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S E A S O N ’ S T R E AT I N G S ! G I F T S F O R E V E R YO N E O N YO U R L I S T. w w w. h a r d t o f i n d . c o m . a u
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
At this time of year, many of us are sitting around the table celebrating with our family and friends. Some of us may even be lucky enough to set up a table outside in a paddock under a gum tree like the one on our cover. It’s likely that the table will be laden with food produced by farmers like the ones we feature in our pages throughout the year — and, with the drought, what a year it has been for many of them. I don’t think I will ever stop being inspired by the spirit of people on the land. Their determination, strength, courage and intelligence. Their drive to do the best they can. We acknowledge a few of these remarkable people in The 2018 Country List on page 106. My son was fortunate to grow up in the same house as his grandfather, so the story of how three generations of the Rawlings family live on a sprawling property in the Byron Bay hinterland immediately struck a chord with me. Here, Sandra Rawlings’s grandkids can run up the hill with their blue heeler Rosie to visit her. “It’s like having fairies at the bottom of my garden,” she says. “The only rule is that the children need to let Mum or Dad know they’re coming up. They drop in unannounced so we’ll have cheese and biscuits and talk about their week.” This bond between grandparents and grandchildren is often a very special one and I know our junior designer Kara Agostinho feels that way about her own nonna. I recently noticed Kara wearing a necklace with the name ‘Gemma’ on it. When I asked why, she said that it was an old piece of jewellery once owned by her grandmother, Gemma Corrent. I then discovered a little bit about this remarkable woman’s history. Her tiramisu, which is part of our Heirloom story on page 102, is more than just a recipe, it’s really all about the love of family. “She is a typical Italian mamma, always so generous,” says Gemma’s daughter, Shirley. At Christmas time “there will never just be tiramisu — there will always be several desserts. She also makes an awesome Aussie pavlova!” Enjoy the issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY DAMIAN BENNETT STYLING LIZ KAVANAGH
Victoria Carey
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N I C O L A S E V I T T Our talented editorial co-ordinator styled both The Barn in Wolgan Valley on page 38 and a farmhouse on the Rawlings family’s Nashua property on page 46.
Although she’s usually in the Country Style office supporting the team and running the administrative side of the magazine, Nicola sometimes assists on photo shoots. For this issue she travelled to Capertee, NSW, to style The Barn (right), and was blown away by its design and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. “I love that each member of the family played their part in helping it come together,” says Nicola. She also visited the Rawlings family’s farm near Nashua in northern NSW. “I’d been to the area before, but it was nice to explore this lush little oasis.” And she was pleased to call in to Byron Bay on the trip. “I’ve been going there since I was really little — it’s such a special place.”
We sent this food stylist to Branxton in the NSW Hunter Valley to work with Troy Rhoades-Brown for our Christmas-themed Country Chef story on page 92.
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Steve grew up on a farm near Tumut, NSW, and has fond memories of helping in his nanna’s kitchen, preparing meals for shearers and bottling jam. When the former chef and food director of Donna Hay Magazine arrived at the Hunter Valley property of Troy Rhoades-Brown for our shoot, he immediately noticed the impressive vegetable garden. “I knew at that point that we were like-minded. Working with someone like Troy, who is passionate about homegrown and local produce, meant it was going to be an awesome day.” Although he loved Troy’s Dark Chocolate & Wattle Seed Tart, Steve’s favourite festive desserts are his nanna’s Christmas pudding and his mum’s trifle. “They’re the best!”
WORDS SARAH NEIL PHOTOGRAPHY BRIGID ARNOTT, MARK ROPER, NICOLA SEVITT STYLING STEVE PEARCE, NICOLA SEVITT
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46 46 ALL IN THE FAMILY
18 Festive spirit: the Four Pillars family on making 82 92 106
Christmas gin It’s a wrap: our ultimate gift guide Lunch with Hunter Valley chef Troy Rhoades-Brown The 2018 Country List: 50 people and places making a diference
PEOPLE
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GARDENING 70 COMMON GROUND
18 PUDDING CLUB 88
A well-loved family recipe inds a new life as a limited edition Christmas gin at Four Pillars distillery. TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL Camila Serrano makes unique felted decorations from her home in the Victorian town of Castlemaine.
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DECORATING
82 THE GIFT LIST We have your Christmas shopping all wrapped up.
MY COUNTRY CHILDHOOD 34 Designer and artist Rachel Castle has happy
FOOD 92 A FAMILY CELEBRATION
recollections of growing up near Sale, Victoria.
HOMES
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38 BARN RAISING After falling in love with NSW’s Wolgan Valley during a weekend away, a Danish couple built their dream house in the bush near Capertee.
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The garden of Paul Bangay’s The Farmhouse is one of many to admire in Garden Love by Simon Griiths. IN THE GARDEN Gift ideas for the gardeners and a lower farmer’s native loral arrangement for Christmas Day. PLANTING GUIDE Jennifer Stackhouse on plants for the summer months.
GIFT GUIDE
24 UNDER THE GUM TREE Christmas in the paddock calls for table decorations inspired by the natural beauty of the Australian bush.
A desire to be closer together led three generations to live side-by-side in the Byron Bay hinterland. LET THE LIGHT IN Lots of love and many coats of paint transformed a family’s Queenslander into a holiday retreat.
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Chef Troy Rhoades-Brown revels in preparing the Christmas meal and sharing the day with family. BUON NATALE This nonna’s tiramisu is a irm Christmas favourite. FLAVOURS Recipe books for all kinds of cooks and an Italian medieval-inspired treat.
PHOTOGRAPHY (FROM LEFT) MARK ROPER, MARNIE HAWSON, BRIGID ARNOTT, ABBIE MELLE
COVER STORIES
D e c e m b e r 2 01 8 | c o n t e n t s
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106 SERVICES
THE 2018 COUNTRY LIST 106 Fifty exceptional people, places and events that made an impact on regional Australia in 2018.
JOURNEY 116 ON THE MOVE: KUNUNURRA This young town in the East Kimberley has a rich cultural history and an abundance of fresh produce.
FASHION AND BEAUTY 122 THE STYLE DIARIES 128
Nature inspires the wardrobes and beauty cupboards of these two creative talents. FACING THE FUTURE Juliette Winter looks ahead at the beauty trends for next year and how consumers are driving change.
REGULAR READING 8 12 14 132 154
Contributors Your page: readers’ emails and letters Annabelle Hickson: A Day in the Country Books Country Squire
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OUR COVER Find ideas for your Christmas table in this decorating story full of homewares inspired by the natural world on page 24. PHOTOGRAPHY Brigid Arnott STYLING Hannah Brady
ON THE COVER Peggy the catle dog is the star of our Christmas decorating story which features elements evocative of the Australian landscape, including linen tablecloths, ceramic tableware, brass bells, wooden seating and woven baskets. The paddock seting also provided some natural beauty in the form of freshly cut waratahs.
PRIVACY NOTICE This issue of Country Style magazine is published by Bauer Media Pty Ltd (Bauer). Bauer may use and disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or services and to keep you informed of other Bauer publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is located at bauer-media.com. au/privacy. It also sets out on how you can access or correct your personal information and lodge a complaint. Bauer may disclose your personal information offshore to its owners, joint venture partners, service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in New Zealand, USA, the Philippines and the European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal information collected for Reader Offers may be disclosed by us to service providers assisting Bauer in the conduct of the Reader Offer and to other organisations providing special prizes or offers that are part of the Reader Offer. An opt-out choice is provided with a Reader Offer. Unless you exercise that opt-out choice, personal information collected for Reader Offers may also be disclosed by us to other organisations for use by them to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use this information for this purpose. If you require further information, please contact Bauer’s Privacy Officer either by email at privacyofficer@bauer-media.com.au or mail at Privacy Officer Bauer Media Pty Ltd, 54 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000.
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YOUR PAGE
In our November issue, we celebrated life on the land and the unbreakable spirit of Australian farmers. Two such families shared their stories, we visited a historic homestead in the hands of a new generation and a miner’s cottage that’s been transformed into an artists’ retreat. Top jockey Hugh Bowman shared memories of growing up near Dunedoo and 12-year-old Shep Taylor told his story with best mates, a kelpie called Flash and our cover star, Timmy the palomino gelding. Photography @clancyjob Styling @hannah.brady
INSTAGRAM In this sunlit room in her 1890s home in Berry, NSW, Lucie Stanford, @lifeintheoldmanse, said she “wanted more textiles and pattern”. Clearly her aesthetic resonated with our Instagram followers who also love a pop of colour and layered textiles! Photography @lisacohenphoto Styling @tess.newman.morris
YOUR PAGE A READER IN THE UK TELLS US THAT COUNTRY STYLE MAKES HER FEEL CLOSER TO HOME WHILE ANOTHER PLANS TO MOVE TO THE COUNTRY.
COMING HOME I arrived back from yoga today to find Country Style waiting on my doormat. For the last year I’ve been living in England with my partner. However my family and friends are all in Australia and New Zealand. I’m coming home for a couple of months and I can’t wait to smell the Aussie earth, walk by the ocean and catch ups with kids, grandkids and friends. Country Style has been so special to me. I subscribed when I moved away and every month it’s helped me feel closer to home. The exceptional photography manages to capture the light and essence of Australia, the stories are about real people and the recipes keep me busy in the kitchen. Time for a cuppa with my copy as I recover from yoga! Thank you for bringing Australia to my new home. Sarah Hudson, SURREY, UK
home-cured bacon, and has fresh local vegetables. I love to travel but feel blessed to live in Australia where we have almost the best of everything — and Country Style to showcase it all! Ruth Blakely, TAMWORTH, NSW
COUNTRY DREAMS My love for beautiful and unique treasures is confirmed every time I purchase Country Style. Late next year, when I move to the country with my husband, I plan to open a farm-shed shop. Many ideas from the issues I have read over the years will come to fruition. From the kitchen to the garden and the shed, it will bring new challenges and I’ll share my passion for country ideas and treasure with others. Thank you for providing me with the inspiration and a love for all things Country Style and beyond. Sue Harris, GUNDERMAN, NSW
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REMEMBER WHEN I enjoy Country Style for many reasons, but the main one is that the homes featured are so attractive and liveable. All the homes are what a home should be and the owners look content having made the change to country life. It was a pleasure to read about seasoned collectors Meg and Neil Thumpston’s home in the Blue Mountains. When my husband and I left Africa for Australia 19 years ago, we had to part with many things. But I’m so pleased I brought treasures like my mother’s huge brass tray, pictures and old-fashioned china. I’m widowed now and my family think I should clear out my things but in my small home my bits and pieces keep my memories alive. What may be clutter to others is serenity and peace to me. Felicity Rooney, SALE, VICTORIA
CULINARY DELIGHTS I’ve just returned from a month in Turkey and purchased the November issue of Country Style for the last leg of the trip home. Reading Annabelle Hickson’s column I thought about the wonderful selection of breads for breakfast in Instanbul served with olives, tomatoes, salad, cheeses, honey, and even, halva. Here, at home in my country city, we are fortunate to have a great French chef running a beautiful small café where he makes crusty sourdough, labne, his own sausage and
Congratulations
to Felicity Rooney who has won a $500 voucher from Feyre Home. See their lovely range of luxurious 100 per cent Supima cotton sustainable bedding and textiles at feyrehome.com Share your thoughts and experiences with us by writing to Country Style, PO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW, 1028, or by emailing austcountrystyle@bauer-media.com.au. Please include your address and daytime telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space and clarity.
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A DAY IN T HE COUN T RY
FRIENDLY POLITICS THE FAIRY LIGHTS had been turned on and the trees down
the main street were shining. It was opening night at the inaugural Peter Allen Festival in the small town of Tenterfield. Not that many people had turned up — it can be hard to get people to change their ways for something new. Dignitaries were there to open the event, including our federal member Barnaby Joyce. He walked to the stage to take the mic and just as he started speaking a well-dressed man in his 60s, sitting next to me in the scattered crowd, picked up two sheets of cardboard and stood up. He walked out in front of Mr Joyce chanting “Stop Adani!” and held the anti-mining signs high above his head. He continued for about a minute. “It’s your children’s lives. Stop Adani.” Mr Joyce stopped speaking. A few people booed. The MC shook his head disapprovingly. And then Mr Joyce said, “OK, that’s enough.” The protestor sat back down, popped his signs back underneath his chair and returned to being one of the crowd just here to enjoy the show. My nine-year-old’s mouth was wide open. “Why did he do that?” she whispered loudly as Mr Joyce went on to talk about the humble beginnings of the Tamworth Country Music Festival and suggested that this event could also grow to be something big. “Is he very rude?” she said. “I’ll explain later,” I mouthed because, as I said, the man was sitting next to us. Mr Joyce opened the festival and, before we knew it, we were all singing and clapping along to Peter Allen songs. I don’t think my children had ever seen a protest before. While I have, I certainly had never seen one like this.
One man, not at all frantic or worked-up, had temporarily broken the code of conduct to say his piece, before sitting back down and enjoying the event as a member of the community. Shortly after his protest, he was up on stage in the Peter Allen look-alike competition, dancing with maracas while the crowd cheered. It was very different to the PETA activists who swoop in to throw tomatoes at fur-wearing models before vanishing as fast as they can; or the chanting mobs who take whole streets over and stop traffic — anonymous in their sheer numbers. As protests go, this one was very civilised. I have a lot of admiration for the protester. He wanted to say his bit about Adani and also enjoy the Peter Allen Festival. He got up and disrupted the ceremony, totally aware that everyone knew who he was (anonymity is not possible in Tenterfield). I think it takes a lot of courage to stand up for your beliefs, especially in front of your peers brimming with “we love Barnaby” vibes. And I think it says a lot about this little community that a man who caused a bit of a scene — no doubt rudely in some people’s opinions — could, in a matter of minutes, be cheered and supported as he did his best Peter Allen dance moves on stage. There was a sense of respect for everyone at the show — the politicians, the performers and the protester. This is how it can be in a small town. Everyone is seen; everyone can have his or her place. It’s very humane and it’s a sight I’m very glad my children got to see. Annabelle Hickson lives on a pecan farm in the umaresq Valley, NSW. Follow @annabellehickson on Instagram. Locals in the main street of Tenterfield, NSW.
14 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
PHOTOGRAPHY ANNABELLE HICKSON PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY PIP WILLIAMS
ANNABELLE HICKSON ON AN UNLIKELY PROTEST AT THE PETER ALLEN FESTIVAL.
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Editor-in-chief VICTORIA CAREY Deputy editor SARAH NEIL Creative director JO QUARMBY Art director ANTONIET TA SCOT TO Melbourne editor VIRGINIA IMHOFF Chief copy editor TAHLIA ANDERSON Junior designer K ARA AGOSTINHO Editorial coordinator NICOLA SEVIT T (02) 9282 8879 Regular contributors CLAIRE MACTAGGART (Queensland contributing editor) DIXIE ELLIOTT (Food) ANNABELLE HICKSON (A Day in the Country) ROB INGRAM (Country Squire) ANNABEL LAWSON (Books) JOHN McPHEE (Collectables) GEORGINA REID (Gardens) BARBARA SWEENEY (Flavours) JULIETTE WINTER (Health and Beauty) LAUREN CAMILLERI (Designer) VIRGINIA JEN (Copy editor) CHI LAM (Designer) KAREN SPRESSER (Writer) Homelife producer BEC WHISH Digital producer and writer, Country Style SAMANTHA VAN EGMOND Homelife junior producer LUCIA NGUYEN
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PEOPLE HEA LESV ILLE VICTORIA The exterior of the Four Pillars distillery in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. As the name suggests, the brand is built on four pillars: stills, water, botanicals and love. FACING PAGE Alice Mackenzie’s favourite part of pudding making is licking the spoon.
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AFTER REDISCOVERING A BELOVED FAMILY PUDDING RECIPE, A GIN DISTILLER DECIDED TO START A NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITION. WORDS BA R BA R A SW EENEY PHOTOGRAPHY M A R NIE HAWSON
PEOPLE HEA LESV ILLE VICTORIA
IN CAMERON MACKENZIE’S childhood home, Christmas
preparations started on Derby Day, the first day of the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. That was the day Cam’s mother Wilma would make Christmas puddings, a ritual he and his brothers would participate in every year. “Mum would buy the ingredients, cut the pudding cloth, and get the bowls and the Kenwood Chef out in preparation,” Cam recalls. “It was just routine. As a kid, I thought it was a drag. She made loads of puddings and it was too big a task for her to do on her own, so my four brothers and I were called on to help chop fruit. Dad would have the racing on in the background and do jobs about the house. He wouldn’t step into the kitchen when Mum had her game face on.” When Wilma died in 1994, so too did the ritual. Then, five years ago, Cam found a box of her recipes in his study. “There were some cookbooks, notes and handwritten recipes,” he says. But the prize find was the 1968 Australian Women’s Weekly Christmas leaflet that included the pudding recipe. The discovery prompted Cam, 48, to enlist his family, wife Leah, 44, and their daughters — Vivienne, 13, Eliza, 11, and nine-year-old Alice — to help make the puddings. “The girls were totally enamoured and couldn’t wait to get started,” he says. “We now make it every year,” says Leah. “It’s sad that the girls didn’t get to know their grandmother, but they know this was Granny’s tradition and it’s a way to stay connected with her.” >
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Alice, Vivienne and Eliza start the pudding preparation, while parents Cameron and Leah look on; Wilma’s handwriten Christmas menu plan alongside her copy of The Australian Women’s Weekly Christmas recipe pamphlet; Four Pillars’ Australian Christmas Gin; Pippa the spoodle and the Mackenzies at home in Healesville. FACING PAGE Vivienne chopping dates for the pudding. The blue eggs are from a friend’s Lavender Araucana chickens.
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PEOPLE HEA LESV ILLE VICTORIA The Mackenzie family love the surrounding area.
All three girls play an active role in making the puddings: Alice as stirrer and chief spoon licker, Eliza as fruit chopper and Vivienne, probably the most confident cook, as head chef. When making the first pudding, Cam took Wilma’s legacy a step further and also created a pudding-flavoured gin. As head distiller at Four Pillars — the craft gin distillery he co-founded in 2013 in Healesville, Victoria, with friends Stuart Gregor and Matt Jones — it made complete sense. “When the girls and I were shopping, it hit me that the ingredients we were buying would work with juniper, the basis of all gin,” he says. “So we made a batch.” It’s not unusual for Cam to tinker with gin flavours. In addition to the four main gins at Four Pillars — Rare Dry, Navy Strength, Spiced Negroni and Bloody Shiraz — he’s known for making interesting small batch gins. To infuse the Christmas gin with the flavours and aromas of the season, Cam puts whole puddings wrapped in calico into the botanical basket of the still and distills with juniper, cinnamon, star anise, coriander, clove and angelica for seven hours. The resulting gin is aged in 100-year-old oak barrels for a year. The barrels, acquired from All Saints Winery in Rutherglen in exchange for a shipment of gin, had been used to hold muscat for 80 years. The time in the barrels and a final dash of Rutherglen muscat make for a lovely dark colour and rich taste. Another special part of the process is the creation of the label, which is designed by a different artist each year. Melbourne artist Stephen Baker has done the honours this year and his artwork, Basking in the Sun, is a fitting ode to the Aussie Christmas. Pudding day, once again held on Derby Day, has become a Four Pillars family affair. Stuart, his wife Sally Lewis and their children, George, 12, and Audrey, 14, along with Matt, wife Rebecca Bourne-Jones and their children, Jack, six, and Harper, eight, travel from Sydney for the occasion. “It’s become a really special day shared with friends,” says Leah. “It’s nice to know we’re all involved and that this gin is a part of us. It’s like we’re spreading Wilma’s love to all our customers.” Four Pillars is at 2A Lilydale Road, Healesville, Victoria. 1800 374 446; fourpillarsgin.com.au
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“It’s sad that the girls didn’t get to know their grandmother, but they know this was Granny’s tradition…”
SYDNEY 02 9906 3686
BRISBANE 07 3252 8488
MITTAGONG 02 4872 2585
sales@cotswoldfurniture.com.au - www.cotswoldfurniture.com.au
DECORAT ING CHR ISTM AS
THESE DECORATING IDEAS, INSPIRED BY THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE, WILL SPRUCE UP THE CHRISTMAS TABLE. PHOTOGRAPHY BR IGID A R NOTT ST YLING H A NNA H BR A DY
Brooke and Colin Munro, of Mr and Mrs Munro, with Peggy the catle dog, daughters Ruby and Arkie, and ponies Flower and Blondie. Lovely Linen tablecloths in Misty Meadow and Jeep Green, from $242 each, from Casa e Cucina. Handwoven baskets, from $60 each, from Mr and Mrs Munro. Vintage slated garden chairs, $200 each, from Lunatiques. Scholar bench, $330, from Water Tiger. Stools, from $150 each, side table, $700, and pendant, $650, all from Mr and Mrs Munro. For stockist details, see page 136.
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 25
Handcrafted ceramics, soft linens and woven elements create a welcoming scene.
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CHR ISTM AS DECORAT ING
THIS PAGE, ABOVE Wire cocoons, $80 each, from Mr and Mrs Munro. Star ornaments, from $6.95, and Star and Bauble ornaments with gold lustre detail, $59 for assorted set of 8, all from KW Ceramics. Side table, $700, from Mr and Mrs Munro. TOP RIGHT, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Peasant bowl in Seaweed, $59.95, from Batch Ceramics. Cocktail coupe, $120 for set of 6, from Casa e Cucina. Globe bowl in Sea Foam, $39.95, from Batch Ceramics. Alto tumbler glass, $44.95 for set of 4, from Country Road. Globe bowl in Elephant, $39.95, from Batch Ceramics. Star ornaments, from $6.95, from KW Ceramics. Divided Earth dinner plate in Oatmeal, $69, from KW Ceramics. Linen napkins in White, $59.95, from KW Ceramics. Cuprum dining cutlery, $75 for assorted set of 5, from Kinnow Cutlery. Peasant plate in Sherwood, $74.95, from Batch Ceramics. Pouring bowl in Sea Foam, $39.95, from Batch Ceramics. Lovely Linen tablecloth in Misty Meadow, from $242, from Casa e Cucina. BOTTOM RIGHT, FROM LEFT Peasant bowl in Seaweed, $59.95, from Batch Ceramics. Brass bell, $80, from Water Tiger. Star and Bauble ornaments with gold lustre detail, $59 for assorted set of 8, and Star ornaments, from $6.95, all from KW Ceramics. Handwoven baskets, from $60 each, from Mr and Mrs Munro. Lovely Linen tablecloth in Misty Meadow, from $242 each, from Casa e Cucina. FACING PAGE, ON TABLE Peasant bowl in Seaweed, $59.95, from Batch Ceramics. Brass bell, $80, from Water Tiger. Handwoven baskets, from $60 each, from Mr and Mrs Munro.Lovely Linen tablecloths in Misty Meadow and Jeep Green, from $242 each, from Casa e Cucina. Table, stylist’s own. ON GRASS Stool, from $150, from Mr and Mrs Munro. Side table, $700, from Mr and Mrs Munro. Vintage slated garden chairs, $200 each, from Lunatiques. For stockist details, see page 136.
The modern coastal aesthetic blends organic textures with a naturally inspired palette
*quilt cover set contains 1 quilt cover and 2 pillowcases
1
2
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[1] AVOCA NAVY quilt cover set* queen bed $279.95, king bed $299.95, super king bed $349.95, european pillowcase $49.95, long cushion $59.95 [2] LANGLEY LINEN & NAVY knitted throws $149.95 [3] COVE NATURAL square cushion $79.95 [4] QUAY NATURAL & NAVY square cushions $69.95
®
Find your nearest stockist at legendlinen.com
A MONT H IN T HE C OUN TRY The Rawlings family have transformed an old coach house into a secluded farmstay. To see inside, turn to page 46.
This month shop at country markets, walk through lavender fields and see a movie under the night sky.
PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON
PRODUCED BY SAMAN T HA VAN EGMOND
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 29
chr ist ma s fes t ivities NSW Christmas Lights Spectacular at Hunter Valley Gardens, November 2nd–January 26th This much-loved annual event sees the gardens sparkle with festive displays. Gardens open daily 9am–4pm, with lights from 5.30pm– 10pm (closed Christmas Day). Tickets are $25 for children and $35 for adults with family passes available. 2090 Broke Road, Pokolbin, NSW. (02) 4998 4000; huntervalleygardens.com.au
CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT A queen bedroom at Arafel Park; the sunny conservatory; Arafel Park is a short drive from Bowral.
QUEENSLAND Bush Christmas Exhibition, November 28th–December 7th Pick up handmade gifts at this market showcasing the work of Australian rural artisans. Pottery, homewares and gourmet hampers are on offer. Masonic Centre, 58 Neil Street, Toowoomba. 0418 709 821; bushchristmas.com
TASMANIA Niche Market,
W E E K E N D AWAY NSW Arafel Park This elegant 1930s home in the Southern Highlands is just
December 7th–8th Launceston’s Albert Hall has become a European-inspired market for the 10th anniversary event. Open Friday 2pm–7pm, Saturday 8am–3pm. Entry is free. Money raised from sales will be donated to children’s programs at St Giles. Cimitere and Tamar Streets, Launceston. (03) 6345 7333; stgiles.org.au/niche-market
five minutes’ drive from Bowral. Set within cool climate gardens that date back to the property’s former life as a farming estate, Arafel Park can sleep up to 12 guests in six bedrooms and has indoor and outdoor living areas and a swimming pool. From $791 per night. Minimum three-night stay, book online. arafelpark.com.au
foodie feas t WA Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival, December 8th Around a three hour drive south of Perth, this food and wine celebration includes farm tours and cooking demonstrations. A highlight is the Long Table Lunch where guests can enjoy local produce beneath the cherry trees of Newton Orchards. Some events are ticketed, to book visit cherryfestival.com.au
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FOR WINE LOVERS SA The Riesling Trail Explore the picturesque Clare Valley region along this 32-kilometre trail (right) between Auburn and Barinia. A popular riding trail, stop along the way to enjoy cellar door tastings or pack a picnic and take in the idyllic vistas by foot. rieslingtrail.com.au
A MONT H IN T HE C OUN TRY
CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT The kitchen garden at The Currant Shed; a dish of baked pumpkin, beetroot tzatziki, ancient grains and herbs at Taverna; Bad Dog by Nongirrŋa Marawili.
the country comes to town
PHOTOGRAPHY JACQUI WAY (CURRANT FARM) FIGTREE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY (TAVERNA) © NONGIRRŊA MARAWILI, COURTESY BUKU- LARRŊGAY MULKA ART CENTRE FACING PAGE ABBIE MELLE (ARAFEL PARK) ANSON SMART (CLARE VALLEY)
ACT Beauty Rich and Rare at the National Library of Australia, September 22nd–February 10th Flora and fauna works created by botanist Sir Joseph Banks and his team of specialists are on display in this immersive sound and light experience, animated and projected onto a 20–metre screen. Open daily 10am–5pm, entry is free. Parkes Place, Canberra. (02) 6262 1111; nla.gov.au
NSW Nongirr
a Marawili: From My Heart and Mind at AGNSW, November 3rd–February 24th This exhibition features paintings by Nongirr a Marawili, a Northern Territory-based Indigenous artist whose work is inspired by the effects of country being brought to life through the movement of wind, water or unseen forces. Admission is free. Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
b ook a table SA The Currant Shed This McLaren
NSW Taverna This Greek-inspired
Flat restaurant was awarded a Chef Hat at the 2018 Good Food Guide Awards for its modern Australian menu, served in a restored historic homestead set amongst a lime grove and vineyards. Open six days (closed Wednesdays) bookings can be made from 11:30am for lunch and dinner. 104 Ingoldby Road, McLaren Flat. (08) 8383 0232; currantshed.com.au
restaurant on the North Coast beachfront serves local, seasonal produce designed for sharing. Seating just 60, the whitewashed little eatery is the perfect spot for a long lunch or quiet dinner by the seaside. Open Thursday to Sunday for dinner, with lunch served at weekends. 22 Marine Parade, Kingscliff. (02) 6674 8762; taverna.net.au
NEXT MONTH SA Crush Festival, January 25th–27th The Adelaide Hills will provide a picturesque backdrop for a weekend celebrating the wine, produce, music, art and theatre of the region. General entry is free with some ticketed events, including hosted lunches, masterclasses and dinners. Visit the website for prices and bookings. crushfestival.com.au
best in show NSW Sunset Cinema Wollongong, December 13th–February 23rd Wollongong Botanic Gardens is screening films on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings during the summer months, with a bar and food trucks onsite. Tickets are $18 for adults, $11 for kids and $40 Premium Lawn Lounge tickets are also available.
Take a look at the full program and book tickets at sunsetcinema.com.au
VICTORIA Barefoot Cinema, December 26th–February 16th Pack a picnic blanket and head to one of three leafy venues — Portsea’s Point Nepean National Park, The Briars in Mount Martha or the gardens of
heritage-listed Ripponlea Estate — to take in a film under the stars. Classics such as Grease, Pulp Fiction and Dirty Dancing will be showing and there will be food and drinks available for purchase. Tickets are $22 for adults, $15 for concessions and children under five are free. Book your spot at barefootcinema.com.au
A MONT H IN T HE C OUN TRY The lavender ice cream from the vintage ice cream van is a popular treat at Bridestowe Lavender Estate. RIGHT Flowers in bloom at Perennial Hill, Mitagong.
fa r m e r s’ markets ACT Capital Region Farmers’
TASMANIA Bridestowe Lavender Estate Now is the time to visit this 105-hectare lavender farm in Nabowla, 45 minutes’ drive north-east of Launceston. With an estimated 650,000 plants, the farm will be in full bloom throughout summer, creating a fragrant blanket of purple. Open 9am–5pm daily (closed Christmas Day) with guided walks available. Visit the café for a lavender-flavoured treat. $10 entry, under 16 are free. 296 Gillespies Road, Nabowla. (03) 6352 8182; bridestowelavender.com.au
NSW Perennial Hill Open Garden, December 1st–2nd Take a weekend ramble at this cool-climate garden. Highlights include topiary, French
parterre, drystone walls and perennial borders. Entry to the garden is $8 for general admission, under 16s are free. Dogs on leashes welcome. 1 Nero Street, Mittagong. 0409 244 200; perennialhill.com.au
VICTORIA Cruden Farm Open Day, December 9th Enjoy a leisurely Sunday stroll around the manicured gardens and beloved former home of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, set amongst bushlands and lakes. Freshly baked snacks are available for purchase at a pop-up kitchen window and keen gardeners can take a tour to learn more about the garden. $20 entry or $35, including a guided tour. Open 10am–4pm. crudenfarm.com.au
WA Moore River Region Farmers’ Market, December 9th Come for a chitchat and leave with Moore River honey and Seaview Ridge olives. Ron Atyeo’s donuts, cooked on the spot, are a highlight. Woof Meow Tweat Squeak will wash your dog on the spot. Woodridge Hall, King and Indian Ocean Drives, Woodridge. 8am–12pm.woodridgecommunity association.com.au
v isit a galler y QLD Iconic Queensland at Childers Arts Space, November 6th–January 6th This touring exhibition showcases artworks from 28 regional and remote artists from Queensland whose works were selected for inclusion from more than 200 entries in the Queensland Regional Art Awards 2017. The exhibition challenges perceptions of what Queensland icons are through
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unique interpretations of the artists’ communities, environments and characters. Free entry. 72 Churchill Street, Childers. (07) 4130 4876; bundabergregionalgalleries.com.au
NSW Newdesign 3 at Sturt Design Centre, December 14th–Febraury 10th Find inspiration for your home at this showcase of craft and design work,
including textiles, wall coverings, ceramics and furniture. Makers such as paper artist Gunjan Aylawadi, ceramicist Sarah Ormonde and furniture by Aidan Morris are on display. Open 10am–5pm daily (closed public holidays), entry is free. Corner Range Road and Waverley Parade, Mittagong. (02) 4860 2083; sturt.nsw.edu.au
ADDITIONAL WORDS BARBARA SWEENEY (FARMERS’ MARKETS) EVENTS MAY CHANGE AND WE RECOMMEND CONTACTING ORGANISERS TO CONFIRM DETAILS AND ENSURE AVAILABILITY.
GA R DENS
Market, every Saturday With the best producers in the Canberra region over 100 stalls you can easily pull together your Christmas feast. There are Sydney Rocks from Rod Terry Oysters, Boxgum Grazing beef, and fruit mince tarts, Yule Logs and shortbread from Crème ‘n’ Sugar. It wouldn’t be Christmas without cherries on the table and Willayoung Orchard do a separate Canberra Christmas delivery run so there’s no excuse to miss out. EPIC, Flemington Road, Canberra. 7.30am–11.30am. 0400 852 227; capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au
MY COUNTRY CHILDHOOD
“The country taught me patience and resilience…” ARTIST AND DESIGNER RACHEL CASTLE’S COUNTRY CHILDHOOD THE HOMEWARES DESIGNER HAS FOND MEMORIES OF HER EARLY YEARS ON A SMALL FARM IN REGIONAL VICTORIA. WORDS CLAIRE MACTAGGART PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY
RACHEL CASTLE’S JOYFUL designs are
instantly recognisable. From screen prints and hand-stitched embroideries to homewares, patterned bedlinen and acrylic art pieces, her wares are highly coveted. Although born in Melbourne, Rachel grew up near Sale, in Gippsland, Victoria, and it was here she developed an early fascination with pop culture. “As a little kid in a small country town, I devoured magazines and watched Countdown and Rage like my life depended on it,” says the 48-year-old, who grew up with younger brother Chad and parents Stephen and Jillian. “My mother had beautiful clothes, she had her hair blow-waved and nails done every Saturday morning. She was very well presented, whereas I was always a scruffy little kid,” Rachel says. “If she said to me once, she said to me a zillion times ‘Gosh, you look like something the cat dragged in!’ I have never really nailed my own sartorial style, but my bedroom — that was a different matter. It was plastered with all my ‘stuff’ and was one thing I always managed to get at least a little bit right.” Rachel in part attributes her creative flair to her late father, who taught graphic design at the local high school in Sale. “I remember spending all my summer holidays covering my schoolbooks with drawings and pictures, and being quite good at bubble writing.” After high school, Rachel studied public relations at RMIT University in Melbourne. She interned in the public relations department at fashion retailer Country Road while studying, which led to a full-time position. Rachel
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then moved to London where she worked in the buying office of The Conran Shop, before conceiving branding agency, The Nest, with friends Alex Willcock and Russell Pinch. Two decades of experience in the homewares industry proved invaluable when she launched Castle and Things in Australia in 2008. Rachel, who now lives in Sydney with her English husband, Daz, and their children Cleo, 19, and 17-year-old Lucas, works from a studio in Marrickville, where she paints as well as runs her thriving homewares business. “Being creative with your hands is very different from being creative with products, so I do struggle with balancing the admin side of running a business and creating the products, with actually making painted artworks,” she says. “Sometimes I want to run back to the country, get a really big studio and just paint all day long. No restrictions, no timelines, no expectations — that would be nice.” However, Rachel is never short of inspiration for new products and paintings, whether it comes from nature, music, art or pop culture. “If I had to pick one thing, it would be nature. All the beauty and colour nature makes all by its little self is miraculous and mind boggling to me.” While Rachel now feels at home in the city, she appreciates her down-to-earth childhood in rural Victoria. “The country is an amazing place to bring up children, and I had amazing friends and a very relaxed upbringing.” > For more information about the Castle and Things range, visit castleandthings.com.au
Rachel Castle with some of her work, from left: Little Cleo, painted for her daughter’s 19th birthday, Jumble Garden 4 painting, $3900, Flower european cushion cover, $79, assorted velvet Penny round cushion covers, from $49, Ice Grey velvet oor cushion, $149, and Wally cushion cover, from $49. FACING PAGE Six-year-old Rachel.
MY COUNTRY CHILDHOOD
RN IN KEW, in Melbourne’s eastern
but moved to Sale when I was five because my father, who was a school was transferred there. my primary school years living on a small hobby farm on Hagans Road. We had a few pet cows and sheep, including my pet lamb Little Lamb who I used to bottle feed. We caught the bus to school every morning and had to hop across the cattle grid to get to the main road. My mother was a city girl through and through and I vividly remember one morning as the bus pulled up she was out in the front yard yelling and shooing the cattle off her nice garden in her La Perla underwear. I was so embarrased, but she had a very good figure — the bus driver would definitely have enjoyed it. The local community was small and tight, it was loving and protective but equally you couldn’t get away with much. My school friends and I were pretty good kids, all things considered, and I still keep in contact with some of them. I went to Sale Primary School 545 and absolutely loved my friends and my teachers. Every year we would do the maypole on the front lawn and the whole town would turn up to watch — it was definitely the highlight of my year when I was eight. In primary school I loved singing along to ABBA’s album Arrival, that record with the helicopter on the front, with my friend Cassie Searle. We had a Disco Robo and would take turns singing. When we’d finished the whole album, we’d start over so we both got to perform every song. I was a shy, quiet child. I was well-behaved, read a lot, studied a lot and always did what my mother told me. But I loved my loud, badly behaved friends. This hasn’t changed one bit — the naughtier, the better. My mother was very strict with me. I was expected to do well at school, which was okay because I actually liked school but she was openly disappointed if I received any grade lower than an A. I played piano and tennis, by that time she was a single mother (my parents had separated), and she worked hard to make sure extracurricular activities were available to us. As a mother now, I truly appreciate how hard she worked to give us everything she felt we needed to have a happy childhood.
FROM LEFT Rachel, aged five, and her younger brother Chad, three, on a family holiday in Bright, Victoria; 16-year-old Rachel’s high school portrait.
I was very close to my nanna. When she moved to a local nursing home, I would ride my bike to visit her and play Scrabble every week. There was not a crossword she couldn’t complete in a nanosecond — she was smart, so kind, small and dear. She called me her ‘pet lamb’. With no social media, it was a completely different time. We were much more ‘present’ I think. We were happy just being us and we didn’t compare ourselves to others as much, that’s for sure. We didn’t want for anything more than a weekend on our bikes with our friends, just hanging out here and there. Having said that, I’m not one for saying “Oh, in our days things were better.” They weren’t better; they were just different. Close families and friendships were just as important then as they are now. When I was 12 we moved to Sale proper and I have so many funny memories of being a teenager: drinking Stone’s Original Green ginger wine, perming our hair, playing Atari, going to toga parties, being in love with boys, wearing Dachet jeans, eating Chico Rolls and dreaming of one day moving to the big smoke! Growing up in the country taught me patience and resilience; and also that if I wanted something I had t a way to get it myself. When we lived on the farm, if I w to play with my friends in town there was no way my would drive me. I had to haul my butt onto my bike an for what felt like 17,000 hours t ave in time to be home before dark. Far out, I did ny kilometres o that little yellow Malvern Star!
SALE About 200 kilometres south-east of Melbourne in the Gippsland region, Sale developed with pastoral settlement and the nearby Omeo goldrush. In 1898, the construction of a canal that connected the Thomson River and Gippsland Lakes transformed the town into a port. Oil and gas development in Bass Strait in 1965 further boosted the local economy and today the town of almost 15,000 people is a commercial centre with agribusiness being a major employment sector in the region. The Port of Sale precinct has many restaurants and cafés, a performing arts centre, as well as the Gippsland Art Gallery which holds around 30 exhibitions a year. The boardwalk at Sale Common, where you can see the wetlands up close, is popular with visitors and locals alike, as is Sale Botanic Gardens and nearby Ninety Mile Beach. Cycling the 14-kilometre Sale Lakes and Wetlands trail is also a great way to explore the area.
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FURNITURE AND HOMEWARES | INTERIOR DESIGN | PROPERTY STYLING | DESIGN SCHOOL WWW.COCOREPUBLIC.COM.AU
HOME CA PERTEE NSW
BARN RAISING MEET THE DANISH COUPLE WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH ON THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND BUILT THEIR DREAM HOME. WORDS TR ACEY PLATT PHOTOGRAPHY M A R K ROPER ST YLING NICOLA SEV ITT
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The iconic rocking chair by Hans J. Wegner, available from Pamono, and the wood fire from Morsø are both Danish designs. Mille the wire-haired dachshund is also a Danish expat. FACING PAGE The house is completely off the grid, with solar panels, a back-up generator and water tanks.For stockist details, see page 136.
HOME CA PERTEE NSW
IN DENMARK, IT’S A TRADITION for couples to celebrate their
copper wedding anniversary (which is 12-and-a-half years, or halfway to their silver anniversary). In a quaint but symbolic ritual, friends, neighbours and family will decorate an arch around the couple’s front door — but it will only go halfway. When Michael T. Hansen, then-Danish Consul General, and his graphic-designer wife Kristine reached this important milestone they were based in Sydney — halfway around the world — so they chose a romantic weekend in NSW’s Wolgan Valley instead. Little did they know, this trip would set their family’s future on a totally different trajectory. “On that weekend we just fell in love with the valley and the nature,” Kristine recalls. “Those valleys and rolling hills were breathtaking — Denmark is just so flat!” In 2009, when Michael, 45, Kristine, 44, and their two sons — Oskar, 19, and Carl, 16 — moved to Sydney, they were expecting to stay three years. Nine years later, they are still here and have built their dream home on a rugged rural block at Capertee, about 45 kilometres north of Lithgow, west of the NSW Blue Mountains. It was after the Wolgan Valley weekend that the entire family started visiting nearby Capertee to indulge their inherent Danish desire to be outdoors. On long family walks they explored the spectacular valley, known for its dramatic escarpments, sandstone cliffs and abundant wildlife. They soon learnt of a block of land that was up for sale, but it wasn’t until two years later, in 2014, that they finally managed to purchase it. “We stayed in local cabins on the weekends, getting to know the area,” Kristine says of this time. “It gave us a real sense of the best position for the views and the light.” >
Carpenter Lance Owens and 16-year-old Carl made the dining table from leftover flooring. Available from Cult, the Series 7 chairs are by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen and the Krusning light shade is from IKEA. Louis Poulsen Toldbod lamps hang above the island bench. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT An old meat safe containing art, plaster casts of the boys’ hands and potery birds. Siting above the IKEA Ektorp sofa are artworks by Kristine’s aunt, who was an artist at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts; Michael, Oskar and Kristine; it was Lance who suggested creating one metal runner linking the sliding doors. “It took all of us standing on milk crates to get that 19-metre piece of metal into position!” says Kristine. For stockist details, see page 136.
“It’s basically a box with a roof pitched at 45 degrees — that’s what we have in Denmark.”
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HOME CA PERTEE NSW
ABOUT THE HOUSE
• Kristine chose the sleek Morsø wood fire because it
produces lots of heat and is very efficient. Available from Castworks. (03) 9588 1169; castworks.com.au Reproduction reclaimed timber flooring in European Oak Dryden from Havwoods is used throughout the home. 1300 428 966; havwoods.com.au The couple chose Voxtorp cabinets in the kitchen and an Ektorp sofa, both from IKEA. ikea.com.au Kristine imported the Diamond bathroom tiles in Storm from Danish company Marokk to match the stone sink made by Michael’s father. marokk.dk Rylock glass and Velux skylights let light in throughout the house. rylock.com.au; velux.com.au The property’s water tanks are from Bushmans Water Tanks. 1800 287 462; bushmantanks.com.au
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Cushions and bed linen from Denmark feature on the bed in the main bedroom. The wall-hung La Lampe Gras lamps are from Curious Grace. Above the bed are a pair of artworks from the book Picasso’s One-Liners. FACING PAGE The bathroom sink was made by Michael’s father. The unpolished brass Circa tapware was sourced from Sussex Taps, while the bench was found in a council clean-up in Sydney. For stockist details, see page 136.
“We stayed in local cabins on the weekends. It gave us a real sense of the best position for the views.”
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The Beoplay A9 speaker is from Bang & Olufsen. Kristine rescued the dried palm flower and bench from council clean-ups. ABOVE The master bedroom looks towards Turon Gates. “We often wake up with goats or kangaroos outside,” says Kristine. FACING PAGE The home’s majestic valley views of bushland.
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A chance meeting led the couple to architect Joe Snell, who coincidentally had studied at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. “Because he’s married to a Dane, we immediately connected with him,” Kristine says. “We told him our dream of being totally off-grid and incorporating the craftsmanship of Australia with Danish design and simplicity, so he helped us implement that.” Situated eight kilometres from Capertee village and accessed via a winding dirt road, The Barn (which means ‘the child’ in Danish) is perched on a windswept hill with panoramic views of World Heritage-listed wilderness. From their deck, the family can watch kangaroos and wild goats graze among the rocky outcrops and eucalypts that punctuate the craggy landscape (until Mille, their 10-year-old wire-haired dachshund, sends them scampering as she heads off on her solitary adventures). Just five metres wide but 35 metres long, The Barn is simplistic and sensitive to its surroundings. “It’s inspired by how Danish children would make a house,” Kristine explains. “It’s basically a box with a roof pitched at 45 degrees — that’s what we have in Denmark, otherwise the snow gets too heavy and your roof will collapse.” Double-glazed glass windows by Australian company Rylock frame the incredible views from either end of the home, while light floods the elongated interior thanks to 19 Danish-designed Velux skylights (these skylights also help with cross-ventilation in summer). “We can lie back
CA PERTEE NSW HOME
and watch the stars at night,” Kristine says. “That’s one of the reasons we love it out here — because you are closer to the sky and can see the stars. You just feel smaller, and your troubles seem smaller, too.” Inside, a highlight of the home is the custom timberwork by Capertee carpenter Lance Owens. Lance used local timber to craft unique rustic elements, such as the island bench, stable door and branch handles on the sliding doors. “Lance has been amazing — he also did a lot of the metalwork,” says Kristine. “I would simply give him some inspiration sheets and he would go off and bring them to life.” The whole family played a part in building the house. “Carl and Michael helped Lance in his workshop, and Oskar assembled the IKEA kitchen cabinets — he’s the calm and analytical one. My main job was sweeping and keeping them all fed,” Kristine says. Michael’s father made the bathroom
sink from Danish granite, while Kristine’s dad travelled to Australia to help with building. A timber meat safe from Kristine’s parents’ home was transformed into a cherished memory box and now hangs on the wall by the sofa. Kristine says the family would be devastated if they ever left The Barn, which was completed in January this year. Michael is now the managing director of Nilfisk Australia, a supplier of professional cleaning equipment, so the family are free to fill the house with more memories in the years to come. “Now that it is finished, it’s really nice to be together and do the things we want, like going for long walks and just talking to each other more... We don’t have a TV; at night we just listen to music. There is something different about the time up here, it really slows you down.” Visit lindbjerggraphic.com.au or follow @lindbjerggraphic on Instagram; and read more about Kristine’s style on page 122.
“Out here, you are closer to the sky and can see the stars. You just feel smaller, and your troubles seem smaller, too.”
HOME NASHUA NSW This original cotage in Nashua, NSW, is home to Sandra and Andy Rawlings and is atached to their former family home via a verandah. FACING PAGE Evelyn and Frederick Rawlings with their blue and red heeler cross Rosie.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
WITH GRANDPARENTS JUST UP THE HILL, THIS FAMILY FARM IN THE BYRON BAY HINTERLAND IS AN IDYLLIC PLACE TO GROW UP. WORDS BARBARA SWEENEY PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON ST YLING NICOLA SEVITT
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HOME NASHUA NSW
BEING ABLE TO WATCH their children head off across
the paddock, with their 10-month-old heeler cross Rosie running alongside, is one of the reasons Edward Rawlings and Jeanie Wylie are farming their verdant 48-hectare property in subtropical Nashua, NSW. That the children — Frederick, seven, Evelyn, four, and Arthur, two — can make a detour up the hill to their grandparents’ place in time for morning tea is an added bonus. Andy and Sandra, Edward’s parents, are partners in the Byron Bay hinterland property and divide their time between the farm and Brisbane, around two hours’ drive north, where their other children, daughters Emma and Polly, live with their families.
Pots from Scotland Yard Antiques in Marburg, Queensland, and a rug from Ishka on the verandah of Edward and Jeanine’s house. For stockist details, see page 136. 48 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
“It’s like having fairies at the bottom of my garden,” says Sandra. “The only rule is that the children need to let Mum or Dad know they’re coming up. They drop in unannounced so we’ll have cheese and biscuits and talk about their week. They feel very at home here.” “It’s a bit of an old-fashioned idea,” says Edward of the arrangement. “But it works for everyone.” In 2011, after years living and working in Sri Lanka and England, Edward, 40, and Jeanie, 38, decided they wanted to return to Australia and raise a family in the countryside. Initially, they lived with Sandra and Andy at Edward’s childhood home, a small farm in Deebing Creek, near Ipswich, Queensland. >
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Jeanie and Edward’s farmhouse; a chest of drawers housing Sandy’s napery; four-year-old Evelyn; Santa Barbara bistro chairs from Naturally Cane in The Cotage farmstay; the bedroom of The Cotage has a lampshade in Candid Moment Gardenia fabric from Fabric Traders and Belgian flax bed linen from West Elm; Sandra (left) and Andy love spending time with their family: Arthur, Frederick, Jeanie, Edward and Evelyn. For stockists details, see page 136.
HOME NASHUA NSW The family’s onsite farmstay, The Cotage, is available to book online and is a private world unto itself. It faces away from the other buildings so guests can enjoy total seclusion and privacy.
ABOUT SANDRA AND ANDY’S HOUSE
• Sandra and Andy worked with interior designer Mary
Durack on the colour scheme for their cottage. White walls contrast with colourful and patterned furnishing such as a sofa and ottoman covered in William Yeoward fabric (07) 3369 3384; marydurackinteriordesign.com.au Brisbane-based architect Chris Hills added and removed walls to open up the interior of Sandra and Andy’s small cottage, added a bedroom wing to the north and linked the two with a deep verandah. (07) 3870 7855. Encouraged by interior designer Mary Durack, Sandra brought a lot of her furniture from Ipswich to the new house. “She understands that you can make old things look good again and that it’s all about memories.”
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“Andy wanted a rural bolthole, but not the responsibility of running a farm. Jeanie and Edward are making this possible. We’re just lucky we can share. ”
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Frederick and Evelyn; the chair in The Cotage is from Jeanie’s parents and the cushions are from Cactus Hill Project in Mullumbimby; The Cotage is painted in Dulux Teahouse; the sink and taps are from Restoration Station in Brisbane and the curtain is made of fabric from Fabric Traders; Frederick climbing up to the treehouse; the painting in Sandra and Andy’s cotage was a gift from the artist, Kate Durack. FACING PAGE Evelyn and Rosie enjoy the wide open space on the farm. For stockist details, see page 136.
NASHUA NSW HOME
Edward and Jeanie treated the move as a trial run to test their ideas around sustainability and growing food and to see if they enjoyed farming life. The couple spent four years in Ipswich and discovered that they loved it and over time the idea of moving to a larger property grew — as did the notion of doing it all together. Sandra and Andy had bought their Ipswich property when they married in the late 1970s but five decades on, the city had arrived on their doorstep. “When we moved there, we lived on a dirt road and were surrounded by paddocks but by the time we left, it had been consumed by housing,” says Sandra. “Andy wanted a rural bolthole, but not the responsibility of running a farm. Jeanie and Edward are making this possible. We’re just lucky we can share.” In the two years since the extended family made the move to Nashua, their mission has been to get everyone housed. Thrift, and a desire to reuse and repurpose, were behind
their decision to bring as many structures and materials from Deebing Creek as possible. It took months — and 10 removal trucks filled with their possessions. Plus, four wide-load trucks carrying sections of the original family home, a tin farm shed, and a small cottage that was once the Ipswich coach house and has now become their onsite farmstay, The Cottage. It was Andy and Edward’s idea to relocate the buildings. Deebing Creek had been sold to a developer and the structures on it were about to be demolished. “It felt so much better to repurpose them,” says Edward. “It’s all been so useful,” adds Andy, “and we’ve used everything we brought.” When they arrived, there were two existing buildings on the property — a farmhouse, which Jeanie and Edward are in the process of renovating, and a cottage, the original farm manager’s home, where Sandra and Andy live. The cottage had a small, square floorplan with a traditional layout >
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HOME NASHUA NSW
with small rooms, an enclosed verandah and a bathroom at the back. With the help of architect Chris Hills, who had also built the original house in Deebing Creek, and interior designer Mary Durack, both based in Brisbane, the cottage is colourful, warm and cosy. “So much of the new house is exactly as it was because we brought almost everything with us,” says Sandra.“The kitchen, the bedrooms, even the bathroom. The only thing that’s different is the view.” Meanwhile, Edward and Jeanie’s place is a work in progress as they’ve sunk all their energy into building a viable farm business. A verandah linking the children’s bedroom wing to the main house has been built. But paint schemes and floor sanding will have to wait. For now, Edward and Jeanie’s plan is to grow food and open the farm to visitors through their new venture Frida’s Field. “We want to bring people onto the farm and create a place where the community can come together to eat,” says Jeanie. The building blocks have fallen into place with a herd of Angus Wagyu cross cattle, the start of a large market garden with rabbit-proof fencing, and lots of citrus and stone-fruit trees, including limes, oranges, peaches and plums. “It’s Edward and Jeanie’s deal,” says Andy. “But we’ve been working on it together and it’s been lots of fun.” For more information, follow @fridas.field on Instagram. CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT The bed canopy in Sandra and Andy’s bedroom was made by Hans Welding Works in Ipswich and designed by Mary Durack, the bedspread was bought during travels in Mumbai; Edward and Evelyn enjoying a hug; the view from Sandra and Andy’s verandah to the market garden. “Flowers, fruit and herbs make a house sing,” says Sandra. For stockist details, see page 136.
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family heirlooms POPS OF COLOUR AND TEXTURE PAIRED WITH UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE.
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PRODUCED BY JESSICA HANSON
1 Numero 74 bed drape in White, $445, from Nomades. 2 Designers Guild Saarika cushion in Berry and Dufrene cushion in Moss, $150 each, from Radford Furnishings. 3 Dynasty bowl, $199, from Alfresco Emporium. 4 Eggshell acrylic paint (from left) Praline, Prety Pink, Prickly Pear and Priscilla, $106/4L each, from Porter’s Paints. 5 Baba Tree Basket Company Jemima 10 Cows basket, $180, from Koskela. 6 Tianjin Province side cabinet, $920, from Orient House. 7 Pure linen pillowcases, $34.95, and queen quilt cover in Milk/Stripes, $250, both from I Love Linen. 8 No. 18 bar stool in Dark Oak, $328, from Thonet. 9 Dash & Albert coton woven rug in Tiki Stripe, $640, from Winton House. 10 Frankenstool stool, $450, from Robert Plumb. 11 Rock Candy cotton fabric in Musk, $67/metre, from No Chintz. 12 Zip under bench Chill Tap, $1795, from Appliances Online. 13 Sika-Design Teddy armchair, $1595, and footstool, $475, from Domo. 14 Dynasty lamp, $499, from Alfresco Emporium. For stockist details, see page 136.
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HOME BUNDA BERG QUEENSLA ND Classic ticking comforter atop a Singer sewing machine table with modified timber top. The table was a swap meet find from Beaudesert, Queensland. FACING PAGE The swan is from Antique General Store, North Narrabeen, and the hutch was purchased from a friend. Both armchairs were found at second-hand stores and reupholstered, and the light fiting is from Sandy Palmer’s store.
LET THE LIGHT IN THIS OLD QUEENSLANDER IN BUNDABERG WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A SUNNY HOME WITH THE HELP OF FAMILY, HARD WORK AND LOTS OF PAINT. WORDS CLA IR E M ACTAGGA RT PHOTOGRAPHY K A R A ROSENLUND
56 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
SANDY AND TIM PALMER and their children Paige, 21, and
16-year-old Jordan regularly holiday in Bundaberg, near the south-east coast of Queensland, but it was a fortuitous detour down Goodwin Street 10 years ago that set them on a new creative venture. Halfway along the street an open for inspection was underway, so they pulled over to have a look at the Queenslander which was built in 1910. “It was a spur of the moment thing. I absolutely fell in love with the beautiful fretwork and wide verandahs, and I had a vision of what it could turn into,” says Sandy, 47. “It was pink and burgundy with yellow trim — a bit of a liquorice allsort — but it had beautiful bones.” When the family purchased the house, Sandy was unperturbed by the challenge that lay ahead of them. As a decorative painter with a furniture and homewares store near her home in Mudgeeraba, at the foot of the Gold Coast hinterland, a stall at Camp Hill Antique Centre in Brisbane and as a stockist of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, she understood the transformative power of paint. “I knew there’d be gallons of white paint required to brighten the house because it was so dark,” she says. The Palmers considered relocating from Mudgeeraba to Bundaberg, five hours north, but instead decided to lease
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the house until they had an opportunity to spend more time there. Renovations began in earnest in December 2017. It was a team effort and Sandy’s parents Bill and Heather spent three weeks cleaning and painting the interior, while Sandy and Jordan worked on the flooring, architraves and the deck. They gradually moved from room to room, trying not to rush as the interior was immediately flooded with natural light. The timber flooring had been patched over the years, so Sandy decided to paint it with Berger’s Jet Dry AquaTread in Silver Tassel. “Letting it cure for weeks was a bonus — there’s no way it will scratch and it’s so easy to maintain. Plus I love the way it feels underfoot.” Meanwhile, Tim, 50, who is a carpenter with his own bathroom renovation business, overhauled both bathrooms and installed barn doors on each. An old meat safe was repurposed as a vanity in the main bathroom and Sandy painted the inside of the fibreglass shower with White Knight Laminate paint. “I had about four mirrors to choose from for over the vanity and none of them suited. I took a break one day and went to my local op shop in Bundaberg. There was the most amazing Art Deco mirror for $10! It’s one of my favourite finds in the house,” Sandy says. >
BUNDA BERG QUEENSLA ND HOME CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Blue shuters from the Camp Hill Antique Centre siting on a second-hand storage unit that Sandy repainted; this vintage mirror is one of a pair. The grain-sack cushions were made by a friend and can be purchased at Sandy’s store; shuters, from White Cotage in Tenterfield, NSW; Sandy collects vintage birdcages. The arched frame mirror is available from her store. The basket chandelier was an Ebay find. FACING PAGE, FROM LEFT The fretwork and the high ceilings were drawcards for the Palmers; Sandy found the kitchen table at a caravan park. It was in pieces and Tim painstakingly nailed it back together. The old scales are from the Antique Emporium in Devonport, Tasmania. For stockist details, see page 136.
In the kitchen, the doors below the kitchen cabinets were removed and the three-metre-long benchtop was sanded and sealed, followed by a coat of Cabot’s Benchtop Sealer. Paige and Sandy made a curtain out of drop sheets from Bunnings to fit the length of the bench, which they painted with stripes in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Aubusson Blue. The more time Sandy spent in the house, the more she visualised furnishing it with pieces she had collected over the years. The idea of a guesthouse for other holidaymakers soon took hold. “I realised I wanted to share it with like-minded people. Bundaberg has really grown; with its produce, people, turtles and Great Barrier Reef it’s a great tourist destination,” she says. Every time Sandy was in Bundaberg, she would measure a spot and then carefully look for an item to suit the house. “Many came from friends and other dealers, so there’s a piece of all of them in the house.” The vintage furniture has been carefully chosen for practicality and function. “The bedrooms are quite French and then other pieces are rustic with original chippy pieces.” Goodwin Rest, as it’s now called, is a graceful light-filled house. “All the hard work is done and when we go up we don’t have to take the paintbrush or hammer, we can just enjoy it and read a book. It’s been a family affair and I’ve loved seeing it come to life.” For more information, visit goodwinrest.com.au or follow @goodwinrest on Instagram.
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BUNDA BERG QUEENSLA ND HOME
ABOUT THE HOUSE
• The walls of the house are painted in Dulux Super Hide
Lexicon Quarter and the floors are Berger Jet Dry AquaTread in Silver Tassel. The exterior is Dulux builders white with Grey Pail trim. dulux.com.au; berger.com.au Most of the furniture in the house is painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Sandy hosts painting workshops at her store in Mudgeeraba. anniesloan.com; paintmewhite.com The Domsjo farmhouse sink in the kitchen was purchased from IKEA and the Kado Classic tapware in the bathroom is from Reece Plumbing. ikea.com.au; reece.com.au The kitchen cabinet was made by Cabinet Connections in Bundaberg. cabinetconnections.com.au Sandy’s grain-sack cushions, the arched frame mirror and the rugs are available at Paint Me White. Shop 3A, Mudgeeraba Village Shopping Centre, Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba. 0408 276 762; Camp Hill Antique Centre, 545 Old Cleveland Road, Camp Hill. (07) 3843 4837.
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The bed frame is from Tallebudgera and Sandy painted it in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey. She also made the twig wreath above the bed. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT The coffee table was sourced from Camp Hill Antique Centre, the rug is from Sandy’s store and an Ektop IKEA couch; an old medicine cabinet in the bedroom; Sandy’s favourite op shop find, a $10 mirror. For stockist details, see page 136.
P R E M I U M R E F R I G E R AT I O N
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CONNECT WITH YOUR FAMILY Order groceries straight from the recipe, stream TV and even use your smartphone to check what’s in your fridge when you’re doing the weekly shop with the Samsung Family Hub 3.0. The sleek 21.5-inch LED touchscreen connects the whole family through clever features like calendar syncing, personalised to-do lists (with avatars for each family member) that can be checked off from your phone, a memo function to leave notes for everyone and even photo albums that can be directly uploaded from your device. Smart, chic and eco-conscious, it’s like an extra family member, except much cleaner.
ENTERTAINER’S DRAWER WITH FLEXZONE ™ Get smart with your space, and tailor the customisable entertainer’s drawer to whatever you put inside. Whether it’s fish, meat, wine or snacks, the four preset temperatures will keep your food fresh, always.
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WHY YOU NEED IT W I - F I C O N N E C T I V I T Y, A P P S , TV STREAMING, CALENDARS AND MORE CONNECT Y O U R F O O D, FA M I LY A N D E N T E R TA I N M E N T. With three separate cooling systems to control humidity and temperature. S A M S U N G FA M I LY H U B 3 . 0 6 3 4 L F R E E S TA N D I N G F L AT DOOR FRENCH-DOOR FRIDGE SRF630BFH2
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THE ENTERTAINER THE LIEBHERR SIDE-BY-SIDE FRIDGE WITH BUILT-IN WINE CABINET IS THE ALL-IN-ONE FRIDGE, FREEZER, WINE CABINET AND CHILLER BIOFRESH TECHNOLOGY Precision BioFresh technology controls the humidity to ensure food is always kept at optimum temperature. For meat, fish and dairy, the DrySafe will keep humidity at a low level, whereas the adjustable HydroSafe is ideal for fruits and vegetables that need high humidity.
DUAL TEMPERATURE WINE CABINET
SuperCool and SuperFrost functions can be activated to speed the cooling process when new food is introduced to the fridge or freezer.
With two separate zones independently controlled between 5˚C and 20˚C, the smart, in-built wine cellar means you can store your wine in the perfect environment to protect its integrity.
The gentle-closing soft telescopic rails on the BioFresh drawers mean your fruit will be bruise-free and your drawers will last for longer.
VARIO SPACE Create maximum freezer storage with removable shelves that fit to whatever height you need. And with the extra-deep drawers, all your frozen goods can fit neatly and be easily accessible.
MAGICEYE TEMPERATURE CONTROL Select your ideal temperature, and never have to think about it again, with the elegant and precise MagicEye controls.
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SOFTCLOSE HINGE AND REVERSIBLE DOOR The fridge door will close easily and gently every time with SoftClose hinges, while the reversible door allows you to change the position of the hinges so it opens in the optimal position for your space.
Control your food’s freshness with DynamicAir Technology that regulates the interior temperature so it’s even throughout.
LCD CONTROLS Adjust your fridge settings and storage conditions in just one swipe with advanced touch controls that respond to even the lightest touch.
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S H O P AT YO U R LO C A L S TO R E , O N L I N E AT H N . C O M . A U O R C A L L 1 3 0 0 4 6 4 2 7 8
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GARDEN DEN V ER V ICTOR I A
COMMON GROUND IN HIS NEW BOOK, GARDEN LOVE, PHOTOGRAPHER SIMON GRIFFITHS CAPTURES THE WORK OF FRIENDS WITH EXCEPTIONAL GREEN THUMBS. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY SIMON GR IFFITHS
The gardens of The Farmhouse, part of renowned landscape designer Paul Bangay’s country estate in Denver, Victoria. DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 71
GARDEN DEN V ER V ICTOR I A
I DON’T KNOW HOW it happened, but one day I woke up
Mass plantings of purple Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum ‘Purpureum’), carex grass, salvias and Russian sage at The Farmhouse. ABOVE RIGHT Photographer Simon Griffiths moved to Kyneton, Victoria, for fresh air and a bigger garden.
and found myself living in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, in a boring house with a tiny garden. Feeling dissatisfied with city life, my partner Ian and I decided it was time for a change. We started looking for a place in the country almost straight away. The brief was simple: we wanted a small house with a decent-sized garden — not so big that we would become slaves to the garden, but with room for some trees, a few beds of perennials and a shed. The second house we looked at, we bought. The property is in Kyneton, an hour out of Melbourne, about halfway to Bendigo and the goldfields. It’s not the outback, but it’s far enough out of town to feel like you are in the country. Meadowbank, as it is known, is a simple Georgian cottage built in the 1850s. The house is situated on the front boundary and when we moved in, the large backyard was a blank canvas just waiting for a garden. When we first arrived, 11 years ago, the area was in the middle of a drought and the yard looked like a dust bowl — even the copious weeds were all dead. A neighbour — let’s call her Mrs M — would stick her head over the fence, point a bony finger at something and say, “That looks like frost tender, it will be dead in a few weeks!” Considering Mrs M lived in a tiny cottage with a garden that contained three rose bushes and an apple tree, and a husband who spent his spare time poisoning anything else that dared to poke a green shoot out of the earth, we took her advice with a grain of salt. Under Mrs M’s watchful eye (or, more likely, despite it) we began to learn what would grow in the climate and soil. As we continued on our gardening adventure, we started to make gardening friends. You may not be aware that there is a secret gardening network in this country! People with great gardens know other people with great gardens and securing an invitation to visit is usually a simple matter of >
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“To me, the real beauty of gardens is that they are an extension of an individual’s life and personality.” asking to be introduced. This has been the best part of moving to the country and creating my own garden — meeting all these amazing gardeners and seeing their private gardens. To me, the real beauty of gardens is that they are an extension of an individual’s life and personality. Halfway between Kyneton and Daylesford, in the tiny village of Denver, is garden designer Paul Bangay’s country residence, Stonefields. Right next door to the estate is The Farmhouse, a low brick building that serves as overflow accommodation for the main house and which Paul also runs as a bed and breakfast. In my travels, I have probably visited more Bangay gardens than anyone else, but the deceptively simple garden that envelops The Farmhouse is one of my all-time favourites. Vivid and textural, the garden embodies Paul’s love of colour and perennial plantings. A stand of local eucalypts creates an understated backdrop for The Farmhouse and its garden. At the front of the house, three wide beds surround a gravel court, each one filled to overflowing with colourful plantings. There are splashes of salvias, phlomis, Russian sage, sedums and dahlias, and clumps of smoke bush flaunt their bronzy red foliage in the thickly planted borders. With this bold design, Paul shows just what a clever plantsman he can be when creating for a very exacting client — in this case, himself. The house itself sports a beautifully kept wisteria vine and clumps of box balls at the base of the verandah posts. Tucked away down a country lane, The Farmhouse is only a few hundred metres from Stonefields, but the garden feels quite private and has its own distinct style. Continuing a tradition started by the area’s early settlers, Paul has lined the laneway with hedges of hawthorn. At the rear of the farmhouse, a wisteria-covered pergola provides a shady spot to sit on summer evenings and admire the backlit grasses, salvias and eupatorium. For information and bookings at The Farmhouse, telephone (03) 5348 4422 or visit stonefieldsthefarmhouse.com
This is an edited extract from Garden Love: Plants, Dogs, Gardens by Simon Griffiths (Thames & Hudson, $59.99).
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CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Early morning light streams through the garden at The Farmhouse. In the foreground are dusky Sedum telephium ‘Matrona’ and rich violet Salvia nemorosa. The house is framed by eucalypts; Paul with his cocker spaniel Ruby; the wisteria-covered verandah is a perfect spot for relaxing; Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) and coneflowers (Rudbeckia).
IN THE GARDEN
A NATIVE CHRISTMAS Nestled amongst the hills of Mangrove Mountain, a rural locale in the hills behind the Central Coast of NSW, lies the most colourful farm I’ve ever seen. Row upon row of native flowers — kangaroo paws, f lowering gums, banksias and plenty more — grow tall and strong. Shadehouses overf low with delicate wildflowers, such as flannel f lowers and Sturt’s desert pea. This floral wonderland is tended to by Craig Scott, a f lower farmer with a passion for native blooms. Craig has been supplying flowers to Sydney’s top f lorists for more than 30 years. With such an abundance of beauty, I ask Craig what blooms he puts on his family’s festive table. “We always have some flowering gum, Christmas bells and Christmas bush on our table,” he says. These colourful natives are all at their peak in December. I suggest that maybe he might just use the leftovers from his pre-Christmas f lower market stall. But no, “the f lowers have to be the best at Christmas. I always pick them fresh”. Visit eastcoastwildflowers.com.au or follow @craigioscott on Instagram.
LITTLE WONDER The Creamore Mill paper pot press, $36, from The Potting Shed, is such a nifty tool that forms strips of newspaper into seedling pots. They can then be planted directly into the garden, pot and all. 0410 475 364; thepotting shedtools.com.au
in the garden GEORGINA REID OF THE PLANTHUNTER SHARES HER CHRISTMAS WISHLIST. Follow Georgina on Instagram @theplanthunter or send garden news to austcountrystyle@bauer-media.com.au
TOOLS OF THE TRADE A CUT ABOVE I’ve always had a thing for pocket knives. I use an old butter knife for weeding, but now I’m dreaming of upgrading to this Opinel No. 8 stainless-steel garden pocket knife, $26.95, which is ideal for both weeding and cutting vegetables from the garden. Made in France, it’s a sturdy, robust tool complete with safety ring. (02) 6769 3233; exchangestores.com.au
everlasting beauty I’m a practical woman. I love tools and useful things. I also really love beautiful objects that’ll last forever, like these copper vases, $245 each, made from recycled copper pipes. With their cylindrical form, they’re available in different finishes and will make any plant look superb, indoors or out. (02) 9517 3633; gardenlife.com.au
LOCAL HERO I am obsessed with Utopia Goods’ products. Bruce Slorach, the man behind their incredible illustrations, is a creative genius. What garden lover can resist their Flowering Gum scarf, $189? I can’t. (02) 9357 4477; utopiagoods.com
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MAIN IMAGE AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL SHIPP
This lovely tool belt, made in Australia, has three pockets ideal for secateurs, garden knife and hand saw. I always seem to not have the tool I need and carrying my secateurs in my back pocket often makes my pants fall down — not a good look! This Linc 3 Pocket wider-tool pouch, $40 ($59 with belt), will solve all my problems. I reckon it’s the perfect Christmas gift for the practical gardener. (02) 9417 7751; forestrytools.com.au
WHAT DOES YOUR STREET SAY ABOUT YOU?
ARE YOU A LEADING LIFESTYLE, METROTECH OR HEARTH AND HOME? ASK ROY MORGAN. Discover the personality of your street right here: www.helixpersonas.com.au Helix Personas identifies and maps Australians down to street level by understanding the attitudes and values of people in your street and neighbourhood – Helix Personas reveal what people like you would love to do next. Roy Morgan understands Australians.
Source: Roy Morgan conducts in-depth face-to-face interviews with over 50,000 Australians each year in their homes across Australia.
Visit www.helixpersonas.com.au or call 1800 633 813 to find out how Helix Personas can help your business.
GARDEN PLANTING GUIDE
planting guide These sun lovers make perfect Christmas gifts for everyone.
ow
e D WA R F L E M O N ( C i t r u s ‘ Lo t s a Le m o n s ’ ) Every garden needs a lemon. This compact form of Meyer lemon can be grown in a small garden or a large tub. They’re grafted on rootstock to keep plants compact but productive even in cool areas.
ee s
1.5m–2m Evergreen fruit tree.
o e
Shelter from cold winds and frost.
C M T S Tr
Moist, fertile soil.
T S Tr
GARDENIA (Gardenia florida) With their fragrant cream flowers, gardenias are one of the most popular summer blooms. A pot in bloom is a lovely gift. Plants can be grown in the ground or in a container. Keep them well watered for long flowering.
1m–1.5m Perennial.
Hydrangeas bloom right through summer. New-release varieties are available with double flowers. Some repeat flower in autumn. Look for Endless Summer varieties for long flowering. Prune in winter.
1m—1.8m Deciduous shrub.
Moist soil.
CMTS
Well-drained soil or potting mix; shelter from wind.
C M T S Tr
Grow from seed or seedling.
C M T S Tr
Grow in a specialist orchid potting mix.
C M T S Tr
Prune after flowering.
T S Tr
Regular fertiliser and water; prune in winter.
CMTS
LILIUM (Lilium Asiatic hybrids) Liliums are a towering tribute to summer planted now in the ground or in containers. Asiatic liliums are compact, the ideal choice for potted gifts. Bulbs are available to plant with their necks at the soil surface. Protect early shoots from slugs and snails.
70cm–90cm Bulb.
MIXED HERBS (various species) A pot of fragrant herbs is a top gift for gardeners or non-gardeners. Anyone with a sunny spot can grow herbs. Top choices for a small pot include: chives, thyme, oregano and small-leaved Italian basil. For a larger pot include: parsley, basil, rocket and mint.
10cm–50cm Annual to short-lived perennial herbs.
MOTH ORCHID (Phalaenopsis hybrids) This group of orchids has arching stems of pink, purple, yellow or white flowers that last for weeks and make an exotic gift. Keep plants in a warm, humid, well-lit indoor spot. After flowers finish, cut below the spent flower to encourage reshooting.
20cm–60cm Perennial.
POINSETTIA (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Poinsettias are winter-flowering shrubs, but potted plants are encouraged to bloom for Christmas because of their festive red flowers and green leaves. Use for indoor decoration, then cut back and plant in the garden in warm zones.
2 m – 3 m (in gardens) Deciduous shrub.
ROSE (Rosa ‘Double Delight’ ) Roses flower from spring to autumn and remain among the world’s favourite flowers. ‘Double Delight’ is a classic hybrid tea rose with beautiful scarlet buds that open to large cream petals each edged with crimson. It has one of the best rose perfumes.
un C = Cool climate 78 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
1.5m Deciduous shrub.
em -s a e M = Mediterranean
a e T = Temperate
S = Subtropical
Tr = Tropical
WORDS JENNIFER STACKHOUSE BACKGROUND PHOTOGRAPHY SAM McADAM-COOPER STYLING PHOEBE McEVOY
HYDRANGEA (Hydrangea macrophylla)
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GIFT GUIDE
THE ENTERTAINER
Kiki reclaimed ash dining chair in Natural, $590, and Cica reclaimed oak dining chair in Natural, $490, both from MCM House. Flannel flower wreath, POA, from Grandiflora. Bay linen tablecloth in Dark Grey, from $179, from Papaya. Linen tablecloth in Natural, from $145, from Cultiver. ON TABLE, FROM LEFT Medium Porcelain Dusk bowl in Dark Grey, $45, small dinner plate in Light Blue, $40, and large dinner plate in Dark Blue, $50, all from Studio Enti. Linen napkin in Charcoal Grey, $50 for set of four, from Cultiver. Morphy Richards Accents Rose Gold Collection four-slice toaster in Mate Black, $109, Nespresso by DeLonghi Latissima One Capsule coffee machine in White, $349, and Heritage metal jug vase in Black, 30cm, $19.95, all from Myer. Porcelain Dusk round beaker in Dark Grey, $40 from Studio Enti. Cuprum cutlery in Mate Copper, $75 for five-piece dining set, from Kinnow Cutlery. Elegance Chardonnay glass, $99.95 for pair, and Optic Champagne Belle coupe, $99.95 for pair, both from Waterford. Buter dish in Medium Blue, $20, woven side dish, $35, salt pots, $15 each, and ramekin, $20, all from Studio Enti. Sunbeam Gallerie Collection 1.7L kettle in Green Forest, $99, from Harvey Norman. Small fluted jug in White, $39.95, from Royal Copenhagen. Small timber baubles with stars, $19.95 for set of four, and assorted baubles in Timber and White, $24.95 for set of three, all from Papaya. Brass bell, $22, from Lumu Interiors. Merry bauble in Black and White, $4.95, from Provincial Home Living.
FROM STOCKING STUFFERS TO PRESENTS THAT WILL BE LOVED FOR YEARS TO COME, WE HAVE YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING COVERED. PHOTOGRAPHY NIC GOSSAGE ST YLING HANNAH BRADY
THE ALCHEMIST
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Nail polish in Bare and Champagne, $20 each, from Kester Black. Natio Jojoba carrier oil, $29.95 for 100ml, from Myer. Byredo Flowerhead eau de parfum, $275 for $100ml, from Mecca. Aesop gift pack, $120, and Natio Geranium essential oil, $18.95 for 10ml, both from Myer. Cire Trudon candle, $135, from Libertine Parfumerie. Diptyque Gardénia candle, $87, from Mecca. Large Christmas candle, $50, from Quandialla Candle Co. Juliete Has A Gun Not A Perfume gift set, $399, from Adore Beauty. Diptyque Do Son eau de toilette, $170 for 100ml, and Le Labo Santal 33 eau de parfum, $270 for 100ml, both from Mecca. Madagascan Jasmine eau de parfum, $145 for 50ml, from Grandiflora Fragrance. Silver baubles, from $1.95, and Merry baubles in White and Silver, $4.95 each, from Provincial Home Living. For stockist details, see page 136. DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 83
THE ARTISAN
CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT White paper wreath, $280, and paper flannel flower, $50, both from Paper Couture. Assorted leather Christmas tags, $22, from Saddler & Co. Handmade dishes, from $5, and large handmade spoon, $25, from All Fired Up Potery. Small circle ornaments, $3 each, and stocking ornament, $4, all from Trims & Things. Sophie ribbon, $14.95 for 10m, from Provincial Home Living. Small handmade spoons, $20 each, from All Fired Up Potery. Brass bells, $22 each, from Lumu Interiors. Handmade Christmas decorations, $3.50 each, from All Fired Up Potery.
84 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
GIFT GUIDE
Bid keen explorers bon voyage with these stylish and practical travel essentials and accessories. THE ADVENTURER
FROM LEFT Signature leather backpack, $675, from Saddler & Co. Jersey petriďŹ ed side table, $1775, from Max Sparrow. Frank Green Next Generation Smart Cup 12oz in Titanium / Harbour Mist / Coconut Milk, $39.95, Ultimate Ears Wonderboom portable speaker in Phantom Black, $129, Canon PowerShot SX620HSBK digital camera in Black, $299, all from Myer. Dark brown A6 leather cover, $75, from Saddler & Co. Large leather suitcase, POA, from Quintessential duckeggblue. Travel case in Mist Grey, $129.95, from The Daily Edited. Sony CH400 wireless on-ear headphones in Grey, $79.95, from Myer. Nisha linen throw in Natural, $129.95, from Provincial Home Living. Silk and coton scarf in Chalk, $85, from Read & Belle. The RataTat hat in Forest Green, $99.95, from Fallenbroken Street. Large Caspar hanging star in Antique Brass, $12.95, from Provincial Home Living. Suede Adelaide boots in Chocolate, $595, from R.M. Williams. For stockist details, see page 136.
Be inspired by natural textures and tones with soft linens, woven fibres and a rustic tree. THE BEACHCOMBER
FROM LEFT Hennie ratan slides in Tan, $149, from St. Agni. Sika Design ratan ottoman, $625, from Domo. Lombok ornament, $1496, from Coco Republic. Bandhani linen throw, $210, from No Chintz. Aziz wide brim hand crochet raďŹƒa hat, $79, from Made in Mada. Tarih towel in Blush, $59, from SaardĂŠ. Roxanne dining chair in Camel, $580, from Cotswold InOut Furniture. Mogul Flowers cushion cover in Blue /Green on Natural, $150, from No Chintz. Double handle basket, $45, from 2 duck trading. Timber six-peg coat hook rail in Oak, $129, from Imprint House. Timber 1m Christmas tree, $150, from Made by Rueben. Moisturising sun lotion SPF 50+, $16.99 for 200ml, and Broad Spectrum sunscreen SPF 50+, $12.99 for 100ml, both from Natio. Rush basket, $48, from 2 duck trading.
86 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
GIFT GUIDE
THE BOTANIST
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Plant markers, $9.90 each, from Saardé. Copper stakes, $7.95 for set of six, Burgon & Ball pick, from $39, and garden markers, $20 for a set of five, all from The Lost and Found Department. Vegetable brush, $12, from Garden Life. Jute twine in Natural, $12.50 for 130m, from Imprint House. Country Style 2019 diary, $16.99, from Magshop. Burgon & Ball hand trowel by Sophie Conran, $49, and plant mist sprayer in Nickel, $44, both from The Lost and Found Department. Heirloom seeds, $5 a packet, from The Litle Veggie Patch Co. Assorted herbs, from $4.40, from Bunnings. Box, stylist’s own. ON BACKGROUND, FROM LEFT Burgon & Ball potato harvester, $49, and mid handled shrub rake, $49, from The Lost and Found Department. Secateurs with leather handles, $35, from Garden Life. For stockist details, see page 136.
CAMILA SERRANO’S FELTED PIECES ARE THE CROWNING GLORY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE. WORDS VIRGINIA IMHOFF PHOTOGRAPHY M A R K ROPER
88 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
ST YLING KRISTEN WILSON ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AL ANA L ANDSBERRY
touched by an angel
CASTLEM A INE V ICTOR I A PEOPLE Camila Serrano needle felting wool at the dining table of her home in Victoria’s Castlemaine. FACING PAGE Camila’s Christmas angel tree toppers take at least two days to make.
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Camila with her husband Todd Neale, son Max, daughter Maya and Aticus the cavoodle; at work dry felting; watle is abundant around the family’s home; one of Camila’s pieces, Nature Boy Living in a Box.
CASTLEM A INE V ICTOR I A PEOPLE
“There is something magical in the simplicity of using just fleece and a barbed needle to create almost anything.”
CREATIVITY, IN ITS MANY FORMS, has been the continuous
thread running through Camila Serrano’s life. Originally from Colombia, Camila lives in Castlemaine, Victoria, with her husband Todd Neale and their children Maya, 11, and Max, 10. It’s here in her backyard studio that Camila hand-makes exquisite felt figures and decorations. Needle felted and moulded in soft merino wool, Corriedale wool and silk, her creations for her label Felt and Grain make unique gifts or Christmas decorations. Among the many different forms she felts are fairies, masks and nativity sets — as well as Christmas angel tree toppers, which are her favourite creations. “I love angels,” says Camila. “I’m not religious, but since I was a little girl I’ve always really loved angels. Most people put them on their trees, regardless of their beliefs. I really enjoy making them.” Camila first learnt to create the felt ornaments when Maya and Max were attending a Steiner playgroup in Melbourne. “I have always made things with my hands — crocheting, wood-working and jewellery making,” she says. Doll making is a traditional part of the wider Steiner education philosophy and the simple figures made of natural materials are often featureless to encourage a child’s imagination. Since becoming a parent, making toys has also been a focus for Camila. “I met a Chilean woman [at the playgroup] — she had been a Steiner teacher — who was making felt sculptures and she taught me how to felt. I thought it was amazing and really enjoyed it,” says the 40-year-old. “You start with nothing but a bit of fleece and pretty much roll it, and with a needle you start shaping. It is quite amazing to mould your creation from wool and it’s such relaxing therapy. But it’s really the creativity that I love.” Camila makes her creations using the dry needle felting method, poking the natural fibres with a barbed needle until they form the desired sculptural shapes. “There is something magical in the simplicity of using just fleece and a barbed needle to create almost anything,” she explains. “Working with natural fibres is a treat.” Camila, who grew up in the city of Bucaramanga in north-central Colombia, previously trained as a psychologist. She met her husband in New York in 2004. Originally from Melbourne, Todd was living in the US and working as a designer. “I went to visit my sister and her
boyfriend was Todd’s best friend,” says Camila. “We instantly fell in love.”At the time, she was making jewellery and selling her wares at Real NYC Market in Nolita on the weekends. “I was into jewellery as I had already done a course in Colombia. I had my little studio at home and I mainly made asymmetric modern pieces out of silver, gold and copper.” After five years in New York and with two young children, the couple moved to Melbourne in 2009. “As much as I loved New York, with a family I wanted more green and more nature,” says Camila. “We had visited Australia twice on holidays and I felt the quality of life was high so we decided to make a move.” In 2012 the family moved even closer to nature and put down roots in the central Victorian town of Castlemaine, 130 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. “We visited a few towns and we just felt Castlemaine was so full of life. We liked having the cafés and the train was here. It ticked all the boxes, so we bought a house. “Castlemaine has a pretty vibrant creative community. People are really receptive to trying new things. We love the proximity to Melbourne, the fresh air and the sunny mornings after a frosty night.” In their studio shed out the back, Todd, 47, who also grew up in a creative household, was inspired to turn his hand to a new design form and began handcrafting kitchen knives. “The first knife he made was out of an old circular saw,” says Camila. Todd now crafts bespoke knives under the brand Doveton Fletcher, named after the street corner where the family live. He recently outgrew the shed and moved to The Mill, an old carpet factory in Castlemaine that is now a hub for food producers and artisans. Meanwhile, when Camila is not selling her felt creations through her Etsy shop or looking after her family, she teaches Spanish and salsa dancing. “I like to be busy,” she says. “Salsa is a huge part of my culture. I love to dance and I love talking to people in my Spanish classes. Life took me on another path, so now I use dancing as therapy. The felting fits in beautifully with all of this. “Felting for me is magical. I still remember when I first saw a needle-felted standing doll and so curious about how to make such a soft and exquisit . I like the effect that these creations have on people.” For more information about Camila’s felt creations, including her Christmas angel tree toppers, visit etsy.com/ shop/FeltandGrain or follow @feltandgrain on Instagram.
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 91
COUNT RY CHEF TROY RHOADES-BROWN Hudson, five, and Edie, two, help their dad, chef Troy Rhoades-Brown, harvest ingredients from the home vegetable garden for Christmas lunch. FACING PAGE Japanese-glazed ham with black figs & pecans (recipe page 99) Serve with the 2018 Robert Stein Half Dry Riesling, which has a litle residual sugar to complement the glaze, plus crisp, clean citrus acidity to atone for the fatiness of the ham.
AT CHRISTMAS, CHEF TROY RHOADES-BROWN CLOSES HIS HUNTER VALLEY RESTAURANT TO FOCUS ON FAMILY. RECIPES TROY R HOADES-BROWN WORDS BAR BAR A SWEENEY PHOTOGRAPHY BRIGID ARNOTT STYLING STEV E PEARCE
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 93
prepared for an early start on Christmas morning. “Hudson, who’s five, and Edie, even though she’s only two, understand all about Christmas and they are very clear on who Santa is,” he says of his children. “They’ll be excited before going to bed on Christmas Eve and will be up very early.” Christmas Day at Troy’s Branxton home, a 130-year-old weatherboard that looks north to the Barrington Ranges, will unfold as it does every year. “Once we’ve opened the presents we’ll have fresh fruit and yoghurt for breakfast and then get started,” he says. Troy likes to get into the vegetable garden early to pick greens and herbs “while it’s still cool”, collect ripe fruit from the orchard, and feed Lulu and Daisy — the Wessex Saddleback pigs Hudson received as a Christmas gift two years ago. Christmas is all about family and joining Troy and his children for lunch will be Troy’s parents, Terry and Leslie, his sister and brother-in-law, Nicole and Chris, and their children, Harry, 10, and Matilda, eight. “For years I worked in restaurants that opened on Christmas Day, and when I started my own restaurants [Muse Restaurant and Muse Kitchen, both in Pokolbin] I swore that no matter the sacrifice, I’d close them at Christmas to allow staff time to go home,” says Troy. You’d think a busy chef would welcome a day of rest, but Troy is reluctant to hand over the cooking reins. “I have to say ‘No’ to people, including my mum, who offer to make and bring plates of food, because cooking for Christmas Day is something I really look forward to,” he says. Troy is an organised as well as thoughtful host. “Once the house is ready and table set, I put the oysters, tuna sashimi and prawn salad on the table,” he says. “That way, there’s no stress and whoever is hungry can help themselves whenever they want.” After a second round of present giving, the family sit down to lunch — baked ham with all the trimmings and a rich, indulgent dessert. “We’ll be out on the deck for most of the day, in between games of backyard cricket, soccer, cooling off in the pool, crash tackles, playing in the cubby… and an arvo nap somewhere quiet.” Muse Restaurant is at Hungerford Hill Winery, Broke Road, Pokolbin, NSW. (02) 4998 6777; musedining.com.au
RECIPE TESTING DIXIE ELLIOTT WINE SUGGESTIONS ROB INGRAM
HUNTER VALLEY CHEF Troy Rhoades-Brown is
COUNT RY CHEF TROY RHOADES-BROWN
KING PRAWN & AVOCADO SALAD IN ICEBERG CUPS Serves 8–10 2kg large cooked king prawns, peeled, deveined 1 telegraph cucumber, halved, deseeded 3 avocados, peeled, stones removed 2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, halved, cored 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 medium red onion, peeled 1 long green chilli 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked 1 bunch mint, leaves picked 1 iceberg lettuce ½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise* 2 tablespoons salmon caviar lime wedges, to serve
DRESSING 1 tablespoon sweet mirin 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 tablespooons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Cut prawns and cucumber into 1–2cm pieces and place in a large bowl. Cut avocado and apple into 1–2cm pieces and drizzle with lime juice (to prevent them going brown). Add to bowl with prawn mixture. Finely chop onion and chilli and add to prawn mixture. Reserve a handful of coriander and mint leaves. Finely chop remaining coriander and mint and add to prawn mixture (do not toss yet). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make dressing, whisk mirin, lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil in a jug until well combined. Season to taste. Holding lettuce in your hands, bang root firmly on a flat surface. Twist root to remove. Place lettuce in a bowl and cover with iced water. Set aside for 30 minutes. (This will make it easier to separate leaves.) Drain well. Gently separate lettuce leaves into cups. Just before serving, drizzle salad with dressing and toss to combine. Spoon into lettuce cups and top with reserved coriander and mint. Serve with mayonnaise, caviar and lime wedges. *Available in the Asian food aisle at most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. Substitute whole-egg mayonnaise. >
King prawn & avocado salad in iceberg cups Enjoy with the watermelon freshness, crisp, savoury dryness and peppery spice nuances of the 2018 Tahbilk Grenache Mourvedre Rosé. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT The family feast awaits; Troy’s haul of homegrown pumpkins; Hudson, Troy and Edie wait for their guests to arrive. DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 95
COUNT RY CHEF TROY RHOADES-BROWN Oysters & sashimi tuna with wakame salad With its lifted lime citrus notes, oyster shell minerality and subtle sea-spray salinity, the 2007 Arras Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine is a perfect match for this dish. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT The family gather round the table: Hudson, Troy and his mum Leslie, nephew Harry, 10, sister Nicole Butler and husband Chris, niece Matilda, eight, dad Terry, and Edie; the kids open presents in their tree house; Hungerford Hill and Usher Tinkler are two local labels Troy has chosen to serve; the festive place settings.
“Cooking for Christmas Day is something I really look forward to.�
96 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
OYSTERS & SASHIMI TUNA WITH WAKAME SALAD Serves 8–10 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons green onion oil* 1kg sashimi-grade tuna 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted 4 dozen freshly shucked oysters 4 limes, halved
WAKAME SALAD 20g dried wakame** 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1½ tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil
To make salad, soak wakame in 1½ cups water for 20 minutes or until softened. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Cook garlic and ginger, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened but not coloured. Remove from heat. Add vinegar, soy, sesame oil and wakame and toss to combine. Cool. Combine soy sauce and green onion oil in a bowl. Cut tuna into 1cm-thick slices, then cut slices into 4cm pieces. Place tuna on a serving plate and drizzle with oil mixture. Top with wakame salad and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with oysters and lime halves. *Available at specialty food stores. Substitute sesame oil. **Available at Asian grocery and health-food stores. >
SLOW-ROASTED TOMATOES WITH TOASTED CIABATTA Serves 8–10 10 large heirloom tomatoes, halved 3 lemons, rind finely grated 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed 1 cup mixed herb leaves (such as parsley, oregano, thyme), finely chopped 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 200g Binnorie marinated feta, crumbled* 1 cup good-quality Australian black olives, pitted, roughly chopped extra mixed herb sprigs, to garnish
TOASTED CIABATTA 1 large loaf good-quality ciabatta ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 4 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked, finely chopped 1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
To make fried ciabatta, preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with
baking paper. Tear ciabatta into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add oil and toss to combine. Spread bread over prepared tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Mix rosemary and sea salt in a bowl. Sprinkle half of rosemary salt over bread. Place remaining rosemary salt in a small serving dish. Reduce oven to 160°C. Line 1–2 large baking trays with baking paper. Place tomatoes in a large bowl with lemon rind, garlic, herbs and oil. Gently toss until tomatoes are well coated. Place tomatoes, cut-sides up, on trays. Roast for 45 minutes or until softened. Arrange tomatoes in a serving dish or on a platter. Top with marinated feta, olives, extra herbs and fried bread. Serve with reserved rosemary salt. *Visit binnorie.com.au for stockists. Substitute any marinated feta.
COUNT RY CHEF TROY RHOADES-BROWN
JAPANESE-GLAZED HAM WITH BLACK FIGS & PECANS Serves 8–10 (See photograph, page 93) 8kg smoked leg of ham 3kg orange sweet potato, unpeeled 6 large red onions, peeled 3 whole garlic bulbs 2 tablespoons oil 10 ripe black figs, halved lengthways 1½ cups pecans
JAPANESE GLAZE 1¼ cups sweet mirin 1¼ cups sake 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar ⅓ cup soy sauce ⅓ cup kecap manis 2 tablespoons sliced ginger 8 whole star anise
To make glaze, place mirin, sake, brown sugar, soy sauce, kecap manis, ginger and star anise in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Preheat oven to 160°C. Place a wire rack in a large roasting pan. Using a small sharp knife, cut around shank of ham in a zigzag pattern, about 10cm from end. Carefully run knife under rind around edge of ham. Lift off rind in 1 piece by running your fingers between rind and fat. Trim excess fat from ham, leaving a 1cm-thick covering. Score fat in a diamond pattern, taking care not to cut through fat into meat.
Place ham on wire rack in pan. Pour 2 cups water into base of pan, taking care water does not touch ham. Brush ham with glaze. Roast ham, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes, for 2 hours or until golden. Remove from oven and set aside for 20 minutes to rest. Increase oven to 200°C. Cut sweet potato into large pieces (about 6cm) and onion into large wedges. Halve garlic bulbs crossways. Place sweet potato, onion and garlic in a roasting pan. Add oil and toss to combine. Season. Roast for 45 minutes or until golden. Place roasted vegetables on a platter. Squeeze garlic from bulbs and add to vegetables. Just before serving, add figs and top with pecans. Serve with ham. >
Hudson, Edie and cousin Matilda inspect the catle that graze on a neighbouring property. FACING PAGE Slow-roasted tomatoes with toasted ciabatta The 2017 Hungerford Hill Classic Fiano has a brisk line of acidity to complement the tomatoes, a pleasing crisp texture, and attractive fruit and nut character. DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 99
DARK CHOCOLATE & WATTLE SEED TART Serves 8–10 300g Daintree Estates Australian Classic dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped* 180g butter, chopped 6 eggs 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 300g crème fraîche 1 cup toasted macadamias, chopped 200g mulberries, blackberries or cherries 1 tablespoon ground wattle seed, roasted**
MOUSSE 2 cups pure cream 300g Daintree Estates Australian Classic dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped 5 egg yolks 2 whole eggs 1 cup caster sugar
PEDRO XIMENEZ SAUCE 1 cup dark muscovado sugar*** ¾ cup Pedro Ximénez sherry
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 2cm-deep 33cm x 22cm baking
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pan, then line with baking paper. Place chocolate and butter in a saucepan. Stir over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until melted and well combined. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and brown sugar for 8 minutes or until thick and doubled in volume. Add cooled chocolate mixture and gently stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan. Place a large sheet of baking paper on a work surface. Turn cake onto paper and peel off lining paper. Cover with a clean sheet of paper. Using a rolling pin, roll cake until 1cm thick. Remove ring from a 30cm round springform pan. Use edge to cut a 30cm round from cake. Reassemble pan, then grease and line with baking paper. Place cake in base of pan. Refrigerate until chilled. (Roll leftover cake into balls and dust with cocoa to make truffles.)
To make mousse, whisk cream in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure bowl doesn’t touch water). Stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and is smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Cool. Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and whole eggs until thick and doubled in volume. Stir caster sugar and 1⁄3 cup water in a saucepan over a medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Simmer for 10 minutes or until sugar syrup reaches 121°C when tested with a candy thermometer. With electric mixer on low speed, slowly pour sugar syrup into egg mixture and beat until well combined. Add cooled melted chocolate and gently fold until just combined. Add whipped cream and gently fold until just combined. Pour mousse over cake base in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight to set. To make sauce, place muscovado sugar and sherry in a saucepan over a medium heat, and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by one-third. Cool. Remove tart from pan and transfer to a plate. Spoon over crème fraîche, then top with macadamias and mulberries, blackberries or cherries. Sprinkle wattle seed and drizzle with sauce. *Visit daintreeestates.com for stoc ists. Substitute 70% cocoa dark chocolate. **Available at specialty food outlets and delicatessens. ***Available at specialty food stores and delicatessens. Substitute brown or dark brown sugar.
COUNT RY CHEF TROY RHOADES-BROWN Dark chocolate and wattle seed tart Double the indulgence with a glass of Bodega José de la Cuesta Pedro Ximénez Sherry with its luscious texture and intense notes of Christmas cake, treacle and toffee. FACING PAGE, FROM LEFT Troy enjoys dessert with dad Terry and brother-in-law Chris; Edie with her doting grandfather.
“It’s like an Australian black forest cake... the mousse is rich and buttery with the tartness of crème fraîche and berries.”
HEIRLOOM RECIPE
buon Natale! THIS NONNA’S SPIN ON A MUCH-LOVED ITALIAN DESSERT IS ALWAYS THE STAR OF CHRISTMAS GATHERINGS. WORDS TRACEY PLATT PHOTOGRAPHY AND ST YLING CHINA SQUIRREL
HAVING MIGRATED TO AUSTRALIA in the 1950s, Gemma
Corrent, 88, doesn’t have a large extended family to cater for at Christmas celebrations — not that you can tell from the amount of food she prepares. “In that way she is a typical Italian mamma, always so generous,” says her daughter, Shirley Agostinho. “There is always something on standby in her freezer, too... a lasagne, some sauce, some ravioli.” Among the frozen feast will often be a dish of Gemma’s much-loved tiramisu, which makes an appearance on every Christmas table and at most family gatherings. Granddaughter Kara recently travelled to Italy and claims local versions don’t come close to her nonna’s light and airy interpretation of this classic layered dessert. Shirley says the dish represents the initiative that has shaped her mother’s life. “It’s a concoction of various recipes she has tried. Mamma is always experimenting, now she is even making kombucha!” Born in 1930 in the Italian Riviera town of Lerici, Gemma was the youngest of five children and learnt to be resourceful when World War II landed on their doorstep. “Food shortages meant they would pick fruit or eat whatever they could find,” Shirley says. “My mother laughs that dishes like polenta are so popular now, as this was considered poor people’s food.” After Gemma married Bruno Corrent in 1954, the adventurous couple rode to Switzerland on
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a Guzzi Airone Sport 250 motorbike (pictured above). In Schaffhausen, Bruno manufactured machines to make chocolates and Gemma worked in a cotton mill. Then an advertisement to migrate to Australia caught their eye. “They docked in Melbourne in 1957 and were sent to the Bonegilla migrant camp [near the Victorian border],” Shirley says. “My father had been a prisoner of war and refused to line up for food again, so Mum had to support him. She is a very strong, positive woman.” The couple then moved to Wollongong, NSW, where Bruno joined the steel works, and Shirley and her brother Marco were born. “There were just the four of us so we are a close family. My mother made all our clothes and cooked all our meals, but she was very independent. She worked as a cleaner, but she also went to TAFE to learn dressmaking and improve her English, and she learnt to drive.” Now nonna to three granddaughters, Gemma is as inventive as ever, often dishing up recipes she’s found on YouTube or her iPad. But at Christmas, her cooking showcases both her heritage and her new homeland. “We always have tortellini in brodo [ring-shaped pasta in broth], which she learnt from her mother Cesira, and she makes all her pasta by hand. She also makes biscotti [thin Italian biscuits] and bigné [Italian profiteroles] that she has given her own twist. And there will never just be tiramisu — there will always be several d She also makes an awesome Aussie pavlova!
NONNA GEMMA’S TIRAMISU
FOOD PREPARATION AND RECIPE TESTING CHINA SQUIRREL
Serves 10–12 4 large egg yolks ½ cup caster sugar 400g good-quality mascarpone 3 large eggwhites, at room temperature pinch of salt 1½ cups good-quality strong black coffee, cooled* 1 tablespoon Marsala 1 tablespoon Kahlua 320g savoiardi biscuits 1 tablespoon cocoa, sifted 100g dark chocolate, grated
Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and caster sugar for about 6 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add mascarpone and beat until just combined. Set aside. Wash beaters and dry thoroughly.
Beat eggwhites and salt in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold half of eggwhite into mascarpone mixture. Fold in remaining eggwhite. Set aside. Combine coffee, Marsala and Kahlua in a shallow dish. One at a time, quickly dip half of biscuits into coffee mixture and turn to coat. Place biscuits, in a single layer, in base of a 6cm-deep 30cm x 24cm dish. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over biscuits to cover. Repeat with remaining biscuits and coffee mixture, and remaining mascarpone mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Dust with cocoa and top with grated chocolate. Cut into squares to serve. *Gemma uses Lavazza coffee made in a moka pot (stovetop coffee maker).
SHARE YOUR FAMILY FAVOURITES Do you have a recipe that has been passed down through generations? Send us your recipe, the story behind it and a photograph (preferably a copy or scan) of the relative who passed it on. Remember to include a daytime telephone number. Email Sarah Neil at sneil@bauer-media.com.au or send a letter to Heirloom Recipe, Country Style, PO Box 4088, Sydney NSW 1028.
FLAVOURS
NONIE’S PANPEPATO, NSW Nonie’s Panpepato is made in Sydney from great regional produce, including Malfroy’s Gold Yellow Box honey from NSW’s Blue Mountains and hazelnuts from Carboor Harvest’s orchard in north-east Victoria. Similar to the medieval Italian panforte, these ingredients, along with almonds, organic cacao, sultanas, citrus peel and a blend of spices are shaped into an indulgent and highly addictive festive treat which is gluten- and dairy-free. Buy online or at the Precinct 75 Summer Design Fair in St Peters on December 8 (precinct75.com.au). $24.50/300g. noniesfood.com.au
BARBARA SWEENEY’S PICKS FOR UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE. Follow Barbara on I
t
foodandwords
receive a bonus tote bag. Why not pair it with a sustainable Solidteknics pan, made in Australia, which will also last you a lifetime. (From left) 22cm sauteuse pan, $119.95, 18cm skillet, $99.95 and 24cm crepe/griddle pan, $149.95. kitchengardenfoundation.org.au; solidteknics.com
FOR THE CHRISTMAS COOK
BOOKS FOR COOKS BO FOR THE COOKING NOVICE
When you’re young and starting out as a home cook you may not think that cookbooks can become lifetime companions. But some, like the first book you learn to cook from, do. Even when you’ve outgrown it, you might find it hard to part with the book because of the memories it contains. Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Apprentice (Penguin Random House, $45) is the perfect introduction for new cooks. It’s practical, inspiring and filled with the how-to’s and why’s of cooking. Buy it directly from Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and you’ll
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Time to pull on Aunt Dot’s hand-knited mistletoe jumper and join Melbourne chef and author Darren Purchese in the kitchen. In Chefs Host Christmas Too (Hardie Grant, $29.99), Darren offers up cooking and hosting tips and tricks that make the prospect of cooking for the extended family at Christmas sound fun. Boozy cocktails, gin-cured ocean trout with blini, orange and soy-glazed roast duck, two recipes for Brussels sprouts and a trifle that’s a guaranteed show stopper is one potential Christmas Day menu. Food gift ideas, suggestions for leftovers, and even a music playlist are included. It’s the perfect book for anyone who takes Christmas literally — those who dress the part, trim the mantle with holly, bake biscuits for Santa (and eats them themselves), and go all out with the party favours — which is why you should pair it with the Santa Wonderball (right), a crepe paper Santa filled with toys, scrolls and paper crowns. $27.50. Available from The Bay Tree, 82 Queen Street, Woollahra, NSW; (02) 328 1101.
Fifth-generation Sydney butcher Anthony Puharich has teamed up with food writer Libby Travers to put down a lifetime of knowledge from the meat trade. The result, Meat: The Ultimate Companion (Murdoch Books, $79.99), is all the richer for the collaboration. Background to the domesticated meat breeds we eat and why, conversations about farming methods and many meat facts will have you glued to its pages until New Year’s Day. There are also recipes, some by writer and food stylist Emma Knowles, as well as others from the world’s leading chefs and cookbook authors, brought to life in Alan Benson’s glorious photographs. A visit to Anthony’s butchery, Victor Churchill, described by some as “the Bulgari of butcheries” in Sydney’s Woollahra is also tempting. For the cook who has everything, pair the tome with a hand-forged 1803 knife (top, right) with handles made in deer antler from Mandagery Creek venison farm in Or NSW. Oyster knife, $360, paring kni , $290 a en knife, $550. 180 .com.a
PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER NONIE’S PANPEPATO PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN BENSON
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13 ISSUES: $69.99 SAVE 34% SHOP NOW AT x J³R ¨ِ! xِ Èٜæx ³ הOR CALL ה הבAND QUOTE xזæ !³ Competition starts on 15/10/2018 and closes 11/1/2019 at 11:59pm. The competition is open to all residents of Australia aged 18 years or over, who subscribe or renew their subscription to one or more magazine titles or purchase any product available on Magshop (www.magshop.com.au). Competition draw will take place 25/01/2019 at 11:00am. Please see www.bauer-media.com.au/privacy for location of our privacy policy. For full terms and conditions of entry, visit www.magshop.com.au/christmas-tc. The Promoter is Bauer Media Pty Ltd (ABN 18 053 273 546). Authorised under permit numbers: NSW: LTPS/18/28322; SA: T18/1700; ACT TP 18/01860.
TOP 50
This year’s 50 agents for change in regional Australia, in no particular order, ranged from organisations lending a hand in drought-stricken towns to environmental entrepreneurs and innovative food producers. WORDS HILA RY BUR DEN, V IRGINI A IMHOFF, CLA IR E M ACTAGGA RT, SKY E M A NSON,
SA R A H NEIL, TR ACEY PLATT, K A R EN SPR ESSER A ND BA R BA R A SW EENEY
Mongol Derby participants Henry Bell (centre) and Ed Archibald (right), with Henry’s brother Sinclair Bell.
1
RIDE FOR A CURE
Every day, multiple sclerosis (MS) makes simple tasks such as brushing his teeth a struggle for Goulburn farmer Rob Bell. So riding 1000 kilometres in the world’s most diicult equestrian endurance race — the Mongol Derby — seemed a small sacriice for Rob’s son Henry and his three cousins, Jack, Ed and Rob Archibald. Their target was not only to inish the gruelling race, which mimics the horse messenger system devised by Genghis Khan, but to raise $100,000 for MS Research Australia. By mid-August they had done both, with donations now exceeding $189,000. arideforacure.com
2
KERRYANDERSON, Operation Next Gen
In 2018, central Victorian Kerry Anderson travelled extensively around Australia speaking to communities about her Operation Next Gen program. Kerry wants to encourage rural towns to look at existing landscapes with fresh eyes. Specifically, her positively infectious passion is tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit of young country people and encouraging them to stay in or return to their hometowns, as well as supporting existing residents to embrace change and new business opportunities in their community. kerryanderson.com.au/operationnext-gen
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RIDE FOR A CURE PHOTOGRAPHY ABBIE MELLE TREFUSIS MERINO STUD PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON
AMY GUNN, Pen Pal Project
Amy Gunn and her husband Sam run sheep and cattle on their 12,100 hectare property near Condobolin, NSW. The rural Pen Pal Project is Amy’s initiative on her Friend a Farmer Facebook page and it went viral earlier this year. An invitation for farm kids to write letters to a school in Byron Bay, where children were desperate to make friends and learn more about life on the land, received over 1600 shares and 600 comments on Facebook. The response was so big that the project has been extended to include more schools and more than 650 farming children. facebook.com/friendafarmer
4
GEORGINA WALLACE, Trefusis Merino Stud
A passionate advocate for the wool industry, Georgina Wallace and husband Hamish run the Trefusis Merino Stud near Ross, Tasmania. This year, Trefusis became the most successful exhibitor in the Australian Fleece Competition’s 18-year history by winning the Grand Champion leece three times in four years. Over the last decade, the couple have introduced new bloodlines to the Trefusis lock, which was established by Georgina’s parents and produces some of the best superfine wool in the world. facebook.com/trefusis-merino-stud
5
CHARLIE ARNOTT, biodynamic farmer
This year, Charlie Arnott was the recipient of the Bob Hawke Landcare Award. Charlie, a cattle and sheep farmer from Boorowa, NSW, runs a biodynamic farm, hosts biodynamic workshops and is a campaigner for regenerative agriculture. He encourages us all to ask ourselves, “Who’s your farmer?” charliearnott.com.au
6
CATHERINE MARRIOTT, Western Australian project manager, CRC for Developing Northern Australia
A leader of agriculture in Australia and Asia, Catherine Marriott was the founding CEO of the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association and developed the first-ever international Rural Women’s Mentoring Program for farmers in Indonesia and Australia. crcna.com.au
7
RURAL AID
Unprecedented community goodwill is pulsating through this grassroots charity and onto the paddocks of drought-stricken farmers. In 2018 alone, Rural Aid CEO Charles Alder says that the not-for-proit organisation received more than $20 million in donations and 10,000 new volunteers have signed up to help on farms. Recently, a team of 185 volunteers from NSW, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland, ACT and SA converged on Central West NSW for the Forbes Farm Rescue weekend, where they worked on 13 properties and completed greatly needed restorations and repair work to the Forbes Showground. This year, Rural Aid has also funded 11 mental health counsellors in NSW and Queensland, as well as continuing their drought appeal, Buy a Bale. ruralaid.org.au >
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HUGH WENNERBOM, The Argyle Inn
Cook, farmer and providore Hugh Wennerbom (above) has put the village of Taralga, in the NSW Southern Tablelands, on the map, and given the community and local businesses a much needed boost. Opened late last year, The Argyle Inn, a beautifully restored 1870s hotel on Taralga’s main street, is a collaboration between Hugh, his architect wife Mary Ellen Hudson and their business partners, Keith and Maureen Kerridge of Bannaby Angus stud. Much of the trade in the restaurant and bar is local — as are the staff. In 2018, The Argyle Inn became one of the state’s hottest regional dining destinations and the restaurant was awarded a chef’s hat in The Good Food Guide 2019. theargyleinn.com.au
9
PALISA ANDERSON, restaurateur and farmer
A desire to grow food without the use of chemicals saw Palisa Anderson (left) and her husband Matt become market gardeners. The couple divide their time between Palisa’s family’s restaurants in Sydney and Boon Luck Farm, their 46-hectare property in the Byron Bay hinterland, where they grow produce, including specialist Thai ingredients for their nine eateries — Chat Thai and Boon Café among them. As Palisa told Country Style in our June issue, “Pulling weeds and tending to this land gives you a diferent sense of who you are in the world and what it is that makes us human. Everyone wants a connection with nature whether we know it or not.” Follow @boonluckfarm on Instagram.
This year’s Aboriginal Person of the Year at the Western Australian of the Year Awards is Aunty Gail Allison. A nurse, nurturer and Yamaji woman who was born near Geraldton, WA, Aunty Gail works at the Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service. As a Yamaji Elder she has dedicated her life to taking disadvantaged children and youths under her wing. Her wisdom and mentoring of rural teachers is also highly regarded for strengthening Indigenous communities in remote WA. Governmentally, Aunty Gail has been involved in state programs for the prevention of drugs, alcohol and petrol sniffing, and serves on the board of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO). She was also the first female chair of the Western Desert Community Development Training Program. nahs.org.au
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LINDY MAURICE, CEO, Thoroughbred Industry Careers
Orange-based Lindy Maurice has spent the last 18 months devising a national program to encourage newcomers to join the bloodstock industry. Lindy’s not-for-profit organisation aims to encourage horse-loving young Australians to consider a career in the industry and, in doing so, help overcome critical staff shortages in the sector. Thoroughbred Industry Careers is developing a host of initiatives, including the Explorer Cadetship, a 12-month stud and stable horsemanship program, due to commence in 2019. The organisation also hopes to reach schools and tertiary career advisors to spread the message about the diverse range of employment and education opportunities available. tbindustrycareers.com.au
HUGH WENNERBOM PHOTOGRAPHY BRIGID ARNOTT STYLING DAVID MORGAN PALISA ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON STYLING NICOLA SEVITT BART PIGRAM PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON JULIETTE WRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL WEE
AUNTY GAIL ALLISON JP
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JULIETTE WRIGHT, founder and CEO, Givit
This not-for-profit connects donated items to those in need and this year supported more than 32 organisations with drought aid across NSW and Queensland. “We make sure people get food and essential items,” says Juliette Wright (right). “There’s been over 10,000 items distributed and the need keeps coming in from community groups for everything from water and school lunch vouchers to backpacks and generators.” givit.org.au
13
DOLLY’S DREAM
An ongoing fundraising and awareness campaign, Dolly’s Dream is the vision of Tick and Kate Everett to honour their 14-year-old daughter Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett, who tragically took her own life after sustained bullying and cyberbullying. Dolly’s “speak even if your voice shakes” image and consequent #doitfordolly tribute started an Australia-wide conversation about cyberbullying. The Everetts partnered with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, a national charity protecting children from violence and bullying, to set up the campaign, which uses community donations to prevent other families from experiencing the same devastation they’ve lived through. Tick and Kate were recently named NT Local Heroes at the Australian of the Year Awards. 1800 951 955; dollysdream.org.au
14
MEGAN DAVIS, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous), UNSW
A Cobble Cobble woman from Monto in south-east Queensland, Professor Megan Davis is a powerful voice for Indigenous Australia. In the space of 12 months she’s delivered hundreds of speeches on her noted Uluru Statement from the Heart, a proposal for a First Nations advisory body to the Federal Government with the aim of recognition in the constitution. This work saw her named the overall winner of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Inluence Award 2018. Megan was also the irst Indigenous Australian to sit on a UN body, when she was an expert member of both the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. unsw.edu.au
15
JUNE OSCAR OA, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
Bunuba woman June Oscar from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley region, WA, is the winner of the NAIDOC Person of the Year 2018 award. June was recognised for her fearless work in the ield of Indigenous human rights, especially with women and children, and for her eforts in the preservation of Indigenous languages. One of her irst jobs as a receptionist for the WA Aboriginal Legal service opened her eyes to the injustices of fellow Indigenous Australians and as a result she’s been on a courageous campaign for better liberties ever since. Now June is the irst Australian woman to hold the position of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. humanrights.gov.au
16
BART PIGRAM,
Narlijia Cultural Tours
Local Yawuru man Bart Pigram (left) is the owner and operator of Narlijia Cultural Tours in the West Kimberley region of Australia. “Revitalising Aboriginal culture is important to me and if we can meet and have a discussion, it gives people a deeper understanding,” says Bart, who was born and raised in Broome. “Tours get people out on country which adds another layer.” Bart is raising the profile of cultural tourism with five tours on offer. toursbroome.com.au >
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This woman has a very sympathetic ear and, since her appointment as NSW Drought Coordinator in May (a six-month secondment from her role in DPI’s Business & Social Resilience Programs), Pip Job has not stopped listening. She’s constantly on the road between parliament and regional areas of NSW, hearing from farmers and communities about the difficulties of drought and how DPI and government agencies can respond. In October, Pip also had the ear of the Royal Family when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex toured the Woodley family farm near Dubbo. Representing the NSW Government, Pip showed the royals photos from across NSW to help them understand the true extent of the drought in Australia. dpi.nsw.gov.au
18
RAY HARRINGTON OAM, grain farmer and inventor
Half a century of tinkering on his WA farm has culminated in Ray Harrington receiving the 2018 Kondinin Group and ABC Rural award for Rural Farming Legend of the Year. For the last 15 years, Ray has worked with researchers from the Grains Research & Development Corporation and the University of South Australia to fine-tune his creation, the Harrington Seed Destructor — an apparatus which destroys weeds resistant to herbicide at harvest time, which is now being manufactured in South Australia and attracting interest worldwide. ihsd.com
19
MARGOT ROBBIE, actor
An Oscar nomination for Actress in a Leading Role for I, Tonya kicked off a stellar year for Margot Robbie. She may not have won the gold statue but Margot, from Dalby, Queensland, remained firmly on the Hollywood radar in 2018. Next year, she’ll star as Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, based on the Manson Family murders, and will appear as Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots.
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LORRAINE GORDON, Program Director, Farming Together
A former city girl, Lorraine Gordon became a farmer at 21 when she took over a family member’s cattle property at Ebor on the New England, NSW, plateau. Since then, her achievements in the agricultural sector include Program Director of Farming Together, the Federal Government’s Farm Co-operatives and Collaboration Pilot Program, and winning this year’s Kondinin Group and ABC Rural award for Rural Community Leader of the Year. During her early farming years, Lorraine was supported by a network of friends and farmers, which seems to have created a ‘collaborative’ thread in her career. She’s a champion of farmers working together, of agritourism and bush experiences, and of regenerative agriculture. farmingtogether.com.au
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DAVID LAMB, McClymont Distinguished Professor, University of New England
In his new role as Chief Scientist for the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), Professor David Lamb is charged with finding a way for farmers to sustainably feed nine billion mouths by 2050. The CRC seeks to transform Australia’s agrifoods sector through the power of digital technology; David will trial and promote innovations at the farm gate, and right along the supply chain to the consumer and back. “The FACRC is different from previous CRCs in that we’ve adopted an agile approach to projects with the emphasis on frequent evaluation to ensure the best possible fit for purpose,” says David. “We even don’t mind projects failing, as long as they fail fast and we can learn from them, adapt and move forward.”
PETER COCHRAN, advocate
and champion of NSW Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Bill
The former Nationals MP for Monaro, landowner and owner of Cochran Horse Treks at Adaminaby, NSW, has been a long-time campaigner for the recognition of the Snowy Brumbies of Kosciuszko National Park as a rightful part of our cultural heritage. In June 2018, the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Bill, introduced to NSW Parliament by Deputy Premier John Barilaro, was passed, with the aim of recognising the heritage value of sustainable brumby populations within parts of Kosciusko National Park — and protecting that heritage. parliament.nsw.gov.au
BRUMBIES PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON NICK HADDOW PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON
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PIP JOB, NSW Drought Coordinator, Department of Primary Industries
23
JOOST BAKKER, floral artist/eco-warrior/ sustainable designer
In October, Joost Bakker filled Hosier Lane in Melbourne with 35,000 tulips from his family’s farm in Monbulk, Victoria, as a pretty yet powerful protest against the impact of cheap flower imports. (Joost’s brother had deemed the tulips not quite good enough to sell.) It’s a decade since Joost started his pop-up Greenhouse restaurants and got the food industry talking about zero waste, but his passion for environmentally led innovation shows no sign of abating. This year he also championed raw milk, announced he will be designing an urban farm on the rooftop of a shopping centre in Melbourne and convinced local businesses to invest in Australia’s first pyrolysis machine that converts contaminated plastics into crude oil. Follow @joostbakker on Instagram.
24
HANNAH GADSBY, comedian and writer
Growing up in the small rural town of Smithton, Tasmania, Hannah Gadsby received numerous awards as a junior golfer (she was state champion five years in a row, no less). She now wields a stand-up mic instead of a club and this year her stand-upshow-turned-Netflix-special, Nanette, received acclaim around the world. The show shines a harsh spotlight on society’s treatment of anyone who is considered ‘other’ for their sexuality, gender — or both. The anti-comedy added grist to the global #MeToo conversation and saw the Tassie talent invited to be a presenter at the 2018 Emmy Awards in September. hannahgadsby.com.au
25
TAKE 3 FOR THE SEA
With a simple message to take three items of rubbish as you leave a beach or waterway, this not-for-profit aims to reduce global plastic pollution — and protect wildlife. Founded nine years ago, the inspiring organisation has now gained traction in 129 countries. take3.org
26
NICK HADDOW, Bruny Island
Cheese Co. and Glen Huon Farm
Tasmania’s Bruny Island Cheese Co. is one of a small batch of Australian cheesemakers responsible for the emerging local cheese culture and identity. Founder Nick Haddow (above) makes cheese that is bold, uncompromising and an expression of its terroir. He is a strong advocate for the right of cheesemakers to use raw milk. Most recently, Nick became a dairy farmer, with a plan to work from the soil up to create good pasture, great milk and excellent cheese. Glen Huon Farm in the Huon Valley is small, organic and now home to a herd of 55 rare breed cows. brunyislandcheese.com.au
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BEEF AUSTRALIA 2018
In May this year, the Beef Australia expo hosted more than 100,000 people to celebrate the beef industry. Technology, education, innovation, sustainability and utilisation of the whole carcass were some of the themes through the week. Twelve internationally acclaimed chefs, including Curtis Stone, Jack Stein and Iron Chef Sakai, demonstrated the versatility of lesser-known beef cuts during daily celebrity chef lunches and dinners. Held every three years in Rockhampton, the expo is one of the world’s great beef events and is attended by visitors from more than 40 countries. beefaustralia.com.au
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THE OLD PRINTERY
This collaborative wellness space for kids and families in Wellington, NSW, offers speech and occupational therapy, physiotherapy and educational intervention. “Since launching my Paediatric Occupational Therapy practice in Wellington in 2010, I have experienced first-hand the need for specialist child-focused therapy services in the Central West,” says Mardi Taylor, occupational therapist and director of The Old Printery. “My clients were telling me they would love to be able to attend all of their therapies in the one place, which is now possible at The Old Printery Wellness Space.” Follow @theoldprintery on Instagram. >
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SUN PICTURES
A must-see attraction if you’re visiting Broome, WA, Sun Pictures (left) is the world’s oldest open-air cinema (it was recognised in 2004 by Guinness World Records). Officially opened in 1916, seating is in deck chairs, some under cover and others under the canopy of the night sky. broomemovies.com.au/sun-pictures
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COONAMBLE RAIN DANCE
Promoted via funny video clips of local farming families and friends doing rain dances, this community-inspired event raised more than $20,000 through its crowd-funding campaign in addition to other donations. The campaign concluded in early October with the Rain Dance Ball at Coonamble Showground in Central West NSW, which was attended by 900 people and encouraged farmers to leave the drought at the gate for one night and dance up a storm. “In drought times, the first thing to drop from the household budget is social events,” says president of the committee, James Nalder. “Yet these events are so important for mental health and as an opportunity to check on each other and see if we’re all okay.” facebook.com/coonambleraindance
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KRISTA WATKINS, 2018 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award winner
Discovering that the discarded green Lady Finger bananas from their farm in Walkamin, Queensland, could be turned into green banana flour was the catalyst for Krista and Rob Watkins’s food business, Natural Evolution. The entrepreneurial couple created their company based on combating waste, then set up their processing plant to meet demands for the gluten-free flour. Krista, who is the national winner of the 2018 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, is now looking to work with farmers to harness the waste from leftover sweet potato crops. naturalevolutionfoods.com.au
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CHARLES MASSY OAM, grazier and author
In 2018, fifth-generation Cooma grazier Charles Massy, continued to spread the message of his latest book, Call of the Reed Warbler (University of Queensland Press, $39.95). By September, it had also been released in the UK and US. A mix of interviews with 150 farmers and scientific review, the book argues that agriculture is at a “tipping point” where landholders can either embrace natural ecology or face the dire consequences. At the heart of its 592 pages is a message of hope — that it is not too late for regenerative farming to protect our environment, food supply and, ultimately, ourselves.
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BEGA VALLEY REGIONAL GALLERY
In 2018 this regional gallery, located halfway between Sydney and Melbourne in NSW’s Bega Valley, celebrated its 30th birthday. While it may be small, the public gallery has up to eight exhibitions a year, including the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award and The Shirl, the national youth prize for portraiture, which are held biennially on alternating years. It also hosts touring exhibitions from the Art Gallery of NSW and other institutions. “We’ve found regional audiences are hungry to be part of the larger conversation around contemporary visual culture,” says Bega Valley Regional Gallery director Iain Dawson. gallery.begavalley.nsw.gov.au
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SUN PICTURES PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON KEELEN MAILMAN PHOTOGRAPHY EDDIE SARARIK UNYOKED PHOTOGRAPHY SAMMY HAWKER
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PETER ANDREWS AND MULLOON INSTITUTE
Conversations about the drought have shifted in focus from the effect of the weather to the idea of building resilience by reinstating natural systems. For pioneering regenerative farmers such as Peter Andrews, who created his natural sequence farming system in the 1970s, this has been a long time coming. Forty years ago his ideas were considered too out there, but a 12-year collaboration with the late Tony Coote at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms, near Canberra, has given substance to the theory. Mulloon Creek is a certified organic and biodynamic poultry operation, selling eggs to mainly Sydney and Canberra, which is committed to sustainability, regenerative agriculture and landscape restoration. All profits from egg sales go towards funding its education arm, the Mulloon Institute, with the farm treated as the institute’s living laboratory. The collaboration between Peter and the Mulloon Institute has been selected as a case study by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. mcnf. com.au; themullooninstitute.org
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KEELEN MAILMAN, manager, Mount Tabor Station
Author and foster mother Keelen Mailman (right) manages Mount Tabor Station, a 78,000 hectare property 257 kilometres north of Charleville, Queensland, which is owned by the Goorathuntha Traditional Owners Ltd. Earlier this year, the Bangarra Dance Theatre’s youth outreach program spent time on Bidjara country at Mount Tabor and later performed dances in the local community. Keelen, a Bidjara woman, is currently working on plans to create a healing centre at Mount Tabor.
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PETER AND FRANCES BENDER, Huon Aquaculture
The founders of Huon Aquaculture in Tasmania, Peter and Frances Bender, have been jointly named the Kondinin Group and ABC Rural Australian Farmer of the Year. It’s the first time a salmon farmer has received the national award, which recognises innovation and excellence in the agricultural industry. “For us it means we’re recognised finally, publicly, as farmers, not fishers,” says Frances.
UNYOKED
Nature-loving twins, Cam and Chris Grant, set up an off-the-grid cabin in the wilderness so they could retreat from city life. Now, Unyoked has six cabins in NSW and Victoria (with plans to expand nationally), where people can experience eco-friendly getaways in secluded surrounds. unyoked.co
“We pride ourselves in producing and maintaining a healthy and viable animal stock — and that means everything from using science and the latest breeding techniques, through to ensuring our equipment, pens and environment are the best they can be.” Former cattle farmers, Frances and her husband Peter began dabbling in aquaculture in the 1980s — they started out with one pen, a dinghy and two employees feeding fish by hand. Huon Aquaculture now produces 25,000 tonnes of product a year, has an annual turnover of $318 million and employs more than 600 staff. huonaqua.com.au
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FRASER ISLAND
The 25th anniversary of its UNESCO World Heritage listing was celebrated by Queensland’s Fraser Island throughout 2018. The world’s largest sand island was added to the World Heritage register on December 7, 1992. In October, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a visit to the island where Prince Harry dedicated its forests to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project. fraserisland.net >
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Named Best New Artist at this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs), as well as recently being announced as the Northern Territory Young Australian of the Year, Danzal Baker — aka Baker Boy — is a 22-year-old hip-hop artist from Milingimbi Island and Maningrida in north-east Arnhem Land. Baker Boy’s songs combine English and his native language, Yolngu Matha, as he believes it’s important for children living in remote communities to see and hear themselves represented in popular culture. His second single, Marryuna, featuring Yirrmal, cracked the top 20 in Triple j’s Hottest 100 earlier this year. Like his music, Danzal is positive and energetic, and he’s involved with mentoring young people in remote communities through outreach group Indigenous Hip-Hop Projects. bakerboyofficial.com
BEC LYND, Big River Highland Beef
Rare Scottish highland cattle are farmed on about 90 hectares in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley by Bec Lynd, who owns and operates Big River Highland Beef with her wife Bec Tudor. A boutique supplier of ethically raised high-quality aged beef, Bec loves the breed for the flavour and texture it offers and is keen to increase its national profile to get other farmers up and running. She is an advocate for natural breeding techniques and in 2014 was awarded a Sprout Producer Program scholarship. Two years ago she participated in a leaders program run by the National Rural Women’s Coalition, which led to her winning the Tasmanian Rural Woman of the Year award in 2017. Bec’s project was a study tour of the US looking at on-farm slaughter and processing facilities that will inform a feasibility study into the area next year. In the meantime, the two Becs put this into practice and butchered one of their steers for their November wedding feast. Follow @bigriverhighlandbeef on Instagram.
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MELISSA CONNORS, founder, This Farm Needs A Farmer
A chance conversation with a passing stranger led to a lightbulb moment for tree changer Melissa Connors, whose family had moved from Melbourne to four hectares in Kyneton, Victoria. The stranger turned out to be a retired farmer and so her project, This Farm Needs A Farmer, was born, linking those new to the land with retired farmers and their wealth of knowledge. Melissa won the 2018 Victorian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award and, with more than 500 people now on the database, often hears, “I’m so glad I found you, this is so needed.” thisfarmneedsafarmer.com.au
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YUKULTJI NAPANGATI, Wynne Prize winner
In 1984, Yukultji Napangati’s family group made international headlines when they emerged from the Gibson Desert, having never made contact with Europeans. Today, as a member of the Papunya Tula Artists, her work hangs in collections around the world, including the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, and the Hood Museum of Art in the US. This year, she won the Art Gallery of NSW’s Wynne Prize for her linear landscape depicting an ancestral campsite at Yunala, WA where women would dig for bush bananas (edible tubers) and the sandhills surrounding the site. papunyatula.com.au
ALI CURREY-VOUMARD, The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery
Ever since The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery in New Norfolk, Tasmania, opened for business in June last year, head chef Ali Currey-Voumard (below) has wowed diners with a menu featuring the best local seasonal produce. The restaurant was awarded two chef’s hats in The Good Food Guide 2018 and Ali was named Best New Talent at the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards. theagrariankitchen.com
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SALLY DAKIS, flower farmer and co-owner Richmond Cherries
At the end of 2018, Sally Dakis retired after nearly three decades presenting and producing the Tasmanian Country Hour radio program for ABC Rural. Her lunchtime presence has influenced a generation of people on the land. She runs a mid-sized intensive cherry and flower farm with husband Chris Wisbey and was a Churchill fellow in 2005 to study cherry production. In her final program, Sally recalled her very first interview: on drought policy in 1992. “Drought,” she told her listeners, “is one of those perpetual issues on the land.” Sally and Chris have now joined the slow flower movement, farming peonies alongside cherries on their 10-hectare property in the Coal River Valley in Tasmania.
ALI CURREY-VOUMARD PHOTOGRAPHY MARK ROPER STYLING LEE BLAYLOCK JOCK ZONFRILLO PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PA JORGENSEN, FOOL MAGAZINE
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BAKER BOY, hip-hop artist
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JOCK ZONFRILLO, chef and
founder of The Orana Foundation
In July this year, Jock Zonfrillo (right, with Patricia McTaggart of the Nauiyu Community, NT) won the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize — an international award recognising chefs who’ve used their influence to benefit society. Best known as the chef and owner of Adelaide’s Restaurant Orana, Scottish-born Jock is also an ardent supporter of Indigenous communities and a champion of native Australian ingredients. In 2016 he founded The Orana Foundation, a charity that helps remote communities cultivate and sell bush foods and, in doing so, improves the lives and preserves the culture of Indigenous people. “Everything we do in the foundation and the restaurant is for the preservation of the sophisticated cooking knowledge and practice of Indigenous Australians,” Jock says. “And I will work every remaining day of my life to continue this mission.” theoranafoundation.org
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FRAN AUSTIN, co-owner, Delamere Vineyard
Home for Fran Austin, her husband Shane Holloway and their two children is a 12-hectare vineyard in Pipers River, Tasmania. Delamere Vineyard — some parts of which are more than 30 years old — makes traditional method sparkling (and still) wines that are 100 per cent estate grown and produced. Fran is a former Gourmet Traveller Young Winemaker of the Year and in 2017 studied Champagne’s grower and producer businesses as a Don Martin Fellow in France. Before settling in Pipers River, she had many years of winemaking experience in the world’s top wine regions, including Burgundy, Oregon, Yarra Valley and the Adelaide Hills. Fran is now a passionate advocate for maintaining the quality and distinctiveness of Tasmanian fruit and traditional winemaking. delamerevineyards.com.au
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DARRYLIN GORDON, cattle woman
This year, Darrylin Gordon, a 27-year-old Jaru cattle woman who lives and works at Lamboo Station, 50 kilometres west of Halls Creek, won the AgriFutures Western Australia Rural Women’s Award. Darrylin is working on a training program to provide local Aboriginal people with community-based training so they can pursue pastoral and mining career opportunities. The project’s long-term goal is for participants to feel confident seeking employment and to gain skills and self-respect. The first participants will start the program in April 2019.
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KURT FEARNLEY AO, Paralympic gold medallist
After Paralympian Kurt Fearnley won gold in the Men’s Marathon at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April, he retired from an international career defined by medals and determination. From the small town of Carcoar, NSW, Kurt was born without the lower part of his spine and became a wheelchair racer in his teens. He won two silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games and has competed in 54 marathons, with wins in 10 countries. He is a passionate disability advocate. kurtfearnley.com
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MAGGIE BEER AM, Maggie Beer Foundation
There are many things that South Australian cook, writer and TV presenter Maggie Beer is known for, not least her iconic burnt fig, honeycomb and caramel ice-cream. But it’s Maggie’s irrepressible enthusiasm that makes her the ideal ambassador for her latest venture, to help improve the food served in aged-care facilities through the Maggie Beer Foundation. The aim is to inspire the people who cook for our aged parents and grandparents to make flavoursome, seasonal and fresh food, and show them that even in these settings the pleasures of the table are life-long. maggiebeerfoundation.org.au
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TASMANIA’S GIN TRAIL
Tasmania’s clean air and pure water make the state a distiller’s paradise. Among the varying characters and flavours of more than 130 artisan gin distilleries are Dasher + Fisher gins, which are made from wild botanicals by Southern Wild Distillery in Devonport, small batch Poltergeist gin from Shene Estate & Distillery in the southern Midlands, Forty Spotted gin from Lark Distillery in Hobart, and Nonesuch on the Tasman Peninsula, whose range includes Dry, Hemp and Sloe gins. discovertasmania.com.au
ON THE MOVE KUNUNURRA WA
ON THE MOVE
KUNUNURRA OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND IN THIS EAST KIMBERLEY TOWN, KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSE INDUSTRY AND NATURAL BEAUTY. WORDS CLAIRE MACTAGGART PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON ILLUSTRATION DANIELLA GERMAIN
The expansive view from Kelly’s Knob over Kununurra, the gateway to the East Kimberley region. 116 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
THE ANCIENT AND IMMENSE landscapes of the Kimberleys are
one of the world’s most unique wilderness regions; and Kununurra, on the eastern fringe in far northern Western Australia, is a hub for tourism, agriculture and industry. Home to the Miriuwung and Gajerrong people, the area has a fascinating cultural heritage, as well as a pioneering past of pastoral and irrigation development, and rare pink diamond production. Established in 1961 to service the Ord River Irrigation Scheme, Kununurra has a population of 7500 people that swells during peak season from April through to October. Continuing irrigation development means it’s an epicentre of intensive farming innovation with many young families pioneering new products and practices. Local businesswoman Kalyn Fletcher, 38, manages the Hoochery Distillery as well as a seed production business and farm, R.B. Dessert Seed Co. Her parents moved between the United States and Kununurra, and in 2004, after finishing university, she returned and is now raising her three young sons with husband Matthew in the vibrant community.
“Kununurra is a young town in so many ways and has always been viewed as a place of opportunity, so there are people from all nationalities,” says Kalyn. “I love the people, the environment, the remoteness, the opportunities and challenges. The wet season provides a pause button so you enjoy family time with rainy days, waterfalls and fishing.” Chris Matthews, 36, has lived in Kununurra for 14 years and is the resident musician at accommodation hub El Questro, 110 kilometres to the west. Originally from the state’s south-west, he now regards the East Kimberley as home. “It has a beautiful vibe; everyone’s really supportive and there’s a big sense of community because people who live here love the area,” he says. “The countryside itself is mind-blowing — there’s nowhere else like it in the world.” On his days off, Chris finds remote spots to hike and explore and a favourite is Revolver Falls. “That’s the beauty of the East Kimberley, everyone has a special spot where they can relax and recharge. Come up and find your own, there’s plenty of them.” > For details, telephone 1800 586 868 or visitkununurra.com
MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE $340,000 MEDIAN RENTAL PRICE $400 per week (for a standard three-bedroom house) PROPERTY According to Brad Williams, director of Kimberley First National Real Estate (kimberleyfirstnational.com.au), the investor market is expected to return to Kununurra, given the rental returns and the ability to currently buy at less than replacement value. “The next big project for Kununurra is Project Sea Dragon, a proposed large-scale land-based prawn aquaculture project to be constructed on Legune Station, with a processing plant based in Kununurra,” says Brad. “It is anticipated it will be a staged development of approximately 10,000 hectares of prawn production ponds. A project this size is a fantastic addition to the local economy, which has always been diverse, thriving on a variety of sources such as farming, tourism, mining and now it looks like aquaculture will be added to this.”
ON THE MOVE KUNUNURRA WA
Kalyn Fletcher MANAGER, HOOCHERY DISTILLERY
Returned to Kununurra in 2004.
THE ESSENTIALS Kununurra is 1043 kilometres north-east of Broome and 827 kilometres south-west of Darwin.
FLYING IN? Airnorth and Virgin operate services between Perth, Broome and Darwin at the East Kimberley Regional Airport. Check with the Kununurra Visitor Centre before travelling during the wet season.
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Molly Springs is around 30 kilometres from Kununurra; Kalyn Fletcher; PumpHouse Restaurant & Bar is located on Lake Kununurra. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP RIGHT Ivanhoe Crossing is a popular fishing spot; boab tree near Kelly’s Knob; the surrounds of Molly Springs.
REASONS TO VISIT
ARGYLE DIAMONDS ORD VALLEY MUSTER holds 30 events over 10 days in May, including music and dining under the stars. ordvalleymuster.com.au IVANHOE CROSSING is a popular local destination for barramundi fishing. visitkununurra.com/explore/ attractions/ivanhoe-crossing
ORD RIVER AND LAKE ARGYLE CRUISES to enjoy sunset over the Carr Boyd Ranges and learn all about the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. lakeargylecruises.com PURNULULU NATIONAL PARK Take a scenic flight over Bungle Bungle Range, a World Heritage site. parks.dpaw.wa. gov.au/park/purnulul; aviair.com.au
WARINGARRI ABORIGINAL ARTS is Indigenous-owned and and supports more than 100 artists, including painters, wood carvers and textile artists. 16 Speargrass Road, Kununurra. (08) 9168 2212; waringarriarts.com.au
REASONS TO STAY THE EAST KIMBERLEY REGION
Kununurra is a great base to explore the region with the Gibb River Road and gorges, ranges, fishing and camping spots. visitkununurra.com.au LOCAL PRODUCE Sample fresh melons, citrus, chia and mangoes.
EAT
CORNERSIDE CAFE for a brunch
of wild granola with hemp seeds, goji berries, fruit and blackberry yoghurt. Open Monday to Friday 6.30am–3pm; Saturday and Sunday 7am–1pm. Shop 5/20 Messmate Way. (08) 9169 1111; cornersidecafe.com.au HOOCHERY DISTILLERY for rum with a slice of Ord River Rum cake. Open Monday to Friday 9am–4pm; Saturday 9am–12pm. Lot 300 Weaber Plain Road. (08) 9168 2467; hoochery.com.au
PUMPHOUSE RESTAURANT & BAR showcases produce from the Kimberleys. Open Tuesday to Friday 4.30pm–late; Saturday 8am–late; Sunday 8am–8.30pm. Lot 3005 Lakeview Drive, Kununurra. (08) 9169 3222; thepumphouserestaurant.com WILD MANGO CAFE for gelato. Open Monday to Friday 6.30am–2pm; Saturday and Sunday 7am–1pm. Shop 1/20 Messmate Way, Kununurra. (08) 9169 2810; wildmangocafe.com.au >
ORD RIVER IRRIGATION EXPANSION has developed in stages and will include around 30,000 hectares of prime agricultural land. kdc.wa.gov.au
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ON THE MOVE KUNUNURRA WA CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Lake Kununurra; salt and pepper calamari at PumpHouse Restaurant & Bar; local musician Chris Mathews performs at El Questro; coconut semolina porridge with granola and maple syrup at Cornerside Café. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Freshwater Apartments; Wild Mango Café; Waringarri Aboriginal Arts (artworks from left) Yab-yabbe-geni-nim (1) and Yab-yabbe-geni-nim (2), both by Minnie Lumai, Larrgen by Peggy Madijarroong Griffiths; local watermelons for sale.
STAY
EL QUESTRO offers camping through
to luxury homestead accommodation for those exploring the East Kimberleys. El Questro Wilderness Park, 75 Coolibah Drive, Kununurra. 1800 837 168; elquestro.com.au FRESHWATER APARTMENTS have self-contained rooms and apartments in a tropical seting. 19 Victoria Highway, Kununurra. (08) 9169 2010; freshwaterapartments.net.au
SHOP
Chris Matthews MUSICIAN, EL QUESTRO
Kununurra resident for 14 years.
ARTLANDISH ABORIGINAL ART GALLERY supports Indigenous artists
with works in a range of prices. 10 Papuana Street, Kununurra. (08) 9168 1881; aboriginal-art-australia.com ARTOPIA GALLERY for local artwork and framing. 144 Konkerberry Drive, (08) 9168 1882; artopiagallery.com.au
BIRDLAND FUNCTIONAL ART Expect Kimberley-inspired jewellery, glass and ceramic art. 22 Poinsettia Way, Kununurra. (08) 9168 1616. KIMBERLEY FINE DIAMONDS for a memento of the region’s natural beauty. 93 Konkerberry Drive, Kununurra. (08) 9169 1133; kimberleyfinediamonds.com.au
THE SANDALWOOD FACTORY for locally produced health and beauty products. Lot 51, Weaber Plain Road, Kununurra. (08) 9169 1987.
FAMILY FOCUS Education options include St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and Kununurra District High School has kindergarten through to Year 12. North Regional TAFE offers certificate and diploma courses (northregionaltafe.wa.edu.au/courses/courses-kununurra). Kununurra also has a good range of health and medical services.
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OPPORTUNITY CALLS The largest industries of employment are health care and social assistance, mining, accommodation and food services, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and education and training. The East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ekcci.com.au), Kimberley Small Business Support (ksbs.com.au) and Many Rivers (manyrivers.org.au) provide business support. The proposed staged development of Project Sea Dragon may lead to a processing plant in Kununurra (seafarms.com.au/ about-project-sea-dragon).
THE PEACE AND RUGGED BUSHLAND OF THE COUNTRY INSPIRES THESE TWO CREATIVE WOMEN.
FASHION
PHOTOGRAPHY MARK ROPER, MARNIE HAWSON
Erin Malloy works out of her Macedon studio in Victoria. FACING PAGE Kristine Lindbjerg retreats to her Capertee house in NSW, west of the Blue Mountains.
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ERIN MALLOY WO O DWO R K E R AND G RA P H I C D E S I G N E R , 2 8
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Erin collaborated with ceramicist Katia Carleti to create these spoons; Erin oiling a buter knife with beeswax salve; Erin working at the wood lathe. FACING PAGE Some of Erin’s spoons and rolling pins.
What do love about the country? I love the way it makes me feel more mindful. I notice the weather more, listen to birdsong and smell the freshly sprouting wattle; the sounds and scents of nature are enhanced and force me to be present. How would you describe your style? Delicate but bold, elegant but functional. What are your wardrobe essentials? A flattering pair of jeans, simple linen shirts, summer slips and a leather jacket. What do you always pack when travelling? Edible Beauty No. 2 Citrus Rhapsody Toner Mist and The Beauty Chef’s Beauty Fix Balm. My skin gets pretty dry and this tasty-smelling combo is super hydrating. Do you have any favourite clothing labels? I like to keep it as local as possible and support brands committed to making a difference. So Nobody Denim is a winner, as well as The Hemp Temple, and Salt Gypsy for essential summer swimwear. Do you have any favourite accessories? I can’t go past a handcrafted piece of jewellery made by my partner Michael Tink of Tink. More specifically, the ring he made that includes a sapphire I fossicked in a river in NSW, and gold he found in Victoria. What are your go-to hair and beauty essentials? I love getting down with homemade DIY, that way I know exactly what I’m putting on my body, so coconut oil ticks all the boxes. I also like RMS Beauty’s ‘Un’ Cover-Up foundation/concealer to enhance healthy-looking skin and not just cover it up, as well as nourishing beauty from the inside out with Moon Juice’s Reishi powder. What are you reading/listening to/watching? I’m reading Slow by Brooke McAlary, and listening to podcasts Bulletproof Radio and Design Matters. What’s the best style advice you’ve ever received? Spend as much as you can afford on your pieces. Quality items, while usually more expensive, are worth the investment. They not only last longer, but they can also make you feel better. How do you manage work/life balance? I love lists and I use them to prioritise my time at work, collaborations, and time with family and friends. Regular exercise and spending time in nature are also important ways I recharge the batteries. > For more information, visit erinmalloy.com or follow @erinmalloy on Instagram.
PHOTOGRAPHY MARNIE HAWSON
Erin works as a graphic designer then spends her weekends in her Macedon studio, in central Victoria, creating beautiful wooden wares.
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crafted by nature SIMPLE BASICS, ELEGANT ACCESSORIES AND HANDMADE DETAILS MAKE UP ERIN’S STYLE.
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1 Small porcelain spoons, from $70 each, from Erin Malloy. 2 Womens Slim linen shirt in Light Blue, $100, from Venroy. 3 Bumpy earrings in polished 18-carat Yellow Gold and White Gold, $750, from Tink. 4 Bias cut silk skirt in Hunter Green, $175, from Silk Laundry. 5 Speckle teapot, $220, from Katia Carleti. 6 No. 2 Citrus Rhapsody toner mist, $42, from Edible Beauty Australia. 7 Paper bag in Sage, from $24, from Uashmama. 8 Boat Hobe shoes in Beach, $179, from Hobes. 9 Hourglass Arch Brow sculpting pencil, $49, from Mecca. 10 Slow book by Brooke McAlary, $32.99, from Allen & Unwin. 11 Khaki, Rose and Black watch, $125, from Uncle Jack. 12 Witloft leather apron in Cognac and Nude, $279, from Top3 by Design. For stockist details, see page 136.
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KRISTINE LINDBJERG GRAPHIC DESIGNER, 44
CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE Kristine with her husband Michael T. Hansen; their home is surrounded by wilderness; the hats were a gift from a friend. FACING PAGE Kristine’s cardigan is from Max Mara and she made her dress out of silk from Tessuti Fabrics.
What do love about the country? I find that being in nature inspires and re-energises me. Going for long walks makes me appreciate how small humans are in the scheme of things and provides me with an enriched perspective. How would you describe your style? Being Danish, my style is very Scandinavian, but with the much warmer climate here I have adjusted to it. I wear dresses all year round, many of which I have made. What are your wardrobe essentials? I rarely go anywhere without a hat. I love how it protects me from the sun in summer and the cold in winter. I also have a passion for scarfs, which are useful for taking on the ferry to work and in the office. What do you always pack when travelling? I bring my camera as you never know what you will encounter. I like to have my sleep mask and a warm scarf. To keep my belongings organised, I’ve made some bags from leftover textiles that can house anything from stockings to shoes. I always bring a notebook, too. I love to take notes and write a diary. It is a lovely way to enjoy the experience for longer. Do you have any favourite clothing labels? I like Lee Mathews, Morrison and By Malene Birger. What are your go-to hair and beauty essentials? I use Bush Elements Day Moisturiser. It’s made with macadamia oil and lanolin extracts and has SPF protection. I also like M.A.C Mineralize Glass lip gloss in Modest. My go-to hair essential is using a little bit of Moroccanoil after washing my hair. What do you never leave home without? A hat, my sunglasses and a spray of Un Jardin Sur Le Nil by Hermès. What are you reading/listening to/watching? I’ve just read Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. My favourite film is The Danish Girl. I love everything about it: the music, the clothing and the beautiful setting of mid-1920s Copenhagen. How do you manage work/life balance? I walk for 45 minutes in the morning before getting ready for the office. Work has never felt like a burden, but it was harder to balance when our kids oung. Now, we have dinner every night and t can all continue work or study afterwards. Visit lindbjerggraphic.com.au and follow @ lindbjerggraphic on Instagram.
PHOTOGRAPHY MARK ROPER
Kristine recently built a home in Capertee, NSW, (turn to page 38 to read about the house) more than two-and-a-half-hours north-west of Sydney, with her husband Michael T. Hansen, 45, and sons Oskar, 19, and Carl, 16.
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nordic touch KRISTINE’S DAY-TO-DAY LOOK IS POLISHED SCANDI CHIC MEETS NATURAL TEXTURES. 1 Miller coton poplin ruffle dress in Black, $499, from Lee Mathews. 2 Cremesheen Glass Lipglass in Boy Bait, $40, from M.A.C. 3 Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Toit Eau De Toilette, $175, from David Jones. 4 Signature cast-iron oval casserole dish in Marine, $429, from Le Creuset. 5 Beginnings scarf, $119, from Dog & Boy. 6 Original oil treatment, $63.95, from Moroccanoil. 7 Ilse Jacobsen high rubber boots in Black, $259, from Nordic Fusion. 8 Woodley Stone hat, $99, from Will & Bear. 9 Buterfly sunglasses in Black, $690, from Chanel. 10 The Danish Girl book by David Ebershoff, $19.99, from Allen & Unwin. 11 EOS 1500D digital SLR camera, $699, from Canon. 12 Dew Drops earrings in 18-carat Yellow Gold with Aquamarine, POA, from Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen. For stockist details, see page 136.
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HEALT H AND BEAUT Y
FA C I N G T H E F U T U R E JULIETTE WINTER REPORTS ON THE LATEST BEAUTY TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT ONCE SEEMED OUT OF THIS WORLD. FOR THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY, 2018 was a year of rapid
evolution and major innovation. We saw a rise in the popularity of exotic ingredients and skin supplements, while anti-pollution and bespoke skincare solutions moved into the mainstream. But bigger — yes, much bigger — changes are just around the corner. “We’re about to see a powerful change in the ‘natural’ beauty category and there will be a mass culture shift,” says Deryll Naidoo, founder of Future Hub, a Melbourne-based company that forecasts industry-disrupting trends. “Taking care of yourself is in. Unhealthy habits are out. Phrases such as ‘irritant free’ and ‘zero irritant’ won’t just be used by natural skincare brands, they will become standard for mass skincare.” As a result, trends such as ‘glass skin’ — skin so clear and luminous it almost appears translucent — will go mainstream. Australian women are enthusiastically embracing the K-beauty (and soon-to-come J-beauty, or Japanese beauty) trend, prompting Korea’s bestselling brand, Innisfree, to expand into Australia. (They currently have two stores in Melbourne.) One of the factors contributing to K-beauty’s success is novel ingredients, and now Western brands such as Mavala, Rejuvaphyl and Ole Henriksen are jumping on the innovation bandwagon. Chlorophyll, bakuchiol (a plant extract with anti-ageing properties that’s touted as a natural alternative to retinol) and perlite (a moisture-absorbing mineral derived from volcanic rock) are three ingredients that are rapidly moving up the ‘it list’. But the quest for perfect skin isn’t just about innovation in ingredients, there is serious science involved. Epigenetics — the study of biological mechanisms that will switch genes on and off — is the new buzzword in skincare science. “Epigenetics is involved in the pathology of every disease… it is sensitive to changes in all kinds of environmental exposures,” says Dr Neil Youngson, a medical researcher at the University of New South Wales who specialises in epigenetics. “When we age, the cell energy drops… we need to re-energise it by restoring its optimal function.” Sisley have tried to do just that — the French skincare brand recently launched a new firming serum they claim has the ability to factor in behavioural signs of ageing and reactivate the mechanisms that make skin firm and youthful. Phytomer are also focusing on gene function.
Their latest cellulite lotion, Celluli Attack, contains sea grape, an ingredient they claim can suppress the genes that control the synthesis and storage of fat cells. If that isn’t sci-fi enough, smart technology is rocketing take-home beauty tools to a whole new level. Neutrogena have launched a light therapy spot treatment pen to banish blemishes, while cleansing devices, such as Foreo’s Luna Fofo, have become ultra-sophisticated, incorporating innovative sensors to measure and analyse skin. Then there’s the Foreo UFO, the world’s first ‘smart mask’, a hand-held device that combines red, green and blue LED light therapy with thermotherapy (to open up pores and help infuse active ingredients into the skin), t-sonic pulsations (to aid absorption of ingredients) and cryotherapy (to seal in active ingredients and reduce puffiness). There’s even a vaccine in development that will fight acne. According to a paper published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, scientists have discovered an antibody to a toxin that is linked to acne-causing inflammation. It’s still in the testing phase but, in the meantime, brands like Amperna are leading the way for sensitive and acne-prone skin, formulating skincare products with probiotics that encourage good bacteria to flourish. When it comes to make-up, the future is incredibly colourful, according to Alphie Sadsad, national artistry lead for Sephora Australia. “People are thinking more about make-up as self-care, not something that’s silly and superficial,” he says. “It’s a way to improve your mood or express your creativity.” And the trend towards colourful cosmetics looks set to continue. “Everyone loves a little colour in their lives and a bold lip or fierce eye is always a great pick up.” Next year, the biggest change will be driven by the growing movement to embrace diversity, with brands such as Fenty leading the way. “Forty foundation shades is becoming the new normal,” says Alphie. He also tips Bounce Foundation by Beautyblender as a product to look out for. “Think 40 shades, innovative packaging and a texture everyone will love.” If Bounce Foundation does prove popular, you can bet it’s consumers who are driving the trend. “It is people, rather than brands, that have become the biggest cultural trend shifters,” says Deryll. He believes brands are not only listening to their customers more, they’re using customers’ input throughout the product development process. “Cultural trends are the main driving force for change... this is a major mindshift.” >
“It is people, rather than brands, that have become the biggest cultural trend shifters.”
128 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
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PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER STYLING HANNAH BRADY SMALL PALE PEACH ROSETTE, $180, FROM SKINNY WOLF. FOR STOCKIST DETAILS, SEE PAGE 136.
1 Rejuvaphyl Rejuvenating Complex HS, $217.80 for 30ml. 2 Neutrogena’s Visibly Clear Light Therapy Spot Treatment, $39.99. 3 Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Firming Concentrated Serum, $600 for 30ml. 4 Foreo UFO Mini, $257. 5 Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum, $39 for 80ml. For stockist details, see page 136.
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6 Mavala Aqua Plus Multi-Moisturizing Sleeping Mask, $54.95 for 75ml. 7 Amperna Probiotic + DS Soothing Serum, $50 for 50ml. 8 Phytomer Celluli Attack, $153 for 100ml. 9 Ole Henriksen Transform Plus Goodnight Glow Retin-ALT Sleeping Crème, $88 for 50ml. For stockist details, see page 136.
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1. US brand Rejuvaphyl is taking advantage of the abundance of vitamins and antioxidants in chlorophyll, and its ability to repair and recharge skin, using it in products such as their Rejuvaphyl Rejuvenating Complex HS (30ml, $217.80). 2. The Neutrogena Visibly Clear Light Therapy Spot Treatment ($39.99) is like a magic wand for blemishes. It uses red light to calm inflammation and blue light to target acne-causing bacteria. 3. Diet, stress, sun exposure, pollution and other lifestyle factors not only affect our skin and the way it ages, they’re believed to have an impact on our genes. Sisley’s latest research in the field of epigenetics has produced their Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Firming Concentrated Serum (30ml, $600). The result of around five years’ research and development, the serum reactivates an enzyme responsible for elastin production, helping the skin become firmer, smoother and more toned. 4. The latest in at-home facial treatments is the Foreo UFO Mini ($257), which has five masks to choose from. Each treatment takes 90 seconds and uses up to three LED light therapies (red for anti-ageing, green for brightening and blue for blemishes), plus heat and pulsations to infuse the masks into the skin.
130 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
5. This year, Korean brand Innisfree opened their first Australian store, which carries a staggering 640 products. But it’s their popular hydrating treatment, Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum (80ml, $39), that steals the show, selling 13 botles every minute. 6. Mavala have released their first skincare line in Australia to focus on Swiss alpine ingredients, such as soothing mallow flower. Try Mavala Aqua Plus Multi-Moisturizing Sleeping Mask (75ml, $54.95) to hydrate and rejuvenate skin while you sleep. 7. Amperna is a holistic brand that uses a host of vitamins to strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and soothe sensitive skin. The star of the range is a calming treatment serum, Amperna Probiotic + DS Soothing Serum (50ml, $50). 8. Using sea grape to turn on genes that regulate fat burning and defuse genes that generate new fat cells, Phytomer Celluli Attack (100ml, $153) helps reduce cellulite and smooth the skin. 9. Using bakuchoil, a natural alternative to retinol derived from the babchi plant, Ole Henriksen Transform Plus Goodnight Glow Retin-ALT Sleeping Crème (50ml, $88) treats signs of sun damage and ageing while you sleep. For stockist details, see page 136.
SMALL LIGHT BLUE AND WHITE STRIPED DENIM ROSETTE, $160, FROM SKINNY WOLF. FOR STOCKIST DETAILS, SEE PAGE 136.
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BOOKS
BOOK CLUB THE PAST YEAR HAS YIELDED SOME OF THE BEST BOOKS OUR REVIEWER HAS SEEN IN A LONG TIME. REVIEWS ANNABEL L AWSON
THE WAITER Matias Faldbakken, Doubleday, $29.99 This slim novel set in Oslo cast a spell on me. It’s narrated by a waiter who has spent all his working life in an elegant restaurant. He’s a loner, does a splendid job with the regulars and knows exactly how to engage with his bosses but ordinary socialising is beyond him. One day a young woman comes in. She’s laid-back yet a weird potency emanates. She throws back a quadruple espresso with no visible effect. And? Lots of laughs along the way but don’t expect a tidy ending.
THE GIRL THEY LEFT BEHIND Roxanne Veletzos, Simon & Schuster, $29.99 My first boss, a Brit, ran away as a teenager and joined King Carol of Romania’s bodyguards. They had splendid plumed helmets but the money ran out and instead of shiny boots they wore tennis shoes. The king left Bucharest in a hail of bullets in 1940. Veletzov’s stupendous novel,
based on her mother’s childhood, takes place in Romania during the 1940s and 1950s. Her Jewish parents abandoned Alexandra (‘Natalia’ in the novel) as it was her only chance of survival. During WWII the Nazis used Romania’s oil and food. There was a coup and Romania joined the Allies but at the end of the war Romania was handed over to the Russians, their former enemies, and times were hard. No schooling for young Natalia and no job for her father. Their home and all their treasures requisitioned, the family beds down in a dormitory. Eventually her lover, a senior Communist Party member, sends her on her way to freedom in New York. This novel will linger long after you’ve turned the last page. An intense experience.
IN PIECES Sally Field, Simon & Schuster, $45 Her baby-faced prettiness was spotted by Hollywood agents when she was a teenager. She was snapped up for Gidget and then The Flying Nun.
The hot, thick nun’s habit hid her pregnancy right up to the last. At home her stepfather Jocko O’Mahoney had become a predator when she was a child. Her mother, slipping into alcoholism, knew but pretended not to. Thenceforth Field became paralysed in situations which required her to stand up to a man. (There’s an episode where her strange husband Steve throws their baby son Peter in the air and the baby repeatedly hits his head on the ceiling: she freezes.) Eventually Field’s serious talent was recognised and she made Sybil, Places in the Heart and, in 1978, Norma Rae for which she won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, and every other Best Actress award. There are occasional glimpses of the men who thought they could dominate her. (Burt Reynolds seems to have raised narcissism to an art form.) The scene which, for me, symbolised her underlying toughness is where she and her sister resolve that the ugly structure over the patio has to go. Surely a properly equipped tradesman should have done the job. No. The two girls
jump onto the roof and hack away until the wretched portico falls. There are no clichés in this confronting memoir. First class.
FEAR Bob Woodward, Simon & Schuster, $45 Yes, that Bob Woodward, the one who with his Washington Post colleague Carl Bernstein brought down President Nixon 44 years ago. Was this new, detailed investigation into Trump’s first 16 months going to have a similar outcome? It’s not all hostile. The subversion from some quarters comes close to betrayal. Woodward spoke to department chiefs and to White House staff promising anonymity but many, driven to distraction by Trump’s eccentricities, said “Name me”. However, only four days after publication, the world’s attention was captured by the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, nominated to fill the ninth seat on the US Supreme Court Bench and accused by Dr Christine Blasey Ford of attempted rape. The controversy damaged both parties and together with Fear reconfigured prospects for the mid-term elections. Woodward offers a collection of unique testimonies. Unmissable.
PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER STYLING HANNAH BRADY
THE PLANTHUNTER: TRUTH, BEAUTY, CHAOS AND PLANTS Georgina Reid, photography by Daniel Shipp, Thames & Hudson, $59.99 First of all what a title. Hey, hey, hey. Reid, who is a regular contributor to Country Style, publishes an online conversation with the natural world at theplanthunter.com.au, which has whipped up a storm of rather wordy contributions. Her subsequent book consists of 24 interviews. Cevan Forristt in San Jose, US, wears a green feather toupee. “My ego is not attached to the job,” he says. “Flurry” aka chaos is a key theme. Each time Bruce Dunstan of Nundah goes overseas he brings back at least 10 new species
he’s discovered. (Customs and Excise have been prepped about this.) We know scarcely five to 10 per cent of plant species present on Earth, he tells us. Clive Blazey from Northcote in Melbourne curates heirloom seeds. Seed patents make him seethe with rage. Michael Shepherd of Onehunga, NZ, knows the value of insects to plants and has created a hotel for the most helpful species. Janet Laurence in East Balmain maintains “most people don’t care about anything”. Her mission is to “speak loudly” for the plant kingdom and spread its beauty through her art. Trisha Dixon’s property in the Monaro region, Bobundara, “had no soul” when she bought it. She let its original truth re-emerge, a landscape in which burgeoning, fading and dead plants are conterminous. Death is Nature’s greatest invention. Even the 2000-year-old welwitschias in Namibia will one day cease to respire, our fellow colonisers of this weary wonderful planet.
THE PATTERNED INTERIOR Greg Natale with foreword by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, photography by Anson Smart, Rizzoli, $90 Without a blush, Natale relates the reaction of Barry Humphries to the video concept for his living room: “It will trigger epileptic fits.” People once wanted white walls, beige carpeting and a pastel bathroom. Today, we welcome Natale’s philosophy which is that patterns are proposals, propositions and provocation. His Moroccan tiles dazzle underfoot. Two vintage Pierre Cardin lamps casually obscure a priceless painting, the two ‘layers’ dizzy and exciting. Natale’s not afraid of solid black as counterpoint to zigzags and hectic checks. His inky bathroom would be claustrophobic were it not for a ceiling mirror and a massive chain mail motif like armour for titans. Some might ask, “Do patterns pall?” Natale argues — and his words are as good as his visions — that, on contrary, they unleash strength.
BEST OF 2018 AUSTRALIAN FICTION THE SHEPHERD’S HUT Tim Winton, Hamish Hamilton, $39.99 Winton’s finest. A boy flees cruel father and finds a mentor in the the outback. UK FICTION TRANSCRIPTION Kate Atkinson, Doubleday, $32.99 A truly superb spy thriller set in London during and after WWII. AMERICAN FICTION MRS. Caitlin Macy, Simon & Schuster, $29.99 Three women battle modern life but this take is original, revelatory. GARDENS GARDEN LOVE Simon Griffiths, Thames & Hudson, $59.99 Beautiful photographs of 22 gardens with lively commentary. COMEDY ABSOLUTE PROOF Peter James, Macmillan, $29.99 The Holy Grail, pure evil masquerading as religion — what’s not to like? HISTORY WEDNESDAYS WITH BOB Bob Hawke and Derek Rielly, Macmillan, $29.99 Rielly charms our revered ex-PM and now we have this warts-and-all memoir. POLITICS THE WORLD AS IT IS Ben Rhodes, Bodley Head, $35 Hair-raising and oddly tender, Rhodes tells of his years as Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor. TALKING POINT SCREEN SCHOOLED Joe Clement and Matt Miles, Black Inc., $34.99 Children enslaved by tablets — the facts. ADVENTURE THE BAREFOOT SURGEON Ali Gripper, Allen & Unwin, $32.99 Gripper’s detail in this account of Fred Hollow’s protégé is positively forensic. BIOGRAPHY GOING TO THE MOUNTAIN Ndaba Mandela, Hutchinson, $35 Mandela’s grandson lived e great man during his presi A fly-on-the-wall account.
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 133
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PHOTOGRAPHY NIC GOSSAGE STYLING HANNAH BRADY
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FIELD GUIDE
FIELD GUIDE
BACKGROUND PHOTOGRAPHY GUY BAILEY STYLING ANNA DELPRAT
BROWSE OUR ADVERTISERS’ PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.
PERFECT SETTING
HOME BREW
IN BLOOM
Create your perfect outdoor setting just in time for summer with the Lucy Modular range. Made from man-made rattan and fit for any type of weather, this range looks chic all year round. POA; cotswoldfurniture.com.au
Enjoy barista-quality coffee at home with DeLonghi’s PrimaDonna Class coffee machine. In sleek stainless steel, it has a touch-button start and is easy to use. $1849 at Harvey Norman. delonghi.com/en-au/products/coffee
Join Jacqueline Coates in rural France (April 26–May 5) to learn the Blooms Painting Method. $7697; artscreativehub.com/art-workshopsevents/france/blooms-paintingworkshop-france
LUCKY CHARM
ALL WHITE NOW
CARING BEARS
Fine white diamonds are set in 18ct white gold in the Lannah Dunn diamond horseshoe necklace. This symbol of good luck and protection is sure to bring joy to the wearer. $3999; lannahdunn.com
Provincial Home Living’s Sorrento sofa is now available in white. The best-selling collection comes in 1.5 or three-seat options, both with oversized seat cushions. From $1799; provincialhomeliving.com.au
Help make a child’s stay in hospital a little less scary by gifting a cuddly teddy bear from The Kids’ Cancer Project collection. All proceeds go toward kids’ cancer research. thekidscancerproject.org.au/bears
COUNTRY EMPORIUM
Trusted by Generations A selection of fine antique, Victorian, Edwardian & Art-Deco Jewels
The only ones in the world
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COUNTRY EMPORIUM
Fashion • Organic beauty products • Global homewares
The URALLA WOOLROOM Fine Merino Wool & Natural Fibre Garments ~ Yarns ~ Patterns Accessories ~ Uimi ~ Walnut Hill Merino Snug ~ Merino Gold Woolerina ~ Toorallie ~ Merinomink
Made in Australia 38 Bridge St URALLA NSW 02 6778 4226
www.mollydale.com.au www.urallawoolroom.com.au
LAURA ASH LEY MELBOURNE
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HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORIES
ADELAIDE
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DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 139
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LUXURY ARTISAN SPA BARS
Nordic lifestyle store and boutique accommodation Newcastle, NSW Shop online at pappasven.com.au
WWW.ALISTAIRANDROBYN.COM.AU SLOW THREADS
Australian Made Gourmet Condiments
Organic & Natural Clothing & Toys
www.slowthreads.com.au
judesfoods.com.au
MALAWI CANE O R I G I N A L C A N E A N D R AT TA N HANDMADE IN MALAWI
dressybessy.com.au
malawicane.com.au
Italian gifts made by independent artisans and small businesses in Italy.
Originals Studio Couch Pebble Nest of Tables & Coffee Table For all retail sales enquiries contact the Australian distributor of ercol at temperaturedesign.com.au or on (61) 3 9419 1447 @temperaturedesign
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8369
10% discount when enter ‘COUNTRYSTYLE’ at checkout – valid until 31-12-18
T: 0417514291 E: casamondella@gmail.com BUY CHRISTMAS ONLINE CASAMONDELLA.COM.AU
COUNTRY EMPORIUM
HOME TEXTILES
chapelandco.com 10% off for Country Style readers, use code: CSTYLE
SOPHIE DIGARD HANDMADE SCARVES, DOLLS, HATS & BAGS PLUS AMET & LADOUE SCARVES, COLIN PARKER ART, ARTISAN TEXTILES AND MORE! Beautiful UPF50+ swimwear for men and women
madscents.com.au
0419 649 634 admin@coolacozzies.com www.coolacozzies.com.au
QUIDDITAS GENERAL STORE 199 Leura Mall, Leura NSW 02 4709 4000 QUIDDITAS ONLINE SHOP quidditas.com.au/online-shop
Infinity Scarves by
Pure Cotton Nightwear
Celebrate Xme as with Verg Stylish - Unique Designs - Australian
www.knisa.com.au
www.sunnyblue.com.au
www.jungleroad.com.au
customise your own sign!
therenmystore.com.au HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORIES
perfect for country life www.mrstutton.com
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 141
COUNTRY EMPORIUM
Handmade cushions and throws
www.byarna.com.au
by_arna
IRONING BOARD COVERS
Premium beeswax fabric food wraps
Cint_boutique
Great new range of colours and designs, new products all ready for Christmas
Cint Young
Stocking clothes and accessories from Australian & International labels – Moss & Spy, Talulah, Luxe Deluxe, Primness, Trelise Cooper, Johnny Was, Briony Marsh, Ivy Lee, Camilla, Stevie May, M.A. Dainty, Superga, J Brand, Coster, Alias Mae & James Smith, Alessandra.
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cint.com.au
www.waxiwraps.com.au
www.suziehopedesigns.com
Luxuriously sot, superine merino wraps fold into travel pouches - always on hand + Lightweight and breathable + Classic go-with-anything colours + Two sizes: Traveller and Cocoon
Ideal for everyday: perfect for travelling Made in Australia
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8369
www.glamwrap.com.au
Ph 0408 819 007
AMANDA BROOKS ARTIST
Merry Christmas! Our gift to you is 10% off! Discount code: XMAS10 Expires 31/12/18
Australian Designed & Handmade Jewellery Specialising in Venetian Glass.
Elegant white lily 100x100cm
Express post & special gift on order. www.ritzyrocks.com.au
0417 071 336
info@artbybrooks.com.au www.ar tbybrooks.com.au
www.pureheaven.com.au
Authentic French styled market baskets for all your carrying needs.
Gifts for Everyone
2ducktrading.com.au 02 9380 2672
Vintage & Antique Art for Interior Spaces VintageArtEmporium
www.pamperhampergifts.com.au
www.VintageArtEmporium.com
COUNTRY EMPORIUM
RITZYROCKS
NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR MODERN DAY LIVING
WWW.MOOMA.CO.NZ
Dee Jackson Australian artist, Dee Jackson, creates beautiful watercolour portraits. Commissions Welcome.
Dee Jackson T: 02 9416 2265 | M: 0439 986 452 E: deejackson@deejackson.com.au www.deejackson.com.au
PJ MILLER
HOME OF BOWRAL BOXERS
BUY NOW FOR
Christmas
Pure cotton boxer shorts, nightshirts & sleepwear Now stocking French Country Sleepwear Sizes 8-24 New fun boys’ & girls’ pretty boxers just in time for Christmas sizes 8-14 years from $25.00
www.bowralboxers.com.au Phone (02) 4862 2520
HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORIES
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 143
COUNTRY EMPORIUM
Artisan Natural Chalk Finish Australian made furniture paint Easy to use, gorgeous colours, & eco friendly
THE CREWEL GOBELIN NEEDLECRAFT
Specialty Needlework Store Supplies and Workshops THECREWELGOBELIN.COM.AU
02 9498 6831
www.artisanpaintcompany.com.au
PROUDLY MADE HERE IN AUSTRALIA
Swings Teepees Swags Cradles Rope ladders
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www.dalcheri.com.au
www.swingz.com.au
Australian made & owned Certified Organic Skincare 20% Off Country Style Readers Use Code: CS20OFF @clearorganicsAus
w w w.byp ess o a.com
www.clearorganics.com.au
Australian Merino ETHICAL, SUSTAINABLE & COLLECTABLE
USE CODE CSDEC2018 TO GET 10% OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE
lovemerino.com.au
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8369
Ph 0414 551 895
Metalbirds are covert art – hammer one into a lamp post or a tree in a public or private place to beatify and add value, at least it won’t offend! Our birds are laser cut from 3mm Corten steel, which is designed to rust. The lovely rustic look and feel to the bird develops over time as it is exposed to the elements.
metalbirds.com.au
FLEXIBLE STEEL GARDEN EDGING WHICH BENDS TO VIRTUALLY ANY SHAPE FOR LAWNS, DRIVES, PATHS, FLOWER AND VEGETABLE BEDS. EverEdge® is easy to install (no extra pegs or joiners), suits all soil types and is available in a variety of colours and depths. EverEdge is made from 1.6 mm gauge PLOG VWHHO JDOYDQLVHG DQG SRZGHU FRDWHG RU ZLWK D &RU 7HQ UXVWHG ƓQLVK
www.everedge.com.au
0488 010 203
HOME & GA RDEN EMPORIUM
Keep your cutting boards and kitchen benches safe this Christmas
ORDER ONLINE OR FIND A STOCKIST NEAR YOU www.howardproducts.com.au
1800 672 646
600mm/24” Garden Frog Birdbath
NEW: Giant Apple 35”/900mm high A Willie Wildlife Bronze Sculpture makes a very “Special Gift for a Special Person on a Special Occasion”
800mm/32” Lorikeet Birdbath – Duel purpose!
New designs are launched at the Chelsea Flower Show in London williewildlifesculptures.com.au
HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORIES
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 145
The Bellevue is the stunning gem of historic accommodation in Kiama. A Heritage building located on the town square, these award winning plantation style apartments are moments from everything the vibrant community has to offer - the Blow Hole, beaches, rock pools, cafes, restaurants and galleries. Refurbished by the new owners, The Bellevue offers six one-bedroom, fully self-contained apartments, all opening onto wrap around balconies with gorgeous views of the garden and sea.
New South Wales
COUN TRY A ND COA STA L R ETR E ATS
~ Bellevue Accommodation~
21 Minnamurra Street, Kiama ~ Ph: 02 4232 4000 Mob: 0459 708 610 ~ book@bellevueaccommodation.com.au
www.bellevueaccommodation.com.au
Photos: NEG Photography
Experience the New England’s most historical and magniicent property, Goonoo Goonoo Station, located just 15 mins from Tamworth. With its award winning restoration, landscaping, and architecturally designed restaurant, Goonoo Goonoo Station is the perfect location for a country retreat, romantic getaway, or unforgettable event.
Each of the luxuriously restored accommodation options provide guests with access to a range of exclusive hotel facilities, and no stay would be complete without a visit to Glasshouse restaurant – a sophisticated dining experience with sweeping views of the rolling hills of the historical property.
To book your next stay: phone 0429 384 297 | www.goonoogoonoostation.com
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8401
HARBOURSIDE APARTMENTS
THE COMMERCIAL HOTEL
NORTH SYDNEY, NSW
MILLTHORPE, NSW
Escape to a luxury off-grid eco cabin Secluded and unique locations around NSW. Explore, Disconnect, Recharge. Use code COUNTRYSTYLE1 to get 20% off.
Sydney’s absolute waterfront accommodation offers fully serviced and equipped studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Conveniently situated at McMahons Point Ferry Wharf Harbourside is the perfect Sydney base for business or pleasure.
Established and licensed from 1877, this historically listed hotel and building has been fully renovated - a comfortable and inviting space to relax and unwind any time of year. We offer 7 rooms in twin single & queen size. Local beers & wine with comfortable indoor seating as well as a beautiful courtyard and kids play area. Live entertainment on Fridays nights.
info@in2thewild.co in2thewild.aus www.in2thewild.co
02 9963 4300 stay@harboursideaparments.com.au harbourside apartments www.harboursideapartments.com.au
Contact 0498 763 157
COUN TRY A ND COA STA L R ETR E ATS
IN2THEWILD TINY HOUSE GETAWAYS, NSW
Spoil your loved one with a Gift Voucher this Christmas.
New South Wales
BATHURST HEIGHTS BATHURST, NSW Enjoy the relaxing and the sumptuous views over historic Bathurst and the majestic Blue Mountains. Offering 6 queen rooms, 6 bathrooms and a spa room. Free WiFi, large DVD library, games and a wide range of books. BBQ facilities and outdoor entertainment area. Only minutes from Mt Panorama. 02 6331 6330 enquiries@bathurstheightsbb.com.au www.bathurstheightsbb.com.au
BANNISTERS.COM.AU
Adelong Valley Farm Stays ~ Tracton Homestead and Moorallie Cottage ~
CHELSEA PARK BOWRAL, NSW Hollywood in the Highlands Unique Bed and breakfast in an art deco mansion, three bedrooms all quite different. For groups consider Arcadia House, five bedroom self contained home. 02 4861 7046 589 Moss Vale Road Bowral www.chelseaparkbnb.com or www.arcadia-house.com
Our unique self-contained accommodation is located in the heart of the beautiful Adelong Valley. A delightful cottage and generous homestead set amongst rolling countryside provide the perfect place to escape, relax and unwind. Mid-week Country Style special Mon-Thu.
(02) 6946 4494 ~ www.adelongvalleyfarmstays.com.au
DECEMBER 2018 COUNTRY ST Y LE 147
BYRON BAY HINTERLAND LUXURY ACCOMMODATION Hinterland House is Byron Bay’s latest luxury accommodation & events venue. This beautifully renovated 1906 mansion boasts uninterrupted views of the hinterland with soaring 16 ft ceilings, wrap around porches and manicured lawns for guest entertainment. This secluded macadamia farm is the perfect space for your next escape.
stay@hinterlandhouse.com.au hinterlandhouse.com.au
Mudgee’s preferred five-star luxury boutique accommodation. Nestled among breathtaking gardens on a 4.5 acre riverside property privacy and serenity are guaranteed. Book a romantic getaway or a relaxed break with family and friends. Weddings are a specialty. 0455 505 882 info@evanslea.com.au Evanslea www.evanslea.com.au
Feel welcome year-round at Nundle, a charming town of 300 people in the beautiful Hills of Gold, 50km south-east of Tamworth. Relax in the peaceful environment, surrounded by sheep and cattle grazing properties, and forest and bushland covered hills forming part of the Great Dividing Range.
New South Wales
COUN TRY A ND COA STA L R ETR E ATS
EVANSLEA MUDGEE, NSW
Nundle Visitor Information 02 6769 3026 NundleNSW #nundlensw
www.nundle.com.au
Your exclusive Greater Blue Mountains retreat starts at $1,050 per person per evening twin-share. Serene private villas, daily gourmet dining, exciting nature activities and a little One&Only magic await.
oneandonlywolganvalley.com +61 2 9199 1811
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8401
GILLENTOWN VIA CLARE, SA Cottage and Weddings Perfect for Romantic stays, special ceremonies, wine trails or just simply relaxing in this gorgeous country garden amongst the roses.
Enjoy ultimate luxury and relaxation, allow yourself to be pampered with delectable treats and stunning wines from our region and breathe in the aroma of utter peace. It’s the little things that count at bishop’s court estate.
0408 786 500 bookings@theheritagegarden.onmicrosoft.com theheritagegarden www.theheritagegarden.com.au
Bishop’s Court Estate 226 Seymour St Bathurst NSW 2795 Ph: 02 6332 4447
www.bishopscourtestate.com.au
Create a Masterpiece
NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
VOTED South Australia’s MOST INNOVATIVE ARTIST 2017 APAC Awards
BLOOMS WORKSHOP DATES 2019 Learn all about acrylic paint. Includes art materials and catering. Transform your creative abilities.
MELBOURNE – Glen Iris
SYDNEY – Willoughby
4 Day Painting Workshop $2450 pp January 2019 14th – 17th, plus evening of January 13th – Paint two midsize canvas in acrylics.
4 Day Painting Workshop $2350 pp April 2019 13th – 16th plus evening of 12th July 2019 13th – 16th plus evening of 12th – Paint two midsize canvases in acrylics.
HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND 4 Day Painting Workshop $2450 pp February 2019 19th – 22nd, plus evening of February 18th – Paint two midsize canvases in acrylics.
BAROSSA VALLEY – SA 2 Day Painting Workshop $1350 pp March 2019 2nd–3rd, 9 - 5.30pm plus evening of March 1st at Salon Rouge 5.30pm-8.30pm, – Paint a midsize canvas in acrylics.
PERTH – Midland Junction Art Centre 4 Day Painting Workshop $2450 pp March 2019 9th – 12th plus intro evening of March 8th – Paint two midsize canvases in acrylics.
BRISBANE – Metro Arts 4 Day Painting Workshop $2450 pp August 2019 3rd – 6th, 9-5:30PM plus evening of August 2nd – Paint two midsize canvases in acrylics.
BLOOMS DELUXE in FRANCE April 26th − May 5th 2019 8 Day Blooms Art Immersion $7697 pp inc art supplies, accommodation, catering and tuition, 2 half day tours and transits to and from Paris
LOS ANGELES – PAINT BLOOMS USA PACK Visit www.paintbloomsusa.com for details of the workshop Friday 22nd March 1 - 9pm Saturday 23rd March 9 - 6pm Sunday 24th March 9 - 6pm.
PAINT AND TOUR IN FRANCE IN 2019
New South Wales | South Australia
Try my no fail Jacqueline Coates Blooms Painting MethodÂŽ, a system anyone can apply to get amazing results, even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body. I’ve taught thousands of students for 16 years with my ORIGINAL created from scratch teaching methods that unlock painting and colour, and how to handle your paint. Lean on 30 years of painting experience and a compassionate approach. Paint for pleasure or paint for proďŹ t. I help you get your conďŹ dence and creativity going!
COUN TRY A ND COA STA L R ETR E ATS
THE HERITAGE GARDEN
Enjoy a fabulous inspirational creative reboot when you join us on French Art School. Be inspired by the work of the French Impressionists up close and travel in their footsteps as you tour and paint in France with host and art tutor Jacqueline Coates. Small personalised groups, our own painting atelier and art supplies, private chef and chauffeur plus own room throughout. Visit the most beautiful villages and stunning locations. Paint where Monet painted en plein air! There are four tours to choose from in 2019 running from May to September. Start your tour in Paris or the Cote D’Azur! Bonus e-course included. For 2019 tour dates and itineraries please visit
www.frenchartschool.blogspot.com.au
### ! # % Phone 0412 587 438 or 0429 100 929
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New South Wales | Queensland | Tasmania
GO CREATE!
MATES GULLY
ESCAPADE RETREATS
NEW ENGLAND, NSW
WAGGA WAGGA, NSW
NOOSA HEADS, QLD
2019 weekend workshops and art retreats: Erica Gray: Sculpture as Wearable 2/3 Feb Liz Powell: Paper and Stitch 9/10 Feb Judy Wilford: Embroidered Escarpments 2/3 Mar Neha Puri Dhir: Shibori 3/4 Apr Fiona Pfennigwerth: Watercolour 27/28 Apr
Restaurant & Boutique Accommodation. Built in 1905, in the heart of Wagga’s business and entertainment precinct. All rooms with ensuites. Fabulous artwork, cosy ďŹ replaces in winter and al fresco dining in the garden and on our veranda during those long, lazy, summer days.
Contemporary luxury accommodation for your secluded escape. Unrivalled panoramic views of Noosa, from the mountains to the sea. Only 500m from Noosa main beach and Hastings St cafÊ’s, shops and dining. Two Bedroom, one bathroom, Neil Perry appointed kitchen, styled with Kartell furniture.
0422 054 475 admin@gocreatenewengland.com www.gocreatenewengland.com
02 6921 4241 mail@matesgully.com.au www.matesgully.com.au
escapaderetreats www.escapaderetreats.com.au
31 THE ROCKS STANTHORPE, QLD Villas with Style ‘Relax – Revive – Re-energise’ Private 10-acre property with valley views and rock outcrops. Studio, One Bedroom and Two Bedroom Villas each with a unique aspect and privacy. Wood ďŹ re, reverse cycle AC, private BBQ and fully self-contained. Stylish, modern design with comfort in mind. Allow us to ensure your stay is memorable. 07 4681 2726 www.31therocks.com
embrace summer
@frenchmansrivercygnet Long lazy days. Space to breathe. Space to be.
“Peace on earth! This is truly a magical part of the world�
Renew at Frenchman’s River.
with a Tasmanian gourmet indulgence
Experience Summer in Tasmania. Join us for one of our cooking classes or experience our rustic dining showcasing local produce and wines. Luxury guest house and unique cooking school just minutes from Launceston. www.redfeatherinn.com.au
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8401
Treat yourself to a totally private, tranquil waterfront retreat yet just a few minutes to the village of Cygnet. Far away from city distractions. Visit local restaurants, galleries, wineries, cheese farms, blueberries and saffron or just stay and relax. º7i ÕÃÌ Ã>Ì LÞ Ì i wÀi > ` Ü>ÌV i` Ì i Ü>ÌiÀ > ` >ÌÕÀi V i Ì ÕÃo°»
www.coasthousetasmania.com | stay@coasthousetasmania.com | Tel: 0409 446 290
BOMBORA
GRACEBURN GARDENS
CAMBRIDGE, TAS
TORQUAY, VIC
HEALESVILLE, VIC
French provincial styled cottages on private country Estate, set amongst award winning vineyard and olive grove. 1 queen and 2 singles. Panoramic water views, rolling countryside, rambling walks & private beach. Families welcome!
A dream escape two minutes from the centre of Torquay, this immaculate two bedroom suite offers QS beds, luxurious linen and towels, stylish furnishings, Foxtel, decks and garden, private entrance, off-street parking and optional gourmet continental breakfast provisions.
Graceburn Gardens boutique accommodation, built in 1916, offers guests a chance to enjoy the charm of history with modern comforts and all the first class wine, food and nature’s bounty that is on offer in the Yarra Valley.
03 6248 5666 | 0448 701 447 wendy@riversdaleestate.com.au 222 Denholms Rd, Cambridge www.riversdaleestate.com.au
0418 525 948 www.bomborabandb.com.au
B&B & self-contained apartment. info@graceburngardens.com.au GraceburnGardens.Healesville graceburngardens.com.au
Tasmania | Victoria
RIVERSDALE ESTATE
COUN TRY A ND COA STA L R ETR E ATS
COAST HOUSE TASMANIA
LIVE LIFE OUTSIDE 100 breathtaking acres of working farm is home to a community of ethically raised animals, organic grown foodstuffs , tranquil paddocks, & peaceful private accommodation. Your stay at either the gracious Gracefield Cottage or luxurious Gracefield House will bring you closer to nature and enrich your spirit. We have a passion for farming using traditional, sustainable methods that are 100% spray and chemical free. But more importantly we believe connecting to nature makes us all better beings. Reconnect at Gracefield. Only 1.5 hrs from Melbourne - 03.8772.9230
www.gracefield.co gracefield@bultegroup.com
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Victoria | Western Australia | Escape & Explore
CASA LUNA
REX’S YARRA VALLEY HOUSE
BYRONSVALE VINEYARD
MYRRHEE, VIC
BADGER CREEK, VIC
BENDIGO, VIC
Casa Luna is a food-lover’s haven, in the Italian-influenced King Valley wine region. Enjoy wine-matched dinners in the glass-walled dining room, or al fresco in the wood-fired kitchen. Return to your luxurious suite to sleep through the peace of a country night. Enquire about our Spring Country Style package.
Luxury Family Accommodation Only an hour’s drive from Melbourne situated in the heart of the Yarra Valley, with five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a generous deck settled amongst trees, Rex’s Yarra Valley House is the perfect retreat for a large family to reconnect.
The stables at Byronsvale (circa 1870) offer three superbly restored self-contained apartments, designed to provide all the comforts expected in fine accommodation. The stables have water views and overlook the vineyard and are surrounded by private and peaceful 65 hectares of farmland and bush, only 7 mins from CBD.
03 5729 7650 indulge@casaluna.com.au www.casaluna.com.au
03 5962 3030 rexsyarravalleyhouse www.rexsyarravalleyhouse.com.au
03 5447 3496 | 0427 576 882 51 Andrews Rd, Bendigo www.byronsvale.com.au
HALCYON COTTAGE RETREAT
MALLACOOTA
PINCTADA MCALPINE HOUSE
STRZELECKI, VIC
EAST GIPPSLAND , VIC
BROOME, WA
Stylish Gippsland self-contained accommodation for friends, lovers, or just you! 90 minute drive from Melbourne, our all seasons slice of heaven accommodates up to six people and includes two bathrooms, indoor & outdoor baths and views of Gippsland’s magnificent Strzelecki ranges.
Relax in a stunning architect-designed mudbrick-and-cedar beach house suitable for family and holiday groups. Very private, peaceful and secluded. Just 100 metres to beach, walking distance to golf course, and a short walk on well-maintained bushland tracks to town centre and shops.
As soon as you step through the modest white picket gate onto a path sprinkled with frangipani flowers and shaded by towering palm trees, you know instantly that you are entering a special place of relaxation and serenity.
0433 708 556 halcyoncottageretreat www.halcyoncottageretreat.com.au
(03) 5158 0600 8 Mortimer Street, Mallacoota realestate@mallacoota.com
08 9192 0588 wizard@mcalpinehouse.com.au www.mcalpinehouse.com.au
Luxury Small Group 4WD Tours Experience luxury travel to see Western Australia BILLI RESORT CABLE BEACH, WA An ideal private escape known for its superb tropical gardens, raised timber walkways and tranquil surroundings. Offering a range of self-catering accommodation from one and two bedroom villas to ultra luxurious Eco Tents, all nestled under a superb canopy of trees and connected to a stunning central pool area. 08 9192 1711 stay@thebilli.com.au www.thebilli.com.au
TO ADVERTISE CALL 02 9282 8401
Esperance, Margaret River, Ningaloo Reef, Albany, Monkey Mia, Wildflower Tours. Perth to Broome Tours, and Authentic Kimberley Tours. Stay in quality accommodation, enjoy delicious local food. Private touring in luxury Land Rover Discoveries 2 – 6 people.
bookings@luxuryoutbacktours.com.au 0429 385 642 www.luxuryoutbacktours.com.au
23 DAY IRELAND – A CRAIC OF A TOUR Departing 8 September 2019 $12,499.00 per person twin share $ 1,900.00 single supplement Fully Escorted Small Group Tour including return flights ex Melbourne (other departure cities available on request). Fabulous Sightseeing, Boutique Accommodation, Small Groups, Personal Service.
1300 885 255 w w w. s i s t e r h o o d w o m e n s t r a v e l . c o m . a u
Discover a different side of Sri Lanka with Nina’s Pathways small group tours
0419 213 327 | www.ninaspathways.com.au |
/ninaspathways
Golf & Tours are women’s travel specialists. They offer golf holidays for women, that are escorted by a female host or golf professional. View their full schedule of Australian and international golf holidays online. 02 9956 3866 • WWW.GOLFANDTOURS.COM
GIRLS ON TOUR IO N SS
MM
A ERGAU P
ITALIAN IMMERSION - 31 DAYS Departing 26th April 2019 Cost – $17,107pp twin share Single supplement $3,530 (Including airfares ex Australia) Indulge yourself in the history, culture, art, architecture, fashion, culinary delights and all things Italian. With only 8 hotels in 31 days, this tour is jam packed but well-paced.
Escape & Explore
R W IT H O B E
A
P L AY
Women-only, small groups, fully escorted tours
COUN TRY A ND COA STA L R ETR E ATS
NI NA’ S PAT H WAY S
WWW.GIRLSONTOUR.COM.AU / 0409 057 417
FRANCE 2019
Join In giro Tours on an intimate and unique 13 day tour of Piedmont in northern Italy • Tour picturesque vineyards, hilltop towns and secluded lakes • Indulge in gourmet produce and tastings of the famous local wines • Stay in luxurious villas and a 14th century castle and revel in the grandeur of the capital, Torino 8-20 SEPTEMBER 2019 Strictly limited to 12 participants
www.ingiro.com.au
0418 418 288
For more information visit our website or phone Trish 027 391 2015 www.petitstoursenfrance.co.nz
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COUNTRY SQUIRE
HOUSE ARREST ACCORDING TO ROB INGRAM, HOLIDAY ENVY IS THE DOMAIN OF THE CAT OWNER. Does anyone these days? Everyone I know waits for mid-winter and escapes somewhere warm. The way global warming is going, we’ll be lying comfortably on the beach at home come mid-winter anyway. But look, I can’t just blame global warming. The real reason we don’t go on holiday anymore is the cat. “Woo hoo,” I exclaim to The Chosen One, “we’ve just won a 21-day all-inclusive ultra-luxury seven-star European cruise in a penthouse stateroom with gourmet dining and free unlimited shore excursions at every port. It was under the lid of the peanut butter jar.” “Well that won’t work, will it?” she sneers. “What would we do with the cat?” trut e to , we ave actua y unwitting y contri ute “Hey, hang on a minute,” I say. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime to the big fat lie that is domestic tourism statistics. According travel experience.” “I know what once-in-a-lifetime travel experience means,” to Tourism Research Australia, a tourist is someone who travels a round-trip distance of at least 50 kilometres and she says. “It means ‘never again’. Besides, you know Polly would stress out if we weren’t here. She’s a very nervous cat.” is away from home for at least four hours. Out here, that’s a trip to the corner store to buy more cat food. And from International tourism operators blame stressful airport now on, we’re taking the cat with us. She can select her own security procedures and terrorism scares for keeping travel bloody cat food, seeing we’re doing such a poor job of it. numbers down. Domestic tourism operators curse our Dogs seem to travel okay. national workplace rights Most dogs are at their happiest and wage entitlements, plus “THE REAL NATURAL ENEMY when they are travelling on high petrol prices for stopping OF THE GLOBAL TOURISM the back of a ute with the wind us from seeing more of Australia. INDUSTRY IS THE CAT.” in their face. Cats are only happy They’re both wrong. The real when they are stretched out on the best chair with their natural enemy of the global tourism industry is the cat. head on a pillow and their feet on a cushion, gloating that Here we are, tucked up in our little house on the prairie, the whole family is standing by to cater to their every desire. the world passing us by, deprived of the joy of travel by Meanwhile, somewhere in the marketing department of a smug cat. World issues like the global economy could a major peanut butter producer, staff are scratching their be fixed, international understanding reached and peace heads over the poor response to their once-in-a-lifetime on earth achieved were it not for the conniving cat. promotion. They should, of course, have instead offered The simple expediency of drilling ventilation holes an all-inclusive ultra-luxury seven-star European travel into overhead lockers could open up a vast new market experience with seasoned cat concierge and unlimited for incarcerated cat lovers. It could multiply the profits truffled tuna mornay dining. generated by international airlines. After all, airline food So no, we won’t be going away this summer. We’ll be at is totally acceptable to cats — especially the tuna mornay. home looking after the cat. After all, in ancient times, ca Hotels offering a dedicated cat floor would easily achieve were worshipped as gods — and they haven’t forgotten it. full occupancy, without even providing take-home slippers.
154 COUNTRY ST Y LE DECEMBER 2018
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL WEE BACKGROUND PHOTOGRAPHY SAM McADAM-COOPER STYLING PHOEBE McEVOY
NO, I’M NOT GOING AWAY for a relaxing summer break.
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