Paxevanos used a giant 73cm-long ornamental lure that he’d had for about a decade to try to hook a massive Queensland grouper which measured about a metre across the head.

“The grouper stole and ate six barra over a metre long from us – in short succession – and was still very hungry,” Paxevanos said.

“There were sharks to eight foot long in the area – the grouper wasn’t scared of them, it was the other way around.”

And it made swift work of Paxevanos’ prized lure.

Paxevanos was born in Melbourne to a Greek dad and Scottish-English mum. He was raised on a farm in Whittlesea and moved to Canberra in 1994.

“I absolutely love it here,” he said.

He and wife Marilyn have four daughters – Caitlin, 15, Emily, 11, Hailey, 4 and Zoe, 1.

“They all love fishing, and the older girls have caught some very good fish. Zoe is still practising for the big moment of catching her first fish on TV just like Hailey did a few years back,” he said.

“All the kids are in the book along with a lot of local families, celebrities, and of course fishing guides, instructors and other experts.”

Rob Paxevanos’ Australian Fishing Basics is is published by Pan MacMillan. It’s in book stores or at www.robpax.com

Animal lovers will be furiously baking and decorating over the weekend for Cupcake Day for the RSPCA on Monday.

Last year’s cupcake day raised $1.6 million nationwide to be used to help animal welfare so a bit of batter and icing goes a long way.

RSPCA ACT boss Michael Linke was giving away cupcakes on Friday to encourage some tweeting on Monday (#cupcakeday) to get the event trending on Twitter.

And we love the reminder to use “cage-free eggs when baking”.

Peppa Pig is definitely a rock star with the toddler set.

When tickets went on sale this week for the the theatrical show Peppa Pig Live: Treasure Hunt!, parents nationwide went scrambling for their credit cards, just as they may have done as teenagers trying to get Big Day Out tickets. Websites including those at the Canberra Theatre Centre and Sydney Opera House crashed under the pressure of people trying to secure tickets to see the popular porker.

Life Like Touring Australia producer Anton Berezin said the first Peppa Pig shows sold out within days and new dates were swiftly added.

“In 20 years of producing family theatre, I’ve never seen such an overwhelming response from audiences. One of our ticketing partners compared the response to an on-sale day for Pink or Radiohead. We thought that was pretty cool,” Berezin said. “We are working with venues to secure new dates and shows all around Australia, and we are being petitioned by fans all over the country to bring Peppa Pig Live to their town. We have a lot of work ahead of us and our team is working flat-out. It’s Peppa-pandemonium out there.”

There are still limited tickets for the nine Canberra shows at the Canberra Theatre Centre from January 30 to February 1.

The show is direct from London’s West End and features puppets and live singing.

Four-time Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune was in Canberra recently to promote the return season of the musical South Pacific at the Sydney Opera House from September 8 to November 2.

McCune headlines the classic show with Opera Australia star and rumoured paramour Teddy Tahu Rhodes, who was also with her in the national capital.

The 42-year-old actress was captured checking out some vintage finds at April’s Caravan in Smith’s Alternative Bookshop, which cheekily suggested on its Facebook page “It’s where the stars shop now, don’t you know?”.

Actress and children’s rights advocate Deborra-lee Furness will be the special guest speaker at a Business Chicks breakfast in November at Canberra’s Hotel Realm.

The breakfast will take place during National Adoption Awareness Week, with international experts Dr Karyn Purvis and Dr Jane Aronson joining Furness for the event on November 13.

Furness and husband Hugh Jackman have two adopted children and have worked to improve adoption programs, procedures and legislation in Australia.

Bookings for the breakfast at www.businesschicks.com.au/events

From bikes to balloons – former Pedal Power media man Tony Shields was the successful bidder for a flight for two in Skywhale in the Centenary of Canberra’s online charity auction.

Shields paid $1565 for the trip, which he will take with his girlfriend Tanya King.

“I’m pretty fond of The Skywhale – I like her smile. I’ve only seen her in pictures, so I’m looking forward to getting to know her a bit better,” he said.

The auction raised $14,208 for centenary charities Dollars for Dili and the Boundless Canberra all-abilities children’s playground.

Other results included $900 for a picnic breakfast on the roof of Parliament House and $355 for a personalised tour of the Australian War Memorial with director Dr Brendan Nelson. Skywhale’s return is yet to be announced.

Expect to see an announcement soon about a new modern-day political thriller series to be filmed partly in Canberra.

The call went out this week for extras “of all ages and looks” to attend a casting at Gorman House, with some people also auditioned for featured and speaking parts.

Filming is tipped to start in Canberra next month, with locations expected to include the Shine Dome and New Acton precinct. It’s understood some big names are attached to the project.

The Rotary Club of Canberra City is this weekend holding its Springtime Antiques and Collectables Fair, with proceeds going to the ACT’s Pegasus Riding School for the Disabled. It’s at the Albert Hall from 10am to 5.30pm on Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday. Entry to the fair is $7 ($5 concession). Children 14-years and under have free entry.

Geoscience Australia opens its doors to the community on Sunday from 10am to 4pm to celebrate National Science Week. It’s at the corner of Hindmarsh Drive and Jerrabomberra Avenue in Symonston. There will be tours, talks, displays and family activities including making lava slime, panning for gold, experiencing life in an Antarctic Field Camp, story-telling and roaming dinosaurs.