Classic Australia - The Iconic Edition

AUSTRALIA THE ICONIC EDITION

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SYDNEY ICONS

- We l l - k n ow n l a n d m a r k s a r e v i s i b l e i n t h i s v iew l o o k i n g we s t a c r os s t h e c lif f s a t L ig h t h o u s e Re s e r ve i n Syd n ey N S W P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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BE THE CHANGE YO U WA N T TO S E E

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THE ICONIC TOUR

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THE LURE ULL ADULL A

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OY S T E R C I T Y - N A R O O M A R O C K S

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L I L LY P I L LY W I N E S

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T H E Y E A R WA S 1 9 7 0 W H E N T H E S I G H T O F A 4 X 4 F O R D U T E PA R K E D O U T S I D E A M I L K B A R I G N I T E D A T R U E PA S S I O N F O R T R AV E L .

A C R A Z E D LO N E S U R F E R C ATC H I N G A WAV E , A N D A M A R I N A B U R S T I N G W I T H T R AW L E R S – W E LCO M E TO T U N A TO W N .

C O U N T R Y H O S P I TA L I T Y S H I N E S D E S P I T E A T O U G H Y E A R F O R T H E N A R O O O M A C O M M U N I T Y A S T H E Y C E L E B R AT E A L L T H I N G S O Y T E R S .

A N I TA L I A N M I G R A N T W I T H A B O L D V I S I O N O V E R CO M E S T H E O D D S TO C R E AT E A N AWA R D - W I N N I N G L E G AC Y O F FA M I LY S U CC E S S.

C L A S S I C I N S P I R AT I O N

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T H E W O M A N W E A L L WA N T E D TO B E

B E H I N D T H E S A N D S TO N E FAC A D E S O T Y P I C A L O F A D E L A I D E B U I L D I N G S, S PA R K K E AT T H E W H I T M O R E H OT E L I S A C R E AT I V E CO M M U N I T Y H U B.

S E A ROV E R

S O U T H A U S T R A L I A' S H U G H B AY LY I S L E A D I N G T H E W AY I N F I S H I N G F O R OUR FUTURE THROUGH WILD - C AUGHT FISHING METHODS.

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C APE LEVEQUE

D I S CO V E R I N G T H E S P E C TAC U L A R W I L D E R N E S S N O R T H O F B R O O M E- A P R I S T I N E A N D U N TO U C H E D PA R A D I S E I N A S AC R E D L A N D.

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J O H N N Y KO U VA R I S

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MONKEY

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H I T T I N G T H E WA L L AT T H E B O R D E R W H E R E A R OA D H O U S E B E C A M E H O M E F O R F I V E DAY S.

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F R O M A B OY H O O D PA S S I O N F O R F I S H I N G TO A T H R I V I N G B U S I N E S S A DA P T I N G TO A PA N D E M I C .

G R E E K H E R I TAG E M E E T S C E D U N A’ S O C E A N B O U N T Y TO C R E AT E A L I F E LO N G LO V E O F T H E S E A .

T H E A M A Z I N G N AT U R A L L I M E S T O N E S T R U C T U R E S T H AT O N C E W E R E AT T H E B O T T O M OF THE OCEAN.

F I N L AY S

A N A M A Z I N G LY E C L E C T I C E AT E RY W I T H A H I S TO RY T H AT D E F I N E S R E S I L I E N C E AT K A L B A R R I .

KO O L A J A M A N

IM M ER S ED IN TH E EXPERIENCE OF SACR ED COUNTRY FROM A UNIQUE ABORIGINAL PERSPECTIVE.

DA RW I N H A R BO U R

A BLISTERING SUNRISE, A BALMY HARBOUR AND AN APPOINTMENT WITH A WHOLE BABY BARRA.

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J O N AT H A N T H U R S T O N

A P E R S O N A L J O U R N E Y TO B E CO M I N G A S T R O N G , P O S I T I V E I N F LU E N C E A N D R O L E M O D E L .

BOW E N - PL A IN SA ILING F R O M LO C A L C R E E K S TO C O R A L- S T U D D E D ISL ANDS AND OFFSHORE REEFS - A FISHER’S PA R A D I S E .

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A L I F E T I M E O F CO M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E C E M E N T E D B Y T H E T R U E B O N D S O F M AT E S H I P.

T H E LU R E O F T H E S E A C R E AT I N G A U N I Q U E A N D N AT U R A L O C E A N I C S T U D I O.

A F R E S H V I E W P O I N T O F T H E FA M I L I A R D R I V E N B Y A FA S C I N AT I O N F O R C H AO S A N D B A L A N C E .

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A N A B S T R AC T PAT H TO B R I N G I N G I N D I G E N O U S A R T TO T H E W O R L D.

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THE ROCK

T H E B E H E M O T H T H AT I N S P I R E S M O T H E R N AT U R E T O U N I Q U E A R T I S T I C E X P R E S S I O N .

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The Classic Australia - Iconic Editon celebrates an iconic journey, iconic Australians and iconic experiences, punctuated by iconic images.

A true national treasure in Cate Campbell has provided this year's foreword, and I felt it only appropriate that Sandra Sully remembers her good friend and fashion icon Carla Zampatti.

A special thanks to Frank and Steve for their belief and commitment to the task. Without them and our many true friends, both our life-changing iconic road trip and this year's Classic would never have happened. Our mates and partners are listed and recognised throughout, and from my wonderful kids, Tayla and Ryley, we are deeply grateful. Enjoy our 2022 Classic Australia - The Iconic Edition.

-Phil Harte Who would have thought we would have endured a second year of monumental challenges? As it's now December 2021, we continue to hold our collective breath in the hope that by accepting to live with COVID we can manage our lives and learn to live together.

AMAROO VALLEY SPRINGS, KANGAROO VALLEY IS 90 MINUTES SOUTH OF SYDNEY AND I HAD THE THRILL OF SPENDING A NIGHT THERE BACK IN APRIL. THE FACT THIS REVIEW SITS ON MY PUBLISHER PAGE SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING. CALL IMMEDIATELY - ASK FOR ANDREW ON 0418489734.

My own personal life has not escaped heartache, and I can only imagine the stories of disappointment and tragedy that surround us all in some way. It is remarkable how we all have to dig deep and find a way, identifying solutions to the many challenges thrown at us. But I always come back to the circle, that circle of true friends and trust.

This year's Classic is a celebration of Australia and the remarkably resilient Aussies. So how better to do that than to drive 30,000km in six weeks and still live to tell the story.

PICK OF THE YE AR

Publisher Phil Harte Sub Editor Nick Nichols Contributing Photographers Tony Hewitt, Sean Scott, Cate Campbell, Steven Fitzroy, Steve Waugh Social Media Editor Tayla Harte Feature Writers Sandra Sully, Daniel Resnik

STEVEN

Cover Art Goompi Ugerabah - Stephen Larcombe Support Team Operations Director - Steven Fitzroy Driver - Frank Lowry Swagman - David Suttor Sean Connolly

FRANK

Thank you

THE ICONIC, Swagman Australia, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Sydney Fish Market, Bose Professional, Sheldon and Hammond, Victorinox, Breville Australia, Asics Australia, Vittoria Coffee, Hyatt Regency Sydney, Hyatt Regency Brisbane, Quest Apartment Hotels, Cactus Imaging, Technogym, Frigcorp, Australia's Coral Coast, Destination Gold Coast, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, Ayers Rock Resort, Multiplex.

Classic Lifestyle Magazine is published by Harte International Consultancy Dubai UAE. Harte International Consultancy Dubai UAE use due care and diligence in the preparation of this magazine but are not responsible for any mistakes, misprints, omissions or typographical errors. Harte International Consultancy Dubai UAE print advertisements provided to the publisher but give no warranty and make no representation as to the truth, accuracy or sufficiency of any description, photograph or statement. Harte International Consultancy Dubai UAE accept no liability for any loss which may be suffered by any person who relies either wholly, or in part, upon any description, photograph or statement contained herein. Harte International Consultancy Dubai UAE reserve the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. ©Copyright – no part of Classic Lifestyle Magazine may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written permission of the publisher. No spam. Email addresses are published for professional communications only and do not constitute an invitation to send unsolicited emails.

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Dreaming of flying away?

Someday is not that far away.

Enjoy peace of mind knowing you can change your travel dates as often as required, fee-free.* A fare difference may apply.

Why wait? Book your next Qantas flight today.

*Eligible Flights include: Australian Domestic Qantas operated flights booked between 21 May 2020 and 28 February 2022, for travel between 12 June 2020 and 28 February 2022. Trans-Tasman Qantas operated flights booked between 15 October 2020 and 28 February 2022, for travel between 16 October 2020 and 28 February 2022. International Qantas operated flights booked between 25 February 2021 and 28 February 2022, for travel between 1 November 2021 and 31 December 2022 (international flights are available up to 12 months in advance). To change your travel date, simply visit Manage Booking to change your flight before your scheduled date of departure and select a new date within 12 months of your original booking date and the change fee will be waived. A fare difference may apply. For all changes, your applicable Fare Rules and the Qantas Conditions of Carriage apply.

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TECTONIC

- T h e wa r m lig h t of a We s t A u s t ra lia n s u n s e t r e f l e c t s of f t h e r e ce d i n g wa te r s of a s a l t l a ke i n t h e M id we s t, r eve a li n g

g o l d e n o r bs , f l o a ti n g i n a ri ve r of m o l te n r e d s , a n d a p p e a ri n g to be b l e n d i n g a n d b u b b li n g a s if f r e s h f r o m a s u b te r ra n e a n h o m e… a m e ta p h o ric r e m i n d e r of t h e i n h e r e n t c r e a ti ve powe r of o u r p l a n e t, a t i t ’s co r e . P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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Cate Campbell f o r e w o r d

C O M M U N I T Y. M AT E S H I P. R E S I L I E N C E .

T H E F O U N D AT I O N S O F T H E I N D O M I TA B L E A U S T R A L I A N S P I R I T.

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rom the trenches of the Anzacs, to the emergency centres at the bushf ire evacuation centres. Arm-inarm, shoulder-to-shoulder, hand-in-hand; Australians have weathered their greatest challenges together.

In 2020 we thought we had seen it all.

Bushfires, floods and, of course, a global pandemic. But 2021 was going to be different, we said; the tough times are behind us, we said; time to move on, we said. Yet this year we have faced one of our toughest challenges yet: isolation.

At a time when we wanted to come together, we were torn apart. Border closures, lockdowns, cancelled holidays, weddings and birthdays. Funerals in front of empty pews, families separated and friendships strained. At a time when we desperately wanted to band together, hug loved ones, walk in a crowd or simply sit at a café, we learned to appreciate the simple things. A walk with a friend, the breeze on our skin, a FaceTime call with a glass of wine.

Through the monotony of lockdown days, which stretched into weeks and months, we have all had to find new reserves of strength deep within us; discovered parts of ourselves we didn’t know existed. When it would have been easier to lie down and give up, we got back up again, and again,

and again. Despite everything the past 18 months has thrown at us, the Australian spirit is alive and well. The Iconic 2021 is a celebration of that Australian spirit; stories of love, hope and heartbreak. It allows us to peep under the hood, to get a glimpse at the engine that powers this great nation; the people who personify what it means to be Australian. The rumbling heartbeat at the core of who we are.

Within the pages of this book, you will meet true Australian heroes, some known, but most unknown. They are anonymous, invisible threads that bind Australian communities together. As you dive in and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Australian culture, remember that you too are a part of this great nation. What you do helps build this country we love.

We all have power; we all have the ability to make a difference.

I hope you are inspired by the stories in these pages. I hope they make you as proud to be Australian as they have made me.

Whatever challenges we will face in 2022, I know the Aussie spirit will withstand the test. Together we are strong enough to take on whatever the world has to throw at us. We are a Sunburned Country, the Land Down Under, the Lucky Country; Iconic to the core.

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BONDI BEACH

P H O T O : Cate Campbell

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Sandra s u l l y

J O U R N A L I S T, B R O A D C A S T E R A N D I N S P I R AT I O N I S J U S T W H AT L I E S O N T H E T H E SU R FACE O F O U R I CO N I C M ED I A P ER SO N .

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met Sandra some 20 years ago at one of my many events held at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast.

At the time, Sandra was simply there as an invited celeb and, with it being her end-of-year break and that her family lived on the Coast, it was a no-brainer.

The one thing I learnt about Sandra was the importance of humility and kindness - and more importantly that this remarkable broadcaster sitting at the news desk every night wasn’t the Sandra Sully that I was just getting to know.

Our event that week was to stage the spectacular INXS live and, at the same time, host a dinner with a plethora of stars - the Aussie cricket team; Wallaby greats and captains John Eales, George Gregan and David Campese; Olympic champs Susie O’Neill, Natalie Cook and Ian Thorpe; along with arguably Australia’s leading corporate heavyweights, led by Qantas chairman Gary Pemberton. If that wasn’t enough star power, I brought in good friend Greg Norman by chopper minutes before the main course.

Our challenge that night was to raise $1 million for terminally ill kids, and the first person to genuinely offer her services was Sandra Sully. During the three-day soirée, Sandra was front and centre tirelessly supporting us. It was since that event in 1995 that we became great mates and together we have continued to raised many millions of much-needed money across several charities Bear Cottage, CareFlight, The George Gregan Foundation and Cure Our Kids, to name a few.

Since that weekend, Sandra became my media mentor, gifting me her knowledge, guidance and advice, exactly what this diamond in the very rough desperately needed, as I built my international event business.

I can’t begin to tell you how selfless and kind-hearted Sandra is, supporting any and every charity that she has the time to help, beyond the spectacular work she does in her day job.

As our Iconic Media person, Sandra’s more than three decades in front of the camera places her in a class all her own.

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PHIL HARTE

Sandra Sully is an Australian journalist and has been the news presenter for Sydney’s Ten Eyewitness News since 2011.

Previously, Sandra was the presenter of Network Ten's news bulletin Ten Late News with Sports Tonight until she presented the final edition of the program.

Sandra was the first Australian television journalist to cover news of the September 11 terrorist attacks. She was on air when the first attack occurred and, shortly afterwards, began presenting live breaking coverage.

She also was the first woman to co-host the broadcast of the Melbourne Cup carnival and did so for seven years.

In June 2013, Sandra and fellow Channel Ten journalist Matt Doran headed a new police crime program on Monday nights called Wanted, where she did interviews with victims' loved ones to appeal to the public for help in solving the cases by calling Crime Stoppers.

She has hosted a number of major network news events such as the federal Budget, the William and Kate royal wedding coverage from London, as well as Oprah Winfrey’s event at the Botanical Gardens. Sandra's exceptional career also includes nearly three decades as the presenter and senior editor of Ten Late News with Sports Tonight.

Sandra has subsequently covered the anniversary commemorations of both the Bali bombings and the September 11 attacks.

Her documentary credits include: travelling to Timor in 2010 to produce Independent Future and to report on how the then new nation was coping post-liberation.

Sandra Sully is one of the most recognised and respected faces on Australian television. A journalist, senior editor and presenter with Ten Eyewitness News First at Five, she has been part of the Ten News team since 1990.

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Carla

z a m p a t t i SH E WA S TH E WOM AN WE AL L WANTED TO B E.

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he epitome of high fashion; always classy, elegant and oozing an impeccable taste and incredible sense of style.

And she was powerful.

Let’s not forget, she forged her career as an independent woman in the 1960s when Australian business was dominated by men.

For generations, countless young Australian women dreamt of owning a piece of Carla Zampatti’s fashion collection, because somehow it meant, maybe, just maybe, you had begun your journey up the corporate ladder, and in my case - all those years ago - hopefully staked a small yet fashionable claim on the media landscape.

Intrinsically Carla knew what Australian women wanted and needed, and her designs evoked a timeless elegance that, while defining your femininity, also seemingly armed you for the career battles that lay ahead.

While we didn’t know it at the time, she helped you play the game, to find your feet, in the corporate world, when you were judged by what your wore.

Before Diana, Kylie, Nicole and Kim, her name was her trademark and in Carla’s case it triggered a sense of accomplishment, and arrival.

She believed in women and their potential and went out of her way to mentor those who followed in her footsteps.

When you were wearing Carla, you had made it, and everyone knew it.

Carla knew how hard that was. In her early 20s, armed with just $1000, she created her brand.

In a post-war Australia, more women were entering the workforce and they needed smart, wearable fashion, and she was determined to fill that gap in the market.

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S A N D R A S U L LY

Born in Italy in 1942, she migrated to Australia in 1950 at age nine and set up her fashion-famous label at 24. It wasn’t long before her name and her designs were a must-have and worn by some of Australia’s most influential women, including Princess Mary of Denmark, Australia's first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

For her family, she was a designer, who understood what it was to be an Australian woman.

"Carla has long been celebrated for making Australian women feel confident and elegant through her exceptional design, tailoring and understanding of the modern woman," her family said.

Ms Zampatti was named Australian Designer of the Year in 1994, awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate in 2008 and a year later was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's highest civilian honour.

For me, the Australian Fashion Laureate was a personal highlight.

I was privileged to host that event and to witness Carla humbly accept an award that was so richly deserved.

That day was very special to me as I watched a woman whom I had always admired and revered, receive the acknowledgment from her peers and an industry which she had always worked so hard to build and support.

Several years later, this pioneer and trailblazer came to my aid to personally dress me for Australian television’s night of nights, The Logies – what a thrill and a memory I will forever hold dear.

It’s been a profound and heartfelt honour to celebrate a woman who, from humble beginnings, reached the pinnacle of her profession in Australian fashion and became the ‘go to’ designer for so many. We all have a ‘Carla’, or several, in our wardrobe and I know I, among many, will cherish it and them forever.

Viva La Carla.

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Fashion Icons C A R L A Z A M PAT T I WA S O N E O F A U S T R A L I A’ S FI R S T FA SH I O N I N FLU EN CER S A N D TH ROUG HOUT H ER L I FE CONTI N U ED TO PAV E T H E W AY F O R W O M E N I N FA S H I O N AN D B USIN E SS . SH E WA S AN ABSOLUTE P O W E R H O U S E U P U N T I L H E R D E AT H O N A P R I L 3 , 2 0 2 1 , AT A G E 7 8 . S H E WA S O N E O F T H OSE R A R E A N O M A L I E S I N T H E FA SH I O N W O R L D : S H E WA S C R E AT I V E , A B R I L L I A N T M ARKE TER AN D H ER M IN D FOR B USIN E SS WA S EQ UAL TOO.

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oming from Italy as a child, without any English, and leaving school at 14, Carla Zampatti thrived in the freedom of her adopted home, and said yes to every opportunity. Wearing her own designs, and seeing the reaction of others, made her realise that she could pursue her childhood ambition in making clothes.

Starting her label in 1965, she designed and lived her life through times of enormous change for women. She often talked about how she knew what her customers wanted, because she was living their lives, sharing their challenges and their successes.

Carla loved fashion for its own sake but also for what it could do for women, her customers. If you were well dressed, you felt better, confident, and crucially to her, you could do more. Her own experiences made her a fierce champion of women. Nothing gave her more joy than seeing a woman succeed, except perhaps succeeding in one of her designs! She loved every story she heard from customers about wearing her clothes, because they gave her so much joy.

She was an inspiration to so many - particularly women and migrants - for her achievements, but particularly her determination, her courage, her warmth and style. In 2020, to celebrate Carla Zampatti’s 55th anniversary, many high-profile women were invited to recall their favourite Carla Zampatti moment.

Unexpectedly, it became a moving tribute to the sartorial and emotional impact Carla had on so many poignant life moments.

Dame Quentin Bryce: “I remember my very first Carla – a black silk cocktail suit, draped front crossover skirt, short sleeved, loose soft jacket, reversible lining in camel that could be tied in several ways. Chic, stylish and clever. I loved it. I wish I had it now and I have tried to persuade Carla to do it again. We all speak of her timelessness and, in a flash, we find ourselves indulging in endearing nostalgia about Zampatti suits, shirts, pants, glamour gowns of our glory days.”

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Delta Goodrem, musician: “I have been so fortunate to wear Carla Zampatti for many special occasions over the years and it’s so hard to pick one favourite. Carla’s creations and our collaborations have weaved throughout my entire career in poignant moments.

Her pieces always feel like an extension of both our art merging together. From on screen to the stage, Carla has such a special way of designing the perfect outfit for the right moment/performance in time. One of my favourite looks was one that Carla designed for me for The Voice. The strength and femininity of this 70s-inspired power suit, accented with flare, giving it a sense of ease and movement, the crisp white and the details of the open back with skinny arms combined to make one of my favourite Carla designed outfits.”

Samantha Armytage, journalist: “There have been so many times Carla has been my ‘go to’, but my favourite outfit was my 2019 Logies gown. Carla whipped it up in a week and it fitted so beautifully. I was in a fabulous time in my life and when I slipped it on, it was magic. In a red-carpet-sea, she knows how to make a girl stand out! She is genius at dressing a woman’s body. To turn out such elegant, chic designs over so many years makes her truly an Australian icon.”

Julie Bishop, former deputy leader of the Liberal Party and Foreign Minister: “I was interviewed by the Australian Financial Review Luxury Magazine for an article featuring Australian fashion and the contribution this creative and dynamic industry makes to our economy and our international reputation. Without doubt, Carla Zampatti is a legend of Australian fashion and I was proud to wear one of her stunning creations for the photoshoot. The dress ‘Royal Engagement’ epitomised Carla’s timeless and elegant style.”

Marta Dusseldorp, actor: “I remember getting a call to tell me Carla would love me to be her muse for the David Jones show one year. My jaw dropped and I mumbled, ‘Oh yes please ... just tell me when and where'. I knew of Carla Zampatti; I was a huge fan of her brand, and most importantly of her. Her poise, glamour, grace and business savvy. I was incredibly nervous when we met for the first time during my fitting. Carla slipped a long blue dress over my head, threw her signature feather boa around my neck and said in her deliciously sumptuous voice, ‘darling, you look fabulous’. And you know, I did. She transformed my body, my mind and my soul. I felt like I was protected by her style - a confident, daring and natural Marta. I am forever grateful to Carla for reaching out to me, bringing me close and instilling in me the belief I was fabulous!”

Wearing a Carla Zampatti design has given Australian women a sense of confidence, as well as joy and delight. It is now the mission of her children, Alexander Schuman, Allegra Spender and Bianca Spender, and that of her dedicated team, to continue that legacy in her honour.

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CEO OF LEADING ANZ ONLINE RETAILER THE ICONIC, ERICA BERCHTOLD

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Erica

b e r c h t o l d A S K ' W H Y N OT ' A N D C R E AT E YO U R O W N N O R M A L .

E

ver since I can remember, when I’ve been told 'no' or 'you can’t do that', I ask that person - 'why not?'. Not from a rebellious or defiant perspective, but more from an innate sense of curiosity. It’s sort of become the thing that I live by and something that’s shaped my career.

When I was starting out in my career, I remember someone saying 'women can have it all, just not at once', meaning that women (only) had to decide whether they wanted a career or children.

I remember thinking to myself, 'why can’t I have both?'. Why can’t I? And then early on in my journey into motherhood, I worried I wasn't there enough for my kids, but someone gave me an awesome piece of advice: you create your own ‘normal’. Babies don’t keep timesheets of how much time their mum spends with them versus others. What you create will be their normal. Having an attitude of 'why can’t I' sits quite nicely alongside 'I’ll create my own idea of normal'. It has given me a good perspective on life, the confidence to be who I am and to achieve what I have.

So, what’s my normal? My normal is jam packed. I’m a mum of three, a wife, and the CEO of leading ANZ online retailer THE ICONIC (actually I was five months pregnant when I started in this role!). I have a love of retail that has spanned longer than I care to remember and been my career for over 20 years – from perfume bomber at Grace Bros, working for Harvey Norman to where I am right now, trying to shake up the industry for the better. I also love to exercise, watch the footy, contribute to various boards that represent the things I’m passionate about (go Sydney FC!), and I’m also partial to a lychee martini or two on the weekend.

My normal was thrown out of whack when ‘the new normal’ began almost two years ago. Instead of heading into the Sydney CBD Monday through Friday, I had to set up my office in my innerwest home, and compete for airtime with my beautiful, but noisy children. Zoom became ‘the thing’, and communicating with my

team in this way replaced corridor chats, boardroom meetings and coffee runs. I had to get on with it, adapt quickly and make these new ways work for me. I thought this 'new normal' would be temporary. I thought it would last for three weeks...

My new normal, although not temporary, has some real positives.

It’s meant the time I usually spent getting ready for and commuting to work could be spent with my husband and kids, or taking some time for myself and exercising – what a necessity, especially in these times! My wise friend (the one with the great advice) also told me that while my kids were never going to be 'checking my timesheets', seeing my work ethic was a good life lesson for them.

Having my office at home has allowed them to see how hard I work, but it also meant they got more of me, and that’s great too.

Suddenly Mum’s cooking dinner on a weeknight, Mum’s popping in on a Zoom lesson, and Mum’s telling them to stop screaming the house down – it’s our normal.

My new normal has also meant that my team doesn’t miss out either. In fact, I’ve upped my (literal) FaceTime at work – hosting all-hands company meetings every week, leading our COVID Taskforce, and actioning initiatives that promote a better worklife balance (thank you Layne Beachley for the inspiration!).

Instead of rushing between in-person meetings, I can move from Zoom to Zoom in seconds, and pack a lot more in as a result.

Being an online business, we also quickly worked out that we can achieve even more by working remotely. We’ve managed to launch THE ICONIC Outlet, Sports, Beauty and Home – all while ‘locked down’.

So, when people ask me: "Erica, how do you do it? Do you have it all?" I simply tell them: life is a constant recalibration between family time, work time and time for myself. I have something that is very normal for me, and I absolutely love it!

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Be the Change Y O U

W A N T

T O

S E E

T H E F U T U R E O F FA S H I O N I S M O R E S U S TA I N A B L E A N D B E T T E R F O R A L L .

D I S C O V E R I T AT T H E I C O N I C .

C

hange can be such a simple thing. A reusable cup.

Repairing a favourite pair of jeans instead of replacing them. Choosing a better alternative. Small steps, taken by many, can make a big difference.

That’s why, as Australia and New Zealand’s leading fashion and lifestyle retailer, we are doing all that we can to empower our customers to make informed choices. To live and breathe their values whether they’re shopping for a new set of bed linen, kids’ school shoes or a show-stopping dress for a special occasion. Ambitious? Yes. Impossible? No. THE ICONIC Considered edit has serious sustainability cred.

So, whether you’re looking for sustainable fabrics and materials, animal-friendly products, clean beauty brands, items with a lower carbon footprint, brands supporting fair working conditions or supporting local communities, our Considered edit is for you.

We launched the Considered edit, a first-to-market sustainability assortment, to enable customers to shop by the sustainability values that mean the most to them. Since launch, we’ve seen the number of products and brands in the edit more than triple and we know this is just the beginning.

DRIVING CHANGE WITH BETTER CHOICES

In an effort to divert textile waste from going to landfill, we have two initiatives that enable customers to extend the life of their unwanted products. We’ve launched a partnership with AirRobe enabling customers to seamlessly resell, rent and recycle their preloved fashion items. Our customers can also donate their unwanted items through our Giving Made Easy program in partnership with Salvos Stores and Australia Post.

As a pioneering business, we’re aware that many more opportunities exist for us to create positive change within our industry. We also recognise our responsibility as ANZ’s leading online retailer to fully understand the social and environmental impacts of our organisation for the better of all communities involved.

To deliver on this, we formalised our first sustainability strategy in 2018, cementing our commitment to drive sustainability initiatives across our business and supply chain. Each of these facets are equally important, from working conditions in factories and warehouses, to showcasing brands that are putting sustainability first.

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The moral imperative of our people is what drives THE ICONIC to be a responsible business and together we have already driven significant progress towards our sustainability objectives.

We changed THE ICONIC satchels to be made using 100 per cent post-consumer materials, which we encourage our customers to either reuse or recycle through our partnership with REDcycle, and continue to implement new ways to increase the sustainability of our packaging.

We have developed our first carbon action plan, completed carbon footprinting and made a commitment to set science-based targets, as well as having achieved carbon neutrality across our operations.

We published our first Modern Slavery Statement, following a number of years of work to manage the risks in our business through our Modern Slavery Action Plan. This included the launch of a worker hotline, which enables us to support our factory workers in Bangladesh.

We continued our charity partnership with Thread Together to support their mission to provide new clothing in a dignified way to people who need it, and launched our first Reconciliation Action Plan endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. This signified our commitment to embedding initiatives within our business to contribute to Australia’s reconciliation with First Nations Peoples.

A S U S TA I N A B L E F U T U R E

For us, the most impactful way we can transform the retail landscape in Australia and New Zealand is to empower and inspire our people, our customers and our partners through education and collaboration.

This is just the beginning, and we know we have more work to do. We have made great progress on our journey to date, and we understand this space well enough to know there are many more opportunities for us to create positive change. We hope that our leadership in this space will inspire other businesses to recognise their part in driving collective, actionable change.

THE ICONIC For more information and to shop sustainably, visit: theiconic.com.au

T

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ne 2020 and 28 February 2022. Trans-Tasman Qantas operated flights booked between 15 October 2020 and 28 February 2022, for travel between tween 1 November 2021 and 31 December 2022 (international flights are available up to 12 months in advance). To change your travel date, simply visit and the change fee will be waived. A fare difference may apply. For all changes, your applicable Fare Rules and the Qantas Conditions of Carriage apply.

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T O U R

T H E Y E A R WA S 1 9 7 0 A N D I R E C A L L WA I T I N G O N A M I L K S H A K E AT M Y L O C A L M I L K B A R W H E N A W H I T E F O R D 4 X4 U T E R O L L E D TO T H E K E R B . I T WA S T H E N T H AT M Y PA S S I O N F O R T R AV E L T R U LY B E G A N .

I

vowed that one day I would pack up and travel around Australia - and guess what ? Here I am, 50 years later perched high up in the latest 40-foot Swagman Motorhome barrelling down the Eyre Highway, 230 clicks from Ceduna on my way to cross the the Nullarbor Plain and the Great Australian Bight.

Having rounded up a stable of amazing sponsors, it was time to recruit longtime mate Steve Fitzroy after having secured our heavy vehicle truck licence.

Then find a real road warrior.Enter Frank Lewry, a 72-year-old truckie they call Pop, a 50-year trucking veteran who knows every inch of the road and a bloke who lives for the drive.

So there we were - the partners, the rig, and the amigos.

We had seven days to determine the route, stock the Swagman and finalise what was to become a trip of a lifetime - 7½ weeks and 20,000-plus kilometres, all in the hope that we could get it done.

Classic Australia: The Iconic Edition is our follow-up to the Classic Agenda Heroes success, showcasing the many local heroes caught up on the front line, fighting bush fires, floods, droughts and that nasty pandemic.

Our journey would take us from Burleigh Heads on the Queensland Gold Coast, south through Port Maquarie, stop off at Mum's in Woy Woy for a few hot scones and into the Hyatt Regency Sydney, where we would secure all two months' supplies, pump the tyres up, hug the kids and hold our breath!

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THE HYATT REGENCY TEAM

THE JOURNEY

Our objective was to identify the major seafood and fishing communities around the entire coastline of Australia, and to drop in, take some meaningful photos, capture their stories and enjoy a cook with their local produce. At the same time, we would shine a light on these amazing local communities' heroes and their spectacular towns which are ripe and ready for the domestic tourist market to come knocking.

We also went looking to celebrate a brand new Indigenous tourisim marketplace, looking forward to meeting some remarkable artists, fashion designers, musicians - and all the while showcasing this nation's talents.

Friday, May 28 was the day that all the stars needed to align. At 10am, I was to start up the Swagman and enter 161 Sussex Street, and for the first time we stopped the one-way traffic and positioned ourselves at the entrance, the porte-cochère of the Hyatt Regency Sydney. There we were met by the general manager, and the entire executive team and staff, along with the CEO of Swagman, Dave Suttor, who had flown in from the Gold Coast to celebrate this auspicious occasion.

TONY MOSES AND SWAGMAN CEO, DAVE SUTTOR

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Today allowed us to make a final check on board, create a few social posts and excite our remarkable sponsors of The Iconic tour.

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W A R D E N H E A D L I G H T H O U S E - T h e lig h t h o u s e a t Wa rd e n H e a d Re s e r ve, U l l a d u l l a , N ew S o u t h Wa l e s P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t ( G i r t b y S e a P r o j e c t )

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o f

U L L A D U L L A

A R R I V I N G AT U L L A D U L L A , W E W E R E G R E E T E D B Y A L O N E SU R FER EN J OYI N G T H E EN TI R E B E ACH O N H ER OWN . IT T U R N ED O U T TO B E WO R L D CH A M P A N D LO C A L H ERO PA M B U R R I D G E .

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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SYDNEY

ULLADULLA BATEMANS BAY NAROOMA

FRESHLY CAUGHT TUNA FROM THE ULLADULLA FISHERMENS CO-OP SOCIETY WAS FAST SHAPING UP AS DINNER AND THEN SOME FOR PHIL AND THE CREW.

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TOP TO BOTTOM: ULLADULLA HARBOUR; STEVE FITZROY AND PAM BURRIDGE; JASON APPS. MANAGER AT ULLADULLA FISHERMENS CO-OP SOCIETY LTD.

A

t 4.30am, Saturday morning May 27, it was all in as we headed for the tuna town of Ulladulla and a catchup with local fisheries co-op boss Jason Apps.

Arriving on sunrise, we found a spot on the beachside car park, plugged into power and captured some great shots of the marina, bursting with trawlers, rock fishermen and a crazed lone surfer carving out a few waves of her own.

Enjoying a hot tea, Steve came back with surfing legend Pam Burridge (that crazed surfer), a proud local who still gets out there at sunrise all year round.

Having had a guided tour of the fish co-op, Jason gifted me a loin of freshly caught tuna that fast became dinner and then some.

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P am e g d i r B ur WOMENS ASP (NOW WSL) WORLD SURFING CHAMPION 1990, SURF COACH AT PA M B U R R I D G E S U R F S C H O O L S , S O U T H COA S T R E S I D E N T.

L

ate 2019 on the South Coast of NSW was a traumatic time for many people here as it was for much of our drought-affected country. I was surf coaching some school groups at Shelly Beach Kioloa, aka mudholes, in November watching carefully as a storm approached from the south west.

Thunder was audible from the distance and the clouds looked low and angry. We were getting ready to pull the pin and get the kids off the beach or into their electrical storm survival mode. With my head on swivel, I saw many spikes and flashes as we wrapped up the session. Lightning makes me nervous, let alone with so many kids under your care.

That day in November a fire started; the Currowan fire. I really did see it start, not that this changes anything, but it cements it in my mind. Working again at Kioloa the next day was very smoky, but we had no idea of what was yet to come. A month later, all that beachside was burned to the water. As yet, I haven’t worked another session down there due to the twin curse of fire and pandemic.

December for me should have been gearing up for a crazy summer of surf school with loads of tourists enjoying their summer on our beaches. Instead, my business, like every other business here, saw our prospects of a bumper season evaporate with the evacuation order as the fires closed in. Our last lesson at North Mollymook on New Year's Eve made me think the fire was one street back from where we played in the water, and the band played on.

Moments that made this distressing time more personal for me were having my son Otis, 19, working nights on traffic control on closed-in remote forests with active fire. It was a very close call for his colleagues who were stuck as a fire rampaged towards them, only escaping through paddocks and through the efforts of their team leader who came to lead them out.

My imagination played this out in waking nightmares; near misses. My husband, Mark, along with neighbours, a tenant and friends defended our property on Bendalong Road for a week.

The aerial bombers made an appearance for a day to save the last house nearest the front as it folded back at us from the north west.

The boys all fought in shifts and slept very little.

No power, so we cooked up the contents of each house’s freezer; no medications, no going in or out. The food would run out eventually. After the second (or third) generator died, they were using kids' Super Soakers to put out the spots. Buckets, shovels, McLeod tools - all were used as needed. Our 100,000-litre tank was a godsend and a requirement since the 2001 fires.

The worst day for me was sitting on my Mollymook roof and on the headland at Narrawallee Inlet watching the fire surrounding our place at Bendalong 20km away. It looked so intense. All of Conjola was still burning after the catastrophe of New Year's Eve. The 50kph nor’wester was due to change with a southerly later in the day. If the nor'wester kept up, Milton, Mollymook and Narrawallee were in the predicted fire path.

The southerly change did arrive and ended up saving us and the community of Manyana, but it turned ugly for the lads at Bendalong Road. The force of the change at 120kph-plus meant the rural fire brigades were all stood down. Multiple triple-zero calls were overheard coming from our house. Desperation! Things were escalating. My neighbour ran over to tell me about the calls he overheard and I imagined the worst. They were all caught with no way out as the fire's onslaught came from Conjola. As hours passed, I calmed myself as there was nothing I could do.

I called the command centre, but all they could tell me was only a HAZMAT crew could respond and there was none. I tried to listen to the scanner, any news. None. So scary. The town gossip had said all was lost, but they were wrong.

Near misses; unbelievably the boys and property did survive. They protected and fought and had enough luck to escape the worst outcome. Not everyone was so lucky and I don’t take this lightly.

The trauma of this makes me shake as I write it and I think I was unscathed. Near misses. Since the fires, and then only weeks later the reality of COVID-19 life, it has been difficult to keep positive, but I feel blessed as a surfer that I have that escape. If there’s no work, just go surfing. If there is work, do it in the surf.

You may have guessed I do like surfing and have been doing it since I was 10. I have never had a 'proper' job, but have made my own world in and around the surf.

I surfed on the world tour for 20 years and had a few near misses for the world title. In 1990, I clinched that dreamed of world title in big waves at Sunset Beach, Hawaii. A dream come true really.

I’m sitting inside Pilgrims cafe right now. The lockdown for us double-vaxed people has eased. My town is still empty, although the holiday parks are booked solid from next week, so they say.

Summer may yet happen. I’m hopeful our Women’s Surf Retreats will be able to run again later this month at Mollymook. Everyone is so keen to come back down for their weekend away. Roz Johnston, my colleague and mother of this invention, is fielding the calls and emails.

The girls are frothing to surf; the girls now know that they actually, can surf. If they haven’t yet learned, then we enable them to start safely with loads of encouragement. They should start. It’s beautiful and challenging and full of community, just what we all need. No near miss here - just try it.

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SES VOLUNTEERS JACKLYN ROQUE AND BILL FRAZER

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From the Outback t o

t h e

WORDS BY

I

always thought life was an adventure, so I took the brave step in 2012 of moving to the outback town of Ivanhoe, 210km north from Hay and from civilisation, in far west NSW. My now husband was stationed there for work as an officer at Ivanhoe Correctional Centre, where families and inmates live on a compound on the wrong side of the railway track dividing the town.

Life was difficult and harsh; fresh vegetables and bread were in short supply and expensive as the truck from Hay only came up the Cobb Highway once a week to supply the local grocery store in town. What I didn’t realise was the isolation that accompanied life in the town - population 110 with 30 of those inmates. I wanted to contribute and have a real connection to this little town, so I joined SES later that year. This was my blessing, that connection to others and to country.

A simple barbecue dinner every week with the other members of the unit was my Christmas, and my saving grace from the isolation that comes from the constant 'correctional language' of the compound and the sirens of muster from the jail.

I learnt the outback ways and dusted off the city corporate life. I was taught ‘storm and water’ and how to set up an airstrip and sweep kangaroos and emus off the runway so the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) aircraft could land to provide the local clinic duties and any medical emergencies the town needed. My outback SES education taught me that emus like the flashing lights and come towards the vehicles while kangaroos need lights and sirens to jump off the runway. Without SES managing this, the aircraft could not land and, worse, could hit an animal preventing a plane taking off with a patient aboard requiring urgent medical attention at Broken Hill Hospital. When car and farm accidents happen in the Outback, it somehow seems more devastating and more personal than in the city. SES would assist, driving along the dusty roads, accompanying the limited medical resources.

We would take the patients to the hospital in Ivanhoe where the nurses would call for RFDS to assist and fly out. This was my life for 2½ years and I am so grateful for my time in Ivanhoe and with SES as it gave me

:

s e a

J A C K LY N R O Q U E

skills and showed me the strength and resilience I never knew I had.

In 2015, my Ivanhoe days were gone as my husband received another transfer to South Coast Correctional Centre at Nowra and then to the Batemans Bay Court Transport Unit. In 2018, we joined SES Batemans Bay after a break and after settling into our new surroundings. Water and the sea were like jewels in a crown, requiring new skills that we had to learn, including being around a lot of people, which took me six months to adjust to after the outback life.

As the 2019-20 bushfires hit the South Coast, our unit burned down on New Year’s Eve 2019. We kept going, assisting the Rural Fire Service making house calls for possible evacuation in Nelligen as the RFS whizzed past trying to control the fires, including pockets of outbreaks between Nelligen and Mogo. The land was dry, with little water running in the creek. It was frightening for those who were determined to stay and fight the fires themselves. The team from NSW SES Batemans Bay kept assisting the RFS despite their own devastation. They had managed to get the vehicles and themselves out, but little else. Services had gone, there was little food which caused line-ups at the shops, no fuel, no electricity, and no real communications - only the intermittent local radio broadcast.

Sounds of helicopters in the air dispersing water and the thick black smoke and crackling of the gum trees were everywhere. We had no base, so the high school offered its car park. The John Holland compound was also offered to our unit, giving us a meeting point, providing security for our vehicles and assisting the local emergency services which continued despite the impact of the fire on our unit and to us personally.

We survived, although our unit is still living its 'bushfire moment' with no set date to be rebuilt. After so long, it's difficult to move forward and leave our memories of ash behind whilst we remain in limbo. However, I am determined to assist our local community, supported by the resilience of our unit and the NSW SES, something which I learnt in the Outback.

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O Y S T E R

C i t y

E N S U R I N G T H AT N A R O O M A WA S A ' M U S T S TO P ' O N O U R N AT I O N A L R O A D T R I P B E C O M E A L L T H E M O R E A P PA R E N T A S W E A R R I V E D O N A M A G N I F I C E N T S U N D AY M O R N I N G I N M AY.

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Narooma oyster farms at sunset

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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great e h ,t n e h c t i k A pop-up elp h e m o s d n a scone battle s at the e o r e h l a c o l fr o m estival F r e t s y O a Nar o o m

G

ood friend and chef Sean Connolly insisted that we call in to take in the magical coastal hamlet of Narooma. Sean, in fact, was a special guest at this year's Narooma Oyster Festival hosted by powerhouse local business leader Cath Peachey and her team.

The Narooma Oyster Festival is world renowned for its unique oysters and the town's remarkable hospitality.

Tragically, this year they were hit with devastating floods which decimated the oyster farms.

We made a commitment to setting up a pop-up kitchen down by the local park, across from the oyster farms.

At the same time, we invited local farmers and super chef Imogen from restaurant Salt, while I was to go into battle with local scone master from the Country Women’s Association, Jenny. What a day!

As our morning started at 5am and a mere 3 degrees Celsius, it quickly heated up with a magnificent sunrise and the locals all starting to gather, wondering what the hell was going on.

Before long, we had a morning breakfast audience all waiting on the fresh scones, shucked oysters, a little sautéed tuna steak, along with me rolling out a two-hour photo shoot showcasing the local heroes.

As 10am came around, we realised why this south coast jewel was a must-visit. We can’t wait to visit Narooma's latest gastronomic addition, restaurant Salt, as it prepares for its grand opening and head back down come the 2022 Narooma Oyster Festival.

CHEF SEAN CONNOLLY WAS SPECIAL GUEST AT THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF NAROOMA'S FAMOUS OYSTERS

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SALT RESTAURANT CHEF IMOGEN LOVE

Salty

j o u r n e y WORDS BY

S

:

C A R O L I N E , S A LT R E S TA U R A N T H O S T A N D P A R T N E R

alt’s journey began slightly over a year ago when we decided to pursue our desire to open up a cafe together. It is an idea that we had tossed around over the decade we had known each other and fate found us both deciding to escape the city and make a sea change. We both have a great love of Tuross Head, a small town off the highway just south of Moruya, a place that is incredibly easy to fall in love with and very hard to say goodbye to. Immy began cooking professionally a few years before leaving Canberra and found a great local Thai restaurant to work in. This job gave her an understanding of the benefits and challenges faced by restaurants in small regional towns. I had spent several years working in hospitality before landing a digital marketing job that allowed her and her partner to travel and live in many different parts of the world. The timing to open a business together felt right and we began working on it immediately. We both share the same values

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and organisational traits but we are also blessed with complementary skills, so we knew this combination would be a winner.

Not only did it feel like the right time for us personally and professionally, but this part of the NSW South Coast has been waiting for more hospitality venues and greater eating options. Whenever we visited over the years, we felt there were things missing and living down here really highlighted the gaps in the market. We all love fish and chips and burgers, but sometimes you feel like something lighter, fresher, healthier or just purely something a bit different.

Immy’s food, whilst not strictly healthy, has always been playful and self-taught. “I make what I want to eat and variety is key; sometimes it is a cheesy delicious sandwich or an epic salad, and other times it is spicy noodles or a big bowl of rice and toppings.

But my understanding of flavours always ends up creating something scrumptious.”

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One thing that really stood out to us was the abundance of amazing local produce; from meat, seafood and dairy to fresh farm-grown vegetables, artisan bread and niche products made with foraged seaweed. There was so much grown or produced around us. But aside from a few stockists and the fantastic local markets, there were not many places for people to learn about or access this abundance. We felt this was a massive gap in the market and something that we now prioritise and make sure to support at Salt through the food we serve and our growing retail offering.

Deciding to open a hospitality business during the uncertain times of COVID was definitely something we had to consider, but we knew that, if done right, it would work. Adding to that, we had our own personal challenges ahead of us.

Just before we signed the lease, Immy found out she was pregnant and I bought a house in need of renovations. We knew there were plenty more hurdles to come, with resilience and determination being required.

It took us about six months to find the right space in the right location at the right price to make our dream a reality. We learnt a lot in those months about how to value a business, local council regulations, what was required to fit out a space from scratch, and the types of businesses already operating.

We feel very fortunate to have found the space we ended up in as it is critical to be in the right location, especially when establishing a business in smaller seasonal areas of Australia.

Seasonality is the greatest consideration to contend with for businesses in regional towns and this comes with its own set of challenges, such as the difficulty of finding and retaining staff with the required skills. Another challenge that we have become acutely aware of is the logistical challenge of conveniently accessing locally supplied produce as well as sourcing supplies in general.

The availability of food suppliers is limited compared to the cities, but we make do by substituting ingredients and being more creative.

On the flip side of that, we are lucky enough to access incredibly fresh produce from the land and sea, and have close relationships with the people that farm, catch and grow this food.

COVID restrictions gave a mix of emotions. It was our first lockdown as business owners and we faced difficulties such as inability to access business relief due to being so new and managing the business on our own without much staff to save money.

In saying that, we also felt grateful for the time to build relationships with our local customers, and gaining an understanding of the flow and needs of the cafe, allowing us to prepare for the busier summer period. This has provided us with the time to slow down and think about the direction of our business and our priorities.

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Damon Fernihough I T ’ S S A I D T H E F I R S T Y E A R O F B U S I N E S S I S T H E H A R D E S T.

S

o, imagine being in your second year of farming when a barrage of fires, floods and a global pandemic threatens family, home and livelihood.

Christmas sales to fire, they lost Easter too; then along came coronavirus. As a small farm just starting out with no farm-gate sales or online deliveries to fall back on, it was almost crippling.

For Wagonga rock oyster farmer Damon Fernihough, it is a nightmarish scenario from which it is going to take time to recover. He and his folks, Linda and Trevor, came across the Nullarbor in 2017 to take over a small oyster lease and start a new life.

“All of a sudden we had to forget about the fires; there was more to worry about,” Damon said.

“We haven’t really had time to recover. I fear the South Coast will suffer for a long time. Everybody has stories they haven’t been able to tell properly.”

Wagonga Inlet is a stunning drowned river valley, surrounded by forests, salt marsh and mangroves that the oysters translate into a merrior that is briny, creamy and long lasting on the palette. It’s also the home of the Narooma Oyster Festival, a weekend in May each year that growers such as the Fernihoughs relish for the opportunity to catch up with other farmers and oyster lovers.

Damon and Linda run the farm while Trevor, a doctor, was snapped up by a local practice for a few days a week (heath services are another challenge on the South Coast, but that is a yarn for another day).

Before their second year was done, they had faced the Badja Forest Road fire that burned uncontrollably for 48 days, consuming 315,512ha and claiming four lives.

Damon recalls leaving the precious truck at the town sportsground for safety and speaking with shell-shocked survivors in between the catastrophic days. “I met a lady who had just lost her home and she told me about her horses screaming as she was forced to leave them behind,” he said.

“Nothing of ours caught fire, but we lost markets and we feel there was a change in the water that caused some mortality; we lost a significant amount of stock. Oysters are a finite resource for us; every single one is important and every sale makes a difference.”

But then torrential rain and floods rocked the South Coast, keeping the year’s most lucrative markets closed for many farmers. After losing

Aside from the emotional and physical toll the fires and floods took on regional communities, the economic impact has continued with the loss of tourism and trade.

“When the restaurants are closed we can’t sell,” Damon said. “When they are open, it comes down to having a good quality oyster and picking the right time of year to sell. We’re new and one of

We're still grateful. These are hard times but it's not a hard place to be in." the smallest farms on the South Coast trying to squeeze into a competitive market. So when oyster condition is good and everyone is selling, we can find ourselves having to wait until the cooler months to get a look in.”

But, he says, a bad day on the farm is still better than a good day in the office.

“There are not many things you can produce in this world that have a positive effect on the environment along the way.”

The Fernihoughs are finding ways to diversify and will again bring their delicious rock oysters to the Narooma Oytser Festival in 2022.

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C W A :

CWA MORE THAN TEA AND SCONES BUT OH THOSE SCONES!

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I

f you have ever spent time with a member of the Country Women’s Association, you’ll likely go away with at least one piece of advice and a warmer heart. It might be a recipe tip (although they don’t all cook), a craft tip (they don’t all knit either) or news of a new campaign (top of the list is social and affordable housing).

While numbers have dwindled and coronavirus has put a stop to the regular get-togethers, the Narooma CWA, like many others, is still busy. Here, the ladies create much-needed ‘Dignity Bags’ for new mothers and teenage girls, warm knits for prematurely born babes and fundraise for international causes like Medecins Sans Frontieres.

For Narooma’s Jenny Dickson, the CWA mantras of fighting isolation and improving access to health for women and their families is a timeless one. Her own mother was a member in Melbourne, and Jenny joined the Narooma branch when she moved to the country more than 20 years ago. “I joined to settle into the town and you’re not likely to if you don’t get out to see people. I’m pleased I have because I’ve made a lot of lovely lifelong friends.”

Looking after each other is important, too, especially those who are on their own.“One important thing is making sure we all have something to read,” she said. “Friendships really are the backbone of everything. You might not stitch and knit; you might just need to talk.”

“Things happen and lives get a bit messed up, so we make lots of things, like nappy bags, bibs, beanies and booties,” Jenny said.

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CANBERRA

journey

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Gifffth W I T H O U T M U C H N OT I C E , C O V I D R A I S E S I T S U G LY H E AD I N VIC TORIA , G IVI NG M E NO OPTION B UT TO TA K E A R I G H T H A N D T U R N AT B AT M E N S B AY A N D H E A D TO T H E L I L LY P I L LY E S TAT E W I N E R Y O F L E E TO N A N D O V E R N I G H T AT T H E Q U E S T H OT E L G R I F F I T H .

O

n our approach to the vineyards of Lillypilly Estate Winery, it was acres of cotton fields on the left and row after row of vineyards on the right. Touring the winery with owner and master wine maker Robert Fiumara gave us an up-close experience of the fascinating operations of this spectacular winery.

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WINEMAKER ROBERT FIUMARA

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y l l i p y l Lil s e n i W WORDS BY

:

ROBERT FIUMAR A

M

y father, Pasquale, travelled from Italy in 1950 looking for a better life for his growing family. He spent five years on the railways and local farms until he had saved enough money to return to Italy and bring Mum and my five brothers to Australia. In the early days, the family worked long hours and sold fresh fruit and vegetables to the Leeton Cannery and Mum set up a fruit stall beside the road. When the opportunity arose to purchase a nearby stall on a much larger site, my parents again took the chance, and over many years of hard work, this grew to become the large, independent supermarket that is still operating today. Mum, Dad and all six of my brothers worked in the supermarket – it is a real family business.

Dad planted the vines on Lillypilly Estate in 1972 after I decided to become a winemaker. My late brother, Dominic, loved wine. He ran the bottle shop in our family’s supermarket, and it was his influence along with my love of science that led to me becoming a winemaker.

The winery was opened in 1982 and one of the wines made that year was Lillypilly Tramillon®, a unique blend of traminer and semillon. The weather took control of the second vintage. We picked the traminer, the first grape to be harvested that year. It was February and later that afternoon, two massive hailstorms completely destroyed the crop, and harvest of all varieties was abandoned for the year. My father, in nearly 40 years of farming in Australia, had never seen hail like that day; it wiped out our crop in 1983.

Incredibly, just a few hours later, I received the news that the 1982 Tramillon® had been awarded a gold medal and trophy at the Royal Easter Show. Lillypilly Tramillon® was an instant hit and still has a great following 39 years later.

The weather is both friend and enemy when your business is based on producing a crop in Australia’s harsh climate.

But I believe the climate is one of the strengths of the Riverina region. It is the climate that has helped make it an ideal wine grape region and one of the best producers of botrytis wines in the world. The semi-arid climate that prevails in the Riverina softens toward the end of autumn with cool nights and damp mornings with fog and dew. These are ideal conditions for the development of botrytis fungus on the grapes, and the production of sweet white botrytis wines.

Lillypilly remains a single-vineyard boutique winery.

We’ve won a swag of trophies and awards over the years.

We have had wine served on Qantas, KLM and American Airlines, but we strive for quality, not quantity. The vineyard is 70 acres and we crush around 200 tonnes of grapes each year. We truly are boutique. We grow all our grapes, make the wine and bottle and label it here on site.

Dad’s decision to move to Australia was a courageous one, but one that we are all so grateful for. It is his vison and sheer hard work by the whole family that has got us where we are today.

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JINDABYNE ROAD, BERRIDALE, NSW

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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On a Quest D a v i d

M a n s f i e l d

I N F E B R UA RY 2 02 1, LO N G -S E R V I N G H OT E L I N D U S T RY L E A D E R DAV I D M A N S F I E L D WA S NA M ED M ANAG I NG DI REC TOR OF TH E A SCOT T L I M ITED AUS TR AL IA . TH E A SCOT T OW N S T H E Q U E S T A PA RT M EN T H OT EL S B R A N D.

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D

avid Mansfield first joined Quest as chief operating officer in mid-2019 before stepping into the new position, where he is responsible for overseeing the company’s managed operations throughout Australia, including global leadership of business format franchise brand Quest Apartment Hotels, which has over 170 hotels throughout Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the United Kingdom.

With more than 30 years in the industry, Mr Mansfield says he has witnessed a 'coming of age' in the sector spanning product, guest service and experience, and enthusiasm has certainly not waned.

“What’s interesting is after more than 30 years in the industry, and even following what has been the most turbulent period for our sector globally, I am as passionate as ever about what I do, and today feel a greater sense of purpose and meaning than I’ve ever experienced.

“When I came to Quest, what stood out was that when you have a network of franchise business owners, with skin in the game and a commitment to their communities, you have power to drive change – and that’s precisely what we have set out to do.”

In 2019, Quest partnered with Housing All Australians - a private-sector body which aims to provide secure accommodation for vulnerable people, such as victims of family violence and those displaced due to sudden financial hardship. The partnership came at a fortuitous time, with displacement issues exacerbated during the global pandemic.

“Quest is actively working with Housing All Australians to provide not-for-profit accommodation to members of the community and help address Australia’s chronic shortage of low-income housing,” said Mr Mansfield.

“To cater to the large need for accommodation, Housing All Australians is also establishing pop-up style shelters, turning dormant buildings into residences for people in need. This is not seen as a long-term solution per se, but rather an interim measure to get people off the streets and into secure environments. Quest is assisting HAA to furnish these spaces and make them feel like home."

But Quest’s work hasn’t stopped there. The hotel chain has

partnered with the Sony Foundation to launch You Can Stay an initiative to support young Australians aged 15-25 diagnosed with cancer.

“Around one-third of young people affected by cancer live in regional or rural areas. Typically diagnosed with rare cancers of the blood, brain, bone, and soft tissue requiring intense treatment in city hospitals, young patients from the country are disproportionately burdened by the costs of cancer,” said Mr Mansfield.

“To bridge the gap in accommodation for teenagers and young adult cancer patients from regional areas and their families, Sony Foundation Australia has partnered with Quest Apartment Hotels to launch the charitable accommodation program called You Can Stay, which is available to all cancer patients nationally aged 15-25 who live 100km or more from their treating hospital.

“Every person should have the right to access safe and secure accommodation, whatever the reason; be it because they’ve fallen on hard times, or because they’re unwell and need a helping hand.

"Despite the hardship our country and, indeed, our sector has experienced in these past couple of years, we can’t lose sight of our ethical obligation to do what’s right and extend our resources to those in need. Can we help everyone? No, we can’t. But we can help a few, and if every private-sector organisation had the same ethos, I truly believe that systemic issues millions of people in this country face today – poverty, social inequality, isolation – would be markedly improved."

Understanding that change starts small and often close to home. In 2021, Quest relaunched its Quest for a Cause program to support and inspire franchisee business operators to seek out opportunities for community impact at a local level.

“Quest for a Cause is an invitation to our network to consider a cause close to their heart or within their local area and use the power and resources they have at their fingertips to do good.

“Just a few months in, we have been taken aback by work of the network in raising money for youth support programs, running major fundraisers, donating furniture and so much more – it’s incredibly inspiring”.

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Quest’s global aspirations through a local lens.

The structure and efficiency of a big hotel brand, with the personability and connection usually only found in boutique operations.

Quest is the largest and fastest growing apartment hotel operator in Australasia with more than 170 properties located across Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Fiji. Quest is a member of The Ascott Limited (Ascott), a Singapore company that has grown to become one of the leading international lodging owner-operators.

“It’s the little things, like our friendly staff being able to tell you where you’ll find the best barista in town, a great bar for enjoying local wines, or a picturesque walking track only a local would know about. At Quest, we help our guests connect with the local soul and it’s what makes us unique in the marketplace.

Established in Melbourne, Victoria in 1988, Quest properties are managed by franchisees who follow a proven and successful franchise model in premium metropolitan, regional and suburban locations.

“We have the structure and efficiency of a big hotel brand, with the personability and connection usually only found in boutique operations. We’re really proud of that position – so much so our brand platform, As Local as You Like It, hinges on exactly that”.

Ascott Australia Managing Director, David Mansfield, says Quest’s local operators are the brand’s competitive edge.

“Quest business owners are locals who live, breathe and most importantly love their communities. So when guests check in at Quest, they get a truly local experience”, he said.

Despite the global pandemic, the household hotelier has shown no signs of slowing in 2021, striving to bring its love affair with all things local to life in many more suburban and regional locations in the years to come.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

Quest’s design pays homage to local history

The company strode into 2021, working with franchisee of Quest Echuca, Brendan Du Kamp, to deliver a major refurbishment – a coup for local tourism and show of commitment to the township at a challenging time.

The works, which pay design homage to Echuca’s rich history, included full recarpeting, new furniture fit-out, bedding, bathroom modifications, new in-room kitchen appliances, updated in-room entertainment facilities and more, with the works amounting to just shy of $1,000,000.

“There’s no denying that the past 12 months have been challenging and whilst necessary, border closures have taken a toll on local operators such as myself. However, what is telling is the level of enthusiasm

and appetite we’ve seen among the domestic corporate and leisure markets who, when safe to do so, have been eager to come to town and experience all that Echuca has to offer”, said Mr Du Kamp.

“When people stay at Quest Echuca, they will now experience a world-class apartment hotel product, while gaining an appreciation for the heritage of the area. We worked with the Echuca Historical Society to create a series of photographic artworks which tell our story as Australia’s paddle boat capital and largest inland port”, he added.

Quest Ballarat Station opened in December 2020 as part of The Goods Shed precinct

Mr Du Kamp has since been appointed franchisee of Quest Ballarat Station, a striking new property in the Victorian regional city which opened in December 2020.

The stylish 77-room hotel located on Nolan Street is just footsteps from the train station and is part of the Victorian State Government’s $28.3 million Ballarat Station Precinct Redevelopment project. When complete the works will transform one of Ballarat’s most iconic sites into a thriving community, dining, and retail hub, which will include heritage-listed local institution The Goods Shed.

“Quest Ballarat Station is an exceptional property and this strategy of development, where Quest accommodation forms

part of broader precinct renewal projects, rich with community infrastructure and amenity is a winning formula that places Quest guests at the heart of the local action and makes for memorable experiences”, said David Mansfield.

In May, Quest announced it had signed an agreement to lease an 83-room apartment hotel on Wellington Street, Collingwood.

The mixed-use commercial project

by Melbourne high-end residential developer Centreland Group will be comprised of a total ten floors, eight of which will be occupied

by Quest who will offer a mix of studio, one, two and threebedroom apartments, guest front of house, conferencing facility for up to 80 people, business lounge and gymnasium.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

“It’s a winning formula that places Quest guests at the heart of the local action and makes for memorable experiences” – DAVID MANSFIELD

“Quest invites our business travellers and holiday makers to live as local as they like it” – DAVID MANSFIELD

The furnishings and décor at Quest Geelong draw inspiration from the coastal surrounds

The following month, Quest and development partner Pellicano announced they had broken ground on a new $70-million mixed-use development encompassing an 87-apartment Quest Apartment Hotels in the Geelong CBD.

Quest makes corporate stay effortless

At the same time, Quest unveiled its $1.5 million dollar refurbishment of the existing Quest Geelong property located at 18 The Esplanade South.

Quest has received commendations from local tourism bodies who recognise the need for new and improved accommodation facilities in the rapidly growing city.

“With Quest Geelong now refurbished and Quest Geelong Central underway, by 2023 we will have a total 122 high-quality apartments to service our corporate and leisure guests in the CBD”, said David Mansfield.

Also underway is Quest Woolooware Bay – part of the $1-billlion Woolooware Bay Town Centre development in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.

Set over three levels, Quest Woolooware Bay will include conference facilities, a gymnasium and an external garden terrace with views overlooking the home of the Cronulla Sharks NRL team, officially known as PointsBet Stadium.

“Quest Wooloware Bay is an incredibly exciting project and once again aligns with our strategy to ensure that our hotels provide great access to surrounding amenity”, said Mansfield.

The same strategy is in place in Melbourne’s north-west, where Quest Watergardens is currently under construction with investment company QIC. At the time of writing, Quest says it has several other hotel announcements to make before the 2021 year’s end, with the brand expected to open over 1,100 units across 16 properties in Australia and New Zealand by the end of 2023.

“Our strategy is to be where the corporate traveller needs us to be, and that is primarily regional and suburban Australia, however we also have great confidence the Quest brand will continue to hold it’s own on the global stage, so we intend to push forward with our tenacious global growth plans over the coming years.

“Under The Ascott Limited’s ownership, Quest has a target to open 10+ properties in the United Kingdom by 2025. Ascott is well established in the local market and the complete acquisition, which was finalised in 2021, will propel us forward and bring the Quest local soul to life in more locations abroad.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for Quest Apartment Hotels and I’m tremendously proud of the resilience of our business owners over the past 24 months. It’s been really tough, but what has never waivered is their passion for exceptional guest service, which at Quest invites our business travellers and holiday makers to live as local as they like it”.

PLANNING A GETAWAY OR BUSINESS TRIP? HEAD TO QUESTAPARTMENTS.COM.AU

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L I N C O L N N A T I O N A L P A R K - S h a r k s c r u i s e t h r o u g h s c h o o l s of s a l m o n c l os e to t h e s h o r e s of t h e L i n co l n N a tio n a l Pa r k s o u t h of Po r t L i n co l n P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t ( G i r t b y S e a P r o j e c t )

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Classic i n s p i r a t i o n

F

riday night, as scheduled, was our first gallery night at Adelaide's historic Sparkke at the Whitmore hotel - gathering up partners, sponsors and a few curious media, anxious to get a close-up of our Swagman.

Our tour would allow us to create several evenings at key towns, bringing together sponsors and local heroes to celebrate our current Classic Heroes book, giving us time to meet the new heroes soon to be shot and featured in the 2022 edition.

Adelaide is famous for its amazing sandstone heritage buildings and the Whitmore did not disappoint.

Steeped in history, this unique community hangout is the brainchild of co- founders Rose Kentish and Kari Allen, creating not only an inspirational hub for aspiring artists, musicians and entrepreneurs, but also boasting its own signature range of wines and beers direct from its own in-house brewery.

It became very clear that the Whitmore is a true community-driven hub with many philanthropic activations created each month by Rose and Kari, supporting all who visit.

The 25sqm brewhouse (with the pink floor!) is the nano-brewery and the Whitmore’s centrepiece, visible from almost everywhere on the ground floor.

You can see, hear and smell whatever is brewing.

It’s not surprising that brewer Carla Naismith is deeply passionate about her craft and driven by the company’s ethos of creating 100 per cent natural.

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The Whitmore is a true community-driven hub with many philanthropic activations created each month by Rose and Kari The ladies graciously hosted the night, albeit a small but meaningful group. We got to see firsthand this incredibly eclectic and talented operation in full swing.

Our special guest on the night was Dana Mitchell, the Koala Queen, from Kangaroo Island, celebrating her spread in this year's book and updating us on her amazing work saving koalas and many other native animals devastated during the 2020 fires.

KOALA QUEEN, DANA MITCHEL AND KARI ALLEN

journey

WA BORDER CEDUNA

PORT LINCOLN

ADELAIDE

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P O R T E R B A Y - F i s h n e t s i n Po r te r B ay of f Po r t L i n co l n i n S o u t h A u s t ra lia P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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DENNIS HOLDER Dennis Holder has been a fisherman for the vast majority of his working life, following a brief stint as a motor mechanic.

Crabs, specifically blue swimmers in South Australia, is where he landed. He saw an opportunity when permits for an experimental fishery were offered in 1986. The adventure began in Ceduna on the far west coast with a fibreglass trailer boat that he modified to work crab pots. It has been an extended journey with many ups and downs, many boats and too many blue crabs to count.

Dennis moved to Adelaide in 1989 when the west coast was closed to pot fishing and he took up a permit in Gulf St Vincent.

Permits existed in Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent with each experimental permit allocated 100 crab pots to test the waters for an ongoing fishery. Challenges were numerous and trying to out-think a crab was a constant battle. Success came over time and patterns emerged with weather and climate definitely playing a large part in the behaviour of the biomass of crabs.

The first set of 100 pots was built in the shed at the home of Dennis’s family in Thevenard, the port area adjacent to Ceduna.

Tom Holder (Dennis’s Dad) had a big influence on Dennis and will always be remembered after being lost at sea in 1994. All crab pots are hand-made starting with tubes of stainless steel that

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are rolled and welded, then covered with a mesh stitched into a sleeve. Final tensioning and then joining two halves to form the colloquially known hourglass pot is a time-consuming process.

These have undergone extensive modifications to enable minimal bycatch and crab mortality from fighting.

The fishery came of age in 1996 with permits being converted into licences and a quota-based management system implemented.

By 2001, the opportunity came to purchase a second licence in Spencer Gulf which saw Dennis spending much of his time away from his growing family of three children. The second boat was based from Wallaroo and used long-term freight transporter JoJo’s Fish to take much of the product interstate. The volume of crabs produced meant that Sydney Fish Market was the destination for much of the catch. This was done to access a bigger market base and has been a very successful partnership and pivotal business tool. Freshly cooked and raw blue swimmer crabs are graded for size and quality and are shipped for the auction sales every Monday and Thursday. The commitment is to supply as many of the weekly markets as possible in a year.

Blue swimmer crabs are iconic to South Australia and Dennis is a proud pioneer of this industry and its contribution to the South Australian economy.

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Sa

ROVER H U G H B AY LY, W I T H H I S V E S S E L S E A R O V E R , S TA R T E D H I S S M A L L FA M I LY- R U N F I S H I N G V E N T U R E , S E A R O V E R W I L D C AT C H F I S H E R I E S , B A C K I N 1 9 8 7. T O D AY, H E R E M A I N S T H E O N LY F I S H E R TO H AV E P E R S E V E R E D T H R O U G H O U T T H E S O C I A L A N D E C O N O M I C C H A L L E N G E S T H AT C O M E W I T H F I S H I N G A S P E C I E S T H AT H A S , D U E TO A N A B U N D A N C E O F C O M P E T I N G A N D / O R P R E F E R R E D A LT E R N AT I V E S , R A R E LY E V E R R E C E I V E D T H E VA L U E O F I T S W O R T H .

I

t’s because of this, as well as the dramatic decline of mainstream fishery stocks over the past 30 years, that in 2019 Sea Rover Wild Catch Fisheries joined forces with similarly sustainably-minded Myers Seafood. To ensure the uniqueness and quality of this fishery stood apart from all other Ocean Jacket available on the open market, they formed Greenly Island Kawahagi, a name that directly represents the location where the fish is sourced, together with the Japanese word meaning 'to skin', as its skin is so easily removed.

Rebranding in this way, besides being a deliberate effort to separate the exceptional quality wild trap-caught fishery from all the other 0cean Jacket on the market, was also seen to be an opportunity to re-educate seafood lovers about the heavily stigmatised and vastly misunderstood, misrepresented and too often mistreated Leatherjacket and its bigger, deep-sea cousin 'OJ'.

Greenly Island Kawahagi is caught in the Great Southern Ocean off Greenly Island, on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Kawahagi is a deep-sea fish, generally inhabiting the ocean floor at depths of 80-120 metres. Living and feeding at this depth guarantees them an abundance of squid, octopus, pilchards, krill, and even shellfish and crustaceans. Bearing in mind 'we are what we eat', it’s obvious as to why the mild and sweet firmed flesh of the Kawahagi is so versatile and tasty to eat.

Wild-caught fish-trapping is, simply put, fishing for our future. It’s only when everyone understands the position that years of over-fishing and too strong a focus on too few varieties has had on our fish stocks, and to begin accepting accountability for how, what and why we fish, that our fisheries will have any shot at feeding our future generations. We, as consumers, need to realise the responsibility lies with us all. Together we can start to make a difference by seeking out and actively choosing underutilised species from well-managed fisheries.

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SOUTHERN OCEAN EXPRESS CEO GAVIN MEYER

Being days behind and needing to drive eight hours through the night, we managed to get to Southern Ocean Express only 30 minutes late. As we arrived under a storm cloud, CEO Gavin Myers was ready, having prepared a pop-up kitchen in the storage shed for me with all the local produce needed to create a spaghetti vongole and a world-class prawn and Ocean Jacket-cheek curry.

We got to it.

During the cook we met with local fisherman, Hugh Dayley who specialised in Ocean Jacket. Hugh has been around for a lifetime and is hard at it, trying to grow his business with the help of Gavin and the Southern Ocean Express co-op. Next stop was to be the last of SA, and we needed to be in Ceduna by 5pm for an early

dinner with Johnny Kouvaris and his beautiful family. We had arranged to visit Johnny at his family home and cook up a batch of King George Whiting with garden-picked green beans tossed in garlic, onions and chilli, all from his own garden.

With the kids running around excited to see the big bus, we told a few stories with Tosca, Johnny's Dad. Before heading out toward the Nullarbor, Johnny insisted we drop in on his old mate and mentor 'Monkey', as it was he who introduced Johnny to the fishing world as a kid.

Arriving at Monkey's was a little daunting as we needed to find an obscure house two streets away with an old tinny out front - and he said don’t be scared of the dog or Monkey!

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Johnny

k o u v a r i s

J O H N N Y KO U VA R I S I S M O R E C O M M O N LY KNOWN A S YIAN N I TO H IS FRI EN DS AN D FA M I LY. O F G R E E K D E C E N T, J O H N N Y WA S B ORN AN D R AISED I N TH E SM AL L TOWN OF CEDUNA , SOUTH AUSTRALIA .

F

rom a young boy, Johnny discovered his hobby of fishing and love for the ocean and as a boy he would spend much of his spare time with a hook and fishing line in hand roaming the local jetties and rocky coastline of the bay.

His interest grew strongly and his soon-to-be passion turned into a career which ignited from his Papou, Jimmy Agrios, who was a Greek migrant and fisherman himself.

Johnny started fishing commercially as a deckhand since the age of 14 and, after graduating from high school, he went on to further his study by completing a Bachelor of Applied Science in fisheries in Tasmania. Johnny then travelled around the country and eventually the world, working within the commercial fishing industry as a fisheries observer for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

In 2012, he became a commercial marine scale fisherman in his home town of Ceduna, South Australia. In 2021, he launched his new small business venture, JK Seafoods. This new venture was a direct result of COVID. When COVID struck in 2020, fish market prices crashed during the lockdown period and therefore Johnny’s main income supply dropped drastically. It was both severe and incredibly challenging and this led Johnny to find a creative way to support his family, using social media to its advantages, getting his name, reputation and quality produce out to the public.

JK Seafoods is a one-man team making Johnny the owner, operator, fisher and processor. Johnny prides himself on providing fresh, sustainable and quality produce to his local state and beyond and is supported by his wife Kerasia, and his three young children – Zoie, Ari and Samuel (twin boys), who are his driving force.

The JK fishing operation is diverse, catching a wide range of different seafood such as blue swimmer crabs, southern calamari, garfish, flake and much more. But his favourite and most common fish targeted is the King George Whiting which are sustainably handline caught with two hooks and a sinker.

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Over the years we've had so many memorable days out in the water, from nearly sinking the boat after a big haul of fish or getting caught in cyclonic weather and heavy seas.

Johnny supplies fresh whole King George Whiting to fishmongers and fish markets in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. As part of his new business venture, he can now offer processed King George Whiting by hand-filleting them fresh, straight off the boat and then vacuum packed. This premium produce is made available to all from the public to pubs, clubs, restaurants and retail outlets, a dream come true for this Greek boy from outback Ceduna.

Chris Catsambalis, who is better known as Monkey, is a local legend fisherman, who is said to be that good he could catch a fish in a puddle on the side of the road. "This is the guy who taught me how to fish and guide me to where I am today," said Johnny.

"Over the years we’ve had so many memorable days out in the water, from nearly sinking the boat after a big haul of fish or getting caught in cyclonic weather and heavy seas. But the most memorable was an encounter with a great white shark. As we were hauling a fish into the boat this great white chased it and came flying out of the water in attempt to eat the fish.

"The water was murky and we didn’t see it coming and within a split second all we saw was a large set of jaws wide open coming right at us. The shark emerged completely out of the water and luckily just missed us as it jumped clean over the back corner of the boat.

"After this incident, I said to Monkey that I don’t want to come out fishing any more. But that idea was short-lived as the hunger to fish was far too great."

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S U R F E R S B E A C H - L i n e s of s we l l e c h o t h e te x t u r e s o n t h e s a n d o n a be a c h s o u t h of Ce d u n a i n S o u t h A u s t ra lia P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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C h r i s

c a t s a m b a l i s

Monkey M Y PA R EN TS C A M E TO AU S T R A L I A FRO M G R EECE . T H E Y W ER E FI SH ER S A N D FA R M E R S , G R O W I N G TO B A C C O , TO M ATO E S A N D C O R N , A N D I T WA S N ’ T U N T I L T H E I R A R R I VA L I N A U S T R A L I A T H AT T H E Y R E A L I S E D A U S T R A L I A N FA R M E R S G R E W M A I N LY G R A I N S , L I K E W H E AT.

M

y father’s first job was in Adelaide with the railways.

When his mates told him about the fishing in Ceduna, Mum and Dad moved there and Dad took up fishing. My father didn’t want me to be a fisherman, so I tried reverse psychology, thinking that if he took me fishing all the time, I wouldn’t like it.

This worked for a while, and as time went on, I grew to really enjoy it.

When I was 21, I and another fisher were the last to receive from the government a marine scale licence for free. I’ve fished all my life and as many days as I can, but it’s getting harder now as I’m getting older.

My father fished for 70 years, my brother for 55 years; I’ve been fishing for 45 years and my son has been fishing for 15 years.

It’s got to be in you to like fishing; if you don’t, then you won’t succeed.

Fishing is hard work and unless you love it, you won’t do it. If you don’t know the ocean, then you put yourself at risk. I’ve been a fisher for long enough that I can feel relatively safe, but you’re never really safe.

I’ve taught four or five young people to fish and three of them are now professional fishers. They love fishing and being their own bosses.

I fish for everything; whiting, shark, snapper, squid, snook, bronze whalers, whatever is going at that time of year. I know the areas, the times of year and the

weather. Years ago, I was a net fisher, but now I do mainly line fishing, with two hooks. I fish out of an 18-footer and it’s just big enough for the job. I used to head out as early as 3am, but now I leave about 8am and fish for three or four hours. If it is a good day, then I will stay out until 6pm.

I used to sell to all the buyers in Adelaide and knew them all. It was Laurie Scott and I who, 48 years ago, were the first people to get fish tubs and start a fish-market run between Ceduna and Adelaide.

Over the years, another local fisher and I have participated in local research for SARDI (South Australian Rsearch and Development Institute) and SeaNet. With SARDI, we’ve been involved in tagging King George Whiting and a snapper lobe survey that proved that snapper spawned here. The findings of this survey have stood the test of time and were supported by another survey done only in the last few months. With SeaNet, we did an impact study on gummy sharks and long lining.

Over the years, my wife and I have fostered children and, at one point, I was heavily involved with the local community in trying to get a fishing program started for Aboriginal youth.

My most memorable fishing experience was in 2013 when I was out fishing with my son and grandson. We caught the highest catch of whiting ever recorded here in one day.

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G R E AT AU S TR A LI A N B IG HT

- T h e s te e p c lif f s of t h e G r e a t A u s t ra lia n B ig h t bo rd e r t h e s o u t h e r n bo u n d a r y of t h e A u s t ra lia n co n ti n e n t P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t ( G i r t b y S e a P r o j e c t )

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C ACTUS BEACH WA

P H O T O : Sean Scott

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WA BORDER CROSSING

H

aving just suffered significant setbacks via South Australia with repairs and border challenges, we prayed that we were through the worst of it and that our Western Australian experience was to be super memorable.

With a tight but doable schedule ahead, and being two days behind, we didn’t have a lot of wiggle room.

However, our spirits were on a high as the iconic Nullarbor was in sight.

As we approached the border checkpoint, we were blindsided by the WA police who decided to change the rules and deny access to hundreds of travellers, demanding we spend five days at the only petrol station within six hours. We had no choice but to plug into power at the back of the station for five days and enjoy the company of every truck driver and pissed-off 102 | C L A S S I C M A G A Z I N E

Liana is the poster girl for hospitality. Her thoughtfulness and patience is remarkable.

traveller endeavouring to cross the border. Trying to find a positive out of this nightmare, we started to befriend a few truckies and the manager of the roadhouse, Liana, who remarkably controls one of the most volatile rest stops I’ve ever seen.

This 32-year-old from Newcastle, together with her partner, welcome each and every traveller as if they're long-lost friends, knowing that they all have a huge burden on their shoulders after having been individually abused in some fashion by the local border police with their unfair and uncaring approaches.

Liana is a poster girl for hospitality. Her thoughtfulness and patience is remarkable. Having reworked our entire schedule and with zero internet or mobile contact, she allowed me to set up a pop-up office, even answering her phone as Mr Harte’s office, all whilst welcoming travellers, making a cappuccino for a truckie or helping out a mum with screaming kids. So, now it's day four and the sun's just sneaking through the clouds, and out comes our omelette. Yep, it's Lianna bringing the regular coffees and an update on the latest COVID position.

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P H O T O : Sean Scott

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The sound of 'you're all good to go'echoed through the pelting rain.

A sense of relief was felt and, with a wry smile from the boys, we fled the scene of the crime!

journey PERTH

COOLGARDIE EUCLA NORSEMAN

Our afternoon seemed to meander by and, as the clock ticked away, we found ourselves at 11.45pm sitting on board our fuel-filled Swagman, coffee in hand, ready to approach the border cops waiting for our midnight call to cross!

Feeling a little like crossing at Checkpoint Charlie, we eyeballed the lone cop who had eyes only for us. As the weather turned bleak under a shroud of fog and mist, and with the temperature dropping to 5 degrees, we gingerly approached, handed our documents over and waited with bated breath!

The sound of 'you're all good to go' echoed through the pelting rain. A sense of relief was felt and, with a wry smile from the boys, we fled the scene of the crime!

It was to be Frank's lead as we attacked the 1400km across the Nullarbor and onto Perth. With relentless rain and unforgiving weather, we all sat three across the cabin, willing ourselves across the never-ending Great Australian Bight, as we were eager for sunrise to come.

Being five days behind, I made the decision to bypass Albany and take a hard left at Norsman which would take us into Perth via Australia’s gold-mining frontier of Coolgardie.

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Anything, Anything,

Chasseur Azure• Round French Oven See the range at chasseur.com.au

but ordinary Introducing Chasseur’s newest colour: Azure. Named after the mineral azurite, it’s the colour of the sky on a clear day. Captivate guests with this striking colour from the stovetop to the cooktop.

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c e r v a n t e s

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p i e r

CO R A L COA S T - C E RVA N T E S ,WA

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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THE PINNACLES , WA

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

I

t was now 8pm and 17 hours had passed as we limped into Joondalup.

The Quest apartments were a sight for sore eyes as we had scheduled six hours of sleep, a hot shower and back on the road at 4am to make sunrise and the remarkable Pinacles, 30 minutes from the Lobster Shack at the seaside village of Cervantes.

Our visit at the Lobster Shack was a blessing as I scheduled to cook a few lobster omelettes for the boys, take a guided tour of the crayfish facility, run up a few photos and then make our way up to Geraldton, ready to build my long table, kitchen and gallery - all set to host dinner for 50 VIPs.

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Lobster

s h a c k

T

hompson family’s story started in 1966 with David Thompson Senior on the helm of his boat Seatips.

Back in the 60s living out of a coastal shack settlement 200 kilometres north of Perth, David and his three sons worked on the sea together, fishing every day for the elusive western rock lobster.

With a wealth of knowledge of the sea, David Thompson’s son, David 'Bobby', created Indian Ocean Rock Lobster, a lobster receival and processing facility on the beach at Cervantes.

Like Cervantes, most of our regional towns along the west coast relied on the lobster industry and its workforce to survive. Cervantes went from a thriving coastal community with over 50 boats moored, to less than 20. It was clear that Cervantes needed something more than fishing to survive.

David and his family saw this as an opportunity to highlight the lobster industry by diversifying their business and adding a tourism division now known as the Lobster Shack. The name is derived from their origins back in the shack settlement.

In 2010, the Lobster Shack was opened, providing factory tours and selling fresh lobster to visitors. After much demand they opened a takeaway kitchen and serviced the local public and international tourists. The business grew exponentially and it went from a tiny demountable kitchen doing takeaways to a 700-seat oceanfront restaurant.

Along with the factory tours, the business expanded to offer both deep-sea fishing and sea lion and lobster charters.

The business was absolutely booming with international visitors from all over the world. Its main market was South-East Asia, predominantly Chinese. On busy days it would serve over 1,000 meals just for lunch.

"We were successful in bringing big numbers to town, helping to put Cervantes back on the map and provide a much-needed employment injection into our community," said David.

"Then Covid hit. We went from having two successful divisions of our business to having no market for either.

Times were tough - boats were stopped, fishermen’s livelihoods were put on hold and our annual turnover had more than halved. Our business was built on exporting lobsters and international tourism, and both had taken a big hit. Our main priority at this time was to keep our staff employed and get our boats back to work. The only way forward was to look for new markets and expand

our customer base. We revived an otherwise non-existent local market, launched a new food and beverage menu, changed our décor and updated our factory and boat tours to cater for a new market. Within the last year, we have seen massive growth in our domestic-local market as well as new international markets opening up and business is bouncing back. It has been an extremely hard near-on two years, but we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Lobster runs through the blood with David’s children now running the family business. His son, David Junior (Deet), runs the processing division of the business with his daughters-in-law, Abi and Nikki Thompson, heading up the Lobster Shack.

As for the future, the next generation can’t wait to see what opportunities are on the horizon.

"The business has survived tumultuous conditions, but we are now on the other side and can’t wait to continue to grow and expand on an already great family business," said David.

journey CAPE LEVEQUE BROOME

CARNARVON SHARK BAY KILBARRI GERALDTON CERVANTES

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Back Beach, Geraldton WA

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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AWARD-WINNING CHEF, SEAN CONNOLLY 118 | C L A S S I C M A G A Z I N E

What a night!

Geraldton was a real surprise packet. This sleepy, but still bustling fishing town with its 50,000-strong population, was buzzing.

As we arrived at Fisherman's Wharf, the venue for my next long-table event, we firstly checked into the local caravan park, hired a rental and did my final shopping before good mate Sean Connolly arrived from Sydney, along with Sydney Fish Market CEO Greg Dyer, to deliver an amazing night to remember with one of my long tables and 50 of Geraldton’s finest.

Today was all hands on deck, as they would say, and with local event man Tyson Overstone from Sweet Orange Productions and Brolos PR Shaun Mcguines, we would turn a traditionally dusty old carpark into an oasis of bars, lights, fire pits and a long table fit for the royal family with Pavarotti serenading us in the background .

On the menu were Sean Connolly specials, a full barbecued WA Brolos lobster with a tantalising orange and miso mayonnaise, fresh cos salad, lathered with a buttermilk and parmesan dressing, new potatoes boiled in local seawater, fresh from the Indian Ocean, and a trio of local desserts, chocolate brownies, sticky-date pudding and hot apple crumble.

What a night, as the diners departed around 9pm, and with the local temperature dropping to a chilly 9 degrees, we packed up kissed and hugged our guests and got ready to head north.

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Roni

k e r l e y

B

orn in Wyndham Western Australia and growing up in Albany, South Hedland and now living in Geraldton, Menang-Ngadju Noongar woman Roni Kerley, 43, certainly has a full understanding of the complexities of trying to heal from childhood trauma and wounds.

Having grown up experiencing various levels of trauma and witnessing many of her fellow Indigenous women facing violence, Roni knew from a very young age that she would do everything within her power to stop intergenerational trauma. When not acknowledged or healed from, it can have a long-lasting impact many years after the initial traumatic event occurred.

Even today, over 37 years later, Roni remembers as a young child witnessing violence, raised voices and lots of yelling. She is able to recall a vivid memory of a room lit up by blue and red lights as she hid, trying to block out the sounds. She now understands the coloured lights were the police services. The aftermath of the event was clearly visible on her mother's face the next day. It’s a memory that sits very deeply within her, even almost a lifetime later.

This incident wasn’t an isolated event in Roni’s early years as she can also remember a seemingly innocent childhood decision leading to yet another act of violence against her mother.

“I and a few other family kids were playing in the front yard when we broke a rake or a broom; I can’t recall exactly. Scared of the consequences we laid the rake under the back tyre of my Mum's car to make it look as if it was accidently run over. It was a decision that, even today, I wish I didn’t make, as it resulted in my Mum having her arm broken for ‘lying’ about running it over. But I know now, as an adult, I would never have been able to foresee what that decision would have led to, so I have healed from that.

"After witnessing physical violence of varying degrees, I made a promise to myself very early on in my life that I wouldn’t get into a relationship with anybody that mirrored that.

"I was proud of this, especially when I met the father of my two children 20 years ago and, in the absence of physical violence, I had broken the cycle, or so I thought.

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"My daughter, who was 15 or almost 16 at the time, started to indicate to me how I was putting up with behaviours that I had taught her that no woman should ever have to put up with.

"It is through her and, on reflection, comments made to me by people in my own friend and family networks that I actually started to realise my own relationship was in fact abusive and quite toxic.

"Their Dad worked away in the resources industry for lengthy periods of time, so I guess it was difficult to see how things weren’t going well when you only saw each other for a week here and there. In hindsight, my kids and others around me could see how I changed when their father was home.

"Quite honestly, it was a wake-up call and a bit of a slap in the face to realise that I, too, had actually put my children in a position where they witnessed an unhealthy relationship.

"When my daughter started speaking up for herself, something I had instilled in her from a young age, I knew that something had to change for her and her brothers' sake. There were multiple attempts to address the behaviours through counselling, but if people aren’t ready to acknowledge their own faults and unhealthy ways, then it’s a lost cause."

Ultimately the relationship ended when their father left the home for another relationship.

"Twelve months on, I now see this as a blessing in disguise, as I and the kids have all learned so much about each other and have helped each other heal. And while we struggle financially as a result of being left with all the financial commitments, the trade-off of living a calm and peaceful life is worth it.

"My healing journey is only just beginning and through my own counselling I am now unlearning everything I understood to be a healthy relationship and replacing it with a clear knowledge of what one should look like.

"It took so much strength for my daughter to be so open with me about her worries all those years ago.

And whilst it took almost five years after her initial talk with me, I’m grateful that she did."

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KALBARRI

- Wa r m s u n s e t lig h t ba c k lig h t s a b r e a k i n g wave o n a s h o r e r e e f n e a r K a l ba r ri i n We s te r n A u s t ra lia

P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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k a l b a r r i I N 2 0 1 5 , W H I L E O N A FA M I LY H O L I D AY, M E L I S S A A N D W A R R I C K F I N L AY D I S C O V E R E D F I N L AY ' S K A L B A R R I W A S F O R S A L E . M E L I S S A A N D W A R R I C K H A D E N J OY E D F I N L AY ’ S F O R Y E A R S A S T H E Y S H A R E D T H E S A M E S U R N A M E .

N O R E L AT I O N , B U T T H E S A M E S P E L L I N G .

I

t was no longer than a week after Melissa and Warrick had returned home that Warrick explained: "Finlay's is still for sale!" As they say, the rest is history.

In April 2021, Kalbarri suffered the devastating blow of severe tropical cyclone Seroja. The cyclone had completely devastated the town with over 70 per cent of properties damaged, including Finlay’s and the couple's home. The cyclone hit Sunday night, and Monday morning they spent the day removing piles of roofing that had landed on their home. This involved unscrewing one tech screw at a time. "Thankfully, we had the help of our staff and, at the end of the day, our house was clear and much safer for our children to live in," said Warrick.

"Finlay’s is located directly next door to the State Emergency Services (SES) headquarters," he said.

"The day after the cyclone, a representative from SES asked if they could clear a track through all the fallen debris to our toilets as they had 100plus personnel coming to assist Kalbarri, but only one toilet. We didn’t hesitate. The government officials, volunteers and army used our toilets for over a month.

"Tuesday and Wednesday were spent tackling Finlay’s. With a few chainsaws, the angels from Shark Bay with their truck and Hiab, and with a bit of hard work and pure determination, we were able to make the property safe enough to open. Thursday, four days after being hit by the category three cyclone, we were back open, ready to feed the volunteers, government workers and army personnel helping our community. The staff

were amazing in helping us and were rewarded with a barbecue and beers at our place that night, even without power or a roof!

"We heard that the volunteers next door were having a hard time finding good coffee in the morning, so we opened up for coffee from 7am every morning. Melissa would come in early, turn the coffee machine on and start serving takeaway coffee as soon as they came through.

We were approached again as there wasn’t another restaurant able to serve breakfast, so we opened up and did breakfast. We had 166 army, volunteers and government personnel for breakfast after the ANZAC Day morning service."

That same day Melissa and Warrick drove down to Geraldton to attend the SOS Fundraiser for those impacted by Seroja, donating four kegs of beer. That fundraiser raised over $30,000!

In the weeks after the cyclone, many businesses were struggling to survive, as tourists were told the town had been decimated and advised not to visit Kalbarri. Melissa was actively involved in bringing business owners together to help each other, to have a greater voice with government with positive communication being a key factor.

This resulted in tourists returning to Kalbarri.

Melissa is inaugural co-chair of the Kalbarri sub-committee for the Mid West Chamber of Commerce and Industry, helping local businesses.

Melissa has become a key figure representing Kalbarri and regularly undertakes interviews on Kalbarri as a whole and business in general from Finlay’s perspective.

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COPY COMING CYCLONE CHICK

W

rapping up at 10am, we grabbed a coffee, filled the tank and looked forward to a fabulous lunch with Melissa at Finlay’s in Kalbarri.

Arriving spot on 12 noon , Melissa was at the steps to welcome us - and what a cool place. With John Denver wailing in the background, this amazingly eclectic eatery was a true culinary gem.

WITH LARGE EUCALYPTUS TREES PROVIDING SHADE FROM THE WARM SUMMER SUN, AUTHENTIC DIRT FLOORS AND THE ECLECTIC FURNITURE, FINLAY’S PROVIDES THE PERFECT OUTDOOR SETTING FOR A UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN DINING EXPERIENCE.

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FINLAY’S EXECUTIVE CHEF INDIAN BORN “DJ”

I was scheduled to cook with Finlay’s executive chef. Thank God I was too bloody tired. This guy, India-born 'DJ', was word class and I left the choices up to him. In fact, he taught me a few things.

Parmesan arancini balls, local cockles, seafood linguini, sensational prawn tacos and Mellissa’s own lemon, lime and coconut cheesecake - my God, was it something special.

Over lunch we had the chance to talk about the frightening cyclone that decimated the town of Kalbarri and the incredible work that Finlay’s did to support the local community.

Melissa’s story is quite compelling and, as she reiterates, it's what any local in the same position would do.

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BASED IN THE BEAUTIFUL SEASIDE TOWN OF KALBARRI, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, FINLAY’S KALBARRI SPECIALISES IN PROVIDING FRESH KALBARRICAUGHT FISH - AND HAS DONE SO FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AUSTRALIA'S CORAL COAST, DAVID O'MALLEY

Australia's

C o r a l

T

C o a s t

here are few, if any, places in the world that can lay claim to the diversity and sheer splendour of experiences and landscapes found in Australia’s Coral Coast region of Western Australia.

Starting just north of Perth, the capital and gateway to the state, the Coral Coast follows the temperate waters of the Indian Ocean for some 1,100kms to Exmouth at the top of the Ningaloo Reef. The region enjoys a warm year-round climate, from Mediterranean in the south, bordering on sub-tropical in the north, with weather so good you can swim in the ocean somewhere on the coast every day of the year.

Summer can bring higher temperatures, so generally April to October is regarded as the best time of the year to visit as the region experiences warm, sunny days and cooler evenings. For lovers of the ocean though, any time of the year is good. Highlights of the Coral Coast are its national parks, the Pinnacles Desert, the remote Abrolhos Islands, the Pink Lake, the Kalbarri gorges, the Shark Bay and Ningaloo World Heritage-listed areas, and the food bowl of Western Australia, Carnarvon, with its abundance of seafood, plantations and food crops. And it is also one of the top spots in Australia to discover Aboriginal culture.

Such is the allure of the region that it has now developed into one of the greatest road trips on earth – the Coral Coast Highway.

This 1,250km stretch of road between Perth and Exmouth along

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the Indian Ocean passes through other-worldly lunar landscapes, a sparkling pink lake, rugged inland and coastal gorges, rich farming and grazing country and the colourful scenery of the Australian Outback, where the red desert sands meet the sea.

And don’t forget the thousands of colourful seasonal wildflower species, many endemic to small areas.

And no article would be complete without mentioning the region’s two World Heritage-listed areas: Shark Bay with its 80km Shell Beach and nearby stromatolites, the world’s oldest lifeform dating 3.5 billion years; and Ningaloo, Australia’s largest fringing reef at 300km long. The reef is unaffected by coral bleaching and boasts over 500 types of coral and 250 species of fish. It is home to three of Australia’s bucket-list experiences: swimming with the giant whale sharks, manta rays and humpback whales.

Pre-COVID the Coral Coast was a rapidly emerging must-visit holiday destination, especially for overseas visitors. Needless to say, the impacts of the pandemic on tourism have been widespread and threatened to unravel all the years of marketing to get to this point. What COVID failed to appreciate though is the resilience of country people in Western Australia. Rather than lament the loss of out-of-state visitors, the tourism industry of the region simply turned its attention to and adapted business models to take advantage of the inability of locals to travel out of the state.

The result? Record visitation levels in 2021.

S H A R K B AY

- S e a s p ray ri s e s ove r t h e Z u y td o r p c lif f s i n S h a r k B ay, We s te r n A u s t ra lia

P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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t h e

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j o u r n e y

t o

T H E J O U R N E Y TO S H A R K B AY A N D C R A N A R V O N A L O N G W E S T E R N A U S T R A L I A' S C O R A L C O A S T B E G A N W I T H A S I M P L E TO A S T I E AT A FA B U L O U S C A F E I N HA M EL I N P OOL - L E ADI NG TO A CHANCE M EE TI NG WITH A B E AUTI FI L SOU L WHO HAD H ER OWN SPECIAL S TORY TO SHARE.

P H O T O : Sean Scott

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Free Spirit A n n

H a h l

I

am Ann. A free spirit. I'm a mother, grandmother and a great-grandmother. I have three children, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. I've been a teacher and a theatrical costume designer for many years in Launceston; for musicals like Evita, Cabaret, My Fair Lady, and the dance company. In 'spare' times, I've built a home on a mountain; created a food garden, growing just about everything except tea and coffee; adopted cats and dogs over the years; become a quiltmaker with a stash to rival a shop; and found time to take grandchildren to see New Zealand. Ten years ago my granddaughters and I undertook a grand trip from Tasmania to Karumba using inland roads, visiting places like the zoo in Dubbo and the Stockmans Hall of Fame in Longreach, among other places of interest. In my late forties, I traced my father's ancestry, travelling across Canada and England, finding descendants of the family, and writing a book about the families related to me.

Ann Hahl on her 79th birthday set out on her own from Tasmania and visited 79 beaches around Australia, ending up at Shark Bay.

I have lived at the beach, in a valley, and now on a mountain sheltered by snow-capped peaks in the winter time; peaceful and inspiring. I enjoyed travels across the world and Australia for many years, going to Canada and the UK, including memorable beaches, although I used train travel rather than drive. I loved seeing Lyme Regis, Whitby, and the Welsh coastline, taking many photographs standing in harbour waters and seasides whenever possible.

After death-defying surgery in 2018, coming up to my 70th birthday, I decided to drive around Australia and visit 70 beaches to celebrate 70 years of life - alone in my four-wheel drive, living in my converted vehicle. What an adventure! Meeting people in parks and road stops, waving to road-train drivers, seeing many places off the main road, exploring a country with vast floodplains in the north; long, wide shores (stopping to photograph my feet in the sea); cities and outback towns - having a wonderful time being on the road, accompanied by music. Visiting Hamelin Pool in WA was an amazing experience, volunteering at the caravan park, meeting so many people on their travels. Hamelin Pool has so much history, and is the home of the stromatolites - the earliest known living organisms to generate oxygen in the earth's atmosphere.

Of course, the pandemic altered life as we know it, and I await the opportunity to go on the road again in 2022. I want to see more of this land, and hopefully another trip overseas to see first-hand many of the countries I've seen on documentaries. Life is being aware of where we are; 'walking across' the world, and marveling at the wealth of life and the knowledge one 'sees' on the journey- it is incomparable. Free spirit indeed.

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C A R N A R V O N R A I LW AY S TAT I O N M U S E U M P H O T O : Phil Harte

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All

a b o a r d

A

rriving in Carnarvon around 8.30pm, Frank got us there right on time, parking the Swagman right at the entrance of One Mile Jetty, our pre-arranged breakfast location to meet Paul Kelly for an early morning cook.

After a tea and a few Scotch Finger biscuits, we closed up for the night knowing that a freezing 6am wake-up call was around the corner.

As the early sun peeked through, we were out front, cameras at the ready capturing a magnificent Carnarvon sunrise. Arriving at night, we didn’t realise that we were in the middle of a train museum. Then, before we new it, we had set up our breakfast table and Breville stove, complete with linen, crockery and gas burner - and our Stanley thermos was full of boiling water for our first cuppa.

Our host this morning was Paul Kelly from the Gascoyne Food Council in Carnarvon, joining us for a freshly baked Shark Bay prawn frittata and a cup of freshly brewed Vittoria coffee.

We only had two hours to set up, cook and pack up, and as we readied to depart we took a 10-minute detour to find a local beach and submerge ourselves in what felt like the Arctic. It was fresh, to say the least - just what was needed to wake us up for the run to Karratha.

So as I sat in my onboard office, Steve was plotting my next cook and photoshoot as Frank had his head down, looking to plug us in somewhere in the next two hours.

At 9.30pm we are 20 clicks out from Port Hedland, one of Australia’s busiest ports, with every other truck carrying three to four trailers and heading south at breakneck speed. We decided to find a quiet siding and get six hours sleep before a nine-hour run to Broome.

Once leaving Port Hedland, there is absolutely nothing but flat Australiana as far as the eye can see - until a little roadhouse at Pardoo.

Roadhouses have become unique gathering places. We are drawn to them, knowing that each one will uncover a little gem from just a chat with a family on their annual holiday pilgrimage. The staff at many of these culinary oaises come from all nations, working their way around this great southern land, a place that we Aussies unfortunately take for granted.

PHOTO :

WA D ED P h oto g ra p h y

Making our way north, the skies opened for a rare downpour, giving a brilliant sheen to the new vegetation and bringing the terracotta clay vista to life, with thousands of spectacular baobab trees lining the way.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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CAPE

C A P E L E V E Q U E , A S P E C TA C U L A R W I L D E R N E S S N O R T H O F B R O O M B E C KO N E D .

L O C AT E D AT T H E T I P O F T H E D A M P I E R P E N I N S U L A , W I T H I T S B L O O D - R E D CL I FFS , W E FO U N D A P R I S T I N E A N D U N TO U CH ED PA R A D I SE I N A SACR ED L A N D.

P H O T O : Sean Scott

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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W

ith Broome firmly in our sights, I was truly expecting from all the hype a coastal utopia of sorts, or even simply a storybook pearling community that each day would sit on the brilliant white sandy beaches and wait with anticipation for the blistering sunsets to arrive as if there was to be a traditional evening sacrifice of sorts.

Unfortunately, there was none of the above, with my dreams of a Nirvana dashed as Broome had become a melting pot of backpackers and ancient retirees that make their annual pilgrimage north in hope of, I don’t know what.

Broome for me has simply become abused to the extent that it has truly lost its way, with little if any true character.

Fortunately, the sunsets are still there, the one thing that hasn’t been tampered with.

Broome still boasts those pearling communities, and the sunsets, but sadly the fantasy is fast fading.

Fortunately only spending two nights, we decided to hire a 4X4 and head even further north to a spectacular wilderness camp called Kooljaman at Cape Leveque that sits on the bloodred cliffs of the Dampier Peninsula, a pristine and untouched part of a sacred land.

Kooljaman allows around 100 guests to stay and experience daily tag-along tours with local Indigenous tour guides, like Brian Lee who shares his country and unique Aboriginal perspective with you.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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Kooljaman is the Bardi Aboriginal name for Cape Leveque. It is located 220km north of Broome at the tip of the Dampier Peninsula.

My name is Sheliah Manado Chaquebor, a local Bardi staff member who has been working on this country for nine years. Being part of Kooljaman and working on my Grandfather's country is a great privilege, sharing the knowledge and the culture with the tourists.

Kooljaman is proudly owned and operated by the Bardi people. Meeting and greeting people from all over the world and working with people from many different places has been one of the greatest highlights for me. Kooljaman is a special place and being an Indigenous member of staff, being able to learn and teach, being part of the team in the country my family is from, means a great deal. This country is paradise. It's not only the way it looks, but the way it feels. That feeling promotes family and team work. The feeling you get from this country we call gorna liyarn (which means good heart), and this has given me so many skills, knowledge, passion and confidence to keep me going to experience more in life. This is what the country has given to me, and I want to continue to give back to it.

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w h a t

d o e s

Kooljaman

m e a n

t o

WORDS BY

:

y o u ?

JASIR AH

I

have an ancestral connection to Kooljaman, so it’s not just a resort to me. My mother’s mother was born where the lighthouse stands and her brother was born down on the western beach where all the red cliffs are. I enjoy hearing about why people choose to stay at Kooljaman. Some say it's been on their bucket-list for years. Some happen to stumble across it and others just want to immerse themselves in the Indigenous culture.

Being able to offer our guests at Kooljaman a number of cultural tours makes me feel proud as an Aboriginal person to be able to share our culture with others. Not only do they love the experience, but they also leave with a special memory of Kooljaman that they will remember for years.

I’ve had guests who travel all the way to Kooljaman just to do one of our cultural tours, because they heard from friends and family that the tour was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

In Bardi, our heart or spirit is called our liyarn (lee-arn). For me, working at Kooljaman and hearing all the positive things that our guests have to say about us makes my liyarn feel so full and happy.

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KOOLJAMAN - The Bardi Aboriginal name for Cape Leveque

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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It was an early night back at camp as 3am would see us on the road for our longest drive to Katherine via Fitzroy Crossing and Kununurra, before heading north to Darwin - 23 hours and plenty of toasties.

Steve was very excited to cruise through his namesake, Fitzroy Crossing, and without much fanfare we arrived, found our roadhouse of choice, grabbed a coffee and were back at it. Little did we know that not 150km up the road, we would hear a concerning rubbing noise coming from the left side. Under inspection, our worst fears were realised; a stripped tyre with bands of steel radial protrubing through the rubber.

Having pulled in, it was discovered that prior to leaving Burleigh Heads, the wheel brace was overlooked and we were stranded, 200 clicks from Halls Creek, with no internet or phone and with no option but to chance the two-hour crawl to town.

With our hearts in our proverbial mouths, your writer was breathless. We walked ourselves through just this scenario weeks earlier. What if we get a flat in the middle of nowhere?

Well, after crawling into Halls Creek, we miraculously found a tyre-repair garage in a town that had only a pub, a one-star motel and two petrol stations. What are the chances of a tyre specialist being there?

What should have been a 30-minute job in now etched in Halls Creek folkelore, as the boys attempted to take off the outer wheel. That was only the beginning.

Over the following six hours, we released the first wheel. However, the damaged inside wheel refused any attempts to be released. In fact, four specialists with a rattle gun, hydraulic jacks, wheel braces and two two-meter-long crowbars were unsuccessful.

Next up was a 10-tonne forklift, hooking on to the tyre hoping to engage a release. Not so easy; enter fork lift number two, a 20-tonner and a five-metre chain that was to be wrapped around the wheel in a further attempt to rip the wheel off.

As light was fading and the end of the work day only minutes away, we managed to entice the boys with cold frothing refreshments and a guarantee of tax-free wealth beyond their wildest dreams.

And as the offer was pondered, out came the boss with his personal oxy acetylene kit, complete with Iron Man mask and a torch, screaming out to stand clear. Ignition and, as the sparks were flying, the two forklifts were squealing with the chains at full torque.

Frank and Co, crowbars in hand, finally prised the beast loose.

So, we survived our greatest challenge on tour and from my trusty on-board recliner I’m penned a story that would be impossible to script or even imagine you just needed to be there. There is no doubt the boys of Halls Creek have been left with lifelong memories of those three amigos in that bloody big black Swagman.

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journey DARWIN

KUNUNARRA

HALLS CREEK ALICE SPRINGS ULURU

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P H O T O : Steven Fitzroy

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HUMPTY DOO BARRAMUNDI

Drin H a r b o u r

W

e woke at 4am, having laid to rest at a roadside camp only four hours earlier, and gingerly made our way to Kununurra and Katherine, a 10-hour drive to Darwin, maintaining our unforgiving schedule.

This morning we met the blistering sunrise at 5.30am. At Darwin Harbour, we set up the kitchen preparing to whip up a steamed whole baby barra, ginger, onions, garlic, limes and chilli in a bath of Lillypilly Moscato. It was accompanied by a pan-seared barra fillet finished in a tomato, chilli and lime broth. At 10am, we dropped by the barra farms of Humpty Doo before setting sights for Tennant Creek and a roadside camp. Then it was a night at the Quest Alice Springs and a sunrise at Uluru.

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THE ROCK

H AV I N G T R AV E L L E D S O M E 15 ,0 0 0 K M , W E T U R N E D S O U T H F R O M DA R W I N VIA ALICE SPRINGS AND TENNANT CREEK ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH A R G U A B LY A U S T R A L I A’ S M O S T I C O N I C N AT U R A L F E AT U R E , U L U R U .

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FIERY RED AND ORANGE SANDS ON MANGROVE ISLAND SOUTH OF MACKAY IN QLD

PHOTO :

To n y H e w i t t & D e n i s G l e n n o n

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I

t’s been around 20 years since I first had the privilege of climbing the behemoth, Uluru, where many have died in their attempts to reach the top.

On approach, we were silently excited, knowing that on we would still gasp at the enormity of what we all call 'the rock'.

As the sun commenced its rise, we found it hard to explain what actually happens on this desert tapestry. With the many changing colours from the desert floor to the top of the rock, nature certainly has a unique way of expressing herself artistically.

Our visit had us enjoying three nights at Sails in the Desert, Voyages' luxury offering with a spectacular terrace suit and days of bespoke experiences. This included a private visit to the Walkatjara Art Gallery, under the stars with Tali Wiru and cocktails at the Field of Lights, with 50,000 glass spheres spread across the desert floor, leading your eyes through a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colour.

Sails in the Desert boasts soaring white shade sails, 228 lavishly appointed rooms and suites, with a sparkling swimming pool lined with lush gumtrees, just begging us to linger over unique Australian flavours paired perfectly with our favourite regional wines at one of the resort's many dining, lounge, and bar options. In the afternoon, the brasserie-style Ilkari Restaurant would allow us to unwind after a day of exploring, with cocktails and Indigenousinspired cuisine in the Walpa Lobby Bar.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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After our late lunch, we immersed ourselves in one-of-a-kind Indigenous art at the stunning Mulgara Gallery, before being dragged into complete relaxation with one of the Red Ochre Spa's sumptuous treatments, and did I need that after days on the road.

Meandering back to our suite, it was as we had the whole floor with a separate living area, huge bedroom and multiple balconies. Our suite was a modern, neutral palette accented by colours and textures from Anangu creation stories and the desert landscape outside.

Luxurious features such as a spa bath and rainwater shower and, of course, Sails in the Desert’s bed, are complemented by local Indigenous artwork and artefacts.

Our stay is inclusive of delicious breakfast daily at Ilkari Restaurant and a daily turndown service.

Rooms are configured with a king bed and ensuite bathroom, with soaking bath and rain shower head and twin-sink vanity.

Our stay included free Indigenous activities programs, return Ayers Rock Airport transfers, free use of Ayers Rock Resort shuttle bus service, while children 15 years and under stay free using existing bedding.

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Experience the tranquillity of the predawn land under a canopy of stars.

Watch the amazing transformation of colours and life as the desert awakens with Uluru and Kata Tjuta as your backdrop, in the company of expert guides.

explained some of the rock paintings and stories from the creation period as told by the Anangu people. Next stop is the Cultural Centre, a vibrant and engaging place of learning where the local lore of the Anangu is explained in detail.

Desert Awakenings is designed to introduce you to the natural and cultural landscapes of this remarkable region.

After a huge day of exploring, it was back for a shower and then a few cocktails before readying for the signature night, Field of Lights, which illuminates the desert as far as the eye can see with gentle rhythms of colour.

The distant domes of Kata Tjuta came into view as we enjoyed a traditional Aussie breakfast of bacon and egg rolls, tea, coffee and home-made damper with golden syrup, all in the open air.

After breakfast our guide explained the natural history of the region, and as the daylight revealed the myriad animal tracks in the sand, it was an insight into the activity taking place during the night.

Once the sun was up, we enjoyed a guided tour at the base of Uluru.

First stop is Kuniya where you'll take a short walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole.

A visit here helped us appreciate its cathedral-like proportions and why it is such a powerful and spiritual place for visitors and Anangu (local Aboriginal people) alike. Our guide

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The critically acclaimed Field of Light Uluru by the internationally celebrated artist Bruce Munro is on display and, due to popular demand, has now been extended indefinitely.

The exhibition, aptly named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku, or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’ in local Pitjantjatjara, is Munro’s largest work to date.

Overwhelming in size, covering more than seven football fields, it invites immersion in its fantasy garden of 50,000 spindles of light, the stems breathing and swaying through a sympathetic desert spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white.

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Our host for our two nights' stay was our long-time mate Dave White. Determined to get a feature in our next edition, he rolled out the red carpet with suites at Sails on the Desert, personalised tours of the entire community - cocktails and canapés under the stars with front-row seats on sunset - a private signature dinner with world- class Indigenous chefs and choppers over the rock. But my favourite was meeting the apprentices and local trainees for coffee and seeing first-hand the amazing work done by the Voyages group in educating and preparing the Indigenous youth for a future in hospitality.

A few days at Uluru is truly remarkable, giving you the opportunity to visit GOIA, Gallery of Indigenous Art, a world-class working gallery created in collaboration with Anna White.

Our last night was spent savouring the magnificent Tali Wiru. It will take your breath away.

The contrast between the spectacular natural setting and the world-class gastronomic adventure on your plate is awe-inspiring. This is so much more than a dining experience; it's a moment in time remembered forever.

Tali Wiru means ‘beautiful dune’ in local Anangu language and encapsulates the magic of fine dining celebrating gin-soaked cucumber and green ants with sautéed scallops, all whilst being seduced by the southern desert sky, Uluru and the distant domes of Kata Tjuta.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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Every course of this exclusive four-course dinner is infused with ancient native herbs and spices.

Every course of this exclusive four-course dinner is infused with ancient native herbs and spices. Each dish is constructed to respect and put a spotlight on the quality and attributes of each ingredient and bring them together in harmony.

There are taste items such as pressed wallaby with fermented quandong as an entree, while main course could be pan-roasted scallops with coastal greens, desert oak and fermented muntries.

Dessert is a chocolate taste sensation with Davidson plum, lemon myrtle and quandong. Each dish is carefully paired with premium Australian wine under the watchful eye of Indigenous chef Lucy Kennedy and head waiter Shanowa Nai. As 5am arrived, it was time to head north and with border closures imminent, we needed to get to the Queensland border, a mere 18 hours drive away.

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CHEF LUCY KENNEDY

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Voyages A Y E R S

R O C K

R E S O R T A N D

M O S S M A N

G O R G E

C E N T R E

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, owned by the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, operates properties in remote regions of Australia. This includes Ayers Rock Resort in Central Australia and Mossman Gorge Centre in tropical North Queensland.

Voyages is the largest single employer of Indigenous hospitality staff in Australia, with Indigenous employees making up approximately 40 per cent of its total workforce. The National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA) is a program that was created by the organisation to provide educational and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians. The academy aims to change the lives of its trainees by offering market-leading programs to empower a growing Indigenous workforce.

NITA’s unique training, work, and residential program closely supports the trainees, allowing them to participate in the local community, learn life skills, and obtain the qualifications required to kickstart careers in tourism, hospitality and horticulture.

After graduation, many build long-term, successful careers with Voyages, or alternatively take their skills home to utilise within their own communities.

Since NITA’s inception in 2011, nearly 600 students have successfully completed their training through the program, obtaining nationally-recognised qualifications with their partners William Angliss Institute and Charles Darwin University.

Ayers Rock Resort’s premium outdoor dining experience, Tali Wiru, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2022, operates with a 100 per cent Indigenous team. This includes Shanowa Nai, who grew up in Townsville and completed her traineeship at the Mossman Gorge Centre, earning a Certificate III in Hospitality.

Shortly after, Shanowa moved to Uluru where she has been a Tali Wiru team leader since 2018.

Lucille Kennedy is another of Voyage’s success stories. Lucille completed the first two years of her chef ’s apprenticeship at Mossman Gorge in 2020 and transitioned into her final year at the five-star Sails in the Desert Hotel, located at Ayers Rock Resort.

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TALI WIRU HOSTESS SHANOWA NAI

"I can’t wait to take what I’ve learnt about native ingredients and healthy cooking to my family and community back home," says Lucille.

Through its established charity, Anangu Communities Foundation, Voyages directly assists with the development of Indigenous communities in the region. Funds raised are used in areas such as health care, children’s programs, and education.

To further support regional communities, Voyages opened the Gallery of Central Australia (GoCA) at Ayers Rock Resort this year. The gallery exhibits and sells Indigenous art exclusively curated from Central Australia, complementing the diverse range of cultural experiences already available to guests.

GoCA provides an opportunity for emerging and established regional artists, many of whom live in remote areas rarely visited by travellers, to have a place to showcase their work and be remunerated fairly and in-line with industry standards. To date, over 500 consignments have been purchased at the gallery, resulting in remarkable returns for the local artists.

Additionally, there is an ongoing Artist in Residence program to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for guests to experience these amazing Indigenous works of art in the making.

All profits from Voyages business activities go toward building the resort experience and supporting Indigenous training and employment across Australia.

PHOTO :

Phil Harte

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P H O T O : Sean Scott

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NEW

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A S T H E N O RT H ER N T ER R I TO RY WA S , BY T H E H O U R , FA L L I N G V I C T I M TO COV I D O U T B R E A K S , I T WA S TI M E TO M AKE TH E FI NAL DA SH TO TH E B ORDER TOWN OF C A MOOWE AL . IT WA S A M ERE 18 HOURS' DRIVE FROM THE ROCK VIA ALICE SPRINGS, TENNANT CREEK AND A SHARP RIGHT AT T H R E E W AY S R O A D H O U S E , U P T H E B A R K LY H I G H W AY A N D I N TO S L E E P Y O L D C A M O O W E A L , QUEENSLAND.

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ou could only imagine the state of the three of us as we pulled off the side of the road completely exhausted as we sought after a quiet siding to bunker down for the night. Once we rolled into position, we ventured outside into the pitch black to be met with a billion stars. Not a word would be spoken as we each crashed, yearning for a few good hours of rest. Our next haul was a 16-hour run to Cairns via Charters Towers. There wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about, only the procession of Kenworths bearing down on us, all content to dish up bullet-sized rocks that, like machine-gun fire, exploded across our windscreen.

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T R A C Y

H A L L A R A N

B O R N I N TO A F I S H I N G FA M I LY, I H AV E K N O W D O U B T I H AV E S A LT WAT E R R U N N I N G T H R O U G H M Y V E I N S .

A

s a child, I was always with my Dad, following him around whilst he was fishing. In the early days of the 1970s, I spent a lot of time on game boats with him.

As time moved on, my parents bought a commercial fishing boat and my sister and I did our schooling by correspondence. We would be out to sea for six weeks at a time, coming to land for one week to unload our catch and then out again for six weeks. We did this for four years .

Dad always gave me small fish to fillet - cod, perch and sweetlip - and at the age of about 10, as I got better, I was allowed to fillet the coral trout.

Moving on a few years, I remained in the fishing industry, working on game-fishing boats in the tourisim industry on Hamilton Island as a deckhand .

Eventually, I obtained my unrestricted coxswain women’s ticket. I was so proud and decided to move to Weipa where I was involved in commercial crabbing as a business for two years.

After getting tired of crabbing, a great opportunity came up to run a commercial barramundi fishing camp at Edward River in the Gulf of Carpentaria for four years; so I jumped at it.

More recently, I have been working at ISP (Independent Seafood Producers) in Cairns for nearly nine years as a processor, supplying Cairns and the regional area's restaurants and businesses with the best fresh local seafood.

I’m really proud to have been on this lifelong journey in the fishing industry, starting out with my Dad and sister many years ago and finally settling in North Queensland.

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A

s we limped into Cairns, we dropped by MG Kailis to pick up a couple of their amazing tropical lobsters, as dinner was calling. It only left us to sort out a beachside possie, if only to take in a sunset, the water and I could rustle up a little chilli lobster.

Dropping into see Dave at ISP, and his crack team, we snaffled a kilo of tiger prawns and Moreton Bay bug meat to create a couple of pies using our Breville oven on the shores of Cardwell.

journey CAIRNS

TENANT CREEK

CAMOOWEAL

TOWNSVILLE BOWEN MACKAY

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P H O T O : Sean Scott

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Our drive down the eastern seaboard was just like being back in the 1970s as the old seaside villages and the sugarcane fields just kept rolling by. Having thrilled the locals with the prawn and bug pies on the boardwalk at Cardwell, we headed for the home of the North Queensland Cowboys and a catch-up with the Iconic Johnathan Thurston.

Checking into the Quest Townsville on Ayre, we needed to get ready for a shoot with arguably one of Australia’s most celebrated footballers. But this wasn’t to chat about footy; it was to hear what JT was up to post-football and hearing about his impact on the local Indigenous community.

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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THURSTON J O H N AT H A N T H U R S TO N I S A S T R O N G , P O S I T I V E I N F L U E N C E A N D R O L E M O D E L , A S D E M O N S T R AT E D B Y H I S L O N G L I S T O F A C C O L A D E S , I N C L U D I N G 2 0 1 8 A U S T R A L I A N H U M A N I TA R I A N O F T H E Y E A R .

KEN STEPHENS MEDAL (2012) HONORARY DOCTORATE OF LETTERS,JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY (2015) AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEDAL (2017) QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR (2018)

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ohnathan Thurston is a strong, positive influence and role model, as demonstrated by his long list of accolades, including 2018 Australian Humanitarian of the Year.

It is critical to note that Johnathan’s well-published messages are spoken directly from his sincere passion of our nation’s youth and his Indigenous culture. In doing so, this organically creates an experience that fosters group cohesion, community, shared responsibility, and a greater sense of self-belief and identity.

Johnathan Thurston sat in a room full of footballers wondering who the man that was about to address them was.

Set to play in the first NRL All Stars match back in 2010, some of the biggest names in rugby league had been summoned to listen to a stranger.

“Turns out it was Dr Chris Sara,” Thurston said. “And what he said would change my life.”

Dr Sara, the renowned Indigenous rights and education campaigner, looked the footballers up and down. All famous and at the top of their game, the 17 Indigenous players had been assembled to take on the NRL All Stars.

“So who are you?” Dr Sara asked.

“And where do you come from?”

They were the two questions that would end up inspiring Thurston to become a famous Indigenous rights and education campaigner himself.

“I honestly didn’t have any answers to those questions,” Thurston said.

“He continued to ask questions like ‘what do you know about your family history?’ and I was almost embarrassed that I knew little to nothing.”

So Thurston played his match, a 16-12 debut win for the Indegnous team, and went directly to see his Mum. “She was very excited when I started asking questions about her family,” Thurston said.

“She pulled out all the photo albums and beamed with pride as she told me stories about her past.”

The talk inspired Thurston to travel to his mother’s hometown to learn more about his family. The seeds of what would become the Johnathan Thurston Academy were sown in a place called Mitchell in the Western Downs district of the Maranoa Region of Queensland.

“I felt a real connection to the place and had a very emotional experience,” Thurston said.

“I learned all about my history. All about my people.”

Thurston also learned about the hardships; learned that the kids did not have access to things we all take for granted.

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“The biggest thing that got to me was the lack of opportunity that the kids had,” Thurston said. “There were no roadmaps for them. No paths for them to become a success.”

And that is why Thurston launched the Johnathan Thurston Academy in 2018.

“There are two sides to the academy,” Thurston said.

“One is helping disadvantaged kids with education and in helping them gain employment. We have a number of programs which have proved really successful, thanks to some incredible partners.

Our dream is to have the kids that go through our programs to go and work for our partners. We have jobs available in all sorts of industries and in all sorts of roles.

“We have recently gotten into the justice space working with high-risk kids. We are trying to help them turn their lives around; trying to help them make better choices so they can succeed.”

When not working for Channel Nine as an NRL commentator, Thurston travels to places as remote as Mitchell, Western Downs, in a hands-on role with his academy.

I felt a real connection to the place and had a very emotional experience; I learned all about my history.

All about my people.

His organisation is responsible for JTLeadLikeAGirl, a standout program for young women, focused on developing leadership, teamwork, and other key skills that promote success throughout one’s life and career. The program engages directly with young women through interactive and inspirational workshops exploring personal development and achievement. Over eight months, participants hear from industry leaders and participate in discussions about achieving goals. They prepare for life’s challenges and utilise tools critical for personal, educational and professional development. Key program topics include self-belief, leadership, teamwork, holding the ladder up for each other, being bold, shining the light on other women, brilliance, confidence and personal and career goal setting and planning.

It is critical to note that Thurston's well-published messages are spoken directly from his sincere passion for our nation’s youth and his Indigenous culture. In doing so, this organically creates an experience that fosters group cohesion, community, shared responsibility, and a greater sense of self-belief and identity.

Sound Mind, Sound Body We believe in the positive power of sport and movement – that it can transform us individually and as a community, that it can uplift our mind and bodies.

p l a i n

s a i l i n g

BOWEN IS A NAME SYNONYMOUS WITH SWEET MANGOES, BUT FISHING IS A M O N G T H I S N O R T H Q U E E N S L A N D TO W N ' S B I G G E S T AT T R A C T I O N S W I T H A B O U N T R Y O F S E A L I F E T O B E F O U N D I N T H E L O C A L C R E E K S , C O R A LSTUDDED ISLANDS AND OFFSHORE REEFS.

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W H I T S U N DAY T I DA L WAT E R S

- T h e be a u tif u l tid a l c h a n n e l s of t h e W h i t s u n d ay I s l a n d s lie s o u t h - e a s t of t h e B owe n r e g io n i n Q u e e n s l a n d P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t ( G i r t b y S e a P r o j e c t )

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LOCAL FISHERMAN FRANC BEZGOBSCK

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ire Must la C d n a y rr e T

Our two nights in Townsville were spent enjoying the Quest on Ayre and, after giving the gym and the pool a workout, we left at the crack of dawn rumbling down the Bruce Highway bound for Bowen and a cook-up on board Three Seas with Terry Must and his team.

Arriving at 7am , coffee in hand, we were to set up our kitchen on board the million-dollar workhorse, a 13.5-metre catamaran, the pride of their fishing operation.

With Terry scrubbing the decks, fresh mackerel were being unloaded and the crew started to deliver my pantry of scallops, prawns and a few dozen oysters as we prepared the kitchen for the morning's cook.

As I started the prep for the seafood pie, Terry started filleting a freshly caught mackerel and rounded up the local produce to hero the dish - eggplant, capsicum, parsley, garlic, tomatoes and onions with a bag of lemons and a dozen local eggs.

I had 90 minutes all up to do three dishes, so it was all go. As I was putting the pie in the Breville, Franc, a genuine old salt of the sea, turned up to see what all the commotion was about.

As the clock turned over to 9am, we were all ready to serve up pies, mackerel, scallops, prawns and oysters. And soon, as they were plated up, the crew were ready and willing to devour.

Both Terry and Claire Must, a serious fishing family, are planning their exit strategy with hopes of sooner than later sailing around Australia on a retirement adventure with no real course set.

THREE SEAS, THE PRIDE OF THE FLEET FOR TERRY MUST AND THE TEAM, WAS THE PERFECT VENUE FOR A MORNING COOK-UP ON BOARD.

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owen to Mackay was only a few hours south and we were set to enjoy a sunset at Dave Caracciolo’s Mackay Reef Fish Suplies jetty with a few of his crew. Tying up and unloading, we got chatting to a lifelong seaman, 84-yearold Colin Mitchell. This is his story of a life at sea.

"As the sun sets, I can only reflect on my past 84 years, of which 74 of them would end up seduced by the ocean and my love of fishing," says Colin.

"I remember as World War II broke out, my father built our family's first trawler and for years my four brothers and I would work the decks until Dad eventually had to sell.

"Being the more adventurous of the clan, I bought my very own trawler and for the next 60 years I could be found as far south as Eden and as far north as Cairns and Cooktown, fighting off cyclones, floods, wars and ever-reccurring recessions and ongoing challenges.

"Having bought and sold several family homes, my wife Jasmine moved initially from Newcastle to Townsville and to Cairns, supporting the need to fish and to create our business together.

"We finally decided to settle in Mackay in 1984 when I bought the St Joseph Star, a prawn trawler, allowing me to establish our final family home and give us enough support for our later years.

"Selling the St Joseph Star to a mate allowed me to build my final trawler, and together we now keep ourselves busy navigating the waterways of northern Queensland."

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journey ROCKHAMPTON

BUNDABERG HERVEY BAY

MOOLOOLABA BRISBANE GOLD COAST

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rriving in Rocky, it was around 2.30pm on the approach over the Fitzroy Bridge and the Quest Rockhampton was the backdrop for tonight's gallery and heroes cocktail soiree.

A few kilometres from Rocky, we caught up with awardwinning scone and jam maker Nancy Pigeon, who was running the local community centre at Clairview. Tonight would see plenty of locals celebrating the feature spread of the 2021 Heroes edition with special guest State Emergency Service boss Celina Neill.

Our host for the event was Quest franchisee Ben O’Sullivan, along with his family and VIP guests.

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F i s h i n g I n d u s t r y

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rriving at Hervey Bay was like stepping back in time; this sleepy fishing and tourist village was certainly on its own clock.

Catching up with Nick Schulz was a treat as he would share his life’s stories in the fishing industry that would start out in the early 1940s of WWII, when he would trade local chicken and eggs for ice cream with the US submarine sailors that would venture up the Mary River.

Nick Schulz was born in Maryborough on June 16, 1941.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, at the tender age of 10, Nick commenced his fishing journey.

Armed with a 14-foot dingy, six crab pots and 50 yards of fishing net, which was a gift from his father, Nick’s fishing career commenced in the rivers and creeks of the Fraser Coast.

In 1955, Nick and his brother Ed began a professional fishing career netting fish in the waters of the Sandy Straits and Fraser Island with their catch being sold to the Maryborough division of the Fish Board. Nick, who had a thirst for knowledge and an abundance of enthusiasm, wanted to expand his fishing career, so in 1964, under the guidance of family, he built his first fishing boat, named Dorothy. In 1965, Nick assisted his brother Ed in converting a fishing boat into a trawling vessel. Nick and Ed became the pioneers of the scallop trawling industry, working in the beautiful waters of Hervey Bay. Nick became obsessed with fishing trawlers and built the vessel Mary H in 1967. With a good understanding of boatbuilding requirements, Nick built and sold many fishing trawlers over the years.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, at the tender age of 10, Nick commenced his fishing journey.

With Nick’s astute business mind and understanding of the fishing industry, in 1979 he built the 65-foot Spartan, which became the first Department of Primary Industries (DPI) vessel in Australia approved to catch and process scallops at sea. Nick, always looking for opportunities, decided in 1991 he needed a processing factory, wholesale distribution centre and retail shop, so Urangan Fisheries and Schulz Fisheries were born. Sales of wild-caught seafood quickly expanded from the local markets to national buyers across Australia. Soon after, an overseas market was developed which saw Urangan Fisheries export to various countries. Nick’s business empire was expanding. He opened the Gladstone depot in 2001, a facility that unloads and refuels fishing vessels in the Gladstone Harbour and he continued to build more vessels. He completed the fishing vessel Alliance in 1987 and his 198 | C L A S S I C M A G A Z I N E

son Gov skippered this vessel for 15 years. Alliance remains in his current fleet. At one stage, Nick owned seven fishing vessels which caught in the Torres Strait and Queensland east coast fisheries with his main catches being scallops, Moreton Bay bugs and all species of prawns.

After years of dedication to the fishing industry, Schulz Fisheries was the only business in Queensland to secure a deep-water developmental fishing permit. This allows Schulz Fisheries to trawl in depths of up to 1,200 metres in challenging conditions.

This fishery targets the sought-after Giant Scarlet prawn.

Currently Schulz Fisheries is expanding its fishing fleet and will soon be taking possession of the newest and largest vessel within the fleet, the KW, a vessel that has been designed by Nick. This vessel is capable of fishing in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Torres Strait and the deep water off the Queensland coast.

Nick Schulz is currently 80 years young, works seven days a week and just lives and breathes the fishing industry. He has a workshop at home where he builds and maintains equipment used in his fishing trawlers. Nick is a generous man who contributes to many charities and to all in the fishing industry. He is loved by his staff and respected by his peers. He has a wealth of knowledge gained through life experiences, exposures, training and self-created opportunities. We salute you Nick Schulz on a job well done!

H E RV E Y B AY

- C r ys ta l c l e a r wa te r s d ra i n f r o m t h e s a n d ba n k s of H e r vey B ay i n Q u e e n s l a n d P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t

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FS O aUs R MOOLOOL ABA , WITH A PROUD F I S H I N G H E R I TA G E , WA S A B U Z Z W I T H AC TIVIT Y A S TH E TR AWL ER S H E ADED TO P ORT C ARRYI NG ANOTH ER B IG C ATC H D E E P I N T H E I R H O L D S .

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rriving into town from Rockhampton, we enjoyed an early dinner down at the Mooloolaba docks that proved to be a hive of activity with a glut of trawlers winding down for the day after a huge two to threeweeks at sea and having brought home their catch bound for Singapore, LA and the Sydney Fish Market. As well as being a tourist mecca, Mooloolaba is a significant fishing hub with a host of national and international clients.

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P H O T O S : Phil Harte

...many wholesalers and fisheries opened up ready to receive six tonnes of fresh-as-it-gets, straight-off-the-boat produce.

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4

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ith one final stop, it was to be Mooloolaba and a fresh trawler load of swordfish six tonnes, no less - knowing I had to prepare breakfast for the boys and shoot a breathtaking sunrise to boot.

It was 4am and the rain was pelting down as dozens of trawlers approached the docks and the many wholesalers and fisheries opened up ready to receive six tonnes of fresh-as-it-gets, straight-off-the-boat produce.

This was my first time in Mooloolaba and, being a sleepy little gem with a tremendous fishing industry, it is proudly reaching a global market. Meeting up with Craig Hansen from 4 Seas Fisheries, we got to see first-hand how these crack Aussie fishmongers attack the world markets.

From the trawler in Mooloolaba, Monday 4am, it will be cleaned, weighed, graded and on the grill being enjoyed in a sunset boulevard restaurant in Los Angeles by Wednesday.

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H A N W O R T H

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h o u s e

OU R B RISBAN E VISIT WA S SE T U P TO M EE T WITH TH E A M A ZI NG M ARISA VECCH IO, THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE HANWORTH HOUSE. KNOWING HOW BUSY M A R I S S A WA S , I T H O U G H T A F R E S H B ATC H O F S C O N E S A N D A F E W F R I E N D S W O U L D B E N I C E TO A L L O W U S TO TA L K T H R O U G H W AY S T H AT W E C O U L D H E L P W I T H H E R M A N Y P H I L A N T H R O P I C I N I T I AT I V E S .

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HanworthHouse

Marisa

v e c c h i o

P

eople often refer to the Heart of Hanworth when talking about one of my major passions – Hanworth House.

Not just one of Brisbane’s oldest houses, not just home of the first portmaster of Queensland, not just a haven to women for over 120 years - but a shining example of a house which gives out its heart - and seems to capture a few in return!

I am Marisa Vecchio and I stumbled upon this grand lady when my heart was mourning the death of my mother Romana from ovarian cancer in 2012. The restoration of Hanworth became my distraction and my salvation at the same time. I had previously been in the corporate world as a CEO for many years, but looked for a new path which allowed me to indulge my passion for properties and also enabled me to acknowledge my mother’s enormous legacy and contribution. I stumbled upon a 19-bedroom historic house, Hanworth, in disrepair and set out to purchase and restore it in my mother’s honour. That journey swept me away – and very nearly drowned me six months from purchase when a tragic arson attack overnight destroyed over 80 per cent of the home only weeks from opening.

But open it did the following year in July 2014, the month Hanworth also celebrated her 150th birthday. Since then, the stories have flooded in - about the resident Henrietta who lived for 19 years in a room now named after her; stories about the antics of the women who came to live here and held craft fairs and soirees on the lawns. We have created our own stories, success stories of women who came after suffering domestic violence and found their feet before venturing onto safer and brighter futures.

And the ghost stories abound - even I have experienced a spiritual encounter, and I am someone who does not traditionally believe in such stories! And the resident ghost Belvedere who has been sighted by many who lived here in the 1970s-1990s, sadly, since the fire, has gone into hiding.

So, it is little wonder, with so much heart encompassing the home, its fine form and its safe harbour, that it continues to be a core for philanthropic good. I am a believer that the fundamental purpose of business is to create better communities. And there was no better testament to the power of the people than after the arson attack when people turned up to help clean, donating time and furniture to ensure that the restoration of this community and Brisbane icon could continue. I will never forget that.

We have created our own stories, success stories of women who came after suffering domestic violence and found their feet before venturing onto safer and brighter futures.

Hanworth, like a phoenix, rose from the ashes and now offers boutique accommodation and events with purpose. And it raises thousands of dollars annually for charity, including Women’s Legal Service Qld, The Mater Foundation (for breast and ovarian cancer research) and The Brisbane Festival. I am the proud Ambassador for WLS Qld and feel confident that the heart which is Hanworth will continue to put out for many years to come.

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C A N I N E Compnon hip TH E FI NAL DRIVE TO TH E GO L D COA S T AND, AFTER SOME 25,000KM, WE COULDN ’ T MISS OUT ON CALLING IN ON EXPERT GUIDE DOG TR AINER TR ACEY M U R R AY F R O M E M P O W E R A S S I S TA N T D O G S .

T

racey Murray and husband Craig conduct an enormously important service to the community by training and providing the much-needed companionship for the disabled.

Empower Assistance Dogs enhances quality of life and independence for people with disabilities by providing professionally trained and government-certified guide, hearing and assistance dogs. Tracey and Craig established the first governmentcertified organisation to train all three types of service dogs – guide, hearing and assistance dogs. The organisation achieves this through a program of selecting, raising and training dogs to assist disabled people with everyday tasks.

Guide, hearing and assistance dogs are trained to enhance the quality of life of vision or hearing-impaired, and/or physically or mentally-challenged persons, whilst still maintaining as much independence for the handler. This means that the dog will be a permanent working companion for the disabled handler and will assist with a myriad of guide, noise alert or task work while still having the handler work and interact as much as physically or mentally possible. In many cases, a secondary handler will be necessary to help with health, hygiene and exercise and to give play and environmental enrichment to the dog.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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EMPOWER ASSISTANCE DOGS FOUNDERS TRACEY AND CRAIG MURRAY

"It started in the early 1990s when a family friend asked us to train a dog to alert when her baby had hundreds of seizures each day as she had heard about assistance dogs doing seizure alert in the US," said Tracey. "The baby passed away, devastatingly, before we could help which was heartbreaking, but that drove us to gain training in the US so we could train dogs to help people with disabilities. Since that time, we’ve been helping many clients change their lives.

"I remember being at a pet expo and meeting a little six-year-old girl– she had a shaved head and stitching that went across her head in a big cross as she had surgery to remove a significant portion of her brain due to seizures which had left her with partial paralysis down half her body. We had agreed not to take on new clients at that time due to our workload, but when we met this girl, we knew we had to help. We always kept a dog to demonstrate to the public what assistance dogs could do for a person with disability, so we ended up giving her our four-year-old dog so that she had help as soon as possible as she truly needed the support.

"We worked with the family and medical team to also use the dog as part of her recovery therapy to promote building new pathways in her brain. We would encourage the child to walk the dog, holding the lead with her right hand along with other activities to promote building strength on that side of her body.

By the time we had transitioned the dog across to her and moved him into the home, she was already gaining strength and, within the first year, she was able to swing on monkey bars with both hands and ride a bike. It sounds like little things, but they took a lot of effort for her to achieve.

"That girl is now 18 years old, has graduated school and her life is very different thanks to those early days with that dog helping her. He worked by her side until he was 10 years old, then he stayed with her through his retirement, and she held him as he took his last breath. We still get messages from that family about how much they loved and miss that dog.

gs fo r n i h t g n i amaz o d s g o d ing up k c i p s These a s uc h s r e l d n a urning t , s their h m e t i wanted r o ore. d m e p p h o c u dr m and f f o d n a lights on

"Being on the stakeholder panel helping the Queensland Government develop legislation to cover guide, hearing and assistance dogs ensured handlers have public-access rights. We were the first trainers certified in Australia under legislation and the first organisation to gain certification in all three training areas – guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs.

"These dogs do amazing things for their handlers such as picking up dropped or wanted items, turning lights on and off, some dressing and undressing tasks, getting help, opening and closing doors and much more.

We have an established breeding program sourcing dogs from around the world to expand our breeding lines and use a geneticist to ensure we have the best candidates for the job. In 2016, we formed the charity Empower Assistance Dogs, and we now help people that may not be a suitable client for other organisations due to having multiple disabilities."

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DESTINATION GOLD COAST PATRICIA O'CALLAGHAN P H O T O : Phil Harte

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d e s t i n a t i o n

Gold T

he start of 2021 was nerve-wracking and surreal as I relocated my family from North Queensland to take on the role of CEO at Destination Gold Coast. I knew the Gold Coast was hurting after bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role would be tough, but at the same time I found myself excited about the opportunities ahead. Six months on, I could not be prouder to call this city my home.

It’s been an eye-opening experience to play tourist and discover the diversity, natural beauty and fresh energy of the Gold Coast. From the more known aspects like our incredible coastline and beloved theme parks to the hidden gems of our hinterland hideaways, a thriving foodie scene and our deep cultural experiences - there is not a minute of the day you can’t fill with the magic of this place. And who knew we had more waterways than Venice?

From Surfers Paradise to southern Gold Coast, each neighbourhood has such a distinct personality, offering its own unique atmosphere and key experiences. As any visitor trying to narrow down their holiday itinerary will tell you, there are a lot of amazing and really cool things to do. Combine it with our enviable outdoor lifestyle and laid-back attitude, it’s no wonder the Gold Coast is Australia’s favourite holiday destination.

Whilst I’ve loved getting to know my new hometown, there’s been some heartbreaking moments as well.

It’s obviously been an extremely tough time for the local tourism industry. Our operators are struggling due to the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, having lost $3.2 billion of tourism revenue and one in five tourism jobs over the past 18 months.

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The Gold Coast is reimagining, redefining and repositioning and we can't wait to roll out the red carpet for the millions of visitors we are missing dearly.

COVID has hurt the heart and soul of the Gold Coast, but it won’t hold us down. Despite these ongoing hardships, we continue to push through. We truly have a resilient industry, demonstrating a deep passion for our destination and an optimism for our future.

That optimism is well placed, as the next 10 years is shaping up to be a decade of opportunity for our region. The 2032 Olympics in Brisbane will bring global attention and visitors from all over the world to Queensland and we know there will be significant benefit for the Gold Coast beyond the Games themselves. As the world opens again, tourism will bounce back in a big way, and we know there is massive pent-up demand we can capitalise on. And as Australia reaches vaccination targets, borders open again and consumer confidence returns - all those postponed and cancelled holidays will finally come to fruition. And we’ll be ready.

In this time of crisis, we have been rethinking our approach and we have been committed to coming out of this pandemic stronger than we went in. This recovery will be led by new experiences to enhance existing offerings and it is already happening! Major investments in sustainable, cultural, and nature-based tourism experiences are under way or complete. We know these new investments will further tempt the domestic and international markets to rediscover the Gold Coast. Whether it's Wonder Reef, our new underwater dive site, or HOTA Gallery, our multimillion-dollar exhibition space, or the 2,200 hotel rooms currently under construction, the Gold Coast is reimagining, redefining and repositioning and we can’t wait to roll out the red carpet for the millions of visitors we are missing dearly.

While we’re not out of the woods yet, there is hope on the horizon and Destination Gold Coast will continue to have an unwavering focus on supporting our industry get through this as we wait for the day we can welcome back people from around the globe to this special place we all so proudly call home!

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F I N A L D E S T I N AT I O N WA S TO B E T H E I C O N I C K U R R AWA S U R F C L U B AT B R O A D B E A C H .

N AV I G AT I N G M Y W AY T H R O U G H T H E S T R E E T S O F D O W N TO W N ' B R O A DY ' , O U R F I N A L R E S T I N G P L A C E WA S L I T E R A L LY 1 0 M E T E R S F R O M T H E S A N D S O F K U R R AWA R I G H T O N TH E BOARDWALK LEF T OF TH E B E ACH VOLLE YBALL COU RTS AN D 30 M E TER S FROM TH E C R Y S T A L- C L E A R W A V E S O F T H E L E G E N D T H A T I S T H E G O L D C O A S T .

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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KURRAWA SURF CLUB LIFE MEMBERS, KENNY COULSON, NOEL FLAHERTY,JEFF BIGNELL

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n arrival at Kurrawa Surf Club, we were met by Nick Crilly and three life members who turned out to be the backbone of this near 65-year-old institution.

The members couldn’t do enough for us, as we started rounding up the stories and tall tales from clubbies, covering decades on the beachfront, patrolling, volunteering and competing, sitting proudly as one of the top three surf clubs in the nation.

Back then, the club name was the Police Youth Lennons Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club (just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?). It was primarily formed to patrol in front of the Lennons Broadbeach Hotel.

The very first competition cap was reported to be half blue and half gold; after a period of time it was decided that this design had to be amended as officials were confused at carnivals. Members unfortunately did not consistently wear the cap the same side, so for some competitors their left would be gold and for others their left would be blue.

To alleviate this confusion, a new club cap was voted in – all gold, with a one-inch white stripe down the centre and a half-inch royal blue stripe either side of the white stripe.

This cap continues to be used today with all competitors and nippers.

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At this time, after another minor name change, the club was operating as Lennons Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club.

Over time, concerns were raised regarding the difficulty in fundraising. As the club had the word ‘Lennons’ in it, the public assumed that it had the backing of the wealthy Lennons Hotel behind it. The public was not inclined to donate to the small life saving club because of this. A meeting was called in May 1961 to put forward suggestions for a new name. After heavy discussion, it was unanimously voted that the club be called Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club, with 'kurrawa’ the local Aboriginal word meaning ‘blue sea'.

Construction of the original clubhouse began in 1963 with the official opening on October 27, 1963. When eating at the clubhouse, members were asked to bring their own plates, cups and cutlery.

The very first club logo was a surf reel imposed on a gold Maltese cross. Wearing this logo on a shirt or jacket got members a hitch-hike ride if they lived in Brisbane!

In 1963, a bold fundraising initiative involved displaying a dead shark that had been caught. The public were charged 20c each to have a look. This resulted in the club raising $44 from curious onlookers before the shark had to be disposed of within a few days.

Also in 1963, a ‘swear box’ was put in place with a silver coin donation being the minimum fee for cursing. It didn’t last.

In 1965, the president of the club insisted on having his own bed and quarters in the club accommodation. Members took issue with this as they felt the president should enjoy the same facilities provided to the members. This eventually resulted in the president arriving home one evening to find his bed bolted to the top of the partitions in the shower area.

Kurrawa has grown from the original 24 members to over 1,200 today, and has progressed from the original bunk rooms in Lennons Broadbeach Hotel to a new $16 million clubhouse. They are proud to have served the community for 60 years and hope to continue to do so for many more years to come.

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BROADBEACH, GOLD COAST

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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With a 6am start, I new there would be a blistering sunrise poking its noise over the horizon and, right on queue, there it was with the early morning boardriders eager to beat the crowds. With Cafe 28 brewing up their first lattes, I could only discreetly pinch myself, realising how bloody lucky I am to have this kind of access.

The day was a bit of a blur with the chef creating next month's menu with a host of new dishes, all needing to be photographed and taste-tested, including grilled barramundi, braised lamb shanks, roasted pumpkin and goats cheese salad, a half dozen awesome pizzas from the open pizza oven and the traditional coconut prawns, plus the bar joining in with an array of next month's cocktails.

Each afternoon had to include a 5km run, simply to get a break, and at around four, I threw on the Asics and took off down the boardwalk.

The Gold Coast has developed a tremendous bike and walking path from Surfers Paradise all the way to Burleigh, and each morning it gets busier and busier with families and all sorts from the community taking advantage of what I have just now been introduced to.

Dinner time is always an adventure at the club so it was prudent to enjoy the latest addition, the succulent lamb shanks, at Kurrawa’s brasserie. The day was nothing short of taxing and as has become the norm, I called it a night with the pounding of the waves now becoming a regular overture.

With multiple alarms ringing, 5.45am, it was time to get up and get going! A quick swim, hot shower, first coffee, all just before wishing for another remarkable sunrise, all from Tower 28 Cafe.

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AUSTRALIAN SURF LIFESAVING SINGLE-SKI CHAMPION NICK CRILLY

It’s Saturday at the club and 5.30am welcomes the Ironmen and women eagerly opening the rollershutter doors, dragging out the surf skis, rescue boats, tractors and flags. It is training day, and start of the new season, so it's all hands on deck.

This is where the truly committed clubbies get serious and there is no room for the faint-hearted.

Just when I thought it was safe to start snapping, out came the team and, as is on most Sunday mornings, the girls would rule the beachfront, going through their drills on the all-important rescue inflatables, surf skis and boards.

Chatting with these 16-year-old lifesavers, you get a real sense of confidence as the girls display an amazing resilience and camaraderie that has clearly been developed from the training and discipline provided by the club. Spending time with the crew has given me a great respect for the work and commitment afforded by these kids.

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Chatting with these 16-year-old lifesavers, you get a real sense of confidence as the girls display an amazing resilience and camaraderie.

HALLE ASQUITH, DAYNA FEWLINGS AND LARA FEWLINGS

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As 10.30am came around, it was a VIP invite by the old boys of the Kurrawa Surf Club for me to join them at their monthly Old Boys Only catch-up at the Broadbeach Surf Lifesaving Club, less than 500 metres up the beach just by Tower 27.

The 'Broady', as they call it, was established in 1935, some three decades before the Kurrawa club.

This gathering was truly unique, with the usual inter-club rivalry not applying here. These old boys were the best of mates and we were joined by league legend Johnny Lang who had more stories than Aesop.

The average age of these guy’s would have been 70, as they took me through the amazing history of the two clubs over their traditional sausage sizzle and a few eskies of icy cold beers. It was the morning I saw first-hand the meaning of 230 | C L A S S I C M A G A Z I N E

true mateship, with the Bear, Custard, Tickets, Rabbit, Fox, Grumpy and Fish, all swapping stories and shouting each other beers, reminiscing, hour after hour irrespective of fact or fiction. A week at the Kurrawa Surf Club was nothing short of spectacular, for a number of reasons, not least having the entire club, staff and brigade of Old Boys embrace the opportunity to have their club stand above all as iconic and celebrate in our 2022 edition.

Tomorrow morning at 5am, I will sadly be preparing the Swagman to take its signature sunrise shot with hopefully a signature sunrise bouncing off the polished duco. Evan will be rustling up a final latte, Custard clearing a path out along the driveway, while Noel and The Bear will be giving me the thumbs-up as I sit patiently at the lights, sneaking a last glimpse of what was home for the last week on the Gold Coast.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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HER HOME MAY BE A PARK BENCH BUT SELINA ALWAYS MANAGES TO PUT A SMILE ON EVERYONE'S FACE

Every day it's the small things in life that matter most. Selina has lived on a park bench in Broadbeach for years.

Every morning she gets up and brings so much love, happiness and positivity to everyone who surrounds her.

Selina has visitors every morning putting a smile on each and everyone’s face that she talks to, all whilst she feeds their dogs with treats and feeds seeds to the birds.

As the many locals arrive from sunrise, there is a rush to see who gets Selina's morning cappuccino and a freshly baked muffin from the surf club cafe. They always manage to bring along the day's newspaper, helping her to keep up with the news.

Selina is of Scottish descent, but calls her bench at Broadbeach home .

As difficult a day as Selina may have, facing inclement weather and unruly council staff, Selina still has a smile and a kind word for all. Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about and each of us has circumstances out of our control, but for Selina, life’s a beach with every day bringing new challenges as she is simply trying to survive.

Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about and each of us has circumstances out of our control, but for Selina, life's a beach with every day bringing new challenges as she is simply trying to survive.

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SPEARRITT FAMILY - LEAH, OLIVE, LULU AND HARLEY

As the final days tick by, Steve and I make our way to the final few nights on the Gold Coast and to give ourselves enough quiet time to complete our stories. We decided to book into the Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park.

With the pandemic raging across the country, most state borders are locked down, as are many communities. We found that one of the only true family adventures left is the weekend at the caravan park, camping, swimming and enjoying those true family moments.

I had the pleasure to hook up across from the Spearritt family, and, as they arrived, Leah would back the caravan into place ably guided in by Olive. Then Lulu, along with brother Harley, would set about building the campsite.

It was 1965 when our family decided to head north from Bankstown in Sydney with our sights set on a week at the Gold Coast. As we ventured up the Pacific Highway, I remember the many toasties and milkshakes with the occasional hamburger if we were good.

But it was the idea of that adventure with the family that stays with me. No planes, passports and certainly no pandemics; just a lifetime of memories.

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STANLEY

HOBART

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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SEAN Sctt

I T WA S A B O U T T H R E E Y E A R S A G O T H AT I H A D T H E P L E A S U R E O F INCLU DING SE AN SCOT T IN MY CL A SSIC GAL L ERY SERIE S , H E A D Q U A R T E R E D AT S Y D N E Y ’ S H YAT T R E G E N C Y H O T E L .

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E

ach month I would invite a new and brilliant photographer to exhibit their works and, as I was deciding on the 12-month roster, Sean Scott became a simple choice to include.

Sean is a remarkable ocean and landscape photographer, living at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast for the most of his life, clearly drawn to the ocean creating a unique and natural oceanic studio.

Over 20 years, Sean has built his reputation around shooting ocean and coastal landscapes. Seans’s love for the ocean fast-tracked his desire to commence underwater photography, and the rest is history.

Sean’s work is extensive, boasting a significant portfolio of the Outback and astrophotography.

It would be in 2005 that Sean opened his flagship gallery in Burleigh Heads, not only showcasing this superb work, but including a fashion and lifestyle range to his portfolio.

Sean travels extensively, working with several commercial and government clients, such as Tourism Queensland and Tourism Australia. His road trips are all-consuming, leaving little if any spare time in his already tight schedule.

Catching up with Sean was to be a challenge in itself as we both, unknowingly, set out on a national road trip, albeit in different directions. Sean was in a customised photographic 4WD and I was in a 40-foot Swagman motor home complete with pop-up kitchen capabilities, allowing me to create food and photographic content. It was a tad more comfy, no doubt, but some eight weeks later, we are still missing each other’s dinner invitation.

In this edition of Classic Australia - The Iconic edition, Sean shares several spectacular images giving us his perspective from his time on the road.

P H O T O : Sean Scott

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T H E P E R F E C T B L E N D -Ta s m a n i a P H O T O : Sean Scott

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Riesdle t a s m a n i a

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rriving at Hobart Airport, we were relieved to find the Riversdale Estate was only 18 minutes from Hobart, or 10 minutes from the airport to the historic Georgian village of Richmond.

On arriving at the winery, we were scheduled to meet owners Wendy and Ian Roberts, an incredibly passionate duo hellbent on showing off the national treasure.

The estate family are the sixth generation to work and cultivate and have a love of the land. The estate includes cropping and sheep and, of course, the largest Tasmanian privately-owned vineyard in the Coal River Valley.

The gentle undulating land to the waterfront provides a unique maritime influence and microclimate and an ideal environment for viticulture and agricultural enterprises.

The unique location has all the characteristics needed to create award-winning wines. The magnificent views, European interiors, Cellar Door, and superb French restaurant have been carefully designed to give you a warm and unforgettable experience. We were invited to share the surrounds and enjoy the Riversdale Estate – it is a piece of Tasmania's hidden brilliance.

Walking through the acres of vineyards, we found seven fully selfcontained luxe French provincial cottages, just a hop, skip and jump from the Peter Rabbit Garden, French Bistro and Cellar Door.

The cottages have beautiful and well-appointed kitchens with marble benches. The bathroom offers a clawfoot slipper bath to enjoy. The furniture is French provincial and the views are spectacular!

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We were invited to share the surrounds and enjoy the Riversdale Estate; it is a piece of Tasmania's hidden brilliance.

RIVERSDALE ESTATE OWNER WENDY ROBERTS

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We decided to meet at the Cellar Door, conveniently next to the French Bistro, and it was right on time for lunch.

Being classically French trained, a French bistro was right up my alley. So it was six escargot and the house signature lamb cutlets, both of which were spectacularly finished with a magnificent hot apple crumble .

Friday saw us joining 50 very excited locals in the Riversdale Estate’s private dining room where I experienced arguably the best high tea I have enjoyed anywhere. The magnificent French Orangery was purpose-built for the high teas.

Investigating further, I got to the bottom of why the pastries, and especially the scones, were so good - and there she was, pastry chef Cassie, a world-class patissiere. The French Bistro is perfect for dining and relaxing and enjoying the panoramic and uninterrupted view of the estate and Pittwater.

After lunch, we browsed through the extensive range of award-winning wines in the Cellar Door, where you can also purchase estate macarons to take home and indulge - not that you should after the signature high tea.

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Friday saw us joining 50 very excited locals in the Riversdale estate's private dining room where I experienced arguably the best high teaI have enjoyed anywhere.

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Our afternoon was spent taking a personalised tour with Jasper Marais, the Riversdale winemaker, and the future owner of this incredible legacy, Rainier Roberts.

We were blown away with the level of investment made by the Roberts family in the Riversdale winery, the latest in winemaking technology and the investment made in the cellars and hospitality experiences within the underground cellars.

My clear advice is that on your next travels, please place Riversdale Estate on the top of your list, and also understand that Riversdale Estate is only the start of Tasmania’s offering.

JASPER MARAIS, THE RIVERSDALE WINEMAKER, AND THE FUTURE OWNER OF THIS INCREDIBLE LEGACY, RAINIER ROBERTS

Tomorrow’s lunch was to be at the historical 18th century Richmond pub, a Tasmanian institution that has become the go-to weekend destination for locals and their families. Tourists call it a must-visit, especially the gastro pub-style food and the local menu of ales on tap.

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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Our stay in Tasmania was a week of amazement, including the far north-west of the island with the town of Stanley featuring as a true storybook hamlet, one that we found difficult to leave.

Our final day in Tassie was spent on Constitution Dock, the epicentre of the iconic Sydney to Hobart and one of the benchmark eateries in Hobart, Muirs Upper Deck seafood restaurant.

We decided to complete our final cook on the Apple Isle by whipping up a little Coquilles St Jacques, a scallop omelette and a lobster linguine. Even though it was just 5 degrees, we soldiered on.

Jill and George Mure established Mures Fish House in 1973 in Battery Point, Hobart. When they struggled to source quality, fresh, local seafood, George went fishing. More than 45 years on, now owned by Will and Judy Mure, Mures Tasmania remains a vertically-integrated Tasmanian business, passionate about providing fresh, local, sustainable seafood from hook to plate.

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Mures Tasmania currently incorporates a 76-foot longlining vessel, Diana (named after Will’s grandmother), a processing factory, a range of gourmet seafood products distributed nationally, George Mure wine range, and three seafood restaurants on Hobart’s waterfront, Victoria Dock.

Sustainability has always been a key part of the Mures mission, long before it was part of the current social issues that we face today. When Jill and George Mure first established Mures Fish House in 1973, they campaigned for the advancement of ecologically friendly fishing methods. Their values and ethos still inform the operational practices of the business to this day.

Mures is now a sustainable tourism accredited business and its commitment extends well beyond pure fishing methodologies. Mures continually explores the integration of eco-friendly practices in each department of the business, as well as providing educational opportunities for schools. The importance of the work aims to protect our oceans and environment for future generations.

Mures Tasmania recently won the Veiola Best Environmental & Recycling Practice Award at the 2021 Tasmanian Hospitality Association Awards for Excellence. Mures Upper Deck award-winning seafood restaurant is the flagship of the group.

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CHEF NATHAN CHILCOTT

With an international reputation for Tasmania’s worldclass seafood, Upper Deck is the ultimate seafood experience in Hobart. It is unique in that they catch their own fish and source and prepare all their seafood to enjoy with stunning views of Victoria Dock.

They remain a family-owned business where the team's passion for the sea and Tasmania is clear from the deckhands through to the executive chef.

Committed to sustainably managed Australian seafood, Mures takes a fresh approach to a la carte dining, featuring the finest quality seafood accompanied by the very best Tasmanian produce.

Dropping into our good mate, Martin Hardy of Top Fish at Stanley, we took the opportunity to shoot the family and grab a monster lobster for my lunchtime cook.

I can’t tell you how bitterly cold it was in Stanley as we dodged the wind and rain, trying to capture a few pics all whilst searching for a cafe that could be open for a warm coffee. Enter The Brown Dog! Leaving Stanley left us second-guessing ourselves, believing that we needed a few more days in the fairytale fishing village.

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JAN HARDY

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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FATHER MICHAEL AND SON MARTYN HARDY

With its cottages, historical homesteads and the local farms so close to the town's centre, this magical hamlet of only 500 appeared to have not woken from its spell and was awaiting Gulliver to return.

Our next stop was to drop by on Stuart Oram - from F.I.S.H Tasmania - a guy who redefined his business, a bespoke seafood operation specialising in calamari and supported by wife Kathryn and their menagerie of animals - two Labradors, goats and sheep - and two beautiful daughters.

As Stuart continues to grow his own business, he is also the backbone supporting local fisherman and seafood providers in a significant co-op and collaboration with the Sydney Fish Market.

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S T A N L E Y - R i p p l e d s a n d s a r e l e f t be h i n d by t h e r e ce d i n g tid e o n a be a c h n e a r S ta n l ey i n Ta s m a n ia P H O T O : To n y H e w i t t ( G i r t b y S e a P r o j e c t )

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Te sttry f

STU OR AM I H AV E A L W AY S H A D A L O V E O F T H E O C E A N .

I GREW UP FISHING

O N B O AT S W I T H M Y B E S T M AT E S , H E A D I N G D O W N S O U T H C H A S I N G TUNA , SET TING NETS OFF THE NORTH-WEST COA ST OR SET TING P O T S F O R C R AY S O F F T H E W E S T C O A S T – TA S M A N I A W A S A SMORGA SBORD OF SEAFOOD AND I LOVED B EING AMONGST IT ALL .

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fter spending eight years as a diesel mechanic, I decided to combine my love of fishing with work and started fishing commercially. There were a lot of ups and downs, but I loved it! My wife, Kathryn owns the local pharmacy and together we were kept very busy.

In 2008, our first child Ashlee came along.

I finished fishing to work part-time at the pharmacy and help raise our daughter. In 2010, our second child, David, was born and after six months of pharmacy and children I found I needed another outlet to keep me sane. I still had a passion for seafood and found it frustrating that there was a lack of quality local product available in an area so close to the sea.

In 2011, I transformed our garage into a fish processing room. By 2012, I was processing scale fish and flake under the name Southern Shark Seafood. I started out small at first, with only 100kg of fillets going out a week, but this rapidly built up to 800-1000kg per week.

Things were going really well.

Unfortunately, things came to a halt in 2014 when I was diagnosed with having the FAP (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis) gene. I had already lost the majority of my mother's family to cancer when I was in my teens, and it turned out this was the reason why. In 2015, I lost both my mother and my sister to the same disorder.

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To prevent the cancer that had plagued my family, I had to make the hard decision to have a subtotal colectomy. Without knowing the full extent of how this would impact my life, I handed over the processing side of Southern Shark Seafood to a friend who continues it to this day. I was extremely lucky that my amazing doctor was able to reconnect my bowel and, after three months, I was well on my way to recovery.

After six months, I again found myself going slightly crazy and feeling very house-bound.

Realising how hard it was to sell small catches of calamari due to freight and packaging, a friend suggest I start selling his calamari for him. This led to me starting F.I.S.H Tasmania.

F.I.S.H Tasmania stands for Fleurieu Islands Seafood Handlers. The Fleurieu Islands are a group of islands located on the far north-west tip of Tasmania, where the air is clean and the water clear. This is where our line-caught calamari comes from. We pride ourselves not only on the quality of our product, but being eco-friendly and caring for the environment.

Working similarly to a co-op, F.I.S.H Tasmania focuses on building a fresh and frozen market, thus allowing a more regular flow of fish into the auction floor. With eight great fisherman out jigging for calamari on a regular basis, the business has a lot of local support, and with support of people like Andrew Skelly from the Sydney Fish Market it will hopefully continue to grow for many years to come.

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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B O R N A N D R A I S E D I N S Y D N E Y. I ’ V E A L W AY S B E E N A D E V O T E D R U G B Y L E A G U E S U P P O R T E R M Y E N T I R E L I F E A N D A S A D E D I C AT E D A N D E X T R E M E S P O R T S E N T H U S I A S T, I ’ V E A L S O WATC H E D E V E R Y A F L G R A N D FINAL FOR A S LONG A S I CAN REMEMB ER .

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DAN I EL RE SN I K

rowing up, I supported St Kilda, but when South Melbourne relocated and became the Sydney Swans operating out of Sydney in 1981, I had a team to call my own and my love for AFL increased tenfold.

All my years of following the AFL grand finals and watching the Melbourne Boxing Day cricket tests, I’ve had a dream to go to one of the world’s most famous sports arenas to see a game of AFL. So, to be in Melbourne recently for a football weekend on holiday, I had the opportunity to witness my first ever Australian Rules game live at the MCG. one of the world’s iconic stadiums.

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The hotel we stayed in while we were in Melbourne was the remarkable Olsen Hotel which is part of the Art Series Hotels that also includes the Cullen Hotel located on Commercial Road.

One of the reasons we chose the Olsen was because of the close walking proximity to the legendry MCG. The name John Olsen conjures up images of some of Australia’s most treasured and revered works of art and today Olsen is one of Australia’s greatest living treasures.

The Olsen Hotel is located in Melbourne’s prominent and popular suburb of South Yarra, offering boutique accommodation complete with first-class facilities and a range of services to ensure every aspect of your stay is taken care of. As a bonus, John Olsen’s paintings and prints adorn every room and common areas throughout the entire hotel, making it a delight for the eyes wherever you look.

A design highlight of the hotel is the swimming pool located on the first floor. With its glass bottom that hangs over Chapel Street’s footpath, you can observe the passers-by beneath your feet, making this unique and attractive design one of the ubercool features of this boutique hotel. Furthermore,

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on the first floor are the hotel’s conference-business centre, sundeck, pool and gym. And if you want to be pampered, the onsite Norbu Urban Retreat spa offers standard beauty and exotic treatments.

And the hotel’s Spoonbill Restaurant and Bar celebrates Australia’s regional produce. As the seasons change, so does the restaurant’s menu, ensuring the freshest of fare. This focus has helped Spoonbill become one of the leading restaurants in South Yarra.

Accommodation comprises 224 elegant, spacious suites, all highlighted by John Olsen’s works of art.

Also, while in Melbourne, the night before the game I wanted to dine at a renowned authentic Italian restaurant for which Melbourne is so famous.

I asked the manager of the Olsen Hotel for a suggestion and unhesitatingly told us about one of Melbourne’s oldest, favourite restaurants, the Il Solito Posto.

If you didn't know the location or address, you'd probably walk straight past the inconspicuous entrance, located in a lane in Melbourne’s CBD, and that's just another of Il Solito Posto’s charm.

Once you enter, the vibe feels like you could be in a trattoria somewhere in Rome, tucked away in one of those legendary cobbled stone laneways.

Opened 26 years ago by Michael Tenace and business partner Theo Poulakis whose dream was to start a little Italian restaurant, today this trattoria is one of Melbourne's most loved institutions.

Il Solito Posto was one of the first Italian restaurants to open on one of the now-famous Melbourne CBD laneways.

We’re taken down to the trattoria in the lower level, just a few steps below, where we find the wine-stacked wall and shown to our table. We then choose drinks from the extensive awarded wine list and kickstart the night with a couple of delicious martinis.

Over the years, some dishes have remained unchanged, including one of the originals, veal ragu.

This prevalent dish is slow-cooked for four to five hours then left to rest for a few days. This allows the rich flavours to infuse superbly.

To start, we shared two entrees from the specials board.

The pork belly with watercress and balsamic glaze, topped with an apple sauce and hazelnut, was tender and melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Chicken liver parfait with a balsamic shallot and crostini was silky smooth, buttery and perfectly compatible with the slivers of crunchy crostini.

For mains we ordered the house-made potato gnocchi with blue cheese, crème, caramelised pear, sage and walnuts which was one of the best Italian meals I’ve ever had.

My partner couldn’t go past the house special veal ragu with penne pasta which she loved. Sometimes it’s the dishes that seem so simple that are the hardest to perfect and Il Solito Posto has certainly achieved that.

With all the carbs we consumed, we were now fully loaded and ready to take on the MCG the next day.

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The Melbourne Cricket Ground was built in 1853, known locally as the ‘G’ and is an iconic Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne. Established by the Melbourne Cricket Club, the MCG is the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere and the 11th-largest sports arena in the world.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is within walking distance of the CBD and is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct. It’s a pity Sydney never got the blueprint on how to design a city, as Melbourne has the formula down perfectly with its main attractions well placed and all conveniently located.

As we walk closer to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, my expectation and excitement levels are running high. This will be my first time inside the legendary hallowed ground and my first live AFL match at the MCG. What makes it even more exciting is that the teams competing are two of Australia’s oldest and most well-known AFL franchises and foundation clubs - Hawthorn and Carlton.

I can remember quite a few years ago when I was in England and was nearing the entrance to Old Trafford, Manchester United’s world-famous football stadium, to see the Red Devils play archrivals Liverpool. The feeling I had that day was what I was experiencing now in the confines of the iconic MCG. You just know you’re in a very sacred and elite sporting arena.

Melbourne is such a renowned sports-mad city, so the walk to the ground listening to the humorous competitive banter amongst fans of the opposing teams is very special and entertaining. Not being a supporter of either team allows me to absorb the atmosphere of the day and not be hung up on who wins.

When I see the actual ground from the inside for the first time, I can feel the spiritual and historical ghosts of the past 168 years of AFL history. A lifetime of memorable footballing highlights seem to swirl around the stadium and it’s every bit as exciting as I’ve ever imagined it would be.

To enhance our day even more, we are invited to the Tom Wills Room to experience fine dining whilst watching the game from an excellent vantage point in a very relaxing environment, all the while sipping some of Melbourne’s finest wine and premium beverages.

To watch from the dining room is a fabulous way to experience the game. But to really feel the impact, hear the noise and absorb such an exciting, fast and tough game, I needed to be outside amongst the supporters to soak up the excitement and atmosphere.

The game was a close encounter between two long-term opponents. Carlton led for most of the game, but Hawthorn put up a memorable effort to try and peg them back. In the end, the mighty Carlton football team won the contest.

It’s a pity that both these illustrious teams were well down the ladder this season, otherwise I’m certain a game of this magnitude would’ve filled the stadium.

As it was, there were close to 50,000 fans in attendance and the noise they generated made it feel as if the ground was at full capacity.

My first AFL match at the historic MCG was a thrilling experience and one that will be etched into my sports memory for a long time to come.

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Q ATA R A I R W AY S I S T H E O N LY A I R L I N E TO H AV E B E E N A W A R D E D T H E C O V E T E D S K Y T R A X A I R L I N E OF THE YE AR TITLE, WHICH IS RECOGNISED A S THE PINNACLE OF EXCELLENCE.

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ince we last spoke, as predicted the joy of international travel ground to a halt. I spent my last year discovering the great outback of Australia and immersing myself in both the remarkable domestic destinations and the people that continue to support our tourism industry.

As you read this piece, I would have taken my first international flight in two years and what a dream it was, going through the thrill of packing my trusty Victorinox bag and setting the usual unforgiving schedule, wanting to desperately get back into the swing of things.

A Sydney-London flight is made all the more enjoyable with a stopover in Doha and it was a chance to review the latest Park Hyatt.

You may have also recalled my recommendations of choosing the right frequent flyer program and, let's say: “I told you so.” The Oneworld Alliance has been the sturdiest and most trusted with Qantas now back in the air via their London and US routes and continuing to support the Australian domestic needs of Qatar Airways - and with Qatar Airways courageously, never relenting, simply toughing it out, supporting the global needs of us all.

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Checking in at Sydney Airport was always expected to be a challenge with all the new rules and regulations. Once the rigour of all the forms and tests was completed, the Qatar team created a remarkably welcoming and relaxed experience, followed right the way through to the spectacular Qsuite that I had become so used to.

The on-board service through to Doha was as I had left it in 2019. There also was the polished reception at Doha Airport, being escorted to the lounge with a private suite and shower, giving me time to check emails and get ready for my last leg to London.

A multiple-award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named World’s Best Airline by the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named Best Airline in the Middle East, World’s Best Business Class and Best Business Class Seat, in recognition of its groundbreaking business-class experience, Qsuite. Qatar Airways is the only airline to have been awarded five times the coveted Skytrax Airline of the Year title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry.

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Hamad International Airport (HIA), the airline’s home and hub, was recently announced as the World’s Best Airport.

Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, features the industry’s first-ever double bed in business class, as well as privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room, a first of its kind in the industry.

Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance Oneworld, enabling passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 160 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.

Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system, offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.

Qatar Airways, in partnership with Discover Qatar, has launched the World’s Best Value Stopover packages consisting of up to a four-night stay in Doha, Qatar.

The packages allow vaccinated travellers to purchase the World’s Best Value Stopover with Qatar Airways, for a chance to experience the World’s Best Airline and Qatar’s renowned hospitality, before continuing to their final destination from the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport.

Starting at US$14 per person per night, travellers can now experience Qatar’s famous hospitality by staying in a selection of luxurious four-star and five-star hotels, and make their journey even more memorable. The themed stopover packages are designed to cater to different interests. Travellers can experience a thrilling desert safari, disconnect and enjoy luxurious resorts, spas and restaurants, and admire museums, galleries, and public art installations in the country’s thriving arts scene.

Stopover passengers can witness the exciting preparations to host the much anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the world’s most prestigious sporting event.

Further details on how to book stopover packages can be found at www.qatarairways.com/stopover.

Recognised for innovation and excellence, resilience during the pandemic and a strong commitment to passengers during challenging times, Qatar Airways has been named Airline of the Year by the international air transport rating organisation. Known as the Oscars of the Aviation Industry, the 2021 Skytrax awards covered the period from September 2019 to July 2021 with the results reflecting a mix of more normal travel times combined with travel during the pandemic. The extended period clearly demonstrated the resilience and flexibility of Qatar Airways, as it not only delivered continued excellence during normal times, but steadfastly continued flights and offered a lifeline to its customers across the globe during the most challenging of times.

QATAR AIRWAYS qatarairways.com

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I

’ve been an athlete all my life, and I love what I do. The training gives structure to my day and I enjoy the process as much as the outcome, which is performing at my best. Before my accident, I was working towards my first race as a professional long-course triathlete and eventually lining up among the world’s best in Kona for the Ironman World Championship.

When I woke up in hospital, at first I was devastated. I thought I had nothing to live for; every day I’d wake up with half my body not working and in horrendous chronic nerve pain. I felt I had failed: I’d let people down, I was going to live with pain for the rest of my life - and how much longer could I cope with this pain?

But I have had amazing support from family and friends, and with that support I was able to see the positives more than the negatives. Every day is still a struggle, but I just choose to have the belief in myself and focus on the things that I can do. I do things differently, but I can still get out there and enjoy things in life that I once enjoyed.

When I found out that para-triathlon existed and that I could get back into sport, it gave me something to work towards. It saved me. I would have been lost without having a sport to go back to. I don’t think I’ve really come to accept my injury yet, but I’ve chosen to focus on setting and attaining my goals in sport. That is a huge part of what motivates me; my belief in myself, and

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just chipping away at the work I need to do to achieve my goals. I’ve got big ones set up to 2031. In 2024, I want to race the para-triathlon and para-cycling events in the Paralympic Games in Paris.

But leading up to these big goals, I break them down into stages and just focus on the day-to-day training that I’ve got to do. I think that’s what you have to do as an athlete, rather than be distracted by the things you can’t control.

I’ve always reached for the stars and always given myself a challenge to work towards. Although these days, if there are people around me, I can only reach for their shoulder, but reaching for the shoulder of those who believe in me has taken me places I’ve never dreamed of.

My best friend Brad Fernley has been by my side every day, not just for the last 14 years, but every single day since my accident. He was with me on the course when I won the silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. I wouldn’t have achieved what i have without him.

My greatest fear is losing him as well as losing my ability to do sport.

If something positive has come out of my accident and my journey, I’d really love to inspire as many people as I can from my story. I’m grateful I can make a difference and be living proof that no matter what happens in life, no matter what adversity comes your way, it’s really important to believe in yourself and believe that you can reach the goals that you’ve set. Nothing is impossible as long as you believe and never give up.

C l a s s i c H e r o e s ' a l u m n i - O LY M P I A N L a u r e n P a r k e r P H O T O : Phil Harte

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Memry

t h e

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WORDS BY

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MARK GABLE

T H E SO N G R U N TO PA R A D I SE I S T H R EE M I N U T E S A N D 4 0SECON DS LONG , B UT IT WA S A LIFE TIM E B U ILDING U P TO T H AT T H R E E M I N U T E S 4 0 S E C O N D S .

T

he 1987 hit for the Choirboys, Run to Paradise, was not just a great song, it was the first time in the Choirboys' career that we had everything in place; the right manager, the right record company, the right agent and the band was at its absolute peak.

Despite all that, the song has a magic about it which you can still hear today when it comes on radio.

It’s interesting when I listen to other artists' great comments, whether they are local or international artists. I always think they must have had a great time when recording that huge hit, but after having interviewed them on my radio show, I discovered that what I thought must have been magical, inspired moments were sometimes boring, tedious and quite often unremarkable.

for the Choirboys' Big Bad Noise album, singing the vocals to Run To Paradise, with the producer telling me that we were out of budget and we had to finish up .

I have to tell you I was in tears while doing the choruses; I mean, I was really crying. I can still hear the emotion now.

I had fought the producer at every turn to get the song to sound exactly as I wanted it to, and all through this he would not agree.

The band and the record company decided to get a new producer, Brian McGee from New York, to finish the project. So, three months later, with fresh ears, a fresh producer and even fresher enthusiasm, I was able to get the song to sound exactly as I wanted it.

Run To Paradise was no exception. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.

It wasn’t until one hour before the end of the mix that I could hear the magic, the inspiration and the hit that I hoped it would become.

I can remember standing in Sydney’s 301 recording studio A at 2am on what I thought was the last day of production

Run To Paradise is part of Australian music history, iconic, and I am proud that I helped to make it come to life.

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A Pronl ouh G a r y

S

ome 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to join the team at Qantas, signing up as a baggage handler on the tarmac with shifts from 5am, experiencing all elements, from freezing over winter to the debilitating heat of summer.

My long-term goal was to learn as much at the grassroots level as I could and work my way up, ultimately becoming part of the customer service division.

Customer service has always been a passion of mine, knowing that the many thousands of travellers passing through our national terminals all need some kind of assistance as they make their most important journey.

Securing a position in the commissionaire's team became the goal and it was very clear that there was to be much more to this than previously thought.

On a daily basis, many hundreds of elderly and physically challenged customers seek help and support as they arrive. More importantly, they all become reliant on our team to provide support, relying on their personal commissionaire to enhance their overall travel experience.

On a daily basis, we get confronted with tears, sometimes hysteria, and it's our job to calm and settle down our guests and have them feel safe and cared for.

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C o w a n

Each day is a new challenge - greeting the elderly, ensuring that their bags and most valuable possessions are secure and that, if need be, they will be medically safe in case of any sudden reaction to medication. We are their support system, their go-to in case of an emergency.

There have been many times on the last plane of the day that a customer with no one around to greet them feels abandoned. It then becomes our responsibility to ensure their safety. More than once I have provided taxi fares and even arranged accommodation overnight as we looked to contact their relatives.

All passengers have unique and individual needs that are fuelled largely by emotion, so we as a team need to be remarkably flexible and, importantly, understanding.

Travel needs to be an amazing time and something that everyone aspires to experience.

Qantas historically has had that national responsibility, with all Australians having grown up knowing that they can rely on the flying kangaroo and ultimately us.

Over the past 24 months, we as a team have been challenged like no other time as COVID took hold, and as aviation changed us forever.

We also are adjusting, enabling us to support and to provide the level of service that has become synonymous with Qantas.

P H O T O : Phil Harte

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Dreaming of flying away?

Someday is not that far away.

Enjoy peace of mind knowing you can change your travel dates as often as required, fee-free.* A fare difference may apply.

Why wait? Book your next Qantas flight today.

*Eligible Flights include: Australian Domestic Qantas operated flights booked between 21 May 2020 and 28 February 2022, for travel between 12 Jun 16 October 2020 and 28 February 2022. International Qantas operated flights booked between 25 February 2021 and 28 February 2022, for travel betw Manage Booking to change your flight before your scheduled date of departure and select a new date within 12 months of your original booking date an

ne 2020 and 28 February 2022. Trans-Tasman Qantas operated flights booked between 15 October 2020 and 28 February 2022, for travel between ween 1 November 2021 and 31 December 2022 (international flights are available up to 12 months in advance). To change your travel date, simply visit nd the change fee will be waived. A fare difference may apply. For all changes, your applicable Fare Rules and the Qantas Conditions of Carriage apply.

Bhnd he ens s t e v e

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S P O R T G AV E M E L I F E LO N G M E M O R I E S , C H A R I T Y G AV E M E L I F E - C H A N G I N G M O M E N T S .

O

ne of those moments was having the privilege of meeting Mother Teresa in 1996, and this would become the catalyst to inspire me in my philanthropic pursuits.

She was diminutive in stature, slightly hunched over with arthritis contorting her fingers and toes, but her presence radiated a warmth that seemed to mesmerise and calm all around her.

She certainly possessed an aura that attracted people to her while simultaneously making them feel at ease with her kind and gentle soul. I exchanged pleasantries with her and she gave me her business card which read: The Fruit of Silence is Prayer, The Fruit of Prayer is Faith, The Fruit of Faith is Love, The Fruit of Love is Service.

It was just a brief moment, but what became etched in my mind was how she dedicated her whole life to the poorest of the poor without any regard for material possessions. That encounter ignited an idea that maybe I could emulate her charity work in some small way. In March 1998, after losing a test match in four days in Calcutta, I visited Udayan

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on our surprise day off, a rehabilitation clinic for children with leprosy or whose parents suffer from this debilitating and humiliating disease. It was an environment where children could flourish and reach their potential, with education, health and well-being the priorities.

I wanted to see how this compared to where the kids had come from, so I asked to visit a leprosy colony. It was the lack of hope and desperation etched across all the faces that told me that every kid deserved a better chance at life and an opportunity to see how good they could be. With this in mind, I decided to use my profile, connections and influence to raise funds for a girls' accommodation wing, a connection that remains today.

When I retired from cricket in 2004, my wife Lynette and I wanted to start a charity in Australia that helped kids who had nowhere to turn. I have always been drawn to the underdog spirit and to people who achieve against the odds by showing tremendous spirit, attitude and character. Lynette did extensive research and the reality was that these

P H O T O : N ic k Wa lke r

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P H O T O : S teve Wa ug h

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Nelson Mandela said: 'Sport has the power to change the world'.

kids fall into the category of rare diseases and that’s where we narrowed our focus, starting The Steve Waugh Foundation in Australia in 2004.

My foundation is about ‘strength of character.' It’s at the core of what we do, from the people we support, to the people who support us. Our team is dedicated to helping improve the quality of life for children to make a real difference. We aim for a holistic approach which sees many of our grantrecipient children being supported over an extended period. We endeavour to raise awareness, build connections and support networks within the rare disease community to continue to be ‘somewhere to turn’ for our families. Today we have close to 3,000 recipients in our programs.

In 2005, I was humbled to be named as a member of the prestigious Laureus World Sports Academy. I became the 41st member of Laureus, a unique collection of iconic sportsmen and sportswomen.

I believe that high-profile, influential people have a moral responsibility to become involved with charities for the disadvantaged.

That is what the Laureus Academy members do. Through the Sport for Good program, they have over 140 projects across more than 40 countries, all using sport as a tool for social change.

Witnessing first-hand the real and genuine impact of these programs has proven to me that, as Nelson Mandela said, ‘sport has the power to change the world'.

Cricket will always be in my blood and I’m forever grateful for the opportunities and life lessons it provided me. One of those blessings was to expand my horizons and go outside my comfort zone. Woven into this has been my philanthropic journey and it's one I am very proud of, but also one that has taught me about the positive in people and what can be achieved with a collective spirit and goodwill.

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GENIUS STEPH EN L ARCOM B E WA S NA M ED GOOM PI IN HIS TEENS BY HIS N U N U KU L C U LT U R A L T E A C H E R S , M E A N I N G P O S S U M I N T H E I R J A N D A I L A N G U A G E . H E I S A DESCENDANT OF THE GURRENG GURRENG PEOPLE IN THE BUNDABERG REGION .

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orn in 1981 on the Gold Coast (Kombemerri tribal land), Stephen Larcombe has lived between there and Tweed Heads (Minjungbal tribe) all his life.

Goompi grew up in Currumbin going to the local schools, playing AFL and being on the Gold Coast he casually surfed the local breaks with mates as well.

After 10 years of cultural dance presentations at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary with his teachers/skin fathers (the Walker brothers) from Stradbroke, Goompi tried different employment paths. He went from a kitchen hand, sales, managing bottleshops and bars to even driving a truck. At this time, aged 25, he began to paint Aboriginal artworks more frequently. Unlike jobs he held before, painting Aboriginal art felt right because it wasn’t a job. It was practicing culture, passing on stories and history through what is a sacred way his ancestors used to communicate and educate in the past - their written language as such.

It was an easy process for him seeing that he learnt culture, history, stories, song and dance for so many years already. As a self-taught artist looking at other Aboriginal artists from around Australia, Goompi started to experiment with painting by using animals and dot formations that had meanings.

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Knowing he had to create his own style was very important to Goompi; it was a goal to achieve so his people's old cultural protocols were followed and to make sure there is no infringing on others' copyright.

Goompi quickly formed his own unique style, which attracted many investors and admirers of his work instantly.

Transitioning to an abstract style, he represented his stories with larger dots in black, grey and white tones. The colours are similar to ochres found in his area.

Using water-based acrylics, he has updated his style by adding smaller dots to give a different dimension, plus sandy tones to maintain a saltwater feel which represents his birthplace. In other works, Goompi has also used brighter colours to represent the rainforest and freshwater areas of his home land.

Goompi creates works that are now highly sought after and acquired by collectors from around the world. Most of his exhibitions are in hand-selected galleries within Australia and the open nights are always a hit. Goompi always enlists his tribal dance troupe to present a display of singing, didgeridoo and dancing. This reiterates that song and dance, like Aboriginal art, are both methods that Aboriginal people have used to tell their stories since time began.

Exhibiting overseas is at the top of Goompi’s list after already doing so in Romania and France. His passion has led him to travel and showcase his cultural stories and artworks around the world.

Goompi has sold out numerous exhibitions and is achieving more accolades every year as he continues to paint full-time in the art industry.

With comments like 'Goompi is one of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists of today', it's no wonder after looking at the artworks he has produced.

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Goompi is one of Australia's leading Indigenous artists of today

B U R N I N G O F F T H E L A N D I S A B O U T A B O R I G I N A L L A N D C A R E A N D P R A C T I C E S TO R E J U V E N AT E T H E L A N D A N D TO AVO I D B U S H F I R E . C E L E S T E B A R B E R P U R C H A S E D O N E A N D T H I S H E L P E D T H E P R I N T S E L L O U T I N 24 H O U R S . C L O S E TO $ 3 0 , 0 0 0 WA S T H E N D O N AT E D TO F I R E S T I C K S A L L I A N C E A N D R F S .

TOP TO BOTTOM: PAINTING IN FRANCE NEAR THE EIFFEL TOWER AND A CHATEAU IN DORDOGNE REGION FRANCE ART OUTLINING THAT STORY WAS USED IN THE WINE BOTTLE, GRAND GRAVA LE REVE DE LA VIGNE (DREAMING OF THE VINE) GOOMPIS DANCE TROUPE BUNDJALUNG KUNJIEL OPENING THE STEVE IRWIN GALA DINNER FOR THE SECOND TIME IN BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA GOOMPI WITH CELESTE BARBER AND HER HUSBAND API

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ACHIEVEMENTS NAIDOC GOLD COAST, QLD COUNCIL CHAMBERS EXHIBITION 2009, 2010, AND 2011 NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE, 2009 AND 2011 BALLINA ART GALLERY, NSW EXHIBITED AT CROWN PLAZA GOLD COAST, QLD, RECONCILIATION WEEK 2011 PERMANENT COLLECTIONS, KIRRA QLD AND THE GOLD COAST TITANS NRL EXCELLENCE CENTRE, ROBINA, QLD SOLD-OUT SOLO EXHIBITION AT PORT DOUGLAS IN JANUARY 2014 SOLD-OUT SOLO EXHIBITION AT NOOSA IN MARCH 2015 EXHIBITED IN 'DREAMING EXHIBITION' IN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, OCTOBER 2015 OPEN NIGHT SELL-OUT, SOLO EXHIBITION AT GALLERY ONE – GOLD COAST, QLD, 2017 SELL-OUT, SOLO EXHIBITION AT GALLERY ONE – GOLD COAST QLD, 2018 FINALISTS IN 2018 AND 2020 PADDINGTON ART PRIZE AAAA (ABORIGINAL ARTS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA) ELECTED NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ARTS COUNCIL CURRENT GALLERIES GALLERY ONE ‘THE BRICKWORKS CENTRE’ SOUTHPORT, QLD KATE OWEN GALLERY – ROZELLE, NSW

GOOMPI bundjalungkunjiel@hotmail.com goompi.com.au

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K a t h r i n e

P e e r e b o o m

D I S A B I L I T Y, A U T I S M , G L O B A L D E V E L O P M E N TA L D E L AY, I N T E L L E C T U A L I M PA I R M E N T, P I C A , P R A D E R W I L L I E S Y N D R O M E , S P E E C H D E L AY S , N O N V E R B A L , C O G N I T I V E , A N D P H Y S I C A L D E L AY S , T H E S E C O N D I T I O N S O N LY S TA R T TO D E S C R I B E O U R J O U R N E Y A S A FA M I LY.

I

am an extremely proud mother, wife, and entrepreneur.

As I sit here today with several years as a parent to three special-needs children with very high support needs, I feel stronger and yet so fearful at the same time. I am much more confident in my abilities to advocate for my non-verbal children who try to make their way in this world, and equally frightened for them when I am no longer on this earth.

My boys are intelligent, challenging, beautiful, cheeky and they determine every waking moment of our lives.

Simple life pleasures such as a walk, going to the park or beach are not tasks we are able to do without meticulous planning and a one-on-one adult-to-child ratio. Eating in a café or restaurant is just not possible at this time due to the boys' restricted eating habits, loud vocal stimming noises and danger and safety concerns. Our life is very restricted, and we have tried to compensate by making our home as loving, musical and as fun as possible.

The days are long for everyone in our family and the exhaustion as parents is indescribable. Balancing all their medical needs, finding the right schools, therapists, ensuring they're growing and developing and keeping them safe from running away or self-harming is a constant battle. My husband and I are resigned to that fact that our boys will be living with us until our last breath. We have made provisions to have enough space on a property that we can build three purpose-built townhouses.

The boys are all still in nappies which makes any public outing, school setting or a visit to family a challenge.

They all have severe eating disorders and one son will be hospitalised several times a year due to starving himself. There is daily urination on carpets, faeces on surfaces, frustration, and aggression. A meltdown, being

a neurological event with screaming, crying, kicking and self-harming, can occur over an hour each time and multiple times per week.

If we are out in public, the boys more often than not are treated so poorly by ignorance and intentionally harmful comments. I never knew how cruel another human could be until I witnessed it. It is truly heartbreaking and difficult to process. I have had people call me a 'disgusting mother', tell me to 'shut that kid up, they don’t belong here', that it’s all my fault, or the horrid stares, pointing and laughing in my face that burn a hole in your soul.

One of the hardest realities to face is the outright discrimination the boys face daily; the rejection from friends, family, day care, schools, and therapists. There is never an invitation to a birthday party; they don’t have friends; my husband and I live in constant fear for their future. With us they are safe, and they are our priority every waking hour. We focus so hard on building generational wealth, a legacy and creating a life that our boys truly deserve.

In 2017, in the kitchen of our rental home, Spectrum Support was created in honour of the boys. After extensive research into law enforcement and the autistic community, we knew we had to bridge the knowledge gap. We became Australia’s first 'Autism and Law Enforcement Trainers'. Our training has been delivered to NSW and Queensland Police to date and we proudly received NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller's award for Best Safety Solution for 2019. Our work has been funded solely by my husband and I as a labour of love to the community and we will continue to provide this lifesaving training for the foreseeable future.

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TONY HEWITT STORY

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PHOTOGRAPHY

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To n y H e w i t t

" I H AV E A L W AY S B E E N S I M U LTA N E O U S LY FA S C I N AT E D A N D C O M F O R T E D B Y C H A O S A N D B A L A N CE , W H I L E A N A ER I A L P ER SP EC T I V E P ROV I D E S A FR E SH V I E W P O I N T O N T H E FA M I L I A R A N D C H A L L E N G E S M E TO S E E F U R T H E R T H A N T H E L I T E R A L . I N A W AY, E A C H I M A G E I S A V O I C E F O R M Y E Y E S , A T R A N S L AT I O N I F YO U W I L L . I F M Y E Y E S H A D A V O I C E , P E R H A P S , T H I S I S W H AT T H E Y W O U L D S AY, B U T I N T H E A B S E N C E O F S U C H T H I N G S , T H E I M A G E I S T H E I R C H A N C E TO B E H E A R D . T H R O U G H T H E S E I N T E R P R E TAT I O N S , I L O O K TO C E L E B R AT E T H E I N H E R E N T D E S I G N I N T H E L A N D S C A P E A N D T H E E T H E R E A L N AT U R E O F A C U R I O U S L I G H T ! "

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AQUA SPIRITUS

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CONTINUUM

AUS TR AL IAN PHOTOG R APH IC ARTIS T TONY H E WIT T HA S EXHIBITED EITHER SOLO O R J O I N T LY I N O V E R 4 0 E XH I B ITIONS AN D IS PROU D TO B E REPRE SENTED BY L I NTON A N D K AY G A L L E R I E S , W H E R E H E C O N T I N U E S TO C O L L A B O R AT E I N TH E DE VELOPM ENT OF TH E TONY HEWITT FINE ART BRAND.

H

is career highlights feature over 400 state, national and international awards. He has been recognised as a Fellow, an Honorary Fellow and Grand Master of Photography of the prestigious Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and has been honoured as a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography as well as a Grand Master of Photography of WPPI (US).

He was also recognised as the Australian Professional Photographer of the Year in 2013 and, in more recent times, received further recognition from his peers in the US and the UK, including the overall Photographer of the Year 2020 at The Societies of Photographers in the UK and the highest aggregate submission at WPPI 2021.

With a passion for sharing uncommon perspectives, and an instinctive sense of the moment, Tony embodies a unique combination of award-winning fine-art imagery and simple creativity. He is regularly invited as an exhibiting artist or keynote speaker to share his photographic vision and the philosophy behind it.

His exhibitions include the recent Continuum collection, Transience, Evapor8, Lux et Aqua, and Coast, and he has also been a core artist at the International Foto Biennale in Ballarat.

Tony is a member of the ND5 group whose exhibitions include the Pilbara Project, and 2016 Shark Bay. In 2017, Tony collaborated on the Girt by Sea Project, one of the most ambitious fine-art photography projects ever undertaken in Australia, and he is currently working on several new projects for 2022 and beyond. Tony lives in Perth with his family, loves the beach and travel, and loves a good Malbec wine.

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TONY HEWITT G.M.PHOTOG., HON. FAIPP, FNZIPP PHOTOGRAPHER

"What we see often goes far beyond what lies before us.

Echoes of our experiences, and recognition of the real and perceived resonate within us, triggering an instinctive response, an emotional stirring, often drawing us into a moment past or allowing a glimpse into a future space.

Each moment presents a nexus of future possibilities and unrealised potential, each holding unique values waiting to be realised, or left to slip quietly and inevitably into the past, a mere echo of what might have been.

"The images in my collections are from a variety of observed locations including coastal, and inner saltlake regions of Australia, and are simultaneously real and interpretive. Individually they offer both literal and abstract expressions of the landscape as seen from above and reflect the deeper understandings that can be found with a shift in perspective. They remind me of nature's inherent aptitude for balance and design, though sometimes this occurs in partnership with man. Colour, shape, texture, and form combine to evoke narrative and symbolism, and I find myself bearing witness to the physicality of the landscape in both a kinaesthetic and emotional way, bringing a pause to my momentum and exposing deeper aspects of myself.

"Through each window of observation, light, liquid and timing conspire to reveal new perspectives, each born of coincidence and destined to reveal itself, though fleetingly, as further evidence of the transient nature of the world around us. It's a reminder of the simple, yet infinite wonders, just waiting to be recognised.

"My fine-art images are an outward expression of my reaction to what presents before me. They are the result of personal reflection as I follow my own curious nature, while contemplating the forever dance between the water and the light. When viewing my images, I invite you to dwell, and explore the understanding to be gleaned by a shift in perspective, and the magic waiting to be discovered in each single transient moment."

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P H O T O : Phil Harte

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CULINARY j ur ny I

t was some 27 years ago that I had the pleasure of running into Max and Amanda Alfieri with three beautiful kids running around the restaurant.

Over these nearly three decades, I have seen Max and his family selflessly support and stage many events that have both changed the lives of many and created much-needed financial support for the less fortunate.

Over his time as a world-class restauranteur and chef, Max has been an inspiration to many up-andcoming young chefs via scholarships and internships.

Max’s journey with Amanda started nearly 30 years ago, taking them on what definitely could be described as a whirlwind adventure, and it definitely hasn’t stopped yet.

At the age of 18 in 1986, coming back to his native place of birth Australia from Naples, Max connected once again with his father Mario, rediscovering his passion not only for cooking but the world of hospitality. Spending his formative years in Italy next to his grandmother and mother, learning the secrets of old-school recipes, he took all this with wide-eyed exuberance. A vision to create his own restaurant empire was about to be born.

Upon leaving Italy, Max’s mother Maria said: “Make sure you marry an Australian girl, cook Italian food and drive a German car.” Being a good Italian son, this is exactly what he did.

After marrying in 1994, what followed was a trail of learning adventures in the hospitality world, starting from Adelaide, moving to Townsville and then eventually settling on the northern end of the

Gold Coast in 1997. Then, with their two young sons, the creation of Cantina Napoli at Runaway Bay was the first restaurant they started together.

With the experience and knowledge that Max had learned along the way, their dream of being able to do something special, not only for themselves and their children but the community, had been set in motion.

Taking his mantra of ‘I want to introduce new food from the past’, Max created a menu that would satisfy not only his customers from yesterday but right through to the customers of tomorrow.

"What has been for us the most beautiful part of what we created is to see the first generation of children growing up with their food at Cantina Napoli now sharing those same dishes with their children here at Ioesco," Max said.

Now settled in beautiful Sanctuary Cove at Ioesco restaurant for the last 13 years, this would turn out to be his proudest achievement, surrounded by the same community that helped and watched the couple bring up their three children, teaching them the ethics of studying and working hard before they opened the till for a dollar.

The greatest achievement in owning your own business is the journey, the passion and the love you are able to give back to the community that helped and supported you. Now with the help of their youngest daughter bringing her food ideas to the business, Max has achieved what he started all those years ago. It's one thing for people to know you for what you do, but it is another for people to appreciate you for what you can give back in life.

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CROWN aen I H AV E N E V E R B E E N A FA N O F T H E T Y P I C A L C A S I N O S T Y L E O F E X P ER I EN CE- FA R TO O H EC T I C W I T H TO O M A N Y D I S T R AC T I O N S . H OW E V ER , M Y R E C E N T S TAY AT T H E C R O W N S Y D N E Y S O F T E N E D M Y V I E W A S I E N J OY E D A S A N C T U A R Y- L I K E S TAY I N T H E M I D D L E O F O N E O F T H E BUSIEST CITIES IN THE WORLD.

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W

andering through the Barangaroo precinct, you become amazed at the transformation of this once derelict part of the Sydney foreshore. An afternoon shooting and understanding what has been achieved here is quite remarkable.

Bursting out from the heart of Barangaroo is a combination of luxury and cutting-edge technology. Crown Towers Sydney is revolutionising the hotel experience to ensure every guest's stay is above all else.

Providing uncompromising design, Crown captures the essence of its harbourside setting, with highly intuitive personalised service, and a plethora of signature dining all under one roof, unlike anything Sydney has seen before.

With spectacular views, the remarkably designed Executive Harbour Bridge Suites at Crown Towers Sydney offer a thoughtful blend of luxury, comfort and style, including a large living room with a curved sofa, dining table for four people and a separate powder room.

The enclosed bedroom with king-size bed has an adjoining bathroom with rain shower and sculptured bath, plus technological capabilities, including air streaming and 24hour guest services from the smart tablet.

Enjoy custom king-size bedding with luxury Frette bed linen; spectacular views overlooking Sydney Harbour Bridge; bathed in natural sunlight from floor-to-ceiling windows; elegant glass-top dining table and chairs; private safe; 24-hour room service; personal bar; in-room tablets with connectivity to blinds, lights, and in-room dining; state-of-the-art lighting; individual climate controls and entertainment system; electronic safety locks; hands-free direct-dial telephones; video on demand and streaming services; and complimentary internet connectivity.

Having arrived a little worse for wear, my only thought was to spend the day at the Crown Spa. The restoration process began with an invigorating body exfoliation, using rich and ionising Himalayan crystal salts before being transported to a state of deep relaxation with a signature marma massage. This was followed up with a customised age-defying facial.

Three hours without a care was my most memorable time at the Crown Towers Sydney; a little extravagant to say the least, but was it worth it!

LUXE ACCOMMODATION WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING AT CROWN TOWERS SYDNEY, A WELCOME ESCAPE FROM THE BUSTLE OF THE CITY

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During my stay, albeit brief, I managed to navigate my way through the amazing array of culinary offerings and chose to feature my top four.

SILKS

Silks offers a refined elegance of authentic Cantonese fine dining with meticulously crafted dishes complementing the opulent surrounds. Silks boasts an immaculate view from virtually every seat and it was difficult to find a flaw across a truly remarkable menu.

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NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED AND AWARD-WINNING SYDNEY CHEF AND RESTAURATEUR, ALESSANDRO PAVONI

A' M A R E

Meaning ‘by the sea’ in Italian, a’Mare sees local seafood take a special place on the menu as homage to its Sydney surrounds and the harbourside location of Crown Towers Sydney. a’Mare was without doubt my pick of the Crown offerings, with nationally acclaimed and award-winning Sydney chef and restaurateur Alessandro Pavoni, the classic Italian fine dining was a true revelation steering clear of the over-used over-priced contemporary, degustation nonsense we are all too familiar with.

I was thrilled to see my all-time favourite, the Milanese or elephant's ear, a veal chop beaten, crumbed and gently pan fried - an Italian schnitzel, so to speak. This was accompanied by a side of spaghetti aglio e olio and a fresh garden salad with a spectacular sticky balsamic and fresh Parmesan.

While traditionally Italian in its inspiration, Alessandro promises a uniquely Sydney feel with that tradition of classic Italian.

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MEANING ‘BY THE S E A’ I N I TA L I A N , A’ M A R E S EE S LOCAL SEAFOOD TA K E A S P E C I A L PL ACE ON THE MENU A S HOMAGE TO ITS SYDN E Y SURROUNDS AND THE HARBOURSIDE L O C AT I O N O F C R O W N S Y D N E Y.

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NOBU

Having eaten at several Nobu restaurants around the world, it was no surprise that Nobu Sydney would be as memorable as the rest.

Safe to say that Nobu is one of those restaurants that everyone needs to experience at least once.

Internationally renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa - known to the world as Nobu - has opened his third restaurant in Sydney, now joining sister properties Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth as the exclusive Australian destinations for Nobu’s sublime dining experience.

Fusing Japanese tradition with locally inspired produce and seafood, Nobu Sydney offers imaginative dishes as well as classic menu heroes that feature around the globe. We decided to let our attentive wait staff select the menu, including the famed black cod miso and yellowtail jalapeño, along with inventive dishes created by head chef Harold Hurtada.

Having been seated at a harbourfacing table, it's quite amazing how a couple of hours can fly by.

One thing to remember is that you will need to secure a booking as reservations are terribly hard to come by.

WOODCUT

Arriving at Crown Sydney, the talk around town is how most nights you will run into a Hemsworth or a Jackman and it's usually at Woodcut that you will find them hanging out.

Designed and curated by awardwinning couple, chef Ross Lusted and Sunny Lusted, Woodcut delivers a very authentic Australian tradition of wood, charcoal and steam. The heart and soul of Woodcut is fire, steam, smoke and ice, with beautiful ingredients, simply cooked. Outside, it was 9 degrees, but this very cosy eatery was well stocked with gas heaters to ensure the open-air ambience was not spoiled and that the time spent enjoying some of Australia’s best steaks and local produce became all the more memorable.

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2 0 2 4 THE NSW GOVERNMENT HA S COMMIT TED JUST ON $750 MILLION – THE L ARGEST EVER I N V E S T M E N T I N T H E A U S T R A L I A N S E A F O O D I N D U S T R Y – T O D E L I V E R A S TAT E - O F -T H E - A R T FA C I L I T Y F O R S Y D N E Y F I S H M A R K E T O N B L A C K W AT T L E B AY I N S Y D N E Y.

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he new building will be a stunning addition to the harbour landscape, with an architectural design of international significance. The building will, of course, house all of Sydney Fish Market's current activities, delivering the daily buzz of wholesale trading and operations, the benchmark early-morning auction, as well as Australia’s best seafood retailers, fresh-food vendors and restaurants.

But there’ll be so much more to the new building.

Additional retailers and an array of new restaurants will almost double the retail capacity in the new location, with Sydney Fish Market set to transform the daily routines of the much-loved existing market with a broad range of experiences, events and learning opportunities which will drive significantly increased visitation to the new building.

Our expectation is that annual visitation will exceed six million, making the new Sydney Fish Market one of Australia’s top tourist destinations. There’ll always be something happening across the day and well into the evening, with extended hours of operation providing locals and visitors with a new and exciting venue, whilst maintaining the market as the best place to access Australia’s finest and broadest range of seafood.

The Sydney Seafood School, already renowned as a haven for foodies and seafood lovers, will expand its operations in the new building to include a much broader educational offering. The school’s location in the new building will provide memorable dining experiences which will take in brilliant views across the bay and on to the Anzac Bridge.

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The building works are now well under way, with Multiplex working hard to finish the stunning structure in the second half of 2024. Sydney deserves the best – and the new Sydney Fish Market will be a worthy addition to our wonderful city which will undoubtedly earn international acclaim.

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Promoting diversity from the ground up Multiplex is committed to having a workforce that reflects the diversity of the global communities in which it operates. We foster an inclusive and flexible workplace where all employees are valued, encouraged to express their ideas and opinions, and able to reach their full potential.

Attracting students to a career in construction Promoting more women in construction is a core part our diversity and inclusion commitment, and our Jump Start program is one of the ways we’re tackling the issue from the ground up.

Multiplex’s Jump Start program is designed to give female students a deeper understanding of what a career in construction has to offer, at a point in which we know we can have the greatest impact.

It provides practical, first-hand insight into the life of a construction professional, and is based on the real-life experience of a group of Multiplex women who, having recently made their own career decisions, felt they could offer more.

Our new parental leave and support offering is another important part of our commitment to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce at Multiplex.

We are inclusive of a variety of family situations at Multiplex and enable parents to balance their unique family commitments alongside fulfilling careers.

So with flexible leave options for all parents and carers up to 24 months, 1-to-1 transition coaching, and super contributions for periods of unpaid leave, our parental leave offering gives parents choices in how they look after their families, and ensure they are supported in the longer term too.

We know from research that by University stage many students have already made up their minds about their careers, and so we want to be part of that decision making process early on.

“

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Supporting our parents to thrive

As school students we weren’t given an opportunity to learn about the different career options within the built environment. We wanted to give female students a different experience.

Timnit Tessema Multiplex Site Engineer & Co-Founder of Jump Start

www.multiplex.global For enquiries please call 02 9322 2400 SYDNEY PERTH MELBOURNE ADELAIDE BRISBANE

Constructing a better future As a global contractor, we recognise our responsibility to address the complex and evolving needs of the world around us, and the opportunity we have for our people and projects to be vehicles for change.

Connecting job seekers with job service providers We believe we can do more when we connect with others – within and between our teams, with our clients, subcontractors, communities and industry. A collective response generates a greater impact, and helps our communities reach their full potential.

It’s an approach that has evolved our Multiplex Connectivity Centres from an immediate response to an opportunity on a project, to an industry-leading social value model that has changed the lives of many hundreds of disadvantaged cohorts.

Trainees celebrate graduation at the Multiplex Westmead Connectivity Centre.

“

Multiplex is providing an innovative and unique approach to corporate social responsibility unmatched by any other industry player.

These centres are an exemplar of social value in action.”

– Professor Martin Loosemore University of Technology Sydney

Over 10 years, our 14 Connectivity Centres have brought together a broad network of job service providers to collectively address the issues facing local job seekers, and provide holistic pathways to long-term employment.

| Photo credit George Fetting

Acknowledging traditional landowners at the New Sydney Fish Market construction site.

Enabling access to opportunity through literacy Construction is the biggest employer of Aboriginal men in Australia but without literacy, Indigenous people don’t have access to the employment opportunities that our industry creates.

One of our proudest achievements was partnering with Indigenous campaigner Professor Jack Beetson in 2011 to establish the Literacy for Life Foundation, and Aboriginal-led adult literacy charity.

“

For some time Multiplex had been considering how it could address the issues facing Indigenous communities in the most powerful and sustainable way. We wanted to take a broader view and ask not just how we could utilise Indigenous talent on our projects, but how we could expand that pool of talent and provide access to a greater number of people.

In connecting with Jack Beetson, that question led us to literacy.”

– John Flecker CEO Multiplex

| Photo credit John McRae

Literacy for Life is now a national campaign with a graduation rate four times higher than comparable programs. More than 250 people have graduated from Literacy for Life campaigns run in 12 Indigenous communities, creating immense flow on effects for health, education, the justice system and employment.

Honouring traditional landowners at the New Sydney Fish Market Our flagship New Sydney Fish Market project provides a unique opportunity to connect with the Indigenous community in Glebe.

After taking possession of the site, Multiplex hosted a traditional smoking ceremony alongside client Infrastructure NSW, Sydney Fish Market and the local community.

“

It was a simple but significant way for the team to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land before works commenced, and signify our ongoing commitment to Indigenous engagement on this landmark project.”

– Daniel Murphy Multiplex Regional Director

Literacy for Life Foundation graduate takes part in session to encourage reading to children.

| Photo credit Adam Sharman

www.multiplex.global For enquiries please call 02 9322 2400 SYDNEY PERTH MELBOURNE ADELAIDE BRISBANE

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Frigcorp was formed in 1992 as Frigair, with the objective of providing the highest quality of air conditioning and refrigeration services to commercial and residential properties on the Eastern seaboard. As the years have gone by, the company has grown and its services have evolved with our customer’s requirements. This has seen an emphasis placed on the extension of services for total property protection with solutions designed to address security, remote equipment monitoring and energy management which have become increasingly important issues for Property Managers and their Strata Management colleagues.

Frigair’s professional engineers provide air conditioning installation and maintenance plans for all sizes of location.

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Frigcorp offers a wide range of general maintenance services through its expert team and network of approved suppliers. Our staff deliver technical engineering solutions which enhance the reliability and efficiency of plant and systems.

Ensuring comfort, productivity and safety while practicing environmental stewardship is the mission of Frigcorp.

Frigcorp is a privately owned and managed company that has enjoyed continual organic growth through the unique range of services and solutions that are offered to our clientele.

Today, Frigcorp offers a ‘one stop shop’ for multi-service engineering and maintenance management of technical property services through our subsidiary companies Frigair Air Conditioning and Axess Control Systems. Our staff have extensive expertise in all facets of design, construction and servicing of air conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation, security and building management systems.

Axess Control’s integrated security systems deliver modular functionality and build an evolving security environment.

Frigcorp managed cloud solutions ensure all our clients can expand their security solutions without the worry of running additional software or additional financial investment.

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Our hosted security systems incorporate industry leading IT features ensuring that not only your people and property are secure but that hardware, software and data are fully protected.

Visit frigcorp.com.au

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ASCEND, ESCAPE AND BE CARRIED AWAY AT ZEPHYR BAR SYDNEY 161 Sussex Street Sydney NSW 2000 +61 2 8099 1234 | zephyrbarsydney.com

| CL ASSIC MAGA ZINE 336 The Hyatt trademarks and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporations or its affiliates. 2020 © Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

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PAT T I'S H i r e Patti’s Hire is by far one of the most experienced event hire and marquee hire rental companies of its type in Australia, specialising in marquee hire, event hire, party hire, festivals, field days and exhibition hire.

Over two decades, I have worked closely with the Patti's team and their highly experienced co-ordinators who offer a wealth of knowledge in the field. I have managed to successfully manage multiple events across the country. We again come together to celebrate our Classic Australia 2022 launch.

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*Nespresso is a trademark of Societe des Produits Nestle SA. Neither that company nor its affiliates have manufactured or endorsed this product in any way and have no association to Vittoria Food & Beverage or the Vittoria® Coffee Brand.

Compatible with Nespresso Original machines (not compatible with the Vertuo System).

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Confidence, or lack thereof, is the gateway to self esteem and it is via a dedicated group of dental practitioners that many thousands of Australians can find the way to becoming whole again, even for the first time. Dr Sarkis Nalbandian, a specialist prosthodontist, has for decades been the guiding light, developing and implementing unique and ground-breaking methods to heal and ultimately cure the suffering of those who are affected by debilitating and, in most cases, life-altering disfigurements.

Having read through the many hundreds of testimonies, all hailing Dr Nalbandian’s work as life changing, it is hard not to celebrate the amazing work and support given by Sarkis and his dedicated team.

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Dr. Sarki Nalbandian

Specialist Prosthodontist & Implant Surgeon.

B.D.S.(Hons), Dip. Clin. Dent. (Oral Implants),

Uni. Syd., M. Clin. Dent. (Prosth) King’s College, Uni.London., D. Clin. Dent. (Prosth), Uni. Syd.,

FIADFE, FPFA, FRACDS, MRACDS(Prosth).

The word that most dentists commonly use is ‘cosmetic and implant dentistry’. I really don’t know what this means, especially when patients present with a request to improve their smile and to be able to eat comfortably. In many ways, we are the diagnostic specialists in reconstructing your mouth, be it porcelain veneers, crowns, implants and bridges. As George Bernard Shaw once remarked: “One of the most dangerous diseases is diagnosis.” We must have a philosophy of treatment for optimal outcome. Naturally there is one diagnosis. I have over 10 years' postgraduate education, with my knowledge being tested by world-class universities, not including my undergraduate of five years.

Aesthetic outcome is critical for patient satisfaction. In many ways, I feel that I am an artiste as well as a specialist. As a child, I liked doing sculpture and understanding shape forms. In 1989, Louis Sullivan coined the phrase 'form follows function'. It also applies to dentistry. Every smile is a prototype unique to my patients' faces and you simply don’t learn this only at university. It takes a lifetime of knowledge and experience. In many ways I would say that.

Knowledge + Experience = Feasibility However, aesthetics is brutal because it has to do with the brain. Let me make an interesting statement here: “What the eye cannot see the mind cannot recognise.” This is also unique to the specialist. Therefore, when you feel it’s time to get your smile right, please consider this. The importance of a youthful attractive smile and dentofacial aesthetics is unquestionable. Because of enhanced appearance, general well-being, self-confidence, it is what we refer to as a biopsychosocial well-being that is unique to everyone.

I find it difficult to accept how people refer to cosmetic dentistry as simply white teeth or smile.

That does not belong within the character of the person that is you.

My job is what I refer to as 'The Aesthetic Effect'. One should establish harmony and balance between the dentition and surrounding soft tissues. Your face, smile dynamics, teeth display, speech, face and lip support are an integral part of you. Therefore, in today’s aesthetic dentistry, my role is artist first and engineer second. Above all, maintain biology. This is the role of the specialist prosthodontist.

You can also all us ‘cosmetic dentistry specialist’ or specialist in crowns, bridges, veneers and implants. That’s our training. We see patients in all age groups that require simple to complex dental care. Remember all things start small. Therefore, correct diagnosis is essential. The population is healthy and, as time goes on, maintaining healthy teeth for life is important. Implants do work, but your natural teeth are best preserved. Today, dental reconstruction requires extensive skills and knowledge. Our patients prefer to have their failed restations, fractured, crooked, missing teeth etc. to be treated by the specialist since, in many ways, it’s the last chance to 'get it right'.

WE TREAT PEOPLE NOT PATIENTS.

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