PRIMOLife May 2015

PRIMO

LIFE

VOL 2 | ISSUE 5 | MAY 2015

PROPERTY

• LIFESTYLE • IDEAS

FREE –

Take me home!

Mad about the girl Charlize Theron toughens up for Mad Max

The latest listings from

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PRIMOeditor

LIFE

PRIMO LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE

W

e’re nearly half way through the year and if you’re like me, you probably fancy a bit of a break. Wouldn’t it be lovely, for instance, to take the slow route through life just occasionally? Well, we’re all for a change of scene

and pace so in this issue of PRIMOLife, it’s all about the road less travelled.

Anna takes the ultimate slow route to Sydney aboard the Indian Pacific, loving

the old-fashioned and leisurely way to get from A to B. If you can think of a better way to traverse the Nullaboor, then we’d like to hear about it. Meanwhile Deri goes back to her roots and reveals that the Welsh capital, Cardiff, is one of the coolest spots around - especially if you like Dr Who, brilliant restaurants and culture.

Things speed up a little when Matthew reviews two little crackers for PRIMODrive Mazda’s new CX3 and BMW’s 2 Series Active Tourer. Suffice to say he’s impressed by both. Vicky meanwhile reveals her top looks for the new autumn/winter season thanks to our friends at Claremont Quarter, while I enjoy for one night only the most indulgent stay you can imagine, courtesy of the Parmelia Hilton’s new Suite Life package.

I also meet Rachael Hughes, one of the behind-the-scenes geniuses at Scitech who create from scratch the kind of scientific fun and games which all our children have enjoyed discovering over the years.

We've had an exclusive chat with Luke Nguyen who has spent time getting to know the UK’s unique cuisine while Kami goes on a quest to find the ultimate version of a comforting favourite - hot chocolate.

Matt falls in love with the Pullman Bunker Bay Resort, a stay topped off with an amazing long lunch at Happs Wines, while in our Home & Garden section top Perth architect Neil Cownie explains the appeal of outdoor rooms.

Our cover girl - Charlize Theron - couldn’t look more different here than in her latest role in Mad Max, while Adam raises a glass in preparation for the annual singalong we all love to hate: Eurovision 2015.

As usual we’ve got the best collection of reader competitions in WA - everything from tools to tickets, luxury hotel stays to the chance to watch A Royal Night Out in the comfort of Gold Class.

So slow down, rug up and read on.

G abi

Published by PREMIUM PUBLISHERS (PEARD MEDIA PTY LTD) Freemason's House, 181 Roberts Road, Subiaco WA 6008 (08) 9273 8933 EDITOR Gabi Mills gabi@premiumpublishers.com.au ACTING PUBLISHER Kami Ramini kami@premiumpublishers.com.au CREATIVE DESIGN Cally Browning cally@barecreative.com.au DIGITAL DESIGN Alyssa Karvinen alyssa.k@iinet.net.au SALES Colin Baker (0418 910 435) Natalie du Preez (0426 752 352) Kevin Farrell (0417 931 829) Lisa Fisher (0450 460 253) Chris Le Messurier (0424 600 448) PHOTOGRAPHIC Crib Creative cribcreative.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Mark Boskell, Norman Burns, Adam Collins, Anna Hartley, Matt Jelonek, Dea Lalovic, Drisana Levitzke-Gray, Warren Littlefair, Matthew Mills, Anita Piestrzeniewicz, Gill Pringle, Deri Robins, Colleen Sheehan, Kirsten Tennant.

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES sales@premiumpublishers.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES gabi@premiumpublishers.com.au GENERAL ENQUIRIES kami@premiumpublishers.com.au All rights reserved. No material published in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written authority. Every endeavour is made to ensure information contained is correct at time of going to print. ©2015 PRIMOLIFE is published monthly by Premium Publishers. Visit primolife.com.au

May issue

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TRULY, MADLY, MAX Tom Hardy stars in a gritty Mad Max reboot for the 21st century

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36

Wares

End games

Get the comfy country vibe with our homewares ideas

Apocalypse movies now (and then)

Decor Pre-tint paint is the no fuss way to bring colour to your walls

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

10 - 17 PRIMOpicks What's hot this month and the chance to win, win, win 18 ANNA'Sadventures Anna learns how to row

42

8

Regulars

20 PRIMOpeople Rachael Hughes, the brains behind Scitech's exhibits 22 DRISANA'Sdiary 24 PRIMOfavourite things Moloko's Roisin Murphy 26 PRIMOfashion Winter looks from Claremont Quarter primolife.com.au

10

win

28

A double pass to Wicked, The Musical

win

A night at the Pullman Bunker Bay Resort

42

win

$600 worth of Dulux pre-tint paint

40 24 Homes

94 28 PRIMOweekender The Pullman Bunker Bay Resort just delights

102 PRIMOcitybreak The Parmelia Hilton's Suite Life really delivers

46 TAKEfive

104 PRIMOdrive BMW's 2 Series Active Tourer 106 PRIMOdrive Mazda CX3 108 PRIMOsport A history of NRL's Origin series

86 PRIMOdrink Hot chocolate 90 PRIMOmeet the brewer Indian Ocean Brewing Co's brewers 92 PRIMOeats Luke Nguyen heads to the UK 94-101 PRIMOtravel 94 Cardiff 98 Indian Pacific railway

112-122 PRIMOentertainment 112 Mad Max 118 A Royal Night Out 120 Eurovision 2015 122 Stephen Danielson 124 PRIMOparties 126 HOMEtruths

PRIMO

home & garden

48 PRIMOproperty WA’s best residential listings from Peard Real Estate and Stocker Preston

34 H&Gapp of the month Decorating? Then you need to download the Paint My Place app

50 PRIMOcareers Celebrating a year of Peard Real Estate's Rookie School

35 H&GReal Estate Runway Perth Style Co. show you how to add value to your home

76 SPOTLIGHT ON . . .

No 1 Higgins Street, Margaret River

38 H&Ggardening Planning ahead for warmer days 40 H&Garchitecture Neil Cownie and the pleasure of outside rooms

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44 H&Gcrockery Beautiful plates abound

54 may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOpicks May is packed to the brim with brilliant opportunities to enjoy yourself - from catching a couple of witches at the Crown to grabbing a bite to eat in the city.

Bewitched

Win

IT’S THE MOST awarded new musical of the decade and the biggest show to hit Perth since Les Mis stormed into town earlier in the year. Wicked, Broadway’s number one show, will thrill Perth at the Crown Theatre starting this month.

Awe-inspiring and spectacular, Wicked (in case you didn’t know) is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the enthralling story of two unlikely friends and how they became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Wicked, Crown Perth, May 3 to June 14.Visit ticketek.com.au

a double pass to Wicked The Musical! Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com.au

Good luck!

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

primolife.com.au

THE BEST OF BITE-SIZE Win one of 15 double passes to Taste of Perth! Visit the PRIMOLife Facebook or PRIMOLife website page for more details. Good luck!

TASTE OF PERTH is back for its second year, returning to Langley Park for a delicious three-day program.

The festival brings together an outstandling line-up of many of Perth’s best restaurants, including Mary’s, Asado, The Print Hall, el Público and Crown Perth’s venues including Bistro Guillaume, Nobu and Silk.

Each restaurant will prepare three or four signature dishes in ‘taste’ sized portions, so diners can pick their dishes of choice and exchange their ‘crowns’ (festival currency) to create their tasting menus.

The festival runs like a restaurant lunch or dinner service, with a ‘taste session’ lasting four to five hours during which diners can pick their choice of dishes, and browse artisan stalls or enjoy the live entertainment program.

Event director Simon Wilson says the event provides an opportunity to sample dishes from some of Perth’s most hard-to-get-into restaurants.

“Taste of Perth 2015 is an event not to be missed, particularly for foodies, restaurant lovers, chef enthusiasts and those looking for a great day out with friends and family.

“The restaurants include some of Perth’s best restaurants that prove the hardest to get into and continually receive praise but Taste has them lined up and ready to serve with no reservations needed.”

Taste of Perth is taking place at Langley Park from Friday May 15 to Sunday May 17.

Entry price is $26 and each restaurant has been asked to create a $6 dish. Tickets on sale through Ticketek Australia.

For more information, visit tasteofperth.com.au

WRITER’S CORNER

WRITERS AND LITERATURE lovers, here's one for the diary this month - the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival taking place from May 29 to 31.

This year’s three-day program follows the theme of ‘seasons’ and will host over 25 authors from around Australia, featuring a series of talks, panel discussions and author workshops in various locations in and around the scenic Margaret River region.

Headliners include best-selling author John Marsden, award-winning author Michelle De Krester, stand-up comic Sami Shah (Best Local Act at the 2013 Perth International Comedy Festival), and multi-award winning journalist and author, David Leser.

For more information and tickets, visit artsmargaretriver.com/events/ literature/ may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOpicks

Redefining the music scene IF YOU’VE NEVER experienced the music of alt-J, you’re missing out. The talented UK lads are coming back to play some of their biggest Australian headline shows to date, including here in Perth at HBF Stadium on May 15.

There was always going to be huge pressure to create an equally successful follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut, but the UK indie outfit – Joe Newman (guitar/vocals), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards) and Thom Green (drums) - decided to do what they do best: make music for each other and leave

Win

a double pass to alt-J at HBF Stadium! Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com.au

Good luck!

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

all thoughts of the outside world and its expectations behind when they walked into the studio. The result is a magical, haunting, ethereal sound which is absolutely all alt-J. With their first single from the latest album Hunger Of The Pine closing in on 4.3 million YouTube views in just 12 weeks, the boys have not lost momentum proving that they are a band of longevity which has spent the time between albums gelling as a band and honing their craft. alt-J, HBF Stadium, May 15.Visit ticketmaster. com.au

Legally funny

Based on the film which made Reese Witherspoon a household name, WAAPA is bringing Legally Blonde the musical, to Perth for the first time in June.

PERFORMED BY AN outstanding cast of second and third year musical theatre students, the all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza saw fantastic success during its east coast run with WAAPA graduate, Lucy Durack, in the lead role, and is destined for the same here.

Legally Blonde is the story of the transformation of Elle Woods as she battles to win back her dream man by getting a law degree from Harvard. Sound strange?

It makes for a ridiculously enjoyable ride. Elle's hilarious journey sees her coming up against stereotypes, snobbery and lots of scandal in pursuit of her dreams, with all the action-packed singalong songs and incredible choreography you'd expect from this action packed musical.

Legally Blonde will be showing at Regal Theatre June 13 to 20. See ticketek for details and tickets.

primolife.com.au

WHAT’S ON

IN PERTH

DOG DAYS GRAB YOUR FURRY friend and join the Million Paws Walk at Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth, on May 17, as the city's animal lovers walk to fight animal cruelty and raise money for the RSPCA. Participants have a choice of 1km, 2.5km or 5km courses.

You'll find stalls offering

food, drinks, pet merchandise, pet services and loads of entertainment and competitions throughout the day plus the first ever RSPCA kennel auction.

Want to be a VIP? Simply set up an online fundraising page and the first 50 people to raise $500 will gain a double pass to the VIP area on the day.

Million Paws Walk is the largest day on the canine calendar and a great way to help animals in need. Check out the website for more information and to register now. Join forces with people and pooches from all over Australia on the same day as they put their paws on the pavement to take a stand against animal cruelty.

Millon Paws Walk, Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth, 8am, May 17. Register at millionpawswalk.com.au

WEST COAST FEVER VS QLD FIREBIRDS

1 MAY

RICKY MARTIN

8 MAY

BACKSTREET BOYS

15 MAY

SPANDAU BALLET

22 MAY

MÖTLEY CRÜE

23 MAY

NICKELBACK

26 MAY

WEST COAST FEVER VS NSW SWIFTS

30 MAY

DISNEY ON ICE DARE TO DREAM

5 -7 JUN

DALAI LAMA

14 JUN

2015 ICE HOCKEY CLASSIC

20 JUN

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

27 JUN

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER

29 JUN

BLUR

30 JULY

OLLY MURS

4 AUG

CELTIC WOMAN

25 SEP

KISS

3 OCT

AUS DIAMONDS VS NZ SILVER FERNS

30 OCT

NEIL DIAMOND

16 NOV

GOOD MOURNING MRS. BROWN

12 MAR 2016

INTERACT WITH PERTH ARENA PERTHARENA.COM.AU

FACEBOOK

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PROUD FOUNDING PARTNERS

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE A VenuesWest venue, proudly managed by AEG Ogden

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PRIMOpicks

TAKE A LONG, LONG LUNCH PERTH’S LONGEST LUNCH, presented by Mercedes-Benz, is the Brightwater Group’s brand new fundraising event which will continue the tradition, started through the Leaping Lizard program, of raising money to provide those special extras for brain injury patients that are not funded by the government.

Perth’s Longest Lunch will be a unique opportunity for you to meet up with friends and associates and enjoy an exceptional Friday afternoon feed.

Guests will be treated to an exquisite six-course meal, showcasing the best produce WA has to offer. Each course will be complemented by exquisite WA wines carefully selected by Ray Jordan.

Brightwater promises guests will be delighted by outstanding, unexpected entertainment and the kind of conversation that doesn’t happen in a rush.

The Brightwater Group works with people who have an acquired brain injury and this new event is an important part of their fund-raising strategy.

Perth’s Longest Lunch, Crown Perth, May 22. To book a table go to www.perthslongestlunch.com.au. For more information or if you have any queries please call 9202 2818.

Dog days Grab your furry friend and join the Million Paws Walk at Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth on Sunday May 17 as the city’s animal lovers walk to fight animal cruelty and raise money for the RSPCA. Participants have a choice of 1km, 2.5km or 5km course.You’ll find stalls offering food, drinks, pet merchandise, pet services and loads of entertainment and competitions throughout the day plus the first ever RSPCA kennel auction.

Want to be a VIP? Simply set up an online fundraising page and the first 50 people to raise $500 will gain a double pass to the VIP area on the day.

Million Paws Walk is the largest day on the canine calendar and a great way to help animals in need.

Check out the website for more information and to register now. Join forces with people and pooches from all over Australia on the same day as they put their paws on the pavement to take a stand against animal cruelty.

Millon Paws Walk, Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth, 8.22am, Sunday May 17. Register at millionpawswalk.com.au.

SHAKE YOUR BONBONS SOUTH AMERICAN SUPERSTAR Ricky Martin will be hotfooting it to Perth during his One World Tour, fresh from his success as one of the most popular judges on The Voice.

Ricky delighted sold-out audiences with his first Australian tour in more than 10 years in October 2013, and fans will flock to relive his feelgood performances once again this month.

“I am so excited to bring my new One World Tour back to Australia and see all of my loving and loyal Aussie fans once more,” says Ricky.

“I am looking forward to playing some new material that I have been working on this year, some of my classics and perhaps a few surprises.”

Perth Arena, May 8, visit ticketek.com.au

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

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may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

15

PRIMOpicks

SWANS, TUTUS and TCHAIKOVSKY

FAST FACTS

Win a double pass for the opening night of Giselle at His Majesty's Theatre, on June 5.

Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com.au for details.

HERE’S A VISUAL and cultural treat for all ballet fans - the internationally acclaimed St Petersburg Ballet is coming to Perth in June to present their full-length classic productions of the world’s most loved ballet, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and arguably the most enchanting

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ballet of all time, Giselle.

First performed in St Petersburg in 1895, Swan Lake with its spectacular and dramatic ballroom scene, sublime music and deeply moving story, is a ballet that has enthralled audiences for generations.

Good luck!

Giselle is the quintessential romantic ballet with technically superb choreography and hallmark ghostly maidens drifting through the forest in spectacular patterns. First performed in 1841, Giselle is one of the oldest continually performed ballets.

Sold out in Perth in 2013, the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is renowned globally not just for beautiful dancers but also for stunning and grand full-length productions.

The strictly limited season of the two greatest ‘White Act’ ballets with sumptuous sets, glorious costumes and a company of 55 on stage opens June 5 at His Majesty’s Theatre.Visit ticketek.com.au or call 1300 795 012, prices from $59 to $129.

the St Petersburg Ballet ✽ Founded in 1994, The St Petersburg Ballet is renowned globally not just for its beautiful Vaganova trained dancers but also for its stunning, grand, full-length productions. ✽ The company travels internationally, complete with breathtaking scenery and magnificent costumes. ✽ It is the only classical ballet company in the world that is completely independent of government financial aid or sponsor funding. ✽ The company has in its repertoire the classical masterpieces Giselle, Don Quixote, La Bayadère, Les Sylphides, Paquita, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty. ✽ The incredibly popular company is in such demand that it gives 200 to 250 performances every year. ✽ The 2015 Perth season is part of an international tour that includes performances in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Singapore and Melbourne.

primolife.com.au

ARTSPACE ARRIVES AT ACTIV

A REAL PEARLER OF A TEA

ACTIV ARTSPACE, HOSTED

by WA’s largest not for profit disability service provider Activ, is back again for 2015, featuring original art pieces created by people living with disability.

Launched in 2014, Activ Artspace is a free exhibition celebrating the abilities of Activ’s artists by providing an opportunity to showcase their work in a public exhibition.

This year, Activ Artspace will feature a mix of original pieces across watercolour, oil, acrylic and photography.

The 2015 exhibition

“Art is a passion for many of our clients and over the years I have been privileged to see many use art as a creative outlet,” he said.

“This exhibition is a chance to publicly celebrate our artists and their abilities and, as the CEO of Activ, I’m thrilled that we’re giving them that opportunity through Activ Artspace.”

A selection of pieces will be available for sale, with the proceeds from any sold pieces going directly back to the artists.

Visit activ.asn.au.

Kailis Australian Pearls have joined forces with Pan Pacific Perth to present a luxurious Pearl Appreciation high tea series throughout May. HELD ON FOUR Sunday afternoons in May, each event will feature a special guest presenter including Kailis founder Dr Patricia Kailis, Kailis pearl expert Sonish Bhojwani, Black Swan State Theatre Company performer Rebecca Davis, and Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s donor relations manager, Anne Smith.

The high tea events will be a lavish celebration of the jewel of the sea, with Kailis experts on hand to talk all things pearls, a selection of Kailis pearl jewellery on display, and custom pearlinspired decorations and floral arrangements.

In addition to a delectable bespoke high tea menu and freeflowing sparkling wine, a special feature of each event will be the spectacular pearl inspired desserts, hand crafted by Pan Pacific Perth’s executive chef Laurent Xavier.

Get drooling because here’s an idea of the kind of sweet treats you’ll be tucking into: • Duo of scones: seaweed and tapioca pearl chocolate with raspberry jam and double cream; • Little mermaid chocolate macaroon with white pearl ganache • Kahlua and coconut dark chocolate truffle; • Madeleine “shell” with milk chocolate.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, an extra-special event will be hosted on May 10 - the perfect way to say thanks to mum.

Pearls and High Tea, Pan Pacific, May 3, May 10, May 17 and May 24 from 2.30pm to 5pm.Tickets are $65 per person, including a gift bag, and can be purchased online at panpacific.com/en/hotels-resorts/ australia/perth/stay/offers/KailisPearls-High-Tea-Event.html or by calling (08) 9224 7722.

win

Pearls and High Tea at the Pan Pacific hotel for two, worth $130, on May 24. Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com.au for details.

Good luck!

will also feature a flagship auction piece by talented WA artist Roslyn Burns. A passionate artist, Roslyn paints exclusively with her left foot while seated in her wheelchair. Her pieces have been shown at a number of exhibitions across the state.

Roslyn will also be a judge at the exhibition on opening night and her auction piece will be displayed alongside the rest of the artwork.

Activ CEO Tony Vis says Activ Artspace is a fantastic opportunity for clients to be recognised and celebrated.

Win This painting, "Greenspool"

by Warren Capp. Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com.au for details.

Good luck!

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

17

anna's adventures

by ANNA HARTLEY

SCULL SET

This month, Anna gets to grips with an oarsome activity – rowing.

has been had. About three hours to be precise.

The day earlier, Guildford Grammar's boat shed manager Josh Wilkes ran me through the basics. In a single scull, I learned to rotate the oars at the correct moment so they are either parallel to the water (feathered) or perpendicular (squared) and move my body forward and back in perfect sequence (legs - torso - arms, then arms - torso - legs).

It sounds simple doesn’t it? It’s not.

There is an awful lot to remember and when I get one thing right, something else goes out the window. I ‘bum shoot’, get out of sequence, over-rotate my wrists, dig my oars in too deep or miss the water altogether and even manage to get the oar behind me jabbing into my kidneys.

Josh is patient and encouraging, but I’m glad there are few witnesses to my early attempts. Even when I do eventually coordinate enough to move through the water, I’m ungainly and have no spare attention to look where I’m going. Luckily, the kayaker zooming past gives me a wide birth. I come to appreciate why my dad has spent so much time over the last 25 years coaching here.

ROW! Dad roars and the river explodes into a frenzy of activity.

Oars flash in and out of the water and in a blink they are gone. I can’t believe how fast they are moving.

THE WATER, OILY and soft in the early morning light, bulges up slightly just before the blade of the oar breaks the surface.

As it sweeps up and back, droplets rain back down into the Swan River. I focus on keeping my oar level and look towards the backs of the six rowers in front of me, who make up the Guildford Grammar School 2nd VIII.

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It’s 6.30am and we have already been on the water for an hour. Rowing with these guys, elite schoolboy athletes, is a pretty rapid promotion for me, considering I only learned to row yesterday, but thanks to the fact that my dad is their coach, I’ve been allowed to take a spot in their shell for the morning.

I haven’t just got onto the water willynilly though, some training and preparation

As he puts it “you can learn 95 per cent of rowing in the first day, but that last 5 per cent will take the rest of your life”.

Back on dry land, dad puts me in a training tank to learn how to row ‘sweep’, that is, with a single oar.

Feeling a bit like a slave in a galley, I practice drawing the oar through the water, and to my delight, find it much easier than

deep breaths, we settle into a 16 rate. I’m getting it OK, and give a nod to increase the pace.

Then again, and again, until we sit at around 23 rate. I am at my limit: if we go any faster, I’ll lose it. The moments when it all comes together don’t last long, so I try to enjoy them while I can, feeling the power of a team of eight rowing in time.

The rhythm becomes hypnotic: the sound of the blade hitting the water ‘at the catch’, the drag of the seats sliding back and forth, the clacking of the oars in their gates, the steady breathing of the crew.

We are light and sleek, slicing through

coordinating two oars at the same time.

Good job too, as this is how I’ll be rowing with the crew.

On the water on the dot of 5.30am, I first sit in the coaching tinny as the crew warms up then practices ‘starts’. Dad counts them down and they are perfectly still on the smooth surface water, focused and humming with energy.

“ROW!” Dad roars and the river explodes into a frenzy of activity. Oars flash in and out of the water and in a blink they are gone. I can’t believe how fast they are moving.

“HEART BURSTERS!” Dad demands and, looking at the strain showing on their faces as they give everything they’ve got, I’m seriously worried that hearts might actually burst.

The tinny’s engine screams to keep up and I learn later that the coaches are given special dispensation to break the 10-knot speed limit of the Swan River, just so they can keep up with their crews.

The fate of a race can hinge entirely on the speed of the crew’s start. These guys are capable of 48 strokes per minute at the start, and settle at a race pace of around 37, or approximately six meters per second. Six meters per second.

It’s been agreed that when I get in, we

FOLLOWING OARDERS Anna (far right and below) was put through her paces by the boys of Guildford Grammar.

will start at 16 strokes per minute and see if I can go any higher.

When the time comes, I am feeling pretty nervous. I don’t want to waste the boys’ precious training time, or more importantly, look like a total wally in front of Dad. At “Row!” I panic and begin madly hauling away, completely out of sync with the rest of the crew. After a few laughs and

the top of the water like a blade. As I puff and pant away, I’m amazed to think that the guys are capable of twice this speed.

Once it’s all over, I massage my already aching muscles and observe the most amazing thing of all: these serious, disciplined oarsmen put on school uniforms and transform into regular teenage boys, horsing around and chatting about their

upcoming school ball. PL Anna learned to row thanks to the Guildford Grammar School Rowing Shed, Josh Wilkes, Graeme Hartley and the boys of the 2nd VIII who took time out of their tight training schedule to let her have a splash around.

Anybody can learn to row! To find your local rowing club, visit the Rowing WA website: rowingwa.asn.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOpeople

MISS INGENUITY You may not have heard of Rachael Hughes, but chances are if you’ve visited Scitech in the last few years you’ll have experienced her particular gift for coming up with engaging, informative and fun, fun, fun interactive science exhibits. Gabi Mills meets the multi-talented scientist-cum-fire tamer. Images by CRIB CREATIVE. IT’S A LONG way from the flat lands of Lincolnshire (UK) to Perth’s scientific hub, Scitech, but Rachael Hughes couldn’t be happier with her life-changing choice to move continents over 13 years ago.

“We just decided to move to Australia - we didn’t know anybody and had never been before but decided to come anyway.”

The ex-physics teacher and her partner travelled around Australia before ending up in Perth where she discovered Scitech.

“I’d always loved the National History and Science museums in London so was so pleased to find Scitech - I just loved it.”

She loved it so much in fact that she quit her teaching job and, for the first time in her life, may not have had another job to go to but certainly had a plan in mind.

“I volunteered, took on extra projects, got my face known around Scitech until they took me on.”

Now as the organisation’s exhibit

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experience co-ordinator, it’s Rachael’s role to work out what visitors will do with the exhibits which in turn informs the design of future exhibitions.

“I suppose the best description of what I do is a science communicator,” she says, and one of the ways she and the Scitech team communicate to the many, many visitors to Scitech each year is via bespoke exhibits, built from scratch in the endearingly whacky workshop, tucked away behind a sliding glass door near the Rio Tinto Innovation Central exhibition.

Here you’ll find Mythbuster-style shenanigans going on as science technicians and engineers fiddle about with various future exhibits while, above your head, a life-sized astronaut is suspended from the ceiling. There’s a busy buzz about the place as long-time Scitech boffins go about their business, whether they’re designing a new space age exhibit on a computer screen or

Coming up at Scitech GOING PLACES Opens May 9.

This exhibition explores the technology we have developed to transport ourselves and goods around the world. If you have ever wanted to pilot an airship, ride on a hovercraft, or control traffic in a city, now is your big chance.

ASTRONAUT (new exhibition, currently being built at Scitech) opens November 2015 Do you think you have what it takes to be an astronaut? Take on the physical and mental challenges in the training centre, experience a rocket launch, explore life on the Space Lab and investigate how to do science in space. Can you work together to solve problems? Or accurately land a capsule? How would you eat, sleep or use the toilet in space? Explore these things and more in Astronaut.

repairing an existing attraction that’s been ‘loved’ a little too hard by the thousands of hands which push, squeeze and turn the gadgets every day.

Currently the team are working on a brand new exhibition planned for November - Astronaut.

“We’re building that from scratch, so I’ve been working out what we need to communicate to visitors about astronauts and space,” says Rachael.

Working with the Director of Science Programs and the Exhibition Design team, primolife.com.au

it’s not just a matter of putting together a brilliant exhibition; this is an exhibition, like others in Scitech’s past, which has to travel.

“We loan our exhibitions to other venues all round the world so there are lots of considerations we have to sew into the design which allows the exhibits to be packed up so that they can travel internationally.”

As everything Rachael and the team create is a one-off, there aren’t exactly templates they can follow, so part of the joy of her role is the collaborative creative thinking which happens as they wrestle with tricky dilemmas and innovative solutions.

“Each exhibition has a different look so I sit down with the graphic/CAD designers and the workshop manager and work out what will work as a design - above all we have to make it robust as over 2,000 visitors will potentially interact with it every day.”

Costs are higher than you’d think too, with many of the exhibitions having a budget of around $1 million.

“I tend to start off at the drawing board stage of a new exhibition with a fairly idealistic approach but then Paul, the workshop manager will say, ‘you know, that probably won’t actually work’,” she says, smiling.

A new exhibition takes around a year to bring together from concept to opening day, with “a lot of last minute scrambling”, but the sense of achievement on launch day is high, says Rachael.

“Astronaut will be arranged in different sections, like ‘what kind of training do astronauts go through’ and ‘what does a space lab look like’. Fingers crossed we’ve managed to get hold of a space toilet for this section.”

Scitech is a special place for many reasons, not least because it’s the only place in Australia which regularly builds new science experiences from the ground up.

It’s one of the reasons that its exhibits are so highly sought after by other science centres and museums all around the world.

At any one time, there’s an original Scitech exhibition running in Europe, Asia and the US, originating from Rachael’s crucible of creativity at City West.

In her career, Rachael’s been responsible for enlightening so many children who’ve passed through Scitech’s doors, but ask her to pick her favourite exhibition to date and she struggles.

“They’ve all been so different but probably one of the most interesting ones was the Rescue exhibition. We did a lot of work with St John Ambulance, FESA and the SES and got lots of input to help make

it a really authentic exhibition. I’m pretty proud of that one.”

And then she remembers another one.

“But then the next one was Science Fiction, Science Future where we explored how fiction and reality could be merged to try to predict future developments - that was great too.”

It’s true to say that you won’t find another Rachael anywhere else in the world.

“My job doesn’t exist anywhere else,” she laughs.

“I started as a science presenter (where I learned the fire taming trick), came from teaching, helped create schools programs and also write much of the text that runs alongside the images and graphics, providing context for the exhibits. So I guess to be me you’d have to have great communication skills and a good understanding of what visitors want from the exhibits themselves, as well as the passion for sharing science.”

It’s not enough, she says, to just educate the kids. Rachael’s aim is to get whole families involved so if you haven’t been to Scitech for a while, you’ll find lots of multi-user exhibits.

“It’s about engaging with exhibits together, having conversations about what they’re doing, and seeing how that’s relevant to their lives. We’re not necessarily about trying to communicate a specific idea, like how rivers form or electricity works, it’s more about the process of science and developing curiosity.

“That’s exciting to me - there’s a whole world out there.” PL ONE OFF Rachael Hughes' role as exhibit experience co-ordinator and the exhibits she creates at Scitech are entirely unique to Perth, built from scratch by a talented team of boffins.

fast facts SCITECH Scitech is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to increase awareness, interest, capability and participation by all Western Australians in science, technology, engineering and maths. It was established in 1988.

The venue offer visitors many levels of science engagement on each floor in the Lotterywest Science Theatre, in the Planetarium, the CSIRO Lab, and in the puppet theatre. They also have a professional learning team to support teachers and improve classroom learning about science, and an outreach team who takes science onto the road to those who cannot make it to the centre.

Exhibitions are made at Scitech every year or two and then get sent off to travel the world, informing and communicating the excitement of science on a global scale.

THE NUMBERS 311,983 visitors explored Scitech in 2012/13 166,664 experienced the Scitech outreach programs 504,207 visited the website scitech.org.au 11 exhibitions toured worldwide 7,788 volunteer hours donated per year

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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Drisana's diary

with DRISANA LEVITZKE-GRAY

I’ve travelled from coast to coast again this month, been introduced to a mayor, revisited my old school and made a whole bunch of new friends in the nation’s capital.

I WAS INVITED by Giovanni Italiano, Mayor of the City of Stirling, my home town, to visit the council house and Perth meet him and some of the city’s other councillors and celebrate my ‘momentous achievement’. He also said I would receive a gift from the city. Could it be a key to the city? I was hoping it would be!

It was fantastic to meet Giovanni and the councillors as I’ve been involved with the City of Stirling in different ways - one of them being on the panel for the Disability Access Inclusion Plan. It was also just as wonderful to meet the councillors of the Balga ward, David Boothman and Keith Sargent, who have often helped me raise funds to represent Australia in international youth camps and conferences. My gift turned out to be a very lovely plaque and I had a brilliant time getting to know everyone more. City of Stirling is a great city to live in!

FEBRUARY

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AS AN ALUMNA of Perth’s Shenton College, I have kept in touch with my former teachers and Perth have a great working relationship with Mike Morgan, the current principal. I was thrilled when they asked me to launch their Leadership Program to the Year 9s - they said that it couldn’t be a better fit to have anyone else except a former student who also happened to be the Young Australian of the Year. It was such a fun and interactive session with the students; we discussed ‘leadership’ itself and what skills one would need to have in order to become a successful and passionate leader. I am certain that those students will go on to do amazing things in life and we could perhaps find ourselves another Young Australian of the Year who is an alumni of Shenton College.

FEBRUARY

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BACK OVER EAST again and this time it’s for the Gaslight Festival, which was hosted by VicDeaf.

Wodonga It’s a festival for the deaf community that celebrates our culture, people and community as well as our beautiful language, Auslan, Australian Sign Language.

It was a weekend-long event in Wodonga, which is about 300km north east of Melbourne, a good meeting point as people from the Australian Capital Territory MARCH

7

and New South Wales can all drive there and take part in the festivities. There were stalls run by many deaf-owned businesses, service providers and organisations who provide service and support for the community. I was also invited for a Q&A session with Christine Mathieson, CEO of VicDeaf. It was such a great day and I enjoyed the questions from the CEO as well as the questions from the animated audience who were allowed to come up and quiz me too. It’s great to be able to answer the questions directly from the deaf community and to be able to explain in depth the responsibilities and commitments that come with being Young Australian of the Year.

Many were surprised to find out that I did not and do not receive any financial assistance directly from the award, nor did I win any prize money. I did, however, get a fantastic trophy, a massive national honour and the endless responsibility and commitments that come with it, which requires a lot of my spare time. But the best part is having a platform from which I can raise awareness about our beautiful language, Auslan and the deaf child’s human right to access it from birth.

I WAS INVITED by the Australian Curriculum Studies Association to be the guest speaker for Canberra their National Schools Constitutional Convention at the High Court in Canberra. It was an honour to be asked to present in front of 130 high school students who were picked from all over Australia to attend and to talk about my journey in advocacy and how it led me to become Young Australian of the Year for 2015. I discussed our community, people and Auslan as our language and encouraged them to become our allies no matter what they aspire to be in the future. They were all very excited to come up to me afterwards to ask me questions and we all had such a great time. A group of students wanted to take a photo with me, which ended up with all the students and me together. We also had a photo taken of all of us from above the stairs, as there were far too many of us. I then had a very long line of students who asked me questions one by one, who then wouldn’t leave without a selfie with me! It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to talk, discuss and inspire the next generation of our young people who are currently studying legal studies and may well be our future politicians and member of parliaments. PL MARCH

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Tickets include Festival entry and $30 Crown Card (currency) so you are ready to sip and taste from arrival.

Offer valid until 14 May 2015

MY FAVOURITE THINGS ...

Roisin Murphy Always an innovator and a creative original, Roisin Murphy, one half of electronic music duo Moloko, is back with a new solo album - Hairless Toys, her first in eight years. The Irish singer/songwriter ‘collects lyrics’ and is inspired by the eclectic Portobello Market in London - a place which has been responsible for many of her favourite things which she shares with us here.

Images by HOLLY MCGLYNN. Download Hairless Toys here: itunes.apple. com/au/album/hairless-toys/id966934680

SHOES They’re a bit like the shoes Margaret Thatcher might have worn, aren’t they? For me they represent the aesthetic of Hairless Toys - I wore them in the video shoot for the album. They’re vintage, from the 1970s, and I found them in Portobello Market when I was looking for styling ideas for the album cover. It was the first shoot I’ve done in a long time and I was very nervous. I traipsed around London for two weeks, going to each market and just let my nose lead me. I wanted a clean slate for the look so went for vintage - the name of the album drew me to the ugly look of the 70s, a kind of brutal minamilism. The shoes are actually very comfortable and elegant.

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BLACK HANDBAG This is my favourite handbag. I bought it in a flea market in St Tropez in the south of France. It’s Hermés.

PERFUME I created this as a joke for the video to my song Exploitation. I’m an actress in the video and it’s based on the Chanel No 5 ad with Catherine Deneuve. So we made our own version of the Chanel perfume and called it Assumptions. It’s actually tea in the bottle.

primolife.com.au

RAINBOW VISOR I was known for wearing all types of visors in the past and these are pretty crazy - ski glasses with rainbow flowers. It’s really taking the visor thing to the bizarre end of the scale.

STUFFED BUDGIE This is the only item of taxidermy I own - it’s from a market in Paris.

I love it.

WATCH This is my favourite thing in the world. It’s Cartier and I bought it in Switzerland. As it turns out they didn’t make very many of this particular watch so it’s very precious.

FIGURINE This lovely little toy is by a famous Japanese artist and it’s just lovely. My children so desperately want to play with it but they can’t touch it - it’s on a high shelf as it’s become worth a fortune.

ANIMAL PAINTING This is an oil painting by Derek Thomas - he’s a wonderful artist. It takes a very long time to paint his pictures - there are so many layers of oil. My ex gave it to me as a gift.

SCARF My current love gave me this Hermés scarf for Christmas. It’s actually a painting of a time machine, and just beautiful to wear.

CHEBURASHKA This little thing is a Russian cartoon character called Cheburashka from the 1960s who had his own anime show.

It’s literally the most beautiful thing, those original anime shows, amazing stop motion animation.

It’s a bit of perfection, is that animation.

WOODEN MASK My favourite place is Portobello Market - I break out into a sweat when I get close to it. I used to wear 60s clothes from head to toe as a teenager, and bought my clothes from vintage markets like Portobello.

One week there was a stall of African artefacts and I saw this mask. It’s kind of scary and friendly at the same time.

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOfashion

Whether you’re following the trend for feathers, layers and lace or opt for luxurious knits, Vicky Sofield can’t help but look forward to the winter trends in 2015.

Photography CHANTEL CONCEI Stylist ELIZABETH CLARKE

Hair/Makeup HENDRA WIDJAJA.

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WHETHER YOU LIKE it or not, autumn is upon us and, before we know it, so too will be the blustery chilly winds of winter.

And while nearly every West Aussie I know completely dotes on summer and our sun-kissed, sun-soaked array of never-ending beachfueled summer days (yes, I’m missing summer already too), I must confess that I actually welcome the colder months each year. Why? It’s purely due to the fact that I get to transform my fashion choices and expand my autumn/winter range – which ultimately presents me with a very warm and welcome seasonal wardrobe change too.

I’m a firm believer that when it comes to clothing, more is more.

So with all justifications aside, here are my top five trends for this autumn/winter 2015: primolife.com.au

BLACK IS BACK - AGAIN I’m sure that this won’t be a surprise to any of you, because let’s face it, black is always back at this time of the year. Most of us (over) indulge in the tendency to dress heavier with colours, layers and textures in the cooler months all too often.

So this year I encourage you to peel back those layers and take it up a notch with mixed fabrics and textures like leather, lace, feather (faux ostrich to be precise this season), pretty pleats and an enviable array of origami folds.

All of the above make the final cut for this somewhat sombre re-occurring seasonal trend so don’t be afraid to mix it up from here on in.

Claremont Quarter’s resident stylist, Elizabeth Clarke says: “The feeling for autumn/winter 2015 is one of deconstructed decadence - heavy laces, cashmere wools, fine silks and rich ornate jewellery.”

Give your black autumn/winter

STYLE ensembles a bit of vava-voom TIP

with some major neck bling.

Adam Heath at Claremont Quarter has curated a beautiful collection of jewels from international designers such as Shourouk, Erickson Beamon and Ek Thongprasert (to name a few), so you simply can’t go wrong with making your black ensembles look striking and strong this season.

HEAD-TO-TOE KNITS If you love your woollen-ware then you’ll be in agreement with the fashion goddesses of 2015 as this season is the time to pull them back out again. That said though, playing it safe is not an option with the bold ‘head-to-toe knits’ look, leader of the pack for my picks for winter 2015 trends.

Keep it looking chic and warm with oversized sweaters and cardigans, comfy pants, scarves and even a pair of oversized hand warmers in flattering shades of creams, dove greys and beautiful blues too.

And don’t just stop there. Create an effortlessly cosy appearance and master the art of the turtleneck tuck à la New York designer brand, Line Knitwear.You’ll be so on point with perfectly positioned hair and a completely new neck niche that’s an instant nod to the globe-sweeping and current ‘Lob’ hair trend (without the full commitment of going shorter). Bonus!

To pull this look off, be sure to

STYLE buy well - by that I mean don’t TIP

skip when it comes to quality.

Remember the golden rule: quality

over quantity. Morrison’s Mon and Citra Pullovers are great key pieces, plus this incredible WA label has an abundance of other lovely knitwear – all of which will become your wardrobe favourites for seasons to follow.

CLEAN LONG LINES When it also comes to your outerwear this autumn/winter season, clean long lines are much in evidence and on par with long line coats, three quarter-length trenches, oversized blazers and long-line waistcoats all making a classic comeback. You should also consider throwing on some faux fur and a fringe detailed accessory (or two) to create an original and enviable winter warmer ensemble.

Shearling waistcoats are this

STYLE season’s stylish staple. A TIP

great one will not only make a beautiful investment piece but will also add texture and depth to your casual daywear outfits, carrying you from day into night all season long.

IT’S A 70s REVIVAL The 70s, or more specifically, the 70s hippie-chic look, has officially been revived this season. Turn up the sophistication of this trend and opt for a variety of flared and bell-bottom pants in silk, cotton, denim or crèpe; mixed length skirts from midi to mini (teamed with opaque stockings preferably); mixed and matched kaleidoscopic, brushstroke and geographic prints (plus many more vintage prints); earthy and ethereal tones and tassel-fringed accessories galore.

Create a stylish combination and get ready to turn heads with this groovy revival trend.

WIN

Pop on a pair of platforms

STYLE when you choose this look – not TIP

only will it tie in nicely with the 70s era but it will give you the added height to shimmy in style just like you’ve stepped off the catwalk circa 1971.

MILITARY MIXED KHAKIS AND AN ATHLETIC AESTHETIC As seen recently on the runways of Isabel Marant, Gucci, Michael Kors, Balmain, Sonia Rykeil, Marc Jacobs and Chanel (just to name a few), military is back. It’s also time to throw on your khakis this winter for an athletic aesthetic-inspired look that’s suited for both men and women alike.You should style this season’s soldier trend with structured key pieces (that incorporate gold buttons and popped collars); cargo pants, tapered jumpsuits and jogger trousers in shades of olive, yellow-browns and khaki greens; utility shirts (with or without rolled sleeves); peplum tops and jackets, plus graphic sweatshirts to boot too.

If you know you can’t pull off an

STYLE all-over military look of khaki and TIP

black then team your key pieces with a hint of gold for a chic, sparkly and feminine twist.

This winter escape the confinements of the usually bleak and bland and step it up a notch and mix and match trends where you can. PL To enjoy a very special shopping experience at Claremont Quarter, and discover all of the trends Vicky has described, contact Claremont Quarter Guest Services on 9286 5885 or email guestservices@claremontquarter.com.au to book your Be Styled session.

a Claremont Quarter Be Styled experience

Enjoy the ultimate shopping experience at Claremont Quarter, valued at over $830.

The package includes a three-hour Be Styled personal styling session with a leading Claremont Quarter stylist and a $500 Claremont Quarter gift card, which you can use at over 120 Claremont Quarter stores across fashion, food, home and lifestyle.

Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com.au

Good luck!

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

27

PRIMOweekender

Bunkering

down

The Pullman Bunker Bay Resort was the perfect base to explore Dunsborough and surrounding wineries over a lazy weekend, says Matthew Mills. So perfect, in fact, he’s already planning a return visit.

AS FAR AS work outings go, this one was going to be a doozy, hence the excitement of this magazine’s editor, designer, and freeloading contributor – me - on the drive down south.

We hadn’t actually planned the weekend to be a PRIMOLife field trip – originally, Cally, the talented cove who makes these pages look pretty, was going to bring along her non-journo partner, but work commitments conspired to rule him out.

But still, the prospect of a couple of nights in one of the beautiful two-bedroom

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villas at Pullman Resort just about made up for her chap’s no-show and we resolved to check out this luxurious bolthole as a threesome and try our best not to talk shop, if we could possibly avoid it.

So, on a bright autumn morning, the three of us – me, Cally and my wife Gabi – found ourselves speeding down the primolife.com.au

Kwinana Freeway full of the good cheer that a trip down south always elicits.

For all of us, the beautiful chunk of WA beyond Bunbury has long been a favourite getaway spot. Gabi and I have been lucky enough to head south many times, mostly with the kids in tow but occasionally just by ourselves for a grown-up recharge, and Cally too had many a story of fun-packed trips to the south west to regale us with as the Ks clicked up on our car’s odometer.

None of us, however, had had the pleasure of a stay at the Pullman Resort, so we kept our pitstop in Dunsborough to stock up with tasty nibbles and the odd bottle of wine short and sweet, and turned up at reception in the early afternoon.

The drive from Dunsborough to the resort gets you in the mood for your stay – 10 minutes or so winding up Cape Naturaliste Road through the stunning woodland that coats this part of Australia.

Then turning off onto Bunker Bay Road, we caught our first glimpse of the glorious Indian Ocean, a deep blue, sun-speckled blanket stretching to the horizon.

And then we were at the turn-off itself, and the resort lay in front of us, calm, stylish, welcoming, luxurious.

The reception area is cool and sophisticated, sleek but comfortable sofas waiting to accept weary yet happy travellers.

The décor blends beautifully with the surrounding bush, warm browns and reddish orange brickwork, polished wooden

LUXE AND LANGUID The Pullman Bunker Bay Resort is the perfect spot to explore the wonders of the south west, and kick back with a drink and a feed at the end of a day at the wineries.

floors. We spied the inviting bar area and pledged to get back there as soon as we could (armed with our free drink voucher handed out as we checked in) – but first we just wanted to check out our home for the next 48 hours.

One magical trick of the Pullman Resort is that its impeccable landscaping and design belies its quite considerable size.

There are in fact 150 bungalow-style villas across the resort, yet it somehow retains an intimacy normally found in a much smaller retreat.

Our villa was just a short walk from reception and, as first impressions go, it couldn’t have been beaten. The main living area boasts a wonderfully high ceiling, a beautiful wooden gable at each end giving the villa a serene elegance.

To the front, a classic wooden dining table just begged to be laden with food, prepared in the stylish, modern kitchen galley area to its side. To the rear of the stunning space, a roomy sofa surrounded a simple coffee table. There was a TV of course and a music centre – all the mod cons were catered for.

Through the back doors was a small patio, perfect for taking in the sun.

Our bedrooms were equally inviting.

Gabi and I bagged the master – well, there were two of us, after all – and marveled at the big, luxurious king-size bed and barely concealed oohs of delight at the beautiful ensuite bathroom with free-standing bath and shower that could host half a dozen souls, should that be your thing.

Cally’s room was just as impressive, two single beds to herself and an equally lovely ensuite, sans bath but still a luxurious spot for ablutions.

Food and wine unpacked, then, we toasted our new home with a glass of bubbles before going off to explore and take a dip in the elegant swimming pool.

We were lucky with the weather, early April feeling more like late January, so a few laps in the crystal clear water was just the ticket to wash away the last of the long drive and the day to day in Perth.

The resort itself is criss-crossed with boardwalks that wind their way down to the beach, which was where we found ourselves as the sun set. WA is spoilt for choice as far as beaches go, but Bunker Bay has to be one of the most beautiful, waves gently lapping the shore as we strolled barefoot through the perfect sand.

We ate in our villa that evening, taking full advantage of the neat little kitchen, but with hindsight we probably should have made reservations at the resort’s awardwinning restaurant – many a foodie friend may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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weekender who’s tried it will tell you it’s a top spot to eat in this area full of top spots to eat. We also didn’t make it to the spa, a spot that garners great reviews – but by this time we already knew that we would be coming back again one day.

Well fed with nibbles in our villa, then, we headed to the bar to enjoy the evening sitting outside watching the moonlight dance off the ocean. A lucky couple were enjoying their wedding reception and the atmosphere was fun and upbeat – a perfect environment to enjoy a cocktail or two and

the family to the lovely little community.

As someone who lives in Perth’s northern suburbs, to be able to simply stroll from shop to shop, café to café is a delight, a treat.

We stopped for breakfast at the Evviva Café on Naturaliste Terrace and enjoyed scrumptious bacon and egg based treats and top quality coffee and juice – but there are many other cute little eateries in Dunsborough to choose from, all sharing a relaxed vibe and hipster-style menu choices.

A spot of shopping – a new bikini for Cally, some pressies to take home for the

win

a night for two at the luxurious Pullman Bunker Bay Resort. You’ll enjoy overnight accommodation in a Studio Garden View villa with buffet breakfast at the Other Side of the Moon Restaurant. Visit PRIMOLife Facebook page or primolife.com.au for details. Good luck!

a few more bubbles.

The next morning we awoke to more beautiful WA sunshine and, despite the urge to simply laze by the pool all day, decided to make the most of our time down south and head into Dunsborough for a nose around.

Dunsborough is one of my favourite towns – not just in WA, but anywhere really.

I always fall under its spell when I wander its happy streets, mulling over just how I could manufacture a reason to relocate

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

primolife.com.au

The drive from Dunsborough to the resort gets you in the mood for your stay – 10 minutes or so winding up Cape Naturaliste Road through the stunning woodland that coats this part of Australia.

LONG LUNCHES AND WALKS Left, Happs Wines are hosting a series of long lunches this year. Above, the well-appointed accommodation at the Pullman Resort includes plenty of room to stretch out and relax.

kids – and we suddenly realised it was nearly lunchtime and we had better head back to the resort and get ready for our date at Happs Winery.

Wineries, of course, are one of the south west’s greatest draws – the fame and influence of the Margaret River tipples now

known across the planet. They are thriving, but somehow they all manage to retain their own character, their individuality and buzz.

Happs is no exception. Like many of its counterparts, it has expanded its vision to include wonderful food as well as wonderful wine and we had booked ourselves in for its Flavours of Autumn Gourmet Lunch.

These events are a brilliant idea – beautiful food in a beautiful location on big tables packed with friends you haven’t met

yet. And, of course, plenty of fantastic wine.

This particular extravaganza was a five-course meal prepared by Paul Iskov, a talented chap with an internationallyacclaimed CV who now runs his own roaming restaurant called Fervor, an institution which takes him across the country preparing unique dinners in the bush, beach and lakes.

And the food he served up was superb, a wonderfully imaginative procession of delights with an Aussie theme – raw Esperance scallop to begin, Shark Bay crab, slow cooked egg with a smoked broth, kangaroo, damper and finally milk ice cream served smoking in a jam jar with wattle seed curd, honey and crystalised dune spinach.

Each course was a gem – and each was accompanied by a delicious Happs wine, a sparkling chenin blanc on arrival, then a semillon, a dry verdelho, a chardonnay, a grenache shiraz mataro and a port to finish.

It was a wonderful afternoon, made all the more special by the delightful company of our table-mates – local couple Lisa and Blaze. As the wine flowed and food was consumed, we quickly all became buddies.

Lisa, dessert chef at renowned Margaret River winery Vasse Felix, shared trade insights and revealed that despite her calling she doesn’t actually have a sweet tooth, and Blaze, a carpenter and, aptly in light of his imaginative moniker, part-time firie, kept us entertained with tales of heroics with a hose and life as a chippie.

We all got on so well that we finished up back at this lovely young couple’s house in Dunsborough for a few more glasses of wine and a couple of hands of poker. Like I said, a winery lunch is the perfect place to hook up with friends you haven’t met yet.

We got back in time for a swim in the pool at the resort and more nibbles at the villa – not that any of us had much room left after the delicious Happs afternoon feast.

The next morning, Cally snuck off for one last dip in the ocean while Gabi and I lazed at the villa with coffee and papers until, sadly, we agreed it was time to leave and head back, knowing the next morning would see us back at the office refreshed and ready to get the next PRIMOLife out, full of happy memories and secure in the knowledge that we’ll get back down south just as soon as we can. PL • PULLMAN BUNKER BAY RESORT, Bunker Bay Road, Bunker Bay WA 6281. pullmanbunkerbayresort.com.au Tel: (08) 9756 9100.

• HAPPS, 575 Commonage Road, Dunsborough WA 6281.Tel: (08) 9755 3300. happs.com.au. Fervor Pop-Up Dining, Tel: 0408 924062, fervor.com.au. may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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BUILDERS REG NO. 11371

DESIGN BUILD LIVE 32

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

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home & garden

42 40

35 Real estate runway Meet Sara and Kaitlin of Perth Style Co. 36 Wares Country style 38 Gardening Get ready for the changing seasons 40 Architecture Neil Cownie on outside rooms 42 Decor Pre-tint paint - and your chance to win $600-worth of Dulux paint 44 Crockery The most gorgeous bowls and plates around

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PAINT MY PLACE WHETHER YOU’RE A self-proclaimed DIY guru or a renovator, the Paint My Place app may be a bit of a game changer when it comes to design. It has the ability to help you visualise a new coat of paint on your walls, roofing or fencing without having to wave a single paint brush at a tin.

It’s finally time to dump those paint swatches and colour sample tins for good and really see what the colours would look like in your home. The app is easy to use and allows you to virtually ‘paint’ your home inside and out, using a range of real brand paints and suggested colour schemes.

Whether your house is in desperate need of a fresh lick of paint or you just want to play around with different colour options, it's a great little tool to have in your pocket.

Start by taking a picture of any aspect of your property and begin decorating with paint colours from a range of global brands. Within an instant you'll have an idea of how it'll look by either using the auto-fill

by KIRSTEN TENNANT

function or manually colouring in the area. Changed your mind about the colour? Just select another option and try again, as many times as you like.

Not only will the Paint My Place app save you time and money, it will also help inspire you with its range of suggested colour schemes that you may never have considered before.

While Paint My Place is available for free via iTunes, for $2.99 you can unlock a range of additional features.

These include over 30,000 brand name paint colours, access to a range of ‘suggested colour schemes’ and the ability to save and share selections with family or friends.

App of the month

The real estate runway

with SARA JAMES & KAITLIN BECK

SELLING POWER

It’s all about giving that value-for-money feel, say Sara James and Kaitlin Beck from Perth Style Co. THINK HARD. CAN you name a handful of products on the consumer market that have no recommended retail price? If we put our minds to it, we can get to a list of about three or four, but there is one great big important one right under your nose - your property.

Aussies love a bargain and we are very quick to judge particularly on value. Maybe this is why thousands of us regularly flock to Bali - not just in search of some well-deserved R n R but getting it at great price.

It’s already so much cheaper for us over there, but most of us will still walk the hot streets in that Balinese humidity searching for a special something, relishing in the fact we have the power to name our price, stand our ground and negotiate hard to bag that all-important bargain.

Even if there difference ends up being a few dollars.

Picture this: You’re deep into your bargain search at the street markets, your eyes scanning and you’re carefully observing differences between one shop and another to form your overall opinion. What are you noticing?

• The look of the shop • The quality of product • Perceived value for money The first two are pretty easy to understand, but how are we gauging number three? Perceived value for money is the primary reason any consumer will make an enquiry or take the sale one step further, so it’s really important to get that message across. If a buyer doesn’t see the value, it’s game over! So if they do make an offer, it’ll be very, very low, as they think what you’re asking is way too much.

The principals of this hot and sweaty scenario can be applied to your greatest asset - your property - when it comes to the time to sell, because there are some very real comparisons to be made between us browsing the Seminyak streets and buyers looking for an ideal next home or investment. There is no recommended retail price and potential property buyers are as hard to please as an Aussie bartering over $5 at a Bali street stall.

On the flip side, what an enormous power you have to positively influence the selling price of your home.

As there's no RRP on your home this creates an opportunity. It means that you, the seller, can greatly influence that selling

price by making sure the right elements are in place to give that impression of value for money. What a wonderful position to be in!

There are two major factors involved when it comes to price; market value and buyer emotion. So what are they, exactly and how can you make them best work in your favour?

Your property is always going to have its estimated value based on land size, house size and particulars together with its location. This is market value.

The difference between the market value of your property and the end sale price is where you, as a seller, have the power over buyer emotion and how much value a buyer perceives in your property.

Tapping into buyer emotion is our specialty at Perth Style Co. It may seem like nothing much but colour, senses, sounds, smells, labels, merchandise are all cosmetic and material additions you can make to a space to ensure the property engages with buyers at an emotional level and adds perceived value.

Get these right and with no recommended retail price, we believe the sky is the limit!

Perth Style Co. offers pre-sale consultations for properties about to hit the market. Influence your sale price by contacting us today. PL

To find out more about what Perth Style Co. can do for you, call Sara or Kaitlin on 0409 990 890 or visit perthstyleco.com.au

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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H&G wares with KIRSTEN TENNANT

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COUNTRY LIFE

Even if you live in the heart of the city, it's possible to bring a little of the countryside into your decor with our gorgeous ideas for country living.

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1 Lucy Lazy Armchair, $795, Classic with a Twist 2 Shears hook, $13.60, The Oak Room, oakroomshop.co.uk 3 Blackboard box, $29.95, Emporium, emporiumhome.com.au 4 Milk Can, $34.60, Maisy & Grace, maisyandgrace.co.nz 5 Garden signs, $39, OUr Kitchen Garden, ourkitchengarden.com.au 6 Bicycle, $549, Down That Little Lane, downthatlittlelane.com. au 7 Cow cushion, $75, Into the Fold, intothefold.com.au 8 Slate Taupe Country Bunting, $44, iDecorate, idecorateshop.com 9 Staling Spool, $24.95, Amalfi, amalfihomewares.com.au 10 Fresh Eggs Wall Clock, $89.95, Zanui, zanui.com.au 11 Stripe Apron, $19.99, Davis & Waddell, davisandwaddell.com.au 12 Rooster Plaque, $15.60, The Contemporary Home, tch. net 13 Piggy Bank, $199.95, Zanui, zanui.com.au 14 Throw, $39.95, Bambury, bambury.com.au 15 Rustic Country Stool, $95, Lifestyle Home and LIving, lifestylehomeandliving.com. au.

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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H&Ggardening

with Colleen Sheehan

TIME TO GET

busy

Yes, April was a pretty wet one and our gardens will no doubt be relishing the rain. But don’t think about hiding out indoors.

With winter on the way there is much to be done, says Weeding Women’s Colleen Sheehan.

TURN OFF THE RETICULATION Last month saw heaps of wonderful, wonderful rain - buckets of it. Gardeners, farmers, ducks, frogs, gardens and more, are all rejoicing with every drop. Autumn is here and winter is on the way, so it’s time to turn off your reticulation and let nature do its job.

It’s only beetles, moths and aphids who are markedly turned off by the hint of any impending rain, like an evolutionary adaptation to prevent them from getting washed away. In fact for most insects, rain is a big sexual turn-off, unlike we humans who like to snuggle together during cold, rainy times. Birds behave kind of like we do, hunkering down more, and sticking closer to home.

But resist the urge, winter is on the way and it is time for us to get very busy in the garden.

HEAVILY PRUNE ALL EVERGREEN PLANTS After you’ve turned off the retic, it’s time to get everything into order after a long, hot summer. In the intense heat of summer,

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it’s too hot to heavily prune so most of our evergreen plants become leggy and untidy, but with the cooler weather well and truly here, it’s time to get stuck in. Now’s the time for hard pruning of hedges so you can bring it back to a neat, sharp hedge.

Lillypillies, and the Box variety will respond beautifully to the hard, winter prune.

Prune hard all untidy plants, particularly plumbago and abelia - simply cut off anything and everything that looks ratty.

All shires have their green verge collections over winter to encourage us to cull all the untidy plants in the garden - so start this job ASAP, knowing that it may take six hours or more of labour, which is sometimes best to do a couple of hours at a time.

DO A BIG TIDY-UP Get busy and do your change of seasons in your garden too. As you pull up the summer annuals scatter their seeds, like cosmos, poppies, allysum and more.

The division of plants in general is an important job to get into at this time of year too like liriopes, agapanthus and kangaroo paws. Relocate plants which would suit

a better spot, because there’s still a bit of warmth in the soil and this gives them a chance with the promise of regular rain.

And keep on top of the weeds, which are ever-increasing with the wet weather.

PLANT WINTER/SPRING FLOWERING ANNUALS Once you’ve done the tidying, next is what to put in their place and remember to plan ahead. Select which winter/spring primolife.com.au

flowering annuals to plant as to the position in your garden.

The best annuals for sunny spots are marigold, sweet pea - although these are best put in on Anzac Day, but it’s still not too late. hollyhock, petunia, everlastings, cosmos and Queen Anne’s lace are also good.

Best annuals for the shade are lobelia, cineraria, pansy, begonia, primula.

Plant late-winter/early-spring bulbs eg ranunculus, freesia, anenome, Dutch iris and bluebell.

GET READY FOR SUMMER It might seem silly so early in the year, but look ahead and take the opportunity to shape and decorate your garden beds to suit through summer, not just for now.

Plant structural plants that will shape and define and plant trees which will act as shade or a windbreak. Make a pond to cool a garden or the house as the hot wind passes it, add rocks, make paths, even add a seat or an old chair or two that you’ll find at the tip - paint them brightly.

Make your garden what you want it to be now, so it’ll be ready to enjoy later.

COLOURFUL CYCLAMEN When nothing else is colourful aside from

natives in winter, try these beauties.

They come in the most beautiful dramatic colours of red, purple, pink, magenta and many shades in between, including white. Potted, they flourish indoors by day with natural light and love being beside a window. Like all indoor plants, never over-water them. At night, put them out into the cold night air.

You can keep them flowering prolifically throughout winter and spring if you

remove the spent flowers and liquid bloom booster fortnightly. Water from the bottom, not the leaves.

If growing them outdoors, as cyclamen originate from the Mediterranean, they can be grown in the shade in Perth. They’ll be dormant in our summer, and as their new growth begins in the coolness of autumn, give them a helping hand with some liquid fertiliser. Mass planted under a shady tree, they are a winter stunner. PL

MAKE A PLAN Get your garden summer-ready now with clever planting, so you can enjoy it later.

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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H&Garchitecture

BRINGING THE OUTDOORS IN

Award-winning architect Neil Cownie on how to make the most of your outdoor room by employing some forward-thinking and clever design techniques.

IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, our relaxed lifestyle and climate encourages us to live, relax and entertain outside, and at home we want to bring the outside inside.

If you are going to spend money on adding or including an ‘outdoor room’ in your renovation or build, you want it to be a useful and comfortable space that you can enjoy any time of day and in any season.

I often see an outdoor room with a solid roof tacked onto a house next to the windows of an internal living area. The roof obstructs the flow of natural light to the inside, the outdoor space heats up in summer and both indoor and outdoor

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spaces need extra heat in winter - thus increasing your energy bill and defeating the purpose of adding an extra room.

By employing some clever design techniques you can avoid these traps and create an outdoor room to enjoy all year round. Using a house that I recently completed as an example, these are my top five tips on how to achieve this.

POSITION AND PROPORTION – ROOM RELATIONS Carefully consider the effect that the outdoor room will have on your internal living spaces. Ideally, the outdoor room should flow

seamlessly from your internal rooms.

At my client’s home, the outdoor terrace is positioned to enjoy views of the Swan River.

It nestles within the ‘L’ of the formal dining room on one side and the kitchen and meals on the other.When the sliding doors are fully primolife.com.au

open the internal/external areas join together and one space flows into the next.

LIGHT AND WEATHER The roof and walls of your outdoor room should not obstruct but allow natural light and air into your internal living area, while also providing protection from the elements.

During the winter months the sun should warm the indoor rooms; in summer the shade and air drafts should help to cool the area.

At my client’s home, we installed a glass roof over the terrace with an automated sunshade device below the glass. This provides necessary shade in summer and when retracted allows the winter sun to warm the terrace. A wisteria vine has been planted that will soften the feel of the glass/ steel structure and act as a buffer where it connects with the house.

In another house the living, dining and deck spaces face north and the deck area has a glass roof, allowing the inside dining room to enjoy the winter sunshine. A mature grapevine grows beneath the glass, its deciduous leaves providing seasonal shade to the deck during the hot summer months.

The vine is thriving there, as if it was in a green house.

A built enclosure is not always required as nothing beats the space below the canopy of a large tree for a fantastic feeling of enclosure and belonging in the outdoor environment.

CREATE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION External walls can fall away by using large retractable sliding doors which open completely to integrate the indoor and

FRESH AIR VIEWS The joy of living in such a warm climate is that we can make the most of plenty of time out of doors - especially in a specially designed outdoor room like those above.

outdoor areas.

The blurring of the indoor/outdoor boundary can be enhanced by using some of the external wall finishes on the inside; such as the beautiful stone, wood and copper cladding, as shown at my client’s home.

Although not always possible, it will add to the seamless effect if the internal and external floor levels can be at the same height. Enhance this further by using the same type of flooring across both areas. (It’s worth noting that if this is achievable, you will need to address how rainwater will efficiently escape so as not to flood your house).

OPTIONAL EXTRAS There is a fashion at the moment of including some expensive extras such as extravagant outdoor kitchens, often installed only metres away from an already lavish indoor kitchen. Ask yourself - do you really need a second kitchen? A barbecue, particularly in Australia, is probably a definite, however, if you are building it in, does it need to take centre stage?

My advice is that barbecues should be adjacent to the outdoor area but should not interrupt the view or clutter the available space. This also means that expensive and unsightly exhaust systems are not required.

Lighting and music enhance entertaining and relaxation but are often forgotten when planning, their omission sorely regretted when retrofitting wiring. Candlelight and a portable music system will, of course, suffice, but if you are going the whole distance, consider recessing light fittings into the steel beams over your outdoor room.

FURNISHINGS In the early planning stages, take time to think about the way you like to live and entertain and reflect this in the furnishings you choose. As a result make sure that the proportions of the outdoor space allow for sensible furniture layouts.

If you are installing permanent seating or tables, will they obstruct any views or traffic areas? A bench seat on my client’s terrace allows a through-view of the Swan River, while at the same time doubling as a balustrade barrier to the drop on the lower side of the terrace.

Outdoor furniture can be as comfortable as the furniture in the living room, including side tables, lamps, outdoor rugs and coffee tables.

An outdoor room should be a functional space that actually makes living outside enjoyable, at home. It should not compromise the indoor space or duplicate it.

There is nothing better than feeling comfortable and cozy in your outdoor room, a place from which you can see the stars above while enjoying the comforts of your living room style furniture surrounded by candlelight. PL For more information about Neil’s architecture practice and the homes he has designed, visit neilcowniearchitect.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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H&Gdecor

COLOUR MADE EASY Using a pre-tint paint can make the whole decorating experience easy peasy.

COLOUR IN THE home can instantly transform a space and add value and appeal, however deciding on a colour scheme can be a daunting task.

Dulux has simplified the colour selection process with the release of its new Design Trends Pre-Tint range – eight special edition colours to get the latest seasonal looks with minimal fuss.

Homeowners and renovators can now feel empowered to become their own decorator, says Dulux colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr. “Choosing an accent colour to integrate into your home’s design aesthetic can be overwhelming,” says Andrea.

“Dulux has selected key colours in its pre-tint range to make colour selection effortless, working with the latest four seasonal looks to provide a contemporary scheme that works.”

Homeowners looking to make an impact can try an accent wall using a pastel palette - a combination of Dulux Aura and Dulux Ellen in soft organic shapes.

“These soft pale pinks and muted mauves can be used together, or in conjunction with neutral whites, to create calm, sophisticated spaces,” says Andrea.

For a dynamic look and for lovers of bright and bold blues, Dulux Affinity and Dulux Porpoise Place work well to highlight key architectural features.

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“Create a bold feature by using colour on a ceiling or accent wall in a graphic grid.

“To complete the look, choose a patterned carpet or rug to set off your coloured wall,” she says.

The third look involves a moody blue, Dulux Rainmaker, offset with a rich neutral, Dulux Gnu Tan, to create a sedate and tranquil atmosphere.

“Partnering dark shades with lighter earthy-based hues not only is a liveable scheme that is timeless; but creates a space with depth. Furnishings in multiple textures, from leather to wool, soften the imposing colours which in turn relaxes the space.”

The last palette is drawn from greens and mineral hues, Dulux Armada and Dulux Domain - colours which are easy to scheme together or with white, working beautifully in casual spaces as well as formal rooms.

“These greens create a tranquil and serene setting, and can blend seamlessly between indoor and outdoor spaces,” says Andrea. PL The limited edition Dulux Design Trends Pre-Tint range is available in two-litre tins and retails for $59.95 – the perfect size for an accent colour pop. Available in Bunnings and Mitre 10 for a limited time only. For more colour or painting advice view the Dulux ‘how to projects’ online at dulux.com.au

Win

A $600 voucher for Dulux pre-tint paint! Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife. com.au for details.

Good luck!

For a dynamic look and for lovers of bright and bold blues, Dulux Affinity and Dulux Porpoise Place work well to highlight key architectural features.

primolife.com.au

More than windows

2014 WINNER

NU-WAY GLASS & GLAZING are specialists in double and triple glazed windows and doors, facades and conservatories. Our products are top quality and incorporate the use of cutting-edge technologies with German made compounds.

We apply a wide range of materials including various types of timber, and variety of uPVC and aluminum profile systems, as well as composite systems such as timber-aluminum and uPVCaluminum.

Nu-Way Glass & Glazing is also a specialist in manufacturing, supplying and installation of full range of shower screens, sliding robes, kitchen splashbacks and mirrors.

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Find our stand at Homebase: (08) 9388 1088 First Floor, Stand 108, 55 Salvado Road., Subiaco.

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www.nuwayglass.com.au

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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H&Gcrockery Alfresco Birdie Plate Larder, $6.95 each.

Visit larder.com.au/ collections/crockery

PLATE UP There are some gorgeous ways to serve up a meal these days - here’s our pick of the best crockery around.

Tessellate Modular Shapes, Hayden Youlley Design.

Tessellate Square $42; Tessellate Pentagon $47; Tessellate Triangle $37.

Visit haydenyoulley.com

Ceramic Tea Pot $39.95; Ceramic Cup & Saucer, $19.95, Mozi Forest Fable Collection, Visit mozi.com.au

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

primolife.com.au

Win

This salad bowl. Visit PRIMOLife's Facebook page or primolife.com. au for details.

Blue & White salad bowl, $53, Pintado Toledo.

Visit sunspots.com.au

Good luck!

Sunshine Small Bowl Larder, $6.95 each.

Visit larder.com.au/ collections/crockery

Terre di Scirocco Chicken Bowl, $189, Strawberry 1L wine jug, $89.95, Pintado Toledo.

Visit sunpots.com.au

Paper Series - Colour, Hayden Youlley Design.

Dinner Bowl $53; Dessert Bowl $43; Side Plate $45; Dinner Plate $53; Coffee Cup $45; Cup/Beaker $45.

Visit haydenyoulley.com

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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Take five...

Horoscopes

by PATSY BENNETT | ASTROCAST.COM.AU Horoscopes

by PATSY BEnnETT | ASTRoCAST.CoM.Au

ARIES

GEMINI

March 21-April 20

You’ll get ahead with communications. You’ll feel the benefits of having your feet on the ground while also entertaining your more idealistic ventures. Try to initiate the majority of important discussions by mid-May, after which time Mercury retrograde will encourage you to discuss ideas further.

TAURUS

CANCER

April 21-May 21

May is largely about you; your partner or family and your values. You’ll feel like indulging in life’s delights and someone’s circumstances will affect yours more than usual, too. The full moon on the 4th could bring more passion your way. The new moon on the 18th should prove revitalising for your relationships.

July 24-Aug 23

Jupiter in Leo will bring new opportunities, increased vitality, and the sense that life is moving forward. You’ll feel more in the mood to keep up with momentum, and to implement plans in May; to make the most of the sense that you are on an upward swing. Avoid over-investing, be this financially or emotionally.

VIRGO

June 22-July 23

This month’s events will encourage you to put your house in order; not only financially, but also personally. If you feel you’ve taken on too much, slow down, or ask for help and delegate work. If you feel a tired situation must move forward, it’s time to put your energy into effecting change. It’s a good month to get set to turn a corner.

CROSSWORD

LEO

May 22-June 21

If life has been a little lack-lustre of late prepare for life to sparkle more as Jupiter begins to ring in positive changes affecting your self-esteem, vitality and potentially also your finances. Your sign’s ruler, Mercury, will turn retrograde in its own sign this month, indicating important matters will be up for review.

Aug 24-Sep 23

Your longer-term plans will come up for re-evaluation.

Would travel, study or even a move suit you? Avoid acting on misinformation this month by adopting a careful approach, especially to unanticipated behaviour from work colleagues. A practical approach duties will help you to get ahead realistically.

SCATTERWORD

o h d f r e i r i Rules: Form as many words as possible. Each word must contain the centre letter. Plurals made by adding “s” are not counted.

GOOD 19 BETTER 23 BEST 26

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DOWN

1 8 9 10 12 14 15 17 18 19 21 22

2 3 4 5 6 7 11 13 16 17 18 20

Girl (4) Victorious (10) Finished (8) Percolate (4) Painter (6) Show clearly (6) Resting (6) Threefold (6) Wound-mark (4) Cannibal (8) Happy (10) Above (4)

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Dictatorial (10) Cease (4) Strip (6) Hinder (6) Punish (8) Pace (4) Great merit (10) Blend (8) Perpetrate (6) Ligament (6) Sieve (4) Too (4)

SUDOKU How to play: You are given a 9x9 grid which has been divided up into nine 3x3 boxes.

The aim of the game is very simple: to fill each row, column and 3x3 box with the numbers from 1 to 9 inclusive.

© Reubens puzzles

ACROSS

primolife.com.au

SAgiTTAriUS

Sep 24-oct 23

Shared areas of your life will be in the spotlight, especially finances and duties. You may re-evaluate the way responsibilities or joint finances are distributed in your household or at work, but care must be taken to gather correct information, as a lack of the facts could trip you up. More activities with friends will be a positive highlight.

CApriCorN

oct 24-Nov 22

This month’s stars revolve around choices in your personal life. Both the full moon on the 4th and the new moon on the 18th suggest you’ll turn a corner in a key relationship. You may decide to alter agreements, but care must be taken to maintain balance. Weigh up the bigger picture.

piSCeS

dec 22-Jan 20

You’re known for your down-toearth side but you, too are a creative and fun-loving individual and, this month, you’ll get the opportunity to indulge in this side of yourself, especially with someone you love or with family. A chance to re-vamp your health or your looks will enable you to make the most of new options.

feb 20-march 20

Important decisions to do with travel will bring about a fresh beginning for you. Whether you take an adventurous break, or you simply forego holidays in favour of sprucing up your environment, this month’s events will encourage you to stride ahead with decisions which will, ultimately, provide you with the means to feather your own nest.

quick quiz

solutions

4 In TV series The City, Whitney works for which design house?

5 The Pritzker Prize is awarded annually for achievement in which field?

6 Judith Lucy (pictured) teamed up with which

7 A traditional tarte tatin is made with which fruit?

8 Who released the hit single Sledgehammer in 1986?

9 Past the Shallows is the debut novel of which Australian writer?

10 In which decade was The Paris Review established?

1 Liverpool. 2 True. 3 IKEA. 4 Diane von Furstenberg. 5 Architecture.

6 Jason Di Rosso. 7 Apple. 8 Peter Gabriel. 9 Favel Parrett. 10 1950s.

3 Ingvar Kamprad founded which company in 1943?

SCATTerWord:

film critic as temporary hosts of the ABC series At the Movies?

horrified, horrid, fired, fried, hider, hired, horde, direr, drier, rider, derro, order, fiord, hirer, herd, dire, ride, dero, doer, rode, ford, fire, rife, fore, heir, hire, hero, hoer, herr.

2 True or false: Lake Taupo is on the north island of New Zealand?

QUiCK QUIZ:

FinD-A-WoRD { Theme: Time } Find these words in the grid: momeNT

Age

moNTh

AlArm

morNiNg

AUTUmN

NighT

before

NooN

dAWN

pACe

dAy

SeASoN

eoN(x2)

SeCoNd

erA

SemeSTer

eve

Term

hoUr

Time

iNSTANT

WATCh

miNUTe

yeAr

SUdoKU:

AfTer

fiNd-A-Word:

1 The 1989 Hillsborough disaster occurred at the FA Cup semi-final match between Nottingham Forest and who?

Jan 21-feb 19

Upbeat Jupiter in your partnership zone will bring open-hearted people your way, and it’ll be up to you to determine which activities will be most beneficial, as there is an element of mystery this month. While, for many, relationships will thrive, it’s as well to be discerning about where you place your trust.

CroSSWord:

SCorpio

AQUAriUS

Nov 23-dec 21

Important changes to the way you work or to your daily routine may cause you to re-evaluate your priorities this month. And, as study, overseas or spiritual matters gain ground in your life, you’ll feel the need to change the focus of your interests or your activities accordingly. Ensure you obtain all the facts you’ll need to make decisions.

ACroSS: 1 Lass; 8 Triumphant; 9 Complete; 10 Seep; 12 Artist; 14 Evince; 15 Static; 17 Treble; 18 Scar; 19 Maneater; 21 Felicitous; 22 Over. doWN: 2 Autocratic; 3 Stop; 4 Divest; 5 Impede; 6 Chastise; 7 Step; 11 Excellence; 13 Intermix; 16 Commit; 17 Tendon; 17 Sift; 20 Also.

librA

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOproperty

Welcome to the property section of PRIMOLife

PEARD REAL ESTATE OFFICE LOCATIONS

karratha

dampier

11

Bateman 65 Broadhurst Crescent roebourne

Expressions of Interest bed 4

bath 2

onslow

pannawonica

Luxury, Location, Lifestyle!

65 Broadhurst Cres, Bateman has to be one of the most beautifully presented homes in Bateman. The degree of excellence, thought and attention to detail that has gone into creating this masterpiece is immediately apparent.

Style, class and quality abound! With so many reasons to view, it has to be top of your list.

WELCOME TO THE May issue of PRIMOLife and with it, some bright spots on the Perth property market.

Looking at the glass half full, while the overall trend still points to a period of weakening in prices, you may be surprised to learn that certain areas in Perth are starting to see property demand increase.

Well located, inner suburbs within eight to 10km of the CBD are attracting strong attention and, overall, it’s expected they will maintain or slightly improve on their median house prices throughout the remainder of the year. In saying this, economic growth remains weak and unemployment has been rising at a fairly constant pace, leaving consumers and home owners nervous about the state of the property market and its future.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is combatting this uncertainty by cutting its official cash rate to record lows, even suggesting the possibility of future cuts in the coming weeks. So what are these rate cuts actually achieving? Well, the forward indicators show the market is responding to them - which is one very big benefit.

Why? Because we’re starting to see an increase in investors and first homebuyers entering the market, which of course is good for sellers and even better for creating growth in the broader economy which has its own positive knock-on effects.

Housing affordibility has improved considerably over the last year and with a sizeable increase in listings, homebuyers have far more choice than they did two years ago - bright spots are continuing to emerge and we at Peard Real Estate are here to help you find them.

I hope you enjoy our May issue of PRIMOLife - happy reading.

port hedland

marg.kudla@peard.com.au

This high quality fully renovated home, in sort after Bateman is situated on a 698sqm block. A very peaceful and serene location, this beautiful home is located close to schools, Murdoch University, St John of God Hospital and the upcoming Fiona Stanley Hospital, major transport, shopping centres and parks.

Tom Price Paraburdoo

Opportunities to purchase homes of this calibre in the area are rare, so don’t delay! To view this property call Marg Kudla today on 0457 515 007.

12

7

car 1

Marg Kudla 0457 515 007

victoria park

bull creek 8

9 Peter Peard CEO of The Peard Real Estate Group

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48

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

primolife.com.au

F I N A N C E

p: (08) 9273 8955 e: enquiries@peardfinance.com.au w: www.peardfinance.com.au

PRIMOcareers

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Thinking about a career in real estate? You’re in luck! The Peard Career Centre is recruiting for their next intake, says Dea Lalovic.

THIS TIME LAST year, Peard Real Estate was celebrating the launch of a Sales Associate training course as part of a newly developed Peard Career Centre (PCC).

A WA-industry first, the course was designed to offer newcomers intensive industry training in preparation for a successful real estate career.

Today, the centre has proudly celebrated four groups of rookie-turned-professionals who have graduated and entered the industry with a wealth of knowledge, experience and drive.

Training Manager Sylvia Stephens says

50

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

the course has exceeded her expectations as it continues to evolve and offer new opportunities for graduates.

“We are now embodying a culture that promotes great teamwork and networking between students.

“This teamwork has been demonstrated through the accomplishments of the graduates who are achieving results similar to that of the more experienced Reps in the Group,” says Sylvia.

Sales Associate and recent graduate Natalia Dimovski has loved the networking side of things.

“I’ve really enjoyed meeting everyone involved in different areas of the company and learning about how they all work together. It really firms up the ‘family-run’ company feel which a lot of places will claim but don't really enforce.

“You become quite close to people in the class with you and form a good supportive comaraderie with each other.

“It’s nice to start off your career making contacts with people who you can relate to but also knowing that you have an instant network that now spreads across several Peard offices,” says Natalia.

From speaking to the graduates, there’s no question that they all think highly of their mentor Sylvia, describing her as experienced, knowledgeable and always approachable.

Sales Associate Thanh Nguyen pays Sylvia the ultimate compliment when asked about his favourite aspect of the course. primolife.com.au

“The highlight of the course was really Sylvia herself,” he says. “Her style of teaching and the way she went through everything in such detail was extremely helpful. She’s a great teacher and mentor.”

Natalia couldn’t agree more, referring to Sylvia as a “true professional”.

“I really like that Sylvia is still active in the industry. A lot of trainers have a background in, or years of experience, teaching in a particular field, but are not currently active in it.

“You can see Sylvia’s passion for the industry, she really loves her job and is able to get you excited and motivated about all of the opportunities,” says Natalia.

While all new real estate professionals in WA must complete the REIWA Real Estate Registration Course, the compulsory training stops there, with Sales Associates free to begin prospecting and selling property as soon as their registration comes through.

For many of the PCC graduates, that has become a scary thought in retrospect.

Andreas Nikakos says having now completed the PCC course, he couldn’t imagine having entered the industry without it.

“The REIWA course is great, but it does not give you the in-depth training that PCC does.

“There is so much that isn’t covered which would be really beneficial for new Reps to know before they step out into the

real world,” says Andreas.

Natalia couldn’t agree more.

“After I completed my registration course, I had a lot of information and felt pretty confident in my knowledge and my ability to follow up and study.

“That was until I did the PCC course and realised just how much I didn’t know.

“This learning is so much more indepth. It is scary how much extra industry information is not shared in the registration course which really should be,” says Natalia.

Sylvia has always believed in the need for extra learning and says the transformation she sees in Reps completing the course continues to amaze her.

“My favourite aspect of teaching the courses has to be the satisfaction I gain by watching the brand new Sales Associates grow from slightly nervous, uncertain and apprehensive ones, to confident, well trained and enthusiastic professionals.

“Many of the so-called rookies are listing their first property while still in the course, which really speaks for itself,” says Sylvia.

Embarking on a real estate career can be a daunting move, but with the help of the Peard Career Centre, the company’s new Sales Associates have everything they need to experience success, and much sooner.

Of course it takes a lot of hard work and dedication from the individual after all, a real estate career is what you make it - but a helping hand will certainly provide a head start. PL

The REIWA course is great, but it does not give you the in-depth training that PCC does.

WE’RE RECRUITING!

Are you considering a career in real estate? Contact Peard Real Estate’s Business Resource Manager, Melissa Farrell, to find out when the next Peard Career Centre course commences. The right candidates will be provided with a position in one of our offices, a proven course module and expert training from company and industry professionals. Call Melissa today on 0404 084 244 and find out why our Sales Associates are enjoying industry success sooner rather than later.

Steady progress remains a feature of the Peard Real Estate Group’s performance in March.

REIWA March 2015 Statistics

TOP 30 ROOKIES

TOP 30 SALESPERSONS

— by listings sold

6

9

28

— by listings sold

DAMIEN LLOYD Peard Real Estate Leederville 3 Listings sold

19

KATHY MCGURK Peard Real Estate Mindarie 3 Listings sold

30

JULIET WILLS Peard Real Estate Hillarys 1 Listing sold

LEE PARKINSON Peard Real Estate Joondalup 7 Listings sold KAREN RICHES Peard Real Estate Hillarys 6 Listings sold

TOP 30 BRANCHES — by listings sold

2

PEARD HILLARYS 56 Listings sold

5

PEARD JOONDALUP 30 Listings sold

9

PEARD MINDARIE 27 Listings sold

TOP 30 BRANCHES

By value sold

1

PEARD HILLARYS $39,526,500

11

PEARD JOONDALUP $20,559,500

21

PEARD MINDARIE $14,379,200

29

PEARD LEEDERVILLE $12,627,500

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

51

FOR SALE Alkimos 12 Flare Way

$599,000 - $620,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

A substantial family home in an elevated location with beautiful ocean views at this incredible price! Ideally located close to the beach and landscaped park lands, this comfortable home offers a fantastic floor plan offering fabulous living spaces for everyone.

CONTACTS Steve Wilcox/Paul Turner PHONE 0421 277 366/0400 072 005 EMAIL steve.wilcox@peard.com.au

Alkimos 33 Chesstree Avenue

$499,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

If you are looking for the perfect home for you and your loved Ardross look no further! Grand sensational family living!

1-3/24 Leverburgh Street ones, Proudly presented for sale by Thomas Di, these three triple

Armadale 26 Cohuna Drive

bed 4 bath 2 car 2

bed 3 bath 1 car 2

$1,150,000 - $1,300,000

storey luxurious homes are brilliantly located in the heart Ardross, facing Applecross Senior High School and only approximately 100 meters walk to Garden City CONTACT Thomas Di Shopping Centre!

PHONE 0467 208 406 EMAIL thomas.di@peard.com.au

Aveley 5 Virago Street

bed 4 bath 2 car 2

bed 4 bath 2 car 2

From $569,000

Aveley 8 Demesne Circuit

$529,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2 52

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

home with everything you could wish for. Features lovely wood floors, high ceilings to the living areas, reverse cycle ducted air conditioning and sparkling below ground pool.

CONTACT Sandy Watts

OFFERS INVITED

This Dale Alcock Home in a whisper quiet location of Aveley is priced to sell and represents outstanding value in this market.

Situated within the catchment area of Aveley Primary School and within walking distance to all the fantastic features this award winning estate has to offer, this property will be very sought after in this price range.

Aveley 9 Candela Way

PHONE 0412 448 891 EMAIL sandy.watts@peard.com.au

CONTACT Rod McDougall PHONE 0418 909 954 EMAIL rod.mcdougall@peard.com.au

CONTACT Kim Riley PHONE 0449 781 685 EMAIL kim.riley@peard.com.au

$319,000-$339,000

Gorgeous 4x2 with below ground pool in a fantastic location, Ashby a lovely park in whisper quiet location. Not only will 17 Bonington Parkway opposite you have the best location you will also have a sensational

From $429,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Generously proportioned open floor plan that epitomises relaxation and the ideal family lifestyle. Modern in style, this well presented 4 bedroom residence is nestled in amongst quality homes and will appeal to the growing family.

Now is your opportunity to secure an amazing property zoned R15/R25 with two group dwelling potential - Possibly retain and build subject to council approval.Strategically situated within walking distance to beautiful parks, school, bus routes and within close proximity to major shopping centres, train station and restaurants, this location cannot CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno be more ideal.

PHONE 0422 774 044 EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

This Homebuyer Centre Display Home is situated in a premium location of Aveley and will hold value above others due to the quality of homes around it. Currently leased back at $3202.50 per month ($739.70pw) and fully maintained by the Lessee to Display Home condition during the term of the lease, makes this a very sound and astute investment.

CONTACT Rod McDougall PHONE 0418 909 954 EMAIL rod.mcdougall@peard.com.au

This well presented house has been thoughtfully designed and finished, making it an ideal choice for those with an eye to detail and looking only for the best! From its attractive street appeal to its generous sized rooms this home has it all.

This outstanding 3 x 2 house is by no means your standard home, and must be viewed to really appreciate what it CONTACT Natasha Cheung has to offer.

PHONE 0433 288 953 EMAIL natasha.cheung@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Aveley 31 Ridley Street

From $549,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Aveley 39 Ridley Street

From $549,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Exceptional value in one of the most sought after locations in The Vale Estate! This four bedroom two bathroom family home complete with swimming pool is located within walking distance to everything that makes this outstanding estate such a desirable location to live. This is without doubt the best value four bedroom home with a pool on the market in Aveley, today! CONTACT Rod McDougall PHONE 0418 909 954 EMAIL rod.mcdougall@peard.com.au

Aveley 383 Millhouse Road

From $625,000 bed 5 bath 2 car 2

Wow, BIG really is best! Not only is this home in a great location close to parks, schools, transport etc BUT its a home that has enough room for even the biggest family with four super sized bedrooms, fifth bedroom/ nursery, theatre room, study, plus activity room! With high ceilings throughout, lovely BIG picture windows flooding the rooms with natural light, & a soft, modern dcor - this stunning home sits on a BIG 658sqm block with side access possible through double gates allowing plenty of space for family, CONTACT Belinda Lawrence friends & all the toys!

PHONE 0432 547 921 EMAIL belinda.lawrence@peard.com.au

This immaculately presented 2 storey executive home backs onto one of Aveley's finest parks and provides the perfect setting for family living and entertaining. Nestled amongst other well-presented properties, and within walking distance to the local shops and primary schools, a property of this standard wont last long.

CONTACT Natasha Cheung PHONE 0433 288 953 EMAIL natasha.cheung@peard.com.au

Balcatta 45 Hanworth Street $599,000 - $629,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

Baldivis 10 Aldersyde Meander

From $479,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Baldivis 18 Harperia Way

$499,000 - $539,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Ideal Location, Flawless Presentation Not a cent to spend, simply move right in! Displaying flawless low-maintenance living, this stunning 4 bedroom 2 bathroom residence occupies a position amongst other immaculate homes in this most popular and conveniently located precinct of Baldivis.

CONTACTS Wayne Hocking/Megan Stone PHONE 0414 863 854/0407 120 166 EMAIL wayne.hocking@peard.com.au

Welcome to 18 Harperia Way Baldivis! This Quality Peter Stannard home has been built to perfection on an easy to maintain 540sqm Block, Professionally painted throughout the owner has spared no expense. Situated close to the brand new Tuart Rise Primary School with easy access to the recently upgraded Baldivis Shopping Centre and nearby parklands.

CONTACT Ashley Beard PHONE 0433 323 717 EMAIL ashley.beard@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

Plenty of Room This delightful 3 bed home with a fantastic and spacious modern kitchen is in a prime location close to the local shops, schools, access to public transport and the option of numerous parks. You can also enjoy kicking around in the enormous backyard with plenty of lawn for the kids or pets to play. Features include large lounge room with wall air conditioner and polished floorboards.

Baldivis 68 Abington Avenue

$179,000

Shaun Pettit 0411 725 511 shaun.pettit@peard.com.au

Location is what's on offer with this perfectly positioned block in a quiet cul de sac location close to the freeway and shopping centre, surrounded by public & private primary & high schools. Planning to down size or build your 1st home there is no better location than Abington Ave. CONTACT Jemima Botha PHONE 0416 406 410 EMAIL jemima.botha@peard.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

53

FOR SALE Banksia Grove 55 Leschenault Loop

From $470,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Beldon 2A Graphic Court

From $275,000

Dont delay- enquire now! Great location! This quality 4x2 set in the new area of this booming suburb. Great appeal throughout and quality finishings make this one a real stand out. Huge open plan main living area, his & hers en-suite, stone top kitchen benches and 900mm oven cooker + dishwasher, alfresco off main living area, good size rear yard, perfect for kids and CONTACT Ben Hanson pets.

PHONE 0402 785 410

Beldon 2 Graphic Court

Build your dream home on this elevated, level block - it offers extensive parkland views & potential ocean glimpses from a second storey.The almost square, 351 sqm block with 17m & 20m boundaries will allow a great variety of single or two storey options.

The block is 351 sqm with a 121 sqm exclusive use, completely separate driveway giving a total of 472 sqm. Fabulous cul de sac location.

Bertram 15 Antrim Way

BEACHSIDE BLISS !!

Holiday all year round in this resort styled three storey Webb, Brown & Neaves built classic. Warm neutral tones fuss effortlessly with massive open living areas, soaring ceiling voids and cabana styled entertaining. A brilliant design and absolutely priced to please !!

If you had just about given up hope of finding a quality large Burns Beach home in the beautiful suburb of Burns Beach, then 20 Mattingleys Approach family dont! Creating an immediate impression of comfort and

EMAIL ben.hanson@peard.com.au

CONTACT Shane Capelli PHONE 0410 339 499 EMAIL shane.capelli@peard.com.au

Burns Beach 18 Whitehorses Drive

From $1,295,000 bed 4 bath 3 car 3

Burns Beach 25 Whitehorses Drive

From $1,390,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2 54

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

CONTACT Todd Utley PHONE 0417 910 967 EMAIL todd.utley@peard.com.au

BRACE YOURSELF FOR SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL !!

Capturing the essence of a calming beachside lifestyle, this tantalizing seaside mansion boasts the majority of the living upstairs to take advantage of the Indian Ocean views and is just a stones throw to the beachfront. This unique and exciting abode will have you set for life !!

CONTACT Todd Utley PHONE 0417 910 967 EMAIL todd.utley@peard.com.au

This gorgeous home will surprise you it offers two huge living spaces, separate study, renovated kitchen & parkland views all on an elevated, easy care block. The renovated kitchen overlooks the outdoors, renovated laundry, beautifully landscaped terraced gardens out front & spacious outdoor entertaining under the huge patio with extensive paving & easy care gardens out back, reverse cycle air conditioning, solar hot water, 2 gas points, security doors & windows, garden shed & so much more!!

CONTACT Shane Capelli PHONE 0410 339 499 EMAIL shane.capelli@peard.com.au

From $499,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Dont miss the opportunity to inspect this immaculately presented 3b/r cottage block home featuring polished floating timber floors from entry throughout the home. No more huge gardens and lawns to care for and ideal as a starter home in this price bracket and will be hard to beat.

$379,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

CONTACT David Lomax PHONE 0409 084 940 EMAIL david.lomax@peard.com.au

$849,000 - $869,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Burns Beach 34 Burleigh Drive

From $889,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

convenience, this value packed family residence offers a functional single level layout with modern features.

CONTACT Kim Riley PHONE 0449 781 685 EMAIL kim.riley@peard.com.au

This quality 4 bedroom APG home is waiting for you and your family to move in at make it your home. A statement of effortless contemporary living, that is awash with state-of-the-art features, generous proportions and quality finishes.

CONTACT Kim Riley PHONE 0449 781 685 EMAIL kim.riley@peard.com.au View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Butler 18 Carlin Way

From $399,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Butler 31 Swavesey Avenue

From $520,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 3

Canning Vale 13 Maccalla Green

$559,000-$579,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Canning Vale 17 Rudd Cove

$569,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

The perfect package of 4 bedrooms with ample living space on a manageable 348sqm block size, this is a must see! Once you walk in you will be impressed with the size of this home, with all the hard work done for you to sit back and enjoy.

Featuring large front living room flowing through to the open plan kitchen, dining and family area.

CONTACTS Paul Turner/Steve Wilcox PHONE 0400 072 005/0421 277 366 EMAIL paul.turner@peard.com.au

Stunning presentation, majestic whisper location.Quality built home that will please the most disconcerting buyer.

Open plan living incorporating huge kitchen. Room for a pool Close to schools and shopping centres.

Beat the rush and call today.

CONTACT Jeff Parkes PHONE 0418 923 989 EMAIL jeff.parkes@peard.com.au

This is a rare find! Fantastic family home in great location... 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, master with en-suite that has a glass walk in shower and new vanity, large walk in robe.

New carpet to lounge and dining that over looks parkland.

Open plan living to family meals and games room. With too many extras to list, viewing is a must.

CONTACT Karen Willis PHONE 0437 704 427 EMAIL karen.willis@peard.com.au

Quiet cul de sac location, surrounded by quality homes is this three bedroom, two bathroom plus study home with modern kitchen, reverse cycle a/c, beautiful solid wooden floors, formal lounge with French doors, open plan living, large minor bedrooms, huge main bedroom, double garage offering rear access to the back, paved patio entertaining area and CONTACT Jemima Botha grass for the dog.

PHONE 0416 406 410 EMAIL jemima.botha@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

Butler 3 Uppingham Way

From $429,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Butler 7 Frensham Street

From $569,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Canning Vale 15 Stainsby Turn

From $649,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Canning Vale 8 Kanani Drive

$499,000-$535,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Located in the popular Brighton community of Butler, this modern home has literally just been built. Situated within walking distance of the newly completed Butler train station, as well being close to local shopping centres, parks, schools & other amenities, this property provides all the benefits of modern living. This is a fantastic opportunity for young families looking to buy or an investor keen to snap up a very rentable 4x2. 307sqm block.

CONTACTS David Mead/Gemima Mead PHONE 0428 814 407/0428 814 407 EMAIL david.mead@peard.com.au

Its an absolute pleasure to be bringing 7 Frensham Street Butler to market. This beautiful family home is well presented offering all that the growing family could wish for. Located in one of Butlers top spots, with friendly neighbours and the benefit of being a short walk to some great schools, shops and parks.

CONTACTS Paul Turner/Steve Wilcox PHONE 0400 072 005/0421 277 366 EMAIL paul.turner@peard.com.au

This is an outstanding opportunity to lock in an amazing lifestyle while interest rates are at historic lows. Built in 2006 this charming family home is packed with superb features, 4 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms PLUS Study PLUS Activity room situated on a massive 600sqm block, conveniently located close to schools, shopping centre, public transport and a host of amenities. CONTACT PK (Pankaj Kapur) PHONE 0424 194 509 EMAIL p.k@peard.com.au

Beautiful family home, huge back garden with lots of room for pets and kids to play. 4 bedrooms, master bedroom has en suite, separate lounge, Open plan living to kitchen, family and meals area. Double carport with shoppers entry to kitchen. Fully paved entertaining area with patio.

Ducted air con and extra split system to family area.

Walking distance to parks, CONTACT Karen Willis shops and restaurants.

PHONE 0437 704 427 EMAIL karen.willis@peard.com.au

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

55

FOR SALE Canning Vale 57 Draycott Loop

From $869,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Carine 39 Wessex Street

From $849,000 bed 4 bath 2

Carine 7 Silver Place

$869,000 - $909,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Clarkson 26 Capitol Turn

From $519,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2 56

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Entertainers Delight!This is the one you have been waiting for! Designed to support and maximise your lifestyle pleasure, this beautifully presented home is built on a 678 sqm block with 246 sqm of living and a total of 326 sqm.

This exceptional home is located in a quiet street in the popular Ranford Estate close to schools, shopping centres, medical centre CONTACT Karen Lloyd and transport.

PHONE 0421 614 447

Carine 3 Bradwell Court

A home for the entertainer in us all; this superbly maintained family home will wow you. Part of a quiet neighbourhood with Carine High School & Primary School close by, parks a short stroll away & easy freeway access, this property has something for all members of the family. This delightful brick & tile home has been renovated & modernised with significant variations to the layout, which has opened up many of the living areas.

CONTACT Karen Riches PHONE 0408 646 651 EMAIL karen.riches@peard.com.au

Carine 5a Kings Court

Enjoy beautiful tree-top views from this architect-designed tri-level home, on an elevated cul-de-sac street located just a short walk from Carine High! Generous floorplan with big formal and casual areas, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double garage, pool and a workshop for the home handyman.

Not to be missed!

Carramar 144 Golf Links Drive

EMAIL karen.lloyd@peard.com.au

CONTACT Namita Mehra PHONE 0409 920 737 EMAIL namita.mehra@peard.com.au

Being so close to so much you will create time living in this exceptionally presented 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home like brand new. A stones throw to the train station. Minutes drive to major shopping centre, Mindarie marina. Life does not get any better.

CONTACT Jeff Parkes PHONE 0418 923 989 EMAIL jeff.parkes@peard.com.au

A whisper-quiet cul-de-sac location close to the Karrinyup border & just footsteps from the lush Corander/Lanterns Reserve with a fully-equipped playground for the kids is the fitting setting for this family home that offers everything from a study/activity area to formal & casual living zones & even a separate games room/powered workshop/potential granny flat out back!

(STCA) Living has never been easier!

From $799,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

CONTACT Karen Riches PHONE 0408 646 651 EMAIL karen.riches@peard.com.au

This charming renovated duplex in a quiet cul-de-sac offers privacy and easy care living in a pocket of Carine that is super convenient.

This feel good home comes complete with formal entry, open plan living and dining, kitchen, covered alfresco entertaining, grassed backyard area and single lock up garage plus off-road driveway parking; this home is renovated and fresh and embodies the essence of an easy-care lifestyle perfectly.

From $585,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

From $680,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 3

Clarkson 8 Tuxedo Link

From $475,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

CONTACT Karen Riches PHONE 0408 646 651 EMAIL karen.riches@peard.com.au

Spacious, stylish Tuscan home with flair, massive 310.800sqm under main roof, triple garage with workshop and even room for your caravan or boat. Ideally located amongst million dollar homes and short stroll to golf course.

Built by Ventura homes in approx. 2005 and situated on a wide 605sqm block. This stunning home has a real wow factor throughout.

CONTACT Sandy Watts PHONE 0412 448 891 EMAIL sandy.watts@peard.com.au

Spacious and well presented family home situated in great location, close to schools, transport and all amenities Clarkson has to offer. With not a cent to spend, this home would suit a family, first homebuyers, downsizers or the astute investor.

CONTACT Tish Thomas PHONE 0430 141 343 EMAIL tish.thomas@peard.com.au View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Doubleview 195 Grand Promenade

From $829,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

Doubleview 23 Princess Road

Contact Agent bed 5 bath 2 car 2

Doubleview 3 Ryndle Street

$1,100,000 - $1,150,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 2

Duncraig 39 Barker Drive

From $689,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 1

Fantastic development opportunity! With this prime 693 sqm lot in sort after north Doubleview location with easy freeway access, close proximity to schools, parklands and both Innaloo and Karrinyup shopping centres nearby. This is outstanding value!!

CONTACT Adam Mannino PHONE 0411 962 383 EMAIL adam.mannino@peard.com.au

You won’t want to miss this rare opportunity to be the lucky new owners of this well-presented family home, sitting high and mighty on a huge elevated 645sqm block. The property which is bursting with character boasts incredible views of the ocean, and to the other direction, seemingly endless views of the hills. This magnificent home is instantly inviting, full of potential, and could be all yours.

CONTACT Sam Mannino PHONE 0402 822 457 EMAIL sam.mannino@peard.com.au

Don’t miss your opportunity to secure this neatly presented and well maintained character family home, being the first time offered in almost 30 years. Superb elevated South Doubleview location on a HUGE 831sqm block. Your choice to further renovate and extend or simply enjoy the lifestyle on offer from the current dwelling.

CONTACT Sam Mannino PHONE 0402 822 457 EMAIL sam.mannino@peard.com.au

This charming home is warm & inviting, on an 840sqm block in a peaceful and family friendly street. Ideally positioned opposite a walkway to beautiful Marri Park, a stroll to local schools and Duncraig Shopping Centre, this is a wonderful neighbourhood to bring up the kids! Huge outdoor undercover area and amazing big back garden with established trees and garden beds with plenty of room for kids and pets to play.

CONTACT Frances Goncalves PHONE 0414 136 151 EMAIL frances.goncalves@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

There is something special here with this classic old world, Doubleview standing, brick & tile character home, open plan living 225 Flamborough Street free and in the fantasticly popular north Doubleview location.

End Date Sale bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Doubleview 29 Easton Lane

From $719,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Duncraig 22A Iolanthe Drive

Offers above $749,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Duncraig 4 Methuen Way

Offers bed 4 bath 2 car 2

No common areas or strata fees whatsoever!

CONTACT Adam Mannino PHONE 0411 962 383 EMAIL adam.mannino@peard.com.au

Quality built spacious 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home packed with all the extras. A perfect north facing outdoor entertaining area with spa bath and manicured lawns and gardens. Offering the perfect lifestyle here, its affordable, its beautiful, and it could be yours! Be quick for this one..

CONTACT Adam Mannino PHONE 0411 962 383 EMAIL adam.mannino@peard.com.au

Views to the East from the balcony of this 2 storey, 2 year old Domination built home. Stunning jarrah floors, huge kitchen with island bench and 2 separate living areas. Relax in the spa and enjoy the lifestyle. Call now to view this amazing property.

CONTACTS Paul Middleton/Sue Middleton PHONE 0419939391/0422046457 EMAIL team.middleton@peard.com.au

Sitting in the much sought-after Carine Glades precinct just metres from beautiful Carine Open Space and short walk to Warwick train Station, is this renovated gem! Offering 4 beds, 2 baths, casual formal and informal living areas, stunning outdoors with timber-lined alfresco and modern pool, and a chance to enjoy an envious life-style!

CONTACT Namita Mehra PHONE 0409 920 737 EMAIL namita.mehra@peard.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

57

FOR SALE East Victoria Park 22 Ashburton Street

CHARACTER CHARMER gorgeous 1928 weatherboard home in one of East Vic Parks best streets.

From $659,000

This property has been renovated and extended and ready for a new owner to add their own touches.

Features Include: Spacious modern kitchen CONTACT Tash Welburn Open plan dining and living PHONE 0409 884 176

bed 3 bath 2 car 2

East Victoria Park 6 Cadden Street

From $899,000 bed 6 bath 3 car 3

Ellenbrook 128 Charlottes Vista

Offers Invited bed 8 bath 3 car 4

EMAIL tash.welburn@peard.com.au

THERES nothing not to like about this stunning modern East Victoria Park 53A Westminster Street home.

This property oozes quality and style

From $739,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Seriously this is 2 houses combined into 1 6 bedrooms 3 bathrooms 2 Kitchens. YES you read correctly 6 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms AND 2 Kitchens Large 655sqm Green title block Great opportunity to live in one rent one out for student accommodation and charge per room Choices Choices Choices CONTACT Tash Welburn

East Victoria Park 76 Willis Street

This unique property situated on a 2009sqm block in Charlottes Vineyard has to be seen to be believed. Featuring not one but two quality homes, this has to be the most unique ever offered for sale in Ellenbrook. Both residences are of a high standard with all the creature comforts you would expect in a house of this stature.

Ellenbrook 27 Arbor Drive

PHONE 0409 884 176 EMAIL tash.welburn@peard.com.au

CONTACT Rod McDougall PHONE 0418 909 954 EMAIL rod.mcdougall@peard.com.au

AUCTION bed 3 bath 1 car 1

From $479,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Features include: 4 bedrooms 2 modern bathrooms CONTACT Tash Welburn Extra high ceilings PHONE 0409 884 176 2 living areas EMAIL tash.welburn@peard.com.au

Wow What a opportunity here only 1 owner ever so your chance to be the second!

Full 430sqm green title block 3 bedrooms Property to be sold as in condition Property to be AUCTIONED APRIL 18TH 1.30PM UNLESS SOLD PRIOR CONTACT Tash Welburn PHONE 0409 884 176 EMAIL tash.welburn@peard.com.au

This pretty federation home boasts solid Bamboo timber floors, a recently renovated kitchen with quality fit out and a great sized theatre room to enjoy those lazy afternoons. Enjoy all weather entertaining under your huge gabled patio and relax in your sparkling pool while the waterfall flows. This one won't last long!

CONTACT Tiffany Bray PHONE 0412 930 820 EMAIL tiffany.bray@peard.com.au

THINKING OF SELLING? CONTACT ONE OF OUR PREMIUM PROPERTY PEOPLE FOR A COMPLIMENTARY APPRAISAL. PEARD.COM.AU 58

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Ellenbrook 59 Oakhill Heights

From $539,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

You'll be surprised at the amount of space and value on offer with this property - truly a must see! Located on an elevated 759sqm block offering privacy, this light and spacious home reminiscent of the English country-side offers an excellent opportunity to add your very own touch. A classic home with a beautiful facade, that overlooks a gorgeous garden.

CONTACT Natasha Cheung PHONE 0433 288 953 EMAIL natasha.cheung@peard.com.au View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Ferndale 11A Bergall Court

From $399,000 bed 2 bath 1 car 1

Are you a first home buyer, thinking of downsizing or perhaps investing? This is it. Situated in a peaceful cul-de-sac, walking distance to Canning River reserve and offering low maintenance living. This property will suit first home buyers, downsizers and investors alike!

CONTACT Rian Pratama PHONE 0400 110 438 EMAIL rian.pratama@peard.com.au

Floreat 16 Bourneville Street AUCTION bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Gosnells 129A Anaconda Drive

$399,000 bed 4 bath 1 car 2

Gosnells 16 Birrel Place

From $349,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 2

Greenwood 24 Beaumont Way

$599,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 1

On this 829sqm block plus a four bedroom, one bathroom home offering a huge sunken family room, formal lounge, Kitchen/dining, air conditioning, walking distance to St Munchins Private School and easy access to Tonkin highway this home would be perfect to add your personal touches and make it yours.

CONTACT Jemima Botha PHONE 0416 406 410 EMAIL jemima.botha@peard.com.au

Spacious Family Living This delightful character home is not only a spacious family home with multiple living areas; it is also located in the sought after suburb of Floreat. With stunning character features throughout and a great garden for entertaining, you may have just stumbled across your next home. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a study/nursery space and a below ground pool this home has it all.

RENOVATED HOME ON A BIG BLOCK AT A BARGAIN PRICE!!

Take a look around the competition and you will clearly see the outstanding value of this renovated home situated on a 903sqm block. Situated in a whisper quiet cul-de-sac, within walking distance to beautiful parks and within close proximity to shops, restaurants, schools and public transport, the location CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno could not be more ideal.

PHONE 0422 774 044

Gosnells 7 Kyme Court

This beautifully maintained family home is generously proportioned throughout. The property includes a large store room as well as a separate 'chalet style' craft room & a powered shed. A garage under the main roof plus an extra long carport that will take at least another 2 cars lengthwise. Multiple living areas- large front lounge room & a connecting dining room plus family room which links to both the meals area & huge kitchen.

CONTACTS Julie Vincent/Ron Vincent PHONE 0403 809 445/0403 809 209 EMAIL julie.vincent@peard.com.au

Greenwood 7 Warner Place

EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

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From $389,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

$799,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Dean Bradley 0411 110 779 dean.bradley@peard.com.au

Take a look around the competition and you will clearly see the outstanding value of this amazing triplex potential property zoned R20/R40. Situated on a cul-de-sac locale within walking distance to train station and within close proximity to shops, schools, restaurants, bus routes and beautiful parks, this location cannot be more ideal.

CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno PHONE 0422 774 044 EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

Love & sweat has created this one off designed family home. Situated on a 720sqm block in a quiet cul de sac, this stunning home is finished off to very high specifications through out. Storage, connecting living areas & spacious bedrooms have all been addressed, plus a superb chefs kitchen & contemporary bathrooms will impress. Solid bamboo flooring flows from the entry through to living, kitchen, family/ dining & hallways.

CONTACTS Julie Vincent/Ron Vincent PHONE 0403 809 445/0403 809 209 EMAIL julie.vincent@peard.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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FOR SALE Greenwood 335 Warwick Road

From $629,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 1

Harrisdale 26 Whitmore Loop

$279,000

This spacious family home has a lot to offer with multiple living areas, a sparkling swimming pool & is located within the potential rezoning pocket of Greenwood. Upstairs there is a spacious parents retreat - living room where a tree top outlook may be enjoyed from its timber decked balcony. Well appointed kitchen has ample storage & bench space. Relax under the poolside patio, overlooking the sparkling swimming pool. A solar blanket is an added bonus.

CONTACTS Julie Vincent/Ron Vincent PHONE 0403 809 445/0403 809 209 EMAIL julie.vincent@peard.com.au

Gwelup 27 Abdale Street

Just before the area grows and expands yet again, this well positioned block, close to the family park, brand new proposed shopping centre, primary and high school due to be built in the near future and transport only minutes away this block is a great start. Whatever is your next move, this block is the one you've been waiting for.

Titled and ready CONTACT Jemima Botha to build on.

PHONE 0416 406 410

Heathridge 17 Ironwood Avenue

This lovely family home is a perfect starter home or investment!

There is plenty of room in the separate lounge & kitchen/dining areas. The backyard has a large grassed area for kids & pets to run around with a paved patio area & the secure double garage comprises of separate powered storage area & shed with drive-through access. 690sqm block, built 1978. Do not miss this opportunity!

Heathridge 4 Nandus Court

Located on approximately 683m2 this home is perfect for the whole family with a fantastic alfresco, backyard & spacious family living areas.

The design of this lovely home allows for comfortable living with the bedrooms quietly tucked away from the main communal living spaces.

Situated on an elevated, quiet culdesac location between both Eddystone & Heathridge Primary Schools with Belridge Senior High School just minutes away, this property is ideally located for families.

CONTACT Gaylene Bicheno PHONE 0419 929 616 EMAIL gaylene.bicheno@peard.com.au

Henley Brook 71 Sandown Circle

EMAIL jemima.botha@peard.com.au

Heathridge 30 Siren Road

Offers Invited bed 3 bath 2 car 4

Heathridge 8 Diemen Court

From $499,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 2 60

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

CONTACT Gaylene Bicheno PHONE 0419 929 616 EMAIL gaylene.bicheno@peard.com.au

Appealing, well maintained single level home with sensational street appeal, located in superb Old Gwelup and a short walk to Lake Gwelup Reserve. A rare offering and ultra handy location, situated within easy reach of freeway access points, Perth CBD and Trigg Beach.

ABSOLUTELY NO STRATA FEES!!

From $589,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

From $549,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 1

Offers Invited bed 4 bath 2 car 1

From $449,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 1

CONTACT Marcus Lord PHONE 0417 911 107 EMAIL marcus.lord@peard.com.au

Step inside and discover all the delights of this lovely 4brm, 2bth family home. Formal lounge and dining with laminated timber floors, tiled family and step down games room with room for everyone. Great size galley kitchen with dishwasher, window overlooking the outdoor entertaining area. This is a perfect home for your growing family with amenities close by to everything. CONTACT Sylvia Stephens PHONE 0412 930 129 EMAIL sylvia.stephens@peard.com.au

This 4x2 home with drive through access to rear is sure to tick all the boxes! Beautiful feature light decking leads the way into your new home with a lovely feature glass panel wide double door entrance! Including ducted evaporative air conditioning and a wood burning fireplace this home provides year round comfort for the whole family. Spacious outdoor entertaining area & a separate grassed area for kids & pets to play! Built 1986. 781sqm block CONTACT Gaylene Bicheno PHONE 0419 929 616 EMAIL gaylene.bicheno@peard.com.au

This versatile home could be 3 bedrooms plus study, or 4 bedrooms, or 2 master bedrooms both with ensuites. This home can be transformed into whatever suits your needs.

Outside you have a large patio area plus a free standing gazebo, with drive through access through to a big back yard with plenty of room for kids to play, or store your boat or caravan.

CONTACT Angie Pearce PHONE 0499 775 046 EMAIL angie.pearce@peard.com.au

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FOR SALE Hillarys 11 Seychelles Lane

From $1,350,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Hillarys 69 Amalfi Drive

From $1,295,000 bed 4 bath 4 car 2

Iluka 12 St Lucia Road

From $1,550,000 bed 4 bath 4 car 3

Inglewood 117 Tenth Avenue

Offers Above $1,385,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Spacious & stunning new home in idyllic Harbour Rise. With quality features & fittings throughout, & just footsteps from the coast this beautiful family home will impress! Flowing, versatile design - an entertainers delight. Modern styling, on trend tiles, tasteful colour palette & decorative cornices. Inviting warm mocha solid bamboo floors throughout. Quality light fittings including spectacular 1m spiral chandelier in stairwell. Sophisticated elegance & luxury providing an opulent ambience!

CONTACT Belinda Lawrence PHONE 0432 547 921 EMAIL belinda.lawrence@peard.com.au

Hillarys 47 Orient Circuit

If you are all about quality, style and attention to detail then this Seacrest Homes masterpiece is sure to impress.

Porcelain tiling, quality dcor, reverse cycle ducted air-conditioning & security system are just a few of the expected features in a house so grand and compliment every aspect of this 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom family home.

Hillarys 8 Gemmell Way

CONTACT Rob Nicholls PHONE 0407 442 222 EMAIL rob.nicholls@peard.com.au

From $889,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

From $849,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Prepare to be impressed by the sheer quality throughout this executive residence. Situated opposite leafy green parklands in the award winning & environmentally friendly C-Air Estate, this immaculately presented home is perfect for those who are after a low maintenance property.

Downstairs is filled with an abundance of space with a large open plan living area & exquisite kitchen conveniently both opening out onto the alfresco. This home is full of all the essential needs for todays modern lifestyle.

CONTACT Jarrod O'Neil PHONE 0411 103 617 EMAIL jarrod.oneil@peard.com.au

Fantastic opportunity polish and prosper. Large two storey residence in whisper quiet location. Galley kitchen with meals area, large open living area high racked ceilings, open fireplace with adjoining balcony taking in the coastal vistas & sea views up stairs. Separate games downstairs plus a separate free standing room to the back yard that would suit a multitude of usages overlooking a huge below ground concrete pool.

Massive double garage extra parking with room down the side.

683 square meter block.

CONTACT Jeff Coghill PHONE 0412 928 643 EMAIL jeff.coghill@peard.com.au

YOUR FUTURE IS NOW !!

A state of the art design by Brad Ladyman and nominated for the 2011 West Australian Residential Architectural Awards, this spectacular residence will captivate you with its cutting edge design, modern luxurious appointments and breathtaking ocean views. This one will surely set you apart from the crowd !!

CONTACT Todd Utley

FAMILY FRIENDLY AND ENTERTAINERS PARADISE !!

Iluka grand double storey with ideal separation for harmonious 133 Naturaliste Boulevard Afamily living, magnificent outdoor entertaining area with

This magnificent 1930s bungalow, sitting on a 711 sqm block, has had a superb modern extension and is packed full of stunning original lead-light doors & windows, high ornate ceilings & timber floors. With a sensational Chef’s kitchen, formal lounge & dining rooms, family room and a massive Master Bedroom. Bi-fold doors lead out to the pitched roof alfresco area, overlooking lush green gardens & spa, plus own bore.

CONTACTS Paul Middleton/Sue Middleton PHONE 0419939391/0422046457 EMAIL team.middleton@peard.com.au

Jindalee 43 Selacosa Avenue

PHONE 0417 910 967 EMAIL todd.utley@peard.com.au

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From $949,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 3

From $519,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

fenced sparkling pool plus a bonus triple garage with rear access. Quality finishes and sensational value make sure this home will impress !!

CONTACT Todd Utley PHONE 0417 910 967 EMAIL todd.utley@peard.com.au

Just completed this gorgeous contemporary home with ocean views in the beachside estate of Eden Beach is sure to impress! The modern and functional design of the home coupled with the stylish fittings and finishes throughout will tick all of your wish list boxes!

CONTACT Alison Beuck PHONE 0414 244 742 EMAIL alison.beuck@peard.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

61

FOR SALE Kallaroo 3 Mosman Court

From $1,125,000 Inglewood 193 Seventh Avenue From $1,150,000

bed 5 bath 2 car 2

Move in & enjoy the lifestyle in this beautiful two storey family home set in scenic setting in leafy North Shore Estate offering complete peace & seclusion in an enviable cul-de-sac locale, just minutes to Whitfords Beach, Whitfords Shopping Centre & within close proximity to Hillarys Marina. Designed for the perfect family lifestyle & packaged for carefree living, with a welcoming ambience & practical floor plan to suit the evolving needs of young & teenage families.

CONTACTS Sheila Stritch/Belinda Lawrence PHONE 0412 212 748/0432 547 921 EMAIL sheila.stritch@peard.com.au

bed 3 bath 2 car 2

ELEGANT CHARACTER You will love living in this gorgeous character home with its wonderful outdoor entertaining area and pool, all set on a family sized 690 sqm of land. Combined with its prime location in one of Inglewoods finest avenues, and perfect presentation, this home will be a dream come true to the next lucky owner. Offers impressive character and gracefully refined street appeal.

Kallaroo 93 Bridgewater Drive

From $580,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 2

Karrinyup 40 Paris Way

From $729,000

62

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Clinton Edwards 0409 040 901 clinton.edwards@peard.com.au

Kallaroo 33 Lygnern Crescent

From $725,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 1

IT’S A BEAUTY! This very well built brick and tile home is a blank canvas and waiting for it’s new owners to take it to the next level. Gorgeous stucco style floors in open plan kitchen and family area. Stained glass windows in entry, 2 outdoor entertaining areas, 2 showers, double garage and extra parking for 2 – 5 cars. Just a 5 minute drive to our beautiful beaches & Hillarys Marina.

CONTACTS Paul Middleton/Sue Middleton PHONE 0419939391/0422046457 EMAIL team.middleton@peard.com.au

Karrinyup 30 Luccombe Way

Where else will you find land like this in Karrinyup? This is a unique site surrounded by quality renovated & newly built homes, & is only 3 houses away from the picturesque Finnerty/Ramsey Reserve & playground & 200m to Lake Gwelup Reserve. This outstanding site offers the successful purchaser the opportunity to acquire a sought after 717sqm landholding zoned R20. The existing cottage style home ( currently tenanted) consists of 3 bedrooms 1 bathroom & is an original 1950s built home.

CONTACT Karen Riches PHONE 0408 646 651 EMAIL karen.riches@peard.com.au

Kingsley 7 Matisse Way

From $849,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

From $649,000 bed 5 bath 3 car 1

Enjoy the perfect relaxed family coastal lifestyle in this spacious adorable home on a 683sqm block. Set in a quiet sought after pocket of Kallaroo only minutes to schools, beach & Whitfords shopping centre. The open plan informal living areas which encompass the kitchen, dining & family room are designed for pleasurable entertaining. The back yard is ripe to cater for the needs of the new owners to add their own personal stamp.

CONTACTS Sheila Stritch/Belinda Lawrence PHONE 0412 212 748/0432 547 921 EMAIL sheila.stritch@peard.com.au

Ideal opportunity with this well maintained, neatly presented family home in a sought after location on a HUGE 756sqm block. Invest, renovate, or just move in and take advantage of the lifestyle on offer here in Luccombe Way. Boasting a functional floor plan with multiple living areas, you will have home for the whole family with this four bedroom, two bathroom home.

CONTACT Sam Mannino PHONE 0402 822 457 EMAIL sam.mannino@peard.com.au

It’s all at your doorstep in this prime Kingsley location This large five bedroom, two bathroom, two separate living area plus separate study home. With a huge low maintenance back garden, two separate pitched patio areas and a retreat/ancillary accommodation. The home is close to transport, parks and located in the Woodvale College catchment area.

CONTACT Lee Parkinson PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

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Paradise is closer than you think

For more information: Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) Tel: 0299594277 View more properties online at domain.com.au

Email: ssenlis@aviareps.com |

may 15 PRIMOLIFE www.tourism-mauritius.mu

63

FOR SALE Kingsley 14 Lehmann Court

From $749,000 bed 5 bath 3 car 2

Kingsley 20 Sheridan Place

$629,000 - $669,00 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Kingsley 32 St Johns Court

From $695,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Kingsley 59 Creaney Drive

From $639,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2 64

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

What a rare opportunity to purchase a five bedroom, three bathroom, three separate living area, two storey, park location home sitting in a quiet cul-de-sac. Complete with open plan living, below ground sparkling pool, double lock up garage and with its own private park, close to Halidon Primary school and in Woodvale College catchment area.

CONTACT Lee Parkinson PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

765sqm Block in Whisper Quiet Cul de Sac. Large 4 bedroom 2 bathroom with separate study, Sunken lounge, Separate cosy dining room, large kitchen and Undercover patio and entertainment area with fully fitted gas BBQ, Fully powered workshop including 2 additional work sheds.

CONTACT Ray D'Costa PHONE 0403 165 936 EMAIL ray.dcosta@peard.com.au

Kingsley 149 Kingsley Drive

With this stylish and impressive, four bedroom, two bathroom, fully renovated home. All the work has been done for you and the home looks and feels like new. The home is complete with two separate living areas, an open plan kitchen, reverse cycle ducted air-conditioning & double lock up garage. It is just a short walk to Kingsley shops, Primary schools & train CONTACT Lee Parkinson station.

PHONE 0422 233 484

From $649,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

Kingsley 21 Durban Crescent

From $629,000 bed 5 bath 3 car 2

For a family who are ready to get into a spacious 4 bed, 2 bath, two separate living areas, patio and below ground pool home Plus a totally separate one bed, one bath open plan Granny Flat. Use it for your family or create an income by having a tenant live in. The home is in a great location, walk to parks and transport.

CONTACT Lee Parkinson PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

All you need & want is right here in this superbly located, beautifully designed, four big bedroom, three separate living area, two bathroom, study area plus below ground fenced in pool home which is located in a quiet cul-de-sac. Only a short walk to Greenwood train station, Kingsley shops, parks and Primary schools. Plus the home is in the Woodvale College catchment area. CONTACT Lee Parkinson

Kingsley 38 Calbourne Way

Be quick to view this warm and inviting family home, well positioned in the extremely popular suburb of Kingsley. With large, versatile interior living space, outdoor areas including a tiered rear garden plus side access with plenty of room for your boat or caravan, this home is sure to suit your familys needs perfectly!

Yes, the gardens need some love but the home is set high on Kingsley hill and on a large 704 sqm block with 3 bedrooms, 2 77 Moolanda Boulevard the separate living areas, an open plan kitchen, meals & family

PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

CONTACT Alison Beuck PHONE 0414 244 742 EMAIL alison.beuck@peard.com.au

From $579,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 1

$489,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

Sitting on a big block (approx 804sqm) on the high side of the street this fantastic four bedroom, two bathroom home has open plan living, new kitchen, two separate living areas and a pitched patio that looks over a fenced in private below ground pool. The home is close to primary school, transport and is in the Woodvale College catchment area.

CONTACT Lee Parkinson PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

room with a single carport. The home is close to transport, parks, primary schools and also just a short walk to the Local Montessori school.

CONTACT Lee Parkinson PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

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FOR SALE Build your dream home on this sizeable survey strata plots of Kingsley in a prime cul de sac Kingsley location. With the block Proposed Lot 5B Koolyn Grove land, size of 560sqm (approx.) you can build a stunning home and

From $425,000

have views of the Goollelal lake and park land. Located close to parks, schools, transport, Call Lee today for a set of drawings and to how you can get started.

CONTACT Lee Parkinson PHONE 0422 233 484 EMAIL lee.parkinson@peard.com.au

Kinross 9 Roxburgh Circle

$599,000 - $639,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

These 3 street front survey strata lots are the only land Langford in the rapidly growing suburb of Langford, and 17 (Proposed Lots 1,2,3) Turley Way available theyre up for sale at such an attractive price!! This prime

Ledge Point 8 Dillworth Way

bed 3 bath 1

bed 3 bath 1 car 1

From $229,000 each

location is within walking distance from Brookman Primary School, Langford Village, public transport, and a host of other amenities. Opposite a park and situated in a quiet and tranquil street, this is CONTACT Stefen Chitra the perfect site!

PHONE 0403731 014

From $380,000

MEADOW SPRINGS Spacious living and open plan family and dining areas. Kitchen with stainless steel appliances and plenty of bench space. Large sized master bedroom. Good sized separate theatre room plus study and separate games room. Ducted air conditioning, gas point, 4.5kw solar panels.

Maylands 3 Milmoe Lane

EMAIL stefen.chitra@peard.com.au

Mandurah 10 Scottsdale Turn

$449,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Merriwa 15 Olympus Loop

$389,000 - $409,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

CONTACT Rick Uren PHONE 0414 779 834 EMAIL rick.uren@peard.com.au

This stunning 4 bedroom 2 bathroom property in Seagrove Estate that has been fully painted and carpeted throughout is ready for someone to move in without any further investment required. Located in a quiet Cul-de-sac this property could make for a great investment or young family looking for the benefits of living in a prime location.

CONTACT Tertius Du Toit PHONE 0416 239 306 EMAIL tertius.dutoit@peard.com.au

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From $895,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Merriwa 27 Sugarloaf Close

$489,000 - $509,000 bed 5 bath 2 car 2

Its a pleasure to present this stunning home situated in one of Kinrosss premier locations. A lovely big family home that caters for everyone from the theatre room to the pool.

Walking distance to schools, shops & bus stop. This lovely home with low care gardens has a warm & relaxing ambience and is a privilege to open.

CONTACT Lyn Stowe PHONE 0405 109 113 EMAIL lyn.stowe@peard.com.au

A perfect holiday beach house in the charming fishing village of Ledge Point. This 3 bedroom home is only a short distance to the superb Ledge Point beaches. Includes open plan living, a wide front veranda and rear patio, all on a large 1003 sqm block. Currently rented at $270/week.

CONTACT Clinton Edwards PHONE 0409 040 901 EMAIL clinton.edwards@peard.com.au

Set on the edge of the Swan River, this magnificent home captures the very best of the city and river views all the way from Burswood to Perth City. Features of this property include: Green title executive residence, light and bright open plan living with city and river views & modern kitchen includes stone benchtop, breakfast bar, glass splashbacks & dishwasher.CONTACT Clinton Edwards PHONE 0409 040 901 EMAIL clinton.edwards@peard.com.au

Dont miss out on this fabulous freshly painted & carpeted throughout 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom + Home Theatre + Games Room "Ventura" build set in Seagrove Estate.

CONTACT Tertius Du Toit PHONE 0416 239 306 EMAIL tertius.dutoit@peard.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

65

FOR SALE Mindarie 16 Kinsale Drive

$999,000- $1,049,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Mount Hawthorn 12 Ambleside Avenue

From $849,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Mullaloo 8 Syrinx Place

Offers bed 4 bath 2 car 2

North Beach 7 Jabiru Court

From $895,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2 66

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

If you love entertaining then this home is for you! With its massive 871sqm block sits this wonderful residence built by Beaumonde homes in one of Mindaries most prestigious addresses, 16 Kinsale Drive is metres away from the beautiful Indian Ocean with fantastic walking trails between dunes & the waters edge.

CONTACT John Cowup PHONE 0411 37 36 35 EMAIL john.cowup@peard.com.au

Stunning New 3 x 2 x home in the perfect location. Located in one of Perths most desired suburbs, this home has all the modern requirements for even the most discerning buyer including a double lockup up garage. The passive solar design features high ceilings, a stunning large north facing living area, ducted 3-zone reverse cycle a/c.

CONTACT Phyllis Gemelli PHONE 0407 386 501 EMAIL phyllis.gemelli@peard.com.au

Welcome to a cul de sac located 4 Bedroom,2 Bathroom family home offering large lounge, open plan family , modern kitchen, meals and separate games room. Superb Alfresco boasts fenced Below ground pool,stone work bench B.B.Q.area and All Weather pergola. Plenty of parking with Double remote Garage+ side access for perhaps boat or caravan,trailer. Outstanding Ocean views should second storey be added!

Mindarie 22 Gateshead Loop

From $1,049,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Muchea 26 Payne Street

From $680,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

North Beach 16 Edward Street

$1,050,000

CONTACT Stephen Simpson PHONE 0408 944 282 EMAIL stephen.simpson@peard.com.au

So Unique! This immaculate and perfectly located architecturally inspired 2 storey home, on ultra easy care block amongst other quality homes is one to impress the most fastidious of buyers. Beautifully presented & features quality fittings & fixtures throughout, starting with an impressive tiled entrance with timber inserts, soaring high ceilings & stunning iron & timber floating staircase.

CONTACTS Kathy Clement/Mary Peard PHONE 0403 539 820/0407 151 153 EMAIL kathy.clement@peard.com.au

Ocean Reef 27 Velsheda Green

$720,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Welcome to 22 Gateshead Loop Mindarie, where this striking Beaumonde home sits on an elevated 608sqm block with beautiful Ocean views & surrounded by quality homes. Upon entering this family home you will be impressed by the stunning soft neutral tones & quality fixtures & fittings throughout.

CONTACT John Cowup PHONE 0411 37 36 35 EMAIL john.cowup@peard.com.au

This would have to be one of the best lots to come available in Muchea. Rare gem 2 acres plus all under reticulation.

Potential right now to sub divide into one acre lots. Suitable for the equestrian enthusiast, tradesman, truck driver or those seeking the quiet country lifestyle but still within 30 minutes from Joondalup, Wanneroo, Ellenbrook and 7 minutes to Bullsbrook.

CONTACT Jenny Treloar PHONE 0427 012 729 EMAIL jenny.treloar@peard.com.au

With only one house between you and the waterfront, “thongs & towel” to Mettam’s Pool & just metres to the iconic SODA Café – this locality ticks all the boxes! Good ocean views are guaranteed from a second level and the prestigious new W&B built home next door is nearing completion – this means you know what you’re dealing with to take advantage with your design. Your wait is over as this is very well priced land in a premium coastal suburb. Be quick as this one will not last!

CONTACT Les Lindsay PHONE 0407 420 384 EMAIL les.lindsay@peard.com.au

Low maintenance beachside living. Entertain upstairs in the lounge bar with balcony ocean views , or downstairs in the open plan lounge dining with new kitchen, or poolside, with its gabled alfresco. Get your weekends back.

CONTACT Juliet Wills PHONE 0411 782 808 EMAIL juliet.wills@peard.com.au View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Ocean Reef 31 Swanson Way

$1,180,000 Ocean Reef 15 Randell Crescent From $1,495,000

bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Set among premium properties with the ocean just metres away, this spacious home oozes style and sophistication. Fully renovated with quality fixtures and fittings throughout as well as big rooms and soaring ceilings, it's a fabulous blend of the old and the new. The family/dining with its gas log fire and sunken games room overlook the tropical landscaped pool and spa as well as the outside entertaining area with caf blinds and approximately 70sqm of alfresco living.

CONTACT Juliet Wills PHONE 0411 782 808 EMAIL juliet.wills@peard.com.au

bed 5 bath 3 car 2

Endless Horizons Breathtaking views from most rooms in this architecturally designed luxury home. Incredibly spacious and absolutely luxurious. Surrounded by luxury homes and close to good schools, shops, beaches, and walk trails, this is beachside living at its very best. Land 809m2.

Juliet Wills 0411 782 808 juliet.wills@peard.com.au

This is coastal perfection!

Padbury 8 Skerne Rise

From $669,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Palmyra 38 Baal Street

From $675,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 2

Padbury 60 Oxley Avenue

From $539,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

This beautiful home is nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac in the sought after Hepburn Heights pocket of Padbury & is perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Wine & dine with friends in the spacious formal lounge, let the kids entertain themselves in the separate games room or soak in those hot summer nights out in the spacious outdoor entertaining area. The options are endless & with the immense space & splendid layout, this home is just waiting for you to move in & enjoy all it has to offer.

CONTACT Jarrod O'Neil PHONE 0411 103 617 EMAIL jarrod.oneil@peard.com.au

Padbury 89 Macquarie Avenue

Great opportunity to get into a low maintenance hassle free home situated in a quiet location yet close to cafes, shops, schools, parks and many other host of amenities. This cosy home features three bedrooms, one well-appointed bathroom, separate lounge/TV room, a combined dining and kitchen area, and a low maintenance garden.

Parkwood 18 Pegley Drive

CONTACT Rian Pratama PHONE 0400 110 438 EMAIL rian.pratama@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

From $779,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 1

From $599,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 4

Huge home – 50% bigger than many 3x1’s. Pool, huge bedrooms, reno’d kitchen & bathroom. 724sqm block in proposed rezoning

CONTACT Shane Capelli PHONE 0410 339 499 EMAIL shane.capelli@peard.com.au

Once in a while a property comes to the market that will impress the fussiest of buyers and this is definitely that property. With a resort style back yard complete with swimming pool, bbq area and enough grass for the kids to play. Downstairs offers a spacious dining room, open plan living, stunning kitchen and all secondary bedrooms. Upstairs you will enjoy the parents retreat which features its own living area, balcony, large master & ensuite.

CONTACT Jarrod O'Neil PHONE 0411 103 617 EMAIL jarrod.oneil@peard.com.au

Are you still looking for a beautifully renovated home with a separate studio flat at a convenient location to accommodate your family? Then this is the perfect home for you! This four bedroom, two bathroom home is situated on a large 698sqm corner block on one of the most sought after streets with close proximity to Riverton Shopping Centre and it's surrounding amenities. CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno PHONE 0422 774 044 EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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FOR SALE Parkwood 27 Cosmelia Way

From $469,000 bed 4 bath 1 car 2

Pearsall 6 Watershed Way

From $499,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Port Kennedy 13 Carlingford Drive

Buyers Over $349,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Quinns Rocks 4 Spiers Road

From $739,000 bed 4 bath 3 car 2 68

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Ideally situated in a whisper quiet cul-de-sac locale offering comfort, security and low maintenance living. This outstanding home is guaranteed to impress every investor or first home buyers and is located within close proximity to Riverton Forum shopping centre, schools, beautiful parks and public transport.

CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno PHONE 0422 774 044 EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

Parmelia 36 Cimbor Way

$399,000 bed 2 bath 1 car 1

Why build when you can just move straight into this immaculate two year old home. Be quick to view this easy to care for home with all the trimmings and finished off with care and class. Sunken theatre room, inviting study nook, open plan kitchen overlooking the meals & living areas.

Alfresco doors fold back to open up inside and outside living.

CONTACT Tammy Peard

Piara Waters 23 Hillhouse Way

Here is the best opportunity to live in sought after Kennedy Park in a very long time. We are looking for the best offer over $349,000 and we expect this property will not last long.

The benefits of the location are superb, with a primary school and shopping centre a short walk away, and the beautiful Port Kennedy beaches are a 5 minute drive away approximately.

CONTACT Mitchell Russell

Port Kennedy 5 Sorelle Way

Gently elevated block in idyllic street with a rural coastal feel .

Renovated 2 story home plus granny flat. Perfect for extended family or extra income. Serene outdoor setting complimented with Gazebo. Bore reticulated gardens large established mature trees. Plenty of parking for all your toys and more.

Quinns Rocks 7 Vulcan Place

PHONE 0448 803 741 EMAIL tammy.peard@peard.com.au

PHONE 0430 574 655 EMAIL mitch.russell@peard.com.au

CONTACT Jeff Parkes PHONE 0418 923 989 EMAIL jeff.parkes@peard.com.au

Make a wise choice for your future and put this modern 2 bedroom home at the top of your list. Located on a 1103 square metre multi subdividable block, which you can subdivide now or simply just enjoy the space that only this type of property can offer. Beat the rest and call today to book your private viewing.

CONTACT Phil Carnaby PHONE 0418 910 824 EMAIL phil.carnaby@peard.com.au

Family Delight!

Fantastic opportunity to get into your own family home within walking distance to Piara Waters Primary School. This lovely neat home offers 4 bedrooms, main with his and hers walk in robes, 2 bathrooms, separate theatre room, very spacious open plan living with kitchen, meals, family and games.

CONTACT Karen Lloyd

From $529,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

PHONE 0421 614 447 EMAIL karen.lloyd@peard.com.au

Buyers Over $529,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

From $639,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Superbly located on a quiet street with everything the family wants. Ample space and privacy for the whole family plus a fantastic build with quality finishes. Immaculately maintained and superb presentation to accommodate the most discerning buyers. Great floorplan allowing privacy and peace with the added bonus of a fantastic entertainment area.

CONTACT Julie Pym PHONE 0411 436 537 EMAIL julie.pym@peard.com.au

If you are after a spacious home, located on a quiet street surrounded by quality homes and only a few minutes walk to the beach & Quinn's dog beach this is the home for you. With quality schools close by, your kids will be spoilt for choice when it comes to education!

CONTACTS Steve Wilcox/Kathy McGurk PHONE 0421 277 366/0451 669 139 EMAIL steve.wilcox@peard.com.au View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Quinns Rocks 40 Rupara Circle

$559,000 - $569,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Quinns Rocks 9 Dennis Street

Expressions of Interest bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Rivervale 162 Alexander Road

From $630,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

This 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home with a pool, open plan kitchen/family/dining is set on a large 600sqm block and close to our glistening coast line, parks and schools it is really something special and not to be missed. You and your family will love the lifestyle that this home has to offer.

CONTACTS Kathy McGurk/Steve Wilcox PHONE 0451 669 139/0421 277 366 EMAIL kathy.mcgurk@peard.com.au

Elevated 910sqm sub-dividable block, panoramic views of the ocean & Mindarie marina, cannot be built out. Fantastic investment opportunity. Spacious 3x2 family home. For more information and an opportunity to enjoy these stunning views, call us now.

CONTACTS Paul Middleton/Sue Middleton PHONE 0419939391/0422046457 EMAIL team.middleton@peard.com.au

Golden Opportunity! Excellent condition and location!

Lovely house in this booming suburb, with 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and 2 garages, and extra 2 rooms could be used as bedroom or study. Minutes walking to Belmont Shopping centre and other amenities.

CONTACT Thomas Di PHONE 0467 208 406 EMAIL thomas.di@peard.com.au

Quinns Rocks 47 Sirius Ramble

$629,000-$649,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Ridgewood 18 Roosky Approach

$399,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2

Safety Bay 296 Safety Bay Road

Offers Over $1,025,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Situated on quiet 'Pingrup Lane' (off Westview Street) within Scarborough distance to cafes, library, community centre, public 156B Scarborough Beach Road walking transport and variety of shops, is this low maintenance

Secret Harbour 13 Elwell Street

bed 3 bath 1 car 1

bed 4 bath 2 car 2

From $585,000

townhouse in a secure & self-managed group of six. This is your opportunity to nest or invest in the sought after, fast growing suburb of Scarborough. Viewing is a must so dont delay!

CONTACT Sam Mannino PHONE 0402 822 457 EMAIL sam.mannino@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

Buyers Over $579,000

Simply stated, this is a wonderful family home packed with thoughtful features for everyone. Presenting a beautifully balanced 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom floor plan that flows effortlessly throughout the home. Designed with today's family in mind, this impressive home is the perfect mix of form and function.

CONTACTS Steve Wilcox/Kathy McGurk PHONE 0421 277 366/0451 669 139 EMAIL steve.wilcox@peard.com.au

Perfectly suited to first home buyers, investors or someone looking to downsize, who will appreciate a well kept low maintenance property which allows more time to enjoy the better things in life!

CONTACT Kim Riley PHONE 0449 781 685 EMAIL kim.riley@peard.com.au

How lovely! Look out your window and see the sea! This home is truly amazing and has been lovingly renovated to the highest standard. The only thing not completed is the front of the house! Soooo! Don't be tricked into not looking inside!

CONTACTS Fran Satherley/John Satherley PHONE 0414 447 343/ EMAIL fran.satherley@peard.com.au

Are you looking for a huge 4 x 2 home conveniently situated between both Comet Bay College and Comet Bay Primary school?WITH theatre room PLUS study PLUS activity PLUS games room PLUS bar PLUS superb solar heated pool PLUS side access PLUS solar panelsWOW !! The list goes on Lovely gabled sheltered alfresco living - this really is a great property!

CONTACT Julie Pym PHONE 0411 436 537 EMAIL julie.pym@peard.com.au

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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FOR SALE Secret Harbour 14 Lowlands Crescent

Offers Over $799,000 bed 5 bath 3 car 3

Sorrento 4 Biscay Road

From $899,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Sorrento 7B Hood Terrace

From $799,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 4

Excellent, secure 5 x 3 property of generous proportions very close to the beach situated on Lowlands Crescent in The Break. Roller shutters on all windows and doors provide maximum security not to mention a brilliant lock up and leave property during your holiday season.

CONTACT Julie Pym PHONE 0411 436 537 EMAIL julie.pym@peard.com.au

Huge family home with room to spread out on a 736 sqm block.

Including sunken formal lounge, dining room, large kitchen, family room and sunken games room. The outdoor entertaining area overlooks the heated below ground pool, spa and Balinese style gazebo. With air-conditioning, security shutters, vac system and it’s own water bore, this family home is just minutes away from the Hillarys Marina & surrounding beaches.

CONTACTS Paul Middleton/Sue Middleton PHONE 0419939391/0422046457 EMAIL team.middleton@peard.com.au

Sorrento 38 High Street

Overlooking a sparkling pool in a sun drenched front yard this private, beautifully finished as new home offers a perfect recluse for all family members with spacious north facing living areas adjacent to an exquisite new kitchen with vaulted ceilings and gorgeous timber floors. Comprising two tiered home office / studio plus rear access & secure parking for numerous vehicles front and rear, this home ticks all the boxes and is a must to see!

AUCTION bed 5 bath 3 car 2

CONTACT Les Lindsay PHONE 0407 420 384 EMAIL les.lindsay@peard.com.au

Sorrento 48 St Helier Drive

From $1,500,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

This beautifully presented 2 Storey Residence with Ocean Views is just meters from the Beach & the vibrant Sorrento Quay. The position is further highlighted by its close proximity to select schooling, parkland, restaurants, & caf strip transportation close by. The property boasts a northerly aspect to the gardens, pool & relaxed entertaining areas & is protected from the sea breeze ideal for the outdoor entertaining enthusiast. Block size is a generous 779m2 (approx.)

CONTACTS Maggie Pawlik/Paul Sharry PHONE 0438 876 727/0417 174 180 EMAIL maggie.pawlik@peard.com.au

If you are looking for a sea change, you will love the lifestyle opportunity this desirable property presents. From the ocean views to the well-proportioned layout, this is the ultimate home for those who are chasing a low maintenance property or wish to downsize while still enjoying the coastal lifestyle. located a short walk to the beach or Hillarys Marina, a short drive to Whitfords shopping centre or freeway & so close to local schools, shops, transport & parklands.

CONTACT Jarrod O'Neil PHONE 0411 103 617 EMAIL jarrod.oneil@peard.com.au

Stirling 29 Avocet Road $599,000-$649,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

Tapping 9 Kandinsky Approach

From $579,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2 70

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Stylish 4 x 2 plus study home, immaculate presentation throughout this spacious property. Quality fittings including auto keyless entry to a 1.2m solid wood door. 31 course high ceilings to the living areas, spacious study, tinted windows to the front of the home. Stunning Blackbutt wood floors, reverse cycle ducted air con, LED down lights & much more.

CONTACT Sandy Watts PHONE 0412 448 891 EMAIL sandy.watts@peard.com.au

A Great Find!!

Tucked away in the corner of a great street, this 3 bed gem will delight once inside. The gardens may be a blank canvas but the inside has been transformed and the surprises unfold. This spacious home has two living areas, second toilet and shower, quality tiling throughout and drive through access to rear. Make sure you put this on your viewing list!!

Shaun Pettit 0411 725 511 shaun.pettit@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

FOR SALE Tapping 20 Carothers Meander

From $629,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Waikiki 17 Tempest Place

Buyers Over $479,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Wannanup 26 Houtman Lane

From $339,000

This stunning Scott Park built home study nook boasts 31 course ceilings & awesome high raking ceilings to the family living area. Beautiful gloss bamboo floors, top of the range Daikin reverse cycle ducted zoned air con. Massive theatre room with TV recess, dream kitchen & two luxury bathrooms.

Sparkling below ground pool with glass fencing & alfresco entertaining.

CONTACT Sandy Watts

Thornlie 20 Menzies Place

WALK TO THE BEACH The opportunity is yours to own this light and bright freshly painted lovely home situated in a cul de sac and is close to all amenities. A lovely home that is both functional and interesting with the feeling of spaciousness throughout.

Waikiki 6 Cowrie Court

PHONE 0412 448 891 EMAIL sandy.watts@peard.com.au

CONTACTS Graham York/Helen York PHONE 0467 773 977/0407 727 732 EMAIL graham.york@peard.com.au

$310,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 2

bed 3 bath 1 car 1

Buyers Over $385,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Are you looking to build your dream home with your boat parked out the front? Then your search is over! Situated at EP Island complex offering security, privacy and comfort within close distance to the ocean, parks, shops, restaurants is this premium vacant land. Do not delay in viewing or making your inquiries as this premium land does not come often CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno to the market.

PHONE 0422 774 044

Warnbro 11 Cork Place

Looking at getting into the market or adding to your property portfolio? This home on a large block could be just what you are looking for. With a very short walk to the Koorana Primary School, Warnbro Fair Shopping Centre and bus route this property offers complete convenience. The beach is also a short drive away.

Waroona 148 Fawcett Road

EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

Warnbro 22 Coronata Drive

From $399,000

CONTACT Mitchell Russell PHONE 0430 574 655 EMAIL mitch.russell@peard.com.au

View more properties online at domain.com.au

From $419,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

$899,000 bed 4 bath 1 car 2

The right one for investors and first home buyers! Lovely house with 3 bedrooms 1 bathroom and 1 carport on a 766sqm block. Located at the end of Menzies Place, close to Tom Bateman Reserve, quiet and peaceful.

CONTACT Thomas Di PHONE 0467 208 406 EMAIL thomas.di@peard.com.au

This lovely home offers an abundance of living spaces that will bring family and friends together. The renovated kitchen with a servery window to the large games room, is ideal for entertaining. Outside there is a spacious colour bond patio anddrive through access to the 6x6m powered workshop.

CONTACTS Graham York/Helen York PHONE 0467 773 977/0407 727 732 EMAIL graham.york@peard.com.au

What an all rounder! Everything you could need in a property is right here! 4 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas, powered workshop, outdoor entertaining‌. And soooo much more. Everything has been maintained and presented to perfection so the family can simply move straight in and enjoy.

CONTACT Michelle Dasborough PHONE 0403 939 430 EMAIL michelle.dasborough@peard.com.au

43 acres of PRIME REAL ESTATE with a beautiful character residence circa 1930's. This property has an exceptional reputation for its rich fertile soil, farming versatility and location offering a fantastic lifestyle change. 4 large multi-functional sheds (inc a granny flat) cleared pastoral land, abundance of water, just 150km south of Perth.

CONTACT Kathryn Fiorenza PHONE 0427 475 661 EMAIL kathryn.fiorenza@peard.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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FOR SALE Warwick 17 Ellersdale Avenue

$639,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 1

Wembley Downs 186 Empire Avenue

$995,000- $1,025,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Woodvale 144 Trappers Drive

From $579,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

Yanchep 3 Windy Lane

From $390,000 bed 3 bath 2 car 2 72

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

This spacious and beautifully maintained spacious family home was built in the 70s and must be viewed to be fully appreciated.The home has a great floor plan and good bones making it ideal for the buyer who can see the true potential of this quality property. Private backyard with a powered shed plus the grounds are well cared for & reticulated. 727sqm block with a 19.1m frontage. So close to public transport, shops & other public amenities.

CONTACTS Julie Vincent/Ron Vincent PHONE 0403 809 445/0403 809 209 EMAIL julie.vincent@peard.com.au

Warwick 6/86 Ellersdale Avenue

This beautifully presented home is sure to ignite your imagination. Located opposite the Wembley Golf Course, you will love the serenity, the built-in pool, the close proximity to top schools, and the short walk to the Empire Avenue Reserve and neighbouring tennis courts.

Willetton 18 Cameron Court

CONTACT Mandy Bizzaca PHONE 0409 915 210 EMAIL mandy.bizzaca@peard.com.au

From $410,000 bed 2 bath 1 car 1

For sale by tender: Offers must be in by Tuesday, 5th May 2015 unless sold prior. Are you looking for a large conveniently located renovated family home within the Willetton SHS zone? Then this is the perfect home for you!

Close to the Riverton Forum shopping centre, the Riverton Leisureplex, restaurants, public transport, beautiful parks, the river and a CONTACT Vicktor Sutrisno host of other amenities.

PHONE 0422 774 044

From $849,000 bed 5 bath 2 car 2

EMAIL vicktor.sutrisno@peard.com.au

It wont take you long to realize that this convenient location and some of the features on offer are going to save you time, money and provide you with a great place to live. This property will be just perfect for the family budget and convenient for all. Set elevated off the street this four bedroom, two bathroom home is neat, tidy & available immediately.

CONTACT Rob Nicholls

Woodvale 8 Avalon Close

Located at in a quiet established street in the new Capricorn development this cottage style property sits just opposite beautiful new parkland and is just a short stroll to the famous Yanchep Lagoon Beach.

Yanchep 61 St Andrews Drive

PHONE 0407 442 222 EMAIL rob.nicholls@peard.com.au

CONTACT Peggy Middelveld PHONE 0415 566 825 EMAIL peggy.middelveld@peard.com.au

It is not too often that you can tick all the boxes on your list, however if you are looking for easy-care, low-maintenance living in a peaceful pocket in an intimate home with little to do other than move in and relax. Situated at the helm of an elevated cul-de-sac, this property has been well cared for and the updates and refined decor are sure to impress from the moment you step inside. CONTACT Rob Nicholls

From $649,000 bed 4 bath 2 car 2

From $550,000 bed 5 bath 2 car 2

Welcome to this spotless villa, perfectly placed within a quiet complex opposite Warwick Shopping Centre – & footsteps away from medical centres, public transport, cinemas etc. Living room with reverse-cycle air-conditioning & gas bayonet for heating. Vertical blinds throughout, alarm System, security screens to all exterior windows & security doors to all exterior doors & private outdoor entertaining. With quality retirement living becoming increasingly hard to find – it really is a sound investment!

CONTACT Belinda Lawrence PHONE Mobile EMAIL Email

PHONE 0407 442 222 EMAIL rob.nicholls@peard.com.au

Seriously impressive and what a pleasure to present this superb property! Renovated to a very high standard this massive family home offers the best in family living plus a huge outdoor covered area. Located next to beautiful Golf Course and surrounded by established trees and parkland.

CONTACT Peggy Middelveld PHONE 0415 566 825 EMAIL peggy.middelveld@peard.com.au

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FOR SALE Yarloop 3 Railway Parade

$190,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

TREE CHANGE – This neat country cottage is 3 bedrooms with a single bathroom sitting on a 1012m2 sized block. Sep lounge room and a veranda to the front and back. With side access there is plenty of room for storing a boat or van. Large powered workshop, 2 multi-use garden sheds. Established gardens on retic. Solid investment opportunity.

CONTACT Kathryn Fiorenza PHONE 0427 475 661 EMAIL kathryn.fiorenza@peard.com.au

Yarloop 93 Johnston Road

$225,000 bed 3 bath 1 car 1

Beautifully restored home on 1273m2, 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom home with true character and space in an idyllic country town. This historical home features jarrah timber flooring, slow combustion stove, and timber veranda’s back and front. It has been freshly painted inside and out, leaving nothing more to do than move in!

CONTACT Kathryn Fiorenza PHONE 0427 475 661 EMAIL kathryn.fiorenza@peard.com.au

Upgrade your Peard Real Estate listing to a half or full page ad to showcase your property in star style!

Contact Chris for details on 0424 600 448 or email chris@premiumpublishers.com.au View more properties online at domain.com.au

PREMIUM PUBLISHERS may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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no 1 higgins street “A N E X C L U S I V E A D D R E S S �

A Private Corner of Paradise Tucked away in a private enclave and surrounded by towering Karri trees, Number One Higgins Street is an exclusive Margaret River address reserved for just 30 luxury home sites.

These are cottage lots of 200sqm - 360sqm in area, specifically designed to accommodate in town living for busy people, couples, and lock and leave.

This unique forest community is just a 3 minute stroll to the Margaret River Town Centre with shops, bars and restaurants. Connected by walking tracks to the river, each site offers views onto National Forest.

Titles due approx May 2015.

Power, telephone, sewer and water available.

No building time frames.

Price Range $200,000 - $315,000 Carte

BUSSELTON

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Margaret River Heritage Trail

HIGGINS STREET

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Churchill Avenue TOWN CENTRE

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AUGUSTA

For an Information Package please contact Exclusive Selling Agent

Stocker Preston Margaret River P: 08 9780 5777 | E: margaretriver@stockerpreston.com.au | 128 Bussell Highway, Margaret River

BUNBURY

BUSSELTON

DUNSBOROUGH

COWARAMUP

MARGARETaRIVER

AUGUSTA

stockerpreston.com.au

Augusta

HIDDEN GEM

Contact Gordon Junor

Tucked away behind shrubbery is this character home with a great mezzanine floor which doubles as master bedroom and parents retreat/office, 2 more bedrooms, secluded gardens, double garage, carport, solar array.

Very private.

Australind

THE WOW FACTOR

$449,000

0427 552 017 9758 0300

Contact Rosemary Lynch 0418 932 546 9792 1888

Beautifully finished 4 bed, 2 bath family with spotted gum flooring throughout. Recently remodelled kitchen plus big living area and theatre room. The driveway leads to 6m x 9m bricked workshop with separate toilet, room for boats/caravans and a rear roller door opening into the back yard and a concrete pad for parking. Plus 5m x 6m lined shed for use as studio/games room.

Dunsborough

A DOWN SOUTH PAD

From $495,000

Contact Tony Branch

Located in a secure gated complex in central Dunsborough. 3 large bedrooms, 2 bath, low maintenance townhouse. Small garden, A/C in living area. Complex has double tennis court plus swimming pool. Holiday let or live in permanently.

Dunsborough

MODERN TOWNHOUSE, RESERVE OUTLOOK

$445,000

0408 921 812 9756 8888

$695,000

Contact Debbie Bridges 0417 186 018 9756 8888

Modern, stylish, double storey townhouse with 2 living, 3 bed, 2 bath, overlooking the gorgeous Meelup Reserve and Old Dunsborough golf course. Walk to the beach or play golf all day. Close to town and all the treats of Dunsborough. Simply gorgeous location to live - relaxing, quiet and easy care. The perfect weekender or investment property with good rental opportunities.

View more properties online at domain.com.au

Augusta $850,000

Contact Alf Fandry

0407 441 140 9758 0300

Chapman Hill

ARTIST’S RETREAT WITH RIVER VIEWS! Set on a massive 2016sqm corner block at the top of the Colourpatch Hill this 3 bed, 3 bath dwelling is self contained on both levels. It has magnificent north facing views of the inlet and ocean views to the east.

A fabulous property and investment with sub-division potential. Inspect today.

COUNTRY LIVING AT ITS BEST

Contact Jason Cooper

0407 770 426 9753 0888

A stunning 3 bed, 2 bath spacious modern home with sweeping verandahs and timber decking with scenic views from every corner of the home. Picture yourself and the family thoroughly enjoying living on a magnificent 16.3ha farm, just a short drive from Busselton’s city centre with Busselton’s premier golf course just 5kms down the road.

Dunsborough

CLOSE TO TOWN CENTRE AND BEACH

$1.15M

$675,000

Contact Ross Sorgiovanni 0419 949 852 9756 8888

Gelorup From $460,000

Contact Alf Mainstone

0402 026 608 9792 1888

4 bed, 2.5 bath double storey home on a 746sqm lot nestled in the heart of Dunsborough’s premier beachside precinct. King sized master bedroom, huge upstairs living area flowing out onto the wrap around verandah and room to park boats or caravans. Walk to town or beach.

WALK TO GRAMMAR SCHOOL An immaculately presented property that ticks all the boxes. A Mike Kikeros home, the original 4 bed, 2 bath plan was redesigned to offer larger living areas. Huge shed, retic from bore, solar hot water and north facing in a beautiful setting - all compliment this modern home on a 4748m2 block.

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOspotlight

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

primolife.com.au

An exclusive address

What could be more delightful than making your home among the natural beauty of the south west’s karri forests? That’s what’s in store for the lucky future owners of 30 cottages destined for No 1 Higgins Street. By KEN PRESTON TUCKED AWAY IN a private enclave and surrounded by towering karri trees, No 1 Higgins Street is an exclusive Margaret River address reserved for 30 cottage home sites.

This unique forest community is just a three-minute stroll to Margaret River’s town centre, a lovely area packed with quality shops, bars and restaurants.

The development is connected by walking tracks to virgin bushland and each site offers views of the forest.

Such centrally located and rare land promises solid investment benefits and attractive returns - and the growth of the township offers sophisticated infrastructure to accommodate business and technology needs.

Although this residential community offers privacy away from the busy town centre, its location directly links you to world-famous wineries, stunning beaches and the community’s schools and services.

Only 30 home sites exist and will ever exist in this private oasis ((starting from $200,000), and you can feel secure in the knowledge this is the only development that will ever be done at No. 1 Higgins Street.

Margaret River itself is the perfect blend of country charm, rural vibes and city living.

It offers top-notch wining and dining, boutique shopping and artisan experiences galore with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. The town sits among majestic forests, with the Margaret River itself meandering through its heart. Just 10 minutes in the car gets you to beaches internationally recognised for their surf breaks.

The area around the town is one of the most ecological diverse regions on the planet and is home to many natural attractions - residents don’t need to go far for whalewatching, ancient caves to explore, or a stroll

through forests of timber giants.

Blessed with mild weather and abundant sunshine, adventurers will be blown away by breathtaking scenery and out-of-this-world walking trails.

It’s a place too for all seasons. Autumn dawn walks in wooded valleys veiled in mist; cosy winter nights spent with friends around a roaring fire; spring picnics amid towering karri forests ablaze with wildflowers, or summer days lazing on your very own piece of beach by a sparkling sea.

There are so many things to do!

Among the delights that attract tourists and residents who enjoy a bracing walk is the Margaret River Heritage Trail, part of the Heritage Trails Network originally devised to provide routes designed to enhance awareness and enjoyment of the natural and cultural heritage of the area.

River Walk in Margaret River is a 2km circuit following the river along the southern bank and the old railway on the northern bank, with easy access from No. 1 Higgins Street. Karri Walk, on the western side of Bussell Highway, meanders through natural bushland and along the riverbank for 1.5km. The Bridge Walk is a 3km trail retracing a section of Carters Road and featuring the old railway bridge and a huge single karri.

All of the walks are easy and, at a leisurely pace, offer a pleasant half-day’s outing with opportunities for picnicking, nature studying and swimming.

All three trails begin at Rotary Park, the site of the first settlement in Margaret River.

The steam engine at the entrance of the park was brought to Karridale by Maurice Coleman Davies in 1890 and named Kate, after his daughter. Kate was built in England in 1889, shipped to the region and used for

log hauling. The eight-tonne locomotive was used at saw mills until 1962.

In her retirement, Kate was bought by the Margaret River Rotary Club and displayed at Rotary Park. Kate is the only remaining engine built for the Karridale timber industry.

The old settlement itself is located on the riverbank at the entrance to the town and has recently undergone significant restoration and refurbishment by The Historical Society, which now has its headquarters in part of the old Bramley School building. There is also a café, residence and blacksmith shop now open to the public.

History abounds, then - but so does natural beauty. Among the highlights is the magnificent karri tree which stands tall in the forests around No. 1 Higgins Street.

The karri tree is the third tallest tree in Australia and one of the tallest species in the world, reaching heights of 90m. It has a tall, very straight trunk that doesn’t separate into branches until high up towards the top of the tree. Its branches are graceful and angular and for most of the year, the bark is pale grey. Around the start of winter, the pale grey bark sheds, revealing shades of golden orange and salmon pink for a few magical months.

Being up close to these huge trees is an awe-inspiring experience. The forest canopy feels impossibly high and appears bunched together in a way that reminds many people of cartoon clouds.

If you invest in No. 1 Higgins Street, these majestic trees will be your neighbours all year round, sharing the joy and adventure of Margaret River. Isn’t it time you got back to nature and made the most of every day? PL To find out more visit stockerpreston.com.au may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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BUNBURY

BUSSELTON

DUNSBOROUGH

COWARAMUP

MARGARETaRIVER

AUGUSTA

stockerpreston.com.au

Margaret River $579,000

Contact Steve Harry

0428 933 327 9780 5777

Molloy Island $695,000

Contact Alf Fandry

0407 441 140 9758 0300

Peppermint Grove Beach

DESIGNED FOR AN EASY LIFE Architecturally designed by an award winning firm and constructed by a local boutique builder, this property easily tops them all! The exceptional workmanship, thoughtful design and high quality finishes allow the owner the perfect lock up and leave property or easy living, low maintenance home.

SCOTT RIVER VIEWS - LICENSED JETTY! Living on a private island doesn’t get much better than this. Your own private jetty for the boat, fabulous water views of the Scott River, pristine bush environment and a modern circa 1999 3 bed, 2 bath home built by a renowned local builder. Inspect today, you won’t be disappointed.

PREMIUM CORNER LOT

Contact Larisa Tomuli

0438 272 932 9792 1888

Well located 804sqm with 40m frontage. Design your new abode around the ocean and reserve views.

Tremendous value in the northern end of town boasting the Capel cut, winter surf break, Capel river mouth and water activities in and around the reef out the front.

Elevated, level and limestone retained with u/g power and convenient side access from Bila Close.

Prevelly

ICONIC BEACHFRONT HOME

From $399,000

$1.185M

Contact Morena Bamber 0407 203 072 9780 5777

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The ever popular Sea and Soul guest accommodation and residence is nestled just behind the dunes in Prevelly and only a minutes’ walk from the beautiful Indian Ocean. Known for its superior accommodation, unrivalled position and laid back ambience, the opportunity to purchase this Prevelly icon can now be realised.

Margaret River

PERFECT FAMILY HOME

Contact Ken Preston

0418 932 747 9780 5777

Spacious, quality family home set on 2000sqm in a prestigious location. 4 double sized bedrooms, separate living/lounge area, study, open plan living area and large decking area overlooking expansive lawn/ garden area. Large powered shed, chook pen and side access. Located west of town and close to walk trails!

Call today to secure this large, highly sought after home.

Naturaliste

BUNKER BAY VILLAS

$739,000

Contact Joe Jordanoff

0498 935 086 9756 8888

Lavish beachside villas at the 5 star Pullman Resort and Spa in stunning Bunker Bay! Reward yourself and enjoy your holidays by the beach, the pool and fine dining at the restaurant. Have a hit of tennis, followed by a massage at the spa then sample some of the great SW wines. This is a premium location and a brilliant lifestyle choice, all at an affordable price!

Prevelly

SEABREEZE B&B PREVELLY

From $130,000

Contact John Mondy

0427 440 671 9780 5777

Take an easy walk to the beach, to cafes for a coffee, or to the shop for supplies. This 4 bed, 2 bath home, just back from the beach on a large corner block, has a separate fully self contained apartment that is currently rented out as popular B&B accommodation. A great opportunity to buy something that can generate some income while you sit back and relax.

Quindalup

ABSOLUTE BEACHFRONT QUINDALUP

$899,000

$2.595M

Contact Louis De Chiera 0418 909 899 9756 8888

Exclusive 1239sqm beachfront property which includes a quintessential 4 bed, 2 bath beach cottage and limestone brick gazebo to enjoy the views of the bay.

With 21m frontage to the beachfront this large block allows you to create a contemporary “downsouth” beach house.

View more properties online at domain.com.au

BUNBURY

BUSSELTON

DUNSBOROUGH

COWARAMUP

MARGARETaRIVER

AUGUSTA

stockerpreston.com.au

Geographe

GEOGRAPHE GLIMPSES

Contact Boyd Reilly

0439 906 022 9753 0888

This custom built 4 bed, 2 bath home, located in a quiet cul-de-sac on an elevated 840sqm block with ocean glimpses is a must view. Close to town and just 300m from the beach, this home features quality jarrah throughout, high ceilings and 3 separate living areas.

This lovely property has the potential for solid long term capital growth and is value for money.

Karridale

PRIVATE, SECURE, AND ACCESSIBLE

$629,000

Contact Ken Preston

0418 932 747 9780 5777

Here’s 49.15ha (121ac) approx of pasture and bush, easily accessible but well away from roads. The property features a variety of terrain including some great home sites, and a creek line with a small but excellent soak dam. Single phase power discreetly runs the length of the property, opening up plenty of the home site options.

Margaret River

POPULAR POPLAR

$670,000

$449,000

Contact Clare Andrews 0448 023 265 9780 5777

Margaret River $489,000

Contact Chris Jarrott

0402 906 726 9780 5777

This well-built 4 bed, 2 bath home is in a sought after location: close to peaceful forest walks and not far from Margaret River town centre. Rendered double brick with an iron roof, there are outdoor areas for you to enjoy. Freshly painted throughout, this is a fine home or reliable rental investment that’s ready to go.

DARCH BROOK BEAUTY Fantastic quiet location opposite Darch Brook, stylish modern home with quality fittings, wooden floor boards, French doors opening out to verandah and a northerly aspect making it light, bright and airy. With some minor finishing touches you can really put your own stamp on the property.

View more properties online at domain.com.au

Gracetown

2 FOR THE PRICE OF ONE IN GRACETOWN

Contact Beth Sibon

0418 937 438 9755 5123

In a highly desirable area of the capes region, in a small and select rural residential subdivision and just minutes to Gracetown stands this amazing 5 bed, 2 bath home AND very comfortable 2 bed, 1 bath unit. (The main house rents for $500/wk and the unit for $300/wk). It’s a beautiful bush setting and just down the road to the Bay. Rainwater tanks, orchard and great vegetable gardens.

Margaret River

NEAT, SWEET AND COMPLETE

$1.18M

Contact Bec Hannan

0409 988 593 9780 5777

This low maintenance near new 3 bed, 2 bath home with second living area/office/4th bedroom only 5mins from town will provide a relaxed lifestyle. A neat and tidy private courtyard is set to the rear of the home.

Overlooking natural bush reserve and in a quiet street this compact home will be just the right fit. Call now to inspect.

Margaret River

INVEST AND FORGET

$429,000

$469,000

Contact Susan Millar

0417 958 028 9780 5777

Margaret River $540,000

Contact Shane Galbraith 0407 579 286 9780 5777

Government guaranteed lease to 9 September, 2016 with a further 12 month option. Humungous 4 bed, 2 bath home only 2 years old with ducted A/C throughout, Essa stone bench tops, raised ceilings throughout, fabulous family floor plan 205sqm floor area plus double garage and alfresco area under the main roof.

COTTAGE CHARM Nestled among established gardens on a corner block in Riverslea is this lovely 3 bed, 2 bath brick rendered entertainer. Set high on the hill on a 651sqm block with a huge outdoor patio, secure your boat AND caravan with rear access. Soaring ceilings with light and privacy all year round, just moments to town.

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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BUNBURY

BUSSELTON

DUNSBOROUGH

COWARAMUP

MARGARETaRIVER

AUGUSTA

stockerpreston.com.au

Treeton

CHECKS ALL THE RURAL/LIFESTYLE BOXES

Contact Mark Murray

0427 030 301 9755 5123

Are you looking for a character 1920s home with timber floors and high ceilings in a quality quiet setting? This 35ha property offers you this and more. Many very large sheds, 7 top-notch fenced sheep-proof paddocks suiting cattle also, large dog-proof house yard, orchard and its own chook palace! Lovely rural property with rainwater tanks, soak and windmill all good to go.

Wellington Mill

LIVE THE LIFE

$979,000

Contact Alf Mainstone

0402 026 608 9792 1888

Located 1km from Gnomesville, this outstanding property consists of 61ha (approx) on 3 titles with a huge modern home. 3 bay machinery shed, workshop, stockyards, 6 dams (2 spring fed), and 7 paddocks with electrified fencing. The pristine setting bordering state forest with incredible views, must be seen to be appreciated. Enjoy the Ferguson Valley lifestyle.

Wilyabrup

EXECUTIVE-STYLE CHALET

$1.6M

Contact Jill Turton

0418 933 345 9755 5123

Superb 3 bed, 3 bath, short-term accommodation lakeside chalet in close proximity to Saracen, in the midst of the Wilyabrup wine region. Modern design featuring under-cover deck and wide glass frontage to take in the lakeside views. Lovely setting with lake, tree plantations hiding away the rest of the world... and a proposed tennis court to keep you on your toes.

Yallingup

LUXURY LIVING NEAR INJIDUP BEACH

$545,000

$1.195M

Contact Peter De Chiera 0418 931 206 9756 8888

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PRIMOLIFE | may 15

Beautifully designed and built, 12 month old, 4 bed, 2 bath beach house on a 4ha lot with wonderful open living areas with panoramic rural vista in magical bush setting less than 4mins drive from beautiful Injidup Beach. Also includes 9m x 6m Colorbond shed with 1 bed self contained flat.

Vasse

VERY VIBRANT VASSE

Contact Justin Geracitano 0423 524 524 9753 0888

This custom-spec home oozes character, class and style. Entering the home we enjoy an extra wide front foyer as well as extra high ceilings which continue throughout the entire home. And what a home! This modern chic property sits across the road from a beautiful nature reserve in Vasse Newtown suburb. It’s hard to find a home with this level of detail at this price.

West Busselton

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED HOME

$465,000

Contact Laura Bannister 0429 956 664 9753 0888

In the Peppermint Park Estate, with easy access to the Busselton Bypass making those daily journeys to work/school quicker. On a corner block of 632sqm this spacious property is 239sqm. The property has B&B approval with the other 3 DOUBLE bedrooms all having their own A/C units. Furthermore 1 has an ensuite shower and 2 have access to their own courtyards.

Yallingup

PRESTIGIOUS VIEWS

$529,000

Contact Tony Farris

0417 951 838 9756 8888

Nestled amongst the magic of Gunyulgup Valley, this stunning elevated 1.011ha property takes in amazing views over Millbrook Farm and the surrounding countryside. One of the most gorgeous lifestyle settings in the region, there is a true sense of magic here with the distant rolling valley views and classic west coasts sunsets to enjoy over Naturaliste Ridge in the distance.

Yallingup

“HAMPTONS MEETS THE FOREST”

$645,000

$1.545M

Contact Chris Stott

0477 091 371 9756 8888

The quality and attention to details is apparent everywhere in this 3 bed, 2 bath home on 2.5ha (6.5ac) that provides absolute privacy. It would meet the needs of discerning owners who appreciate the wild natural quality of the landscape. 2 creek lines, granite outcrops and old growth timbers. A perfect bolthole!

View more properties online at domain.com.au

5 Minutes to Margaret River Town Centre

10 Minutes to Redgate Beach

15 Minutes to Surfers Point

Witchcliffe’s Finest Lifestyle Development

FROM $210,000 Lot sizes from 2001m2 - 5855m2 - Reserve Your Block Today -

Stage 2 Construction Has Commenced Autumn Incentives Available

Contact Tony Farris on: 0417 951 838 www.reserveonredgate.com.au Email: tonyf@stockerpreston.com.au Contact Tony Farris: 0417 951 838 Email: tonyf@stockerpreston.com.au

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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F I N A N C E

with WARREN LITTLEFAIR, GENERAL MANAGER OF PEARD FINANCE

SMART MORTGAGE MANAGEMENT

Don’t rely on a lotto win or Great Aunt Agatha popping her clogs. Here are some tips to making you mortgage-free sooner rather than later.

ONE OF THE biggest questions I get asked by people is "how do I pay my home loan off sooner?"

It is a very simple question which opens the doors to some very complex answers if we want it to. No doubt many of you would have seen or heard of a lot of schemes where we are being promised we can pay off our home loan in a couple of years. Well. . .

Let’s have a look of some of the real options you can actually use to pay your home loan off and not worry about the snake-oil salesmen promising the unobtainable.

Very simply, money costs money and your aim should be to borrow money for your home loan at the best possible rate.

Many Australians don’t bother looking at their home loan interest rate and are happy to go with their current lender without even questioning it.

By reviewing your home loan you might be amazed by how much you could actually save by swapping to a bank with a cheaper rate.

At the very least you should be calling your bank to see if they will offer you a better rate than what you are on. These

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savings can be substantial from a weekly point of view but the real value is when you add them up over time.You could be looking at savings in the thousands.

Offset accounts are a very popular way of saving money on your home loan. They work by money in your account being offset daily against your loan balance, and this will reduce the mortgage interest charged accordingly.

So you might have a $300,000 loan and $25,000 in your offset account. Because of your offset account, you will only be charged interest against $275,000. By having a decent amount of money in your offset account, you can effectively cut years and thousands of dollars from your home loan.

They also work just as well if you have your salary deposited into a standard savings account every payday, so you don’t need a huge amount. When choosing an offset transaction account, look for a no-balance limit, so you can keep building your savings and cutting down on your home loan term as well as an account where 100 percent of your total balance is offset on the loan.

Offset accounts can also give you the

benefit of fee-free banking in some cases.

Make sure you speak to your mortgage broker who will give you some great options in this area.

This might seem the most simple thing you can do, but pay more than you have to on your regular repayment. Even if it is only $10 extra a week, every extra dollar you put into your loan will save you interest and in turn make it quicker to pay your loan off.

This is especially relevant when interest rates are low. Not only will this help you to pay your loan off quicker it will also give you available funds in redraw if you really need to access them down the track - and here I stress really need the funds. Don’t use your home loan as a credit card or you will find you will take the full term to pay it off which is not something you ever want to do.

Most of these ideas are very simple to put into place and once you have done them, they can save you thousands of dollars and years off your loan.

We can’t rely on winning lotto or getting a large inheritance to pay our loans off, but if you put your mind to it you can be mortgage-free sooner than you know it. PL primolife.com.au

evolutionsettlements.com.au | p: 9273 8977 Licensee Evolution Settlements Pty Ltd T/A Evolution Settlements Licensed Real Estate Settlement Agent ABN 30 528 638 171

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMObiz

FAN CLUB Creating a passionate fanbase for your business or product is the secret of success - just look at the big brands and how they create fanatical followings for some inspiration. By TROY EADIE THERE’S A POPULAR myth in business that if you invest in advertising you will get more enquiries, which will then lead to more sales, and ultimately more money in the bank.

From a marketing and advertising viewpoint, that makes total sense. Because chances are if you get more enquiries you’ll make more sales, and of course adverts are a good way of reaching an audience.

But here is the fundamental trap, and most of the time you can’t even see it, and to make things worse, most marketing experts can’t see it either. While you spend precious time and money trying to get more sales enquiries, the real issue goes unseen and doesn’t get any time or investment from you.

The reason why most businesses don’t attract enough sales is not because they don’t have a good marketing strategy. It is simply because not enough time and energy is invested in making sure every client becomes a raving fan.

Think about an Apple store every time a new iPhone is released – that’s what I mean by creating raving fans.

Just imagine if your product or service was so good that your ideal client just had to have it and felt the need to tell other ideal clients about it. I’m sure you already know that the best way to market your business is good old-fashioned ‘word-ofmouth’. The trouble is, if your product or service is merely ‘good enough’ you will be lucky to get any word-of-mouth referrals.

For example, online fashion retailer Zappos was once a small business too. In 2002, with sales around $1.6 million, it had cash flow issues and was struggling to survive.

Incredibly, they decided to stop spending on advertising and to focus on building a culture

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of extreme service to customers.

By 2009, sales were over the billion dollar mark when the business was sold to Amazon for around $1 billion. It was Zappos' focus on creating raving fans instead of investing in marketing and advertising that led to billion-dollar success in only eight years.

My recommendation? Stop spending money on marketing tactics and advertising until you have started making your business so good at serving its clients that all your clients become raving fans.

There are five steps in the process of creating a raving fan base for your business.

3. Clearly communicate your message Clearly communicate your messages in a way that elevates you from being transactional around your products or services to building relationships with raving fans by focusing on what’s important to them, with the following steps: • Define the ideal client profile you want to attract; • Intimately engage that market; • Educate the market on what really matters; • Propose the start of a potential lifelong relationship and; • Remove the risk of failure.

1. Understand the psychology of the market Understanding the psychology of your market is all about gaining clarity on your clients’ buying strategy. Find out how much they know about: • What you offer; • The nature of their problem; • What they understand about potential solutions; • The benefits of solving their problem now; • Willingness to seek the solution and; • How much they will invest to solve their problem.

4. Deliver the ultimate experience Crystalise the physical, psychological and emotional needs of the market into an ultimate experience that creates raving fans by developing: • A team of people who care; • Processes that serve and; • Service that wows.

2. Make your business attractive Make your business attractive by developing clarity and certainty about what you stand for, which will automatically attract people who aspire to the same values. This means creating services, products and processes that: • Draw people in irresistibly like a mouse to cheese; • Provide a great experience and; • Make them want to talk about you.

5. Build the raving fan community Building a raving fan community is all about uniting your raving fans and mobilising them as a powerful force to accelerate your growth exponentially with: • Energetic celebration; • Significant connection and; • Viral communication. PL TROY EADIE is a business growth specialist and co-director of consultancy firm Business Success Systems. He specialises in assisting business owners to discover their unique market positioning and to quickly leverage their business by attracting more ideal clients and building the systems to create raving fans. To contact Troy visit BusinessSuccessSystems.com.au or email him at troy@bssteam.com.au primolife.com.au

Sp

Every child has the right to access healthcare, education, clean drinking water, nutritious meals and to live in a safe environment.

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Change a child’s life, sponsor a child!

Makara’s Story

1 in 4 Cambodians live under the poverty line – that is less than $1.25 a day.

When CCT first met Makara* he was gravely ill. The doctors didn’t think that he would survive and even if he did, they believed he would never learn to walk or talk. Thanks to the dedication of CCT’s team, and the support of his sponsors, Makara’s life has been turned around. Four years on he is a happy, healthy and lively little boy who loves to sing and dance, and is thriving at school! *Child’s name changed.

The support of our generous sponsors is vital to ensuring over 300 children and families in our programs are able to break free from the cycle of poverty and have every opportunity to go on to be educated, ethical and empowered future leaders of Cambodia.

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may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOdrinks

Mug's game

How do you take yours? Getting that perfect measure of sweet, strong, slurpy chocolatey goodness in a hot chocolate is a fine art.

By KAMI RAMINI. Images by ELEMENTS OF MARGARET RIVER.

WITH THE COOLER weather well and truly settled in, there is no better decadent winter warmer than letting go with a lush hot chocolate.

But we’re not talking about a powdered cocoa variety. There are hot chocolates and then there are the pretenders, and it seems that pure perfection means using pure chocolate and having it melted, even before the hot milk hits. Here's our pick of the best of the bunch.

Bean to Bar

Gabriel Chocolate, Yallingup, Margaret River Gabriel and Ruth Myburgh, owners of Gabriel Chocolate in Yallingup, Margaret River, opened their doors some eight years

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ago as WA’s first ever bean-to-bar chocolate makers and unsurprisingly, they are pretty passionate about all things chocolate, including of course, their hot chocolate range.

“On any given day, we will have about six different hot chocolates on offer,” says Gabriel. “This will range from a white chocolate variety to an 80 per cent cacao one, sometimes even as pure as a 99 per cent.”

Once you’ve decided on which chocolate variety you’d like, the next step is to choose either the more traditional ‘long shot’ or the denser ‘short shot’, based on the European-style hot chocolates. But rather than using any thickening agents or additives, the baristas at Gabriel Chocolate simply use a higher chocolate-to-milk

ratio to get that rich, dense dessert-like hot chocolate. And as if that wasn’t enough, you can also add in extra flavours like chilli, ginger or Turkish delight with a hint of rose water.

Fair to say, there are quite a few decisions to be made, but Gabriel likes his hot chocolate nice and simple.

“I like the higher cacao ratios because you can really taste the chocolate that way,” says Gabriel. “But how you have your hot chocolate is a very personal thing.”

All Gabriel chocolates are made on-site in their chocolate factory, using single origin, premium quality cacao beans directly sourced from far-flung places like Peru, Ecuador,Venezuela, Java, Madagascar and, closer to home, Papua New Guinea. Gabriel says the ‘terroir’, or origin, of the beans primolife.com.au

provides each chocolate with its distinctive taste, just as a grape’s provenance does with wine.

“All eight cacao beans we use have a distinctive flavour drawn from the characteristics of the soil and climate of origin,” he explains. “You can really taste the difference.”

And it’s that very same premium quality chocolate Gabriel and his team craft for eating, that they use for their hot chocolates. Pure, unadulterated, made inhouse chocolate with a touch of milk and sugar, if that’s what you fancy.

But there is one very important difference between the chocolate on sale for eating and what they use for their hot chocolates. For the smoothest, creamiest, most decadent drink, Gabriel says the

a spoon on the side to scrape off the last remnants of chocolate,” says Gabriel.

Dining in is obviously the best option, but if you do want a sample to take home, then check out the ‘hot chocolate sticks’ disks of pure chocolate ready to be melted and mixed with milk at your leisure.

For more information, visit gabrielchocolate. com.au

The Bald Man

International chocolate bar, Max Brenner also known as ‘chocolate by the bald man’, has recently opened its first ever shopfront in Western Australia at Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City, marking its 41st chocolate bar worldwide. With that sort of experience behind them, it’d be fair to say they know what they are talking about.

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOURS? We asked our PRIMOLife Facebook likers where they get their favourite hot chocolates, and here’s what they said.

WHISTLER’S CHOCOLATE FACTORY, The Swan Valley Opening its doors back in 1968, the Whistler’s Chocolate Factory is one of WA’s oldest confectionery companies and was also one of the first spots to win a recommendation on our Facebook page.

Visit whistlers.com.au MAMALILLI CAFE, Maylands This cafe and bakery on Maylands' bustling Eighth Avenue won itself a shout-out on our Facebook page for its awesome hot chocolate and laid back vibe.

28 Eighth Ave Maylands.

Call (08) 9473 1020.

SAN CHURRO, Leederville Serving up traditional Spanishstyle hot chocolates and a moreish churros or two, this Leederville branch of the popular chain of chocolate houses has more than one happy customer on our Facebook page.

Visi tsanchurro.com/locations/ san-churro-leederville PICCOLO’S CORNER, West Leederville

A CHOCOHOLIC'S DELIGHT Above, Gabriel Myburgh has made Gabriel Chocolate in Yallingup a magnet for those who appreciate high quality chocolate.

chocolate has to be melted, and so that’s how they keep it – ready to coat all the way up the sides of the glass.

“If you make hot chocolate with blocks or shavings of chocolate, you’re not going to get that silky texture,” says Gabriel.

“We keep the chocolate melted as it helps with the emulsification process. So it’s the chocolate first - and lots of it - followed by hot milk (about 75 degrees) and served with

Alongside a whole host of decadant and delicious chocolate creations, Max Brenner is well known for its outstanding and creative hot chocolates, made using pure, melted white, milk or dark chocolate and served in their signature ‘Hug Mug’.

“The Hug Mug is specially designed to be held in both hands for cosiness, warmth and fragrance,” says Max Brenner Perth area manager Tracey Westcott. “So you’re already

And this family-run corner store is Peard Real Estate’s number one stop for a killer hot chocolate. We love hanging out in the backyard of this cosy neighbourhood place with a delicious cup of chocolatey goodness.

Visit facebook.com/piccoloscorner COOGEE BEACH CAFE Who says the beach is only for a summer’s day? This kid-friendly beachside cafe serves up a mean hot chocolate come rain or shine.

4 Powell Road, Coogee.

Call (08) 9434 9466.

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drinks

feeling the experience before you taste it.” Of course, hot chocolate isn’t just hot chocolate in a cool mug at Max Brenner.

You can add marshmallows, or try out one

of their range of house-made infusions and syrups including mint, salted caramel, or my personal favourite, the Mexican spiced hot chocolate - a dark hot chocolate laced

with chilli, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. I mean, seriously.

If you like a thicker hot chocolate, then the Italian hot chocolate, made with vanilla Anglaise would be worth a punt. But, if you’re not sure how you take your hot chocolate or just love the idea of an entirely how-you-like-it experience, then Tracey says she always recommends the Suckao.

The name, a mix of ‘suck’ because you can drink the melted chocolate through a straw, and ‘kakao’, Spanish for cocoa beans, only gives a little of the game away.

“It’s a do-it-yourself experience,” says Tracey. “It’s droplets of milk, white or dark chocolate served on the side of hot milk and there’s a tea-light underneath which keeps it warm, so you can drop in as many or as few as you like and stir and taste as the chocolate melts. Most people have already started on the chocolate before they drop any in.”

Then, if that wasn’t enough liquid chocolate for you, there’s the Chocolate Fondue for Two (pictured left). Two towers of pure melted chocolate - one dark, one milk - served with fresh strawberries and bananas, mashmallows and banana bread for dipping. Need we say more? PL For more information, visit maxbrenner.com.au

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primolife.com.au

PRIMO

What's brewing?

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meet the brewer

This month we get to know Mal Secourable (aka Gary the White), head brewer and his assistant Joel Nash (aka Gary Ross) of the Indian Ocean Brewing Company.

Images by CRIB CREATIVE

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PL When, where, and how did you become a brewer?

Mal Secourable (aka Gary the White, head brewer): By coincidence and chance and a rather convoluted story. I was taking time out of teaching and was travelling north with my then partner planning to leap into Indonesia from Darwin when 9/11 ‘happened’. Pausing in Broome to earn some money and consider options, I happened to meet and work for the proprietors of Matso’s Broome Brewery.

Cutting this long story short, a decision was made for Matso’s to go ‘full mash’, I put my hand up to learn how to brew and the rest is history.

Joel Nash (aka Gary Ross, brewer’s assistant): When my sister moved to Broome in 2001 with her partner, Mal (Gary the White), I visited a few times and went into Matso’s with Mal because I was curious about ‘brewing’ as a profession. It seemed so obscure but also kinda ‘rock star’ (oh how wrong I was) and I liked that. I found the breadth and depth of what beer could

be fascinating and so in 2006 I undertook an online Diploma in Brewing Technology with the Seibel Institute. By this stage Mal had returned to Perth to take up the Head Brewer’s role at The Sail & Anchor and this gave me another opportunity to go into the Sail and observe what Mal and Paul Gasmier were doing. In April 2007 I moved to Margaret River with Mal, and became his assistant brewer at Colonial Brewing Co. PL What’s the difference between brewing in a boutique brewery and a major brewery?

GTW The simple answer is that in a small craft brewery there is not the level of job specialisation or anywhere near the degree of technological/engineering applications available to a large brewing enterprise. A craft brewer is essentially an all-rounder.

GR Mal basically said it. A craft brewer has to be more than just a good operator within the brewery as they are often expected to be involved with sales, marketing and distribution.

PL What are the most significant changes to the beer industry in WA in recent years? primolife.com.au

GTW There are many answers, but in my estimation a notable transformative shift is that the original ‘BrewPub’ model has become increasingly anachronistic and commercially unviable. Operating a brewery is expensive, the industry and market has become more competitive and it is critical to have a number of avenues to market.

GR In the last few years, with the rise of the small bar scene in Perth, we are seeing more and beer events, tap takeovers

Australia. And, like my esteemed colleague, there is nothing in my fridge because I drank it last night. I probably drank his as well.

PL What is the best beer and food match you have experienced?

GTW A particularly memorable match was what I think must have been a Doppelbock (craft brewed by Paul and Shannon of Duckstein, Margaret River) married with an exceptionally good chocolate mud-cake of

some description. Simply wonderful.

GR I was sitting on a ledge overlooking the ocean in a beautiful little town called Rovinj in Croatia. There were some old fellas cooking freshly-caught calamari and white bait on an outdoor BBQ and serving it on a paper plate with a slice of lemon.

They were also serving pints of some local lager that drank a lot like a Czech pils. It was a match made in heaven.

PL What beer do you have with your favourite meal?

GR One of my favourite things to eat is Singapore nWoodles at Tasty Taste inside the Old Shanghai in Freo. I load it up with their homemade sambal and this whole picture is complete with a pint of a good lager or pilsener.

GTW Remembering that sake is a brewed beverage, an artisanal genshu (undiluted), junmai (100 per cent pure rice) sake married with a selection of ocean-fresh Sashimi. Stunning. PL Visit indibrew.com for more information about the beers and menu on offer at the Indian Ocean Brewing Company, Mindarie Marina.

TALENTED DUO Left, Gary Ross and Gary The White make a formidable team at the Indian Ocean Brewing Company in Mindarie.

and general ‘beery geekyness’. A lot more breweries have begun packaging their product.

PL What’s the best beer you have brewed?

GTW Perhaps ask another brewer or a consumer? You’d get numerous and diverse answers – and they would probably suggest they are all still waiting.

GR I brewed a pretty good altbier that actually ended up as a brown ale at home once . . .

PL What is your personal favourite style and what do you always have in your fridge at home?

GR I can’t really say what my favourite style is, but I like anything sour or smoky as I am quite bored of the hoppy, bitter side of the coin. Rodenbach Gran Cru is probably my favourite ‘sour beer’ and the whole range of Schenkerla beers satisfy my craving for smoke.

GTW I wouldn’t normally isolate a specific beer style. If pressed, I confess to being inspired and fascinated by Dussledorff Altbier, a remarkably complex and beguiling style that we don’t get to see here in may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOeats

HAVE CAN TRAVEL

He’s spent his whole life in kitchens but in recent years has roamed far and wide as one of our most popular TV chefs, taking us all on culinary adventures from Vietnam to France. His latest series for SBS finds Luke Nguyen in the UK, so here he shares his views on what the home of fish and chips has to offer his eclectic palate.

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PRIMOLife Were you surprised by the variety of culinary richness that the UK has to offer?

Luke Nguyen I was extremely surprised by the diversity of cuisines offered in the UK, particularly in the major cities. For example in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh, I could dine on a different cuisine every day of the week – and it is this diversity that has shaped the evolution of food in the UK. PL As a chef, part of the pleasure of travelling to such a wide variety of locations must be the inspiration you’re able to draw in developing new recipes.What main elements have you taken from your UK tour that can now be found in your own cooking?

LN Travelling is definitely the inspiration for my cooking and also my restaurant concepts. I found that the UK is very produce-driven; I learned so much from artisans, growers and farmers who taught me classic cooking techniques and introduced me to new ingredients that I have now incorporated into my everyday cooking.

PL Are you surprised at the way your career has taken you in so many directions, from restaurateur to travel documentaries to judge on MasterChef Vietnam?

LN I can definitely say that I am extremely surprised. I opened my first restaurant Red Lantern at the age of 23, with the simple goal of sharing Vietnamese cooking and culture with Australia. Never in this world would I have thought it would take me to become a judge on the biggest cooking competition in the world, and host my own travel documentaries. I have now taken this goal further, and opened my own cooking school in Saigon,Vietnam, called Grain Cooking Studio (visit grainbyluke.com to find out more).

PL What was your most memorable food experience in the UK? LN The most memorable food experience in the UK would have to be going out to sea in Newquay, Cornwall, to catch my own spider crabs. I had no idea how massive these creatures were, we caught ones that were almost 1m in size! The spider crab meat was incredibly sweet – I was very tempted to cook an Asian-style chilli crab, however I made my version of the Cornish crab cakes instead, and my crab fisherman said they were ‘handsome’.

PL You’ve toured France too in another show for SBS – if you had to compare the cuisine there to that of the UK, which would you prefer to eat if Vietnamese food wasn’t available?

LN This is a really difficult question. I love French food, as it is very regional, with flavours that change from north to south. However, I found that food in the UK was much more diverse. Many nationalities and cultures offering colourful and tasty cooking, from all parts of the world.

PL Who is your own food hero?

LN I grew up in a small restaurant in Cabramatta called Cay Du. It belonged to my parents who are both incredible cooks and food obsessed. Through them, I learned the fundamentals of Vietnamese and Asian cooking. So I have to say they are both my food heroes.

PL You’ve got one last meal on earth – what would it be?

LN A piping hot bowl of pho (silky rice noodles served with slow-cooked beef brisket in an aromatic beef broth, served with bean sprouts, Asian basil, saw tooth coriander, lime and chilli).

PL Which part of the UK were you most impressed with, food-wise?

LN I was super impressed with the food in London. An extremely multicultural city, and the food showed this off. Every corner there was an awesome food concept.

Ranging from street food, cafes, food markets, bistros, gastro pubs and Michelinstarred restaurants. I was blown away every day that I was there. primolife.com.au

PL Where else in the world would you like to discover more culinary secrets?

LN I would love to travel through Portugal and Spain. I love eating lots of small dishes, so I’ll be grazing all day trying to demystify Portuguese and Spanish cooking.

PL Can you share one of your recipes from Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom with our readers?

LN What I found really bizarre in the UK was that you could go to a Chinese restaurant and order the classic, beerbattered fish and chips.

This inspired me to create an Asian version of fish and chips, so here’s the recipe.

Luke Nguyen’s

ASIAN FISH AND CHIPS

INGREDIENTS 2 lemongrass stems (pale part only), chopped 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns ½ cup (125ml) light soy sauce ¼ cup dark soy sauce ½ bunch coriander, finely chopped 3cm piece ginger, finely sliced 4 garlic cloves, finely diced 1kg piece skinless Atlantic salmon fillet, pin-boned ½ cup honey, warmed 4 spring onions, finely shredded 2 cups of crisp beetroot chips (optional)

fast facts – Luke Nguen LUKE NGUYEN WAS born in 1978 in a refugee camp in Bangkok, Thailand, shortly after his parents fled Vietnam as refugees. A short time later, his family moved to Sydney where they live today.

At the age of 23, Luke fulfilled his dream by opening his very own restaurant - Red Lantern. In 2012, he opened his second restaurant, Red Lantern on Riley and Red Lily Cocktail Bar. Luke is also the man behind Fat Noodle, an Asian Noodle Bar concept at The Star in Pyrmont Sydney and The Treasury in Brisbane.

Luke is the author of six best-selling, award-winning cookbooks namely Secrets of The Red Lantern, The Songs of Sapa, Indochine, Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong, Food of Vietnam and Luke’s Food of France.

He was recently inducted into the Food Hall of Fame for his cooking and travel programs, Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam, Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong, Luke Nguyen’s France and Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom, that are televised in 150 countries. He is the judge and host of MasterChef Vietnam series one and two and has appeared in Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape and MasterChef Australia.

Luke is also the Food Ambassador for ETIHAD Airways, designing first class, business class and economy class menus.

In March Luke opened Grain Cooking Studio in Saigon, which offers hands on cooking classes where guests experience a cooking and cultural journey of Vietnam.

METHOD Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a large tray with baking paper.

Using a mortar and pestle, bash the lemongrass, coriander seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, spring onions, coriander stalks, ginger and garlic. Add both soy sauces and stir.

Place the fish on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then coat the fish with the sauce. Now brush the salmon with the warm honey. Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fish is just cooked but still a little pink in the centre.

Carefully transfer the fish to a board or serving platter, sprinkle with spring onion and coriander leaves, chilli and beetroot chips.

Catch Luke on his brand new 10-part series, Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom from May 14 at 8pm on SBS. The full series will be available on DVD from June 10. may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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PRIMOtravel

MAD ABOUT THE BAY Deri Robins covers the waterfront at the regenerated Cardiff Bay, a jewel in the Welsh tourism crown.

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LONDON, PARIS, VIENNA, Rome: all capital names to conjure with, if you’re planning a glamorous European break.

But Cardiff? This is a conversation you could have had 15 years ago without offending anyone, especially Cardiffians – and I speak as one.

In the late 1990s, most of us were gloomily aware that Wales’ premier city left a lot to be desired as a tourist destination.

Oh, we could all attest to the great spirit of the place - the famed Welsh ‘hwyl’ - but apart from the old Victorian city centre and its covered arcades, and Bute’s slightly fakey castle, there seemed very few reasons to pay an extended visit.

Certainly, back then nobody ever referred to it as ‘The ‘Diff ’ – the jaunty nickname the capital seems to have acquired during its 21st-century journey into hipdom. Fast-forward to spring 2015, and I am sitting on the decked terrace of

a huge, white, winged hotel poised over the sparkling blue waters of Cardiff Bay – ‘Europe’s most exciting waterfront’.

Two rowing boats scull gracefully past; it’s still too early for the little waterbuses that chug back and forth between the bay and the city centre, but a few yacht masts have disentangled themselves from their neighbours in the bristling marinas beyond the wetlands and are gliding towards the barrage – the controversial barrier that transformed the muddy tidal waters of Tiger Bay into a 200-hectare freshwater lake.

The developers moved in at roughly the same time that most of the seabirds moved out. Back on the quayside, at a few early-bird cafés, the gurgle of cappuccino machines mingles with the caw of the gulls; behind them, the copper dome of the opera house gleams in the sun. This is Cardiff, but not as you know it.

The Bay hasn’t been tweaked, gentrified primolife.com.au

HOME OF THE DOCTOR Cardiff has experienced a regeneration not unlike the famous sci-fi hero - Doctor Who - which is filmed in and around its streets.

or smartened up; we’re not talking a bit of a facelift here. It’s as if some celestial town planner had reached down, crumpled up what remained of the abandoned dock and thrown back down a glittering, brave new world of glass and concrete.

The old docklands were all about the coal industry, along with drunken sailors, brothels and crime, but leisure is what makes the modern bay tick.You could spend a fortnight here and eat out at a different place every day; its restaurants offer everything from fish and chips to posh fusion. New boutiques, galleries and gift shops spring up every week.

Admittedly, apart from one small supermarket, you’d be hard-pressed to find any premises selling anything useful, though this is wholly compensated for by the presence of Fabulous Welshcakes.They sell their wares hot from the griddle; try one of their cranberry and white chocolate cakes for breakfast, and you’ll never settle for a croissant again.

The bay can quite easily absorb your attention for a full weekend, especially if your boat is floated by the newly reopened Doctor Who Experience exhibition.

The drama series is filmed here, and Cardiff couldn’t be prouder of its Time Lord. Russell T Davies, who revived and reinvented the franchise in 2005, is well on the way to becoming a national treasure; there’s talk of a statue.

Nothing, but nothing, gets in the way of The Doctor. In 2009, for the filming of Christmas special Planet of the Dead, the Butetown Tunnel, one of the capital’s busiest thoroughfares, was shut down for two whole days, while the National Museum of Wales stands in for so many fictional interiors that it’s a wonder it’s ever open to the public at all.

Cardiff was also, albeit more briefly, immortalised by Torchwood, the spin=off

series that convinced the rest of the world that Cardiff looked just like LA. ‘Torchwood’ is, of course, an anagram of ‘Doctor Who’ – almost as useful a piece of pub-quiz trivia as knowing that ‘Britney Spears’ is an anagram of ‘Presbyterian’.

One of the geekiest, quirkiest and most baffling tourist destinations in the city is ‘Ianto’s shrine’ – a humble doorway down at the bay, where Torchwood fans still leave poems, letters, flowers and heart-shaped balloons in memory of a dead fictional character from the series.

It’s only a tiny bit creepy.

If the bay is the single biggest symbol of New Cardiff, its standout architectural achievement – the incandescently beautiful Wales Millennium Centre – has become the 21st century’s default icon for Wales.

It’s Cardiff ’s answer to the Sydney Opera House, in vast, bilingual carved lettering.

‘In these stones, horizons sing’ reads

the English half of the poem; ‘Creu gwir fel gwydr o ffwrnais awen’ is the Welsh bit.

That’s ‘Creating truth like glass from the furnace of inspiration’, to you.

When the Welsh National Opera are playing away games, the venue features everything else from rock to baroque. Prices are keen – a fiver ($7) will squeeze you in at the back, and get you singing and clapping along with Amore o Grillo.

Speaking of bilingualism, the resurgence of the Welsh language has played a big part in the city’s self-reinvention; some say that the roadsigns in both Welsh and English began as a tourist gimmick, but there’s no denying the fact that far more people now speak Welsh in the capital than they did 20 years ago.

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travel parents increasingly choose to send their little bechgyn and merched to Welshlanguage schools.

In stark contrast to the glittering, contemporary waterfront is Cardiff ’s Victorian city centre. The aquabus will deliver you from the Bay directly to the grounds of Cardiff Castle, offering you a fish’s eye view of the Millennium Stadium along the way. Ah, the stadium. In the part of your brain that deals with cities, Cardiff may well have been detected by your PWBR (Possible Weekend Break Radar)

through the medium of rugby. Along with singing, rugby is the thing that Wales does best and, to a man and woman, the capital is in thrall to the oval ball.

That arcane mix of brutality, sport and legerdemain has its spiritual home here, and if you haven’t experienced Cardiff on match day, you haven’t experienced it at all. If you can’t get tickets for the game, just post yourself in the nearest pub and listen as groups of total strangers burst into twopart (at least) harmony.

From the stadium you can march on

the castle. This impressive looking building has been home to many tenants (yes, and Tennants too, it’s a popular Doctor Who location), and has seen much castle hassle over the centuries. Our old friends the Normans were there early doors, as ever happy to use real estate cleared by those great property developers, the Romans.

However the bulk of what stands today dates back to the Victorian era. At the turn of the century (the old one, not the last one) the Marquis of Bute’s head architectural honcho, William Burges, OLD AND NEW Left, St David's Hotel is part of Cardiff's bold new architectural confidence which sits comfortably with older edifices of the past (right).

where to stay Cardiff Bay

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ST DAVID’S HOTEL AND SPA Havannah Street, Cardiff Bay: St David’s is worth every single one of its five stars. With its vertiginous seven-storey atrium, superior spa, cocktail bar and cool cuisine, you may find yourself spending more time in the hotel than in the city. If the Doctor Who cast and crew are in town, chances are they’ll be living in the apartment block right next door. Visit principal-hayley.com.

CITY CENTRE PARK PLAZA CARDIFF, GREYFRIARS ROAD Probably the most sophisticated and stylish of the city centre hotels, with awards to prove it. The subterranean Laguna Spa is exotic and holistic, the diner does brasserie-style to a tee, and this writer had one of her best-ever night’s sleep between Egyptian cotton sheets in a peaceful double-glazed room. Visit parkplazacardiff.com

JOLYONS BOUTIQUE HOTEL Small is beautiful at this opulent little Bay bolthole, with its antiques, organic breakfasts and cosy Bar Cwtch (meaning ‘cuddle) serving pizza, tapas and meze. Visit jolyons.co.uk

THE HILTON, KINGSWAY Sleek, modern and central, with a health club, pool and American-style diner and a slightly Deco-influenced feel. Visit placeshilton.com/cardiff; visitwales.com; visitcardiff.com

PRIMOLIFE | may 15

created the ultimate Gothic fantasy, its opulent ornamentation drawing on everything from Arthurian knights to Arabian nights. Not one for the purists, perhaps, but ideal for anyone with a welldeveloped taste for brio.

From the castle it’s a short walk to the shops. Give chain-tastic Queen Street a miss, and instead head down St Mary Street and dive into the old arcades. Here, the little independents are holding their nerve and still hoping to benefit from the opening of the unstoppable retail juggernaut that is St David’s Dewi Sant.

As with its shops, Cardiff ’s food scene is still dominated by chains rather than intriguing little indies. Like so many British cities, Cardiff has hitherto been a bit of a culinary wilderness – the sort of place where if you mentioned ‘haute cuisine’, people primolife.com.au

thought you were talking about hot food.

Mercifully, that situation is slowly changing. Seek out The Potted Pig, in a former bank vault underneath the city on Mary Street, for modern British food with a New-York grill twist; Bully’s in Pontcanna, a labour of love for Francophile Welshman Russell Bullimore; piscine specialist Fish at 85, again in trendy suburb Pontcanna; or all-day eatery Mimosa, with its offering of big-fisted Welsh food, back down at the bay.

The city’s Indian offering is second to none, with Stephen Gomes of Moksh

OF THE BEST THE DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE, CARDIFF BAY Like The Doctor himself, this popular exhibition has recently regenerated. After goggling at the world’s largest collection of original DW props and artefacts, you can take off on an interactive adventure through time and space that begins in the Gallifrey Museum and journeys to the heart of the TARDIS. Visit doctorwho.tv/events/ doctor-who-experience THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES, CARDIFF BAY Standing alongside the red-brick Gothic Pier Head (one of the very few buildings that remain from Tiger Bay’s industrial past), the pagoda-like façade of this ultra modern building rises from the water’s edge. Inside you canThe have designer a free tour round the work station of thewith Welsh kettle people’s chosen ones. feather-light ST. FAGANS NATIONAL HISTORY pouring MUSEUM, ST. FAGANS If this conjures technology. up dusty rooms filled with harps and stovepipe hats, think again. Little historic buildings from all over Wales - chapels, working men’s clubs, shops, humble little homes, an entire mining terrace – have been painstakingly dismantled and rebuilt to form a ‘village’ that tells the story of ordinary people in the most vivid and evocative way. Oddly touching.

Visit museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans

NATIONAL MUSEUM CARDIFF, CATHAYS PARK Features everything you wanted to know about Welsh history but were too hip to ask. The collection of Impressionist paintings is also hugely impressive. Visit museumwales.ac.uk/en/Cardiff THE NORWEGIAN CHURCH, HARBOUR DRIVE, CARDIFF BAY A former Norwegian Seaman’s Church; local boy Roald Dahl was baptised here. Recently rebuilt as a culture and arts centre, the coffee shop is one of the finest places to sit back and admire the whole of the bay. Visit norwegianchurchcardiff.com

w: www.uccellodesigns.com E: enquiries@uccellodesigns.com T: +61 459 190 020

annually fighting it out in the nouvelle curry stakes with Anand George of the Purple Poppadom, who also launched the renowned Mint & Mustard and its feral little sister, street-food restaurant Chai Street.

Even before it became cool, Cardiff was ever a party town, so make sure you pack the hair straighteners. Head out for the evening’s revels; there are plenty of good clubs in the centre of town, but given the choice we’d probably return to the bay.

Floodlit and fairylit, it’s arguably even more beguiling after dark; order up a cocktail – a Red Dragon from Tides in St David’s, perhaps, with its unrivalled view across the water and watch the swans come and go as the daylight yields to multicoloured neon.

Even the locals are amazed by the change in Cardiff; as a visitor, you’ll fall hook, line and sinker. PL

CASTELL COCH From the same ButeBurges team that brought you Cardiff Castle, Castell Coch (basically, Red Castle) is perched high above pine-clad cliffs and surrounded by dark, wooded glades. It’s hugely film-ogenic, appearing in everything from The Prisoner of Zenda to Robin Hood. It also stood in for a German schloss in Doctor Who. Visit cadw.wales.gov.uk

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travel

Taking the slow route across our great land is a wonderful alternative to flying from coast to coast, especially if you do it in style aboard the Indian Pacific.

By ANNA HARTLEY. LUNCH HAS BEEN cleared away, crumbs litter the table, and we are lingering over our cups of coffee. My three dining companions and I are staring out the window at the passing landscape. “Is that… a tree?” someone volunteers. “Nope”.

We are crossing the Nullarbor Plain, a vast expanse of desert sand and scrubby bushes and, as its Latin name suggests, not a single tree. We are on the longest stretch of straight rail track in the world, and the landscape has not changed for more than 10 hours. We continue staring out the window.

Sound terrifyingly boring? It’s not. For me, the large windows that connect us to the outside world during our four-day journey on the Indian Pacific across the Australian continent are mesmerising.

I’m hypnotised by the enormity of the land, the sheer emptiness of it all, and the

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thought that this journey was once regularly taken on horseback.

By the time I reach Sydney, I’ll have covered 4,352km, and taken one of the last great train rides of the world.

My dinky, self-contained twin cabin is cozy and functional but I know that if I’d brought a cat, I wouldn’t be able to swing it.

Before the train pulls away, a staff member comes around to say hi, and plan my meal times.

The dining room is four carriages down, and able to serve 48 people at once. The need, therefore, for a bit of planning. I feel like an eccentric lady of leisure, airily informing my numerous staff that “I shall dine at 7.30pm on the dot”.

Mentally putting on a large wide brimmed hat to suit my new grande dame persona, I sit back and look out the

window as the train slowly pulls away from the station and weaves its way through Perth’s outer suburbs.

We aren’t in a hurry, but I’m grateful for that as we pass through the beautiful Avon valley.

The dry river beds full of smooth granite boulders pass below my window and we are shaded by tall Marri trees. The train manager pipes up over the intercom, and over the days, I tune in and out of the on board radio station which plays music and stories. A soundtrack to the vast stage around us, full of history and people, just beyond the horizon.

We pass the eerie lights of a remote mine at dusk, dusty trucks and conveyor belts glowing in the electric light as we get closer to Kalgoorlie. It takes us almost 11 hours to arrive, as we often wait to let other

primolife.com.au

trains pass, and I break up the day between my cabin, the lounge car, with its panoramic windows on both sides, and the Queen Victoria restaurant dining car.

Serving three course meals three times a day out of a tiny kitchen, the Indian Pacific chefs sure have their work cut out of them.

But you wouldn’t know it. The service and quality of food is better than I’ve had in kitchens with twice as much room.

I adore the old-fashioned elegance of the dining car, with its white linen tablecloths, heavy silverware and delicious plates whisked back and forth by the staff, now in smart server attire. The seasonal menu is designed with local ingredients in mind, thematically collecting flavours as we progress across the country. I nibble at saltbush dukka, olive oil, barramundi, kangaroo and wild lime.

Over the next few days, we train folk become adept at negotiating the narrow corridors, the swaying and rocking of the train and rattling doorways between the cars.

Passing each other in close proximity, we act like overly polite traffic controllers, pausing at each end of the corridor, deciding who will go first. “After you!”, “Oh no, you go first!”, “Are you sure? Ok then”.

I settle into the rhythm of train life quickly, and the faces of my fellow passengers become familiar and friendly, as we chat over meals in the dining car or

glasses of wine in the lounge.

There is Rebecca, a young PhD candidate from Boston on her first trip to Australia, wanting to experience the outback in a new way.Val, from the UK has been in Perth to visit her grown up daughter. John and his wife establish themselves as the socialites of the train, joking around and quickly making friends. Most of the other passengers are Australian and while I come well under the average age, everyone seems to be taking the train for a different reason and with a different perspective. Towards the back, in the Red Class, backpackers from all over the world take advantage of the cheaper rates, making do with reclining sofa seats instead of cabins. I admire their guts, but having

done my fair share of sleeping rough, I’m grateful for my bed.

Before leaving, I had loaded up pages of long articles to read on my laptop, charged my Kindle and brought my notebook along, sure that the long hours with nothing to do and nowhere to go would drive me crazy.

Yet somehow, I’m never bored.

For long stretches, there is no phone coverage and thus no internet, and yet I enjoy the feeling of being disconnected.

My boyfriend is on the opposite side of the globe, and I miss our contact, but there is something cozy about being utterly unreachable. My cabin feels like a little hidey-hole, with the entire world just outside my window. may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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travel I enjoy the solitude of my private space, with nothing to do but watch the world go by from my window or stretch out on the couch to catch up on some lost hours of sleep. The rocking and rolling of the train that is barely noticeable during the day seems much stronger at night, and in my single bunk the swaying prevents me from a deep sleep. But I don’t mind. I feel like a sailor, rocking in my hammock, away to

discover distant shores.

As we eat up kilometer upon kilometer of steel track, I get to know not only the other passengers, but the crew of Great Southern Rail who take the journey with us. Our lounge host Sonya Lemondine has been working on the Indian Pacific and The Ghan for 12 years. Funny, warm and always smiling, Sonya tells me she had worked in hotels, bars and restaurants for years, but

missed the days of ‘old fashioned’ service, which she found aboard the train.

She joshes and cracks cheeky jokes as she walks up and down the length of her dominion but I get the feeling that despite the friendly attitude, very little escapes her eagle eye. I try to get her to spill the dirt, but she’ll only admit that the long hours can be tiring. No insufferable passengers then? She smiles and tells me that she tries

(not so) fast facts Anna travelled from Perth to Sydney courtesy of Great Southern Rail in a Gold Service twin cabin.

of the Super Pit, mining gold - it is the world’s largest single open cut mine site;

• On-board catering is all-inclusive for

A short stop at Cook – which is an outback post with historic ties to rewatering the trains and now is home to just four residents;

Platinum and Gold Service guests, with meals served in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, with all-inclusive wines, beers, base spirits, soft drinks, tea, coffee and Off-Train excursions in Kalgoorlie, Adelaide and Broken Hill are included too.

• The meals are freshly prepared by

the Indian Pacific’s team of chefs. The three-course lunches and dinners offer samples of Australian produce including SA’s Woodside Cheese Wrights goats cheese, in a pastry tart and can be paired with quality Australian wines including a range of WA wines on offer including Stella Bella, Vasse Felix and Moss Wood.

• At just 1.3m wide, the on-board

kitchens’ efficiency is quite amazing – especially taking into account that over 1.2 million meals are served out of the kitchens over The Ghan and Indian Pacific each year.

OFF-TRAIN EXCURSIONS INCLUDE: Kalgoorlie – which will be a night visit

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Adelaide – which offers the choice of an Adelaide City Sights Tour or the Adelaide Central Markets Tour, which allows passengers the chance to explore and meet the store holders of this delicious fresh food market; Broken Hill – visit Pro Hart art gallery or the miner’s memorial during this stop in one of Australia’s oldest mining towns.

Prices for Gold Service twins start at $2,499 per person one way. Reduced rates are available for pensioners, backpackers, students and other concession holders.

• The Indian Pacific departs from both

Perth and Sydney every week, all year with twice-weekly departures in the high season.

For more information about fares and timetables, go to greatsouthernrail.com. au or call 1800 703 357.

to treat everyone as if they were her own family. With numerous repeat travellers, those who do it for the love of the journey, and those who simply can’t fly any longer, some do become a bit like family for the GSR crew.

“This is about the whole experience,” she says. ”If you want to get from A to B and not see anything, then fly.” Sonya and her colleagues are in the business of giving a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

For much of the year, there is just one locomotive making the non-stop coast-tocoast journey, so it’s no surprise that life primolife.com.au

I’m hypnotised by the enormity of the land, the sheer emptiness of it all, and the thought that this journey was once regularly taken on horseback. on-board the train is a little different from the outside world. The Indian Pacific has its own history, customs and quirks. I come to love being on ‘Train Time’, a time zone that we carry with us as we move from west to east, and press the staff for their stories from the track.

Hitting roadkill along the way is par for the course, but nothing under the size of a bullock will actually stop the train. And then, only if they get truly unlucky. In the event of a roadkill-induced mechanical problem, the crew and train drivers have had to learn to fend for themselves, with no supplies easily had. MacGuyver-like tactics are employed to bring the locomotive into the next station however they can.

Deep into our passage across the Nullarbor, stopping in Cook is a refuelling break dressed up as a town visit, but I appreciate the opportunity to stretch my legs and look around. Once a reasonably stable community of around 40, it is now a ghost town staffed by a tiny crew, who service the Indian Pacific and

freight trains which pass through every day.

I poke around among the long-abandoned basketball court and school rooms, admiring the large collection of road signs that have somehow travelled to this strange spot.

There is no platform in Cook, and it feels like we are the only people to have passed through in years, but I know this to be an illusion. The Nullarbor goes on and on forever around us and I feel that I am finally beginning to grasp just how large Australia is.

I become so accustomed to our little family, the familiar faces in the restaurant, and the staff, that it is a bit of a shock to see the crew change over in Adelaide, and half of my friends depart. A new wave of travellers comes on-board, but now, like a grande dame turned reclusive Mrs Haversham, I don’t bother making new friends. There is only one more day to go, after all.

From the expanse of the Nullarbor Plain, to the red, red dirt and weatherboard houses of Broken Hill, and the crests of the Blue Mountains I reflect on how dramatically the

land has changed over the last few days. I enjoy seeing the front of the train as we curve and weave between rocky passes and through small valleys, coming closer to Sydney.We begin to pass through regular stations, with regular people waiting on them.

We are back in civilisation. Lines from Dorothy MacKellars classic poem ‘My Country’ come to me. One of our most beloved poets, she described Australia as “a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains”. With this in my mind, I watch the train disgorge onto the platform and see the backs of heads and suitcases disperse and vanish. I take a moment before I plunge back into the pace of the metropolis myself.

Another line lingers. “Her beauty and her terror, the wide brown land for me.” Making the crossing for the first time, I understand now what she meant. Australia is a country that can overwhelm, frighten and inspire you.

Beautiful and vast, it’s waiting for you.

Go, and be awed. PL

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PRIMOcitystay

Win a Sunday night stay in a Level 10 Queen Suite including breakfast in the Adelphi Grill and valet parking. Visit PRIMOLife’s Facebook page or primolife.com.au to enter. Good luck!

SUITE SPOT The Parmelia Hilton’s 10th floor has undergone a luxurious refresh - and for a special occasion, its Suite Life package is the perfect opportunity to indulge the one you love. By GABI MILLS. PERTH’S CBD HAS upped its game. No longer does it die a quiet death after all the offices close their doors. Now it’s possible to eat, drink and be politely merry well into the small hours. Sitting in the perfect position to make the most of all these new developments, the Parmelia Hilton has kept a majestic eye on proceedings in its city for decades, watching fads come and go but remaining the hotel most likely to excel when it comes to service excellence.

Now, thanks to an inspired refurb of its exclusive suites on the 10th floor, it’s also the hotel most likely to make your jaw drop when you open the door to one of its Premier Suites, as I did.

Sometimes, you see, size is everything, and my CBD residence for the night had size in spades. It must be one of the biggest suites in the whole city and is certainly one of the most elegant. The new look was created by Hassell architects and from the lounge/dining room to the king-sized bedroom and two (count ‘em) bathrooms, this is a suite which overdelivers on the X factor.

There’s even a balcony which stretches

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this way and that, perfect to enjoy a sundowner before dinner, giving you an exclusive urban view of the steel and glass edifices which have created Perth’s very own concrete jungle.

I had arrived before my husband who was joining me later, gleefully handing over the keys to my car to the helpful valet who appeared, as if by magic, just as I drew up to the foyer. If I’d so wished I could have taken advantage of the limousine transer to and from the hotel (up to 50km radius) - it’s just all part of the Suite Life package.

At check-in, the helpful staff couldn’t have been jollier, the thrill of opening the door to the suite undiminished for them too it seemed.

A stand-out feature of the hotel is the longevity of its staff. Over 40 per cent of the team have been with the hotel over five years which means between them they’ve got over 1,000 years of experience and guest knowledge. One of the Room Service team will be celebrating 40 years in their role - that’s a lot of club sandwiches and midnight snacks over the years.

Jocelyn (who’s been with the hotel for

16 years) pointed out the features of the room expertly. Everything was just as I’d hoped; a bottle of Pol Roger champagne chilling in an ice bucket, a plate of little chocolates and strawberries waiting for me to nibble as I skipped about. The lounge led into the enormous bedroom, so large in fact that I’m pretty sure I’ve lived in smaller apartments in the past. Officially it’s around about 88 metres of space just for you - that’s a lot of luxury carpet to vaccuum each day.

There are just nine suites on level 10, each of which have a consistent theme but individual characters according to the design flourishes which make them such a stand-out in a world of monotonous hotel accommodation. primolife.com.au

Premier Suite rates start from $684 per night. For a very special occasion book the Suite Life package ($1350 per night) which includes: ✔ a night in a Premier Suite with buffet breakfast in the Adelphi Grill; ✔ limousine transfer to and from the hotel (within 50km radius) or valet parking; ✔ a bottle of Pol Roger champagne on arrival in your suite; ✔ three course dinner for two with Vasse Felix wine in the Adelphi Grill; ✔ complimentary access to the 24-hour in-room movie channel; and ✔ Kailis Australian Pearls VIP private viewing at the King Street boutique To book call 08 9215 2000 or visit perth. hilton.com.

TOP CLASS The Premier Suites at the Parmelia Hilton are all about comfort, style and elegance. Below, a visit to Kailis on King Street is part of the VIP Suite Life package offering.

A discreet black oblong at the end of the bed hid a secret. At the touch of a button a TV rose up out of its interior, making it possible to either embrace or ignore your latest TV show addiction should the night demand it.

I loved the decor - calming burnished bronze and cream tones, timber and stone finishes and was glad (for the umpteenth time that night) that the kids weren’t in tow; part of the Parmelia Hilton’s famed ambience comes from its incredible collection of works of art and antiques. The room was no exception with chandeliers, velvet drapes, restored antique furniture and a graceful porcelain vase on the occasional table. Little sticky fingers can do a lot of

damage in a room such as this...

Matthew arrived and was equally bowled over by the acreage of the suite but after polishing off the Pol Roger, it was time for our next treat - a three course meal in the Adelphi Grill with Vasse Felix wine thrown in for good measure.

The Adelphi Grill has a long, distinguished history, being part of many Perth families Christmas, New Year and special occasion celebrations. These days it’s a contemporary spot with a pleasing buzz as the bar alongside fills up with post-work catch-ups.

Chef Chad Miskiewicz’s selection of tapas to start was a good way to introduce us to some punchy flavours - chilli doused squid; dry spiced lamb skewers; arancinis that just popped in the mouth. It’s hard to resist the Grill’s reputation for meat-based dishes, so we didn’t - my fillet steak was as good a stack of meat as you’re likely to find this side of Argentina, while Matt’s baramundi (ok, he had the fish), was cooked perfectly, flaky and delicious. And for dessert we shared a plate again - this time fighting

Part of the package means 24-hour access to the in-room movie channel - so for two 40-somethings at the end of a long week of work, it was a no-brainer.Yes, we could have skipped out of the hotel and partied on at one of Perth’s excellent small bars within walking distance of the foyer, but no. It was a nightcap and a Night at the Museum for these two ravers.

In the morning, we sprang out of bed, the sunshine and showers weather bathing us in golden light one minute, while the next we wanted to pull on our cardigans.

The Comic Con stars were in town and we’d already spotted a fair number of creatively clothed fans wandering around the lobby. We made our way down for our complimentary breakfast at the Adelphi Grill and - oh the excitement - spotted some sci-fi stars tucking into bowls of muesli. Time-travelling heroes superstars aside, the breakfast was just what we were after - plenty of bacon, eggs and accompaniments to offset the indulgence of the night before. As breakfast was cleared away, there was one remaining indulgence to enjoy. A VIP private viewing at Kailis Australian Pearls’ King Street boutique.

This was an event so far outside our realm of experience that it was as if we’d become somebody else for an hour or so.

This, we realised, really is how the other half live. The King Street boutique is a calm haven of beautiful pearls and jewels; I could get used to this, I thought as the solicitous staff showed me the collection reserved just for VIPs. If I’d spent $1500, I would have received a $200 voucher to spend on more jewels should my current quota be insufficient.

Dream on, Mrs Mills.

spoons over the sticky date and chocolate pudding, citrus meringe and a cute little button of orange and vanilla crème brulée.

Meanwhile our glasses were topped up with a fine Vasse Felix drop of red - I was beginning to feel magnanimous and as large as the suite on floor 10. But our treats weren’t at an end just yet.

As the valet delivered my non-luxe car safely back to me, it was with significant regret that I drove away, leaving what was one of the most indulgent nights available within sight of the Swan.

My advice? Let the Parmelia Hilton spoil you to the max. It’ll be a night you’ll never forget. PL may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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TOURER DE FORCE BMW adds another feather to its cap now that the 2 Series Active Tourer is taking on the compact car market. By MATTHEW MILLS. A GOOD MOTORING hack shouldn’t admit to having favourites, but there’s no getting away from the fact that I’ve got a soft spot for BMWs – simply because my first ever proper car boasted the distinctive badge.

I say proper car because it was the first one I’d actually been able to choose, the wage I was pulling in as a newly-qualified reporter on a weekly newspaper in England’s home counties finally meaning I could look for more than a fifty quid Ford Escort bought from a bloke in the pub.

It was a Mark 5 320i – and I loved it.

It was that deep burgundy colour, great nick for a 10-year-old motor and, most importantly, was much, much better than most of my mates’ cars.

Most, that is, except my flatmate’s. An amiable young photographer, he had a car that could compete – a hatchback that I’ll

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not name here, but to give you a clue it was also German and has also earned itself a place in the hall of classic motors.Yeah, you know the one.

Anyway, our arguments as to who owned the best car were long and heated, but always seemed to end in a stalemate, neither of us giving an inch. Eventually, though, we came to an agreement I could stomach – BMW made the best sedan, that other lot made the best hatchback.

It was an easy enough compromise.Yes, technically Beemer had a hatchback or two kicking about – Z1 anyone? – but, in truth, the genre was, back then, simply not on their radar.

Now, of course, that has all changed and, call me childish if you want, but boy do I wish I could take my latest review motor back in time and use it to trounce my old

mucker once and for all.

BMW’s evolution over the past decade has been staggering. While consolidating their preeminence in the world of luxury sedans, they have branched out to conquer other genres that previously have not had the benefit of the Bavarians’ genius.

And the latest area to get the BMW primolife.com.au

POWERFUL DRIVE The compact 2 Series Active Tourer feels roomy on the inside.

2 Series Active Tourer 218i......... $51,866 2 Series Active Tourer 218d....... $55,487 2 Series 220i.............................................. $58,789 2 Series Active Tourer 225i......... $63,049

treatment is the compact, front-wheel-drive powerhouse – and it’s the 2 Series Active Tourer that I picked up from the good folk at Auto Classic, that I can now safely say would give that other hatchback a good run for its money.

From the outside, it’s instantly obvious that BMW have nailed the classic hatchback

look – sleek but stocky, the 2 Series Active Tourer 218i I was about to put through its paces exudes power and excitement. It is, though, very much a BMW, retaining that class that the brand has long been renowned for with its stylish grill and exotic L-shaped headlights, ensuring that it’s a vehicle that will always stand out from it many

competitors.

Inside, the 2 Series Active Tourer is all about comfort and style. Somehow, it manages to shrug off its true dimensions and feel wonderfully spacious. Driver and front passenger have ample legroom and there’s none of that shoulder-to-shoulder forced intimacy so often a trait of small cars. The back seat too is designed to not cramp the style of any adults you may need to ferry around – and it folds down flat should you need to pick up a flatpack wardrobe or two from Ikea.

The driver’s seat, though, is the place to be. Everything is at your fingertips, the clever design of the dash and steering column seems to angle every switch in your direction, making controlling the mass of gadgetry instinctive.

And there is of course the navigation and entertainment system, everything you need controlled by that magic little wheel.

Cranked up, your in-car music is as good as anything you’re going to get at home, and Bluetoothing your mobile is so simple old boys like me won’t feel the need to find a teenager to talk us through it.

So, looks and luxury wise, BMW has built a hatchback that knocks its competitors for six, but the proof of these compact hatchbacks is in the driving. And here, the 218i provides in spades. It hugs the road, feels powerful and secure in what its doing. Its innovative three-cylinder engine has power enough to get you out of trouble if you need to – it generates 100kW/136hp – and there’s also the satisfaction of knowing that you’re driving something that’s not going to hit your hip pocket to hard at the bowser – just 5.2 litres for every 100km.

It’s very safe too – the six airbags, front and rear parking sensors and reversing cameras working together to earn it the five crash test stars from Euro NCAP. All in all, then, I can safely sit back happy in the knowledge that BMW now produces a hatchback that can take on all-comers.

The 2 Series Active Tourer 218i that I had the pleasure of driving is a perfect family car – compact but spacious on the inside, economical but still a lot of fun to drive.

Other models in the range tick all the other boxes that need to be ticked in this genre – the 225i and the awesome M Sport models bringing the power that will thrill even the most picky of petrolheads – so I can now confidently track down my old pal and revisit our age-old argument. And this time, I’m pretty sure I can win. PL BMW Auto Classic, 48 Burswood Road, Victoria Park WA 6100.Tel: (08) 9311 7533. autoclassic.com.au. may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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drive

THREE

SPIRIT

The much-loved Mazda CX collection is expanding and Matthew Mills just loves the newest little addition - the CX3

SOMETIMES, IT FEELS pretty good to be mates with the new kid on the block.

There’s a buzz wherever he goes.

There’s been talk about his arrival for a while – people have heard rumours, know he’s going to be cool, want to check out whether all the stories are actually true.

Basically, they just want to meet the new guy, to see if he measures up to the hype.

And so it was when I picked up the funky new Mazda CX3 Akari from the amiable coves down at Wanneroo Mazda.

There was no getting away from the fact that this stunning SUV was star of the show at the Pembroke Road dealership, despite the array of quality metal on show beside it.

The CX3, of course, comes from a top-notch bloodline, its elder cousins the CX5, CX7 and CX9 have long proved their mettle in the SUV world, the 5 and

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7 firmly established as a clever choice in this crowded genre while the 9’s cache has elevated it to the world of motoring status symbol.

But even with those dotted around the car park, it was clear that the excitement in this part of the northern suburbs was based squarely around the arrival of the new kid.

The cool, spunky little brother, the CX3.

Flags billowed in the wind announcing its arrival and billboards proclaimed its name. The four different models were scattered around the blacktop and they were all turning heads.Yep, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of the new.

It was with a rare excitement then, that this seasoned motoring hack followed Wanneroo Mazda’s new car sales manager, Neil Forsyth, to the car I was going to have the pleasure of checking out over the next two days.

And just on first impressions, I guessed that this was one debutant that was going to live up to the hype.

The CX3 is a great looking machine.

The motoring industry nowadays is, thankfully, emerging blinking from the days a decade or so ago when car design lost its way, when every model of every make seemed so similar it became difficult to tell them apart.

Nowadays, creativity is back, form and design are to the fore and, with the CX3, Mazda has proved it knows how to play the game – and play it well.

It jumps off the tarmac at you – and that’s exactly what the clever people at Mazda want it to do. They describe its looks as being the result of ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ design, a rendering of motion into its sleek lines. They say KODO represents primolife.com.au

the powerful grace of an animal pouncing, or a human leaping into action.

And this generally quite cynical hack has to agree. There is something quite bestial about the CX3’s long, long bonnet, it seems to be crouching ready to go, a sprinter in the blocks before the pistol sounds.

From all angles, however, it is a gem.

Neat, balanced and powerful and finished off in a glorious array of colours. I was about to take charge of an Akari in deep crystal blue, a finish that literally glittered in the sunlight. LED headlights and, on the Akari, 18-inch alloy wheels, added to the allure – this was a car that was going to get you noticed.

And then I got to get inside. Mazda has excelled with the CX3’s interior. I’ve already used the word ‘funky’ once in this review, but you have to let me repeat it this is what the car is all about.

My Akari was trimmed in pure white leather with black suede trim, a combination that just shouts fun times ahead, makes you smile each time you open the door.

Neil could see that I was already pretty smitten, so he just tossed me the ‘remote locking unit’ and told me to ‘enjoy’ and I was off.

The CX3 boasts all the gadgets and gizmos the modern driver yearns for – keyless entry, stop start button, navigation, excellent music station, Bluetooth phone connection, all of it perfectly within reach of the driver’s busy fingers.

All these hi-tech shenanigans, however, sit on a dash that is pleasantly retro, a nod to the style of days gone by.

Time though to stop gawping at the gadgets and get on the road – and here the CX3 wins again. It’s one of those cars that is simply fun to drive, that reinvigorates your love of driving.

Responsive and powerful, it wants to do whatever you want it to, hugging the road, eating up the blacktop with a confident swagger. My two-litre Akari also made all the right noises – I don’t think I’ll ever get old enough to not love the sweet growl of a big, powerful engine in a small car.

For the aficionados out there, that growl comes courtesy of Mazda’s Skyactiv-G 2.0l petrol engine in the Akari, but the range also includes the powerful Skyactiv-G 1.5l diesel variant. That, for the car I was in, delivers torque of 192Nm at 2,800 rpm while still boasting an impressive 6.1 litres of gas for each 100km.

You can, then, spin the CX3 around with grace and power, but the little master is also very safe, with technology coming to the fore to make sure you and yours are

DYNAMIC DRIVE The Mazda CX3 boasts not only all the gadgets and gizmos you could want but also delivers in terms of being really fun drive.

well looked after. There’s dynamic stability control, ABS brakes, emergency braking assist and traction control as well as loads of sensors checking for hazards every step of the way. The advanced blind spot monitoring is great on the freeway, a yellow warning light flashing on your side mirror when some idiot’s trying to overtake on the inside.

There’s also lane departure warning and a quiet computer voice that warns of speed cameras and, I’m told, gently points out if you go over the speed limit. Of course, I never heard that warning, honest guv’nor.

All in all, the CX3 is everything we expected from Mazda’s successful SUV range and more. A stand-out addition to this popular brand, this is one new boy who’s destined to be a star. PL Wanneroo Mazda, 6 Pembroke Road,Wangara, WA 6065.Tel: (08) 6500 0100.Visit wanneroomazda.com.au

Mazda CX3 Neo, available in 2,0l FWD 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic, from $22,981 Mazda CX3 Maxx, available in 2.0l six-speed FWD petrol automatic and manual, 2,0 litre six-speed petrol AWD and 1.5l six-speed diesel FWD from $25,447 Mazda CX3 sTouring, available in 2.0l six-speed FWD petrol automatic and manual, 2,0 litre six-speed petrol AWD and 1.5l six-speed diesel AWD from $30,254 Mazda CX3 Akari, available in 2.0l six-speed FWD petrol automatic and manual, 2,0 litre six-speed petrol AWD and 1.5l six-speed diesel AWD from $34,887 may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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An electrifying mix of athletic prowess, mental toughness, sheer brute strength and the occasional bit of biffo, rugby league’s State of Origin series has been wowing sports fans the world over since 1980. Now a new book looks into just what makes one of the world’s greatest sporting contests tick.

By NORMAN BURNS. Images COURTESY ACTION PHOTOGRAPHICS. 108

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IN THE 21ST-century world of team sports, where every move is scrutinised via countless cameras, one event stands out as being as close to the fearsome gladiatorial combat of yore as you can get - rugby league’s State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland.

No quarter is given as teammate faces teammate, even brother on brother, the dividing line literally which side of the fence the players were born on (or lived until the age of 13).

Since its inception as a one-off game in primolife.com.au

HAYNE TRAIN Above, New South Wales’ Jarryd Hayne is sandwiched between Queensland stars Billy Slater and Greg Inglis in Origin 1 in 2013. Picture: Grant Trouville, Action Photographics.

CRUNCH TIME Below, New South Wales’ Paul Gallen gets nailed by Queensland’s defence in Origin II in 2010. Picture: Colin Whelan, Action Photographics.

1980, the State of Origin (or “Origin” as it is commonly known) series has grown to be a ratings blockbuster for TV and a massive money spinner for the National Rugby League (NRL).

Now battlelines are drawn every year between “Cane toad” supporters (ie those in the maroon colours of Queensland) and the “Cockroaches” in the blue NSW jerseys.

There is no love lost between either the players on field or the millions of fans during the three-match series.

Sports writer Liam Hauser, whose

new book, State of Origin: 35 Years 1980-2014, has just been released, says the rivalry between the two states - and Queenslanders’ resentment over NSW having dominated inter-state league clashes when the format was state of residence

rather than state of “origin” - was the driving force in lighting the Origin fire.

“From 1908 to 1979, NSW won far more often than not … heading into 1980 the overall standings read NSW 156 wins, Queensland 54 wins, seven draws,” says Liam.

sport POWER AND GLORY Queensland’s Greg Inglis beats Josh Morris to score in Origin II in Sydney in 2012.

Picture: Renee McKay, Action Photographics.

THE WRITE STUFF Inset, Liam Hauser’s new book examines 35 years of sensational State of Origin clashes

Queensland were ecstatic at beating the 'enemy' and soon NSW officials, players and fans began to see Origin as the pinnacle of the game too.

“The trouble was that NSW sides often fielded Queenslanders who were lured south to play for Sydney clubs, which generated ample revenue from poker machines (which were illegal in Queensland). Many Queenslanders were therefore beating their own state.”

Taking a lead from the AFL’s State of Origin concept, league officials Ron McAuliffe and Kevin Humphreys suggested a similar format for league.

Queensland won the one-off 1980 clash, with Arthur Beetson’s epic performance against his Parramatta Eels teammates, Steve Edge and Mick Cronin, capturing the imagination of sports fans.

“It was clear that ‘mate against mate’ was something to behold,” says Liam.

From 1982, the series expanded to its current best-of-three format.

Queenslanders were ecstatic at beating the ‘enemy’ and soon NSW officials, players and fans began to see Origin as the pinnacle of the game too.

And once TV got involved, the series became bigger than Ben Hur as sports fans throughout Australia, and internationally, got a taste of the fierce, at times brutal, games.

The 2014 Origin II game, for example,

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drew 83,421 fans to Sydney’s ANZ Stadium - but Channel 9’s coverage drew 4.193 million viewers, the highest rating TV show of the year up to that point.

Said the NRL’s head of commercial, Paul Kind: “State of Origin is the best sporting brand in Australia.”

Social media too went bananas over the game; the official NRL, Queensland and NSW Facebook page drew a staggering 8 million unique visitors in one day. In Perth, not a traditional rugby league city, the telecast drew 121,000 viewers while AFLcentric Melbourne had 420,000 viewers.

South Queensland-born Liam, an Origin fan since the early 1990s, knows just what the series means to fans - after all he lives and works deep in “enemy territory” in NSW. And when the Origin series is in full swing he proudly wears the Maroon colours. PL This year’s series kicks off in Sydney on Wednesday, May 27. Game two will be held at the MCG in Melbourne on June 17 (the first match in Victoria since 1997) and the third game - and possible decider - at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on July 8.

LIAM HAUSER’S GREATEST SOO MOMENTS AS A NEUTRAL FAN 1 Arthur Beetson leading the Maroons to victory in the inaugural Origin match in 1980.

2 Steve Mortimer inspiring NSW to its first series win in 1985.

3 The 1991 series, as just two points separated the teams in all three matches.

LIAM HAUSER’S GREATEST SOO MOMENTS AS A QUEENSLAND FAN 1 Queensland winning eight straight series (2006-2013).

2 Paul Vautin’s ‘no-names’ (the NRL-Super League “war” meant many first-choice Maroons players were not available for selection) winning the series 3-0 in 1995.

3 Return of Allan “Alfie” Langer, just short of his 35th birthday, in 2001 to seal a 2-1 series win for Queensland.

STATE OF ORIGIN: 35 YEARS 1980-2014,

by Liam Hauser, Rockpool Publishing, $29.99. Visit rockpoolpublishing.com.au

primolife.com.au

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PRIMOentertainment

GIRL POWER Despite appearances to the contrary in her latest flick Mad Max: Fury Road, Charlize Theron admits that she ‘drives like an absolute granny’, says Gill Pringle.

AS THE NAME suggests, Imperator Furiosa is one of the most badass women to ever hit the screen in George Miller's long-awaited new installment of his legendary Mad Max films.

With her shaved head and battle-torn body, Furiosa is clearly not a woman to mess with, although the actress who plays her, Charlize Theron, pauses when I ask if she’s equally tough in real life.

“I think I’m physically capable,” she muses. “I don’t think of myself as tough.

But there’s something in my personality that likes a challenge and can cope in tough circumstances. I wanna believe if push came to shove I would pull it together and survive but then I think, in the luxury of this hotel room, we can all feel that way, right?”

We both smile at that comment, given we are chatting in a suite at a luxe Hollywood hotel, Theron dressed in black

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Dolce blouse and capri pant ensemble, shiny Louboutin heels on her feet. She’s fighting off the flu and sips from a cup of camomile tea, stirring in honey and squeezing slices of lemon.

“I like feeling capable. In my 20s I never worked out because I hated the idea of going to the gym, but then you get older and you start losing muscle tone and feeling weak and you go ‘Oh, so wait, that’s what that’s about. It's not about having a 23-inch waist?’ It’s about feeling strong and capable and I like that I can pick up my almost 50lb kid and throw him in the air,” she says, in reference to her three-and-a-half year old son Jackson who she adopted as an infant.

Certainly, she is one of a handful of actors who exudes a real power, from her roles as wicked queen in Snow White and The Huntsman or female rights pioneer in

North Country to her unforgettable Oscarwinning performance as a serial killer in Monster.

Even her choice in men is bold - she’s currently in a relationship with Sean Penn and has been for the past 18 months.

For sure, Mad Max: Fury Road director George Miller recognised the tough uncompromising Theron as the perfect candidate to play this warrior woman, Furiosa.

“Let me tell you a secret,” she smiles mischievously. “We were going to make this movie several times and every time there was a whole different look and finally I just called George up and it was maybe 3am for him and said: ‘What are we doing? I need to buzz my head!’ and he just took a deep breath and went 'yeees'. Then of course everybody hated me because it set the tone for the war boys and all the stunt guys so about a thousand guys and girls had to shave their heads and the guys were worse about it than the girls. Like the really big heavy solid stunt guy professionals were like ‘I don’t wanna shave my hair’. They were very upset.” primolife.com.au

Australia’s beloved Mad Max director Miller spent more than a decade envisioning a new chapter in the post-apocalyptic trilogy which made Mel Gibson a household name, ultimately casting British actor Tom Hardy as his new Max and Jennifer Lawrence’s ex, Nicholas Hoult, as Nux. As the mysterious Furiosa, Theron captures a bevy of beautiful female slaves played by Riley Keogh and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley plus Australia’s Megan Gale, Abbey Lee and Courtney Eaton.

“But George has a real love for women; I really felt it in this movie and, selfishly, I feel like us women had the great pleasure of being supremely complex,” says the 39-year-old actress.

“Courtney was only 16 when we were shooting and there were some women who were in their 70s so it covers the gamut of that 16-year-old girl becoming that 82-year-old woman in this very hard world.

The women really got to ride motorcycles

producer and earnest humanitarian with her own organisation devoted to raising AIDS awareness in her native Africa, Theron can hold forth on any given issue although her son is probably her favourite topic.

“He’s just a cool kid, he really is, I’m sorry, my kid is so cool,” she says proudly. “And I

diamond rings on her right hand while her engagement finger is poignantly bare.

One of the most beautiful women in the world, she was happy to see the tables turn on the Mad Max set, her male co-stars spending more time in the make-up trailer than she.

BLEAK NEW WORLD Left, Charlize Theron wasn't afraid to go all the way in terms of getting the right look for her character, Imperator Furiosa. Above, Nicholas Hoult as Nux and the rest of the cast add to the gritty look of Mad Max: Fury Road.

and it was fantastic to see these ladies in their 60s and 70s with sawn-off shotguns, scramblers in the desert and braids in their hair.”

As tough as the shoot was, filmed in the scorching dust of the desert lands in Swakopmund, Namibia, there were many moments of levity.

A new mum at the time, there was no way she was going to leave Jackson behind with a nanny and thus he became something of a mascot on set.

“He was just under three months old when we went out there, a tiny little nugget.

The girls passed him around like a little love ball all day.

"They’d put him on the lunch table and he would just sit in the middle watching them eat, drooling over all the girls, and I’d be thinking, ‘That’s my boy!’ ” At other times, she hung out with the guys, even teaching co-star Nicholas Hoult to knit. “He got pretty good at it, and made lots of scarves.”

A consummate professional, successful

have no idea because I am such a loser. I look at him every day and go ‘Man, I’m going to try and be as cool as you today’. ” Refusing to revisit the original Mad Max films prior to filming, she has never even met Mel Gibson in all her red carpet years.

“I didn’t want to see the films again because then you’re sitting in the rig going ‘Oh my god am I being Tina Turner right now?’”

Today the former model and face of Dior is a vision of femininity once more, honey blonde hair brushing her shoulders. She wears two antique silver and

“Nicholas had all these prosthetics and paint every day but I just had to look mucky, smearing grease on my forehead and buzzing my head.”

The ultimate road movie, she’s no road demon herself.

“I drive like an absolute granny. I’m so scared all the time now. After making this film I hate being on the road because I’m so worried I’m going to hit a bike.

“It’s made me absolutely terrified in cars.” PL Mad Max: Fury Road is released on May 14 may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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To celebrate the latest Mad Max release, Matthew Mills looks at the movies which have fed our insatiable appetite for all things Doomsday.

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primolife.com.au

(1959) Nuclear war The upside of this movie is that it confirms that, come the apocalypse, Australia is the best place to be – nuclear war has wiped out the rest of the world but the poisonous fall-out has yet to make it to the Lucky Country. The good news ends there, however. This is a bleak, emotional warning of the pointlessness of N-bomb warfare.

A signal gives hope of survivors elsewhere and a sub sets out to investigate, only to be devastated by what it finds. Meanwhile Aussies everywhere contemplate their Government-issue suicide pills and final days with no hope.

A categoric no.

END OF DAYS Above, fleeing extras in the original 1956 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

EVER SINCE A very young-looking Mel Gibson hooned across the Australian bush back in 1979, the Mad Max franchise has established itself firmly as one of the major players in the fantastical and often terrifying world of apocalypse movies.

But they weren’t the first – and won’t be the last (unless the world actually does end in a ball of fire). Here’s my collection of key films that have helped shape the evolution of how movie-makers see the end of the world.

(1956, 1978) Alien invasion It’s hard to pick between these two versions of the same tale – both are perfect apocalyptic movies. Both tell the tale of flora from outer-space taking over the world, seeds that germinate into pod people, replacing the human population. And both are lauded as studies of humanity as well as brilliant films, poking at both the herd mentality of society and the cynicism of government. Which is best? The latter, maybe, if only for Donald Sutherland’s final pod scream.

The first take gives us hope, but the remake definitely gives the game to the interstellar nasties.

(1961) Nuclear bombs A classic that boasts a special place in the heart of all us journos. Set in 60s London, our hero is Peter Stenning, a Daily Express hack boasting all the style, swagger and loaded hipflask of the Fourth Estate in those long-gone days. He and his science editor work out that recent ‘phew, what a scorcher’ temperatures are actually caused by nuke tests that have shifted the Earth’s axis. They break the story, the world begins to panic and governments look to use more nukes to save the day.

No one is sure. The final reel sees the Express newsroom waiting on a call – two front pages, one reading ‘World saved’ the other ‘World doomed’, ready and waiting to go.

(1968) Zombies The outrage that greeted George A Romero’s masterpiece was staggering – never before had mainstream cinemas witnessed such gore, such horror. But, of course, it launched a genre that, like an undead sheriff shot in the gut, simply refuses to die. Five sequels, a couple of remakes and countless imitators later, this low-budget tale of a bunch of survivors in a farmhouse still sits atop the zombie pile.

Nope. Romero’s heroes have a life expectancy even worse than the cast of Game of Thrones.

(1968) Nuclear war One of the greatest reveals in cinematic history is when Taylor, the heroic astronaut played by Charlton Heston, stumbles across the top of the Statue of Liberty and he realises that the Planet of the Apes may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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Everyman shop-worker Shaun and his slacker flatmate Ed take a while to wake up to the end of the world, but when they do they take on the undead in true George A Romero style. Bloody handprints, improvised weapons and a classic final stand are all nods to the master as Simon Pegg brings biting comedy, social commentary and plenty of guts to the big screen.

Basically, yes. Shaun gets back with Liz and the annoying people get eaten. Ed’s a zombie, but he’s OK with that.

(2004)

isn’t some alien world but Earth, a couple of millennia after a thermonuclear war changed everything in favour of our simian brethren. A classic that spawned many a sequel and, more recently, some fantastic origin-tale prequels.

Taylor knows there’s no going home, the other two astros are stuffed and lobotomised, so, basically, no.

(1976) Nuclear war The current flux of teen-lit dystopian society yarns owes a lot to this 70s classic, as we visit a hedonistic world based on life ending at 30. Surnames are numbers, everyone’s beautiful, Sandmen keep order and we’ve all got a life-clock. All it needs now is someone to question the status quo.

Cue Logan and Jessica’s odyssey to the surface, a journey that includes the classic line ‘let’s take our clothes off first, before they freeze to us’.Yay, the 70s!

Yep. Logan and Jess prove 23rd-century coves can live to a ripe old age after all.

(1984) Comet Whether Thom Ebehardt, who wrote this apoca-comedy that became a cult classic thanks to 80s teenagers and the birth of the VCR, was thinking of John Wyndham’s classic tale of triffids when he wiped out most of the world with the effects of a passing comet, we’re not sure – but it’s a celestial firework show that turns people to dust or, worse, mutants. A few gallant

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survivors – including Buffy-precursor Reggie Belmont – make it through thanks to various unbelievable bits of good fortune. The bad guys turn out to be the establishment, but they can’t keep the kids down.

Yep. All it needs is a bit of rain and Reggie and co are ready to restart society. Bitchin’.

(1996) Alien invasion Proof that if anyone can fend off angry aliens from outer-space, it’s gonna be the Americans. Will Smith leads the charge adding his military nous to Jeff Goldblum’s booksmarts. Even the President gets in on the act, taking on the unwelcome visitors from the cockpit of a fighter jet.

Oh yes. It’s the fourth of July, no one’s gonna tear down the stars and stripes.

(1999) Technology Neo’s fears that all is not right on planet Earth are vindicated when, after a bit of hacking, he meets Morpheus who explains that computers run the show now and humans are simply energy generators living in virtual reality. Cue lots of slow motion bullet-dodging and the birth of the trenchcoat as an emo mainstay.

Neo flies high at the end of this one, but there’s sequels to come.

(2004) Zombies

Global warming Part apocalypse movie, part public information film – this special effect-laden flick reminds us all why we should recycle. Doubters are given a violent lesson in what could happen if we carry on hiding our heads in the sand as weather patterns shift and everyone on USA’s longitude suddenly wishes they’d stocked up with thermal undies.

Good news for the second and third worlds who get to smugly help shovel the drives of their oncepowerful neighbours.

(2007) Mutant virus Let’s concentrate on the latest version of this take on Richard Matheson’s classic 1954 novel – after all, it’s the only one that kept the original name (the 60s brought us The Last Man on Earth and the 70s The Omega Man). None of them followed too closely to the original plot, but Will Smith’s take was the most successful. Basically, the former Fresh Prince thinks he’s the last man alive after a virus turns the rest of us into light-fearing monsters, a nod to Matheson’s original vampiric apocalyptic horde. He has a dog and he’s working on a cure, watching Shrek and slowly going mad – and then a woman and her kid turn up with talk of others.

Not for the mutt and not for Will who makes the ultimate sacrifice. The boy and his mum though get the cure to the survivor colony.

(2008) Pollution Such is the appeal of the apocalypse, there’s even a film out there for the kiddies. Disney Pixar brought us this cute little garbage droid, steadfastly trying to clear up an Earth destroyed by consumerism and waste as the last humans, now all obese and immobile, search for a new world. It’s a love story too – he hooks up with EVE, an Extraterrestrial primolife.com.au

Vegetation Evaluator – and together they fight the forces of evil who don’t want the Earth to have a second chance.

Of course, it’s Disney Pixar. Touch and go for a bit, though.

(2010) Nuclear war It’s been 30 years since the bomb dropped and the world’s gone to pot. Not only can you not get a decent coffee anymore, but most everyone’s forgotten how to read.

Enter Eli, a wanderer with a locked book and surprisingly good fighting skills. He’s taking the tome to Alcatraz – but why?

Why’s it so important? All is eventually revealed – and along the way veteran British actors Michael Gambon and Frances de la Tour get the chance to play cannibals.

Well, Eli doesn’t make it but the printing presses eventually roll again, so good news for fans of the written word everywhere.

(2012) Meteor This beautifully crafted, quiet tale of the end of the world opens with NYC office drone Dodge not quite getting his head around the fact that, in three weeks, life on earth will end at the hands of a passing meteor. What follows is a heart-warming merger of two genres – apocalypse flick and road movie – as Dodge and his kookie neighbour Penny head to Delaware in search of Dodge’s first crush. No horror, very little blood, no gore, no zombies. Just people doing what people would probably actually do.

Yes, if you believe in true love and can overlook the fact that everyone dies.

(2012) Global warming and war (probably) The undisputed king of teen-apocalypse.

Pretenders have followed – Divergent, The Maze Runner gave it their best shot – but nothing touches Suzanne Collins’ frankly brutal take on what dystopian youngsters have to look forward to. Jennifer Lawrence brings Katniss to life and she and Peeta set off from District 12 to try to slaughter 22 other kids from across Panem.

Kat and Peeta win this one, but there’s still one last film to come ...

(2013) Zombies In an earlier visit to the apocalypse, Mad Max star Nicholas Hoult proves that being undead

LEGENDS AND HEROES Opposite, Will Smith stars in I Am Legend; Mel Gibson in the original Mad Max and below, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead.

isn’t all that bad as he does his best to woo Julie despite the limitations of his condition.

Defying absolutely everyone else who’s ever penned a zombie tale, these shufflers still retain some of their humanity and R battles to hone in on it and get the girl.

Yep, R and Julie – geddit, R and Julie, star-crossed lovers? – hook up once the apocalypse has been reversed.

(2013) Meteor If you live in New York, LA or even London, cinema’s more than happy to show you what the apocalypse will look like locally, but nearly everywhere else is ignored. Here in Perth, though, we have this silver-screen end-of-days to love and be proud of. Produced and directed by Perth buddies Liz Kearney and Zak Hilditch, it tells the story of the last 12 hours of the human race from the point of view of a blue-collar anti-hero in Perth’s suburbs. It’s all about the bad things we’d do if we had half a day’s notice – and you might just spot your house as well.

Mate, there’s a global firestorm about to land on Trigg beach.

What do you reckon? PL may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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A RIGHT ROYAL ADVENTURE It’s May 8, 1945, VE night, and London is celebrating the end of the Second World War, unaware that two partying girls in their midst are the future Queen of England and her naughty little sister.

By GABI MILLS.

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IT’S A BRILLIANT premise for a movie.

One perfect, glorious evening, two real-life princesses bust free of the stifling, regal confines of their regimented existence in a royal palace. If that sounds a bit like Frozen, think again. A Royal Night Out is a whole different ballgame, far from the adventures Elsa and Anna enjoyed among the icy floes.

Our heroines - Elizabeth and Margaret Windsor - join the whole of London, thronging the streets on the night of May 8, 1945, as the nation celebrates the end of the terrible dark days of World War II. And this isn’t entirely a work of fiction as it happens. It’s known that the young princesses, aged 19 and 14, slipped out of the palace to join the communal euphoria and went dancing at the Ritz. According to urban legend, they apparently returned to Buckingham Palace just after midnight.

So what could be more fun than imagining what high jinx the pair got up to, off the leash for one night only?

Directed by acclaimed UK director Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane, Brideshead Revisited), A Royal Night Out is a deeply affectionate ‘what-if ’ story about the adventures and fun Elizabeth and Margaret might have had on the joyous night that brought the whole of London together.

“The idea of the two princesses, out on the town, incognito, is very exciting,” says Julian.

“It’s a true story by which everybody is

intrigued. But we don’t know exactly what happened. It’s a little fantasy inspired by that true story. It’s also a romantic comedy adventure about an odd couple - Jack is a working-class guy and Elizabeth is a princess.

“They are thrown together by chance and have to make their way through London on this crazy, unbelievable night.

And they’ve both got secrets. The princess has her secret identity and Jack has a secret she doesn’t know about.”

The original script was written by newcomer Trevor de Silva and then Kevin Hood, with whom Julian had worked closely with on Becoming Jane.

“Kevin and I had a very good collaboration,” he says. “He’s done a fantastic job in depicting the texture of the different worlds, the royal palace, the teeming crowds. He’s also very good on the witty humour of the characters.”

Part of the success of the movie is in the casting, no small feat in itself to find actors to portray such iconic real-life characters.

“How on earth does one find the cast to play Elizabeth and Margaret? That was the beginning of the process,” says Justin.

It wasn’t about finding ‘identikit’ actors who look the way they look, says producer Robert Bernstein.

“It’s about capturing the essence of Elizabeth and Margaret from our point of view, and being very respectful to the night primolife.com.au

and to the two princesses on that night.”

“It was very hard to find someone who could both inhabit the world of 1945 and could be a princess in 1945, and who looked to be around 19 or 20 years old,” says Justin.

“Many people felt a bit too modern. But Sarah Gadon has some of that quality of the young Elizabeth’s sense of duty, steadfastness and wit. She was also someone who was very keen on doing the research and working very hard to get it right.”

In fact, the Toronto-born actor was so impressive in her audition that Justin didn’t know she was Canadian until after he had offered her the role.

For anybody familiar with old BBC footage of the young princesses, seeing Sarah and her co-star Bel Powley (Margaret) playing the young royals is extraordinary they are just fabulous, brilliantly believable and wonderfully warm.

“I read a lot,” says Sarah on her prepartion for the role of a lifetime.

“I read a great book by Kate Williams called Young Elizabeth: The Making Of Our Queen. The book talked a lot about Margaret and the family dynamics. I also learned about the iconography of the family.

“It’s very important to the Royal Family that they cultivate a very specific look for themselves. Understanding and deconstructing that was helpful to me. A lot of what I was doing was breaking down the icon and playing the girl behind the princess.”

The film takes many of its visual and tonal cues from the screwball movies of the 1940s. Sarah spent many hours watching Brief Encounter, the films of Katharine Hepburn and of course Roman Holiday.

To help place the young Elizabeth’s accent and the pitch of her voice, Sarah watched a few of the rare clips of the princess at that age, including one where she is addressing crowds in South Africa. She also took etiquette lessons and worked with a historical consultant.

Meanwhile Bel, playing rebellious Margaret, has so much fun with the highspirited sister of the future queen.

“I had to delve through the biographies of Elizabeth and find the bits where they talk about her sister, who they called ‘P2’, ” says Bel. Rupert Everett and Emily Watson as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were also inspired casting choices, anchoring the young cast with their wit, affection and gravitas.

“It’s a film about a family,” says Rupert. “It’s about a father’s concern for his daughter and concern about his own performance. We all know he had a stutter.”

A Royal Night Out started shooting for six weeks in April 2014 entirely on location. One of the filmmakers’ biggest challenges was realising such an ambitious concept with the resources of a small British independent film. As London was too expensive a city in which to film so many period-specific exteriors, the production team recreated 1940s London in the northern English city of Hull.

“Out of all of the cities we looked at as a team, Hull was the one that gave us both the grandeur of a street like Piccadilly and a nearby warren of streets that was medieval in its layout and could stand in for Soho,” says location manager Tom Howard.

“And both were within walking distance of each other.”

Over 300 extras were fitted into period costume in a big marquee in each of the Hull locations. “It’s a lot of laundry and a lot of shoe polishing,” says costume designer Claire Anderson.

Following three weeks in Hull, the production moved to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire and Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire to film the interiors of Buckingham Palace.

“There is no one place that is going to look entirely like Buckingham Palace so it was a case of patching it together from different houses,” says Tom. “Chatsworth and Belvoir gave us the scale and size of the rooms that we needed.”

The grandeur of both locations had an impact on the cast. “Chatsworth House is an unbelievable place,” says Bel. “Just to be in the grounds, in the

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building and around all the art that they have. Someone pointed to a piano and said ‘Princess Margaret used to come and play on that piano’. We felt very close to the story.”

The last few days of the shoot moved to London and to the scenes outside Buckingham Palace on the Mall and in Trafalgar Square. Robert sought permission to shoot on the Mall from the Royal Parks authority, which also asked to see the script.

“The Royal Family very generously let us film on the Mall which was crucial as we had to recreate the crowds around Buckingham Palace when the royals came out on the balcony,” Justin explains.

“We did it with a mixture of blue screen and special effects and using the gates around the Mall and the Royal Parks to stand in for the actual gates at Buckingham Palace.”

“The moment it really hit me was when we were shooting in Trafalgar Square.

It was a real movie moment of, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m in Trafalgar Square shooting a film about VE night’,” says Sarah.

“It was really special for me, because my nana was in the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce and my grandfather sailed under the British Navy in World War II. They were both in Trafalgar Square, celebrating on VE night.

It is a powerful moment personally and a powerful moment creatively in the character’s journey as well. It was really special.”

Amazingly, the shoot took place on the anniversary of VE Day. “It added a little frisson to the evening,” laughs Justin, recalling the 200 extras and the traffic roaring past in the background.

“It was extraordinary to be filming there. We were looking at the Palace and wondering if the Queen was looking down and watching us.

“Of course we’ll never know.” PL A Royal Night Out is released on May 14.

Good luck!

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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DOUZE POINTS

The Aussies are taking on the Europeans at their own game in that maddest of all music competitions - the Eurovision Song Contest.

Adam Collins looks forward to a big night in Austria as Guy Sebastian represents Australia on this global stage for the very first time.

AVOID ALL FORMS of media for an entire day. No TV news, no radio in the car, no social media scans. No browsing the net.

It’s a mighty task, unenviable. For many, verging on impossible.Yet, for one Sunday this month in quiet corners around the country, this annual blackout is a vital precautionary measure. Why? To avoid involuntarily finding out who has won the Eurovision Song Contest overnight.You can’t make these things up.

This comes about due to SBS, who delivers loyal and dedicated Eurovision coverage, choosing to show the final on delay - in prime time; and what a quaint idea ‘on delay’ is in this age of torrents, live streams and renowned impatience.

In order to retain the suspense and surprise of a vote count that resembles the coming together of an election tally room and the Logies, this media ban is the common practice for hardened devotees.

When the 2015 final is screened it will

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be the contest’s 60th outing. From modest beginnings, with only seven participants, Eurovision has grown into a juggernaut with 39 countries taking their chance at the prize this year, joined by one shock newcomer… Australia.Yes, Australia.

For the uninitiated, it’s as simple as this.

All members of the European Broadcasting Union (56 in total) are able to submit a three-minute song for consideration across the continent, performed live. Each eligible nation allocates a vote (ranging from 12 to 1) decided upon by the general public and ‘expert’ panels for a quarter hour after the performances, before the excruciating/ brilliant process of each country getting the chance to read out their results - live on air.

The country with the most votes both wins the night and earns the following Eurovision being held in their backyard.

Austria’s triumph last year was convincing, with commanding drag queen Conchita Wurst (pictureed right) - full beard and all –

an unforgettable winner when she urged us to Rise Like a Phoenix.

SO OFF TO VIENNA WE GO It sounds a bit of a circus, but one that isn’t to be undervalued in its contribution to pop music, if not culture. Where did ABBA get their big break? Winning Eurovision of course. Celine Dion likewise, representing Switzerland, in French.You thought Dean Martin was responsible for Volare? Not so, it was Italy’s contender in 1958. Riverdance too first captured the world’s attention as an interval act during Ireland’s 1994 hosting, while Luxembourg’s 1965 winner, Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son, has been taken on tour by Arcade Fire.You get the picture.

Then, there’s the Eurovision politics, fuelling a disconcerting amount of academic work, punditry and after dinner conversations. For brevity’s sake, let’s just say that bloc and axis voting is integral to any Eurovision vote count, typically concluded primolife.com.au

to be a result of expatriate diasporas, proximity and language. And you better be sure that Russia will be booed at every opportunity, as they were by the Danish crowd last year. Which doesn’t mean they won’t win, given the propensity of former Soviet Republics to keep voting for them.

Draw from that what you will.

What’s Australia got to do with any of this, you ask? Plenty, according to Eurovision administrators. To mark the aforementioned 60th anniversary of the show, Australia’s cult following from afar has been recognised by entry on a ‘one time only’ basis. Unless we win, in which case we can come back in 2016 (with the caveat that we won’t be able to host – outrageous!).

This is a huge credit to SBS who have turned Eurovision into their marquee television event of the year over the last decade or more.

Now, technically this won’t be the first time an Australian is at Eurovision, with Olivia Newton John coming fourth behind ABBA in 1974 and Gina G appearing in 1996 – but both did so under the Union Jack. Jessica Mauboy has also featured, as an interval act last year in Copenhagen that went some way to establishing our credentials for entry in the competition proper. However, it is Guy Sebastian (pictured left) who has been honoured with singing on Australia’s Eurovision debut, a man who knows a thing or two about song contests as the inaugural winner of Australian Idol in 2003.

So to the class of 2015, where, for better or for worse, slow building ballads and duets are favoured above the quintessential Eurovision kitsch. Then who to look out for? Here’s a start.

THE FAVOURITES Better than odds-on at time of writing, Måns Zelmerlöw is the raging hot favourite with the bookies to be Sweden’s sixth winner with his anthem Heroes.

It’s a gutsy move to avoid a key change when there for the taking, but he does enough with the catchy chorus to leave a lasting impression with the tag line “we are the heroes of our time” repeated over (and over) again.

Being a good-looking rooster doesn’t hurt his cause either, which he played up to with a pair of tight fitting leather slacks to win the internal Swedish comp – always a strong card.

Italy sit on the second line of betting with a pop opera love ballad high on harmonies.

OUR GUY Guy Sebastian’s entry sparked controversy

upon its release for being more soulinspired than what would normally trouble the Eurovision scorers.

But in Tonight Again, Guy is able to show off his deep bag of tricks that we know so well – a high range and plenty of vibrato – backed in by a jaunty horn section.

He seems to take issue with the spacetime continuum with the lyrics “I don’t want to do tomorrow… we can do tonight again”, but this is unlikely to detract.

If this were any other country, it would probably blend into the background of the night, but the novelty of Australia gives it better than a puncher’s chance.

THE SMOKEYS The geopolitical belligerence of Russia in recent times would suggest a long road to victory, but Polina Gagarina’s A Million Voices pushes back hard against the caricature.

“Praying for peace and healing, I hope we can start again,” the high-profile local media personality sings, and does so with the strongest voice in the competition.

Albania’s entry, Elhaida Dani, won The Voice of Italy in 2013, giving her a good base of support to begin with. I’m Alive is a pretty useful pop song that hits the highest notes when it matters at the end of the performance.

WON’T WIN, BUT MUST WATCH Latvia may have missed the memo, submitting a textured track littered with electronic beats and African-inspired percussion that would be more likely to win a Pitchfork poll than Eurovision. It’s a cracker though - I’m downloading it.

Despite being a five-time winner, the United Kingdom has slowly turned into the comic relief of the show of late. To their credit, duo Electric Velvet do plenty in their three minutes; a pre-war throwback dominated by horns and strings before some Louis Armstrong scat is thrown in completely out of nowhere.

THE KEY CHANGE It’ll disappoint Eurovision mainstays that this year’s contestants have largely snubbed dramatic key changes, for so long a competition (and drinking game) staple. No respect.

Thankfully, Azerbaijan’s Elnur

Husenov has a sense of history, taking things to the next level to complete his tearjerker Hour of the Wolf. Well played, sir.

WHAT IS GETTING PLAYED AT THE EUROCLUB? I fear they’ll be scratching around a bit this year, however Israel have delivered the most likely with a naff number, disco in parts, that should do the job.The 16-year-old lad behind the mic, Nadav Guedj, describes himself as the “king of fun”. Don’t doubt him.

With Australian skin in the game and an obsessive reputation to uphold, there’s no better time to put on a party and embrace the show. And when the Sunday comes, don’t forget to turn off your phone. PL Eurovision Song Contest, May 24 broadcast live from 5am (yup that's not a typo), SBS.

PRIMOnext big thing

STEPHEN DANIELSON In his first major role, Stephen plays the dashing hero Fiyero in the smash hit musical Wicked, which is about to hit Perth’s Crown Theatre. Let’s find out what makes the guy who loves Elphaba tick.

PRIMOLife Tell us who you are and what you do.

Stephen Danielsen I’m Stephen Danielsen and I play Fiyero in Wicked The Musical.

PL Who are your acting heroes and why?

SD Hugh Jackman would have to be my number one. He is so versatile and can perform in film and television, but also on the stage in theatre and musicals.

PL What do you sing in the shower?

SD I have to admit – mostly show tunes, haha! However sometimes what I’ve been

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listening too at the time. I wake up with Sam Smith songs in my head and give them a red hot crack in the shower.

PL Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?

SD This is a really hard question! I would honestly say Melbourne. I have travelled a lot, and New York would be a close second, but no matter where I lived, Melbourne would always be my home.

PL What would be your dream role?

SD I always said Fiyero was a dream role, but as far as dreams go – Elder Price in the

Book of Mormon would be at the top.

PL Tell us what you’re up to at the moment.

SD I’ve been in Brisbane lately, so I’ve been keeping fit with some personal training, trying to get out and about as much as I can to the beach. I have a mate who just moved up here so I've been staying down at the Gold Coast a bit, and I’ve been to all the theme parks. Haha, I’m a theme park tragic!

Also been to Byron Bay a couple of times for a surf – I do love Byron.

PL What do you love most about Perth?

SD I love the beaches, and the chilled out vibe. I’ve spent a few NYE’s in Perth, and have been there for a previous job, and I’ve got to say chilling at Little Creatures with friends and also Rottnest would have to be a favourite.

PL How would you sum up your fashion style?

SD I’d have to say, Street Surf. Hahaha. I did work in surf retail for 10 years in my 20s, working for Ozmosis surf and then moved onto Oakley, so for years I was a surf kid. Now I’ve been frequenting Topman and Industry a bit and also buying bits and pieces online from ASOS etc.

PL Tell us something wicked about yourself?

SD Well most people don’t know but I’m a huge revhead. I love my cars! I have two myself, one of which I use for track days and I am continually modifying it and tinkering with it. I love the V8 Supercar series as well and follow it religiously. I have also made coffee tables out of engine blocks as a hobby! Haha! PL primolife.com.au

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PRIMOparties PRIMOLife VIP preview of TinkerBell & The NeverBeast Images by ANITA PIESTRZENIEWICZ

Cuties great and small were wearing their very best magical fairy gear for our special private viewing of the new TinkerBell movie at Grand Cinemas Warwick last month.

Face painters were on hand to help transform all would-be Tinks and NeverBeasts and thanks to the Peard Real Estate Group, a goody bag was given away to the delighted 150 plus guests who attended.

CHAMPAGNE DAME AND BMW Auto Classic hosted the one and only Champagne Dame, Kyla Kirkpatrick, in the showroom on a warm Sunday afternoon in April, to learn about the fascinating history of the rosé variety during the Champagne masterclass, while enjoying a dégustation of rosé Champagnes.

Images by MATT JELONEK

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HILLVIEW GOLF DAY Hillview Golf Course hosted the 20th Annual Dragonfly Charity Golf Day, with all money raised from the event supporting the Activ Foundation.

More than 20 teams took part in the Ambrose competition held at the picturesque golf course in Maida Vale, with all money raised going directly towards helping Activ provide programs, employment, accommodation and recreation for more than 3,000 people living with disability in Western Australia.

Richard John, Simon Grant, Rochelle Donovan & Melissa Luk with Activ Mascot Amy

Bronte Colbert & Greg Hadlow Activ CEO Tony Vis with Activ Board President Andrew Edwards

The Gemco Team - Martin Kennedy, Rick Ferraz, Damon Mayston & Adrian Gabriel

The Thirsty Camel Team - Jon Mellowship, Niall Burke, Bevan Armstrong & Justin Grey

Kaizen Wellbeing

Shaun Quinsee, Michael Long & Rob Rix

Jason Paizes & Dean Keating Sabina Daminova & Alan Cox

Patricia Jefferies

DISTRICT 32 LAUNCH Over 130 local business owners packed the Woodvale Reception Centre at the end of March, launching an innovative new iniative, District32. According to District 32's founder Frances Blackie, the event was designed "to unite small business owners in the fight against tough market conditions that are affecting our small and local businesses". The event featured a superb line-up of international and award winning speakers who shared high-value knowledge and inspirational stories with the packed-out room.

Kim Charles & Tanja Coyne

Evan Porter Frances Blackie & Elle Geenhaigh

may 15 | PRIMOLIFE

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home truths

by MATTHEW MILLS

It’s a pointless task too far this month as the family collectively throws in the towel thanks to a ‘fun’ Indonesian assignment.

I

was in Woolies doing the weekly food shop when my phone chirruped. It was a text from my wife.

“Don’t forget shampoo x” I replied simply with a K, like the youngsters do, hoping my blunt response would get across that actually I was quite in control and she could trust me not to forget anything. It didn’t – a couple of minutes later another text landed.

“And we need pasta. And toothpaste x” I fired back another curt K hoping that would be the end of it. But no.

“And bacon x” Another pause and then again the little beep.

“And get 5 batang buncis and couple of buah wortel. And some garam secukupnya x” Presuming an autocorrect crisis, I rang her to find out exactly what she was on about.

“Batang buncis?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “Five of them. And two buah wortel.”

A pause and then she sighed deeply before explaining that this wonderful collection of unpronounceable vowels and consonants were in fact things we had to source this weekend if we wanted Sam to get his homework in on time.

Yes, it turned out my wife had just had an email drop in her inbox explaining that the latest assignment our 12-year-old had been set was to create a traditional Indonesian dish – a tahu isi to be precise – following a recipe written in the language of its original creators.

Now, before I go on, I have to state that I’ve always tried to be one of those parents that is very, very supportive of their kids’ school. I’ve always encouraged them to follow the rules and will generally back their teachers, presuming that after years in uni studying how to educate youngsters they’ve got a better idea of what they’re doing than I have.

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But this – this was the final straw. This was the moment when I finally gave in and had to admit that after nearly 15 years of battling with it, I simply cannot stand – or understand - homework.

I know it’s an institution and all, but seriously, the stress and hassle that invariably goes with homework in our house makes me wonder how anyone could argue it is worthwhile.

Of course, I can see the lovely idea behind this latest task – and I’m sure there are some wonderfully organised families out there that will revel in their time together knocking up an Indonesian appetiser – but, after years and years of these kind of projects, I can guarantee that things aren’t going to go smoothly when Family Mills have a crack at it.

The cooking bit we could probably just about manage - my wife is actually quite clever in the kitchen - but the reality of things is that Sam isn’t exactly top of the class in Indonesian. Couple that with the fact that, as ex-pat Poms, his mum and dad grew up learning French, German and Italian as our LOTEs of choice, we’re not going to be much help deciphering the instructions.

As such, I’m guessing that we won’t get much further than step one – tahu dipotong segi tiga, wortel dan buncis diranag kecilkecil persegi – before tempers start to fray and the buah wortels start to fly.

So, although we’ll give it our best shot, I can almost guarantee that the end result will be a load of washing up, an unhappy and probably a bit demoralised Year-Eighter and a tahu isn’t where we’d hoped there would be a tahu isi.

I know that sounds defeatist, but frankly after more than a decade and a half of struggling with assignments various children have brought home from school, I simply can’t find any more optimism.

I still have the memories of the

earthquake diorama – green painted shoe box with a wooden spoon stuck in it to represent tectonic shake – and the bicycle safety poster – ‘why is that man lying on an ironing board?’ the eldest asked his younger brother on completion – to know that early ambitions will ultimately end in defeat.

And, sadly, it’s not just the A-list projects that bring woe to our household – the day to day grind of Mathletics, journals and reading lists wears us down too. As two working parents, we honestly try our hardest to find time to nurture and coax our brood into enjoying 72 frustratingly similar algebra equations, but frankly we’d much rather be sitting outside with them on the deck playing Uno. That attitude, of course, means that Sam – and Felix and Henry before him – has drifted into the world of green demerit stamps for non-completed homework and the relentless detentions said stamps bring.

Detentions, I might add, that bizarrely are designed to serve no practical purpose – my suggestion to one teacher that Sam should do the homework he hadn’t done that had earned him the detention while he was in the detention was met with nothing more than a bemused stare.

So, finally I’m going to put my hands up and declare to the world that I do not think homework is a good thing. After all, on a serious note, there isn’t a psychologist in the world who would say that parents bringing work home with them every night is a positive thing for their families – so why do we carry on pretending it’s a benefit for children?

At the end of the day, however, I know there’s nothing I can do about it – homework, like taxes and death, is here to stay, we just have to put up with it.

In the meantime, I’m off to ask the shelf-stacker where to find the bumbu yang dihaluskan. PL

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