Eco-design, fashion and lifestyle magazine.

9 772201 555009

ISSN 2201-5558

AUS: $12.50 NZ: $14.50

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Rethink

Reuse

Reduce

Recycle

Editorial Editor and Chief Junkie Selena Buckingham ‒ selena@junkies.com.au Editorial Team Copy Editor/Writer Michelle Coxall – theknownworldbookshop@ gmail.com Contributors Selena Buckingham, Jo Canham, Jodie Sander, La Vergne Lehmann, Jen Bray, Michelle Coxall, Cathy Evans, Kerrin Angel-Irvine, Lou Ridsdale, Imogen Kolbe & Sian Blohm Design Content Design and Layout designstudioballarat.com.au Photographers Louisa West Illustrator Louisa West

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Distributor Aust & N.Z. Distributor Gordon & Gotch For retail distribution and sales email advertise@junkies.com.au Disclaimer Junkies Magazine Australia Pty Ltd takes all care but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

Junkies Magazine Australia Pty Ltd holds copyright to all content unless otherwise stated. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication, the publishers accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in this publication.

Creative Concept & Design llani Creative Photography Matthew Gianoulis Photography Model Yasmin Weldon Hairstylist Annalise Maraz Makeup Artist Cassie Harris

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Contents Features

Regulars

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Fashion Junkies ~ Reinhabit your Wardrobe ~ Ballarat Ethical Fashion Week Stage Junkies ~ Trashlanders Design Junkies ~ Golden Pin Concept Design Award Cover Story ~ llani Creative Home Junkies ~ Urban Greening Sustainable Junkies ~ Living the Good Life Travel Junkies ~ The Hidden Secret of the Otways

People and Places Junkies Mail Community Things We Love Junkies News Op Shop Finds Food Junkies Health Junkies Little Junkies Garden Junkies Eco Finds Craft Junkies Book Junkies

People & Places Artists and Designers

Places and Retailers

llani Creative llanicreative.com

Catherine Farm @catherinefarmglenlyon

Daylesford Youth Theatre facebook.com/pg/daylesfordyouththeatre

Munash Organics munash.com.au

Golden Pin Design Award goldenpin.org.tw

Blarney Books and Art blarneybooks.com.au

Deb Weston debwestonmaker.com.au

Food

Photographers and Illustrators

Cathy Evans @catherinefarmglenlyon

Matthew Gianoulis Photography matthewgianoulis.com

Organisations

Louisa West Studio louisaweststudio.com.au Mara Ripani villagedreaming.com.au Kyle Barney Photography kylebarneyphotography.com Jason Lau jasonlauphotography.com Kerry Hulm @khulmie

Ballan WinterKnits Wombat Regional Arts Network wombatarts.org Salvos Stores salvosstores.com.au Grampians Central West Waste & Resource Recovery Group recyclingrevolution.com.au Bureaux bureaux.co.za Hey Hoe Let’s Grow facebook.com/foodisfreelanewayballarat

From the Editor Hello fellow Junkies!

Hello and welcome to Issue 18! I’m going to start it with the words Restore and Repair, which we need to add to our Rethink, Reuse, Reduce and Recycle mantra.

We need to restore the equilibrium, the balance of nature, while we can. We can only do this by repairing the damage we have caused. This is by no means a simple task, but we can work seriously towards this goal with mindful actions every day.

We are great and together we can make this happen.

In this edition we celebrate communities joining together to enhance their towns with a bit of crafty yarn bombing. We get thrifty and learn how to love our wardrobes and revitalise them with a spring cleanout.

We show you how to create style from your local Salvos store. We help you rev up your morning with some new healthy latte recipes. And we give you an insight into the enormous talent of llani Creative and her wearable art, our cover story.

“The future is made of the same stuff as the present.”

– Simone Weil

So green up your sidewalk verge with a wicking bed, keep the littl’uns occupied with some seriously cool nature projects, and get seriously green with world’s best practice indoor garden ideas.

Enjoy!

Selena xx

Letters Dear Selena and the Junkies team,

Dear Junkies,

All I can say is that any issue of Junkies is always worth waiting for! My absolute favourite magazine and the ONLY one I ever buy or subscribe to.

I am writing to you (junk mail) from outback of NSW, the deep south of Broken Hill. How did I come to read your booklet you may ask?

Cheers, Janice

Well, this is how it happened “accidentally”…

Hello there!

Send us some Junk Mail – tell us what you love about Junkies and you will be in the draw to win a one year subscription! You can reach us at: hello@junkies.com.au or

PO Box 509 Buninyong VIC 3357

Our newsagent throws out excess stock of books and magazines. They are put into the rubbish bin in the back lane for the garbage collection to pick up. As I am an ardent reader I sneak down there very early before the truck arrives to pick out magazines at random to read. I have salvaged 50 or so magazines at a time to save them from being destroyed. I then share these with my friends in the neighbourhood.

So this is the first time I came across your magazine. I found it easy to read and enjoyed the photos.

I too am one of those junkies and an artist myself. I do fire art burning and also collect old bottles and only wear preloved clothing. I think we should all wear preloved clothes and drink out of mugs.

Thank you, Karl Hi Junkies.

Loved issue 17. Thanks Guys!

Ash

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WinterKnits: Knitting Strong Communities Words by Jo Canham Photography Selena Buckingham

Being an anonymous ‘Christmas Fairy’ brings its own rewards, but it’s also an enormous commitment. Lou Callow and Carmel Hunter have been designing and creating woolly decorations and getting up before dawn on the last weekend of November to install their cheerful giant crocheted bows and woollen Christmas decorations in the main streets of Ballan for some years.

Yarn bombing isn’t a new idea, but it’s an idea that has a lot of visual appeal and the people who do it are attempting to bring some colour and life to their community. Now the community of small-town Ballan has taken it one step further, using yarn bombing as a tool for community engagement and personal connection with the inaugural launch of ‘WinterKnits 2019’.

Ballan is a small town (the population hovers around 3000) about halfway between Melbourne and Ballarat. The Western Highway bypasses it, but it has the convenience of a reliable train connection to the city. The town boasts an annual tractor pull, an Autumn Festival, and it’s set next to some pretty impressive natural attractions – the You Yangs and the Brisbane Ranges National Park. But things can get quiet, and very cold, in Ballan in winter. You could even say it gets bleak. This is where Lou and Carmel step in.

It occurred to our Christmas fairies that it might be time to get some more people involved in their project, and perhaps use a similar idea to brighten up the winter. Their thinking is that crochet, knitting, and creating are pastimes that carry through the generations – one generation teaches the next – and through that handover, there’s a real and physical connection made. To gather together people from all walks of life, to create something that adds vibrancy to a cold and bleak winter, to give people reasons to collaborate and get to know each other, to share skills, and to provide surprises to visitors to the town, to simply provide a reason to get up and walk around the town – all of this builds a stronger community. There is a mindfulness in the act of creation, too, and it’s a hobby that doesn’t involve broadband – why resort to Youtube when you can learn skills over a cup of tea and biscuits with someone around the corner?

Lou and Carmel, together with the Wombat Regional Arts Network, were successful in obtaining an arts grant from Moorabool Shire for the project – and so WinterKnits 2019 was born! Carmel Hunter is the streetscape coordinator, who matched up teams or individuals with a tree, a location or a piece of ‘street furniture’ (mail boxes, bicycles etc). She can be recognised in the streets of Ballan in a colourful, inventive hat of her own creation. Lou Callow, as a founding member of Wombat Regional Arts Network and an active artist herself, is the whiz behind the grant applications, but also worked as the project manager for WinterKnits.

― community ―

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― community ―

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With the help of the Wombat Regional Arts Network, and numerous volunteers, they brought their town to vibrant and joyful life with crocheted and knitted installations everywhere! And on each display, the creator or creators are named and, if it’s a group collaboration, their group is promoted – such as the Ballan Beekeepers. It is in effect a giant outdoor art exhibition. This is great for building connections between art and business, between businesses, and for raising community awareness of local groups.

“Crochet, knitting, and creating are pastimes that carry through the generations…”

The project became a feast for the eyes and an Instagrammer’s dream! ‘WinterKnits 2019’ drew new visitors to the town over Ballan’s quietest months. People travelling through stopped to take photos of and to wander amongst the brightly decorated bicycles, trees, fences and even an entire car – decorations created from more than 80% recycled materials, sourced from donations and op shops. A conspicuous tree near the train station was decorated, so that commuters might be enticed to hop off the train and take a walk around town. Cafes were busier than usual, and it was noticed that more people were out and about over the cold months. Lou and Carmel are hopeful that with the success of WinterKnits 2019, it will become an annual and anticipated feature of the Ballan calendar.

All of the works created for 2019 have been taken down now and are being washed and stored in readiness for WinterKnits 2020.

There’s hope that the event will continue to gain momentum and that other like-minded ideas might be added to the program to combat the isolation that often comes with a long Victorian winter – such as shared meals in the local hall, for example, where people make the effort to come together, learn to get to know each other and start to keep an eye out for each other. This vision to use creativity to build a strong community that takes pride in its local environment and streetscape, and to build strong intergenerational connections with each other, is to be applauded and supported. Bring on WinterKnits 2020!

― community ―

― things we love ―

― things we love ―

Junkies News

Global Climate Strike On September 20, three days before the UN Emergency Climate Summit, we joined school students and workers for the biggest ever global #ClimateStrike.

By taking time off school and work together around the world, we demanded the attention of our politicians, showing that people everywhere want climate justice and we’re not going away until we get it.

We were striking in solidarity for everyone who has already been hurt by the climate crisis and everyone who will be most impacted if we don’t act now: workers, first nations people, young people, coastal and farming communities, and for our future generations.

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YardPatches The sixth largest country in the world, Australia spreads over a staggering 7.7 million square kilometres. Some of it is conserved, some underpins agricultural industry and some of it belongs to city dwellers. When it comes to land ownership, research has shown that population growth and the rise of property prices have made land unattainable for many low- to middle- income earners.

A new online platform for land rental, YardPatches, has addressed that challenge and offers a peer-to-peer service that allows users to rent spare land to each other. What Airbnb does for accommodation and Gumtree for secondhand items, YardPatches does for spare patches of land. This can be a backyard patch that you always wanted to do something with but don’t have the time. Or a farm that doesn’t get visited often enough. Or even a car parking spot in front of your property that is not currently being used. Once you list that patch on the YardPatches website you are opening it for any purpose imaginable. Someone might want to start a community garden in your backyard or base a tiny house at your farm. Someone might be looking for a space to organise a wedding or a festival. The website offers different listing categories to choose from and connects PatchLords and PatchSeekers. It’s up to you to negotiate what works!

YardPatches is all about land sharing, building a bridge for people to make use of spare land in all corners of Australia. From what we can see, nobody has done this anywhere else in the world.

The core of the service is free to allow community growth and sustainable development.

For more info please check: yardpatches.com.au

― junkies news ―

Ballarat International Photo Biennale Featuring the work of some of the biggest international names in photography, the 2019 Ballarat International Foto Biennale program offers photographic explorations of human behavior and endeavour, traversing the terrain of ecology, rights, race, capital and conflict.

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The Biennale is on until the 20th of October. The mustsee exhibition is the exceptional works of Liu Bolin.

Can’t make it? Check out the instagram feed: #ballaratfoto

Junkies out and about White Night White Night Ballarat 2019 was again a huge success with stunning illumination that came alive through installations, lighting, exhibitions, performance, film, music, dance and more throughout the city streets, laneways and public spaces. ― junkies news ―

Repair Cafe Launch Ballarat You may be aware of the Repair Cafe movement, an incredible community initiative driven by volunteers worldwide to fix items that are broken rather than throw them away.

Ballarat volunteers recently launched the city’s first Repair Cafe at the Ballarat Tech School. The launch of the Ballarat Repair Cafe was particularly timely given the recent e-waste to landfill ban, the Victorian Government’s circular economy policy that is in development, and the growing waste problem.

Repair Cafe Ballarat is a free event where community members meet to share skills and fix items that would otherwise go to landfill. It is a simple idea that will have a positive environmental impact by increasing the life of items with repairs and encouraging community members to rethink their purchases and choose quality items that can be repaired.

The Repair Cafe initiative also tells a story of community connections and the sharing of knowledge and skills that may otherwise be lost. The first day of the Ballarat Repair Cafe was a complete success, with 32 items brought in for repair, 22 of which went home fixed, and eight part fixed. We tagged and tested 15 pieces of equipment. All this in just over two hours!

We hosted some members of the media and politicians, in addition to well over 100 members of the public.

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Danny and Karen Ellis from Repair It Australia for their support leading up to and assistance on the day.

All in all, it was a tremendous success and we look forward to hosting many more events in the future. < 16

repaircafeballarat.com.au

Sustainability Awards Finalists Congratulations to waste recycle and reuse finalists in the 2019 Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

A range of plastics, e-waste, aluminium, soap, takeaway food containers, timber pallet and road-making material waste and recycling programs has been announced as finalists in this year's Victorian Premier's Sustainability Awards. The Precious Plastic Program by Ballarat Tech School is a finalist in the Education category. Well done!!

Hepburn Z-NET was a finalist in the 2019 Premier’s Sustainability Awards Community category. Hepburn Z-NET Emission Transitions is an open-source pathway and a replicable model for local communities to set targets and achieve zero-net emissions in just and equitable ways. It aims to act as an incubator for locally appropriate action.

For more information head to: sustainability.vic.gov.au

― junkies news ―

The Makers National Recycling Week Monday 11-17 November Find out about what you can and can’t recycle in your household recycling services.

Search for drop-off locations to recycle a wide range of items including electronic waste, batteries, printer cartridges, whitegoods, furniture and much more.

Here at Junkies HQ every day we are blown away by the talent and creativity out there. There is just so much inspirational and important work being created that embodies our ethos, and we realised that we can’t do justice to this galaxy of talent in just our regular Junkies editions. So we’ve come up with The Makers edition. This is going to be a first for Junkies, a celebration of makers and creatives everywhere, and a forum to showcase the astonishing diversity of creative talent and sustainable practice in the community. It’s going to be ground-breaking!

recyclingnearyou.com.au

Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in this exciting new project for December. We had over 100 enquiries from lots of different makers in all areas.

It was inspirational to read about all the different ways people are upcycling and creating in a truly sustainable way. For those who are joining us on this journey, we are as excited as you and can’t wait to get to know you over the coming weeks.

Sustainability Workshops

Expresions of interest have now closed for The Makers and we look forward to sharing some wonderful stories with you.

Be sure to head over to munash.com.au to check their events page, which shows when the next workshops on sustainable soil health and natural farming practices will be held.

Pre-orders for this edition will be available on our website: junkies.com.au

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Buy Nothing New October is Buy Nothing New Month – the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

What is this? Why Buy Nothing New? This is a little idea that started in Melbourne and has spread to the Netherlands and the USA. It’s a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene products and medicines).

Buy Nothing New Month isn’t Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It’s easy. It’s fun. It’s moving from consumptiondriven living to community-driven living. It’s good for us, our wallets and our planet.

Hop on board! buynothingnew.com.au

― junkies news ―

A Day at the Salvos Here at Junkies HQ we have always been avid fans of op shops, and you will often find us having a wee fossick in an op shop given half a chance.

Words by Jodie Sander Photography Junkies Team

Knowing how much our own homes have been enhanced with our cherished op shop finds, we decided to show you just how stylish and affordable it is to deck out a room or create a table setting with secondhand items and just a little styling magic.

While we were at the Salvos in Ballarat recently we sat down with Jodie, the manager, and asked her about the new initiatives the Salvos are facilitating to help educate the community, including workshops that encourage recycling practices to minimise waste. < 18

For us it is about connecting with our customers, donors, volunteers and beyond to provide them with not only a place to shop, but also a place where they can come to learn more about the things that interest them.

Over the coming months, we are looking to expand our partnerships to allow us to provide better support within the community. We’re developing a relationship with the wonderful people at Ballarat Boomerang Bags and looking at how we can work with local neighborhood centres as well urban recycling groups.

Can you tell us a bit more about your new plans for Ballarat Salvos?

“The general rule of thumb when it comes to donating is, if you’d happily give it to a friend then it’s good to donate.”

Salvos Stores have been developing relationships with a wide range of programs throughout our community to expand the offer we provide to our customers. The idea and need for this are driven by our customers’ feedback and the conversations we have with them on a regular basis – there are, of course, some passion projects for our team in there, too!

What community-based workshops are happening and how and why have they been implemented as part of the Salvos’ new plans?

Over the last 12 months we’ve developed relationships with Grampians Central West Waste and Resource Recovery Group, Salvo Family Connections, Sebastopol Men’s Shed and Envision Ballarat, to name but a few.

These partnerships have allowed us to provide workshops for our community on subjects such as learning how to minimise their environmental footprint, craft days and garden workshops.

With a retail store like Salvos Stores, we can absolutely provide great quality secondhand goods, but we are also fortunate enough to have connections with our customers and community and therefore can look at ways we can develop partnerships that enable those connections to foster and grow – and that’s exactly what we are doing here.

Why do you think it’s important to connect people locally and provide a space for this to happen?

Why do you think the Salvos is a good place for a community hub?

At Salvos Stores, we’re very involved in our community.

Community members provide us with donations, they volunteer their time with us and they shop with us, which ensures our stores can continue to operate. With this connection, we’ve been listening to what they need and how they want to connect with others, and this has brought about community-based workshops.

Salvos Stores are seen by many as a space for community, so bringing this to life through our events has been very much a natural progression. We’ve enjoyed the journey and are looking forward to what comes next.

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Can you give our readers some advice on some things that are needed as far as donations go?

“At Salvos Stores, we’re very involved in our community.”

We’re always in need of items across our store network and our stores accept everything from clothing and accessories to working electrical products to furniture and much more. If you’re not sure, you can download our list of unacceptable items from our website salvosstores.com.au or you can always give us a call on 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) and we can give you some advice.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to donating is, if you’d happily give it to a friend then it’s good to donate. Donations are ultimately sold through our store network, so items with life still left in them are great for us.

Why is it so important to donate responsibly?

There are many reasons to consider donating, and ultimately keeping goods from landfill is a huge one! That said, when we get items, particularly big bulky items like furniture and mattresses that can’t be resold, it costs us money in disposal fees. Charities, like everyone else, have to pay to dispose of their items either through our waste partners or the tip. This costs us $6 million nationally throughout our store network, a figure we’d love to see reduced here so we can increase our impact with our community programs.

Where else can people take stuff besides the tip to get rid of unwanted items like clothes that are ripped or damaged?

Ultimately it’s about asking around to consider your options.

Items such as duvets are great for local animal shelters, and many retailers now offer mattress collection services when you buy a new mattress.

How can people become volunteers? What is the process?

We absolutely love when members of our community become volunteers in our stores. We ask all volunteers to register their interest through our website salvosstores.com.au/volunteer.

Select your state and the store you want to volunteer at, fill out the form and we’ll be in touch within a week to chat.

Can you give us an outline of what days different specials apply? Eg, pension days, student discount days, etc.

There are plenty of specials throughout Salvos Stores, with a different coloured tag 50% off every day of the week. Check your local store to find out which colour is half price that week.

On Mondays we also have selected clothing half price or at $2. Our store teams can advise which colour tag applies each Monday.

Students get 20% off donated products on Wednesdays, and on Thursdays it’s 20% off for our pension and senior card holders.

On top of this, our stores have a fantastic points-based loyalty card where you earn points on your purchases and then can redeem them against products in our stores.

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Bedroom Makeover Cross stitch crochet edged table cover: $4 Rotating globe on stand: $19 Gold and Back sequined cushion: $7 Black waffle queen size quilt cover and pillowcases: $11 Rattan circle rug: $15 Dried flower and butterfly picture: $12 Wooden set of bedside draws: $35 Bedside table: $20 White crochet tablecloth: $11 Floral sheet set: $12 Cane bedside chair: $25 Cherub tin: $4 Antique dressing table : $70 Floral cushion: $4 Bedside lamp: $15 Book on cats: $4 Indian ornate pillow covers x 4: $4 each Knitted coloured rug: $15 Cast iron bedhead: $50 Mattress: $129 (new in store at Salvos) Base: $115 (new in store at Salvos) Total = $593

Table setting Floral pattern bowls (setting of 6): $18 Floral pattern dinner plates (setting of 6): $12 Doilies: $3 to $6 each Avon ruby red candle holders: $8 Coloured glass parfait set: $16 Coloured glass wine glasses: $16 Cutlery: $4 Glass display centre bowl: $3 Glass vase for flower decoration: $6 Chiffon curtain for decoration: $3 Silver serving tray: $12 Total = $122

â&#x20AC;&#x2022; op shop finds â&#x20AC;&#x2022;

Reinhabit your Wardrobe As the season is changing, now is a good time to peer into your bulging wardrobe and have that much-needed spring clean. Here we give you some basic guidelines on how you might go about this often-daunting task.

Words by Selena Buckingham Photography Supplied

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â&#x20AC;&#x2022; fashion â&#x20AC;&#x2022;

1. The clean out The first step is to clean out your wardrobe.

Start in sections, such as the hanging space first, then move onto your drawers, and then finally tackle the accessories. Take everything out one section at a time and sort it into piles. Have some set rules in mind and stick to them.

My rules are: if it’s not vintage, good quality or designer, then unless I love it and wear it, it has to go (saying that, I find it very difficult to get rid of clothes!). If you can go to the op shop and get something similar then...it can go. That’s a good backup rule when you aren’t sure about something.

Work out which are your basic go-to clothes and put them aside.

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2. Sort it out Sort out what fits you well, what is too tight or too loose, what you can alter or get redesigned.

Ask yourself ‘What is my style’? I.e: smart casual; preppy business; nerdy; French chic. This will help you style your wardrobe. Also be aware that your daytime style might be different from your nighttime style.

Try to challenge yourself to create new looks. Combine things in different ways and incorporate them into your wardrobe. Dress to accentuate your assets and be comfortable and confident.

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3. Collate your clothes So, with all this in mind, start the process of sorting.

Remember those piles I mentioned earlier? You should have one pile ‘To go’; one ‘Not sure’ pile; and one ‘Yes, I love this’ pile. And this is where you might find you have a fourth pile, which may be the most important of all: the ‘Reinvent’ pile.

These are the clothes that you would love to be able to wear, but they are just NQR, such as the dress that fits you on top but not at the bottom or vice versa; or you love the fabric but the shape doesn’t quite work; or there is that special something that you love, like the sleeves, or the collar, but the rest is not your style.

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4. Try on and decide It’s handy to have a mannequin at hand that is close to your size; alternatively, set aside enough time so that you can try everything on.

It also helps to have a few Pinterest boards that you have put together of clothes and looks you love. Once you decide what season you’re dressing for, have identified your personal style, and established what your favourite go-to clothes are, then the fun begins.

It may also help at this stage to invite a trusted friend over to help you reinvent your wardrobe and give you honest advice, as sometimes we are too self-critical.

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5. Create outfits Once you have sorted out your clothes you are now ready to put things neatly back into your wardrobe.

Here’s my tip to make this easier: put together three to four casual outfits; a couple of work outfits; and, my number one dilemma, your going-out outfits. (This may sound tedious, but it may avoid the bedroom bombshell effect and the “I’m going to be late and have nothing to wear” drama.)

From your favourite outfits on your Pinterest boards you can recreate looks as close as possible with items from your wardrobe. Once you are happy with what you have chosen, then you are ready to put outfits back into your wardrobe. This is also a good time to make a list of any key elements that are missing and would complete your new wardrobe.

Needless to say there maybe a need for a trip to the op shop (for the items you haven’t already gifted to your friends or family). Well, you do need to drop off those clothes you are no longer wearing. Rest assured you will have your trusty list in hand so you won’t be led astray by all those tempting racks of interesting clothes; well, not much anyway.

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6. The final touches So now you have added your new items back into your wardrobe and have completed your cleanout; now it’s time to tackle that pile of NQR garments. If you sew, you can give fun reign to your creativity by combining those sleeves you really like with another top. You get the general idea, right? If altering clothes is not part of your skill set, then finding a good seamstress is a must to alter your favourite pieces. It’s definitely worth the small outlay. You can then add these items into your wardrobe as outfits are completed.

Now you have it. Your perfect wardrobe, with so many choices ready and waiting for you and no more morning stress….well, besides from remembering to grab your keys, reusable coffee cup and shopping bags.

― fashion ―

Ballarat Ethical Fashion Week

Words by La Vergne Lehmann Photography Supplied

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Clothes are an everyday necessity. They can be utilitarian in nature for some, but for others they are also an important aspect of self-expression. It is not just the look of the clothes and whether they are the latest fashion or designer label, but also how we acquire them. For many years, the path of least resistance has been to shop for new clothes at chain or department stores, unless you have the good fortune to be able to afford higher end exclusive designers.

While sustainability has some important connotations regarding the environment in terms of how a garment is produced and ultimately disposed of, it is less indicative of how or why we choose to purchase garments. Is it acceptable for us to take pleasure in being able to purchase cheaper clothes at the expense of a proper livelihood for garment workers in other countries? Is it acceptable that short cuts in production values, through the use of inferior quality dyes and materials, can result in significant local pollution in places where garment manufacturing is undertaken?

But it has not always been this way. Today’s purchasing habits developed with the creation of industrial scale production of textiles both in terms of fabric and garment production. The development of synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester has also changed the nature of the materials and the material blends.

In terms of production there has been an increasing quantity of these garments made in countries such as Bangladesh where wages are low and conditions are poor. The result is that our clothes have never been cheaper for us to buy in proportion to our income.

While all of this can sound a bit negative, the Ballarat Ethical Fashion Festival was about restoring that balance. It was about inspiring participants to rethink their clothing choices with options for creative upcycling, utilising the sharing economy, learning new skills from old traditions and understanding how we can all play a part in the circular fashion economy. The result is a longer life for our clothes, less waste, more upcycling and increasing the creativity and capacity of our community.

Despite industrial scale efficiencies, the way clothes are made and used today is extremely wasteful and polluting. The addition of fast fashion marketing, which sees the pace of the fashion supply chain increase to a rate where the life of an item can be measured in days rather than months or years, has ensured that the level of textile or clothing waste is continuing to increase, with little option at the end of the garment’s life to be anything more than landfill.

Social media pressures, particularly on younger people, have meant that being photographed in the same outfit and shared on social media more than once is simply unacceptable.

When you add to that the loss of skills such as sewing, knitting, crocheting and other traditional textile crafts in recent generations, then it is easy to understand why textile and clothing production, consumption and disposal have become one of the most significant challenges in our waste system.

Apart from having the inspirational Clare Press, Vogue Australia’s Sustainability Editor-at-Large, and professional mender Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald speak at the launch at the Ballarat Art Gallery, much of the week was about the practical workshops or demonstrations that were being offered in Ballarat and some of the surrounding towns. Of course you cannot have a fashion festival without a fashion parade and the launch of BEF culminated in a fabulous fashion parade of upcycled garments modelled by some of our local ladies. Local fashion designers and stylists present at the parade included Bianca Flint, Bethany Jakob, Cathy Tobin and Hattie and the Wolf’s Andrea Hurley. The parade was an inspiration to us all and showed what we can do with quality clothes and some creative inspiration.

This brings us to the Ballarat Ethical Fashion Festival (BEF). In 2018 we started this event with the Sustainable Fashion Festival and in 2019 it became the Ethical Fashion Festival. Why ‘Ethical’? ― fashion ―

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Japanese Slow Stitch The Japanese expression mottainai encourages us not to be wasteful. Leanne O’Sullivan is the owner of Kimono House in Melbourne. Her workshops were about teaching participants how to hand-stitch recycled cloth in the traditional boro style to make their own sustainable fashion accessories.

Saori Weaving Demonstration Also known as ‘Gypsy Weaver’ Cathy Tobin is a local Maryborough resident who is a saori textile artisan. Saori is a method of freeform weaving that prioritises creativity and free expression. Cathy is passionate about sustainability and sources all her materials and fabric from op shops and other discards and transforms them into wearable art. Cathy was invited to Alice Springs in June this year to attend the ‘Sustainable Couture Fashion Show’ and to talk about refashioning and recycling textiles.

45 Ways to Restyle your Clothes If you have a wardrobe of clothes that don’t fit or a dress that you love the colour of but doesn’t sit quite right, then the 45 ways to restyle your clothes workshop was for you.

This workshop was a unique opportunity to receive some advice from a fashion designer on how to make your current wardrobe fantastic once again. Participants learned they no longer need to throw it all away and go shopping. They received some easy tips and tricks to bring their old threads back from the dead and kick the ‘buy new’ habit and learn how to ‘make do’ with style!

Find your Op Shop Style Bianca Flint is a professional Op Shopper, Stylist and Sustainable Fashion advocate. Through her business, The Wardrobe Green, Bianca runs workshops and shopping tours that educate and encourage women to shop more sustainably and embrace Preloved Fashion. Bianca is passionate about empowering women to find their own sense of style, be body positive and shop mindfully. Bianca shared some amazing tips and tricks to find your style and learn to navigate the treasures that our op shops have to offer. This workshop inspired people to get up and into an op shop and to look at clothes and accessories in a different light.

Visible Mending, Patching and Hand-Sewing Class Ever had a favourite item of clothing that you’ve worn to within an inch of its life but can’t bear to part with because it’s become like a second skin? Don’t despair – with a bit of “visible mending” it can be made strong again and even better looking! Rather than trying to conceal the wear and tear that is the mark of a muchloved piece of clothing, those who attended this class learned to make a feature of the mending by highlighting and embellishing these signs of age.

Braided Rag Rug Making Workshop A great way to recycle old clothes and fabric! Participants learned how to make fantastic rag rugs using an off-loom, spiral-woven braiding technique. The one-day workshop focused on sharing an inspiring range of colour and design possibilities.

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Trashlanders Recently Junkies had the pleasure of attending a play in Daylesford, Victoria, that caught our attention for many reasons.

Words by Jen Bray Photography Mara Ripani

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Trashlanders was written by students and highlighted their view of the future of our planet – their home – based on what is happening around them now. The set and all the costumes were made from waste materials. To us, it had all the makings of something special, and it did not disappoint. Well done to all involved. We hope that this is just the beginning for this astute play and that great things will come from this compelling production.

Jen Bray, Director of Daylesford Youth Theatre, shares with us the motivation and passion that brought Trashlanders vividly to life.

When asked “What do you think the future will be like” 19 teenagers came back with a shocking vision of a desolate, baking planet covered in trash. It’s a scary thought, but one which many young people can easily imagine, based on recent science reports and the way we currently live.

Our kids are incredibly switched on to the state of our planet.

They are very well informed about the changes we’re facing – they’ve been taught all this at school. I work with many young people in our local youth theatre company and the topic that has them most concerned, even anxious, right now, is their future.

It worries me to see children between the ages of 10 and 18 expressing their deep fears, anxiety and even depression about the effects that climate change will have on the world they will inherit. They are deeply saddened by the recent UN biodiversity report from 300 leading scientists stating 1 million species are threatened with extinction and that humans are to blame.

These teenagers are desperate to do something, change something, give the world a great big shake and say “What are you doing to the planet? Stop it!”. But they feel powerless and voiceless.

Around the time of the last federal election, that feeling of frustration came to a head. “We’re too young to vote on who governs this country, and yet we are the ones who have to face the consequences” was the common cry. So this year, the Daylesford Youth Theatre company took all that frustration and passion and poured it into creating a piece of theatre that would be their voice. This would be the message they wanted to send to their community, their governments and the world.

And so we created Trashlanders, a sci fi epic set 40 years into the future on a baking planet covered in trash.

The process took six months of research and playing with ideas.

We looked at the science from all angles and at key players in the climate debate on all sides: Big Coal, climate scientists, politicians, activists, journalist, ordinary workers, families and people experimenting with a new way of living. We looked for areas of conflict because drama is conflict and that makes for great theatre. But we also wanted to tease out the grey areas of debate and give people on all sides a voice in the story.

We listened to Greta Thunberg’s Ted Talk and were so moved we cried. Some of her words ended up in our script. And, inspired by Greta’s message, our young troupe decided that our story would not have a nice pat ending. We would not send our audience home satisfied, with all the conflicts resolved. The kids wanted their audience to feel compelled to act when they left the theatre, that there was work to do and they needed to do it. Oh, and we wanted them to cry.

The young performers created characters from all sides of the debate and we improvised scenes around the hottest issues: kids vs parents, coal vs solar, politics vs activism and families vs each other. The collaborative process is very rich with ideas.

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Sometimes I would ask a question and see how the students explored that through improvisation. This is where they came up with gold. There is so much insight, humour and drama that comes out of the spontaneous moment. From these scenes we shaped the script and I wrote a final version of the play.

Then we designed and created the costumes and set. Again the performers threw themselves into this creative activity. Everything we used in the show was recycled: dresses from garbage bags, elaborate head gear from folded chip packets, bubble wrap hoodies, macramé bread bag shawls, crochet plastic, folded cardboard, armour from foil trays and jewellery from bread ties.

The main feature of the set was an entire wall of trash created from a huge fishing net. On it we strung all the recycling brought in by the cast over the three month rehearsal period. It became the backdrop for much of the story – the Trashland where many of our characters lived.

“The kids wanted their audience to feel compelled to act when they left the theatre.”

One of the most shocking things about creating the show was that no matter how outrageous the kids’ ideas about the future were, we kept finding out that these things were already happening in our world. People already live on trash heaps. We thought polar bears might be mythical creatures in the future, and each day during rehearsals we’d hear of another species that was almost extinct.

We created fictional characters that were so greedy for coal profits they did terrible things. Then we’d read about it in the paper next day. So although we tried to make this science fiction the metaphor kept becoming reality.

Rehearsals with Daylesford Youth Theatre are always fun, but driven. The young actors really pushed themselves to make each scene as energetic, funny, or powerful as it could be. I have been working with some of these performers for nearly nine years and I am always so in awe of the talent and dedication these kids bring to their performances.

Our posters went up and the show became the talk of the town.

Trashlanders opened to the public on 25 July this year. We filled the Daylesford Town Hall for several shows and performed for hundreds of school children. And at the end of the show, just as we’d hoped, there was always a moment of silence before the audience applause rang out, that moment when the audience stopped to think. To maybe brush away a tear. Maybe to resolve to act in some small way, for the planet. If that was the case, then all our efforts would have been worth it.

Alexis Saville – Queen of the Trashlanders Dru Dickenson-Bray – Scrapper Costumes – Jen Bray & Alexis Saville Bread tag jewellery – Dru Dickenson-Bray

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Golden Pin Concept Design Award

Never-before-seen concept designs from Taiwan, China, Singapore, and Germany. Established in 1981, Taiwan’s most influential design award has enjoyed global media attention and coverage since it opened to international entries in 2014.

Words & Photography by Golden Pin Concept Design Award

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The annual Golden Pin Design Award and Golden Pin Concept Design Award is the longest running international design award that celebrates products or projects expressly created for Chinese-speaking communities. The award offers entrants an unprecedented opportunity to prove their prowess in the world’s largest market. Junkies is honoured to be a sponsor for the sustainability category of this prestigious awards event and excited to be given the opportunity to highlight great design concepts.

In Shanghai on 10 August, and in Taipei on 14 August, the secondary selection juries convened to choose the Design Mark winners. The jury was made up of 16 design experts with wide-ranging backgrounds to cover all four award categories – product design, communication design, spatial design, and integration design.

The jury praised the overall standard of concept design on display. Jimmy Chang (Creative Director of UID Create Ltd), David Wang (Founder of bod design corp.), Tony K.M. Chang (Regional Adviser to the World Design Organization), Jui-I Huang (Co-Founder of mistroom), and Shu-Yuan Wu (Director of Motif Planning & Design Consultants) all noted a trend in the concept designs seeking harmony between humanity and nature. This trend reflects the global movement for sustainability and social design, which has been a recurring theme at the Golden Pin Design Award throughout recent years.

Tony K.M. Chang observed that the concept designs are catering to a number of demographics, including products for elderly and disabled people. Wei-Hsiung Chan (Founder of Business Next magazine) was impressed by the level of technical ability apparent in the film and animation concept designs. Nice Cheng (Partner at AppWorks) expressed optimism about the market potential for many of the winning product concept designs, while Kuan-Yi Tai (architect at Kuan-Yi Tai Architects) was impressed with the precision of thought behind many of the concept designs. Together, Ocean Liang (CEO of Inception Cultural & Creative Co., Ltd) and David Wang concluded that if a concept design is mindful of its social and environmental responsibility, and can lead society forward in a positive direction, then it will certainly receive praise from the jury.

The jury announced 45 Design Mark winners from Taiwan, China, Singapore, and Germany. They are now competing to win a share of the award’s TWD$1,200,000 (approx. USD$39,000) prize and coveted Best Design trophy, which will be presented at the award ceremony on 5 December.

We can’t wait to bring you all the highlights from this event as we embark on our trip to Taipei to attend the awards ceremony.

Junkies would like to give you a preview of six of these innovative and thought-provoking concept designs that have captured the attention of the judges and become finalists.

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24 Hours Art Gallery Leng-Ni Chen

Leng-Ni Chen outlines her revolutionary take on the traditional art gallery.

In contemporary Taiwan, there are increasingly more 24-hour business venues, such as convenience stores, gas stations and hypermarkets. This business model fulfils an indispensable role in Taiwan. This 24-hour concept has now been applied to the art gallery, blurring the concepts of inside/outside and of time itself.

The art gallery has traditionally provided a public space for the display and dissemination of art to the public. The most common space in any exhibition facility is the ‘white box’, a versatile environment that forms the background for any artwork, which can be displayed on a wall or on a platform. Every piece of art is unique and needs a suitable space in which to be exhibited.

The development of modern art has gradually broken the old form of the picture frame. Art no longer needs walls to support works, and the ‘white box’ is no longer a necessary component of the art gallery – the diversity of modern art makes these spaces redundant. With this diversification of art, many works have stepped out and subverted the phenomenon of the exhibition space. Here, I have attempted to bring the borderless into the works so that the viewer not only sees the exhibition, they also experience the space. ― design ―

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Huang Tzu-Hsuan & Lin Yong-Xiang

Algae is essential for marine life, but it can also lead to catastrophe.

Eutrophic dead zones are a devastating issue that deserves our attention as they result in large-scale destruction to aquatic ecosystems and pose a dire threat not just to ecology but also to the economy. Dead zones occur when a body of water contains too many nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen. These nutrients feed algal blooms, which deplete underwater oxygen levels, and in turn destroy the aquatic ecosystem. The causes are attributed to pollution from human activity, and it mainly affects the coastal areas of developed countries as well as some developing countries.

AERATI is an autonomous aquadrone that monitors the aquatic ecosystem. The goal is to mitigate eutrophication in landlocked waterways such as dams, pools, rivers, and lakes.

Each aquadrone is connected to an ecological simulation system, which collects data and analyses it in a central database to predict algae blooms.

These predictions could give humans the power to intervene before the problem occurs. Moreover, the aquadrones could actively resolve the problem and remove algae from the water.

By drawing algae into the aquadrone device and crushing it, the device could then release oxygen from the algae back into the water. The movement of the solar-powered device with its threeblade helical propeller and thrust vectoring nozzle also aerates the water, therefore increasing oxygen saturation.

The algae collected by the devices can potentially be used for waste recovery and to create more economic value, such as alternative power generation, feeds, and other derivative products. It could also be developed further to promote sustainable agriculture.

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CleanUp Yu-Hsin Li & Chiao-Chi Cheng

A large amount of garbage exists in the ocean and on the coast.

This garbage not only causes ocean pollution, it is eaten by marine creatures, or they are entangled in it and die. Eventually it enters the food chain. It is of utmost urgency to remove this garbage. It is also important for children to understand and learn how to maintain the cleanliness of the ocean and beaches from an early age.

CleanUp is designed as sand toys for children and also as tools for clean ups. It is a green product made from seaweed materials, which is non-toxic, edible and can be decomposed into nutrients.

The idea is to take from the ocean to use for the ocean.

CleanUp applies a pressing technique to make the seaweed paper into shovels, harrows, trash-grabbers and buckets.

The stretchable buckets can reduce transportation costs and can be easily cleaned.

CleanUp turns the beach sand toy set into clean up tools, which lets children learn the importance of environmental protection while playing. It can also be used in beach games, field trips, and environmental protection activities, enabling people take part in beach clean up and to protect the environment.

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Jhe-Wei Lin & Jui-Feng Tang

In cold zones, snowfall often affects the cultivation of greenhouses.

Not only does snow cover the roof blocking sunlight, it also affects the indoor temperature. Bearing this in mind, we used the material of Azobenzene to design the Snow Defender greenhouse.

Azobenzene stores heat through daytime sun exposure and releases heat after being covered by snow at night. It can quickly melt the surface snow into water, which then follows the streamlined design of the building, returning it to an underground water storage tank through the filter layer, and finally irrigating the soil through the siphon principle.

The wall of the bottom tank is treated with a low thermal conductivity material to ensure that the water does not freeze.

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Su Qian-Er

Su Qian-Er exposes the sense of dislocation and loneliness that is a fundamental part of the migrant experience, whilst simultaneously celebrating the creative energy that migrants bring to their host cities.

The number of migrant workers in China has dramatically increased from 6,000,000 to 200,000,000. These people, with their incredible force, have compelled cities to move forward.

Predominantly young and sociable, and with all the conflicting emotions of youth, they have flocked to the cities from the countryside to look for work. Their restlessness is closely related to the energy of the cities; they have made so many positive contributions to economic and social development. However, together with their contributions and achievements, they have endured much loneliness and helplessness.

The living conditions and emotional needs of migrant workers should draw the attention of everyone. It should be our common social responsibility to care for migrant workers and improve their living situation.

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llani Creative Wearable Art Artist

Words by Claudia Williams Photography Matthew Gianoulis Photography, Kyle Barney Photography & Jason Lau

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Wearable art is a powerful medium that delivers the message of recycling so effectively. It captures our imagination and makes us rethink waste. Junkies first met Claudia Williams, aka ‘llani Creative’, when we invited her to help us create an outfit for our first Rethink Exhibition back in 2017. The result was spectacular, as is everything she creates.

What do you find are some of the most rewarding skills and experiences your students get from your workshops?

We are excited to be able to showcase Claudia’s work once again with this cover story interview.

What was your first project, and what lead you into the world of wearable art?

What is the driving force behind your creations?

My first wearable art garment was a dress for my daughter’s fancy dress school disco about 15 years ago. The theme was punk and with help from my eight-year-old daughter we created a punk halter style dress from recycled school newsletters. The newsletters where yellow and black in colour, so it made for a cool punk outfit!!

It’s to educate my audience about using recycled materials to create with. Playing with recycled materials sparks another level of creative thinking and problem solving. It’s a continuous discovery for me as there’s so much recycled material just waiting to be turned into something new.

Whether I am working with communities on projects like wearable art or community art events, creative thinking is one of the most rewarding skills that students take away from my workshops.

Along, of course, with an amazing headpiece or wearable art garment crafted from unusual materials.

Describe a few of your most memorable experiences from working on your last project “Dress the Central West”.

What impression do you want to make when people see your work?

Dress the Central West was a six month project, a collaborative journey that inspired, engaged, encouraged and empowered local people within central west communities in Queensland to find “Beauty within the Drought”. I was honoured to be the artist/ educator and creative director behind this project for Red Ridge Interior Queensland.

Wow! is usually the first impression and then once I tell them it was created from recycled plastics or mop heads, it’s usually a double wow. That’s what I try to elicit with all my work.

What was your most difficult project?

I haven’t really had one. All my projects begin with the question, “Where to start?” Sometimes it comes easily and other times it’s a lot harder to get to the concept stage. The freedom to explore as I create is a powerful tool and it always amazes me what we can come up with once we train our brains to think creatively.

What do you love most about what you do?

To create and to educate. As an artist/educator/designer I have been fortunate to travel to remote and regional cities in Australia designing facilitated workshops. The joy these bring to participants is what makes my career so rewarding. There is nothing more powerful than working with your hands to create, and when I share my knowledge with others, that’s when the magic happens. It’s like a super drug without any nasty side effects.

The wearable art project went way beyond just creating wearable art; it brought communities together, inspired creativity and innovation, and sourced the vibrancy, uniqueness and resilience of the outback communities dealing with the strains of drought that has burdened central western Queensland for many years.

Participants were encouraged to use everyday materials – lick (stock feed) bags, baling twine, ropes, bottle tops, wire, bark and sticks – making the production totally locally sourced and recycled.

There were so many unforgettable experiences for me, from creating garments with recycled outback materials, to shooting our media launch on location at the Captain Starlight lookout. This involved a rocky hill climb with a large crew in tow, models, wearable art, and flies (lots of them) all while the rain was on its way.

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Another memorable experience was observing how the local communities took ownership of this project. It empowered and fostered new skill development and for some it was a life changing experience.

It was an amazing experience for everyone involved and the project ended with a bang with a two-night gala production that showcased the regional designers, models, dancers and avant-garde makeup artists and local hair stylists that told the story of their outback.

“It always amazes me what we can come up with once we train our brains to think creatively.”

Why do you think art speaks volumes when we are addressing issues around sustainability?

As artists and designers, we make things to inspire people.

Social and environmental issues go hand in hand when creating.

It’s a platform to voice, explore and discover. For me, it’s about creating with recyclable materials, giving them a deluxe finish, wowing my audience and sending a message to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

What do you think the fashion industry can learn from wearable art/fashion?

Fashion is an ever-changing industry and with more and more artists/designers experimenting with recyclables we open the door to new ideas and the use of new materials to create with.

There are many designers already working with recyclable materials in fashion. Technology is on our side and things are changing. It is an exciting time to be a creator in this industry.

Tell us about your shows. How do you go from initial concept to production phase?

For me, the process starts with a muse board. This can include material samples, colour swatches, sketches and lots of research and sometimes the concept is also guided by the clients that I create for. ― cover ―

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Once I have some sort of idea it’s off to look for materials.

Recycling centres such as Reverse Garbage in Brisbane is one of my go-to places. It’s like a candy shop for me – so much inspiration and so many materials. I do find it hard sometimes to stay focused on my concept while I am looking for the right materials. In some cases my materials guide me on the direction of concept, as it is not always possible to find exactly what you might be looking for.

“There’s so much recycled material just waiting to be turned into something new.”

Usually by the time I’ve finished visiting a recycling centre, another collection has been visualised in my head and I have a boot load ready to create with. As I have been a creator using recyclables for many years, I now have people drop off materials to my studio and I just about have my own recycling centre happening.

Once materials have been sorted, the next step is the creation stage. This is the time-consuming process, as a lot of my garments are created with many elements and I use the method of repetition in many of my creations. Altering the medium I am working on is something that I am drawn to in the creating process. Changing the way that materials look and feel inspires me as an artist/designer.

Weaving, knitting, folding, sewing and knotting are techniques that are strongly used when creating my garments.

Tell us what you are working on at the moment and what you hope to achieve in the future.

I have a special garment on the go at the moment but unfortunately I can’t share any more details as to who my client is until November. I can share that I am using recycled billboard vinyl and collaboratively working with some amazing indigenous designers from Central West Queensland and Red Ridge Interior on its fabric. I’ll keep you posted!

Dress the Central West: Photographry Matthew Gianoulis Photography Models Ellerah Campbell, Jemma Mobbs & Yasmin Weldon Hair Caitlin Hite & Annalise Maraz Makeup Cassie Harris (p.41-42 & 44-45) Police Tape Jacket: Photographry Kyle Barney Photography Model Olivia Gasa Makeup Cassie Harris Makeup assistant Georgia O’Gorman (p. 43) All of the Pop Art: Photographry Kyle Barney Photography Models Olivia Gasa, Sophie Trayner & Madison Hoffensetz Hair Ken Wallace Makeup Cassie Harris Makeup assistant Georgia O’Gorman (p. 43) Once Upon a Time: Photographry Jason Lau Models Alana Quartly & Kim Novak Hair Lorna Evans Education Makeup Charlotte Ravet (p. 46-47)

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Urban Greening Words by Mandy Allen Photography Greg Cox & Warren Heath

Here is some stylish inspiration for bringing the outdoors inside – whether you want just a trace of greenery or have an insatiable case of jungle fever.

It’s little surprise that plants in urban interiors have become as much of a finishing touch as a gorgeous scatter cushion, a piece of art, quirky figurine or a beautiful vase. The choice of indoor plants and trees is endlessly diverse with wonderful variations in the shapes and sizes of leaves, colouration, texture and the way they grow. Indoor greenery ticks all the boxes: a soothing tonic for the frazzled soul; an aesthetically engaging addition to the decorative landscape delivering pops of colour, form and in some cases even fragrance; an inspired solution for homes lacking in outdoor space or natural surroundings; and the magical (okay, scientifically proven) ability to lower stress levels, improve the oxygen count and absorb nasty pollutants, toxins and other negative by-products of city dwelling. The following spaces offer inspiring looks and cool ways to get your botanical fix…

Greenhouse Effect Create an area of focus in a room by grouping a collection of plants in one spot – an especially effective tactic in an open-plan space such as this industrial warehouse loft. The mix-and-match assortment of clear glass vessels adds a sense of weightlessness and modern eclecticism to the setting while at the same time encouraging plant growth – not unlike a garden glasshouse or mini conservatory. A pop of green in the form of a curvy vase anchors the scene. Creeping plants set against a wall on a simple trellis introduce the idea of the urban jungle and will eventually enable nature to be given free reign in this human-made environment.

Climbing plants against wall: philodendron scandens; plants on table: a variety of ferns that are suitable for indoors where the light is bright and filtered, as well as Spanish moss, pussy willow and African violet.

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Board Games Construct a cool plant frame in an instant using cheap and cheerful pegboard from the hardware store. This portable living installation can be left on show in a hallway, bathroom or living room.

Or give yourself something natural and calming to distract from deadlines at your home office desk. Air plants are especially suited to this sort of display. A hanging basket found at the junk shop and filled with dried plant material found on a nature walk adds another intriguing visual layer. For a dramatic edge, paint the pegboard black.

Hanging plant: Vanda orchid; plants on table (in glass vessels): staghorn fern and scandens stem; plants on pegboard: spanish moss, tillandsia, scandipsus, micro orchid (in glass vessel); plant growing on wooden bark: cattleya orchid.

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Cabinet of Curiosities Conjure up the charming atmosphere of a Victorian botanist’s study by displaying greenery (potted in suitably-sized pots and containers) in an antique cabinet, a vintage shop fitting or other quirky storage or display unit. For maximum nostalgic appeal, use apothecary-style bottles and glass science beakers as containers. Scour junk shops and markets for old gardening accessories to include in the composition.

Creeping plant on top of display cabinet: philodendron scandens; plants in cabinet include: trailing ivy, small ferns, poor man’s orchid, Spanish moss, dried mosses, garden cuttings and foliage; and flowering plant in beaker: African violet.

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Containment Strategy Get clever, eco-friendly and thrifty by using what you have lying around the house to pot your plants instead of conventional containers. This lush installation of orchids and waxy-leafed species is planted up in an assortment of vessels including a discarded copper pendant light as well as PVC plumberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s piping. Other alternatives to consider include colanders, teapots, tin cans and metal watering cans. Make sure any alternatives to pots are specially prepared to ensure plant health.

This includes punching or drilling drainage holes and adding a layer of gravel or pebbles. Use moss or damp coir as part of your plant substrate along with soil to act as a passive water source. This will also ensure a visual synergy between the mix-and-match containers.

Plants include cymbidium, spider plant, Chinese evergreen, philodendron and diffenbachia.

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Mood Central Conjure up a dramatic scene in a sitting room or study using a moody wall palette and the absence of frivolous decoration, instead allowing the greenery to make a statement. A mid-century modern coffee table and graphic rug pay homage to retro style, though the prevailing mood is simple, confident and contemporary.

A variety of philodendrons are prevalent in this arrangement. Among the most popular of houseplants (even novices have heard of the delicious monster and the heartleaf, or sweetheart, philodendron), they are low maintenance, come in an assortment of climbing and non-climbing types, do well in low to medium light and need an average amount of water. Plants iinclude a bamboo palm, button ferns, delicious monster, philodendron, magnolia tree, silver leaf ferns, star jasmine, tree fern and silver lace fern. â&#x20AC;&#x2022; home â&#x20AC;&#x2022;

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Hang in There With the resurgence of all things ‘70s – houseplants, cork, wallpaper and rattan furniture, we’re looking at you – it was inevitable that macramé would follow. This retro textile handicraft with its distinctive hand-woven appearance has been artfully reinvented, materialising in modern forms, unexpected applications and on-trend colours. A macramé hanger is also the ideal container for hanging plants – whether you are going for a layered interior look or have a small home where there’s not much by way of counter or surface space.

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Joy Division Plants can be a brilliant way to demarcate or divide different zones in open plan homes without resorting to solid structures. In this space, an assortment of greenery draws the eye from the kitchen to the living area. Taller indoor plants effectively do the job of a screen without sacrificing the interior flow or natural light. A powder-coated metal frame defines the kitchen zone and is the perfect structure for climbing plants to eventually take shape as a living wall.

Plants include fiddle-leaf figs, heart-leaf philodendron, delicious monster and wax plant.

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Living the Good Life Catherine Farm

Words by Jo Cahnam Photography Selena Buckingham

The Evans clan – Bohdan, Catherine and their three children – obviously take their custodianship of land quite seriously. In the late 1800s, William Evans, ancestor to Bohdan, was assistant keeper at the Cape Otway lighthouse with his wife Catherine, a job that took incredible dedication and required enormous sacrifice (two of their children are buried in the Cape Otway cemetery). < 56

Fast forward to 2019 and you have Bohdan and wife Catherine Evans taking custody of 50 acres of Glenlyon land, just outside Daylesford, with the intention to use a holistic approach to the land, and to employ regenerative farming practices. It’s a scaleappropriate theory, which means never taking more than the land can provide in a sustainable manner.

Parents to three young children, Angus (7), Hepi (4) and Leon (nearly 2), the couple wanted their children to be raised on healthy and ethically produced food, to be aware of where their food was coming from, and to be involved in all aspects of food production. This vision has brought Catherine Farm into being – a decision that he says was never really discussed but was more a natural progression, as their seven-acre property with a couple of chooks and pigs was soon exchanged for the current 50-acre property. They are committed to not using any synthetic products, to building up the soil health, and to sustaining and protecting waterways.

Using the animals to help maintain the land – to fertilise it and to weed it – is a practice that is natural and organic. On Catherine Farm, Bohdan explains, pigs are put through an area first where they trample the weeds and cultivate the soil, then the goats come through and eat whatever is left in their natural browsing, and finally the chickens pick up any remaining weed seeds and bugs. The effectiveness of their animals to control the noxious weed gorse was noticed by a neighbouring property and now they have an extra 140 acres for agistment of their goats, pigs and chickens! At the time of writing this article, they had just sown their first biodynamic green manure crop, using Burrum Biodynamics seed. ― sustainable ―

“They are committed to not using any synthetic products...”

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“...it is refreshing to hear of a family determined to change things...”

The impact on the environment of large scale farming, and particularly of waste, is what concerns Bohdan and Catherine more than anything else. They are mortified by figures of food waste. Figures from the Australian Government’s Department of Environment and Energy tell us that in 2016-17, “Australia produced 7.3 million tonnes of food waste across the supply and consumption chain. Of this, 2.5 million (34 per cent) was created in our homes, 2.3 million tonnes (31 per cent) in primary production and 1.8 million tonnes (25 per cent) in the manufacturing sector”.

As a result of his concerns, Bohdan put in some serious time contacting by phone, email, and in person hundreds of businesses between Daylesford and Melbourne to see if they would be interested in diverting their waste products to Catherine Farm. Only a very small percentage of those businesses contacted agreed to hand over goods that would be going to landfill, but from just that amount Bohdan is able to feed all of his animals. Now they only need to buy a small amount of chicken food – the remaining needs are met with the diverted waste, as well as grazing. Two companies that Bohdan was happy to mention who are involved in this diversion of waste are Carman’s muesli brands and Shed Shaker Brewing of Castlemaine. ― sustainable ―

< 60

The muesli products mean that Bohdan and Catherine need to unwrap each individual muesli bar before it can be given to the animals, but it’s something they are prepared to do to prevent it becoming landfill. The spent brewery grain left over from beer brewing is blended with oats (and muesli) to plump out the feed. Bohdan makes regular trips to Melbourne and beyond to collect this diverted waste, and sometimes has to hire a truck for larger collections.

There is a lot of work in their vision – so much work that you wonder when they sleep – and Bohdan still has a day job as well as his burgeoning farm duties. Ninety percent of their farm infrastructure is built from reclaimed and recycled materials, and is solar powered. And they make a great team – Bohdan is clearly in awe of the work his wife, Catherine, can get done in a day. As well as juggling three young children, she also handles most of the daily feeding of the animals (and unwrapping muesli bars). She makes beeswax wraps, and she cooks using their farm produce. They are often found at the local market with a coffee, cake and produce stall, and they also run a little farm gate stall. Their commitment to their lifestyle is inspirational, and at a time when we are plagued with fears for the environment, it is refreshing to hear of a family determined to change things now. ― sustainable ―

“The couple wanted their children to be raised on healthy and ethically produced food…”

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― sustainable ―

Gluten Free Mini Quince Tarts Recipe by Cathy Evans Photography Junkies Team

Nothing says afternoon tea quite like a baked homemade tart and a refreshing brew of tea. Quince adds a lovely sweet and aromatic taste to baked goodies.

Quinces were prized for their medicinal properties in ancient Babylon; they were the sacred fruit of Aphrodite and noted as the breath freshener of the age, in addition to being a good luck symbol. Quince paste has kept its original form since ancient times but has been revitalised by modern chefs who have incorporated this unique fruit into recipes, bringing it out of our cheese and fruit platters and into our baking treats.

Prep Time 30 minutes Cooking time approximately 15-20 minutes Ingredients

•• •• •• •• •• •• •• < 62

1 jar homemade quince paste* 250g gluten free plain flour 250g gluten free self-raising flour 150g sugar 200g cold butter 1 egg About ½ cup of cold water

Method Preheat oven to 180°C (fan forced). In a bowl whisk together flours and sugar, and pour into a food processor. Chop up cold butter and place in the processor with the flours. Give the processor a whiz to blend the butter through.

Whisk the egg and water together and whilst the processor is going slowly pour the egg mixture in until it comes together.

You might need to add more water. As soon as it has come together turn the machine off and turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Roll it out until it’s quite thin (it will puff up slightly once it’s cooked).

Grease a cupcake tray (butter tastes the best as a greaser) and use a scone cutter to cut out circles from the pastry. Gently place the pastry into cupcake tray holes and push it down slightly so there are no air bubbles. Place around 1tsp of quince paste in each pastry. Don’t allow it to overflow or it will stick to the tray and the tarts will be impossible to remove.

Bake for around 15-25 minutes, turning once. Rest tarts in the tray for about five minutes then place on a cooling rack.

Dust with icing sugar if you want them to look fancy. * Source your quince paste from your local farmer’s market, make your own or pop into Catherine Farm, Glenlyon, for a jar.

― food ―

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The Super Three Beet, Matcha, Turmeric

These frothy super lattes aren’t just the latest and greatest thing to hit your hip cafe. They are different...and they’re certainly worth a try. Here is why you should get your daily fix and perhaps make your own at home with these simple recipes that will add a zing to your day.

Words & Photography by Selena Buckingham

< 64

Beetroot Latte

Matcha Latte

Apart from the ridiculously great colour, this drink is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, as beets have your daily vitamins covered. Beetroot is one of those foods we either love or hate but considering all its health benefits it’s worth loving as it packs a big health punch. Beets contain many different vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, vitamin A and C, nitrate, potassium, B vitamins, folate, copper and magnesium, all of which provide you with that much needed energy boost and help to purify your blood, detoxify the liver and reduce blood pressure. Sounds like the perfect hangover cure right there. Beets are also great for your digestion, improving your brain function, enhancing athletic performance and aiding in weight loss.

This is a truly green alternative to your boring morning beverage routine. Matcha is the product of finely ground green tea leaves.

We all love our green tea – now we can have it in a latte form. In Japan it has been drunk for centuries and is well known for its many beneficial qualities. The leaves before harvesting are left in the shade for a period of time, which increases the amount of chlorophyll contained in them, thus providing a mighty antioxidant beverage. Also its properties have been attributed to the support of liver function, aid with weight loss and improve concentration levels. It also supports heart health, has known anti-aging properties, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, enhances a resting metabolic rate and boosts the immune system. So wow!

We all need to make this, right? All matcha powders are not made equal, though, so it is important to make sure they are labelled organic. Also, experts say that the best quality powders come from Japan. So it pays to do your research and shop around.

To make

•• •• •• •• •• ••

In a cup add 1tsp of beetroot powder or use your own freshly blended beetroot juice.

Add ½ cup hot water and ½ cup of almond milk (or any other milk to your taste like soy or coconut).

Add ¼ tsp of cinnamon powder.

Add some honey or rice syrup to taste.

Pour the hot water over the beetroot powder and make a paste and add in the cinnamon.

Whisk warm milk in a separate bowl then pour milk into the paste and mix well, then top with extra powder.

There are many variations to this recipe, including adding a dash of vanilla extract and, of course, for an extra caffeine hit, a shot of coffee.

To make

•• •• •• ••

You will need 1tsp of matcha powder.

In a separate bowl whisk ½ cup of warm almond milk (or milk of your choice) and ½ cup of hot water together to make it frothy.

Add in ½ tsp of vanilla extract and ½ tsp of cinnamon powder and honey or sweetener to taste.

Whisk some more then pour it over the matcha powder and stir until the powder has dissolved.

There you have it – your vitamins and energy fix all in one.

― health ―

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― health ―

< 66

To make

Turmeric Latte Also known as golden milk, this lovely warming drink is one perhaps for the evening routine. Turmeric milk is more commonly drunk in countries like India. The powder is derived from the root of the plant, which is closely related to the ginger plant, and is used more traditionally for curries, adding flavour and colour to dishes.

This powder is full of goodness, with many health benefits. Its key component is curcumin, which is said to have similar effects on the body as cortisone, commonly prescribed for arthritic conditions, and thus is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also a powerful natural antibiotic, great for coughs and colds, reducing mucus formation and improving circulation, boosting your immune system. It helps to calm the nervous system, reducing stress, tones and improves skin tone, and prevents hair loss and fights dandruff. Needless to say we could probably make a skin mask to put on while we are making our bedtime elixir.

•• •• •• ••

Put 1tsp of turmeric powder in a cup.

Whisk ½ cup of warmed oat or almond milk with ½ cup of hot water.

Add in ½ tsp of cinnamon powder and ½ tsp of ginger powder and maple syrup, honey or sweetener of choice.

Whisk some more, then add it to your turmeric powder and whisk or stir again.

Drink and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

With all of these recipes there are many extra ingredients and variations you can explore in order to discover how you like to enjoy these Super Three best.

So now we are ready for anything with our Super Three ready to take us through the day and into the night with glowing skin, healthy hair and a nourished body.

― health ―

SALTBUSH KITCHEN The Australian Store

Saltbush Kitchen is a new Australian experiene to delight your senses.

Visit, indulge and discover the finest of Australian Bushfood produce.

OPEN SUNDAYS 10 am to 5pm and during the week by appointment.

Commercial Street Buninyong Victoria down the lane off Warrenheip Street

www.saltbushkitchen.com.au

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keep-in-touch through: • quarterly print and digital publication • free weekly e-Newsletters • regularly updated website • social media AND Earn CPE Points!

www.theartofhealing.com.au ― health ―

Nursery School Indoor Garden Ideas Sow the seeds of a lifelong love for nature by introducing your sprouts to these playful and rewarding projects with plants.

Words by Mandy Allen Photography Warren Heath

< 68

Kids will get a kick out of completing these tactile, all-season activities that merge imagination, creativity, botany and a little bit of practical magic.

You also don’t need acres of garden to dig in – if you have a sunny windowsill, you’re good to go. With an emphasis on upcycling and sustainability, each of these easy projects is designed to encourage children to engage with nature, not tech. As well as the fun of getting their hands dirty, the bigger reward lies in watching something grow that they have nurtured themselves, thereby encouraging them to care for and appreciate all forms of life. ― little ―

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< 70

Making a Scene Inspired by the terrarium trend and museum dioramas, there’s great fun to be had in planting up a clear container with succulents, moss and plastic wildlife.

You will need: •• An assortment of glass or clear plastic/acrylic containers: terrariums, vases, medium to large Mason jars as well as small fish bowls or tanks •• Child-friendly, spike-free succulents •• Spray-bottle filled with water •• Small pebbles as well as decorative stones •• Potting soil •• Moss (available from nurseries) •• Plastic animal toys which can be sourced from a secondhand store

Instructions 1. Place a generous layer of small stones or pebbles in the bottom of the container.

2. Top with soil, leaving a few inches of space at the top for plants (depending on their size) and small plastic toys.

3. Plant the succulents and create scenes using the toys and moss.

4. Spray with a fine mist of water as needed.

TIPS

••

•• •• ― little ―

A terrarium makes a great DIY gift for little friends: pop a suitable container, several small succulents and a mini spray-bottle into a gift box along with soil, pebbles and plastic toys sorted into separate containers. Don’t forget hand-written instructions.

There’s no limit to how creative you can get: think colourful gravel, fairies and toadstools, and dinosaurs.

Before assembling your terrarium, mark the inside of the jar with dots of glow-in-the-dark paint to up the cool factor.

Bean There Germinating beans with cotton wool, water and a bit of sunshine is a classic project for budding horticulturalists. It’s an especially appealing activity for younger children thanks to how quickly the bean grows.

You will need: •• Dried beans (broad beans, sugar beans and butter beans will all work well) •• Cotton wool •• A glass container •• A sunny windowsill Instructions 1. Place a layer of cotton wool in the bottom of a small Mason jar or other clear glass container such as an old jam or mustard jar.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Slip your dried beans in on the sides so that kids can have a clear view of the day-to-day changes.

Place another thin layer of cotton wool on top of the beans and gently press down.

Wet – but do not soak – the cotton wool.

Place on a sunny windowsill and wait for the magic to happen. The beans should start to germinate after about three days.

TIPS

•• •• ••

Water the cotton as and when it feels dry to the touch.

When the sprouts are around 20cm tall they can be transferred, cotton wool included, to a planter or into the ground.

Beans love to climb: support them on a beanpole, trellis or bamboo or wooden frames.

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― little ―

< 72

Let’s be Fronds You say potato, I say beautiful indoor plant…The trailing, vinelike leaves of a sweet potato make for a whimsical and unusual addition to your collection of indoor plants. Kids will take pride in knowing that they have grown something so unusual and, quite frankly, cool.

You will need: •• A few healthy, wrinkle-free sweet potatoes – even better if little sprouts are beginning to shoot out of the sweet potato ‘eyes’ •• Clean glass jars and bottles with wide enough necks to place the potatoes into.

Instructions 1. Fill the jars almost to the top with water and place the bottom of the sweet potato into it so that it is resting in the water.

2. Keep at least the top ⅓ of the potato out of the water.

3. Place in a sunny or semi-sunny spot and wait for the magic to happen.

4. Vines with stems will begin to sprout in a few weeks.

TIPS

•• ••

― little ―

Maintain the health of your sweet potato vines and the mother plant by keeping the water in your container clean.

Change once a week or when it becomes murky.

Snip off any vines that have started to brown and wither.

Roots & Shoots Put your zero waste lifestyle aspirations into practice by showing kids that it’s entirely possible – and super-simple – to regrow new organic vegetables from scraps.

You will need: •• Small glass container, deep dish or a drinking glass / small pots •• Soil •• Garlic cloves/the thick base of a celery Instructions To regrow celery: 1. Once you have used all the stalks on your bunch of celery, place the base in a container, deep dish or glass with clean, room-temperature water.

2. Leave on the windowsill or somewhere that the base will get gentle sunlight.

3. New leaves should start to grow within five days.

4. Once the leaves are a little bigger, you can transfer your celery base into a pot filled with potting soil.

5. Plant the base in the soil with the leaf tips exposed and place in a spot that gets generous sunlight.

6. Water regularly.

7. After a week or two you should see stalks start to emerge.

To regrow garlic: 1. Try to buy organic garlic to begin with. This should ensure that it has not been chemically treated, which often prevents sprouting.

2. Fill a pot with potting soil and plant cloves (sprouting or not) around 1cm to 2cm down so they are covered.

3. Leave on a sunny windowsill or spot on the balcony or in the garden.

4. Water regularly but do not soak the soil or the cloves will rot.

5. Your garlic sprouts should start to push through the soil after about a month.

6. After several months you should notice hard, grass-like leaves growing from the centre of the plant.

7. Once these start to curl and brown, your garlic is ready to harvest.

TIPS

•• •• ••

In the initial stages of growing celery from the base, keep the water that it is in clear and fresh.

The process of regrowth can be repeated indefinitely for both vegetables.

Spring onions (also known as green onions) and chives can be regrown by cutting them about 10cm from the base of the root and standing them in a glass of clean water on a sunny windowsill.

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― little ―

< 74

Stalking on Eggshells This cracking idea recycles egg shells, transforming them from kitchen refuse into nutrient rich eco-containers for growing flowers from seed.

You will need: •• Cleaned and dry eggshell halves •• Egg carton •• Potting soil •• Teaspoon •• Spray-bottle filled with water •• A long needle or pin •• Flower seeds such as marigolds, cosmos, cornflowers, nasturtiums, pansies and sweet peas Instructions 1. Crack the eggs and pour the yolk and white into a bowl for cooking.

2. Rinse eggshell halves well, making sure to remove the fine membrane, and leave to dry.

3. Using a long needle, firmly but carefully poke a hole in the bottom of the shell from the inside. This is for drainage.

4. Lightly spray the eggshells with a fine mist of water.

5.

Fill the shells about ¾ of the way with potting soil using a teaspoon and level out with your fingers.

6. Gently press a few seeds into the soil using the instructions on the packet as a guide.

7. Place each egg container back into the carton.

8. Place in a sunny spot and wait for them to sprout.

9. Water with a spray bottle accordingly.

10. Once the seedlings are large enough, gently crack the eggshell containers and replant them into a pot or container in a place they will thrive.

11. Continue caring for the seedlings according to packet instructions until they bloom.

TIPS

••

•• •• ― little ―

Once you’ve emptied the contents of the eggshell for use in cooking, rinse the shells and boil them up for a few minutes.

This removes any remaining egg residue plus hardens the shells to prevent breakage. Make sure you have poked your small drainage hole in the bottom of the shell before boiling.

Remove any small bits of shell before potting with soil so that the opening is not too jagged.

Try broccoli, radish, carrot and tomato seeds for homegrown veggies.

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― little ―

The Hidden Secret of the Otways Colac

Words by Kerrin Angel-Irvine Photography Kerry Hulm & supplied

< 76

We’ve discovered a secret! You’ve heard of or probably visited the Great Ocean Road on Victoria’s South coast, a journey that captures the imaginations of millions of tourist each year. You’ve tasted the delights of the coastal villages of Lorne and Apollo Bay. You might have even taken your bike to Forest and tackled the world-class mountain bike trails. However, I wonder if you stopped to explore the hidden gems of Colac? Nestled between the base of the Otway hinterland and the everchanging shores of Lake Colac, with the volcanic Plains of Corangamite as its backdrop, Colac is full of surprises.

Don’t be misled by the prosaic entrance. There are plenty of treasures to uncover when you venture into this proud town’s heart. A band of folk with a vision in mind have created little pockets of intrigue and interest for you to discover. Colac challenges you to uncover these quirky little gems and we are going to provide you the map.

A walk along Murray St past the golden sandstone war memorial and the impeccable square sits Jo’s Pantry, a sustainable ecofriendly store that implores you to think green. Jars of spices and organic wholefoods line the shelves, with scoops provided for you to fill your own containers. There’s kombucha on tap, or buy your own scobies and make your own at home. Jo and Abby are on hand to recommend the right health remedies or offer advice on how to use the udon noodles and black bean paste. The organic cafe serves sublime lattes – either the regular caffeine variety, or something a bit more edgy and colourful, such as beetroot or turmeric.

Once you’ve had your coffee fix it’s a short stroll to the Cowlick bookshop, home to author Neal Drinnan, who has just launched his bestseller, Devil’s Grip. A town is not a town without a bookshop, and this bookish emporium provides a satisfying literary experience for all booklovers. The cosy nooks are piled high with books and quirky, inspiring gifts. The reading room out back beckons you to sit and browse and linger. At the front of the shop, a full sized tardis invites children into a magical space filled with all the books they love and some they haven’t yet discovered. ― travel ―

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― travel ―

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Another inviting wee store is March Yarns wool shop. Its window displays entice with colourful knitted socks and a huge handfelted manna gum tree complete with eagle and echidna made by local artists, Jo and Andrea. Cindy greets you as you enter and an explosion of colourful yarns will have you yearning to whip out those needles and start creating. March Yarns is inspired by its eponymous month, representing the beginning of autumn in the southern hemisphere and the sense of cosiness that comes with the change in the seasons – perfect for knitting and crocheting.

March Yarns is a hub for the crafty crowd, and the specialist yarns in stock rival those in exclusive wool shops across the country.

Almost next door in her dinky sized pocket shop, Lillypilly, is Kellie. Her “birdielove” collection has been created with the real woman in mind: flowing linens and flattering overalls in trending hues of moss, blush and mustard line the racks.

Kellie’s boho style infuses everything, from precious pieces to leather wallets exclusive to Colac and Birregurra. Kellie’s understanding of the curvaceous, sensual woman makes it a joy to try on her creations.

With reuse, rethink, recycle and reduce as guiding principles, we love the idea behind the Murray Street Market. Open seven days a week, over 90 local stall holders display their wares all in one vibrant space, with crafters and makers sitting alongside vintage and retro. Brand new quirky gifts rub shoulders with stalls featuring baby products. There really is something for everyone. The Market is alive with locals popping in for a gift with a difference or some eco-nappies and bamboo toothbrushes. Tourists are tempted by the prospect of discovering some English vintage china or an antique clock to take home. Visually chaotic in an amazing way, you will need a couple of hours to explore this cornucopia.

― travel ―

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After the stimulating experience of the Murray Street Market it’s time to discover a place of tranquillity and good food. The Botanic Cafe on the Lake is a welcome oasis. This not-for-profit enterprise is committed to kick-starting the careers of people with differing abilities. You will love the picturesque setting overlooking sparkling lake Colac and encompassed by the manicured lawns and ancient trees of the botanical gardens. The kitchen and cafe are abuzz with an inspiring and passionate team of supported employees guided by hospitality professionals. The famous scones and fresh seasonal menu reflect their dedication to superb food, all served with a cheeky smile and the best views in town. You won’t ever want to leave this sanctuary.

As there’s so much to discover in Colac, why not stay a while longer? Heading towards Birregurra is Tarnawarncourt homestead. “Tarndie” is one of Victoria’s oldest surviving homesteads and one of Australia’s original family farms. This historic working sheep farm offers cottage accommodation with a focus on providing a retreat for makers and writers.

Visitors can see the special flock of Polworth sheep bred especially by the Dennis Family pioneers to suit the Otway environment.

The wool grown on the farm is turned into beautiful bespoke yarn sold in the onsite shop housed in an old barn. This is truly single origin yarn from one of Australia’s earliest breeds of sheep. Check out the Tarndie website for upcoming ciderhouse exhibitions and workshops where you can try your hand at various techniques.

There are so many more surprises in store for visitors to this dynamic town. Not to mention other great collectable and brica-brac stores and a few good op shops that we will leave you to discover. Colac is only two hours from Melbourne, one hour from Geelong and a hop, skip and a jump from The Great Ocean Road, so why not plan to uncover these treasures for yourself next time you are passing by.

So now you know our secret. Colac. We don’t mind if you want to spread this little secret around.

― travel ―

Jo’s Pantry

March Yarns – Colac’s local yarn shop

At Jo’s Pantry, an organic health food store in Colac, we have designed a more sustainable way to do your grocery shopping.

We are community focused, and aim to create a more mindful and meaningful shopping experience.

March Yarns is a ‘heaven’ for makers, and provides Colac with a thriving hub for knitters and crocheters of all abilities and budgets.

It offers a welcoming environment and support with projects, and in creative decision-making. We promote the pleasure and creativity of knitting, crochet and other crafts and the joy of making things and ‘going slow’.

We have a wide variety of nuts, seeds, legumes, flours, spices and detergents that can all be purchased in bulk, free from packaging.

Our store is fragrant with teas, muesli, chocolates and fresh bread.

Not only can you get freshly ground peanut butter and coffee, we also have honey and kombucha available on tap.

March Yarns stocks a very wide range of yarns from the basics like Cleckheaton, Patons, and Heirloom for everyday projects to prestige brands like Malabrigo, Lang, and Rowan for special creations. It also stocks a wide selection of patterns books and a range of needles and hooks to suit all projects and preferences.

We make a magical cappuccino, or for those who aren’t too keen on caffeine, there’s an array of beautiful chai options, not to mention our lovely cakes and slices that you can eat in with us or takeaway to enjoy at home. We love sharing our space, and hope to see you soon!

Cindy is a passionate crafter and offers lessons and workshops in knitting and crochet as well as hosting social crafting get togethers such as crochet a-longs (CAL) and Sit & Knit sessions.

72 Murray St Colac 3250

139 Murray Street Colac 3052

facebook.com/jospantry.62/

marchyarns.com.au

Botanic Cafe

Tarndie

Botanic Cafe on the Lake is a not-for-profit initiative of genU. Our food and coffee not only tastes good – it does good. Support us and you support our community.

Tarndie is a yarn company that has evolved from a 179-year-old family farm near Colac. Tarndie is short for “Tarndwarncoort”, a Gulidjan word describing small hills that resemble a bandicoot hop.

We’re an accredited social enterprise kick-starting the careers of people with a disability. We are 100% about quality, service and community. We recruit, train and support people to develop new skills, enabling independence, whilst enjoying the benefits of meaningful employment.

Wool-growing has been central to Tarndwarncoort since 1840 when the Dennis brothers migrated from Cornwall. They developed a sheep breed called Polwarth that is best suited to Colac’s wetter climate. Today, the Dennis family grow wool that is processed into yarn in Geelong and New Zealand.

We are one of the most popular destinations for locals and tourists, and one of our region’s top 10 cafes on TripAdvisor! Our location, overlooking the lake and nestled among the Botanic Gardens, is second to none. We provide an experience that is so good, you’ll not only keep coming back, you will spread the word!

Available in 4ply and 8ply in natural and dyed yarns, Polwarth is suited to beanies, shawls, scarves and jumpers.

The on-farm wool shop is open Friday to Monday, and it is also possible to purchase yarn online.

< 82

Behind every coffee, every soup and every salad is a proud supported employee delivering you a positive Botanic Cafe on the Lake experience.

Guest accommodation allows crafters to extend their visit, and a workshop program focuses on spinning, felting, weaving, dyeing, knitting and crochet.

37 Roseneath Road Warncoort 3243

1 Fyans Street Colac 3250

tarndie.com

colacbotaniccafe.com.au ― travel ―

Lillypilly

Cow Lick Bookshop

Established 15 years ago, Lillypilly started out as a ladies’ boutique stocking a range of gifts as well as leather handbags, jewellery and accessories.

Cow Lick Bookshop is a curious emporium of books and miscellaneous delights, a place to expect the unexpected. Owned

by Neal Drinnan, novelist and author of The Devil’s Grip, a bestselling true crime sensation, this is a retail experience where conversations and coincidences keep the town interesting.

Five years ago we created our own label, “birdielove”, inspired by a passion to design beautiful pieces that are timeless and unique for ladies with real bodies. At Lillypilly, rather than follow trends we create them, using all-natural fibres such as soft linens and embellished cotton lace. Our fabrics are hand-dyed and pre-shrunk prior to sewing, ensuring that we produce pieces of exceptional quality.

We pride ourselves on stocking Australian Made products such as the Urban Rituelle brand, which has an extensive range of fragrant candles, body products and home fragrances. Our commitment to customer service and our ability to provide garments that are both flattering and stylish has our customers returning again and again!

129 Murray St Colac 3250 0437 358 021

A place where everyone is welcome to sit, read and reflect.

Whether you’re after vinyl LPs, the best blue-tooth speakers, smokeless Japanese incense, unusual giftware or the best reading recommendations, Neal, Denise or Jake will make you real welcome. It’s what we do in Colac.

90 Murray St Colac 3250 03 5232 1072 cowlick.com.au sales@cowlick.com.au

@lillypillygiftslittlebirdie

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Murray Street Markets Browse the labyrinth that is Murray Street Market, only a small detour from the Great Ocean Road. With over 90 mini stores all under one roof, there’s plenty of things to explore, from Spotongiffymabobs to craftywhattodoyoucallits, to vintagethingamies to secondhand doodads. Shop for a new gift, vintage goods, records and cd’s, material, plants, locally made baby wear and gifts, maternity wear, sewing supplies, biodegradable nappies and loads of jewellery, both new and vintage.

Shop local, support locals. We’re well worth a day trip!

Open seven days a week.

Weekdays 10am-5pm, Weekends 10am-4pm 249-251 Murray Street Colac 3250 0452 255 017 facebook.com/Murray-Street-Market-531055140314641/ @murray_street_market murraystmarket@gmail.com ― travel ―

Vergin’ on Magic…

Words by Hey Hoe Let’s Grow Photography Supplied

Imagine a world where you can hop from footpath to footpath grazing as you go on delicious, nutritious food.

It’s a food utopia that is actually possible thanks to some forwardthinking compassionate city councils Australia-wide, and due to the awesome audacity of guerrilla gardeners who flout the law and do it anyway. < 84

Statistics indicate up to 20% of Australians experience food insecurity. About 1 in 5 people you will have encountered today have their access to fresh food compromised due to a variety of reasons. Grassroots movements such as the one I’m involved with called Food Is Free (my chapter is in Ballarat), Grow Carts, and other incredible groups address these issues one street at a time.

Growing verge food is a brilliant gesture, not to mention an excellent way to get to know your neighbours. I liken it to the old-school corner milk bars, where you catch up on the neighbourhood news. Imagine living in a world knowing fellow humans have your back if you are experiencing a lifestyle with limited access to fresh food? Or are just having a bad week financially? We’ve all been there!

Creating a community that flourishes on random acts of kindness is only a few steps away!

Preparation: •• Start thinking about the size and look of your verge garden.

•• Apply for a local council permit if veggie verges are allowed.

If not, do it anyway!

•• Inform your neighbours: it is good communication, plus you may recruit some help to maintain the wicking bed.

•• Contact Dial Before You Dig (1100) to ensure you will not disrupt any utility cables/pipelines etc.

•• Check out what grows well in your climate via websites like Gardenate (www.gardenate.com) and observe what thrives in your neighbourhood.

•• Visit your local nursery. Ask gardeners who like to share for some cuttings/seedlings etc.

•• Set a date to build your garden.

My advice is that wicking beds make the best veggie verges for a couple of reasons: a. firstly, they were invented by an Australian called Colin Austin. Onya Colin! b. councils more readily accept raised garden beds as they are easily dismantled if you move/don’t want one anymore; c. they eliminate any trip/hazard risks and ensure good site lines.

What is a wicking bed?

Essentially they are raised garden beds with a reservoir of water underneath to allow the plant’s roots to pull up the water from beneath the soil. Think of self-watering pots, which some plants live in. The plants decide when and how much water to take in overtime via a self-absorption method. And wow, do they conserve water! Plants consist of 80% to 90% of water so they need good water storage systems to thrive.

Regular garden beds need daily watering in summer; wicking beds only need weekly watering.

Plants’ health improves when their roots suck up water from underneath, making their roots stronger, as they search downwards for water. Watering plants from above can cause mildew and mold to develop on leaves, causing disease, and contributing to pests. Sucking up water from beneath also means less water evaporation, so all the goodness, such as those lovely health-giving microbes, stay contained in the soil.

Wicking beds are suited to Australian conditions, especially with the recent alarming statistics on climate change and the warming of the earth. Wicking beds will change your approach to gardening.

The big day: Any community project needs people, so do a shout-out to mates/family/neighbours, assembling your crew over a shared meal to get involved. You can pool materials that way, too!

Building a wicking bed is easy and doesn’t have to be costly, with a bit of ingenuity plus repurposing.

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Grab a few pallets marked HT (heat treated) and bash them apart leaving individual strips of wood, like fence palings. Depending upon how big you want it, assemble a number of pallet strips the same size and place in a landscape fashion (i.e., east to west) to form a rectangle shape. Nail two long strips of wood the same size portrait fashion (i.e., north to south) attached to either end of the rectangle using longer planks than the space they are attached to so they overhang as bed legs. These planks should also be thicker, to hold the weight. Repeat to build the opposite end of the garden bed. Repeat the same process again twice, but with longer strips, to form the outer body of the bed. Nail together. Finally, place pieces of wood, or one solid bit of wood purpose-cut, to the bottom of the bed, securing with nails. Note the bottom has to be very sturdy as it will be taking the entire weight of the soil in the garden bed. Paint it up – make it funky!

N.B. A bed totalling 50cm depth is ideal: the maximum recommended depth of soil for a wicking bed is 25cm, and the same depth applies as the best possible distance of your underneath water reserve.

Tip: Place the bed where it will live prior to filling it, or you won’t be able to lift it! We placed pond liner under the bed to prevent weeds growing underneath.

Place a pond liner on the inside base and extend up over the walls, cutting it to fit the entire space, fitting snuggly. Using a staple gun, affix the liner in all corners and sides. It’s imperative you don’t make any extra holes in the lining or water will seep out.

You don’t want that.

Next, create an inflow channel to pour the water in to by standing up 5cm PVC piping down one side of the bed. This is your inflow pipe for the water to go into the bed. This pipe needs small holes cut into it every 5cm or so to let water flow out.

On the opposite side, about 20cm from the base, drill a hole through the wood and pond liner to allow a small piece (approximately 10cm) of outflow pipe to snugly stick out through.

This is where the excess water will dribble out once full. It needs to be visible on the outside of the bed, to allow you to see the water flowing out, once you have poured water via the inflow pipe, indicating the bed cannot take any more water.

Fill up a third of the bed with fine grade scoria (porous volcanic rock cheaply available at soil yards). Scoria allows aeration of the soil. Place a piece of geotextile fabric to cover the top of the scoria. This acts as the wicking layer, absorbing the water from the base up the scoria into the soil. Fill the remainder of the garden bed with a good organic quality soil mix, compost and add Rockdust.

When you have added your plants, you will need to water from above for a few weeks to get them established; then you start the wicking process, watering into the downflow pipe. Top up with organic mulch (e.g. pea straw), which breaks down, adding nutrients, whilst simultaneously acting as a weed barrier and water conserver.

We can all help our community in our own individual way.

Populating our front verges with a living veggie, fruit and herb oasis for all to enjoy is a great ongoing gift to your ‘hood.

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Waste – it is avoidable!

These days we spend a lot of time focussing on recycling and trying to get that right. But the reality is that we need to focus more on not creating waste in the first place! The best first steps should be avoiding, reducing and reusing waste – all of which are better options than recycling.

Words by La Vergne Lehmann Photography Supplied

By avoiding, reducing, reusing and recycling our waste, we can reduce our environmental impact, keep valuable materials out of landfill, recover materials to support the circular economy and protect natural resources. Along with the environmental benefits, you can also save money.

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This waste hierarchy outlines the above steps and lists them in a preferred order, with ‘avoid’ at the top as the best action to take.

Avoiding Waste Our ultimate goal is to avoid producing waste in the first place. If we act as conscious consumers, by considering the environmental and social costs as well as the financial costs of the things we buy, then we can reduce our waste impact.

Tips for waste avoidance: •• Be a smart shopper. Before buying something, ask yourself the question – do I really need it?

•• If you plan your meals, make a shopping list, and stick to it – then you will only purchase what you need rather than the extras that are temptations in supermarkets.

•• Avoid items that have unnecessary packaging. Actively choose alternatives that are packaging free or have less packaging. For example, choose an unwrapped cake of soap rather than a bottle of body wash.

•• Stop using single-use plastics. Make a start by using your own reusable coffee cup and water bottle, say no to plastic straws and cutlery, and always take your own shopping bags with you.

•• Purchase bulk, loose food and cleaning products. Only buy the quantity that you need and use your own bags or containers.

•• Shop at your local farmers market. Purchase fresh, seasonal, loose and organic produce, which also supports local farmers.

•• Grow your own. Not only is your own produce free from packaging but the waste from your produce can be composted and put back into your garden. ― eco finds ―

Reuse your waste If we reuse what we already have then we are able to reduce the need to extract more materials from the earth and prevent large amounts of potentially toxic, man-made materials from entering the environment as landfill. There are a growing number of arts and craft enthusiasts who now focus their creative efforts on repurposing items.

Tips for reusing your waste: •• Get creative! Can your old teapot become a flower pot? Is that old bbq a new potting bench? Can you sew old blankets or jumpers into cushion covers? There are so many ways to reuse what you already have and if you cannot use them then there might be others who can.

•• Hold a garage sale, donate to your local op shop, sell or swap online or host a clothes swap with friends.

•• Repair broken items such as furniture, toys, clothes or electrical items rather than throwing them out. Check out local Repair Café options in your area to help out as well.

•• You don’t always need to buy new. You can opt to buy used or secondhand items. There are some great finds at online marketplaces such as Gumtree, eBay or local Facebook markets.

•• Choose products that have packaging that can be refilled rather than thrown away.

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Reducing your waste All of us can make choices that result in less waste being produced. Every time we shop, socialise, travel or just go about our everyday life, we make choices about what we buy and what we do. Reducing waste is about being mindful and making better decisions.

Tips for reducing waste: •• Food waste is one of our biggest waste problems.

Understanding the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates is important for distinguishing what should be eaten first. Food must be eaten prior to its ‘use by’ date for safety reasons.

•• Buy longer-lasting, harder-wearing, quality items such as TVs, digital devices and clothes, and only replace them when they are at the end of their useful life.

•• Use cloth nappies rather than disposable nappies. These are modern, easy to wash and use. Disposable nappies can each take hundreds of years or more to break down in landfill.

•• Rather than single use products, purchase products that are concentrated, reusable, refillable or rechargeable rather than disposable including razors, lighters and batteries.

•• Buy products with recycled content. This helps to ‘close the loop’ by creating markets for items made from recycled content, such as toilet paper or paper towel. ― eco finds ―

Reclaiming Landfill < 90

Deb Western Words by Imogen Kolbe PhotographyJunkies Team

Debbie Weston is doing her bit when it comes to rethinking the way we treat landfill and reuse discarded items. In her newest ecofriendly project Deb has partnered with a local carpet manufacture, and together they’ve got us thinking about those discarded bits of wool.

With a circular sustainability mindset, she has set out to find use for those fibres that would otherwise go to waste. So far, she’s found applications for gardening, has created stunning textiles, and used them as stuffing for pillow projects. The possibilities are endless! But what could you do with this discarded waste?

And what is circular sustainability? Debbie wants to open a conversation around the uses material destined for landfill can have in creative procedures. It’s about an environmentally responsible connection, about establishing a community of likeminded people who want to push the boundaries around wool and what we assume can be done with it, people ready to actively learn through doing.

Debbie describes the feeing of excitement she gets when opening a bale of discarded wool. The yarn that had little purpose after its creation has now found a home in her studio. With it she has been creating stunning weaves and textiles for the last half year; now she wants to communicate her idea to everyone. Deb has been performing tests on bundles and has found that there is a mix of pure New Zealand wool, and Australian blended polyester and wool.

While both are designed for carpets, they work well for blankets and clothing, due to their durability and warmth. Deb speaks of the beauty of the different textures from the blends, of creating something that is unique in feel and look.

Debbie is keen to share the joy of discarded wool with other crafty folk by making up customised bundles of yarn.

When ordering from Deb she tries to make your bundles as consistent to your needs as possible, so whether you’re intending to use the yarn to make a new fashion statement or to create a nice new rug for yourself, you’ll have a consistent texture.

Debbie’s #iwaslandfill movement is about empowerment in a positive and environmentally friendly way. Deb is concerned that mass production has maximised waste whist simultaneously distancing us from actively creating things.

She asks us to recall a time when groups of women sat around the table with afternoon tea whilst knitting, or the quirky aunt who was always painting. Or finding your grandma working in her garden. Debbie wants to bring ownership back to those memories and to create new memories of creativity, putting your own story to a statement work of art.

Adopt Debbie’s conversation, enlist your friends, and create and empower the #Iwaslandfill movement.

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Blarney’s Biblio Art Award Words by Jo Canham Photography Supplied

Back in 2009, we found ourselves with an oversupply of vintage books. These are the books that generally come with a large collection, and as we’d only opened our secondhand bookshop less than four years previously, we’d been taking a lot of large collections on to stock the shelves. These books weren’t valuable, or particularly collectible, and they weren’t likely to sell. But as books, as objects, they held a certain beauty. They still looked pretty on a shelf, and they were like letters from the past. We just couldn’t bear to send them off to the recycling depot, where so many other books end up. < 92

Casting about for ideas of what to do with them, and at the same time trying to come up with something to get us on the map, we eventually came upon a concept for an art prize. How about we just throw all the vintage books in a wheelbarrow, get artists to select a book and make an artwork using their chosen book? Turns out, this idea had legs. The artists seemed to really enjoy this challenge, and the artworks produced in that first year were nothing short of astounding. We invited three independent judges to select from that first year’s entry pool of around finished 40 pieces – which ranged from 2D artwork hanging on the wall, to 3D and interactive works. The imagination of these artists knew no bounds!

The 2009 winner was Soxy Fleming, who had selected from the wheelbarrow an old German dictionary. Her piece was German Toast, which, beyond being a great visual piece, had a thoughtful and disturbing connotation.

This Art Prize has continued annually and is now up to its 11th year, with some truly incredible results. We kept to the original concept for some years, every year rolling out the wheelbarrow, and we experimented with different ideas each year. For a couple of years, we listed all of the books available in the wheelbarrow so artists could select a book without having to come into our shop, which meant anyone around Australia – indeed, the world – could enter via the internet and we’d post out the books. Some years we asked that artists make use of the book in the artwork, and other years we’ve just asked that they be inspired by the book. Last year, we invited artists to select any book they’d like to use as their inspiration, but the feedback was that artists found it too open – there are too many books in the world to select one from (a problem we well understand from a reading point of view). Posting out the books was causing headaches with so much extra work as well.

For 2019, now that we are no longer experiencing an oversupply of vintage books, we are more reticent to take on big lots of old books these days – and in an effort to refresh the 10-year-old prize, we’ve changed the format quite significantly. We have moved to a much more contemporary competition. This year for their entry fee, the artists receive a randomly drawn preselected title only by a current author and are asked to create an artwork inspired by their selected title. They are not asked to buy the book from us, although if we have it in stock they are of course more than welcome to, but they are encouraged to use the library or their own local bookshops to source the assigned title. With this format, we are hoping to connect the artists and the authors more directly, and to bring it in to the modern day.

We are also hoping to get people reading out of their comfort zone. This also reflects where we are going with the bookshop, in a way, in that we are keen to keep looking forward – to leave the politically incorrect past behind, to embrace a future that is allinclusive and open-minded to the entire spectrum of experiences and voices that need to be heard.

Every year, we have invited independent judges from the art world – those judges have included some of Australia’s greatest artists, including and not limited to Deborah Klein, Katherine Hattam, Robert Gott, David Frazer, Dianne Longley and graphic novelist Nicki Greenberg amongst them. In an attempt to create strong local connections, as well as a judge from the larger art world, we invite another judge from our own southwest region to work together on awarding the Grand Prize. In 2019 the Grand Prize sits at $2000.

This is a prize without sponsorship – it is our own way of giving something back to the creative world we inhabit. (For the record, we would be more than happy to see sponsors leap in for extra prizes – we are always keen to keep growing this competition.)

The other major shift for the Biblio Art Prize this year has been that we are moving it from a midwinter exhibition to our peak December/January season, in order to get as many people seeing the exhibition as is humanly possible. It’s such a brilliant show, every year, it deserves the biggest audience!

For more information about this art prize, please subscribe to our website. blarneybooks.com.au

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Book Reviews Reviews by Jo Canham

The Contented Bee ABC Books Beekeeping appears to be a rapidly growing publishing niche.

More and more people are becoming keepers of bees, to enjoy the sweet rewards that come not only from the harvest, but from finding another connection with nature. This volume has been brought out by the Australian Broadcasting Commission and is an easy reference book for the beginner bee-keeper. It’s a colourful and simply laid out book, divided into two sections. The first half is about beekeeping itself, and how to go about setting up a colony. The second half of the book dedicates itself to stories about beekeepers around Australia, and is really delightful! There are comments from people profiled where they say the bees have changed their lives, or they’ve brought the (human) community together, or they’ve got the kids fascinated and involved. It’s obvious that it’s easy to become besotted with breeding bees, and this beautiful book will be indispensable.

< 96

Young Dark Emu Bruce Pascoe Magabala Books The author of Dark Emu has returned with a version of this book that is targeted to our children – so the next generations can grow up with something other than the indigenous history we of the older generations have been fed through our schooling. They will get not only the truth about the ways indigenous people lived and cultivated the land, through agriculture and aquaculture, but also the story about how the truth was covered over to retain the myth that our First People were nomadic savages. Bruce Pascoe said this book came about as the result of a visit to a school where he discovered literally nothing about Australia’s indigenous history in the library: nothing about those who occupied our country for thousands upon thousands of years, before the more recent arrival of boats of European explorers from 1788 onwards.

This beautiful book sets out the information clearly, referring in many instances to diaries and journals from those explorers who witnessed the farming techniques being employed by indigenous communities. It also details the devastating impact of their domesticated animals on the environment. We can hope that this is only the beginning of this type of literature for the next generations, and that those shelves in school libraries will start filling up with some more truer histories of our incredible land and its first people.

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Farewell, My Orange Iwaki Kei Europa Editions I’m writing this review in August, which is known as the ‘Women in Translation’ Month by the literary world. Which means readers and booksellers are encouraged to pay attention to writers from countries outside our own. So it seems very appropriate to draw your attention to this small novel. This beautiful little book is written by Japanese born Iwaki Kei, who settled in Australia over 20 years ago. She lends a gentle voice to the immigration experience and shines a light on many of the obstacles and hardships in that experience, for anyone settling in a new country.

There is loneliness and misunderstanding, and the misplaced assumptions that come from any direction. Through the lives of two characters, Salimah from Nigeria, and Sayuri from Japan, two women who meet at an English language class, the reader is shown what it takes to negotiate life in an unfamiliar country.

Farewell, My Orange has won both the Dazai Osamu Prize and the Oe Kenzaburo Prize. Translated by Meredith McKinney.

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