AUSTRALIAN
COUNTRY Real stories from the heartland
Sixties sensation:
A born-again beach house
Salt on the side:
Discovering Kiama
APRIL / MAY 2022 NO. 152 VOL. 25 NO. 2 AUS $9.95* NZ $8.90 (both incl. GST)
In full bloom with artist
Jacqueline Coates Baking with Sally Wise
Garlic and good vibes in
Northern NSW At home on the mighty Murray Fashion for a country weekend
CONTENTS
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In this issue IN EACH ISSUE 6 8 12 130 134 136
Editor’s letter Baker’s dozen Diary notes You beauty Off the shelf Mailbag
STORIES 14 Rest and recreation Four generations of Jamie Bishop’s family have enjoyed escaping to River’s End at the mouth of the Murray River
24 Magnificent Mananga Matthew and Julie Quinn have restored a significant slice of the historic village of Berry in the NSW Shoalhaven
34 Get out of town Our favourite looks if you’re planning to head to the country for a weekend away
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48 Blooming creative With her home, art school and gallery in the village of Kapunda, Jacqueline Coates has developed deep roots in the Barossa Valley
58 Staying grounded Good luck, good karma and a good measure of passion for food, yoga and people have paved Rose Hawkins’ path to her new home on a farm near Tenterfield in northern NSW
68 Seduced by simplicity Architect Michael Bell and his interior designer wife, Michele, have turned a sixties beach house into a stunning seaside home that’s too good to leave
76 A slice of Tasmania Sally Wise has championed local produce for decades. Her cookbooks share the love with her signature, no-nonsense style
82 Burning ambitions Exceed expectations with these handsome, high-performance heating options
110 Photo essay Entries in our photographic competition include this collection by Wendy Klein
TRAVEL 90 Beyond the blowhole A trip to Kiama in the NSW Shoalhaven district
GARDENING 102 Showpiece for sharing Val Peachey’s garden saves its spectacular best for Toowoomba’s spring carnival
PRODUCT NEWS 132 Store strolling 138 Stockists
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EDITOR’S LETTER
A
s this issue goes to press, after two years of disorder, unimaginable tragedy for some and disruption to work and life for most, it feels that we are slowly arriving at something resembling life before the pandemic. We’re grateful that we’ve been able to return to some domestic travel, that we managed to squeeze in a fashion shoot for the first time in ages and that we’re back on the road, albeit cautiously, meeting people, gathering stories and doing what Australian Country does best: sharing them with an appreciative audience. People often ask how we find the stories we feature in the mag, and getting out and about again has reminded me that the answer is you. Readers contact us with suggestions and then the network kicks in and the people we meet make other suggestions and those people in turn refer us on to yet others. This happened with our trip to Tenterfield to catch up with Rose Hawkins and her partner, Steve Scott, whom long-time readers will remember from a story we did about their lives in Montville in Queensland about five years ago. Rose tipped us off about her friends and neighbours, Chris and Annie Jones at Glenrock Gardens, and, presto, their story will be appearing in an upcoming issue. Photographer Ken Brass and I encountered the same generosity of spirit when went to Kiama to shoot architect Michael Bell and
his interior designer wife, Michele, at their gorgeous sixties-influenced seaside home. We mentioned we were also on the hunt for local knowledge for the travel story for this issue and, before we knew it, we were in their car on a whirlwind tour of their favourite haunts. We can’t thank them, or all the other folk who go above and beyond to help make every issue such a remarkable journey, enough. We’re also excited to present another showcase from one of the entrants in our photo competition, this time from Queensland photographer Wendy Klein, who manipulates light and time to amazing effect. The competition is open until August this year, so don’t forget to send your entries Australian Country cover to australiancountry.com.au/ photo by KEN BRASS photographycompetition. Or if you know of a talented photographer, encourage them to enter as we’re keen to celebrate the great talent that’s out there. We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we have putting it together and we look forward to bringing you the next one, which goes on sale May 12.
Kirsty McKenzie, editor kmckenzie@umco.com.au
HELPING OUT ON THIS ISSUE ... 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-plus 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. australiancountry.com.au @australiancountrymag
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Diary notes Make a date to celebrate these diverse events around the country. COMP IL ED BY KIRST Y MCKE NZ IE
April 30-May 1(QLD) Coucals Open Garden A stunning weekend filled with exotic plants, native gums and spectacular landscaping in the lovely Coucals Garden in Mount Crosby. Entry is $10, and the event will be benefitting the C & K Roderick Street Community Kindergarten and The Australian Red Cross (Ipswich branch.) Plants and orchids will also be for sale. Refreshments will be available and picnics are welcome. coucalsgarden.com
May 13-22 (WA) 21st Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster Pack your swags for the biggest event in the East Kimberley and head to Kununurra for the 21st Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster. Highlights of the 10-day event include the Aviar HeliSpirit Kimberley Moon Experience headlined by Ian Moss, Sheppard, Baker Boy and King Stingray, Comedy in the Park and the black-tie Kimberley Fine Diamonds Dinner. The popular Kimberley Kitchen outdoor cooking demonstration is back this year, with chef Miguel Maestro manning the paella pans. ordvalleymuster.com.au July 5-7 (QLD) Birdsville Big Red Bash The 40-metre-high Big Red sand dune in the Simpson Desert will again form a spectacular backdrop for the camping-based music festival, the Birsdville Big Red Bash. Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Jon Stevens, Kate Ceberano, Richard Clapton, The Rolling Stones Review starring Adalita, Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers, Bjorn Again, Sarah McLeod, Shannon Noll, Ash Grunwald, and Jack Jones are among the line-up of amazing Australian talent slated to appear at the event. bigredbash.com.au
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June 10-12 (NSW) Orange Winter Jazz Festival Mahalia Barnes and her band, The Soul Mates, and Vince Jones are among the headline acts for the Orange Winter Jazz Festival. Held at venues ranging from the Orange Civic Theatre to churches, pubs and clubs, the program features more than 50 concerts across the June long weekend. Local music collective JAM Orange is joining forces with the Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA) to complete a program that features wellknown and emerging local talents. owjf.com.au
March-June (QLD) EmpowerHER Hiking Program A night hike and swim, sunrise and sunset mountain summits and motherand-daughter walks at Binna Burra are among the many opportunities of the EmpowerHER Walking Program. This great initiative inspires women and girls to explore the natural wonders of the Scenic Rim at the same time as building confidence and fitness levels with everything from short walks to full-day adventures. There are more than 60 guided hikes on the program and participation costs $15 per booking. scenicrim.qld.gov.au/healthy-activecommunity/empowher-hikingprogram
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A SEASIDE ESCAPE
Rest and recreation Four generations of Jamie Bishop’s family have enjoyed escaping to the mouth of the Murray at River’s End. BY KIRST Y MCKE NZIE, PHOTO GR AP HY RO SS W ILLI A M S, ST YL ING B RONT E CA MILLER I
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A SEASIDE ESCAPE
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THESE PAGES: Alpacas Leroy Brown and Archie have become Goolwa identities accompanying Jamie and his guests and friends on trips to the beach and town.
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or as long as he can remember, Jamie Bishop has been retreating to Goolwa, the historic South Australian port town where the Murray River makes its entrance into the Southern Ocean. It’s where he holidayed from Adelaide with his parents, staying
with his maternal grandparents. It’s where he learned survival skills, roaming free with mates from sun-up to sundown. It’s where he learned to swim and fish, to milk cows and to drive behind the wheel of a left-hand-drive ex-army vehicle. These days, the summer cottage he remembers so fondly
from those holidays is called River’s End. Since the COVIDrelated lockdowns, it’s become his permanent home, a splendidly appointed, extended and renovated version of the modest limestone original, which he shares with fortunate family and friends, a pair of resident alpacas and, once or twice a month, small groups of up to 10 paying guests, who come for writers’ retreats, to explore the internationally acclaimed wetland wilderness of the Coorong, and enjoy laidback get-togethers punctuated by boat trips, 4WD excursions, cockle-collecting and catered feasts back at the house. In many ways, this is a semi-retirement Jamie has been preparing for all his life. He cut his teeth in hospitality while he was still at school, pulling beers at a pub long before he was officially old enough to be behind the bar. This stood him in good stead when he headed off overseas with a mate as a bulletproof 17-year-old, working in pubs in London to fund travels to Europe. “That experience also helped me get into the Regency Hotel School, when I returned to Adelaide,” Jamie explains. “There was a long waiting list for the hotel-management course, but when an applicant broke his leg and had to pull out at the last minute, I was able to leapfrog into the vacancy because I had already shown interest in the business.” It was the start of an extraordinary career in hotel management and marketing, which included the development of Rydges Hotels & Resorts, further study at Cornell University in New York and early entry into the worldwide web, when he founded Getaway Online as a booking adjunct to the hugely popular television travel program with his friend and business partner, Ian Heydon. This led to a diversification into media producing travel- and brand-funded segments and specials, and, in 2004, becoming part of the team that launched WTFN australiancountry.com.au | 17
A SEASIDE ESCAPE
THESE PAGES: Jamie has renovated and extended the cottage his grandparents bought in the 1950s. These days he lives in an upstairs apartment and shares the rest of the house with 10 lucky guests.
Entertainment, the TV production company responsible for shows such as Coxy’s Big Break, Bondi Vet and Emergency and for which he still consults. In 2000, Jamie and his then wife, Trudy, moved back to Adelaide, with their sons Reuben and Tommy, who were aged three and four. “We knew that it was a good place to raise a family,” he says. “But the big hook was the holiday house, which fortunately has remained in the family since my grandparents bought it in 1950 from a descendant of the Younghusbands.” Apart from giving his name to the peninsula of sand dunes that separates the Coorong waterways and Lakes Albert and Alexandrina from the ocean, William Younghusband was a merchant mariner, who arrived in the fledgling colony of South Australia in 1842, in charge of his father’s trading ship. He went on to become a leading politician and shipping trader with offices in many of the world’s major ports. He was also instrumental in establishing Port Elliot, a paddlesteamer river trade on the Murray and numerous other colonial developments. When the township of Goolwa was gazetted in the 1850s, he availed himself of the opportunity to purchase five riverfront titles and built a holiday home on them. Almost a century later, Jamie’s grandparents, former British Indian army officer Donald McLeay and his wife, medical doctor and author Leslie, bought the cottage as their retreat, beginning the family’s long association with the historic
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A SEASIDE ESCAPE
holiday region. “We’re just lucky that my family chose to hang on to the property,” he says. “Given the location, it could easily have fallen into developer’s hands and been turned into apartments.” Instead, it passed to Jamie and his siblings, whom he bought out and then commenced the restoration. “First job was to clear it out,” Jamie recalls. “For decades, anything the family deemed too good to throw out — old chairs, crockery, what turned out to be several trailer loads of books — was rehoused at Goolwa. We were mindful of retaining some history, but some stuff just had to go.” The restoration, which incorporated an upstairs apartment where Jamie lives, a games room in the former stables, a pétanque pitch and outdoor entertainment area, was completed just as the pandemic introduced border closures and stay-at-home rules. Jamie and his family were able to move into River’s End, enjoying what he now realises was wonderful “reconnection time” with his two adult sons. “We may have lived under the same roof before, but everyone was so busy, we rarely saw each other,” he observes. “COVID actually did us a favour giving us enforced time together.”
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THESE PAGES: After a day at the beach or exploring the Coorong, Jamie’s guests return to River’s End for catered dinners including freshly harvested cockles cooked outdoors.
Alpacas Leroy and Archie also joined the family, as orphans needing bottle feeding from a nearby farm. They have become Goolwa identities, regulars at the Sunday markets, the town council’s unofficial rose trimmers, with guest appearances at town events and aged-care homes as well as a recent appearance with the local Nippers life-saving club on Channel Seven’s Sunrise program. “They’re like my dogs,” Jamie says. “They go everywhere with me. Rumour has it they do the midnight-to-dawn slot on Fleurieu FM radio. They don’t say much but they have great taste in music.” Jamie says the decision to welcome paying guests to the family home was more motivated by the need to futureproof it for his kids than the desire to make money. He’s prepared to be as involved or distant as his visitors desire but, given the nod, will happily load guests into Beastie, his troop carrier and take them for a run along the beach to the mouth of the river, with a stop to harvest cockles (aka pippies) to cook up on the firepit in the evening. Other opportunities to explore the region include cruising in Beauty, his five-and-a-half-metre runabout, which means he can take guests through the locks and perhaps spot some of the endangered wildlife of the Coorong, which includes orange-bellied parrots, freckled ducks, Murray cod and southern bell frogs. The wetland is also an important breeding zone for waterbirds including crested and fairy terns, rufous night herons and pelicans, which inspired Mr Percival, Mr Proud and Mr Ponder in Colin Thiele’s novel, Storm Boy. australiancountry.com.au | 21
A SEASIDE ESCAPE
Other opportunities to explore this Ramsar Conventionprotected site are provided by catered cruises the Spirit of the Coorong, pilot-guided trips with Cruise the Coorong or guided kayak tours with Canoe the Coorong. The township of Goolwa itself has plenty to occupy tourists with its certification as Australia’s first Cittaslow (slow-food) town and historic port precinct, which hosts a wooden boat festival in odd-numbered years. River cruises on the PS Oscar W, and trips on the Cockle Train, the country’s oldest steel-railed railway to Port Elliot and Victor Harbor as well as walking tours providing insight into the culture and history of the Ngarrindjeri people, the region’s traditional owners, are also available. But for Jamie, the “real magic” happens at River’s End, named for a local history his grandmother compiled with assistance from author Nancy Cato and illustrator Harry Roland, and published to raise funds for Northfield Mental Hospital, later Hillcrest Hospital, where Leslie worked. “We gather in the evenings around the firepit a local welder made from the door of the disused boiler of the PS Lady Augusta,” Jamie says. “Coincidentally, William Younghusband and his family were guests on board the steamer when she made her first trip up the river to Swan Hill in 1853. There’s history at every turn in this place, plus memories of lots of good times. And, hopefully, many more to come, for anyone who chooses to visit.” AC
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THIS PAGE: The property sits on the edge of the Murray River on a site shipping trader and politician William Younghusband selected when the town of Goolwa was gazetted in the 1850s.
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Magnificent Mananga When Matthew and Julie Quinn moved to Australia from England, they had little inkling they would end up living in the NSW Shoalhaven district and restoring a heritage property. BY KIRST Y MCKE NZ IE, PHOTO GR A P HY K EN B R A SS
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HERITAGE ORDERS
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T
he tipping point came when, for the umpteenth time, nurse Julie Quinn’s car failed to start on a frosty London morning when she was due for an early shift at the hospital. “I just thought, I can’t take this anymore,” she
recalls. “I have to move to somewhere warm.” Which, to cut a long story short, is how Julie and her newly minted husband, Matthew, ended up migrating to Australia in 1987. “Matthew was an accountant with Price Waterhouse, so he was able to transfer,” Julie says. “We came to Perth, which was a bit of a culture shock, because in those days the shops shut at midday on Saturdays. But it was warm and a great place to raise our four children.” By 1999, the Quinns were on the move again, this time to Sydney where Matthew became the CEO of property development company, Stockland. They lived on the North Shore, renovating properties at Lindfield, McMahons Point and Kirribilli, while Julie ran several gift and homewares boutiques called Quintessence. One weekend, they felt the urge to get out of town and took a drive to the historic tourist town of Berry in the NSW Shoalhaven region. “My first impression was that I could live in this town,” Julie says. “The intention was to rent a place and see if we liked living here but almost inevitably we found a house for sale, so in 2014 we
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HERITAGE ORDERS
THESE PAGES: The Mananga homestead was built for John and Isabella Stewart and their family in 1894 and remained in their family for almost a century. In 2018, Julie Quinn and her family became the fourth owners of the historic property.
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HERITAGE ORDERS
THESE PAGES: The homestead was designed in the Queen Anne style by Sydney architect Howard Joseland and constructed from red cedar from the Berry Estate. The Quinns have retained the original footprint.
bought it as a weekender. For a couple of years while we did it up, we’d head down every weekend with three dogs, two cats and the car packed to the rafters.” The tragic death of one of their sons forced the whole family to recalibrate, and Matthew and Julie decided to relocate permanently to Berry. Shortly after, Mananga, a historic property on the outskirts of town, came on the market, and in 2018, the Quinns became the lucky owners, albeit with a massive restoration job on their hands. Mananga takes its name from a local Aboriginal word meaning “by the water”, due to its proximity to Broughton Creek, which runs into the Shoalhaven River. Its history goes back to the first European settlement in the region, as the land was initially owned by sawmiller Alexander Berry, who opened his first mill in 1830 to process the red cedar that became the economic foundation of Berry township. The first dwelling on the land was a simple cottage, built in 1853 for William Stewart, who came at Alexander Berry’s request from australiancountry.com.au | 29
HERITAGE ORDERS
Scotland to Australia to be the town’s first magistrate. Stewart was later appointed commissioner of peace for the district and was joined by his brother, Donald, who worked first on the Victorian goldfields then moved to Mananga to become the town’s first postmaster. Old Mananga, as it is now known, housed William, his wife Anne, his son, John, who was the first registered auctioneer in NSW, his wife, Isabella, and their six children, as well as brother Donald and their sister, Betsy, who helped in the post office. In 1890, the post office moved across the creek into town and, four years later, David Berry commissioned the present Mananga homestead for John and Isabella and their family. Featuring Queen Anne-style detailing, the seven-roomed farmhouse was designed by Sydney architect Howard Joseland and was built from red cedar harvested on the Berry Estate. John became a leading light in the district and was involved in the formation of the municipality of Broughton Creek (as Berry was originally known), the Agricultural Society and School of Arts. In 1913, he purchased the Mananga freehold from the Berry Estate and the property remained in the Stewart family until 1992.
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When Julie and Matthew became only its fourth owners, they inherited a house that had been neglected and boasted a kaleidoscope of internal colours, and grounds that were rundown, but included a former dairy, a silo and a cow paddock. “We started at the top fence and worked our way down to the bottom,” Julie explains. “We reclaimed the gardens, resurrected the lawns and established trees and, of course, renovated the homestead. We kept the footprint of the house but moved rooms around and opened them up a bit.” Passersby and locals taking an interest in the project kept asking if they planned to keep the dairy shed, which was little more than four ramshackle tin walls beside the silo. “We always planned to do some form of hospitality, so the idea of The Homestead was born,” Julie explains. “We built four self-contained guest cottages and a slightly more spacious one for couples celebrating special occasions, so now we can accommodate a total of 10 guests.” The cottages are a perfect fit for bridal parties, and the Quinns decided to complete the package by turning the shed and silo into a venue for 120 guests. The building, with the bar now housed in the silo, combines rustic elegance with modern convenience, and is hotly sought after as a function and wedding centre. It’s a picture-perfect setting, with a australiancountry.com.au | 31
HERITAGE ORDERS
THIS PAGE: Windows in every room provide glimpses of the magnificent gardens that Julie and Matthew have restored.
man-made lake and manicured lawns featuring a magnificent Norfolk Island pine that began life more than 150 years ago as a seedling gifted from Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens. “We always intended the business to have a philanthropic side,” Julie says. “Matthew has done lots of work with education for kids from less privileged backgrounds, and I was a Lifeline counsellor for a while, and we are all concerned with mental health. So, we plan to hold 10 events a year to raise funds for charities and that will start, pandemic allowing, this year.” In addition to weddings and functions, the Quinns welcome guests to The Homestead for short breaks and spoil them with breakfast makings including eggs from their free-range chickens, local sourdough bread and honey, a complimentary mini bar and teas from the Berry Tea Shop. The property is an easy walk into town, yet feels light years removed with its peaceful outlook and stunning gardens. In spite of being run off her feet due to the challenges of COVID-19, Julie admits she sometimes has to pinch herself to realise how well they’ve settled into Berry. “We love living here,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to look after people and, of course, it’s a privilege to host weddings. It’s such a significant milestone in any couple’s life and it’s an honour to be able to share the occasion with them.” AC For more information, visit thehomesteadberry.com.
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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Blooming creative With her home, art school and gallery in the village of Kapunda, Jacqueline Coates has developed deep roots in the Barossa Valley. BY KI RST Y MCKENZIE, PHOTO GR A PHY ROS S WILLIAM S & DR AGON R ADO CA J, ST Y LING BRONT E CA MILLERI
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THESE PAGES: Jacqueline has lived in Kapunda for the past 25 years and restored several buildings including a former mechanic’s shop that’s now her gallery and a stone barn once owned by Sir Sidney Kidman that is now her home.
S
o you think you lack the artistic gene? Jacqueline (Jac) Coates says it’s not possible. The Barossa Valley-based art teacher and mentor says she has yet to meet a single person she can’t teach how to paint. In fact, she vows that by using her
techniques, she can show even the person who “can’t draw a straight line” how to produce work they will be proud to hang in their home and even potentially make money from selling. Jac has lived in Kapunda, a historic copper-mining town and one-time HQ for “cattle king” Sir Sidney Kidman’s vast operation, for the past 25 years. During that time, she has restored about six buildings in the village, including one of Sidney’s stone barns that’s now her home and a former mechanic’s workshop that today is called Salon Rouge, which is her gallery and base for her art classes By her own reckoning, Jacqueline has had “art rumbling
through her system” for as long as she can remember. She grew up in a carefree environment on Sydney’s northern beaches as the youngest of six children of 10-pound Poms. Her father worked in shipping so the family moved to Melbourne, where Jac went to school on the Mornington Peninsula and developed a passion for beautiful gardens. Her parents separated, but both continued to encourage her creative sensibilities, fuelled in no small way by a trip to Paris, with her father, at the age of 16. Subsequent trips to France introduced Jac to the rose gardens of Parc Bagatelle and the follies of Parc Monceau and grand-scale floral studies have informed her work ever since.
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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
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Jacqueline pursued a successful early career as an advertising art director, but the urge to paint kept bubbling to the surface. As a 20-something, she recalls finger painting sunflowers and other floral studies. She finally took the leap and worked freelance to pursue art study at COFA, the University of NSW College of Fine Arts, now UNSW Art & Design. Ironically, though, it was work that finally nudged her into life as a full-time artist. “I was sent to Adelaide to work on a Westfield ad,” she explains. “I’d never been to South Australia before, so when I had some spare time, someone suggested I go to the Barossa for the day. I was wandering around Kapunda when I looked in a real estate window and saw a stone barn for sale. I thought even I can come up with $32,000 and I ended up buying two blocks.” Jacqueline went back to Sydney, had son Hannibal in 1999 THESE PAGES: A visit to Paris as a teenager planted the seeds of a love of gardens and flowers and Jacqueline’s work features bold outsized blooms in their full-blown glory. For information on her classes, visit jacquelinecoates.com.
and daughter Lily in 2000, moving back to the Barossa as a single mother while she was on maternity leave and restoring the barn. She’s pretty much called Kapunda home ever since. What little spare time came her way was devoted to her passion for painting. She had an exhibition in a local winery, and followed up by displaying her work at a florist’s and, by 2002, people were asking her to hold workshops to pass on her skills.
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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
THESE PAGES: A born entertainer, Jacqueline likes nothing better than to gather friends, family and students around the table and share fine food and wine with them.
“I’d never taught before, but I found I enjoyed it and my students seemed to, too,” she says. “I developed and trademarked the Blooms Painting Method, which is a system anyone can apply to get great results.” Through the years, Jacqueline’s art school has gone global and, as well as holding workshops in the Barossa, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, she shares her talents and inspiration with aspiring artists in New Zealand, France and Los Angeles. “In 2016, someone put me in charge of my own super and I thought ‘bombs away’ and bought a house in La Forêt du Temple, a commune in the Creuse department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of central France,” she recalls. “It’s a wonderful place with five bedrooms and two bathrooms and a huge baker’s oven in one of the barns. I knew immediately it would be a perfect place to base a French art school.” These days, pandemics willing, she runs painting programs and tours in France from Paris, Giverny, the Loire, the Creuse and the Cote D’Azur during spring, summer and autumn and
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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
THIS PAGE: Pandemics permitting, Jacqueline spends lots of time in Australia and overseas teaching and taking tours, but Kapunda is her home now and she relishes time spent there.
intersperses them with workshops at home and wherever else demand exists. Even during the COVID-related lockdowns, she kept busy, running online courses including a year-long painting program and developed a making-money-from-art course, which has taken complete newbies and turned them into six-figure-income artists. At home, Jac continues buying shells of houses and fixing them up, and when she spoke with Australian
Country, she was busy turning yet another property into accommodation for residential students complete with a productive garden. A consummate host, who cut her catering teeth as a teenager, hosting events for her father’s clients, generosity of spirit is at the core of everything she does. “I love entertaining and we often celebrate with aperitifs followed by a beautiful meal either at home or in a local restaurant,” Jacqueline explains. Her home reflects her passions and she is constantly tweaking rooms and rearranging furniture. “I like open spaces and the patina of recycled furniture,” she says. “It’s not as though I’m short of paintings, so I can always swap things around between the gallery and home. I enjoy travelling and teaching, but the Barossa will always be home. I love the rolling hills and the vineyards. I think I’ve achieved the perfect work-life balance and I’m happy to be able to help my students develop creativity in their lives.”AC
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CALLED TO COUNTRY
Coming home Good luck, good karma and a good measure of passion for food, yoga and people have paved Rose Hawkins’ path to her new home on a farm in northern NSW. BY KIRST Y MCKE NZIE , P HOTO GR AP HY K EN B R A SS
australiancountry.com.au | 59
THESE PAGES: Rose and Steve’s journey has landed them on a farm at Tenterfield, where they grow organic and biodynamic garlic and dahlias and plan to develop a residential yoga retreat.
T
he idea dawned over an early morning cup of tea. Rose Hawkins and her partner, Steve Scott, were returning to their home in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast from spending time with family in the NSW Southern Highlands when
they overnighted in Tenterfield. “I was sitting on the balcony of [historic guesthouse] Stannum House enjoying a cuppa as I looked out over the rooftops of the town,” Rose recalls. “Suddenly, it occurred to me that I could live in a place like this.” Steve was no stranger to Tenterfield as he’d gone to boarding school just over the Queensland border in Warwick and made many friends from the district. When his mother died prematurely, he’d even returned to stay with his old school mate Nigel McCotter, and ended up living there for seven years before he headed off to careers in the theatre and Steiner education. “I’d grown up between Longreach and Cairns but, when anybody asked me, I always said I came from Tenterfield,” Steve says. “Some places have a way of calling you.” Long-time readers of Australian Country may recall Rose and Steve sharing their story in the magazine back in 2015. They’ll remember how Rose grew up between farms in central-western Queensland and Limbunya station in the remote Victoria River district of the Northern Territory, how
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CALLED TO COUNTRY
she married young, raised four children and, after being introduced to yoga at school and by her mother who was an early devotee in the ’60s, rediscovered its restorative powers after she moved to Rockhampton. She became a yoga teacher and ran retreats there and overseas in Italy, France and India. She then moved to Montville to establish her home as a yoga studio and retreat centre. She met Steve and gradually they became friends and eventually fixtures in each other’s lives. Rose built a great yoga following, both for her retreats in the hinterland and others she led in France and Italy, but the hankering to get her hands in the soil and grow the food they eat and share became a new motivation. “We had a lovely life in Montville,” she says. “But the site was too steep and there were too many pests including bats and possums to grow much successfully.” And so the hunt for an established organic farm began, quite a tall order given the shopping list of other conditions, which included an elevated landscape, opportunity to experience four distinct seasons and farm edible flowers. “Then Nigel’s mother was turning 90 and we came back to Tenterfield for her
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THESE PAGES: Goats are used as lawnmowers on the farm, which borders a pristine stretch of the Tenterfield Creek. Steve and his longtime friend, Nigel McCotter talk garlic in the shed.
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CALLED TO COUNTRY
THESE PAGES: The farmhouse reflects Rose’s passions for flowers, food and sharing it with friends, as well as many souvenirs collected on her extensive travels overseas.
mother was turning 90 and we came back to Tenterfield for her party,” Steve recalls. “We heard about this organic garlic farm that had been on the market for some time. The owners, Dick and Dora Rochford, were quite particular about whom they sold it to and, by great good fortune, they liked us. So we asked for a bit of time to sort ourselves out, and they not only gave us that, they extremely generously agreed to mentor us and teach us how to look after the farm.” Australian Country arrived at the farm at the tail end of the garlic season, with Steve, Rose and Nigel in their happy place in the shed, stripping the last of the crop. They also have a dahlia paddock alongside the garlic, and Rose was anxiously anticipating the full flush of the season in time for her daughter’s upcoming wedding. “Dick had built Dora a yurt for meditation,” Rose explains. “So I was lucky to inherit a space for small class groups. So, once again, the planets have aligned and we’ve landed in an ideal place. We’ve made so many new friends since we came here, as the region seems to attract like-minded people who are into creative endeavours, discovered the place pretty much like us by accident and share a love for great hospitality.”
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THIS PAGE: Rose sells beautifully block-printed Anokhi Textiles from Rajasthan through an online business called India Rose Textiles, which she plans to turn into a shop in town.
Steve and Rose have many plans for the farm, including growing as much of their own food as is feasible and expanding the dahlia farm to include edible flowers such as lavender and roses. As well, they aim to convert a couple of farm buildings to accommodate guests for yoga retreats. As a result of her travels in India, Rose was able to acquire an account for Anokhi Textiles, which keeps alive the ancient Indian craft of block-printing fabrics by hand using vegetable dyes from its headquarters in Jaipur, Rajasthan. “Anokhi means unique, or remarkable,” Rose explains. “And, indeed, they only print four times a year and release four designs, which are never repeated. I sell online as India Rose Textiles, but I plan to expand it with a shopfront in town. I’m just waiting for the right shop to become vacant.” Although the pandemic put the brakes on many of their plans, Rose turned her lockdown time to great advantage combing through her family photograph albums and cookbooks to compile a book called Coming Home. Part memoir, part recipe book, part travel guide, part anthology of stunning floral studies by her friend, artist Jenny McCown, it chronicles her extraordinary journey from the Australian outback to world travels and back to her new home at Tenterfield. “I am extremely grateful for the opportunities life has given me,” Rose says. “I consider myself first and foremost a yoga teacher and I’m grateful for every single student I have taught, or retreated with. Yoga sustains me and keeps me grounded. It’s been a privilege to share it with so many people and I hope that continues for years to come.” AC Coming Home, by Rose Hawkins, $60, Ultimate World Publishing, is available from rosehawkinsyoga.com.au.
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THE SHOP THAT TIME FORGOT Imagine... Walking into a Department Store in the early 1900’s, what would you expect to find?
Welcome to
98 Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove QLD 4060 P: (07) 3366 5631 E: info@restorationstation.com.au www.restorationstation.com.au Australia Wide Delivery. Open Monday - Saturday. LIGHTING • GIFTWARE • BRASSWARE • BATHROOMS FIREPLACES • PRESSED METAL • ANTIQUE FURNITURE CAST IRON FURNITURE • ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUES
Seduced by simplicity Michael and Michele Bell turned a sixties beach house into a stunning seaside home that’s too good to leave. BY KIRST Y MCKE NZ IE, PHOTO GR A P HY K EN B R A SS
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SEA CHANGE
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SEA CHANGE
I
t was supposed to be a fixer-upper. When Sydney architect Michael Bell and his interior designer work and life partner, Michele, went looking for a property
THESE PAGES: There’s no question that Bentley the Weimaraner is top dog at Michael and Michele’s beautifully restored home in the NSW seaside township of Kiama.
on the NSW South Coast, they only ever intended to move there for as long as it took to renovate and
sell a house. Michael had spent part of his childhood in
Michael’s considerable experience with heritage buildings
regional Victoria and had fond memories of holidays at his
means he’s well attuned to recognising potential when he
grandfather’s beach shack on Phillip Island, and although
sees it. So, when he saw the 1962 weatherboard cabin perched
Michele had grown up in Sydney’s north-west, she yearned
on a rise above the ocean, his instincts kicked in. “The garden
to show their sons, Ewan and Thomas, the less-structured
was overgrown and covered in rabbit manure and internally it
lifestyle she had enjoyed during her childhood.
was just as neglected,” Michele recalls. “You had to look past
So it made perfect sense to move to Kiama, a town
the orange curtains and the flea-infested carpet. But Michael
famous for its surfing breaks and tourist-drawcard blowhole
got a ladder and went up on the roof. He could see that
surrounded by a rolling green landscape dotted with dairy
adding another storey would open up the view of the ocean.”
herds making their single-file pilgrimages at milking time.
Michele moved into the local caravan park while she
“It’s less than two hours to Sydney, so we could commute
supervised a big clear-out and cosmetic clean-up and
to our Ultimo office,” Michele says. “I’d researched the best
enrolled the boys at the local primary school. While Michael
areas in terms of real-estate performance and Kiama kept
commuted between Sydney and Kiama and Michele
coming up. We initially intended to build, so when we went
continued to fit her consultancy work in around her other
to inspect this property in Kiama Downs, it was more to
tasks, they planned a renovation that included the upper
gauge the market than with serious intention to buy.”
level with 180-degree ocean views, an open kitchen and
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SEA CHANGE
dining area and two extra bedrooms. Twelve years down the track, the two-year plan has well and truly expired and the Bells are thoroughly embedded in their beach-house lifestyle.
THESE PAGES: The Bells retained sixties details such as the awning windows and introduced others including a copperpainted, timber-panelled feature wall in a sitting area.
“The boys felt immediately at home,” Michele says. “They relished the freedom of being able to ride their bikes to school and enjoy all the outdoorsy activities at their doorstep. At
through the hinterland to the Jamberoo pub, walking all or
first, I felt a bit isolated, but I joined a book club and a few
sections of the Kiama to Gerringong coastal trail and visiting
school committees and gradually made friends.”
local wine bars and bistros.
After a 29-year hiatus, Michele resumed ballet classes and
While the restoration of their beach house is an ongoing
says it’s now a “don’t-miss” weekly commitment. “The beauty
project, the couple has been mindful to retain a laid-back
of working for yourself is you can rearrange your work life to
coastal vibe and stay true to the sixties detailing. From
fit in with other priorities,” she says. “Michael and I usually
Michael’s grandfather’s plywood fishing boat — rescued
stay in Sydney Mondays and Tuesdays, then he works from
from the Phillip Island shack — and the crazy paving at the
Kiama on Wednesdays and returns to the city for the end of
front to the original pink and black mosaic-tiled bathroom
the week, while I work from home.”
out the back, Michele and Michael have taken great care to
Most days are bookended with walks along the coastal
preserve the essence of the sixties at the same time as making
tracks with Bentley the Weimaraner and dips in the ocean
the house more amenable to contemporary living. True to
when weather permits. The Bells have many visitors from the
Michael Bell Architects form, they opted to retain the original
city and interstate and love sharing the region’s delights with
roof for aesthetics, but found that the eaves serve the practical
them. Highlights on their guests’ itineraries include cycling
purpose of making cleaning the upstairs windows easier.
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SEA CHANGE
THIS PAGE: While Michael happily makes changes for modern living, such as the porthole window to allow more light in the bathroom, he opted to retain the original pink and black tiles.
While the original lime-green, pink and lilac colour scheme has been replaced by a more subdued palette, the Bells have been respectful of the home’s era and searched out finishes and fittings that suited. Michael added a porthole window to a bathroom that needed more light and installed a timberpanelled, copper-painted feature wall in a downstairs sitting room, while Michele tracked down tiles and fabrics that fitted the sixties vibe. She sourced an original light fitting on eBay and then serendipity intervened when a friend of Michael’s mother found two almost matching ones during a household clear-out. These shades are now a feature of the upstairs living space, alongside a sixties lounge and bathrooms tiled in black and white mosaics. Creative energy runs strong in the family as Thomas is a cabinet maker who shapes surfboards in his spare time and Ewan is a fashion stylist, who also makes arthouse clothes as a sideline. Michele makes most of her own clothing, including her own wedding dress, which, with uncanny prescience, featured sixties influences right down to its empire line and a pillbox hat. “I guess the era always held the attraction of a simpler lifestyle,” she says. “That’s certainly what we have achieved with our move to Kiama. We may have intended it to be an interlude, but it’s hard to imagine ever returning to live in the city now.” AC
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Everything country. IN T HE ONE P LACE.
AUSTRALIANCOUNTRY.COM.AU
A slice of Tasmania Sally Wise has championed Tasmanian produce for decades. Her cookbooks share the love with her signature, no-nonsense style. BY KIRST Y MCKE NZIE , PHOTO GR A P HY SA MUEL SHELLEY, ST Y LING M IC HELLE C R AWFO R D
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RECIPE EXTRACT
Extract from The Comfort Bake by Sally Wise, Murdoch Books, $39.99
paused for the past two years due to COVID-19, however the book shares not just her recipes, but also the insights, tips and tricks she has mastered during many decades in the kitchen. If you were lucky enough to be one of Sally’s real-life nine grandchildren, you’d have your own trademarked treat that she always bakes for their special days, peach and blueberry muffins for one and honey jumbles for another. If not, the
S
new book includes lots of common-sense recipes for readers
ally Wise is uncertain about being dubbed
to create their own traditions. Recipes for staples such as
Tasmania’s Nan. When TV chef and cookbook
Anzac biscuits and sausage rolls feature in the line-up, which
author Matthew Evans proclaimed her “the Granny
includes biscuits, cakes, slices and tray bakes alongside sweet
we all wished we had”, she says her unofficial role
and savoury pies, tarts and parcels.
as the island state’s chief ambassador for all things
home-grown and made stepped up a notch or two. “I’m not sure that all the grandmothers of Tasmania would
Sally credits her grandmother, whose parents ran a bakery in Hobart, with her love of baking. “Her house was always filled with the smell of baking and it felt so welcoming,” she says. “She
feel I represent them,” she says. “But it is nice that people
always had at least three shelves stacked with tins of cakes and
feel they can turn to my books for solid, practical advice and
biscuits. No one ever went away from her house hungry.”
recipes.” Sally has built her career, a stack of cookbooks, a
The custom continues at Sally’s home on a farm in the
regular slot on ABC radio and a cooking school at her home in
Molesworth district, where the shelves are always stacked
the Derwent Valley around the kitchen, the fruit and vegies she
with baked goods, jams and preserves, made with produce
and her husband, Robert, grow in the garden and the broader
harvested from the kitchen garden. “I have a running battle
bounty of Tasmania’s produce. In 2019, she was honoured to
with the possums and wallabies,” she says. “They think we’re
be named Tasmania’s Senior Australian of the Year and, in
growing their own personal smorgasbord. I’ve attempted
2021, she was awarded an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) for
to take them on, by planting Tasmanian pepperberries as
her services to the hospitality and culinary sectors and the
a deterrent, but I’m not sure it’s working.”
community. Her most recent cookbook, The Comfort Bake, is
The pepperberries did, however, work in a gin made by her
her 16th and lands in stores at a time when many people have
distiller neighbour, Dean Metcalf, who creates a range of spirits
found solace in the contemplative art of baking and the joys
including sloe-, cherry-, rhubarb- and elderflower-infused gins,
of sharing the results. Sally’s cooking school may have been
as well as schnapps and whisky. “You can practically taste the
australiancountry.com.au | 77
RECIPE EXTRACT
calling ourselves the Custard Club and it’s become my personal challenge never to repeat a dish. We’ve been going 18 months now and so far I’ve succeeded. It’s a great incentive for me to trial new recipes and receive honest feedback on them.” Sally adds that if her books have demystified baking in any small way, then she’s achieved what she set out to do. “Cooking shouldn’t be daunting, it doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy,” she says. “Buy the best ingredients you can afford, but don’t stress about it too much. My recipes will still work if you use home-brand staples. You don’t need fancy equipment, either. I rarely sift flour unless I’m making a sponge. I use a hand whisk rather than beaters or a stand mixer to cream butter and sugar. My recipes are pretty much foolproof and they allow you to have fun and experiment a bit. Use whatever’s in season and you have in surplus.” It seems there’s always a glut of something in the Wises’ garden or the broader Derwent Valley. They have an autumn tradition of collecting windfall apples from a local farmer, teaming up with a group of friends and neighbours to load
valley from the botanicals he uses,” she says. “Like most people in the area, he is very generous with his produce and gifted us all hand sanitiser when none was available in the shops.” With lots of valley residents working at home in small businesses, many on their own, Dean also instigated a regular Wednesday get-together as a community-building exercise. “It’s just a quick catch-up, a kind of smoko minus the cigarettes,” Sally explains. “When we first met, I took along a cake, because that’s what country people do on these occasions. It was custard-based, and it went down so well that I did another custard cake the next catch-up. The smiles kept coming so I decided to bring things that either contained custard or were served with custard. After a while, we started
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the ute with apples, which Sally juices or slices and preserves and Robert turns into barrels of cider, to be shared at the frequent gatherings the couple holds in their garden. Robert fires up the pizza oven and all comers are treated to wood-fired pizza with lashings of Molesworth Scrumpy. “It’s local lore that you can’t leave your windows down in the car when you go to town in summer,” Sally says. “Because someone is bound to leave bags of zucchinis on the seat.” Zucchini cake, pickles, chutney, piccalilli, fritters, soup … Sally is a walking encyclopaedia of how make the most of whatever the season delivers and she’s proud to have passed some of her lexicon on to her family. When Australian Country first met Sally six years ago, her daughter, Stephanie, and granddaughter, Charley, were in the kitchen prepping lunch for an extended group of family and friends. Their mutual passion for flavour-
APRICOT & BLUEBERRY TRAY BAKE
packed food and its preparation was a joy to witness,
Serves 8–12
matched only by Charley’s exuberant cartwheels during
Apricots are certainly one of my favourite stone fruits. They
lunch. Today, Sally proudly reports that Charley is now
are so obliging, making sensational jam and beautiful
14 and an enthusiastic student of a new hospitality and
preserves and never failing to turn a simple plain cake into
tourism course offered at New Norfolk’s high school. “Who
something really special. Here, blueberries are included for
knows where she will end up,” Sally observes. “Hospitality
their colour, flavour and pop of texture. The tray bake is
is such a happy place to dwell in and I am so pleased when
finished with butter, cinnamon and sugar, like a teacake.
young people show an interest. She was a great help on the
You can use fresh, tinned or preserved apricots and fresh
shoots for The Comfort Bake and I felt very proud when
or frozen blueberries in this easy bake.
others on location noticed how accomplished she is.” As with everything Sally does, the book was a real family
2 eggs
440g self-raising flour
affair as her daughter-in-law, Cassie Lorraine, also worked
250g white (granulated)
125g salted butter, melted,
as home economist and make-up artist on the shoots. Apart from the oven, Sally’s favourite appliances include
sugar, plus 1½ teaspoons extra
a Fowlers preserving kit and a slow cooker rather than a
2 teaspoons finely grated
sous vide device, blast chiller or smoke gun. “Preserving
lemon zest
feeds my baking,” she says. “When things are in season,
320ml milk
the whole community shares the surplus and I’ll often
60ml lemon juice
plus 40g extra 800g apricot halves, drained if tinned or bottled 180g blueberries, fresh or frozen 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
find bags of excess fruit on the doorstep.” Sally returns the favours by sharing her baking with anyone who visits. She
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 24cm x 35cm baking dish,
also shares the love with students, pandemic permitting,
10cm deep. Using hand-held beaters or a stand mixer, whisk the
at her on-site cooking school, or via demonstrations she
eggs, sugar and lemon zest together until creamy. Add the milk,
does at community events, food festivals, in schools, care
lemon juice, flour and the 125g melted butter. Whisk briefly until
facilities and even prison. “I taught basic cooking skills
smooth. Transfer to the dish and smooth out the surface.
for a group of soon-to-be-released women,” she says. “I
Place the apricots and blueberries decoratively over the
don’t think I’ve ever had a more appreciative audience. If I
top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a metal skewer inserted
have demystified cooking in any way for readers, then I’ve
into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and
achieved what I set out to do. Food has such huge social
brush with the extra melted butter. Combine the extra sugar
impact. It promotes inter-generational and cross-cultural
with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Cut and serve
communication. And eating and sharing it is joyous.”
warm or cold straight from the tin.
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RECIPE EXTRACT
To make the pastry Place the flours, salt and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, this can be achieved by rubbing the ingredients together with your fingers.) Transfer to a large bowl and make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yoghurt with 40ml cold water. Add enough of the yoghurt mixture to the flour to make a soft dough, adding extra liquid if needed. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up before using. To make the filling Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the tomatoes in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened a little and the skin blisters. Set aside to cool, leaving the oven on. Place the spinach or silverbeet in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the leaves, then leave to stand for 1 minute before draining in a colander and leaving to cool. Place on paper towel and squeeze out any excess liquid (see note). In a small bowl, whisk together the milk with the cornflour to make a paste, then whisk in the eggs and salt (if using). Stir in the green onion and garlic. Transfer to a jug and set aside. To assemble for baking Grease 12 x 50ml tart tins or a 12-hole muffin tin. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface. Cut circles to fit the base and side of the tins and press into place. Distribute the goat’s cheese, tomatoes and blanched leaves evenly between the pastry cases and then carefully pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 150°C and bake for 10 minutes more, or until the filling has set. Leave to stand in the tins for 5–10 minutes, then carefully
SPINACH, GOAT’S CHEESE & ROASTED TOMATO TARTS
transfer to a wire rack.
Makes 12
silverbeet and refrigerate to use later in soups and gravies.
Note Reserve the liquid drained from the spinach or
In these tarts, the sharpness of the goat’s cheese is counterbalanced with the sweetness of baked and blistered cherry tomatoes. Served hot, warm or cold, these tasty tarts are a delightful snack.
WHISKY & ORANGE-CHOCOLATE SELF-SAUCING PUDDING Serves 4–6
For the pastry
120g spinach or silverbeet
While a chocolate self-saucing pudding is always a favourite, this
120g plain flour
leaves, washed and finely
recipe takes the concept to a whole new, supremely delicious, level.
20g self-raising flour
sliced
½ teaspoon sea salt
90ml milk
For the sponge
70g cold salted butter, diced
2 teaspoons cornflour
150g self-raising flour
45g natural or Greek-style
5 eggs, lightly whisked
Pinch of sea salt
¼ teaspoon sea
100g white (granulated) sugar 100g soft brown sugar
yoghurt
salt (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract For the sauce
25g cocoa
20g cocoa
For the filling
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 teaspoons finely
300ml boiling water
200g cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
grated orange zest
60ml whisky
2 teaspoons extra-virgin
110g goat’s cheese, crumbled
60g salted butter, melted
40ml orange juice
60g Parmesan, finely grated
125ml milk
olive oil
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To make the sponge Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease an 18cm–20cm round baking dish, 10cm deep. Whisk together all the sponge ingredients until smooth. Spoon this batter evenly into the dish. To make the sauce Sprinkle the combined brown sugar and cocoa over the
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 23cm x 30cm slab tin, 6cm
sponge mixture. In a separate bowl, mix together the boiling
deep. Line the base with baking paper and then grease again.
water, whisky and orange juice and pour carefully over the
To make the honey caramel
sponge mixture. Bake for 30 minutes until the sponge has
Melt the butter, brown sugar and honey together. Bring to the
risen and is firm to the touch.
boil and simmer for 1 minute, whisking. Pour into the base of the tin. Cut each pear half into four slices and place them
HONEY-CARAMEL TOPSY-TURVY PEAR CAKE
decoratively over the caramel.
Serves 8–12
To make the cake
The autumnal flavour of pears in a rich butter caramel, topped
Using hand-held beaters or a stand mixer, beat all the cake
with a drizzle of honey, makes this a most delicious cake. Fresh,
ingredients for 2 minutes. Spoon the batter over the pears,
tinned or preserved pears can be used in this recipe.
then carefully level the mixture with a spatula, leaving it just slightly concave in the middle. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or
For the cake
until a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
2 eggs
Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning the cake out onto a
200g white (granulated) sugar
wire rack; the pears will be on top. Position a plate underneath
For the honey caramel
125ml milk
the rack so that it sits under the cake. (This way any spilled
125g salted butter
230g self-raising flour
caramel can be retrieved by spooning it up and over the cake.)
125g soft brown sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
20g honey, plus
125g salted butter, melted and
825g pear halves, drained if tinned
20g extra, for glazing
cooled slightly
Heat the extra honey in a small saucepan until warmed through and runny, then spoon over the cake. Cool the cake for 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
australiancountry.com.au | 81
PRODUCT GUIDE
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PRODUCT GUIDE
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kiama.com.au
KIAMA VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE 1300 654 262
UNSPOILT BEACHES. HIDDEN OCEAN POOLS. LUSH ROLLING HILLS. ANCIENT RAINFOREST. TOWERING WATERFALLS. SYDNEY: 90MINS Along with the world’s largest Blowhole, and nationally significant attractions such as Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, Minnamurra Rainforest and Falls Walk, and Jamberoo Action Park, the Kiama Coast Walk is one to add to the bucket list. This unbroken ribbon of exploration spans approximately 20kms from Minnamurra, through Kiama and on to Gerringong, offering easy entry and exit points, hidden rock pools, geological wonder, grassy tracks and beautiful sandy beaches. With a full calendar of exciting events, peaceful coves and beaches to discover, a thriving art and music scene, majestic rainforests filled with birdsong, as well as incredible food and wine experiences to indulge in, you will be sure to find something special for your next escape.
KIAMA COAST WALK
ESCAPE ROUTES
Beyond the blowhole Mention Kiama and most people think of its famous blowhole, but there’s much more to discover in this gem of a NSW coastal town. P HOTO GR AP HY DESTINATION K IA MA & K EN B R A S S
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ESCAPE ROUTES
T
ake local advice. Many tourists arrive in sea-kissed Kiama and head straight for the lighthouse and its famed adjacent blowhole, reputed to be the largest in Australia, where compressed air can project water up to 30 metres into the air. However,
people who know the town and its rolling green environs well are keen to offer further insights into this coastal gem of the Illawarra region, just 90 minutes’ drive south of Sydney. At Greyleigh, a splendidly restored late-19th-century
homestead that now accommodates 10 self-catering guests in the big house and six more in an adjacent guesthouse, managers Erica Warren and Michelle Higgins begin their recommendations with a tour of the property, with its THESE PAGES: Clockwise from above: racing to one of the many lookouts; a dip in Blowhole Point pool; splendid clifftop views; the panorama from Saddleback Mountain Lookout.
beautiful gardens and panoramic views to the ocean on the northern horizon. The paddocks in the foreground are dotted with soaring cabbage tree palms, which the traditional Dharawal people arrived with tens of thousands of years ago. In those days, the landscape was a vastly different rainforest known as the Illawarra Brush, which extended from Jamberoo Mountain down to the coast. All that changed when the first European settlers arrived in the early 1800s, and cleared the land first for cedar, then dairy farming. George Grey (sometimes spelt Gray), whose name lives on at Greyleigh, was one of those early dairymen. He was instrumental in the development of the Australian Illawarra Shorthorn (AIS) breed and for decades his Greyleigh Gems won awards at agricultural shows and were proudly displayed on greeting cards he sent home to relatives in Ireland. George also built two huge stone silos, which form the centrepiece of The Gables, a function and wedding centre that’s opening soon. The property also boasts some of the region’s signature drystone walls built by father and son both named Thomas Newing between 1860 and 1930. In a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald in 1936, Thomas Jnr explained how his
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THESE PAGES: Clockwise from left: hikers on Hoddles Track; the Blowhole does its thing; Minnamurra Rainforest walks; dairy cows and drystone walls are local signatures; the Kiama Picnic Train leaves from Sydney’s Central Station.
If you’re visiting by car, continue on to the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre for glimpses of the remnant rainforest, a loop boardwalk, or a slightly longer hike to the cliff edge to see Minnamurra Falls. While in this area, you might like to test the rides at Jamberoo Action Park, or the Illawarra Fly treetop walk and eco-zipline. The hiking and birdwatching destination Barren Grounds Nature Reserve and Carrington Falls in Budderoo National Park are also accessed via the Jamberoo Mountain Road to Robertson. The highway speeds today’s visitors from Sydney south to Kiama, but perhaps a more gentle induction is a day trip via the heritage Kiama Picnic Train, hauled by a vintage locomotive or driving the dramatic Grand Pacific Drive through Sydney’s Royal National Park and via the 456-metre sea cliff bridge to the sparsely populated beaches, lush farmland and rugged escarpments bathed by light as pastel as the scenery it illuminates. Artists, understandably, love the landscape. Lloyd Rees, planting his easel at Gerringong in 1947, brilliantly captured some of the mood in his painting The Road to Berry. And Brett Whiteley paid homage to his mentor and to the land where the green of lush fields meets the blue of one of the world’s wildest seas in his work called Lloyd Rees, The Road to Berry in 1985. George Bass sailed alongside the blowhole in December 1797, witness to what indigenous Australians for generations earlier called Kiaram-a, the place “where the sea makes a noise”. The Wodiwodi people regularly passed through the father had arrived in the colony in 1856 and gained work at
hinterland on trails, which often later became roads, to
Foxground (inland from Kiama) as a ploughman. To clear
today’s Shellharbour and Sydney. One of their camps was
the fields for tilling, he had to first collect the stones, which
near Jamberoo, a name which means “track”. Gerringong
he used to build fences. They proved so effective, the duo
and Bombo were early sites of the great Australian mining
continued clearing, building almost 400 walls, many of
industry and these days the lunar landscape of Bombo
which survive to the present day.
quarry makes it a popular spot for wedding photography
To see more of them, and get a good overview of the region, Michelle and Erica suggest driving up to Saddleback Mountain
and shooting commercials and music videos. The coast is renowned for swimming, surfing, fish
Lookout. The popular, if not a tad breathtaking as it’s steep in
and chips, and the hinterland for its rugged beauty and,
parts, Hoddles Track begins nearby and is a seven-kilometre
increasingly, its wines and marvellous agricultural produce.
return hike. Erica might also mention a scenic drive to the
You can sample some of it at the Wednesday afternoon
historic village of Jamberoo, where her father ran the 1857
farmers’ markets and outlets such as Four, Water, Salt
pub for more than three decades. These days, it’s run by the
Sourdough Bakery, The Pines Pantry (for splendid dairy
Warren family, who celebrate their relative, the late Johnny
offerings including cheese and gelato), Dandelion and
Warren, who captained the Socceroos 24 times, as well as the
Mallow (for cooking workshops and event catering) and
achievements of other sporting stars. The beer garden makes
Buena Vista Farm (for cooking classes and farm tours). Toast
a great lunch destination if you hire pushbikes from Kiama
your arrival in the region with a sip or two at Crooked River
Cycles and Sports and ride through the hinterland from
Wines or the nearby Roselea Vineyard. Or perhaps a Hazy
Jones Beach onto the Swamp Road bike path to Jamberoo.
Pale Ale or Cloudy Apple Cider from Stoic Brewing.
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ESCAPE ROUTES
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Kiama’s relaxing coastal vibe is an instant tonic, perhaps because of that reassuring wink from the iconic lighthouse, or the sensual whoosh from the blowholes. It’s almost an obligatory tradition to picnic in the park but, as in the rest of the region, there’s no shortage of boutique stores, cafes and restaurants. Shoppers should make a beeline for Bombo Clothing Company and Deer Willow, while early birds know Penny Whistlers Cafe is THE place to greet the day. Miss Arda and Silica are highly recommended restaurants in Kiama, while Gather by the Hill and the Hill Bar & Kitchen are where those in the know head in Gerringong. The Art Bar perched up on a hill on the southern side of Kiama is where Jamie Cole and Bruce Ferguson serve tapas with a side of artworks by Jamie and other local artists. Jamie and Bruce will also point visitors in the direction of the smaller, though many say more reliable, Little Blowhole, which is a short amble from their establishment. The Minnamurra River marks Kiama’s northern border THESE PAGES: Clockwise from above: guest room at Terragong; sitting area in the main homestead at Greyleigh; the cabbage palms are reminders of the original vegetation; the immaculately restored Terragong homestead was built in 1858.
and architect Michael Bell and his interior designer wife, Michele, who’ve lived at Kiama Downs for 12 years, suggest it as a safe swimming spot popular with kayakers and paddle boarders. Keen surfers including Michael paddle across to Mystics Beach, and he also recommends Jones Beach (with dramatic Cathedral Rocks at its southern end) and North Bombo. If surfing isn’t your thing, there are rock pools such as Continental Pool at the northern end of Black Beach Reserve and Blowhole Point Pool, both in Kiama, or Ourie Pool, chiselled into the rock shelf at the southern end of Gerringong’s Werri Beach. The Bells also like to take their visitors walking and recommend all or part of the Kiama Coast Walk, which stretches almost 20km from Minnamurra to Werri Beach. The first section of the walk includes some of the most dramatic and varied coastline with great opportunities for whale watching. Michele gives us the tip-off: if you start early, or even knock 8.5km off the trek by beginning in Kiama, and make it to the Gerringong Bowlo in time for lunch, so long as you arrange it the day before, the club courtesy vehicle will give you a lift back to town. There are accommodation options aplenty in the region ranging from the spectacularly located Dovecote and Sebel Harbourside to caravan parks, with hotels, motels and B&Bs in between. Six lucky guests can enjoy the hospitality at Terragong, the immaculately restored Georgian homestead built in 1858 as a gentleman’s residence for politician John Marks. The property remained in his family until 2014 when
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ESCAPE ROUTES
THESE PAGES: Clockwise from above: views from the pool at Terragong; from Greyleigh to the sea; the Dovecote at Gerringong; lunch at Crooked River Wines at Gerringong.
interior designer Darryl Gordon and Simon Milner, who has vast experience in hospitality and tourism, bought it. They spent almost 18 months restoring and decorating the homestead, opened it as a guesthouse in 2016 and have garnered stacks of awards and accolades for their sanctuary ever since. Simon and Darryl are founts of local knowledge. Their list of not-to-be-missed events includes the Kiama Rugby Sevens, the largest one-day Sevens’ competition in the world (held annually on the last Saturday in February), to small events such as the Gerringong Picks and Flicks screening (the first Friday of each month at the Gerringong Town Hall). They direct walkers to Hoddles Track and Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, surfers to the Farm at Killalea and Boneyard, diners to Hanoi on Manning for Asian spice, Encore for steaks and Miss Arda and Otis Deli for Ottolenghi-inspired dishes created by a chef who worked for the great man in London. Of course, you’d be completely forgiven if you simply grabbed a good book and settled in on the verandah at Terragong, or by the pool, with its postcard views of Jamberoo Valley. Whatever it takes to restore your mind and body, the Kiama region has it in bucketloads. Just don’t expect to get round everything in one visit. Savvy travellers know always to leave something for next time. AC For more information, visit kiama.com.au.
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ESCAPE ROUTES
PLACES TO STAY
Dovecote, Gerringong dovecote.com.au The Pause, Gerringong thepause.com.au Kelly Cottage, Jerrara kellycottage.com.au The Sebel Harbourside, Kiama sebelharbourside.com.au The Shed, Gerroa theshedgerroa.com Terragong 1858, Jamberoo terragong.com Greyleigh, Kiama greyleigh.com.au WHAT TO DO
THIS PAGE: Workshop at the Shed at Gerroa (above); feasting after class at Dandelion and Mallow, Gerringong (below).
The Pines Pantry, Kiama thepineskiama.com.au Dandelion & Mallow, Gerringong dandelionandmallow.com.au Buena Vista Farm, Kiama buenavistafarm.com.au Kiama Farmers Market, Kiama kiamafarmersmarket.com.au Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, Jamberoo nationalparks. nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/visitor-centres/minnamurrarainforest-centre Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, Jamberoo nationalparks. nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/barren-grounds-naturereserve The Blowhole, Kiama kiama.com.au/listings/things-to-do/ kiama-blowhole WHERE TO EAT
Blue Swimmer at Seahaven, Gerroa, theblueswimmer.com.au Otis Deli, Kiama, otisdeli.com Diggies, Kiama, diggies.com.au/kiama The Hill Bar & Kitchen, Gerringong, thehillbarandkitchengerringong.com Little Earth Cafe, Kiama, littleearthroasters.com.au The Art Bar, Kiama, artbarkiama.com Penny Whistlers, Kiama, pennywhistlers.com.au Flour, Water, Salt Bakery, Kiama, flourwatersalt.com.au Miss Arda, Kiama, missarda.com Silica Restaurant & Bar, Kiama, silicakiama.com.au Parfait Patisserie, Kiama, parfaitpatisserie.com Encore, Kiama, encorekiama.com.au WHERE TO DRINK
Crooked River Wines, Gerringong, crookedriverwines.com Stoic Brewing, Gerringong, stoicbrewing.com.au Coolangatta Estate Winery, Coolangatta, coolangattaestate.com.au Gather by the Hill, Gerringong, gatherbythehill.com Roselea Vineyard, Gerringong, roseleavineyard.com.au Little Bettys, Kiama, littlebettysbar.com Jamberoo Hotel, Jamberoo jamberoopub.com
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GARDEN PROFILE
Showpiece for sharing Val Peachey’s garden is a year-round delight, but saves its spectacular best for Toowoomba’s spring carnival. BY KIRST Y MCK EN ZIE, PHOTOGR A PHY GLENN WEI SS
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GARDEN PROFILE
THESE PAGES: Roses are a nod to Val’s mother and sister, both keen gardeners. The Toowoomba garden is a tribute to the many years Val and her late husband, Ron, devoted to it.
V
al Peachey has been gardening all her adult life. In fact, she was learning by osmosis long before then, as her parents kept a beautiful garden filled with roses, annuals and vegetables at her childhood home at
Kingaroy in southern Queensland. She continued the tradition when, as a newlywed, she and her late school-teacher husband, Ron, went to Windorah in the state’s far west, where they attempted their first garden. “We had no mains power and no reticulated water,” Val recalls. “Our water came straight out of Cooper Creek, so gardening was always going to be a challenge. Ron tried to grow lettuce, but a dust storm shredded them.” The Peacheys persevered with varying levels of success through postings across Queensland from Weipa in the far north to Biloela in the central hinterland, until finally they landed in the gardening paradise of Toowoomba in the south. “Initially, we lived in a school house, then in 1992 we moved to Kearneys Spring where we built our house,” Val recalls. “We didn’t know what we were doing, we just planted things and saw if they grew. Ron did the rock work on the garden beds and marked out the vegie garden and
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GARDEN PROFILE
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THESE PAGES: While the garden offers year-round interest, it comes into its own in spring, when Val opens as an exhibition garden during Toowoomba’s celebrated Carnival of Flowers.
I was the plants person. I started with roses because Mum
is pooled and, since 2013, our contribution has been almost
had them and I loved them for colour and fragrance.”
$70,000, so it feels like a good way to contribute.”
Toowoomba’s benign climate and rich volcanic soil had
Of course, Val’s contribution involves much more than
earned the city a reputation for grand gardens, which
the month she actually opens, as maintaining the garden
was formalised in 1950 when the town hosted its first
and preparing it for opening is pretty much a year-round
Carnival of Flowers. These days, the carnival is a month-
project. Since Ron passed away recently, Val has carried on
long celebration that spans all of September. It features
solo enlisting help only for the high pruning. Her son-in-law
spectacular displays in the public parks, private garden
keeps the lawns as she has difficulty starting the mower, but
openings, a food and wine festival, a garden competition
otherwise the spectacle that greets the passing parade each
and tours of exhibition gardens. For the past eight years, Val
spring is largely due to her considerable care and attention.
and Ron’s garden has been part of the exhibition program,
“It keeps me busy,” Val says. “Usually I spend three days
in which four significant private gardens are open to raise
a week in the garden, but close to opening time I work on it
funds for Toowoomba charities.
every day. To me it’s nothing special, but it gives me great
“The exhibition gardens began in 1972,” Val says.
pleasure to show people around and to see the joy it brings.
“Renowned gardener Cec Swenson kept winning the grand
Gardens can be quite emotional places as plants connect you
champion award in the competition, so he decided it was
to people who are no longer around. I’ve often heard people
time to give someone else a chance. Although he retired
say a plant reminds them of a long-gone relative.”
from competition, he kept opening as part of the exhibition
Among her favourite plants, Val nominates roses —
program. Through the years, the program has raised almost
Duet, Brass Band, blushing pink, burgundy and standard
$800,000 for local causes. Ron and I initially chose Life
white Icebergs — a fence covered in clematis and old-
Education as our charity, but we depend on volunteers to run
fashioned plants including helibores, calla lilies, foxgloves,
it and recently I’ve had difficulty get enough people to help,
delphiniums, larkspurs and hollyhocks. Azaeleas, camellias
so I’ve switched to the AEIOU Foundation, which supports
and dahlias ensure a year-round display, as do giant and
people with autism. Visiting the gardens is not expensive
dwarf magnolias and a crabapple. Conversation-starting
as it only costs $12 to see all four, or $5 for one. The money
trees include three standard weeping maples, a Grinsteed
australiancountry.com.au | 107
GARDEN PROFILE
THIS PAGE: Val’s goal is to keep active and healthy so she can continue to maintain the garden on her own.
conifer that’s been pruned to look like a giant bonsai, a forest pansy with circus red leaves in autumn and flowers against the trunk in spring and a massive pony tail with fronds cascading above the roof of the house. “Scadoxus or paint brush lily always draws comments,” Val says. “Alstroemeria are popular, too, as are Schizanthus, which are also known as butterfly flower or poor man’s orchids. The fact is nature is wonderful; you go into the garden and see something different every day. The only thing I’ve not had much luck with is natives. I’ve tried grevilleas without success, and I’m not much into tropical plants, though I do grow clivea and orchids. Hanging pots filled with pansies, violas and petunias are my main annuals.” Val’s plans for the future include continuing to stay active and keep working in the garden for as long as she can. “It’s good to stay active,” she says. “I just need to stay healthy, so I can keep it up and keep sharing what we created. Ideally, I’d like to keep opening for the next two years, to reach a decade. But I’ve a lot to live up to as my older sister in Kingaroy is 85 and she still keeps a beautiful rose garden.” AC For more information on Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers, visit tcof.com.au.
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PHOTO ESSAY
Colour and motion The Australian landscape takes on a whole new significance thanks to masterful manipulation of light and time. PHOTOGR A P HY BY WENDY K LEIN
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PHOTO ESSAY 1
Brisbane-based Wendy Klein has
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recently retired after a 45-year career as a nurse. She has always loved travel and photography and has owned a camera since she bought a cheap compact as a teenager. However, it wasn’t until five years ago that she decided to take photography seriously. Her particular passions are sunrises, sunsets and fast-moving clouds. She now travels Australia and overseas taking workshops and teaching like-minded people the skills she has mastered.
3
THESE PAGES: 1. Sunrays Through the Forest, Qld; 2. Sunset at the Rail Tracks, Qld; 3. Lake Moogerah, Qld; 4. Reflections on the Lake,Qld; 5. Waterfall, Qld.
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5
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PHOTO ESSAY 6
THESE PAGES: 6. Bottle Tree, Qld; 7. Star Trails on the Dam, Qld; 8. Country Creek, NSW.
7
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PHOTO ESSAY 9
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THESE PAGES: 9. Old Farm Barn at Sunrise, Qld; 10. Snow Gum, NSW; 11. Creek Flowing, NSW.
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Go to: australiancountry.com.au/photographycompetition
Presenting our greatest educational institutions to parents looking for the right school for their child. This valuable publication features articles about choosing the right secondary school for your child, as well as other important issues in education, including the welfare and health of your child, curricular and learning opportunities, exchange programs and much more. Comprehen ve listings of every secondary school in the state (NSW or VIC) also mean that finding the right school for your child – whether public, independe Catholic, regional or boarding – is a less daunting task, as the most cu ent and accurate information is presented.
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MARKETPLACE
AUSTRALIAN LUXE LEATHER & HIDE ACCESSORIES LABEL
STAND OUT IN STYLE Belle Couleur
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www.bellecouleur.com.au
PH: 0409 997 795 EMAIL: info@clementinesleepwear.com.au
Discover beautiful sleepwear made from natural fibres and luxury fabrics. From women’s cotton nightdresses, luxury pyjamas to mens’ sleepwear, we consider your comfort to ensure a perfect night’s sleep. Designed for you in Australia. Sweet dreams!
Jane www.clementinesleepwear.com.au
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Handmade ceramics from Spain www.sunpots.com.au info@sunpots.com.au
Designing, remodelling and making jewellery is our speciality for customers all over Australia. You don’t need to come into the store for us to be able to make you that stunning piece of jewellery you have always dreamt about. Through the modern wonders of technology, we are able to complete the whole design and make it with you from the comfort of your own home. We have so many new and previous customers that we have had the pleasure of making multiple pieces of jewellery for and we have yet to meet them personally. We may be in the modern world but we believe in old fashion values of quality of design and good old fashioned customer service and we will source our diamonds and gemstones from all over the world to ensure we have that perfect one for you.
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EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Consider Boarding at Schols Warm, inviting, safe – it’s not home, but St Scholastica’s College Glebe is a wonderful place to board, be taught by great teachers and to make lifelong friends. Its Good Samaritan and Benedictine heritage combine with academic achievement to produce proud and capable young women ready to play their part in an ever-changing and ever more challenging world. It’s not always easy to make the transition from the familiarity of home to what can initially be the unfamiliarity of living with strangers. But, at Schols, those strangers quickly become friends and separateness quickly dissolves to become a large family. There is a camaraderie among boarders – they can thrive in a different freedom away from home and family. The boarding dimension is bolstered by a teaching and learning philosophy that seeks to leave nobody behind. All students are supported to do more and be better than they thought possible and complementing academic endeavour is a strong sporting, cultural and arts’ ethos. Opportunities to do well abound.
2022 Boarding Captains
This is how a boarding parent of one of our recently graduated Year 12 students saw the past six years at the College despite the difficulties of COVID: “I have no doubt that ... the girls ... have come out of this stronger, more resilient and we are forever grateful. We have often said we hit the jackpot when our daughter came to St Scholastica’s College. It saddens us to think this journey has come to an end after all these wonderful years.”
COME AND CHECK US OUT! Scan our QR code for a closer look at our wonderful school
FOR DETAILS ABOUT OUR TWILIGHT OPEN DAYS IN MARCH 2022, PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR DATES/TIMES AND REGISTRATION DETAILS
A school like no other
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
A boarding experience where they’ll develop a mind for life. Ƥ "íƫœǙėœđ HƑíŜŜíƑ ®ĊķŪŪœȟ Džė ŞƫƑƤƫƑė œėíƑŞėƑƘ ƤŪ ĉėĊŪŜė ĊíƎíĉœėȟ ĊƫƑĻŪƫƘ íŞđ ėŜŪƤĻŪŞíœœNj íDžíƑė ƘŪ ƤķėNj ĊíŞ ĊƑėíƤė DžķíƤėDŽėƑ ƎíƤķ ĻŞ œĻįė ƤķėNj ĊķŪŪƘėȤ
SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED
»Ū ėŜƎŪDžėƑ NjŪƫƑ ĊķĻœđ ƤŪ íĊķĻėDŽė ƤķĻƘȟ Džė ŪįįėƑ ėNJƤėŞƘĻDŽė ĉƑŪíđ íŞđ ĉíœíŞĊėđ ėNJƎėƑĻėŞĊėƘ ƤķíƤ
ĊíđėŜĻĊ ɼ !ŪíƑđĻŞİ Dance | Foundation General Excellence | Music Theatre | Visual Arts
đėDŽėœŪƎ İœŪĉíœ ƎėƑƘƎėĊƤĻDŽėƘȤ ÙĻƤķ í DžėœĊŪŜĻŞİ íŞđ ĊŪŞŞėĊƤėđ ĊŪŜŜƫŞĻƤNjȟ ŪƫƑ ĉŪíƑđĻŞİ ėNJƎėƑĻėŞĊė ƎƑŪŜŪƤėƘ íĊíđėŜĻĊ ėNJĊėœœėŞĊė íŞđ íŞ ėŞƑĻĊķėđ DžėœœĉėĻŞİȤ ßŪƫƑ ĊķĻœđ DžĻœœ ĊŪŜė ƤŪ ŐŞŪDž DžķŪ ƤķėNj íƑėȟ DžķíƤ ƤķėNj DŽíœƫė íŞđ DžķNj ƤķėNj íƑė DŽíœƫėđ ĻŞ ŪƫƑ ƘƫƎƎŪƑƤĻDŽė íŞđ đNjŞíŜĻĊ œėíƑŞĻŞİ ėŞDŽĻƑŪŞŜėŞƤƘȤ »ķĻƘ ƎƑŪDŽĻđėƘ ŜŪƑė ƤķíŞ íŞ ėđƫĊíƤĻŪŞȤ TƤ ėƐƫĻƎƘ ƤķėŜ DžĻƤķ Ƥķė ėŜŪƤĻŪŞíœ íŞđ íĊíđėŜĻĊ ĊíƎíĉĻœĻƤĻėƘ ƤķėNj Şėėđ ƤŪ ĉė ƤķėŜƘėœDŽėƘȟ ŞíDŽĻİíƤė œĻįėɀƘ Ċķ휜ėŞİėƘ íŞđ œĻDŽė DžĻƤķ ƎƫƑƎŪƘė íŞđ ƎíƘƘĻŪŞȤ
To apply for a scholarship (2023 entry) or for more information, simply scan the QR code or visit ĊíƫœǙėœđİƘȤDŽĻĊȤėđƫȤíƫȪƘĊķŪœíƑƘķĻƎƘ
WHEELERS HILL ELC to Year 12
MALVERN ELC to Year 6
CAULFIELD Years 7 to 12
BOARDING Years 9 to 12
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
HARLIN HOUSE – OPEN TERM 1, 2022
LARGE INNER CITY CAMPUS
Exciting time to join
BGS BOARDING Queensland’s leading school for boys BGS Boarding is taking applications now for places in Harlin House and Griffith House. Brisbane Grammar School has been in pursuit of excellence since 1868 and aspires to be the best school for boys in Australia. There is no better time to join BGS as a
GRIFFITH HOUSE — OPENED 2020
boarder with two transformative new facilities significantly enhancing their unique access to Queensland’s leading school for boys. BGS Boarding’s $5 million redevelopment is complete, giving every boarder a private, modern room. Harlin House (Years 9 to 12) opened Term 1 this year, and Griffith House (Years 5 to 8) opened in May 2020. The BGS STEAM Precinct, open early in 2023, will enhance the School’s exceptional education program to inspire the next generation of leaders. BGS students benefit from the School’s leading Student Wellbeing, Outdoor Education and Cocurricular programs.
STEAM PRECINCT — OPEN EARLY 2023
Boys pursue their interests with 16 sports, 34 music groups, 3 dramatic productions and over 40 clubs and activities, including robotics and aviation. Boarders have access to additional academic support, a house mother, and extensive weekend activities.
Contact BGS Enrolments today.
Virtual Boarding Night 2022 Brisbane Grammar School Gregory Terrace Brisbane QLD 4000 Telephone +61 7 3834 5200 Email enrolments@brisbanegrammar.com CRICOS Provider Number 00489C
Register now via QR code or at brisbanegrammar.com/ boardingnight
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Want to advertise in this space?
COUNTRY Please contact
ADAM DAVY 0423 373 470
ANGELOS TZOVLAS 0433 567 071
Aesthetics Rx Skin Hydration Vitality Fruit Enzyme Mask, $69, and Skin Chamois, $14.95, aestheticsrx.com.au
Aspect Physical Sun Protection SPF 50+ Sunscreen Cream, $59, aspectskincare.com
Autumn windfalls
Tropicology Avocado Lip Balm, $19.95, tropicology.com.au
The approaching cooler weather means now is the time to take extra care of your skin and hair. COMP IL ED BY K IR ST Y MC K ENZIE, P HOTOGR A PHY K EN B R A SS
Skinstitut Expert Refine Glycolic Toner, $59, skinstitut.com Hask Curl Care Curl Enhancing Mousse, $14.99, amazon.com.au/hask
130 | australiancountry.com.au
YOU BEAUTY
Dr Roebuck’s Tama Healing Mask, $40, drroebucks.com.au
We Are Feel Good Inc. Kakadu Plum Body Milk, $27.95, wearefeelgoodinc.com.au
Tropicology Avocado Face Moisturiser, $59.95, tropicology.com.au Kosmea Nourishing Treatment Cream, $24.95, kosmea.com.au
Hask Curl Care Curl Shaping Jelly, $14.99, amazon.com.au/hask
Hask Curl Care Curl 5-in-1 Leave-In Spray, $14.99, amazon.com.au/hask
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SUN POTS
COTSWOLD INOUT FURNITURE
ECODOWNUNDER
Sun Pots takes its inspiration from the colourful ceramics displayed in the markets of the Mediterranean. The Girona range of pasta and serving bowls comes in an exciting array of bold colours to give your table setting an injection of oomph. The range is handmade and painted, making each piece one of its kind. sunpots.com.au
Nothing softens a room more than round shapes and warm materials. And that’s what the Laura basket by Vincent Sheppard is all about. The accessory is multifunctional and easily fits in any room thanks to the simple and pure silhouette. It’s available in a wide range of colours and is priced at $550.
Say goodbye to bed hair with Ecodownunder’s pure mulberry silk pillowcases, $59 each. They are available in exquisite new colours including Eucalyptus, Clay and Silver. Silk pillowcases make a natural chemical-free addition to your beauty regime and an end to hair frizz and sleep creases. ecodownunder.com.au
cotswoldfurniture.com.au
Store strolling
Things we love that you are bound to want in your life. COMP ILED BY K IR ST Y M CK ENZ IE
CLEMENTINE SLEEPWEAR
ZEPHYR
BELLE COULEUR
Clementine Sleepwear’s Louisa contemporary botanical print is soft, luxurious and comfortable and is available in new widelegged pants and a camisole, $129.95, and a sleeveless pyjama set, $139.95. There’s also a cap-sleeved long nightie, $124.95.
Zehyr’s Ophelia overdress in Daisy linen, $260, features a V-neck and deep slits to the centre front and sides. It teams well with a gingham linen slip dress with adjustable shoestring straps, $185.
Add a dash of country chic and effortless elegance to your wardrobe with Belle Couleur’s Belle tote bag in tan leather $190. All bags are made from high-quality leather that’s a by-product of the food industry.
zephyrwares.com
bellecouleur.com.au
clementinesleepwear.com.au
GLENVIEW PRODUCTS
THOMAS COOK
SMITTEN MERINO
Glenview Products’ polished copper wedgetailed eagle weathervane is typical of the craftsmanship that goes into every product the company produces. It’s handmade and designed to be a durable addition to any outdoor setting. glenviewproducts.com.au
Handed down through three generations of the Cook family, the Thomas Cook brand has become an integral part of the country Australian lifestyle. The Augusta crushable wool felt hat in wine, $99.95, is showerproof.
This handmade collectable teddy bear, $250, is lovingly created from Smitten Merino offcuts. All proceeds from sales go to Tasmania’s Save the Devil Foundation. All Smitten products are ethically and sustainably produced and proudly designed and made in Tasmania. smittenmerino.com
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thomascook.com.au
IN THE SHOPS
LOVEMERINO
ECODOWNUNDER
SLEEPY MERINO
This scarf in ombre Champagne/natural, $280, is made from 100 per cent Australian Merino wool sourced exclusively from Glenwood Merinos, Wellington, in the central west of NSW. It’s unbelievably soft and warm and is part of a limited-edition range. A signed certificate of authenticity confirms that there are only 50 of this particular design and colour produced. It’s designed and individually hand-dyed, by Karen Davis and Pepa Martin, at Shibori, in Stanmore, Sydney.
Get an instant bedroom refresh with a midweight Vintage cotton quilt cover set, priced at $119 for queen size in a range of new colours. Choose blue chambray for a tranquil bedroom vibe or denim for a contemporary twist. Made from 100 per cent organic cotton, the set is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard to ensure no nasty chemicals are introduced while you slumber.
Made from pure Merino wool shorn from sheep raised on the family farm at Inverell in northern NSW, Sleepy Merino pyjamas, nighties, tees and singlets are ultra-soft for next-to-skin comfort. The men’s shortsleeved tee in stone, $99, and unisex drawstring shorts, $79, offer Merino’s superior thermoregulation meaning they will be comfortable to wear whatever the season.
ecodownunder.com.au
sleepymerino.com.au
BELLE COULEUR
GLENVIEW PRODUCTS
CLEMENTINE SLEEPWEAR
The right accessories can make or break an outfit. Belle Couleur’s fedora hats in olive or bone, $45, feature a kangaroo leather strap. These practical hats will provide protection from sun and showers and add a stylish flourish to your winter outfit. bellecouleur.com.au
Glenview Products specialises in weathervanes, armillary globes and spheres, equatorial sundials, windsocks, horizontal sundials, water pumps, windmills and rain gauges. Antiqued equatorial sundials, priced from $385, not only tell the time on a sunny day, they also add interest to any garden setting. glenviewproducts.com.au
Clementine Sleepwear’s Zoey short-sleeved night shirt with black trim, $109.95, and the Elinor pyjama set, $139, are perfect for those occasions when you want to look special but relax in style. They’re ideal for holiday share houses and house-guest attire.
lovemerino.com.au
clementinesleepwear.com.au
THOMAS COOK
SMITTEN MERINO
ZEPHYR
Designed to take you from the city to the bush in style and comfort, Thomas Cook has been making hard-wearing boots and clothing since 1924. The Albany striped rugby top, $109.95, is designed to keep you warm and dry for those times when you need to face the elements. thomascook.com.au
Rug up for the cooler weather with Smitten Merino’s Australian-made cashmere and Merino classic duffle coat in grape, $549. This beautiful coat is fully lined and made to last a lifetime. It features a flattering body length, front pockets, wooden toggles, button strap cuffs and a hood. smittenmerino.com
Zephyr’s Mariah linen peasant top in nutmeg, $215, features a drawstring neckline and covered buttons. It teams well with nutmeg gingham linen three-quarter pants, $190. These ultra-comfortable yet uber-stylish pants have a drawstring waist and fly front. zephyrwares.com
australiancountry.com.au | 133
JUST BROWSING
Off the shelf COMP I LE D BY KIRST Y M CKE NZIE
THE ARBORNAUT
MEG LOWMAN, ALLEN & UNWIN, $32.99 Dr Meg Lowman, aka Canopy Meg, is an American biologist, educator, ecologist, writer, editor and public speaker. She is the executive director of the TREE Foundation and a professor at the National University of Singapore, Arizona State University and Universiti Sains Malaysia. She pioneered the science of canopy ecology. Her motto is: no child left indoors. A pioneer in her field — she invented one of the first treetop walkways — she is a tireless advocate for the earth and has spent decades educating citizens across the globe. In a voice as infectious in enthusiasm as in practical optimism, The Arbornaut chronicles her irresistible story and guides the reader through the eighth continent in the trees above us. AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE
DAVINA JACKSON, ALLEN & UNWIN, $39.99 Dr Davina Jackson has been writing books, articles and web entries and curating exhibitions and festivals related to architecture, technology and urban geography for more decades than she might care to recall. She’s a journalist of considerable
134 | australiancountry.com.au
merit, a former editor of Architecture Australia, the founder of Sydney and Singapore’s annual light festivals, and has a vast repository of knowledge of the built environment, both in Australia and abroad. In this comprehensive illustrative narrative of Australian building and design, she traces the development of our architecture from Aboriginal gunyahs through local interpretations of northern hemisphere trends to the sustainable, climate-sensitive, hightech constructions of the present day. THE COMFORT BAKE
SALLY WISE, MURDOCH BOOKS, $39.99 Sally Wise is a champion of home cooking, Tasmanian produce and all things homemade, pickled and preserved. From her home and cooking school in Tassie’s Derwent Valley, and through her many cookbooks, public appearances and ABC Radio slots, she’s taught generations of tentative cooks to feel confident in the kitchen. Her latest offering focuses on baking, and her mantra, as always, is: keep it simple. Her candid advice is you don’t need fancy cookware or expensive ingredients, you just need to follow the recipe and relax to become that
person who seemingly turns out cakes, biscuits, slices, pies and breads with consummate ease. COMING HOME
ROSE HAWKINS, ULTIMATE WORLD PUBLISHING, $60 Whichever way you frame it, Rose Hawkins’ story is pretty amazing. She grew up in outback Queensland and the remote Kimberley in Northern Territory, was introduced to yoga by her mother, who was progressive beyond her generation, and she’s pursued a remarkable career as a yoga teacher, cook and nurturer across Australia, Italy, France, India and Indonesia. This is her story: part memoir, part cookbook, part insight into her great generosity of spirit. You can enjoy some of her adventures and the food she’s made and shared along the way by buying Coming Home from rosehawkinsyoga.com.au. THE COUNTESS FROM KIRRIBILLI
JOYCE MORGAN, ALLEN & UNWIN, $32.99 Arts journalist and writer Joyce Morgan has turned her sights on a fellow Australian-born novelist, Mary Beauchamp, later Countess Elizabeth von Arnim. Elizabeth was the daughter of the bunyip aristocracy
and became the real deal when she married a Prussian count. She had two unhappy marriages and several affairs, including with H.G. Wells, and her semi-autobiographical novels tackled taboo subjects for her time, women’s sexuality, feminism and Nazism. Her glamorous friends included many luminaries of the literary world and English society including her cousin, Katherine Mansfield, E.M. Forster, Somerset Maugham, Nancy Astor and Lady Maud Cunard. THREE BIRDS RENOVATIONS: DREAM HOME HOW-TO
BONNIE HINDMARSH, ERIN CAYLESS & LANA TAYLOR, MURDOCH BOOKS, $39.99 Australia’s favourite renovators are back with loads of insights and photographs on how they approach
the nation’s favourite pastime. They take readers behind the scenes to their own HQ as well as projects they have completed for clients. Plus there’s a bonus chapter called Reno School Rock Stars, in which graduates of their online course share their insider tips and tricks. I DIDN’T DO THE THING TODAY
MADELEINE DORE, MURDOCH BOOKS, $32.99 With the subtitle On Letting Go of Productivity Guilt, this manual explores the joys of releasing ourselves from the obligation to always do everything, on time and to everyone’s satisfaction. Madeleine Dore says endless to-do lists just set us up for failure and she encourages us to embrace joyous messiness and the unpredictability of life.
LARRIMAH
CAROLINE GRAHAM & KYLIE STEVENSON, ALLEN & UNWIN, $32.99 Journalists Caroline Graham and Kylie Stevenson take a forensic examination into the disappearance of Paddy Moriarty from the blip of the town that is Larrimah, 550 kilometres south of Darwin on the Stuart Highway. With a population of just 12, well 11 since Paddy went AWOL, you’d think tracking him down shouldn’t be much of an issue. But it is, and five years down the track, no one knows what happened to him and his dog. But we do know a lot more about the deep-seated feuds that divide the town with its major attractions a one-eyed crocodile and a pink panther in a gyrocopter at the pub.
NELLIE
ROBERT WAINWRIGHT, ALLEN & UNWIN, $32.99 Veteran journalist Robert Wainwright has a gimlet eye for a quirky character, including Rose Hancock Porteous and society mavens Sheila Chisholm and Enid Lindeman. This time, he focuses his lens on Dame Nellie Melba, arguably the greatest opera singer of her time, who suffered a bad marriage, was denied her true love by the would-be king of France and had her only son stolen for a decade by his vengeful father. This is the riveting backstory of an Australian diva whose voice ruled the world for three decades.
australiancountry.com.au | 135
Mailbag
Thanks for being in touch. We welcome your feedback.
Last issue generated lots of feedback from our readers.
NEW FRIENDS My daughter and I have just discovered your lovely magazine and really enjoy all you share with us in each issue. However, we have two small requests. Could you please put the details under each photo rather than general wording of the whole page? It would be nice to know exactly what we are looking at. The second request is would it be possible to put a small map in the corner of each story to show us where you have been? We’ve not been to all the places you feature and it would be nice to be able to place them instantly. Jill and Val Holloway, Harristown Qld Ed’s note: We appreciate your feedback and will endeavour to incorporate your suggestions in the future. OLD ACQUAINTANCE I love your country magazine and have been buying it since day one and now subscribe. I love the matte finish and, as a 90-year-old, find it easier to read than glossy paper. I get wonderful ideas for my home and garden from Australian Country and do not have time to be old. Thanks for bringing me joy. Betty James, Curl Curl NSW WHERE’S THE MAP? I have recently purchased a copy of your offshoot publication, Australian Country Road Trips. It is most interesting and full of great information. The only problem we have is that there are not any maps showing where to start these trips and how to get to the various places. We are interested in doing road trips as we are retired and not able to go overseas anymore but find planning your trips a bit tricky without maps. Caroline Turner, Wahroonga NSW
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@umco. 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 correspondents next issue will win a Sourdough bread-making kit from our friends at Mad Millie. Just send us your thoughts on the magazine and life in general to be in the running for this wonderful prize.
AND THE WINNER IS And the winners are … Jill and Val Holloway, of Harristown NSW, who win a DIY crochet kit for a Crayon snood from our friends at We Are Knitters.
136 | australiancountry.com.au
YOUR CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
Editor Kirsty McKenzie email kmckenzie@umco.com.au Designer Kate Atkinson Contributors Bronte Camilleri, Miriam Van Cooten Photography Ken Brass, Glenn Weiss, Ross Williams Advertising Angelos Tzovlas ph (03) 9694 6404; mobile 0433 567 071 email atzovlas@umco.com.au Advertising Production Co-ordinator Lauren Moore 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 Circulation Business Development Manager Creative Director
Prema Perera Janice Williams Vicky Mahadeva Emma Perera Mark McTaggart Kate Podger
Australian Country Vol. 25.2 (No 150) 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 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and the Australian Consumer Law. 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 MMXXII ACN 003 026 944 umco.com.au Please pass on or recycle this magazine. This magazine is printed on paper produced in a mill that meets Environmental Management System ISO 9001. WE ARE A MEMBER OF
For our next issue ... We’ve another diverse story list for your reading pleasure. We started in Stanthorpe, Queensland’s “coolest town”, where we’ve visited the stunning garden Tracey and Bert Steginga have created in the part of the state that truly enjoys four seasons. Then we headed over the border to Tenterfield to visit Annie and Chris Jones at Glenrock, their home with its expansive grounds bordering a chain of lakes. In South Australia, we caught up with Jane Doole at yet another beautiful gardenesque setting at Willunga in the McLaren Vale wine district. We’ve also stories from Rutherglen, another wonderful wine-producing region, in Victoria’s north-east. Our service feature covers all the ways to keep warm for winter. There’s design and decorating inspiration throughout the magazine and real stories from real people to reflect our authentic vision of rural and regional Australia. SO JOIN US FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY, ON SALE MAY 12.
Smitten Merino, page 133
Stockists & contacts Belle Couleur 197 Ryrie St, Geelong Vic 3220 ph: 0417 913 192 e: melissa@bellecouleur.com.au w: bellecouleur.com.au Birdsnest ph: 1300 696 378 w: birdsnest.com.au Clementine Sleepwear ph: 1800 336 153 w: clementinesleepwear.com.au Coomber Bros Jewellery 78 McDowell St, Roma Qld 4455 ph: (07) 4622 1145 e: sales@coomberbros.com.au w: coomberbros.com.au Cotswold InOut Furniture 29/69 O’Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015 ph: (02) 9906 3686 e: sales@cotswoldfurniture.com.au w: cotswoldfurniture.com.au Ecodownunder e: service@ecodownunder.com.au w: ecodownunder.com.au Emu Wire Industries 2/25 Encore Ave, Somerton Vic 3062 ph: (03) 9308 5599 e: sales@emuwire.com.au w: emuwire.com.au Escea Fireplace Company ph: 1800 460 832 w: escea.com Glen Dimplex 1340 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby Vic 3179 Ph: 1300 554 155 w: glendimplex.com.au Glenview Products 3 Edenholme St, West Pymble NSW 2073 ph: 0411 732 950 e: sales@glenviewproducts.com.au w: glenviewproducts.com.au Jetmaster ph: 1300 538 627 w: jetmaster.com.au Just Country ph: (07) 3711 8050 w: justcountry.com.au
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Harkaway Homes 57 National Ave, Pakenham Vic 3810 ph: (03) 5943 2388 w: harkawayhomes.com.au Kosmea Australia 71 Glen Osmond Rd, Eastwood SA 5063 e: enquiries@kosmea.com.au w: kosmea.com.au Le Forge Furniture & Decoration ph: 0468 759 200 e: info@leforge.com.au w: leforge.com.au Love Merino ph: 0447 453 665 e: pip@lovemerino.com.au w: lovemerino.com.au Pipduck Australia ph: 0415 873 485 e: warehouse@pipduck.com.au w: pipduckaustralia.com.au Sculpt Fireplaces 901 Nepean Highway, Mornington Vic 3931 ph: 1300 851 304 w: sculptfireplaces.com.au Sleepy Merino ph: (02) 6784 8609 e: support@sleepymerino.com.au w: sleepymerino.com.au Smitten Merino 47 Sandy Bay Rd, Battery Point Tas 7004 ph: (03) 6212 0197 e: admin@smittenmerino.com w: smittenmerino.com Studio Australia 4/10 Kooringal Rd, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 ph: 0419 264 262 w: studioaustralia.net Sun Pots e: info@sunpots.com.au w: sunpots.com.au The Original Lamp Shop 84A Duncan St, Braidwood NSW 2622 ph: 0408 483 255 e: robert@kero-lamps.com.au w: kero-lamps.com
Ecodownunder, page 133
Thomas Cook Boot & Clothing Co 8/100 Station St, Nunawading Vic 3131 ph: (03) 8872 7272 e: enquiries@tcbac.com w: thomascook.com.au Zephyr 50 Mary St, Noosaville Qld 4566 ph: 1800 804 776 e: info@zephyrloungeware.com w: zephyrwares.com
ORANGE OIL
FEED-N-WAX
WAX-IT-ALL
A Howard Product original, it’s been much imitated but never replicated. With the cleaning power of pure Orange oil. This world famous furniture Polish doesn’t just clean it actually enriches and revives dull and dusty furniture finishes, covers light scratches and creates a beautifully glowing shine on modern and traditionally varnished surfaces. It also creates a classic oiled finish on finely grained raw wood.
Another Howard Products original is Feed-N-Wax, and it is perfectly paired to go with Howard Orange Oil. Clean and polish first with Orange Oil then enrich and protect with Feed-N-Wax. It’s a liquid blend of beeswax and hard drying carnauba wax which is easy to apply and when dry polishes to a lovely rich sheen and creates a durable coat of protection. Perfect on tables, sideboards, bookshelves and so many more items whether they be precious antiques, modern furniture or raw wood items.
Wax-It-All is different. It’s a thicker paste wax made from 100% foodgrade ingredients… think kitchen benches, cutting boards, salad bowls and children’s toys. It’s super high quality and when buffed dry has an exquisite silky feel. It’s also designed to protect and beautify surfaces such as marble, granite, slate, ceramics, porcelain, copper & brass, and plastics. It’s quite unique and is an absolute a must where a completely food-safe surface is required.
Order online or find a stockist near you
www.howardproducts.com.au 1800 672 646
Australian Pure Merino Scarves Ethical, Sustainable & Collectable
We craft scarves from the finest Merino, every fibre originating from our farm in Wellington, NSW, Australia. Since 1898, spanning five generations, our family has lived and worked on Glenwood. Proudly Australian made, we are involved at every step of the production journey, guaranteeing that they are crafted ethically, minimal environmental impact.
Pictured: Champagne/Natural Wrap – Ombre design
lovemerino.com.au