salt magazine - autumn 12 by salt magazine

YOUR COMPLETE SUNSHINE COAST LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

AUTUMN ‘12

from the editor Welcome to the AUTUMN 2012 edition of salt. Tah dah! Welcome to our shiny new autumn 2012 edition. Isn’t she beautiful?

absorbing the rich history and native life that surrounds the Noosa Everglades (River of mirrors, page 6).

With the dawn of a new year we decided here at salt HQ that it was time to refresh and re-invigorate the pages of salt.

And salt writer and photographer Claire Plush became intimate with an energetic group known as the Surfing Mums (Surf nurtures the nurturers, page 18), who gather on the sand every Tuesday and Thursday morning, joined by a shared passion for riding waves and being mothers.

For our regular readers, you’ll notice the most obvious change is the salt masthead on the front cover. We fell in love with the playfulness of this font, which resonated with salt magazine’s essence, and we hope you do too.

become a fan on and follow us on at saltmagazine.com.au

With the autumn 2012 edition, we welcome wellknown writer Benjamin Law as a permanent fixture to the team in the form of his column ‘Law according to Benjamin’. Flick to page 32 to read about his hilarious antics learning to surf while growing up on the Sunshine Coast.

And of course, for those who are unaware of our monthly e-zine – aptly titled pepper – then we suggest subscribing to capture some of her goodness. If you sign up for pepper this autumn and nominate a handful of friends, you’ll go into the draw to win a three-night accommodation, spa and golf package to the value of $1327 courtesy of our friends at Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort.

Our clever salt illustrator Peter Hollard has had his pen in overdrive this edition. He not only etched a smashing sketch to illustrate Benjamin’s surf adventures, he also took on the brave job of producing caricatures of our salt contributor team. What do you think?

To check out Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort online visit noosasprings.com.au

Rest assured, the design changes are only skin deep, the spirit of salt is in our blood and will continue to flow. A love for homegrown articles and larger-thanlife photography is present in our feature stories this edition. I spent a weekend at a dreamy pace via kayak

Until next time,

Finally, I’ll be transferring my editor’s hat over to Claire Plush for a time whilst I find my feet in my new role as a mother. I know she will wear it well.

Kate Johns

contributors What is a topic of conversation you could talk about all day?

Fashion and beauty editor claire plush I could talk all day and night about relationships in any shape or form. From the kind that occurs between two people, to the relationship between a product and a consumer, to the bridge found between copy and font. The list is endless.

Subeditor and writer jane fynes-clinton I could talk all day about love: its power, how our society could do with more of it and how lucky I am to have known it so well. The English language also gets my mouth motoring. Oh, and pets – the ones I have loved in particular – which brings us back to the start!

writer BENJAMIN LAW All the things you’re not supposed to discuss at the dinner table: sex, politics and religion.

writer frances frangenheim I’m a new mum so I could talk about my divine little baby Sebastian all day, but I resist, otherwise I’d have no friends. Fortunately my husband is similarly obsessed so we share gripping tales of how our boy almost mastered the art of rolling today. It’s fascinating stuff.

cover photographer Christian Fletcher “I have been taking photographs professionally for over 20 years. In that time I have had to evolve with every advance in technology and creative technique. When I think of where I began, look at where I am now and beyond to the future, I am amazed at how far I have come and how far there is still left to go. Sometimes it can be frustrating, sometimes depressing, but it is always rewarding if you work hard and want to succeed.” Christian’s work can be found at his galleries in Western Australia and online at christianfletcher.com.au

Thanks to our salt contributors Linda Read, Michelle Weller, Anastasia Kariofyllidis, Tyson Stelzer, Leigh Robshaw and Karina Eastway. salt is proofread by Jane Todd. 2

salt

ingredients

AUTUMN

2012

“salt is born of the purest parents, the sun and the sea” Pythagoras

IN THE LIMELIGHT

RIVER OF MIRRORS salt meanders in the Noosa Everglades and finds a quiet slice of liquid paradise.

SURF NURTURES THE NURTURERS A group of mums on the Sunshine Coast combine family with a love of the surf.

54 TOT A L L Y COVERED

close to home

The cover image was captured on a 20D using a 16-35mm lens. The aperture was f8 and shutter speed 0.8 sec. The image was not taken on the Sunshine Coast.

secrets Get authentic information on the best things about the Sunshine Coast from the only people who really know – the locals.

Cover kindly supplied by Christian Fletcher.

precinct feature Buderim is rich in history, scenery and places to shop and dine.

christianfletcher.com.au

108 GREAT OUTDOORS salt has a go at Editorial and Advertising enquiries: Email: info@saltmagazine.com.au General Enquiries: 0438 851 981 Website: saltmagazine.com.au 4

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stand-up paddle boarding and finds a fresh perspective on the water.

100

taste & tipples

b o d y & b e au t y

fashion A sensational spread of the most fabulous styles for autumn.

beauty Budget buys that will present a million-dollar face to the world.

HEALTH Kansha Natural Therapies in Noosaville delivers treatments that soothe and heal.

NOSH NEWS Snippets from the industry that gives us fabulous fine food.

PRODUCE PEOPLE Josef Zehnder creates sumptuous gluten-free food and the world can’t get enough.

creative expressions

30 78

pursuit of passion The sisters behind B-Fresh give the Sunshine Coast the finest fresh produce and good-oldfashioned service. BOOKS&BLOGS Four coffee table books and blogs on homes give readers a reason to linger. bold visionaries Sunshine Coast fashion designer Carmel Patchett puts her heart and soul into her design and homewares stores.

OFF THE WALL Artist Rex BackhausSmith tells stories of our ancient and modern land with his paintbrush.

ARTISTS salt meets renowned Noosa artist Belinda Herford and her husband, master jeweller Gordon Herford, and discovers their latest creative collaboration.

art DATES The Sunshine Coast has some of the best art galleries in the world. Find out what will be on show, where in the autumn months. art SPACE salt’s very own gallery space, featuring some of the finest artworks on the coast.

table talk salt meets Andy Slaving and Laila Jones, whose Sirocco Noosa restaurant showcases cuisine from where that exotic wind blows.

culinary creations The chef at Wahoo Seafood Restaurant shares a treasured recipe.

relaxed recipes A handful of delicious gluten-free recipes.

salt cellar The heavenly taste of pinot noir is now within reach of the everyman.

living & lifestyle

offshore A first-time cruiser shares her adventures on land and sea.

100 in your dreams A couple combines the past, present and future in their beautiful Buderim home.

104 homewares Storage solutions have never been simpler or funkier.

106 MEET THE DESIGNER

salt meets Steve Langton: an obsessivecompulsive instrument maker.

s t apl e s

six senses A selection of items based on the special powers that we humans use to experience the world – touch, see, hear, smell, taste and feel.

calendar of events salt has hand picked a variety of events on the Sunshine Coast that are guaranteed to please throughout autumn.

look at me Annette Schoenberger shares the joy clowning brings.

LAW ACCORDING TO BENJAMIN Columnist Benjamin Law shares his sometimes-difficult relationship with surfing.

110 tourist information Essential

info for all visitors to the coast, including travel times, surf safety and market details.

112 MAP

salt is a free quarterly magazine published by Johns Publications Pty Ltd for distribution between Bribie and Fraser Island and inland to Kenilworth and select areas throughout Brisbane. PO Box 1015, Maleny QLD Australia 4552 Fax: +61 7 5441 6589 © Copyright 2012.

saltmagazine . com . au

FEATURE

river of

river of words & photos k at e j o h ns

salt

mirrors

saltmagazine . com . au

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The world has stopped; even the bush is reluctant to make a noise on this sun-bleached dayâ&#x20AC;?

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For all its stunning beauty, it is remarkable that the Noosa Everglades is still uncharted and unexplored territory for some of the most intrepid Sunshine Coast locals.

Plump in our life jackets, we bid farewell.

I’ve been a resident of the region for nearly nine years and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never explored the network of estuaries and river passages that form the jewel in the crown of Cooloola’s National Park.

The kayak hugs the shore as we glide past Mill Point, home to one of the earliest timber settlements in Queensland. Scrappy paperbarks cling to the eroded bank, their exposed trunks resembling tentacles that escape into the water.

But I decided to change that.

Hidden behind a grove of silver-trunked trees sits an overgrown cemetery where forty-three burials were recorded between 1873 and 1891. The first burials were four men who died in a boiler explosion at the sawmill. Thirty of the burials were those of children who died of causes such as lung problems, wasting, thrush, convulsions or drowning.

For day-trippers, weekenders and campers with a yearning to discover this pristine water wonderland there are a variety of options available from guided boat and kayak tours to self-guided canoe trips. My husband and I chose an overnight self-guided kayak trip and will spend two days discovering the veins of the upper Noosa River at a snail’s pace.

My husband Steven sits at the front of the kayak and is in control of the rudder via foot pedals. He steers us out of the shallows and into the lake. Lake Cootharaba has an average depth of one and a half metres and expands over ten kilometres. I peer down into the murky shallows to see the rippled, sandy bottom.

We greet Vivienne Golding, joint owner of Kanu Kapers, on a glistening Sunday morning. The sky is ocean blue stamped with animal-shaped clouds, the air soupy with humidity. Our kayak trip begins at Lake Cootharaba, a shallow, tea-coloured lake that is the gateway to the Everglades. Boreen Point is the lakeside town that is perched at its shallows and it’s here that we meet Vivienne and follow her trailer full of purple and yellow kayaks to our launch site at Elanda Point.

I later read that in 1993 the National Trust of Queensland erected a stone bearing the inscription ‘in memory of the European settlers buried at Mill Point Cemetery’, and engraved the names of the people buried at the cemetery. Swept up in the eeriness of our surrounds I suddenly look down into the water to see timber posts appearing like ghosts in the shallows. Careful not to damage our kayak’s rudder we strategically paddle into the safety of deeper water. The timber posts are well over a hundred years old and mark the cargo wharf site on Lake Cootharaba.

After smearing ourselves in mosquito repellent and squeezing our camping gear into the belly of our two-man kayak, we’re given a briefing. An Australian kayaking champion who has competed at an international level, Vivienne gives us expert tips to help manoeuvre our vessel with ease. Vivienne talks us through the waterproof maps and points out campsite three – our final destination.

After more than an hour of paddling across the lake, we take a pit stop at the Kinaba Information Centre that sits at the northwest corner of the lake. Educational posters of the region line the walls of the empty timber building, providing information on the history, flora and fauna. The centre is equipped with toilets and a phone for emergencies. Kinaba can also be accessed on the mainland via four-wheel drive or walking tracks. >

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It’s at Kinaba where Kin Kin Creek and upper Noosa River empty into the lake and the Noosa Everglades begin. The bush envelopes us as we glide into the narrow channel flanked by Kinaba Island. Paperbark tea-trees hover over the river, their leaves dripping into the water. The tea-trees, a melaleuca species, are responsible for tainting the water brown. Banksias frost the edge of the bank and electric blue dragonflies play tag, skimming along the surface at break-neck speed. Every so often we stop paddling. The kayak slides unassisted through the water, wobbling the reflections painted on the surface. I finger the warm, brackish water, which cools my over-heated hands. The world has stopped; even the bush is reluctant to make a noise on this sun-bleached day. The only sound to disturb my thoughts is the swish of our kayak as it cuts through the water. After passing Fig Tree Point, where a number of canoes are pulled up haphazardly to the bank, and a guided boat tour empties with people, we stroke north. It is wonderful to think that in 1837 Lieutenant Otter, accompanied by a rescue party, arrived at this very point to rescue a damsel in distress who would become legendary in these parts.

to a canoe, who zigzag up the river stopping to take photos. Young families split into a team of canoes enjoy a gentler pace, where the parents paddle and the children sit daydreaming in the middle. Just after noon our kayak is secured to the jetty at Harry’s Hut campground, which is buzzing with people. Due to its four-wheel drive access, a lot of paddlers with their own kayaks or canoes prefer to launch here to start their water adventure. The smell of sausages cooking on a barbecue makes me weak at the knees as I munch on my nuts and apple. Sticky from our paddling, we can’t resist a refreshing soak in the river. More than 150 years ago this outpost was a hive of activity with the smell of men and animal sweat, billy tea on the boil and freshly cut timber. It was a bustling logger’s camp where bunya and hoop pine, red cedar and white beech were felled upstream and floated down river and taken out by bullock and horse teams. The original logger’s hut still stands today and was purchased by Harry Spring, a pharmacist from Cooroy, and used as a weekend fishing shack. Today Harry’s Hut is a listed and protected cultural site managed by the Environmental Protection Agency and sadly is tattooed in graffiti.

Eliza Fraser was captured by the Aborigines on Fraser Island and later taken here. There are myriad tales that surround Fraser’s story.

With our campsite still another 7.7 kilometres up the river, approximately an hour and a half paddling time, we scuttle into our yellow kayak to complete our journey. At the languid pace of paddling I have an opportunity to absorb the woodland bush.

On our way to Harry’s Hut, we drift through a slender ribbon of the river known as The Narrows. We lift our oars to fellow paddlers in kayaks and canoes, who are all in good spirits with the postcardperfect conditions. There is a group of giggling backpackers, three

I imagine it’s no different from when the Gubbi Gubbi roamed here: an untouched expanse of wilderness trapped in time with tales of history buried deep beneath the ground and entwined in the ancient gums. >

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Distances paddled Elanda Point (launch site) to Kinaba Information Centre, 4.5 kilometres, 1 hour Kinaba Information Centre to Fig Tree Point, 2 kilometres, 20 minutes Fig Tree Point to Harry’s Hut, 5 kilometres, 1 hour Harry’s Hut to campsite three, 7.7 kilometres, 1 hour and a half

Paddling points • Wear a rashie and boardies as your shirt will get wet from the water that dribbles from your oar up your arm. You want a quick drying material, especially if you’re paddling in the rain. • If you’re a keen angler, bring your fishing rod. We passed kayakers who trawled the river as they paddled and were catching bass. • Mosquito repellent and sunscreen are essential. • If you’re planning on camping at any of the designated campsites you must book a permit online before arriving. • Swim at your own risk.

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Historical snapshot Mill Point McGhie, Luya and Company invested 2000 GBP in the Elanda Point sawmill, a huge capital investment at the time. The sawmill complex covered twenty-five hectares and included workshops for blacksmiths and carpenters, stables, a store, hotel, post office and school. Houses for mill employees were close by. The boiler explosion at the mill in 1873 as reported by a mill employee in the Gympie Times: “About half past eight on Tuesday morning he was proceeding to the mill after breakfast when within about 50 yards of the building he saw the boiler explode. He went forward to render assistance and met Phillip Molloy limping away with one of his feet blown off. Patrick Molloy was found to be dreadfully scalded, Charles Long was frightfully injured and picked up dead, Joseph White’s leg was blown off and he was seriously scalded (he is not expected to live) and Patrick Tierney was badly scalded also. The boiler shed was blown into ruins. It appears that the men had just had their breakfast and, it being a cold morning, were standing with their backs to the boiler to warm themselves; they had a slight warning, for a portion of the boiler began to bulge …” 12

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I ponder at the handful of birds’ nests that dangle precariously on outstretched branches above the river. The bird either has great confidence in its nest engineering or is scared of hungry goannas. For a brief section of our journey a petite blue-breasted azure kingfisher flitters from one branch to the next before disappearing into the scrub. A lazy turtle pops his head up from beneath the shallows, takes one look at us, and retreats to the depths of the river. On dusk, with campsite three to ourselves, we sit on the timber jetty sipping on red wine, as the sky blushes pink. My legs dangle in the dark tannin-stained waters of the river. The whine of mosquitoes buzzes in my ear and the distant grumblings of waves crashing on Teewah Beach, four kilometres east, fill the silence. The river’s glassy surface is alive with insects spitfiring on the water. As the sun sets on a day spent at a dreamy pace in our kayak discovering the arteries that make up this blue water highway known as the Noosa Everglades, I’m left thirsty for more. A self-guided kayaking trip with Kanu Kapers for two days is $130 and includes equipment, kayaking tuition and trip description. Camping gear is available for hire for $20. kanukapersaustralia.com FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au for your chance to win a self-guided, overnight kayak tour for two.

SIX SENSES

feel

Illustration courtesy of twigseeds studio, twigseeds.com.au

six senses salt takes a fresh approach to the powers that we use to experience the world. We look at items that evoke us to see, hear, smell, taste and touch and we’ve tossed in an extra just for fun – feel.

SMELL Teeming with KAFFIR LIME & COCOA BUTTER, this Galapagos large Triple Scented Candle’s aroma is delightful. Handcrafted in Australia, this candle by Glasshouse Fragrances will deliver up to 80 hours of flickering, soft light and is the perfect way to set the atmosphere for a cosy night at home or a romantic dinner. At $39.95, we’re big fans of it at salt HQ. Available at Giddy and Grace, Shop 2, 1 Maple Street, Maleny. 5494 3636 or giddyandgrace.com Head to the WIN page of saltmagazine.com.au for your chance to win one of three Galapagos large Triple Scented Candles.

HEAR No one could have predicted the longevity of this rocking duo, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, who formed The Black Keys in 2001, yet here they are on their seventh album with what was being touted worldwide as THE album of 2011 – El Camino. As soon as you hit play and start tapping your feet to the catchy, fun, bouncing tune Lonely Boy you are taken on a wild freedom ride through a delicious combination of rock and roll, country and western, and rhythm and blues. Composed mostly of thumping drums, great melodies, and a whole lot of attitude, it is best to turn the volume up and let the butt-shaking tempo take over. By the time you get to the final song Mind Eraser, you will quickly hit the repeat button to ride the rockin’ El Camino all over again. review by libby munro

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TOUCH Turn a room or outdoor area into a beachside haven with this nauticalinspired Malibu Hampton Blue rug. Not only will it instantly add a punch of coastal colour to your surroundings but this flat weave, NZ wool blend rug is soft to touch and a gentle treat to walk on. Available in a range of colours and sizes, starting at $639 for 160 x 230cm, these rugs can be bought at Fae Rentoul Summer House, 2/3 Gibson Road, Noosaville. 5474 3900 or summerhouse.com.au

SEE Taste Ridiculously tasty and free of artificial flavours and preservatives, Tomarata Sensual Zucchini Pickles combine the freshest of ingredients just like the good old days. Versatile with a whole lot of zing, Zucchini Pickles can be slid onto a slice of bread, added to a cheese platter or used as a condiment over a roast. And did we mention itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also gluten free? Presented in a beautiful glass jar, $7.95 will get you 210g. Available at Jeffers Market, Shop 8a, Sunshine Homemaker Centre, 100 Maroochydore Road, Maroochydore. 5479 0468 or 1/14 Farrell Street, Yandina. 5446 8944 or jeffersmarket.com

This beautifully made, engrossing thriller The Lives of Others, delves deeply and bravely into the tense world of East Germany in 1984, a time when the secret police were all powerful and sought to know everything about everyone. The Lives of Others peeks behind the Iron Curtain to give a glimpse of the suffocating atmosphere of a paranoid and tyrannical administration. The unlikely hero of the film is Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler, a loyal and seemingly immovable captain in the secret police. Wiesler is appointed to monitor the lives of a successful playwright and his girlfriend, a beautiful actress. As Wiesler is carrying out the surveillance he is swept up in the passionate lives of this glamorous couple and begins to shift his own motives and ideals. Compelling from start to finish, The Lives of Others is a story that manages to convey the impulse to create art, the importance of freedom of expression in society, and the frightening consequences of a totalitarian government. review by libby munro

saltmagazine . com . au

SECRETS

secrets

only a local would know IT DOESN’T GET MUCH BETTER than a laid-back afternoon listening to live local music, unless it includes a visit to the historic and picturesque Apollonian Hotel, Boreen Point. The hotel’s Saturday afternoon bluegrass jam sessions blend traditional tunes with improvisation from a revolving combination of instruments – banjo, guitar, mandolin, violin and double bass – and an accompaniment of stunning vocal harmonies. The jam sessions start most Saturdays at 1pm, weather and function bookings permitting, with local musicians arriving throughout the afternoon to join the merriment. Anyone who plays an acoustic instrument or can tap along is invited to join in, and did we mention it’s free? As we said, it doesn’t get much better than that. 5485 3100. Map reference: L11

PICK Tucked within Noosa Junction far away from the wellknown restaurants that line Hastings Street and Gympie Terrace is Jardin Japonesque. This café is making waves amongst astute local diners who love the clean, fresh flavours of Japanese cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner (salt recommends booking for dinner due to sheer popularity), owner and chef Kisa Juri Kobayashi (ex-Wasabi chef) presents top-shelf food from her home country for very reasonable prices. Shop 3, Arcardia Street, Noosa Heads. 5448 0724. Map reference: N13

Oxygen Pilates in Nambour has recently moved into a twostorey purpose-built studio to accommodate its growing health-seeking clientele. At the helm is co-owner Philippa Hayball, who has a lifetime of performing and teaching under her belt, including a leading role in Cirque du Soleil. Both men and women can’t get enough of her gruelling mat and reformer classes. In fact, all of the pilates and yoga teachers are topshelf at this stylish, Stott-based studio. It’s particularly popular for those with pre-existing injuries including back pain and throughout pregnancy. 22 Currie Street, Nambour. 5441 6957. Map reference: L16 The cat is well and truly out of the bag about The Good Bean Espresso Bar on the Esplanade (opposite the Surf Club) in Mooloolaba. At dawn on any given morning there can be more than thirty cyclists perched on coffee-bag covered stools, zippered in their lycra jumpsuits and sipping on cups of caffeine. This modest-sized espresso bar with its Tree of Life mural and funky atmosphere is the brainchild of Shane Hepburn. The Good Bean Espresso Bar, shop 4/1 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba. Map reference: O18 16

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Dog parks are a great way for you and your dog to enjoy open spaces without the hindrance of pedestrians, cars or the fear of your dog scampering off. The fenced dog parks at Chancellor Park and Buderim are great areas for you to play with your dog or sit back and read a book whilst they amuse themselves. The Buderim park has high, secure fences and gazebos with tables and chairs. The park has a separate area for small dogs who don’t want to play with the larger dogs. Corner of Mooloolaba Road and Syd Lingard Drive, Buderim and Lakehead Drive, Sippy Downs. Map reference: N17

As nominated by our Facebook friends, the Library Espresso at the Cooroy Library is a great spot to meet for coffee and enjoy a gluten-free snack. Surrounded by unlimited reading material, this coffee hub was opened in early December by two local entrepreneurial sisters Anika and Katrina Annels. They’ve combined their skills – Anika is a trained barista and Katrina is a trained chef – to serve a combination of coffee and gluten-free food delights to library visitors. Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Map reference: K13

Quiet, waterfront picnic spots are hard to come by, and that’s why salt loves the sandy shores of Lake Weyba. Pack a basket with fresh food, jump in the car and head for Eumarella Road, off Emu Mountain Road near Noosa. Here, you will find a handful of tiny beaches where you can unwind and spend a lazy day by the water. Splash in the shallows or explore the bushy shoreline. You might even come across the resident kangaroos. Map reference: M13

For map references see map on page 112.

saltmagazine . com . au

FEATURE

Surf nurtures words and photos claire plush

salt

For some, the call of the ocean and its peeling lines is too much. Each morning, the anticipation of what could be found pounding at the end of the beach track drives these creatures to wake up with the sun while the rest of us remain huddled under blankets, clothed in darkness. For these people, surfing is more than a sport – it’s a way of life. So what happens when the freedom to go surfing everyday, at any time, at any location is replaced with a blossoming belly and then a tiny bundle of joy? Vanessa Thompson and Julia Carlie, from Byron Bay, asked themselves that exact question in 2006, when they found themselves shore-bound after having children. Despite embracing motherhood, they suffered from a nagging ache when seeing someone else take off on a wave or watching empty sets greet the shore. The mums decided something had to change and began to take turns babysitting each other’s kids on the beach and then hitting the waves. What started as a casual arrangement quickly turned into something much bigger when the pair realised how much their lives had improved by rekindling their connection with the water. In January 2008, Vanessa and Julia officially launched Surfing Mums. Their goal: to unite mothers in their passion for surfing. There are now 15 Surfing Mums groups across Australia with about 50 paying members. >

Peregian Beach mum and Surfing Mums national president Liz Davison launched the Northern Sunshine Coast branch shortly after the organisation became incorporated. The sentiments of women joining Surfing Mums resonate with Liz who encountered similar thoughts after having her first child, Ezra. “Surfing really was part of the way that I defined myself,” Liz says. “So to find myself pregnant and then sitting on the beach with a baby … it was hard.” Liz went from surfing every day with no time frames, to catching a few scattered waves on the weekend when her husband was at home and could look after Ezra. Now juggling two kids, Liz says that the regular Surfing Mums meetings help her to focus on her own wellbeing. “Being a parent is a job that you can never really put on hold,” Liz says. “You’re on call pretty much around the clock, every single day and you don’t really get time off. So it’s really important to do something for yourself. “Our kids are still here and they’re safe and they get to play in a fun environment. But I think the focus is about saying that it’s okay for you to have some ‘me time’.” This ‘me time’ comes each week, on Tuesday and Thursday, when Surfing Mums meets at one of the local breaks. Depending on the conditions, this can be Coolum, Peregian or Noosa amongst others. Once the destination has been decided, kids are loaded into the car alongside a waxed up board, and bags are packed with sunscreen, fresh food, and buckets and spades. Sessions usually run from two hours onwards but families are able to come and go as they please. Kids frolic in the soft whitewash and build sand castles, while parents alternate between watching the children and chasing the waves. Conversation flows freely, as the foundations for friendships are laid. Forming close bonds with other parents who have similar interests is just one of the benefits of Surfing Mums. “A lot of the time when you meet other mums or parents, the thing that bonds you is the kids,” Liz says. “So your similarity is simply that you have kids who are the same age or kids that do the same activities. >

THE F INER DETA IL S • The Northern Sunshine Coast branch of Surfing Mums meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 9am. The location depends on the conditions and is announced on the group’s Facebook page. facebook.com/noosasurfingmums • During a Surfing Mums session parents alternate between surfing and staying on the beach to look after the kids. It is common to be in and out of the water for 20 to 30 minute brackets. • Families can test the water and attend Surfing Mums on a trial basis for two sessions. • A one-year membership with Surfing Mums costs $50 and helps to cover public liability insurance, first aid kits and social activities for members. • If you would like to find a Surfing Mums group near you or are interested in starting a group, head to surfingmums.com for more details.

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“We’re setting a really healthy lifestyle example to all of these kids.”

“But the thing that is unique with Surfing Mums is that surfing is something that defines us as adults.”

Levi and his wife alternate between working full-time and being stay-at-home parents.

But it seems the parents aren’t the only ones benefiting from the weekly catch-ups.

While Levi often manages to squeeze in an early morning surf before his wife leaves for work, Surfing Mums allows him to do the same during the day. Plus, it gives Zoe the opportunity to interact with other children.

“We’re setting a really healthy lifestyle example to all of these kids, instead of just talking about it,” Liz says. “We’re saying ‘get outside, eat well, do some exercise that you enjoy with people that you like’.” Palmwoods mum Jana Goward joined Surfing Mums after returning to the Sunshine Coast with her partner and their 18-month-old daughter, Acacia. Previously a member of the Newcastle group, Jana says the interaction that occurs with the other mums is priceless. “Being a first-time mum, everything’s a little bit daunting,” Jana says. “It’s so good to have a support crew around you who are doing the same thing.” For Jana, taking time out of her day to enjoy a short surf is something that enables her to be a better mum. “Surfing is such a release. No matter what day it is, no matter how stressed out you are, as soon as you get in the water you’re a completely different person,” Jana says. “Your child reflects off you, so if you’re calm and relaxed, they’re calm and relaxed. And the surf definitely does that to you.” And despite the name, women aren’t the only members of the group. Coolum local Levi Benedict is dad to 10-month-old Zoe and has been a part of Surfing Mums for the past six months. 22

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“[In] most mums groups it’s just the babies as your common interest,” Levi says. “But this is different.” Surfing ability and choice of surf craft varies in each group, as do the ages of children. When it rains or surfing conditions aren’t ideal, the group will often meet for a coffee and a catch up. It’s also common for parents who meet through Surfing Mums to arrange a time to surf together outside of the regular group days. While it was developed around a shared passion for surfing, it’s clear that Surfing Mums is providing parents with much more than a lifeline to the water. Friendships are forged, kids remain active outdoors and parents are encouraged to shine the spotlight on themselves, if only for half an hour. “This is my sanity,” Liz says of the weekly meetings. “For me it’s about nurturing the nurturers. If we give ourselves something, then we have more to give others.” surfingmums.com FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au to see more photos of Surfing Mums in action.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

dream discover explore APRIL KIDS COOKING CLASSES Join in the fun with chef extraordinaire and caterer to the stars, John Guy. when April 2, 3, 4 and 5 where The Ginger Factory, 50 Pioneer Road, Yandina cost $25 gingerfactory.com.au KENILWORTH CHEESE, WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL Stuck for activities to fill the Easter long weekend? Why not spend the day sampling award-winning local produce, learning to cook your own bush tucker or trying out Queensland’s only cheese rolling contest. when April 7 where Kenilworth Town Park, Elizabeth Street, Kenilworth cost Free kenilworthfoodfest.org.au MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY Shows daily at 11am and 1pm. Bring along your own “MAD” hat creation for the chance to win a daily prize. when April 10, 11, 12 and 13 where The Ginger Factory, 50 Pioneer Road, Yandina cost $6 per child or $3 with a combined Overboard and Moreton train ride ticket. gingerfactory.com.au APRILS FOOL Based on the true story of the death of Toowoomba teen Kristjan Terauds due to drug use, this performance uses real life interviews to help create a thought-provoking and engaging play. It has been praised for its ability to draw in audiences, young and old. when April 19 where Nambour Civic Centre, Centenary Square, Currie Street, Nambour cost Ticket prices vary nambourciviccentre.com.au BUDERIM WAR MEMORIAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ANZAC DAY SERVICE Each year the BWMCA begins the day with a moving dawn service. This is followed by a parade down Burnett Street and finally a main service at Buderim Mountain State School. when April 25 where Buderim Memorial Hall, Corner Gloucester Road and Main Street, Buderim cost Free buderim.qld.au

PICK 24

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Kenilworth Cheese, Wine & Food Festival

KINGS OF THE COAST – CALOUNDRA OCEAN SWIM Consider yourself a bit of an ironman or woman? Then this event could be for you. With different races for fitness levels and spectators more than welcome, this event is fun for anyone interested in ocean swimming. when April 28 to 29 where Moffat Beach and Kings Beach, Caloundra cost Prices vary weekendwarriorevents.com.au

MAY ERTH’S DINOSAUR PETTING ZOO This unique performance is an opportunity for kids to learn about prehistoric Australia. Boasting impressive puppetry and physical theatre, kids will get to feel and care for the prehistoric animals. when May 3 to 4 where The J, 60 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads cost Ticket prices vary thej.com.au BANG! CRASH! TAP! Featuring tap dancers, a beat boxer and a drummer, this crew from the Raw Dance Company are ready to hit you with a mind-blowing performance. Combining the talents of these different performers, Raw has put together a unique and entertaining show that is performing all over the world. when May 11 where Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina cost Ticket prices vary thelakekawanacentre.com.au NOOSA INTERNATIONAL FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL More than 200 invited guests will converge on Noosa to share their passion for food, wine and life. Extended to four days by popular demand, the festival has been able to add even more events and entertainment. when May 17 to 20 where Various locations across Noosa cost Ticket prices vary noosafoodandwine.com.au MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL ROADSHOW Following huge success last year, the roadshow is back on tour. International and local comedians boast a show that is all “the best bits of the comedy festival condensed”. when May 20 where Nambour Civic Centre, Centenary Square, Currie Street, Nambour cost $42 nambourciviccentre.com.au

JUNE MALENY GARDENING CLUBS ANNUAL GARDENING ON THE EDGE AND THE ARTS FESTIVAL Each year people from all over come to Maleny to view the gardens on display in this festival. The event helps to raise money for the local community and includes displays, stalls and raffles. when June 11 to 12 where Maleny State High School, 50 Bunya Street, Maleny cost Ticket prices vary malenygardenclub.org MEN IN PINK TIGHTS This all male ballet performance promises enjoyment for young and old. The comedic twist on beloved dance classics can be enjoyed by lovers of dance and those who just love entertainment. when June 12 where The Events Centre, 20 Minchinton Street, Caloundra cost Ticket prices vary theeventscentre.com SUNSHINE COAST AGRICULTURAL SHOW Running since 1909, the show remains focused on local agriculture and community, whilst being relevant to today’s families. Rides, sideshows, displays, competitions, stalls and more ensure that this will be a fun day for everyone. when June 15 to 17 where Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue, Nambour cost Ticket prices vary sunshinecoastshow.asn.au FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au for more events and exclusive online ticket giveaways.

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LOOK AT ME

RICH LAYERS OF A CLOWN words l e i g h r ob s h a w photo k a t e j oh n s

Annette Schoenberger sits crossed-legged on the floor using her whole body to tell stories of what it means to be a clown. She speaks exuberantly about her craft, and how in drawing deeply from a bloodline of playful Irish women, she is able to bring to life the clowns gestating inside her. “I’ve got this gorgeous black and white photo of my grandmother, my brother, sister and me,” she says. “My brother is playing a set of drums, I’m standing there with the microphone and my grandmother is holding a wooden spoon and a lid, tapping it while she does an Irish jig! “I have a rich history with my grandmother and her Irishness. When I was a child, we’d pass a cemetery and she’d say: ‘people are dying to 26

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get in there!’. Or she’d say ‘cross my palm with silver and I’ll tell you your future’. She had this beautiful, playful thing about her.” Channelling that playfulness into clowning has now become Annette’s vocation. A working clown for the past 15 years, she studied the Frank Suzuki Actor Knowhow method of actor training and went on to learn clowning with some of the best in the business, including Ira Seidenstein and Giovanni Fusetti. Originally from Adelaide, she’s now based in Landsborough and performs regularly at festivals, community events, corporate functions, gallery openings, fairs, workshops and in schools. In person she’s graceful and petite, but as a clown she’s larger than life. In any of her guises crowds are drawn to her light, attracted not merely by the gift of laughter but by something deeper. “Clown is a vehicle that helps us have a laugh at our shared humanness,” says Annette. “I tend to work from a human behavioural

reference point in my clowning. We can all know something about human behaviour and there may not be so many degrees of difference between me and an audience member.” It takes Annette at least an hour to transform herself into a clown, both physically and mentally. When creating a new character she often begins with the costume, which is known as theatre backwards. “I’ll find a prop that really speaks to me and I’ll instantly know whether it fits into the realm of any of my characters,” says Annette. “If it doesn’t fit in their realm, I’ll take it with me – somewhere, somehow it might fit.” Her best-loved character is Hester-Verity Clarence Perks, or Hessie for short. This hilarious clown was originally developed for Freak Street at the 2003 Woodford Folk Festival, and has continued to be a hit ever since. Hessie is a cheeky old woman in a formal dress with a big heart and even bigger hair. Annette recounts Hessie’s tragic life story as an abandoned carnival worker to illustrate the detailed back story that goes into her characters. “Hessie is my most mature character and she resonates in a deep place with people of all ages,” Annette says. “She is about the tragic aspects of the human story, but with a positive spin. Hessie can be really scary but very endearing for young children, and it’s up to me to recognise what children are feeling when they’re watching her. In the adult world she can be quite rude and crude and uncouth in a way that enables husbands and wives to get her really swiftly. She has the capacity to cut across marital issues. “Hessie would love to play at night more. Something happens at dark, as we know. If you invite Hessie into a crowded room at nighttime, look out! She’s got the capacity to be offensive but she also has the capacity to really put her finger on the pulse.” Annette took Hessie to new heights after Ira suggested she use the universally recognised clown prop of a red nose, described by renowned mime Jacques Lecoq as the smallest mask in the world. “Once I put the red nose on Hessie I realised there was so much more that she wanted to say and do,” says Annette. “Even though red noses are just red pieces of plastic, the idea is to find the character in that mask.” Annette enjoys the anonymity of being a clown – being able to perform, change back into herself and join the audience, where she is sometimes asked what she thought of the clown. “I love the clown because I feel it’s really valuable,” she says. “It transports not only the performer but the viewer; it takes us away from our everyday madness, from whatever that is for each of us. It reminds us to slow down and smell the flowers. “It reminds us that in each and every moment lives the clown.” allinaschoenberger@gmail.com

PURSUIT OF PASSION

FRESHNESS IN THE FAMILY words LIN D A READ photo k a t e j o h ns

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In a world where supermarket giants rule and family businesses appear to be dwindling into the realm of the olden days along with videos, cassettes, and good old fashioned conversation that doesn’t involve a touch screen, there is something deeply satisfying about discovering that not all these things are history. Perhaps the videos and cassettes are lost forever – but the family business is not only alive and well, yet positively flourishing, in the form of B-Fresh@Warana Markets. Owned and run by three siblings – Belinda Wanless, Maryann Young and Anthony Bosma – B-Fresh is a market-style fresh produce, deli and café outlet at Warana which employs around 50 mostly full-time staff.

and we’ve just let it create itself. We let it happen; we let it do what it wants to do. We just go with the flow.

The siblings are the second generation of their family in the business, buying it about twelve years ago from their parents, who had it for six and a half years before that. During the past twelve years, the business has expanded from being purely a fruit and vegetable store to include an extensive gourmet deli and a thriving café which serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week.

Belinda has fond memories of growing up in the family business with her parents. “Mum and Dad always had fruit and veg shops,” she says. “I grew up having to bag tomatoes and help out in the shop.

And there is plenty of good old fashioned conversation going on too, as a steady stream of shoppers and diners flow in and out, chatting to the staff, buying fresh pasta and other goodies, and catching up over what I discover to be excellent coffee. B-Fresh imports some specialty produce from overseas, but takes pride in showcasing deli and gourmet grocery lines from boutique producers from all over Australia. The result is a unique opportunity for shoppers to try some of the country’s finest produce. “There’s a lot of small producers out there that have beautiful product, and they get lost in supermarkets, whereas we can grab them and open up jars, and show people what they can be used with,” says Belinda. Local produce is featured at B-Fresh, such as the famous Kenilworth and Maleny cheeses, Maleny Dairy products, and Colin James ice cream. But Belinda points out that local can mean Australia-wide. “Because Australia is so diverse and our weather patterns are so diverse, every state produces their own little niche products. We just pick the best of everything.” She explains the philosophy behind the extraordinary success of the business, in between waving and chatting to every second person who walks past. “We all come from different backgrounds, and we’ve just put ourselves into the business,” she says. “We’ve just put in what people like and we’ve put in what we like,

“We enjoy food, and we like to help everybody else enjoy food, and we like to introduce food to them. Not just in the café – I mean right from apples to onions to different sorts of potatoes right up to the olives and different types of cheeses.”

“My background is in hospitality – that’s why the café came along. I worked in restaurants for many years. I really enjoy fresh food cooking, which is why we do everything from scratch. We make our own pasta, everything’s fresh.” While Maryann also comes from a hospitality background, “her love affair has gone towards the deli”, says Belinda. Maryann regularly attends fine food fares around the country to sample and buy the best products, and has just returned from visiting a cheese factory in Europe. Anthony, who worked extensively with their parents, “does the fruit and veg side”. He travels four times a week to the markets to hand pick the produce, taste testing everything to ensure its freshness and quality. “We go for looks and taste,” says Belinda. “We don’t just buy it if it looks good. We want people to be able to take it home and enjoy it for the week, not just for the day.” Between the three siblings, there is always at least one of them at work, and Maryann’s daughter is now learning the ropes. One thing is certain – B-Fresh’s future is rosy. “People have asked us to duplicate this elsewhere, but it’s not something we want to do,” says Belinda. “It wouldn’t be a family business anymore. We do this together. I think it’s important to have family businesses. It’s nice to have a real business.” B-Fresh@Warana Markets, 239 Nicklin Way, Warana. 5493 2839.

Home is where the heart is: it must be true, because that is how the adage goes. These coffee table hoggers and links to cyberspace home heaven showcase the mastery of others. 70/80/90: Iconic Australian Houses Karen McCartney | Murdoch Books | Hardback | $80 Photographed brilliantly and with a depth of coverage rarely seen, this architecture book individually reviews 15 captivating Australian houses from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Compiled and written by the founding editor of interiors magazine Inside Out, each home is explored piece by piece, from the detailing to the relationship between architect and owner. This is a keepsake of Australia’s architectural history.

Design*Sponge at Home Grace Bonney | Hardie Grant Books | Hardback | $49.95 Stemming from the daily website Design*Sponge, this home décor guide is the perfect index for those who adore soaking up design ideas and using them to personalise their own homes. Packed with peeks of 75 real-life interiors and more than 100 DIY projects, Grace Bonney’s enthusiasm for beautiful homes will bubble from the pages and into your space.

Nomad Sibella Court | Murdoch Books | Hardback | $60 Stylist and bestselling author Sibella Court has travelled the globe, hunting for treasures in Syria, Mexico, Italy and Japan. In Nomad, Sibella shows readers how to bring travels home in unexpected ways and make them a part of the house. This stunningly compiled coffee table book will help open your eyes to the world around and fuel the imagination long after the suitcase is unpacked.

My Cool Caravan Jane Field-Lewis & Chris Haddon | Pavilion Books Hardback | $30 Tapping into the new wave of interest in modernretro styling, My Cool Caravan showcases forty stylish caravans of all vintages from across the world. Acting as a sourcebook for the design-conscious, each page is covered in inspirational photographs and explores how people refurbish and customise their humble caravans.

These interior design books were recommended by Anne from Rosetta Books, 30 Maple Street, Maleny. 5435 2134.

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FOR EXTRA SALT visit the WIN page at saltmagazine.com.au for your chance to win one of four copies of My Cool Caravan.

SITES TO BOOKMARK ACROSS THE SEAS Décor8 – Loaded with fresh finds for the home, Décor8 is an evolving catalogue of affordable products and projects updated daily. Apartment Therapy – This big American site is focused on ‘saving the world, one room at a time,’ and has a huge variety of categories to bite into. Small spaces, budget living, renovating projects anyone? CLOSER TO HOME A Beach Cottage – A go-to guide for the perfect shabby chic beachside home. Desire to Inspire – Trends, tricks of the trade and insider information brought to you by two serious interior design junkies.

LAW ACCORDING TO BENJAMIN

Surf’s up words be nj amin law illus tr at ion peter holla r d

Far be it for me to perpetuate stereotypes, but watch as I go ahead and confirm one of your long-held (and arguably racist) suspicions: Asians are terrible swimmers. I say this with love, and as a bona fide Asian person myself. Unless we’re on anabolic steroids and competing at the Olympics, a lot of us just have trouble in the water. Our favourite water activities are bathing, flailing, drowning. There are exceptions to the rule. One of my uncles used to be a lifesaver in Hong Kong (such people exist), but was horrified when he saw the Australian surf for the first time. He couldn’t believe people attempted

to swim in that churning, violent oceanic horror of ours. Did Australian swimmers have a death wish? I was always an appalling swimmer. I cried at my school’s compulsory swimming lessons and always opted for Lane 6 – the one reserved for overweight kids and children with physical disabilities – and clung to the pool’s sides like someone desperately holding onto the debris left over from a sunken ship. I was disqualified

in swimming carnivals because I couldn’t swim 25 metres without clutching onto a lane-rope with a trembling bottom lip, thinking I was dying. When you’re a bad swimmer, god knows you’re going to be a terrible surfer. This was sad if you went to a school like mine where all the cool boys were always the surfers. Sure I had my own talents (“check out my mad clarinet skills!”), but I always quietly marvelled at the surfers, the sun-kissed boys who carted surfboards around town, hoisting them under their arms even though the boards were physically bigger than them. These were guys who woke up at 6am to get the best waves, then did it again after school, watching the sunset and bonding with their fathers. For a non-religious person like me, I imagined it felt spiritual. Then these same guys would tell me about the poos they’d do out in the ocean – “grogans”, I think they were called – and I imagined that must have felt spiritual too. To poo in the ocean! Only a surfer knows the feeling. Needless to say, surfing was always beyond me. It was an alien activity, like pole-vaulting or extreme pole-dancing. Where did you even begin? How were you supposed to fuse your body to a long, unwieldy piece of fibreglass and glide across surging tunnels of water like poetry? And more importantly, how did you prevent nipple erosion? We were one of those schools that occasionally offered strange elective subjects, aggressively non-educational activities like baking, quilting and tenpin bowling. So when our school announced surf lifesaving as a subject, some part of me – the part of me that has a death-wish – leapt at the opportunity. We all gathered at Mooloolaba Beach, the worst swimmers of the group being me and the Brazilian exchange student Ceci, who had spent the entire semester at our school so homesick that she often called Rio in tears. She could barely speak English and her swimming skills were negligible. I liked her a lot. We paired up. Out in the surf, one of us had to pretend to be drowning before the other partner ran into the ocean with their paddle-boards to drag the victim to safety. Ceci took forever to get me. When she finally paddled over feebly and panting, I could barely tread water any more. “I’m drowning, Ceci,” I said. “Yes, Benjamin,” she said. She thought I was just really getting into the role. I actually thought I was drowning. At the end of each session, when we were told we could “surf for leisure”, we nearly concussed ourselves just trying to paddle back out again. Looking back, I’m sure we only got the surf living certificate out of sympathy, or perhaps because the teachers never wanted to see us again. I had given up on surfing entirely until a recent trip in Bali, where I took surfing lessons again. I surprised myself by enjoying it. Out in the oceans of Kuta, paddling out into what was surely crud and mercury-polluted waters, I felt good. In fact, I felt great. On several occasions, I stood up. And though by the end of it my nipples were so chafed that it was possible I’d never breastfeed again, I really wanted to do it again, this time back at home. Now, I’m this close to buying my own longboard, becoming one of those terrible amateur surfers that the pros love to hate. If you see me out there, struggling to stand and getting dumped by waves, just know that this time I’m probably waving, not drowning. benjamin-law.com To see more illustrations by Peter Hollard visit peterhollardart.blogspot.com

PRECINCT FEATURE

BUDERIM: Rich in beauty, culture & community words frances frangenheim photos anastasia kariofyllidis

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I’m not alone in this rainforest but it feels like my secret garden. As I perch on a wooden bench I hear rainwater gurgling in a gully and the whir of cricket-calling songs. The air is spiced with a cocktail of native pollen and seedlings as rainforest and bushland vie for attention. Red cedars, eucalypts and silky oaks reach for the sky and a soft breeze stirs the forest canopy. It sounds like the trees are whispering sweet nothings to one another. I’m sitting in the Eric Joseph Foote War Memorial Sanctuary – a nine-hectare native flora and fauna reserve sprawled across Buderim Mountain’s eastern slopes. Here it’s easy to appreciate how Buderim’s more than 35,000 residents feel blessed with the best of many worlds. Like a tree house in the clouds, Buderim is perched on Buderim Mountain’s plateau 180 metres above sea level. Located eight minutes inland from Maroochydore’s beaches (give or take a few red lights), it could be described as a ‘country village rich with rainforest by the sea’. I learn it’s also a close-knit, welcoming and active community. In fact, this sanctuary – with its walking tracks and waterfall, picnic tables and electric barbecues – exists as a result of community action after residents pushed for the land to be protected. The property was donated by the local Foote family in loving memory of their son Eric, who was killed in World War I at the Somme in France. Once an agricultural farm, volunteers have helped rejuvenate the land and it now supports close to 300 indigenous flora species and more than 100 bird species. As I stroll along the sanctuary’s Botanic Walk (one of four tracks), I pass a man with a rake in one hand and bucket in the other. He is one of the 15 residents who volunteer at weekly working bees. “Working hard?” I jest. “Yep, but it’s time for a cuppa,” the man says with a warm smile. I head back to my car, feeling much calmer than when I arrived. A forest will do that to you. I drive slowly around Buderim’s village hub, residential streets and myriad parks, drinking in the pretty scenery and peaceful atmosphere. Sprawling poinciana trees frame country lanes, purple agapanthus sprout from white picket fences, and dappled sunlight peppers lush green lawns. I appreciate that nature is everywhere. Over the years, local volunteers have helped restore many of the town’s green spaces such as the beautiful walking tracks, park and creeks of Tom Rickards Park, which are accessed from Pine Street in the heart of Buderim. Also nearby is the 45-hectare Buderim Forest Park, while the Maroochy Botanic Gardens are set on 112 hectares west of Buderim off the Tanawha Tourist Drive. >

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Even the local state school on Burnett Street has a breathtaking pine forest growing within its grounds. And it seems every home boasts either a rainforest as a backyard or a flourishing garden. Old farms are common too. After timber getters cleared Buderim of its dense cedar, beech and pine forests in the nineteenth century, the land was used for farming bananas, coffee, pineapples and other citrus fruits and, famously, ginger. Long-term resident and business owner Ken Guy’s most vivid childhood memories are of Buderim’s farms. “My grandparents had a banana farm and

most of Buderim was made up of small farms,” Ken says. Ken lived in Buderim for 50 years and raised his four children in his house on Guy Avenue. They were the fifth generation to live there. Ken’s great-grandfather William Henry Guy bought Buderim’s first land selection in 1867 and grandfather Cyril John Guy was Queensland’s Surveyor-General. In fact, many of Buderim’s streets are named after the Guy family, including William Street, Guy Avenue and Wilguy Crescent. “My father would take me shopping, not to the shops, but to the different farms,” Ken says. >

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Creative collective Buderim’s breathtaking landscapes and colourful indigenous and settler history have long inspired resident artists to pick up the paintbrush, fire up the kiln and even to design mesmerising gardens. Thanks to both its professional and hobby artists, Buderim enjoys a rich art history that places it firmly on Australia’s cultural map. One of Buderim’s earliest painters is also one of Australia’s most famous. The late Hugh Sawrey (1919-1999) was born in Forest Glen near Buderim. His family were early settler timber getters and Sawreys Road on the way to Forest Glen is named after them. Sawrey became a stockman and a well-known outback painter, capturing his passion for rural living on the canvas. In the early 1970s, famous Australian bush painter Samuel Fullbrook also called Buderim home. In 1970, Fullbrook painted one of his most significant paintings of journalist and author Ernestine Hill, also a Buderim resident, and in 1974 won the Archibald Prize. The 1980s saw Charles Blackman work out of a studio in Buderim. Blackman is regarded as one of the most original and significant figurative painters in Australia. His stirring paintings captured the enchanting rainforests and cane fields of Buderim.

“[There was] Doug Dickman’s, next to where the motel now stands, for vegetables. He was a great farmer and grew the best beans, peas, tomatoes and lettuce. Then it was on to the Osborne’s strawberry farm, which was opposite to where Woolworths now stands …” Ken also recalls riding horses down to the beach along roads of mainly sand and dirt. “But my lasting memories of Buderim are of the views. I could stand on the verandah of my house in Guy Avenue, which was then my grandmother’s house, and enjoy a spectacular 360 degree view of ocean and ranges.” The views may have tapered since Ken’s childhood but they are still varied and awe-inspiring. At the top of Burnett Street – Buderim’s main strip – I visit the immaculately landscaped Lions Park. I stand beneath a grand, ancient fig tree and feel wondrously tiny. To the east and southeast I can see forests and bushland spilling down the mountain escarpment and foothills to meet the coastal towns of Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore and the hinterland beyond. >

One of Buderim’s most treasured artists is the late Edna Walling (1896-1973), a world famous gardener, landscape designer and conservationist who retired to Buderim in the 1960s. A memorial garden has been designed in her honour. It is open to the public at the entry to Buderim Forest Park and is well worth a visit. Many artists are drawn to Buderim like bees to honey. Long-term Buderim residents painter Janey Pugh and husband Michael, a potter who is collected all over the world, arrived in Buderim from London in 1971. They felt they’d stumbled upon a lost paradise. “It was a lovely community, quite eccentric, a mix of all sort of people,” Janey says. “There were a lot of artists, writers and filmmakers living up here at that stage, and also people who had summer houses, and then the backbone of the community was the fruit farmers with large acreages.” Resident artists like Jeane Cameron, a talented potter who passed away in 1993, warmly welcomed the Pughs into the community. Jeane was instrumental in setting up Buderim’s Craft Cottage, which today has four hundred members working across thirteen art and craft disciplines. No doubt there is plenty more art history in the making.

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Fashion Finds For fashion seekers, take the drive up the hill to discover a handful of top-shelf fashion boutiques that stock a range of leading fashion labels that can’t be found in department stores. House of Ritz (5445 2059) situated in the Gloucester Centre is a fashion house bursting with exclusive labels and elegant accessories to complete your stylish look this autumn. Soul Diva (5456 4111) is a modest-sized boutique with a cheery atmosphere bursting with wall-to-wall racks of well-loved and followed Australian labels including Morrison, Metalicus and Dogstar. Whether your style is casual elegance or sophisticated chic this boutique has all bases covered. Stroll up the street and you’ll encounter Curlys Menswear (5445 6299) dedicated to dressing the male form with both casual and formal clothing catered for. If you’re a follower of well-known men’s labels like Ben Sherman, Ganton, David Smith and Ferracini shoes, you won’t be disappointed. For the best in seasonal fashion, including exclusive European fashion labels like Sao Paulo and Desigual and cherished staples like Didier Parakian and Katherine, visit Gingers Boutique (5445 6616) for some of the best fashion offerings. Situated in the middle of the main street you won’t miss their floor to ceiling window displays of fashion teamed with hard-to-find accessories, tempting you to look further.

Feeding Frenzy Hungry Feel Eating House (5477 1331) situated in the Middy’s Complex on Burnett Street is an all-time salt favourite. Whether it’s coffee and cake, a lavish breakfast or dinner for two, owners Chris (chef) and Larissa (front of house) have created a welcoming meeting place that appeals at all hours of the day. It’s no surprise that this eating-house has been successfully nourishing Sunshine Coasters for more than ten years now.

Beauty Spot Elenbi Design (5326 1995) is a well-established name on the Sunshine Coast for hair design, with salons in both Maroochydore and Mooloolaba. They’ve recently opened their doors in the main street of Buderim and have their scissors poised. So if you’re in need of a new look this autumn, Elenbi Design specialises in colour correction and root stretching.

Leaving Lions Park, I stroll downhill and soon arrive in Burnett Street’s stylish village hub decorated with poinciana trees, sandstone walls, garden beds and park benches. It seems no one is in a rush as people flow in and out of an array of independent fashion stores, homewares shops, bakeries and bookstores. I’m tempted to follow the lead of those relaxing at one of the many kerbside cafés. I pass the local Woolworths where the famous Buderim Ginger Factory, Merrybud, once stood. It was erected in 1949 as the largest factory of its kind in the southern hemisphere and relocated to Yandina in 1979. As a reminder of Buderim’s important ginger farming history, a store dedicated to all things ginger is a main attraction in Burnett Street. >

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A group of women harvest ginger by hand on Henry Hamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (aka Mr Ginger) property in Buderim in 1968.

ARTISTIC TURNS Buderim is home to two well-appointed art galleries which are key players in the thriving art scene on the Sunshine Coast. Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery (5450 1722) sits on the corner of Townsend Road and Burnett Street in a charming renovated cottage surrounded by a blossoming garden and frangipani trees. salt urges art lovers to take the time to move from room to room to truly absorb the calibre of fine art that adorns the walls. The gallery specialises in investment art and has a portfolio of prestigious, well-established artists including David Boyd, Robert Dickerson, Pro Hart and Norman Lindsay. Further down the hill on Gloucester Road is Art Nuvo (5456 2445), which is owned by husband and wife team Andrew and Olivia Banks, who have trained eyes for seeking out emerging artists while also showcasing artists who are established in their craft. The gallery has an exquisite collection of mixed mediums that are artfully displayed including pieces by bronze sculptor Stephen Glassborow. Olivia has an intimate knowledge of each art piece that hangs in the gallery. Flick to page 94 for exhibition dates for both Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery and Art Nuvo to be held during autumn. 42

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Near the roundabout is the Old Post Office heritage building, bought with community donations and opened as the Community Information Centre in 1999. It is also the headquarters of the Buderim War Memorial Community Association (BWMCA). I chat to Simon Whittle, who is Buderim born and bred and a passionate member of the BWMCA. Simon is keen to spread the word about this year’s Buderim 150 – a 12-month program of celebrations to mark 150 years of community spirit since timber getter Tom Petrie made the first official record of Buderim in 1862. It’s also a chance to celebrate the town’s indigenous history and shine a spotlight on the marvellous work undertaken by its community groups. “Buderim has an extraordinary community spirit. There are more than 50 community groups involved in the celebrations to be held throughout the year,” Simon says. The town will come alive with long lunches, theatre performances, rainforest concerts, tree plantings, an arts festival and moonlit garden parties. Major events include the Back to Buderim weekend from May 4 to 6, and the Buderim Street Party on July 21. One of the BWMCA’s most active groups is the Buderim Historical Society. Its members help preserve the Pioneer Cottage, built in1880, as a living museum. It is located at 5 Ballinger Crescent, a short stroll from Burnett Street, and open daily. I meet Historical >

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“Buderim has an extraordinary community spirit“

Paying it forward Buderim residents are a generous bunch. Just ask the directors of the Buderim Foundation (buderimfoundation.org.au), a local not-for-profit philanthropy organisation with the admirable mission to “enrich and enhance the quality of life for Buderim and its residents, past and future”. Foundation chair Professor Paul Clark explains the Buderim Foundation has four hundred ambassadors, including businesses and individuals of all ages, who donate their time, talent or donations and bequests. “Our ambassadors are people who have signed up and committed to support and advocate for the foundation,” Paul says. “It’s an enormous group of people who are very supportive.” Paul says the majority of ambassadors are local residents, but many visitors to Buderim are also inspired to get involved. For example, Australian of the Year 2011 Simon McKeon is a new member. “Simon has always been interested in volunteering and philanthropy and he saw the Foundation was doing good work,” Paul says. Impressively, the Foundation invests the donated funds to generate additional income.

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The managed funds are then plugged back into the community through an annual grant program launched in 2008. Over the past four years the Foundation has raised $450,000 for its investment fund and aims to reach the $1 million mark by 2013. Last year eight community grants totalling $22,010 were awarded, bringing the total grants distributed over the past four years to over $100,000. Recipient projects are varied, giving a heart-warming insight into Buderim’s diversity and community spirit. In 2011, they included the ‘Bring back the butterflies’ project through Maroochy Waterwatch; new interpretive signage for the Buderim-Palmwoods Heritage Tramway; a new operational shed for the Men’s Shed community program; a school arts project at Buderim Mountain State School; and new training for clowns for the Coastal Caring Clowns project. To mark Buderim’s 150th anniversary, the foundation is launching a community challenge to raise more than $500,000 in 2012. It’s an ambitious goal but Paul knows from experience that Buderim’s residents are all heart.

Buderim Forest Park

Retail Roaming Make sure you explore the main street of Buderim from tip to toe, as it’s full with retail goodness. salt favourites are: Books of Buderim (5445 1625) owned by Jo Chandler, has been operating as an independent bookstore in the hinterland town for forty years. Tucked away in a secluded courtyard, book lovers can spend hours thumbing through novels at a languid pace. Don’t be afraid to ask the helpful staff, including well-read Jo, for a reading recommendation. They have their finger on the pulse in terms of the best reads to suit every appetite. Sitting cheek to cheek with Books of Buderim on Burnett Street is Ballingers on Buderim (5445 4788), a treasure trove of Chinese antique furniture, imported gifts and out-of-the-box artifacts that have been collected and hand-picked by owner Julie Porter. Take the time to linger here to find individual gifts for the home. Society president Prue Cawley on the front verandah and she kindly walks me through the cottage, which is jam-packed with intriguing period décor and memorabilia. My favourite piece is the wooden Noah’s Ark toy set. “Most of the donations are from locals,” Prue says proudly. Volunteers are busy planning a fun day of old-school games and craft workshops at the Cottage on May 6 as part of the Back to Buderim weekend. 2012 is looking like one long party for Buderim. And everyone’s invited. buderim.com/b150 FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au to see more photos of Buderim.

TABLE TALK

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Cuisine inspired by exotic wind words li n da r e a d photos a n a s ta s i a k a r i o f y l l i d i s

The journey of the hot Sirocco wind is surely one of the world’s most enviable – particularly if culinary capitals are on your itinerary. Beginning in the deserts of northern Africa, it flows into southern Europe, sweeping through the spice-laden countries of the Middle East and breathing in the tantalising aromas of the Mediterranean. While the Sirocco does not travel Down Under, its exotic journey so inspired one couple they decided to create a dining experience here which captures the flavours it encounters on its path. Sirocco Noosa – a multi award-winning restaurant created by Andy Slaving and Laila Jones – encapsulates the essence of the cuisine in the countries through which the Sirocco wind travels. “Wherever the wind blows, we have those flavours,” says Andy.

Local spanner crab cakes with a ruby grapefruit and coriander salad and paprika mayonnaise.

“So our cuisine is Mediterranean, Middle Eastern. The dining style has always been tapas, entree, mezzes.” Just like the Sirocco which inspired them, Andy and Laila crossed many continents separately before fate united them six years ago. Andy, born in England, was working as an executive manager for a large resort in Cairns, north Queensland, where he met Laila, a training and recruitment professional. Born in England, Laila was brought up in South Africa and had lived in Holland for fourand-a-half years. Falling in love, the couple conceived the idea of combining Andy’s expertise in hotel management and Laila’s in human resources. Three years ago, Sirocco Noosa was born. Whilst neither of the owners is a chef, they are both completely ‘hands-on’ at the restaurant, working closely with the chef to create and develop the menu. At least one of them is there at all times, often accompanied by their son Jaimen, 4. “He’ll go and sit with the regular customers; he knows them all,” says Andy. >

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Sirocco’s sublime position at Noosaville could rival any of its namesake’s destinations. The Noosa River, framed by a huge pandanas, provides a stunning setting in which to while away an hour or three over breakfast, lunch or dinner. The burnt orange colour scheme, natural timber and abundance of light and air create a stylish, warm and laid-back atmosphere. Andy and Laila are quick to point out that they are not trying to emulate ancient traditions. “We’re not an ethnic restaurant,” Laila says. “But we are influenced by the flavours of wherever the Sirocco wind blows.” “We don’t rely on traditional recipes,” Andy explains. “But we do incorporate the flavours with a modern twist.” Some of the creations on the tapas menu include baked fresh medjool dates stuffed with Woodside goat’s curd, wrapped in pancetta with a sweet balsamic glaze; and marinated scorched cuttlefish with chipotle dip, fresh lime and a chilli and palm sugar dressing. Gourmet pizzas are also on offer, with toppings such as Spanish chorizo sausage; harissa lamb fillet; and pissaladiere of Spanish white anchovies.

Local vine ripened tomatoes are a permanent fixture on the outdoor tables, coaxed to fully ripen in the Noosa sunshine before they go into the kitchen. The chillies, cherry tomatoes and mandarines come from Andy’s mum’s property at nearby Pomona. And when Andy’s mum is not supplying the restaurant with produce, she also works there sometimes, earning the title of “Noosa’s oldest barmaid” from her son, who lets out a hearty laugh with this description, but clearly relishes the family involvement. Many members of both their extended families are involved in the restaurant in different capacities. “It’s a family business,” he says. With the restaurant closed on Mondays, Andy and Laila cherish a “family day” with Jaimen, when they will indulge in the simple pleasures of going to the beach or the park. They enjoy eating out and Jaimen is apparently an accomplished fisherman. They also count the local community as part of their extended family: “We call a lot of our customers friends,” says Laila. They both praise their staff, whom they describe as being handpicked to perfectly “fit with the dynamic” of Sirocco.

Special events – such as Spanish Paella days – are regularly staged, and have proved to be a huge success.

It’s the personal touch, it seems, that sets Sirocco apart. “Lots of small details make for one good experience,” says Laila.

Whilst the flavours may originate from exotic locations, the produce is local where possible.

Andy agrees wholeheartedly. “We put a lot of detail into what we do,” he says. “We complement each other. Our differences complement the business. We care, and we’re always here. We’re hands on and passionate. It’s the whole Sirocco experience.”

“We buy in local produce, or quality produce from other regions [in Australia],” says Andy. “For example we have a lovely fish we use, a South Australian kingfish, and a Northern Territory barramundi – a beautiful cut of meat.”

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Sirocco Noosa, 2/257 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. 5455 6688 or sirocconoosa.com.au

“We are influenced by the flavours of wherever the Sirocco wind blows.”

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NOSH NEWS

Fisher & Paykelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CoolDrawer is a new multi-temperature

drawer-based fridge that can be placed anywhere in the kitchen or home. Five temperature settings deliver total flexibility, allowing an easy switch between fridge, freezer, chill, pantry and wine mode. Sleek in looks, the CoolDrawer will slip easily into any space for $3199. Harvey Norman, Shop 5, Sunshine Homemaker Centre, corner Maroochydore Road & Broadmeadows Road, Maroochydore. 5452 7144 or harveynorman.com.au

safe and stylish cookware is now within affordable reach thanks to the amie range from neoflam. made from cast aluminum, the colourful frypans feature ecolon non-stick coating, a non-harmful material commonly found in nature. suitable for everything from pancakes on the stove to roast veggies in the oven, each frypan is light, versatile and easy to clean. Neoflam pans start at $89. blessed earth, 10 coral street, maleny. 5494 3389 or blessedearth.com.au or organika, 2/205 weyba road, noosaville. 5442 4973 or organika.com.au

NOSH

NEWS

Whether it is simple daily sustenance, the centrepiece of ceremony and something that brings the sheerest of pleasures, dining in and out has never played a bigger part in our lives. Here salt shares news, information and products that enhance our passionate consumption.

Flame Hill Vineyard devotees will be excited to hear that along with your favourite case of wine, you can now also order a quarter or half of Flame Hill Authentic Grass Fed Angus BeAST. Grazing in the pea green hills of Montville, these free-range bulls are the stars of Flame Hill Vineyardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu. 249 WESTERN AVENUE, MONTVILLE. 5478 5920 or flamehill.com.au

salt heard through the grapevine that our talented friends at Reserve Restaurant have opened a new establishment near the banks of the Brisbane River in Milton. Keeping in style with their award-winning Maleny restaurant, we know Reserve Brisbane will be a hit amongst the most astute foodies of Brisbane. Esteemed chef and joint-owner Kieran Reekie and front of house, joint-owner Stephen Heffernan will be sure to make a mark on the Brisbane dining scene. Reserve Restaurant, 840 LandsboroughMaleny Road, Maleny. 5435 2288 or corner of Park Road and Coronation Drive, Milton. 3368 1314 or reserverestaurant.com.au 50

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With the arrival of their latest shipment of paella pans from Spain, Señor Paella Catering is proud to introduce ‘Rafael’ to their family of more than a dozen gigantic paella pans. At 100cm wide, ‘Rafael’ can produce 70 portions of tasty paella and is the perfect sidekick to ‘Papa Grande’, a pan that can deliver 200 servings. Obviously, all this synchronised paella action takes some skill but, with six years in business, Señor Paella makes it look impressively easy at any function. 5476 2292 or senorpaella.com.au

Yum! Have you tried the bagels at Food by the Cooking Company at Noosa Junction? For $11.50 salt’s favourite is laden with A-grade Huon smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers and is very popular amongst lunchtime diners. The bagels are locally made by The Bagel Boys. 18 Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads. 5412 2750 OR THECOOKINGCOMPANY.COM.AU

If you haven’t already visited the

revamped and renamed Bliss Gourmet (previously Wild About Fruit) then put it on your must-do list. Located in Nambour Heights, the boutique food store has been beautified, and now boasts a massive range of gourmet products along with smooth coffee, homemade salads and a variety of healthy lunch options. Eat thoughtfully is their motto and a visit to the store pushes you to do just that. Shop 4/5, 125 Mapleton Road, Nambour. 5476 2300 or blissgourmet.com.au

PRODUCE PEOPLE

Health baked in words leigh r obshaw photo kate j ohns

As the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through Malenyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrial estate, passersby look around, trying to ascertain its source.

It’s a scent that moistens the mouth, and if you follow its trail, you’ll arrive at the factory of Zehnder Gluten Free. It’s from here that Zehnder’s award-winning gluten-free breads, cakes, biscuits, pizza bases and pastas are shipped to thousands of outlets around Australia and overseas. In five short years, demand for the products has skyrocketed to the point that a second factory has opened in Switzerland to supply 14 European countries. Since forming Zehnder Gluten Free in 2006, Josef Zehnder has redefined the concept of gluten-free products, earning him a swathe of business awards. He first ventured into the gluten-free market when a local restaurant asked him to supply gluten-free cakes. From there he moved into breads, and with his team of 23 staff, he now makes not only breads and cakes, but also slices, rolls, wraps, pastas and pizza bases with a taste and texture as good as, if not better than, offerings that contain gluten. Josef lights up with passion as he shows off a new product he’s trialling. It’s a gluten-free wrap that is so soft and moist it doesn’t break or crumble when he folds it. He’s impressed, because this prototype has been frozen and defrosted at least five times. “These wraps are made without any gums or additives,” says Josef. “It’s all natural, and it’s the same with the bread; there are no additives. That’s why we’ve taken gluten free to a new level. We think outside the square; we do things differently.” Josef controls product development and is often at the factory at 3am to oversee production. A man whose business mind never rests, he’s left nothing to chance and has invested heavily in revolutionary new baking technology, the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region. “We wanted to do things properly straight up,” he says. “We pretty much took the business from zero to national in six months. We started distributing our bread to a few local IGAs and were soon asked to supply IGA nationally. That was the start. “We have chains overseas that have just replaced their normal [baked goods] with ours, purely on taste,” says Josef. “So we’re now at the point where we can compete in new markets, because we’re not just limited by the allergen market.” Swiss-born and educated, Josef is a chef by trade who moved to Maleny in 1991 and cut his teeth on previous food manufacturing ventures on the Sunshine Coast before starting Zehnder Gluten Free. He and his wife Naomi bought a forty hectare property in Maleny in 2002, planted a vineyard and

hoped to start a restaurant. Those plans are now on the back burner. Naomi, a former nurse, now does the Zehnder Gluten Free accounts, packaging design and organisation for trade fairs, and their five children, aged between four and 13, make for a tough team of taste testers. “Kids are the biggest critics,” Josef says. “You can actually test what level you’re at when the kids taste something. I don’t have a problem if they want a cake from someone else, but when they have friends over and they’re wanting our stuff instead of the others, that proves we’re doing something right. Also, if they say they don’t like something I’ll ask them why and I’ll get an honest answer.” Ironically, no one in Josef ’s family has coeliac disease or is gluten intolerant, and he believes that’s what gives him an advantage – they eat their own products because they like them, not because they have to. Baking gluten-free bread that is soft, moist and not full of additives is notoriously difficult, so what’s Josef ’s secret? “It has to do with processing and formulation,” he says. “A lot of people don’t know how to combine the ingredients properly. When you look at some of the things we’ve done, you’d just shake your head. “We’ve built fibre into our products, because that’s something missing in a gluten-free diet. Due to the new processing technology we use, bacteria or mould growth has been very much eliminated, so we don’t need to use preservatives. “Also, we’re bringing flours in that are not in Australia, such as teff from Africa. It’s the smallest grain in the world and it goes back to 3000BC. We’re using that in combination with chia and flax to come up with new breads where there’re no gums added to hold it together. I believe it’s a world first.” Exciting plans are in store for the year, with new products ready for release, a desire to go carbon neutral, expansion from the Maleny factory into larger premises, and the new Swiss factory opening up the European market. “Europe is now where Australia was five years ago in terms of demand for gluten-free products,” says Josef. “That’s why we moved in; it’s an ideal time.” With Josef ’s ultimate goal to have seven to nine factories around the globe, in North and South America, Asia and Europe, this home-baked Maleny success story is ready to take on the world.

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CULINARY CREATIONS R EC I P E Wa r r en Blac kwell photoS ANASTASIA KARIOF YLLID IS

Seared tuna loin with cauliflower crumble

Ingredients Serves 4

Cauliflower crumble 1 cauliflower 1 tsp sumac Sea salt Black pepper Â˝ cup milk 54

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Confit tomato 4 roma tomatoes 1 clove garlic 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme Sea salt Black pepper Extra virgin olive oil

Main 400g tuna loin Extra virgin olive oil Sea salt Black pepper Kalamata olives, pitted

Hot Tips

Serve with sides of naan bread, cucumber rialto and fresh chilli sambal. For further variation, use a variety of different fish, crabmeat, bugs or other seafood.

Method

Cauliflower crumble Grate Â˝ cauliflower on a coarse grater. Mix in sumac, salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook other half of cauliflower in milk until tender. Puree until smooth and season to taste. Confit tomato (This can be done in advance.) Remove core of tomato and score other side. Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds and plunge into ice bath. Peel and deseed tomatoes. Lie on shallow tray. Pour oil into pot and heat remaining ingredients until thyme starts to bubble. Remove from heat and let mixture sit for 15 minutes. Pour mixture over tomatoes. Leave for 15 minutes. Main Heat oil in pan and sear tuna for 1 minute on both sides. Set aside. Place 1Â˝ tbsp cauliflower crumble on top served with warmed cauliflower cream, confit tomato and whole black olives. PHILOSOPHY Use fresh and clean flavours. WINE TO MATCH Greystone Pinot Gris 2011 Available at Wahoo Seafood Restaurant & Take-Away, 4 Heron Street, Peregian Beach. 5448 1491. FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au to download a Mango and Passionfruit Parfait recipe by Wahoo chef Warren Blackwell.

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RELAXED RECIPES

Body friendly food words sa lly tr ude photos ana sta sia ka r iOf yllidis

Being intolerant to gluten doesn’t mean you have to miss out on life’s simple pleasures – with these recipes you can have your cake (or salad, muffins or pasta) and eat it, too! Coconut biscuits Makes 12 biscuits Prep time: 20 minutes 1½ tbsp chilled butter 1 cup coconut flour ½ cup caster sugar 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder ¼ tsp salt 6 egg whites Blanched whole almonds Preheat oven to 200˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix coconut flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix in chilled butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Whisk egg whites until very frothy. Fold the egg white into the chilled flour mixture until well combined. Roll into walnut size balls and place onto a baking tray. Press down with a fork and place a whole almond in centre. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Feta, black olive and sun-dried tomato pasta Serves 8 Prep time: 10 minutes 500g rice and corn (gluten free) penne pasta ½ cup sun dried tomatoes (diced) 8 tbsp sliced black olives ½ cup tomato and basil feta (chopped roughly) 2 cloves minced garlic 6 leaves fresh basil (chopped) 2 tbsp extra light olive oil ½ cup yellow or red grape tomatoes (halved) Cook and drain pasta according to directions. Add all ingredients except olive oil and mix until incorporated. Drizzle olive oil and toss pasta until oil is completely mixed in. Serve hot or cold. Sliced cooked chicken can also be added to this dish. salt tip: When cooking gluten-free pasta, bring your water to a full boil, add a generous pinch of salt (it toughens the pasta a little), then add your pasta and immediately reduce your heat to medium. You want the water simmering, not boiling. Gluten-free pasta is finicky! Stir carefully to break up the pasta, and continue to cook until al dente (a little underdone). Turn it off, remove from heat, and let it set for 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour it into a colander that you have lightly sprayed with an olive oil spray then toss it with the sauce or with a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.

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Carrot almond salad Serves 4-6 Prep time: 25 minutes Extra virgin olive oil 1 cup flaked almonds Â˝ cup coriander 1 clove garlic, peeled Â˝ jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-veined Âź tsp fine sea salt 1/3 cup extra olive oil 1 bunch (225g) baby carrots, scrubbed and sliced in half lengthwise 1 bunch (450g) pencil thin asparagus, stalk trimmed, cut into 5cm segments Squeeze lemon, optional Toast almonds in oven with a splash of olive oil with a big pinch of salt. Let them get deeply golden, remove from oven and set aside. Add carrots to salted boiling water, wait 15 seconds, then add the asparagus. Depending on thickness of the carrots and asparagus cook for 30-60 more seconds. Drain and immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking. Spin dry in a salad spinner. 58

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Toss the vegetables in a large bowl with a generous splash of the dressing. Toss well and add 2/3 of the toasted almonds and gently toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Lemon juice may be added. Serve with the remaining almonds. Dressing Combine coriander, garlic, jalapeno and salt in food processor or blender. Slowly pour the olive oil in while pulsing, continuing until the dressing has a creamy vibrant green consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Sun-dried tomato and cottage cheese muffins Makes 9 muffins Prep time: 10 minutes 1 cup cottage cheese (low-fat is fine) ¾ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated ¼ cup soya flour 1 cup almond meal 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped ¼ cup basil, finely chopped ¼ cup water 4 eggs, lightly beaten ½ tsp salt pepper to taste Preheat oven to 200˚C. Line a muffin pan with mediumsized paper cups. Mix together cottage cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, soya flour, almond meal, gluten-free baking powder, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, water and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups three quarters full, scatter with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen and golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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SALT CELLAR

Pinot noir comes down to earth W ORDS TYSON STEL Z ER

Catch the red wine bug and you’ll find yourself on a voyage of discovery.

For many drinkers, the evolution of taste follows a common journey. Red wines tend to become more intense as they become more expensive, so the pursuit of ever more powerful wines becomes the prize. Eventually, the realisation dawns that biggest does not mean best, and this can trigger a rebound into elegant and delicate styles. In time, the pendulum tends to swing back to the middle; an appreciation of diversity, balance and detail. For many wine drinkers, this ‘holy grail’ endpoint is found in pinot noir. For a long time, truly great pinot noir has been the prize of the elite, eliciting prices that place it in a stratosphere well out of reach of the masses. This is no clever marketing conspiracy, but an economic reality of growing one of the most difficult grapes on the planet. The skin of a grape is its protective force-field against the elements. Thick-skinned grapes like cabernet sauvignon have a resilient shield against disease, against dehydration in the heat and splitting in the wet. Pinot noir is a thin-skinned, fragile soul, demanding sufficient humidity that it won’t turn into a raisin, but not so much that it becomes susceptible to disease. It doesn’t take well to machine-harvesting or to rough handling in the winery. In short, it’s a bitch to grow and equally tough to turn into wine. Pinot noir is the realm of the artisan. Small production and hands-on attention to every detail are the key. Its most revered expression is from the narrow strip of the Côte d’Or of Burgundy, where every tiny vineyard is painstakingly tended by hundreds of hands, each eager for their tiny share in its fruit. No wine is in shorter supply, no variety demands more attention and no red wine on the planet is more expensive. 60

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Many have aspired to grow pinot noir in commercial volumes at quaffing prices, but most attempts have ended in thin, insipid wines, totally devoid of the silky allure and deep black cherry hallmarks that endear the variety in the first place. In recent years, however, the sheer determination and technical wizardry of Australian and New Zealand winemakers have changed all that. Pinot noir for the masses has arrived. I’m not speaking of underweight, sour things that taste like mishandled pinot bolstered with a little ripe shiraz (as some once were). It’s now possible to buy Australian and New Zealand pinot noir that looks, smells and tastes like the real thing for under $25 and even, on the right discount, under $10. These are not broadacre plantings in vast inland zones. These are our finest cool climate regions on parade: Northern Tasmania, Victoria’s Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, South Australia’s Adelaide Hills and New Zealand’s Central Otago. Substantial plantings in these zones in the late 1990s and early 2000s have finally reached maturity, and mature vines mean grapes of balance, depth and character and wines that follow. In our Queensland climate, I drink more pinot noir than any other red wine. For the first time, it’s now affordable as an everyday house wine. It’s also the perfect thing to convert any white wine drinker to the dark side, since thin skins make for softer, silkier tannins. Once they discover the extravagant joys of pinot noir they may never embark on the journey of ever bigger reds. The holy grail is finally in reach.

1. De Bortoli Windy Peak Pinot Noir 2010...................................... $14

6. Delamere Naissante Pinot Noir 2010.......................................... $25

There is only one pinot to buy under $15, and it’s a gorgeous experience of violets, rose petals and red cherries.

Alluring, fragrant, herbal nuances derive from fermentation of some whole bunches, stalks included: a technique usually reserved for much more expensive pinot.

2. Little Yering Pinot Noir 2010....................................................... $18 Careful machine harvesting and no new oak takes soft and juicy Yarra Valley pinot noir to an unprecedented price. 3. Tamar Ridge Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir 2010.............................. $19 Graceful, light-bodied and perfumed with rose petals, strawberries and raspberries, this refreshing style sits neatly between rosé and pinot noir. 4. O’Leary Walker Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2010........................... $22 From a single estate vineyard, made like proper pinot noir, by hand, in French oak barrels. How do they do it at this price?

7. Rabbit Ranch Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010.............................. $25 Central Otago pinot is not inexpensive, light or refreshing, but here’s the exception. It’s perfumed, supple and has better persistence than many. 8. Yabby Lake Red Claw Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2010.............................................................................. $25 Rarely does pinot noir tick every box at this price: perfumed, restrained, supple, savoury, finely textured and even age-worthy. FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au for your chance to win a six-pack of Yabby Lake Red Claw Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2010 valued at $150 or one of three twin packs containing De Bortoli Windy Peak Pinot Noir 2010 and De Bortoli Windy Peak Yarra Valley Chardonnay valued at $28.

5. Last Horizon Tamar Valley Pinot Noir 2010................................. $23 “Freestyle winemaking” is the way its maker describes one of the best pinots on the shelves under $25. One-quarter new French oak is a bonus.

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FASHION

64 HISTORY REPEATED Revisit times past 66 LAYERED LOVE More is more 68 WHO WEARS THE PANTS? Edgy and masculine 70 GIRL IN RED Stand out and be noticed 72 SUNSET BOULEVARD For bursts of sunshine 74 COSY COUTURE Bury deep into thick knits 76 BOOT IT OUT Walk the line in boots

misty morningS Grey days and falling leaves signify the beginnings of a new season and a much-needed wardrobe shuffle. Add a range of these timeless pieces to your shelves and racks, and dive into the cooler months in style and comfort. words and styling claire plush

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Country Road

Morrison

Available at: Country Road, Sunshine Plaza, Horton Parade, Maroochydore. sunshineplaza.com Morrison, Soul Diva, 45 Burnett Street, Buderim, 5456 4111 or souldiva.com.au

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H I S TO RY REPEATED Timeless and classic … it’s hard to go wrong when you visit the sleek styles of times long gone. Feminine dresses to the knee or anything lace is perfect for that special occasion. And forget the diamonds! Pearls and opals are a girl’s new best friend.

Moss and Spy 64

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Anne Everingham

Opals Down Under

Lemonade on the Lawn

Available at: Moss and Spy, Minx and Max, Shop 3/18 Lanyana Way, Noosa Junction. 5447 3366 or OV Boutique, Shop 4, The Dunes, 27 Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree, 5479 4505. Opals Down Under, Sterling Silver Ring with Coober Pedy White Opal (1.96ct), Peridot, Topaz and Fresh Water Pearl, 11 Ballantyne Court, Palmview, 5494 5400 or opalsdownunder.com.au Anne Everingham, Onyx and Sterling Silver Earrings, by appointment, 5442 8051 or everingham.com.au Lemonade on the Lawn, Essential Style Boutique, Shop 7, 23 Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree, 5479 4785. Odd Molly, Laila, 2/42 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads, 5455 3934 or laila.com.au Odd Molly

layerED love

Noosa Amsterdam

Layer it up with soft fabrics in varied tones. Pair stockings or tights with dresses and throw vests over shirts. Add a loosely wrapped scarf and a wrist full of bangles to finish this purposefully relaxed look. Tawerea

Metalicus

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Available at: Metalicus, OV Boutique, contact information on page 65 or Soul Diva, contact information on page 63. Noosa Amsterdam, Laila, contact information on page 65. Tawerea, Must Have Gifts and Fashion, Shop 10, Pacific on Coolum, Birtwill Street, Coolum, 5446 3055. Moyuru, Mint Tea and Me, Shop 3A, 66 Jessica Boulevard, Minyama, 5477 6255 or Minx & Max, contact information on page 65. Moda Immagine, Mint Tea and Me, contact information above. Loobieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story, Gingers Boutique, Shop 2, 56 Burnett Street, Buderim, 5445 6616. LouenHide, Fae Rentoul Summer House, 2/3 Gibson Road, Noosaville, 5474 3900 or summerhouse.com.au or OV Boutique, contact information on page 65. Oroton, Noosa Optical, 1 Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads, 5447 3711 or noosaoptical.com.au

Oroton

LouenHide

Loobieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story

Moyuru

Moda Immagine

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who wears the pants? Edgy, masculine and sophisticated. Pants should never be confined to the workwear wardrobe. Flatter your shape in form fitting cuts or structured slacks. And for the guys, mix it up with a splash of colour.

Colour Code

Available at: Verge, Minx & Max, contact information on page 65. Colour Code, Essential Style Boutique, contact information on page 65.

Verge

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Ben Sherman

Morrison

Morrison Pako Litto Rieker

NY2K

Available at: Morrison, Soul Diva, contact information on page 63. Pako Litto, House of Ritz, The Gloucester Centre, corner of Gloucester Road and Main Street, Buderim, 5445 2059 or ritzonbuderim.com Ben Sherman, Curlys Menswear, 47 Burnett Street, Buderim, 5445 6299 or Myer, Sunshine Plaza, contact information on page 63. Rieker, Curlys Menswear, contact information above. NY2K Earrings, Rovera Plaza, King Street, Cotton Tree, 5443 1955 or ny2k.com.au

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girl in

RED

Draped in red, she brings with her a halo of confidence. Never shying away from lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big moments, the girl in red knows what she wants and isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afraid to chase it.

Katherine Purple Ginger

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Saucy Rose

Meredith

Lexon

Available at: Katherine, Gingers Boutique, contact information on page 67 or OV Boutique, contact information on page 65. Purple Ginger and Lexon, Watermelon Red, Shop 12, Pacific on Coolum, Birtwill Street, Coolum Beach, 5473 9550 or watermelonred.com.au Saucy Rose, 8 Levuka Avenue, Kings Beach, 5437 2260 or saucyrose.com Meredith, Gingers Boutique, contact information on page 67 or Minx & Max, contact information on page 65. Escapulario, Laila, contact information on page 65 or Minx & Max, contact information on page 65.

Escapulario

sunsetboulevard

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put all your summer clothes away just yet! Lucky Sunshine Coasters get bursts of glorious sunshine during the chilly months. These are the gems worth saving for a clear day. Lydra handbag

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Saucy Rose

Wish

Saucy Rose

Available at: Lydra handbag, Must Have Gifts and Fashion, contact information on page 67. Saucy Rose, contact information on page 71. Wish, Myer, Sunshine Plaza, contact information on page 63 or Youth Culture, Sunshine Plaza, 5479 3000 or sunshineplaza.com Trussardi Trussardi, Noosa Optical, contact information on page 67.

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Country Road

Turn to your clothes for comfort when the days are dark or the night sets in. Lose yourself in oversized knits and tousled hair. Keep things natural with a colour palette of creams and browns. Now youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready for a trip to the hinterland or a city escape!

Mela Purdie

COSYcouture Available at: Country Road, Sunshine Plaza, contact information on page 63. Mela Purdie, OV Boutique, contact information on page 65.

Available at: Pako Litto, House of Ritz, contact information on page 69. Ben Sherman, Curlys Menswear, contact information on page 69 or Myer, Sunshine Plaza, contact information on page 63. Oroton, Noosa Optical, contact information on page 67. Wonders of Spain, Get Set Footwear, 230 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville, 5447 1755 or 82A Bulcock Street, Caloundra, 5492 7185 or getsetfootwear.com.au

Oroton

Wonders of Spain

Pako Litto

Ben Sherman

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BOOT IT OUT!

Walk the line in this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top boots. From heeled and ready for a night out to casual flats and loved up gumboots, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a style for every occasion.

Wendy and Holly

Klouds

BLACK Dico

Available at: Elk, Essential Style Boutique, contact information on page 65 or Soul Diva, contact information on page 63. Dico, Laila, contact information on page 67. Klouds and Naot, Get Set Footwear, contact information on page 75. Wendy and Holly, Watermelon Red, contact information on page 71. Tilly Rose, OV Boutique, contact information on page 65 or Minx & Max, contact information on page 65.

TAN Naot Tilly Rose

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Elk

BOLD VISIONARIES

Eye on handmade, natural, soulful words frances frangenheim photos anastasia kariofyllidis

Flotsam and jetsam appear to have washed up at the front doors of Sunshine Coast fashion designer Carmel Patchett’s three design and homewares stores. Carmel Patchett

Located at Mooloolaba and newly at Peregian Beach, as well as at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, Carmel’s retail spaces are a beachcomber’s delight. Antique Japanese fisherman’s floats sit beside sea sponges from Greece, which are perched artfully alongside sun-bleached plant fronds and chalky white coral. Every store treasure – whether homewares, jewellery, clothing or footwear – aligns with Carmel’s signature aesthetic, which champions the handmade, the natural and the soulful. Carmel creates beautiful interior spaces with her daughter Sarah Patchett, who is Carmel’s right hand when it comes to wholesale and managing the retail stores. Both mother and daughter share an effortless style that their customers no doubt wish they could bottle. The clothing racks are lined with the latest mesop and Vigorella pieces, amongst other designer labels, but the main event is Carmel’s fashion range, Carmel’s Designs. It is, simply, Carmel’s pride and joy. “My fashion label is thirteen years old. Wow, we’re coming up to number fourteen,” Carmel says with a beaming smile that never seems to leave her glowing, sun-kissed face. “This collection is my best ever. I’m loving it.” The Carmel’s Designs fashion label launched in 1999 and has grown from 30 stockists on Australia’s east coast to 60 nationwide. Carmel was inspired to design her own range after working as a wholesale sales agent for top Australian brands and also in retail. “I’d spent nine years listening to what customers wanted but most designers didn’t take this information on board,” Carmel says. “It got to the point where I thought, ‘What happens if someone actually listens? What happens if someone actually designs for what people need?’” 78

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Fourteen years of Sunshine Coast living had taught Carmel that Australian women were looking for cool and light clothing that was effortless to wear and stylish to boot. She set about designing a label for real women crafted from natural, comfortable, breathable fabrics such as linen, cotton and silk in a simple palette of crisp blacks and whites. She continues to draw inspiration from her seaside lifestyle, and also travels to Italy and France each year for fresh ideas. Carmel and Sarah will soon embark on their annual road trip to visit stockists around the country. “One year I did 10,000 kilometres,” Carmel says. “I love it. It’s a beautiful experience.” It is the connection with the people who wear her designs that resonates. “And the customers think it’s a real treat that you come and work with them on that level. You’ve designed it, made it and now you’re here explaining it. And then again, I’m still listening to them.” Carmel’s new collection is due in stores from July. It features fabrics of classic Italian and French linen, linen knitwear, matte silk and floaty silk georgette in Carmel’s neutral colour scheme with a splash of sky blue and a rich peacock blue. Sarah says Carmel’s label was purposely designed to be classic, affordable and made to last. “I have customers come back and tell me that their pair of Carmel’s pants is five years old and still perfect,” Sarah says. “People don’t mind paying a little bit more for something they know will last, that won’t fall apart at the end of the season.” Carmel credits her mother for giving her an appreciation for quality.

“Yes, I check every seam, every button,” Carmel says. “My mum was a country dressmaker. She made clothes for my three sisters and I so we never bought anything. We would all stand there while Mum made a pattern on us. And that commitment to quality must have come out later on,” she says. 2012 is gearing up to be another hectic year for Carmel’s Designs. The new Peregian store opened in December last year after Sarah spotted an available lease. It was a dingy rabbit warren of a space but Carmel jumped at the chance to refurbish it and be part of Peregian Beach’s village hub. “Peregian has soul and it has heart. You want to be part of it. And the new space is amongst beautiful independent stores,” Carmel says. Of course, as with the Mooloolaba and Burleigh design and homewares stores, the Peregian store stocks Carmel’s fashion label as well as a range of clothing and homewares. But Peregian’s large floor space is also an opportunity to branch into a new area of homewares – selling furniture. “Our Peregian store has some beautiful large rustic furniture pieces crafted from recycled timber that we sourced from a maker in New South Wales. It’s a new area we’re going into, and we’re also expanding with an accessories and homewares label,” Carmel says. Asked how she manages to grow her business in the midst of a global economic crisis, Carmel says, “I really believe that if you’re not passionate about what you do you’re not going to make it. “I don’t think there was ever a moment when I thought we weren’t going to make it. I trusted in it.” carmelsdesigns.com.au

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BEAUTY

Op Therapy Facial Oil for dry skin $39.95, 22ml. Available at Watermelon Red, Shop 12, Pacific on Coolum, Birtwill Street, Coolum Beach. 5473 9550 or watermelonred.com.au

Thalgo Commage Descomask Scrub $47, 200ml. available at aqua day spa, sheraton noosa resort, hastings street, noosa heads. 5449 4777 or aquadayspa.com.au or the spa room, contact details below.

Ultraceuticals Ultra Balancing Skin Mist $35, 100ml. Available at The Spa Room, The Esplanade, Mooloolaba. 5326 1710 or

Illamasqua Cream Pigment $44. Available at Myer, Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore. 5430 9400 or sunshineplaza.com

thesparoom.com.au

Waterlily Essential Floral CrĂ¨me Concentrate $44, 50ml. Available at Spa Anise, Spicers Tamarind Retreat, 88 Obi Lane South, Maleny. 1300 194 086 or spicersgroup.com.au

Budget

BEAUTY BUY$

Nothing over $50

Looking after yourself neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost the world. Here, we divulge a selection of the best beauty products for under $50. Indulge a little without breaking the bank. styling claire plush Payot Pate GrisE $40, 15ml. Available at Stephanies Ocean Spa, Outrigger Little Hastings Street Resort & Spa, Little Hastings Street, Noosa Heads. 5473 5353 or stephaniesoceanspa.com.au

Moroccan Oil $49.50, 100ml. Available at Asante Day Spa, Shop 5/7-13 Beach Road, Coolum Beach. 5446 5229 or asantespa.com.au

Kevin Murphy

born again masque $39.95, 200ml. available at eco organic hair and body, 3/1 king street, cotton tree. 5451 1300 or eco-organic.com

Goldwell StyleSign Spun Shine 80

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$22.95, 100ml. Available at Smyths Inc Hairdressing, Islander Resort, 187 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. 5449 8877 or Shop 2, Ocean Breeze, 52 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads. 5447 4422 or smythsinc.com

} $50 } NOTHING

OVER

Saya ORGANIC FRANGPANI Body Polish $26.95, 500g. Available at Saya Factory, Shop 6/41 Gateway Drive, Noosaville. 5473 0257 or sayaskin.com

Environ B-Active Sebumasque $37. Available at Ikatan Spa, 46 Grays Road, Doonan. 5471 1199 or ikatanspa.com

Naked Tan Instant Self Tan Bronzing Mousse $44.95, 180ml. Available at One Spa RACV, 94 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads. 5341 6900 or racv.com.au

Ă&#x2030;minence herbal eye make-up Remover

$50, 150ml. available at the spa, noosa springs, links drive, noosa heads. 5440 3355 or noosasprings.com.au

HEALTH

MASSAGE MAGIC words frances frangenheim photo anastasia kariofyllidis

As I step through the doors of Kansha Natural Therapies in Noosaville, I find myself in a Zen-like oasis of tranquillity and minimalism. I’m greeted with a friendly smile at reception and asked to fill out a questionnaire detailing my medical history, as it’s my first visit here. As I settle into a comfy brown leather couch, calming flute music washes over me and my senses begin to take in my surroundings. My eye is drawn to tastefully selected Asian artworks on the walls and a glossy white statue of an Asian goddess placed in a corner. A heavy wooden Chinese cabinet adds an exotic touch, and I detect the smoky scent of moxa wafting in from the treatment rooms. 82

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Kansha means ‘gratitude’ in Japanese, and in keeping with the name, an Asian theme with clean lines and a sense of space is carried throughout the centre’s design. Kansha’s owner Richelle Barker comes out for a chat, explaining that the centre differs from others because it’s a treatment clinic rather than a spa (no beauty treatments are offered). A team of eight highly qualified therapists offer massage, reflexology, chiropractic, Ayurvedic medicine and acupuncture. After I complete the questionnaire, my friendly massage therapist Genine Gullen ushers me into the treatment room, another calming space infused with soft music, buddhas, tealight candles, small bowls of frangipani flowers and a sign on the wall that urges me to ‘relax’. Genine offers me a list of essential oil blends from the Young

Where is it ? 6 Mary Street, Noosaville. 5473 0724 or kansha.com.au

What is special? Kansha is a treatment clinic offering acupuncture; massage (remedial, relaxation, aromatherapy and pregnancy); chiropractic; reflexology and Ayurvedic medicine. Owner Richelle opened the centre four and a half years ago, after completing postgraduate studies in acupuncture. “I designed the space so that people could leave their outside life when they come in and really relax, so they get the full benefit of their treatment.” Kansha employs eight therapists (four of whom are massage therapists). Ailments they help treat include musculo-skeletal pain, headaches, stress, sleep disorders, fertility problems and hormonal disorders. Kansha’s pricing is structured so that clients can enjoy regular treatments as part of their health and wellness maintenance rather than a one off pampering experience.

Which treatment was enjoyed? A 60-minute full-body remedial massage and 30-minute reflexology treatment with Genine for $110.

Final tips? Drink plenty of water to help flush out any toxins released during the treatment. Add Epsom salts to a warm bath in the evening to further enhance the elimination of toxins and soothe sore muscles.

Living range, and I choose ‘Peace and Calm’, which contains a heady blend of tangerine, orange, ylang ylang and blue tansy. Lying face down on the massage table, I feel my body soften and relax the minute Genine places her hands on me. She not only has a brilliant technique; she has the kind of healing hands that make you melt under her touch. She places a warm towel on the small of my back and starts the treatment with a head massage, loosening the muscles around the base of my cranium. As she begins working on the tension and multiple knots in my back, neck and shoulders, I know I’m in the hands of an expert. She uses a herbal ointment to further enhance the healing process and as she moves down to my lower back and hips, I can feel the compression created from too much sitting at a computer gradually releasing. As she kneads my feet, ankles, calves and legs, I’m lulled into a deep state of bliss. I find myself hovering in some sort of trancelike hypnagogic state when she quietly asks me to turn over so she can begin my reflexology treatment. She explains how the feet are maps of the whole body, and points to where the front and back of the body and spine are represented in my feet. As she presses certain points, some areas feel quite tender. She tells me she doesn’t diagnose medical conditions, but says the points around the balls of my feet that are quite sore relate to the thyroid (I’m not surprised, as I have had thyroid imbalances in the past). The reflexology treatment is as much a yummy foot massage that is a divine treat for tired feet as it is a way to energetically rebalance the whole body. Genine signals the end of the treatment by spritzing me with a refreshing essential oil spray, and hands me a packet of Epsom salts to use in the bath that night to help with any soreness. I drift out of the centre on cloud nine and vow to book in for another of Genine’s magic massages as soon as I can. FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au to see more photos of Kansha Natural Therapies.

OFFSHORE

Hot mineral baths that overlook Lake Rotorua.

ADVENTURES OF AN accidental cruiser words kate johns PHOTO STEVEN PILCHER

Ten days ago I was identified as a “cruising virgin” amongst the cruising fraternity. When my husband and I first boarded the Sun Princess on a bleak day in Wellington, New Zealand, we immediately felt a tad inadequate that this was our first cruise. I was not aware of the “cruising club”, where seafarers drift across the seven seas, disembarking from one ship only to board another in a month’s time. Until now, I had never considered a cruise as a holiday choice. Both my husband and I are in our thirties with a thirst for travel and each has a bulging passport full of stamps. I had earmarked cruising for when I was a senior citizen: a safe and comfortable travel option when I was elderly. But when an opportunity came to join the Sun Princess halfway through its fourteen-day journey, boarding in Wellington with port visits to Napier, Tauranga, Auckland and disembarking in Brisbane, I couldn’t say no. Now I find myself just after 7am pulling into Napier. It’s the second day on board and I’m still reaching for my pocket map to help navigate myriad decks. Today we have a morning shore tour exploring Cape Kidnappers, the headland at the south-eastern extremity of Hawke’s Bay. Our aim is to visit one of the largest mainland nesting places of gannets, a type of seabird, in the world. 84

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Weeks before we boarded the Sun Princess we selected our shore tours online for Napier, Tauranga and Auckland. Shore tours differ in each port from gourmet wine trails to sailing in Auckland’s harbour to cultural visits. The town of Napier is a charming bayside village where most buildings follow the 1930s art deco theme. Our driver tells us that an earthquake wiped out Napier in 1931, causing more than 200 deaths. The community decided to rebuild in the art deco style that was popular at the time and every February lovers of art deco flock there to celebrate the town’s architecture style and 1930s way of life. Our group is transferred into a four-wheel drive bus and is greeted by local guide and driver Peter Aveling, of Gannet Safaris, who is a wealth of knowledge about the region’s local history, flora and fauna. To gain access to the gannet colony, we drive through Cape Kidnappers Station, a dramatic coastal sheep and cattle property stretching over 2020 hectares and home to a luxurious five-star resort. Perched at the top of the cape, thousands of gannets sit patiently on their shallow nests on this wind-lashed headland. These robust black and white birds can dive-bomb the water from thirty metres up at speeds of 100km an hour when feeding. It is sensational. But there are many more first-time adventures to come. The shore tour we’ve chosen in Tauranga is a Polynesian spa experience in Rotorua. With wobbly sea legs, we disembark and are taken on a whirlwind drive through Tauranga, which sits in the Bay of

Plenty, named by Captain James Cook. On our way north to Rotorua, we drive past kiwi fruit crops, roadside fruit shops and pine tree plantations. Nicknamed sulphur city, the dense smell of sulphur gets stronger as we approach the outskirts of Rotorua. The next hour is spent in the hot mineral baths that overlook Lake Rotorua. The three Priest Spa pools are known for their therapeutic properties due to the acidic water that bubbles from the springs that range in temperature from 39˚C to 42˚C. The Priest Spa was named after a Catholic priest, who in the late 1800s gained great relief from arthritis when bathing in the hot spring waters. The wonders of nature are plentiful in New Zealand but some of our cruising adventures were more cultural than natural. As soon as the sun sets passengers change from their holiday attire of waist bags, togs, sarongs and thongs to jewels, high heels, evening gowns and three-piece suits. The ship also takes on a transformation of its own from a floating holiday resort into a multi-levelled RSL equipped with casino, nightclub, live shows and cocktail bars. Two of the nights that we’re on board are formal dress. We attend an after-dinner show, British Invasion, in the Princess Theatre. It’s an impressive production, with top-class singing, choreography, costumes and dancing. Sometimes unexpected changes in shore tour plans can reveal unplanned treats – a kind of serendipity. Pulling into Auckland, the weather is miserable and I’m secretly glad that the shore tour we had booked, a bridge climb, has been cancelled. Thankfully the ship is conveniently docked in the heart of the city. With no plan in mind or map in hand we trudge up the hill to stretch our sea legs. As a lover of independent book stores, I can’t resist opening the door to Parsons Bookshop. Enjoying the rich smell of ink on paper, I flick through art, photographic and Maori books. Further up the street we stumble upon Auckland’s City Art Gallery, with free entry; the next hour is spent pondering over thoughtprovoking art pieces. On our way back to the harbour I wander into The Poi Room, which is a vibrant space filled with ceramics, art, textiles and toys made by New Zealand artisans. We choose to spend our last day at The Sanctuary, which sits on the top deck at the front of the Sun Princess. Now that we’re en route to Brisbane, the sun is beaming, leaving the southern chill of New Zealand in our wake. This private oasis is at arm’s length from the hustle and bustle of the main deck. My husband and I spend the best part of the morning ordering chilled lemonades, reading, listening to music and enjoying a poolside lunch. On glistening days like today, finding a pocket of solitude in the enormous ship, I understand the appeal of the on-board holiday. You’re never too young to cruise. Kate Johns was a guest of the Sun Princess. princess.com FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au to see more photos of the Accidental Cruiser’s adventure.

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OFF THE WALL

Recording a timeless land words karina ea stway PORTRAIT photo kate johns

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From Aboriginal dreamtime to colonial bush poets, storytelling has described the uniqueness of our land and documented our passage through it. Rex Backhaus-Smith is a master modern-day storyteller, capturing the spirit and essence of the Australian outback through 50 years of celebrated painting. His work weaves an eloquent narrative, conveying both the intimate detail and immense grandeur of the landscape and graciously translating it onto canvas. His current series of paintings is based on the Lake Mungo area, home to significant archaeological findings, early indigenous remains and subsequent pastoral settlement. The work is the subject of the upcoming “Footprints on a Timeless Land” exhibition on the Sunshine Coast, where Rex has lived with his wife and fellow artist Judith Laws for more than two decades. “We went to Mungo especially to paint and we weren’t disappointed. It’s a magnificent area – it’s desert, it’s unique and so beautiful,” he says. “I had wanted to go there for years.” Rex spent almost a month in the World Heritage-listed region, immersing himself in the extinct inland lake system which has been dry for 15 to 20 thousand years. Some of the paintings Rex started in the field still contain elements of the dust and sand blown up by the strong winds they faced when they arrived. “The wind was so strong that we couldn’t use the usual frames and had to peg the canvas into the ground. Then we had to use longhandled brushes to reach it,” he explains. “What I’m trying to do with the Mungo series is give an overall picture of what happened there. When it had water in it, it was probably the origin area, the centre of Aboriginal civilisation. There was a thriving community around these beautiful lakes. Because it had a long occupation, there are lots of burials which have been uncovered by the wind and rain over the years so they have discovered all these beautiful things. You can walk across it now and see bones and shells. “I wanted to talk about the land – the land is everything to me – it’s the background of all my paintings. The transitory things like settlers and the ancientness of the indigenous people left a strong impression on me.” By using organic shapes or ‘filmstrip’ patterns, Rex creates windows into Mungo’s ancient world and provides glimpses of his own spiritual journey through it. >

“I wanted to talk about the land – the land is everything to me – it’s the background of all my paintings.”

Flows the Ancient River

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Song of the Superb Wren

Born and raised in the Australian outback, Rex is intrinsically drawn to the land and has an intuitive understanding of it. With a transient childhood spent living out of a tent, his waking hours and imagination were left exposed to the richness of the bush and its inhabitants, a playground of vast proportions and unending possibility. Rex says although his style has changed over decades of work and continues to evolve, it is one which remains based on his affinity with the landscape. A blend of realism and the abstract, it allows viewers to make an instant connection with the recognisable, such as native animals, abandoned shearing sheds and pastoral activity, while also permitting individual journeys of discovery.

Rex Backhaus-Smith and his wife and fellow artist Judith Laws on location at Lake Mungo.

Art on Cairncross gallery owner Tony Gill says Rex paints in a complex and non-traditional way, working in reverse from light to darker colours and is a master of his craft. “It’s eye-catching,” he says. “The negative spaces in the paintings create a subtext to each story. The windows tell of his personal journeys into the land. He has seen the pastoral areas from their heyday and now through to their disrepair.” The Mungo series is a tribute to this multi-layered method of storytelling, exploring the visual and historic aspects of the land while generously inviting the viewer into his own thoughts and feelings on the subject so that the canvas becomes much more than just an image.

“Animals symbolise the outback for me, they direct attention from the broader landscape. The animals prop up the landscape and give strength to it,” he says.

“It’s what I’m thinking more than what the surface of it is,” Rex says of his unique talent. “It’s not like a photograph; it’s the process of thinking [the landscape] through and coming up with a final answer.”

“We live in a real world with real things so I like to relate it back – detail you can recognise and appreciate,” he says. “My landscapes will become more blocks of colour, but I would be reluctant to get rid of the flash of something to relate back to reality.”

Rex Backhaus-Smith’s exhibition “Footprints on a Timeless Land” Lake Mungo – an exposed landscape will be held at Art on Cairncross, Cairncross Corner, Maleny from April 14 to 29. 5429 6404 or artoncairncross.com.au

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ARTISTS

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Creative worLds entwine words linda read photos anastasia kariofyllidis

The current of creativity which runs between renowned Noosa artist Belinda Herford and her husband, master jeweller Gordon Herford, is positively electric. Both Belinda and Gordon have achieved phenomenal success individually in their careers. Belinda’s distinctive abstract and figurative oil paintings are sought after by collectors throughout Australia, Europe and the United States. Gordon’s career as a commission jeweller has earned him several prestigious national design awards for his individual handcrafted jewellery designs. Their latest joint venture in Noosa, a gallery called Poeta (Latin for poet) Herford on Hastings, is a natural intertwining of their artistic abilities. Together, they are a creative force to be reckoned with, and their deep admiration for each other’s work is apparent as they speak. Words and ideas bounce from one to the other, and their energy comes together like poetry. The gallery showcases Belinda’s paintings – richly coloured abstract figurative works with a mystical, unearthly element – which she creates from her home studio exclusively using oils on Belgian linen. The gallery also displays Gordon’s creations and is where he designs and makes his jewellery. His ‘high end’ commission pieces have always been highly sought after, which is how he began his 35-year career. “I was an upstairs commission artist in Sydney,” Gordon explains. “I was on the second floor, next to Louis Vuitton. All my clients were the ‘who’s who’ of Sydney. It was all word of mouth.” The design process, Gordon explains, depends very much on the stone, and the person he is designing the piece for. Belinda shows me one of his creations – a stunning 35 carat aquamarine ring. “That’s a natural aquamarine out of Brazil,” says Gordon. “With that stone, you don’t see the housing of the ring behind the stone so you have to work with the individual characteristics of stone – its reflection, its transparency, its depth.” The philosophy underlying both Belinda and Gordon’s work embraces a deeply held respect for nature and the environment, and the desire to maintain the ‘old-school’ methods of craftsmanship. >

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Top: Gordon Herford in his workshop at Poeta. ABOVE: Sorrow, Oil on Belgian Linen, 1300x1300mm by Belinda Herford. Right: Poeta

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One of these methods which Gordon is renowned for is backpiercing, which involves hand carving intricate shapes in the metal behind the stones. “We’re trying to hold on to things that are being lost in the world,” says Gordon. “With all our gemstones, we go out of our way to find stones that haven’t been heat treated or adulterated by man in any way. All our diamonds are natural and from fair trade. “Hopefully we can impart that human content within our arts.” Many of Belinda’s paintings comment on environmental issues she holds dear. ‘Tell Me It’s Not Real’, depicts an abstract figure with fangs in a fur coat. “This is about fur in fashion and my protest against it,” says Belinda, who was previously a fashion designer. “I hate fur, and how big labels use it, and the cruelty. I’m dead against it.” Another painting, called ‘The Last Tree’, is her comment on the tragedy of deforestation. One of Belinda’s most hauntingly beautiful works is ‘The Girl in the Green Silk Stocking’ which she says is “the first figurative thing that came out”, referring to her recent departure from purely abstract style to the inclusion of figures in her paintings. Belinda says that she is frequently surprised by what she paints. “I go into the studio, and I swear to God, I’ll come out four hours later and think I’ve been in there for half an hour,” she says. “It can start off with just colour for me, or it can start off with something that’s going on with me. I just let it go and see what happens, and see where it will take me.” Gordon explains that he actually saw the first figure in the painting before Belinda did. “I said ‘there’s a figure in there’ and she said ‘where?’ I said ‘there, can you see the eyes?’ She said ‘just’. She had the brush, and she went over it with two strokes, just touched the eyes again. And now if you look at it, the face actually moves if you walk around.” “I don’t know how I did that!” Belinda says, laughing. “You should try living with her!” says Gordon. While Gordon and Belinda work separately, they are each other’s greatest asset when it comes to honest opinions on the finished product. “When Gordon comes home after I think I’ve finished a painting, and I say ‘what do you think?’, he’ll either be quiet, which means it’s not quite finished, or he’ll say ‘wow’,” says Belinda. And Belinda is similarly accommodating for Gordon. “Belinda has added a whole new facet to my design direction, which is great,” he says. “Sometimes you need that outside influence; it helps you refocus. Sometimes the more you look at a piece the less you see. We’ve worked really well like that over the years.” Poeta Herford on Hastings, The French Quarter, 62 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads. 5455 4899 or poeta.com.au

ART DATES

ART DATES Eye candy. Food for the mind and soul. Take a moment to peruse some of the finest works of art from some of the best galleries on the coast through autumn.

March

Fair-haired girls by John Maitland

CAPE YORK COLOURS Local indigenous photographer Paul Fry captures the hardships and challenges of life on remote Queensland cattle stations. when Now to April 14 where The Butter Factory Arts Centre,10 Maple Street, Cooroy. 5454 9050 HEADLANDS OF THE SUNSHINE COAST Using a foot-powered wheel and hand building methods, local artist Stephen Roberts produces functional stoneware pottery, small sculptures and durable objects. when Now to April 14 where The Butter Factory Arts Centre,10 Maple Street, Cooroy. 5454 9050

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THE BEST OF THE BEST ON THE RIVER An eclectic range of fine art, printmaking, glass, sculpture and ceramics showcased in a stunning art space on the Noosa River. Indulge in the delights of Des Rolph, Caroline Magerl and many more. when Now to April 15 where The Gallery Eumundi, 235 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. 5474 1494 or thegalleryeumundi.com.au ROBERT HAGAN From dusty cattle stations to lazy times at the beach, Australiana is Robertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite muse. when Now to May 1 where Landsborough Galleries, 27 Caloundra Street, Landsborough. 5439 9943 or landsboroughgalleries.com.au

April RICHARD BOGUSZ Richard’s unique, narrative paintings come from his vivid imagination, where he sees young, faceless girls in bright dresses happily interacting in a tropical paradise. when April 1 to 30 where Montville Art Gallery, 138 Main Street, Montville. 5442 9211 or montvilleartgallery.com.au HIGHLY STRUNG ANNUAL ONE DAY SALE Peruse a collection of original artworks by Chris Blake, Vanessa Porter, Peter Green and more, all at reduced prices. Save up to 50 percent on frames and art supplies. when April 7 where Highly Strung Picture Framing & Art Supplies, 2 Low Street, Eumundi. 5442 7044 or highlystrung.com.au Summer wildflowers in a Vase by Pro Hart

AN ARCHITECT’S EYE: THE JOHN MAINWARING COLLECTION Since the late 1980s, award-winning architect John Mainwaring has amassed a collection of mostly contemporary Aboriginal art. The exhibition investigates the relationship between Mainwaring’s art collection and his architectural vision and practice. when Now to May 6 where Noosa Regional Gallery, Riverside, Pelican Street, Tewantin. 5449 5340 or noosaregionalgallery.com BUDERIM’S BRUSH WITH FAME Celebrate Buderim’s 150th year and discover a treasure trove of art by Australia’s best artists including works by Blackman, Boyd, Dickerson, Doyle, Hart, Heysen, Kilvington, Lindsay, Pro Hart, Namatjira, Nolan, Olley, Sawrey, Storrier, Tucker and more. when March 30 to April 29 where Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery, 138 Burnett Street, Corner Townsend Road, Buderim. 5450 1722 or tiffanyjonesfineart.com.au

FOOTPRINTS ON A TIMELESS LAND – REX BACKHAUS-SMITH A breathtaking new exhibition of both acrylics on canvas and watercolours, all inspired by camping in the Lake Mungo National Park – an area steeped in history, especially anthropology. when April 14 to 29 where Art on Cairncross, Cairncross Corner, Maleny. 5429 6404 or artoncairncross.com.au ARE WE THERE YET? A showcase of the original illustrations from the book of the same name, along with the preliminary work for the making of this book. when April 20 to May 12 where The Butter Factory Arts Centre, 10 Maple Street, Cooroy. 5454 9050 SOUNDMAKERS: SUNSHINE COAST INSTRUMENT MAKERS An exhibition of timber and stringed instruments celebrating the remarkable diversity and skill of local instrument makers as well as the significance of the timber and music industries in the region. when April 20 to May 12 where The Butter Factory Arts Centre, 10 Maple Street, Cooroy. 5454 9050

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Work 14 by Claudine Marzik

ANDO

Bottle bush by Margaret Worth

DROP THE DUST – PAMELA KOUWENHOVEN AND MARGARET WORTH Two and three dimensional artworks by two established South Australian artists whose theme focuses on the pervasiveness of dust in our lives. when April 25 to May 27 where Caloundra Regional Gallery, 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra. 5420 8299 or caloundraregionalgallery.org.au DIG·I·TATE dig·i·tate is the first activity as part of a pilot program to investigate the processes and potentials of a Fablab. dig·i·tate artists Beau Deeley and Corrie Wright will work as artistsin-residence to collaborate and experiment with 3D printing technology. when April 25 to May 27 where Caloundra Regional Gallery, 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra. 5420 8299 or caloundraregionalgallery.org.au

May AMY CLARKE SOLO EXHIBITION Inspired by the natural world and Amy’s fragmented, chaotic web of family and childhood memories, this new body of work is abstract at its best. when May 1 to May 20 where The Gallery Eumundi, 235 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. 5474 1494 or thegalleryeumundi.com.au JUDY DA LOZZO Judy’s innate talent for harmonising the traditional with the modern results in exquisite paintings exuding freshness, youth and vitality. when May 1 to 31 where Montville Art Gallery, 138 Main Street, Montville. 5442 9211 or montvilleartgallery.com.au 96

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Ando’s attention to detail, depth, shadow and light make his still-life paintings extremely realistic and exciting to view. when May 1 to June 30 where Landsborough Galleries, 27 Caloundra Street, Landsborough. 5439 9943 or landsboroughgalleries.com.au DRY HORIZONS – SARAH LARSEN Featuring landscapes inspired by the artist’s home in Central Queensland: often dusty, dry and challenging, she always portrays optimism in the beauty of nature. when May 5 to 27 where Art on Cairncross, Cairncross Corner, Maleny. 5429 6404 or artoncairncross.com.au GERMINATING GROWING WILTING Tijn Meulendijks and Claudine Marzik produce two and three-dimensional works, captured through a variety of media, that beautifully captures the poignant and under-represented north Queensland landscape. when May 9 to July 1 where Noosa Regional Gallery, Riverside, Pelican Street, Tewantin. 5449 5340 or noosaregionalgallery.com SWAMP CARTOGRAPHY: NOTES IN SILVER AND CLAY The wallum (coastal lowland heath) areas of Southeast Queensland provide inspiration for jeweller Rebecca Ward and ceramicist Shannon Garson, whose works fuse ceramics, jewellery, glass, film, web-based media and photography. when May 9 to July 1 where Noosa Regional Gallery, Riverside, Pelican Street, Tewantin. 5449 5340 or noosaregionalgallery.com PANORAMAS From salt pans in soft foggy hues to the dazzling contrast of coral sands and burnt ochres of the inland canyons, Pam Walpole portrays a range of the vistas she loves on canvas. when May 27 to June 10 where Lasting Impressions Gallery, 6 Elizabeth Street, Kenilworth. 5446 0422 or lastingimpressionsgallery.net

Night time party 2012 by Amy Clarke

ROWLEY DRYSDALE INSERT & EXIT An eagerly awaited solo exhibition not to be missed. Flames hallmark much of the artwork, which consists of mixed media assemblages, ceramic sculpture and ceramic vessels. when May 29 to June 24 where The Gallery Eumundi, 235 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. 5474 1494 or thegalleryeumundi.com.au TREELINE As part of Sunshine Coast Council’s Green Art Strategy, TreeLine 2012 aims to evoke an emotional response through art and raise environmental awareness through inter-disciplinary practice. when May 30 to July 8 where Caloundra Regional Gallery, 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra. 5420 8299 or caloundraregionalgallery.org.au

June

GREG ADAMS An indelible image of the lush, tropical landscape around Port Douglas, enables Greg to paint entirely from memory and produce stunning, vibrant canvases in a style he calls ‘formalised realism’. when June 1 to 30 where Montville Art Gallery, 138 Main Street, Montville. 5442 9211 or montvilleartgallery.com.au VESSELS OF CHANGE – ANN O’CONNOR A different look into migration to Australia in delightfully detailed porcelain sculptures, which will bring plenty of smiles and some thoughts about cultural baggage. when June 2 to 17 where Art on Cairncross, Cairncross Corner, Maleny. 5429 6404 or artoncairncross.com.au GLASSBOROW & MAITLAND RETURN Art Nuvo Gallery has enticed exceptional bronze sculptor Stephen Glassborow and sublime artist John Maitland to return in a joint exhibition. when June 23 to July 14 where Art Nuvo Gallery, 25 Gloucester Road, Buderim. 5456 2445 or artnuvobuderim.com.au

ART SPACE

ON THE WH A R F artist Ann O’Connor medium White clay, slips and glazes with gold lustre size 460mm x 200mm x 340mm price $1750 Art on Cairncross, 3 Panorama Place, Cairncross Corner, Maleny. 5429 6404 artoncairncross.com.au

CORAL SANDS II artist Pam Walpole medium Mixed media on canvas size 1390mm x 600mm price $2500 Lasting Impressions Gallery, 6 Elizabeth Street, Kenilworth. 5446 0422 lastingimpressionsgallery.net

ART SPACE These artworks, featured on salt’s own gallery space for autumn, inspire, challenge – and give pause for thought.

HOME ON THE GRANGE artist Ando medium Acrylic on canvas size 1700mm x 900mm price $14,900 Landsborough Galleries, 27 Caloundra Street, Landsborough. 5439 9943 landsboroughgalleries.com.au

SOLE TIES ^ artist Natalie Dyer medium Acrylic on canvas size 850mm x 850mm price $2900 Montville Art Gallery, 138 Main Street, Montville. 5442 9211 montvilleartgallery.com.au

PORTRAIT OF MADAME DE STAEL artist Gustave Jean Jacquet medium Oil on linen size 1040mm x 1240mm framed price $18,500 Highly Strung Picture Framing & Art Supplies, 2 Low Street, Eumundi. 5442 7044 highlystrung.com.au

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IN YOUR DREAMS

The perfect blend words kate johns photos anastasia kariofyllidis

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In 2001, while working for the World Bank Group in Bangladesh, Robert Epworth sketched his dream house design. The ink-pen drawing showed a hastily sketched U-shaped home that centered around a Haveli-style pavilion (the word Haveli is derived from pre-Islamic Persian, and describes an enclosed area), overlooking a pool. The design was later tucked into wife Barbara’s scrapbook of home ideas for future reference. At that stage in their lives building or renovating their own home wasn’t on the agenda, with Robert’s job requiring him to move every four years. Since marrying, the couple has lived in 23 houses in nations as far flung as Oman, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Ghana and Bangladesh. They also raised four daughters. Expatriate friends would often discuss their possible retirement venues known as ‘PRVs’ and the couple had always considered moving back to Australia. Every year they would wander home to re-connect with family and friends. “Our holidays consisted of driving around,” says Robert. “In a few of those trips we had friends from St George thinking of moving down here (Sunshine Coast) and we would go house hunting with them.” In 2006, while on holidays, the couple turned into Foote Avenue in Buderim, a wide, pretty street lined with established poinciana trees that umbrella the road, to look at a house for sale. Long before the couple had driven down

Foote Avenue, Robert often spoke to Barbara about where he pictured their home. “I had this image in my mind, you pull into the street – it’s not a very long street – and there are trees lining it and the house is four or five houses along,” says Robert. “It was like a dream, as if we had seen it previously,” remarks Barbara when they drove along the tree-lined street, identical to Robert’s description. They arrived at the northeast-facing block to discover a U-shaped house overlooking a pool. “We took one look at it and knew,” says Robert. Another telling sign was the four old-growth bougainvilleas that wrapped their weathered trunks around the concrete pillars at the front of the house. With the bougainvillea and its flashes of hot pink, purple and apricot flowers synonymous with the Indian landscape, the plants intrinsically paid homage to the couple’s fond memories of living in India while raising a young family. “The bougainvillea is rife in India; it was quite prophetic like that,” says Barbara regarding the telling signs and circumstances that led them to the Buderim home. Since the house had solid structural bones with its U-shape design, decentsized bedrooms and good positioning on the block, Robert and Barbara decided to renovate and enlisted local builder Tim Grieve. >

The scrapbook of design ideas collected from years of home magazine combing showed clippings of staircases, Edwin Lutyens-style (a well-known British architect) architecture and Haveli-designed pavilions with punkah fans. The scrapbook and Robert’s hand-drawn house design, now yellow with age, were given to a draftsperson to complete the final design. The renovated two-tiered home sits modestly on the expansive corner block shaded by a grand liquid amber tree and a silver trunked gum tree. As part of the renovation, a second level was added to house the master bedroom that enabled the couple to peer through the canopy of the liquid amber tree towards the ocean. “It was a fairly obvious extension because it has got a view,” says Barbara. “It doesn’t have panoramic views like most Buderim houses but it has glimpses.” An Edwin Lutyens style staircase, spotted gum timber top and white riser, gives access to the master bedroom. The Epworths fell in love with this particular style of staircase from a house in Washington that they lived in. On ground level, Queensland spotted gum floors are cushioned with fine weaved carpets and kilims collected from their travels. The neutral colour palette, dark stained timber floors and impeccable finishes pay tribute to the Lutyens-style elegance. A thriving collection of Soviet Union art, exquisite travel mementos, like the four antique carved Ghanaian elephant stools “one for each daughter”, brings life and colour to the home portraying a life of globetrotting.

“It was like a dream, as if we had seen it previously.”

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The famous Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai inspired the design for the Haveli-style pavilion that sits at the back of the house. The pavilion is enclosed on three sides with the open side framed by cement pillars that mirror the original pillars at the front of the house, and spills out onto a manicured lawn and a couple of mature mango and lilly pilly

trees. The high-pitched roof, polished concrete floors, potted plants, oak dining room table, soft furnishings and antique adornments breathe warmth and sentimentality into the expansive space. An antique camel saddle made from wood and brass hangs between two French doors and a collection of temple bells from Nepal tinkle in the breeze. Barbaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of literature is on display in a floor-toceiling library that cleverly frames one of the French doors that opens onto the pavilion. Barbara will often leave in mid-conversation only to return moments later with a well-thumbed book from her collection, as reference to the topic at hand. The ornate, teak timber doors sent from India that stand at the pillared front entrance, spark conversation amongst newcomers to the home. Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, has been intricately hand-carved above the door with elaborate peacocks on either side of her, as a tribute to Barbara and Robertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life in India. They came to this place via a winding route, but through threading their previous lives through the architecture and room design, the Epworths have made their twenty-fourth home timeless, elegant and very much their own. FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au to see more photos of the Epworthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home.

Vintage Beach Shack

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HOMEWARES

storage

Declutter your space with these simple storage solutions. From drawers and cabinets to chests and jars, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to organise your home in a stylish way. styling claire plush

Washed wood dresser $720. Available at Metal Tiger Tea Emporium, 253 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. 5440 5735 or metaltigertea.com.au

Bed in a Box, price on application, sizes and fabrics vary. Made to order. Available at Fae Rentoul Summerhouse, 2/3 Gibson Road, Noosaville. 5474 3900 or summerhouse.com.au

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Rustic vintage pink kitchen cabinet $650. Available at Vintage Beach Shack, 33 Gateway Drive, Noosaville. 5473 0070

Vintage rattan linen hampers from $225. Available at Giddy and Grace, Shop 2, 1 Maple Street, Maleny. 5494 3636 or giddyandgrace.com salt

F i l l w i t h s h e l l s, love notes or petals to create a feature piece w i t h a p e rs o n a l t o u c h . Exquisite antique wedding cabinet $3495. Available at Add + Noosa, 10 Eenie Creek Road, Noosaville. 5449 9677 or addplus.com.au

Eco glass storage jar $29.95, 2.3L. Available at The Cooking Company, 20 Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads. 5447 4480 or thecookingcompany.com.au

Eight drawer jewellery cabinet with leather and lacquer finish $298. Available at Ballingers on Buderim, 82 Burnett Street, Buderim. 5445 4788 or ballingersonbuderim.com.au

Ruby Star Traders powder boxes $24.95. Available at Watermelon Red, Shop 12, Pacific on Coolum, Birtwill Street, Coolum Beach. 5473 9550 or watermelonred.com.au Authentic antique painted chest from India $365, 32x35x76cm. Available at Gnu Cargo, 17 Rene Street, Noosaville. 5474 2490 or gnucargo.com

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MEET THE DESIGNER

Sinewy and slight, Steve is as much an artist as he is a musician, but he’s less excited by art hanging on a wall as he is by interactive art. His art is strictly touchable — in fact, it’s designed to be bashed, banged, pummelled, played and hammered as loudly as possible. On any given day, you’d be more likely to find Steve at the local tip than in an art gallery. He has a strong environmental ethic. One of Hubbub’s best-known performance art pieces spawned from numerous trips to the tip is Sprocket, a mobile “weapon of mass percussion”. This human-powered percussion wagon is stacked with various percussion instruments, with a second-storey drum kit and a Hills Hoist on top, which spins four performers around the whole contraption as they grip its four corners and hang on for dear life.

Music in the metal

In between performing at festivals and events, Steve and his crew have installed hundreds of permanent, highly durable percussion instruments and sound playgrounds in communities throughout Australia and in Korea and Thailand, and he estimates that more than a million people have played them. Hubbub’s pièce de résistance is the Pyrophone Juggernaut, the largest fire organ in the world. Standing three storeys tall, it’s a multi-octave organ that is played using flaming propane torches to create resonance in each of the openended organ pipes. At 16 metres wide and 15 metres high, it takes six people two days to erect and uses 45 kilos of gas in a single show.

words leigh robshaw PHOTO KATE JOHNS

Sub Vibes: tuned swimming pool filters with a tuned aluminium plank on top.

Steve Langton is an obsessive-compulsive instrument maker, who has dedicated his life to making instruments that even the most musically challenged can play. “Making instruments is not even something I decide,” says Steve. “It’s a compulsion. I can’t not make instruments.” When Steve uses the word ‘instrument’, it’s not to describe anything even remotely run-of-the-mill. Picture something that would look right at home in a science fiction film; a contraption made with recycled steel, mag wheels and polypipe resonating with booming acoustic bass sounds, and you have something approximating a Hubbub Music creation. Steve formed Hubbub Music in Maleny in 1995 to bring his dreamedup musical installations to life and to make music more accessible, especially to children. “All the latest brain science shows we have more in our brains that deals with music than language,” Steve says. “We had music first and that’s why we have language. To be human is to be musical; that’s one of our hallmarks. People think they’re not musical, but they enjoy listening to music. Listening and enjoying it is no different to playing it — it’s just the person playing it has had some practice.” 106

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The Pyrophone was a highlight of the Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations last year, and has been featured at many of Australia’s major events. While he performed for 80,000 people on New Year’s Eve, Steve says it’s his community work, which involves designing and installing permanent sound playgrounds and musical sculptures in public spaces, that really gets him fired up. “People see the Pyrophone, think it’s cool and put it on YouTube, but the work we do on remote communities has a much more lasting impact,” he says. “I get much more out of it, as it has a greater and lasting effect when we build instruments for Aboriginal kids in the outback who don’t have much.” Steve’s work is highly dependent on funding grants. If the latest one comes through, his next project will be running a diversional art program for disaffected youth in Normanton, north-west Queensland. “The plan is to raid the dump and make something with a musical element,” says Steve. “I’m also interested in architecture as well, so we may end up making a funky youth hangout spot with metal – not too near town because the youth don’t want to be watched too closely by finger-wagging elders.” Steve’s eyes shift skyward. His mind is already racing ahead as he begins to describe this new piece of art and how it will need to incorporate shade as well as musicality into its design. If he can imagine it, he can build it. hubbubmusic.org

GREAT OUTDOORS

WITH A PADDLE words CLAIRE PLUSH photo PETER AITCHISON

It’s 11am and murky clouds curtain out the sun. Still, I am excited as I have wanted to try stand up paddling for a while.

Rick organises a family of three who have decided to join the lesson at the last minute.

Believed to have originated in Hawaii in the 1950s, the sport made its way to Australia as recently as seven years ago.

Within minutes, the seven of us are standing alongside our boards as they float parallel to the shore.

Dodging scattered puddles I find my way to a large van where I meet Donalee Halkett and her husband Rick, the owners of Noosa Stand Up Paddle.

I place my right foot at the centre of the board, quickly followed by my left. I begin to paddle immediately.

I put on a wetsuit and bright blue rash shirt before I meet Scott from the NSW Central Coast, another learner ready to take on Noosa’s waterways and the uncertain skies.

Donalee says that paddling helps to stabilise the board, and before long I realise the gentle rocking has subsided. “Don’t look down at the water or that’s where you’ll end up,” she says as we take off.

Together we stand on the sandy shores of the tame Noosa Sound – legs shoulder-width apart, one hand grasping the top of the paddle, the other half way down the neck.

Eyes on the unfolding river ahead, we begin to glide in a relaxed formation.

Straightening our arms and locking them in place, we do our best to mimic Donalee. We swoop the air, hovering just above the sand, pushing it from half a metre in front of us to half a metre behind. We change sides and then repeat.

Soon, raindrops pinprick the surface of the water. None of us really cares . It actually feels quite magical and it means we have the river to ourselves.

Donalee gives us an encouraging pep talk as we shuffle knee deep into the water. Boards still on the sand, we practise our strokes in the water as she assures us that she’s never had anyone who couldn’t stand up paddle. I feel a surge of excitement at trying something new and find comfort in knowing that I should succeed. 108

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Chatter is replaced with quiet determination as the focus shifts to balancing and then turning the board.

Rick comes to my side, noticing that my arms have been bending as I paddle. I correct my posture and lock my arms back in place. Leaning into each stroke, I feel my core muscles working as my upper body relaxes. I glide faster. Seeing the river from the confines of a boat or kayak is special, but being truly open to the elements like we are is proving to be a meditative experience.

AL L A B OA RD • For those looking to explore Noosa on top of a paddleboard, Noosa Stand Up Paddle offers a variety of lessons and hire options. A group lesson includes 1.5 hours on the water and will set you back $55. Alternatively, boards can be hired for the day for $50 and this includes a short introductory lesson. For those looking for a challenge why not try SUP yoga or SUP fit? Visit noosastanduppaddle.com.au for details. • Discover the majestic Pumicestone Passage or test your skills on the playful waves at Happy Valley in Caloundra. For $120, Sunshine Coast Sailboards offers you and a friend the option to hire two paddleboards for 24 hours. Visit sunshinecoastsailboards.com.au for details. “I think it’s the coolest way to explore our beautiful waterways,” Donalee agrees. “It’s calming, it’s easy to learn and it’s fun.” I can’t argue with that. The conversation continues to flow, much like the river we’re travelling on. We’re all first-timers but as we round the last bend, it seems hesitancy has been replaced with confidence. It’s now that I try the surf turns, demonstrated by Donalee earlier. Shuffling to the back of the board, I move my feet into a surfer’s stance. Slowly, adding extra pressure to the tail end of the board, I lift the nose and quickly paddle. Like it’s on a rotating axis, the board spins around quickly, while I remain in much the same spot. I get the wobbles and centre myself back in the middle of the board, just avoiding landing in the water. It’s obvious that I am not the only one who doesn’t want the lesson to end as we paddle to shore. We mull around in the shallows for as long as we can muster before stepping back on land. I promise myself this won’t be the last time. There are so many hidden parts of the Sunshine Coast’s waterways and I think I’ve found just the way to discover them. FOR EXTRA SALT visit saltmagazine.com.au for your chance to win a 1.5 hour session for you and a friend with Noosa Stand Up Paddle. The group lesson will be held at Noosa and includes all equipment.

TOURIST INFORMATION

BACKWARD GLANCE Can you guess what year this Sunshine Coast event was held? Visit the READ SALT page on saltmagazine.com.au to find out.

climate

No wonder it’s called the Sunshine Coast, with an average of seven hours of sunshine daily (one of the highest amounts in the world). Autumn (March to May) days are always popular with visitors with an average temperature between 13°C to 25°C and an ocean temperature of 24°C. Temperatures in the hinterland can be several degrees cooler.

travelling distances Brisbane to Caloundra........................ 100km Brisbane to Mooloolaba...................... 105km Brisbane to Nambour......................... 110km Brisbane to Noosa ............................. 148km Noosa to Montville.............................. 56km Mooloolaba to Maleny........................ 41km Caloundra to Kenilworth..................... 77km school holidays March 31 to April 15, 2012. emergency telephone numbers Ambulance, Fire Brigade, Police, Coastguard, Rescue.......................000 Poisons Information Centre...............131 126 Ambulance Transport........................131 233 markets Cotton Tree Street Market, King St, Cotton Tree, every Sunday, 7am to noon. Eumundi Courtyard Village Market, 76 Memorial Dr, Eumundi, every Saturday 8am to 2pm, Wednesday 8.30am to 1pm. Caloundra Markets, Bulcock Street, Caloundra, every Sunday, 8am to 1pm. Caloundra Country Markets, Central Park, Arthur St, Caloundra every Sunday. Kawana Waters Farmers’ Market, Stern St (Sportsman Parade end), every Saturday, 7am to noon. Noosa Farmers’ Market, AFL Grounds, Weyba Rd, Noosaville, every Sunday, 7am to noon. Maleny Market, Maple Street, every Sunday, 8am to 2pm. Fishermans Road Sunday Markets, Fishermans Rd, Maroochydore, every Sunday, 6am to noon.

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Image courtesy of Sunshine Coast Libraries.

surf safety patrols (Times vary between 7am – 5pm) Year round 7 days/week Noosa Heads, Sunshine Beach, Peregian Beach, Coolum Beach, Twin Waters Resort, Maroochydore, Alexandra Headland, Mooloolaba, Dicky Beach, Kings Beach. To stay safe at the beach remember: Too much exposure to the sun can cause serious damage to your skin. Make sure whenever you are going in the sun that you take adequate precautions. slip, slop, slap and wrap Slip on a shirt (preferably a long-sleeved shirt). Slop on the sunscreen (30+ and reapply as needed). Slap on a hat. Wrap some UV protective sunglasses around your eyes. It’s also a good idea to avoid direct exposure to the sun during the hottest part of the day – between the hours of 10am and 2pm – and try to take advantage of shade when possible.