Australian Country#21.3 by Australian Country Magazine

COUNTRY AUSTRALIAN

MAY/JUNE 2018

YOUR CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE How to ... A STUNNING KEEP STAR-SPANGLED COSY THIS MANOR IN THE WINTER BARRINGTON THE LATEST TOPS IN HEATING Shush ... MUM’S THE WORD MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

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A U S T R A L I A’ S

L A R G E S T,

FA M I LY

O W N E D

C O U N T RY

C L O T H I N G

C O M PA N Y

SPOIL MUM THIS

M ot he r' s D ay S unday, 13th of May

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contents

In this issue ... in each issue 6 8 12 140 136 142 144

Editor’s letter Diary notes Baker’s dozen Out and about You beauty Off the shelf Mailbag

profiles 14

Thoroughly modern Moree After years of living in old station homesteads, Barbara and Andrew Ball enjoy the mod cons that came with a move to town

12 68

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At home in the hills A nomadic couple is lured home by the alluring hills and vast blue skies of Eumundi on Queensland’s idyllic Sunshine Coast Celebrating country From a studio on her family farm at Walcha, artist Paula Jenkins commits her love of the land of the rainbow gold to every canvas Pastiche of the past The much-travelled Brennan family and their menagerie of pets and livestock have come home to roost near Mudgee in the NSW central-western slopes Seasonal progress A grand historic property in Queensland’s Garden City thrives in the hands of a pair of scientists who have embraced its glorious past, and introduced a dramatic modern-day twist Work in progress A South Australian couple got more than they bargained for when they went looking for a little weekender to do up

76 American beauty Ele and Bruce Fraser have built an outpost of America in the NSW Barrington Tops 116 Bonding with the Bard A Shakespeare immersion is just one of many opportunities for Loreto Normanhurst drama students

gardening 86

Life in bloom Anna Vogt and Geoff Page share big dreams for the future of their ﬂower farm

travel 94

Howe amazing World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island is paradise on earth

product news 108 Heating up The best options for keeping warm indoors and out 120 Mother’s Day gift guide 138 Store strolling 146 Stockists

contents

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68 Subscribe today Receive six issues of Australian Country magazine PLUS the Home Design 2018 Annual Collector’s Edition for $52. See page 124 for more details of this fantastic offer.

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EDITOR'S LETTER

I’ve written before about the little towns that could and, as this issue goes to press, I would like to draw yourr attention to the Queensland Central Highlands community of Springsure. As the nation reeled from the shock of the tragic suicide of 14-year-old 4 ld Amy (Dolly) Everett, Springsure locals Shannon Bleakley, her partner, Dan Roberts, and a team of 200 volunteers jumped into action and organised a fundraising Doin’ It for Dolly rodeo. More than 6000 people converged on the little town, population 1100, for the event and, at the end of the day, they raised more than $175,000 for the Dolly’s Dream Foundation, established by Dolly’s family and friends to combat bullying in all its forms. If you’re as inspired by this achievement as I am, you can lend your support to the foundation by visiting facebook.com/ dollysdreamaustralia. You can also see pictures from the rodeo in our Out & About pages in this issue. We’ve again collected a bumper crop of stories for your reading pleasure. We start in NSW with a lovely townhouse in Moree and range to an outpost of the USA near Barrington Tops and a wonderful historic farmhouse at Mudgee. From Queensland, we have a revitalised house and garden in Toowoomba and, in South Australia, we’ve visited a ﬂower farm in the Adelaide Hills and a 19th-century mansion on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The cooler weather is approaching so we’ve assembled all the latest heating options and, with Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’ve created a fabulous gift guide. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have putting it together and we look forward to bringing you the next one, which goes on sale July 5.

KIRSTY MCKENZIE, EDITOR kmckenzie@universalmagazines.com.au

helping out on this issue are ... BRONTE CAMILLERI STYLIST & LOCATION SCOUT Bronte’s career began in visual merchandising for major Australian retailers, including R. M. Williams, Myer and Cue. She has been a lecturer on the subject for the tertiary education system. She has worked as overall coordinator on a range of projects from small studio propping to major photo shoots for international corporations such as Nikon, Japan and ING.

ROSS WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHER Ross has been a photographer for 30 years, shooting food, wine and commercial and residential architecture, as well as travelling overseas to shoot everything from mining projects to aircraft. He relishes the challenge of arriving at a previously unseen location and working on the best way to showcase it.

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Australian Country cover photography by Sarah Brión

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EVERY BIT EXTRAORDINARY

don't miss ...

DIARY NOTES

c omp i l e d by k i r s t y mc k e nz i e

Make a date to celebrate these diverse events around the country. M ay 1 2 - 1 3 ( N SW )

BATHURST HERITAGE TRADES TRAIL The Heritage Trades Trail provides a cultural and educational journey around ﬁve signiﬁcant heritage sites in Bathurst, Australia’s oldest inland European settlement. The event coincides with Heritage Week and showcases artisans practising rare trades, with demonstrations and exhibitions to celebrate the cultural, natural and built heritage. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a possum skin coat, bobbin lace, tuck point brickwork or shoe a horse, this is the event for you. visitbathurst.com.au

Clockwise from above: Learn heritage trades at Bathurst; taste local at Moree; the Noosa Food & Wine Festival runs across four days in May; Transitions chronicles two years in Everglades’ garden.

M ay 1 2 ( N SW ) M ay 5 - 27 ( N SW )

TRANSITIONS AT EVERGLADES The culmination of two years’ work at Everglades Historic House & Gardens at Leura in the Blue Mountains, Transitions is an exhibition and accompanying book chronicling the cycle through the seasons. Photographer Tracy Ponich has documented the changes that take place in the gardens each year with spectacular success. The event is part of the Australian Heritage Festival and is also a regional venue for Sydney’s Head On Festival for 2018. As well as Tracy’s photographs, the exhibition includes historic photos and documents including diary excerpts from Paul Sorensen, who created the garden in the 1930s. nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/transitionseverglades-historic-house-gardens

MOREE ON A PLATE May is a big month for the northwestern NSW town of Moree with the annual Moree on a Plate festival showcasing a smorgasbord of local produce. From oranges and olives to pecans and pâté, stalls will promote the food grown on the region’s rich black soil plains. Chef Ben O’Donoghue will be this year’s celebrity guest and the program will feature cooking demonstrations, tastings, live entertainment and the coveted Blokes on the Barbecue cooking competition. moreeonaplate.com.au

M ay 1 7 - 2 0 ( Q L D )

NOOSA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Join some of Australia’s best chefs, winemakers and foodies for four days of food-focused celebrations on the beachfront at Noosa. Colin Fassnidge, Kirsten Tibballs, Christine Manﬁeld and Giovanni Pilu will be among the chefs cooking up a storm in local restaurants and the program also includes a long lunch on Hastings Street, tipi events on Main Beach and produce and brewery trails. noosafoodandwine.com.au

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don't miss ... M ay 2 0 - 2 5 ( N O R FO L K I S L A N D )

NORFOLK ISLAND COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL Troy Cassar-Daley and Shannon Noll head the lineup at the 25th annual Norfolk Island Country Music Festival. Expect performances in some truly spectacular locations during the festival, which will also highlight performances by the Topp Twins, Dennis Marsh, Travis Collins, Mason Hope, Fanny Lumsden and En Tranzet. norfolkislandcountrymusic.com

M ay 26 - 2 8 ( Q L D )

OPERA IN THE CAVES The stunning setting of Capricorn Caves’ Cathedral Cave just north of Rockhampton provides nearperfect acoustics for a weekend of performances by four singers and a pianist. A lucky audience of maximum 90 gets to hear popular operatic arias and a dash of musical theatre on a program which is repeated three times during the weekend. undergroundopera. com.au

longest-running arts events in NSW, this year celebrates its 61st year. Activities will include art and photography exhibitions, short story and verse competitions, a colourful street procession, children’s rides, street entertainment including busking and live music, a car show and a group photo of everyone with Henry in their name. henrylawsonfestival.com.au

J u n e 1 0 - 1 1 ( V I C)

RUTHERGLEN WINERY WALKABOUT Thousands descend on Rutherglen every Queen’s Birthday long weekend for one of Australia’s biggest wine festivals. Winery Walkabout is a great way to get to know the 19 winemakers of Rutherglen and their distinct offerings with wine tastings, live music, entertainment, tours and markets. Food trucks, masterclasses, buffet breakfasts and dinners showcase the talented winemakers of the region and highlight their ﬁnest drops including the Muscat and Durif for which they are famous. winerywalkabout.com.au

J u n e 1 ( V I C)

ICE PLUNGE

Clockwise from right: The Ice Plunge at Falls Creek; Opera in the Caves at Rockhampton; Norfolk Island Country Music Festival; sheep shearing at the Henry Lawson Festival at Grenfell; Rutherglen Winery Walkabout; Bathurst Winter Festival.

Join Falls Creek locals as they take the plunge into Rocky Valley Dam to celebrate the ﬁrst day of winter, and pay homage to the snow gods for a good season ahead with the annual Ice Plunge. All entrants receive a token to commemorate their bravery (or insanity) and there are also prizes for those who take the plunge in fancy dress. The Falls Creek SES will be on hand with a fundraising barbecue to warm participants up. fallscreek.com.au/events

J u n e 7 - 1 1 ( N SW )

HENRY LAWSON FESTIVAL Grenfell is the birthplace of Henry Lawson, one of Australia’s best-loved poets and a writer of short stories. One of the

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J u ly 1 5 - 2 2 ( N SW )

BATHURST WINTER FESTIVAL Held in the heritage CBD of Bathurst, the festival is a showcase of all that is vibrant and creative in the region. Test drive the outdoor ice rink and rides during the day and, at night, enjoy beautiful food, mulled wine and other winter treats. bathurstwinterfestival.com.au Let us know about your forthcoming event by writing to us at Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670 or emailing kmckenzie@ universalmagazines.com.au.

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OUR COUNTRY HOME

Thoroughly modern Moree After years of living in old homesteads, Barbara and Andrew Ball enjoy the mod cons that came with a move to town. By Georgina P oole, photogr aphy Ken Br a s s

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OUR COUNTRY HOME

Clockwise from below: An outdoor entertaining area with summer shade; classic black and white tiles on a side verandah.

A western NSW farmer who can talk furniture designer Mark Tuckey as confidently, and passionately, as agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere, Moree’s Andrew Ball is fascinatingly contrary. Pinterest, his go-to for inspiration, reveals expertly curated folders on architecture and design, seamlessly co-existing with pins on rugby and cars. His large farmer’s hands swipe, and the fact that he even has a Pinterest account speaks volumes. “My mother had a beautiful eye for design and style,” he reflects. “It’s quite amazing, you never forget those things that were ingrained into your childhood.” Nestled in a leafy local street, Andrew and his wife, Barbara, have restored one of the town’s most stately properties, the type passers-by crane their necks at in anticipation of a glimpse beyond the perfectly manicured hedges and topiaries. The unusual, yet sophisticated, original rendered cement façade defies any specific era or style. While the house dates from the 1920s, its timeless appeal provides a point of difference in a region renowned for weatherboard homesteads. “We always lived in old homes where the doors wouldn’t open and shut, let alone lock,” Andrew says. “So, more than anything, we were looking for something that had solid

foundations.” After a lifetime of moves, from Jerilderie in the Riverina, East Gresford in the Hunter Valley through to Burren Junction on the NSW North West Plains, they yearned for something to sink their renovating teeth into. “In the early years, Andrew was a company overseer,” Barb explains. “So homes, and everything in them — right down to the linen — were always part of our package, and we moved frequently. We were living in the Riverina and quite out of the blue, Andrew announced that he refused to spend his whole life not owning his own bed. I was six months pregnant with our second son, Cambel, with 12-month-old son Hugh in tow, and we promptly set off to Canberra working as fencers, attempting to gain an interest in property of our own.” Their dream was realised in the Hunter Valley, where, Barbara fondly reﬂects, they were “extremely fortunate to have partnered with two exceptional people in the region to help get our start”. However, a born-and-bred Gular girl, her compass was set west, and the family, now including third son Duncan, eventually settled at Gorian, near Burren Junction, for the next 26 years. Their ultimate path to Moree 12 years ago echoed this adventurous spirit. “The inevitable day came when we decided to leave our sons to farm independently,” Barbara

“We’re definitely outdoors people, and we also love entertaining, so we’ve made sure spaces capture winter sun and summer shade.”

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OUR COUNTRY HOME

Clockwise from opposite: Ceiling-to-floor windows flood the enclosed verandahs with light; a blazing fire in the open living space; verandah musing; blonde timber furniture offsets white walls.

explains. “We had our checklist — river frontage, tennis court, pool and definitely a lifestyle block out of town — but, in hindsight, we were probably being frightfully ambitious.” The couple spent the next 18 months scouring the state’s north-west, finally settling on the Moree property. While it lacked river frontage, and the neighbours were closer than envisaged, the house ticked plenty of boxes. “The boys rang and said ‘Mum, you better have a look at the trees’,’’ Barb says. “After a lifetime of planting trees only to move again as they were establishing, the beautiful canopies of claret ash, jacaranda and ficus were very appealing.”

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With a streetscape that belies the property’s generous 1.8 acres (half a hectare), the sprawling garden is an unexpected treasure trove of delights. Repeat plantings of clipped Teucrium, lilly pilly and Murraya and avenues of Manchurian pear complement a seemingly never-ending expanse of perfectly manicured lawn — with 10 grandchildren, the Balls are conscious of providing enough lawn to kick a footy. Outbuildings, including a much-frequented guesthouse, dot the landscape, while a maze of bougainvillea-laden pergolas provides bursts of colour and structure. The couple share a love of gardening, although Barb laughs that Andrew is still a farmer at heart. “I grow hedges so he has something to trim,” she says. A sunny nook on the verandah bears tell-tale coffee-ring stains, while a paved courtyard, protected under a mature Chinese elm, begs al fresco evenings under the big Moree sky. “We’re definitely outdoors people, and love entertaining,” Barb says. “So we’ve made sure spaces capture winter sun and summer shade.” Despite finding this secluded oasis, town life took some adjustment. “I cried the whole trip to town when we moved,” Barb admits. “It was a new community and a new chapter and the first time a move felt hard — but, after 12 years, I am very settled and really love our life here.” Both highly involved in previous communities, the couple launched into local life, and Barbara found that “acquaintances soon became genuine friends”. Andrew, on the other hand, found their new urban status instantly appealing. “I love

OUR COUNTRY HOME

“I cried the whole trip to town when we moved, it was a new community and a new chapter and the first time a move felt hard — but after 12 years I am very settled and really love our life here.”

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OUR COUNTRY HOME

Clockwise from below: After years in the dusty bush, a neutral palette is a luxury; Andrew and Barb in the living area; a guest bedroom with garden views; furniture is a mix of antique and modern.

camping and travel and now we’re free to do those things,” he says. “After so many years of isolation, just ducking down the street to get a coffee is pretty exciting.” Yet the home’s dark and dated interior did little to alleviate that hemmed-in feeling the couple both felt after a lifetime on farm. With Barb’s yearning for neutrals as “white wasn’t so practical out west”, walls were removed to create open living spaces and the whole interior was painted white to create space and light. “Even now people say we need more colour,” she says. “I’m not convinced as I just love the white.”

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Ceiling-to-floor French windows flood enclosed verandahs with light, while a thoughtfully selected collection of blonde timber antiques mingles comfortably with pops of modernism. “We lived with heirlooms and hand-me-down furniture forever, so this house was an opportunity to buy on all-new furniture,” Barb says. “Although the thought of spending money on furniture mortified me.” Self-described as extremely fussy — “I have a very definite idea of what I like” — there is a glint of excitement in Andrew’s eye as he describes his preferred style: moderate minimalism. “I love modern, but it has to be done with taste and style; there is a line,” he says. Such is his interest, a number of pieces have been specifically commissioned. A custom-poured concrete outdoor setting, textural and raw, is a case in point. “We didn’t want timber,” he explains. “While modern for this house, the concrete provides a stylish focal point at the same time as withstanding the harsh Moree elements.” Acknowledging that this home does not lend itself to overt modernism, a recent purchase from Noosa has allowed the Balls to experiment. “It’s been lots of fun, but my dream is still to build a house from scratch,” Andrew says. “It would be very modern, based around function, simplicity, air and light. It’s an appreciation developed after years of living in old homesteads. They are full of character, yet often quite impractical.” And so, for a couple who retired 12 years ago, it seems like there’s little chance of the Balls slowing down anytime soon.

A COUNTRY IDYLL

At home in the hills A nomadic couple is beckoned home from a dream post in Europe by the alluring hills and vast blue skies of Eumundi, on Queensland’s idyllic Sunshine Coast. By Ta mar a Simone au, photogr a phy Ana sta si a Kari ofylli dis

Melissa and Andrew Kidd were roughly 16,000 kilometres apart when something life-changing popped into their respective inboxes. “Melissa and I emailed the same land to each other,” Andrew explains. “She’d returned to Australia a few months before me, while I ﬁnished an assignment in Frankfurt. While apart, we’d share property ideas. I was excited to see it as soon as I got off the plane.” An unbelievable coincidence or a sign from somewhere beyond, no matter how you look at it, it seemed it was meant to be. “We loved the area and had lived around here in our teenage years,” Melissa says. “So we couldn’t believe it when 22

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this block of land came up for sale.” It seemed to tick all their boxes — rural, close to the beaches of nearby Noosa and Peregian, and not too far from the Bruce Highway for Andrew’s commute to a new role in Brisbane. But the fairy-tale start to their search for a place to call home didn’t last. “My excitement turned at ﬁrst sight,” Andrew says. “The block was being sold by a couple based in South Africa and had been left untouched for nearly 10 years. It was covered in lantana, wild tobacco and other noxious weeds and resembled a jungle in parts. Fences were in disrepair and there was no obvious place for a house because of the elevation. I think others had seen too many problems and walked away. We nearly did the same.”

A COUNTRY IDYLL

Clockwise from left: Melissa and Chilly take a stroll; straight from the horse’s mouth; room for the horses was a priority; the family is spoilt for choice when it comes to picnic spots; sub-tropical plants and towering trees frame the hilltop homestead.

A bulldozer and a little imagination helped change everything. “I saw an opportunity to level a 1500-squaremetre pad that would gently ﬂow into other parts of the land, toning down its steepness,” Andrew says. They followed their instincts and bought the block and, after ﬁve days of bulldozing, their fairy-tale storyline was resurrected. “The results and views blew us away and we realised we had something special.” Andrew and Melissa met as kids in Victoria, then reconnected as teenagers. After a stint in Sydney as newlyweds, the couple moved to Munich where Andrew, who works for a bond broker, had been offered a transfer. australiancountry.net.au

A COUNTRY IDYLL

“I worked in a bilingual kindergarten and absolutely loved it,” Melissa says. “I tried to learn the language from the kids because they were open to repeating the same word again and again and giggled at you instead of making you feel intimidated.” Eventually, she learned enough German to get by, but it was giving birth to her ﬁrst child that made a foreign country feel like home for the ﬁrst time. “It was when I had Harrison that I felt like I belonged, and wasn’t just passing through,” she says. “Munich is such a beautiful city and it’s so easy to get around. We rode our bikes everywhere and would meet up for lunches at the biergartens, which, like everything else there, were not far from our unit.” 24

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After six wonderful years in Munich, the young family was on the move again, this time to London. “We lived in Clapham and had our second son, Lachlan, there in 2009,” Melissa says. But it wasn’t long before Andrew was transferred to Frankfurt and the call of home began to outweigh the excitement of their nomadic European existence. “We’d be stuck inside and freezing on grey, dreary days and seeing our friends back home post pictures on Facebook at the beach and camping and having fun in the sun,” Andrew says. “We wanted our kids to be raised in Australia,” Melissa adds. “We’re really close to our families and we wanted them growing up knowing their family.”

A COUNTRY IDYLL

Clockwise from left: The exterior of the home is inspired by the flat-roofed abodes of the Mediterranean; raffia hat at the ready; succulents and candles contribute to the coastal country vibe; a horse print by Kara Rosenlund welcomes guests at the entry.

But their years overseas left a big impression and Andrew was keen to draw on European architecture in building their new home on the spectacular piece of land they’d so fortuitously come to own. “When travelling to Mediterranean islands, I loved the square, white, parapetroofed houses and terraces,” he explains. “I needed to compromise a little on design because south-east Queensland’s weather means you need shade and to be prepared for big rainfalls.” A builder helped him nut out the design and, after 15 months, their new home was complete. It’s perched on a rise surrounded by verdant valleys with dramatic mountain outcrops. A sparkling inﬁnity pool australiancountry.net.au

A COUNTRY IDYLL

boasting enviable 180-degree views is the perfect place to soak it all in during Queensland’s generous summer. Inside, Melissa has created a country-luxe vibe with subtle nods to the nearby coast. “I love lots of layers and textures, lots of neutral tones and the rawness of natural timbers and the feeling of calm it invokes,” she says. With homemade cushions and paintings and lots of upcycled treasures and inherited pieces, Melissa can take credit for the special blend of ambience and warmth that attracts plenty of visitors to their home. “I love how our house can handle a lot of people at once,” 26

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A COUNTRY IDYLL

Clockwise from left: A canvas by Melissa hangs in the living area, beside a picture window framing the incredible hinterland backdrop; vintage blends with contemporary; sky and sea; a macramé wall hanging from beachsafarico.bigcartel.com in the family room; the outdoor dining area; Melissa likes to entertain and the kitchen works well.

she says. “It’s light and open, so the kids can ﬂow in and out very easily. A great day at home for us is having friends or family over and letting the kids roam the property and explore while the adults sit around a ﬁre and enjoy a lovely glass of wine.” On the day Australian Country visited, horses Chilly and Possum were happily grazing near the houseyard, as Harrison and Lachie whizzed down the long hall on their hoverboards to the patio for a game of foosball with Andrew. With 14 acres (5.6 hectares) around them, it never matters how rowdy it gets. australiancountry.net.au

A COUNTRY IDYLL

Clockwise from above right: Melissa has styled Lachlan’s room with mementos from his birth city, London; a neutral palette in the master bedroom; a guest room styled to perfection with upcycled furniture and inherited linens; foosball fun for Andrew, Harrison and Lachie; light and airy spaces prevail throughout the entire house.

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“Mount Cooroy and Mount Eerwah are directly in front and behind the house,” Andrew says. “To the south-east, we see Mount Coolum and Mount Ninderry. There is also a little water glimpse where we can see ships travelling over the horizon.” All this is a world away from their tiny abodes in some of Europe’s most bustling cities, but Andrew and Melissa couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “I love looking out to the cows and horses in the paddocks,” Melissa says. “The boys have a lot of space around them to be able to roam safely — whether they’re making cubbies, playing in trees, making mudslides or riding their motorbikes.” Andrew sums it up simply: “Home is a retreat. There’s always something to do.”

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Extra-large Night Bloom macramé wall hanging, $485.22, homevibes.com.au, 0402 154 723

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X Frame rose quartz coffee table, $1800, fentonandfenton.com.au, (03) 9533 2323

Allana two-seater sofa, $799, amartfurniture.com.au

Hammer & Thread Delta ottoman stool, $159, upcyclestudio.com.au, (02) 8937 0926

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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Celebrating country From a studio on her family farm at Walcha, artist Paula Jenkins commits her love of the land of the rainbow gold to every canvas. By Ki rst y McKenzi e, photogr a phy Ken Br a s s

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This Thi hiss page: page g : Whenever Whenev Whe n er it’ss possible, poss o iblle, os Paula Pa aula likes au likes to paint paint her landscapes lan la andsc ds ape p s outd o outdoors. utdoo oorrs. Op Opp Opposite: osite: osi te: A work byy herr mentor, ment entor or, or Piers Pieers Dudley-Bateman, Du ley Dud le -Ba Batem Ba teman man, has h pride prride id off place p ace in pl the lilivi living vin ng room. room om.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Clockwise from opposite: A broad verandah encircles the house and provides display space for Paula’s paintings; the pot belly stove is much appreciated during the chilly Walcha winter; Paula’s works, View from Waroo II and Into the Gorge, are both painted in oil on board.

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When it comes to nurture versus nature, Paula Jenkins is adamant: her career as an artist is due to equal measures of both. If she hadn’t grown up in the country, and been lucky enough to spend seven formative years living on the historic Camden Park property founded by the pioneering Macarthur family, she would never have had the freedom to ride horses, explore her talents and express her deep love of the land by sketching trees, landscapes and historic buildings. Then the nurture side kicks in by attending the proactively arts-focused Frensham School, where she studied three-unit art and honed her skills with brushes and paint. Plus there’s an important childhood friendship with ﬂamenco dancer Deya Giner, niece of the celebrated artist Piers Dudley-Bateman, who became a mentor to her, and alongside whom she spent a pivotal sojourn painting at his Spanish home in the region of Andalucia. These days, Paula works from a studio at the home she shares with her agronomist husband, Nick, their two children, Ella, aged nine, and Julian, who is eight, and a menagerie of livestock and animals on a farm near Walcha in the New England region of NSW. She is represented by Walcha Gallery of Art and the Moree Gallery, and devotes much of her spare time working towards exhibitions. Her next will be a solo show at Tamworth’s Weswal Gallery opening on June 22. “Nick and I met at Hawkesbury Agricultural College where I was studying environmental management

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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

In 2013, Paula entered one of her works in the Walcha Show and was delighted when she won its Grand Champion art award.

Clockwise from opposite: Colourful patchwork quilts on the iron beds and a rustic desk add a creative country ambience in Julian’s bedroom; succulents thrive in the filtered verandah light; Paula’s paintings, Sundown Country and Across Waroo I, are both oils on board.

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and cultural tourism,” Paula explains. “Prior to this, I came to a fork at the end of school and had to decide between an environmental career or art. So I took the more traditional route and ended up with a career in event management, marketing and graphic design. In 2007, Nick and I travelled overseas and backpacked through South and Central America, Europe, Turkey and the UK. Nick grew up in Armidale, so it wasn’t such a big move to Walcha when we returned home in 2008. He now has his own agronomy business consulting on livestock and pasture management. Then, in 2012, my father passed away, and I was drawn back to painting, immersing myself in it as a means of therapy.” In 2013, Paula entered one of her works in the Walcha Show and was delighted when she won its Grand Champion art award. An invitation to exhibit followed soon after, and this gave Paula the courage to give up her day job and pursue her art full-time. She counts herself fortunate to have undertaken an art, place and culture workshop in central Australia, camping with remote aboriginal communities and immersing herself in the colours and culture of the vast Red Centre. Yet another of her deﬁning periods occurred in 2002 when she was lucky enough to spend time working with the late Piers Dudley-Bateman, a family friend and an acclaimed Australian landscape artist, at his studio in Casarabonela near Málaga in southern Spain. “As a young artist it’s important to have someone to discuss your work with,” she says. “I will forever be grateful for Piers’ interest in and support of my career. Then last year, I

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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

“I enjoy the process of applying paint in various tones, then scraping back and reapplying to create depth in layers and colours.”

Clockwise from above: Good, wholesome food is one of Paula’s passions; the family Labrador is a faithful studio companion; Paula’s love of the Central Australian landscape inspires her preference for a warm palette with lots of feminine pinks and reds and this gouache on rag paper work called Fowlers Gap Study I is a case in point.

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was lucky enough to join a week-long field trip to Fowlers Gap north of Broken Hill. This truly was a life-changing experience and it had yet another big impact on my style. Leading up to a major solo show, I was determined to produce works for it out there. In the end, I was able to complete 12 works on paper.” These days, she works predominantly in oils and finds herself attracted to the warmer palette and more feminine colours. “Perhaps this stems from my love of the central interior and the beautiful shades of pinks and oranges that radiate within those landscapes,” she says. “I enjoy the process of applying paint in various tones, then scraping back and reapplying to create depth in layers and colours. I often start with more detail and then begin eliminating until it feels resolved.” When she’s not painting, assisting with the beef cattle she and Nick run, and dedicating time to the children, Paula’s passions are in the garden and kitchen. She loves creative cooking and good, wholesome food and is a proud founder and committee member of the Walcha Farmers’ Market. “Everything comes from within a two-hour radius of Walcha and it’s great to see the amazing variety of produce that comes from our region,” she says. “The markets are operated completely by volunteer supporters and, five years down the track, we are going from strength to strength. We even won an Australia Day award last year. Walcha is an incredibly creative community and it’s wonderful that it offers so many outlets and opportunities for everyone to express themselves.”

Moorabool Antique Galleries offers Australia’s largest range of Genuine Antique Ceramics, as well as a large stock of Victorian, Georgian, and earlier quality Furniture, Silver, Old Sheffield Plate, Glass, Textiles and Artworks. There is also an Antiquities department, and a fascinating display of Natural History and Tribal artifacts. At any given time there will be in excess of 7,000 items on display.

AT HOME WITH HISTORY The Brennan children know the drill. It just wouldn’t be a weekend in the country without a couple of property inspections. So when the Sydney University health sciences professor, Patrick, and his wife, Elizabeth, headed to Mudgee for a weekend getaway, their children, John, Beth, Anna and Eoin, knew it would involve a few real estate windows. “There was a collective eye roll when I suggested we look at another place,” Elizabeth recalls. “That was when the agent showed us Melrose Park. I could tell the moment Patrick stood on the verandah and looked down the drive that he was interested.” That was January 2015 and by May the Brennans had packed up the goods and chattels that filled their previous historic home, Kelvin, at Bringelly on Sydney’s south-western periphery and made the move to the 250-acre (101-hectare) property nestled at the base of Mount Frome eight kilometres from Mudgee township. Eagle-eyed readers of Australian Country will recall that we first met the Brennans when we profiled the heritage-listed Kelvin back in 2016 four years after they had arrived in Australia from the UK. By that stage, the self-confessed serial renovators were on their third property in Australia, having previously honed their skills on a farmhouse in Ireland, a Victorian terrace in Dublin, a Georgian house in England and a 15th-century villa in Tuscany. “It wasn’t that we didn’t love Kelvin, but Bringelly was getting built out and of course the best thing about Australia is the opportunity to have space around you,” Elizabeth explains. “I’ll never forget the move. We were in a convoy of three

Pastiche of the past The much-travelled Brennan family and their menagerie of pets and livestock have come home to roost near Mudgee in the NSW central-western slopes. By Kirst y McKenzi e, photogr aphy Ken Br a s s

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AT HOME WITH HISTORY

Clockwise from this page: Double cedar doors open to the entrance hallway; ragged finishes complement antiques in the dining room: Elizabeth and Patrick with Anna and Eoin, who go to school in Mudgee.

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AT HOME WITH HISTORY

Clockwise from opposite: The master bedroom opens to the front verandah; a work by Mudgee artist Warwick Behrens in the casual dining area; the drawing room; another aspect of the drawing room.

three cars with all the family plus two cats and three dogs and a removals truck. At that stage, Patrick had a vintage car and a Porsche, which he had to nurse up the dirt road. Of course, now we’re Toyota people. But the things we loved at the outset, the unsealed road, the fact that the only traffic on the road were cattle and the sweeping views, remain big attractions.” The history of Melrose goes back to Mudgee’s earliest days and the property can claim association with many of the district’s founding families, including the Bowmans, Cadells, Baylys and Bells. The homestead is situated on the northern side of the Cudgegong River and overlooks rich alluvial plains to the south and west. The land was ﬁrst granted to currency lad William Bowman in 1835. Already a substantial landholder in the Bathurst region, he received the 960 acres (388 hectares) on the condition that he clear and cultivate 70 acres (28 hectares) or spend £150 on improvements. He went on to acquire considerably more land in the district and served in both the NSW Legislative Council and Assembly. William’s only surviving child, Ann Catherine, subsequently married Thomas Caddell, and Melrose homestead was built in 1879 as a wedding present for their third son, William Bowman Cadell, when he married Sarah Bayly, of the neighbouring property, Havilah. Upon William and Sarah’s deaths, the property moved into the Bell family adding yet another notable pioneering connection. From 1927 to 1965, the Short family became the custodians and they in turn sold it to Dr Brian

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Haynes, who renamed it Melrose Park. Dr Haynes and his son, Warwick, invested considerable effort and dollars upgrading the homestead during their 20-plus-years’ tenure. When Chris and Robyn Gilbey took over in the late ’80s and established a deer farm on Melrose, they hired Terry Sciﬂeet to manage it. When Sydney consultants Michael and Anjo Tarte became the new owners in 1994, Terry stayed on and he now helps Elizabeth and Patrick look after the property, marking more than 30 years’ continuous connection with the farm. “Terry looks after everything practical,” Elizabeth explains. “We couldn’t have achieved half the things we have

AT HOME WITH HISTORY

“Terry looks after everything practical. We couldn’t have achieved half the things we have without his help.” australiancountry.net.au

AT HOME WITH HISTORY

One silo now serves as a living and dining space, the next as an open sleeping space with four beds and the third is a combined bathroom and washroom.

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AT HOME WITH HISTORY

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AT HOME WITH HISTORY

Clockwise from opposite: The sleeping space in the guest silo; the dining silo; the ablutions silo enjoys views across the plains to Mount Frome.

without his help. I have these bright ideas and Terry works out how to make them a reality.” In the relatively short time since the Brennans arrived, they have converted a former dairy into self-catering accommodation and repurposed three silos as a glamping venue. One silo now serves as a living and dining space, the next as an open sleeping space with four beds and the third is a combined bathroom and washroom. There’s an undercover barbecue and a huge ﬁrepit surrounded by tree stump seats for enjoying marshmallow toastings under the blazing night sky. When Australian Country visited, Terry and Elizabeth were up to their elbows in their latest project, converting a former cow and shearing shed into a function space for daughter Beth’s upcoming wedding. “It’s times like this that you really realise what a wonderful community Mudgee has,” Elizabeth says. “The town itself is gorgeous, no traffic lights, no mall, but with lots of coffee shops and dining options. That’s because the two main industries are wine and mining so both sectors demand a level of amenity that you won’t get in other towns of similar population. Tourism is growing off the back of that, and the district is emerging as a wedding destination.” The homestead is typical of many of its period, designed around a U-shaped courtyard, which contains a large well and vine-canopied shade structures for protection from the harsh summer sun. Impressive cedar double

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AT HOME WITH HISTORY

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AT HOME WITH HISTORY

Right: Forty-four gallon drums make unusual supports for the bench in the converted silo.

doors at the front entrance lead to a central hallway, with a master bedroom, bathroom and study on one side and a drawing room and dining room on the other. Shuttered French windows open to the verandah that protects this main building, and two service wings run along either side. One now contains the kitchen, family dining room and a couple of guest rooms, while the matching wing contains more bedrooms and bathrooms. The entire house is built from bricks ﬁred on-site and original features include marble ﬁreplaces imported from Italy, stone sills and a bell system once used for summoning servants. “As with any old property, there are always areas that need attention,” Elizabeth says. “We’ve tried to create a family home that is respectful of its history without being a slave to it.” While Elizabeth bases herself at Melrose and the two younger children attend school in town, the adult children spend weekends and holidays on the property and Patrick divides his time between the farm, Sydney and wherever his research takes him. The whole family continues to enjoy holidays in Tuscany, where they have recently bought and are renovating an 18th-century villa. “It wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t have a project on the go,” Elizabeth says. “For now, though, we couldn’t be happier with our home in the country and the lifestyle it affords.” For more information on the accommodation, visit airbnb. com.au/rooms/14760424 and airbnb.com.au/rooms/9064313.

Fresh, Luxurious, Peaceful Three beautiful guest rooms, bath tubs, open ﬁre and salt water pool.Delicious breakfasts. An acre of gardens just an easy stroll to town.

Relax, unwind, enjoy. 1 Bombira Ave, Mudgee NSW 2850 Telephone: (02) 6372 9005 Mobile: 0438 940 398 stay@birchesmudgee.com.au www.birchesmudgee.com.au

Country Creative Promotion

Home comforts The Comfort Inn Aden Mudgee offers everything you’d expect at home with the added bonus of staff to take care of every whim. udgee’s reputation for ﬁne wine was uppermost in Patrick Brennan’s mind when the opportunity to move to town to run the Comfort Inn Aden Mudgee motel presented itself. While the lure of ready access to labels such as Poet’s Corner, Wild Oats and Huntington Estate may have been what brought Patrick and his wife, Sonya, to town just over a year ago, he says closer inspection has revealed many more reasons for wanting to stay there. “I have been amazed by the way the community works together,” the veteran of more than 30 years in the hospitality industry adds. “Mudgee really is an object lesson in how the resources sector can gel with tourism. The town offers benchmark food and wine experiences, fantastic festivals, every conceivable outdoor activity and one of Australia’s best country sports venues in the Glen Willow Stadium. It truly has something for everyone, from the mine worker, winery hand and local business owner to the sales rep, wedding guest, tourist and traveller passing through.” At the Comfort Inn Aden, visitors have the option of motel accommodation in 46 motel rooms, most of them

recently upgraded, and seven fully self-catering two-bedroom townhouses. The venue also boasts a function centre, an outdoor pool in landscaped surrounds with an undercover barbecue area and breakfast and dinner served in the Palate restaurant. Alongside traditional favourites including duck risotto, lamb shanks and chicken parmigiana, Palate’s menu offers a nod to the motel’s South African owners, with a specials list that includes chicken sosaties, boerewors sausage, lamb bredie and braaied pork ribs. “A local butcher makes the boerewors and we smoke the pork ribs on the premises before ﬁnishing them on the char grill,” Patrick explains. “While we use authentic South African spices and chutneys, we try to source all our fresh produce locally. We’ve been mindful of thinking beyond the motel restaurant mindset to offer a casual family dining experience that will attract locals as well as house guests.” The drinks list in the restaurant and bar follows the home-grown philosophy, with all wines sourced within a 10-kilometre radius of town, locally made Goose cider, beers from the Mudgee Brewing Company and spirits and liqueurs from local distillers Baker Williams. “One of our hashtags is ‘there really is a place like home’,” Patrick adds. “We try on every level to live up to that experience. From free wiﬁ and complimentary membership at a local gym to ensuring return visitors get their room of choice, we aim to provide all of the comforts of home, with a few extras. Sonya and I live on site, so this is our home, and we aim to treat all comers as family guests.”

For more information on the Comfort Inn Aden Mudgee visit adenmudgee.com.au or phone (02) 6372 1122 australiancountry.net.au

0484 004 116 | WELLSTEADSHRUBS@MAIL.COM

Award-winning drinking vinegars for cocktails, sodas and cooking.

WELLSTEAD Shrubs specialise in the hand-crafted production of SHRUBS, also known as drinking vinegars. Our shrubs are drink mixers that create intensely complex, delicious, zing-filled cocktails and sodas. For cocktails, become a ‘Bartender at Home’ by adding equal parts shrub + spirit + soda water to ice! For sodas, simply add 3 parts sparkling water to 1 part shrub for a refreshing, non-alcoholic quencher, cleanses the palate and is very refreshing.

HANDCRAFTED SHRUB MADE IN MUDGEE WITH 100% FRESH AUSTRALIAN FRUIT

wellsteadshrubs.com

nestled among the

famous Mudgee Hills 100% natural and

organic certiﬁed come visit

Vinifera Wines www.viniferawines.com.au

479 Henry Lawson Drive, Mudgee NSW | phone 02 6372 2461 | email sales@viniferawines.com.au

oriental hotel Boutique beers & ciders on tap, plus a large selection of local wines

LI VE ENTE R TAI NM EN T S ATURDAY NIGHT S Sports bar, TAB & outdoor smoking lounge

PUB S T Y LE ACCOMMODATION 3 Bedroom self contained cottage accommodation next door

I N DOOR & OU TDOOR DI N I N G & B AR SPACES Functions rooms & function menus

THE ORI KITCHEN Famous for its food the ‘Ori Kitchen’ features Aussie Grass Fed steaks & burgers, classic pizzas, ﬁsh & chips plus a wide range of Modern Australia fare Don’t miss our homemade desserts!

Corner of Lewis & Mortimer Streets, Mudgee NSW 2850 | t 02 6372 1074 | enquiries@orientalhotel.com.au

www.orientalhotel.com.au

BE A PART OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT Hangar House is a one of a kind sharing the buzz of the aviation industry with the relaxation of luxury. Each one of the 6 bedrooms and suites at Hangar House has an air of sophistication. The design combines the adaptation of the new and bespoke rooms with the touch of old. P: 02 6372 9926 E: hangarhouse@bigpond.com

WWW.HANGARHOUSE.COM.AU

‘THE MOST ELEGANT EXPRESSION OF THE MUDGEE STYLE’ GOURMET WINE TRAVELLER

$100 OFF PURCHASES OF A DOZEN OR MORE USING PROMO CODE “AUSCOUNTRY”

TAKE

AT OUR WEBSITE OR WHEN VISITING CELLAR DOOR!

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE CUDGEGONG VALLEY, HUNTINGTON ESTATE OFFERS AWARD WINNING WINES CULTIVATED WITH LOVE FROM 50-YEAR VINES.

5 STAR WINERY JAMES HALLIDAY 2012 - 2017

‘Possibly Australia's best small winery' BAREFOOT DRINKER 1800 995 931 WWW.HUNTINGTONESTATE.COM.AU

Stay on a working olive grove just 15 minutes from Mudgee

A taste of Tuscany in MudgÖ

Luxury country accomodation and farm gate store and coffee shop. Experience Karrabool’s award winning extra virgin olive oil at their boutique store and coffee shop or stay in luxury country accommodation at Blue Shed Retreat with a spa under the stars.

KARRABOOL OLIVES

0439 361 447 info@karraboololives.com.au 408 botobolar rd karraboololives.com.au

For all your soapy needs

& MUDGEE SOAPS

• Handmade Medal Winning Natural Olive Oil Soaps • Locally Sourced Olive Oil (including our own) • All Natural Colours & Scents (unscented also available) • For all types of Skin and Hair • Free from Palm Oil For more information please contact

www.feirmlee.com.au info@feirmlee.com.au | 0429 200 959

TRANQUILITY AND LUXURY IN BEAUTIFULLY ARCHITECTURED ACCOMMODATION Surrounded by vineyards and offering lovely countryside views, Owl Head Lodge features a selection of cottage and apartment accommodation close to the historic township of Gulgong and a scenic drive to the wineries of Mudgee.

OWLHEADLODGE.COM.AU 241 Bergalin Road, Gulgong, New South Wales info@owlheadlodge.com.au | 0418 675 555

Mudgee’s Parkview Hotel is one of the area’s most distinguished heritage-listed buildings, built c. 1870.

Transformed into modern luxury Delivering the true meaning of Modern Country Elegance. BOOKINGS www.parkviewhotelmudgee.com.au 02 6372 7584 | info@parkviewhotelmudgee.com.au 99 Market Street, Mudgee, NSW 2850

Just 2 minutes from town THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING FOR EVERY TASTE.

8+ AWARD-WINNING MUDGEE WINERIES

in a

Taste BUBBLES, WINES and LOTS OF PORTS from all areas of Mudgee. Our cellar door is a TASTE SENSATION on your palate! Being boutique wineries, they have no cellar door of their own, and won’t be found in bottle shops. The best wines you have probably never tasted!

“ONE STOP TASTING SHOP”

for TWO FURLONGS QUILTY WINES BLACK WINES FINDLEY ESTATE WESTCOURT WINES FURLONG WINES ROSEBANK WINES

and more...

Cnr Henry Lawson Drive & Ulan Road, Mudgee NSW 2850 P. 02 6372 2133 | E. furlongwines@bigpond.com

Mudgee's Oldest Pub

COME TO MUDGEE & STOP BY THE

SLOWFOX

A real country pub with loads of good old fashioned timeless charm dating back to the 1860's, with 60 great Mudgee Wines, 18 Top Beers & an award winning bistro (The Red Heifer) made famous for its man-size steaks and delicious roasts. Part of Qantas Travel Insiders Best Country Pubs in NSW Pub Crawl.

CELLAR DOOR TRY OUR HAND CRAFTED WINES INCLUDING OUR CRISP VIOGNIER MOUTH FILLING MALBEC & COMFORTING SHIRAZ

SLOWFOX WINES 196 BLACK SPRINGS ROAD MUDGEE

02 6373 3087 SLOWFOXWINES@GMAIL.COM

WWW.SLOWFOXWINES.COM

• Charming Country Hospitality & Service • Diverse Gastropub Dishes • Award Winning Steaks • Open Fireplaces • Beer Garden • Kids Playground • Live Music 1 CHURCH ST. MUDGEE | 6372 2183 | WWW.LAWSONPARKHOTEL.COM.AU

(fE PWFS (JSF CZ 2JQ 5VNCBL

EXPERIENCE A TRUE ‘FARM TO TABLE’ LONG LUNCH AT THE CELLAR BY GILBERT SATURDAYS FROM 1PM

$fLJOHT '\FOUJBM 02 6372 1325 thecellar@gilbertfamilywines.com.au

GILBERTFAMILYWINES.COM.AU 130 Ulan Road Mudgee NSW 2850

Tel 02 6372 6077 Email office@mudgeetravelandcruise.com.au Website www.mudgeetravelandcruise.com.au National Centre, 68 Church Street, MUDGEE NSW 2850, Australia

BROOME STAIRCASE DEPARTURE 25 SEPTEMBER 2018 - 2 OCTOBER 2018

8 DAYS EXPLORING BEAUTIFUL BROOME AND THE CHANCE TO WITNESS THE SPECTACULAR “STAIRCASE TO THE MOON”

Pricing from $3099.00 per person twin share Single supplement available on request HIGHLIGHTS Explore the colourful Chinatown precinct, learn about the ancient art of pearling and enjoy a historic sound show at the famous Sun Pictures (the world’s oldest operating open-air picture garden). Take a drive through Old Broome, viewing the old Pearling Masters homes and the aqua waters of Roebuck Bay and hearing about Broome’s One Day War. Sample hand made ales and legendary ginger beer at Matsos Broome Brewery. Visit the Japanese Cemetery and take a walk at Gantheaume point, known for it’s dinosaur footprints. Explore untouched waters on an amphibian ride, seeing colourful wildlife and perfectly preserved dinosaur tracks. Discover the journey of the Australian South Sea Cultured Pearl from shell to showroom.Cruise Willie Creek’s azure waters and view live oysters suspended in their natural environment amongst spectacular West Coast native flora and fauna.

INCLUSIONS Hotel and airport transfers, 7 nights accommodation at the Mangrove Hotel with garden view room and breakfast daily. Available touring options: • Return economy class airfares • Broome sights tour with Qantas • Broome hovercraft tour • Return airport transfers • Wylie Creek Pearl farm tour • Breakfast daily • Farewell dinner

HURRY, SPOTS ARE FILLING FAST

Escape Beauty Spa and wellbeing

An uplifting coastal inspired Escape, boasting a full service salon Menu and a mudgee to coast Day spa experience.ƤƤOwner Karina holds strong beliefs and core values of delivering both result driven treatments and achieving relaxing Escapes for her clientele. Whether you visit for a Skin concern, brow wax or some much needed R&R you will Ānd your self everytime in caring, knowledged and professional hands, immersed into a vacation from life within the beautiful oasis that is Escape.Ƥ

Oýering an array of beauty treatments, wellbeing andƤadvanced MediSpa treatments,Ƥincluding: Waxing, manicure and pedicures, spray tans, makeup, facials, lash and brow treatments, massage and body treatments, infrared sauna, dental grade teeth whitening, injectables, IPL hair reduction and skin rejuvenation, LEDƤlight therapy, and body contouring.

SKIN • BODY • DAY SPA • MEDI SPA • ESCAPE Call | 6372 6169

Email | escapebeautyspa@bigpond.com

SMS | 0413339620

| By appointment only

Parklands Resort is the ideal place for your next getaway - set on 30 acres of land and beautiful manicured gardens with a serene outlook, right on the gateway to the Mudgee wine trail where you can sample the best food and wine the region has to offer. Our rooms are very spacious and well equipped with all of the modern conveniences you need for a great stay, all rooms feature a private verandah overlooking the property where you can relax with a view. We have lots of facilities and activities to keep you busy including tennis court, swimming pool and Útness centre.

Parklands Resort & Conference Centre 121 Ulan Road, Mudgee NSW 2850 02 6372 4500 | sales@parklandsresort.com.au

WWW P WWW.PARKLANDSRESORT.COM.AU

INDOORS AND OUT

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indoors and Out

Seasonal progress A grand historic property in Queensland’s Garden City thrives in the hands of a pair of scientists who have embraced its glorious past and introduced a dramatic modern-day twist. Story & st yling by Ta mar a Simone au, photogr a phy Ana sta si a K ari of ylli dis

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INDOORS AND OUT

Clockwise from right: An atrium living area with garden views; an arch alive with blossoming wisteria welcomes guests at the front gate; the house is a grand remnant of Toowoomba’s pioneering days.

Every metre of the towering bunya pines that stand stoic at the edge of this beautiful property has seen a story. Saplings might tell of the flurry of activity back in 1888 as a four-bedroom cottage rose from the red soil. Young trees reaching skyward in an avenue of fellow pines might recall the ones that didn’t survive the decades of frost and thaw. Those that have matured as the thick-trunked guardians of this old street have silently stood witness to it all — the countless families come and gone, and the home that has grown and changed along the way. The trees were planted by Bunya Park’s original owner, prominent local timber milling pioneer, Duncan Munro, who built the house as a second home for his family of 12 in the developing regional centre of Toowoomba, on the Darling Downs. Today, the giant conifers are rooted history in the midst of an ever-evolving landscape. The home’s current custodians are Lucy and Jeremy Osborn, and their visiting children from far and wide. Lucy fell in love with the stunning property at first sight, even though they weren’t considering a move at the time. “As strange as it sounds, it was the garden that I was drawn to,” Lucy says. “After living on the side of a hill in our last two houses, I wanted a beautiful flat garden. As much as I could appreciate the beauty and history of the house, it is not what drew me to it.” The garden is where they’re often found, pruning,

australiancountry.net.au

INDOORS AND OUT

australiancountry.net.au

INDOORS AND OUT

Clockwise from right: Wisteria in spring; magnolias in autumn; an ivy-clad swing; the kitchen connects to the living space; box hedges surround a water feature; the shed makes a pretty sight on a spring morning.

planting and raking, or just enjoying any one of the many perfectly shaded spots on the lush green lawn. “Bunya Park changes with the seasons,” Jeremy, who is the resident green thumb, adds. “The camellias are spectacular in autumn and winter while the wisterias and azaleas are superb in spring. The roses come into their own in summer. I enjoy just wandering around the garden and have various plans for creating more flower beds for spring and summer colour.” Lucy and Jeremy transformed the rear of the old home in 2015, adding an expansive new kitchen and lightdrenched atrium with oversized stacker doors on both sides showcasing the garden beyond. It opens gloriously from the original hallway with its pressed tin ceilings and old pine floor, crisp white paint tying old and new together seamlessly. “The renovations that we did have changed that area of the house beyond all recognition,” Jeremy says. “They have made a world of difference to us and the house.” It’s where family gathers around the fire in winter, and where summer soirées spill out onto the brickwork patio whenever friends pop by. Theirs is a life of savouring the moments after years of quite literally putting other families first. The couple met in Melbourne working in the science and research labs at Monash University at the dawn of the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) era in Australia. “The IVF lab was located in the theatre complex, which meant we

australiancountry.net.au

INDOORS AND OUT

australiancountry.net.au

INDOORS AND OUT

Clockwise from right: Casual dining in the kitchen; the living and dining rooms boast original pressed-tin ceilings and pine floors; Lucy has built a new career styling and flipping properties.

used to wear theatre gear, paper shower caps and masks,” Lucy says. “Jeremy says he fell in love with my eyes because that’s pretty much all he could see.” Soon, they decided to branch out on their own. “In 1993, Jeremy and I decided to be entrepreneurial and start up an IVF scientist consultation service thinking that our services would be required overseas,” Lucy adds. “They were to begin with, and our travels extended from Malaysia and Rome to Qatar. But it turned out that where we were needed was in our own backyard. Couples who lived in rural areas were travelling long distances to have IVF. So we set up clinics in rural Victoria, NSW, Far North Queensland and Toowoomba.” As they were busy helping couples become parents, their own family was growing. “One of us had to stay at home,” Lucy says. “My role changed from being at the bench and travelling to organising Jeremy. He travelled for more than 45 weeks of the year and I ran the business and looked after our ﬁve children. In fact, I would arrange his schedules so he could be at home around the time our babies were due to be born.” But it all became too much, and a move out of Melbourne to one of the areas where they had a laboratory seemed more conducive to a healthier home life. Toowoomba, with its changing seasons, big country town feel and relaxed lifestyle was the perfect ﬁt. The location change sparked a career change for Lucy after she saw an opportunity

australiancountry.net.au

INDOORS AND OUT

australiancountry.net.au

INDOORS AND OUT

Clockwise from right: Elegance in black and white; the tranquil master bedroom is styled with soft white and grey; a marble vanity and black and white tiles in the bathroom continue the monochrome motif.

to start a children’s wear boutique. “I would have preferred going into homewares,” she says. “But there already was a really lovely gift shop in Toowoomba.” Lucy settled for indulging and experimenting with her natural inclination for decorating and decor in her own homes. “She certainly has a talent for visualising the layout of a room and seeing its potential,” Jeremy says. Recently, Lucy bravely set off on another career adventure — property styling — and Jeremy has again supported her all the way. She just happened to have the perfect business partner living right next door, as her savvy neighbour, Tonita, was also toying with a change. “My heart always led me towards interiors and decorating,” Lucy explains. “So when Tonita was talking about selling her hairdressing business, I asked her if she would like to get into property ﬂipping and she said ‘yes’.” And so, Outside the Square Projects was born, and the pair has been busy taking diamonds-in-the-rough and putting their stylish stamp on them for resale. “I wish I had known that I could have done that as a career,” Lucy says. “Having said that, I have enjoyed being involved in IVF since the very early days in the 1980s.” The vital work of helping to make babies aside, taking care of business these days is bliss fulﬁlled. “Meetings are held at the kitchen bench, where Jeremy usually makes a cup of tea for Tonita and coffee for me,” Lucy says. “The atrium is for Saturday afternoon glasses of wine. Tonita’s husband joins us for those meetings!”

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Garden Accessories

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Whitewick Home small concrete succulent planter, $12, thedesignedit.com.au, (03) 9013 5678

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Eva series medium planter with timber legs, $179, purplejungle.com.au, 0407 519 909

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Astrid hanging planter, $39, lorrainelea.com, 1800 641 089

Teak planters, $53$132, satara.com.au, (03) 9587 4469

Down to earth Stylish planter pots allow you to create a mobile garden, inside or out. Compiled by Fi Collins

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Plant stand in Luxe White, $55, bendo.com.au, 0403 235 539

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J. Elliott Home beaten copper metal bowl set, $65.95, zanui.com.au

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Set of three Bird and Bramble herb planters, $29.95, oxfamshop.org.au, 1800 088 455 Square cachepot, $69, jadeplus amber.com.au, (03) 9827 1901

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Kara Natural planter, $34.95, zanui.com.au, 1300 668 317

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Upcycled round rubber planter, $30-$60 upcyclestudio.com.au, (02) 8937 0926

HERITAGE ORDERS

Work in progress A South Australian couple got more than they bargained for when they went looking for a little weekender to do up on the Fleurieu Peninsula. By Kirst y McKenzi e, photogr aphy Ros s Willi a ms, st yling Br ont e Ca milleri

They say the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. And that is precisely how Jo Little and Gary Brown are going about renovating their historic home at Yankalilla. “We’d been hunting for a cottage as a bolthole from Adelaide for a while,” Jo recalls. “Then friends who knew us well phoned and said ‘we’re sitting outside your new house. It’s called Bangala’. So we jumped online and had a look. Turns out it was a massive mansion, not what we had in mind at all, but it was intriguing enough for us to go and inspect the very next day.” While Jo was smitten at the first sight of the property’s driveway, Gary was more cautious. A little fixer-upper clearly it was not. Even as serial renovators, they could see that the house alone was going to be a major exercise. There were also the detached kitchen with store room above and the servants’ quarters with an attached studio. Not to mention the almost five acres (two hecares) of parkland grounds. “My first reactions were surprise that such a property still existed and was on the market,” Mark says. “Then amazement that it was in our price range. The previous owners, artists and potters Mark and Jill Pearse, had saved it from the bulldozers when they bought it in 1979 but there was still significant work to be done. I think all the other potential buyers had been scared off by the task, but Jo and I are both dreamers and that’s a dangerous combination.” Before long Jo and Gary were the proud new owners of Bungala. Three years down the track, they’ve made significant inroads, but they say the property is still very much a work in progress. The original two-bedroom cottage was built in 1856, about the time Yankalilla was gazetted as a town, for English migrant Eli Butterworth, who ran a flour mill 68

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Clockwise from this page: A lovely outdoor dining spot under the pergola; Jo and Gary estimate they are about 60 per cent done in the main house; the original house dates from 1856.

HERITAGE ORDERS

on an adjoining property with his brother. In the 1880s, Eli’s niece, Anna, and her husband, Frederick Graham, became the new owners of Bungala and embarked on massive works that would turn the property into a stately showpiece. “Frederick was the son of John Graham, the original director and a shareholder of the Burra Copper Mine, which is often said to have saved South Australia from ﬁnancial ruin,” Gary says. “As beﬁtted a man of independent means, he added all the bells and whistles, including two wings bringing the house to 14 rooms. He also added a ballroom, fabulous lead-light windows, chandeliers and an encircling verandah and courtyard.” The Grahams were big movers and shakers in South Australian society and sponsored a number of friends including the Ayers and Rymill families to migrate to the state. Bungala House became a popular spot for country weekends and social events, which included a number of Red Cross fundraisers during WWI. (Agnes Rymill was president of the Red Cross at this time.) By the 1920s, Bungala had new custodians in the James family, who turned it into a guesthouse. The property then passed through several different owners and gradually deteriorated until the Pearses came along and saved it.

Clockwise from opposite: Most of the restoration has been DIY; the house was majorly extended in the 1880s; the stained glass dates from this era; the Grahams were movers and shakers in SA society and built a showpiece home to match their standing in the community.

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“They were made of strong stuff,” Gary observes. “Mark told me the first night they stayed there they turned the lights on and they fizzed and smelt of burning. When they called an electrician, he told them the whole place might burn down, so they moved out until the wiring was fixed. Then the night they moved back in there was a huge downpour and the ceilings leaked, so they had no choice but to move out

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HERITAGE ORDERS

again. They just kept on fixing things for their entire tenancy.” Gary has spent most of his life in Adelaide. His career in banking took a detour when he bought a coffee-roasting business, which he ran for 11 years. He met Jo shortly after she arrived from England in 2007. Both were experienced renovators but they knew they were taking on a huge task in Bungala. “I’d say we bought a diamond in the rough and now we’re in the process of cutting and polishing it,” Gary says. “Because we’ve got Champagne tastes on a beer budget, we’re very hands on. We’ve had professionals in to deal with things such as damp coursing and plumbing, but pretty much everything else, from painting, fixing the ceilings, plastering and stripping back the woodwork, we’ve done ourselves. Jo has an artistic background and she’s done a lot of the paintwork and even added faux finishes to some of the woodwork, which is quite in keeping with the style of the 1800s.” By their own reckoning, they are about 60 per cent done in the main house. The two wings are complete and as well as sharing them with visiting family and friends, they also welcome paying guests through Air BnB. The garden has also had a serious makeover as they removed many stone pines that were smothering it. “The pines were imports of no

Clockwise from opposite: Jo has a fondness for bold colours; she is also a talented artist and has done most of the painting, wall art and faux finishes herself; the house lends itself to formal dining; the Bangala homestead is grand in scale but there are still cosy corners.

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commercial value and not even good for ﬁrewood,” Jo says. “Since they’ve gone, the garden has been able to breathe and bloom. And we now have lawn where there used to be a 30-millimetre covering of pine needles.” But the property is still very much a work in progress. “This is a big place,” Gary says. “So big that we carry walkie-talkies so we can ﬁnd each other. With the

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HERITAGE ORDERS

outbuildings there are 24 rooms, so we’re working through them in stages. Stage Two is the cottage, which is on three levels and was originally the kitchen, a dairy and butcher’s shop with a grain store above. It’s a beautiful building and even has some original gas light fittings.” “In fact, we’d have been happy if we just got that when we went looking for a weekender,” Jo says. “When it’s done, it will have four bedrooms.” Stage three is the servants’ quarters. It was built as a two-bedroom cottage in the early 1900s and at one stage accommodated a family of 11. The Pearses had an old schoolroom relocated to the site for a studio. It adds up to a lot of fixtures, fittings and furniture. “We go to a lot of auctions around Adelaide and we also have made some great finds on Gumtree,” Gary says. “In a way, we’re lucky because the taste for antiques has dwindled a bit, so there are still bargains to be had. It does amaze me though that people will pay the same amount for a particle-board bookcase in a flat-pack as we pay for a genuine, hand-crafted piece of furniture.” While Jo and Gary estimate they have at least five more years of constant refurbishing in front of them, they say they are still as passionate about their enormous restoration project as they were on the day they started.

Clockwise from right: Jo and Gary have turned one wing of the house into guest accommodation; they scour auctions and Gumtree for appropriate furnishings and decorations; a guest room in the accommodation wing of the main house.

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“It’s hugely rewarding, especially when visitors admire what we’ve done and we look back on how much we’ve achieved,” Jo says. “Every time we peel off some plaster or lift a floorboard, we hope for a surprise underneath. But so far we haven’t succeeded in finding any lost diamonds or scattered pearls. That doesn't me we aren’t still living in hope of finding some lost treasure.”

162 Bungaree Road, Pendle Hill NSW 2145 Phone: (02) 9896 0109 Email: info@antiquebaths.com.au

Visit our website

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QUE BATH I T S AN SYDNEY

Traditional restorers of cast iron items in authentic Vitreous enamel Antique baths is the only company in Australia today restoring old cast iron baths and manufacturing using the traditional Vitreous (porcelain) enamel method, which has stood the test of time for over a century. The only company in Australia that can restore Heritage Listed cast iron items. With over twenty seven years in the business, this family run company prides itself on the personalised and friendly service it offers and

on the quality of its product. Clients can choose from a huge selection of baths and basins, some dating back to the 19th Century, including the rare and unusual. Antique Baths have a wide range of clientele, ranging from families with small children that love to have toys while bathing, to celebrities and professional people, from Sydney to Perth, Darwin to Melbourne, and everywhere in between.

OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY

American beauty Ele and Bruce Fraser have built a little outpost of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, not far from the verdant volcanic hills of the NSW Barrington Tops Tops. By Ki r s t y Mc K e nz i e , p h oto g r a p hy K e n Br a s s

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OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY

It’s the barns that give it away. The ﬁrst, a towering gambrel-roofed machinery shed complete with an Amish star in white, symbolising purity, the power of the moon and allowing energy to ﬂow. Which is appropriate, given that this is also the storage room for the solar gel batteries and inverters that allow Ele and Bruce Fraser to live off the grid. The second is a towering double-storeyed structure with a workshop downstairs and an apartment above, where they lived for a year while they built their “main” house. This cluster of imposing buildings that greets visitors as they drive onto the property announces to the world that you can take the girl out of America, but you can’t take America out of the girl. In fact that was precisely what Ele planned to achieve when, at the bulletproof age of 22, she got on a plane and headed as far away from her Berkshire County home and family as she could imagine to a new life in NSW. She worked whatever jobs came her way, bought a motorbike as soon as she could and started a brave new chapter competing in enduro and motocross events all over NSW. “I made so many friends through bike racing,” Ele recalls. “As it’s a sport that attracts thrill seekers, it was hardly surprising that one of my friends suggested I should also try white-water rafting on the Barrington River. And that’s how I was introduced to this area. While I was up here, the chap who hired the canoes saw me looking at real estate notices and next thing I bought 100 acres (40 hectares) on the Barrington River. I built a yurt on the property and

Clockwise from above: Ele and Bruce outside one of the barns on their Barrington property; many pieces of furniture and decorator items came from Ele’s childhood home; a bold entrance; the living area in the barn where the couple lived while they were building.

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OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY

“I’m not a matchy-matchy person, and I wanted to play with colour. So I made most of the soft furnishings and bought cheap cabinets and did them up with painted ﬁnishes.”

OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY

used it as a weekender for years.” Inevitably the property needed maintenance and that was how Ele met Bruce, who had grown up on his family’s dairy and beef cattle property nearby. “I married the fencer,” Ele recalls. “We kept the Barrington weekender for years while we lived in Sydney and built a business manufacturing and selling Jonathon Knowles clocks. Fraser had a retail shop and then gradually it became mail order and online and we started to slowly move up to Gloucester.” By 2000, Ele and Bruce had left Sydney and they sold the business in 2006, which freed them up to travel and plan their new future. “We eventually realised we wanted to live up here permanently,” Ele explains. “So we ended up buying part of Bruce’s family property up in the hills. We started with a bare paddock in 2014 and put the road in. Then we built the barns and finally the house.” The low-slung homestead was largely designed to showcase the furniture from Ele’s mother’s family home, which dates from the early 1800s. Among various antiques and collectables there’s a Shaker bench, an old cedar blanket box, a granddaughter rocker, a dining table, chests and countless decorator bits and pieces ranging from shoe lasts to grain scoops. “We worked on the design with a draughtsman and had a great time,” Ele says. “The main thing we wanted to achieve was to open the place to the beautiful landscape. But, at the same time, we didn’t want a cold house. So we built a beautiful fireplace with a motor attached to the flu to duct the heat through the house. Plus we have sliding barn doors that close off spaces and

Clockwise from above: The ground floor of the barn is now Ele’s workshop, where she restores furniture; the Shaker bench is another artefact from Ele’s childhood home; she mixes old and new pieces; the house has great connection with the rugged landscape of the region.

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OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY

keep the heat in. So our climate control system works extremely efficiently.” As do the solar panels. The Frasers were motivated to investigate solar energy when their local provider quoted them $55,000 to install three poles and the transformer needed to connect them to mains power. “That sounded like daylight robbery,” Bruce says. “Instead we invested $58,000 for 32 panels, 24 batteries, three inverters and a back-up generator. We haven’t had a power bill since and we’ve only had to run the generator once in the two years we’ve had it.” Ele is fond of inspirational quotes and has stencilled some of her favourites onto the stairs leading to the upper storey of the barn. One of them reads: “Mediocrity doesn’t just happen — it’s chosen over time through lazy and small choices day by day.” Following this mandate, Ele threw herself into a DIY frenzy when it came to decorating the house. What she couldn’t ﬁnd in stores or online, from pelmets and cushions to curtains and rugs, she made. “I’m not a matchy-matchy person,” she says. “And I wanted to play with colour. So I made most of the soft furnishings and bought cheap cabinets and did them up with painted ﬁnishes.” These days, the only cattle on the property are agisted, mainly to keep the grass down, and Bruce spends more time on the golf course than a tractor. Semi-retired the Frasers may be, but that doesn’t mean they’ve slowed down. There’s always some new trip on the horizon, garden bed to plant or landscaping project to accomplish. Ele keeps up a hectic pace, restoring old furniture, making soft furnishings, gifts and decorator items. Visitors are frequent and there’s plenty of room for guests in the homestead and the barn apartment. “I don’t have a bike any more,” Ele says. “I’ve had lots of fun and met many wonderful people. But if I fell off now, it would ruin it all. Besides, I’ve got two new knees to look after.” While Ele says this is their forever home, she adds that she can’t rule out another building project or two. She points to another of the quotes on the barn stairs: “Life is change, growth is optional. Choose wisely.” You can’t help but feel that there’s just too much barn-star energy there for Ele and Bruce to sit still for long. 84

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Clockwise from above: Cool greens in a guest bedroom; extensive glazing in the master bedroom continues the connection to the landscape; even the bathroom has outdoor views.

Life in bloom When Anna met Geoff, it was strictly professional — he was a small-scale farmer in the Adelaide Hills and she was his employee. they shared a love of flowers and now they share a daughter and big dreams for the future of their flower farm. By Ta mar a Simone au, photogr a phy S ar ah Bri ón

Opposite: Anna and Geoff try to farm as naturally as possible so compost is their main fertiliser and they do a lot of hand weeding. Above: A beautiful bucket of poppies.

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OUR COUNTRY LIFE

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Anna Vogt isn’t afraid of a challenge. It’s a bonus for brides who seek out the talented floral stylist for her signature old-world-meets-bohemian bouquets and, as anyone on the land knows, it’s an essential trait for farming life. “When I started to be interested in floral design, I wanted to grow all the varieties and colours that are good for designing and also wholesaling to wedding florists,” she says. “My aim is to grow everything I could possibly ever want to work with, and never have to buy anything extra.” She knows it’s ambitious but, with up to 150 different flower species and dozens of varieties of each currently growing on the farm she shares with her partner, Geoff Page, they’re well on their way. “An added challenge is the limited availability we have in Australia for many varieties, so there’s a lot of clever sourcing involved,” Anna adds. Geoff and Anna first met in 2011, when Anna was working itinerantly at farms around the country. Geoff was farming sheep, and winter and spring bulb flowers, and Anna was hired to help. She moved on after five months, working elsewhere, but the pair stayed in touch until 2013 when Anna was back at Gooseberry Hill Farm to stay. Nestled between Meadows and Echunga, only about five of their 100 acres (40.5 hectares) are devoted to flower farming, but it accounts for close to 100 per cent of their time. “It’s more like a really big garden,” Anna says. “We do a lot of hand weeding, as the weeding never stops. We use natural composts as our main fertiliser and that’s mostly being put out with a shovel and barrow. One of our

Clockwise from right: When Anna first arrived on the farm, Geoff was growing spring bulbs and now they have up to 150 species and dozens of varieties of each; Anna’s lofty ambition is to grow every flower she’d ever want to work with and never have to buy extras.

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OUR COUNTRY LIFE

“We grow many of our flowers from seed, and that is quite satisfying — to tend something all its life.”

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big dreams is to be able to afford a small tractor one day.” It makes for an incredibly busy existence, especially since little Juniper entered their world in 2014, but the couple seems to thrive on hard work. “The reward is in the flowers we grow,” Anna says. “I never tire of seeing a beautiful bloom in the garden, and finally getting the first flower on a variety you’ve been dreaming of for years. Just being outdoors and working with nature most days is also wonderful.” Juniper happily laps up life on the farm, helping Anna seed and water during the week and joining Mum and Dad at farmers’ markets on weekends. “We sell our flowers and also vegetable seedlings and potted herbs and fruiting plants that we grow,” she says. “So on Fridays, we get ready for that — bunch up the flowers, make up market bouquets, select seedling stock, pack the van.” Recently, the industrious pair added a farm-gate shop at Gooseberry Hill as well. “We’ve seen it happening in the food world and with cellar doors,” Anna says. “I am hopeful that flowers are next in line, and people are starting to see the difference between flowers grown organically in the open air and mass produced, greenhouse-grown blooms. We small growers are also playing an important role in bringing the old-fashioned heirloom varieties back. Just as with vegetables, for a long time breeders have focused on breeding for vase life, uniformity and ease of transport, at the cost of fragrance, beauty and character. They have bred the life and soul out of the flowers and are now trying to breed them back in.” Style-savvy brides may well be leading the trend towards the perfectly imperfect blooms nature offers, with high demand for bouquets that have a more foraged feel.

Clockwise from right: Anna has recently opened a farm-gate flower shop at Gooseberry Hill and locals are keen to use her flowers for functions and weddings; little Juniper seems to share her parents’ love for flowers and happily accompanies them to farmers’ markets.

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“I never tire of seeing a beautiful bloom in the garden, and finally getting the ﬁrst ﬂower on a variety you’ve been dreaming of for years. Just being outdoors and working with nature most days is also wonderful.”

OUR COUNTRY LIFE

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OUR COUNTRY LIFE

Anna’s floral styling captures the essence of whimsical romance, and she delights in using rare and delicate varieties she and Geoff have nurtured from seedlings. “People are rediscovering heirloom carnations and chrysanthemums, for example, which are entirely different to what we have known for a long time to be available at the florists,” she says. “Some of these heirlooms may be too fragile to be shipped, so you have to source them locally. If we have surplus flowers, I often use those to naturally dye silks and ribbon for my wedding work.” As they set out at the crack of dawn to tend their beautiful crops, Anna and Geoff’s biggest dilemma isn’t the pests, or the oppressive heat, or frost. It’s quite possibly picking a favourite flower. “I love them all,” Anna says. “I do have a very soft spot for roses, though, because they have it all — so incredibly beautiful, fragile and fragrant. I also love everything that’s climbing, twining and rambling. And foxgloves, of course. They are so majestic and reminiscent of fairy tales and ancient plant lore. Geoff is rather partial to Dutch iris, though I much prefer the bearded ones. They are so feminine and stately and come in amazing earthy colours that are quite unusual in the flower world. Some of them are also fragrant, which is always a bonus.” It’s an endless, but delightful debate on a patch of dirt that vibrantly comes to life with the ebb and flow of the South Australian seasons. “I wouldn’t change it if I could,” Anna says. “And we have so many big and exciting plans for the next years.” You can follow Anna’s life and work on her Instagram @gooseberryhillflowers.

Clockwise from right: A bunch of irises illustrates Anna’s dream to educate the buying public about the world of difference between farm-grown and hothouse flowers; she says she loves anything that climbs and rambles and building bouquets not seen in most florists.

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1949

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2017 For over 68 years our company has been evolving. Starting out as sugar cane farmers; we have developed, experimented, innovated and grown to create premium, professional and sustainable products. It’s time for us to Keep Growing... Watch this space in 2018

ESCAPE ROUTES

Howe amazing With 350 permanent residents and a limit of 400 visitors at any given time, World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island is indeed paradise on earth. By Ki rst y McKenzi e, photogr a phy Ken Br a s s

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ESCAPE ROUTES

Clockwise from opposite: The island’s twin peaks, Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower loom large over the lagoon; pushbike is the preferred mode of transport through the lush green landscape; the rocky cove of Old Gulch is a short walk from North Bay.

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It’s an established fact that people who honeymoon on Lord Howe Island invariably return to celebrate their important wedding anniversaries there. Generations of families spend their Christmas holidays at the same resorts every year and they bring their families and friends to witness their significant-decade birthdays as well. That’s because Lord Howe, an 11-kilometre-long dot in the South Pacific 660km east of Port Macquarie, is the kind of destination you want to share only with your closest family and friends. It’s a precious patch of paradise that you want to keep to yourself to ensure that it’s preserved forever. Flying into this World Heritage-listed island just shy of two hours by air from both Sydney and Brisbane, the first land you might sight is Balls Pyramid, a 550-metre spearhead of sheer basalt cliffs. It’s best known as a diving and fishing haven and for the small colony of phasmids (giant stick insects), previously thought to be extinct, that was found there in 2001. A few minutes and 26km to the north is the island proper with the cloud-shrouded twin peaks of Mount Lidgbird (777m) and Mount Gower (875m) and the calm waters of the lagoon protecting the world’s southernmost reef. Then there’s the overwhelming sense of being enveloped by green, from paddocks of lush, green pasture to the carefully mown roadside verges and the natural forests where more than 100 endemic plants, including the kentia palm, grow. But Lord Howe is not just physically beautiful; its 350 or so residents also enjoy a lifestyle that should be World Heritagelisted as a rare and diminishing resource. Visitors to the island are limited to 400 at a time, there are only 19 accommodation options and most of them are family-run. Pushbike is the main method of transport and the limited number of cars — only one per dwelling — are restricted to a 25kph speed limit. No one locks their doors, there are no pubs on the island and the nightlife consists of a quiet dinner at a resort or a fish fry at the bowling club. Just about everything, from the drinks you consume at the resort bars and the golf clubs and balls you hire at the nine-hole course to the snorkeling gear at the beach, is paid for on an honour system: put your money in the box and someone collects it later. Swimming, fishing, snorkeling, diving, bushwalking and birdwatching are

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ESCAPE ROUTES

To buy property, you have to be a local — that is, born on the island, or a resident for at least a decade. The locals take their role as custodians very seriously.

Clockwise from opposite: More than 130 bird species live on, or visit, Lord Howe and 14 seabirds nest there; Brendan Kong is working to restore Thornleigh Farm to full production; Thornleigh’s chickens keep locals in eggs; there are walks for all abilities.

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the main activities, unless you count the twice daily arrival of the plane and the launch of the weather balloon from the meteorological station where visitors are welcomed. To buy property, you have to be a local — that is, born on the island, or a resident for at least a decade. The locals take their role as custodians very seriously. Apart from the usual council duties of maintaining the airport, power station, fire tender, SES, hospital, waste recycling, parks and reserves and keeping firewood stacked beside all the barbecues, the Lord Howe Island board, with four islanders and three governmentappointed mainlanders elected for three-year terms, regulates all tourism and development. They voted not to have mobile phone coverage, they decide what kind of businesses can operate, and when a baby is born they signal its arrival by hoisting a pink or blue nappy up the flagpole outside the island’s government house. Lord Howe’s airstrip was installed in 1974 to replace the regular flying boat service that had transported visitors to the island since World War II. Before that, the only way to the island was by boat. Even today, all supplies that are not air-freighted come in on the fortnightly ship that makes its way from Port Macquarie. Food from the mainland is supplemented by local produce: the kingfish is legendary, there’s good local beef and former landscaper Brendan Kong is throwing his all at restoring Robert Jeremy’s Thornleigh Farm, a former orchard, and turning it into a fully fledged market garden. Already Brendan has established an orchard and vegie patch, several Warre beehives and a flock of Isa Brown, Plymouth and Sussex chickens for eggs. He has great plans for redeveloping the 140-year-old farm to full potential and locals who volunteer their services are rewarded with a box of produce. Already several restaurants are incorporating Thornleigh herbs, salad vegies and avocados into their menus and Brendan is hopeful that this is the start of a true paddock-to-plate culture on the island. Like many Lord Howe residents, Greg Whitfield first arrived with his family on holidays. In 1964, the licence on the glassbottomed boat came up for sale so the Whitfields bought it and moved from Sydney for good. Greg, who was 14 at the time, completed his education at the island’s small school before spending 20 years in the merchant navy. These

ESCAPE ROUTES

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ESCAPE ROUTES

Clockwise from opposite: Hard hats are small comfort on one of Mount Gower’s ledges; a climber befriends a providence petrel; spectacular scenery usually means rugged terrain; the Gower climb is not for the faint-hearted or anyone suffering from vertigo.

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days, he’s home from the sea, married to English-born Sharon, who came to Lord Howe on a working holiday 30 years ago, and who has developed a very interesting art form that we’ll be featuring in an upcoming issue of Australian Country. She is also one of the volunteers who run the Island Showcase, a wonderful source of local arts and crafts, behind the post office in the cluster of shops that constitutes the town centre. Peter and Janine Phillipps of Chase ’n’ Thyme bus tours provide a good introduction to Lord Howe with an overview of the best spots to walk, swim and take photographs and visits to the school, hospital and even the waste transfer centre, aka the local Kmart (where everything is recycled and there’s even a book exchange). The tour concludes with morning or afternoon tea at the Phillipps’ home at Ned’s Beach, which is a great way for visitors to gain a local’s perspective on some of Lord Howe’s quirks. Peter also provides a history of the native kentia palm, the potted palm of choice in Victorian ballrooms, and explains how most island kids grow up knowing how to shimmy up the palm to collect its seeds. It seems that calling the birds is another island skill that comes with, or shortly after, birth. Mount Gower guide Jack Shick demonstrates the art for the hardy souls who accompany him on the arduous climb up Lord Howe’s answer to Everest. Jack, who is a veteran of more than 2000 ascents, lets out a series of yowls and, miraculously, scores of providence petrels, which nest there from March to November, come in to protect their nests from whatever they imagine to be threatening their eggs. Once on land, these big grey birds seem to lose all fear and appear quite comfortable around humans and being nursed by the mountain climbers. The eight-hour return Mount Gower climb is rated one of the world’s best day walks and includes challenging sections with narrow ledges and steep, rope-assisted climbs. Fortunately, the island is also blessed with a network of easier walks, including the relatively easy circuit trek up Transit Hill for more panoramic views across the island ending at the “Champagne surf” of Blinky Beach. Another circuit to Malabar Hill and Kims Lookout takes you along the most spectacular cliff line, which is also one of the

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ESCAPE ROUTES

The pristine waters around the island host more than 500 different ﬁsh species and at least 90 corals.

Arajilla Retreat’s ﬂame-tail snapper with avocado mousse

-------Serves 4

4 snapper ﬁllets CORN PUREE 50g diced onion 2 cloves conﬁt garlic 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 50g butter 3 cobs corn 100ml cream Salt and pepper, to taste AVOCADO MOUSSE 1 avocado 200ml milk Pinch sugar 1 sheet gelatine

100ml cream CORN DRESSING 1 jalapeno 100ml rice vinegar 20g sugar 20ml water 5g salt TO SERVE 10 cobs baby corn, chargrilled Halved cherry tomatoes, radish slices, sliced capsicum and trimmed garlic chives Olive oil, for drizzling

To make corn puree, sauté onion, garlic and cumin with butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Roast corn cobs whole with husks on until soft. Remove husks; add corn kernels to onion mix in pan. Add cream to pan over heat and reduce until nearly separated. Using a food processor or stick blender, puree corn mixture and season with salt and white pepper. Cover and keep warm. To make avocado mousse, blend the avocado and milk with a pinch of sugar. Soak the gelatine leaf in water to soften, strain off water and fold though the avocado mixture. Whip the cream to soft peaks, fold into avocado mixture and roll into a cylinder using plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. To make corn dressing, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and pour over chargrilled corn. Allow to cool. To cook snapper, preheat oven to 160°C. Pan fry fillets in hot pan until golden brown, turning once. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cover to keep warm. To assemble the dish, top a spoonful of the hot corn puree with fish. Serve with avocado mousse, baby corn, tomato, radish, capsicum, garlic chives and drizzle with olive oil. Ben Crompton finishes the avocado mousse by rolling it in chopped sea herbs but parsley and oregano are good substitutes. 102

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world’s largest nesting grounds for the red-tailed tropic, one of 14 seabirds that nest on Lord Howe, and part of a wider population of more than 130 permanent and migratory species that live there at various times. This route brings the walker down via Old Settlement Beach, where, on rising and ebbing tides, turtles come in to play in the shallows. The pristine waters around the island host more than 500 different fish species and at least 90 corals. Diving is rated world class, but snorkelers are equally rewarded, particularly as there’s the rare opportunity to see a wreck, without donning scuba gear, in the shallow grave of The Favourite at North Bay. Island-born Anthony Riddle, who runs Marine Adventures’ turtle watching and snorkeling tours, explains that an extreme weather event a decade ago killed a lot of the coral in the lagoon but, thanks to the rising sea temperature, coral is now regrowing in Lord Howe’s waters. “We’re one of the few places that’s actually benefitting from global warming,” he says. “One of the great things about the many generations of families who have lived here is that there’s collective memory of how things are on the island and how they have changed. You don’t get that with a more transient community.” Anthony’s assistant on our tour is Abbey Phillipps, daughter of tour guides Peter and Janine and a proud scion of another island family, the Thompsons. She’s taken advantage of a gap year to work on the island and raise funds for her further education on the mainland. On Abbey’s recommendation, we visit Ned’s Beach, where you don’t have to venture beyond ankle-deep water to be surrounded by mullet, wrasse and metre-long kingfish that swim between your legs, eager for bread offerings (grab a packet from the shed and leave your money in the box). Fifth-generation islander Gai Wilson, who co-owns and runs Somerset Apartments, is a true hybrid as she can claim Shick, Thompson, King and Wilson ancestry. Like many of her compatriots, she is descended from a long line of whalers and fisherman. “Lord Howe breeds tough women,” she observes. “The blokes went off fishing and left the women to do everything. My dad was often away fishing and taking the catch to Sydney. All my mother’s prayers were answered when his boat sank [without loss of life] on Elizabeth Reef. He’s still going strong.”

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ESCAPE ROUTES

Clockwise from above: Leanda-Lei Apartments are surrounded by gorgeous gardens; Marine Adventures Anthony Riddle and Abbey Phillipps; Gai Wilson is an island hybrid.

Places to stay Admiralty Apartments admiraltyapartments.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2307 Arajilla Retreat arajilla.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2484 Leanda-Lei Apartments leandalei.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2195 Somerset Apartments somersetlordhowe.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2061 Waimarie Apartments waimarielordhoweisland.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2304

Places to eat Anchorage Restaurant earlsanchorage.com/lord-howeisland/anchorage-restaurant, ph: (02) 6563 2287 Arajilla Restaurant arajilla.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2002

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Coral Cafe at the Museum ph: (02) 6563 2488

Things to do Eastern Air Services easternairservices.com.au, ph: 1300 359 327 Eastern Tour Services eastertourservices.com.au, ph: 0429 775 898 Island Showcase facebook.com/ IslandShowcaseLordHoweIsland Marine Adventures marineadventures.com.au, ph: (02) 6563 2448 Wilson’s Hire Service ph: (02) 6563 2045 Mt Gower Guided Trek ph: (02) 6563 2218 Spaciﬁca Travel spaciﬁcatravel.com, ph: 1800 800 722

Gai reckons she’s probably done Lord Howe’s rite of passage — the Mount Gower climb — six or seven times. “I was seven when I first did it,” she recalls. “In bare feet, as is island style. While my roots here are very deep, I did leave for a while when I was younger. I worked in Sydney for a bit then went to London for four years and ran a pub. There isn’t much to miss, certainly not commuting. I leave home at 8.10am and I’m at work minutes later. The only thing you can’t do is go for a drive for a change of scenery but, with our landscape, it seems a bit churlish to complain about that.” Arajilla Retreat’s Bill and Janne Shead first came as sailors in the 1980s and their boat is still moored in the lagoon. In 1987, when they could see a dip in the market for their Sydney real estate business, they decided to make the move a permanent one. They introduced the first coffee machine to the island when they took over a very run-down property and gradually built it up to the luxuriously appointed resort it is today. With a day spa with two treatment rooms and a fine-dining restaurant headed by Ben Crompton, Arajilla is now one of the places most holidaymakers put on their must-visit list. Island businesses are supportive of each other, and all accommodation providers offer transport to and from dinner venues. The restaurants also share their business around and run on a rolling roster to encourage visitors to try different establishments on different nights. Naturalist Ian Hutton arrived in 1980 as a weather observer and finished his biology degree as an external student from the island. Where else in the world would I want to live?” he asks. “Everything I was learning about was before my very eyes.” Ian started sharing that knowledge with talks for tourists in 1982 and since then has evolved into one of the island’s most celebrated guides. He takes walks and gives slide shows for a living, has written numerous books on the island and amassed a huge library of photographs taken through the years. In his “spare” time, he’s devoted many thousands of volunteer hours to weed eradication and he’s also the curator of the local museum, which he and his fellow volunteers believe is a place where people “change their attitudes and realise that the world is worth saving”. You can’t help but think that’s a pretty concise summary of the entire Lord Howe experience.

WILSONS

HIRE SERVICE

AVAILABLE FOR HIRE: • Bicycles & helmets • Cars – automatic • Snorkelling Gear

BOOKINGS TAKEN FOR • Glass bottom boat & snorkelling cruises. • Fishing & scenic cruises on “Lulawai” • Clives speciality bus tours

Leanda Lei Apartments Lord Howe Island

Centrally located off Middle Beach Road our family owned and operated accommodation is the ideal location to enjoy the island. The main grocery store is across the road; Visitor Information Centre, cafe/restaurant and Museum are 150m away; Lagoon Beach and Middle Beach are both 200m away; most other restaurants are within easy walking distance.

With so much to see and do, the best way to truly explore this island paradise is by bicycle, where you can hop on and off at your leisure and be immersed in Lord Howe’s incredible beauty. *Bookings are essential for Car Hire in Advance

CAMPBELL & MICHELE WILSON | (02) 6563 2045

Waimarie have two, one bedroom apartments, with magniﬁcent views of the mountains, lagoon and ocean. Our apartments are spacious, comfortable and quiet. King beds with French linen sheets complimentary sparkling wine and wiﬁ and other extras add to the value .

We offer accommodation to suit all visitors – Superior Studio Apartments (king or twin beds), One Bedroom Apartments (king or twin beds) and Two Bedroom Apartments (queen and single beds, or queen and king bed). All apartments have kitchens and private veranda or balcony. We have a large meeting room, swap library, free phone for local calls, roaming Wi Fi (credit charge direct to provider applies) Set amid spacious lawns and gardens with BBQ areas for your outdoor dining. Cars (advisable to pre book) and push bikes available for hire on the premises. Complimentary airport transfers and transport to restaurants of an evening are provided. Guests at Leanda Lei have priority booking with Marine Adventures Tours (www.marineadventures.com.au) for North Bay Turtle and Nature Tours and Snorkelling Tours

For All Inclusive Package (airfare, accommodation, most meals and a tour each day) contact holidays@oxleytravel.com.au For further information visit www.leandalei.com.au or phone 02 65632195

We look forward to welcoming you to Leanda Lei.

Somerset is perfectly situated between Neds Beach and the Lagoon, on a level area of Lord Howe Island, allowing easy walking and biking to nearby shops, restaurants and the Visitor Centre. The accommodation units are nestled in subtropical palm groves alive with splashes of colour from Hawaiian hibiscus and fragrant frangipani ﬂowers. The grounds are well planned, with tracks meandering through the palms and gardens, giving a sense of seclusion and tropical mystery. Somerset Apartments is the ideal Lord Howe accommodation location for visitors wanting to explore and discover the natural attractions that have made Lord Howe Island famous

02 6563 2304 bookings@waimarielordhoweisland.com.au waimarielordhoweisland.com.au

Mention Australian country magazine to receive a 10% discount on aÙ direct bÛkings only.

P (02) 6563 2061 F (02) 6563 2110 reservations@somersetlordhowe.com.au www.somersetlordhowe.com.au Neds Beach Road Lord Howe Island NSW 2898

DISCOVER ADMIRALTY APARTMENTS Two private self-contained apartments with ocean views through a tropical palm forest. A private track from your apartment takes you on a one minute walk to Neds Beach. Admiralty Apartments is Lord Howe Island’s newest luxury accommodation offering two spacious private selfcontained apartments adjacent to the spectacular Neds Beach. Surrounded by spacious gardens and with luxurious styling and fittings, Admiralty Apartments has everything you need to enjoy a fabulous Lord Howe Island experience.

P 02 6563 2307 E krick7@bigpond.com W www.admiraltyapartments.com.au

LoRD HoWE ISLaND

BOOK ONLINE TODAY!

SOMERSET APARTMENTS 7 nights accommodation staying in a Standard One Bedroom Apartment with airport transfers & a two course dinner.

MILKY WAY HOLIDAY APARTMENTS 5 nights accommodation staying in a Mooreii One Bedroom with airport transfers & a food hamper.

LEANDA LEI APARTMENTS 5 nights accommodation staying in a King Studio Room with airport transfers & a two course dinner with a glass of wine.

LORHITI APARTMENTS 5 nights accommodation staying in a Garden Deluxe One Bedroom Unit with return airport & evening restaurant transfers.

EARL’S ANCHORAGE 5 nights accommodation staying in a One Bedroom Bungalow with airport transfers & daily housekeeping.

ARAJILLA RETREAT

SALES TO 30 JUNE!

5 nights accommodation staying in a Kentia Suite with all meals, pre-dinner wine & canape & bicycles and snorkelling gear.

$ 485 $ 775 $ 960 $ 1137 $ 1825 $ 2812

Ph 1800 800 722

Visit www.spacificatravel.com Prices are per person, twin share, inclusive of pre-payable taxes and for new bookings only. Valid for sale until 30JUN18 or until sold out. Valid for travel as speciﬁed: Somerset Apartments 01-31AUG18, Milky Way Apartments 22JAN-31MAY19, Lorhiti Apartments 26JAN-26APR19, Leanda Lei Apartments 21JAN-28APR19, Earl’s Anchorage 21JAN-16APR19, Arajilla Retreat 13JAN-31MAR19. Please consult our website for full terms and conditions. Spaciﬁca Travel is a division of Wave Hospitality Group Pty Ltd, an accredited travel agency and member of the International Air Transport Association. (IATA). Images courtesy of Norfolk Island Tourism, Cook Islands Tourism and Tourism Fiji.

HEATING

Heating up Australia’s home heating has upped its game. Here we speak to the experts who are revolutionising the industry, one fireplace at a time. c omp i l e d by a l i c e g r i f f i n

Clockwise from opposite: Architect Dan Gayfer designed the perfect wintertime retreat for this country home; Cheminées Philippe fireplaces (cheminee. com.au) are modern, elegant and efficient.

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Barbecues, beach trips and bush walks; Australia’s national psyche is born in the outdoors. It is only right, then, that our homes and gardens cater to this. A mild climate means we can make good use of our outdoor space throughout most of the year, but what about those winter days when an extra jumper just won’t cut it? Enter one of the most gratifying and vital features in home design: heaters. Here we speak to the design experts that are changing the game in both indoor and outdoor heating.

australiancountry.net.au

Step Inside ... No matter what we tell ourselves, there will be some — albeit brief — times where we’ll need to retire indoors. For those rare rainy days, we’ve uncovered the best products and advice in indoor heating. Turn back time You may have dismissed hydronic heating as old school — and it is — but the panel heaters are having a comeback among Australia’s cool crowd. Many have taken to the hot water radiant heaters not just because of the vintage

HEATING

D n Brad Dea B dley ey

HEATING

Clockwise from above: Vintage style seekers are favouring panel heaters; Woodpecker’s Bordelet Tatiana 997 fireplace makes a statement; a honed masonry wood fire enjoys pride of place in this outdoor room.

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utilitarian design, but also because the heaters provide one special drawcard: the ability to organise home heating into sectors, allowing occupants to pick and choose which parts of the home are heated and when. For both these reasons, the homeowners of High House chose hydronic heating when renovating their narrow terrace home. Under the guidance of architect Dan Gayfer (dangayfer.com), hydronic heating services the house in style on those days when it’s just too cold to be lounging on the deck. Make a statement Where hydronic heating panels are subtle, hanging fireplaces are just the opposite. One of our favourite suspended fireplaces comes all the way from the South of France. Crafted from hand-shaped and -spun steel, the Bordelet Tatiana 997 wood fireplace offers 360-degree rotation, and is sought after by designers around the world. Here in Australia, Bordelet Tatiana 997 is stocked by Woodpecker (woodpecker.com.au), a retailer of heating and cooling solutions. Wood you rather? Thanks to new technology, wood fireplaces are enjoying

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a resurgence in popularity, garnering a new following as being one of the more environmentally friendly home heating options. Heating experts from colder European countries have made it their business to hold our hands in this brave new world of sustainable heating. Bringing the latest in stylish and efficient European wood heaters to our shores, Euro Fireplaces Australia (eurofireplaces. com.au) is one such industry leader. Kim Bergmoser, a representative from Euro Fireplaces, has two suggestions for wood heating novices. “Firstly, always check how many kilos of wood a fire will burn when comparing heaters. High efficiency doesn’t always mean low usage,” Kim says. Kim’s second piece of advice? “If you have high ceilings, a ceiling fan can assist in moving warmth to where it will benefit you most.”

How does your garden glow? Whether you enlist the help of an architect or decide to DIY, it takes careful planning — and often a fair bit in the way of dollars — to create an outdoor ﬁreplace that ﬁlls the bill. Queries about council regulations,

Australia’s largest range of gas log fires www.realflame.com.au

THE MORE STARS THE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

GAS ENERGY RATING

USE THIS LABEL TO COMPARE DIFFERENT MODEL SPACE HEATERS

COMPARATIVE ENERGY CONSUMPTION ELEMENT 1200 N.G. SPACE HEATER

COMPARATIVE ENERGY CONSUMPTION ELEMENT 1200 LPG-ULPG. SPACE HEATER

16650

MJ PER YEAR

13446

MJ PER YEAR

WHEN TESTED TO AS 4553

THE MAXIMUM HEATER OUTPUT IS 9.2 kw THE ACTUAL ENERGY USED WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU LIVE, HOW YOU USE THE HEATING SYSTEM AND HOW THE SYSTEM IS INSTALLED AND SERVICED

THE MAXIMUM HEATER OUTPUT IS 7.7 kw THE ACTUAL ENERGY USED WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU LIVE, HOW YOU USE THE HEATING SYSTEM AND HOW THE SYSTEM IS INSTALLED AND SERVICED

A BREATHTAKING ADDITION TO ANY SPACE Introducing the Element 1200 Simply breathtaking with its clean lines, beautiful flame pattern and multiple media options. With an impressive star rating and the latest in power balanced flue technology the Element 1200 makes it the perfect package for the discerning buyer. The Power Flue allows total flexibility during installation in two storey homes, apartments and commercial projects. A full remote is standard giving the owner complete control of the fire. The Element 1200 also has wifi capability with an app to remotely operate your fire from your smart devise so the room is nice and cosy for when you get home!

HEATING

Clockwise from above: Lime Lace’s raw steel firepit (limelace.co.uk) is simple, stylish and portable; designer Adrian Ramsay uses firepits to create dramatic outdoor scenes; Jetmaster’s Universal Outdoor wood fire is far from your average fireplace.

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foundations, fuel, smoke and even wind direction all need to be answered before you can light up. Christos Papadopoulos from the Melbourne-based outdoor fireplace manufacturer Estia Design, shares his advice on the top things homeowners should think about pre-instalment (estiadesign.com.au). Location, location, location “The fireplace should be easily accessible from the house and adjacent structures. If you already have a deck or patio, then locating the fireplace in that kind of area is ideal,” Christos suggests. Size things up “The design of the fireplace should complement the surrounding area,” Christos explains. “If there is a small outdoor space, choose a smaller fireplace. A bigger fireplace will be overpowering.” Chill out “Create comfortable seating around the fireplace, as it will become a focal point in your outdoor area,” he adds. “The surrounds should be inviting so that family and friends can relax and enjoy the ambience.” As well as comfortable surrounds, food is always a big draw

australiancountry.net.au

card for visitors. Jetmaster’s Universal Outdoor wood fire includes an optional grill and hot plate exclusively for the 850 and 700D models only (jetmaster.com.au). A fireplace turned barbecue is great for those with limited outdoor space. The pits Firepits are the new water feature. Or at least that’s what the experts including Jason Hodges are telling us. The Better Homes and Gardens celebrity landscaper loves them so much that he decided to build his own. He teamed up with Adbri Masonry to share his DIY firepit with the masses and you can find his step-by-step guide online (adbrimasonry.com.au). “The ambience a firepit brings is worth the investment alone, providing an enjoyable feature for the garden and a natural gathering spot for socialising and entertaining,” Jason says. “It’s a great focal point, I like to describe it as nature’s TV. People are naturally drawn to the campfire-like atmosphere.” They say there’s no smoke without fire and in the case of the buzz surrounding Australia’s home heating, they’re right. Despite our mild climate, the range of heating solutions for both indoors and out continues to grow. Watch this space.

Freestanding & Inbuilt Plan ahead for the season with a Euro Fireplaces woodheater. Clean burning and highly fuel efficient, European made woodheaters use up to 60% less wood and can heat large areas without a fan. Come see the team at Mansfield, Melbourne or Adelaide, or visit our website to find your local dealer.

www.eurofireplaces.com.au 1300 733 705 / info@eurofireplaces.com.au 4/165 Mt Buller Road, Mansfield VIC 119 Beresford Road, Lilydale VIC Shop 5, 340 South Rd, Richmond SA

Euro Fireplaces proudly supports the activities of Landcare Australia through its membership of the AHHA

TRADITIONAL STYLE, REVOLUTIONARY WARMTH

Following the launch of Australia’s most YHUVDWLOH HIÀFLHQW RSHQ ÀUHSODFH WKH -HWPDVWHU 8QLYHUVDO FDPH WKH ÀUVW SHULRG VW\OH UHSURGXFWLRQ IDVFLDV DQG PDQWHOSLHFHV IRU WKH -HWPDVWHU 8QLYHUVDO ÀUHER[ 7KLV UHÁHFWHG -HWPDVWHU·V FRPPLWPHQW WR SURYLGH ÀUHSODFHV WKDW VXLW DQ\ HUD DQG HQYLURQPHQW DQG WKH SHULRG VW\OH ÀQLVKHV FRQWLQXHG ZLWK WKH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI WKH UHYROXWLRQDU\ +HDW *OR %DODQFHG ÁXH JDV ÀUH UDQJH

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For your nearest showroom visit jetmaster.com.au

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR

spotlight on education

Bonding with the bard

The chance to work with Shakespeare specialists is just one of many opportunities offered to drama students at Loreto Normanhurst. B y K i r s t y M c K e n z i e , p h oto g r a p h y Lo r e to N o r m a n h u r s t

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spotlight on education

A week may be a long time in politics but it felt like a nanosecond for a group of year 10 drama students from Loreto Normanhurst in Sydney. During a recent artist-in-residence program, the students worked with Bell Shakespeare’s arts educator Chris Tomkinson to study, explore and, at the conclusion of ﬁve action-packed days, perform an abridged version of Macbeth. Loreto Normanhurst is a Catholic independent day and boarding school for girls from years ﬁve to 12. Established in 1897 primarily as a boarding school for girls from the country, the school now has approximately 1100 students, 154 of whom are boarders. The campus covers a leafy 13.5 hectares of Sydney’s upper north shore and facilities include a chapel, two ovals, tennis and basketball courts, a gymnasium and aquatic centre with 25-metre indoor pool. The arts are also high on the agenda with a small, but technologically well-resourced, black box theatre and an open learning resource centre that allows students room to spread out and explore their talents. As Anna-lea Russo, the school’s head of drama, explains, this is the seventh year Loreto Normanhurst’s year 10s have been offered the intensive Shakespeare learning experience, and it proves a great bonding and team-building exercise as well as an immersion into the heady world of performance at the beginning of each school year. “To see the students grasping the language of Shakespeare and delivering the lines with such comprehension and conviction in a performance that is highly entertaining is just wonderful,” she says. “Drama inherently encourages risk taking. Without the constraints of an assessment, the girls are able to throw themselves into the process and performance with passion, energy and a willingness to try new things. What they achieve in such a short time is remarkable. Of course, they are deepening their understanding of Shakespeare in the process.” The year 10 cohort of 44 drama students missed some classes and worked back after school during the week to make the most of the opportunity provided by Bell Shakespeare. Residencies are just one facet of the schoolsbased learning programs the company offers. As Australia’s largest theatre education company, it employs arts educators and actors to bring Shakespeare to primary and

These pages: The opportunities offered to Loreto Normanhurst drama students include producing a pantomine in year nine and a Bell Shakespeare artist in residency for year 10.

“Drama inherently encourages risk taking. Without the constraints of an assessment, the girls are able to throw themselves into the process and performance with passion, energy and a willingness to try new things. What they achieve in such a short time is remarkable.” australiancountry.net.au

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spotlight on education

Above: Bell Shakespeare arts educator Chris Tomkinson working with year 10 students. Below: Year nines produce and perform a pantomime at the end of the school year.

secondary school students all over the country. As well as presenting school-speciﬁc, main-stage productions at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Arts Centre, Bell tours with in-school performances, workshops and masterclasses. It provides professional learning opportunities for primary and secondary teachers and, for three lucky students, an annual John Bell Scholarship, as well as work experience for 12 year 10 and 11 students at company HQ in Sydney. The residency is just one of many opportunities Loreto Normanhurst offers its drama students. “The school is a bit different in that drama is compulsory in year eight,” Anna-lea says. “In total, there are more than 300 students studying drama this year and there are four teachers supporting them.” Year nine students work towards a pantomime production at the end of the year. They invite children from local primary schools to their end-of-year performance. As well, each year, the school welcomes and provides transport for children from a school in western Sydney to come and enjoy the show. “It’s pure joy to see the students discover the magic of theatre with their production,” Anna-lea adds. “Year 11 students also work towards a production. These tend to be self-devised productions that explore a particular theme. Year 12 also showcase their group and individual performances in the HSC [Higher School Certiﬁcate] showcase that’s held at the end of third term.” In addition, every three years students from years nine to 12 can apply for a hotly contested place on an art and drama immersion tour to New York. “Only 16 students from each discipline can go so they go through a selection process,” Anna-lea says. “During the fortnight overseas, the drama students spend a week at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and we pack in as many cultural experiences as we can.” Anna-lea adds that all these wonderful opportunities have a huge impact on the girls’ drama learning and performance abilities. “Drama teaches life skills to help set students on a path for success in whatever career they choose,’’ she says. ‘‘Our drama students always gain strong HSC results. We regularly have a high proportion of them achieving band six.”

Year nine students work towards a pantomime production at the end of the year. They invite children from local primary schools to their end-of-year performance. “It’s pure joy to see the students discover the magic of theatre with their production,” Anna-lea adds. 118

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mother's day gift guide

ABOVE: Spoil Mum with a beautifully presented gift box from Rustic Hyde that includes a set of daily affirmation cards. rustichyde.com.au BELOW: Create something completely unique for Mum with a bespoke piece of cattlebrand jewellery from Coomber Bros Jewellers. Add some extra pizazz with the precious gem of your choice. coomber bros.com.au

Mum's the word What to give the most important woman in your world? Find something special in our beautiful collection of gifts for Mum. c omp i l e d by f i c o l l i n s

RIGHT: Give Mum something pretty in pink from Jsala Soy Candles. Hand-poured in Yarrambat, Victoria, these candles come in traditional as well as contemporary scents. jsalasoycandles.com.au LEFT: This Bento set from R L Foote Design Studio is made from imperial-coloured porcelain and was inspired by the traditional Japanese bento box but given a contemporary twist. rlfootedesign.com RIGHT: With 50 different colours and patterns, you’re sure to find Mum’s favourite combination with Smitten Merino’s beautiful lightweight soft merino scarves. smittenmerino.com

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mother's day gift guide LEFT: The North Wind Blows’ basket-based tote bag is a strong and stunning accessory made by master leather craftsmen in Morocco. Available in a variety of colours and shown here in mint, it features full internal lining with an inside zipped pocket. northwindblows.com.au RIGHT: In just four minutes a day over the next four weeks, this stunningly simple range from griffin+row natural skincare will transform your skin from so-so to simply fabulous. griffinandrow.com BELOW: Gintonica, the place for all things gin, presents the Premium Gin & Tonic 10 Botanicals case. Just arrived from Spain, the box of 10 garnishes includes juniper berries, hibiscus flowers and Persian roses to put a spark in your cocktails and

gin-based drinks. The case also includes a bartender twisted spoon, tips and suggestions and there’s an online video guide as well. gintonica.com.au

BELOW: Add some soft luxury to your office, bedroom, lounge or bed with this fluffy fine Mongolian sheepskin throw in Tuscan Pink from Purple Jungle. purplejungle.com.au

BELOW: Direct from Mother Nature and Inoko comes this large timber candle vessel and refill set. Also available as diffuser oils. inoko.com.au

mother's day gift guide RIGHT: Gintonica’s Gin Tasting Flights are beautifully packed sets of four or six 50ml tasting bottles of Australian craft gin, enough to taste, mix or share. The sets include tasting notes and cute mini-me labels in the distiller’s design. gintonica.com.au BELOW: Handbags are like shoes: you can never have too many! Akubra leather bags are made in Australia from super-soft leather and hides. Available in five colours and shown here are the Darling tote and the Georgina clutch. akubra.com.au

RIGHT: There’s no need for a garden when you can plant a herb garden in your kitchen or on your balcony with Herb in a Bag from Sow Grow Eat. sowgroweat.com.au

ABOVE: The Cooper range of towels is available in brilliant decorator colours and softer neutrals that will give your bathroom a fresh, contemporary look with a rich and luxurious feel. lorrainelea.com RIGHT: Made from layers of recycled paper, these Quazi pastel earrings

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from Oxfam Australia are simply stunning. shop.oxfam.org.au

australiancountry.net.au

Triple-scented reed diffusers from Ash & Earth are made on Bribie Island in Queensland. These reed diffusers will last approximately 12 to 18 months. Coconut Lime is an irresistible classic. ashandearth.com.au

Mother's Day gift guide RIGHT: Scandilove Gift Co’s Indulge gift box spoils that special person in your life with a collection of indulgent, organic Meraki products and a House Doctor brass trinket tray beautifully presented in a wooden box. scandilovegiftco.com.au

LEFT: Bring a little happiness to Mum’s bathroom with Saltie Soul’s Sea Foam body scrub, a blend of watermelon seed oil and pink Himalayan salt crystals to cleanse and soften your skin. saltiesoul.com BELOW: This woven Palm Leaf basket in soft pink is

from Fenton & Fenton’s collection of furniture, homewares and outdoor accessories. fentonandfenton.com.au RIGHT: A mother’s dedication deserves a huge reward, but until you can afford to buy a vineyard to keep her in an endless supply of wine, why not you give her a Definition of Mum coffee mug to drink from. yellowoctopus.com.au BELOW: The Amber Lab jar from R2 Designs is a luxury soy wax candle offering more than 55 hours burn time. r2designs.com.au

LEFT: The Maison Ladurée bag charm key ring from Jade+Amber is a cute and sweet key chain or bag charm to carry around with you wherever you go. jadeplusamber.com.au

BELOW: The KeepCup Tasting Notes range of reusable coffee cups from Upcycle Studio is inspired by the specialty coffee flavour wheel and features a cork band. upcyclestudio.com.au

Hunt Homewares’ Clover Fringe cushion in rose combines velvet with a chambray reverse, natural fringing on all sides and a 100 per cent feather insert. hunthomewares.com.au

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Chelsea Park Be transported back in time and share a unique Art Deco experience. When you arrive at Chelsea Park you soon appreciate why it is called “Hollywood in the Highlands”. This is a boutique bed and breakfast with a difference. Single night stays are welcome and the tariff will surprise. Guests ﬁnd it hard to leave and repeat bookings speak for themselves. Chelsea Park is close to all the magic that is “the Southern Highlands of NSW” it is “a world away” yet so close. Ask about Arcadia House a comfortable 5 bedroom home, ideal for family reunions or “girl’s weekends away”. Child friendly, with all you need to make your stay a pleasure Arcadia House is a place you can call “your home in the Highlands”.

589 Moss Vale Road Burradoo NSW 2576 T: (02) 4861 7046 E: chelsea@hinet.net.au

More information at www.chelseaparkbnb.com.au or www.arcadia-house.com

Arcadia House Arcadia House is a country-style home located close to the heart of Bowral. Fully self-contained accommodation for families and groups Five comfortable bedrooms, two spacious bathrooms and all linen provided.” Your home in the country” child friendly and close to all the attractions. Savor the lifestyle, sit and relax in a little bit of heaven known as the Southern Highlands.

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Barefoot Springs B&B Treat yourself, relax and unwind in this luxurious and peaceful rural retreat. Enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views across the Shoalhaven coastline as far as Jervis Bay. Close to Kangaroo Valley, Berry and beaches, yet only a couple of hours drive from Canberra and Sydney. Studio Spa Cottages have double spa bathroom, log ﬁre, TV/DVD, AC, well-equipped kitchenette and balcony/patio and Queen or King bed. Set in lovely gardens and paddocks abounding with wombats, wallabies, echidnas and magniﬁcent birdlife.

Stylish self catering apartments suited to the natural beauty of the Island, accommodating 10 guests, located in a subtropical hideaway close to Neds Beach. Orientation tour with your hosts on arrival.

E: stay@ebbtide-lhi.com.au P: 02 6563 2023

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Spa Cottages $225 per couple per midweek nigh & $560 per coup t le for 2 weekend nigh ts. INCLUDES BREA

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Enjoy ultimate luxury and relaxation, allow yourself to be pampered with delectable treats and stunning wines from our region and breathe in the aroma of utter peace. It’s the little things that count at Bishop’s Court Estate. Bishop’s Court Estate 226 Seymour Street Bathurst NSW 2795 Ph: 02 6332 4447

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Cris’s Creations Unique, U i vintage, i couture clothing made using upcycled doilies. Create a themed vintage wedding with bunting and table runners using doilies. Use sentimental doilies in the garment for a special touch. ALSO EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF VINTAGE CHENILLE GARMENTS AND FURNISHINGS AND UNIQUE HAND KNITTED FASHION ACCESSORIES TRAVELLING AUSTRALIA, CHECKOUT WHEN WE COULD BE NEAR YOU. Contact Chris: m. 0416 003 281 e. wcmc@outlook.com.au

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you beauty

Mae Laine bath teabag, $17.50, maelainebath teabags.com

Lush 1000 Millihelens green tea jelly face mask, $13.50, au.lush.com

Brewtiful Lqd body coffee scrub, $28, lqd.co

Beauty baristas have a fresh take on coffee, chocolate and green tea. c omp i l e d by Ki r s t y Mc K e nz i e p h oto g r a p hy K e n Br a s s

Thankyou green , tea soap bar, $5.50 thankyou.co

Lush ca rdamom Gorilla perfum coffee au.lush e, $64.95, .com

you beauty colate Lush Caca Brun Hot Cho .95, $25 bar, ur colo hair na hen au.lush.com

Frank Body Creamy face scrub, $21.95, frankbody.com/au

Lush Cup O’ Coffee face and body exfoliating mask, $16.95, au.lush.com

Thankyou botanica l geranium, rosewood and coffee body scrub, $14.95, than kyou.co

Frank Body body cream, $21.95, frankbody.com/au

n tea, sea salt Lush Ugai gree thwash tabs, ou m e tre tea d an sh.com .lu au 5, 1.9 $1

Frank Body Original coffee scrub, $16.95, frankbody.com/au

australiancountry.net.au

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in the shops

AKUBRA

YEALANDS

griffin+row NATURAL SKINCARE

Everyone needs a wallet. Be stylish and functional with a stunning leather and hide wallet from Akubra. Proudly Australian-made, just like the iconic hats. akubra.com.au

Pinot Noir is a lovely, warming way to take the chill out of those cool autumn evenings. The Yealands Estate Land Made Pinot Noir is the perfect autumn tipple. yealands.co.nz/au

Just as good food is perfect for all body types, good skincare is perfect for all skin types. Enter code COUNTRY for 10 per cent off your purchase (and receive a free gift bag). griffinandrow.com

store strolling Things we love that you are bound to want in your life. c omp i l e d by f i c o l l i n s

CHELSEA PARK

RUSTICA HARDWARE

SMITTEN MERINO

Chelsea Park country house transports guests back to the early-20th century with old-fashioned hospitality in elegant surrounds. You’ll find this boutique bed and breakfast with an Art Deco accent near Bowral. chelseaparkbnb.com.au

Barn doors are one of the hottest decorating trends to come from USA. American-made Rustica Hardware is now available in Australia. Tracks are made to measure. rusticahardware.com.au

This red merino Indi dress is made from soft jersey wool. Long sleeves and a flared skirt make it easy to wear, look great and keep you toasty warm. Made in Australia, it's $299, with free postage nationwide. smittenmerino.com

ROCKY POINT MULCHING

CANTERBURY SINK & TAP

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Natives & Shrubs fertiliser has been developed to cater to the requirements of native plants, trees and native grasses. It has organic input certification and is 100 per cent pelletised and easy to spread. Available in 5kg and 15kg bags. rpmulching.com.au

Nicolazzi Industrial is a stunning range of bathroom fittings new to the Australian market. Handmade in Italy from low-lead brassware, the range is available in 24 colours. sinkandtap.com.au

Chalk-Tique powder additive can turn ordinary leftover water-based paint into chalk-style paint that adheres to most surfaces. Suitable for wood, glass, ceramic, laminate and metal, it produces a matte finish that can be distressed and waxed. howardproducts.com.au

138

australiancountry.net.au

in the shops

JETMASTER

THE ORIGINAL LAMP SHOP

SHOP INSIDE

Nothing brings comfort and warmth into your home like a flickering wood fire. Jetmaster fireplaces offer this through a range of efficient open fires as well as slow-combustion fires. jetmaster.com.au

Add a splash of vintage with an antique oil and kerosene lamp from The Original Lamp Shop. With some lamps dating back to the early-19th century, the shop has something for all antique lighting enthusiasts. kero-lamps.com.au

From the Florence Broadhurst collection comes the Tropical Floral print with Chinese key print on the reverse in 100 per cent cotton. Available in queen, king and super-king quilt covers with matching European pillowcases and cushions. shopinside.com.au

TONGUE N GROOVE

JSALA SOY CANDLES

VANITONE

Be bold and make a statement with TNG parquetry flooring. A play on a traditional design, this oversized Chevron parquetry will bring any room to life. Available in a range of colours, formats and sizes. tngflooring.com.au

Jsala Soy Candles has a fabulous range of goats’ milk products and balms. Treat yourself to this beautiful, natural lip balm containing shea butter, organic cocoa butter, coconut oil and vitamin E. jsalasoycandles.com.au

Offering furniture that is moisture- and humidity-resistant with a durable two-pack lacquer finish, Vanitone manufactures vanity units that are crafted in Australia. vanitone.com.au

COOMBER BROS JEWELLERS

GILLY STEPHENSON

GINTONICA

Nothing says country like an ear tag or cattle brand. Craftsmanship and attention to detail make every piece created by Coomber Bros Jewellers something that will last a lifetime. coomberbros.com.au

Wooden furniture doesn’t stay perfect forever but to hide scratches or keep your furniture looking like new, use Gilly Stephenson’s Scratch Cover for Dark Wood. This product can also be used to darken raw wood. gillystephenson.com

Australia is experiencing a gin boom led by small distilleries, and Gintonica is at the forefront of the revolution, using native botanicals to give its products a distinctive edge. Try out the wonderful world of craft gin with subscriptions and tasting packs. gintonica.com.au

australiancountry.net.au

139

Out & about By Ki r s t y Mc K e nz i e

Doin’ it for Dolly

This page: Doin’ it for Dolly rodeo organisers Shannon Bleakley and Dan Roberts with their children (below) at the Springsure rodeo that raised more than $175,000 for Dolly’s Dream Foundation to combat bullying in all its forms. Photography by Kristy Gibson of Outback Windows.

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australiancountry.net.au

More than 6000 people converged on the Queensland central highlands town of Springsure, population 1100, to attend the Doin’ it for Dolly rodeo. Organised by locals Shannon Bleakley and her partner, Dan Roberts, the event was a response to the tragic suicide of 14-year-old Amy (Dolly) Everett in January this year. Supported by a team of more than 200 volunteers, the event program included all the thrills and spills of a regular rodeo, overlaid with the very serious message of working to prevent bullying in our schools and online. Speakers included 13-year-old Dakota Lee Shaw, a Miss Teen Diamond Australia entrant, who explained that one in four students aged between seven and 14 experiences bullying and 64 per cent of girls are cyber bullied at some stage in their school careers. Others lending their voices to the campaign included Dolly’s cousins, Jayde and Tori Powell, who encouraged the crowd “to speak even when your voice shakes”, Burrumbuttock Hay Runners founder Brendan Farrell and awareness volunteer coordinator Jen Korn. At the end of the day, the rodeo raised more than $175,000 for Dolly’s Dream Foundation, established by Dolly’s family and friends to combat bullying in all its forms. For more information go to facebook.com/dollysdreamaustralia.

& heard with scene scene & heard with yealand family wines

Taste Norfolk Island For a tiny island measuring just eight by ﬁve kilometres, Norfolk Island punches above its weightt as a food destination. Islanders have access to fresh organic fruit and vegies, local beef and pork, goat’s-milk cheeses, an ocean teaming with seafood and even a winery. Each year, the population of 1400 celebrates the bounty of this produce with Taste Norfolk Island, a week-long festival showcasing the very special food, restaurants and lifestyle enjoyed by locals and visitors to Norfolk. Highlights of the program include paddock-to-plate dinners, a food market in the old convict jail in the World Heritage-listed Kingston area, a farm walking tour and visits to a pickle factory, chocolate shop and liqueur distillery. A Thanksgiving Day lunch at Emily Bay lagoon is the opportunity to celebrate the island’s founders, who came from Pitcairn Island, and the American whalers who worked the waters surrounding the island in the 19th century. This year’s Taste Norfolk Festival will be held from November 26-30. norfolkislandfoodfestival.com

This page: Locals and visitors to Norfolk Island enjoy a week of fun and feasting each November with Taste Norfolk Island, a celebration of the island’s local produce and rich heritage.

Let us know about your upcoming event. Email the Editor, Kirsty McKenzie, on kmckenzie@universal magazines.com.au australiancountry.net.au

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just browsing

c omp i l e d by Ki r s t y Mc K e nz i e

HAPPINESS IS A RED TEAPOT EDITED BY ANOUSKA JONES, EXILE PUBLISHING, $29.99 Gorgeous images and accompanying quotes combine to make the ultimate gift for tea lovers. From rock stars including Mick Jagger (“I got nasty habits; I take tea at three.”) and Rod Stewart (“Brewing a good cuppa is something not everyone can do, and I loathe bad tea.”) to comedian Billy Connolly (“Never trust a man who, when left in a room with a tea cosy, doesn’t try it on.”) and adventurer

Bear Grylls (“I was always brought up to have a cup of tea at halfway up a rock face.”) it’s pretty much impossible to pick this book up and not crave a cuppa.

SMALL FARM SUCCESS australia ANNA FEATHERSTONE & ANDREW CAMPBELL, CAPEABLE PUBLISHING, $32.99 A companion title to Honey Farm Dreaming, this is the DIY manual for anyone who dreams

of a tree change and making a living from the land. It covers everything from what and where to farm through to technology, animal welfare, food standards and labelling and the all-important area of marketing and selling your produce. Along the way, there are Farmer Spotlights, mini proﬁles from people from all over who have farmed everything from pigs and chestnuts to oysters, ﬁsh and citrus.

FIFTY SHADES OF 50 BRENDAN JONES, NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS, $32.99 With a foreword from Amanda Keller, Brendan (Jonesy) Jones’ cohost on a highly successful Sydney breakfast show, this amusing, ”really reliable”, memoir details Brendan’s childhood in suburban Sydney and following his dream to become a radio DJ. He shares amusing anecdotes about life on air and off, various celebrity encounters and misadventures as well as insights into his great loves, his family and motorbikes.

# GUYCODE

AUSTRALIA’S ULTIMATE BUCKET LIST JENNIFER ADAMS & CLINT BIZZELL, HARDIE GRANT TRAVEL, $32.99 Partners in life as well as work, Jennifer Adams and Clint Bizzell of Network Ten’s popular travel show Places We Go, have compiled their bucket list of 100 places in Australia you really must visit before you die. They cover every state and territory and alongside the obvious — the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Harbour, Uluru and Kata Tjuta — they uncover some lesser-known gems including several of our favourites — Bruny Island, Carnarvon Gorge and the Pinnacles. We defy you to pick up this book and not develop itchy feet. A Kimberley trip is deﬁnitely on the agenda. 142

australiancountry.net.au

MICHAELA LAUNERTS, NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS, $24.99 Subtitled The Secret to Success in a Digital World, this is basically a book of etiquette for the millennial man, who has been too busy engaging with a screen to learn the niceties needed for face-to-face contact. In short, it’s everything your parents should have taught you, but perhaps were too busy to spare the time, from how to talk on the phone and hold your cutlery to grooming, shaving and what to wear when the dress code says cocktail.

a novel idea A LONG WAY FROM HOME

Yes, there’s a section on how to behave on social media, but it’s the old-fashioned good manners that this reviewer found fascinating. As Oscar Wilde observed: “The world was my oyster, but I used the wrong fork.”

HONEY FARM DREAMING ANNA FEATHERSTONE, CAPEABLE PUBLISHING, $32.99 Twelve years ago, Anna Featherstone and her husband, Andrew Campbell, took the bold leap from city life to what they hoped would be a simpler, healthier, more sustainable life in the country for them and their young family. As Anna herself observes, with a farmyard full of animals, tourists staying in their farm cottages, backpackers helping out in return for food and lodging and bees swarming around their hives, what could possibly go wrong? Heaps as it turns out, but in the process of unmasking the myth of the idyllic country life, Anna has managed with gentle good humour to paint a portrait of the ups and downs that still left this reader yearning for a country existence. As a bonus, she has shared some of her most requested recipes for everything from lip balm and beetroot relish to itchy bite balm.

PETER CAREY, HAMISH HAMILTON, $32.99 Thousands of young Australians left their “sedate” country in the 1950s to see the “real” world; at the same time, many migrants were arriving from that world to an alluring future. Australians old and new would blink astonished at the newspaper pictures of drivers punching their way through a brutal terrain in cars like mum and dad drove. The Redex Round Australia Reliability Trial was a test of motor vehicles doing what they were never built to do, not unlike the early European contact with a timeless landscape a long way from h IItt mesmerised rii d th h na home. the nation. This is the fast-paced story of Irene and her husband, “a lovely little fellow named Titch Bobs”, with their neighbour Willie Bachhuber as navigator, on their lively, funny Redex road journey into a heart of darkness. Peter Carey’s books are always eagerly anticipated. Exiled a long way from home in New York for decades, he’s delved deeply into his 1950s Bacchus Marsh childhood to write one of his best.

THE THREE OF US KIM LOCK, MACMILLAN AUSTRALIA, $29.99 Kim Lock’s third novel weaves the tale of three people with a huge secret that they manage to keep hidden from family and friends for 40 years. If you suspend disbelief that such a highly unorthodox relationship could pass largely unnoticed in 1960s country town Australia, then this is a tale of the lengths Thomas, Elsie and Aida take to preserve their love for each other. The story details a remarkably accurate portrait of suburban life in the 1960s and ’70s and the stultifying social norms — the disgrace of unmarried pregnancy, the importance of being accepted into Mrs Watson’s Wednesday knitting group, and that marriage meant the end of life in the paid workforce — that constituted the female lot at this time.

SPRINGMEAD STUD FARM MARJORY M STUART-SMITH PINK COFFEE PUBLISHING, $89.95 Covering 100 years in 100 photographs, the author chronicles the life of the stud she now manages. Springmead’s story began when Marjory Stuart-Smith’s grandfather, Jewish refugee Teddy Hirst, escaped from Bavaria to England and then migrated to Australia, where he became the managing director of British General Electric. Teddy married Marjory Stewart, the daughter of the ﬁrst dean of veterinary science at Sydney University. Together they led an enviable life mixing with society elite and contributing to Australian agriculture and polocrosse.

conversations with katter BOB KATTER, NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS, $35 The son of a long-serving federal politician,

Bob Katter was born to a career in politics. Counting his years in Queensland’s Legislative Assembly, Senator Katter is the second-longest-serving parliamentarian in Australian history (at almost 52 years, Billy Hughes holds the lead by nine years). With his trademark 10-gallon hat, he is also one of the most recognisable ﬁgures in Canberra.

A man whom most would consider an ultraconservative, Bob is nothing if not a bundle of contradictions. This memoir explains why he’s happy to be aligned with the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), supports green energy initiatives, and identiﬁes closely with indigenous Australians. australiancountry.net.au

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readers letters readers' letters

thanks for being in touch. we welcome your feedback. Last issue generated lots of feedback from our readers.

Bird’s-eye view My favourite feature in your recent issue was the bird’seye view photography. I’ve been all over Australia but it takes a different perspective to see it like this. The pictures are something you can’t get by driving or walking. It’s marvellous how someone can capture something so beautiful. I am a photographic trainee and it makes me feel so warm and happy to see Australia captured like this. Sarah Harley, Burril Lake NSW

Rock solid Back in April 2013, you and Ken Brass visited our home in Bruce Rock. What a wonderful day we had driving you in the Mini Moke and baking pizza. I thought I would tell you about a new area we have just completed in our garden. We collected all the rocks from our paddocks, which did two jobs really, and created an open ﬁreplace, then every time we sat around it in winter, it rained so we just put a roof on it. The table we made ourselves from pallets lying around the shed and the chairs came from a little cafe on Beaufort Street in Perth (bet they never thought they’d ﬁnd their way to a farm in Bruce Rock). We recently opened our garden for a local fundraiser and were amazed when 160 people drove through the gate from as far away as Esperance and Hyden. Sam Aurisch, Bruce Rock WA

Tandem travel You bring so much to life with your clever mix of descriptions and history in all your articles. How could anyone enjoying your magazine not want to take their own road trip and explore places far and wide. Once again, it seems we were almost travelling in tandem with the stories from the past two issues. The Arcadia Valley is one of our regular haunts and last trip we did some exploring e in other areas nearby and visited aboriginal rock paintings generally not widely known. The location aalso has a magical vista (similar to

Win a Prize Thanks for being in touch. We welcome your feedback. We appreciate your thoughts and in each issue, one correspondent wins a prize. Simply email Kirsty at kmckenzie@ universalmagazines.com.au or write to us at Australian Country, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters before publication. Our favourite correspondent next issue will win a set of four Amelie mugs from the lovely folk at Salt & Pepper. Just tell us about your favourite story or feature to be in the running to win this wonderful prize.

the one you showed) but one the locals call the Cow and Calf. We also met the Kinnon family of Nogo station in Longreach and thoroughly enjoyed their wonderful hospitality in their shows, accommodation and other tourism ventures. They are a truly remarkable family who have exceeded all expectations with their vision and dedication to diversifying in times of drought and most importantly being able to maintain and cherish Nogo for generations to come. Thanks to your wonderful team for ﬁnding these amazing stories and features to enrich our lives and give us the inspiration to get out the furniture polish and pots of paint and restore some odds and ends to a semblance of their former glory. Julie Walker, Coramba NSW

Living history Just a short note to let you know how much I enjoy reading Australian Country magazine. This is my ﬁrst issue and I look forward to reading many more. I thoroughly enjoy reading about our signiﬁcant country homes and estates and how they are being brought back to life. There is so much history that really isn’t known. Jodie Jones, Bayswater North Vic

And the winner is ...

Sam Aurisch of Bruce Rock WA, who wins a gift set of coconut, caramel and tonka bean candles and a diffuser from our friends at The Aromatherapy Company.

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australiancountry.net.au

don't miss ... AUSTRALIAN

YOUR CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Editor Kirsty McKenzie email kmckenzie@universalmagazines.com.au Design Rachel Henderson Contributors Bronte Camilleri, Alice Griffin, Georgina Poole, Tamara Simoneau, Photography Ken Brass, Sarah Brión, Anastasia Kariofyllidis, Ross Williams Advertising NSW Fiona Collins mobile 0410 977 365 email fcollins@universalmagazines.com.au Advertising VICTORIA Angelos Tzovlas ph (03) 9694 6404; mobile 0433 567 071 email atzovlas@universalmagazines.com.au Directory & Travel Angela Jevdich ph (02) 9887 0641; mobile 0431 092 095 email ajevdich@universalmagazines.com.au Advertising Production Co-ordinator Anna Cindric Advertising Art Director Martha Rubazewicz Publisher Janice Williams For Subscriptions and Mail Orders phone 1300 303 414 Circulation Enquiries to our Sydney Head Office (02) 9805 0399

Chairman/CEO Publisher Chief Financial Officer Associate Publisher Finance & Administration Manager Creative Director Editorial & Production Manager Marketing & Acquisitions Manager

Prema Perera Janice Williams Vicky Mahadeva Emma Perera James Perera Kate Podger Anastasia Casey Chelsea Peters

Australian Country Vol. 21.3 (No. 127) is published by Universal Magazines, Unit 5, 6-8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399, Fax: (02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office, Suite 4, Level 1, 150 Albert Road, South Melbourne Vic 3205. Phone (03) 9694 6444 Fax: (03) 9699 7890. Printed in Singapore by Times Printers, timesprinters.com. Distributed by Gordon and Gotch, Australia. Singapore — Car Kit Pte Ph 65 6 282 1960 magazines1source. com NZ Distributors: Needlecraft: (06) 356 4793, fax: (06) 355 4594, needlecraft. co.nz. Gordon and Gotch New Zealand: (09) 979 3018.This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers. The publisher believes all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing. They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing, but the shifting sands of time may change them in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility must therefore be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication. While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. * Recommended retail price ISSN 1323-9708 Copyright © Universal Magazines MMXVIII ACN 003 026 944 universalmagazines.com.au Please pass on or recycle this magazine. WE ARE A MEMBER OF This magazine is printed on paper produced in a mill that meets Environmental Management System ISO 9001.

FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE

For our next issue, we’ve travelled from tropical Queensland and the Victorian High Country to South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula to unearth some amazing people and stories. We visit mosaic artist Veronika Zeil at her home and studio near Rockhampton, then head to Gympie where Michelle Roper and her ex-footballer husband, Kris Kahler, have transformed a demountable office building into a fabulous family farmhouse. In the extraordinary location department, we have a few contenders with Jim and Rachael McFadyen’s clifftop home on Lord Howe Island, an amazing glass house at Myponga and a hilltop eerie at Armidale on the New England Tableland. Our fashion feature cosies up for winter, our travel feature heads to the Victorian High Country in the middle of the snow season, and we’ve garden stories from Mudgee in the NSW central west and Olinda in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. We’ve loads more decorating and gardening inspiration on every page so please join us for Australian Country 21.4, which goes on sale July 5. australiancountry.net.au

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where to buy

STOCKISTS & CONTACTS Akubra ph: (02) 6562 6177, e: salesenquiries@akubra.com.au, w: akubra.com.au Antique Baths 162 Bungaree Rd, Pendle Hill NSW 2145. ph: (02) 9896 0109, e: info@antiquebaths.com.au, w: antiquebaths.com.au Canterbury Sink and Tap Company Unit 1, 34 Research Dr, Croydon South Vic 3136, ph: (03) 9761 4603, w: sinkandtap.com.au Chatterton Lacework 43 Beverage Dr, Tullarmarine Vic 3043. ph: (03) 9330 4466, e: info@chatterton.com.au; w: chatterton.com.au Cheminee ph: (02) 9564 2694, e: sales@cheminee.com.au, w: cheminee.com.au Colonial Castings 95-97 Market St, Smithfield NSW 2164. ph: (02) 9604 8222, e: info@colonialcastings.com.au, w: colonialcastings.com.au Coomber Bros Jewellery 78 McDowell St, Roma Qld 4455. ph: (07) 4622 1145, e: sales@coomberbros.com.au, w: coomberbros.com.au Emu Wire Industries 21 Stanley Dr, Somerton Vic 3062. ph: (03) 9308 5599, e: sales@emuwire.com.au; w: emuwire.com.au Euro Fireplaces 165 Mount Buller Rd, Mansfield Vic 3722. ph: 1300 733 705, e: info@eurofireplaces.com.au, w: eurofireplaces.com.au Gilly Stephenson PO Box 279, Mundaring WA 6073. ph: (08) 9295 1973, e: info@gillystephenson.com, w: gillystephenson.com Goondiwindi Cotton PO Box 288, Goondiwindi qld 4390. Ph: (07) 4671 5611, e: info@goondiwindicotton.com.au, w: goondiwindicotton.com.au Harkaway Homes Cnr Princes Hwy and Station St, Officer Vic 3809. ph: (03) 5943 2388, e: steve@harkawayhomes.com.au, w: harkawayhomes.com.au Howard Products 33 Griffin Ave, Tamworth NSW 2340. ph: 1800 672 646, w: howardproducts.com.au

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Inner Space Furniture 144 The Mall, Leura NSW 2043. ph: (02) 4784 1143, w: leuramall.com Jetmaster ph: 1300 538 627, e: sales@jetmaster.com.au, w: jetmaster.com.au John W Thompson & Son Suite 1, Level 4, The Dymocks Building, 428 George St, Sydney NSW 2000. ph: (02) 9233 3520, e: enquire@johnwthompson.net, w: johnwthompson.net Jsala Soy Candles ph: 0433 467 226, e: janine50@yahoo.com.au, w: jsalasoycandles.com.au Real Flame Gas Log Fires PO Box 904, Scoresby Vic 3179. ph: (03) 8706 2000, w: realflame.com.au Rocky Point Mulching 709 Stapylton-Jacobs Well Rd, Woongoolba Qld 4207. ph: (07) 5546 2470, e: baled@rpmulching.com.au, w: rpmulching.com.au Shop Inside Homewares ph: (03) 9931 0160, e: support@shop inside.com.au, w: shopinside.com.au Smitten Merino PO Box 199, Battery Point Tas 7004. ph: (03) 6212 0197, e: admin@smittenmerino.com, w: smittenmerino.com The Original Lamp Shop 84A Duncan St, Braidwood NSW 2622. ph: 0408 483 255, e: robert@kero-lamps.com.au, w: kerolamps.com Thomas Cook Boot & Clothing Co 8/100 Station St, Nunawading Vic 3131. ph: (03) 8872 7272, e: enquiries@tbac.com, w: thomascook.com.au Treloar Roses 216 Princes Hwy, Portland Vic 3305. ph: 1300 044 852, e: sales@treloarroses.com.au w: treloarroses.com.au Vanitone ph: 0438 100 310, e: sales@vanitone.com.au, w: vanitone.com.au Yealands Estate Wines Ltd Cnr Seaview and Reserve Rds, Seddon Marlborough 7285 New Zealand. ph: +64 3 575 7618, w: yealands.co.nz

Heating, page 108

Plant stand, page 66

Macramé hanging, page 29

Gintonica, page 120

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