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Orange nSW aUSTraLIa 31 march–9 aprIL 2017
Visit Orange this autumn for F.O.O.D Week Only 3 hours drive from Canberra Over 80 gourmet food & wine events Visit the website for more information: www.orangefoodweek.com.au
Download the program at www.orangefoodweek.com.au or scan the QR code with your smartphone
S AT U R D AY 1 1 : 3 0 A M — 2 : 3 0 P M BUVET TE BISTRO & WINE BAR HOTEL RE AL M 02 61 6 3 1 8 1 8 BU V E T TE .COM . AU
HIGH TEA ON THE TERRACE S AT U R D AY & S U N D AY 12PM – 4:30PM BURBURY HOTEL 02 6163 1818 BURBURYHOTEL.COM.AU
ISSUE
NO.
8
–– EVERY ISSUE 02 Editor's Letter 04 Contributors 06 HC Online
CITY 38 55
The Policemen and the Farmer The Simple Life
LIFE 08 10 30 46
Save the Date Entertainment Wise Women Women Who Write
C ontents FOOD & DRINK 20 77 87
Just Some Café Modern Classics The Butcher, The Baker, The Winemaker
TRAVEL 24 42
Budget Destinations Cabin Fever
STYLE 12 62
Essentials 101 Basic Instinct
WELLNESS 34 52
––
Back to Basics Five Ways To Simplify Your Life
HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
Inevitably, at the end of the weekend, my thoughts turn to how simple life could be if it was our everyday reality—growing our own food, catching the hourly news on the radio, driving into ‘town’ every couple of days for a paper and supplies—and how complicated we make our modern existence.
EDITOR'S LETTER ––
This issue is all about taking things back to basics. From minimalist style to local food and wine producers embracing time-honoured practices; from people eschewing the modern ‘norm’ to travel destinations off the beaten track. It’s all about living a beautiful, simple life. My husband’s parents own a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Several times a year we make the two-hour journey to a place where there is no television, no mobile reception and no wifi. I spend the first few hours in connectivitywithdrawal, twitchy at the thought of all those messages and status updates I’m missing…then I give over to it, and it’s bliss.
Amanda Whitley Magazine Editor-in-chief HerCanberra Founder + Director
TEAM HC
Emma Macdonald Associate Editor
Beatrice Smith Online Editor
Belinda Neame Events Coordinator
Javier Steel Creative Director
Laura Peppas Senior Journalist and Communications Manager
Katie Radojkovic Graphic Designer
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS Please drop us a line at hello@hercanberra.com.au with your feedback. @HERCANBERRA HERCANBERRA.COM.AU PAGE 2
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We’ll help you get closure. Family legal matters can be stressful. They can cause confusion, frustration and a sense of loss. At Watts McCray, we’ll work with you on choices. With choices you’ll be empowered to make confident decisions and achieve the best possible outcome. To move forward with your life, call one of our leading and experienced family lawyers.
Family Law Specialists 6257 6347 | wattsmccray.com.au/canberra
HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
M agazine contribu tors WRITERS
LAUREN CAMPBELL
TIM BEAN
Lauren Campbell is a nuclear medicine scientist and a wedding and portrait photographer. You couldn’t dream up two more polar opposite professions but somehow, she manages to combine the two with unflappable flair.
A fire fighter by day (and night), Tim also loves being behind the lens to capture all things food, people and places. You can often find Tim drinking coffee at his local or capturing a time lapse on Anzac Parade!
Tenele Conway Emma Grey Roslyn Hull Emma Macdonald Belinda Neame Hayley O'Neill Beatrice Smith Calum Stenning Ashleigh Went Amanda Whitley
PHOTOGRAPHERS Tim Bean Lauren Campbell Martin Ollman Tina Nikolovski
HAIR Kate Lily Dressing Hair
MAKEUP Lesley Johnston Telisa Orzelek
HAYLEY O’NEILL
MARTIN OLLMAN
Hayley O’Neill is a Sydney-based fashion stylist (but a Canberra girl at heart) who currently works as a fashion office coordinator for marie claire Australia. She has worked alongside the likes of Alex Perry, Samantha Harris and Margaret Zhang.
Martin started his career at the war correspondence desk of Reuters in London in the 90s, when photography was only starting to strike into the digital. A Canberran for more than half his life, his images capture the city and its people like no other.
STYLIST Hayley O’Neill
ART DIRECTOR Javier Steel
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Radojkovic
PRINTER CanPrint Communications
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HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
HC ONLINE Visit hercanberra.com.au for your daily dose of all things Canberra.
@jacquiscottmakeup
@cuppalinicakes
@itsthelab
@moxomandwhitney
@parlour_cbr
@ricardoscafe
@timbean_photography
@ds_doubleshotdeakin
@techosapien
#HERCANBERRA FOR THE CHANCE TO SEE YOUR IMAGES IN PRINT
Connect @HERCANBERRA #HERCANBERRA
PAGE 6
–– STYLE FOOD & DRINK CITY BUSINESS EVENTS AND MORE ––
ALL DAY TAPAS IT’S A PARLOUR THING
#SUMMERONTHETERRACE PARLOUR.NET.AU
16 KENDALL LANE, NEW ACTON
HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
MARCH
APRIL
ENLIGHTEN
NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL 13 – 17 APRIL
3 – 12 MARCH Various venues enlightencanberra.com.au
COLD LIGHT 9 – 18 MARCH The Street Theatre thestreet.org.au
CANBERRA BLACK OPAL STAKES 5 MARCH Thoroughbred Park thoroughbredpark.com.au
ART, NOT APART 18 MARCH Various venues artnotapart.com
SKYFIRE 18 MARCH Lake Burley Griffin hit1047.com.au
CANBERRA COMEDY FESTIVAL 20 – 26 MARCH Various venues canberracomedyfestival.com.au
CANBERRA DISTRICT WINE WEEK 31 MARCH – 9 APRIL Various venues canberrawines.com.au
SAVE THE DATE
Exhibition Park in Canberra folkfestival.org.au
CANBERRA AND REGION HERITAGE FESTIVAL 18 APRIL – 7 MAY Various venues environment.act.gov.au
CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 27 APRIL – 7 MAY Various venues cimf.org.au
MAY ARTISTS OF THE GREAT WAR UNTIL 31 MAY National Gallery of Australia nga.gov.au
THE WHITLAMS 5 MAY Canberra Theatre Centre canberratheatrecentre.com.au
OLD BUS DEPOT MARKETS - A CELEBRATION OF WOOL 21 MAY Old Bus Depot Market obdm.com.au
MORE EVENTS AT HERCANBERRA.COM.AU/EVENTS PAGE 8
The Street Cold Light 4–18 C’berra Comedy Festival 21–25 Emma Pask 31 Who Am I 28–2 Neil Murray 6 Mark Swivel 21–23 The Iliad Out Loud 28–30 Tim Rogers 4 Tubular Bells for TWO 5–7 Peace Train 20 What’s on
March April May
6247 1223 thestreet.org.au 15 Childers St Canberra City
HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
ENTERTAINMENT
T he seven basic plots
COMEDY Bad Moms This subversive treat is a comedy but it is also all the plots in one. The quest to be a good mom, overcoming the monster to go from doormats to dominators by voyaging into a world outside the household and returning, reborn.
BY ROSLYN HULL
The theory goes that there are only seven basic stories in the world and every tale ever told can be fitted into these plots. Many have tried to deny this idea but stories are fluid so they both fit into anything and defy definition. In 2004 Christopher Booker wrote an eye-wateringly long book outlining what he called The Seven Basic Plots. Let me save you the hardship of reading it by giving you celluloid examples from the past few months.
Reviews of all these films can be found on www.hercanberra.com.au
ANYTHING BUT BASIC BOOKS
THE QUEST
TRAGEDY
Cinderella
Rogue One
Eye in the Sky
So archetypal we actually call this plot ‘the Cinderella story’, and never done better than Kenneth Branagh’s gorgeous version.
Knights don’t need horses when they have X-Wing fighters in the noblest quest of all, to save the Rebellion. Vale Princess Leia.
This story of longdistance warfare is thought provoking and devastating. Such a complicated conflict provokes questions and discussion.
BY PAPERCHAIN BOOKSTORE All titles available for purchase instore, paperchainbookstore.com.au
THE CAPSULE WARDROBE
WALKING THE WOODS AND THE WATER
Wendy Mak
Nick Hunt
Having been inspired to declutter our homes by Marie Kondo, it’s the closet’s turn for attention. Wendy Mak outlines the capsule wardrobe phenomenon and guides you to streamline your collection to just 30 items with 1001 combinations. Get back to basics with a step-by-step guide to curating essentials, finding pieces that pop and discarding the rest.
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RAGS TO RICHES
Following in the footsteps of the great writer and traveller Patrick Leigh Fermor, Nick Hunt recounts his journey on foot from the Netherlands to Istanbul. He encounters strangers who become friends, rugged mountain ranges, snaking rivers and the freedom found in the wilderness. Nick’s journey across one continent embraces slowness in the face of a busy world; he lets himself linger in moments and begins to return to what it means to be human.
DESTINATION SIMPLE Brooke McAlary
After experiencing postnatal depression, Brooke McAlary knew that it was all too easy to burn out in the ‘busyness’ of today’s world. By practising mindfulness and finding daily rituals she slowly regained vitality, health and her passion for life. A beautiful example of transformation found through a return to the small joys in life.
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
BACK TO BASE FLIX BY ASHLEIGH WENT
Last year, two of the five most borrowed books from ACT Libraries were Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing and Spark Joy: A Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. Clearly, we have a ‘thing’ for decluttering. If you’re looking for a little inspiration to purge the excess and get back to basics, here are three Netflix and podcast picks that fit the bill.
OVERCOMING THE MONSTER A United Kingdom In this version, the hero is a couple and the monster is the British government. Whilst not a typical monster, the British Empire, as personified by its civil servants, is truly reprehensible.
The latest offering from The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, this documentary focuses on living a life with less ‘stuff’ - and less stress. If you’ve ever contemplated living in a tiny house, selling all your belongings or resigning from the fast life, this is the flick for you. You can also get your Minimalists fix by listening to their podcast, checking out their blog, or flicking through one of their books.
HAPPY
REBIRTH Hacksaw Ridge A reviled pacifist performs his duty as a medic so diligently and well that he is reborn as an all‑American hero.
VOYAGE AND RETURN THE BFG Besides being entirely enchanting, this film takes Sophie on a journey among giants, then returns her to a world unchanged – or is it?
A PORTABLE SHELTER
BLUEBACK
Kirsty Logan
Tim Winton
In a weather-beaten cottage in northern Scotland, Liska and Ruth prepare for the birth of their first child. Though they have agreed to only speak the truth to their baby, both women secretly recount wonderful tales. Ruth narrates during the day and Liska by night as Ruth sleeps. Logan’s novel weaves together stories folklore, fantasy, birth and death as she exposes storytelling itself as innate to our shared experience of humanity.
MINIMALISM: A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE IMPORTANT THINGS
Jason Dessen is happy in his life; he loves his family and his routine job. But when he is given the chance to escape his past and become the celebrated physics genius he always hoped to be, what will he choose? Venture through the multiverse as this intelligent thriller leads you to question everything, from your perception of reality to your own deepest motives.
This story begins with a rickshaw driver living in the slums of Kolkata, India who according to a study is just as happy as the average American. From every moment thereon, the movie questions modern perceptions about happiness.
Happy takes you on a journey around the world, from the bayous of Louisiana to the deserts of Nambia and examines ideas like communal living, meditation, and serving others. It’s a film that will leave you with a smile and a renewed appreciation for the simple things in life.
THE SLOW HOME PODCAST WITH BROOKE MCALARY With five episodes devoted purely to the subject of decluttering, this is your go-to podcast for useful advice from some of the world's most successful minimalists. Host Brooke McAlary and her guests dish their best tips on saying 'no', detoxing from technology, reducing sugar intake, incorporating play into everyday life, sleep, random acts of kindness and more. In short, it’s the perfect refuge from our perpetual obsession with business and living life in the fast lane.
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101
Essent i a l s PHOTOGR APHY Tina Nikolovski
WORDS A ND STYLING Hayley O’Neill
THE CAPSULE WARDROBE. A COLLEC TION OF ESSENTIALS T HAT C AN B E D R E S S E D U P O R D OW N TO C R E AT E AN O U T F I T FOR EVERY OCCASION. YOU’LL NEVER GO WRONG WITH THESE PIECES IN YOUR FASHION ARSENAL .
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
THE WHITE SHIRT This timeless and versatile piece can go two ways: think crisp cotton for a ‘borrowed from the boys’ feel; or soft silk for a more feminine approach. It’s all about effortless simplicity.
Shirt $34.95, by Brent Wilson at Trade Secret, Canberra Outlet Centre; bra $16.95, by Cotton On, Canberra Outlet Centre; jeans $99.95, by All About Eve at Parliament, Canberra Outlet Centre; boots by Witchery; bag by Zara; earrings (worn throughout), by Lovisa; ring (worn throughout), by Veronika Maine, Cue Canberra Outlet Centre.
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HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS A wardrobe perennial, the little black dress is a no-brainer. In the words of Coco Chanel, “One is never over‑dressed nor under-dressed in a little black dress.”
Dress, $199.95 and bag, both by Witchery; sunglasses, by ZanZan at Eyecentric.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
THE TRENCH COAT This iconic piece needs no introduction. Originally popular for its utility principles, it has taken its place as an essential layered outerwear piece in the everyday wardrobe.
Trench coat $59 by Forcast, Canberra Outlet Centre; top $119.95, skirt $149.95 and bag, all by Witchery; bra, $16.95 by Cotton On, Canberra Outlet Centre.
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HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
THE LEATHER JACKET The leather jacket is a wardrobe mainstay and can create rock-chick edge or sophisticate-chic with its pairing. Its character only increases with each wear, making this an investment piece you’ll never regret.
Leather jacket, $99.95, blouse, $59.95, and jeans, $89.95, all by Portmans, Canberra Outlet Centre; belt, by Bardot; shoes, by Lipstik, Canberra Outlet Centre.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
THE TAILORED SEPARATES Two pieces that are perfectly paired—a tailored blazer and trouser combination— will always demand attention. Mix and match with other pieces and killer accessories to take power dressing from desk to dinner.
Blazer $259, and pants $179, both by Cue City, Cue Canberra Outlet Centre; bra $16.95, by Cotton On, Canberra Outlet Centre.
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HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
THE CARDIGAN One of the most under-rated items in the modern wardrobe, the cardigan encompasses smart casual dressing. Neither casual as a t-shirt nor formal as a jacket, it can be worn alone or styled over (and under) items to create directional layers for every occasion.
Cardigan (worn backwards), $19, by Forcast, Canberra Outlet Centre; pants, $159.95 by Witchery.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
CO N C EP T + C R EATIVE D I R EC TO R JAVI E R ST E E L P H OTO G R AP H ER TI NA N I KO LOVS KI S T Y L I S T H AY L E Y O ’ N E I L L , A S S I S T E D BY M A É VA N AVA S A N D E M I LY C R A B B H A I R K AT E L I LY D R E S S I N G H A I R
MAKEUP TELISA ORZELEK
M O D E L L AU R A L I TC H F I E L D, D E VO J K A M O D E L S CO O R D I NATI O N B E L I N DA N E AM E LO CATI O N A F L I CK O F HAR E S, KI N G STO N S P E C I A L T H A N KS CRAIG AND MEL ANIE RHODES, A FLICK OF HARES. T I N A N I KO LO V S K I AT D E V O J K A M O D E L S .
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HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
JUST
Some Café WORDS Amanda Whitley and Beatrice Smith PHOTOGR APHY Tim Bean
T H E S L E E P Y S T R E E T S O F C O L L EC TO R A R E A LO N G WAY F RO M T H E FJORDS OF SCANDINAVIA AND THE YORKSHIRE MOORS, BUT FOR T H E G L O B E T R O T T I N G O L I V E R C H I S W E L L A N D H I S U K- B O R N PA R T N E R LUCY STEVENS, THE LURE OF THE VILL AGE “IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE B U T O N T H E WAY TO E V E RY W H E R E” H AS P ROV E N I R R E S I S T I B L E .
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
...“in the middle of nowhere but on the way to everywhere”...
“Family and friends brought us here,” explains Lucy. “Collector is a lovely village not too far from the city and not too far from the sea. The community is awesome, there’s a decent pub and we’re close enough to the city for some buzz.” And now the 400-strong town can add great coffee and food to its list of attractions. Oliver and Lucy’s airy eatery Some Café has been described as “Lonsdale Street meets the country”, and is the antithesis to the industrial trend that has swept the dining world in recent years.
Nestled under the red-tin roof of the historic Collector General Store and Inn, the interior is all bright white walls and timber benches; an open fire place taking pride of place in the main dining room. Locally-made preserves and ceramics dot the shelves, while here and there are unmistakable connections to Canberra, such as signage created by Oliver’s brother, artist Luke Chiswell. The end result, however, is undeniably—and unashamedly—rural. “The community out here is great, there are a lot of people doing different things like ceramics, meat, fruit and honey,” explains Oliver. “A big part of what we’re doing is creating a place where you can buy and eat locally made produce, so Collector was perfect”.
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This uncomplicated country ethos is reflected in both Some Café’s hospitality and style of cooking, which Lucy describes as “simple, clean and wholesome food”. Provenance is important.
With a short but satisfying menu comprising sought-after toasties, seasonal salads, milkshakes, housemade cakes and Allpress coffee, Some Café has proven a drawcard for travellers, day-trippers and locals alike.
“We do all the cooking ourselves and try to use as much food as we can from the area,” says Oliver. “We’re keeping the menu simple, trying to use the local produce as it changes with the seasons.
“We’d love Some Café to become a destination as well as a healthy option for travellers. We want it to be a space where people can come and spend a day in the country with some hearty food and a game of backgammon,” says Oliver.
“We have local cherries for cherry pie and pumpkins in abundance in May. "We have chickens out back – they give us our eggs. If peaches are in, that’s the cake we’ll be doing that week.” “Simple and honest food really works for us,” echoes Lucy. “That’s the way we love our own food.”
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It’s the simple things in life. Some Café | 5/7 Murray St, Collector. somecafe.com.au
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
Four more simple pleasures DAUGHTERS AT HALL
The 'Daughters' family has been part of Hall since the early 1800s, and seven generations later is still going strong. Expect warm smiles and hearty home cooking in this 126-year-old generalstore-turned-café. halldaughters.com.au
PIALLIGO ESTATE
Whether you choose to eat at the hatted Farmhouse Restaurant or in one of the stunning Garden Pavilions, Pialligo Estate’s paddock-to-plate menu showcases the best of Canberra’s local produce. thepialligoestate.com.au
POD FOOD
A quaint character-filled fully restored 1930s cottage, Pod Food offers a unique dining experience using ingredients from local farmers' markets, producers and their own kitchen garden. podfood.com.au
GRAZING
Around a half hour drive from Canberra, Grazing offers modern Australian cuisine in a charming country location. If innovative dishes using fresh local farm produce and an ambient setting inside the historic Royal Hotel don’t already have you sold, then the big log fire certainly will! grazing.com.au
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10
BACK TO BASICS
s n io t a n i t s e d t e g d Bu WORDS Tenele Conway
WHO SAID BUDGET TR AVEL HAD TO BE BORING? STRETCH YO U R D O L L AR S W I T H T H E S E D E S T I N AT I O N S HAN D - P I C KE D BY V E T E R A N T R AV E L AG E N T T E N E L E C O N WAY.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
SOUTH AFRICA
Don’t let an African adventure languish on your bucket list. At first glance, it’s the type of holiday that will set you back a pretty penny, but if you play it smart you could be heading into the wilds sooner than you think. In comparison to the rest of Africa, South Africa has one major advantage that will keep your costs down and that is accessibility. In one flight from Sydney you will find yourself in Johannesburg and from there you are only a four-hour drive to Kruger National Park where you will have some of the best wildlife experiences of your life.
With elephants, rhinos, leopards, warthogs and giraffes, you’ll feel like you’ve landed in The Lion King and will tick that African adventure off your list in style, with memories that will last a lifetime. southafrica.net
CAMBODIA A trip to Cambodia is like a trip back in time. Dirt roads wind through lush scenery, wooden stilt houses contain generations of families and ancient temples tower in the jungle just waiting to be discovered. For the budget traveller, Cambodia is a dream. If you really
want to travel on a shoestring, backpacker hotels and guesthouses will set you back only a handful of dollars a night. Want a little more luxury? Even a world-class resort set in manicured tropical gardens will cost a small fraction of what you will pay elsewhere in the world. Once on the ground you can negotiate very cheap transport with the ever-enthusiastic tuk‑tuk drivers, and food and drink are a mere pittance by Western standards. From laidback beach resorts to Tomb Raider-style adventures and the war history of Phnom Penh, you won’t be let down by a Cambodian holiday. tourismcambodia.com
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YASAWA ISLANDS
When it comes to grassroots budget travel in Fiji, forget the sprawling resorts on the mainland and the over-priced island stays. Head out from Denarau to a more remote location, where locally-owned beach bures and swaying palms will win you over.
DOHA
Doha has all the mystique of the Gulf region’s deserts, souks and dhows without the price tag...
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The Yasawa Islands are a chain of islands only accessible by boat. The Yasawa Flyer leaves daily and hops between the inhabited islands to deliver tourists to their secluded island holiday where all the money spent goes directly back into the communities who live here.
This is a holiday for those who a tired of the mainstream. If you never want to see a resort buffet or swimming pool teeming with five-year-olds again, then a trip to the Yasawas is a must.
Until Qatar Airways announced direct flights to and from Canberra via Doha to the rest of the world starting in 2017, this was not a place on most travellers' radars. That’s all about to change.
nearby neighbours Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Doha has all the mystique of the Gulf region’s deserts, souks and dhows without the price tag of
www.fiji.travel
So if you’re looking for a budget‑busting stopover that blends the old and the new worlds harmoniously, Doha should be on high on your list for your next holiday. visitqatar.qa
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
CZECH REPUBLIC
To be a budget traveller and save those dollars you have to be savvy, and when it comes to travelling in Europe without haemorrhaging money, you have to be even more so. The Czech Republic is one of the few places where your money will go further without compromising on all of the beauty and grandeur Europe has to offer. In fact, with its medieval old towns, hillside castles and UNESCO World Heritage sites, you may find more than you bargained for by stepping slightly off the well-worn tourist trail.
T he Czech Republic is one of the few places where your money will go further
czechtourism.com
MEXICO Americans have known the secret of Mexico’s stunning beaches, all inclusive resorts and dirt-cheap prices for as long as tourism has existed. It’s time for Australians to jump on the bandwagon and enjoy all Mexico has to offer (and save some money in the process). If sprawling resorts, white sandy beaches and all-you-can-eat-anddrink are your style then you can’t go past the tourist hub of Cancun. Cancun is a smorgasbord for the holidaymaker and with everything pre-paid before you even depart, it’s an easy holiday to budget for.
If local flavours, low-key bungalows on the beach and a touch of Mayan history is more your style then Tulum is a must. Easily accessible from Cancun and situated on a stretch of beach that will forever be your new benchmark for beaches, Tulum is for the traveller who wants beachfront bliss on a budget, with a little more local influence. visitmexico.com
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LAS VEGAS
With over 62,000 hotel rooms located on the Las Vegas strip alone, Vegas can be one of the cheapest holidays you will have if you choose your timing carefully. Leave the weekend to Americans when the influx of domestic tourists looking for a debaucherous few days pushes up hotel prices from Thursday till Sunday. As an international tourist you aren’t a slave to the weekend – a fact that will save you hundreds. Monday til Wednesday will be your friend as you live it up in a hotel room overlooking the bright
lights of the Vegas strip with a free bottle of vodka on check in, free upgrade to a spa room and free tickets to a show. Don’t fret, Vegas never sleeps and you won’t miss a thing by skipping the weekend and revelling in a mid‑week getaway. lasvegas.com
BORACAY If white sandy beaches, deck chairs, cocktails on the sand and world-class diving—all at Asian holiday prices—sounds appealing then the island of Boracay in the Philippines should be the top of your list. It may not have the popularity of Thailand, but based on how far your dollar will stretch and the standard of the beaches it definitely should.
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If that isn’t enough to convince you, then prices with budget airline Cebu Pacific (who now fly from Sydney) should. Why not double your holiday fun and include a stopover in capital Manila on the way through? tourismphilippines.com.au
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
SLOVENIA
Dreaming of a place where verdant mountains meet blue lakes and snow-capped peaks are bordered by lush green pastures? Slovenia is Europe’s hidden paradise. It’s a place far enough off the tourist trail that you’ll be able to stretch your dollar further and experience more – and what holidaymaker doesn’t want that?
stretch of coastline, where orange rooftops contrast against the azure blue of the Adriatic. Not only will you be completely absorbed in this beautiful country but your pocket will thank you for the detour. slovenia.info
Travel to Ljubljana via train from Vienna and experience a vibrant city steeped in history. Head to the mountains for dramatic scenery, or to Slovenia’s small
SRI LANKA Sri Lanka may appear as a small dot on the map in the Indian Ocean but the secrets it holds for the budget traveller are abundant.
Galle to experience the Dutch Colonial architecture in a tropical palm‑lined beach setting. srilanka.travel
Known for a more laidback pace than its nearby neighbour, India, for a small price you’ll have access to untamed wildlife, pristine beaches, an exciting cuisine, vibrant nightlife, a faded colonial past and scenery that will take your breath away. Jump a small group tour for guided access to all Sri Lanka has to offer or base yourself in
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Wise
WOMEN
WORDS Emma Macdonald PHOTOGR APHY Martin Ollman
IF YOU ARE SE ARCHING FOR INSIGHTS INTO LIFE, NOTHING B E AT S T H E L I V E D E XP E R I E N C E O F OT H E R S . W E B R I N G YO U WORDS OF WISDOM FROM A SELECTION OF WOMEN WHO H AV E T R AV E L L E D V E RY D I F F E R E N T PAT H S .
Full interviews at hercanberra.com.au
A L E X S LOA N R E C E N T LY RETIRED FROM ABC R A D I O A F T E R A 27-Y E A R BROADCASTING CAREER.
"I love radio as a forum for ideas and a place to have a deeper discussion about issues we all need to talk about, rather than the ones we just want to talk about. While radio remains incredibly popular we can take the risk of talking about the difficult and unpopular. I think that's vital, if the public broadcaster doesn't do that who will?"
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
FIONA KEARY IS THE FOUNDER OF STYLE L I B E R AT I O N, A N I M AG E C O N S U LTA N C Y SERVICE BASED IN CANBERRA AND BRISBANE
"I need the outside to match the inside. I view getting dressed and how I present myself as a way of expressing who I am. When it doesn’t match, I don’t feel like me or that I’m being authentic. It impacts my confidence."
H A N A SAY E R S I S A F O R M E R P U B L I C S E RVANT WHO WAS L AST YE AR NAME D ACT MIDWIFE OF THE YEAR.
"It is every woman's right to be supported by a care provider, midwife, GP, or obstetrician who recognises the importance of a woman creating her own unique birth journey which fulfils the physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs of her and her family unit."
J E N N I M C M U L L A N S TA R T E D H E R C A R E E R IN THE TYPING POOL OF THE FORMER PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD AND RETIRED I N 2 013 A S T H E S TAT E M A N AG E R A N D AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL OFFICER FOR VICTORIA .
"Any career woman needs good back up, whether from a spouse or another source, you can’t do it all. You also need some “me” time to reenergise yourself, whether it is a walk round the lake or a pedicure – take the time out because it gives you the strength to give back."
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PAM E L A N E AM E WORKE D I N ACCOUNTING AND WITH COMMUNITY O R G A N I S AT I O N S B E F O R E TA K I N G THE LE AP INTO SE T TING UP HER OWN SMALL BUSINESS.
"Small business requires lots of hard work. Gather 'good' people around you; be smart enough to know you can’t do everything yourself; don’t be afraid to take advice from other people and last, but by no means least, try really hard to have a work/life balance – having your own business can consume you totally."
P H I L I P PA M O S S I S A N H I V A DVO C AT E A N D E D U C ATO R, M OT H E R O F T WO, ENTREPRENEUR AND MEMBER O F C A N B E R R A’S L E S B I A N, G AY A N D Q U E E R C O M M U N I T Y.
"Whilst intolerance is intolerable, even the notion of ‘tolerating’ another humanbeing is not acceptable to me. People should be embraced for their diversity, not merely tolerated. I’m passionate about embracing diversity and addressing stigma and discrimination."
PAT T I W I L K I N S S TA R T E D H E R OW N PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS, B O DY R I T E , AT T H E AG E O F 6 0 A N D I S L I V I N G P R O O F T H AT AG E I S N O BARRIER TO PE AK PHYSICAL FITNESS.
“Doing physical activity minimises the health risks associated with inactivity and ageing. It’s about gradual improvement, not an elite state, so you start where you can and get fitter and stronger over time. It’s also important to keep a sense of fun and play as we age.”
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
D R S U E PAC K E R H A S B E E N A PA E D I AT R I C I A N S I N C E TH E 1970 S AN D H E L PE D S E T U P TH E AC T ’S C H I L D AT R I S K H E A LT H U N I T I N 19 9 0 .
"Children need to be confident of being loved no matter what. The parent’s part is to remain aware that the child is developing and learning and may see the world very differently and make a lot of mistakes as they learn. There needs to be an enduring capacity to delight in the child."
ROBYN MARTIN IS THE MANAGER OF BERYL WOMEN’S REFUGE, AN INDIGENOUS LEADER, ANTI-VI OLE NCE CAM PAI G N E R AND 2015 AC T WOMAN OF THE YE AR.
"Being an Aboriginal women and being in the position that I hold at Beryl Women Inc has given me the opportunities to raise and advocate on issues that not only impact Aboriginal women but all women. We are all responsible for shifting social norms that blame, excuse, minimise and justify violence against women and their children."
M A R G A R E T W H I T L E Y, M O T H E R O F H E R C A N B E R R A F O U N D E R A M A N D A W H I T L E Y, F O U N D F U L F I L M E N T L AT E R I N L I F E .
"From the time I was born my life was defined by the strong men who surrounded me. It was only after I broke free from their influence that I truly began to live. At the age of 69 I love to travel, have a wide circle of friends and have just started over, moving with my youngest daughter and her family to the coastal town of Forster. It’s never too late to follow your dreams."
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BACK TO BASICS WORDS Ashleigh Went WHEN IT COMES TO GET TING ACTIVE, SOME OF THE EXCUSES Y O U ’ L L H E A R A R E “ I D O N ’ T H A V E T I M E ” . “ I C A N ’ T A F F O R D I T ”, O R “ I D O N ’ T H AV E T H E E Q U I P M E N T ”.
W H A T ’ S A B U S Y, F R U G A L L A D Y T O D O ?
Luckily, workouts actually don’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. There are plenty of ways to move your body that don’t require much equipment and can be slotted in around your schedule.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
TAKE TH E H I G H ROAD
Hill sprints are my go-to workout when I have lots of energy to burn and really want to challenge myself. All you need is a pair of decent running shoes and a steep hill. My favourite spots are the bridge between Civic Pool and Commonwealth Park, or the grass slopes on Reconciliation Place. Start at the bottom of the hill and run as fast as you can to the top. Walk back to the base for some active recovery, and then repeat.
S KI P A B EAT
Remember all that skipping you did back in primary school? As it turns out, it’s actually a great way to burn calories and get your heart pumping. There’s a reason why it’s so popular among boxers: skipping helps increase your aerobic fitness. You can either skip as a standalone activity—try skipping for two minutes and resting for 30 seconds to a minute, for as long as you can—or as part of a circuit mixed with other exercises.
PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES
If you’re not game to sign up for a whole term of dance classes because you’re too busy to work around a timetable—or just skint— make your living room your dance floor and let loose. Choose whatever music gets you moving, pump it loudly and get your freak on – just make sure you shut your blinds or you may find yourself with a captive audience.
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GET BENDY
Yoga classes are wonderful but it can be challenging to fit them around your schedule. The solution is to roll out your mat and try yoga at home. If you’re a more experienced yogi then you can practice some sun salutations solo, but if you’re a beginner or looking for some guidance, you can find yoga instructors sharing sequences for free on YouTube. Lululemon offers some good ones or try Yoga with Adriene - her 30 Day Yoga Camp is excellent, and her Yoga for Anxiety and Stress is the ultimate cure for overwhelm.
RING THE BELL
This one might not be ‘equipment free’ but it only uses one piece that’s super versatile and fairly inexpensive - the kettlebell. Kettlebell Swings are a fabulous exercise that gets your heart racing and engages your glutes. Goblet Squats, Kettlebell Deadlifts and Turkish Get Ups target lower body, while Bottoms Up Presses, Single Arm Rows and Upright Rows help strengthen your upper body. Add in some Russian Twists for your core and you have yourself a whole body workout!
FREE FORM
The ultimate piece of workout equipment - your body! Bodyweight exercises are fantastic for perfecting your form and building up base strength before moving onto weighted exercises. Push Ups, Prone Holds/Planks, Side Planks, Squats, Lunges, Handstands, Bridges, Dips - these are all really effective bodyweight exercises. Mix and match your favourites to make a circuit or take to Google or Pinterest for some inspiration.
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Medical
approach to
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Suzie Hoitink, Founder, Head of Nursing
WHAT
Sun damage
Scarring
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WE
Pigmentation
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TREAT:
Facial capillaries
Sagging skin
Milia & Skin tags
Acne
Large pores
Leg veins
WODEN
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GUNGAHLIN
www.clearcomplexions.com.au
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BRUCE
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T he Policeman and the Farmer WORDS Beatrice Smith
PHOTOGR APHY Martin Ollman
IN A TIME WHEN MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE T U R N I N G T H E I R B A C K O N ‘ L I F E O N T H E L A N D ’, W E FIND ONE MAN FOR WHOM FARMING WASN’T JUST A SECOND CAREER, BUT A CHANCE TO HEAL .
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Ninety minutes from Canberra, Kashmir’s boundaries are wide, stretching across acres of yellow grassland and lush lucerne. A deep river cuts through the Wee Jasper valley, forming the western border of the farm and the eastern border disappears over steep hills dotted with sheep, some 6000 of them in total. Standing tall in a field of cherry tomatoes, sixth-generation farmer Rich Carey is telling me about his heritage. “The Careys were working in the valley and after the [First World] War my great grandfather was given a soldier settlement block in the valley, which is the block that we’re currently farming now.” While Rich didn’t grow up in Wee Jasper, his dad recalls taking him out to the farm every weekend from when he was six months old. Rich and his younger sister grew up with weekends spent rounding up and shearing sheep, picking blackberries and swimming in the Goodradigbee River.
In the current economic landscape, where many of the country’s young people are choosing to move to urban centres and leave the family farm, it’s warming to know that Kashmir has seen a sixth generation and will perhaps even see a seventh, with Rich’s first child with wife Liz on the way. But this wasn’t always the plan. Rich’s first calling was to the police force, starting as an officer with the ACT division of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). “I was 23 when I applied to the AFP and 25 when I was sworn as an officer,” he says. “I loved it. It’s an amazing career full of amazing people. The teamwork there…” he trails off for a moment. “You live for your teammates – they know you’ve got their back and they’ve got yours.” Rich clearly treasured this camaraderie and there’s a quiet pride in his voice as he tells me about it.
“We had some big jobs where it was good to get out the back end of them knowing we’d achieved things,” he says with a slow smile. “To be honest, the highlight was the day-to-day. I worked in retail and hotels beforehand – [both] team environments but just not the same. The stakes are much higher in the police force and the highlight was definitely the people.” The energy in Rich’s voice when he speaks of the Force is real – so what’s he doing in a field of tomatoes? “Early in 2015 I had several very intense jobs come up close to each other,” explains Rich. It was a challenging time for the AFP. In addition to the cases Rich was involved with, this was a time that saw the brutal murders of Tara Costigan, Sabah Al-Mdwali and Neal Keith Wilkinson happen within three weeks of each other, and the beginning of an extensive historical enquiry by the AFP into child sex abuse in the ACT. PAGE 39
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Being healed by the land is such a simple concept – the ability to build something with one’s own hands...
Newspaper articles from those weeks were quick to suggest that the AFP was under-resourced to deal with these consecutive—not to mention mentally taxing— crimes, and as the ACT averages 2.3 homicides per year they may have been right. “I started to struggle,” says Rich. “It was probably a fortnight after these culminated before I went to my Sergeant and said that I needed help. I asked for some time off and I went and saw a GP. They diagnosed me with Anxiety and PTSD.” This is significant in light of a recent leak to news.com.au by an AFP whistleblower who said they view struggling officers as “ticking time bombs”. The officer claimed that AFP branches outside the ACT don’t have in-house support staff and that those affected don’t actively seek support because of how they may be perceived by their colleagues. “Day to day I’d go from waking up in the morning thinking ‘Right! Let’s go! Can’t wait to get to work!’ to the next day I’d wake up and think ‘I never want to see that place again’,” says Rich. In total, Rich took eight months of leave from the AFP. “In my time off, the doctor didn’t want me sitting at home, twiddling PAGE 40
my thumbs, harking back to things,” Rich explains. “So he was really happy that I had Wee Jasper.” The relationship between humans and the land is a deep and symbiotic one. It’s not just the ‘give and take’ - it’s the spiritual, the emotional and the cathartic relationships that we develop over time. But in an era where urban careers hold greater attraction for many young people, the link between self and country is becoming less apparent. It’s this relationship that underpins Lockhart’s Spirit of the Land Festival, an event which aims to once again link people with their land and heal them in the process – even if the land is uncooperative. The festival—held in the Riverina district of New South Wales— was established in an attempt to curb the alarming rate of male suicide during the dark years of the drought over a decade ago; encouraging farmers to “use their skills to enter a farm art sculpture competition” wherein farmers would gather scrap metal from around their farms and use it to create works of art*. With incredibly low costs and simple parameters, the competition was wildly successful and spawned an entire generation of new artists. One by one, fruitful harvests of
metal artwork appeared on the pastures of the Riverina and— gradually—the mood of the farms lifted. So did the drought. Being healed by the land is such a simple concept – the ability to build something with one’s own hands and see a physical product in front of you. Back in Wee Jasper, Rich was doing something similar. He admits that even though the AFP had been his dream job, he had always quietly planned to become Kashmir’s sixth generation. “My uncle grew vegetables in the late 90s and that’s where I think got the idea from,” says Rich. “I’d been thinking about starting things at Wee Jasper for quite a while and had even been planning while in the force.” “The Doctor said he wanted me doing productive things while away from the force so I used that time to build a greenhouse.” It was a turning point for Rich.
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
“That was a fantastic use of my time cause I wasn’t sitting around watching daytime TV,” he says. “I’d set myself a task with an endpoint and to achieve that was great.” After receiving extensive counselling from the AFP, Rich had a decision to make. “I’d lost a lot of confidence in myself in policing,” Rich says. “You’ve got to have your teammates’ backs and I didn’t have the self-confidence that I would…so I definitely think I made the right decision.” That decision was to leave the Force and channel his energies into the land. Through “late night Googling”, Rich stumbled upon the idea of growing vegetables through aquaponics. The sustainable and environmentally-friendly practice uses the waste from fish to feed and nurture vegetables, which then clean the water that is cycled back to the fish.
But his aspirations for sustainability didn’t end there. Rather than dividing his time between planting, harvesting and selling, Rich decided to look into Community Support Agriculture (CSA), a business model that sees customers ‘buy into’ the crop before it’s even planted and then reap the harvest week by week. “The CSA design really jumped out because you sell memberships upfront and then what you grow is divided up so there’s absolutely no wastage at the end,” explains Rich. “You’re not wasting half a day at the markets so you’re working on the farm more and you’re getting capital at the start of the season to buy seeds and upgrade equipment.” “It’s also good from the consumer’s perspective because they get [to establish] a connection with the person whose growing their food. If they have questions, they can ask me face-to-face.” After a trial growing year that saw OzHarvest reaping the majority of what was a stellar first run of vegetables, Rich and Liz founded Fig Tree Farm in December 2015 and advertised for their first ever round of customers.
Despite CSA being an exercise in faith for both customers and farmer alike, they were happy to find that they were able to reach their 20-customer limit with no difficulty whatsoever and are now hoping to expand to 30 customers this year, as well as establishing their aquaponics system. In a few years, Rich hopes to double their client base. Perhaps somewhat serendipitously, the first thing you see on the Fig Tree Farm website is the Brenda Schoepp quote: "My grandfather used to say that once in your life you need a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman and a preacher but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer." ** As Rich himself says, “I think it’s worked out really well.” You can find out more about Fig Tree Farm at www.figtreefarmweejasper.com.au ¡
References *
www.spiritofthelandlockhart.com.au
** brendaschoepp.com/farmer
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C a bi n Fever WORDS Calum Stenning
SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO ESCAPE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE. BUT IF YOUR BUDGET DOESN’T EXTEND TO JET TING OFF TO AN EXOTIC LOCALE, THESE SIX QUIET ADVENTURES WITHIN 100KM OF CANBERRA SHOW THE BEAUTY OF THE SIMPLE LIFE.
NIL DESPERANDUM
Hire fee is $140 per night with a maximum of six people per group for up to seven nights. Bookings via tidbinbilla.act.gov. au/place/facilities/hiring-nildesperandum
With its verandah, fenced garden and idyllic views of mountains, Nil Desperandum (Latin for “do not despair”) is the perfect cottage from which to take in the sights and sounds of the Tidbinbilla Reserve – and to transport you back to a simpler time. The historic European homestead sleeps up to six on camp stretcher beds. Cold water runs from a rainwater tank into a simple kitchen, lit at night by solar power – though for a more immersive experience, you can’t go past a couple of candles stuck in the top of empty wine bottles. To make use of the wood stove in the kitchen, and the outdoor fire pit, you’ll have to bring in wood (something to consider if you’re choosing between walking in or driving). All-wheel-drive is required at the very least, with four-wheel-drive being the ultimate option. Those inclined can walk in, with directions for both provided after booking.
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FLEA CREEK CAMPGROUND
Camping at Flea Creek is free and no bookings are required. nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/campingand-accommodation/campgrounds/ flea-creek-campground
An idyllic creek-side spot near the Goodradigbee river, Flea Creek Campground is one for the fishers, bird-watchers and four-wheel-drivers. This is a campground in the most liberal use of the term. Sites are unmarked and unpowered so while there are un-plumbed toilets and fire pit barbeques, visitors can expect to be entirely self-sufficient otherwise. Torches and firewood are must-haves, and, of course, for the twitchers – binoculars. During the daylight hours, you might see Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoos, Peregrine Falcons, Olive Whistlers or even the endangered Pink Robin. At night, the Holy Grail will be spotting the threatened Powerful Owl. In the river, you can tickle trout (or use a rod and reel), for some of the most direct habitat-to-kitchen cooking there is.
G U D G E N BY C OT TAG E
Costs for hiring the cottage: $150 refundable key deposit, $500 refundable bond, then $30 per person a night or $15 per person each day. environment.act.gov.au/parksconservation/parks-and-reserves/ find-a-park/namadgi-national-park/ gudgenby-ready-cut-cottage
On the southern bank of the Gudgenby River, in the hills of Namadgi National Park, sits a 1920s ready-cut shelter – Gudgenby Cottage. As far as mountain huts go, it’s one of the more luxurious in the area. There’s a full kitchen, lounge and dining room, and three bedrooms sleeping eight in total. Electricity and a hot water system are a plus for those who want a more comfortable outback experience, though with no mobile coverage you’ll still be firmly planted in the isolation of the hills. The cottage is a wonderful base from which to explore the walks, drives, flora and fauna of Namadgi National Park.
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BLUE RANGE HUT
To hire Blue Range Hut it is $55.40 per night for up to six people. To camp at the site, it is $8 per person a night, free for children under 15. For exclusive use, there is an additional fee of $63.95. environment.act.gov.au/parksconservation/parks-and-reserves/finda-park/murrumbidgee-river-corridor/ blue-range-hut
WEE JASPER RESERVES
Camping is $11 per adult, per night. weejasperreserves.com.au
Built around the heritage-listed remains of an Italian internment camp from World War Two, Blue Range Camp provides a great base to explore the alpine walking trails of northern Namadgi National Park. The hut itself is sparsely furnished, containing only a picnic table and open fireplace, but there are gas and wood-fired barbeques outside for hutdwellers and campers alike. The area around the hut is popular with horse riders, cyclists and walkers, and pets are welcome too, provided they stay on-leash.
Around an hour’s drive from Canberra, the Wee Jasper Reserves are a collection of campsites below the Brindabella ranges. Once a stopover between Sydney and the Kiandra goldfields, the Reserves now serve as a base for hikers, river-dippers, cave explorers, fishing enthusiasts, geologists (400 million year-old seabed, anyone?) and stargazers. While the campgrounds are unpowered, there is potable water at all but one (Carey’s), as well hot showers, toilets and electric barbeques. The kiosk has basic essentials, such as ice and gas, as well as being the place to go for fishing licenses. There’s a playground for the kids, and dogs are welcome on-leash. Relax by the river, wander the hills, and experience the depths of the caves – Wee Jasper has plenty of pleasure to soak in.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.7
MOVE BEYOND THE CROWD. THE INNOVATIVE AND STYLISH BMW X1. Objects of desire tend to go out of fashion. The classics however stay grounded in timeless and sophisticated design, they age with grace. The BMW X1 is of this approach, refined aesthetics and intelligent luxury deďŹ nes its style. BMW ConnectedDrive technology is designed to be future proof, to adapt to change. Its engine options all employ a philosophy which balances responsive power and low fuel consumption. The BMW X1 is a modern classic.
Rolfe Classic BMW 2 Botany Street, Phillip. Ph (02) 6208 4111. rolfeclassic.bmw.com.au LMD 17000534 PAGE 45
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W om en WHO WRITE
WORDS Emma Macdonald PHOTOGR APHY Martin Ollman I T ’ S A D E E P LY P E R S O N A L C R E AT I V E E X P R E S S I O N, A N O F T E N S O L I TA RY P U R S U I T A N D A F O R AY I N TO A C O M P E T I T I V E M A R KE T L I T T E R E D W I T H FA I LU R E . B U T I T ' S A L S O A N O L D A N D C H E R I S H E D A R T— I N T RO D U C I N G CHILDREN TO FICTION THROUGH WORDS AND PICTURES.
Three Canberra women are making it in the world of publishing, trying to ensure the written word will always hold appeal for children and that books—and not iPads—are the ultimate vehicle for imagination.
TANIA MCCARTNEY Tania McCartney is an awardwinning author, illustrator, speaker, a past ambassador for the National Year of Reading and current ambassador for the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge. B O O KS . W H AT D O YO U T H I N K OF THEM?
Books? They are portals to other worlds. They are a comfort, a friend, an escape, a trip, an adventure, education, enlightenment, expansion, enchantment. They are as vital to a child’s life as water, air and love. So, I think everything of them, and more. They are my everything. I write, illustrate, layout, design, typeset, edit, publish, live and breathe books. If I walk into a bookstore, the children’s section sucks me in like some kind of storytelling vortex, and my knees go so weak, I have to kneel on the floor. PAGE 46
W H Y I S L I T E R AT U R E A N D T H E S K I L L O F R E A D I N G S O I M P O R TA N T ?
Literacy is life-enhancing but lifechanging. When I visit schools, I tell kids they can do anything in life if they read then read some more. And it’s true. The more we read, the more we expand and open ourselves to… anything. Literature is important because children need to be inspired, uplifted and empowered. They need to feel they have a place in the world, that they belong, that they are competent and resourceful and clever. They need to access their inner creativity, and books and literacy give them that. Books also open kids’ minds and cram wonderful stuff in there. They expand brains and hearts and very best of all they enchant, comfort and reward.
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W H AT M A K E S A G O O D CHILDREN'S BOOK?
A good children’s book tells a story. A great children’s book invites the reader in and makes them part of the story. This is done by offering characters and plots that kids can relate to and resonate with. Great books use delicious language, NEVER dictate or dumb things down, and go light on the messaging. They take kids to other times and places, introduce them to jawdropping insights, and make them smile. WHY DO BOOKS TRUMP TV?
Do you know what? I love TV. Good TV (in doses!) and I think, especially now, when so much of it is amazing, comparing books and TV (and film) is like comparing apples and oranges. However, as with electronic platforms, TV fills in the gaps for you. Because it incorporates sound and vision and storytelling and mood, it leaves barely a scrap of room for imaginative interpretation. This is why we simply must read the book before we see the film, because the film tells you the story. When you read a book, you imagine the story. It becomes yours. And imagining story expands the heart and mind on so many levels, I would need another 20 pages to cover them!
around, the kids and me, and swipe through, enchanted. But then a curious thing happened. We only read them once. Never, ever went back. I can’t say the same for our dog-eared print books. The difference between books and electronic platforms are twofold. The first is the physical experience of the book. The weight, the touch, the smell. The anticipatory, forward movement of lifting and turning a page. There’s a magic in it. The second is the immersion factor. With electronic book versions for kids, the bells and whistles and voices and interactivity take away imaginative scope. Those indefinable extras are provided for kids and they don’t have to come up with their own. This lessens connection and emotional impact. Oh, and books don’t need recharging. W H Y D O K I D S A)N OT L I K E R E A D I N G A N D B)FA I L TO T H R I V E AT R E A D I N G?
They don’t like reading because they aren’t provided with books they can fall in love with, and want more of. The right book is as individual as each child, and I’ve not yet met a kid who couldn’t eventually find something to draw them in. It may take time and patience, but it will happen. Frequent libraries!
The weight, the touch, the smell. The anticipatory, forward movement of lifting and turning a page. There’s a magic in it.
BOOKS VERSUS ELECTRONICS W H AT I S YO U R M O S T PA S S I O N AT E ARGUMENT FOR BOOKS OVE R I PADS?
When picture books were first converted to iPad, I was SO excited. They were bright, colourful, interactive, clever. We would gather
As for those struggling to read, schools are now researching and implementing reading programs that have completely overhauled the draconian ways of the past. I have confidence that these new skillsets will help kids overcome literacy challenges. But an early love of books and story will exponentially help, too. ¡ PAGE 47
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INGRID JONACH Ingrid Jonach is completely obsessed with writing and has been publishing her work regularly since she first made it into the school yearbook at the tender age of seven. She received a two-book publishing deal with Pan Macmillan for her two children’s books The Frank Frankie and Frankie goes to France and was represented by a US agent for her debut young adult science-fiction romance novel When The World Was Flat (and we were in love) which now has a sequel In The Beginning There Was Us. WHEN DID YOU FIRST FALL IN LOVE WITH READING?
My first memory of reading was with my grandfather. We had an almost daily routine of him reading me The Three Little Pigs, while I sat on the back of his armchair. My mum also heavily encouraged it with a rule that we could stay up an extra half an hour at night if we were reading. We also visited the library weekly and it always felt like Christmas had come early when I walked out with my bulging book bag. W H AT M A D E YO U D E C I D E TO S TA R T W R I T I N G P R O F E S S I O N A L LY ?
I think it was less of a decision and more of an evolution.
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I started writing from a very young age. My first published work was a retake on the poem There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly which was published in the school yearbook when I was in Year 2. I was hooked! I filled copious notebooks with all kinds of stories about teddy bears and monkeys and fairies. Throughout all of these years, I had no idea that writing could actually be a profession, even though I was blessed with a best-selling author as a cousin (Di Morrissey, who has been a tremendous inspiration). My hand was forced, however, when I had to decide what to study at university after high school. I decided on a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing at the University of Canberra but the universe had other plans – and through a series of accidents I ended up studying Journalism as a minor and landed a casual position with The Canberra Times. I was given a cadetship in my Honours year at university.
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Rather unsurprisingly, given my profession at the time, I wrote a story about a young girl who starts her own newspaper. To my surprise, I managed to land a two-book deal with Pan Macmillan. I guess that was when I realised I was no longer writing just for myself, but was approaching it as a job. I’ve actually just started a blog called Write All the Books (writeallthebooks. com) with the intention of sharing everything I know about both the creative and business side of writing – to pay it forward.
My young adult books on the other hand are probably just as effective as an eBook. I find them much more convenient than print books – you can literally carry around a whole library in your handbag and when you finish one read you can immediately purchase your next one, even at 1am. DO YOU THINK EBOOKS PROVIDE A BRIDGE BETWEEN WORDS AND E L E C T R O N I C S? W H AT D O YO U S AY TO P U R I S T S W H O O N LY L I K E I N K AND PAPE R?
I love being able to hold a book in my hands. The more scrappy my books, the more well-loved they are, in my opinion.
W H AT A R E T H E P R O S A N D C O N S OF EBOOKS?
I admit to being one of those people who said they would never read eBooks. I love being able to hold a book in my hands. The more scrappy my books, the more well-loved they are, in my opinion. I have no hesitation in dog-earring pages and my favourite novel is even missing its cover. I also have mixed views on the effectiveness of eBooks for young children. I think the tactile experience is still vitally important at that age.
I think eBooks are definitely the preferred option for certain age groups or lifestyles. Smart devices are now just part and parcel of daily life for most people – particularly the latest generations who have grown up with them. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that using these devices— through constant texting or tweeting or status updates—will evolve the way we converse. I think, as a result, the English we use in 100 years will be dramatically different to the English we use today. ¡ PAGE 49
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CARLIE GIBSON She started her writing career as a journalist before transitioning to the cut-and-thrust of federal politics as a media advisor, where speeches and press releases became her word-count mainstay. Now Carlie Gibson has made the leap into a world of beautiful and tiny French mice – through her children’s book, The Sisters Saint-Claire. W H E N D I D YO U F I R S T S TA R T TO THINK ABOUT CHILDREN ’S L I T E R AT U R E ?
Probably in my early twenties, when I was still at university. I always felt the urge to write creatively, but I lacked the discipline and patience at the time. I thought children's books would be the easiest way to indulge my desire to write a book. How naive! It's anything but easy. Children have so
much entertainment at their fingertips now, and picture books (especially by unknown authors!) really need to jump off the shelves and into the hearts and minds of little readers. W H AT I N S P I R E D YO U TO W R I T E T H E S I S T E R S SA I N T- C L A I R E ?
I vividly remember being overwhelmed by a creative desire which I couldn't explain, or satisfy. Many failed or half-baked craft ideas just didn't seem to silence that voice inside me. I sat down at my computer one day with three children all needing attention, and decided to write straight from the heart. I asked myself a question. What do I know about? And the answer was sisterhood (I am one of five girls), family, country living and simple adventures. The Sisters Saint-Claire was a name that popped into my head and, from there, the characters grew into little mice who lived in a quaint French village. Thankfully I had visited the French countryside with my husband years before, and had lots of memories to draw on. W H AT S TO RY D O E S I T T E L L?
Hopefully it tells young people that size doesn't matter. Small people can do great things. It tells a story of adventure, and sometimes that comes in the most simple form – baking, playing games with your siblings, joining your family for a day out.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
I thought children's books would be the easiest way to indulge my desire to write a book. How naive!
part of it. She sent through a rough sketch of a mouse the next day. I couldn't have been happier with her work and we hope to work together again – possibly on a Sisters SaintClaire series! THE CHILDREN’S BOOK MARKET IS A TOUGH ONE . HOW DO YOU THINK YO U R B O O K S TA N D S O U T ? HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT T R A N S L AT I N G A N I D E A I N TO A N ACTUAL PUBLISHED WORK?
I worked on the story for over a year. I wrote, rewrote and agonised over every line. When I was happy that I had something worth reading, I asked my sister, my Mum and a couple of friends to give me an honest critique. They loved it, and encouraged me to pursue it. I consulted as many people as I could to find out how to get the book published, but in the end it came down to luck. After sending it to Penguin with no response, I met an amazing lady by the name of Emma Magenta, an artist and author. I plucked up the courage to ask her if she'd look at my story, and she did. She gave me some great advice, and passed on the name of an editor (Anna McFarlane) at Allen and Unwin. Anna loved it, and pitched it to her team. She also introduced me to illustrator Tamsin Ainslie. The manuscript was sent to Tamsin’s agent and she was immediately keen to be
A lot of thought went into that. It's smaller than a lot of picture books, with a beautifully tactile hard-cover. I wanted it to be unapologetically beautiful, and Tamsin's illustrations are just that. It also has an old-fashioned look and feel, and is written in rhyming verse, so I hope all those things combine to make it something special. W H Y I S I T I M P O R TA N T T H AT CHILDREN RE AD AND ENJOY BOOKS?
Because the experience of owning, reading and holding a book cannot be replicated in any other way. My Mum recently sent me a box of goodies she had kept from my childhood. There were half a dozen books in there, and the minute I picked each one up, the memories came flooding back. I remembered what I felt at that time in my life, where each book came from, the thrill of a surprise ending and the shock of a sad one. Books help us to learn more about ourselves. To connect with our own emotions. To express ourselves. To respect words. And that is a little piece of magic. ¡ PAGE 51
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FIVE TO WAYS SIMPLIFY YOUR
life
WORDS Emma Grey
ASK FOR HELP
LET GO OF THE PERFECT
Playing the martyr, people pleasing, thinking ‘nobody does it as well as I do’ … we complicate our lives when we insist on doing it all on our own, our way. The buck doesn’t always stop with us. Contrary to how we sometimes see it, the place won’t fall down in our absence.
Whether it’s from fear of failure or Impostor Syndrome (the sense that you’re not as competent as people think you are and you’ll shortly be found out), we waste a lot of time in perfectionism because we’re afraid we’re not ‘enough’. We can get stuck making marginal improvements that aren’t worth the energy or time invested. ‘Improvements’ that steal time from our progress in crucial areas.
‘I’m an independent person!’ we’ll cry. ‘I don’t want to inconvenience people. I can handle it.’ It’s not about becoming lazy or needy or selfish and having everyone run around ‘doing life’ for you. It’s about recognising the part we each play in a complex ecosystem where help is mutually offered and accepted. It’s about divorcing help from pride and embracing the strength and friendship that springs from true vulnerability.
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STOP EYEING OTHER PEOPLE’S GREENER GRASS It’s tempting to gaze longingly at the lives of others, wishing we knew their secrets. Tempting, and dangerous. We don’t know the reality of the lives that exists behind closed doors and glossy social media profiles. While we’re busy wondering ‘how’ she does it, she’s probably wondering ‘why’, and wishing things were different.
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UNCLOG THE OVERWHELM
GIVE MEANING TO YOUR ‘YES’
It’s a trap to believe we must always sort out our priorities before taking action. That’s Step B when you’re deep in overwhelm. Step A is doing something. Anything. It’s about reaching out in the dark and extracting one brick from the imposing wall in front of you — any brick — and letting some light in.
Take your most important things, whatever they are, and move them into the inner circle of your life. Every time we allow something that matters less to invade that circle, we’re chipping away at the value we placed on those precious people and personal dreams.
Circumstances are often messy. Some things will inevitably drop to the foot of the list and be neglected. It’s the ‘duck lining-uppery’ and the endless waiting for the perfect time that we need to ditch if we want to make inroads into the mountain of to-dos that looms above us. Start anywhere, with what you have, where you are.
At the end of 2017, as we glance back and survey how we spent our time, the goal is to admire the view. It’s to have traversed somewhere different, even if that’s somewhere hard, and to have learnt and grown and done so travelling with people whose company we genuinely adore.
Emma Grey is the co-author of I Don’t Have Time - 15-minute ways to shape a life you love (Exisle, 2017), and author of Wits’ End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum (Lothian, 2005) and Unrequited: Girl meets boy band (2014). She is co‑founder of the My 15 Minutes personal development program and founder of the work-life consultancy, WorkLifeBliss.
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NOTHING BEATS A CLASSIC. Proving once again that a MINI is different to any other car out there, the latest Hatch range brings together iconic design with 21st century features. Advanced safety, thrilling performance, an illuminated LED centre instrument, head-up display and parking assist all come together to make your drive more fun and effortless than ever. ROLFE CLASSIC MINI GARAGE 3-5 Botany Street, Phillip. Ph (02) 6208 4222. rolfeclassic.minigarage.com.au
THE MINI HATCH RANGE.
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
THE SIMPLE LIFE WORDS Emma Macdonald PHOTOGR APHY Martin Ollman PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE BACK TO BAS I CS—A HOMESCHOOLER, A TINY HOUSE DWELLER AND A KITCHEN G A R D E N C O O K— E X P L A I N T H E I R L I F E S T Y L E C H O I C E S .
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FROM LITTLE THINGS… It is small – tiny in fact. But it is perfectly formed. And Lachlan Richardson and his girlfriend Paung Khaing fit well in their “Tiny House” in O’Connor. There’s even room for their attentive pup Riley although he can’t get up the ladder to the loft. The home contains a living space measuring around 10 square metres. And upstairs, the loft is large enough for a queen-sized mattress and a few carefully collated belongings artfully arranged in shelves across the walls. For the pair, the tiny house is both a labour of love and a lifestyle choice. They built it together in 90 days for the grand sum of $6,500. It nestles in a far and sun-drenched corner of Lachlan’s mother’s back garden.
Lachlan, 22, first became inspired to get into the tiny home movement about two years ago when he built a shipping container studio for his mother in the backyard, to the left of where his own tiny home now sits. Lachlan is the first to admit he had no skills in the building trade, but he used YouTube videos and was given direct advice by builder Paul Lynzaat who mentored him through the process. He says he has learnt an incredible amount through trial, error and experience. Once the shipping container was complete—at a cost of around $45,000—Lachlan mulled over the experience. He thought of things to do differently, smaller, more
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cheaply. In fact, he became a little obsessed with the concept of building and living smaller. He returned from an overseas trip and his mum gave him the go-ahead to start his own tiny house experiment in the remaining backyard nook while his brother moved into the shipping container. He and Paung worked their day jobs—she at Sweet Bones Bakery in Braddon, and him at Thor’s Hammer surrounded by all sorts of recycled wood—before arriving home to labour through the night on the tiny house via large floodlights. “It was hugely fun and satisfying but also pretty exhausting,” according to Lachlan.
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Lachlan is the first to admit he had no skills in the building trade...
Lachlan has escorted around 300 interested parties in tours around his home and says he is intrinsically interested in small home design. In the future he would like to delve further into helping potential tiny house owners find suitable land.
The home does not have a kitchen or bathroom but an electrician neighbour did all the wiring to bring power to the place. Now the pair cook and shower in the main house but spend most of their time enjoying the privacy of their own space. They have the room and ideas to build a bathhouse when their budget permits. “Studio” spaces such as theirs do not require development approvals. Meanwhile, Lachlan has set up a business selling pre-made tiny houses and is keen to encourage others to consider the environmental, economic and social benefits of reducing their footprint on the earth.
“We are both minimalists and we try not to consume too much. With tiny houses, you are reducing the land you need, the space and building materials, and, by necessity, the stuff that you usually keep with you in a house…all our possessions have meaning to us.” Meanwhile, Lachlan’s mum Edwina is also thrilled with the outcome. “It means that I can have my two adult sons living with me but it means we can all have our own independence.”
“I’d like to help people connect so that those who want to build tiny houses can access the land they need. There is only so much land out there so there have got to be better ways to help people share that resource.” The couple intend to further modify their space and are keen to help others on the journey. And when they come home from their day jobs, they often unfurl a futon mat on the living room floor and stare out at the expansive garden before them which, for Lachlan, “feels like a sanctuary.” “I always look forward to coming home,” says Paung. For more on their work you can go to www.90dayhouse.com ¡
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As I continued to watch my children learning so naturally through everyday life and play, I knew mainstream schooling wasn’ t for us...
SCHOOL’S OUT There are no Monday morning alarms in the Gribble household, no school uniforms, no lunches to pack and no buses to catch. When five-year-old Sarah and seven-year-old Jack wake up, their ‘schooling’ begins at home. Their subjects range from studying what is growing in the garden to reading books, creating artworks and Lego towers, or taking excursions to any number of Canberra’s numerous repositories of wisdom – the museums, libraries and galleries. The Gribble children are part of a recent explosion in numbers of ACT families choosing home education over traditional school settings. Just three years ago, 166 children were registered in the ACT as being homeschooled, according to the school census. But last year the number rocketed to 252. For parents Kate and Nick, the decision to educate Sarah and Jack at home came gradually, as their toddlers approached preschool age. Kate began researching
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school options and was taken with the Montessori approach. “It had so many of the ideals regarding children that I valued – viewing children as capable and independent, allowing children to take the lead in their learning and development, creating an accessible home environment for children and offering children beautiful and inviting toys and learning materials.” The more she researched online, the more Kate came across families
who were eschewing mainstream schooling and educating their children at home. “The idea lingered in the back of my mind for a little while until, I think, I was fully able to process what that would mean for our family. Could we do this? As I continued to watch my children learning so naturally through everyday life and play, I knew mainstream schooling wasn’t for us, and that a simpler, slower, freer life was what we wanted.”
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As a former teacher, Kate said she “had to unlearn what I had learnt and how I approached the learning process in a classroom and change my approach to fit our situation". “The most important thing for me was seeing education as something other than the model which happens at school. Once I could see that children can and do learn very naturally from life, I was able to relieve myself of a lot of the unnecessary pressure I was putting on myself.” Most importantly, it has meant slowing down and letting the children take the lead. “The biggest advantages are freedom and time – freedom to learn, freedom to live and enjoy living, freedom to go wherever the day takes us, whether that’s exploring the rocks around Cotter Bend, discovering mushrooms around the forest floor at the Arboretum or simply planting seedlings in our kitchen garden. We are free to choose.” While Kate and Nick considered the issue of their children missing out on socialisation opportunities,
these fears have dissipated as they partake in a number of group activities and stay in contact with a lively home education network in the ACT. They plan to continue their home education until their children make their own choice to go into a formal training or tertiary setting. “Canberra has an active home education community so many of the people I talk to know someone who is home educating – we definitely aren’t pegged as ‘weirdoes’!” “Home education isn’t a decision just for religious families, or families with children with a severe disability, like is often portrayed in the media. We don’t choose to home educate because school didn’t work for us; in many cases, school really has nothing to do with it. We are regular families seeking a different path.”
All families choosing home education must register with the ACT Education Directorate and need to attend regular meetings with officials to check on their children’s progress. While curriculum choices are up to individual families, they must present evidence of educational progress and keep a record of each child’s participation in educational activities. Kate said she had found the Directorate’s home school liaison to be “incredibly helpful and supportive” and said the experience of taking life and education at a slower pace had produced two confident, happy and independent learners. “Now we can’t imagine doing it any other way.” ¡
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The kitchen is part social experiment – there are no set prices and people 'pay as they feel'.
MAKING MAGIC In a large and shady deck off a humble family home in Hackett, Antonia Basic and her husband Sasa are growing vegetables and cooking for a living. On any given Sunday you may find the deck full of people enjoying Antonia’s crêpes, cooked then and there in the front yard. Otherwise you may take home some of her frozen soups and stews – all vegan, all cooked using whatever is growing in the garden, and all cooked with an intention of goodwill. Antonia and Sasa have called their venture “Canberra Magic Kitchen”. What’s even more stripped-back about the kitchen is it is part social experiment – they have no set prices and allow people to “pay as you feel”. The couple emigrated to Australia from Croatia in 2014 with their two daughters, Rosa, 4, and Mara, 15, both hoping to pursue their careers. Antonia was a travel agent and Sasa was an agronomist. But jobs were hard to come by, so six months ago, Antonia decided to follow a path in an area she
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enjoyed and knew well. Cooking. Sasa cultivated a diverse kitchen garden in the front and back yards to support the venture.
people on a Sunday – many are neighbours and locals who love the idea of fresh crêpes served under an enormous shade tree.
Their food is nutritious and seasonal, and the “intention” that Antonia cooks with, and Sasa gardens with, flows from their skills as Reiki practitioners. Sasa’s formal qualifications as a Master of Plant Sciences now also encompass more unconventional gardening methods. His focus is on organic and biodynamic growing, with crystals dotting the vegetable beds for “balance and harmony”.
When it comes time to cook up her massive cauldrons of soups and stews, Antonia’s ACT Government license requires her to head into the ANU’s Food Co-Op to cook in their small commercial kitchen.
The results are winning fans. Antonia can serve up to 40-50
She freezes batches for convenient dinners which she sells from the large freezers set up off her kitchen – many for harried parents wanting something quick, nutritious and absolutely home-style and preservative-free.
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While the vegan aspect appeals to some, Antonia laughs that most of her customers are neither vegan, nor even vegetarian. They just love the taste and nutritional boost. In winter, hearty cauldrons overflow with kale and chickpea stews, white bean and butternut stews, or buckwheat, white quinoa and sauerkraut stews. Many spices, nuts and herbs are added to bring humble vegetables to life. In summer, an assortment of dips and salads with beetroot, borlotti beans and fresh herbs are on offer. In recent months, word of the Magic Kitchen has spread and Antonia has been called upon to cater for increasingly large events – a function at the Slovenian Embassy, spiritual retreats, business events, and a wedding for 75. She also sells fresh food through the Dickson Health Shop, and has set up stalls at various markets around
town when time permits. This increasingly presents a problem with her “pay as you feel” method, which is impractical in a retail shop and time-consuming when Antonia is operating a cooking stall on her own. She is considering adopting a more traditional set price approach throughout 2017. She explains that it has been a successful experiment on a small scale – with those taking food from her home more likely to be generous than not. “On a few occasions, some people give me so much money I have to go back and say this is too much. Yes, some people only give a small amount, but it all evens out in the end.” Antonia is extremely philosophical about her cooking. She does not want to waste food, she likes to use what is in her garden and she cooks with heart.
She and Sasa enjoy the sharing aspect of food, and often leave seedling plants, excess vegetables and herbs with an honesty box in the front yard. Sasa is happy to take on gardening jobs and share his expertise on organic and sustainable methods. They have been humbled by the support of the public, and love living in a suburb such as Hackett, where community ties are strong and neighbours have become friends. Maybe one day they will look to expand into a suburban restaurant, and they are looking forward to planting larger local community vegetable gardens with the support of their neighbours. “We have loved living in Canberra because the community has been so kind and we have found our own opportunities here. We are grateful to have found our home here.” ¡
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BASIC INSTINCT LESS IS MORE THE MODERN MINIMALIST IS A MASTER O F S I M P L I C I T Y. M A K E YO U R M A R K W I T H C L E A N L I N E S, A M O N O C H RO M AT I C PALET TE AND INTRIGUING TEXTURES. PHOTOGRAPHER LAUREN CAMPBELL S T Y L I S T H AY L E Y O' N E I L L
Dress, $170, by Interval at Rebel Muse, rebelmuse.com.au; pants, $199, by Veronika Maine at David Jones Canberra Centre, 02 6222 6333; earring, by Ellery at Pink Ink Boutique, 02 6249 1215.
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Brocade bodice, $699, knitted funnel neck top, $1539, wide leg silk pants, $899, and earring, all by Ellery at Pink Ink Boutique, 02 6249 1215; cotton vest coat, $1129, by By Malene Birger at Pink Ink Boutique, 02 6249 1215.
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Dress, $168, by Shona Joy at David Jones Canberra Centre, 02 6222 6333; brass earring, by Ellery at Pink Ink Boutique, 02 6249 1215.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.7
Dress, $370, by Pfeiffer at Rebel Muse, rebelmuse.com.au; top, $129, and earring, both by Cue at Canberra Centre, 02 6230 4827.
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Dress, $295, by The Label, thelabel.com.au; pants, $119, by Veronika Maine at Canberra Centre, 02 6230 6677; shoes (worn throughout), by Zara at Canberra Centre, 02 6243 3900.
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Top, $165, and pants, $260, both by The Label, thelabel.com.au; earring, by Cue at Canberra Centre, 02 6230 4827.
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Sleeveless top (worn underneath), $109, and top, $119, both by Veronika Maine at Canberra Centre, 02 6230 6677; pants, $219, by Cue at Canberra Centre, 02 6230 4827.
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Dress, $295, by The Label, thelabel.com.au; earring, by Cue at Canberra Centre, 02 6230 4827.
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Earring, by Ellery at Pink Ink Boutique, 02 6249 1215.
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
CO N C EP T + C R EATIVE D I R EC TO R JAVI E R ST E E L PHOTOGRAPHER LAUREN CAMPBELL S T Y L I S T H AY L E Y O ' N E I L L – A S S I S T E D BY S O P H I E M AT E E R M A K E U P L E S L E Y J O H N S TO N – A S S I S T E D BY E M I LY M C K AY MODEL RUBY FI SHER, HAU S MODELS CO O R D I NATI O N B E L I N DA N E AM E L O C AT I O N N AT I O N A L G A L L E R Y O F A U S T R A L I A S P E C I A L T H A N K S TO T H E T E A M AT N AT I O N A L G A L L E R Y O F A U S T R A L I A F O R T H E LO C AT I O N
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
Modern Classics
RECIPES A ND STYLING Belinda Neame PHOTOGR APHY Tim Bean
Before Instagram and the rise of the food stylist, recipe books were utilitarian items. Dog-eared and food-smeared, inside their worn covers lay culinary gems passed down from generation to generation. Belinda Neame takes inspiration from our mothers’ kitchens, reinventing four of yesterday’s classics for today’s table.
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1970S PRAWN COCKTAIL TO
2017 Prawn cocktail salad INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Dressing
For the dressing, mix together mayonnaise, paprika, lemon juice and salt. Cover and chill until serving.
3/4 cup whole-egg mayonnaise 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp smoked or regular sea salt
Salad 16 cooked prawns, peeled 1 avocado, sliced 1 tbs olive oil 1/4 iceberg lettuce leaves 1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, halved, seeds removed, finely chopped 3 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
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Prepare all salad ingredients. Season the prawns with a little salt and pepper and set aside. Toss avocado with the olive oil and set aside. On a large platter or bowl, place the iceberg lettuce leaves and top with prawns, avocado, cucumber and spring onions. Drizzle with the dressing until well covered. Serve salad with lemon wedges and the remaining dressing.
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1970S QUICHE LORRAINE TO
2017 Quiche Lorraine tarts INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Shortcrust pastry *
Shortcrust Pastry
2 cups plain flour
Sift the flour and salt. Working quickly so the mixture doesn’t warm up too much, rub the butter into the flour to produce a breadcrumb texture. Add enough water to bring the pastry together. Knead briefly then wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
150g cold butter, diced 1/4 - 1/3 cup cold water Pinch of salt
Quiche filling 2 tbs olive oil 1 onion, diced 4 slices Pialligo Estate bacon rashers, cut into small pieces
Once chilled, roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness. Line the buttered and floured tart tins with the pastry. Working around the sides of the tins to ensure the pastry is pushed down into the corners. Trim excess pastry using a small knife and smooth out the top edges. Prick the base of the shells and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Line the shells with greaseproof paper and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake blind for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the paper and pastry weights and bake for a further 5 minutes to crisp the pastry. Once the shells are cooked, set aside to cool.
1 cup cream or sour cream 2 tbs chopped parsley 125g grated cheddar cheese Salt and pepper to taste
Quiche filling In a heavy-based fry pan, heat the oil and add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir often so the onion doesn’t take on too much colour. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream or sour cream, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper. Spoon the bacon and onion mixture into the pastry shells and fill each one to the top with egg mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden and set.
This pastry recipe makes approximately 1 x 25cm pastry shell or 10 individual tarts. Any remaining pastry can be frozen for up to 3 months.
*
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1970S CHOCOLATE FONDUE TO
2017 Chocolate fondue sharing plat ter INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Chocolate mixture
Place a small serving bowl in the middle of a large round platter and surround with marshmallows, bread sticks and almond bread. You can also add fruit such as banana, strawberries and figs.
1 x 250g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped 1/3 cup thickened cream
To serve White marshmallows Bread sticks Almond bread
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Place the chocolate and cream in a double saucepan. Heat gently until the mixture is melted and smooth. Transfer the mixture to the serving bowl on the platter and serve immediately.
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1970S CARROT CAKE TO
2017 Carrot cake muffins INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Muffin mixture
Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a 12-muffin tray with paper cases.
2 1/2 cups self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup caster sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup chopped walnuts & pecans 3 carrots peeled and grated ––– 1 egg 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 cup full cream milk ––– 250g cream softened cream cheese 1 tbs caster sugar
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Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar into a large bowl and mix to combine. Stir in the carrots, walnuts and pecans and mix until everything is coated. In separate bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla, oil and milk until combined and add to the dry mix, mixing until just combined. Do not over mix as the mixture will become tough. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Divide the mixture between the lined tins. Place 1 heaped tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each muffin and then top with the remaining muffin mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Transfer to a baking rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Recipe adapted from Donna Hay-Basics to Brilliant.
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DESIGN DIGITAL PRINT MAIL WAREHOUSE Ink on paper since 1997 www.canprint.com.au 02 6295 4422
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THE
BUTCHER THE BAKER THE WINEMAKER WORDS Belinda Neame PHOTOGR APHY Tim Bean TH E 21- C E NTU RY B UZ Z WO R D S E E M S TO B E “ C O N V E N I E N C E ”. W I T H O U R F R E N E T I C L I V E S W E S T R I V E TO M A K E T H I N G S FA S T E R, L E S S C O M P L I C AT E D ; W E FOCUS ON THINGS WHICH ARE NEW AND IMPROVED. BUT AS WE DISCOVER, THERE’S BEAUTY IN DOING T H I N G S T H E “ O L D - FA S H I O N E D WAY ”.
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LINDBECK’S
BUTCHERY The Lindbeck family have been part of the Queanbeyan community since 1928 when brothers Jim and Tom Lindbeck both opened butcher shops on Monaro Street. This was an era before the large supermarket chains hived off much of the humble butcher’s market share with their mass-produced and plasticwrapped cuts. Rather, it was a time when shoppers sought out as a matter of course, top-quality meat products from the people who raised the livestock. For Jim and Tom, it wasn’t simply a supply and demand chain – but a multi-faceted industry, involving farming their own livestock, operating a piggery and slaughterhouse, and presenting the end product direct to customers. Nephew Bill was the next generation of butcher in the Lindbeck family. But stepping into his uncles’ shoes wasn’t easy. After having his application for a business loan knocked back by the bank, Bill’s local branch manager took a chance on him – personally loaning him the money. The loan covered everything except one small (but essential) thing - the float for the till! There was no EFTPOS in 1964, so before Bill could even open the doors on the butchery PAGE 88
he resourcefully walked the streets of Queanbeyan, trading in empty glass soft drink bottles until he had enough money to see him through the first day of trading. Bill’s son Peter is now the family’s fifth-generation butcher; following in his father’s footsteps and starting in the butchery 40 years ago when the shop moved to its current location on Cooma Street. “Things have changed so much since those early days. Back when women
MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
Good “old-fashioned” customer service and traditional techniques are still the focus...
predominantly stayed at home, they used to walk down to the butcher during the day with their market baskets and buy a full side of lamb, have it cut up into three pieces and take it away. That just isn’t the way anymore.” “Even though we still use traditional techniques and buy in full carcasses to dry age our beef in the cool room for two to three weeks, our customers’ needs have definitely changed. Life is busier, so we really focus on how we can accommodate the modern lifestyle without sacrificing traditional methods and the quality of our meat.”
Good “old-fashioned” customer service and traditional techniques are still the focus for Peter and his team. “We’ve kept it all about our customers. We still soak our corned silverside in brine, we still use natural skins on our sausages and we are pretty famous for our crumbed chicken schnitzels!” “I guess one of the biggest things I learnt from Dad is, customer service and quality will always be remembered over price, and that’s why the customers keep coming back.” ¡
The butchery trade has taken a big hit over the years and, like many bespoke food industries, is struggling for a foothold in a market dominated by the corporate food monoliths. Although this has impacted the practices over the years, Peter continues his passion for the industry and is heavily involved in the trade apprentice program at the Canberra Insitute of Technology. He spends much of his time overseeing apprentices as they study in Canberra and as far afield as Jindabyne and Pambula. PAGE 89
HERCANBERRA.COM.AU
SPENCE
BAKERY Like many trades in the food industry, the bakery scene has evolved and changed dramatically over the years. Punters are no longer content with just a humble cream bun at the local; now it’s all about custard-filled doughnuts and pastries with all the trimmings. But for Dean and Catherine Elliot of Spence Family Bakery, sticking to traditional products has been the key to their success. Growing up in the small country town of Harden, Dean commenced his baking apprenticeship at Clarkies Bakery in 1978. Some 20 years—and his own Harden Hot Bake venture— later, he and wife Catherine packed up their four sons and made the moved to Canberra.
After a stint with Tip Top, the lure of running his own business again was too much for Dean to resist. “After looking around for a while we came across Spence Bakery which had the same country feel as our bakery in Harden. It was very run down and since taking over we have made many improvements.” But some things never change. While baking techniques remain much the same, Dean says today’s equipment is making things more efficient. “The biggest change I’ve seen over the years would be the different varieties in bread. Back when I commenced my apprenticeship, white and wholemeal block loaves were the main offering. These days, there are so many varieties – rye, grains, sour, and other artisan breads.”
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MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.8
... sticking to traditional products has been the key to their success.
Today, Dean boasts his own signature sourdough. Unlike the mass-produced breads laden with additives and preservatives found in the supermarkets, Dean’s signature sourdough has a culture of over six years, a crunchy crust and a chewy centre, and is baked daily. While new product lines abound these days, Dean and Catherine say some
of their traditional items are still their best sellers. “That's what our clientele enjoy. We have come to realise that what sells in the city centre doesn’t necessarily sell in Spence.” “Our best-selling products, in addition to our variety of breads and pies, would have to be the traditional lamington and vanilla slice. We think these products sell well as the recipe doesn’t alter, people know the product and they are made fresh in store everyday.” Dean and Catherine hope to see the “baking blood” continue in the family through their sons. “Two of our sons have followed Dean in the food industry. Our eldest son Zac is currently working in a restaurant in London and our son Max is in his second year with us at the bakery.” ¡
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COLLECTOR
WINES Sometimes, no matter how fast technology advances, there’s a reason for doing things the way they’ve always been done. Owner of Collector Wines, Alex McKay, can attest to this. A passionate adherent to winemaking techniques that most within the modern wine industry have now started to phase out, Alex’s relatively young winery is reaping the rewards of a focus on traditional techniques. At last year’s National Wine Show of Australia, the Collector winery beat out strong competition to win the coveted Red Wine of Provenance trophy with its Marked Tree Red Shiraz – an award normally the province of larger and older producers. Collector Wines first vintage in 2005 saw 700 dozen bottles produced; today it’s 3,000 dozen per annum, of which a small quantity is exported. And although their output has changed significantly, their methods have not. PAGE 92
“We want the wine to be in contact with the grapes and stalks because that is where the flavour, colour and tannin come from. To achieve this, the main technique we use is pigeage, or footstomping. Wearing a pair of fishing waders, we break up the ‘cap’ of grape skins and stalks, pushing them with our feet back under the wine surface,” says Alex. ‘It’s quite a workout both physically and aerobically, and with the carbon dioxide floating around it’s comparable to training at altitude! It’s also a rough way to measure the vintage quality – the harder it is to push the cap back down (due to the amount of ‘extract’ in the grapes), the better the quality!” The winery also embraces organic practices, eschewing herbicides, instead using only natural products, and relying on vineyard fowl to manure and keep the grass down.
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Alex’s relatively young winery is reaping the rewards of a focus on traditional techniques. “Using these methods, we’ve seen an uptick in the soil microflora and fauna, and there’s a flow-through to the vines and the wines – they have balance, and they shimmer and radiate life!” Alex believes that retaining the brand’s original mark packaging is also emblematic of the consistency that has been achieved with their winemaking. The butcher, the baker and the winemaker show that time-honoured techniques, respect for produce, and passion for their individual craft are still as relevant today as they ever were. ¡
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Unveiling unique Canberra weddings Flip Magazine over to check out your exclusive Unveiled preview. Full edition available online March 2017 at hercanberra.com.au/unveiled
CO N N E C T A N D K EEP U P -TO - D AT E #unveiledcanberra
@unveiledcanberra
PICTORIAL PREVIEW
AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
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Unveiled pictorial preview AW2017 01
Editor’s letter
02
A whimsical autumn wedding
07
Culture of love
12
Dreamy holiday destinations
16
Runaway Bride
31
Invitation inspiration
34
UNVEILED unveiled
Unveiled Online
F U L L E D I T I O N AVA I L A B L E AT H E R C A N B E R R A .C O M . A U/ U N V E I L E D
Venue spotlight
Wedding words
Seeking inspiration? Think local
Just like clockwork
Real weddings
Weddings across the cultures
C'mon, get 'appy!
Hair and makeup secrets
10 ways to save big
Dreamy honeymoon destinations
Wedding favours
Local sparklings
Editor's Note
Since our first edition, we’ve loved hearing stories of brides and grooms-to-be finding their dream vendors via our magazine, as well as being approached by exciting new suppliers emerging in the market. The abundance of talent in our city has been thrust into the spotlight and it's so exciting to see as we head into the 2017 wedding season! In the complete online issue of Unveiled, you’ll find five incredible real weddings, our 'weddings across the cultures' feature and, a super-fun 'Runaway Bride' pictorial featuring off-the-rack bridal fashion, shot by insanely talented local photographer Kelly Tunney. You'll also discover fresh inspiration for wedding words, honeymoon destinations, beauty, styling, catering and so much more.
WRITERS
You’ll be able to get a sneak peek at our plans in this edition, through our gorgeous campaign shoot by Lauren Campbell, where we reveal the event's five core themes.
HAIR
You can stay up-to-date on the new key dates via our Facebook page, or at hercanberra.com.au/unveiled.
MAKEUP
By the time this issue is published I’ll be on maternity leave, so this will be my last edition as editor for the next little while, but in the meantime you’ll be in good hands with the rest of the HerCanberra team! Wishing you all a fabulous wedding season!
Laura Peppas Emily Simpson Beatrice Smith Amanda Whitley
PHOTOGR APHERS Tim Bean Lauren Campbell Rolling Canvas Silque Photography Kelly Tunney
Kath Ilijoski, 121 Hair Jessica Skokleska, 121 Hair Renee Pound, Meki Hair
Amy Capeda Diana Cheetham
STYLIST Peta Rudd
ART DIRECTOR Javier Steel
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Radojkovic
Laura xo
CO O R D I N ATO R Belinda Neame
P I C T O R I A L P R E V I E W PA G E 1
Welcome to the print preview of the second edition of Unveiled, a small taste of what you'll find online at hercanberra.com.au/ unveiled right now!
Some other big news has come to light recently – we've been approached by some pretty big players interested in working with us on our upcoming wedding showcase, UNVEILED: The Event. This means we've decided to delay the date by a few months to fully maximise the benefits of their involvement to all our vendors and guests – trust us, it's going to be worth it when you see what we've got in store! Put Saturday 3 June in your diary now!
A Whimsical Autumn Wedding W E D D I N G DAT E 23 April 2016 C E R E M O N Y Canberra Grammar School R E C E P T I O N Strathnairn Arts Woolshed, Holt
For their big day, Viviana and Brad chose a ceremony location close to their hearts, followed by a stunning DIY-styled reception at Strathnairn Arts Woolshed in Holt, with the bride wearing an incredible 1960s pre-loved wedding dress that she picked up for $100!
G E T T I N G R E A DY
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"Brad got ready at our house in Casey after going for a morning run with some of his mates, followed by breakfast in Braddon, while I got ready at my sister's place in Evatt. I had my closest friends over early in the morning for a pre-wedding morning breakfast feast."
DRESS
I FEL L I N LOVE WITH O L D PRE- LOVED WED D I N G DRESSES WHEN I WENT T O L O N D O N I N 2 014 . . .
"For my dress, I always knew I wanted to have lace and a longish train. I fell in love with old pre-loved wedding dresses when I went to London in 2014 and visited some designer op shops with my mum. My dress was a pre-loved wedding dress from the 1960s that I picked up from the Salvos in Bateman’s Bay for $100. I immediately fell in love with the guipure lace on the bodice and the train on the dress."
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"I am very lucky that my mum is a talented seamstress and we transformed the wedding dress to be modern, elegant and a little bit sexy. We removed the satin underneath the guipure lace on the bodice to give more of a sheer effect and made the back a 'low V' that met the train. The train was detachable so I could walk around and dance at the reception. The skirt was a high split at the front that revealed my legs only when I walked."
CEREMONY
"Brad attended Canberra Grammar School and we love the main quadrangle, especially the old English-style buildings with the vines growing on them. We also knew that in April the colours would be spectacular with the leaves turning beautiful autumn tones."
RECEPTION
THE LITTLE DETAILS P H OTO G R A P H E R Silque Photography CELEBR ANT Andrew Robinson (Canberra Grammar Chaplain) D R ES S
B R I D ES M A I D S’ D R ES S ES
Couture wedding dress
Made by bride's mum
G RO OM AN D G RO OM SM EN’S SU ITS Connor Suits, Jeff Banks Shirts, Dom Bagnato accessories B R I D E A N D B R I D ES M A I D S’ H A I R Hair by Jade M A K E U P Andrew James F LO W E R S Flowers from the Garden C A R S Thrifty Hire Cars C A K E Made by friend B A N D Boppo FIRST DANCE SONG ' How Long Will I Love You' by Ellie Goulding
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"The reception venue was a blank canvas, so we could decorate and cater the way we wanted. The priorities for us were photography and ensuring our guests had a good time. That meant having plenty of food, alcohol and a great band. Although it's more work, a DIY wedding can save you thousands – especially if you find a venue that allows for DIY catering."
If you let me come to your wedding, I promise I won’t break anything.
danodayphotography.com.au
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Culture of love S U P R I YA A N D S A I ’ S H I N D U W E D D I N G
A S TO L D TO L AU R A P E P PA S
Supriya, the local Instagrammer behind @lookingthroughhercloset, and her husband Sai’s wedding day celebrated their Indian heritage, with the ceremony conducted in accordance to South Indian customs.
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G E T T I N G R E A DY
“The day started off with the ‘baraat’ (groom’s entourage) making their way to the wedding venue. Sai arrived on a white horse with his family and friends dancing behind him, and a drummer in front of him. I didn’t get to see him come in because the bride has to stay hidden, but from what I heard it was a lot of fun.”
THE DRESS
“I had two outfits – one for the wedding and one for the reception. For the wedding ceremony, I chose a beautiful gold lehenga (Indian attire that consists of a long skirt, crop top and veil) that was designed and made for me by Indian designers, Shyamal and Bhumika. Usually Indian brides wear red on their wedding day but I decided to wear gold because I felt it was more suited to my individual style.”
THE CEREMONY
“The Hindu wedding ceremony comprises religious rituals reflecting the way of life in Hindu tradition. These rituals may vary based on regional customs and practices within the Indian sub-continent. All Hindu wedding ceremonies are a lively celebration with family and friends. “According to the Hindu way of life, a marriage is a sacred relationship, which is not limited to the current life of the couple, but extends across seven or more lives. During the many different lives of the couple, the couple help each other to attain spiritual progress together. The two souls come together in marriage as their karmas are intertwined in order for them to ensure mutual salvation together on this Earth.
"The wedding ceremony went for around three hours. It’s a lot of chanting from the priest who performs a number of rituals which symbolise different things, followed by the bride coming in and there being more prayers.
"I was given a ‘Thali’ (a gold necklace) that Sai had to tie around my neck. Before he tied it, it had to be taken around to all the guests who had to bless it. The Thali is similar to a wedding ring as it identifies me as a married woman. "My favourite part of the day was walking towards the mandap (a decorated platform set up for the wedding ceremony) where Sai was waiting for me. As I walked down, I was accompanied by my five brothers who gave me away. It was a really special moment to be surrounded by our family and friends, and to see Sai standing there waiting for me. I remember feeling incredibly happy and I think that’s when it finally clicked that I was getting married to my best friend.”
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"It was important that all these elements were covered so that our marriage was done in accordance with the appropriate rituals and customs. Our families wanted everything done the 'right way' so it was important that traditions were followed.
"Apart from the bride and groom, both our parents and older siblings had to take part in different parts of the ceremony. It’s not just about the couple but the two families coming together.
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THE LITTLE DETAILS CERE MO NY VEN U E
RECEPTI O N VEN U E
Curzon Hall, Marsfield
Dockside, Darling Harbour
P H OTO G R A P H E R A N D V I D E O G R A P H E R Rolling Canvas C E L E B R A N T Indran Kurukal W E D D I N G D R ES S
R E C E P T I O N D R ES S
Shymala and Bhumika
Gather and Stitch
B R I D ES M A I D S’ D R ES S ES
“We wanted the wedding ceremony and reception to be contrasts of each other. As the wedding ceremony was quite traditional, we did not incorporate any cultural elements within our reception. "We had A LOT of food at the wedding and reception. On the day we supplied the guests with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sai and I love food and so it was important to us that the guests had food at all times. As it was a morning wedding, the guests were provided with assorted pastries, coffee and tea in the morning. "After the ceremony was over, an Indian vegetarian lunch was served. There was no alcohol at this time. The ceremony/lunch finished around 1.30pm and guests were free to go home, have a rest and get ready for the reception that would start at 7pm at Darling Harbour." THE STYLING
"We went for an old Indian Royalty theme for our wedding ceremony venue. The banquet room at Curzon Hall is painted gold, with high ceilings and beautiful chandeliers. I remember falling in love with it the first time I saw it and I didn’t want to get married anywhere else. On the day, we got a gold mandap that had gold pillars and a red flower fall, gold Tiffany chairs, and candelabras."
Reception outfits supplied by bridesmaids. G RO OM AN D G RO OM SM EN’S SU ITS Shantanu & Nikhill. The Groom wore a Sherwani. Groomsmen’s Sherwanis – Deepaan Fashions. Reception: Groom’s white tuxedo with blue pants – Blades menswear. Groomsmen – Rodger Bartholomew B R I D E’ S H A I R A N D M A K E U P Sana Khawar R E C E P T I O N H A I R Lexi Bannister F LO W E R S Divine Events L I G H T I N G Chandeliers by Elegant Drapings W I S T E R I A Fleur Events C A R S Cloud 9 C A K E Faye Cahill H O R S E F O R G R O O M Castlereagh Horses C AT E R E R Breakfast baked goods supplier – Sonoma Bakery Wedding Ceremony Caterer – Blu Ginger Reception Caterer – Dockside Group D J DJ Jazz, Musiq F I R S T D A N C E S O N G ' Sure Thing' by Miguel S TAT I O N E R Y Peach Perfect and Divine Events
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THE RECEPTION
For ceremony, sarees from online store – Utsav.
Dreamy honeymoon destinations UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
BY B E AT R I C E S M I T H
YO U ’ V E EN V I S I O N E D E V E RY D E TA I L O F YO U R WED D I N G D OWN TO TH E BO U TO N N I ERES, BU T W H AT H A P P EN S A F T ER T H E FI N A L DA N C E? Planning your honeymoon should be just as fun as planning the wedding itself. It’s a chance for you and your other half to indulge in some downtime and bask in your marital bliss before you get back to real life. Here are three dreamy destinations to consider.
Maldives
I F YO U ’ V E B EEN P I N N I N G P H OTO S O F C U T E P R I VAT E H U T S S U S P EN D ED O V ER A Q U A WAT ER TO YO U R W ED D I N G P I N T ER ES T B OA R D S I N C E F O R E V ER, T H E M A L D I V ES I S W H ER E YO U ’ L L WA N T TO G O. “The Maldives is the ultimate honeymoon escape,” says Tenele Conway, Senior Travel Consultant at helloworld Canberra Centre. “This chain of islands marooned in the Indian Ocean offers world class resorts in a setting that is arguably one of the most stunning beachscapes on the planet.”
S T AY
“Try the Sheraton Full Moon Resort starting at $415 per person per night or spend a little more to treat yourself to an oceanfront pool villa or overwater bungalow,” recommends Tenele. “Or, if ultimate luxury is your style then why not stop in at the Naladhu Maldives Resort, which offers a 30 per cent discount for honeymooners between April and October,” she explains. “Most resorts offer meal plans at an additional cost as well as private speedboat transfers to whisk you from the airport in Malé to your island paradise.” P L AY
The Maldives is renowned for its spa resorts so if a little post-wedding pampering is on the cards, be sure to check in to one of the many resorts offering spa facilities. Tenele recommends the Anantara Dhigu Resort and Spa.
“If you’re up for a little more action then be sure to check out the water sports on offer. You can take it easy with a quiet snorkel in the lagoon amongst the tropical fish and rays or take it to the next level with jet skiing, windsurfing or even paragliding.” HOW MUCH?
Canberrans can now utilise Singapore Airlines’ direct flights to Singapore and into Malé. Five night packages including return flights with Singapore airlines and five nights in a 5-star resort start at around $2500 per person. An overwater bungalow will set you back considerably more and your travel agent can guide you through what options will work with your budget to create your dream honeymoon. Packages are all seasonal and subject to availability.
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Specialising in overwater bungalows that are equipped with the highest levels of luxury, it's easy to unwind and forget about the real world for a while.
Koh Samui
LO O K I N G F O R A D ES T I N AT I O N T H AT B L EN D S B R I L L I A N T B E AC H ES W I T H A C H EEK Y S P OT O F A D V EN T U R E? I F YO U A N D YO U R B ELO V ED C A N ’ T S TAY S T I L L F O R LO N G, T H EN KO H S A M U I I N T H A I L A N D CO U L D B E F O R YO U.
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“Koh Samui is the perfect blend of beach holiday and culture,” says Tenele. “The Thai people are renowned for their service and smiles and here you’ll experience the best of Thai hospitality and food for the ultimate honeymoon bliss. “Koh Samui is one of those destinations where you can be as lazy or as active as you want, so it suits most travellers looking for a balance of tours and activities as well as down time.”
S T AY
If you’re looking to be right in the heart of the action, stay at the Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort. “Located on Chaweng Beach and starting at $450 per night for 5-star facilities, you’ll be positioned to soak in the best of the restaurants and nightlife that Koh Samui has to offer,” says Tenele. “Or if you want to escape to a private villa with your own pool then the Sala Samui Resort and Spa offers that seclusion that honeymooners crave.”
island for views out across the landscape,” says Tenele. You can also take a cooking class to learn the intricacies of Thai cuisine, head out on a kayaking trip around the islands or dive the world famous reefs and atolls. “Koh Samui is perfectly located to combine with other destinations,” says Tenele. “Why not stop over for a few nights to experience bustling Bangkok or head up into the mountain regions in the north around Chang Mai or Chang Rai?” HOW MUCH?
P L AY
The great advantage of honeymooning in Thailand is the abundance of activities on offer. “In Koh Samui, you can head out into the jungle for the day in a 4WD with a guide, swimming in waterfalls, crossing rivers and making your way to the highest peak of the
Five-night packages to Koh Samui, including return flights with Thai Airways via Bangkok, start at as little as $1200 per person. You’ll find the best deals are between April and October. All prices are seasonal and subject to availability.
Cook Islands T H E CO O K I S L A N D S I S T H E P ER F E C T C H O I C E I F YO U ’ R E LO O K I N G TO E X P ER I EN C E P R I S T I N E B E AC H ES, C R YS TA L C L E A R WAT ER S A N D P O LY N ES I A N C U LT U R E W I T H O U T T H E P R I C E TAG O F TA H I T I . Its low-key, laidback vibe and location within a five-hour direct flight from Australia makes the Cook Islands a must-do for those seeking beach beauty without the bumper cost normally associated with it.
HOW MUCH?
“The Cook Islands specialises in childfree holidays with many resorts not catering to children under 12—perfect for the honeymooner,” explains Tenele.
Be sure to take advantage of the once weekly direct flights from Sydney to Rarotonga, which gives you a six-night stay in the Cooks. If a longer or shorter stay is preferred, then flights are also available via Auckland.
For a full-service, resort-style, childfree stay she recommends checking out the Crown Beach Resort. “Located on a secluded stretch of beach and offering villa style accommodation from $600 a night, this resort is a honeymoon haven,” she says. “Or if you’d like a boutique resort where 14 beachfront areas are nestled in private gardens then you can’t go past the Little Polynesian Resort.”
A six-night stay with return Air New Zealand direct flights starts at $1300 per person. All prices are seasonal and subject to availability and there is a wide range of accommodation for all budgets. HOT TIP
P L AY
“Consider the Cook Islands for your wedding (not just your honeymoon!),” says Tenele, who was married there herself.
The main island of Rarotonga has one main road which stretches the 30 kilometres around the entire island. The locals drive at around 40km/h and it is the ideal setting to hire a convertible—which Tenele says costs around $40 per day—and hit the roads.
“We had a six-night stay in a beachfront bungalow at the Palm Grove Lodges, return direct flights with Air New Zealand, a private ceremony on the beach including a celebrant, marriage certificate, flower bouquet, flower arch, cocktails for two and a private beachfront dinner all for $3400.”
“You can pop in at local beaches, check out the restaurants dotted around the island, find hidden snorkelling spots and see how the locals live,” she says.
Tenele says it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“If a guided tour is more your style, then head out on a 4WD safari that takes you into the mountainous jungles of the inner island. A Polynesian dance and dinner with Hangi is also a must-see during your stay.”
“We didn’t come home with the massive debt of either a wedding or honeymoon. Most resorts offer wedding packages, anything from a private wedding as we did or for a wedding party and guests.” Contact helloworld in Canberra Centre for help making your way through the maze of options for Destination Weddings. (02) 6257 2222 | helloworld.com.au
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S T AY
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Runaway Bride ESCAPE TH E TR AD ITI O NAL BRI DAL FO R MU L A WITH
P H OTO G R A P H E R Kelly Tunney S T Y L I S T Peta Rudd
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THESE GORGEOUS OFF-THE- R ACK GOWNS
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Rebecca wears lace dress, $199.95 by Seed Heritage at Canberra Centre, socks, $12.95 by Witchery at Canberra Centre, heels, $89.95 by Nine West at David Jones, Westfield Woden, 'Riley' choker, $14 by Johnny Loves Rosie at ASOS.com and stylist's own ASOS sunglasses.
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Rebecca wears 'Rochelle' dress, $420 by Bronx and Banco at Momento Dezigns, bag, $89.95 by Olga Berg at David Jones, Westfield Woden, sunglasses, $59.95 by Mink Pink at David Jones, Westfield Woden and 'Navette' earrings, $9.74 by Collette Hayman at Canberra Centre.
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Rebecca wears lace top, $169.95 and lace shorts, $129.95 by Seed Heritage, Canberra Centre and stylist's own vintage earrings.
Rebecca wears veil, $165 from Annabel's Bridal Studio, 'Navette' earrings, $9.74 by Collette Hayman at Canberra Centre and top, $59.95 by Mink Pink at David Jones, Canberra Centre.
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
Rebecca wears top, $99.95 by Witchery at Canberra Centre, skirt, $99.95 by Witchery at Canberra Centre, jacket, $199.95 by Witchery at Canberra Centre, stylist's own socks, shoes, $159.95 by Basque at Myer Canberra Centre, earrings, $9.74 by Collette Hayman at Canberra Centre, Sunglasses, $89.95 by Country Road at David Jones, Canberra Centre and clutch, $99.95 by Olga Berg at David Jones, Canberra Centre. Car: Vintage MGA on loan from Andrew Palfreman.
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
Rebecca wears 'Cosmic Currents' Maxi Dress, $350 at Momento Dezigns and tassel earrings from Myer Canberra Centre.
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
THE TEAM
P H OTO G R A P H E R Kelly Tunney S T Y L I S T Peta Rudd – assisted by Emily Crabb and Maéva Navas CO N C E P T + C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N Javier Steel CO O R D I N AT I O N Belinda Neame M O D E L Becky Patterson, HAUS Models H A I R Renee Pound, Meki Hair M A K E U P Di Cheetham – assisted by Alexandra Watson LO C AT I O N Some Café, Collector S P E C I A L T H A N K S Lucy and Oliver from Some Café for the location.
Invitation inspiration P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y Tim Bean S T Y L I N G B Y Belinda Neame
A S T H E F I R S T O P P O R T U N I T Y TO F O R M A L LY A N N O U N C E YO U R W E D D I N G TO G U E S T S , I N V I TAT I O N S P R O V I D E A N I M P O R TA N T S N E A K P E E K O F W H AT ' S I N S TO R E .
Here are three gorgeous designs to get you started...
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With intricate floral and gold detail, these modern invitations are a fun and memorable way to fill guests in on all the details of your wedding day. B U T T E R S C R E AT I V E butterscreative.com
This handwritten-style font with embossed typographic lining adds texture to a pared-back but beautiful design your guests will remember. ARTFO R M E LET TERPRESS STU D I O
UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
artforme.com.au
Romantic and dreamy, we love how the rose gold foil pops against the blush backdrop on these stunning invitations. B ES P O K E L E T T E R P R ES S bespokepress.com.au
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
unveiled WEDDING EVENT UNLIKE ANYTHING THIS C I T Y H A S E V E R S E E N . T U R N T H E PA G E TO R E V E A L T H E K E Y T H E M ES T H AT W I L L B E E X P L O R E D I N B E A U T I F U L , C R E AT I V E WAY S .
P H OTO G R A P H E R Lauren Campbell S T Y L I S T Peta Rudd A R T D I R E C TO R Javier Steel
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O N 3 J U N E 2 017, W E W I L L P R E S E N T A
Modern Luxe
UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
Ariel wears the ‘Evita’ dress, $380 by Misha Collection at Momento Dezigns and stylist’s own earrings. Jordi wears shirt, $79.95 and pants, $79.95 by Industrie at David Jones, Canberra Centre and hat, $89.95 by Brixton at David Jones, Woden.
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
Garden Ariel wears ‘Don’t Wait’ maxi dress, $183.96 by Keep Sake at Momento Dezigns and tassel earrings, $80 by Natalie Alamein.
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
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Classic Romance Jordi wears shirt, $149 by Jo Black at David Jones, Canberra Centre, trousers, $250 by Jo Black at David Jones, Canberra Centre, jacket, $545 by Jo Black at David Jones, Canberra Centre, bow tie, $79 by Jo Black and Pocket Square by Jo Black at David Jones, Canberra Centre. Ariel wears matching top, pants and skirt, $2,720 by Naomi Peris Bridal SS17 and Floral Hair Garland, $14 by ASOS Weddings.
UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
Rustic Ariel wears the ‘When in Rome’ dress, $2,550 by Naomi Peris Bridal. Jordi wears shirt, $79.95 by Industrie at David Jones, Canberra Centre and pants, $79.95 by Industrie, braces, $39.95 by Buckle at David Jones, Canberra Centre and bow tie at David Jones, Canberra Centre.
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UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
Dramatic Ariel wears dress, $2,320 by Naomi Peris Bridal SS17
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SAVE THE DATE National Portrait Gallery Saturday 3 June 2017 UNVEILED AUTUMN/WINTER 2017
2PM – 10PM
THE TEAM
P H OTO G R A P H E R Lauren Campbell S T Y L I S T Peta Rudd CO N C E P T + A R T D I R E C T I O N Javier Steel CO O R D I N AT I O N Belinda Neame M O D E L Ariel Ayers and Jordi Silvera, Devojka Models H A I R Kath Ilijoski and Jessica Skokleska, 121 Hair M A K E U P Amy Capeda LO C AT I O N Pialligo Estate S P E C I A L T H A N K S the team at Pialligo Estate for the location and Tina Nikolovski, Devojka Models
Your vision, Your event, Your way 18 Kallaroo Road, Pialligo (02) 6247 6060 sales@pialligo.estate
pialligoestate.com.au