FIFTY+SA Issue 13

The Season Ahead

Summer is all but upon us, and South Australia is ready to shine. From festive fun and cultural experiences to delicious local flavours and summer adventures, there’s plenty to inspire you over the coming months.

STATE THEATRE COMPANY

Gold Subscriptions

Fancy a front-row seat to Adelaide’s best theatre? Gold subscribers get invited to opening nights and can mingle at pre- and post-show functions. Spots are limited to just 50 members, so don’t wait!

THE MEN’S ASHES TEST MATCH

Adelaide Oval, 17–21 December 2025

The iconic “Christmas Test” is back! Watch Australia take on England over five days of cricketing history, with the first ball bowled at 10am each day. Pack a picnic, soak up the summer sun, and enjoy the atmosphere.

YOTAM OTTOLENGHI

Adelaide Festival Centre, Wednesday 11 February

Watch Yotam Ottolenghi cook live on stage, sharing stories, kitchen secrets, and his favourite dishes. Full of warmth and humour, he shows that cooking is an act of love – colourful, simple, and joyful. A must for food lovers and fans of his delicious flavours.

HARVEY at Holden Street Theatres

Peter Goers stars as Elwood P. Dowd in this charming comedy about friendship, kindness, and an invisible rabbit.

Summer’s here, and there’s plenty to see, taste, and experience. Thank you for sharing the past year with us in FIFTY+SA, we look forward to more stories, ideas, and good times together in the year ahead.

PUBLISHERS

Tom Archontidis

Charlotte Chambers

EDITOR

Olivia Williams

DESIGNER

David Gale

SALES MANAGER

Katie Brown

katie@fiftyplussa.com.au

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Paul Kitching

Jacqui Lim

Nick Stock

Dave Bradley

Angie McBride

John Thompson-Mills

DIGITAL

Lauren Ferrone

DISTRIBUTION

templarsa.com.au

COVER

Angelina Karadada Boona, Wunambul/ Worrora people, Western Australia, born Kalumburu, Western Australia 1967, Wandjina Emerging, 2021, Kalumburu, Western Australia, earth pigments and natural resin on paper, 150.0 x 102.0 cm; Acquisition through Tarnanthi: Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art supported by BHP 2022, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, © Angelina Karadada Boona, courtesy Waringarri Aboriginal Arts

TC MEDIA

Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the publisher. Whilst all care is taken, the publisher accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions.

FIFTY+SA is a team effort and if you have any suggestions or questions we would love to hear from you. hello@fiftyplussa.com.au

FOLLOW US @fiftyplus.sa fiftyplussa.com.au

We would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people as the custodians of the lands and waters of the Adelaide region.

30 AUGUST 2025 – 1 FEBRUARY 2026 South Australian Museum | Open daily 10am – 5pm

Adelaide Polo Classic 2025

Her Majesty’s Theatre

Transforms into Wonderland

Adelaide audiences are in for a treat this summer as Cirque Alice makes its dazzling South Australian debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre from 8 – 18 January 2026.

From the creative minds behind international sensation The Illusionists, this breathtaking production reimagines Lewis Carroll’s much-loved tale, sweeping audiences down the rabbit hole and into a whimsical world where the impossible feels within reach. Expect soaring aerialists, mind-bending contortionists, exquisite puppetry and playful surprises at every turn, all set to remixed classical soundtracks that heighten the magic.

With its stunning set design and intimate cabaret-style seating, Cirque Alice places audiences right at the heart of the wonderland, making it feel less like a show and more like a dream

The Adelaide Polo Classic is back on Friday, 12 December, promising a day of fast-paced polo, gourmet indulgence, and all the glamour you’d expect from South Australia’s premier social event. Set at Ellis Park – Tampawardli in the heart of the city, this 20/20-style polo guarantees excitement both on and off the field.

It’s not just about the sport. Guests can sip award-winning South Australian wines, sample locally inspired culinary creations, and soak up sophisticated

you’ve stepped inside. “A celebration of storytelling, music, and joy,” says Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould, “we look forward to sharing its magic with South Australians of all ages.”

Whether it’s a summer date night or an outing with the grandkids, this spellbinding mix of circus and theatre promises something for everyone. Don’t miss your chance to tumble into a world of wonder when Cirque Alice takes over Her Majesty’s Theatre this January.

For tickets: adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au

all-day entertainment. Whether you’re lounging in a private hospitality suite or catching the action from the chic social lawns, the Classic has a little something for everyone.

The event is also a showcase of South Australia’s best: innovative producers, stunning fashions on the field, and premium experiences that celebrate the state’s thriving food, wine, and lifestyle scene. It’s a day where community and creativity collide, all while cheering on world-class polo players.

Whether you’re a die-hard polo fan, a lover of fine food and wine, or just after a stylish day out with friends, the Adelaide Polo Classic delivers. With thrilling sport, elegant style, and top-tier hospitality, it’s an unforgettable celebration of everything that makes South Australia so special.

Adelaide Polo Classic

Friday, 12 December 2025

Ellis Park – Tampawardli, City West, Adelaide adelaidepoloclassic.com.au

CIRQUE ALICE

Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre

When: 8 – 18 January 2026

Who for: All ages – from date nights to family outings

Expect: Aerialists, acrobats, contortionists, puppetry, music, comedy, and remixed classics

Tee Off in Style

Adelaide’s Golf Clubs

Worth a Visit

South Australia is famous for its wineries and coastlines, but for those who love a day on the greens, our golf scene is just as impressive. From lush parklands to coastal fairways, the city and surrounding region offer courses for every level, whether you’re chasing birdies or enjoying a leisurely round with friends.

① Royal Adelaide Golf Club is a standout. Founded in 1892, it blends history with challenge, offering a beautifully maintained course framed by native gum trees. Precision is just as important as power on its strategic fairways.

② Not far away, Glenelg Golf Club delivers a scenic coastal experience. Rolling fairways and ocean breezes make every hole memorable, while the clubhouse is perfect for a post-game coffee or casual meal.

Festive Creativity Shines at

WEA’s First Christmas Market

③ The Grange Golf Club caters to serious golfers. With two world-class 18-hole courses, superb conditions, and a rich history, it has hosted major tournaments like LIV Golf Adelaide. The elegant clubhouse and immaculate fairways make it a must-visit for top-tier play.

④ For a different perspective, Mount Osmond Golf Club offers an elevated experience… literally! Set on the Adelaide Hills foothills, its undulating terrain and panoramic city views make it a favourite for those seeking a peaceful round away from the bustle.

⑤ Community-friendly courses are also abundant. The Vines Golf Club in Reynella, at the gateway to Adelaide’s

southern wine region, welcomes golfers of all ages and abilities. Its par-71 course, bar, bistro, and event facilities make it a popular spot.

Kooyonga Golf Club

2A Military Road, North Adelaide

North Adelaide Golf Course

War Memorial Drive, North Adelaide

West Lakes Golf Club

1 Military Road, West Lakes

Flagstaff Hill Golf Club

3 Flagstaff Road, Flagstaff Hill

Blackwood Golf Club

1 Longwood Road, Eden Hills

There’s something special about a Christmas gift that comes with a story, and this December, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is giving Adelaide the chance to discover treasures with heart at its first-ever Christmas Market.

On Saturday, 6 December 2025, from 10am to 1pm, the WEA Centre on Angas Street will transform into a festive marketplace, brimming with handmade pieces created by WEA tutors. Shoppers can expect stalls filled with jewellery, textiles, photography, arts and crafts, homewares, and seasonal treats –perfect for those who prefer gifts that are thoughtful, personal, and unique.

For WEA CEO Lesley Venning, the market is a natural extension of what the organisation has always stood for: lifelong learning, creativity, and connection.

“The WEA has always been about giving people the chance to explore new skills and discover hidden talents,” Ms Venning said. “Our first Christmas Market is an opportunity to showcase that creativity in action – bringing

people together and celebrating what our tutors and students have achieved.”

Alongside browsing stalls, visitors can soak up festive music, enjoy interactive activities, and even explore what’s on offer in WEA’s 2026 program of courses. Staff and tutors will be on hand to chat about everything from cooking and photography to art, craft, and business, courses that spark passions and sometimes even lead to side hustles or lifelong hobbies.

With more than a century of history and close to 10,000 enrolments annually, the WEA remains a cornerstone of adult education in South Australia. Its new Christmas Market continues that tradition, offering locals a festive, family-friendly way to celebrate creativity and support makers.

WEA Christmas Market Saturday, 6 December 2025. 10am – 1pm WEA Centre, 223 Angas Street, Adelaide Free entry

For more information: wea-sa.com.au

MORE GREENS TO EXPLORE

Step inside nature’s lens

at the South Australian Museum

Experience the beauty of the natural world at the South Australian Museum’s Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition – currently on display.

Drawn from more than 1,800 submissions across 18 countries, the 99 shortlisted works represent the very best photography of the ANZANG bioregion showcasing – Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea.

Each image, whether of soaring landscapes, delicate flora, rare wildlife or sweeping night skies, captures a moment of wonder and invites viewers to pause, reflect and look more deeply at the environment we share.

Remembering Johnnies

A Tribute to South Australia’s Retail Heart

For many South Australians, “Johnnies” was more than a store, it was part of our lives. Founded in 1866 by John Martin and Otto Peters as a modest haberdashery called Peters & Martin, the store blossomed into a retail empire under the stewardship of the Hayward family. What followed was history: the famous Magic Cave, the beloved Christmas Pageant, and even the headline-making sponsorship of The Beatles’ Adelaide concert in 1964. Generations of South Australians grew up with Johnnies woven into their memories.

The exhibition spans ten categories, including Animals in Nature, Threatened Species and Astrophotography to name a few, demonstrating a breadth of talent among professional and emerging photographers, and the many ways nature can be interpreted through the lens.

Visitors will find that this is more than a photography display – it’s a celebration of artistry, patience and the enduring power of nature to inspire. Take your time, linger and uncover the stories each image holds.

The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 5pm, until 1 February 2026. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and concession, with free entry for children under 12 years

personal anecdotes from staff and customers, and years of meticulous research. His inspiration for the book stems from a childhood memory; riding the lifts at Rundle Mall with the “lift ladies.” Those moments, along with family conversations and community interviews, sparked a lifelong desire to preserve Johnnies’ story.

“I refuse to allow Johnnies to slip further into the past. We must recognise its contribution to the State.” Flavel reflects.

and Museum members. Tickets can be booked online or at the door.

Paul Flavel captures this legacy with warmth and depth, blending colourful photographs, candid

Readers will be transported back to The Buttery, relive the thrill of pageant day, and rediscover the elegance of a bygone

The Museum has also teamed up with the Adelaide Botanic Gardens to offer a special ticket, giving you entry to both the Nature Photographer and Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibitions for just $20 adults and $18 seniors and concession.

While you’re there don’t miss the Museum’s free exhibition Ride on, shine on: The East Kimberley Art Movement, on display until 14 December.

Make a day of your visit by exploring the Museum Shop and relaxing in the Café.

Find out more samuseum.sa.gov.au

shopping era. More than a retailer, John Martin’s was a community hub and an important workplace, a cornerstone in South Australia’s social fabric.

The journey doesn’t stop at the book. A series of author talks and historical events are planned for 2026, marking what would have been John Martin’s 160th anniversary. Flavel is also consulting on a documentary currently in development with ABCx Productions and is working on a podcast series to capture even more of these treasured stories.

John Martin’s – The Story of South Australia’s Beloved Department Store is both a nostalgic celebration of Adelaide’s retail heart and a powerful reminder of the stories that shape our shared history.

John Martin’s –The Story of South Australia’s Beloved Department Store RRP $75.00

For further information: johnmartinsbook.com

Double Leopard Sharks by Jordan Robins

Meet the Owners *

Small businesses that make a big difference

The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters is home to more than 7,000 businesses and each has a story to tell.

Through the new video series, Meet the Owners, you’ll hear from the people behind the businesses, find out more about their purpose and share in their passion for what it means to be part of a connected and supportive community.

Each episode will take you behind the scenes of iconic and much-loved local

businesses, with the first three casting a spotlight on three favourites of The Parade, Norwood as they remind us of the importance of choosing local.

Discover the series and celebrate the people who help make our city thrive by scanning the QR Code below.

www.npsp.sa.gov.au/meettheowners

We’ve got your next

Euro adventure planned

For those who love travel, make sure you put Poland firmly on your plans for next year. Its popularity as a tourist destination continues to grow, increasing over 30% in the last 12 months as tourists search for rich cultural history and unique experiences.

Fortunately for South Australians, we’ll be able to have a taste before we commit to travel plans when PolArt launches in late December in Adelaide.

From 27 December 2025 to 5 January 2026, the city and Barossa will transform into a colourful celebration of Polish heritage with over 500 Polish dancers, artists, musicians, writers and performers making the journey from all over Australia and New Zealand to Adelaide.

This year marks PolArt’s 50th anniversary, a cultural milestone that promises to make this the most spectacular festival yet. Audiences will revel in the colour, flavour, and rhythm of Poland, from breathtaking folkloric dance concerts and live music to theatre, visual arts, literature, and an unmissable outdoor Polish Midsummer Festival.

“PolArt is an open invitation to be embraced by the Polish culture. We’re a passionate and welcoming troop, excited to share our stories through arts and movement,” said Bernie Brzezinski, President of PolArt Adelaide 2025.

PolArt is about bringing people together, fostering pride, and sharing traditions in fresh and inspiring ways. It’s a festival that transforms the city into a cultural playground, inviting everyone

to immerse themselves in the richness, colour, and diversity of Polish arts.

For those eager to immerse themselves in the wonders of Polish arts, the full program is now available, with tickets going on sale in mid-October. With limited performances, festival-goers are encouraged to secure their seats early.

For more information and tickets: pol.art/festival-program

Conversations with CORNESY

Sporting legend. Seasoned broadcaster. SA icon. That’s Cornesy.

British humanitarian aid worker Sally Becker on her experiences in the Bosnian and Kosovo Wars.

“I’ve come under fire loads of times, but the only time I really feared for my life, in fact it wasn’t my life that I was fearing for, it was the fact that I was with the children... that was terrifying because I felt responsible for them.”

Australian country music icon Troy CassarDaley on his “biggest break” which catapulted him into country music stardom.

“My biggest break would’ve been my wife conning a couple of people from Sony Music in Sydney to come and watch me one weekend in Tamworth when I was this unsigned, young bloke with a good band and that was the start of it all.”

Retiring Haigh’s Chocolates CEO Alister Haigh on the early origins of Haigh’s Chocolates, founded by his great-grandfather Alfred Haigh.

“He played around with sweets and had a sweet tooth. He was making some sugared confectionery from a very early age, it was all self-taught until he bought this chocolate shop in the Beehive Corner building and that’s when he bought machinery, knowledge and formulas to make chocolates.”

Australian golfer and commentator Ian Baker-Finch reflects on whether his post-1991 career decline diminishes his legacy after winning The Open Championship.

“No, it hasn’t been spoiled at all and that’s the nice part of the story. I went through that valley, and I came out the other side with another career...I’m still the 1991 Open Champion and I’ll always be called to the tee, ‘Ian Baker-Finch, Open Champion.’”

ARIA Hall of Fame member and musician, songwriter, and record producer Graham ‘Buzz’ Bidstrup on his decision to part ways with The Angels.

“’Do we want to do this for another five years, can we do it for another five years.’ It was pretty easy for me because I had something else I could go and do, but I also had another path that I wanted to get into which was recording.”

Discover more online at FIVEAA fiveaa.com.au

To listen to these episodes and more, scan the QR code or listen ON AIR weekdays, 12:30pm – 1:30pm

EXPLORE THE FULL PROGRAM. CHOOSE 3 OR MORE CONCERTS TO SAVE.

TARNANTHI TURNS 10

As the Art Gallery of South Australia marks ten years of Tarnanthi, its landmark festival of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, the celebration stands as a tribute to a decade of bold storytelling, cultural strength and creative vision that has reshaped the way audiences experience First Nations art.

Since its inception in 2015, Tarnanthi (pronounced TAR-nan-dee) has become one of Australia’s most powerful cultural platforms, giving rise to new voices and reimagined traditions. The Kaurna word tarnanthi means “to spring forth” or “to appear,” a perfect expression of what the festival has achieved: a continual renewal of creativity that “springs forth” from Country and community.

Tarnanthi Launch 2025 featuring 3%, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Clare Elvia

Too Deadly

At the heart of the 2025 festival is Too Deadly: Ten Years of Tarnanthi, a major exhibition featuring more than 200 works by artists from across the country. Curated by Tarnanthi’s Artistic Director, Nici Cumpston OAM, the exhibition draws on works acquired into AGSA’s collection over the past decade, recontextualising and re-energising these landmark pieces.

The result is both a reflection and a renewal, allowing new dialogues to emerge between works, artists, and audiences.

AGSA Director Jason Smith describes the show as “a celebration of courage, innovation and cultural leadership — honouring the artists and communities who have trusted us to share their stories with the world.”

Too Deadly features works by more than 200 leading and emerging artists, including Tony Albert, Nyaparu (William) Gardiner, Iluwanti Ken, Vincent Namatjira, Ryan Presley, Reko Rennie, Judith Pungarta Inkamala, Thea Anamara Perkins, and Kaylene Whiskey, among many others.

ARTIST IN FOCUS Layne Dhu-Dickie

In The Studio, AGSA’s free activity space, visitors can meet the work of Banjiyma artist Layne Dhu-Dickie, whose hand-drawn comic Captain Hedland versus The Fisherman invites audiences to co-create a collaborative comic wall.

Dhu-Dickie first exhibited at Tarnanthi in 2019 at just 15 years old, the youngest artist ever to take part. Six years later, his inclusion reflects Tarnanthi’s ongoing commitment to nurturing young First Nations artists and creating pathways for the next generation.

“The spears converge above the piti as a reminder of strength, unity and ancestral knowledge — a breathtaking symbol of collective creativity.”

Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears)

A centrepiece of the Too Deadly exhibition is Ku lata Tjuta (Many Spears), a monumental installation that first stunned audiences at Tarnanthi 2017. Created by 59 male A nangu artists from the APY Lands, the work features 551 hand-forged kulata (spears) suspended in a dramatic, explosive formation above a circle of piti (wooden bowls) carved by A nangu women.

Illuminated from a single light source, the spears cast shifting shadows that echo the devastating history of atomic testing on Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Country between 1953 and 1963. The installation has since toured the United States, but its return to AGSA marks the first time local audiences can experience it since 2017.

An accompanying six-channel video work weaves together footage of A nangu Country with deeply personal reflections from community members affected by nuclear testing — making Kulata Tjuta not only an artwork, but an act of truth-telling.

Nici Cumpston, Tarnanthi Artistic Director. Photo: Saul Steed

Kulata Tjuta installation view, © the artists, courtesy of APY Art Centre Collective. Photo: Saul Steed

Kungka Kunpu (Strong Women)

Complementing Ku lata Tjuta is a powerful collection of works from Kungka Kunpu (Strong Women), an exhibition that toured nationally from 2022–2024 and now returns home to AGSA.

The show celebrates the cultural leadership of women artists from the APY Lands, custodians of an oral tradition that embodies the art of storytelling. It includes new and existing works ranging from Tjanpi Desert Weavers’ intricate sculptures made from grasses and found materials, to large-scale paintings that merge ancestral narrative with contemporary expression.

Each piece reinforces the vital role of women in preserving and propelling cultural knowledge — and their strength in shaping the ongoing story of Tarnanthi.

Regional Tarnanthi

While AGSA anchors the festival, Tarnanthi continues to extend its reach across South Australia through its Regional Tarnanthi program.

This year’s regional highlight, Woven within Stars, showcases new and existing works by nine First Nations artists from regional SA, including Regina and Donny McKenzie, Jenna and Vera Richards, Regg Dodd, and Roy Coulthard.

Curated by Tarnanthi Regional Curator Marika Davies, the exhibition explores the ways stories are interlaced with landscape, ancestry and celestial connection — each work echoing the relationship between Country and sky.

Woven within Stars opened at Yarta Purtli Art Gallery, Port Augusta in September and travels to Fabrik in Lobethal in late November, continuing Tarnanthi’s tradition of bringing First Nations art to communities across the state.

“From the APY Lands to the Limestone Coast, Tarnanthi’s reach ensures that art and culture remain living, breathing forces across South Australia.”

The Blak Laundry

Another standout installation in Too Deadly is The Blak Laundry, a performative laundromat created by Ngugi Quandamooka artist Libby Harward and Gamilaroi artist Dominique Chen.

Part sculpture, part working laundromat, and part gathering space, The Blak Laundry transforms a familiar domestic ritual into a site of reflection and dialogue. Visitors are invited to observe, fold, or even wash as conversations unfold around sovereignty, cultural labour, capitalism and everyday Blak life.

It’s an artwork that is both playful and profound, the kind that defines Tarnanthi’s knack for turning ordinary experiences into moments of cultural insight.

Left to right: The Ken Family –Tjungkara Ken, Sandra Ken, Freda Brady, Maringka Tunkin, Yaritji Tingila Young and Paniny Mick – with their collaborative work KangkuraKangkuraKu Tjukurpa – A Sister’s Story, 2017 © Ken Family collaborative/ Tjala Arts

Photo: Ketakii Jewson-Brown

“Ten years on, Tarnanthi continues to spring forth — shining a light on the stories, spirit and artistry of the world’s oldest living cultures.”

– Nici Cumpston OAM

The Tarnanthi Art Fair

For many South Australians, the Tarnanthi Art Fair is the most anticipated weekend of the year, a chance to meet artists, hear stories firsthand and take home something meaningful.

This year, the fair took place at Union House, University of Adelaide, bringing together hundreds of artists and community-run art centres from across Australia. Each work, whether painting, carving, textile or jewellery, was sold ethically, with every dollar returning directly to the artists and their communities.

Legacy and Leadership

For ten years, Tarnanthi has been guided by the vision and leadership of Nici Cumpston OAM, a proud Barkandji artist, curator and photographer whose warmth and integrity have shaped the festival’s distinct voice.

As Artistic Director, Cumpston has championed respectful collaboration and authentic storytelling, ensuring artists have agency to present their work on their own terms.

Now based between Adelaide and the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum at the University of Virginia — the only museum outside Australia dedicated solely to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art — Cumpston continues to extend the reach of First Nations art on a global stage.

Her work has been instrumental in ensuring Tarnanthi is not just an exhibition but a bridge, between generations, between Country and city, and between artists and audiences.

“It’s been a privilege to champion artists’ voices through Tarnanthi and bring world-class experiences with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art to Australian audiences.”

– Nici Cumpston OAM

A decade of ‘springing forth’

Over the past ten years, Tarnanthi has presented the work of nearly 9,500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, welcoming more than 2.2 million visitors to exhibitions and events across South Australia and beyond.

It has also made a tangible difference, generating more than $8.5 million in art sales, all returned directly to artists and their community-run art centres. And it’s had a broader economic ripple, contributing $126.5 million to South Australia’s economy since its first festival in 2015.

Looking Forward

Even as it celebrates a decade, Tarnanthi shows no signs of slowing. A selection of works from Too Deadly will be taken on a national tour from 2026–2028, reaching audiences in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

An accompanying publication featuring essays by First Nations writers will offer deeper insight into Tarnanthi’s legacy and the evolution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art over the last ten years.

As Premier Peter Malinauskas put it, “Tarnanthi is not just a festival, it’s a platform for our nation’s most important artistic voices, and a cultural offering that continues to strengthen our state’s identity on the national and international stage.”

Ten Years On

As Tarnanthi celebrates its first decade, it stands as both a reflection of what has been achieved and a springboard for what’s to come.

It reminds us that art is more than what hangs on walls — it’s a living expression of resilience, identity and connection. Through Tarnanthi, First Nations artists continue to spring forth — sharing stories that enrich, challenge and unite us all.

Too Deadly: Ten Years of Tarnanthi

17 October 2025 – 18 January 2026

Art Gallery of South Australia and partner venues statewide

Full details at agsa.sa.gov.au

Photo: John Montesi

Photo: Sia Duff

Photo: Nat Rogers

Beau’s Pet Hotel

Care and Comfort for Your Fur-Family

For most of us, pets aren’t just animals, they’re family. So when life takes you away from home, it’s only natural to want the very best care for them. At Beau’s Pet Hotel, your dog or cat is treated with the same love, comfort, and attention you’d give them yourself.

From the moment they arrive, every detail is designed with your pet’s happiness in mind. All spaces are fully air-conditioned, ensuring year-round

comfort no matter the weather. For dogs who love to socialise and burn off energy, there’s the option of on-site Doggy DayCare; a safe, supervised program of play and enrichment run by caring staff. Cats are just as spoiled, with their own spacious, lightfilled atrium complete with climbing structures, exercise wheels, and even a big screen for entertainment.

What makes Beau’s truly special is not just the luxury, but the heart behind it.

Owned and operated by Guide Dogs SA/NT, every booking helps fund the training of Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs, transforming the lives of people living with low vision, blindness, or other specialised needs. Choosing Beau’s means giving your pet the best while also supporting a more inclusive community.

“Every booking helps fund the training of Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs.”

Conveniently located next to Adelaide Airport, Beau’s is trusted by families across South Australia. Whether it’s for a weekend, a business trip, or a wellearned holiday, you can relax knowing your best friend will be cared for by trained, dedicated staff.

Book now for the summer holidays: beaus.org.au @beaus_pet_hotel

WEA courses open the door to business

success after 50

Starting a business later in life can feel daunting, but it’s also one of the most exciting opportunities. For many South Australians aged 50 and beyond, the Workers' Educational Association of South Australia (WEA) has been the springboard to turn ideas into thriving ventures, without the lengthy commitment or theory-heavy approach of a university degree.

The WEA has long been known for its flexible, accessible adult education programs, offering nearly 1,200 courses each year across metropolitan Adelaide. With no prerequisites, no exams, and a welcoming environment, WEA courses are designed for real

Many students, including those in their fifties and sixties, have used WEA as the launchpad to new careers, side hustles, and businesses, often in industries they never imagined stepping into.

people with real ambitions. Many students, including those in their fifties and sixties, have used WEA as the launchpad to new careers, side hustles, and businesses, often in industries they never imagined stepping into.

One such individual, Karen Vial has managed to transform a former church in Gawler into a stunning self-contained guest home, turning her passion for property and hospitality into a successful business. “The Church” has not only attracted visitors from across the world but also earned a Bronze medal at the 2024 South

Australian Tourism Awards. Today, Karen shares her knowledge with WEA students, helping others bring their tourism and hospitality dreams to life.

Karen's story highlights what makes this learning environment so unique. Courses are taught by individuals that have walked the path themselves and can provide practical, hands-on learning while WEA provides the tools, confidence, and community that no traditional degree can replicate. For South Australians 50 and over, the WEA isn’t just about learning, it is about opening doors, rewriting chapters, and proving that it’s never too late to start something new.

To find out more visit: wea-sa.com.au

'The Church’ guest home is now a Bronze-winning South Australian Tourism Award property.

Form. Function. Finish.

A modern edit from Terrace Floors + Furnishings that celebrates natural textures, subtle tones, and enduring craftsmanship for spaces that feel as good as they look. Transform your home at terracefloors.com.au

1. Maurina Chair | 2. Teddy Rug – Olive | 3. Olbia Armchair – High Backrest

Oak

Cupboard

Reiba Solar Table Lamp | 6. Aiguablava Coffee Table – Terracotta

Catalina Grey Cord Sun Lounger

N701

Sofa

Beige

Martina Cushions

Maurina Dining Table

Stay Independent at Home with ECH

FOR MANY OLDER South Australians, the idea of ageing at home, surrounded by familiar faces, neighbourhoods and memories, is deeply important.

The Australian Government’s new Support at Home program, commencing on 1 November 2025, has been designed to make that possible for more people than ever before.

Support at Home will replace the existing Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care programs with a single, streamlined approach. The government has also committed to releasing 20,000 new Home Care Packages before 31 October, with more to follow from the 1 December 2025, making support more accessible.

WHAT IS SUPPORT AT HOME?

The program funds a wide range of services to help older people live safely and confidently at home. This includes:

• Clinical services such as nursing, physiotherapy and podiatry

• Higher levels of support for people with complex needs

• Short-term pathways like Restorative Care to help you keep doing the activities you love

• Access to the Assistive Technology and Home Modification Scheme, providing equipment and home adjustments to make life easier and safer

• Everyday support like cleaning, gardening, meal preparation and shopping

The goal is simple; to ensure you can live independently at home for as long as possible.

WHY CHOOSE ECH?

Choosing the right partner is vital when it comes to navigating aged care funding and services. With over 60 years of experience, ECH has supported thousands of South Australians to remain living independently. As a trusted not-for-profit, ECH works alongside you to design care tailored to your needs, lifestyle and goals.

Whether you’re looking for regular help with everyday tasks or more specialised health and wellness services, ECH is here to help you get more out of life, every day.

and the New Support at Home Program

ALLIED

HEALTH AND WELLNESS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

ECH offers one of the broadest ranges of allied health services in South Australia, all fundable through Support at Home, including:

• Physiotherapy to maintain mobility, balance and strength

• Occupational therapy to make everyday activities easier and safer

• Podiatry to keep you moving comfortably

• Dietetics to support healthy nutrition

• Exercise physiology with safe, tailored fitness programs

• Social Work services for emotional health and resilience

• Music therapy to promote health, functioning and wellbeing

• Speech pathology to support speech clarity, language skills and swallowing difficulties

These services are available at our welcoming ECH Wellness Centres across Adelaide or in the comfort of your own home.

MORE THAN JUST CARE

ECH understands that true independence is about more than physical support. It’s about feeling connected, engaged and confident. That’s why ECH also offers:

• Group exercise classes

• Social outings and activities

• Creative workshops and wellbeing programs

All designed to help you build connections and enjoy life to the fullest.

A TRUSTED GUIDE THROUGH CHANGE

Aged care funding can feel complex, but with ECH by your side, you won’t need to navigate it alone. As your partner, ECH provides clear advice and practical support to help you access the funding and services that best suit your needs.

OVER 60 YEARS OF SERVICE TO SOUTH AUSTRALIANS

Since 1964, ECH has led the way in aged care innovation, always focusing on helping older people remain active, independent, and fulfilled. As the community's needs have changed, so too has ECH, expanding services, investing in wellness and embracing new ways to support independence.

Now, with the launch of Support at Home and new packages becoming available, there has never been a better time to explore your options. With ECH, you’ll have the experience, compassion and expertise you need to live confidently at home.

Learn more about the Support at Home program or for assistance navigating your options, ECH can support you:

ech.asn.au

1300 275 324

Awakening Wellness After 50

The Ayurvedic Path to Balance, Energy, and Renewal

FOR MANY OF US, crossing the threshold of 50 marks the beginning of a profound new chapter. Our bodies change, our hormones shift, and life itself invites us to slow down, reassess, and care for ourselves differently. But for too long, the conversation around ageing has been dominated by decline. What if, instead, we saw this stage as Ayurveda does: a time of wisdom, renewal, and deeper alignment with who we truly are?

Katina Jones, founder of Ayurveda Village in the Adelaide Hills and director of Selene Spa in Adelaide, has been exploring that question for over two decades. Her journey with Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of holistic health, has transformed not only her own understanding of wellness but also the lives of many who’ve experienced her work.

“My introduction to Ayurveda began over 20 years ago during my frequent visits to India,” Katina recalls. “What struck me immediately was its holistic philosophy, recognising that imbalances first manifest in the subtle body before becoming physical ailments. In contrast to conventional approaches that focus primarily on the physical, Ayurveda honours the emotional and spiritual dimensions of health, which are so often neglected.”

That distinction is vital. While modern spa and wellness treatments often focus on surface-level relaxation, Ayurveda’s philosophy runs much deeper. “Ayurveda is an ancient system of healing that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The word itself means ‘the science of life,’ and its core philosophy is about creating balance, within the body, mind, and spirit, so that we can live in harmony with ourselves and the world around us,” Katina explains.

THE HOLISTIC DIFFERENCE

Unlike conventional approaches that may treat symptoms in isolation, Ayurveda is both personalised and preventative. “It recognises that every person has a unique constitution, or dosha, and that true wellness comes from understanding and working with your natural state, not against it,” says Katina. “Ayurvedic therapies

treatments, nourishing food, a nurturing environment, and intentional care created profound shifts. Guests would not only look different, but they also radiated a deeper sense of ease, clarity, and vitality.”

WHY AYURVEDA MATTERS AFTER 50

For readers in their fifties and beyond, Ayurveda offers a particularly meaningful framework. “The 50+ stage of life is often one of profound transition, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” Katina says. “In Ayurveda, this period is seen not as a decline, but as a powerful time to realign with one’s true nature. It’s a stage where the body’s natural rhythms change, and so the way we care for ourselves must also evolve.”

With menopause, hormonal shifts, and the natural effects of ageing, Ayurveda offers gentle, nourishing support. “Therapies are tailored to balance the doshas — especially vata, which tends to become more dominant during menopause and can contribute to symptoms like dryness, anxiety, insomnia, and joint stiffness. Warm oil massages, herbal therapies, and calming rituals work to ground the nervous system, ease tension, and promote hormonal harmony,” she explains.

But the focus is not only on easing symptoms. “What makes Ayurveda truly unique is that it goes beyond simply managing the symptoms of change, it supports the whole woman: body, mind,

“In Ayurveda, the 50+ period is seen not as a decline, but as a powerful time to realign with one’s true nature. It’s a stage where the body’s natural rhythms change, and so the way we care for ourselves must also evolve.”

are designed not only to soothe the body but to restore internal balance, detoxify, and support long-term health. Treatments are chosen with intention, using specific oils, herbs, massage techniques, and rituals that are tailored to the individual's physical and emotional needs. It’s not just about feeling good in the moment, it's about healing from within and cultivating sustained wellbeing.”

That philosophy has resonated with many people seeking something deeper than quick fixes. “Over the past 10 years, I’ve witnessed remarkable transformations in our guests at Ayurveda Village,” Katina reflects. “Time and again, I saw how the combination of Ayurvedic

and spirit. This stage of life is honoured in Ayurveda as a time of wisdom, renewal, and deeper self-awareness,” Katina says. “Through personalised treatments, nourishing routines, and food as medicine, Ayurveda helps women feel more at home in their bodies and more attuned to their inner vitality.”

THERAPIES FOR RENEWAL AND LONGEVITY

While Ayurveda encompasses a wide spectrum of daily practices and lifestyle guidance, certain therapies stand out for those navigating midlife transitions. “One of the most transformative therapies we recommend is Panchakarma, Ayurveda’s renowned detoxification and rejuvenation program. It’s a personalised and deeply restorative

Katina Jones, founder of Ayurveda Village

process that helps to eliminate toxins, reset digestion, balance hormones, and calm the nervous system,” Katina explains.

Other supportive therapies include:

• Shirodhara: “A deeply meditative treatment where a continuous stream of warm oil is gently poured onto the forehead. It profoundly calms the mind, soothes anxiety, improves sleep, and supports hormonal balance by regulating the nervous system.”

• Swedana (Herbal Steam Therapy): “A full-body steam to open the channels, release toxins, ease joint and muscular stiffness, and support lymphatic flow.”

• Marma Therapy: “A subtle and powerful treatment that activates specific energy points across the body. It enhances circulation, relieves blockages, and supports emotional release.”

• Nasya: “A nasal therapy that uses herbal oils to cleanse, nourish, and protect the upper respiratory system and brain pathways. It can help relieve sinus congestion, brain fog, emotional heaviness, and is particularly supportive for hormonal and cognitive clarity during midlife.”

Regular practice matters. As Katina notes: “Just as we wouldn’t wait for a car to break down before taking it in for a service, our bodies also benefit from regular attention and care. When we ignore the signs like fatigue, poor sleep, sluggish digestion, emotional overwhelm, it’s like driving with the warning lights on. Ayurveda teaches us to tune in early, to respond gently but consistently through seasonal cleanses, rejuvenating therapies, diet, and lifestyle adjustments.”

A GLOBAL SHIFT TOWARD PREVENTION

Ayurveda’s emphasis on prevention and holistic care is resonating more strongly than ever. “The world has changed dramatically, not just in the past two decades, but even in the last five years,” Katina reflects.

“The rapid acceleration of technology is outpacing our human capacity to adapt. We are not built like machines, yet we are constantly trying to keep up as if we were. The result? A rise in mental health challenges, burnout, and chronic stress, affecting executives, parents, and individuals from all walks of life.”

And, as she observes, something deeper is stirring. “Beneath the surface, people are searching, not just for relief, but for something deeper. In the rush to keep pace, many have lost touch with themselves and the true meaning and purpose of their lives.

Since COVID, this shift has become even more pronounced… people are beginning to ask bigger questions. They’re not only seeking ways to care for their bodies, but also to reconnect with their inner selves and find a deeper sense of wellbeing.”

WHERE TO BEGIN

For those curious but unsure where to start, Katina’s advice is refreshingly simple: “Start small. Begin by simply listening to your body. Often, the first step is just pausing, creating a moment to check in with yourself.”

At Selene Spa, she and her team support this process through personalised consultations: “We assess your unique dosha, explore any current imbalances, and consider your lifestyle as a whole. From there, we offer simple, grounded recommendations: daily rituals, nourishing foods, and gentle therapies to help restore balance and harmony. You don’t need to have it all figured out to begin, just a willingness to explore. Wellness is a journey, and Ayurveda is here to meet you exactly where you are.”

Curious about Ayurveda and its approach to balance and healing?

Visit:

ayurvedavillage.com.au selenespa.com.au

Support at Home has arrived

The Australian Government introduced the new Support at Home program, replacing Home Care Packages (HCP), at the beginning of this month.

THIS REFORM IS INTENDED TO create a simpler, more consistent and flexible system so older Australians can live safely and independently at home for longer.

We know change can feel overwhelming, especially when it affects how you or your loved ones receive care. That’s why HenderCare is here to help you understand what’s changed or changing, why it’s happening, and how we’ll support you through it.

WHY THE CHANGE?

Support at Home was developed after years of consultations, during which people said they wanted more choice and control over their aged care services, a simpler and clearer system, fairer access no matter where they live, and greater transparency about costs and quality. The underlying goal of Support at Home is to deliver greater flexibility, clarity, and fairness, while reducing the confusion of the previous Home Care Package program.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT?

Key changes under Support at Home include:

• One program, one set of rules: Instead of separate programs like

HCP and the Commonwealth Support Program (CHSP), there’ll be a single program with simpler assessments and less paperwork.

• Flexibility: It will be easier to adjust or change services or providers as your needs change.

• Clearer costs and stronger quality standards: to give you confidence and choice.

These reforms are about getting the right care from the right people at the right time.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR PROVIDER

If you or your loved one is receiving aged care services or is soon to access services, having an open conversation with providers about what the new system means for you is a good idea.

Here are some helpful questions and considerations:

• How does the new single hourly rate work, and what does it include?

• Are there any new services or supports I can now access?

• How will my provider keep me informed about future changes or price caps?

• What happens if I want to change the type of support I receive or change providers?

• How will you ensure the quality and safety of my care under the new system?

It can also help to review your goals and needs before speaking to your provider. Think about what’s most important to you right now, and what might change in the coming months. This will help tailor your support plan around your own specific needs.

HOW HENDERCARE WILL SUPPORT YOU

At HenderCare, our priority is helping people live safely, comfortably, and independently at home. We are currently working with our clients to help them understand what the changes mean and are supporting them to navigate the new system while continuing to access the same high-quality care.

For those who may be supporting an older parent or relative, these changes can be especially confusing while you balance assisting a loved one with a busy life. If you are trying to help a parent or older family member through these changes, we are here to answer your questions.

If you want more information about the changes under Support at Home, scan the QR code and a member of our team will reach out to you.

hendercare.com.au

Meet Melissa.

Melissa is HenderCare’s Client Services Manager. With a strong background in customer care, she’s dedicated to ensuring every client feels supported, informed, and valued as they navigate the Support at Home program.

“I really enjoy helping people feel comfortable and confident as they explore their care options. My goal is to make every step straightforward and reassuring so clients can focus on what matters most - living well at home,” says Melissa.

Melissa is your go-to for clear answers, practical guidance, and a smooth experience.

Contact Melissa by calling 1300 764 433, or scan the QR code above for Melissa to contact you.

What are cosmeceutical skincare products and

do they really work?

If your supermarket serum isn’t cutting it, it might be time to explore cosmeceuticals, where skincare meets science.

These products sit between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. They look like regular moisturisers or serums, but they’re packed with active ingredients that actually do something: boosting collagen, reducing pigmentation, calming acne, or supporting skin repair.

The difference? Cosmeceuticals work with your skin, not just on it. Usually recommended by professionals, they can be tailored to suit specific skin concerns, from breakouts to dryness and ageing.

Pharmacist Singing Tin combines skin biology and pharmaceutical science to create simple, effective products with potent, stable ingredients. @cutisecosmeceuticals

Founded by Dr Ginni Mansberg and Daniel Rubinstein, ESK uses only research-backed ingredients and concentrations to improve skin, without the jargon.

@eskskincare

Cosmetic chemist Terri Vinson’s brand focuses on highly active, ethicallyconscious products, starting with SPF and sun protection and now offering a full professional-grade range. @synergieskin

CUTISÉ

Peter Goers returns to the stage

INTERVIEW by OLIVIA WILLIAMS

HE’S SHARED STORIES, LAUGHS AND SHARP ONE-LINERS with Adelaide audiences for decades, but now Peter Goers is back where he first fell in love with the spotlight: on stage. The broadcaster, columnist and allround cultural treasure is reprising his role as Elwood P. Dowd in the feel-good favourite HARVEY, invisible rabbit and all. Between his trademark dry humour, deep affection for Holden Street Theatres, and his philosophy that “work is more fun than fun”, Goers proves that Adelaide’s arts scene is in very good, and very funny, hands.

Returning to the role of Elwood P. Dowd after more than two decades was never a question of time passed, he says. “I love the play and the part. He is a mystic, a kind man who sees the good in all and loves his best friend, Harvey, a six-foot-tall white rabbit visible only to him.”

It’s a character that demands charm, warmth, and a playful suspension of disbelief, all qualities Goers has cultivated both on and off the stage.

HARVEY is a whimsical classic, performed thousands of times around the world. For Goers, the magic lies in the laughter and the gentle reminder to be oneself. “The play warms the cockles of the heart and reminds us

“I’ve played myself endlessly, so playing someone else is a holiday from oneself.”

of the value of being oneself. As Quentin Crisp opined, ‘Don’t try and keep up with the Joneses, drag them down to your own level.’” It’s an uplifting experience, a story that embraces kindness and joy without ever feeling saccharine, a rare balance that Goers treasures.

The Adelaide production brings together a carefully chosen local cast under the guidance of director Rosie Aust. “I picked them! And I chose a wonderful director for the show, Rosie Aust,” he says simply. His investment in the ensemble goes beyond casting; it reflects a genuine belief in nurturing local talent and giving audiences the chance to connect with performers they might see again in other productions.

Goers’ experience across multiple media, from radio to print, informs his stage work, yet he stresses the unique energy of live performance. “Well, an audience is an audience in any medium but performing on stage

“Work is more fun than fun. I love an audience and I’m very grateful to any audience and to those who give me opportunities to work.”

is the ultimate. I’ve played myself endlessly, so playing someone else is a holiday from oneself. It’s also terrifying and very challenging.” There is a freedom in assuming a different identity, but also a vulnerability; every performance demands engagement, improvisation, and presence.

Holden Street Theatres has been central to Goers’ theatrical journey. He reflects on the importance of a strong local theatre scene: “[It’s] crucial.

Martha Lott’s Holden Street Theatres is very special to me. I chose, directed and appeared in the very first production at Holden Street and have performed ten (reasonably different) Fringe shows there and directed four others. I’m finishing as Resident Director and have directed five shows there recently all featuring the brilliant Martha Lott. Her theatres and her talent are invaluable, and I’ve been thrilled to feature her extraordinary ability as an actor and direct plays I’ve long wanted to tackle. I’m very lucky.”

During his three-year tenure as Director in Residence, Goers found the most rewarding aspect to be the collaborative nature of theatre-making. “Trying to please audiences and working with Martha Lott and all other actors plus technicians, staff and volunteers,” he says, is a reminder that theatre is never a solitary pursuit; it thrives on connection, creativity, and shared energy.

Perhaps the most endearing element of HARVEY is the titular invisible rabbit. For Goers, Elwood’s friend has become more than a character, he’s a companion. “I begin to think Harvey is real and I’ve been talking to him all these years since I first met him in 2001. He is part of me.”

Outside of performing, Goers is a devoted participant in Adelaide’s arts and culture scene. “As often as possible. I see lots of theatre and go to lots of art shows. And I write about it all, publicly and privately.” His engagement isn’t limited to professional duties; it’s a personal passion, a way to remain connected to the city that has nurtured his career.

Adelaide’s arts landscape has changed considerably over the years, and Goers notes developments that have surprised and excited him. “Brilliant new actors, directors and plays. It pleases me most that the respect for senior artists continues to grow. The increasing costs of producing plays is very challenging and surprising, sadly.”

Sustaining motivation in a long career can be difficult, yet Goers credits the people around him. “Others inspire me. I love to work because work is more fun than fun. I love an audience and I’m very grateful to any audience and to those who give me opportunities to work.”

Goers’ love for Adelaide is matched by a deep respect for its artists and institutions. Memorable moments remain close to his heart: performing with the late Phyl Skinner, Australia’s last vaudevillian, on the final night of the old Her Majesty’s Theatre, and working with his late friend Barry Humphries, someone he profoundly admired.

In HARVEY, Peter Goers isn’t just reprising a role; he’s revisiting a world that celebrates kindness, imagination, and the joy of being unapologetically oneself. For audiences, there’s laughter, warmth, and a reminder that theatre remains one of life’s most magical spaces, especially when guided by someone who believes, as he does, that work is truly more fun than fun.

HARVEY

Written by Mary Chase

Presented by Peter Goers in Association with Holden Street Theatres Inc. 4 – 22 November | The Studio

For tickets: holdenstreettheatres.com/harvey

PETER’S PICKS

Favourite coffee spot: Anywhere, but I’m happy with instant coffee.

Best local lunch spot: Vili’s Cafe, Adelaide’s best restaurant.

Favourite restaurant for a special night out: Vili’s Cafe or Barnacle Bill’s.

A book, play, or performance that inspired you recently: Follies (Sondheim, Melbourne), Sam Mannix’s acting at Northern Light Theatre Company, my cast in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Adelaide actor/singer Catherine Campbell, one of the most considerate and kind people I know.

One Adelaide hidden gem most people don’t know about: My sex life!

Best Adelaide city view: Flying home.

Favourite shop or boutique in the CBD: All bookshops and the Vinnie’s on Wakefield Street.

75 Years of Care and Connection

Life Care celebrates its legacy and looks to the future of ageing well at home

FOR SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS, Life Care has been helping South Australians live with dignity, independence, and connection. What began in the 1950s as a single nursing home in Glen Osmond has grown into a state-wide network offering home care, guided by a philosophy that places human connection at its heart.

“In the 50s, Churches of Christ Social Services Department recognised a need to care for the elderly… This work provided an excellent basis for further expansion,” recalls Kingsley Curtis, Life Care’s CEO during the 1990s, who now experiences its home care firsthand.

Kingsley remembers many standouts from his tenure, from upgrading facilities to launching community care programs, but the moments that stay with him most are deeply personal.

“An elderly lady left a message for me to come and see her in her unit… she just wanted to sit and chat. We had a good chat, and on my way back to the office, I thought that was good for me too.”

For Kingsley, the 1990s were a period of dynamic growth. He oversaw expansions to existing facilities, the purchase of Reynella, and the building of Aldinga. He was also heavily involved with the broader aged care sector, representing South Australian providers nationally.“My involvement in the Aged Care Organisation as Chairman and on the Board of Aged Care Australia gave me the opportunity to assist many smaller organisations in rural areas,” he reflects.

A PHILOSOPHY THAT ENDURES

Aged care has evolved considerably over the decades, from twin rooms to individual ensuites, and from general nursing care to specialised, high-level care. Yet some principles have remained unchanged.

“The constant has been the recognition that we have a responsibility to care for people in need,” says Kingsley. “We do this by providing a safe environment, managed by caring people who respect each individual and work to meet their personal needs.”

Today, Grace Scaffidi, Life Care’s CEO, sees the same ethos in action, particularly in the organisation’s expanding home care programs.

“It’s clear that ageing in place is becoming a top priority for all of us,”

she says. “And what makes it work isn’t just the services, it’s the human connection. That feeling of being truly seen and supported is the best feature of what we do.”

Grace emphasises that even as technology and government funding structures change, Life Care’s relational approach remains central.

“While aged care and its regulations are constantly evolving, one thing remains constant for us: our deep, personalised, relational approach,” she says. “Our clients’ needs are remarkably consistent, and they always extend beyond just physical care. It’s about giving them real humanistic service… seeing the person first is what truly makes a difference.”

SEEING CARE FROM BOTH SIDES

Kingsley now experiences Life Care on the receiving end, giving him a rare perspective on the services he once helped shape. Reflecting on this role reversal, he describes it as both enlightening and affirming.

“It is good to see things from the other side,” he says warmly.

When asked how the service works in practice, Kingsley explains that Life Care staff carefully assessed his and his wife’s needs before putting a personalised care plan in place.

Kingsley Curtis at Aldinga opening

“Life Care staff met with us, assessed our needs and we worked together to put the services in place. We have an assigned case manager who keeps in contact and manages the staffing… All this is simple and works well. I manage all this as the registered support person.”

THE FUTURE OF HOME CARE

With expanded government funding for home care rolling out from November, Grace is optimistic about what this will mean for South Australians.

“Ageing in place, for us, is all about providing our clients with every service necessary to feel completely safe and comfortable right in their own homes,” she explains. “Retaining the personalised quality care delivery is at the forefront of what we do… we never want to compromise the quality for the funding.”

“With the new Support at Home program on the horizon, our commitment is to walk alongside our clients, helping them navigate those changes as smoothly as possible so they can simply focus on living their lives to the fullest.”

“It’s clear that ageing in place is becoming a top priority… what makes it work isn’t just the services, it’s the human connection.”

– Grace Scaffidi, Life Care CEO

The home care program he helped establish back in 1993 has since grown into a comprehensive, flexible service. From showering and cleaning, to Meals on Wheels, RDNS, palliative care nurses, and visiting GPs, Kingsley sees the difference it makes for clients every day. “It is good to see Life Care continuing to develop and adapt this valuable service to meet individual needs and the most important thing of all is that the staff who visit are excellent, caring, friendly and efficient.”

Experiencing Life Care from the client side has given Kingsley a renewed appreciation for the dedication, care, and adaptability of the teams who deliver these essential services, highlighting the enduring impact of a program he helped bring to life.

Supporting Wellness, Wherever You Are

Life Care’s allied health and exercise programs extend support well beyond the clinic.

Delivered both in-home and our clinic, these programs reflect Life Care’s commitment to holistic wellbeing, addressing not just physical health, but also social connection and emotional support.

Grace shares that these changes are already having a transformative effect on clients.

“We recently had a client join us who was genuinely surprised by this level of personal service,” she says. “They mentioned how much it meant that someone was willing to take the time to visit them, sit down, and truly understand their life story… just being able to easily reach their case manager, let alone have personal visits, was a shock!”

“While our personalised approach definitely impacts our margins, it's a measure of quality we are absolutely unwilling to compromise. For our clients, this experience is truly transformative.”

Through one-on-one sessions with exercise physiologists like Simon, and group programs that bring people together, Life Care helps individuals stay active, engaged and connected in ways that enhance quality of life, wherever they call home.

INNOVATION MEETS CARE

Looking forward, Grace is excited about how technology can enhance Life Care’s mission without replacing human connection.

“We’re keenly focused on how we can use innovation to genuinely boost both the quality and quantity of care we provide. Specifically, we’re exploring how things like AI functionality can take on the heavy burdens of compliance and administration so we can shift that focus where it truly belongs: back into the hands of our care team.”

“By streamlining the paperwork, we give our staff more capacity to focus on the needs of our clients and spend more meaningful time with them. It’s all about making sure technology serves our mission of personalised care.”

Beyond tech, Life Care continues to expand programs that focus on wholeperson care, including wellbeing and spiritual support.

“We’re proud to be at the forefront of wellbeing and spiritual care offerings… built on providing exceptional levels of support across the board,” Grace says.

ADVICE FOR FAMILIES

Both Kingsley and Grace agree on one crucial point: start planning early.

“Start the process early,” Kingsley urges. “Talk to your GP, contact My Aged Care and book an assessment. This will help you develop your plan.”

“Please, don't wait until things reach a crisis point! Starting early ensures you're already in the queue… planning ahead protects your future comfort and wellbeing at home,” Grace adds.

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS

From its beginnings as a single nursing home to today’s statewide network of care, Life Care’s mission remains unchanged: to foster relationships of care that generate fullness of life.

Whether you’re exploring aged care options, seeking guidance for a loved one, or planning ahead for yourself, it’s never too early to start the conversation.

Find out more at lifecare.org.au

Grace interviewing Kingsley

Happy hens

Backyard hens are easier to keep than you might think — and the rewards go far beyond fresh eggs.

WITH A LITTLE PLANNING, some basic gear, and a bit of patience, you can enjoy a small flock right in your garden. They offer more than eggs, too: composting help, garden fertilisation, and a surprisingly engaging companion to your outdoor space.

WHY KEEP CHICKENS?

The most obvious benefit is fresh, free-range eggs. A small flock of three to four hens can keep a household wellsupplied, with each hen laying around four to six eggs per week in peak season. Beyond the eggs, chickens are natural recyclers. Kitchen scraps that would otherwise end up in the bin are happily devoured, while their droppings, once composted, enrich garden soil.

Then there’s the character they bring. Each hen has her own quirks and habits, from the bossy leader of the flock to the shy one who keeps her distance. Chickens are endlessly curious and surprisingly affectionate, making them delightful backyard companions.

SETTING UP YOUR COOP

A safe, comfortable home is key to keeping healthy and happy hens. The basics include:

• Shelter: A sturdy coop with good ventilation, protection from rain, and nesting boxes for laying.

• Space: Allow about one square metre per chicken inside the coop, plus an outdoor run for scratching and dust bathing.

• Security: Foxes, cats, and even neighbourhood dogs pose risks. Ensure the coop is predator-proof with strong wire mesh.

Many people opt for movable coops or “chicken tractors” that can be shifted around the yard, giving the birds fresh grass and keeping your lawn fertilised.

CHOOSING YOUR CHICKENS

Not all hens are created equal when it comes to egg-laying or temperament. Popular backyard breeds in South Australia include:

• ISA Browns – reliable layers with calm personalities.

• Australorps – hardy, glossy black birds with great egg production.

• Silkies – smaller, fluffy birds known more for their charm than their eggs.

Mixing breeds can add variety and colour to your flock — and your egg basket.

CARE AND FEEDING

Chickens thrive on a balanced diet of layer pellets, supplemented with scraps, weeds, and the occasional handful of grain. Fresh water is essential and should be topped up daily.

Regular cleaning of the coop keeps the flock healthy and prevents smells. Adding fresh straw or wood shavings to the nesting boxes every week makes for happy hens and clean eggs.

EGGS

Newly hatched chicks take around six months to start laying. Once they do, egg numbers depend on the breed, the season, and the age of the bird. Hens naturally lay fewer eggs in winter, but providing good nutrition and a stressfree environment helps maximise output.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

• Chickens can live up to 8–10 years, though peak laying happens in the first two to three years.

• They make noise — usually gentle clucking, though some breeds are louder.

• Local councils may have rules about the number of birds you can keep, and most do not permit roosters in suburban areas.

QUICK TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

FIRST STEPS

– Start with 3–4 hens.

– Buy point-of-lay pullets (about 16–20 weeks old) for faster eggs.

– Invest in quality feed for better health and egg production.

– Check council regulations before building a coop.

THE EGG BASKET

– ISA Brown: up to 300 eggs a year

– Australorp: up to 250 eggs a year

– Plymouth Rock: up to 200 eggs a year

DID YOU KNOW?

A chicken’s earlobe colour often predicts egg colour — red earlobes usually mean brown eggs, while white earlobes often mean white eggs.

Wild by Design

BY TIM PILGRIM

WHY A NATURALISTIC GARDEN?

One of the things that brings me the greatest joy – besides the pure pleasure of the beauty of a garden in full swing – is seeing something I haven’t seen in my garden before. One day while walking through the garden to my studio, I spotted a big, fat blue tongued lizard. When it sensed me it darted into a crack in a boulder wall I’d built the season before out of rocks I found in our paddock. Of all the places it could be living, it had chosen to live in our garden wall. Besides the shelter and warmth the rock wall has provided, the food around here is another reason it stays. One of the bluetongue’s favourite foods is snails, and it also eats insects, slugs, weeds and small mice. Some of these I don’t particularly want in my garden, so the lizard and I have a mutually beneficial relationship.

WILDLIFE IN THE GARDEN: GROW PLANTS AND IT WILL COME

At the design stage, you might give little thought to the wildlife your naturalistic garden will provide for. It tends to come afterwards, as an added bonus, yet it’s very important for the success and longevity of this style of gardening. Naturalistic gardens take inspiration from nature, with plantings generally left to express themselves fully through all the seasons, into deep winter. Seed heads provide food for birds, spiders create webs between stems, reptiles and birds take shelter under the canopy and use fallen foliage as bedding for their nests. When you use a diversity of plants, whether native or introduced, you attract a greater diversity of wildlife that uses your garden for habitat and food. Large natural drifts of plants can mimic a natural landscape, creating corridors where wildlife can eat, live and take shelter. This style of planting also protects the soil and the biology that lives on and beneath it. Imagine if we all gardened this way, with all of our individual gardens forming a tapestry that covered the otherwise bare earth or monoculture lawns and connected our forests, grasslands and waterways for native birds, insects and mammals to pass through.

Naturalistic gardens aren’t just for looks; they can provide a symbiotic meeting place where gardeners can reconnect with and be immersed in the natural world.

Naturalistic gardens aren’t just for looks; they can provide a symbiotic meeting place where gardeners can reconnect with and be immersed in the natural world.

EASE OF MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT

People often see naturalistic gardens as high maintenance. Their intricate composition, complex plant combinations and thoughtful tapestry effects give a false impression of the amount of work needed to achieve them. Traditional horticultural techniques such as deadheading, pruning and training can lead to overgardening – these practices are timeconsuming and often unnecessary. Traditional horticulture teaches that we need to cut plants down after they have flowered, before they go brown (more work), instead of appreciating all the stages a plant goes through after blooming, including decay and dormancy. If you managed your garden like this, then it would indeed be a high maintenance garden. Heading outside with the secateurs every time a petal dropped to the ground would be exhausting and overwhelming.

One of the practical benefits of naturalistic gardening is that it gives you permission to let go of some control and learn to appreciate plants and the garden as they are, in every season. Instead of cutting back a particular plant to try to force it to flower with the rest of the garden and

to achieve a one-off seasonal peak, allow the garden a succession of moments through the season. These moments will include plants past their so-called prime, in combination with foliage at all stages of its life cycle, buds, exuberant blooms and fading seed heads.

Doesn’t this sound like less work –and more interest – than waiting in anticipation for a moment that lasts just one month out of twelve?

Based in Central Victoria, Tim is known for his naturalistic cottage-style gardens. With over 15 years experience Tim has developed a distinct style that blends the traditional and modern, edible and ornamental.

Wild by Design

Naturalistic Gardening for

Modern

Australian Landscapes

RRP $59.99

Photography by Martina Gemmola

The Lost Art of Listening

By Angie McBride, FIVEAA Weekend Breakfast Host

DO WE REALLY LISTEN? I admittedly did not used to be a great listener. I am the youngest of three children and my voice was constantly shut down in a house full of older and louder siblings. I am fully aware that I still, to this day, repeat myself to ensure I am heard. There are some habits and things we cannot help but bring over from our childhood.

Working in radio has made me a better listener, although some may disagree! Being a radio presenter is pretty much listening to people. It takes effort to listen and focus when there is so much happening in the studio and in life. You can miss what the caller or interviewee is saying in a split second of distraction.

In 2020 a book called You’re Not Listening; What You’re Missing & Why it Matters by American Journalist Kate Murphy landed on my desk. After reading the book I learnt that people really do not listen properly, putting their interpretation on what they think you said. I am sure there are a few instances you can think of where this has happened in your life.

I once said to my friend’s daughter that a certain drink was too sweet. Another day, the same drink came out and she said, “Oh you don’t like sugar” whilst pointing to the drink. My response to her was “No, I said that drink was too sweet”. Two very different things. I don’t like sugar?! Have you not met me? It’s a daily struggle not to eat chocolate all the time.

Not listening properly can put strain on relationships and the outcomes of

certain situations. More likely than not, it’s in a negative way. It’s human nature to say what you need to say, but if you are not really listening or open to listening properly; chaos ensues!

Being on the radio, I am regularly being told I said something that I didn’t. I love our listeners, but certain ones have very selective hearing. I understand it’s difficult to pick up every word that’s said on radio when your ears are tuning in and out while doing other things. Multi-tasking is not a good listener's best friend!

As a society, have we forgotten how to listen? Between scrolling, streaming, commenting, all of these tasks are online. The focus is on devices rather than humans.

According to Kate Murphy, the golden tips to listening are:

❶ LISTENING REQUIRES CURIOSITY

"Good listeners seek out what is interesting to people, by being inquisitive in the moment. And when you respond with genuine interest, people noticeably relax, and become more thoughtful in their responses too, leading to a more interesting conversation."

❷ LEARN TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH SILENCE

"Bad listeners interrupt, respond vaguely or illogically, look at their phones or away from the speaker and fidget. Conversational narcissists shift the conversation, directing attention towards themselves. Don’t do those things.”

❸ FOCUS IS KEY

“Don’t worry about what you are going to say while the other person is talking: you are far more likely to miss things and say the wrong thing when it is your turn. It is OK to pause or say, 'I’d like to think about that'. Just think about why we’re more likely to remember dogs’ names than other people’sit's because we’re not distracted by sizing them up or worried about how we’re coming across."

My tip for being a good listener is to stop what you are doing. Put the devices down. Grab a cup of tea. Make eye contact with the subject. Listen to what they are saying!

Thanks for listening!

You’re Not Listening; What You’re Missing & Why it Matters by Kate Murphy

Penguin Books RRP $26.99

Weekend Breakfast with Angie McBride and Michael Keelan from 6am Saturdays and Sundays on FIVEAA

Arentz Advises

Meet Matthew Arentz, Partner at DBH Lawyers, bringing over 20 years of experience in delivering trusted legal advice.

When is a Guardianship Order needed and how do you get one?

As we age, planning for the future becomes increasingly important, especially when it comes to health, accommodation, and personal decisionmaking. If someone loses the capacity to make decisions due to illness, injury, or disability, a Guardianship Order may be required to arrange medical care and living needs. In South Australia, the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) has the authority to make these Orders.

What is a Guardianship Order?

A Guardianship Order is a legal arrangement where SACAT appoints a person (the Guardian) to make personal decisions on behalf of someone who has lost capacity.

These decisions may relate to:

• Where the person lives

• Medical treatment

Understanding Guardianship Orders in South Australia

• Services accessed

• General lifestyle and wellbeing

The person under guardianship is called the protected person.

Who Can Apply?

Anyone with a genuine interest in the person’s welfare can apply to SACAT, including family, friends, health professionals, social workers, or legal representatives. You do not need to be a lawyer to apply.

When Can a Guardianship Order Be Made?

Under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1993 (SA), SACAT must be satisfied that the proposed protected person has a mental incapacity before making an order. This means they cannot:

• Understand or retain information relevant to a decision

• Use or weigh that information

• Communicate their decision

If a person has legal capacity, SACAT cannot appoint a Guardian.

Does SACAT Require Medical Information?

Yes. The applicant must provide a medical or psychological report detailing:

• The person’s condition (e.g., dementia, brain injury)

• How it affects decision-making

• Relevant assessments or tests

This assists SACAT in determining if the person meets the legal definition of mental incapacity under the Act.

What Decisions Can a Guardian Make?

A Guardian may decide where the person lives, consent to medical or dental treatment, and make lifestyle decisions. Financial matters require a separate administration order.

HOW TO APPLY

For details on applying for a Guardianship Order sacat.sa.gov.au

FREE CALL 1800 324 324 dbh.com.au

DBH Lawyers provides specialist legal advice in the areas of personal injury, wills and estates and family law.

cvs@cotasa.org.au or call 08 8232 0422

Closing the Protein Gap

Why Midlife Wellness Starts with What’s on Your Plate

AS WE AGE, maintaining strength, energy, and muscle mass becomes more than just a wellness goal, it’s essential for quality of life. Yet according to CSIRO, most Australians over 50 aren’t getting enough protein to meet these needs, falling short of the recommended 25–30 grams per meal. This “post-50 protein gap” can quietly lead to fatigue, weight gain, and muscle loss, especially when combined with menopause, reduced appetite, or slower nutrient absorption.

After more than 36 years in health, retail, and wellness innovation, Marg James knows just how vital protein becomes as we get older, and how often it’s overlooked. Her work now focuses on helping people stay strong, active, and well-nourished through simple, sustainable strategies that fit real lives.

We caught up with Marg to talk about why supporting your muscles doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire routine.

“Our bodies become less efficient at processing protein as we age, so

we actually need more of it to maintain the same function.”

Why does protein become more important as we age, particularly for those over 50?

As we get older, our muscle mass naturally starts to decline — a process known as sarcopenia. Even light daily movement, when paired with adequate protein, can make a noticeable difference in how supported we feel in our own bodies.

Are there common misconceptions about protein and ageing?

QUICK TIPS FOR PROTEIN-POWERED AGEING

MARG’S SUGGESTIONS . AT A GLANCE .

1. Everyday movement like walking, gardening or carrying groceries helps maintain strength.

2. Resistance bands, yoga or Pilates are great low-impact ways to build muscle at home.

3. Whey protein is highly absorbable and ideal for older adults.

4. Blending plant proteins can also deliver complete amino acid profiles.

5. Look for protein products with digestive enzymes, fibre or probiotics for better absorption.

How can someone tell if they’re not getting enough protein?

Muscle loss is a big one, but there are subtler signs too, like fatigue, slow wound healing, thinning hair, or brittle nails... If you’re feeling less robust than usual, it’s worth looking at your protein intake.

What role does protein play for women post-menopause?

Protein is a true ally post-menopause... For many women, making protein a daily priority can be a game-changer.

For people who don’t always have a big appetite or struggle to eat three full meals, what are some practical ways to sneak more protein into a day?

That’s exactly where something like a high-quality meal replacement shake can really shine. Healthy Trim was designed with this in mind, it delivers 31 grams of premium whey protein in a single serve, without needing to prepare a full meal. It’s perfect for those days when appetite is low, energy is lacking, or you’re simply short on time. It’s a flexible, fuss-free way to stay nourished, even on your busiest days.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that protein is just for gym-goers or bodybuilders... It’s also common to think all protein is equal, but the quality, digestibility and nutrient profile really matter — especially for older bodies.

How much protein does the average person over 50 really need in a day?

Most health professionals recommend around 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for adults over 50. What’s more important is spacing protein across the day and choosing types that the body can absorb and use efficiently.

You’ve spent decades in the wellness space. Has your own relationship with health and nutrition changed as you’ve gotten older?

Absolutely — it’s softened and become more sustainable... Age brings wisdom, and with that, a more grounded relationship with my body and health.

Ready to Close Your Protein Gap?

Discover high-quality, easy-to-digest protein solutions designed for midlife wellness: healthytrim.com.au

BALANCING ACT

Our bread and pastry is made from scratch each day. Starting at 4AM, our bakers and pastry chefs mix, knead, prove, and bake these showstopping and delicious works of art.

1st Prize: Royal Adelaide Show 2025. Strawberry Rhubarb Bowtie • $9.00

1st Prize: Royal Adelaide Show 2025. Mr Nick’s Sourdough Loaf • $9.00

1st Prize: Royal Adelaide Show 2025 & Champion Product of the Show 2025. Croissant • $6.00

1st Prize: Royal Adelaide Show 2025. Light Rye Sourdough Loaf • $9.00

2nd Prize: Royal Adelaide Show 2025. White Block Loaf • $4.00

1st Prize: Royal Adelaide Show 2025. Sourdough Baguette • $5.00

SA’s Coastal Dining

AS THE WARMER MONTHS SETTLE ON OUR COASTLINE, South Australia finds itself grappling with an unprecedented marine event. An ongoing Karenia mikimotoi algal bloom, driven by marine heatwaves and nutrient surges, has wreaked havoc across more than 150km of coastline, claiming thousands of marine lives and raising serious environmental and health concerns.

Yet amid discoloration, sea-foam, and beach closures, one thing remains crystal clear: South Australia’s coastal restaurants are more vital than ever. These eateries are not just about great food, they’re the heartbeat of our seaside towns, gathering places for families, holidaymakers, and locals alike. As the bloom disrupts tourism and marine life, choosing to dine by the sea becomes a meaningful act of community support.

Here’s a roundup of standout coastal restaurants that deliver flavour, atmosphere, and resilience, across SA’s beaches.

KUTI SHACK

Goolwa

Neighbouring the sand hills of Goolwa Beach, Kuti Shack is a seafood kiosk and cafe. Kuti is Ngarrindjeri word for cockles or pipis – Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional custodians of the eastern Fleurieu Peninsula. The creative menu highlights pipis and other indigenous ingredients, with plenty of other seafood, produce, wine and craft beer from the Fleurieu Peninsula. Whenever possible their seafood and produce is sourced from local and sustainable producers.

Beach Rd, Goolwa Beach kutishack.com

WHALERS

Whalers offers a refined yet relaxed coastal dining experience that celebrates the very best of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. With sweeping views of Granite Island, Wright Island, and the Bluff, it’s the perfect place to watch the waves roll in while enjoying fresh, seasonal cuisine. Guests can choose to dine on the sun-drenched deck or inside with ocean views, making it a wonderful setting for casual meals, family gatherings, or special celebrations. Keep an eye out in winter for migrating whales and playful dolphins just offshore, a reminder that the beauty of the Fleurieu Peninsula extends far beyond the plate.

121 Franklin Parade, Encounter Bay whalers.au

STAR OF GREECE

Port Willunga

Star of Greece has been a beloved Fleurieu destination for over 20 years, named for the ill-fated shipwreck lying just offshore in 1888. What started as a humble kiosk now offers fine-and-friendly dining that balances simple, fresh flavours with Mediterranean flair. Expect everything from fish and chips at the kiosk window to elegant three-course meals, all paired with brilliant ocean views and a carefully curated wine list reflecting the region’s best drops.

1 The Esplanade, Port Willunga starofgreece.com.au

Victor Harbor

Henley Beach

Situated in one of Adelaide’s most iconic beachfront locations, Seamore’s is a celebration of laid-back beach culture. With stunning panoramic ocean views, it’s the perfect spot to unwind with a drink in hand while enjoying an impressive selection of food.

Head Chef Sandi leads the kitchen with a focus on doing the basics brilliantly. The menu strikes the perfect balance between casual grazing, serious dining, and easy sharing. Expect hand-stretched stone-base pizzas, delicious pasta, and crowd-pleasing share plates that draw on both Italian flavours and classic Australian surf club favourites.

255 Esplanade, Henley Beach seamores.com.au

AQUA

Adjacent the sands of Horseshoe Bay, The Flying Fish offers a quintessential coastal dining experience. Run by hospitality veteran Christy Dellaney, with over 25 years’ experience, this coastal favourite pairs warm, welcoming service with seriously delicious food. Head Chef Nathan Francis takes inspiration from the sparkling Southern Ocean to craft seasonal menus that celebrate fresh, local produce. Think perfectly grilled King George whiting, creative seafood dishes, and the café’s iconic fish and chips — each bite made to impress both locals and visitors alike.

1 The Foreshore Horseshoe Bay, Port Elliot flyingfishcafe.com.au

THE FLYING FISH

Port Elliot

Aqua Blue is the ultimate seaside spot for locals and visitors seeking a relaxed yet memorable dining experience. Whether you’re after a quick bite, a refreshing drink, or a full fine dining affair, Aqua Blue delivers with style and seaside charm.

The full-service restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu designed to celebrate the best of South Australia’s fresh produce. Start the day with hearty options like Veggie Breakfasts, Eggs Benedict, or buttery croissants. For lunch and dinner, diners can indulge in Greek-style lamb, Scotch fillets, or a Vegetarian Moroccan Tagine, while seafood lovers are treated to oysters, pipis, scallops, and King George Whiting.

Lot 100 Jetty Road, Normanville aquabluenormanvillebeach.com.au

SILVER SANDS BEACH CLUB

Aldinga Beach SEAMORES

This chic surf-club-turned-diner serves simple classics alongside freshly shucked oysters and house-made pasta, all served with sweeping sea views. Run by Nick Stock (acclaimed wine critic) and DJ Mark Kamleh, it’s as stylish as it is casual, proving that great food and salty air are always a perfect match.

Norman Road, Aldinga Beach silversandsbeachclub.com.au

Pearl is all about fresh, uncomplicated coastal dining. Head Chef Jules Rydon leads with a “fish and fire” philosophy, showcasing the best of South Australia’s seafood; think Smoky Bay oysters, Spencer Gulf prawns, chargrilled line-caught fish and daily specials cooked over charcoal. The menu shifts with the seasons and leans into local produce, paired beautifully with Fleurieu wines and cocktails that taste like summer. With panoramic ocean views and a laidback beachside vibe, Pearl is as close as you’ll get to a Mediterranean escape without leaving SA.

Aldinga Beach Boat Ramp, Aldinga pearlaldingabeach.com.au

PEARL Aldinga Beach

BLUE.. Normanville

FIFTY+SA

Adelaide Central Market

There’s a reason generations of South Australians have made the Adelaide Central Market part of their weekly ritual. It’s not just a place to shop, it’s a destination bursting with flavour, tradition, and friendly faces.

Whether you’re sharing a meal with loved ones, introducing the grandkids to new tastes, or simply stocking up on weekly favourites, the Market turns every visit into a delicious experience.

SHOP LOCAL

Under one roof, over 70 stalls bring the best of South Australia to your fingertips. From artisanal cheeses and freshly baked bread to the finest local produce, seafood, flowers, and chocolates, there’s always something to discover. And beyond the joy of browsing, shopping at the Market supports a vast network of local growers, suppliers, and makers – keeping South Australia thriving one bite at a time.

EASY RECIPES

For those who love to get creative in the kitchen, the Market is a treasure trove of inspiration. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just starting out, you’ll find plenty of easy-to-follow recipes featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients you can pick up while you’re there. It’s a perfect excuse to explore new flavours and add a little culinary flair to everyday meals.

adelaidecentralmarket.com.au/recipes

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

The festive season brings the Market alive like nowhere else. In the leadup to Christmas, the air is filled with live music, the scent of house-baked

fruit mince tarts, local cherries, and plenty of festive cheer. It’s a feast for the senses and a one-stop shop for holiday entertaining. You can shop right up until Christmas, from 9am Sunday 21 December, and from 7am Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 December.

adelaidecentralmarket.com.au/christmas

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Make a date to shop local. The Adelaide Central Market is open Tuesday to Saturday, with late-night shopping on Fridays – a vibrant hub for fresh produce, seasonal inspiration, and timeless South Australian flavours.

adelaidecentralmarket.com.au @adelcentralmarket

Meet the market stallholder

Tracey from Jagger Fine Foods

Step into the heart of Adelaide Central Market, and you’ll find Jagger Fine Foods, a stall that's a must-visit for locals on the hunt for something special. It’s the kind of place where food lovers linger, swapping tips, chatting about flavours, and discovering their next favourite treat. With a keen eye on the latest cooking trends and a genuine love for helping people cook and entertain, Tracey from Jagger Fine Foods is just as passionate about connecting with her customers as she is about curating quality, locally inspired products.

Your stall is known for its wide variety of gourmet products. Which items are the most popular with your customers? Dips! Our dips are all handmade by Jagger using quality local ingredients. We usually have over 20 dips to choose from and we create specials all the time.

How do you decide which products to offer, and do you collaborate with other local producers?

I’m passionate about knowledge of food, keeping an eye on cooking trends and always consider customers asking for different products.

With the festive season approaching, are there any special products, gift packs, or hampers you’re particularly excited about?

I’m excited about our Christmas hampers, we’ll have lots of gift products, puddings, panettones and we’ll even make some Christmas dips!

What do you enjoy most about connecting with customers at the Market?

I love talking about food! I love to share my culinary knowledge and encourage people to eat real food. I’m always happy to share my tips for making a beautiful meal.

For home cooks, what’s a simple yet impressive dish they could create using your products?

Lots of pasta dishes – you could create a classic puttanesca, carbonara, risotto with truffle. Or even make an easy meal using a Beerenberg meal base with just a few ingredients.

Do you have a favourite product combination from your stall that you often recommend to customers?

Good oil. I always recommend grapeseed oil and olive oil at the same time. They have different uses and I can recommend the best oil depending on what dish you will be creating.

If you had a free morning at the Adelaide Central Market, which stall would you visit first (aside from your own)?

I love to visit Dough, they have beautiful Turkish bread and lemon curd tarts (which I love to pair with my chilli honey, fresh cream and mint take your dessert to the next level).

Jagger Fine Foods

Stall 38, Adelaide Central Market 44 – 60 Gouger St, Adelaide adelaidecentralmarket.com.au/traders/ jagger-fine-foods

The Stillhouse

Luxury on the Riesling Trail

If you’re dreaming of a Clare Valley escape with a little more luxe than your standard vineyard stay, The Stillhouse might just be the answer. Tucked directly onto the famous Riesling Trail this premium accommodation at Clare Valley Distillery blends heritage charm with sleek, modern comforts — and a generous splash of indulgence.

Designed for groups, The Stillhouse sleeps up to eight across four king-sized bedrooms, two of which are housed in a meticulously restored heritage building. Inside, you’ll find two full bathrooms (including one fully accessible), a stylishly modern kitchen, laundry, and expansive living space that invites long, lazy evenings with friends. Outdoors, a private BBQ area sets the scene for alfresco feasting, framed by the valley’s rolling landscape.

CLARE VALLEY DISTILLERY

Clare Valley Distillery, opened May 2025, blends design, local ingredients, and experience. Sample gins with native botanicals, pick your own garnish, and linger in the cellar door. At The Stillhouse, taste, mix cocktails, and graze on local produce, all without leaving the property.

But what truly sets The Stillhouse apart is its location. As one of the only stays found directly on the Riesling Trail, it’s a base built for adventure. Spend the day pedalling through vines, sampling cellar doors, or simply wandering into town — Clare’s centre is less than 2km away. Come evening, return to your private retreat, open a bottle, and toast to the perfect mix of luxury and connection.

The Stillhouse is unapologetically premium, but for those looking to gather, indulge, and savour the Clare Valley at its very best, it’s worth every cent.

Clare Valley Distillery 8538 Horrocks Highway, Clare clarevalleydistillery.com.au

Jacqui Lim is a passionate advocate for the food and wine industry, known for connecting people through great food.

Whether she’s organising events, recommending restaurants, or sharing her experiences on Instagram at @jacquisfoodfetish, Jacqui brings people together one meal at a time.

Follow her for a taste of Australia’s best dining experiences.

Mensa

Snacks, Smaller $6-$35

Larger $28-$145

Suburban eatery Mensa in Kent Town is championing Italian cuisine, delivering a mix of traditional and modern dishes. The menu reads so well you’ll want to order just about everything on it. Of course, you simply must order a pasta dish or two – the pasta is made fresh in-house, as is the ciabatta. The restaurant itself is simple yet stylish, with a casual vibe and warm, friendly service. I’m already planning a return visit for the orecchiette with chicken livers.

Magill Estate Kitchen

Smaller $12-$38, Pastas & Mains $36-$78, Steaks $54-$220, Tasting Menu $125

In April, Magill Estate Kitchen (MEK, the sibling of fine-diner Magill Estate Restaurant) reopened with a fresh look, a new menu, and an elevated sense of sophistication. While the food, service, and wines are all top-tier, the atmosphere remains relaxed and approachable. Enjoy deli-style food in the mornings, bistro dining for lunch, and dinners on the weekend. The Wagyu Chateaubriand is exceptional, and let’s hope the Scallop Sausage in Taiwanese bread is here to stay.

78 Penfold Road, Magill @magillestatekitchen

Tarantino’s

Starters

$12-$34

Pasta and Mains

$39-$290

Tarantino’s is a vibrant addition to Adelaide’s East End, bringing a fun, New York-Italian bar and grill vibe. The food is seriously delicious. Don’t skimp on the snacks as they’re tasty must-haves, and the handmade pastas are equally impressive. If that’s not enough to satisfy, there’s a selection of wood-grilled mains including some hefty steaks to share. The drinks list features classic cocktails and a solid selection of Italian varietals to round things out.

Taikunthi

Snacks and smaller $10-$21

Larger $24-$30

Located within the state heritagelisted Union House at the University of Adelaide, Taikunthi is a sophisticated yet relaxed dining destination. Open on weekdays for breakfast, lunch, and drinks, it offers contemporary Australian cuisine with a focus on local produce and quality South Australian wines – all at very reasonable prices. Grab a coffee, have breakfast, enjoy a long lunch, or graze on charcuterie with a vino. It’s the perfect place to relax solo, catch up with friends or have a business meeting.

Level 5, Union House, University of Adelaide @taikunthirestaurant

Yolk Cafe

Breakfast/Brunch $8-$33

Yolk is the place for a satisfying brunch/ lunch and it’s always pumping. The food is consistently good, with generous serves, great coffee, fresh juices, and even a cheeky espresso martini. The favourite on my last visit was the Rice Kimchi Scramble - Fried rice with scrambled eggs topped with kimchi, spring onion and furikake - of course, you have to add the beautifully done, succulent fried chicken! Oh, and don’t forget to order a bowl of truffle fries!!

44 The Parade West, Kent Town @mensa__kitchen

30 Vardon Avenue, Adelaide @tarantinosadl

42 North East Road, Walkerville @yolk.cafe

Springtime Fizz

Celebrating 200 years of winemaking, Richard Hamilton’s new Long Stem Sparkling Fiano is a pale rosé blush that’s elegant and inviting. This McLaren Vale creation blends Fiano with a splash of Pinot Noir, delivering flavours of citrus, fresh nectarine and peach, white blossoms, lychee, and a hint of strawberry.

Maturation on yeast lees, with the addition of an aged reserve

wine, adds a creamy texture that perfectly balances the bright, fruit-driven character.

“Fiano thrives in McLaren Vale’s coastal climate,” says winemaker Paul Gordon. “Its natural acidity and enticing aromas make it an innovative varietal for sparkling wine.” A toast to two centuries of Hamilton winemaking, this sparkling offers structure, elegance, and poise in every glass, perfect for celebrations or quiet indulgence.

Richard Hamilton Long Stem Sparkling Fiano

RRP $26.00

richardhamiltonwines.com

Visit the premier destination for Adelaide book lovers with pre-loved & new titles at affordable prices.

We also stock a wide range of music, movies & games plus art & design objects.

Relax with coffee, local wines & other refreshments.

Open 7 days on Level 2, Myer Centre Adelaide, Rundle Mall.

Open Tuesday - Saturday

Tuesday 7:00am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9:00am - 5:30pm* Thursday 9:00am - 5:30pm Friday 7:00am - 9:00pm Saturday 7:00am - 3:00pm

*Selected Stalls

Easy Drinking

Nick Stock is one of Australia’s most well known and highly-regarded wine critics. He co-owns McLaren Vale’s favourite beach front bar and restaurant the Silver Sands Beach Club and The Old Bush Inn Hotel, Willunga’s “top pub.”

nickstock.com.au @stockwine silversandsbeachclub.com.au oldbushinn.com

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WINEMAKER STEPHEN PANNELL

is a living legend, quite literally, and widely acclaimed as the brightest and most accomplished in his field. With two Jimmy Watson trophies and a list of awards and accolades for both him and his wines as long as the Heysen Trail, he has much to smile about. Yet here we are, surrounded by a lineup of his best bottles on a Tuesday afternoon in a cocktail bar in Adelaide, and he is looking a little uneasy.

Pannell has seen the Australian wine industry ebb and flow many times before but he is concerned about the current cycle and the pothole-riddled road he and all Australian winemakers are collectively seeing ahead. And justifiably so, for the entire world of wine is grappling with a crisis of multi-faceted pressures on their endeavours. There is a crisis in the wine world, on all sides of the globe. Too much wine is being made, not enough is being sold and something has got to give.

So alongside establishing his trio of very reputable wine labels, S.C. Pannell, Protero and Koomilya, Pannell has invested in high-quality vineyard holdings in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills to support them. Vineyard ownership is the only way to guarantee the quality of each wine and, ultimately, the future for himself and his family.

Pannell’s wines are exemplary in every regard and yet they are also unique in many ways. He eschews the use of new oak; “wine should taste like grapes not trees,” he says with his signature wry smile, “and the taste of place should be first, not the hand of the maker.” It’s a refreshing sentiment and one that is slowly taking hold in the culture of Australian wine. Pannell is a leader, a reluctant hero of sorts, but becoming more and more vocal about broader wine industry issues.

Pannell’s path forward to navigate these treacherous conditions is to keep as calm as possible, to carry on making wines to his very high standards and to encourage others to do the same. He leads by elite example and knows no other way. Pannell is all in now. He believes that relying on anyone else to underwrite the brand of quality he seeks is just plain unrealistic. The most important part of the winemaking process – growing the grapes – is simply not a task he is willing to outsource.

It’s as if he has no choice than to step up. He’s seen too much and carries a scope of responsibility that runs way past family and those close enough to hear it first hand. As winemakers go, Pannell is as good as they get. And, as an industry leader intent on shaping the future of Australian wine, there is no better person to be at the helm. His wines are breathtakingly great and borne of equal parts soul and place. Go seek them out. You can thank him later for all he does to nourish and nurture the future of great Australian wine.

I, for one, will drink to that!

Nick Stock

For Nick’s tasting notes on S.C. Pannell wines, head to fiftyplussa.com.au

Stephen Parnell

FOOD SECRETS with JANE & EDDIE

Quinzi's Trifle

SERVES

6–8 people

INGREDIENTS

– 600ml thickened cream

– 4 tablespoons caster sugar

– 1 vanilla bean

– 500g mascarpone (La Casa Del Formaggio recommended)

– 2 packs Quinzi’s chocolate candy almonds, roughly chopped

– 1 pack Quinzi’s chocolates of your choice(e.g. white chocolate coated raspberries), roughly chopped

– Seasonal fruit and berries of your choice (e.g. strawberries and apricots), sliced for layering

– 1 bottle limoncello

– 1 pack ladyfinger biscuits

METHOD

1 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the thickened cream and caster sugar until thick and fluffy. Place into the fridge whileassembling the other ingredients.

2 Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds from the inside with the back of the knife.

3 In a mixing bowl, gently combine the mascarpone and vanilla bean seeds.

4 Roughly chop all Quinzi’s chocolates and candy almonds. Set aside.

5 Slice the fruit.

6 Set up a production line with separate bowls for the limoncello, cream mixture, mascarpone mixture, ladyfinger biscuits, chocolates, almonds, sliced fruit and a large trifle serving bowl.

7 Begin assembling the trifle by spreading a layer of the cream mixture at the base of the bowl, followed by the mascarpone mixture.

8 Scatter with chopped chocolates, almonds and sliced fruit.

9 Dunk the ladyfinger biscuits in the limoncello, making sure they absorb the liquid without becoming too soggy and layer in the bowl.

10 Repeat the layering process, ensuring the final layer is the cream mixture. Garnish generously with seasonal berries.

11 Refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving for the best texture. The trifle can also be stored overnight.

SCAN THE QR CODE to watch Jane & Eddie prepare this delicious dish and to view other recipes in the series.

10 Australian Wellness Retreats...

Worth Escaping To

When the pace of life feels relentless, sometimes the greatest luxury is simply slowing down. Across Australia, a new generation of wellness retreats is offering just that; spaces designed to soothe the mind, nurture the body, and reconnect you with nature. Think morning yoga against rainforest canopies, mineral-rich hot pools overlooking rolling vineyards, and nourishing menus crafted straight from the land around you. From the rugged coastlines of South Australia to the tranquil rainforests of Queensland, these ten retreats invite you to trade deadlines for deep breaths, and rediscover the joy of truly pressing pause.

1

S ilky Sanctuary, Silky Oaks Lodge Daintree Rainforest, QLD

Hidden in the world’s oldest rainforest, Silky Oaks Lodge pairs barefoot luxury with a soul-soothing retreat called the Silky Sanctuary. Expect morning yoga beneath ancient trees, rainforest walks, and the gentle rhythm of meditation and breathwork; all designed to help you reconnect with yourself and nature.

2 Eden Health Retreat

Currumbin Valley, QLD

Eden has been welcoming guests for decades, and it remains one of Australia’s most trusted sanctuaries. Set in 400 hectares of lush valley, it’s the kind of place where phones stay tucked away and days unfold slowly with nourishing meals, forest hikes, and the simple joy of stillness.

3 Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat Gold Coast Hinterland, QLD

With its holistic focus on rest and renewal, Gwinganna is a favourite among wellness seekers. Days flow from gentle movement and mindful workshops to spa time and organic dining, all in a serene hinterland setting that makes switching off feel effortless.

4 Sequoia Lodge Adelaide Hills, SA

Perched high on Mount Lofty, Sequoia feels like a world of its own. Just 20 minutes from Adelaide, this intimate adultsonly lodge offers mineral-rich hot pools, guided nature walks, and sunrise yoga with sweeping valley views. It’s indulgent yet grounding, a reminder that luxury and wellness can sit beautifully side by side.

5 Southern Ocean Lodge Kangaroo Island, SA

Recently reborn, Southern Ocean Lodge sits dramatically above the wild Kangaroo Island coastline. Here, wellness is woven into every detail, from spa treatments infused with native botanicals to walks along rugged clifftops where the Southern Ocean stretches endlessly before you.

6 The Louise Barossa Valley, SA

In the heart of wine country, The Louise offers a slower, more sensory kind of retreat. Think yoga among the vines, indulgent dining showcasing Barossa produce, and the kind of stillness that only comes from waking to the quiet of vineyard views.

7

Longitude 131°

Uluru, NT

Set on the red dunes facing Uluru, Longitude 131° is as much about spirit as it is about comfort. Indigenous-inspired treatments at Spa Kinara, coupled with guided walks and stargazing, create a retreat that feels deeply connected to the land and its stories.

8 Capella Lodge

Lord Howe Island, NSW

Remote and breathtakingly beautiful, Lord Howe Island is the ultimate reset button. Capella Lodge captures this serenity perfectly, with its laid-back luxury, coastal walks, and lagoon swims leaving guests refreshed in every sense of the word.

9 Gaia Retreat & Spa Byron Bay, NSW

Tucked away in the lush subtropical hills of the Byron Bay hinterland, Gaia Retreat & Spa is a serene sanctuary cofounded by Olivia Newton-John. Set across 25 acres of verdant gardens, it’s the kind of place that invites you to breathe deeply, reconnect, and simply be. Daily yoga, Pilates, tai chi, and Qi Gong sessions blend seamlessly with indulgent spa therapies, from magnesium pools to infrared saunas, while organic, plant-based meals nourish from the inside out.

10 Samadhi Spa and Wellness Retreat Daylesford, VIC

For those seeking a deeply personal retreat, Samadhi Spa & Wellness Retreat offers a private, multi-award-winning sanctuary for reflection, healing, and self-discovery. Carefully curated experiences pair meditation, private spa therapies, wellness talks, counselling, and wholesome, delicious meals for a truly holistic reset.

Digging Deep in Coober Pedy

If there’s one place in South Australia that feels like you’ve stepped onto another planet, it’s Coober Pedy. Known as the opal capital of the world, this outback town is as much about adventure as it is about gemstones. With its lunar landscapes, underground homes, and fascinating history, it’s a destination that deserves a spot on your bucket list.

Coober Pedy’s story began in 1915 when opal was first discovered, and since then, prospectors and adventurers have flocked there hoping to strike it rich. But it’s not just the opal that draws

visitors, it’s the ingenuity of the locals. To escape the searing desert heat, residents live in “dugouts” – underground homes, shops, and even churches carved into the rock. Touring one is an unforgettable experience, offering a glimpse into a way of life that’s uniquely Coober Pedy.

Above ground, the Breakaways Conservation Park offers breathtaking scenery. The colourful mesas and wide horizons are perfect for a sunset drive, when the landscape transforms into a painter’s palette of reds, oranges, and purples. Movie buffs may even

recognise these dramatic backdrops from films like Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Of course, no trip would be complete without trying your hand at “noodling” – fossicking through mullock heaps for your very own opal find. Whether you unearth a glittering stone or just a few fragments, the thrill is in the hunt. So, pack your hat, your sense of adventure, and tick this outback icon off your South Australian bucket list.

TRAVEL TIP

Coober Pedy is about 850km north of Adelaide, accessible by car, bus, or a short flight. The cooler months (April to October) are the best time to visit, when daytime temperatures are more manageable.

Penang

The holiday you never knew you wanted

BY JOHN THOMPSON-MILLS

LOOKING FOR AN ASIAN HOLIDAY destination that isn’t your typical Bali, Vietnam, or Thailand? Book a flight to Penang. Just an hour’s flight north of Kuala Lumpur, this underrated gem is one of the cleanest, most relaxed and English-friendly destinations in Asia.

Connected to the mainland by two massive bridges (13 and 24km), Penang Island and its UNESCO-listed capital, George Town, are a paradise for food lovers chasing authentic street fare. With Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures, their religions, and British colonial roots, Penang delights every palate — and its architecture is just as appetising. With an exchange rate of around AUD$1 to RM2.7, a week here won’t break the bank.

Book for seven nights and dive in with these must-try experiences.

FLAVOURS OF PENANG

Eat street-food on Gurney Drive, and make sure you order these two dishes.

• Char Kway Teow is Penang’s signature stir-fried noodle dish — smoky, silky and loaded with prawns, bean sprouts and egg.

• Nasi Kandar is a gloriously chaotic plate of rice piled with fried chicken, beef curry and sambal sotong (squid), all generously drenched in Kuah Campur (a mixed gravy).

Locals queue at Penang Road Famous Laksa for a steaming bowl of Asam Laksa, a tangy fish broth with rice noodles, cucumber, pineapple and ginger. Fun fact: it’s not actually on Penang Road.

Centuries of cultural fusion also gave rise to Nyonya cuisine, spicy, herbaceous, and entirely its own.

For a more elevated experience, book a table at Orinea, where food and art collide. Think degustation menus layered with delicate flavours, dishes presented like artwork, and dazzling views from the 18th floor of a bayside building.

CULTURE + HERITAGE

• Old George Town looks great from the back of a shady Trishaw.

• Get creative when you photograph the street art around Armenian Street.

• Walk along the 1880’s era Chew Jetty, a time-locked fisher’s village built on a narrow wooden jetty.

• The exotic Blue Mansion is a George Town landmark. This 1890’s era building was almost demolished but is now a gorgeous boutique hotel.

NATURE + EXPERIENCES

• You must tour the incredible Tropical Spice Garden. There you’ll learn amazing facts about ginger and the true meaning of spices. Then head into their kitchen to cook a fabulous wok-fired lunch.

• Luxuriate in British-colonial elegance over high tea at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel. It opened in 1885, two years before its sister-hotel Raffles in Singapore.

• ‘Peak’ George Town is the 68-storey Komtar tower. A skywalk, restaurants and theme park add to the unparalleled views.

• The funicular ride to the Penang Hill summit (880m) is a must-do. Then walk through the spectacular rainforest canopy where the “dentist-drill” cicadas make an incredible noise.

• Nestled in the shadows of Penang Hill is Malaysia’s largest Buddhist temple. Kek Lok Si Temple is spectacular and even better with a guided tour.

• Young or old you’ll love the UpsideDown Museum. Within an hour you’ll have a wonderful series of gravity defying photos to impress your friends with.

• Take a rare opportunity to see critically endangered Orang Utans. Head to Bukit Merah on the mainland and visit the captive breeding sanctuary.

NIGHTS IN PENANG

• Penang sunsets are beyond spectacular. Book a beach dinner and a fire-show in Batu Ferringhi, around 10km from George Town, and then meander around the famous night-market.

• After dark, head to the lanterns and neon-lights of Chulia St or Love Lane for some live music.

Book ahead for excellent hotel deals in George Town or Batu Ferringhi and fly direct with Malaysian Airlines.

John Thompson-Mills is a former longtime ABC Radio producer with newfound time on his hands and adventure on his mind. He travels with his wife Kathy.

LOCAL TIP

George Town is easy to navigate on foot but forget about taxis. Download the GRAB for ridiculously cheap rides.

Boys From The Bush

After decades of chart-topping hits, unforgettable duets, and countless tours across the country, Lee Kernaghan is hitting the home stretch of his iconic Boys From The Bush tour. But for the Aussie country legend, the end of this chapter doesn’t mean hanging up his boots.

INTERVIEW by OLIVIA WILLIAMS

This is the final chapter of your Boys From The Bush tour. What made you decide now was the right time to wrap it up?

Well, all good things must come to an end, and this tour was actually meant to wrap up at the end of last year. But the reaction was so big, we added another 40 towns and cities across Australia.

Just like the song says, “it’s never really over till it ends!”

What does that relationship with your audience mean to you after all these years?

To me, they’re much more than fans, they’re family. I just want to say to all my mates who’ve made this music a part of their life - thanks for the legendary times together and the inspiration you’ve given me through the years.

The documentary Boy From The Bush gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at your life on and off the stage. Was it confronting to have the camera turned on you so intimately?

It turned out to be less about the cameras and more about the people and places that inspired the music. Songs like “She’s My Ute,” “Hat Town,” “Goondiwindi Moon,” “Flying with the King,” and “The Outback Club” all came from time spent travelling this country. It was great to bring those stories to the big screen.

Many of our readers grew up with your music, and they’re now at a stage in life where they’re reflecting on legacy and purpose. What’s something you’ve learned about yourself through decades of touring and storytelling? I’ve learned we live in the greatest country on Earth, but it’s the Australian people who make it great. It’s a privilege to sing songs about us and play the music I love.

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice before stepping out on stage for that very first tour, what would it be? Hold on tight…it’s gonna be an epic ride!

What’s something you’ve come to appreciate more in life after turning 50?

Meditation. It’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time, and the more I put into it, the more I get out of it. I’ve found it to be the answer to a lot of life’s challenges — and the key to finding happiness within.

Lee Kernaghan, Boys From The Bush – The Concert Fri 14 Nov 2025, Her Majesty’s Theatre

For tickets and information go to leekernaghan.com

“I’ve found meditation to be the answer to a lot of life’s challenges –and the key to finding happiness within.”

SOUND BITES

What’s always in your ute on tour?

Yeti coolers and flasks.

Favourite Aussie town to stop for a pie and a yarn?

There are plenty of good country bakeries on the way out to Winton, but it’s the crumbed lamb cutlets at the North Gregory Hotel that keep me coming back!

Who’s on your personal playlist right now? Any surprising picks?

If you’re riding shotgun in my 79 Series LandCruiser, you’ll hear songs like “A Country Boy Can Survive” by Hank Jr., “Roots of My Raising” by Merle Haggard, “Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile” and “The Ride” by David Allan Coe. There’ll be some George Jones, a bit of Slim… and maybe “Damn Good Mates” with the Wolfe Brothers!

State Theatre Company Season 2026

the classical to the radical and the playful to the political, State Theatre Company South Australia’s 2026 season – the first from new Artistic Director Petra Kalive – is a supercharged assortment of vivid theatre experiences.

Kalive’s inaugural season is a collection of world premieres, modern Australian masterworks and new takes on classics from the Western canon. “The works in 2026 are each vital in their own way. They hold a mirror to our cultural and political present; you’ll squirm, laugh, and question in the same breath,” Kalive says.

“This season celebrates the richness of voices shaping our stages today, the clarity of early-career writers breaking through with bold new perspectives, the craft of Australia’s most celebrated performers, the tender, necessary stories of South Australian artists weaving culture and memory into the present and the thrill of international works that bring the world to our doorstep.”

Season 2026 opens with the cutting satire Trophy Boys, a whip smart and riotous takedown of toxic masculinity by award-winning young playwright Emmanuelle Mattana. Performed by a female and non-binary cast in drag, the show unfolds in real time as an all-boys private school debate team are locked in a classroom for their one-hour prep window and forced to argue that “feminism has failed women”.

Later in March, the brilliant Heather Mitchell revives her award-winning and critically acclaimed “virtuosic performance” (The Conversation) of U.S. Supreme Court Justice and feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Suzie Miller’s RBG: Of Many, One. The Sydney Theatre Company production plays a 4-week season at Dunstan Playhouse.

In May, Adelaide powerhouse Carla Lippis and Prisoner’s Glenda Linscott star in a radically imagined and provocative new production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

Also in May, Richard Roxburgh, Ryan Corr and Adelaide’s own Damon Herriman star in ART, Yasmina Reza’s internationally award-winning comedy about friendship, ego and the chaos a single opinion can cause. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, ART plays for a strictly limited five-day season at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

As part of the Company’s new SPARK program, in July comes the groundbreaking and utterly unhinged Uncle Vanya – but there’s ASMR soap cutting videos playing in the bottom right corner, a deliriously overstimulating remix of Anton Chekhov’s classic play from the mind of local award-winning theatremaker Mary Angley and her creative team of collaborators.

Landing at Space Theatre in July is the world premiere of Kaurna and Narungga theatremaker Jacob Boehme’s LOGAN ST, inspired by the Kaurna history behind Adelaide’s own Logan Street and the Adelaide Mosque, Australia’s oldest city Mosque. In LOGAN ST, an unlikely friendship takes root between Goolie, an Afghan cameleer and mosque caretaker, and Dulcie, a young Aboriginal woman.

Another Australian premiere work follows with Commentary, a dark comedy from Helpmann Award nominated playwright Ash Flanders. Directed by Petra Kalive, Commentary stars Gyton Grantley (Underbelly, House Husbands) as Nick, a filmmaker-turned-film-lecturer whose successful, and controversial, film from 20 years ago is making a resurgence at a local International Film Festival.

“This season celebrates the richness of voices shaping our stages today.”

SA emerging playwright Anthony Nocera’s riotously funny Log Boy premieres in October, starring Chris Asimos and Elena Carapetis. From the 2025 Great Australian Bites to AC Arts in all its gory, leather-clad full-length form as part of the SPARK program, Log Boy is a camp, kinky collision of horror, humour and heartbreak from one of Australia’s most exciting new writers.

Season 2026 closes with the glorious The Heartbreak Choir, a tenderly funny ode to kindness, courage and community with an all-star SA cast including Libby O’Donovan, Genevieve Mooy and Emma Beech. The Heartbreak Choir is a gently funny, deeply moving celebration of connection and second chances.

The year 2026 will also plant the seed of new initiative Blak State, a bold and long-term commitment to First Nations theatre-making. Supported by Create SA, Blak State will begin with a statewide period of listening and consultation led by First Nations artists, Elders and cultural leaders, who will define the stories, structures and ways of working that reflect sovereignty, cultural futures and community priorities.

2026 Subscriptions are now on sale at statetheatrecompany.com.au

Ready, Set, Create

Adelaide’s Creative Classes to Try

If you’ve ever wanted to roll up your sleeves, pick up a brush, or simply try something new, Adelaide is full of creative corners waiting to be explored. From pottery wheels to woodturning, crochet hooks to printmaking tools, there’s a class to suit every curiosity. Whether you’re chasing a mindful escape, a social hobby, or a creative reset, these studios are the perfect excuse to get crafty, meet new people, and discover hidden talents.

Ruth Tuck Art School – Watercolour & Printmaking

For over half a century, the Ruth Tuck Art School in Burnside has nurtured Adelaide’s budding artists. Alongside watercolour painting, their standout linocut printing classes guide students from sketch to finished print. Accessible yet striking, it’s a rewarding way to unleash your artistic voice.

3a Hubbe Court, Burnside ruthtuckartschool.com

Emma Sadie Thomson – Pottery & Pressed Flowers

Emma Sadie Thomson’s light-filled studio is all about mindfulness through making. Pottery classes focus on handbuilt and wheel-thrown forms, while her pressed-flower workshops transform botanicals into delicate artworks. A serene space to slow down and create.

94 Gilles St, Adelaide emmasadiethomson.com.au

BOOK NOW

Get hands-on with Emma Sadie Thomson at this festive workshop, where you’ll create your own seasonal wreath while sipping wine in a relaxed, creative setting. Perfect for a mindful afternoon or a gift-ready DIY project.

Sat, 6 December, 1pm - 3pm | EST Studio, Adelaide Book your spot via Humanitix

Urth Clay Studio – Mindful Pottery

With two inner suburb locations, Urth Clay Studios blend pottery with relaxation. Their eight-week Mindful Clay course combines wheel work and handbuilding for a therapeutic, slow-paced escape. Shorter one-off sessions and their immersive six-hour Clay ReTreat make it easy to dip in, whether you’re a beginner or brushing up on skills.

3A Hubbe Court, Burnside 7/89 Goodwood RD, Goodwood urthclaystudio.com.au

Patchwork by Sea – Quilting Community

A fixture since 1998, Patchwork by Sea is Adelaide’s go-to quilting hub. Now based in Morphett Vale, the store stocks everything from fabrics to patterns, alongside supportive classes led by owners Jen and Terry. Their popular Block of the Month programs let quilters of all levels build something beautiful, piece by piece.

186 Main South Road, Morphett Vale patchworkbysea.com.au

Hills Woodworkers Inc

JamFactory – Craft & Design Workshops

For design lovers, JamFactory is iconic. For over 50 years, this not-for-profit hub has championed craft and design, offering everything from wheel-thrown ceramics to jewellery-making and glass workshops. Classes are taught by resident artisans in professional studios.

19 Morphett Street, Adelaide jamfactory.com.au

– Woodturning & Fine Woodwork

Up in the Adelaide Hills, Hills Woodworkers Inc share the joy of working with timber. Introductory woodturning workshops are small and beginner-friendly, while regular meetups at the Laratinga Community Shed give members the chance to learn, demo and collaborate.

Laratinga Community Shed, 100 Springs Road, Mount Barker hillswoodworkersinc.org.au

Skein Machine – Crochet & Fibre Arts

Eden Hills’ Skein Machine is a haven for yarn lovers. Alongside locally dyed yarns and unique patterns, it offers classes in crochet, knitting, and embroidery. Join workshops or drop into a Crafternoon, a cosy social session perfect for finishing projects with good company.

Shop 3/276 Shepherds Hill Rd, Eden Hills skeinmachine.store

Adelaide Central School of Art – Visual Arts Education

The Adelaide Central School of Art is a serious home for creativity. Accredited programs in painting, drawing and sculpture are taught by practising artists, while short courses and weekend workshops open the doors to everyone. Think botanical drawing, life studies, or clay studio practice; structured yet inspiring.

Glenside Cultural Precinct, 7 Mulberry Road, Glenside acsa.sa.edu.au

Two Icons Reimagined

Hopgood & Thebby Theatres Reopen

This spring marks a double celebration for Adelaide’s arts scene, with two much-loved theatres unveiling major refurbishments.

In Adelaide’s south, the Hopgood Theatre reopened on 24 October after a $6 million transformation. The upgrade has refreshed interiors with state-ofthe-art sound and lighting, introduced a bold new pink identity, created 10 new wheelchair and companion seating spaces, revitalised the bar and front-ofhouse, and added an intimate second performance space. With shows, concerts and community events being added weekly, the Hopgood is set to welcome back audiences, schools, and performers for decades to come.

Meanwhile, the Thebarton Theatre — affectionately “Thebby” — is also looking brighter than ever. Stage One of its long-anticipated refurbishment

is now complete, thanks to $8 million in joint funding from the State Government and City of West Torrens. The refresh has delivered a new foyer and outdoor plaza, as well as a lift for the very first time, making the historic venue more accessible than ever while retaining its heritage charm.

First opened in 1928 as Thebarton Town Hall, Thebby has hosted everything from cinema and squash tournaments to worldclass concerts. With further upgrades planned ahead of its centenary in 2028, the theatre remains one of Adelaide’s most iconic and versatile cultural landmarks.

Whether you’re rediscovering a favourite local venue or experiencing it for the first time, both the Hopgood and Thebby promise unforgettable nights out in newly reimagined spaces.

HOPGOOD THEATRE reopened on 24 October 2024. Find out more and book tickets: countryarts.org.au/venues/ hopgood-theatre

THEBARTON THEATRE reopened on 1 October 2024. For shows and tickets: thebartontheatre.com.au

Photo by Jack Fenby

A Lifetime in Harmony

by

OLIVIA WILLIAMS

Celebrating 50 years with the ASO is an incredible milestone. What has kept you inspired through it all?

Julie: Playing with the ASO over nearly five decades has given me a deep sense of satisfaction and joy. Having the privilege of being in sync with a body of people making music is wonderful. Music is my life, and even after all these years there is still much more to learn, discover and play.

The ASO has been part of South Australia’s cultural identity for 90 years. How does it feel to contribute to that legacy?

Julie: I’m honoured to have given to the community for more than half of its existence. To be celebrating 50 years as the orchestra marks 90 is truly special.

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?

Julie: I’m excited to perform new works and welcome guest soloists to South Australia. The 90th anniversary concert, The Planets featuring Sir Bryn Terfel, will be a memorable celebration to remember for years to come.

How do you balance performing timeless classics with new compositions?

Julie: It’s an exciting balance. We’ll continue presenting the complete symphonies of Jean Sibelius while also performing new works by contemporary composers like Holly Harrison and Joe Chindamo. There’s room to be innovative and experiment with ideas that can mean using the violin in less traditional ways.

What personal touch do you bring to your performances?

Julie: Musical intent, commitment, and producing my best playing each week. I draw on my experience and commitment to my craft to bring each performance to life.

As the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra celebrates 90 years, percussionist Steve Peterka and violinist Julie Newman reflect on decades devoted to their craft and the joy of performing for South Australian audiences.

Both are pillars of the ASO: Steve has spent 34 years in the percussion section, while Julie will celebrate 50 years in 2026 as the orchestra’s longest-serving member. Their stories reveal not only a personal devotion to music but also the shared passion and camaraderie that have sustained the ASO across generations.

After 34 years with the ASO, what has been the most rewarding part of your journey?

Steve: If it had to be just one thing, it would be the experience of sharing amazing music with both the listener and my colleagues. A very appreciative comment from an audience member after a concert or an inspiring passage from a colleague always feels special. Percussion often drives the energy of an orchestra.

How do you approach playing pieces with both precision and passion?

Steve: It can be a tricky thing to navigate. You need to consider and decide how your instrument and part at that moment fits into the music overall. Sometimes you really need to show restraint as it’s easy to get carried away with a juicy part, as many of our percussion instruments can be the loudest thing on stage. Fortunately, the conductor will always let you know if you do!

Which upcoming performances are you most excited about?

Steve: There’s a lot to look forward to. The 90th birthday celebration featuring Sir Bryn Terfel, The Planets and Star Wars should be fantastic. The film scores like Harry Potter and How To Train Your Dragon are always very challenging and rewarding for a percussionist to play.

What’s it like experiencing the ASO live with a full house?

Steve: Even after 34 years the impact of standing in the middle of an orchestra never ceases to amaze me. There’s always a completely different energy at a concert compared to a rehearsal, it’s impossible not to get caught up in it and put everything into the performance.

Discover what’s on the ASO’s 2026 program aso.com.au

STEVE PETERKA Section Principal Percussion

JULIE NEWMAN Violinist

INTERVIEWS

90 Years Young

ASO’s Big Birthday Season Hits All the Right Notes

THERE AREN’T MANY THINGS in Adelaide that have been going strong for 90 years and still feel brand new. The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is one of them, and in 2026 they’re celebrating this remarkable milestone with a season that’s all about connection, joy, and the sheer power of live music.

From grand symphonies to the magic of film scores, Broadway showstoppers and breathtaking new works, the ASO’s 90th season promises more than 100 performances across South Australia. It’s a program that looks back with pride and forward with excitement.

At the helm is Chief Conductor Mark Wigglesworth, now in his second year with the ASO. For Wigglesworth, music’s timelessness sits at the heart of the 2026 season. “Music is a force for good,” he says. “a force that is infinitely more powerful when experienced live. The 2026 season embraces this power and connection on every level.”

The orchestra’s flagship Symphony Series returns to Adelaide Town Hall with eight world-class concerts, each one promising that unmistakable ASO energy that fills the room and lifts the soul.

The season opens with Jupiter, featuring pianist Konstantin Shamray performing Rachmaninov’s ever-popular Piano Concerto No. 2. Other standouts include ASO Principal Clarinettist Dean Newcomb premiering a new work by Joe Chindamo, and a world premiere from Australian composer Holly Harrison featuring virtuoso classical accordionist James Crabb.

“Music is a force for good, a force that is infinitely more powerful when experienced live. The 2026 season embraces this power and connection on every level.”

ASO Chief Conductor Mark Wigglesworth

And for lovers of the dramatic, Wigglesworth will lead the ASO in an exclusive orchestra-only performance of Wagner’s The Ring, a nod to the ASO’s pioneering role in bringing this epic work to Australia.

The orchestra will also continue its sell-out composer immersion series, turning the spotlight on Jean Sibelius. Wigglesworth says this series is “an unmissable opportunity to appreciate more deeply one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century.”

But it’s not all about the classics. The ASO’s 2026 season also celebrates the new and the now, with Waltjapiti Tjungu – Together, One Family, a collaboration with the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music and Soundstream New Music, featuring three powerful new works that explore culture, voice and innovation.

For film fans, the big screen meets the orchestra once again as the ASO wraps up its eight-year journey with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in Concert, and brings fire-breathing adventure to life with How to Train Your Dragon in Concert, both at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

If show tunes are more your style, An Evening on Broadway promises pure musical escapism, starring Josh Piterman and Amy Manford performing favourites from Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story and more. And for something completely different, The Music of Joe Hisaishi will immerse audiences in the delicate, dreamlike world of the Studio Ghibli composer for the very first time in Adelaide.

Through it all, one thing remains constant: the magic of hearing it live. As ASO Concertmaster Kate Suthers puts it, “Nothing compares to a live concert and experiencing 80 musicians playing together. If you haven’t heard the ASO live there’s never been a better time to do it!”

Ninety years on, the ASO’s sound continues to evolve, rooted in tradition, yet alive with the spirit of a city that loves its music. Whether you’ve followed them for decades or are hearing them for the first time, this is the year to be part of the celebration.

Packages for Season 2026 are now on sale, with single tickets available from 12 November 2025.

Explore the full program: aso.com.au

Frank Bauer

Master of Light, Movement and Form

INTERVIEW by OLIVIA WILLIAMS

FRANK BAUER’S ARTISTIC JOURNEY began not in a gallery or studio, but in the hum of a working smithy. “My father had a friend who was a gold, silver and blacksmith who ran a workshop nearby and he took me there and I was fascinated,” he recalls. That early fascination grew into a lifelong practice, spanning jewellery, lighting design, kinetic sculptures, and teaching.

After an introduction to Adelaide’s art scene by Dick Richards, then Curator of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia, Bauer found himself at the newly established JamFactory, where he trained and mentored students. His career has since traversed Germany, Ireland, London, Sydney and back to Adelaide, each stop enriching his practice. “In all these places I worked alongside highly experienced practitioners and I learnt an enormous amount from them,” he says. That global influence culminated in a breakthrough in 1989, when Bauer patented a low-voltage lighting grid system that continues to underpin his most celebrated works.

Bauer’s signature sculptural lighting pieces, described by many as ‘light paintings’, are striking for their interplay of colour, shadow, and movement.

Crafted from perforated anodised aluminium sheets, these luminous constructions shift in perception depending on the viewer’s angle and the surrounding light. They are at once kinetic and serene, technically intricate yet visually effortless.

The lineage of Bauhaus design runs deeply through Bauer’s work. “I was inspired by the Bauhaus as my father studied there, he was one of the last students to go there,” he explains. “He was taught by Mies van der Rohe (the last Director of the Bauhaus), Kandinsky and renowned metalsmith, Marianne Brandt.” That heritage of precision, experimentation, and pared-back form resonates in his jewellery, lighting and sculptural works.

Bauer’s fascination with movement and perception is rooted in his admiration for modernist masters. “I am fascinated with sculpture, painting and textiles, i.e. the work of Alexander Calder and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy,” he notes. This curiosity has fuelled his ongoing exploration of how light, colour, and structure can dance together, producing artworks that are as architectural as they are poetic.

Teaching has been another defining thread in Bauer’s career, most notably

during his time as a lecturer at the University of South Australia’s School of Design. His approach in the classroom was rooted in individuality and expression. “My aim was to encourage the students to find their own personality in the creation of their art,” he reflects.

Today, Bauer works from his Adelaide studio, with his art represented in private collections and galleries across Australia, Europe and the United States. Despite the global reach of his practice, Adelaide remains both a source of inspiration and a creative home. When asked about his favourite local haunt, he doesn’t hesitate: Lucia’s at the Central Market. He’s equally quick to champion

Adelaide’s hidden gems, from Zu Design in Gay’s Arcade to fellow artist Aldo Iacobelli. His works can be found closer to home too, with BMG Art on Halifax Street regularly exhibiting his sculptural lighting.

For Bauer, Adelaide offers the perfect balance of community, creativity and cultural life. He looks forward each year to the Adelaide Festival, a reminder of the city’s thriving artistic heart. And when pressed for the best piece of advice he’s ever received, he smiles: “Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.”

Cinema with Soul

Discover Silverscreen at The Mercury

Looking to escape the ordinary and immerse yourself in world-class cinema? The Mercury's Silverscreen program is your passport to a curated collection of contemporary gems, international festival favourites, and award-winning films, all in the heart of the city.

Each week, Silverscreen turns daytime moviegoing into something much richer. Settle into the comfort of The Mercury’s boutique cinema and enjoy a film that will spark conversation long after the credits roll. Even better, every Tuesday and Friday matinee comes with complimentary refreshments, because great cinema should be savoured with a cuppa in hand.

This November, the program is brimming with variety: the insightful documentary But Also John Clarke,

Olivia Colman in the romantic comedy

The Roses, the entertaining Irish doco Beat the Lotto, plus a special Script Club screening of The Room Next Door.

Silverscreen sessions are free for Mercury subscribers, or you can simply buy a ticket at the door: $17 regular, $15 concession, or just $10 with a Seniors Card.

For true movie buffs, The Mercury also offers something unique: Adelaide Cinematheque. This members-only program celebrates the best of cinema past and present, from timeless classics to cult favourites. Membership is flexible, with options like a 12-month mini-membership for those who want to dip their toes in.

What’s coming up? November brings Noirvember, a shadowy tribute to the moody world of film noir, including the 1944 classic Double Indemnity. December follows with Movies About the Movies, a program that salutes the silver screen itself, featuring Gloria Swanson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard

So whether you’re in the mood for a thought-provoking documentary, a dash of romance, or a nostalgic classic, The Mercury has something special waiting for you.

For the full program of screenings and events and more at the Mercury: themercury.org.au

NOW SHOWING

Film Review Book Review

My Brother's Band (M)

Now playing at cinemas

Sponsored by

Review Rating

Although it might well look like an audience-pleasing, yuletide-friendly tearjerker, director (and co-writer) Emmanuel Courcol’s ensemble character drama has an edgy toughness that stops it becoming too sentimental or soapy.

Prestigious Thibaut Desormeaux (Benjamin Lavernhe), a celebrated conductor, collapses during the orchestra rehearsal that opens the movie, and is soon diagnosed with leukemia. He must seek out a bone marrow donor, and when he turns to his kooky sister, he unexpectedly discovers, at the age of 38, that he’s adopted.

When he travels beyond Paris to find the brother he never knew he had, he meets Jimmy Lecocq (Pierre Lottin), who is revealed to play the trombone in a band comprised of pals from a local factory that’s surely soon to be shut down, although the musicians have been protesting for months. It also becomes abundantly clear that Jimmy possesses the same musical gift that Thibaut has, which introduces a series of thorny themes about class, family, and sheer chance. After all, what if the siblings had been swapped during their adoptions all those years ago?

By Dave Bradley

There’s a great deal going on here, and yet none of it is soppy or simplistic, and director Courcol eases beautifully understated performances from his whole cast, especially Lavernhe and Lottin. In fact, Lottin is probably the one you’ll remember: it might well be primarily Thibaut’s story, but Jimmy’s the more complex and less cute of the pair.

Furthermore, there’s a cautious (and very French) realism to the narrative, which means that, as the plot progresses, it seems that no matter what the characters do, they just can’t seem to help hurting someone, or themselves.

C’est la vie.

My Brother’s Band screens at cinemas from December 26th.

King Sorrow Joe Hill

Hachette Australia

$34.99 (paperback)

The first novel from Joe Hill - a.k.a. Joseph Hillström King, Stephen’s son - in nine years, this almost-900page-long saga is surely the epic-est literary epic of the year, which suggests that Joe has inherited some of his Dad’s customary wordiness.

However, this pretty much staggering tale features such a wealth of wonderful detail and richness of character that you’ll forgive the moments when Joe starts rambling just a little.

Arthur Oakes is a student and aspiring academic at Rackham College, Maine, back in 1989, and he’s friendly with: the wealthy and charismatic Colin Wren; the gorgeous but uncertain Alison Shiner; battling and biting twins Donna and (Dono)Van McBride; and the socially conscious Gwen Underfoot, who takes a while to be accepted by everyone (except Arthur). When circumstances lead to him being forced to pay off a debt to local drug dealers by stealing priceless books from the library, the gang drunkenly and jokingly (at first) set about summoning a dragon named ‘King Sorrow’ from the ‘Long Dark’.

Naturally, a real dragon turns up, although for much of the tale it’s only seen as a fiery eye, a claw reaching out from the shadows to terrify our heroes, or a grotesque, lolling tongue. When it finishes slaying Arthur’s enemies, the manipulative King then says that he’ll now expect an annual sacrifice every Easter, which means that, as the years go by (and by), the six-strong chums must keep drawing up a list of villains deserving to be burnt and/or chomped.

Quite the genre mash-up, this impressively leaps from savage horror, to wild fantasy, to character comedy, to tense suspense, to steamy romance, and, finally, to a sweeping satirical study of modern America in all its monstrous glory.

All hail the King. Or, actually, both of them.

Must-Read Books

RRP $45.00

Fires Which Burned Brightly A Life in Progress

Sebastian Faulks

In Fires Which Burned Brightly, Faulks, a reluctant memoirist, offers readers a series of detailed snapshots from a life in progress. They include a post-war rural childhood – ‘cold mutton and wet washing on a rack over the range’ – the booze-sodden heyday of Fleet Street and a career as one of the country’s most acclaimed novelists.

There are not one, but two daring escapes from boarding school; the delirium of a jetlagged American book tour; the writing of Birdsong in his brother’s house in 1992; and memorable trips across the channel to France. Politics, psychiatry and frustrated ventures into the world of entertainment are analysed with patience and rueful humour.

The book is driven by a desire ‘to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.’ It ends with a tribute to Faulks’s parents and a sense of how his own generation was shaped by the disruptive power of war and its aftermath.

RRP $45.00

Fulfillment

Lee Cole

Emmett and Joel are halfbrothers, but they couldn't be more different: Emmett is single and working in a vast Cargo Distribution Centre in Kentucky, while Joel is a married academic and published writer. For the first time in years, the two of them are back together in the family home, just as Joel's wife, Alice, starts to yearn for a different kind of lifestyle.

Both wide-screen and intimate, Fulfillment is a beautifully written and absorbing portrayal of three people's changing hopes and dreams, further marking Lee Cole out as one of today's must-read, young authors.

RRP $36.99

Powerfully Likeable A Woman's Guide to Effective Communication

Kate Mason

Women the world over struggle to find a comfortable way to communicate with authority yet still be liked by a crowd. We grapple with being ambitious without seeming strident, giving direction without being too assertive, and holding our ground without upsetting the peace. We strategise before meetings, second-guess in bathroom stalls, text outfit options to our best friends, and try to anticipate every possible variable of our performance. This tricky business is what world champion debater and executive coach, Kate Mason, calls ‘communicating while female’ and frankly, it seems like it’s impossible to get it right.

Until now. In Powerfully Likeable, Mason explains that being influential and well-liked is not an either/or proposition. Furthermore, she shows that to have it both ways, women don’t have to imitate what men do; gaining respect doesn’t mean having the loudest voice in the room or the firmest handshake. Instead, the key is to choose communication tools that amplify what makes you unique –whether that be warmth, humour, competitiveness or a love of data – and wield your power from a place of authenticity.

RRP $55.00

The Secret of Secrets (Robert Langdon Book 6)

Dan Brown

Accompanying celebrated academic, Katherine Solomon, to a lecture she’s been invited to give in Prague, Robert Langdon’s world spirals out of control when she disappears without trace from their hotel room. Far from home and well out of his comfort zone, Langdon must pit his wits against forces unknown to recover the woman he loves.

But Prague is an old and dangerous city, steeped in folklore and mystery. For over two thousand years, the tides of history have washed back and forth over it, leaving behind echoes of everything that has gone before. Little can Langdon know that he is being stalked by a spectre from that dark past. He must use all of his arcane knowledge to decipher the world around him before he too is consumed by the rings of treachery and deception that have swallowed Katherine.

Paul Kitching - aka PK - from Fuller Brand Communication has been out and about enough over his 50+ years to still have his finger on the pulse for the best things to see, do and enjoy in our excellent state. Whilst we all know life starts at 50, we also know what we like: right?! And yes, we are choosy about how we dedicate our precious spare time. With lots on offer, PK reckons these gems are all ‘book-now’ worthy…

David Byrne

Sat January 24

Adelaide Entertainment Centre

THIS WILL GET HEADS TALKING: if you haven't seen David Byrne perform live are you even a lover of music? Legendary American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker, David Byrne of Talking Heads fame has just released his new solo album ‘Who Is The Sky?’ and is bringing a brand-new live show featuring 13 musicians, singers and dancers to Australia. An eclectic, iconic, talented performer, this will be a show you won’t want to miss.

Here You Come Again

Sat December 6 – Sun December 14

Her Majesty's Theatre

DOLLY PARTON FANS get ready to sing! After a hit debut in Melbourne and sold-out seasons in the US and UK, ‘Here You Come Again’ brings the sparkle to Adelaide! This rollicking, feel-good musical comedy is packed full of Dolly Parton’s greatest hits in a heartwarming story about a diehard fan whose fantasy version of Dolly helps him navigate life, love and loss. An absolute must-see for any Dolly fan for a guaranteed joyful night at the theatre!

Let PK Entertain You!

Dave Graney 'n the Coral Snakes

Fri November 21

The Gov

DAVE GRANEY is the original ‘cool cat’! The 30th Anniversary tour of his band’s iconic album 'The Soft & Sexy Sound' celebrates its stylish mix of art, rock, pop, and lounge-inspired grooves. Featuring Dave Graney, and original Coral Snakes members Clare Moore, Rod Hayward, and Robin Casinader, 'The Soft & Sexy Sound' show will be a nostalgic celebration full of energy and authenticity. Whether you're a longtime Dave Graney 'n The Coral Snakes follower, or a new fan, you’ll be super happy with his soft, sexy sound.

Cirque Alice

Thur January 8 – Sun January 18

Her Majesty's Theatre

EXPERIENCE AN UNFORGETTABLE acrobatic adventure in Wonderland! And in such a perfect venue too. From the creators of the global smash hits The Illusionists, Circus 1903 & Le Noir this extraordinary new show reimagines Lewis Carroll’s classic adventures with breathtaking twists and astonishing, gravity-defying feats. Starring some of the greatest acrobatic performers from across the globe, this will be one magnificent spectacle! Just don’t be late for this very important date!

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds

Tues January 20

Adelaide Entertainment Centre

WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE of the most thrilling live bands in the world, ‘The Wild God Tour’ sees Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds perform a setlist not only from their latest album Wild God, but also songs spanning all four decades of this talented band’s stellar career. Having not toured Australia since 2017 the Bad Seeds’ Adelaide show is set to be one exhilarating and unforgettable performance. Nick Cave is a legend and you must see him live. That is all.

AND DON’T MISS...

AN EVENING WITH HARRY ENFIELD Her Majesty's Theatre Sun Nov 16

COWBOY JUNKIES Woodville Town Hall Thu Nov 20

LAWRENCE MOONEY Her Majesty's Theatre Fri Nov 21

THE DEAD SOUTH Hindley St Music Hall Sat Nov 29

EDDIE IZZARD ‘THE REMIX TOUR LIVE’ Her Majesty's Theatre Tue Dec 2

ROCKWIZ LIVE IN ’25 Thebarton Theatre Sun Dec 7

THE LUMINEERS Adelaide Entertainment Centre Sun Jan 18

WOODSTOCK REVISITED Her Majesty's Theatre Sat Jan 24