you may just have the whole space to yourself.”
Macs Hotel
“Across the car park from the theatre is my favourite drinking hole, the historic Macs Hotel (themacshotel.com.au). It has the best cocktails in town and a great cider garden – the perfect place to taste the wide range of craft beers. You’ll often find me inside, sitting on one of the Chesterfield sofas, the well-loved pieces of furniture we call the ‘therapy couches’. If you park yourself there for long enough, you can ask the bartender, Tristan, to make one of his spicy Margarita that he creates using an exclusive bottle of chilliinfused tequila. It’s not on the cocktail menu but my friends all know to ask for ‘Kyra’s drink’.”
Metro Bakery & Café
“The drag scene in Mount Gambier is well-supported and while there are five of us [performers] in town, I’m the only drag king [Sykes performs under their drag name, Loveit Murray]. Tickets for the shows at Metro Bakery & Café (metro bakeryandcafe.com.au) sell out as quickly as they’re announced so you have to be quick to book. We perform on the back deck, a backdrop best described as an explosion of vibrant colour
– it suits the chaos that we bring to the stage. If you can push my mum out of the way, the prime place to sit is in the middle of the front. But good luck with that.”