COAST magazine Winter 2022 by Coast Publishing

WINTER 2022

BEST FORESHORE WALKS THE HATTED RESTAURANTS OF THE COAST DANCING ON DARKINJUNG LAND HOMES WITH STYLE

Dream Big PERSONAL TAXATION • SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING SELF MANAGED SUPERANNUATION FUNDS • BOOKKEEPING BUSINESS STRUCTURING/RESTRUCTURING • TAXATION & BUSINESS ADVICE WILLS & ESTATE PLANNING

Let us do what we do best, while you do what you love, your business. Looking to start or grow your business? We would love to work with you! (02) 4300 0547 Unit 5, 185 The Entrance Road, Erina NSW info@selectacc.com.au www.selectaccounting.net.au

CONTENTS WELCOME

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST Map Gondwana rainforests of the Central Coast

8 9

Loving LOCAL

Embracing winter at home

Kayal and Kara keeping things local

FEATURE Dancing on Darkinjung land

Home Style & HOLIDAY LIVING Design matters The Loughlin look Clouds of green in Matcham Gardens: Understanding microclimates

34 36 42 46

MY COAST Jennifer Hartich

Well being: BEING WELL

The ultimate reset for mind and body

Eat and DRINK

Hats off to the hatted restaurants of the Coast Where to stay cosy this winter

Coast VIBES

Bryan Brown on his first book, Sweet Jimmy Books on the Waves Clare Peters, glass artist and ‘slumper’

59 64

70 72 74

HAPPENINGS ON THE COAST

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Best foreshore walks (when it’s wet underfoot)

HOW WE MET Gilta and Jeff Chloe and Nick

88 90

Families ON THE COAST Fun for Kids How to raise money-wise kids

96 98

Wi n

TWO-NIGHT LUXURY RETREAT

ELYSIA WELLNESS RETREAT HUNTER VALLEY

Retreat into luxury among the rolling Pokolbin hills. As you first step into Elysia, a sense of tranquillity wraps itself around you. Time here means time for yourself far from the noise and distraction of daily life. Time is for rediscovering, rebalancing, and resetting mind and body towards a healthier, happier and more motivated you. Even the food is designed around time for eating as one of life’s great pleasures. Meals are nutritious, balanced with exploring new tastes and textures, and prepared in a manner that leads to lifelong wellbeing. Disconnect with the outside world to unwind. Read a book. Soak in the tub. Choose from a full program of low-, medium- or high-intensity activities, daily stretch and mobility classes, early morning yoga, serene walks, and lounging by the pool. Enjoy a spa treatment, a wellness treatment and consultation, daily group classes and listen to a guest speaker. Enjoy a Classic Facial or Swedish massage, or you can choose from over 50 beauty treatments and massage therapy experiences. It’s up to you. Enjoy the luxury of time for yourself. Read more about Elysia Wellness Retreat on page 56 of this issue. To be in with a chance to win, just tell us why you’d like to win by entering at coastmagazine.com.au or use the QR code to enter. Please read the Terms & Conditions listed with the entry form on the COAST website.

elysiaretreat.com.au 5

COAST PUBLISHER Catharine Retter editorial@coastpublishing.com.au ART DIRECTOR Jude Rowe, Agave Creative Group PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHERS Ben Cole • Jennifer Ennion • Jamie James • Jennifer Hartich • Lisa Haymes • Merrillie Redden

PRINCIPAL WRITERS Megan Arkinstall • Angela Bennetts • Poppy Bevan • Jennifer Ennion • Carla Grossetti • Catharine Retter • Katie Stokes • Luke Talbot • Sarah Tolmie • Paul Urquhart

ILLUSTRATORS Maps: Guy Holt • Lauren Merrick

It’s whale season!

ADVERTISING Anissa Vineburg 0408 692 129 Lyndal Keyzer 0432 800 150 advertising@coastpublishing.com.au SOCIAL MEDIA Haley Sing, Vine PR admin@coastpublishing.com.au DISTRIBUTION Alex Tkachenko admin@coastpublishing.com.au ADMINISTRATION admin@coastpublishing.com.au

And then the rains came … a challenging time for so many people. It even affects magazine publishers in ways you may not think: how do you present a beautiful garden story when all our gardens have become living quagmires? And do you really want to read about traipsing through the mud on a bushwalk? Never fear, our intrepid writers rose to the task to bring you a look at how to best live with the microclimates in your garden, and where to enjoy a walk when it’s wet underfoot. Not so many years ago there was just a single hatted-restaurant on the Coast. Now there are six! Read all about the talented sea-change and tree-change chefs who now call the Coast home, and the famous restaurants where they had honed their skills.

I confess to having a fan moment in the lead up to the Words on the Waves Writers’ Festival at Umina Beach when interviewing Bryan Brown about his first book, Sweet Jimmy. It’s a bit of a thrill to discover that he’s just as nice and down to earth to talk to as you may have imagined from his on-screen roles. And his crime stories show just how much of a born storyteller he really is. Rainforests may be disappearing across Australia but we are fortunate to still have pockets and gullies and forests alive with their history surrounding us on the Coast. Read where to find them and lose yourself in their majesty in the pages of this issue. Enjoy. c

COAST is published by Coast Publishing ABN 11 145 976 049 PO Box 6407 Kincumber NSW 2251 For more ‘What’s On for Kids’ information contact Katie Stokes at playinginpuddles.com.au COPYRIGHT AND WARRANTIES The editorial content, photographic content, design and graphic art (including design of any advertisements by Coast Publishing) are all subject to copyright and must not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Coast Publishing. While we strive to ensure information contained in this magazine is correct and current at the time of printing, details may be subject to change and we recommend contacting venues or event organisers before planning your visit. The information contained in this magazine has been provided by contributors, interviewees and advertisers and their sources. No warranty is given by Coast Publishing as to the accuracy of this information nor any liability arising from any reliance upon the information contained herein. FIND US ON Facebook Instagram @coast_publishing Receive COAST online, free, in your inbox each month by subscribing at coastmagazine.com.au We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Awabakal and Darkinjung peoples and their Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. ON THE COVER Catherine Hill Bay photo by Francesco Pecora Lauria

COAST

PEARLS & JEWELLERY

PEARL FARM TOURS

PEARL MEAT & OYSTERS

BROKEN BAY SHELLAR DOOR

Scan here to learn more

12 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney, just off the M1 north of Sydney www.brokenbaypearlfarm.com.au | 0488 361 042

CENTRAL COAST

Villages & Beaches

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

GONDWANA RAINFORESTS of the CENTRAL COAST WORDS JENNIFER ENNION

‘Rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystems, with some surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years.’

– nationalgeographic.org

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

When you think of a rainforest, it’s likely that foliage dripping with morning dew and a leafy floor that’s spongey underfoot are what come to mind. Perhaps you think of Queensland’s Daintree, the world’s oldest living rainforest and Australia’s largest; perhaps your mind goes to green tree frogs and carpet pythons. What you’re probably not thinking of is the Central Coast. But, here, where hinterland rolls to the sand, we have pockets of rainforest in our many national parks, state forests, reserves and unnamed gullies that were part of the great Gondwana rainforests where cabbage tree palms, Bangalow palms and fig trees once flourished. Several of the Central Coast’s trees were considered the tallest in south-eastern Australia. So, lace up your hiking boots and zip up your waterproof jacket for a winter adventure worth having. © DAVID RUSSELL

STRICKLAND STATE FOREST With creek beds swaddled in moss, hillsides thick with trees and stumps as large as your dinner table, Strickland State Forest is a mesmerising place to explore. The forest is a mix of wildflowers and eucalypts, with rainforest found in its southern parts. It’s only five square kilometres, but Strickland packs a punch when it comes to the plants and animals found here.

Azure kingfisher

Look out for … the striking azure kingfisher and king parrot. Strickland is also home to the mottled bassian thrush bird and pretty rufous fantail, as well as what is thought to be the largest remaining turpentine tree stump with a circumference of 8.1 metres. Keep an eye out for signs of the timber-cutter’s axe even though the tree was cut down at least 100 years ago. Make sure you … set out on the Ridge to Rainforest Track (2.1km one way, medium grade). You’ll find it … in Somersby, off Strickland Forest Road.

Trees fall in the forest, of course, but occasionally you’ll still find very old, abandoned felled trees like this one in the Forest of Tranquility, a result of a lack of forethought by the timber cutters on how the bullock teams might haul the timber out.

COAST

Central Coast Holiday Escapes beach bay bush

797 The Scenic Rd

78 Grandview Cres

43 Stewart St

17 The Scenic Rd

Our broad range of holiday homes will accommodate all your holiday needs. Select from properties with ocean views, water front access, a short stroll to cafes and shops with Bouddi National Park on your doorstep or direct access to Palm Beach ferries.

KILLCARE • PRETTY BEACH HARDYS BAY • WAGSTAFFE UMINA BEACH MACMASTERS BEACH EMPIRE BAY

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

BOUDDI NATIONAL PARK Best known for its stunning coastal walk, tessellated pavement and Maitland Bay, you may be surprised to learn that Bouddi National Park also has a pocket of temperate rainforest called Fletchers Glen. According to Killcare Wagstaffe Trust, the lowland rainforest is an ‘endangered ecological community’, with two threatened plant species – the magenta lilly pilly and biconvex paperbark, both in the myrtle family. Look out for … the local population of snow wood, with its curly orange/red seed pods, as well as two waterfalls and a creek that flows into Brisbane Water. The Glen is home to powerful owls, bower birds as well as sandpaper fig, cheese tree and scentless rosewood. Make sure you … are in the mood for an adventure, as this spot is a hidden gem and the track may be overgrown. You’ll find it … off the bend in Fraser Road, Killcare. There’s a small National Parks sign.

COAST

Fletcher’s Glen in Bouddi National Park

Powerful owl

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

Hugo, a bachelor for 70 years, is now looking forward to another 70 years of married bliss.

Hugo, the giant Galapagos tortoise is a tortoise with personality. His love of visitors, daily strolls around the park, and posing for photos have made him a long-time favourite at the Australian Reptile Park, but it was obvious he yearned for a mate. He finally met a young 21-year-old giant Galapagos tortoise gal on ‘Tortoise Tinder’ in 2019. Not one to hurry things, Estrella

Beilsy tFUN

(Mrs Hugo-to-be) arrived at the Australian Reptile Park two years later. After emigrating to Australia from Germany, Estrella went into mandatory ‘hotel’ quarantine for three months before being able to meet her betrothed. But thanks to the romantic inclinations of their keepers, the two were able to FaceTime during those months. When the big day came, a giant bowl of lettuce leaves with heart-shaped watermelon decorations served as an icebreaker. As first meetings go, it was a slow and steady affair. Hugo had never met a fair damsel before and, at 185 kg, he considerably outweighs her so the keepers were on close standby in case he forgot his manners. It’s probably enough to say that Hugo now has a bit of extra bounce in his step and, dare we say it, a permanent smile on his face. Estrella is taking things at more of a tortoise pace – after all, there’s a 70-year future together in store for them, so what’s the hurry. Giant Galapagos tortoises are listed as a Vulnerable species and their keepers stay hopeful that there’ll be the slow pitter patter of tiny feet sometime in the future!

ED HERE

Fam

! T U O y a D

DAILY SHOWS • ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS • SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS • PRIVATE TOURS • MUCH MORE!

OPEN 9AM - 5PM DAILY PACIFIC HWY, SOMERSBY JUST 10 MINS FROM GOSFORD!

BUY TICKETS ONLINE - WWW.REPTILEPARK.COM.AU

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

RIGHT Watch out for the ‘Ned Kellys’, tree stumps with the timber cutter’s peg holes for climbing still clearly visible.

JILLIBY STATE CONSERVATION AREA Once logged to supply timber for an expanding Sydney, Jilliby State Conservation Area is now a favourite spot for bushwalking, horse riding and mountain biking. Prepare to be swept up in the beauty of the changing environment, where you’ll discover temperate and subtropical rainforest in sheltered gullies and creek lines and, what was, the Little Jilliby Flora Reserve, adjacent to Yarramalong, in the south. Look out for … more than 40 Aboriginal cultural sites. Make sure you … travel in a 4WD as roads are unsealed. You’ll find it … north-west of Wyong, near Olney State Forest.

COAST

ABOVE King Palms, Jilliby State Conservation Area.

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

KATANDRA RESERVE A small area of bushland not far from the M1, Katandra Reserve is an easily accessible destination for visitors from Sydney. There are hiking and running trails through rainforest, such as the 4 km moderate loop known as Graves Walk and Toomeys Trail. With the canopy closed above you, expect it to be chilly in winter and watch for muddy sections.

LEFT An outbreak of fungi after rain in Katandra Reserve.

Look out for … leeches, especially after rain. Wearing gaiters will help them stay out of your pants. Make sure you … check out the much gentler Watermans Walk (1.6km loop), perfect for young families. You’ll find it … between Mount Elliot and Holgate.

PALM GROVE NATURE RESERVE Large ferns, boulders draped in moss and a colourful collection of frogs make this reserve a wonderful place to get your nature fix, especially if you’ve been cosying up inside for too long. Spanning 240 hectares, the reserve features ancient rainforest plants, such as the bristly shield fern. Part of the Great North Walk, a track that runs from Newcastle to Sydney, also slices through here. Look out for … the stunning, red-eyed green tree frog. The species can have a body length of up to 6.5 cm. Make sure you … take your camera to capture some of the more than 80 bird species, including gang gang cockatoos, which have been recorded here. You’ll find it … in Ourimbah Creek valley.

RIGHT Hoop pines were planted in the late 1880s to see how they would survive in a variety of different soils. Seen here with an Australian red cedar and cabbage tree palm.

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

TREES OF THE RAINFORESTS The rainforest trees were often referred to as softwood and a number of species were prized by the early timbercutters. Cheese tree was used for furniture, grey myrtle for fence building, and pencil cedar was popular for beehives. Rosewood was used in boat building, piers and casks. Coachwood was, as its name implies, ideal for carriage building and for gun stocks. Watergum was popular for tool handles and pulley sheaves. Turpentine (although not strictly a rainforest species, is often found growing alongside rainforests) proved able to remain remarkably decay-free in wharves and jetties, even after 30 years underwater. The king of rainforest timbers was the red cedar, which grew as tall as 50 metres, and was sought-after for making doors, furniture, ceilings, boats and carriages. Most commercially harvestable trees had been cut down by the late 1880s but remnants survive, particularly in gullies that were too difficult to access.

WAMBINA NATURE RESERVE Crane your neck in awe of the 300- to 500-year-old fig trees that have survived among a surprisingly wide variety of rainforest species. This little known 59-hectare reserve was formally established in 1997 and it’s hoped to be a self-sustaining ecosystem again in the next few years. It was also once the home of the largest grey-headed flying-fox colony on the Central Coast. Look out for … the largest and oldest fig tree with a girth of 45 metres at ground level where its buttress roots fan out. A variety of rainforest trees seem to be a speciality here including watergums and giant stinging trees, among many others. You’ll find it … on the headwaters of Erina Creek between Matcham and Wamberal. Access from Matcham Road.

BELOW An ancient fig in Wambina Nature Reserve.

COAST

Treat yourself.

Cafe

Tavern

Luka Chocolate

Pamper Cottage

All Sorts Fitness

Daily Dough Co

Kayaks & Rowboats

Kid’s Playground

Little Creek Cheese

Acupuncture

Hairdresser

Live Entertainment

Plus, Knitting, Creche, Woodturner’s Co-op, Wedding Venue, Dog Wash, Kid’s Party Shack, Wheelchair Access, Pet Friendly. All of this and more, open daily within the grounds of the Wyong Milk Factory. The Wyong Milk Factory established in 1906 has been lovingly restored, saved and salvaged. There is now something here for the whole family to enjoy!

141 ALISON ROAD WYONG

www.wyongmilkfactory.com.au

SIGNIFICANT RAINFOREST EXAMPLES ON THE CENTRAL COAST East Gosford: Capper’s Gully, Rumbalara Reserve Little Jilliby: Little Jilliby Flora Reserve in Jilliby State Conservation Area Matcham: The Ferneries (private property) Matcham/Wamberal: Wambina Nature Reserve Mount Elliot/Holgate: Katandra Reserve Ourimbah: Forest of Tranquility (bookings only) Patonga: Dillon’s Farm (private property) in Brisbane Water National Park Narara/Somersby: Strickland State Forest West Gosford: Kendall’s Glen Waterfall Bay and Woy Woy South: Brisbane Water National Park Ourimbah Creek Valley: Palmgrove Nature Reserve Hardys Bay: Fletchers Glen, Bouddi National Park Kincumber: Kincumba Mountain Regional Reserve Several rainforest pockets and gullies are also protected and preserved within the Central Coast Council’s COSS (Central Coast Open Space Systems).

For more information see Tales from the Rainforest: History and Heritage on the NSW Central Coast, by Peter Fisher (2020). Available through facebook.com/Tales-from-the-rainforest, or email peterfishercentralcoast@gmail.com

COAST

DISCOVER THE CENTRAL COAST

HERE FOR AUTUMN WINTER 22

Visit Erina Fair today

o Flour & C ay B n o Toowo

Hotel Gosford Gosford

Central Coast Virtua

l Reality The Entrance

Don't forget to use your Dine & Discover, Stay NSW & Parents NSW Vouchers at local businesses

adamcrouchmp adamcrouchmp The Botanica

rs The Quarte Beach rs te es rr Fo

l Workshop Forresters Be ach

The Hub Mangrove Mountain

Cinema Para Ettalong

diso

le Park an Repti Australi y b Somers

sters

ffee Roa Wyong

Glee Co

George's Fruit Barn Terrigal

These are some of my happy snaps from small businesses across the Central Coast. I'm encouraging people to 'Go Local First' and support our fantastic local businesses. Adam Crouch MP Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Member for Terrigal

Authorised by Adam Crouch MP, Shop 3 Fountain Plaza, 148-158 The Entrance Road, Erina NSW 2250, funded using parliamentary entitlements

Loving

LOCAL

LOVING LOCAL

Embracing winter at home WORDS JENNIFER ENNION SNUGGLE SEASON IS UPON US, WHERE WEEKENDS ARE BEST PASSED CURLED UP ON COUCHES WATCHING THE WIND SHAKING BACKYARD EUCALYPTS AND LISTENING TO RAIN RAPPING ON KITCHEN WINDOWS. IT’S A TIME TO EMBRACE THE COMFORT OF HOME – BAKING, CREATING, PLAYING – AND TO ADD EXTRA WARMTH TO ROOMS. WITH THAT IN MIND, HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE CENTRAL COAST STORES TO STYLE COSY CORNERS IN YOUR HOME.

WEEKENDS STORE, AVOCA BEACH Opened in February, Weekends Store in Avoca is a very welcome addition to the Coast’s boutiques market. Step inside and it’s immediately apparent owner Alison Daley has a background in design and product development. You’ll find a beautiful collection of clothing, books and general homewares, but for winter we’re in love with her range of linen cushions in natural colours. ‘They’re all heavy-weighted French linen and you can feel the quality,’ Alison says. ‘They’ve all been stone-washed, so they’re nice and soft, and they’re feather filled … once you go feather, you can never go back.’ Weekends Store also stocks a lovely selection of cushions block-printed by hand in India, as well as woven picnic rugs and linen duvets. 168 Avoca Dr, Avoca Beach instagram.com/weekends__store

THREE DONKEYS HOME, WAMBERAL Known for its French provincial style, you can always count on finding something fabulous at Three Donkeys Home in Wamberal. The store has vintage charm, thanks to the beautiful array of baskets and dried flowers usually on its doorstep. This winter, head indoors to find a new range of linen tea towels in classic stone hues, as well as new 100 per cent cotton hand-knitted face washers and hand towels in musk, grey and mustard – perfect for updating your country-style kitchen. 1/2 Ghersi Ave, Wamberal instagram.com/threedonkeyshome

SHOPPING

DRIFT HOME AND LIVING, FORRESTERS BEACH As the name suggests, Drift is all about embracing life by the sea and inside you’ll discover plenty of ocean treasures, including shells and sea-themed artwork. But there are also soft furnishings to help create cosy spaces for the cooler months. We particularly love the macrame jute wall hangings, handwoven in Bangladesh, for statement pieces in entry halls and lounge rooms. There are also unique handwoven and organically-dyed palm baskets inspired by the traditions of tribes in Zimbabwe. Shop 1, 15-17 Forresters Beach Rd, Forresters Beach @driftdesign

BED BATH N’ TABLE, ERINA FAIR This season, Bed Bath N’ Table is embracing floral flannelettes with Australiana-inspired quilts and sheets, with details such as hand-painted koalas and echidnas. Patterns include cottage flowers, with a focus on colours such as peach, blush, sage and mustard. If your kids have been begging you for an ‘oodie’, the store also has a range of ‘hooded sherpas’ in fun designs – great for winter slumber parties. Shop T234/235. Erina Fair Shopping Centre, Terrigal Dr, Erina instagram.com/bedbathntable

ADAIRS, ERINA FAIR If you prefer mainstream contemporary home furnishings, there is a lot to choose from in the large Adairs store at Erina Fair. With a huge range of quilts, bed sheets, cushions and throws, you could find yourself happily lost in the collection. Give your bedroom a spruce up with retro prints in rainforest greens and desert oranges. If you prefer neutrals, there are also plenty of throws, rugs and manchester in colours such as ‘Aspen snow’, oatmeal and sand. Shop T236, Erina Fair Shopping Centre, Terrigal Dr, Erina instagram.com/adairs

LOVING LOCAL

Kyal and Kara Keeping things local WORDS JENNIFER ENNION Kara Demmrich has worked with some of the biggest businesses in Australia’s building industry, but when it comes to her online retail store, she favours the little guy. Since starting KK Homewares in 2017, Kara and her husband, Kyal, have collaborated with Central Coast and Sydney artists on handmade products that don’t play into fads. Instead, Kara is all about timeless homewares you won’t find featured in every #homereno on Instagram. It’s no surprise the couple is anti-fad, given their environmental ethos (they’re ambassadors of locally-based Take 3 for the Sea), but they’re also pleasantly practical. With two young children, Kara is mindful of wear and tear. ‘We want products that will wash well,’ says Kara. ‘So, we stock Pony Rider for example – a Northern Beaches business. I’ve been using their cushions on our renovations for 10 years and they just wash so well … they stand the test of time and still look good.’ Their store, found via kyalandkara.com, is a carefully curated collection of cushions, candles, artwork, kitchenware, books and more. Among these, you’ll find products Kara and Kyal have created in collaboration with small businesses, such as Klaypots Handmade. Finding creators to work with is an organic process, Kara says, and often starts with a chat on social media. But she also has plenty of artistic friends, such as Hannah from MayClay Ceramics. The women grew up together, and now Hannah’s stunning clay light pendants are sold in Kara’s store.

COAST

KK Homewares was launched while Kara and Kyal were renovating a house in Long Jetty. The pair had recently finished a renovation in Toowoon Bay, which had been filmed for television, and they were also filming the Long Jetty project, sharing their journeys on social media. Whenever they highlighted a product in their builds, they were flooded with questions about where to buy it. This inspired them to create the store and meant they could direct their large Instagram following (now sitting at 335k on @kyalandkara) to one place. The move also helped streamline work life. ‘I was getting to the end of these renovations and scrambling to find product that I liked,’ says Kara. ‘…When we’re actually renovating ourselves, we (now) have this store that we can shop our own look, and it’s all there and readily available.’ Kara says it’s also about ensuring that when people buy from KK Homewares their house won’t look like everyone else’s. ‘It’s all about creating that unique look,’ she says. The transition from renovation reality TV stars to online retailer is a natural one, and their dreams don’t end there. Kara hopes to one day have a bricks and mortar store but says she won’t be rushing into it. Instead, she’ll wait for the right location and the right building – and no doubt she’ll find exactly that. kyalandkara.com/store

Your home is your haven. Home, gifts and lifestyle store.

490 Central Coast Hwy, Erina Heights NSW (02) 4365 4618

www.havenathome.com.au

EAT

STAY LOVE

AVOCA BEACH HOTEL 02 4382 2322 www.avocabeachhotel.com.au

LOVING LOCAL

KARA’S WINTER STYLE TIPS • Find timeless pieces • Cull or declutter spaces • Create vignettes and nooks that make you happy • Change your cushions for a new look • Add throws to the couch

COAST

Experience dentistry like never before. Shop 2, Erina Plaza, 210 Centr al Coast Highway

Erina, NSW 2250 (02) 4367 - 6222

www.newleafdentists.com.au

ESCAPE TO THE SPRINGS T H E R E I S S O M E T H I N G F O R E V E RYO N E

OPEN FOR LUNCH 11-3PM BOOKINGS (02) 4373 1522 thespringscentralcoast

1 0 8 0 P E AT S R I D G E R D . P E AT S R I D G E

THE-SPRINGS.COM.AU

FEATURE

WORDS MEGAN ARKINSTALL

COAST

DANCING ON DARKINJUNG LAND

FEATURE

INDIGENOUS CONTEMPORARY DANCERS HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED AROUND THE WORLD FOR THEIR REMARKABLE TALENT. BUT WHERE IS A LOT OF THAT TALENT FORMALLY NURTURED AND TRAINED? RIGHT HERE ON THE CENTRAL COAST AT NAISDA DANCE COLLEGE. THE COLLEGE’S HEAD OF DANCE AND FORMER STUDENT, DEON HASTIE, SHARES HIS STORY, WHICH HE HOPES WILL INSPIRE OTHER YOUNG ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER DANCERS TO TAKE TO THE STAGE.

estled in Mount Penang Parklands since 2006, NAISDA Dance College was born from a surge in cultural pride and a drive to share the stories and struggles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through artistic expression. The college has an impressive list of alumni including awardwinning choreographer and performer Deon Hastie, who has returned to his roots as NAISDA’s Head of Dance, as well as Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Stephen Page, and celebrated singer and performer Christine Anu. When I ask Deon Hastie to describe himself, he pauses ... He may be a performer on stage but when talking about himself, he’s emphatically humble. After a few moments, he offers ‘I’m a learner … a student of life, I guess.’ But after talking to Deon about his life and career, I learn that this dancer and choreographer is a storyteller and proud Indigenous man who is spontaneous, passionate and highly ambitious. A descendent of the Djabugay people of Far North Queensland, Deon grew up in the ’80s in the small country town of Mareeba, west of Cairns. It was in high school that he fortuitously fell in love with dancing when one of the performers in the school concert fell ill and he was asked to step in. Deon admits he had never thought about dancing before but agreed to learn the routine at lunchtime. ‘I surprised myself,’ he says. ‘I got on stage that night and I didn’t even worry about the audience – I just performed.’ With spades of raw talent and unbridled passion, he recalls many performances where he has stepped in at the last moment and improvised. Connecting with audiences through dance, breaking through language and cultural barriers, he has had 800-strong crowds on their feet dancing with him. ‘I think people are just happy to see something so honest,’ he says. ‘Dancing comes from the heart.’

LEFT Deon Hastie and Joanne Roads in Petroglyphs: Signs of Life, choreographed by Leigh Warren and Gina Rings. RIGHT Deon Hastie in Leigh Warren and Dancers' production Divining. Premiered at the Adelaide Festival.

FEATURE

‘

Before the national college relocated to the Central Coast, Deon studied at NAISDA in Sydney, which was formed after the 1972 Tent Embassy Protests in Canberra. It was a time when contemporary Indigenous dance was emerging as a way of connecting with people and sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. NAISDA made it possible for Indigenous students to tell their stories through artistic expression and, with the displacement of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it offered them the opportunity to re-connect with their culture. ‘I had a very religious upbringing and lacked cultural awareness and knowledge, so our tutors became our cultural parents who entrusted us with their language, songs, dance and stories. This helped shape my identity as a young Aboriginal person and gave me a sense of place and belonging,’ Deon says. While studying at NAISDA, an agent warned Deon that he should not expect to dance for anyone other than Bangarra Dance Theatre or Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT). Despite this, he went on to work with renowned dance company Leigh Warren and Dancers in Adelaide (now Dance Hub SA), performing in 18 major works nationally and internationally. During his time there, Deon believes he reached his full potential as a dancer but remembers it took a long time to be recognised for his artistic skills, rather than his ethnicity. Eleven years, and many ground-breaking performances and accolades later, he hung up his dance shoes and became artistic director of Kurruru Youth Performing Arts in Port Adelaide, where he worked with Aboriginal children. In 2019, Deon was appointed Head of Dance at NAISDA, which had moved to a new facility on Darkinjung land in Kariong and celebrates its 50th anniversary in just a few years. Deon works with the young students who are called ‘developing artists’ during their training at NAISDA, nurturing, guiding and supporting them at the beginning of their dance careers. ‘It is really important to me that these young artists gain the skills necessary to become the next generation of First Nations dancers, choreographers and cultural ambassadors, sharing the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and preserving our culture.’

I had a very religious upbringing and lacked cultural awareness and knowledge, so our tutors became our cultural parents who entrusted us with their language, songs, dance and stories.

’

If you are a young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person interested in applying to train with NAISDA in 2023, visit naisda.com.au or contact reception@naisda.com.au

COAST

ABOVE LEFT Leigh Warren and Dancers performed in Einstein on the Beach, composed by Philip Glass in collaboration with State Opera South Australia and The Adelaide Vocal Project. LEFT NAISDA Dance College, Ngoenakap performed at Carriageworks, Sydney.

Home Style &

HOLIDAY LIVING

OZ DESIGN FURNITURE GOSFORD & TUGGERAH A U S T R A L I A N O W N E D & O P E R AT E D

HOME STYLE

Design matters

POODLE BAR & BISTRO – PHOTOGRAPHY © DEREK SWALWELL DESIGN BERGMAN AND CO

with POPPY BEVAN

Our homes are on the precipice of a new design era Building, renovating, or planning major interior design works to our homes are not undertakings most of us do for the short term. Design decisions should reflect who you are and how you live to ensure a uniquely personal home that will stand the test of time. This is why it is important to be aware of the current trends, to make sure you are not just following what is popular, but rather creating a home that you genuinely love. Happenings in the design world start with purist ideas and gradually filter down into our everyday lives. Our first experience of the next up-and-coming design movement is usually in cuttingedge restaurants and bars because, unlike our homes, they have the freedom of being updated every few years. Take The Bon Pavilion in Gosford – currently undergoing a major interior refurbishment only three years after opening.

COAST

Until recently, we have been in a phase of restraint, which included the prudent use of colour and the celebration of simple building materials. This was a time when the humble concrete block was elevated to architectural significance, and whites and greys reigned supreme. Stylistically, these materials are used in a technique called ‘modelling’, where individual building components are put together and remain visible in the finished product. We see this in the prevalence of polished concrete floors, exposed concrete blockwork, natural timber elements, simple corrugated steel cladding, white-on-white interiors, and even the return of the 1960s’ breezeblock. Right now, we are on the precipice of a new era and, for those who love opulence, this is your time. The world of design is moving away from a devotion to restraint and into an era

HOME STYLE

timber veneer

natural stone

fine fabrics

influenced by the excess of the roaring 1920s. In this spirit, we are seeing a shift to design that is fundamentally more luxurious, richer in colour, and invites the return of craftsmanship. We will see a prevalence of innately luxurious materials including beautiful natural stone, brass (polished or left to patina), leather, detailed plaster work, and intricately crafted timber veneers. We will witness a change from ‘modelling’ to a technique called ‘carving’, where designs appear sculpted as if cut away from one larger element. A great example is in kitchen design, where there is a move away from the ‘modelled’ formula of kickboard + cabinets + countertop + splashback, towards the creation of ‘carved’ kitchen joinery that creates a cohesive streamlined effect. In this approach, island benches of ornately veined coloured stone

brass

tailored leather

become a sculpture in themselves, appearing carved from one large piece of stone with minimal fussy details. In another luxurious flourish, colour will return as a major design element, and not in the fashion of the feature wall, but as a confident entire room application – a simple way of creating spaces that feel as though they are one all-enveloping whole. Finally, there will be a return of atmospheric lighting including wall sconces, concealed cabinet lighting, and standard lamps that avoid the spotlighting effect of downlights. This softer, more delicate luminance will act as a sculptural element that can transform how a space feels. Poppy Bevan B. Design (Architecture) M. Architecture (Hons Class I) poppybevan.com

We design bespoke homes

40 Ocean View Drive, Wamberal, 2260 - 0401 557 805 - www.poppybevan.com 35

HOME STYLE

THE

LOUGHLIN LOOK Rob and Jessica Loughlin, Norah Head

PHOTOS BEN COLE PHOTOGRAPHY

COAST

HOME STYLE

ven if your budget doesn’t stretch to a house full of beautiful designer cabinetry, just having one feature piece to add that touch of style to our everyday lives is a wish for many of us. Imagine having an entire house created with customised, designer cabinetry and joinery. That was what young couple, Rob and Jessica wished for when they bought a two-storey, red brick house in Norah Head that needed a major renovation. It helped, of course, that Rob is the founder and creative force behind Loughlin Furniture in West Gosford, and that co-founder Jessica has an eye for interesting accessories. Rob definitely wanted a coastal look. Jessica was keen on a traditional Australian feel. How to match those two dreams became the task for architect, Brent Fitzpatrick of Fabric Architecture Studio. The ’70s-built house was typical of its era: lots of small rooms that created a somewhat dark, maze-like effect, but a complete rebuild was out of the question. A sewer line runs right under the centre of the house, and two enormous Norfolk Island pines had already claimed the land at the edge of the rear boundary, so the house was pretty well restricted to its existing footprint. ‘The house presented a number of challenges,’ says Brent Fitzpatrick, ‘but it helps when the client is creative and collaborative and worked well with us and with the builder. The main challenge, from a build perspective, was working with a structure that wasn't square plumb or level and creating an open space while maintaining a portion of the existing structure. ‘Most of the internal walls that were removed downstairs to open up the living spaces were load-bearing,’ adds Troy Paul of Hudson Lane Builders. ‘This meant the majority of the first floor needed to be re-supported in a way that didn’t compromise the design intent.’ The remarkable transformation resulted in an open-plan living area, separate studio accommodation for friends and family and three additional bedrooms. A centrepiece of the house, the galley kitchen, fits in seamlessly, and subtly opens into a butler’s pantry and wine pantry. The meticulously finished joinery is a demonstration of Rob’s master-craftsmanship at its finest.

» 37

‘Warmth and texture are at the heart of the design,’ says Brent. ‘It’s reflected in the materials palette throughout the house. And both the nearby bushland as well as the rocks and sand at Lighthouse Beach are echoed in the colours and finishes of Rob’s beautiful joinery pieces. ‘We both love the natural elements,’ says Jessica. ‘And although the stone wall at the entrance took a chunk of our budget, we love that it leads you from the garden to the interior of the house and that the stone soars to the full height of the two storeys.’

COAST

American oak is used throughout the house for its even grain and tone that makes the timber easy to match. Blackbutt is used for a more dramatic effect, such as for the coffee table. Rob made all the timber fittings in the house: doors, kitchen range hood, cupboards, bathroom vanities and mirrors, the dining table, and the long low cabinet under the stairs. Their dining table will become a new product in the Loughlin Furniture range but everything else had already been designed into the range. ‘That’s not to say they weren’t customised to fit an end wall or a special place,’ says Jessica. ‘But that’s a service we supply to all our customers.’ Stacked glass doors at the far end of the ground floor open the house to the garden and an undercover entertainment area where the first floor’s concrete rooftop garden provides continuity to the open-plan living areas. Its beautifully curved fascia edge is an architectural statement that frames the landscaping of the garden and provides a ready-made ceiling for an all-weather dining terrace. Upstairs, there are two children’s bedrooms and the master suite as well as a television/reading alcove. The north-facing balcony off the master suite is the perfect place to sit and admire the expansive view out to Bird Island and towards the Norah Head Lighthouse. It’s a house that’s fulfilled Jessica and Rob’s dreams, with just one wish still to be granted: the pool and water feature in the secluded front garden that will add the final touch. loughlinfurniture.com.au

CRAFTED FOR LIFE

Solid Timber Furniture visit loughlinfurniture.com.au

HOME STYLE

TRADE SUPPLIERS

PREVIOUS PAGES Sawtell Shiplap Entry Door, Marley Curved Vanity THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Pacific Rattan Bed; Crescent Internal Door

COAST

Architect

Fabric Architecture

Builder

Hudson Lane Projects

Engineer

Halcrow

Cabinetry and joinery

Loughlin Furniture

Weatherboard

James Hardie Linea

Aluminium Windows

Sublime Aluminium

Timber Sliding Doors

Loughlin Furniture

Roofing

Colorbond Surfmist Matt

Timber Fence

Tasmanian oak

Stone Cladding

Gather Co

Concrete Planter Box

Slab Shapers

Front Door

Loughlin Furniture

Flooring

Hurfords Flooring

Stairs

Loughlin Furniture

Balustrade

Designed and templated by Loughlin Furniture, made by local metal worker

Tiles

Tile Cloud and Gather Co

Lighting

Custom pendants designed by Lighting Guild and Loughlin Furniture

Internal Doors

Loughlin Furniture and Crescent Internal Doors

Door Hardware

Keeler Hardware

Built-in entertainment units

Loughlin Furniture and Pacific Rattan Unit

Kitchen island bench

Slabshapers concrete, McTavish and Loughlin Furniture custom base, legs and oak top

Kitchen and butler’s pantry joinery

Loughlin Furniture

Carpet and rugs

Rugs for Good

Curtains

DIY Blinds

Tapware

Sussex Taps and Brodware Taps

Create Your Dream Bathroom Today HEATHERBRAE Unit 1, 8 Griffin Street, Heatherbrae, NSW 2324

NEWCASTLE Unit 1/5 - 7 Pacific Highway, Gateshead, NSW 2290

WEST GOSFORD 210 Manns Road, West Gosford, NSW 2250

Products Featured: REFLEKTA Pencil Edge Arch Mirror 800x500mm, FINE LINES EDEN Bench Mount Basin Matte White, SPIN Tall Basin Mixer Brushed Brass, OLIVER Wall Hung Hamptons Vanity 1500mm Matte White

www.highgrovebathrooms.com.au

HOME STYLE

CLOUDS OF GREEN in Matcham

WHEN CHRIS AND HEATHER COADY MOVED FROM THEIR DOORALONG FARM SEVEN YEARS AGO TO A ‘LOWER MAINTENANCE’ FIVE-BEDROOM, SEMI-RURAL PROPERTY IN COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM, THE THOUGHT OF 38 BUXUS, HAWTHORN AND ELAEAGNUS BUSHES THAT WERE HEDGED INTO A ROUNDED ‘CLOUDS’ EFFECT DID NOT PARTICULARLY EQUATE TO ‘HIGH MAINTENANCE’ AFTER LOOKING AFTER AN 18-HECTARE FARM. ‘They only need trimming four times a year,’ says Heather. ‘The new growth on the elaeagnus provides us with beautiful copper-coloured shoots, and the hawthorn has masses of white flowers in spring. But our favourite tree is the big magnolia that is smothered in flowers every August.’ The garden was originally designed by landscape designer Michael Cooke in 2005, with the green in the hedges complemented by a sprawling blue spruce that softly breaks the symmetry of the hedging. Across the road, a vibrant purple tibouchina successfully jostles for attention within this green landscape. The timber for the very tall, very solid entrance door that welcomes visitors to the house was sourced from a wool store and opens on a pivot hinge. Opposite, a floor-to-ceiling glass window leads the eye through to a pebbled courtyard with a bowl and globe water feature. To the left, stairs lead above the garage to a large family and TV room with a sloping ceiling and high windows. To the right, beyond the front entrance hall, large picture windows stretch across the width of the house encompassing

COAST

the lounge, dining and kitchen areas. Bi-fold doors in the dining area open onto a long veranda overlooking the garden. From both the house and the veranda, the garden creates a peaceful vista that is both a feature and a backdrop to the living areas. At the far end of the living space, the house opens onto a large, covered patio that blends the outdoors with the comfort of indoor living. Beside the patio is an area that Heather refers to as the ‘cat corner’ where her paintings of two favourite pets have pride of place. Picasso-style ‘cat’ cushions on the chairs whimsically complement the style of one of her paintings. Around the corner, Chris’s study showcases an intriguing collection of clay smoking pipes that he personally dug up from the muddy banks of the River Thames at low tide when they lived in the UK early in their marriage. ‘The pipes were often provided to patrons by the local riverside pubs,’ says Chris. ‘The oldest is thought to date back to around 1590, and their long pipestems were pretty fragile, so that may be why so many of them were discarded in the nearby river.’ Opposite the study, there’s a hidden room that Heather laughingly refers to as having the solidity of a ‘safe room’ if you

CUSTOM, QUALITY SHUTTERS, BLINDS & AWNINGS For an honest, professional discussion about your dream and vision, contact us for a free measure & quote.

0405 979 261 jesse@conceptshade.com.au www.conceptshade.com.au

Sydney I Central Coast I Newcastle

CENTRAL COAST’S LOCAL VET TEAM Providing professional and compassionate care for your pets.

Working in conjunction with 4 local animal charity organisations We provide waste bags to Terrigal Beach, the Haven and Avoca Beach

Independent, locally owned and operated for over 45 years.

Corner Serpentine Road & Terrigal Drive, TERRIGAL

Simon, Anthony and Sammi graduated university together in 2003

Terrigal Vet HO SPI TA L

CALL 4365 2300 www.terrigalvet.com.au

HOME STYLE

were to hide away there. It is the ‘control room’ for the house where the underfloor heating, sound system, power, lighting and security controls are regulated. The Preston Hunter-designed interiors with their high ceilings and square-set cornicing, blackbutt timber floorboards, and underfloor heating, combine to create a luxuriously comfortable home. Even the laundry is well designed and beautifully thoughtout with wide bench spaces, deep linen storage drawers, a built-in, hidden ironing board, as well as a laundry chute from the upstairs master suite. A beautiful feature of the house is, in fact, the large master bedroom with its sloped attic-style ceiling and two, deep dormer window bays – cosy nooks for curling up to read a book. There are two walk-in wardrobes and a marble-tiled en suite with spa bath. Wherever you are in the house, there’s a sense of welcome, a place to quietly enjoy the surrounds. And you don’t need to think about trimming hedges for another three months or so. The property was recently sold by Gittoes at East Gosford.

COAST

ABOVE The house sits on 2.5 acres (1 hectare). ABOVE LEFT The galley kitchen is part of the open plan living area and leads to an outdoor, undercover dining area. BELOW LEFT The beautiful timber front door was sourced from a wool store, and opens on a pivot hinge. BELOW: The north-facing front veranda is a perfect all-yearround spot to enjoy the green gardenscape.

it le d n a h l ’l e W from here

Quality Timber, Oak and Quality Timber, Oak and Laminate flooring Laminate flooring

256 West St, Umina Beach. 4342 6666 258

www.proflooring.com.au • Major supplier of architectural hardware to the residential and commercial market

BUILDING BEAUTIFUL HOMES FOR MODERN-DAY LIVING

• Door locks, handles, security and more • Consultation service available • Working closely with direct clients, builders, architects and interior designers • Visit our showroom today!

Avoca Beach Architectural Hardware & Locksmiths 4382 1286

0412 437 327

Our passion for design and construction resonates across everything we do.

177 Avoca Dr, Avoca Beach info@avocaarchitectural.com.au

LOCAL | KNOWLEDGEABLE | PROFESSIONAL | FAMILY OWNED

www.avocaarchitectural.com.au

www.gregmitchellbuilding.com.au

GARDENS OF THE COAST

Gay Hannigan’s lakeside garden. Use interesting foliage to enhance a tropical garden. These beefsteak plants and croton thrive in dappled sunlight.

COAST

GARDENS OF THE COAST

UNDERSTANDING

MICROCLIMATES WORDS PAUL URQUHART PHOTOS LISA HAYMES

OVER THE YEARS, WE’VE BROUGHT YOU MANY EXAMPLES OF GARDENS IN COAST MAGAZINE. THE ONE THING THAT MARKS THEM IS THEIR DIFFERENCES: FROM RIVERSIDE GARDENS TO COASTAL FOREST, FROM TROPICAL STYLES TO JAPANESE, AND FROM AVERAGE SUBURBAN GARDENS TO LARGE COUNTRY PROPERTIES. DESPITE THEIR DIFFERENCES, THE ONE THING THAT UNITES THEM IS HOW THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MICROCLIMATES. We hear a lot about climate and climate change – not so much about microclimates. Here on the Central Coast, the terrain and temperatures vary greatly from the coast to the hinterland and from the hilly, forested south to the drier plains in the north. Gardeners need to know the differences so they can get the best results in their own patch. With lockdowns and working from home, many of us have spent more time in the garden and bought more plants than ever before, but how many of these expensive purchases have survived or better still thrived? If we understand our own local microclimate and even how we can create a microclimate, then success will come more readily.

YOUR OWN MICROCLIMATE The mere act of planting a garden can be the start of creating a microclimate. Trees create shade and can lower summer temperatures and conserve moisture. Expansive lawns without trees or shrubs allow houses in the same position to heat up, so the microclimate would be drier and hotter. What you plant is also dependent on your local soil and you wouldn’t necessarily choose to grow arid zone plants like cactus and other succulents or inland natives in a shady garden with clay soil.

SO, WHAT IS A MICROCLIMATE? Simply, it is a small area within a climate zone that exhibits different conditions to the dominant zone. If, for instance, you drive from Wyong to Doyalson and Lake Munmorah, at one end you’ll see stunted eucalypt forests together with melaleuca thickets that indicate low fertility in the soil and a tendency to swampiness. Further on, forests of taller angophora are dominant. These are trees that thrive on low fertility and like soils that are sandier and free draining. So the differences in the soil profile, the lay of the land, (whether flat or hilly), proximity to watercourses or lakes, and exposure to wind and wind direction can all affect the microclimate. In the south, say around Avoca, Empire Bay or Pearl Beach, there are gullies, hills and a proximity to the coast that creates richer valley soils and streams and, as a result, the natural tree cover is taller, lusher and wetter. Further west, other variations occur. Yarramalong and Dooralong Valleys with silty or clay soil, can be frosty in winter and definitely colder overnight. Valleys, in general, also tend to be hotter in summer than coastal locations tempered by sea breezes. These are the go-to places for a quick fix of autumn foliage. Head 300 metres up to Peats Ridge or Kulnura, and sandy soils – generally known as Hawkesbury Sandstone – coupled with exposure to southerly winds, mean that the climate regulates what will grow successfully.

Leonie Grimshaw’s coastal garden. Make the most of local trees such as angophora, which thrive in poor sandy soil by the coast.

GARDENS OF THE COAST

Bill Burton’s riverside garden. Near rivers, where the water table is high, cabbage tree palms thrive.

Living Edge hinterland garden. Native eucalypts offer shade and protection for more tender plants.

Interested in a Principal Kitchen quote or just have a question? Scan below to complete our kitchen design consultation form and one of our designers will be in touch to discuss your project.

Every little detail is considered

10 YEAR GUARANTEE Contemporary Designs • Innovative storage solutions Australian Made cabinetry • Quality European accessories Now available at Kincumber Mitre10 • Arrange a FREE consultation today

Kerta Road & Empire Bay Drive, KINCUMBER • 02 4368 3866

Interested in a Principal Kitchen quote or just have a question?

Scan below to complete our kitchen design consultation form and one of our designers will be in touch to discuss your project.

CALL DANIEL TODAY

CALL DANIEL TODAY 2 33 0412 503 Gibbens Road, 0412West9/8503 2 33 Gosford NSW 2250 9/8 Gibbens Road, West Gosford NSW 2250

www.co nst ruc tce n t ral co ast .com . au tce.co n t ral co ast .co m . au www.co nst www.co ruc tce n tnst ralruc co ast m . au

GARDENS OF THE COAST

OUR COASTAL GARDENS Gay Hannigan’s garden (COAST magazine, Autumn 2019) at Long Jetty is a tropical oasis with palms, heliconias, ferns and frangipanis. THE METHOD: 1 Take full advantage of your position. Gay’s garden is adjacent to a coastal lagoon with its cooling, moist atmosphere. This keeps it cool in summer and warm in winter. 2 Plant exuberantly. Gay accentuated the area’s natural microclimate by planting a protective cover of palms and native trees. This created a cushion of warm air where warmth-loving tropical plants thrived. They are protected from scorching sun in summer and cold in winter. Bill Burton’s riverside garden on the Wyong River (COAST magazine, Autumn 2021) has to contend with regular flooding and anaerobic soil common to swampy ground. (Anaerobic soils have a restricted flow of air within the soil pores, because of their high moisture or water table level – sound familiar after our high rainfall season?) THE METHOD: 1 Work with what you’ve got. Tall coastal trees help soak up water when it comes and you can choose complementary trees to add interest. Bill planted palms suited to similar conditions. They also direct your eye to the ground plane where Bill planted ferns and a mix of natives and exotics that thrive in damp soil. 2 Build up the soil. Compost and mulch alleviates some of the effects of oxygendepleted soil and as the soil profile gets higher, plants are less likely to drown.

Living Edge hinterland garden. Copper spoons backed by Gymea lily demonstrate synergy between indigenous and exotic plants.

Leonie Grimshaw’s Bateau Bay contemporary garden designed by James Headland of Pangkarra Gardens is close to the beach where the beautiful red gums (angophora) make such a statement. (COAST magazine, Autumn 2020). THE METHOD: 1 Use the location. The garden takes its cue from its coastal location and uses a largely native planting of grasses, shrubs and groundcovers. Most of the indigenous trees were preserved and beds created around them. 2 Make it practical. Gravel paths allow water to drain away naturally and a small but perfectly formed productive garden is close to the barbecue and deck. Because the climate is warm here, a few tropical plants give extra lushness. Living Edge Nursery and Garden (COAST magazine, Spring 2019) is located on a rural property at Peats Ridge, has sandy free-draining soil, which posed some problems in creating a microclimate.

Gay Hanigan’s lakeside garden. A lakeside location is generally warmer and more humid, ideal conditions for tropical plants.

COAST

THE METHOD: 1 Improve the soil. Owners David Fripp and Blake Jolley added tonnes of rough mulch applied to a depth of at least 30 cm. As it broke down it became a fertile bed for many different plants to thrive. This process continues. It’s not a one-off. 2 Mix and match plants. Surrounded by bushland, the garden blends seamlessly with common plants used in uncommon ways. At the same time, experimentation allows more uncommon species to fit in and thrive.

living on the coast in

Style Comfort

Made to Order Made in Australia

CUSTOM MADE FURNITURE

Free Measure and Quote

custom made furniture specialists

4 3 6 5 6 2 9 8 I 1 6 6 C E N T R A L C O A S T H I G H W A Y, E R I N A info@coastaldesignfurniture.com.au W W W. C OA S TA L D E S I G N F U R N I T U R E . C O M . AU

MY COAST

COAST

MY COAST

My Coast

JENNIFER HARTICH Pocket dynamo, pothole rainbow-warrior, community weeder, cyclist, walker, carer.

ne of the special things people find when they move to the Central Coast is how much of a community spirit exists here compared to the big city. There’s no one who better exemplifies that community spirit than 3 Villages* resident, the unstoppable 76-year-old Jennifer Hartich, aka the Energizer Bunny. Jennifer is so well-liked and so widely known in her community, that every second car seems to toot a hello when they spot her out on her daily walk, or cycling, or painting a rainbow of colours around potholes to alert local road users to the perils that lie in wait. It’s gotten so frequent now that she just waves without time to shift her gaze from the road. When several people expressed interest in kayaking, it was Jennifer who formed the Kayak-a-yakkers group through the local Facebook page, and a dozen kayakers turned up for the first outing. And it’s Jennifer who takes you paddling to where the pelicans and black swans hang out to breed and raise their chicks. Or knows the best spot to be overwhelmed by the noise of nesting pied cormorants and darters in the trees right above your head. Or the quiet beauty of Waterfall Bay near Woy Woy. Or to the magnificent sandstone cliffs around Patonga and the Hawkesbury. Then there are the hiking trails where the best ‘old lady’ angophoras are to be seen on Kincumba Mountain. If there’s a community clean-up day, you know Jennifer will be there in force. Or if a nearby park needs weed control or bin painting – that’s where you’ll find her with her fellow local residents.

Her day starts when most of us are still curled up under the doona, and she will have posted her beautiful sunrise photo or the fog over the water seen from her kayak, or a low-flying osprey pair – before you’ve opened your eyes wide enough to so much as check the day’s weather outside. She’s a keen photographer but it’s also about posting a cheery photo to start everyone’s day. And as if that wasn’t enough, this energised bunny is the carer for her husband with whom she does regular outings each day so he is not house-bound. She’s a special person but she’s not alone in all these things she does, and that’s what helps make the Coast such a special place to live. *3 Villages is the collective name for Yattalunga-Saratoga-Davistown.

SOME OF JENNIFER’S FAVOURITE LOCAL PLACES Kayaking: along the Hawkesbury from Patonga to the Hawkesbury bridge Cycling: up Kincumba Mountain & exploring the trails Bushwalking: a favourite lookout is Elephant Rock on the Patonga Drive & exploring the Bouddi National Park eg Bullimah Spur Best spot to take husband Steve for an afternoon drink & light meal would have to be Gosford Sailing Club & The Boatshed as the venue has easy access for people with disabilities & the outlook over Brisbane Water is so relaxing

Wellbeing

BEING WELL

Often, our most regular daily activities include food, whether it's buying, preparing, cooking or eating. Few things are as important to us than what we eat, and this also plays a large part in both the benefits or consequences to our bodies and the environment.

Foodworx Coaching offers a tailored service designed to teach, empower and equip you with the necessary skills and information to get the most out of your food for health. Learn the benefits and discover flavours of cooking with whole-foods and gain confidence in your ability to cook for family & friends.

Increased Plant-Based Food Gut Restoration Weight Management Meal Planning Whole-Food Education

Fermenting Food Introduction to Plant-Based Cooking Sugar Free & Vegan Baking Cooking for the Family & MORE

CLEAN SKINCARE WITH A CONSCIENCE. FOR PREGNANCY, NEWBORN & BEYOND.

Whole Foods Organic Sustainable

Photo: Oak Street Images

ORGANIC. VEGAN. LAVENDER FREE.

• Buy only as much as you need • Plastic free shopping

enquiries@podorganics.com.au

• Natural and organic products • All your favourite pantry items

www.podorganics.com.au

Shop 7 46 Picnic Road ETTALONG BEACH purebulkfoods.com.au I 02 4302 9081

WELLBEING, BEING WELL

The ultimate reset for mind and body

WORDS MEGAN ARKINSTALL

THE HUNTER VALLEY’S PREMIER WELLNESS RETREAT HAS HAD A RECENT RESET. ELYSIA WELLNESS RETREAT UNDERWENT AN EXTENSIVE AND THOUGHTFUL REVAMP IN 2021 WITH NEW-LOOK VILLAS AND AN IMPRESSIVE PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO UNWIND, NOURISH AND REJUVENATE ITS GUESTS.

et amongst the undulating hills of Pokolbin wine country, Elysia Wellness Retreat has long been the Hunter Valley’s premier stay for those seeking respite from the daily grind. The exclusive property – formerly the Golden Door Retreat – underwent a refurbishment last year, transforming the villas into calming sanctuaries. Resplendent in rich, earthy tones and simple but plush furnishings, the design keeps in mind the impact of physical environment on mental wellbeing. The retreat experience has also been overhauled: its tailored personal programs now incorporate unique and targeted spa treatments, wellness consultations, group classes and seminars on a range of topics including mental health, happiness and wellbeing, relationships, and healing. By taking part in the program, guests will give their bodies a break from red meat, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and digital devices, disconnecting from everyday stresses and distractions. The daily program begins at 6:30 am and finishes after dinner at 7 pm, giving both early birds and night owls the opportunity to make the most of their stay at Elysia. Guests have the flexibility

COAST

WELLBEING, BEING WELL

to choose what they do with their day – that could be sunrise tai chi atop Meditation Hill, followed by a swim in the indoor heated pool, a relaxing afternoon in the day spa, finishing with a seminar about the art of mindfulness or nutrition. Or it could be the simple pleasure of doing nothing at all. The retreat’s award-winning day spa is a sanctuary within a sanctuary. It has a menu that features classic treatments such as a Rejuvenation Facial or a Hawaiian Kahuna Massage, as well as holistic treatments, including Energy Healing and Chakra Clearing or Breathing and Qi Gong. Clinical Services Manager Melissa Ingram is responsible for the health and wellbeing of all staff and guests. She explains that Elysia is the perfect place for anyone that believes they need a change in their life, such as those who need to build healthy habits, anyone recovering from grief, or people who simply need to break away from the busyness of life, whether that be for a weekend or a week. ‘Our focus is on nurturing our guests and ensuring they are motivated and inspired to go home and do things differently.

For more information about Elysia Wellness Retreat visit elysiaretreat.com.au or visit page 5 for your chance to win a luxurious two-night stay.

Eat and DRINK

EAT & DRINK

Hats off

to the hatted restaurants of the Coast

The Coast’s newfound label as a gastronomic hotspot has been cemented in the Australian Good Food Guide, which awarded six local restaurants coveted chef’s hats for 2022. Here, we explain what the fuss is all about and why you should book a table immediately. WORDS MEGAN ARKINSTALL

EAT & DRINK

YELLOWTAIL, Terrigal

THE COWRIE, Terrigal

Ever since it opened its doors in 2016, Yellowtail has been wowing locals and visitors alike with its modern Australian cuisine, fused with Middle Eastern, Asian and Mediterranean flavours. The epitome of a refined but relaxed dining experience, Yellowtail is proof that you don’t need ocean views or swanky décor to impress the culinary crowd.

The Cowrie has been a fine-dining institution for decades, offering a classic white tablecloth experience with panoramic views over Terrigal. Shaking things up for 2022, the restaurant has new ownership with a fresh (and more relaxed) look and fresh team that includes alumni from the likes of inimitable restaurants Quay and Aria in Sydney.

THE CHEF Owner and chef Scott Price was born and bred in the rich food bowl of Darling Downs, Queensland. He trained in London under prominent restaurateur Sally Clarke and worked in Brisbane with many great chefs including Simon Palmer, exGerard’s Bistro, and Philip Johnson at hatted restaurant E’cco, before moving to Terrigal. Price has appointed head chef, Alastair Burke, to continue the evolution of the menu.

THE CHEF Chef and owner Dimitris Aronis trained and worked at renowned Sydney restaurant, Bathers Pavilion in Balmoral. Following this, he moved to the Coast where he worked as executive chef for an exclusive private catering company before taking over The Cowrie. THE MENU The artfully-prepared menu is centred around sustainability. A hero dish, the Aquna Murray Cod, is a premium, pond-grown Murray cod with one of the lowest environmental footprints in the industry, served with sea vegetables and foraged herbs from the kitchen garden. You’ll also spy Coast-made produce such as Grandma Bees honey and La Tartine bread, while liquors from Distillery Botanica are used to elevate dishes such as freshly shucked oysters from Port Stephens.

THE MENU An eclectic and bold menu with balanced flavours, always centred around amazing produce, therefore changing regularly. Local seafood is a stand-out, such as mulloway from Port Stephens, served with Japanese dashi made in-house with local seaweed, shitake mushroom and dried bonito. Balanced with soy and enriched with butter, it’s the perfect umami boost with fresh fish.

WHAT’S NEW Chef Aronis has also introduced a brand-new entire plant-based menu, which can be matched with Australian Ikou teas or organic vegan wines.

WHAT’S NEW Excitingly, Scott Price is working on another local venue … so watch this space.

thecowrie.com.au/

yellowtailrestaurant.com.au/

COAST

HERBIE’S INTERNATIONAL SPICERY No fillers No starches No MSG No free-flow agents or additives of any kind … so you know they will be rich in flavour and quality

Head to herbies.com.au to order online or find a stockist near you or visit our retail store 4/25 Arizona Rd, Charmhaven 1800 437 243

Ready Made

T HAT TAST E S

Home Made

Shop in store 222 The Entrance Rd Erina I Home delivery www.activatefoods.com.au

OSTERIA IL COCCIA From husband-and-wife team Nicola and Alexandra Coccia, Osteria Il Coccia is a dining experience like no other on the Coast. Centred around fire and fusing the best of Italy and France – where the duo is from respectively – the philosophy is raw and real cooking with little intervention – just love and flames. THE TEAM Napoli-born Chef Nicola spent his summers in Puglia, watching his grandmother daily handmake pasta and fresh bread. He has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe as well as some of Sydney’s most exclusive restaurants, including Otto and Quay, the former is where he met his French-born wife Alexandra who studied at the exclusive Paul Bocuse Institute in France (school of hospitality). Their first venue together was Bistro Officina in Bowral, where they were twice-awarded a chef’s hat. THE MENU A six-course degustation where every dish is cooked over fire in the charcoal oven, using red gum, yellowbark and hay for fuel, creating distinctive flavours. The menu changes regularly depending on the best produce available, with many regular ingredients made from scratch – including the house-made sourdough bread, smoked cultured butter, ricotta, gnocchi and hand-cut pasta. Each dish is matched with an Italian or French wine, hand-picked by Alexandra and sommelier Luca Scuri. WHAT’S NEW As we go to print, the restaurant is in the process of moving to a beautiful new location opposite the beach and the waters of Broken Bay, at 49 The Esplanade, Ettalong Beach. The new venue has a chef’s table where, for the first time, diners can sit and watch Chef Nicola cook live with fire. There are outdoor lounges for relaxed Italian cocktails or vinos, and weekend lunches are in the works. There’s also a private room for small functions. osteriailcoccia.com.au

COAST

SAFRAN, Ettalong Chef Suleyman Kirbancioglu (also known as Sulo) and his wife Natalie had a desire to showcase Turkish cuisine beyond kebabs and pide. So, in 2013, Safran was born, and Turkish cuisine has never tasted so good. Located within The Galleria Ettalong, Safran is a contemporary dining experience, based around authentic Turkish recipes and techniques fused with the flavours of the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and the Balkans. The restaurant has received multiple awards since opening, including a chef’s hat for three consecutive years. THE TEAM Suleyman Kirbancioglu grew up in Mengen, Turkey, in a family of culinary excellence. He trained at the renowned Mengen Cooking School and worked in luxury hotels Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton in Istanbul before moving to Australia. His wife and restaurant manager, Natalie, was born and bred on the Central Coast. THE MENU The menu is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Turkish cuisine, served as a five-course degustation or a three-course set menu. The menu changes regularly depending on fresh produce. The succulent slow-cooked meats are always a favourite, such as a mulberry glazed 30-hour beef rib or lamb neck, plated beautifully with cauliflower puree, baby carrots and beetroot jus. WHAT’S NEXT Safran will be hosting intimate wine events, where each dish is carefully paired with a drop from the wine cellar. safranrestaurant.com.au/

EAT & DRINK

L’ISLE DE FRANCE, Terrigal

THE WILD FLOWER BAR & DINING, Killcare

Nestled under Norfolk Pines with views to Terrigal Beach, L’isle de France is the Coast’s premier French restaurant. The name is a nod to owner Bernard Mallet’s Mauritian heritage along with its menu that reinvents classical French dishes with the flavours of Asia and Africa. The elegant setting is complete with white tablecloths, a cosy fireplace, red leather banquettes, and an ocean-view courtyard adorned in strings of festoon lighting. Chef Jeremy Pace leads the culinary team. He grew up in Brittany on the northwest coast of France and loves cooking classic French food, particularly seafood and vegetables. Before joining the team in Terrigal, he worked with some of Europe’s great chefs in France including the Michelin one-star restaurant, Le Temps de Vivre, in Roscoff, France, and at Alain Ducasse’s Michelin three-starred restaurant at Plaza Athénée, in Paris. He then worked as Guillaume Brahimi’s senior sous chef at Guillaume at Paddington before assuming the role of Head Chef at Bistro Guillaume Sydney in 2016.

Since swinging open its doors in 2007, Bell’s at Killcare has become a beloved coastal icon, and its restaurant has gratified locals and guests who appreciate culinary excellence. In 2019, the fine-dining destination had a revamp with its character redefined as elegant yet casual. Thanks to its culinary director Sean Connolly, the Wild Flower menu is ‘inspired by food of the sun’, boasting flavours from the Med to Morocco, but above all, it’s about authenticity, simplicity and freshness.

THE TEAM Bernard has gathered a team with impressive credentials. Fabrice le Boulanger, who has worked at Michelin-star restaurants in Europe, is the restaurant’s sommelier and also hails from Brittany. THE MENU The two- and three-course set menu will tempt you with classic French dishes such as escargot, confit duck and beef bourguignon, which are prepared traditionally but presented with a contemporary twist. Oenophiles will enjoy the extensive wine menu that includes wines from regions from Bordeaux to Alsace. There’s also a breakfast menu available on weekends where you can indulge in a classic French le petit-dejeuner of crepes, omelettes, croissants and the like.

THE TEAM Award-winning executive chef Sean Connolly hails from Yorkshire but has made quite the culinary name for himself in Australia and New Zealand. He heads five renowned restaurants on our shores including Sean’s Kitchen in Adelaide, Gowings at QT Sydney, and was also the man behind the menu at Bon Pavilion. He works together with chef Tony Gibson, ex-Manly Pavilion and Kensington Street Social, and esteemed sommelier Michaela Clayton, who has worked with the likes of Neil Perry and Tetsuya Wakuda. THE MENU The impressive 500 square-metre kitchen garden, which includes an orchard, olive trees, honeybee hives and freerange hens, supplies about 15 per cent of the menu. There’s a local ocean shelf that features dusky flathead, snapper, crayfish and more from local waters including Macmasters Beach, Hardys Bay and Brisbane Water. The pasta and slow-fermented sourdough is also made in-house. WHAT’S NEXT The restaurant has a busy calendar of happenings throughout the year including a ‘Trip to the Mediterranean’ dinner series with Sean Connolly and a ‘Lecture and Lunch’ art series. The wine menu will also be extended to include new lowand non-alcoholic wines, as well as orange and natural wines.

WHAT’S NEXT Did you know that L’isle de France runs gourmet experiences, including tours to the Hunter Valley and Southern Highlands?

bellsatkillcare.com.au/restaurant-and-bar

ldfgourmetexperience.com.au and lisledefranceterrigal.com.au

EAT & DRINK

Where to stay cosy this winter WORDS CARLA GROSSETTI

HERE ARE A FEW PLACES TO ESCAPE TO ON THE CENTRAL COAST THIS WINTER, WHETHER YOU ARE SEEKING COSY BOLTHOLES, DESTINATION DINERS WHERE YOU CAN SETTLE ON A SOFA NEAR A ROARING FIRE, OR WINTER FOODS THAT WARM THE INNER YOU. EARL’S KITCHEN AT HOTEL GOSFORD Hotel Gosford, established in 1926, has served the local community for almost a century. Having recently undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation, the new Hotel Gosford is still full of charm and character. The revamped bistro, Earl’s Kitchen, is artfully arranged around a fireplace, and is all exposed brick, steel and raw concrete that creates a timeless feel. Earl’s Kitchen is a good place to enjoy cranked-up pub classics such as chicken schnitzel or fish and chips before heading into the Saloon, which is all richly dark and burnished inside. Curl the corners of your moustache before joining the friendly locals in The Saloon for a warming whisky flight. Corner Mann and Erina Streets, Gosford

SAN CHURRO CAFE What’s better on a wild and wintery day than wrapping your hands around a mug of steaming hot chocolate? That’s what San Churro (named after Spanish donuts) is all about. All their chocolate – whether drinks or desserts – is made using couverture chocolate which means a high percentage of cocoa solids and 100 per cent pure cocoa butter. You can’t get cosier than that!

Erina Fair, Erina

THE GILDED ANCHOR There are two dining spaces at The Quarters, the newly renovated accommodation close to Forresters Beach. Sure, the mercury never dips too dramatically on the sunny Central Coast, but those who like to chase the sun should take a staycation in a light and bright room at The Quarters, before heading to The Pantry to enjoy all-day brunch options such as panko-crumbed flathead and corn fritters on the sunshine-blasted alfresco terrace. The Gilded Anchor next door also has a terrace and garden, where you can soak up the sun. But the most inviting place to be is inside the New Orleansinspired bar and restaurant enjoying warming plates of Korean fried chicken or USA-style pork ribs. 960 Central Coast Highway, Forresters Beach

COAST

61 Masons Parade Point Frederick Gosford Waterfront

Bringing the best cocktails, South American wines and a Latin American inspired menu to Gosford Waterfront e reserva@holafredericos.com p 4339 4067 www.holafredericos.com

Stylish Stylish Accommodation, Accommodation, Seaside Seaside Restaurant Restaurant andand Cocktail Cocktail Bar.Bar. TheThe perfect perfect beach beach escape escape exclusively exclusively for for adults. adults.

BEACHSIDE BEACHSIDE RETREAT RETREAT On the On the beach. beach. Toowoon Toowoon BayBay NSW NSW 22612261 (02)(02) 4332 4332 15661566 kims@kims.com.au kims@kims.com.au www.kims.com.au www.kims.com.au

EAT & DRINK

MOTEL MEZZA

There’s a local secret in Wyong that is in the vault. Literally. Motel Mezza is inspired by all the romance and nostalgia of stepping into the lobby of a 1930s motel to be wined and dined. Located in the old bank building in Wyong, Motel Mezza has had a makeover that has transformed it into a contemporary dining space serving food worth getting excited about. In winter, the restaurant is a cosy crackling fire kind of place to hole up in. It’s done wonders for Wyong and is worth travelling across cities and suburbs for. Build your own banquet of Middle Eastern-inspired fare such as hummus, fattoush salad, falafel, kebeh, beef skewers and Lebanese rice or order a la carte dishes such as the Savage Garden bowl of fried broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant and zucchini. 98 Pacific Highway, Wyong

THE ENTRANCE SOCIAL CLUB Located on the foreshore of Tuggerah Lake just near The Entrance bridge, is where you will find The Entrance Hotel that’s been a pit stop for thirsty travellers between Sydney and Newcastle since 1927. Regarded as one of the Central Coast’s loveliest hotels, it’s recently hit refresh as part of a phased interior architecture project by Pike Withers. And, just in time for winter, there’ll be Mrs May Bistro & Bar and The Pavilion upstairs, a beautiful new space with a fireplace. Keep an eye on The Entrance Social Club, which trumpets its daily specials – such as $20 rump steak on Mondays and $30 fish tacos and margaritas – on social media, along with your favourite TV sports events. Find a puddle of sun on the sprawling deck on the promenade for a relaxed and comfortable corner. 87 the Entrance Road, The Entrance

Keep cosy this winter opposite the beach at Pearly’s, previously known as the Pearl Beach General Store and Cafe. Its new owners have appointed well-known chef and local foodie, Pauly Mac, to revamp the menu. It’s no exaggeration to say here’s where you get the best coffee and the best cafe food in Pearl Beach. The new menu includes house-made breakfast dumplings and Tokyo milk toast, as well as deli style toasties and cauliflower schnitzel. Pearly’s is destined to become even better later in the year with a stunning revamp of the cafe planned. The first subtle changes are already evident in a lighter, opened up venue but of prime importance to Pauly Mac and chef Cam Wargent is a new menu they say will make Pearly’s a foodie destination on the Central Coast. 1 Pearl Beach Parade, Pearl Beach.

COAST

©TIM BRAND

PEARLY’S

OPEN BREAKFAST & LUNCH 7 DAYS

32 MANN STREET GOSFORD (02) 43255941 WWW.SOUTHENDSOCIAL.COM.AU

Ettalong Beach Waterfront Reserve

Restaurant. Bar. Beach kiosk. Fresh. Modern. Australian. e bookings@theboxonthewater.com p 4339 3369 www.theboxonthewater.com

EAT & DRINK

THE BEACHCOMBER HOTEL The Beachcomber Hotel is known locally as ‘the Beachie’ and it’s had a serious makeover, morphing into a fab place to eat, drink, stay and play on the Central Coast. Located in the heart of Toukley, the Beachie has transformed into a sprawling hangout with a Hamptons beach club vibe. The southern end of the Central Coast has the Boathouse at Patonga and the north now has the Beachie located in the heart of Toukley. As well as being a great place to hang in summer, it’s a top spot for a cosy weekend in winter with heaters and blankets in abundance, as well as north-facing al fresco areas on the waterfront, ideal on sunny winter days. The Beachie is a choose-your-own adventure kind of place, with multiple eateries and bars and a pool club exclusive to guests. Head to the Pelicans fine diner with its focus on seasonal produce before heading to the veranda with water views, under a giant fig tree festooned with fairy lights. The Beachie is located on the waterfront near the junction of Tuggerah and Budgewoi Lakes, and it’s as warm and inviting as the friendly Central Coast locals. 200 Main Rd, Toukley

PATTISON’S PATISSERIE New to Erina Fair but already known and loved for three decades across Sydney’s northern suburbs, this cosy patisserie and cafe next to Harris Farm is the perfect stop for a well-deserved coffee (and cake!) after shopping, or a rest-and-revive stop to get you ready to shop more. Cakes, macarons, cheesecakes, pies, tarts and teacakes to warm your heart’s desire. Erina Fair, Erina

Coast

VIBES

COAST VIBES

Bryan Brown on his first book, Sweet Jimmy Words on the Waves Writers’ Festival, Umina Beach, June 5

WORDS CATHARINE RETTER

COAST

COAST VIBES

Bryan Brown, better known and loved as one of Australia’s iconic film actors has just released his first book of seven crime stories. And the reviews have been unanimous in heralding his remarkable storytelling skills and the authenticity of his characters.

he characters are so believable, so recognisable that as a reader you can’t help but quietly think, ‘he knows these people!’ Bryan laughs at the suggestion – it’s something he’s heard a few times already. ‘I was shooting on the Gold Coast before Christmas, and my understudy was an ex-cop. He read the book and he told me some of his mates, also cops, said, “How does Bryan know this stuff!” ‘Boys will be Killers was inspired by two young blokes I’d see when I was surfing in Cronulla as a kid. They always wore pretty cool jackets and they’d knocked these off from the local Surf Dive n Ski shop. I imagined what might have happened to them and I wrote that down. So the stories are based on little moments I experienced, or that I imagined.’ Aside from the fact that this particular story travels to Gosford, Avoca and Wamberal (as well as Cronulla), you didn’t have to do too much research to draw the characters? ‘I grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney, and I loved playing in the swamps, going to the movies on Saturdays, climbing on buildings to get pigeons, all that stuff. But I also saw there were lots of opportunities to get into trouble. You know, knocking off an orange from the local greengrocer when he wasn’t looking might have been a bit of fun. But then, knocking off a lawnmower when the owner was away … there was a fine line between what may have been a bit of fun or something that led to a terrible place. I saw choices.’ Has he secretly been honing his writing skills over the years and putting his stories in a bottom drawer until now? ‘I started Nightmare 40 years ago as a pitch for a movie in the US. It was never made, but when I was putting these stories together, I went back to it and I thought it was still really relevant. ‘The idea for A Time to Do started when I was watching TV one night and there was a segment on people in Hong Kong who were all aged over 60 years and they’d been caught as drug couriers but they hadn’t known what they were carrying. And I thought, if that was me, I’d want to know who was behind this – so I started imaging how I’d do that, and then I just kept going. When I was at 7,000 words I showed it to Matilda, my daughter, and she liked it and encouraged me to keep going. Then Jennifer Byrne [former publisher and host of the ABC TV program, The Book Club] said, “why don’t you write some more”.’ Acting is a very public activity, whereas writing is so solitary, and I tell Bryan that I imagine him in his study pacing the floor, taking

on his characters’ voices, and maybe dictating the words instead of typing them straight into a computer. ‘No,’ he says. ‘I sit at my desk and type it all on the computer, and just go for it. I trust my instincts. I’m definitely not a planner. I have no idea where the story is going, or what the next letter or next word is going to be. It just evolves as I imagine what is happening.’ Bryan’s writing in the first couple of stories in Sweet Jimmy is fast-paced and doesn’t get waylaid by lengthy descriptive passages. In the later stories, he cleverly slows the pace (not too much) and the insights into the characters are more considered. ‘When I started writing Vigilante, all I had was the name, “Ahmed”,’ Bryan says. ‘I had no clue who he was, or what he was going to do. Just a character called Ahmed. He was a more thoughtful character than, say Johnny and Jimmy in Boys will be Killers, so the piece lends itself to a more layered approach, to explore the core of the story.’ Does he find writing easy, and how does it compare to acting? ‘As an actor, my job is to sell a story and to do that I have to be so natural, so truthful – exactly the same when you are writing – it’s just another way of telling a story. ‘I find writing easy for a certain amount of time as the story flows. I write for about one to two hours, and not every day. Sometimes I write four days in a row, other times not for three weeks. I’m working on a novel now, researching and finding out about the backgrounds to the people. I got to 7,000 words and then stopped for five months.’ It wasn’t until Bryan became involved in acting that he became at all interested in reading. ‘When I was 21 I came across amateur theatre and I had to read scripts – John Osborne’s and Peter Nichols’ plays – they opened up my world in a big way. Then later I started reading Lolita, Look Back in Anger, Kate Grenville.’ Having disliked English at school – studying Shakespeare and English literature that he couldn’t relate to – what would his English teacher have thought about Bryan becoming an author? ‘He would have said, “not fair”! In fact, that’s exactly what he said when I got an A in English in the Leaving Certificate (I knew how to pass exams)!’ Bryan Brown will talk about his book, Sweet Jimmy at the Words on the Waves Writers’ Festival. wordsonthewaves.com.au

COAST VIBES

BOOKS on the WAVES

Reviewed by ANGELA BENNETTS and MANDI MCINTOSH

THE IMPROBABLE LIFE OF RICKY BIRD by Diane Connell Prepare to fall in love with the ‘practically-13’ Ricky Bird, a decidedly unordinary girl trying to survive in a council estate in London. Ricky is fuming that her mother has dragged her away from her beloved garden and can-do-no-wrong father. What’s worse, the new flat comes with a new boyfriend, Dan, who Ricky is fervently hoping will fall off a roof sometime soon (after all, he is a tradie). A community writing workshop and a new vegetable plot provide welcome distractions for Ricky, until her little brother suddenly falls ill and even her most imaginative tales can’t mend the deepening cracks in her reality. This is a heart-churning, sob-inducing novel with equal shades of dark and light in the vein of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine; you will race through the pages, just itching to jump in and befriend (and protect) the most singular Ricky Bird. AB

QUARTERLY ESSAY: TOP BLOKES by Lech Blaine Lech Blaine’s articles have been published everywhere from The Guardian to The Good Weekend and for good reason. Hailing from country Queensland and having survived a horrific car accident as a teen, Blaine has turned his experiences into a memoir (Car Crash) and his studies into this compelling Quarterly Essay (Top Blokes). Blaine looks at our prime ministers of recent history (primarily from Hawke to Morrison) and the reinvention that many of them have undertaken to appear as battlers and larrikins to appeal to working-class Australians. The discussion around larrikinism and who that title may apply to today is fascinating; Blaine asks whether the larrikins of today are more likely to be female, Indigenous or people of colour. This essay weaves current politics with family politics as it examines the masks politicians don and doff as they downplay their privileged backgrounds and education and switch sporting codes. MM

THE ISLANDS by Emily Brugman Based on the author’s family history, The Islands is an evocative debut following a group of Finnish migrants who work the cray boats on the wild and remote Abrolhos Islands off the coast of Western Australia. They are many miles from the cold lowlands of Finland, and yet the ocean is a tangible if perilous link between their past and future. Through a series of vignettes, we circle the interconnected lives of the island-dwellers: Onni, Alva and their hardy, adventurous daughter Hilda; gruff and watchful ‘Latvian Igor’; troubled boys Mika and Ismo; little Lauri and his artist mother Helvi. Australia is a distant concept, and yet amid the loneliness and harsh beauty, there emerges across the generations an ache for home – whatever that may mean. A literary talent to watch! AB

MY FRIEND FOX by Heidi Everett This is a lyrically told memoir of the author’s childhood, her battle with schizophrenia and depression and her time in and out of the psych ward in her 20s and 30s. Everett is able to give some insight into the chaos she experienced and the difficulties society poses for those who are not seeing the world in the same way. The chapters are brief windows into her experiences and the fable-like story of the wild fox weaves its way through her story, along with the gorgeous line drawings that Everett herself has drawn. This is well worth a read and emphasises the power of music and the love of a good dog along the way. MM All of the reviewed authors will be appearing at the Words on the Waves Writers’ Festival, June 3-6. wordsonthewaves.com.au

COAST

THE CENTRE OF ARTS ON THE CENTRAL COAST The Art House brings together the best in Australian and International music, drama, dance, talks and children’s productions right here on the Coast.

WHAT’S ON THIS WINTER

www.thearthousewyong.com.au @thearthousewyong

EVERY MUSICAL EVER 16 JUNE Twirl, tap, and shimmy through the entire history of musical theatre – from The Music Man to Mamma Mia. In a race against time, the cast perform hundreds of songs from classic musicals as you’ve never heard them before. Enjoy this romp through musical theatre by renowned director Richard Carroll.

THREE 22 JUNE Australasian Dance Collective unleashes THREE astonishing works from renowned choreographers Jack Lister, Melanie Lane and Hofesh Shechter in a mesmerising and ambitious triple bill. These three pieces combine to poignantly explore our nature and mortality.

I’VE BEEN MEANING TO ASK YOU 16-17 JULY The kids take centre stage in this hilarious and high-energy show where generations collide as they deliver the answers you gave to their burning questions! Music, dance, comedy, and heartfelt conversation across the ages starring a cast of local Central Coast kids!

SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY 19 JULY Created by the company’s Artistic Director, Rafael Bonachela, and set to an exquisite recording by the Australian String Quartet, with the full might of the Sydney Dance Company this is an epic, driven performance that packs an emotional punch.

LIOR & DOMINI 10 AUGUST Lior and Domini play songs from their EP Animal in Hiding featuring intricate guitar and their signature vocals harking back to the iconic folk duos of the 60s. A partnership that began in lockdown, now graces the stage for one night only.

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 27 AUGUST Rossini’s famous musical masterpiece of comic chaos! Enterprising barber Figaro uses his sharp wit and clever disguises to wrangle an encounter for two would-be lovers. Featuring fine voices, a live orchestra, and a chorus of Central Coast children.

COAST VIBES

CLARE PETERS, glass artist and ‘slumper’. WORDS SUZY JARRATT Keen to know more about slumping? Head to a mudbrick workshop building in Fountaindale and all will be revealed. Nestling in a tranquil valley at the end of Peach Orchard Road is the home and studio of Clare Peters who has been running glass art courses for the last 20 years. She has won a raft of prestigious awards, her work is recognised internationally, and several pieces are on permanent display at major Australian galleries. ‘It had all begun with lead-lighting,’ she explained, ‘and then developed into other fields, particularly kiln work.’ It is in a kiln, heated between 600 to 900 degrees Celsius, that flat glass is fused, slumped and textured. ‘Slumping’ is when the melted glass is put into a mould and sags down into the shape of that mould. (The art of glass ‘blowing’ is a completely different procedure undertaken at much higher temperatures). Clare’s early years were as a cardiac specialist nurse but, in 2003, she left to establish her studio. But she wanted to do more than settle down in Fountaindale. ‘In order to take my craft to a

COAST

professional level, my husband, David, and I moved to the ACT in 2012 where I studied at the ANU’s School of Art & Design’s Glass Workshop.’ Three years later she completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts with First Class Honours (Glass). Clare developed a unique process of working in this medium while she was still studying and this has resulted in the creation of some of the exquisite pieces on view at her Central Coast studio. ‘I used multiple layered fused glass and light to explore the expression of my theme,’ she said. ‘And text selected from writings such as the Psalms or Proverbs, and then deconstructed the passages and reapplied them to the glass in layers. ‘My aim was to create works which allowed the beauty and the hope in life to be revealed.’ Her art is inspiring, as is her teaching. There is an atmosphere of gentle creativity in the studio. Around the mudbrick walls are tiles, tools and colourful rows of glass, with the mighty kilns

clare@clarepeters.com clarepeters.com

ABOVE Silver Award winner in international competition: 'In Honour of Seeking, In Honour of Knowing, In Honour of Wisdom.' RIGHT 'New Beginnings.'

in the background waiting to work their magic on her pupils’ designs. Many attend her classes to catch their breath and be restored. ‘One lady, who’s been coming for over 15 years, told me it’s much cheaper than going to a therapist,’ said Clare, who is assisted by her husband during these weekend sessions. ‘David has been instrumental in building the studio and is now working on the extensions where he has incorporated many local materials. We used our home-grown Australian cedar trees which we had milled into door jambs and architraves, and we installed a whole lot of cedar timber windows originally from a house in Killcare which had been destroyed by hailstorms. ‘David will soon be teaching some mudbrick-making courses here and we’ll use the bricks to help finish the studio.’ Clare is excited at the prospect of having a little gallery, but most important is having more space in which to create. ‘When you’re a maker you need to make, without there necessarily being any end goal in mind – and that’s what I’m aiming for, as well as regularly holding courses and workshops.’ The United Nations General Assembly determined that 2022 is The International Year of Glass – a good excuse to try your hand at slumping, perhaps?

COAST VIBES

Cultivate balance and mental resilience to deal with life's challenges A boutique 1-day wellbeing retreat, where knowledge-sharing, forest bathing, a plantbased meal, group meditation and a musical performance bring you back into balance. For anyone who feels depleted, stressed, misaligned, burnt out and needs a fresh reset. For any busy professional or parent, single or couple, individual or team. Anyone for whom mental wellbeing is a priority. vitalmeans

Immerse yourself in an incredibly nourishing environment! You'll release accumulated stress, build mental resilience, create lifelong connections and be inspired to live a fulfilled life, all in the rainforest surrounds of Ourimbah.

Bookings: www.vitalmeans.co

HAPPENINGS

HAPPENINGS ON THE COAST Bouddi Music Festival,

WORDS MEGAN ARKINSTALL

Wagstaffe Hall – June 11, 12

The Bouddi Society is staging its first music festival with two world class performances. Singer-songwriter Melissa Schneider presents ‘Love Songs’ an intimate and soulful concert that spans 40 years of music to songs from her 15th album, yet-to-be-released. June 11 at 7.30 pm. Shakespearian actor and director, John Bell, and pianist, Simon Tedeschi, combine in ‘Words and Music’, sharing backstage tales, poetry, classical and jazz music – from Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Keats and Scott Fitzgerald. June 12 at 2.00 pm. Tickets $69 each. bouddisociety.org.au/music-festival.html

PEARL BEACH ARBORETUM EPHEMERAL ART TRAIL Pearl Beach, 11 June – 17 July

Returning for a second year, the Pearl Beach Arboretum Ephemeral Art Trail combines nature and art in the most organic way. The five-hectare botanical garden – which comprises open forest, wetlands, pockets of temperate rainforest and is home to rare plants and hundreds of bird species – will become an open-air gallery with 20 temporary artworks and five community installations. The 2022 collection will follow the theme ‘Only One Earth’, to promote nature conservation. Visitors to the trail can vote for their favourite artwork, with a people’s choice prize being given as well as an official first prize. pearlbeacharboretum.org.au/ephemeral-art-trail

COAST

OPEN 7 DAYS

General Dentistry Emergency Care Cosmetic Dentistry Orthodontics and Invisalign Sleep Dentistry IV Sedation Oral Surgery Dental Implants 3D CT Scanning

40 YEARS LOCAL ONLINE BOOKING

NEW PATIENT OFFER

OFFERS (all patients)

Comprehensive check-up & clean

A thorough dental examination and oral hygiene appointment. Up to 5 x-rays included.

No Gap or $290 Children 8 years & under: No Gap or $190 02 4323 1933

FINANCE

Free orthodontic consultation Free dental implant consultation Free cosmetic smile makeover consultation Custom sport mouthguards: No Gap or $99

www.vcdental.com.au

On-site parking

We bulk bill the Medicare Child Dental Beneﬁts Schedule Zip Pay and Zip Money payment plans We partner with SuperCare

Suite 10, 36-40 Victoria Street, East Gosford NSW 2250

THE SWEETEST PLACE ON THE CENTRAL COAST

Huge retail store • Cafe • House made ice cream • Kids chocolatier workshops • Factory tours Open daily 6 Jusfrute Dr West Gosford PH: 4322 3222 www.chocolatefactorygosford.com.au

HAPPENINGS

HARVEST FESTIVAL

VARIOUS HINTERLAND LOCATIONS, 11 – 12 JUNE Spend the June long weekend in our gorgeous hinterland area for this year’s Harvest Festival. The jam-packed schedule will include fresh food and country markets, pick-your-own fruit and veggie experiences, bush tucker tours and more. Visitors can tour local farms such as Grace Springs and The Giving Farm to see how they operate and to meet their animals, taste local produce, and enjoy live music and free entertainment at the event hubs, including Glenworth Grazing Food & Wine Festival, which has a massive musical line-up and a host of gourmet stalls.

centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/harvestfestival

5 Lands Walk

Macmasters Beach to Terrigal, 25 June This spectacular 10-kilometre walking festival promises to not only be a physical journey, but also a spiritual and cultural one. Thousands of likeminded people annually strap on their walking shoes to trace the coastline from Macmasters Beach to Terrigal, via Copacabana, Avoca and North Avoca. Held close to the winter solstice, when whales – a totem of the Darkinjung people – are migrating north, there will also be ocean tours and whale watching, arts and cultural displays such as traditional weaving and dance, live music in all five villages, and family-friendly activities. The festival has partnered with Take 3 for the Sea this year, encouraging all participants to pick up at least three pieces of rubbish throughout the walk, aiming to make a real difference to the local environment. 5landswalk.com.au

COAST

New Winter Menu Available from early June 7 days a week Lunch & Dinner Bookings essential

HAPPENINGS

Bay to Bay Running Festival

Woy Woy to Gosford, 19 June

If you enjoy pounding the pavement, then you’ll love the Central Coast’s premier running festival. Dedicated runners can choose from a 12-kilometre run or 21-kilometre half marathon: both start in Woy Woy, journey along the Brisbane Water foreshore, and end at Gosford’s Central Coast Stadium. Or there’s a shorter fivekilometre fun run/walk, which starts in Adcock Park in Donnison St, West Gosford and ends at the stadium. Kids aged seven to 12 can also join in with a two-kilometre run. The event raises money for local charities The Glen and Camp Breakaway. baytobay.org.au

Horses Birthday Kids Festival Glenworth Valley, 30 – 31 July Little people are in for a treat at this year’s Horses Birthday Festival, which celebrates the international birthday of our equine friends. Held in the sprawling hinterland grounds of Glenworth Valley, an entry ticket will gain kids unlimited free rides and entertainment – that includes an inflatable obstacle course, petting farm, circus workshops, pony rides, reptile shows, magic shows, laser skirmish and more (phew!). There will be food trucks to feed rumbly tummies and a bar and live music for adults to relax in amongst the fun, too. glenworth.com.au/horses-birthday-kids-festival

WATCH THE LEVIATHANS OF THE DEEP – ALL ALONG THE COAST, MAY TO JULY, AND AUGUST TO OCTOBER

We’re fortunate to have access to spectacular views from our coastal lookouts and, for closer views, on whale-watching boats as 35,000 humpback whales migrate north (and then back south again) with exuberant displays of breaching, tail-slapping, spyhopping, lob-tailing, and fin-slapping.

THE BEST WHALE WATCHING FROM BOATS: Terrigal Ocean Tours, Terrigal Haven Heavenly Tours, Port Stephens Moonshadow TQC Cruises, Nelson Bay Nova Cruises, Newcastle Adrenaline, Newcastle Coast XP, Newcastle

THE BEST LAND-BASED WHALE-WATCHING VANTAGE POINTS ON THE CENTRAL COAST INCLUDE: Gerrin Point Lookout, Bouddi National Park, Bouddi Marie Byles Lookout, Killcare Heights (easy car access but further from the ocean) Captain Cook and Winney Bay Lookouts, Copacabana The Skillion, Terrigal Haven Wyrrabalong Lookout, Cromarty Hill, Forresters Beach Crackneck Lookout, Wyrrabalong National Park, Bateau Bay Norah Head Lighthouse, Norah Head Wybung Head, Munmorah State Conservation Area, Budgewoi

COAST

Whale Watching

AT TERRIGAL

TERRIGALTOURS.COM.AU

Art Gallery Now Open

CREATIVITY • COMMUNITY • CLAY

h cal artists wit Displaying lo ns monthly. new exhibitio Sunday Thursday to

An oasis of art and creativity. Book a private pottery party, one day workshop or into a term class! Come try something new and surrender to the joyful mess of clay.

Pottery tools, take home kits, and handmade tableware in store. Serving dine-in Coffee & Chai to our potters and community Wed-Sat 9am-2pm.

Book into a term class, private party or one day workshop

centeredceramics.com.au 02 4346 4459

GREAT OUTDOORS

Woy Woy to Point Clare walk at Koolewong

BEST WINTER FORESHORE WALKS (when it’s wet underfoot)

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO FOLLOW A MORE MANICURED PATH INSTEAD OF A BUSHWALK – AFTER RAIN, AND ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE LEECHES ABOUT, OR IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN OR DOGS ALONG AND WANT TO AVOID MUDDY FEET. AS WELL AS BEING AMONG OUR MOST SCENIC (SHARED) PATHWAYS, THE LOCAL WATERWAYS AROUND THE CENTRAL COAST ALSO OFFER AN ENDLESS VARIETY FROM BAYSIDE TO LAKESIDE, BEACH WALKS TO BOARDWALKS, PICNIC SPOTS TO CAFE STOPS. FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, HERE ARE SOME OF THE FINEST.

WOY WOY FERRY WHARF TO POINT CLARE Start at Woy Woy ferry wharf or from the train station at either Woy Woy or Point Clare. There are cafes at either end, as well as the Boathouse Bar & Dining at Koolewong Marina. It’s a shared cycle and walkway. Distance: 5.5 km one way. Scenery: Brisbane Water, Spike Milligan Bridge, mangroves, Koolewong foreshore reserve. On the bushwalk option (see below) there are interesting rock formations, waterfalls, forest and the Kariong hieroglyphs, known as the Gosford Glyphs. More things to do: There are longer route options from Ettalong all the way to Gosford; or go bush along Koolewong Ridge or via Brisbane Water National Park if you need a bushwalk.

COAST

ETTALONG BEACH TO UMINA BEACH FORESHORE WALK At the Ettalong end of this walk, you’ll not only find The Box on the Water restaurant and kiosk, but nearby there’s also Ettalong Diggers, Helado for ice cream and gelato, and Bowlz N Tingz for acai bowls. There are outdoor gym stations and a children’s playground. Towards Umina, there’s an off-leash area for dogs on the beach. Then there’s Umina SLSC cafe, Ocean Beach SLSC’s 1922 cafe, and the very family-friendly Jasmine Greens Kiosk in the Peninsula Recreation Precinct with its playgrounds and sporting fields. Distance: 2.8 km one way. Scenery: Overlooks Broken Bay across to the Bouddi National Park, Lobster Beach and south to Lion Island. More things to do: cycle, walk, push a pram, catch a ferry from Ettalong to Wagstaffe or Palm Beach.

Ettalong Beach to Umina Beach foreshore walk

GREAT OUTDOORS

Kincumber to Davistown foreshore

KINCUMBER TO DAVISTOWN FORESHORE WALK

GOSFORD FORESHORE AND CARAWAH RESERVE BOARDWALK Start at Point Frederick in the east or Carawah Reserve via Garnet Adcock Memorial Park in West Gosford and follow the path that hugs the Brisbane Water foreshore with its interconnected boardwalks and viewing decks. Halfway along is the still-new Leagues Club Park with its magnificent play pods, sandstone animal carvings and Darkinjung ‘totems’ and a tidal terrace that changes with the ebb and flow of the tide. Opposite, is the cool Drifters Wharf, Eat Street kiosk, and across the road is the dashing Latin American-inspired, Frederico’s restaurant.

Gosford foreshore

Distance: Depending on where you start, 2.5 to 4 km. Scenery: Mangroves, marshland, Brisbane Water, parklands. More things to do: Swim in the Gosford Olympic Pool (indoor, outdoor and children’s pool)

At Kincumber, the path starts at the bottom of Carrack Road where a contemporary steel sculpture heralds the historic shipbuilders of the area. Turn right to follow a gentle, flat walk that takes in a boardwalk as well as a shared cycleway and footpath. Along the way, stop and read the heritage plaques on some of the area’s once-thriving shipbuilders. At the Davistown end it’s a short walk to the Davo (Davistown RSL), The Little Teapot and the Ferryman Cafe for a well-earned coffee or a meal. Distance: 3 km one way. Scenery: Bushland surrounds and views overlooking the Kincumber Broadwater. More things to do: Shop at the monthly markets at Davistown’s Illoura Reserve, take the kids to the Pirate Park playground, or take a ferry ride from Davistown Wharf to Woy Woy.

TERRIGAL BOARDWALK TO THE TERRIGAL HAVEN If you’re driving, start at The Haven end of the boardwalk where the car parking is easier. Here, to feed the inner you, you’ll also find the Cove Cafe and, above it the Reef Restaurant. Halfway along the boardwalk, stop for a dip in the rock pool. Then in Terrigal, there are endless choices for cafés as well as the Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific hotel eateries. Distance: 1.5 km one way. Scenery: Norfolk pines, beach, ocean views, waves to surf, as well as a calm bay with anchored boats, parklands and a soaring cliff face. More things to do: At The Haven you’ll also be able to take a whale or dolphin watching tour with Terrigal Ocean Tours, or stroll up the steep grassy slope of The Skillion for magnificent ocean views.

Live with business & personal assets protected Business | Personal | Farm | Commercial Motor & Fleet Speak to real, local people. No call wait times Search “Elders Insurance Central Coast”

4343 7700 or 0439 427 541 Fountain Plaza, ERINA

EIN Sticker_720x210mm_CLEAR-Central Coast.indd 2

Terrigal boardwalk

16/07/2015 3:27 pm

Samsuth Pty Ltd ABN 29163025723 trading as Elders Insurance Central Coast AR No 446304 is an Authorised Representative of Elders Insurance (Underwriting Agency) Pty Limited ABN 56138879026, AFSL 340965. Insurance is underwritten by QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78003191035 AFSL 239545. Visit www.eldersinsurance.com.au to consider the Product Disclosure Statement and any applicable Target Market Determination to decide if the product is right for you.

GREAT OUTDOORS

Start at the longest of the three jetties near Archbold Road (though, sadly, there’s no access while storm damage is being repaired). You are spoilt for choice in cafes along The Entrance Road including The Glass Onion Society, Green Tangerine, and The Savoy bar, as well as galleries such as Glenn Mckimmin’s photo gallery. Back at the jetty, turn left to pass Watkins Jetty and walk to Saltwater Creek Reserve, or turn right along the shared path until you get to Picnic Point Reserve at The Entrance. Distance: 3.6 km in total. Scenery: Protected wetlands, pelicans, parklands, playgrounds, Chittaway Bay and the expansive Tuggerah Lake. More things to do: Explore the organic and eco shops in Long Jetty, and The Entrance’s cafes, playgrounds and crowds of pelicans. Hire a bike, enjoy the BMX track at Saltwater Creek Reserve, or the Skate Park at Long Jetty.

LONG JETTY FORESHORE RESERVE

Long Jetty foreshore

Known as the Coast to Lake Walk, it’s signposted for a selfguided tour divided into boardwalk, beach, residential, and lakeside sections. Start at Memorial Park in the direction of Blue Bay, Toowoon Bay, Long Jetty and back to The Entrance. It’s very family-friendly, most of the going is flat, and is pram and wheelchair accessible except for the beach section. There are picnic areas, water refill stations and you’re close to a variety of cafes along the way. Distance: 7.6 km Scenery: A very scenic walk along the lakeside, parklands, past wetlands, ocean views and town views. More things to do: Swim at The Entrance or in the oceanside pool. Hire a bike.

TOOWOON BAY TO TUGGERAH LAKE VIA THE ENTRANCE

Buff Point to Budgewoi Lake

TUGGERAWONG, TUGGERAH LAKE LOOP The shared pathway around the lake now connects Tuggerawong, Wyongah and Tacoma. A good starting point is at February Street and walk the foreshore to Prawn Beach Lane. You’ll encounter walkers, cyclists, kids on scooters, parents with prams, and it’s also wheelchair friendly. Distance: 2 km one way. Scenery: Lakeside vistas, hinterland hills More things to do: Extend your walk or cycle around the lake for the full 24 km loop, from The Entrance to Long Jetty, Killarney Vale, Berkeley Vale, Chittaway Bay, across to Tuggerah and Toukley … and back again.

BUFF POINT AND BUDGEWOI LAKE FORESHORE

Toowoon Bay to Tuggerah Lake

COAST

Start at Slade Park in Budgewoi, cross the Budgewoi bridge and follow the shared foreshore pathway to Edgewater Park in Buff Point. A little further, across the Hammond Canal in San Remo at the John Peter Howard Reserve, you’ll find BBQ and picnic facilities and a children’s playground. Distance: 5.4 km one way Scenery: Lakeside views, bridges, birdlife, trees. More things to do: Extend your walk along the full Budgewoi Lake foreshore to Charmhaven, Toukley and Noraville, that’s 16.9 km in total. Most, but not all is along shared pathways.

Say I Do! Linton Gardens Bridal Extravaganza and Grand Opening! Sunday 31st of July 2022 Showcasing the best Central Coast wedding vendors to help bring your special day together.

00 $6,0din g

wed package giveaway

Newly renovated.

Historic Chapel Heritage Camellia Gardens Spacious Marquee for Outdoor Weddings Indoor Function Rooms.

Book your wedding during May 2022 to qualify. Drawn 2pm at the Bridal Fair on the 31st July 2022. All bookings must attend to claim the prize. Conditions Apply

Contact Ashleigh or Charlie for your private viewing 4372 1444 info@lintongardens.com.au 611 Wisemans Ferry Rd, Somersby I www.lintongardens.com.au

What’s your love story? Allyson Schultz I Marriage celebrant Celebrating love and creating fun, relaxed, bespoke ceremonies across the Central Coast and Hunter Valley.

Broken Bay Shellar Door

www.pearlsofaustralia.com.au | 12 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney | 0488 361 042

0412 200 067 www.killcareweddings.com

HOW WE MET

MARRYING – AFTER A LIFETIME LIVED AND LOVED GILTA AND JEFF, Kangy Gardens WORDS SARAH TOLMIE

fter 27 years of living and loving together and leading their blended families through all that life threw at them, Gilta and Jeff finally got around to getting hitched. They made up for lost time by having not one, but two weddings in two years. ‘At first glance, our “how did we meet” story is pretty ordinary. We met through friends. It’s so long ago, I forget the details,’ says Gilta. ‘I think what is more central to our relationship story though is how Jeff and I meet each other every day. In many ways, for the first 27 years of our life together, Jeff has consistently met me as himself, and has loved me for myself – warts and all – every day. But for so long it’s been all about the kids, business and working. Our whole relationship has been a rollercoaster of events, occasions, people and activities. We were just too busy to get married.’

COAST

Jeff surprised Gilta with a proposal on New Year’s Eve at their waterfront property with all the family in on the surprise. When she said ‘yes’, they raised signs saying ‘she said yes’ and celebrated the engagement. ‘By the time Jeff asked me to marry him, it just seemed right,’ says Gilta. ‘I now can see that I am – we are – in a great place of contentment, and I can survey the years in all their strengths. We have lived and loved with integrity, hard work, respect, trust and compromise. I know we’ve done things in reverse, but to me, it is only now that it makes sense to celebrate and honour that. ‘I think love and respect are inseparable, so I have a lot of respect for Jeff, which means I have a lot of love for him,’ says Gilta. ‘He is patient, adventurous, generous, inventive, accepting and sometimes, to my dismay, easy-going. He can be hard but fair, honest and fun.’

HOW WE MET ‘Gill is trustworthy, always committed and working (physically and emotionally) by my side achieving our goals together,’ says Jeff. ‘She is funny and there is never a dull moment. I love her artistic passion. One of her standout attributes and what I love about her – even if it is at times her downfall – is her kindness, sensitivity and compassion for others.’ Defying Covid’s blight on weddings, Gilta and Jeff had a cheeky, five-person wedding during the peak of the first Covid lockdowns in April 2020. They chose Staples Lookout – a favourite place – which offered them a panoramic view of Woy Woy Bay and their waterfront home. The ceremony, recorded for family, was full of love, laughs and a down to earth joy and simplicity. A year later, dodging lockdowns again, Gilta and Jeff, now wedding veterans and a year into being married, went the full wedding shebang with an all-family celebration, reaffirming their marriage vows. ‘We had always envisaged being able to do the full wedding event, and the beautiful gardens, the chapel and bespoke venue at Kangy Gardens was a stand-out in our search for the perfect place,’ says Gilta. ‘Our celebrant, Sarah, returned to perform the second ceremony. She’s like one of the family. Actually, she

married my daughter many years ago, and later this year, she will marry our granddaughter. She will then have been our celebrant for three generations of weddings in our family!’ It was an unusually cold day and the Kangy Gardens sandstone hall and open fire was a welcome gathering point at the end of the evening’s celebrations as the guests danced to a live band. Gilta and Jeff have been surprised by the tenderness of calling each other husband and wife. After almost 30 years, to the triumphant tune of ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ belted out by Jimmy Barnes, they proudly walked down the aisle – in front of parents, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren – as husband and wife, mum and dad, pop and granny, nonna and poppy.

Ceremonies and receptions 1. Staples Lookout Woy Woy 2. Kangy Gardens Caterer Kangy Gardens Photographer Indi Dawson Photography Celebrant/officiant Sarah Tolmie Life & Love Celebrations Hair and make-up Ava Dawson Musicians Aimless Missiles Band

ABOVE The chapel and bespoke venue was a stand-out in the couple's search for their second wedding. TOP LEFT For their first wedding (during Covid), Jeff transported his ‘brideto-be’ to Staples Lookout in his beloved vintage truck. LEFT For their second wedding, Jeff chose his vintage red Chevrolet to escort his bride.

FIFTIES COUNTRY FUN CHLOE AND NICK, The Stables of Somersby

WORDS SARAH TOLMIE

hloe and Nick met at her brother’s wedding, where Nick was the DJ. ‘I remember this handsome, young man in a neat and tidy suit, and he made an awful attempt at pronouncing the groom’s last name to introduce my brother and sister-in-law,’ says Chloe. ‘To be fair, it is difficult, but he made an effort.’ Her first impression of Nick was that he took his DJ business seriously, but that there was also a giant kid inside who was quick with a smile and a laugh. ‘I also remember being horrified when he began to wind down the night and changed the music from stereo to mono. He was shocked that I even recognised the difference and was quite put out – even though he still tells everyone I first liked him for his mad DJ skills.’ As the night went on, Chloe asked Nick for his Facebook page. He thought she was a fan of his DJing but instead of just liking his page, she added him as a friend and they immediately got talking. ‘I thought Chloe was a successful and super important person (like a lawyer or something),’ recalls Nick. ‘It was the way she held herself and how she could carry a conversation. She was super intelligent and personable. We got along instantly.’

COAST

HOW WE MET

Their first date included Chloe’s son, Riley. Nick had promised to take Riley to the beach but to fulfil that promise meant he had to ditch plans to meet his mates at the pub and forgo a Mexican lunch. That impressed Chloe. And the bonus was that Nick and Riley hit it off too. On one of their early coffee dates, Chloe made it clear to Nick that she never saw herself getting married. The journey to their decision to marry became a five-year, immersive rollercoaster of working, finishing degrees, setting up a home and in the last years, also navigating a global pandemic and lockdowns. ‘Chloe is my rock,’ says Nick. ‘She keeps me grounded and holds me accountable. She isn't a fussy person. Instead of big fancy dinners and dates, we both love having burgers and shakes. We both love Marvel and going to the movies and we both push each other to be the best versions of ourselves and celebrate each other’s success.’ ‘For me, marriage means always working to see, support, respect and appreciate the person that you choose to be with every day,’ says Chloe. ‘As long as you can accept the lows that come with the highs and use them to develop a stronger relationship, you encourage each other to grow more into yourselves.’ Being a professional in the wedding industry, when it came to their own wedding, Nick had a clear sense of what they wanted and how to navigate their choices. ‘Neither of us were huge on the traditional parts of weddings,’ he says. ‘We just knew that we wanted less of the strict formalities and more fun and laughter to fill our day. We chose a fifties theme as a fun way of getting everyone to step outside the norm of formal wear into something that would show their personalities. ‘We didn't want to “disappear” for photos, and The Stables of Somersby provided really easy access and kept all our guests close to us. We wanted them to feel included and for us to have a proper time to catch up.’ Chloe recalls two big moments from their wedding. ‘My grandmother came up to me and gave me one of my grandfather’s handkerchiefs. Their marriage has been the benchmark for what love and respect looked like in a marriage and it was lovely that she just knew to bring a piece of him to be there for me.

COAST

‘Another key moment was when Riley approached us and told us that he wanted to change his last name to Nick’s surname.’ So much has happened since their wedding. Nick and Chloe have welcomed a daughter into the family and now they have a teenager and a baby in the house at the same time.

Ceremony and reception The Stables of Somersby Photographer Jennifer Burch Photography Celebrant/officiant Monty King Celebrant Musicians Ben & Vee (Ben Woodham and Veronika Lawson) DJ/MC Timeless Wedding Entertainment (Tim Densley and Koby Densley). Videographer Euphoria Films (Will David) Suits ASOS (suits) YD (shirt), Connor (Groomsmen Shirts). Dress Kel-Leigh Couture Flowers Flowers By Louise Catering The Nighthawk Diner Desserts and grazing table Sugar Style Hair and makeup Divine Hair & Makeup (Fiona Rogers)

- STUNNING WEDDING & EVENTS VENUE -

THE RIDGE ESTATE - PEATS RIDGE -

0402 866 352

www.theridgeestate.com.au

nicole@theridgeestate.com.au

Wedding Photography

Event Styling & Hire

Jennifer Burch Photography captures weddings as they happen with limited posing so you are free to be yourselves on your most special day. Jen's goal is to create a collection of photographs that not only describe how your day looked but also how it felt to be there. jenniferburch.com.au enquiries@jenniferburch.com.au

Everlong Events are an award winning, bespoke wedding and event styling company that pride themselves on creating unique events. Their extensive range of decor is also available for DIY hire and can be found via www.everlongevents.com.au hello@everlongevents.com.au

PETAL SISTERS FLORIST

Wedding Photographer

UNDERA TREEHOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Wedding Cakes

The Petal Sisters help you spread love on the Central Coast, one posy at a time. Collect or deliver from 123 Avoca Drive, Kincumber 0410 953 342 thepetalsisters.com.au

Elopement and wedding photographer for the thrill seekers and the ‘I don’t want to be the same-ers!’ Chris will capture your raw love, sense of adventure and make your wedding day epic! hello@underatreehouse.com.au 0430 833 738

It’s all in the details. Every cake is made by hand. Every sugar flower and decoration is custom made in-house. Award winning designs, and complimentary tasting and design consultations for your big day. Contact Sam 02 4367 0078 enquiries@yummydelicious.com.au

EVERLONG EVENTS Curators of stylish events

JENNIFER BURCH PHOTOGRAPHY

Wedding

Directory Florist

COAST

YUMMY DELICIOUS

Families

ON THE COAST

FUN FOR KIDS

WORDS KATIE STOKES

SNOW TIME

AT HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS 5 JUNE–24 JULY

Grab your beanies and gloves: Snow Time is returning to the Hunter Valley Gardens this winter! For four weeks, the flowering gardens will be transformed into a stunning wintry wonderland of snow, ice and animatronic Arctic creatures. Families can build snowmen in the man-made Snow Play Zone, glide on the giant ice-skating rink and slide down the mega ice slide on a toboggan. Plus, all of the Gardens’ permanent amusement rides will be open again, including their mega slide, Ferris wheel and Venetian carousel. A host of food trucks will keep bellies happy, warm and full with hearty European favourites. And the cherry on top: you can use your ‘Dine and Discover’ vouchers and ‘Parents NSW’ vouchers while they still remain valid! huntervalleygardens.com.au/events/snow-time-in-the-garden

LITTLE LEADERS’ CAMP 4-5 JULY

As adults, many of us are only just learning the importance of mindfulness and how it can help calm our busy lives. Wouldn’t you love to be able to equip your children with these skills, too? Say hello to Little Leaders Australia, a business created to help primary-school kids adopt a growth mindset and to become the very best version of themselves. Founded by two Central Coast locals, Little Leaders Australia held their first two-day school holiday camp in April – and it completely sold out! Through yoga, journaling, sporting games, arts and crafts, and team-building exercises, their first little participants learnt all about gratitude and resilience and how to be capable, confident leaders within their community. They’re holding their second camp this winter; we suggest you grab your kids a spot. littleleadersaustralia.com/camps

COAST

FAMILIES ON THE COAST

INDOOR FUN With the winter chill nipping at fingers and toes, we’ve found four lesserknown indoor activities families can enjoy across the Coast.

Central Coast Vitual Reality

RollerFit gets you rollin’, Erina

Central Coast Virtual Reality

Rainbow socks, bright threads and roller skates are de rigueur at a new roller studio in Erina, and if you love to roll not walk, you best skate on over and get involved. RollerFit runs roller skating classes, workshops and events across Australia’s East Coast, but with its founder Stacey Short being a local, it was only a matter of time before she opened a second location here on the Central Coast. At RollerFit’s new Erina studio, kids aged 3-14 are taught the FUNdamentals of skating in weekly classes (mum, dad, granny – you can join in too), while adults (14+) are invited to shimmy into the roller dance classes, jam sessions and parties. Camps are held during the school holidays and they’ll even host your kid’s birthday party.

CCVR is a transformative space where you can run from zombies, play minigames with Cinderella, or be an astronaut on Apollo 11. It’s a space dedicated to virtual reality, and it’s pretty darn cool.

rollerfit.com.au/rollerfit-studio-erina/

ccvr.com.au

Flip Out trampoline park If you’re looking for some bouncing-off-the-walls fun for your active family, Flip Out trampoline park is (quite literally) the place to head. As well as loads of tramps, there’s a foam pit, an under 10s softplay zone and a wall runner. We guarantee it’ll tire out your tribe. flipout.com.au/locations/gosford

Kartatak Raceway Go-Karts, Tuggerah This is the Central Coast's only indoor Go-Kart racing facility, and they have carts for both adults and kids. The track is packed with hairpin turns and sweeping corners that allow you to experience the thrill of drifting. kartatak.com.au/

Clip ’n Climb at Central Coast Leagues Club, Gosford Have a little monkey in the house? Get them to Clip ‘n Climb with 26 brightly coloured climbing walls, a leap of faith challenge and a skyfall drop. This indoor centre combines the challenge of climbing with the hype and fun of a theme park.

Flip Out

clipnclimbcentralcoast.com.au

FAMILIES ON THE COAST

How to raise money-wise kids WORDS LUKE TALBOT

You may not be building a multi-billion dollar nest egg for your kids to inherit, but you’d probably like them to be smart with money. Unfortunately, that’s one of the vital life skills that’s often not taught in schools. But parents can do a lot to raise moneysmart children. Start early, lead by example and show them how to budget, spend wisely and set goals. And who knows, you may have the next Warren Buffet or Twiggy Forrest in the family.

SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES When paying bills: Show your child an electricity or phone bill. Explain how long you had to work to pay it. I tell my kids that the bill is equivalent to, say, the cost of a PlayStation console. Putting it into their language helps. At the ATM: Explain that the cash from the ATMs isn’t ‘free money’ and show them how withdrawing reduces your bank balance. Creating a budget: This is a great opportunity to discuss ‘needs’ versus ‘wants’. Explain that credit cards or things like Afterpay are not a solution to a ‘want’. You can also show how a weekly goal should be to have money left over.

COAST

Pocket money: Money should rely on chores/tasks at home. This is also a good chance to set up a piggy bank or similar so they can save for a future purchase. In my household of three kids, I’ve implemented the Spriggy system. The App provides your child with a VISA Debit Card and you control the funds applied to the card and create a recurring chore list for each child. As they complete chores, your approval releases the pocket money to their savings account or their card. It also allows me to transfer money to them instantly in case of an emergency. spriggy.com.au

LEARNING ONLINE The Australian Government has created a comprehensive financial learning portal including a range of online activities for children, as well as guides for parents. Find it at moneysmart.gov.au As a parent, you have the power to shape your children’s relationship with money. By starting early and focusing on practical day-to-day activities, you could set them up with a vital life skill and a brighter future. coastfin.com.au

place to shine Celebrating A Wait list open

happiness, education to book a tour and belonging.

TWO YEARS OF SERVICE A community focused TO OUR COMMUNITY

A place to shine Celebrating Wait list open to book a tour on happiness, educationcall us on and belonging. 4384 9000

1 Reads Road, Wamberal

TWO YEARS OF SERVICEOpen from 6:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday call us on Catering for Children aged 0– 6 TO OUR /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal ACOMMUNITY place to shine 4384 9000

Celebrating

to bookwww.alkiraelc.com.au a tour

1 Reads Road, Wamberal

Wait list open /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal Alkira_elc call us on A community focused on on happiness, education 1 Reads Road, Wamberal /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal happiness, education and belonging. 4384 9000 www.alkiraelc.com.au and belonging. Wait list open Limited places available to book a tour www.alkiraelc.com.au /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal A community focused Call us on on 4384 9000 Alkira_elc call us on happiness,Alkira_elc education to book a tour A place to shine A place to shine 4384 9000 and belonging. www.alkiraelc.com.au to book a tour 4384 9000

TWO YEARS OF SERVICE A community focused TO OUR COMMUNITY

A place to shine

Alkira_elc

1 Reads Road, Wamberal

A community focused on Open from 6:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday Catering for Children aged 0– 6 happiness, education /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal 1 Reads Road, Wamberal and belonging. Limited places available www.alkiraelc.com.au A community focused Call us on on 4384 9000 /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal Alkira_elc happiness, education to book a tour 1 Reads Road, Wamberal /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal www.alkiraelc.com.au and belonging. www.alkiraelc.com.au

A place to shine www.alkiraelc.com.au

/alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal

A place to shine

Alkira_elc

www.alkiraelc.com.au

1 Reads Road, Wamberal

Personal loans with a 1 Reads Road, Wamberal personal approach 4384 9000

Open from 6:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday Alkira_elc Catering for Children aged 0– 6

/alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal www.alkiraelc.com.au Alkira_elc

Savvy loan technicians, 1 ReadsThe Road, Wamberal /alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal with simple money solutions.

/alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal www.alkiraelc.com.au

www.alkiraelc.com.au

/alkiraearlylearningcentrewamberal Central Coast Finance and Mortgage Solutions Alkira_elc

Alkira_elc

www.alkiraelc.com.au 10/148-158 Fountain Plaza, Central Coast Hwy, Erina 4384 9000 02 4326 8843 Alkira_elc www.coastfin.com.au

Home Loans

$$ $ $

Car Loans

$ $ $ $

Debt Consolidation

$ $ Personal Loans

HERE FOR FA S H I O N , B E A U T Y, L I F E S T Y L E B R A N D S

Visit Erina Fair today

COAST magazine Winter 2022

Articles inside

How to raise money-wise kids

Books on the Waves

HAPPENINGS ON THE COAST

Bryan Brown on his first book, Sweet Jimmy

Gilta and Jeff

Clare Peters, glass artist and ‘slumper’

Chloe and Nick

Hats off to the hatted restaurants of the Coast

The ultimate reset for mind and body

WELCOME

FEATURE Dancing on Darkinjung land

Design matters

Kayal and Kara keeping things local

Gardens: Understanding microclimates MY COAST

Clouds of green in Matcham

Embracing winter at home

Jennifer Hartich