PADDOCK TO PLATE

WRITTEN BY NATALIE BANNISTER

Take a slow, winding journey by road to find the Byron Shire’s most enchanting culinary destinations, where contemporary country dining is set within the rolling fields of a 120acre working cattle farm.

Step inside this architecturally designed and converted timber barn in the hinterland hamlet of Nashua, and settle in for a long banquet-style lunch with a difference. At Frida’s Field, the focus is on farm-to-table, producedriven cuisine that celebrates the seasons and ecological farming practices, offering a unique twist to the region’s burgeoning regenative agriculture movement. Tucked away on a sustainable cattle farm, just 10 minutes drive from Bangalow and 25 minutes from Byron, Mullum, Lismore and Ballina, Frida’s Field offers a dining experience like no other in the Northern Rivers. Patrons are served long-tablestyle, while the farm’s resident AngusWagyu cattle provide a suitable starring role to the banquet, roaming a stone’s throw from the barn against a stunning backdrop of pastoral views. As passionate foodies, having an interest in growing food and farming was a natural extension for Frida’s Field owners, Edward Rawlings and Jeanie Wylie, who purchased the century-old farm in 2015 and live on-site with their three young kids. The couple carries with them a huge excitement to be part of the growing regenerative agriculture movement in the Northern Rivers and use farming practices that actively reverse environmental degradation while producing more natural, flavourful, and nutritious food. “Travelling and working in India, Sri Lanka, South East Asia and Europe, we revelled in the local food cultures, and while living in London and exploring Europe, we were further inspired by the attention on provenance, artisanship and food ethics. These experiences solidified our desire to live on the land and be involved in food production once we returned to Australia,” Jeanie tells us of their road to creating Frida’s Field. “We left our city lives in 2011 and spent four years living on the family farm where Edward grew up in Queensland, testing out whether we really liked country living by breeding

Tamworth pigs and establishing a market garden. It was during this time that the idea of a paddock-to-plate restaurant began to take shape.” Ready to commit to finding their “forever farm”, the family headed to the Byron Bay Hinterland, where they believed they could also become a part of a community of like-minded people. “And we did!” Jeanie says. “Our dream of making a living by growing food has developed and evolved as we have dealt with the realities of the market and come into contact with inspiring, progressive ideas such as Frida’s Field Head Chef, Alastair Waddell

regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. We’ve been really open and willing to take risks, experiment and use trial-anderror to move our way forward. And we have been lucky to find amazing people to work with who have more experience than us in this area and are willing to help us to transform our vision into a reality at Frida’s Field.” Jeanie and Edward strive to transform the property from a blank canvas into a productive farm that generates an abundance of different types of food, including fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, spices, bush tucker, meats, and eggs. “We want to share this food directly with others and grow it in a way that’s better for us (in terms of flavour and health) and better for the planet. By necessity, we have started small with things like our own Wagyu-Angus beef when it is available (beef is seasonal too!); plus garnishes, herbs and any vegetables or fruits that we have sufficient of to serve or transform into preserves,” Jeanie says. The couple breeds and manages the working cattle farm with holistic principles, rotating their herd across 16 smaller paddocks, allowing the pastures to regenerate, and improving the organic matter in the farm’s soils which actively removes carbon from the atmosphere. Over time, they plan to implement a silvopasture system — planting trees into the pastures — which has a vast range of benefits, including improvements in carbon sequestration, water retention, biodiversity, soil health and animal welfare. They’re also building a food forest system for the farm, starting with an orchard behind the restaurant and two 100 rows on the adjacent North-facing hill, which can expand over time. Seasonality also drives the artfully designed menu at Frida’s Field. Multiaward-winning Head Chef Alastair Waddell (or Ally as he’s affectionately known) brings formidable experience to the paddock-to-plate concept as the former Head Chef at both the luxurious resort Qualia on Hamilton Island and local icon Harvest Newrybar (he’s a threetime winner of The Australian Good Food Guide’s one hat award, to boot!). Waddell has carefully curated four long lunches per week for Frida’s Field, with ever-changing omnivore and vegetarian set menu selections served as a communal feast. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the farm kitchen offers up dishes that celebrate delicious, produce-driven cuisine using seasonal crops grown right here on the farm, as well as produce from other local growers. The half-acre market garden at Frida’s Field produces various herbs and vegetables using organic gardening techniques such as composting and mulching, crop rotation, companion

Jeanie Wylie sits down to a Frida’s Field feast with her family

planting, all-natural fertiliser teas and worm farms. By engaging with the community and bringing them onto the farm to enjoy bountiful long lunches, the family can keep investing in this ecological farming system and its integration with their kitchen. And the drinks menu is just as grassroots. The restaurant aims to support natural and minimal-intervention small-batch wines made by producers with a similar ethos, plus there’s a range of locally-made beers, spirits, and cocktails including a Margarita made with their own housemade mandarin liquor with fruit plucked fresh from the orchards at Frida’s Field. Jeanie says the couple gathers inspiration from their local community to craft the Frida’s Field experience. “The Northern Rivers is such a progressive place. There’s lots of positive motivation to make deeper commitments to building a more sustainable future for humanity on the planet. That influences a lot of what we are trying to achieve with our farm and restaurant. We love supporting other local businesses and groups who take responsibility into their own hands to build positive changes towards a more sustainable future.”

AN ARTFUL Pursuit

WRITTEN BY KYLIE MITCHELL-SMITH

MURWULLIMBAH ART TRAIL (MAT) is back on in May 2022 and you’re all invited. Weaving in and around the historical town of Murwillumbah and valley surrounds, pop up galleries will take over vacant buildings and cultural precincts like M’Arts will host events to celebrate all things creative.

MAT, now in its seventh year, is a collaboration of artists from across the Northern Rivers, offering a jam-packed program that has been thoughtfully curated to pay homage to local artists, from emerging to indigenous, working in an array of mediums. Painters, sculptors, visual artists, and performers showcase their talents on the interactive trail map. Meander your way from the green valley hamlets to the centre of the art deco town of Murwillumbah, visiting artists in their studios along the way. MAT will be popping up in the character buildings and open green fields to celebrate the artists, the makers, the storytellers, the poets and the creatives that make up the Tweed region, kicking off with the opening event at the historical Murwullimbah Showgrounds with the picturesque Wollumbin mountain views as the backdrop. MAT culminates on Saturday night with a colourful soiree at M’arts’ Arts After Dark’ event, where artists will open their studios to showcase their handmade wares. Enjoy global street food, a bar serving local beverages and live music to celebrate the festival.

Founder of the MAT festival, Annie Long, says, “I had a vision for the festival way back in 2015, at that time in Murwillumbah there were a lot of empty shops and the town itself was in a bit of an economic slump. I wanted to provide more opportunities for artists to exhibit. Creating MAT was a way to focus on the town, its art, culture, people, and we identified the economic benefits the arts bring to a regional town. Looking back on the past seven years minus the pandemic trials and tribulations, we managed to create an annual event that

transforms the town of Murwillumbah and surrounding villages.” The creative heartbeat of the Tweed, Murwillumbah takes in the charm of the coast, the serenity of the river and the stunning views across the valley. The Murwillumbah Art Trail offers the public a unique opportunity to meet the artists in their studios and visit historic halls and pop-up galleries along the way. MAT ’22 Production Manager Peita Gardiman says, “The Murwillumbah Art Trail is an exhibition of contemporary art that showcases over eighty visual artists from the Tweed Valley and surrounds. We are thrilled to promote a network of established galleries and artists’ studios, creating pop up exhibitions for local artists to showcase their talents, and encourage visitors to download a free copy of the MAT interactive map and take a drive through some of the most picturesque countryside in Australia.”

A showcase of a diverse range of other art forms will also be on display across the weekend, including printmaking, sculpture, fine glass, mosaic, jewellery, and ceramics.

Meet the artists, book into a creative workshop, and visit the quaint towns of Uki, Tumbulgum and Tyalgum. The Tweed region is home to an abundance of creativity, and you can explore the renowned Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre with an array of national touring exhibitions. Discover some of the region’s best kept creative secrets, taste some of the freshest Tweed produce at award-winning eateries, and shop at a plethora of independent boutiques dotted along the way.

Murwullimbah Art Trail (MAT) will run from 28-29th May 2022. For the full program and further information visit murwillumbahartstrail.com.au

We talk to Nicole Abbott from Coastal Abode Properties, our go-to local real estate expert and property styling maven, about her exciting boutique service and the current (booming!) real estate trends.

LIVING THE DREAM

When Nicole Abbott started Coastal Abode Properties, she created a set of values that underpins her business — one of these is the outstanding service she provides her clients with, making it a priority to get to know each one. Buying and selling property is an emotional experience, and Nicole’s unwavering support allows both her vendors and buyers to feel supported throughout every step of the process. But her other unique gift lies in the interior styling and presentation expertise she offers her clients, skills that she acquired through 12 years of buying and flipping homes with her husband. “Coastal Abode Properties was born out of a genuine desire to assist people in the often overlooked aspect of styling — something that can easily change the entire outcome of a sale,” she says. “As part of our service, we offer property styling to our vendors to prepare their home in the best light.” The Coastal Abode Properties’ team also includes Sales Assistant, Emma, who has been in the Real Estate industry her whole life and is also a qualified property stylist, bringing a wealth of knowledge to CA Properties. “Emma supports me at work and is so genuinely aligned to the business,” says Nicole of the power duo. “She has just obtained her Sales License, too, so the area will be seeing a whole lot more of her in the year to come!” The success of Coastal Abode Properties’ styling service inspired Nicole to release a book, Preparing & Styling to Sell, designed as a guide to help homeowners and sellers showcase their home at its best and make an impressive impact on prospective buyers from the moment they step through the front door, maximising your sales result. The book is offered to vendors as part of the Coastal Abode Properties’ package and contains staging tips for each room of your home, ensuring you have all the information you need to prepare your property for sales success. And, in good news to prospective sellers, while the negative impacts of COVID-19 upon many businesses are heartbreakingly real, Nicole says the pandemic has had quite the opposite effect on real estate, sending prices in the Tweed and Byron Shires soaring as buyers turn their interest towards the more relaxed lifestyle the Northern Rivers region offers. “Here in Pottsville, we have gone from being a sleepy little beach town to a vibrant and highly sought-after coastal location,” she says. “People who are lucky enough to make the permanent transition to working from home have been able to leave the cities and enjoy the coastal change they have always dreamed of.” The downside of the region’s booming popularity is that there is no more land or approved developments, so the current prices will likely hold firm. Nicole envisages more growth yet to come, followed by a steady plateau in house prices that will remain for some time. “They certainly will not go down!” she exclaims. Having lived in the area for eight years herself, Nicole sees first-hand every day what it is about this magical region that makes it so appealing to buyers. “We have incredible school options, amazing surf beaches, estuaries, an abundance of thriving cafes and restaurants – and all within a 25-minute drive of both Byron Bay and the Gold Coast,” she marvels. In 2019 Nicole achieved the highest recorded sale in Koala Beach, prior to which no home in the estate had yet touched the $1 million mark – Nicole’s property sold for $1.4 million. “We really do believe that this kick-started some of the price changes in the area,” she says. Since then, she has continued to achieve numerous street sales records and now another Seabreeze Estate record. But as a boutique agency, Nicole remains humble, insisting it is all about quality over quantity for her and her sales team. “When you list with us, you are not just a number amongst many,” she says. “We live in and are involved in this community. We take our time to give you personalised and memorable service — one where you get to witness fantastic end results!”

WRITTEN BY NATALIE BANNISTER

We talk to local artist Dylan Cooper about his limited edition Halcyon House art series and how the local lifestyle of the Northern Rivers inspires his work.

As the former breakfast chef at Halcyon House, Dylan Cooper applied masterful skills to creating satiating dishes that evoked the hotel’s relaxed coastal vibe (so good were they that Paper Daisy was awarded the “best hotel breakfast” in 2018 by Gourmet Traveller!). Now, as an established artist, he’s taken inspiration from the hotel he spent so much time in to create a limited edition series of artworks called ‘The Halcyon Series’. “I loved the early mornings at Halcyon, beachfront in one of the most beautiful spaces I’ve worked in,” says Dylan of his time in the Paper Daisy kitchen. “Plus, I got to paint by lunchtime and pick the kids up from school — bonus!” It was a natural progression to taking up a stint as Artist in Residence at Halcyon House. Dylan created a body of six works capturing the luxury abode’s signature white lines and colourful, textured interiors in a limited edition, signed collection of paintings. “Initially, I thought I would add people to the compositions for this series, but after several studies of the first work, ‘Wishing Well’, I felt that leaving any human existence out of the paintings conveyed a feeling of the hotel’s secluded luxury,” Dylan says of the evocative art series. “The world-class styling by Anna Spiro and the amazing photographic work that photographer, Kara Rosenlund, has captured at Halcyon House also inspired my work on this series. Even now, after the residency at Halcyon House, I have continued to paint many more compositions.” A select few are now available for purchase as prints through the hotel’s boutique, Halcyon Atelier, and the original paintings from the first series are available through Dylan’s website. Born and raised in the Northern Rivers (having grown up in Fingal and now lucky to call Cabarita Beach home), Dylan says that the region’s stunning natural environment and lifestyle continue to give him daily inspiration for his art. “It is super hard not to be inspired in

ARTIST IN Residence

this part of the world. We really do live in paradise, and every day I am confronted by several images I want to paint,” he says. “From landscapes, still life, or people from the area, I could paint several images a day and still only scratch the surface of what this amazing place offers. Being able to go for a morning surf, grab a bite to eat and a coffee and head to the studio for the day is a blessing and, for sure, has something to do with my artistic style.”

Discover more at dylancooperart.com