Domain Review Stonnington & Boroondara - February 19, 2020 by Domain Magazines

PEOPLE & PROPERTY OF MELBOURNE

FEBRUARY 19-25, 2020

DEBORAH MAILMAN

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FILM

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TARA MOSS MEET A MODERN-DAY HEROIN E

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The editor’s desk

Anyone who has a passion but has lacked the confidence to turn it into a full-blown endeavour will feel empowered by the story of Tara Moss. The part-time model, activist and author (her spooky books with strong female characters have been translated into 13 languages and published in 19 countries) started writing Stephen King-style stories in school. It was a teacher who planted the seed of possibility – that these tales could be more than scribbles treasured by her parents. Years on, the loss of her mother continues to inform her characters. Discover the intriguing Tara Moss in this week’s feature. ●

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THE EDIT What we love at Domain Review

OUR COVER \ Author Tara Moss. Photographed by Blair Hansen.

MORE TO LOVE ONLINE Go to domain.com.au/domain-review General inquiries \ 9249 5226 \ editorial@domain.com.au Editor \ Emily Power

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REVIEW Domain Review is published by Domain Holdings Australia Limited and is printed by Elephant Group (Aust) Pty Ltd, 24c Victoria Street Windsor VIC 3181. All material is copyright.

FIONA HAMILTON

Senior designer \ Colleen Chin Quan

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Deputy editor \ Jessica Dale

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“It’s been a lifetime project creating the types of stories I wish I had access to ... ” BERNDT SELLHEIM

TARA MOSS

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The literary world’s Wonder Woman COVER STORY Author and model Tara Moss gives a voice to powerful

female characters in a stylish, devilish genre she’s made her own.

anadian-Australian author, human rights activist and part-time model Tara Moss is back with a new novel, The Cobra Queen, her fourth in the Pandora Series. The Pandora Series has been described as True Blood meets The Devil Wears Prada – Moss riffs on a paranormal world where female empowerment is at the core of her storytelling; where Gothic horror and fetishism f lirt with spirit guides as much as the series haunts the well-heeled fashion scene of NYC. Moss, who has written 13 books over 21 years and penned her acclaimed non-fiction work The Fictional Woman in 2014, splits her time between Australia and Vancouver where she lives with her photographer-author husband Berndt Sellheim and their nine-year-old daughter Sapphira. She first arrived in Australia in 1996 and, after 23 years spent here, returned to Canada in 2018. The dual citizen, who wears many creative hats including TV presenter and documentary maker, says she’s most comfortable as an author. But it took her years to trust that instinct. Once she found it, she knew women would feature prominently. “Writing novels, for me, is about featuring women’s voices and making them powerful,” says Moss, 47. “It’s been a lifetime project creating the types of stories I wish I had access to when I was young. In 2020, we do have a few more great heroines to look to that weren’t there before. I had to seek them out because they were far and few between.” Moss pays homages to genres she loves, taking

urban fantasy and fusing it with horror. The Cobra Queen follows Pandora English, who lives in a Manhattan supernatural suburb and discovers she is the Chosen One, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter – and circumstances get eerily strange. “She [Pandora] is the one who comes up every seventh generation and I’m looking at it from a matriarchal line rather than patriarchal line that we have seen in older tales,” Moss says. “Pandora’s Great-Aunt Celia says in the book ‘Bram Stoker has a lot to answer for’ as an injoke. The idea with this novel was to subvert and play with what’s come before.” Moss thanks a supportive English high school teacher, Mr Bendall, for seeing something in her writing. “I always wrote before I had the confidence to admit this,” Moss says. “From 10 years old, I was writing Stephen King-style novels for my classmates. My dad has even saved those stories in the attic,” she laughs. “Mr Bendall was revolutionary. He was the first teacher who said this is something you can do. He was a great encouragement.” But for all the external role models around her, it was the loss of her mother – aged 43 in 1990 when Tara was only 16 – that has a resounding effect to this day. The impact of that loss has informed her work ever since. “You’ll always find a character who has lost a parent in my books; or someone they loved dearly,” says Moss. “I feel so fortunate that I had the years I did with my mother. “Mum died at 43, younger than I am now. That is heartbreaking and extraordinary for me to

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contemplate that she didn’t get to be as old as I am. Her death had a big impact on my family. Pandora has lost her mother too – it’s a common theme in my books and on deeply rooted in my own loss. It changed my outlook on the world.” In the 1990s, Moss took to the fashion world, living in New York, working in Europe and appearing in catwalk shows and fronting fashion campaigns. When it comes to her own style, she takes her cue from the 1940s, wearing her heart on her sleeve with a tapestry of ink that pays homage to her late mother as much it does to an era of oldschool Sailor Jerry-style tattoos. “Modelling was a wonderful opportunity for me to travel and see the world, but that world wasn’t always great,” she says, hinting at the sexism and pressure to be always be thin. “It took until I wrote my first fetish novel at 23 to decide I’d become a full-time writer. I still see myself as a part-time model now – I do think there is some value in someone over 45 being photographed for a campaign.” It’s been four years since she last did a modelling job, and recalls walking for Alex Perry in a 2009 cancer fundraising runway show in Sydney. “I was literally twice the age of everyone else,” she smiles. She rocks a 1940s wiggle dress to perfection and has a dragon tattooed on her hip, a writing quill on her arm and another underneath her hairline she got with her husband for their wedding in 2009. But it’s the bluebirds on her forearm that reveal a lot about the girl behind the fiction. “The bluebird has f lown out of its birdcage and she’s carrying the key to her own cage in her mouth,” she explains. “On my shoulder is a tattoo of Wonder Woman done in a 1940s-style, while I have a quintessential Mum tattoo as an ode to my late mother Janie. “It’s done in a feminine style with some of her favourite things including paintbrushes and needlepoint. My house in Vancouver is decorated with her artwork – she is always around, it’s really reassuring.” ● THE COBRA QUEEN \ Out on March 3 through Echo Publishing

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FILM

The Melbourne-raised director behind hit Hollywood thrillers plays on our deepest fears – again. Wo r d s

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Saw & conquered GETTY IMAGES

icture this scene in 2004. Leigh Whannell hadn’t long graduated from film school at RMIT University in Melbourne, and the movie he’d written and appeared in – Saw – had been shown at Sundance Film Festival. Whannell checks the internet every day for any morsel of news about the movie, but there isn’t much. Eight months later, he flies to the Toronto Film Festival with Saw’s director James Wan – his film collaborator from RMIT – for its midnight premiere. “We’re driving down the street, and there’s a line around the block to get into our film. We were like, ‘Whoa, look at all those people lining up to see the movie!’ And the publicist said, ‘The people seeing the movie are already in the theatre. That’s the line [of people who are] waiting for spare tickets. They’re hoping to get in.’” Less than two decades later, Whannell is the writer and director (with a producer’s credit, too) of The Invisible Man, a psychological thriller starring Elisabeth Moss of The Handmaid’s Tale. Although many know him for his slate of horror films (he’s written three Saw and four Insidious movies and was also writer-director on Upgrade), The Invisible Man presents a villain that’s arguably scarier than a hockey-masked killer: he’s a husband with a master’s degree in manipulation and mind games. Moss plays the woman who escapes her abusive spouse only to become convinced that he’s found an innovative way to stalk her: becoming invisible. While it’s undoubtedly an edge-of-your-seat, heart-thumping thriller, it also holds gravitas for anyone who’s felt like they’ve lacked power, or been a victim of gaslighting. “If someone’s really good at manipulation, they can change your reality ... where even you question your own sanity,” Whannell says. “It can really mess with you. It’s such a fascinating and dark, terrifying subject to explore – I had no idea that there were so many people who [have been] controlled in their relationships.” Growing up in the outer suburbs of Melbourne – he lived in Glen Waverley and Scoresby – 43-yearold Whannell still gets nostalgic about his roots, although he (together with his wife and three children) now calls Hollywood home. “Every Friday night my mum would get a pizza and the whole family would be together and watch a video,” he says.

“That’s where some of the best memories of my childhood and my love of cinema came from ... I had a real full-circle moment when I was shooting Upgrade in Collingwood. It was at this school that had been shut down but happened to be right next door to The Tote Hotel, where I shot my student film, easily the worst student film of all time. “One day I got to the set of Upgrade a little early, and went over to The Tote, and I was thinking how years ago I was in this pub, freaking out ... [about my] terrible student film and now I’m next door with a crew of 100 people.

“My life is so tied in with Melbourne and there are so many places here that make me who I am.”

“My life is so tied in with Melbourne and there are so many places here that make me who I am. [It] is in my bone marrow, it’s so coded into me. I like to go for a walk around RMIT, because I think that if I hadn’t gone to RMIT, I wouldn’t have met James, and I wouldn’t be [promoting The Invisible Man]. “So, walking around that campus is like reckoning with a real sliding doors moment in my life.” One day, he’d like to be at the helm of a big-budget movie, if only for that experience. “I’d like to know what it’s like to have my imagination let off the chain. Not because I want the perks, but there’s something great about saying, ‘OK, I want 300 horsemen on that hill,’ and not have the producer say, ‘How about two horsemen? And they’re not going to be on the hill ...’” ● THE INVISIBLE MAN \

LEIGH WHANNELL

In cinemas from February 27

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DRINK

Love New York? Adore Paris? A city bar serves up a swanky blend. Wo r d s

E M I LY P OW E R

GARETH SOBEY

ar Margaux was crowned bar of the year for 2020 in the Good Food Guide Awards. It is buzzing with bonhomie and spare seats are few and far between. What comes first – the chicken or the egg? Accolades aside, this has been on the lips of savvy diners and wine enthusiasts – and extremely popular – since its opening in July last year, and the “best bar” crown for the new year really only confirms its status. Bar Margaux, from the team behind Fitzroy cocktail lounge The Everleigh, is timeless dining that speaks to Melbourne’s European leanings and, better still, it is open late. Welcoming and helpful staff sashay between tables with plates of chips (seek out “frites” on the menu) and negronis until all hours. First guests are welcomed at 4pm and can stay until 3am. From midnight until close there is a special menu, including $29 servings of oysters and champagne, or a burger paired with a glass of burgundy. At $99, the Beggar’s Banquet of champagne, oysters, steak tartare and frites will keep night owls sated until the sun comes up. Margaux is an especially excellent venue for posttheatre tipples and shared nibbles – choose your preferred position, either coddled in a rouge leather banquette or leaning close to a paramour across a table. The entrance is cleverly concealed, speakeasystyle, and yet the drama starts on the Lonsdale Street footpath. Hovering above steps that lead to the basement bar is a digital screen of a hand sensuously toying with a bottle of wine. It’s sexy here but unpretentious. The low light inside amplifies the lively atmosphere within the New York-meets-Parisian-style brasserie, homely yet swank with subway tiles, warm wood and the golden glow of the main bar.

The place to gaux Embrace the scene and start with escargots de bourgogne (curls of juicy snails swimming in a ramekin of garlic butter), a quenelle of melt-in-themouth steak tartare (scooped onto waffle frites) and the generous charcuterie spread. Main plates are a meaty affair (filet de boeuf, roasted Bannockburn chicken, Humpty Doo barramundi), save for plump little Parisienne gnocchis. However, duck as a main is a must – because … when in Paris. Slices of duck meat carry the same perfect blush you might spot on the cheeks of a young couple having a cosy date night on a

neighbouring table and, being rich as duck is, it’s ideal to share. Delicious sides are an uncomplicated choice – saving the debate for the drinks list – offering a green salad, sauteed spinach or the must-have frites, if you unwisely skipped them earlier. The dessert portion of the menu teases with the title: Should I Stay or Should I Gaux? Surely the only option is to linger a while longer over a souffle of the day. BAR MARGAUX \ Basement, 111 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne ● barmargaux.com.au

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ENTERTAINMENT Deborah Mailman reunites with old friends for her new movie. Wo r d s

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Deborah Mailman stars in the Aussie film H Is For Happiness.

DAVID DARE PARKER

TIM BAUER

hen award-winning actress Deborah Mailman was asked to join the cast of family movie drama H Is For Happiness, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to be part of a locally made film. What’s more, it’s now one of four Australian films chosen to make an international premiere at the Berlin Biennale. “I had read the book and loved it, and I knew the director John Sheedy from my theatre days. It’s his feature-length debut and I couldn’t pass it up,” says Mailman, who joined the cast in the final few days of a five-week filming schedule in 2018. H Is For Happiness is based on My Life As An Alphabet, a young adult novel by Barry Jonsberg, and follows 12-year-old Candice Phee (played by Daisy Axon) who tries to lift the spirit of her dysfunctional family and becomes friends with Douglas Benson (Wesley Patten). Mailman plays Douglas’ mother Penelope, her maternal side beautifully captured on the screen. The actors are reunited as mother and son once again, having starred as just that in the ABC TV’s acclaimed political drama Total Control. “It’s great to be acting alongside Wesley again and to be his mum in the movie. He’s such a professional and certainly a young actor to watch,” she says. Mailman took out Best Actress at the AACTA’s last year for her portrayal of Alex Irving in Total Control and says supporting local productions is her modus operandi.

Creative circle “H is for Happiness is a fun and uplifting film. The book made me laugh out loud and the film will appeal to kids as much as older generations,” she says. Mailman – adored for her role in the 2012 movie The Sapphires and as nurse Cherie Butterfield in the popular TV show Offspring – says the Total Control series, where she played a charismatic yet conflicted Indigenous woman, ticked all her creative boxes. “Being able to tackle a role like Alex drew on every part of my training, experience and I loved the challenge of that,” she says. “We’d love a second season. I know the writers are talking about it.” Mailman’s next role is as the voice of Maggie Diggins (a wombat) in a trilogy of films by director Richard Cusso titled Combat Wombat. It will also star comedians Judith Lucy and Frank Woodley. “It’s a beautiful and funny story that also touches on environmental issues too,” Mailman says.

“Maggie has lost her husband in a tunnelling accident and, after many years, sets out to find him and doesn’t believe he’s gone,” she says. “In doing so she uncovers a corrupt system in Sanctuary City.” With more than 30 years’ experience, Mailman says she never tires of her work. “I’ve been lucky to come across a diversity of roles,” says the mother of two sons – Henry, 12, and Oliver, 9 – with husband Matthew Coonan. “There is more I want to do, but don’t know what that is until it’s right in front of me. Often it’s all about the people I want to work with. “All I wanted was longevity and I am still here and loving what I am doing and hope that feeling is still there in 10 and 20 years’ time. “I have fabulous support from my husband and that makes all the difference in the world with what I do.” ● H IS FOR HAPPINESS \ In cinemas now

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RECIPE

Easy afternoon tea Ingredients (to make six) 6 plain croissants (one day old) 200g quality butter (at room temperature) 260g icing sugar 260g almond meal 100g custard 2 small eggs (50g each) 25g corn flour 100g caster sugar 100g flaked almonds 50g icing sugar (for decoration)

When guests pop in for a cuppa, an almond croissant will impress. Laurent shares a shortcut recipe.

One of the hardest recipes to replicate at home is croissants. Laurent bakeryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almond croissants are made from scratch but this recipe, dressing plain croissants, has been adapted for simplicity. Tip: These can also be made with brioche buns or chocolate croissants.

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Kitchen utensils: Large bowl, a spatula, small pot, scales, a spray bottle, a sieve and a bread knife.

■ ■

Preparation ■

The sugar syrup ■ I n a pot bring to the boil 100g sugar dissolved in 100ml water then put aside to cool. The almond cream I n a large bowl with a spatula, generously mix the 200g butter (at room temperature) with the 260g icing sugar until a pale creamy texture without lumps. ■ A dd eggs, the 100g custard, 260g almond meal, 25g corn flour all at once and mix gently until smooth.

■

Now you have everything you need to assemble delicious almond croissants. Method C arefully cut the croissants (or brioches, chocolate croissants) horizontally with a bread knife and place them open-sided on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

■

T urn on the oven on fan at 180°C. F ill up the spray bottle with the sugar syrup (still warm) and spritz evenly all over the cut croissants. S pread some almond cream on the bottom halves of the croissants. P lace the remaining halves on and spread the remaining almond cream on the top of the croissants. S catter some flaked almonds on the top of the croissants so they stick to the cream. P ut the croissants in the oven and bake for 17 minutes (for fan heated about 160°C to 170°C or conventional heated about 170°C to 180°C). C heck after 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature of the oven if the croissants start to take on too much colour on top.

Tip: Be aware that every oven is different and adjust the temperature to allow time for the croissants to bake inside. ■

W hen ready, leave them to cool and dust with icing sugar for decoration.

● laurent.com.au

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SHOPPING

Planting an idea From their Aladdin’s cave, a creative couple inspire a global following.

hen Bonnie Ashley was studying design in New Zealand, she might never have envisioned what her life would be like 19 years down the track. Today, she’s one half of Bonnie and Neil. She and husband Neil Downie created the textile brand, which sells across Australia and has international stockists including Anthropologie in the US, Liberty of London and Le Bon Marche in Paris. That said, one visit to their Reservoir studio and showroom lets visitors know that they haven’t strayed from the indie appeal of their business when it first began almost a decade ago. One look at Ashley in the corner, hand-painting flowers on natural materials, tells you all you need to know. “One of the hardest parts is everything

HAWTHORN PARK – MOVE IN THIS YEAR

that’s handmade,” she says. “When it’s summer and 40 degrees and you’re battling the elements, it has its challenges.” At least there’s a corner of her warehouse that looks like an oasis. Tucked away from the screen printing tables is Bonnie and Neil’s showroom. It’s a colourful pop of bright hues, starting with the floral orange “tiles” that one presumes hail from a beachy city in Europe, until you realise they’re vinyl, rather than tiles and are one of Bonnie and Neil’s own designs. There’s more: recessed arched shelves reveal an Aladdin’s cave of jewel-coloured cushions and ceramics, while a table is set with the company’s coveted linen tablecloths and napkins, some of which sparkle with the imprint of golden bees.

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STEPHANIE ROONEY

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R AC H E L L E U N R E I C H

It’s no mistake that so many of the products are adorned with flowers; that’s pretty much Ashley’s obsession. “I worked for a florist for years, and that’s where my passion for botanics came from. I’m a passionate gardener as well, and I love visiting botanic gardens anywhere I travel. My favourite of all time is Kew Gardens in London – it has this amazing Palm House with lush plants. That’s the ultimate.” And when Ashley sees something she loves, she takes a photo and then comes home to paint it; other images get collaged into the designs. “I love tropical flowers, but at the moment my favourite is foxglove – the flowers are so striking and I have them all planted in my garden.” Downie’s background isn’t in textiles, like Ashley’s; instead, he’s worked in furniture-making, as a cabinet maker and set builder. But the pair decided to collaborate for their own business, which started off doing various things, combining furniture and textile design. When they settled in Melbourne in 2003, it was a grand step for each: Ashley is from New Zealand

and Downie hails from Scotland. “We moved here and didn’t know anyone, but we’d heard it was a really great place to live with a really great art community and a lot of people doing interesting print-making. We’ve lived in London for a few years, so Melbourne seemed like a natural fit; it was the obvious choice.” Since then, they’ve proved that following their own instincts is key. “I really love entertaining and cooking and making tables look beautiful, but a lot of stores said, ‘Don’t bother with table linen – it doesn’t work in Australia. People don’t use it and entertain in that way.’ We wanted to persevere for purely selfish reasons, and now people are using table linens more and more, and it’s becoming an everyday thing.” And working together with your beloved? “We have very separate roles in the business and we’re not in each other’s pockets all day every day. I know it wouldn’t work for everyone, but it works for us.” ● BONNIE AND NEIL SHOWROOM \ 92 Plateau Road, Reservoir ● bonnieandneil.com.au

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SUNDAY DRIVE \ ALPINE REGION

R A ZO R BAC K RI D G E

Find clarity and toss aside the stress of the weekly grind with a challenging road trip. Wo r d s

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E M I LY P OW E R

VISIT VICTORIA

n an era of perpetual outrage and tired eyes adhered to phone screens, there can be few more soothing scenarios than getting back to nature. However, if chirping birds and rustling leaves are just not enough to force out the stress of nine-to-five, then you need more grunt. Try a 4WD adventure. Off-road driving through challenging terrain is unexpectedly meditative. The concentration required to navigate gnarly country will zone out the antagonism of the life left behind in Melbourne, and the pillowy rocking and bouncing puts the driver at one with the land.

Victoria’s alpine region in the state’s north-east, five hours from the city, is a heartland for four-wheel touring, and the new Nissan N-Trek Warrior is the beast to tackle it in. Venturing out on a famous track through here is a journey novice drivers will enjoy, and the thickets of snow gums bristling across hills and down valleys of the enormous Alpine National Park set a scene that experienced drivers will also appreciate. If arriving by car, take the Hume Highway, exiting at Wangaratta to connect to the Great Alpine Road. The quickest route from Melbourne, and to remain fresh to later unleash

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Meditation muscle

behind the wheel, is to fly to Hotham Airport via charter from Essendon Airport. With the picture-book Dinner Plain Alpine village as a base (in winter it could be a set for a Christmas movie), head out on the well-known Blue Rag Range Track, a favourite of 4WD enthusiasts. This coarse, remote route through sometimes very steep high-country, at about 1600 metres above sea level, is given a “three out of 10” for difficulty by the hosts of this Nissan expedition. The summit is Blue Rag Trig Point, where a demanding upwards scramble is rewarded with a 360-degree view. Take your heart rate down with a restful night in Dinner Plain; lodging options include apartments, cabins or chalets, available to book yearround, suiting couples to parties of 20-plus. ●

B LU E R AG R A N G E T R AC K

● nissan.com.au ● visitdinnerplain.com.au

The car … NISSAN NAVARA N-TREK WARRIOR The pitch: A durable and handsome off-road truck for the discerning tradie or allterrain adventurer. Base price: $62,990 for a 2.3 litre, twin-turbo diesel. Diamond or Cosmic Black Performance: New springs

exterior finish.

and dampers give the car its off-road chops, with

Luxuries: Partial leather

raised suspension for ground

seats with stitching details,

clearance and underbody

orange inserts to match the

plates for protection.

exterior decal, an eight-inch

Looks: A bullish, wide-

CarPlay and Android Auto.

touchscreen with Apple stance, coloured bumper bar, 17-inch alloy wheels, 32.2-

Fast fact: Its electronically-

inch all terrain tyres, pops of

controlled 4WD system

bright orange decal. Choose

means beginners can handle

from a Slate Grey, White

this car with confidence.

Experience Genazzano.

Genazzano invites you to experience what it means to be a Gen girl and the world of opportunities that a Genazzano education can provide. Open Morning Wednesday 4 and Tuesday 24 March. Register at genazzano.vic.edu.au.

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TRAVEL \ NEW YORK What is there to say about New York City that is yet to be said? Absolutely nothing. Songs, movies, books and every travel blog on earth have given thorough insight into the city that never sleeps and all it has to offer. What I set out to find was a game plan on how to approach the Big Apple – for the first time – with only one week to do so.

A state of mind

A day

ISTOCK

A visit to New York is not a relaxing holiday. A day here is mission-near impossible, but can be done. Planning ahead is vital but the same cannot be said for booking ahead, such as booking tickets for the Empire State Building only to find visibility is poor. Tickets can be found on the day. Free open nights run at most of the popular museums midweek. Skip the taxi queue and get a Metrocard, saving at least two of your 24 hours in the city in traffic. ●

C E N T R A L PA R K

Wo r d s

C L AI R E B E E RS

The International Baccalaureate provides a rigorous framework for inquiry and allows a continuum of education from the Kindergarten through to the IB Diploma Programme in Years 11 & 12. Through the IB, Preshil delivers an engaging and challenging curriculum, informed by leading pedagogical research and an uncompromising focus on the individuality, passions and future aspirations of each student.

PRESHIL

THE PROGRESSIVE ALTERNATIVE 18

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OPEN MORNINGS Arlington Kindergarten and Primary Campus 9:30am Wednesday, 18 March 395 Barkers Road, Kew

Blackhall Kalimna Secondary Campus 9:30am Thursday, 5 March 12-26 Sackville Street, Kew

bookings and enrolment enquiries preshil.vic.edu.au 03 9817 6135

COURAGE TO QUESTION

be missed as this is the best way to enjoy local produce and delicacies while strolling the beautiful and historical streets. If time permits, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge will bring you to the heart of Dumbo, another terrific area of NYC with cobblestone streets and incredible architecture. ●

A week Seek out Tribeca for its historic architecture.

A weekend If you are to do a short trip to New York, the best time is midweek. The foot traffic is significantly down and the queues are far shorter. In saying that, there is no time that NYC isn’t busy; it is part of the charm and must be embraced to enjoy the attractions. Having a few days to explore gives the opportunity to embark on journeys outside the Manhattan bubble. A food tour of Tribeca is not to

This is the ideal amount of time to spend in New York. Divide your time between boroughs as the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens are all easily accessible via the subway. Each borough brings its own character and charm, but not all will deserve an equal distribution of your time. Don’t forget the free Staten Island Ferry, which provides the best view of the Statue of Liberty and runs every 30 minutes between Manhattan and Staten Island. A walk around Central Park is also worth giving time to, especially in winter, with ice skating rinks, snow falling, and a Christmas market – not to mention the picturesque lakes and majestic trees – providing plenty of space to breathe in one very crowded city. ●

Iconic views from the Staten Island Ferry, which is free.

GETTING THERE Qantas flies from Melbourne to Los Angeles with a two-hour layover before transferring to a LAX to JFK International service. If you have ever experienced LAX, you know this will be the worst two hours of your life – it feels like being on the Amazing Race. If you can find a flight with a slightly longer layover, do so – if not, you’ve been warned.

Open Morning St Catherine’s Empowering and nurturing young women to become confident, creative, independent and resilient.

Thursday 5 March 10.00am Register online at www.stcatherines.net.au/admissions

ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL A Day and Boarding School for Girls, ELC to Year 12 (ELC includes boys)

17 Heyington Place Toorak VIC 3142 T: (03) 9822 1285 | E: admissions@stcatherines.net.au www. stcatherines.net.au

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FEATURE HOUSES

DOWNLOAD THE DOMAIN APP SEE MORE IMAGES, FLOOR PLANS & PROPERTY DETAILS

ARMADALE \ 62 DENBIGH ROAD 5

Looking so pretty in bay windows with flowers all around, this Victorian home seemed destined for a life of luxury. Formal living and dining rooms glow gently with chandeliers, and the family room opens to a magnificent garden with a pool, spa and studio. However, the single-level, slate-roofed villa once saw tough times as the manse for St Andrew’s Church, across the road. The 1890s depression hit the Presbyterian congregation hard, and the minister voluntarily took a £50 pay cut, living here in gloomy austerity (with no pool, alas) until the economy recovered. Renovated by the current owners in 2014, the property is now poised for family comfort with flair. Kids will appreciate the quick hike to school, grown-ups will bask in the High Street life and everyone will hurl themselves with gusto into the pool. The brick studio used to be stables; now, with a living room, bathroom and kitchenette, it can double as a party cabana and guest house. The house has gated off-street parking at the front. Bluestone steps rise to a porch entry with etched-glass panels. Left of the Baltic pine hall, the bay living room retains the best of its heritage – wide floorboards, ornate cornices and an open fireplace. Cutaways lead to the original dining room, also with a fireplace. The main bedroom, at the front, has a grey-tiled en suite with a walk-in shower and granite cabinet. Turn left to the skylit, fitted dressing room. Four further bedrooms – two off the hall and two in the extended rear with a bathroom – have wardrobes and are

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well-zoned for peace. The contemporary family area is unusual in layout, yet

“THIS RESIDENCE COMBINES SOPHISTICATED ENTERTAINING SPACES WITH

works well when lots of things are happening at once. The

FIVE GENUINE BEDROOMS, WHILE THE SELF-CONTAINED STUDIO OFFERS A

kitchen, in its own room, looks smart in speckled stone

MULTITUDE OF USES.” JOHN MORRISBY – AGENT

with Smeg 900-millimetre oven and cooktop and an Asko dishwasher. Next to the kitchen is a large office nook with a double desk, followed by the laundry-bathroom. The skylit meals area flows gracefully to the family room, where a pointed bay has french doors to the terrace. The glass-fenced, fully-tiled pool and spa are solar-heated. ● ALISON BARCLAY property@domainreview.com.au Agent: Jellis Craig, John Morrisby 0411 875 476 Price: $2.95 million-$3.2 million Auction: noon, February 29

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MONT ALBERT \ 93 WINDSOR CRESCENT 5

In tightly held Windsor Park Estate, the streets are lined with trees, the houses are fine examples of architecture from the 1880s onwards, and the blocks are large. With a sophisticated, architect-designed renovation and extension, resort-style facilities, and on a block of about 1171 square metres, this home in Windsor Crescent offers a superb family lifestyle. The heritage integrity of the house has been retained in the original section while the new zones are filled with style and functionality. The main bedroom suite, at the front, has a deep bay window, a luxurious, fully tiled en suite with oval freestanding soaker bath and twin basins, and extensive built-in wardrobes. A second bedroom, with a fitted dressing room, is across the hall. Opening to the side verandah, the formal lounge and dining room – a large room divided by folding double doors – has an open fireplace. The rest of the downstairs space, except for a family bathroom and laundry, is an open-plan living area. This stylish section is light, spacious and well-designed. Timber is a feature here. The floors are oak, the kitchen is a blend of timber and crisp white cabinetry, and timber cabinetry is fitted in the living area. Gaggenau and Miele appliances make the kitchen a pleasure to use. There is a large butler’s pantry, a huge island bench and an integrated fridge and freezer. The living area opens via bifold doors to the semi-enclosed deck with a gas heater. It overlooks the gas-heated, ozone mineral pool and spa. The rear of the property faces north

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and the resort-style atmosphere here is enhanced by the curves of the pool, a palm garden and glass balustrade. An

“REPRESENTING EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, THIS FULLY RENOVATED HOME ON

in-ground trampoline and basketball area add to the appeal.

ABOUT 1170 SQUARE METRES PROVIDES OPEN-PLAN FAMILY LIVING AND

Upstairs, all three bedrooms have built-in wardrobes and

HAS A SIX-CAR GARAGE.” WALTER DODICH – AGENT

share a shower bathroom. The property includes 70 square metres of attic storage, space for a gym, and has ducted heating, cooling, an alarm system, video intercom, an irrigation system, rainwater tank, and remote-control gates. It is close to schools, parks, shopping and transport. ● BEVERLEY JOHANSON property@domainreview.com.au Agent: Kay & Burton, Walter Dodich 0413 262 655 Price: $3.48 million-$3.8 million Auction: 2pm, February 29

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HAWTHORN \ 29 FALMOUTH STREET 4

The Rocket Park is the hot spot for Hawthorn’s kids, and this Edwardian enables a quick sprint. Elevated and lavishly renovated, it has two storeys of refreshingly large rooms to suit a growing family. Hosts with the most will love the huge dining and family areas, which open to a northfacing courtyard garden and a barbecue area. The black stone kitchen has an Ilve 900-millimetre range. Original rooms (Baltic pine floorboards, high ceilings) include the front bedroom, fitted study and sitting room, each with a fireplace. The first floor has two adjoining bedrooms plus the enormous box-bay main, where the en suite is a dark beauty fully tiled in black. ● ALISON BARCLAY Agent: Jellis Craig, Richard Winneke 0418 136 858 Price: $2.3 million-$2.5 million Auction: 11am, February 22

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CANTERBURY \ 171 MONT ALBERT ROAD 4

The garden appears to go on forever at Wandin, a lavish Edwardian home with John August Reserve at the back gate. Built in 1907, it has the air of a Western District estate. Grandeur mingles easily with practical details, and the kitchen is an ode in polished timber to farmhouse hospitality. Original rooms include the front main bedroom (twin en suite, walk-in wardrobe), the second bedroom and the lounge (gas fireplace). The marble hall opens to a central Vergola terrace. Open-plan living and dining have bifolds to the heated, dine-out deck and garden designed by Steve Taylor. Upstairs, two bedrooms share a bathroom and a retreat. ● ALISON BARCLAY Agent: Marshall White, James Redfern 0412 360 667 Price: $2.8 million-$3.08 million Auction: 1.30pm, February 29

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SOUTH YARRA \ 23 COMO AVENUE 4

It’s been 100 years since the roaring ’20s and yet this residence managed to survive not only that decade of prosperity and dissipation, but the nine that followed. A few renovations have managed to keep the house fresh over the past century, including the addition of kitchen with an large stone island bench and two walk-in pantries. Directly overlooking Como Park, this two-storey home features a north-facing garden, pond and solar-heated swimming pool. All interior living and reception rooms are oriented to the gardens and natural light. The bedrooms are on the first floor – the main has a balcony attached overlooking the park and river. ● PORTIA CONYERS-EAST Agent: Marshall White, Richard Mackinnon 0414 822 579 Price: $11 million-$12 million Expressions of interest: close 5pm, February 25

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HAWTHORN \ 603/862 GLENFERRIE ROAD 4

Offering stunning uninterrupted views of the city skyline, this Hawthorn penthouse apartment oozes sophistication. Attention to detail is key in this property, with sleek stone finishes and oak floorboards bringing warmth while floor-toceiling windows draw in the natural light. The spacious main bedroom has a private balcony and an elevated bath with 180-degree views. The three additional bedrooms also have en suites. The main living spaces flow with an open-plan layout, informal dining space and entertainers kitchen. This property also offers the opportunity to purchase a duallevel commercial office space. Bars, restaurants and public transport are on your doorstep. ● MEGAN WHITFIELD Agent: Kay & Burton, Ross Savas 0418 322 994 Price: $5 million-$5.5 million Expressions of Interest: close 5pm, February 24

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DIR ECTORY ADDRESS

AGENT PAGE

ARMADALE 601/881 High St

Belle Property 27

62 Denbigh Rd

Jellis Craig 51

20 Glassford St

Jellis Craig 52

3 The Terrace 34b Wattletree Rd

Jellis Craig 59 Marshall White 84

ASHBURTON 41 Warner Ave

Belle Property 27

BALWYN 81 Winmalee Rd

Jellis Craig 60

3/339 Union Rd

Marshall White 84

BALWYN NORTH Belle Property 28

6 Ashby Crt 2/11 Corhampton Rd

Jellis Craig 62

ADDRESS 1/7 Glenroy Rd

Kay & Burton 43

5/32 Berkeley St

Kay & Burton 43

Penthouse 603/862 Glenferrie Rd

Kay & Burton 39

16 View St

Marshall White 66

83 Illawarra Rd

Marshall White 89

19 Fairview St

15 Denmark Hill Rd

Jellis Craig 61

254 Riversdale Rd

Kay & Burton 42

2a Harcourt St

Kay & Burton 41

14 Mowbray St

Marshall White 74

HEALESVILLE 140 Healesville Yarra Glen Rd

15 Riverside Rd

21 Lemon Rd

Marshall White 85

KEW

Fletchers 98

BRIGHTON 25a & 25b Wolseley Gve 3/2d Dendy St

Devlin Private Sales and Projects 63 Marshall White 71

CAMBERWELL 95 Broadway

Jellis Craig 47

RT Edgar 110

IVANHOE

Marshall White 82

3 The Avenue

RT Edgar 104

HAWTHORN EAST

66 Hill Rd

BLACKBURN

AGENT PAGE

Marshall White 72

Marshall White 73

45 Campbell St

Marshall White 79

22 Fernhurst Gve

Marshall White 80

Marshall White 90

Marshall White 76

72 Malin St

32 Pine Ave

Marshall White 85

KEW EAST

Marshall White 86 Marshall White 78

12 Grange Ave

Marshall White 86

CARNEGIE 356 Neerim Rd

Jellis Craig 63

Marshall White 87

GLEN IRIS

20 Mona Plc

Abercromby’s 102

7/59 Darling St

Jellis Craig 49

56b Cromwell Rd

Jellis Craig 58

23 Como Ave

Marshall White 65

61a Hawksburn Rd

Marshall White 95

95 Millswyn St

RT Edgar 106

19 Moore St

RT Edgar 109

16 Mona Plc

Williams Batters 97

SURREY HILLS Belle Property 29

4 Mernda Rd

Kay & Burton 34

6 Boronia St

214 Wattletree Rd 31 Glendearg Gve

5/44 Lansell Rd

Belle Property 30

Jellis Craig 48

7/46 Washington St

Belle Property 26

Jellis Craig 60

15d Evans Crt

Belle Property 28

24 Embling Rd

Marshall White 69

67 Claremont Ave

Marshall White 75

9 Alice St

Marshall White 83

40a Parslow St

Marshall White 91

MALVERN EAST

53a Maitland St

Marshall White 88

52 Boston Ave

Fletchers 99

TOORAK

MALVERN

Marshall White 88

Jellis Craig 61

Marshall White 81

SOUTH YARRA

Belle Property 30

Marshall White 87

32 Sercombe Gve

Marshall White One 97

4/44a Banool Rd

36 Erica Ave

Jellis Craig 56

Kay & Burton 42 Marshall White 95

9 Thistle St

14 Aintree Rd

29 Falmouth St

Belle Property 29

Kay & Burton 35

Parc - 67 Elizabeth St

HAWTHORN

9 Leila St 30 Kelvin Gve

3 St Martins Close

Belle Property 25

4 Sherwood St

Fletchers 101

KOOYONG

16 Irving St

ELSTERNWICK 17 Davis St

20 Baker Ave

Kay & Burton 45

PRAHRAN

94 Brighton St

935 Toorak Rd

45 Matlock St

3/14 Yates Ln

Kay & Burton 44

Marshall White 89

171 Mont Albert Rd

Marshall White 94

PARKVILLE

Kay & Burton 44

Marshall White 90

Jellis Craig 50

Marshall White 94

54 Churchill St

853 Glenferrie Rd

Marshall White 70

Fletchers 100 Kay & Burton 45

1 Laurencia Crt

13 Murphy St

10 Byron St

Jellis Craig 55

20 Grange St 93 Windsor Cres

21/4 Sydney St

108 Sackville St

Cayzer 46

MONT ALBERT

RICHMOND

4 Balmoral Ave

30 Logan St

117 Harold St

Jellis Craig 57

Jellis Craig 54

49 Chaucer Cres

Kay & Burton 37

MIDDLE PARK

Jellis Craig 59

Jellis Craig 62

One Village 103

Kay & Burton 36

1501/480 St Kilda Rd

43 Molesworth St

24 Through Rd

11 Braeside Ave

1802/499 St Kilda Rd

18 Finhaven Crt

4 Mountain Gve

AGENT PAGE

MELBOURNE

5 Packington Plc

2a Fermanagh Rd

CANTERBURY

ADDRESS

RT Edgar 107

Jellis Craig 53

13 Turner St

Marshall White 91

37 Westgarth St

Marshall White 92

4/21 Tollington Ave

Marshall White 92

6 Serrell St

Marshall White 93

57 Berkeley St

Kay & Burton 38

7 Washington Ave

Marshall White 93

8 Lawes St

Kay & Burton 40

12 Midlothian St

The Agency 101

Kay & Burton 32

15 Evans Crt

Kay & Burton 33

61 Albany Rd

Marshall White 67

2 Montalto Ave

Marshall White 68

6/96 Mathoura Rd

Marshall White 77

11 Toorak Ave

Marshall White 96

Rear 192 Williams Rd

Marshall White 96

60 Ross St

RT Edgar 105

8/2 Lansell Crt

RT Edgar 108

WINDSOR 5/221 Dandenong Rd

Belle Property 31

YARRA GLEN 2002 Eltham-Yarra Glen Rd

Philip Webb 31

* LISTINGS PROVIDED BY CAMPAIGNTRACK

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2002 Eltham Yarra Glen Road, Yarra Glen For Sale Price Contact Agent 6 BEDS | 4 BATHS | 10 CARS

9842 1477 DONCASTER

French Provincial style masterpiece 42 hectare (approx.) landholding Treated to views of the Yarra Valley Multiple living/entertaining areas Fully-equipped bar with wine cellar

9874 3355 MITCHAM

Inspect By appointment Contact Tristan Messerle 0438 176 416 Sam Babalis 0419 513 197

8870 2888 RINGWOOD

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