Domain Review Bayside & Port Phillip - September 13, 2023

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This publication is published by Domain Holdings Australia Limited and Broadsheet Media Pty. Ltd. and is printed by IVE, 25-33 Fourth Avenue, Sunshine VIC 3020

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National editor: Michael Harry  Melbourne food & drink editor: Audrey Payne  Studio and strategy director: Roya Lines  Group campaign manager: Emily Barlow

Broadsheet Editor: Jo Walker Assistant editor: Gitika Garg Design: The Company You Keep, Sam Aldridge, Ben Siero Sub editors: Michelle Goldsmith, Barnaby Smith, Adeline Teoh, Annie Toller Writers: Emma Do, Daniela Frangos, Alice Freer, Sanam Goodman, Alice Jeffery, Shannon Valentine

Photographers: Jamie Alexander, Amy Hemmings, Casey Horsfield, Arianna Leggiero, Andy Nowell, Kaede James Takamoto, Georgina McWhirter, Ben Moynihan, Julia Sansone, Hilary Walker

Cover credits: Poppy Templeton shot by Hilary Walker

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something special about bringing a bespoke piece of art into your home. Even more so when it’s handmade locally and based on a thousand-year-old craft. That’s why we’re so intrigued by Melbourne’s new wave of stained-glass artists, including Poppy Templeton – focus of this week’s cover story. Her take on the ancient trade is decidedly non-traditional and big on fun.

Jo Walker Broadsheet Editor

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There’s

Property Listings

19

Back Chat with Raymond Tan

Creative Couples

16

His bakes got picked up by Vogue , reposted by MoMA in New York and featured on the official Instagram account back when that could move the needle. Things took off from there.

Modern Stained Glass

Neighbourhoods: Prahran

Back Chat with Raymond Tan PAGE 5

SNACK BAR STREET STYLE

by Audrey Payne

The rise of Sebby’s Scrolls, a lockdown-side-hustle-turned-bakery specialising in cinnamon scrolls, continues with the opening of a fully fledged shopfront in Caulfield South. The team has added espresso drinks and cheesymite scrolls to the menu, plus a sense of permanence. 367 North Road, Caulfield South / @sebbys.scrolls

St Ali & The Queen is a new venue from the South Melbourne coffee heavyweights in the Queen Vic Market’s Munro Building. The cafe is focused on coffee and cocktails, with award-winning bartender Orlando Marzo’s bottled Loro cocktail range available. Queen Victoria Market, 141 Therry Street, Melbourne / stali.com.au

Albert’s, the cosy wine bar at the back of Kings Arcade and opposite Armadale Station, has hired new head chef Tom Ferne and new sous-chef Steve Matthews. Ferne brings experience from Brae and Kew’s Centonove, and Matthews spent time working under Michael Bacash at South Yarra seafood restaurant Bacash. 17 Morey Street, Armadale / albertswinebar.com

A new natural wine bar and bottle shop inspired by Copenhagen is open in Richmond. Fraek is a relaxed casual spot where the team promises to always fit you in. They even have a cosy courtyard that’s great for spring nights. 488 Bridge Road, Richmond / fraekvin.com.au

Glen Iris hotspot Grazia, South Yarra’s dramatic basement restaurant Yugen, and the bright red Kōri ice-cream store in Hawthorn are among the venues shortlisted for this year’s Eat Drink Design Awards, which aim to recognise work by those shaping the look and feel of Australasian hospitality venues. eat-drinkdesign.com

Read the full story for each dot point: broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/series/snack-bar

Corner Faraday and Lygon streets, Carlton

Name: Margot Deen Age: 40 Occupation: Podiatrist and artist What are you wearing today? Levi’s pants, Oroton top, Noname jacket and Alexander Wang bag. The necklace is an heirloom, the shoes are Paul Smith and the earrings are something I got in Bali when I was really drunk. How would you describe your style? Definitely mood-based and colour-based. I don’t know what I’m going to wear the night before. I wake up in the morning and see how I’m feeling. I could smell spring in the air this morning, and I was like, “I need something bright.” I usually wear something that my mum has given me. She used to collect a lot of clothes in the ’ s – Adele Palmer and Sara Sturgeon and things like that.

CULTURAL CHARM IN CARLTON

With cultural richness and urban convenience, vibrant Carlton is home to prestigious universities and museums. A haven for students, as well as art enthusiasts, it boasts a mix of historic homes and modern apartments, appealing to both investors and residents.

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES

CARLTON

1 bed unit, $184k 2 bed house, $1.079m 3 bed house, $1.5m

Source: Data based on sales within the last 12 months

Photo: Amy Hemmings

Photo: Casey Horsfield

Photo: Kaede James Takamoto

Photo: Jamie Alexander

Thelatestin Melbourne foodnews

Raymond Tan didn’t have an oven until he moved to Australia from Malaysia in his late teens. It was 2006 and technique-heavy pastries were the home baker’s ultimate weekend project. For his first attempt, Tan chose delicate macarons – an ambitious undertaking for an experienced cook, let alone someone who’d never used an oven before.

But in his typically laid-back way, Tan tells Broadsheet, “I just turned it on, and I started baking.”

Fast-forward to today and the boyish baker from Selangor now co-owns and operates Raya. The bakery at the top of Little Collins Street in the CBD specialises in cakes, cookies and other pastries with a Malaysian twist – like beef rendang pies and Ribena pound cakes. But Tan’s journey towards a culinary career had more steps than even the most involved recipes.

In 2005, he was an architecture student in Malaysia. The intense course load coupled

Words

BACK CHAT Raymond Tan

with a long drive to campus in chaotic traffic every day caught up with him, and he found himself in a serious car accident. (Tan was fine. The car was not.)

Then his dad struck a deal with him. Tan would move to Australia for study, but only if he pursued a degree in business. Tan agreed and moved to Melbourne, but he didn’t discover a passion for corporate work. Instead, he found himself with a growing interest in creating – and eating – sugary treats. “I didn’t have a sweet tooth,” he says, reflecting on the food he enjoyed before moving, “but then I discovered Tim Tams.”

After undergrad, Tan worked retail at Burberry before undertaking a master’s degree and becoming a certified practising accountant. But he hated accounting and wanted something more for himself.

“I thought, ‘If I’m able to sell four cakes from my apartment, that’ll cover me for a week.’ Which I did, to friends and family.”

By 2014, the pastry newcomer started sharing his bakes on Instagram. Early posts include homemade croissants, cookies and brownies, and over time he developed his own style. A typical Tan gram features fortune cookies decorated to look like clementines and ang-pau (red packets); Magnum Mini-sized and -shaped cake pops styled as Pokemon, colourful abstract art or cartoonish versions of fashion world icons like Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington; and tiered layer cakes with decorative flowers and chocolate shards running up the side.

His bakes got picked up by Vogue, reposted by MoMA in New York and featured on the official Instagram account back when that could move the needle. Things took off from there, and Tan started travelling to cities including New York and London to teach baking workshops.

“This bakery was an accident,” he says of Raya. The venue – which he found at the end

of 2019, complete with modular tables and bright lighting – was originally supposed to be a workshop space. But Covid hit, and the concept had to change.

“I was like, ‘I can’t sell croissants. I can’t sell tarts.’ It was already done,” Tan explains. “So then I was like, ‘Well, what can I bring that’s different?’ I think I found a sweet spot for Raya, which is to show off my heritage.”

Since baking has become his profession, Tan doesn’t turn his home oven on as much as he used to. But Raya still feels homey, he says. “I want people to feel like they’re in my apartment while I bake.”

Raya’s just the start. Tan now co-owns Nimbo on Hardware Street, a dessert shop that specialises in decked-out versions of French toast and the Korean shaved ice dessert bingsu. Next, Tan is looking for a space where he can finally host workshops again –and inspire a fresh cohort of home bakers to switch their oven on and try something new.

by Audrey Payne · Photo by Kaede James Takamoto

THE FIT-OUT

Five Kids’ Decor Pieces That Don’t Play Around When It Comes to Style

By Alice Freer

EKOBO SILICON BABY MEAL SET – $62 Mealtime looks pretty good with this sleek set, appropriate for firsttime eaters through to boisterous toddlers. There’s a hearty suction system on the base, keeping dishes firmly stuck to almost any surface, a two-handle training cup and an ergonomic soft-tip spoon designed for first foods and baby-led weaning. ekobo.com.au

NOFRED MOUSE STOOL – $327 Leave it out when the guests arrive and after the children go to bed: the Mouse stool from Danish design brand Nofred is classic and simple with its modern, animal-inspired touch. Available in natural oak, white, grey or black, it will delight miniature users and also complement your home’s interior scheme. smallable.com

Live exceptionally at Ardency Kennedy Place and discover urban luxury at its best for over-55s. Featuring spacious apartments and resort-style facilities including a private cinema, wellness centre and a hotel-style concierge service.

Two bedroom apartments from $990,000* Three bedroom apartments from $1,220,000* Buy now & move in before Christmas

Contact Stewart on 0408 345 781 to book an appointment

HIMIKU

BLOCKS 10-PIECE SET – AROUND AU$65

Inspired by Japanese minimalism, this invention could easily double as a mini sculpture for your shelves. Thoughtfully handcrafted to stimulate creative thinking and open-ended play, these colourful wooden blocks look great anywhere in your home – scattered across the floor, in piles on a play surface or stacked on a shelf. himiku.net

TRIPP TRAPP CHAIR – $429 The chair that “grows with the child”, this iconic Scandinavian design has been offering a stylish seat at the table since 1972. The intelligent, adjustable design allows freedom of movement with depth- and height-adjustable seat and footplates, meaning it accommodates kids from infancy right through to school age. stokkeshop.com.au

ECOBIRDY

KIWI CONTAINER – AROUND AU$620

Taking inspiration from New Zealand’s endangered native bird, this playful Kiwi container, made from recycled and recyclable plastic, also serves as a unique design object for your home. Remove the magnetic beak to reveal a cavernous interior that provides plenty of space for toys and smaller items. ecobirdy.com

HOME OF THE WEEK Making waves in Brighton

Words by Kay Keighery

Fender Katsalidis buildings are never your shrinking-violet types, but Wave House is surely one of its more flamboyant residential works. Seeming part spaceship, part art gallery and part resort, the distinctive dwelling and its curated outdoor areas combine to ensure an inimitable contemporary lifestyle.

The facade establishes the landmark status here. Defining the first floor, curved stainless-steel cladding crafted by lauded artist Darryl Cowie (master sculptor and proprietor of dcg design) creates a simultaneously futuristic and gentle vision, generating an arresting yet elementally calming welcome.

Most of the al fresco action goes on at the front of the block. There’s a sunken garden terrace with a water feature border leading to the pool on the lower ground level.

On what’s technically ground level, the barbecue terrace links up with the living room, a pergola-covered area provides allweather enjoyment, and a second courtyard area bodes well for a sunny time-out.

Car accommodation is part of the largesse on offer. Sharing the lower ground level with a bathroom, laundry, cellar and

fitted home office, the garage keeps six automobiles secure.

The ground level goes all out for social space. While the family room is enclosed, the living area adjoins the dining zone and the kitchen-meals amalgamate in a semi-open, split-level fashion, flowing as they do around the central, glass-enclosed staircase.

Head upstairs for serene slumber, where the three minor bedrooms share a bathroom, and a powder room, and the main comes with terrific trappings.

Let’s revisit the living areas for a closer take on the fixtures and fittings. Ideal for winter huddles, the family room sports a fireplace cosied up with a wall unit.

Another fireplace, this one in a polishedconcrete half-wall, warms the expansive living area. The formal and casual dining areas pose a pleasing degustation dilemma, with both of them set to benefit from the adjoining kitchen’s extensive array of Gaggenau and V-ZUG appliances.

Constructed from recycled wharf timber, that glass-bound staircase makes for evocatively earthy transit between the three floors.

The deluxe approach continues upstairs, intensifying in the main suite, where the walk-through wardrobe doubles as a dressing room and the five-star en suite showcases a double vanity, shower and toilet cubicles and a spa bath set in stone.

Handy extras include remote-controlled gates, keyless entry, security system, abundant storage, in-floor heating and air-conditioning.

Finally, the property is just a walk from the bathing box section of Brighton’s beaches.

Brighton

6a Kinane Street

$7.6 million-$8.2 million

4 3 6

Contact agent

Agent: Nick Johnstone Real Estate, Nick Johnstone 0414 276 871

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“Just 150 metres from Dendy beach, the Wave House is brilliantly designed for family living. No expense has been spared, from the huge basement with a wine cellar to the restful, light-loving bedrooms.”

NEED TO KNOW

The property was last sold for $500,000 in 2000, and the highest recorded house price for Brighton (past 12 months) was $31.6 million for 39 Seacombe Grove in November 2022.

RECENT SALES

$2.525 million

78 Champion Street, August $1.856 million

77 Durrant Street, August $3.45 million

6 Enfield Road, August

Nick Johnstone Nick Johnstone Real Estate

HEART OF GLASS

Melbourne maker Poppy Templeton is part of a new wave of stainedglass artists reinventing the ancient practice for today. Her bold works rif on nature, geometry and, occasionally, David Lynch.

Words by Emma Do · Photos by Hilary Walker

Where do you go looking for stained glass? Elaborate church windows, grand public buildings, the doorway to a stately Federation home? These are the traditional places for coloured glass panes, but to see how the centuries-old craft is being revitalised for a young crowd, it’s best to look on Instagram.

It’s there that most people first encounter Poppy Templeton’s work: geometric, Mondrian-esque mirrors and bold, nature-inspired panels (along with the odd stainedglass bikini). Within a few short years, Templeton’s one-woman business Duck Ragu has garnered enough buzz to bring in a steady stream of custom orders. That’s pretty impressive for a niche craft she picked up on a whim in 2021, when she enrolled in a leadlighting course.

Now Templeton’s colourful designs bring joy to quotidian settings. Few have the means to install a traditional stained-glass feature in their home, but Duck Ragu fans hang her creations on walls, just as they would a painting or a print. They prop her mirrors up against a bathroom window or place them atop a share house mantelpiece.

“A lot of my work isn’t necessarily meant to be put in a window, but I still care about how light interacts with the glass,” Templeton says. “It might take me weeks to decide on the glass texture, because I want the light to refract on the wall in a certain way.”

Making leadlights remains a decidedly old-school process today: everything is done by hand, in painstaking fashion. Glass sheets are individually scored and cut, each small piece taken and ground down into shape before being assembled and fitted together with lead, a bit like a glass collage.

Unsurprisingly, the materials can prove hazardous. Makers have to be strict about PPE and ventilation (inhaling dust from both glass and lead is damaging). And for Templeton, gloves are a must: a gnarly cut can put her out of work for a week. “I’ve seen bone before,” she says of one particularly bloody instance.

Depending on the size and design of a work, Templeton uses either the leadlighting method or the Tiffany technique (named after American designer Louis Comfort Tiffany, creator of the Tiffany lamp). She prefers the former for heftier creations – lengths of pliable H-shaped lead came are wrapped around the glass cut-outs and the joints soldered together, creating bold black lines. For more delicate, detailed works, Templeton opts for the Tiffany technique, where glass

pieces are wrapped in shimmering copper foil before being soldered together.

For Templeton, designing and ideating is just as rewarding as making. “I want to do something that hasn’t been made in glass before,” she explains. “I try not to look at too much other stained glass because I don’t want to be inspired by something that already exists. If I’m making something with words, I’ll end up researching ’70s Italian magazine adverts and trying to make something more art based.”

David Lynch films that I studied,” she says. “I love research and take it very seriously.”

Templeton is just one of a handful of young Melbourne artists making leadlights cool again. Her peers include self-taught artist Nadine Keegan, Jodie-Mae Holm of Lead Levels and Eloise McCullough of Fools Glass. Like Templeton, Holm and McCullough are graduates of Melbourne Polytechnic’s glass and glazing certificates, which emphasise both commercial work

Kennedy explains. “Then by the time we hit the early 2000s, we went down to about less than 10.” Conservation was one concern –who would repair the church windows and myriad traditional works? But more importantly, Kennedy saw an opportunity for leadlighting to evolve.

“Leadlighting and stained glass goes in cycles – it has since the 1880s – and in the 2000s, I believe it died off because it was perceived as a period-style decoration. But there’s a real energy around it this time that will keep it going. I think many brilliant creatives are running with it, looking at it differently and realising its potential. You can create an accessible product which anyone can have in their home like Poppy’s done, or you can work on large-scale architectural pieces. Working with glass is like magic.” There may be a marked age gap between established business owners (many of whom are at retirement age) and young upstarts, but the community is small enough for both generations to cross paths and share skills. “I had this funny moment when I went into an oldschool leadlighting studio a few weeks ago, and one of the old guys knew who I was,” Templeton says. “He knew me as ‘The one making leadlights on Instagram’. I was like, ‘Oh my god!’ He was very sweet and complimentary.”

Templeton’s latest sale was to none other than her mum, who purchased a 75-centimetre square of ruby red tones, the artist’s biggest piece to date. In future, it’ll be installed as a window at her mum’s place. It’s a full circle moment for Templeton, who grew up marvelling at her mother’s leadlights in the family home. “I just thought it was so cool that she did a course in the ’80s,” she says. “Mum’s only held on to two of her pieces, and I think they’re better than anything I’ve ever made.”

The only requests she knocks back are those to remake a broken window, or from clients who “tell me exactly what to do”. Mostly, Templeton’s door stays open to weird and wonderful commissions, especially ones with a sentimental bent. One brief came in the form of a personal essay; another client asked for glass the colour of the sea in a particular spot off New South Wales.

Her favourite commission to date – an abstract panel with a blue hand surrounded by pearlescent orbs – was made for a nail salon. “They sent me a bunch of stills from

and artistic practice. Together, their contemporary aesthetic is turning a new audience’s attention to an old practice.

This recent spike in young leadlighters can be traced to Donna Kennedy. After running her own business for 20 years, Kennedy witnessed the trade shrink dramatically: as an antidote, she set up her not-for-profit Glaas Inc before eventually spearheading the course at Melbourne Polytechnic, which launched in 2020

“Back in the ’ 80 s, there were about 60 reasonable-sized studios in Melbourne,”

While Templeton’s ultimate dream is to make large-scale architectural windows for a grand building, her next goal is slightly more modest. “I’ve decided that I really love doing shop signs,” she says. “It gives me the most amount of happiness.”

She’s also in the midst of moving to a combined work-home studio to better facilitate her all-hours creative urges. “It’s what I do for work, but it’s also my hobby. I know in some people’s view it’s not a healthy way to put up a boundary, but I’ll get home and be like, ‘I wish I could go make stuff.’ I’m just obsessed with glass.”

Additional reporting by Sanam Goodman

I want to do something that hasn’t been made in glass before. I try not to look at too much other stained glass because I don’t want to be inspired by something that already exists.

WINDOW SHOPPING

Prahran

By Audrey Payne

Prahran, in Melbourne’s inner south, comes with a healthy mix of grunge and glamour courtesy of a bustling bar scene, pumping clubs and stylish restaurants mixed with leafy pockets like Grattan Gardens, the pedestrian-friendly Greville Street and Chapel Street’s iconic shopping strip.

Prahran Market – open five days a week – is Australia’s oldest food market, operating since 1864. Stalls like Pino’s Fine Produce, a family-run operation that opened in 1958, and Gary’s Quality Meats are mainstays for locals.

Q le Baker is a market favourite, with frequent lines out the front for baguettes and laminated pastries like kouignamanns, danishes filled with seasonal fruit, and classic croissants. And La Colmena, a Spanish pasteleria specialising in regional sweets, often sells out well before the end of the day.

Cheese lovers can pick up a haul at Maker & Monger – or, as owner and fromager Anthony Femia calls it, “the chapel of cheese” – then find a board to serve it on at kitchen and homewares store The Essential Ingredient.

Across the road from the market is a neighbourhood Vietnamese restaurant called Dad, and down the street you’ll find walk-in-only wine bar Don’s, where visitors drop by for the signature rotating special: pasta on a spoon.

Morning Market, a petite French-inspired corner store from Andrew McConnell’s Trader House, offers fresh produce, cuts from specialty butcher Meatsmith, and sandwiches to go, as well as loaves and pastries from Baker Bleu. Cafes like Hobba, Fourth Chapter and Tall Timber make for great meeting places during the day.

The suburb has its share of themed spots, including Rufus – a bar named for Winston Churchill’s poodle – and Middletown, a cafe inspired by the Duchess of Cambridge.

At L’Hotel Gitan, an established and approachable bar and restaurant, Melbourne restaurant royalty Jacques Reymond and his family serve French bistro dishes. Other neighbourhood stalwarts include Shanghainese spot David’s, flamefuelled Firebird and Thai-restaurant-meets-American-diner Colonel Tan’s.

Newer spots include Rossi, a casual restaurant and bar with a killer sound system, and Entrecote, which relocated to Prahran in 2021 after seven years in South Yarra, bringing its Parisian-hotel-inspired food with it.

NEED TO KNOW

Average Age 34

Median Weekly income $2,121

Owner 40% Family 27%

Renter 60% Single 73%

Clockwise from top: Prahran Square and Grattan Gardens, photos Amy Hemmings; Maker & Monger, photo Arianna Leggiero; The Terrace at Prahran Square, photo Amy Hemmings

Prahran offers two faces. The serene village-like charm of Greville Street and Grattan Gardens by day, and the vibrant party scene on Chapel Street by night. It boasts a mix of historic terrace houses and renovated Victorian cottages alongside sleek new apartment complexes.

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“As apartments rise in activity centres, detached homes in Prahran remain limited, growing rarer and desirable. Quality houses will stay sought-after and competitive in all markets.”

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES

Median price houses $1.637m

Median price units $502,500

Distance from CBD 5km

Clockwise from top: Prahran Market, photo Amy Hemmings; Entrecote steak frites and restaurant interior, photos Ben Moynihan; Chapel Street Bazaar, photo Amy Hemmings

David Sciola Jellis Craig

Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Prahran

CREATIVE COUPLES

Paris Rodgers and Max Jahufer

Words by Jo Walker · Photos by Amy Hemmings

The way Paris Rodgers and Max Jahufer tell it, they were always meant to be together. At the couple’s first meet-cute, during a New Year’s Eve party, “there was some sort of a vibe”, Jahufer recalls. But they were living in separate cities and Rodgers was dating someone else. “The stars were not aligning at the time,” Rodgers says. “But it was one of those instant connections where you’re like, ‘Oh my god. Why is this person not in my life?’”

By 2018, the situation had switched up. Jahufer had moved to Melbourne from Sydney and Rodgers was single again. Five years later, they’re parents to 13-month-old Windsor (aka Winnie) and engaged to be married later this year. Living in Brighton East with a baby (and their practice “firstborn”, Baci the dog) is something they’re still getting used to. “Before we had Windsor, I would have called us the ‘entertaining couple’,” Rodgers says. “We love to put on a good dinner party. Epic food and wines. But now, not so much.”

“Now we’re the parent couple,” Jahufer adds. “We’ll still go out for dinner, but it’s 5pm and we’ve got to be home by 6 30.”

Windsor’s arrival took some doing – including a journey through IVF during lockdowns. It may sound like an unromantic start, but after going through the lengthy process of egg retrieval, then embryo fertilisation, then implantation, Rodgers fell pregnant – and the duo became parents to Windsor in 2022.

They’re still relatively new to the mum and dad game, and still marvelling at how their lives together have changed. “In terms of the connection [with Windsor], it’s one that you can’t explain,” Jahufer says. “He’s sitting up and crawling now … He’s a little person.”

On top of motherhood and acting work (she’s been known to shoot self-tape auditions in between Windsor’s naps), Rodgers is currently focusing her time on Winnie & Boo – an online shop for parenting needs like breast pumps, nursing pillows and infant clothes.

Meanwhile, Jahufer’s creative career could best be described as broad. After graduating with a masters in architecture and working in the field for

a couple of years, he changed course completely to pop music, competing on The X Factor as a singer and going out on tour. A stint in sales and marketing followed before founding his own creative agency, Future Studio, at the start of the pandemic.

Then came another type of challenge: an invitation to join an Aussie movie’s writing room as a consultant, “to make sure that the trans characters were being written correctly and equally”. As the project evolved, producers asked Jahufer to audition for one of the film’s leads. “I got offered the role,” he says. “And then I jumped into acting.” Thankfully, Rodgers was on hand as his acting tutor. (The film, A Savage Christmas, is set for release later this year.)

Identifying as trans is a relatively new thing for Jahufer – as well as something he’s sensed all his life. Eventually, it was Rodgers who prompted him to act. “Paris kind of nudged me and went, ‘Dude, let’s just do this. You’ve got to start focusing and acknowledging this stuff.’”

The medical side of things started with a trip to the GP, then months of assessment with a psychiatrist, after which options were discussed – from social transitioning to surgery. “It’s very rigorous and measured and structured,” Jahufer says. And though he sometimes wishes he’d recognised his situation earlier, it’s not always straightforward. “Confusing it with being a lesbian … There’s a lot to work through to distinguish the two. And then I was like, ‘I’m not just a boyish lesbian. I actually don’t identify as female at all.’”

Since that turning point, it’s been “a happy process [and] a challenging process”, Jahufer says. “I’d come out as gay in my early twenties. It was like coming out again. And it wasn’t just coming out. It was changing basically who I was to other people.”

Rodgers agrees Jahufer has “definitely changed and [is] changing”, but it’s not like her partner has suddenly switched identities. “It does seem that the way he’s changing is more into himself,” she says. “When I met Max, I just fell in love with the person … But it was so obvious that Max was born in the wrong body, and I always just wanted him to be happy. I just wanted to be there and support him.”

“Now we’re the parent couple. We’ll still go out for dinner, but it’s 5pm and we’ve got to be home by 6.30.”

Often overlooked by visitors in favour of world-class wine region McLaren Vale next door, this laid-back coastal town is finally gaining attention as a new generation of operators moves into the area.

Just a 50 -minute drive from Adelaide, it’s an ideal destination for daytrippers. But if you want to immerse yourself in the village-like lifestyle, book a stay at Kestrels Nest, a luxe couples retreat in a renovated shack, or Reef House, a Palm Springs-inspired property (with a heated mineral pool) overlooking Aldinga Beach.

The long stretch of coastline with white sand, turquoise water and golden cliffs hides a subtidal reef teeming with marine critters, including colour-changing cuttlefish. And it’s one of the few beaches you

Aldinga, SA

by Daniela Frangos

can drive your car onto (for an $ 8 fee), though some sections are closed during winter.

Fill a basket with produce and snacks from the Willunga Farmers Market and park up for the day, or head down the shore to Silver Sands where you’ll find the recently revamped Silver Sands Beach Club. Roll in between swims for a prawn cocktail bun and a glass of McLaren Vale’s finest.

Aldinga’s dining scene – which includes local stalwart The Little Rickshaw, a rustic south-east Asian kitchen in a tin shed – has been bolstered by recent arrivals like Pearl, a sustainably minded seafood diner with a Mediterranean accent.

Destination restaurant Muni has also moved in – a 10-minute drive away in otherwise sleepy Willunga – presenting Taiwanese-inspired dishes using hyperlocal produce. Its set menu might

feature a single sake-marinated oyster with pippies and black vinegar, plus rice pudding with fish floss and hay-smoked pork jowl matched with sake and natural wines.

If you need to work up an appetite first, hit the trails through Aldinga Conservation Park – a refuge of rare plants like lacy coral lichen and several kinds of orchid, plus the short-beaked echidnas, birds and bats that call it home – against an impressive backdrop of sand dunes and coastal vegetation. Then drive a few minutes to spectacular Port Willunga Beach where you’ll find waterfront dining institution Star of Greece (named after a nearby shipwreck), the rustic weather-beaten pylons seen across Instagram, and man-made caves once carved into the cliff face by fishermen – now prime real estate on a scorching hot day.

Photo courtesy of Andy Nowell

LUXURY

Words by Joanne Brookfield, Richard Cornish & Kay Keighery

Brighton

26 Gray Street

$3.8 million-$4.1 million

5 3 2

Expressions of interest: Close noon, September 18

Agent: Marshall White, Ben Vieth 0404 084 793

Close to schools and the beach, on one of Brighton’s best tree-lined streets, this home has been designed for families, especially those into regular gatherings and entertaining. The large kitchen comes with a butler’s pantry and European appliances, while the covered al fresco area offers extra room to spill out. Over two levels, there are several living spaces, and when parents need a break, the main bedroom has its own balcony. There are also solar panels and an EV charger.

Brighton

29 Bay Street

$7.6 million-$8.25 million

6 5 4

Expressions of interest: Close 3pm, September 20

Agent: Marshall White, Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982

Charming and spacious, this two-storey home, metres from the beach, excels for large-family living. The 1920s facade delights. Inside, immaculately updated spaces include formal lounge and dining rooms, a study, a big games room (with bar) and an open-plan hub. Step out from the hub to an entertainment patio addressing the pool and pool house (with bathroom). The bedroom on the ground level has an en suite, as does the official main on the first floor.

Brighton

43 Kinane Street

$9.3 million

5 4 3

Expressions of interest: Close 5pm, September 14

Agent: Kay & Burton, Alex Schiavo 0419 239 549

The lavish styling here might make one think they’re in Europe. While the facade of the roomy residence displays Spanish influence, the feature-blessed interior resounds with decorative detail. Parquetry floors, patterned walls, punctuating columns and a marble staircase contribute to the glory. The double-height entrance foyer rises to a domed ceiling. Glass doors in the hub part to a covered terrace (with fireplace) leading to the Hollywood-fit pool and the tennis court.

Middle Park

191 Page Street

$4.4 million-$4.6 million

3 2 2

Auction: 1pm, September 16

Agent: Jellis Craig, Max Mercuri 0431 043 723

A timeless, modern renovation by Whiting Architects melds seamlessly with the solid bones of this stately, double-fronted Edwardian home. The traditional high ceilings of the bedrooms are mirrored in the modern, open-plan living, dining and kitchen spaces. Flooded with natural light, they are an artful blend of timber, marble and stainless steel with views through metal-framed windows to the extensive outdoor living area. This is all found on a blissfully quiet street.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION

Words by Richard Cornish & Iain Gillespie

Clearance Rate of 67%*

Source: Domain Group

WHAT OUR EXPERT SAYS

Dr Nicola Powell Chief of research & economics

“The arrival of spring might entice investors, thanks to substantial improvements in gross rental yields and the opportunity to buy while median prices remain below their previous highs.”

For the latest property insights go to domain.com.au/research

$3.275 million

34 York Street

$2.4 million-$2.6 million

4 2 1

Auction: 11.30am, September 16

Agent: Jellis Craig, Simon Gowling 0422 234 644

An easy walk to the beach and Middle Park shopping centre makes location one of the attractive features of this spacious Edwardian home, which retains its high ceilings, timber floors and original fireplaces. There’s a separate living room at the front, and an openplan family, kitchen and dining area at the rear opening to a deck and grassed courtyard. Features include CCTV and EV charging.

Middle Park

269 Danks Street

$3.6 million-$3.8 million

4 2 2

Auction: 10.30am, September 16

Agent: Marshall White, Ben Manolitsas 0400 201 626

Walk into this recently renovated, single-level Edwardianera Middle Park home and be rewarded by the beach only a few minutes’ walk away, the relaxed atmosphere of Middle Park Village nearby and two trams to the city and beyond. The broad, deep block is reflected in generous bedrooms and living spaces with high ceilings and timber floors typical of these historic homes. Out back, the rare double garage opens to the lawned backyard and north-facing heated pool.

Brighton

5 Airlie Street

$1.8 million-$1.98 million

3 2 2

Auction: 10.30am, September 16

Agent: Marshall White, Kate Fowler 0418 418 385

Renovated and lovingly maintained, this Edwardian weatherboard home has a modern kitchen at its heart fitted with AEG appliances and Caesarstone bench tops. This opens to a spacious living room, decking and a cool, secluded back garden and veggie patch. With three bedrooms, loft storage, shed and two car spaces, this lovely bayside property offers versatile living.

South Melbourne

41 Ferrars Place

$2.5 million-$2.75 million

4 2 1

Auction: 11am, September 16

Agent: Cayzer, Simon Carruthers 0438 811 601

This beautifully restored home in one of South Melbourne’s most desirable streets preserves its 1890s elegance, with high decorated ceilings, leadlight windows and open fireplaces. The front living room opens to a large dining area and modern kitchen overlooking the rear garden, which has an al fresco entertainment area, verandah and separate study. There is rear vehicle access.

St Kilda West

Middle Park

18/225 Beaconsfield Parade

$1.4 million-$1.5 million

1 2 1

Private sale

Agent: Belle Property Albert Park, Stephanie Evans 0420 215 919

With spectacular 180-degree views over Port Phillip Bay to the CBD, this fifth-floor apartment is only 100 metres from Middle Park beach. The agent says the apartment was designed with two bedrooms, but was modified to maximise living space and can easily be converted back to the original plan.

Port Melbourne

3/117 Rouse Street

$890,000-$950,000

3 3 2

Auction: Noon, September 16

Agent: Chisholm & Gamon, Jon Kett 0415 853 564

This townhouse in the Sandridge Tower is spread over three levels. The ground-floor kitchen flows into a light-filled living area and courtyard. Upstairs are two bedrooms, one with en suite, while the third level has another bedroom with a cooking and dining area leading to a rooftop terrace.

St Kilda

34 Marlton Crescent

$1 million-$1.1 million

3 1

Auction: 1pm, September 23

Agent: Kay & Burton, Paul Manczack 0404 398 145

This solid-brick, slate-roofed home retains many period details, including high ceilings, timber floors and ornate fireplace mantels. A central hallway leads past the front living room and bedrooms to the kitchen and meals area. The rear north-facing courtyard includes a separate laundry and shed.

ELSTERNWICK 14 Elster Avenue

PICTURESQUE PARKSIDE LIVING, FABULOUS FAMILY FLAIR

belleproperty.com/222P451225

Positioned opposite Gardenvale Park and tucked away in a tranquil cul-de-sac, this meticulously renovated and extended Edwardian home (circa 1918) masterfully blends historical allure with contemporary luxury. Its delicate timber fretwork, genuine Baltic Pine floorboards, ornate ceiling roses, exquisite leadlight, and nostalgic open fireplaces capture a bygone era, juxtaposed seamlessly with stylish updates tailored for modern comfort and aesthetics.

Hover your camera over the code to view live listings on domain.com.au

13 Park Street, Brighton

5 A 5 B 6 C

Magnificently positioned, mere metres to Middle Brighton Beach and steps to Church Street, this palatial family estate epitomises refined resort-style living and grand-scale entertaining complemented by a plethora of five-star amenities. Privately set behind high walls and secure automated gates, on more than half an acre (2,079sqm approx.).

marshallwhite.com.au

Expressions of Interest

Close Tuesday 17th October at 3pm

Viewing

By Appointment

Contact Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982

Melissa Grinter 0409 805 035

Scott Xue 0433 493 837

Expressions of Interest

Viewing as advertised or by appointment

JUVERNA – A RARE OPPORTUNITY IN PRESTIGIOUS LOCALE

• Timber floors, high ceilings, leadlight windows and open fireplaces throughout

• On the door step of Albert Park Lake, MSAC, light rail and Albert Park Village

• Car access from rear lane

Comprising: Expansive formal living leading to family/dining just next door, light-filled modern kitchen with excellent bench space, stainless steel appliances, and a unique splashback with 1970s French tiling all of which opens to

magnificent lush north facing garden. The wonderful master bedroom boasts incredible space, built-in robes, and ensuite. A further three bedrooms and family bathroom plus rear office Other features include separate laundry, ducted heating, cooling, attic storage.