Marque Magazine Spring 2018

MONGOLIAN MAGIC An incredible adventure on two wheels unfolded in a remote landscape

BMW TO NITRO Meet Auto Classic’s fastest customers

THE AUTO CLASSIC MAGAZINE

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08 9329 9560 info@urbane.net.au urbane.net.au

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The Rolex Deepsea Built for extremes and capable of withstanding depths of up to 3,900 metres, exceeding the demands of professional divers.

It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.

oyster perpetual ROLEX Deepsea

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MQ REVIEW

Janice McDonald DPS Burch Family Wines

Gourmet Traveller WINE 2018 Winemaker of the Year

“Every bottle she makes is a delicious celebration of the joy of wine.”

- Toni Patterson MW

WWW.HOWARDPARKWINES.COM.AU

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DPS Burch Family Wines

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CONTENTS MARQUE | THE AUTO CLASSIC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2018 EDITION

36

WELCOME TO MARQUE MAGAZINE

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ne of my favourite things about spring is the gentle scent of the breeze, warming our insides with the anticipation of sunshine and good times ahead. A similar feeling brews within Auto Classic, a new barista coffee cart fills the lounge with energy and warmth while the good times anticipated take form in the 52 new BMW models being rolled out in the next 3 years.

We can’t yet reveal all 52 models but will take a closer look at the some of the more significant players, including the all new X5 and Z4 roadster designed by Sydney born Calvin Luk. In November we have something very creative planned for our customers, launching the first ever “Living Movement” design exhibition by Moda Interiors in our very own BMW showroom. An exciting collaborative installation that will run for the month of November, Living Movement is a fusion of art and function, a celebration of visual beauty, modern design and exquisite quality. Be sure to schedule a visit to witness this incredible collection of furniture, art and building materials – viewings of the new BMW X5 will also be available by private appointment.

It is also my great pleasure to bring you a story about Nitro. Don’t get too excited, the M Performance team are keeping it street legal, but for some special Auto Classic customers it’s “BMW by day” meets “my other car runs the quarter mile in sub 6 seconds”. Do I have your attention?

I hope you enjoy the read. The world of BMW is alive with talk of the future and we can’t wait to share the journey with you.

Zoe

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MQ TIPS

he hottest shows, events, T travel and ideas around

16 WATCHWATCH

The latest mechanical timepieces

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18 AROUND THE DEALERSHIP

Meet Auto Classic’s Sanel Halilovic

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TAKE FIVE Auto Classic’s fastest customers

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MQ M NEWS

Welcome to M Town

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MQ THIRST

Get crafty with WA’s

real ale revolution

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LET'S GO TO . . .

Christmas Island

34 MQ ART

A look at Sidney Nolan’s mesmerising work.

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Zoe Nieuwhof, Marketing Manager, Auto Classic

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MQ TRAVEL 36 Cruising the Antarctic 40 Walt Disney World, Florida MQ ENTREPRENEUR MQ PROPERTY

Urbane’s design ethos

46 BOOK MARQUE

Our pick of the latest books

BMW FEATURES

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63 50 MQ MUSIC

Kasey Chambers

66 MQ INSPIRATION

Sydney-born BMW designer

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MQ AUDIO

The best headphones around

54 MQ FASHION

Perth’s Jessica Gomes and the beauty business

56 MQ PERFORMANCE

Tim Minchin’s latest role 58

MQ NEW MODELS

52 new models on the horizon

60 MQ WINE

March and Burchand’s sparkling success story

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Calvin Luk

70 MQ INTERVIEW

Off the beaten track in Mongolia 72 MQ SPORT

Baseball’s big moment 74 MINI REVIEW

Down south with the MINI Countryman

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MQ THE INTERVIEW

Baptistcare's unsung heroes

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MQ LIFESYLE

The perfect BMW toys

MQ IPERFORMANCE

Green machines

63 MQ ADVENTURE

Set sail with a fleet of clippers

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MQ DESIGN

Moda Interiors

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MQ LAST WORD

Opera singer Teddy Tahu Rhodes

Published by

Editor

Gabi Mills | gabi@premiumpublishers.com.au

Premium Publishers,

Art Director

Cally Browning | cally@barecreative.com.au

26 John Street Northbridge WA 6003.

Sales

Natalie Du Preez | natalie@premiumpublishers.com.au

Ph (08) 9273 8933 premiumpublishers.com.au

Contributors Norman Burns, Tom de Souza, Cory Delahaunty, Ara Jansen, Beverly Ligman, Aaron Mcdonald-King, Matthew Mills, Gill Pringle, Tori Wilson.

Images

Crib Creative.

Printed by

Vanguard Press

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PREMIUM PUBLISHERS

TIPS

The hottest events, the best innovations, travel inspiration and exhibitions

Introducing . . .

AMINAH HUGHES She’s the stunning new talent that has got muso journos excited.

Aminah Hughes is bringing her brand new album (Blue Wooden Boat) to Perth, launching an independent label, Blue Wolf Records. at the Ellington Jazz Club on November 14.

Recorded in Ireland, USA, Australia and Germany, Blue Wooden Boat features special guests Tommy Emmanuel, Waterboys fiddler Steve Wickham and Nashville gospel singers, The McCrary Sisters. ❱ The Ellington, 14 November.

Visit ellingtonjazz.com.au

RARE GEMS It takes salt, water, sand and time to create Australia’s national gemstone, the opal. And when we’re talking time, it takes 50 million years to form these unique gems.

In 1963, scientists discovered that opal is comprised of minute spherical particles of silica. Light passes through these transparent

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spheres and is scattered. Diffraction splits the white light up into colours of the spectrum and throws it out at different angles. Larger spheres produce red light, smaller spheres produce green to violet. In good quality opal, the spheres are packed together in a remarkably regular pattern. This results in fiery flashes and bands of colour, seemingly floating in a three-dimensional void.

Opals are 60 per cent as strong as diamond and twice as strong as your teeth, and the more colourful the opal the more valuable it will be.

For the past 33 years, a family-owned business, Fremantle Opals has been specialising in hand-crafted opal jewellery and fine unset opals, sourced directly from the mines. The store is home to an exclusive range of designs, settings and stones, including a selection of rare black opals.

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Few gemstones can compete with the beauty of a quality opal. Known as the birthstone of October, every opal is both iconic and unique; no two stones are alike.

Opals are as diverse as the people who wear them. ❱ For the perfect gift or a lasting souvenir from down under, choose a one-of-a-kind piece from Fremantle Opals.

Visit fremantleopals.com.au

WHAT’S HOT IN EAGLE BAY THIS SUMMER The long-awaited warmer weather is in our sights and we can finally dream of relaxing, beachside holidays. The pristine turquoise waters of Eagle Bay, with its long stretch of white sand, encapsulates where many of us would like to spend the summer. Here are three inspirational properties for an unforgettable holiday in this exclusive coastal getaway.

PICQUET - is an outstanding Eagle Bay beachfront property with stunning views.

This house oozes luxury with a beautifully appointed open-plan kitchen/living/dining area overlooking the bay, as does the master bedroom on the upper level. In the heat of the summer guests can enjoy the swimming pool and heated spa, open the bi-fold doors

for the cooling ocean breezes, or just stroll straight onto the sand from the front garden.

JAHANGIR - is the last word in opulence and indulgence with a magnificent pool and stunning views. This beautifully designed home, set on the hillside, has been meticulously configured to take full advantage of the spectacular ocean views from as many vantage points as possible.

This is luxury personified with the interiors of creamy marble floors and rich timber features creating lush, light spacious rooms. Ten guests are comfortably accommodated across the five bedrooms, all with ensuites.

BILYARRA - is all class and sophistication.

This beautiful home is the ultimate escape for those seeking luxury and privacy on the coast. The huge veranda provides commanding views of dazzling Eagle Bay and guests can laze away the day on the expansive lower deck with its infinity pool and same gorgeous views. Expansive lawns provide plenty of room for children to play and a spot of cricket. ❱ To stay at these fine properties or any other of the 100-plus in their portfolio, contact Private Properties (08) 9750 5444 or privateproperties.com.au.

Picquet

Jahangir

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ROLL UP, ROLL UP Cast your eyes to the skies as Circus Oz and WASO dazzle you with a spectacular spectacle of aerial feats and classical beats with new show Tutti. This exciting performance is for all ages; children, adults and families.

Expect a dazzling evening of excitement, and thrilling acrobatics as moments of pure risk, beauty, complexity, virtuosity and maybe even some irreverence, come together to celebrate the common thread between music and silence, circus and stillness, tension and release.

The reviews agree: it’s ‘a spectacular fusion of classical concert and circus that sparks a playful dialogue between art forms, and consistently entertains’, says The Age. WASO musicians will perform beneath a spanning truss arch reminiscent of a violin bridge while the circus artists emerge throughout the performance, balancing on giant strings and physically forming the shape of music in this truly spectacular show of aerial work, acrobatics and a dose of classical music.

From terrifying tricks to tremendous tempos, Tutti: WASO and Circus Oz will defy all odds in this brand-new collaboration. ❱ Tutti: Circus Oz with WASO, Perth Concert Hall, November 30, 8pm, and December 1, 2pm. Tickets from $49 plus booking fee available at waso.com.au

MQ TIPS

MAGICAL FESTIVE TREAT

BROTHERS IN ARMS Michael Caton and Sam Neill lead the flock as brothers in a unique reimagining of award-winning Icelandic film Rams (Hrútar). Image: Merlyn Moon

WA’S STARRING ROLE At the time of going to press, stars Michael Caton and Sam Neill were on location in Mt Barker filming a reimagining of the awardwinning movie, Rams.

It tells the story of two estranged brothers on adjoining sheep farms who haven’t spoken to each other in 40 years. When a rare disease threatens their sheep, the brothers must find a way to work together to save their flock, their small town and their family’s legacy. Far from a ‘remake’, Rams is a fresh interpretation of the original film and will give a universal story a distinctly Australian context.

Starring Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Sweet Country) and Michael Caton (The Castle, The Animal, Last Cab to Darwin), as the two feuding brothers, Rams will be helmed by director Jeremy Sims, working once again with Caton after their success on Last Cab to Darwin.

Rams has been adapted by Western Australian screenwriter Jules Duncan and produced by Janelle Landers and Aidan O’Bryan from WBMC. Said director Jeremy Sims, “I am excited to have the chance to take this elegant

The Nutcracker, which enchanted more than 22,000 during its 2016 world premier – a recordbreaking attendance for West Australian Ballet – returns to His Majesty's Theatre this November for a very special festive treat.

Set on a cosy Christmas Eve in 1830 in London, the ballet begins as a party is being hosted at the Stahlbaum’s house. A mysterious guest (the toymaker Uncle Drosselmeyer) arrives and gifts the Stahlbaum’s daughter, Clara, a magical nutcracker doll.

After a fight with her brother Fritz who breaks the utcracker, Clara creeps downstairs to find the doll, and on the stroke of midnight Uncle Drosselmeyer reappears and the magical journey begins.

Set to the iconic Tchaikovsky score played live at every performance by West Australian Philharmonic Orchestra, audiences will delight in iconic melodies including Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Russian Trepak. Not to be missed. ❱ The Nutcracker, His Majesty’s Theatre, November 16 to December 9. Tickets from $22 to $120. Visit waballet.com.au

and powerful tale and set it in the place that I spent my summers growing up. This is a story about family, connected through land and community, and the relationships at the heart of those communities.

Regional WA is a vast and complex place, and the Great Southern has such a unique flavour that audiences deserve to see it on the big screen. It is of course a privilege to work again with Michael Caton, and Sam Neill is one of my favourite actors and a legend of world cinema. I can’t wait to bring them together and see what happens.”

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DON’T MISS . . .

EL CAPITAN COURAGEOUS A new National Geographic documentary, Free Solo, charts the incredible achievement of American Alex Honnold, who became the first person to climb – without the aid of ropes or any safety equipment – the sheer, 975m granite wall of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite National Park.

By NORMAN BURNS | Images courtesy NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILMS.

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n a crystal-clear morning some years ago, I stood – mouth agape – peering through a Yosemite National Park ranger’s telescope at the enormous granite rock wall known as El Capitan.

El Capitan rises close to 1,000 metres straight from the valley floor at California’s Yosemite, one of America’s designated national monuments.

As jaw dropping as El Capitan is, what was even more gob-smacking was the sight, way, way, way up the sheer rock face of climbers taking a nap in fragile little bivouacs, seemingly suspended in thin air.

Yosemite’s granite formations have been a mecca for rock climbers for nearly two centuries, but El Capitan wasn’t conquered until 1958.

Countless other climbers have followed, but on June 3, 2017, professional rock climber Alex Honnold (31) took things to a whole new level, becoming the first and to this date, only – person to climb the monolith without ropes or safety gear.

Observers far below on the valley floor (some looking, no doubt through

those ranger telescopes) could barely look as Honnold, clinging like Spiderman to the rock, made his way to the summit in three hours and 56 minutes.

An achievement of supreme physical, and mental, strength, Honnold’s climb has been called the “moon landing moment” of “free soloing”, as climbing without ropes is known.

And Free Solo is the name of a new National Geographic film, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and filmed by Honnold’s friend Jimmy Chin, that documents the harrowing climb.

Chin, also an accomplished climber, was on El Capitan every step of the way (along with three back-up cameramen and two remote-triggered cameras).

He admits it was a nerve-wracking task to keep filming knowing that one slip by Honnold would mean he’d be witnessing – and recording – his friend fall to certain death.

“Before you start, you have to check your basic assumptions,” said Chin about the day of the climb. “Do I trust Alex to make the right decisions? And remind yourself, ‘yes I do’.

Once you’ve done that, you have to put it away and go on to autopilot and focus on what

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you’re doing because there’s a lot going on.

“You can’t make any mistakes either. You can’t drop a lens cap that could fall, thousads of feet and hit him. You could kill him. And, of course, you’re hanging off a huge wall yourself, so you have to be focused on your own personal safety as well.”

Honnold, who trained in secret for the climb for more than a year, says his biggest fear was not what could happen to him tackling El Capitan, but going through life without trying to climb the monolith.

“A big part of going up on big walls like that is to have the exposure, to have the experience of being way up off the ground.

In terms of ‘do I look down?’ Of course, I look down. But in the actual movement of climbing you’re constantly looking down at your feet and hands and that doesn’t mean I’m thinking about the exposure. Primarily, I’m just climbing,” he says.

Conquering El Capitan hasn’t quenched Honnold’s climbing desire though; he’s already turning his thoughts to another ‘mega’ challenge. ❱ Free Solo will screen on Foxtel’s National Geographic Channel early in 2019.

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MQ TIPS

SPIRIT KEY TO XAVIER SOUND Xavier Rudd is heading to Fremantle and Margaret River in November. Tori Wilson catches up with the laid-back performer.

NEW CBD LUXE CINEMA WORTH THE WAIT

By DIANNE BORTOLETTO After five years of the Perth CDB devoid of anywhere to watch a movie, Palace Raine Square Cinemas has brought back the big screen experience with a new, unique and refreshed entertainment offering. Part of a $75 million redevelopment, Palace Raine Square Cinemas has nine traditional cinemas and four boutique Palace Platinum screens (opening soon) all with state-of-the-art digital sound and projection technology. Every seat in every cinema is a recliner and clad in luxurious leather handcrafted in Spain.

The best news is, the cinemas are fully licensed, so yes, you can take your drink in, and there’s choice bars for a complete night out. There’s the Roof Top Terrace nestled among the beautifully restored heritage buildings overlooking Yagan Square serving beer on tap, the Candy Bar serving drinks and light food and the jewel in the crown, the sophisticated Champagne Lounge serving, you guessed it, champagne along with cocktails, craft beers and a selection of WA and Australian wines. To eat, think gourmet platters, toasted treats and pimpedup cinema snacks like olive oil popcorn, handmade choc tops and fine chocolates and nuts. Finally, Perth has a cinema complex where you can have a pre or post movie drink and bite to eat in stunning surrounds.

Hats off to Palace Raine Square Cinemas, this stylish new cinema has been worth the wait. Never before has going to the movies felt so exciting, like a proper night out. ❱ Palace Raine Square is located at the Top level, 300 Murray Street, Perth. Enter the cinemas from Murray, William and Wellington Streets. ❱ Visit palacerainesquare.com.au

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TW You’re now up to album number nine, which is a major feat.

How do you keep coming up with new material?

XR It’s honestly not a chore at all. It flows when it’s ready, and I always seem to write music. My albums just feel like chapters of time.

TW What are the major themes of your new album, Storm Boy, and what influenced your creative process for this album?

XR Again, my travels and the inspiring life I lead always influence my music. I meet and am surrounded by people who inspire me, who want to see change for a better world and are doing great things on that front. In the last five years I met a wonderful woman who brought so much into my life, so there’s that too. I believe we inhabit a magical planet and I like to celebrate that through my music.

TW What makes the Kimberley so special for you and how did it influence your recent music?

XR I am always drawn to the Kimberley (feeling that right now actually). It’s a very powerful place in so many ways and there are no words to describe it. Spirit seems to get inside me easily when I’m on that country and music seems to flow. It feels like home somehow.

TW What did you learn from living in Fiji for nine months after finishing school and was that the influence behind the filming of the Honeymoon Bay video clip?

XR I learned plenty. I spent time tripping around the Viti Levu (main island) and some of the other islands surfing and sleeping in my board bag. I had no money and spent a lot of time living in villages and helping out in exchange for the odd boat ride out to the surf. It was roostsy as, and right up my alley. When we filmed the clip there, it was the first time I’d been back there in years – it was part of the reason for filming there. There’s a lot about this record that takes me back in time and that was one of those moments.

TW What makes you so passionate about standing up for Aboriginal rights?

XR The truth.

TW What songs resonate with this cause in particular?

XR A lot of my music touches on the past and present displacement of mob, and the lack of understanding or ignorance of the topic. One song in particular on this record would be Gather The Hands.

TW What do you love to do most in life?

XR Surf perfect waves with no one around, I reckon. ❱ Storm Boy is out now through Warner Music Australia. Xavier will perform at Fremantle Arts Centre on November 23 and 3 Oceans Winery, Margaret River on November 24.

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PARTNER OFFERS

NEXT GEN FAMILY MEMBERSHIP A

s an Auto Classic customer and non-member of Next Gen Kings Park we would like to invite you to have a family membership at Next Gen Kings Park for one month. This membership will provide two adults and three children (under 18 years of ages) unlimited access to all club facilities valued at over $600 (admin and joining fees included).

To arrange for your membership to be activated and for any further information please contact: Tel: (08) 9217 6300 Email: infokp@ngclubs.com.au Richard Hardy // General Manager, Next Gen Kings Park Complimentary Membership // Terms & Conditions – Family membership consists of two adults (over 18 years of age) and three children (under 18 years of age).

Those parties redeeming a complimentary family membership MUST reside at the same residential address.

The complimentary family membership MUST be redeemed by the expiry date listed on the back of the voucher in keeping with its validity.

BRING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH QT PERTH NEW YEAR’S EVE – Rooftop at QT $350 per person NEW YEAR’S EVE STAY & PLAY PACKAGE $950 per couple

Q

T Perth is throwing a rooftop party that’d impress Kim and Kanye – free-flowing champagne, and an overflowing bar, to-die-for roving canapés, and front row seats to the Swan River fireworks display.

Bring in the new year among the fireworks on one of Perth’s most exclusive inner city rooftops.

Or why not make a night of it with our NYE Stay & Play package? Including two tickets to New Year’s Eve – Rooftop at QT, luxe accommodation in a QT King, breakfast for two in Santini Grill and valet parking to top it all off. ❱ Auto Classic customers receive 10% off.

Simply call 08 9225 8036 or email events_qtperth@evt. com to redeem your discount.

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WATCHWATCH with NORMAN BURNS

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JAEGER-LECOULTRE POLARIS DATE

CEPTIONAL

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here’s plenty of choice out there for anyone looking for a wristwatch; after all, an estimated 1.2 billion are made each year.

But of that staggering amount only a tiny proportion deliver an “x factor” that goes well beyond being a device for a means to an end.

These are the watches that encapsulate “emotional engineering”, the sum of a creative and technical union that elevates a watch to a piece of art.

These timepieces can have a traditional, classical feel, pay tribute to legendary models of the past or be at the cutting edge of design and materials.

Sometimes they can be a combination of all the above.

Here are five models, contrasts in styles and themes, but all have one thing in common – they are exceptional examples of the art of watchmaking.

Part of a new six-model Polaris collection, inspired by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legendary 1968 Memovox Polaris timepiece, the Polaris Date oozes retro-chic cool but still looks fresh and modern. The dial design – Arabic hour markers and trapezoidal indices – and the raised sapphire crystal all hark back to the 60s dive watch vibe, but there’s a 21st-century in-house automatic movement running the show. The black dial, with sun-rayed, grained and opaline finish is a showstopper too. The engraved, stylised diver’s figure on the solid case back is not just an artistic touch; the Polaris Date is a ‘real’ dive watch and waterresistant to 200m.

42mm, $11,400. Visit watchswiss.com or call 1300 808 135

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HUBLOT UNICO BLACK MAGIC High tech, bold and thoroughly modern, Hublot’s Unico Black Magic is a dazzling new addition to the brand’s Big Bang collection and it certainly makes a statement on the wrist.

The case and bezel are made from micro-blasted black ceramic and details of the automatic movement (with chronograph flyback movement) can be seen via the see-through ‘skeleton’ dial. The structured rubber strap adds to the ‘cool’ factor and the watch, which has a 72-hour power reserve, is also water-resistant to 100m.

45mm, $25,700. Visit watchswiss.com or call 1300 808 135

A LANGE & SOHNE 1815 ANNUAL CALENDAR

VACHERON CONSTANTIN FIFTYSIX COMPLETE CALENDAR, IN PINK GOLD CASE

Elegance personified, this superb model from Germany’s A. Lange & Sohne is a design classic. There’s lots of information going on – a moon phase display at 6 o’clock and the two centre sub-dials displaying the annual calendar information (day, date, month) – but it’s all clean and uncluttered and gorgeous to boot.

Underneath the ‘hood' there’s some seriously sophisticated goings-on in that hand-wound movement, which has a 72-hour power reserve. Three recessed pushers allow individual corrections, if needed, of the day, month and moon phase. A Lange & Sohne makes just a few thousand timepieces a year and its attention to detail in its watches is legendary.

You can savour this intricate craftsmanship via the sapphirecrystal case back.

40mm, $52,800. Visit watchswiss.com or call 1300 808 135

It will be no surprise if Vacheron Constantin’s stunning new Fiftysix collection doesn’t scoop up the lion’s share of watch design awards over the next year or so.

With three base models (and variants of those), the Fiftysix timepieces channel the feel of their classic, 1956 dress watch predecessor but with some subtle modern touches.

The crown, for example, in the new models is recessed into the case. The Complete Calendar, resplendent in a pink gold case, is the collection’s undisputed highlight – sporting an automatic in-house movement with moon phase display, which needs adjusting just once every 122 years.

The finishing on the Complete Calendar is exquisite, which is par for the course for the Geneva-based Vacheron which has been in the watch business for a staggering 260 years. The Fiftysix models are water-resistant to 30m but in truth this is one fine dress watch you’d want to take the utmost care with and keep well away from any potential water damage. A spectacular timepiece.

40mm, $53,000.Visit watchswiss.com or call 1300 808 135

TUDOR BLACK BAY HERITAGE, BRACELET Tudor makes some of the most wellconstructed, and well-priced, models of any Swiss luxury manufacturer and the Black Bay Heritage is testament to that. Not only do you get a certified chronometer movement (that is, officially rated as ultra-accurate by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, or COSC), this is a watch engineered for use under the ocean (Tudor says it is waterproof to 200m), whether for work or pleasure.

The Black Bay has a 70-hour power reserve and dispenses with any unnecessary embellishments to present a slick, clean and contemporary aesthetic which underlines once again in the watch world that less is indeed more.

41mm, $4,410. Visit watchswiss.com or call 1300 808 135

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AROUND THE DEALERSHIP

TRADE UP Sanel Halilovic, Auto Classic’s wholesale manager, valuer and buyer, is on hand to assist customers who are trading in or selling their car - and here he explains why he enjoys the role so much.

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he chances are, if you’ve visited Auto Classic to trade in your car for a newer model, Sanel Halilovic will have assisted you in the process. He’s been a longstanding fixture at Auto Classic for almost two decades, and continues to relish his time on the showroom floor.

“I have been at Auto Classic for just under 19 years and my role includes valuing all vehicles presented to Auto Classic, in the new and preowned departments,” says Sanel.

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SERVICE WITH A SMILE Auto Classic wholesale purchase vehicles of all makes, providing potential sellers with a secure and seamless transaction.

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criteria and working closely with sales managers to provide customers with a smooth and easy transaction when they are upgrading their car.

Such a role, then, demands a thorough understanding of the Auto Classic brand and ethos, especially in challenging trading circumstances.

It’s a challenge, however, that Sanel is happy to face.

“Every day presents a new challenge, constantly learning different products, meeting new people and exploring new territories that need improvement,” he says.

With every new day, a new set of customers arrive with their own set of circumstances.

“Every customer is different, so every enquiry presents a different challenge and requires a different approach to it,” says Sanel. “We have anything from service customers curious what their car is worth to deceased estate valuations, to people trying to get their car insured and wanting to know what is the right amount to insure the vehicle for.”

Constant market shifts also present their own challenges as well, especially when no two pre-owned

cars are the same.

It’s no surprise that Sanel’s line of work has far-reaching effects across the whole of the dealership and beyond.

“My department is tied up to many other areas of the business,” he says. “I work closely with sales managers, the service department, other dealers around the country, auction houses and the general public.

“I am directly and indirectly involved with sales, acquisitions and

disposing of vehicles depending on the type of vehicle I am presented with.”

It helps too that Sanel is dealing with car brands he clearly loves, although he won’t say which is his personal favourite.

“BMW is a driver’s car, perfectly balanced and packed with technology,. I don’t have one favourite model, but there are several that I enjoy and every time I drive them, I remind myself how great BMW is compared to the competition.”

After so many years serving customers on behalf of Auto Classic, Sanel still finds it easy to come to work every day, with the promise of introducing new customers to the cars he knows so well.

“My personal goal is to get more people to drive BMWs, especially those that have never owned one,” he says. “Hopefully through my position here we will convert more non-BMW drivers and get them to experience sheer driving pleasure.” MQ Visit Sanel at Auto Classic in Victoria Park, or contact him directly on 0412 299 170.

THE PERFECT EXCUSE TO LINGER If you’ve visited Auto Classic recently you'll have noticed that there’s a new delicious addition. A coffee bar was installed in August with the assistance of Nicholas Bond from FOAM Coffee Bar (Leederville).

Since its inception, more than 2,000 barista-made coffees have already been served in the Auto Classic customer lounge.

"We wanted to replicate the experience of a premium coffee bar for customers in our service lounge, reproducing the exact product served by FOAM, including the supply of their experienced barista staff," says Zoe Nieuwhof, Auto Classic's marketing manager..

"With our BMW Fast Lane service option we can complete a wide range of service and maintenance tasks within two hours, and airbag recalls within half an hour. More customers are now opting to service while they wait, taking advantage of the comfortable customer lounge and free wifi, now complimented by a warm and inviting café atmosphere." ❱ Barista coffee is complimentary for all customers and operates from 7.30am – 10.30am week days and 8am to 1pm Saturdays. Pop in to the BMW showroom this November to sample it for yourself while you check out the Living Movement design exhibition.

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IMAGES COURTESY Luke Nieuwhof, Phil Reeve, Anthony Begley, Morice McMillin/Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars.

TAKE 5 with

... AUTO CLASSIC’S FASTEST CUSTOMERS

MY OTHER CAR

RUNS ON NITRO

DRAG RACING IS THE FASTEST THING YOU CAN DO AND STILL (USUALLY) KEEP ALL WHEELS ON THE GROUND. AND FOR THESE FOUR BMW FANS IT’S A MOTORSPORT LIKE NO OTHER

BY NORMAN BURNS.

L

ike all proud BMW owners and Auto Classic clients, Anthony and Emma Begley and Andrew and Michelle Katavatis strive to be safe and responsible drivers.

But stick them in the driver’s seat behind a ‘Christmas tree’ with a quarter of a mile of bitumen stretching into the distance and it is

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a whole other ballgame.

This Christmas tree isn’t the one you stack boxes of presents under; it’s the nickname for the set of starting lights for the fastest, most thrilling motorsport of them all – drag racing.

For husband and wife Andrew and Michelle and father-daughter pair Anthony and Emma, drag racing is a way of life, a true team effort that involves countless hours of hard work behind the scenes, incredible reflexes and not a small amount of courage.

They’re all involved with Nitro Funny Cars, vehicles that, at a distance, have some resemblance to a normal racing car but which on closer inspection are fearsome machines indeed.

(Why Funny Car? The term dates from the early 1960s when they first appeared on the US drag racing scene. Traditionalists mocked them, hence the term ‘Funny’ but today the class is one of the most watched and highly competitive in drag racing).

“A Nitro Funny Car is based on a 125-inch wheelbase, purpose-built chassis with a fibreglass or composite body mounted on top. The engine sits in front of the driver, who is in the middle of the car,” says Andrew, who like Michelle, got hooked on drag racing from an early age.

“My father started racing in the late 1960s through the early 70s. He gave it up to start a business and a family and I picked it up when I was 18. One thing led to another and we bought my first car, a T-bucket Altered. Unfortunately, this sport is addictive and your thirst for wins and speed is hard to put aside, so we continued up the ranks until we ended up where we are now, racing an Outlaw Nitro Funny Car,’’ he says.

Andrew and Michelle’s car – The Beach Bomb – gulps 40 litres of powerful nitromethane fuel as it hurtles down the quarter mile track, reaching up to 420km/h in 5.56 seconds.

It’s clearly not a sport for the faint-hearted.

“Nitro Funny Cars leave the start line at idle (about 2600rpm) using a centrifugal-style clutch. When I see ‘green’ on the Christmas Tree I hit the loud pedal and the car launches; we use a two-speed gearbox in our car and about 3.5 seconds into the run I shift into top gear.

“The first two seconds of the run are fast, the car is accelerating, pinning you back into the seat, it’s hard to see in the cabin of the car which is filled with clutch dust and engine fumes and for the most part of the track your front wheels are in the air.

“After hitting top gear you’re pushed back into the seat again, all the while trying to keep the car off the wall or centre line; you’re doing over 300 km/h at this point and the steering can be quite light.

“You cross the finish line at over 400km/h, with the 4,000 brake horse power hemi engine doing over 9,500rpm, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other reaching for the parachute lever then brake lever. You need all the 800-metre

FUNNY AND FURIOUS Below, Emma Begley gets ready to race.

Opposite, Andrew Katavatis and his Nitro Car, The Beach Bomb.

Despite me not reaching the G-forces Andrew does, it still pumps adrenalin through your body,” she says.

Experienced racer Anthony, who introduced his daughter to the sport at a young age, sums up the Nitro Car experience thus: “A Nitro Funny Car is almost an uncontrollable bomb on wheels.”

Emma, now 19, rose up through Junior Dragster ranks and has driven her father’s souped-up Holden Ute down the strip, but she’ll also be

braking area even with four-wheel carbon fibre brakes to pull the car up,” says Andrew.

Michelle, who piloted ‘rail’ dragsters that ran on methanol, reaching 265km/h, agrees that blasting off from the start line is an incredible thrill.

“The acceleration is incredible.

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racing Nitro Funny Cars this coming season.

Anthony says he and his daughter share a love of BMW (he has an M4, she a Mini Cooper) but they are yet to go head-to-head down the quarter mile.

“But I’m sure it won’t be far off,’’ he says. And soon it won’t just be a father-daughter Begley outfit; Anthony’s 18-year-old son, Connor, is about to go through the certification process to join the family drag racing dynasty.

MQ TAKE FIVE

While a race can be over in virtually the blink of an eye, there’s a colossal amount of preparation that goes into just getting a car to the starting grid. And neither is it a cheap exercise.

“The logistics of gettingthis car of ours to the Perth Motorplex just 30km away from our race shop are huge,” says Andrew.

“We have a team of about 15 – half family – who help out and work on the car. These people all need to be fed and kept hydrated during either a single or two-day race meet.

“If we race over on the East Coast we have to factor in flights for 12 people and 8000km worth of fuel and taking work off for a couple of the guys.

“We take a spare for basically every part of the car to the track, including cylinder heads, clutches, wheels, tyres, gear boxes and even complete ‘short’ motors just in case an engine change has to be made between passes at the track.

“Every time the car is started it needs fresh engine oil (20 litres per fill) because as we put lots of nitro fuel into the engine as it idles, it dilutes (the oil) and loses its lubricating properties.

“The car will go through a 200-litre drum of nitromethane in three runs, including the warm-ups.

“We average the car to cost between $1,800 to $2,100 per fivesecond run if all goes to plan and nothing breaks.

“We do on average three runs per event, costing approximately $6,000 to put on a show for the crowd.”

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EARLY PROMISE Above right, as a youngster Emma Begley showed signs of her later passion.

Above left, husband and wife Andrew and Michelle Katavatis love the drag racing scene.

AUTOCLASSIC.COM.AU

THE CAR COSTS BETWEEN $1,800 TO $2,100 PER FIVESECOND RUN IF ALL GOES TO PLAN AND NOTHING BREAKS

Andrew says new sponsors are always welcome for his self-funded team, which will be back in action (along with Anthony with his car LA Hooker) at the Perth Motorplex, Kwinana, from late October – including the season’s biggest meet, the West Coast v East Coast Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars Showdown, on January 5, 2019.

“We feel very fortunate to be representing WA, playing a big part as the headline act,” says Andrew.

Michelle Katavatis, for once though, won’t be gunning it with the best this season. At the time of going to print, she was about to become a mum.

“I’ll be on the sidelines cheering and supporting Andrew and the Beach Bomb with Baby Kat. My dragster is in the hands of a new owner, so it will be exciting to see it back out there competing,” she says.

Their new off-track purchase, a BMW X4 xdrive 20d, will be the perfect family vehicle too.

For all the thrills of blasting down the track, Andrew and Michelle says the close-knit nature of family, friends and colleagues is what makes drag racing so special.

Says Michelle: “I’m proud to be

involved in the sport as drag racing is truly a community of amazing people. I have raced around Australia, commentated around Australia, written for drag racing magazines and been involved in some drag racing TV production. My best memories are those with my family at the race track; the Adamos and Katavatis family names have been around the sport for some time now and we are all proud to say we are involved with this wonderful sport, racing at a worldclass facility with great people.”

Says Andrew: “As a family-based team we have won lots of events and even a few championships over our time but if it wasn’t for my hardworking crew and family support we would not have progressed to where we are as a team right now. Being able to spend time with my mum and dad, wife, in-laws and mates is what keeps me coming back for more.

“And going fast ain’t that bad either.”

Follow The Beach Bomb team on Facebook for latest updates. MQ For more information on the Nitro Funny Cars and upcoming drag racing season, visit outlawnitrofunnycars.com.au and motorplex.com.au

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MQ M NEWS

THRIVING ON PASSION Fans of BMW M will have 'creative space for individual storytelling' thanks to the new Welcome to M Town initiative.

WELCOME TO ‘M TOWN’ Anyone who thought “Too Much” was not enough has come to the right place at “M Town”.

B

MW M GmbH is continuing last year’s successful “Too Much” storyline with the launch of a new online campaign.

From September, the motto will be: “Welcome to M Town, where too much is just right.”

The basic idea is very simple: M Town is a place unlike any other – a place where everyday situations are experienced in their own special way.

This is exactly why it is the ideal home for all petrolheads and horsepower enthusiasts and embodies the identity of the global BMW M Community so perfectly. The town does not represent a physical place. It thrives wherever there is a passion for high performance – because genuine enthusiasm for BMW M knows no bounds.

M Town is also a social and digital communications platform for BMW M fans all over the world.

Since September, car fans worldwide have been able to register as new citizens of M Town on bmw-m. com and create their own individual digital BMW M Pass. In addition to unique storytelling elements, this major campaign incorporates

original online videos and creative merchandising, with other exclusive surprises in store for the community.

“M Town” also serves as the main theme for numerous events around the globe.

“The continuation of the successful ‘too much’ communications story will allow our fans to experience the next level of emotional identification with our brand,” explains Peter Quintus, Vice President Sales and Marketing at BMW M GmbH. “M Town represents an attitude to life that BMW M has always stood for – ultimate enthusiasm, maximum performance and the courage to be unconventional.”

This feeling is also conveyed by a series of online videos produced by director Micky Sülzer and Grimme award-nominee Bader el Hindi. The sequences transform everyday urban contexts – from cinema to church – into special venues, with punchlines that speak to all car enthusiasts.

With the slogan “Only in M Town”, the town presents itself as a utopia for all car lovers, featuring MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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protagonists such as the BMW M2 Competition and the BMW M850i.

The video series provides plenty of inspiration for individual storytelling. During the “too much” communications campaign launched in 2017, millions of car fans worldwide shared their own pictures, linked with characteristic M statements, such as [too loud] or [too powerful]. M Town develops this idea further and creates a new and exclusive platform for special M moments. On the bmw-m.com website, users can record their individual emotional experiences with BMW M in the Community Map, a digital map of the world, using the hashtags #M_Town and #MNation.

These shared experiences are the foundation of “M Town” and enable the community to grow through the creative involvement of its citizens.

“BMW M thrives on the passion our fans share for highly-emotional products,” according to Lothar Schupet, Director Global Sales and Marketing BMW M. “M Town gives this enthusiasm a creative space for individual storytelling. In this way, we are increasing the brand identification of our loyal community – and, at the same time, providing a source of inspiration for new target groups.”

The digital communications campaign complements the BMW M sub-brand’s successful product offensive in the high-performance and performance segment. In addition to the launch of new products, like the BMW M2 and M5 Competition, and exclusive models, such as the BMW M3 CS, BMW M offers a broad range of products poised for strong growth in the future. Over the past 10 years, BMW M has more than tripled its sales of M Performance cars. MQ

AUTOCLASSIC.COM.AU

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to bodhi j

Perth | Highgate 08 9466 8260 • The Westin | Perth 08 6559 1818 • Wembley 08 9387 5152 • Yallingup | Injidup 08 9750 1300 MARQUE SPRING 2018 ● 025 ● AUTOCLASSIC.COM.AU www.bodhij.com.au

MQ THIRST

t i o t Hop Craft breweries are sprouting up like wildflowers all over the greater Perth metro area.

Norman Burns takes a look at some of the new kids on the block, and those who have led the way to making Perth a craft beer lovers’ dream.

A

ustralia’s alcohol consumption, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Statistics, is the lowest it’s been for 50 years.

So, if we’re drinking less beer (2.6m litres less in 2016-17 than the previous year says the Bureau) what’s with the incredible boom around the country, and Perth in particular, with boutique breweries?

I think the answer is the Q word – and that’s quality over quantity.

Beer drinkers, unlike days gone by when choice was limited to the mass output of the big brewers, are also much savvier regarding the different styles, nuances and creativity you’re going to get from a craft brewer.

Add in the fact that a visit to a craft brewery is also likely to be as much about the food as the actual brews and the picture becomes clearer.

There’s also something great

about being able to go out with friends, family or colleagues and support local WINNING BREW Beerland proudly West Australian business. displays its two It’s also fantastic to see microAustralian International Beer Awards for it breweries popping up around Perth, not just in the CBD but in surrounding s wheat beer, which took out Best Wheat suburbs, too.

Beer and the overall I’ve no doubt by the time you finish Champion gong. this article another craft brewery will have been announced (such as the Golden West Brewery in Leederville) or will have indeed opened its doors.

(Of course, there’s a legion of equally impressive boutique breweries outside the metro region, but that is a tale for another day).

So, do yourself a favour; get some friends together (nominate a skipper of course) and check out the amazing array of boutique brews right on our doorstep. To help you get started, here’s a rundown of some of the best in and around town and some of their new brews for spring/summer.

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BEERLAND (Northbridge Brewing Co, Whitfords Brewing Co.) At the time of going to press, Beerland’s two excellent venues were still putting the finishing touches to their seasonal releases.

Beerland’s Wheat was named

Champion Australian Beer at the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards, so you can be sure there will be some super new offerings in store under the expert eye of Head Brewer Ken Arrowsmith.

Northbridge Brewing Co, 44 lake St, Northbridge, (08) 6151 6481, northbridgebrewingco.com.au Whitfords Brewing Co, Westfield Whitford City, Hillarys, (08) 9308 2133, whitfordsbrewing.com.au

Russell many home brew awards.

This got him the attention and confidence to open his own brewery.

It’s an American-style IPA with a beautiful ruby red colour and tropical aroma – an explosion of citrus blood orange on the palate, with a balance of bitterness and slight fruit sweetness.”

Blasta Brewing, 84/88 Goodwood Parade, Burswood (08) 6102 4130, blastabrewing.com

BLASTA BREWERY

BRIGHT TANK BREWING

Not far from the shiny new Optus Stadium, Blasta Brewing is the culmination of founder/owner Steve Russell’s journey from being a home brewing enthusiast to setting up his own commercial micro-brewery and

The brainchild of husband-andwife team Matt Moore and Gemma Sampson, Bright Tank Brewing flies the flag for its eclectic menu as well as its beers (such as a brewer’s board with house-made duck prosciutto).

beerhall. Blasta (the name is derived from the Gaelic for ‘delicious’) currently has seven brews on its taps, ranging from Indian pale ales to wheat beers. But they’ve chosen the quirky My Way as a star pick.

Their beers (love the quirky names) range from a German-style ale Strange Stange, to a zippy “new world” pale ale using Australian hops, to American brown ales and more. Bright Tank have just released a new drop for spring...

BEER: My Way

Style: Grapefruit-infused IPA (5.9% ABV) Why you should try it: Says Blasta venue manager Josh Morgan: “This is our famous My Way Grapefruit IPA. Over 200kg of grapefruit is meticulously peeled and added to this brew which won our owner Steve

BEER: Urban Farmer

alongside an amazing yeast strain, allowing citrus aromas to take centre stage.”

Bright Tank Brewing Co, 100 Brown St, East Perth (08) 9325 7145, brighttankbrewing.com.au

THE CAMFIELD Everything about The Camfield is big – with five bars, an incredible 175 beer taps and room for 2,500 patrons and a kitchen with pizza ovens that can dish out four pizzas a minute, this is a mega-pub indeed.

But big doesn’t mean there is any less attention to detail in the food and beverage it serves. And that’s apparent in the excellent range of craft beers produced at the in-house micro-brewery under the Bevy label.

RICH PICKINGS From Blasta Brewery's delicious grapefruitinfused IPA (from left), to the groovy range at Bright Tank Brewing and sampling paddles at The Camfield, Perth, craft beer lovers are spoilt for choice.

Style: French saison (6.8% ABV) Why you should try it: “Our saison (from the French word for ‘season’) is the perfect spring beer,” says Bright Tank. “It’s packed full of local botanicals, including lemon myrtle, lemon thyme and rosemary working MARQUE SPRING 2018

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BEER: First Bevy Lager

Style: Lager (4.4% ABV) Why you should try it: Says The Camfield team: “It pours into the glass a deep amber colour with a slight red tinge, topped with a dense white foam. The colour is a point of interest as people always ‘drink with their eyes’ first, and assume a darker colour equals a more intense flavour – well we got you there.

We’ve layered in some darker, more caramel-flavoured malts for the darker colour and created a very light flavoured, balanced and refreshing beer. We then added some German

MQ THIRST

and American hops as a nod to old world brewing traditions with a new world craft beer experience.

1 Roger Mackay Drive, Burswood, (08) 6314 1360, thecamfieldbar.com.au

FERAL BREWING Selling out to the “big guys” in the industry is not the same as selling out your goals. Thus the wildly successful “big-on-a-small-scale” Feral Brewing bit the bullet in October 2017, selling a 100% stake to Coca-Cola Amatil.

Feral founder Brendan Varis said the decision to sell the brewery, which opened in 2002, was the best way to grow the business – at the same time sticking to the core values that made Feral a deserved craft beer leader.

BEER: Hop Hog

Style: Pale Ale (ABV 5.8%) Why you should try it: Hop Hog was there at the start of Feral Brewing’s journey and celebrates its 10th

anniversary this year – proof surely Brendan Varis struck craft beer gold with this recipe. American hops give Hop Hog bold citrus and pine aromatics and it’s been a firm favourite of critics, as well as punters, picking up multiple awards, including top gong at the Australian International Beer Awards.

152 Haddrill Road, Baskerville (08) 9296 4657, feralbrewing.com.au

THE GENEROUS SQUIRE

DECADE OF EXCELLENCE (From top left) Feral Brewing's Hop Hog celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and is still a favourite; the Nail VPA is a new offering from craft brewing legend John Stallwood; the Island Brewhouse sports a spectacular Elizabeth Quay location while the Settlers Ale is a small batch brew from the Generous Squire.

Next year marks the 10th birthday for CBD micro-brewery and bar/ restaurant The Generous Squire, and it’s still going strong – a great effort in an industry where often the only constant thing is change. As well as sampling the brewery’s limited releases (and ‘standard’ James Squire range), customers can also book a Beer Masterclass for around $35 a head to learn straight from the brewer just what makes a great craft beer.

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BEER: Settlers Ale

Style: Small-batch Aussie Belgian ale (ABV 5.4%) Why you should try it: Settlers Ale is one of The Generous Squire’s latest small-batch releases brewed.

“It’s an easy drinking brew with a nod to traditional Belgian yeast used in Belgian ales as well as some American and Aussie hops thrown into the mix,” says The Generous Squire. “It’s fruity, herbal and spicy with a touch of caramel and biscuit from the specialty malts.”

The Generous Squire, 397 Murray St, Perth (08) 6311 7071, jamessquire.com.au

ISLAND BREWHOUSE Location, location, location . . .

The mantra of real estate agents the world over and something Perth’s newest (opened July) craft brewery has in spades, nestled in the relocated 1920s-style Florence Hummerston building on the Island

at Elizabeth Quay. Brewing in 1,000 litre batches, allowing the brewery to rotate offerings between seasons, the Island Brewhouse has six beers onsite, ranging from Bohemian-style pilsners, to English brown ale – and everything in between.

BEER: Little Island Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale (ABV 4.2%) Why you should try it: Says Island Brewhouse spokesman Michael Campion: “Our version (of a pale ale) is made with a warm fermentation method and pale malt. It’s brewed using West Australian pale malt and other specialty malts. It’s between a UK and a US version, giving it a great balance of malty and hop flavours.”

Island Brewhouse, Valdura Place, Elizabeth Quay (08) 9243 2711, islandbrewhouse.com.au

NAIL BREWING Tucked away in deepest Bassendean, John Stallwood’s Nail Brewing produces five core beers, plus a host of special, annually-released drops and more. John’s been a stalwart of the craft brewing scene since 2000, with his original brewery downstairs

at the old Bobby Dazzler’s pub.

He’s selected his Nail VPA as a great spring/summer drink.

BEER: Nail VPA

Style: International Pale Ale (ABV 6.5%) Why you should try it: This hoppy IPA scored second-best International Pale Ale at the 2018 World Beer Cup and a gold medal at the Perth Royal Beer Show. “The use of El Dorado hops gives it tropical fruit flavours of pineapple, passionfruit and orange; it has a powerful, fruity, hoppy aroma and a clean finish,” says John.

2/232 Collier Rd Bassendean, nailbrewing.com.au

NOWHEREMAN BREWING Four years of planning (and wading through mountains of red tape no doubt) went into the establishment of West Leederville brewery Nowhereman (named, says founder Reece Wheadon, after the classic Beatles song) and a year after its opening local foodies and beer lovers alike are lapping up the industrialbut-homely feel of the place. The kitchen specialises in fresh, in-house made pizzas and charcuterie, with a line-up of eight brews ranging from

HOP ON DOWN TO BEERFEST If the chance to sample a whole heap of WA’s best craft beers all in the one place – plus great music, comedy, food and craft beer masterclasses – looks too good to miss, you’re right.

And lucky Perth residents will get two chances to catch the spiffing BeerFest tour when it rolls into our state.

The BeerFest national event kicks off from November 9-11 at The Esplanade, Fremantle, featuring more than 50 of WA’s best craft brewers. There’s a whole heap of music, food and other entertainment too.

If you can’t make the Freo gig, the BeerFest returns for a second WA round, this time at Elizabeth Quay from January 18-20 2019 with another stellar line-up of great beer, street food, entertainment and more.

For details on tickets and more information, see beerfestivals.com.au

FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR HOME

BY MODA INTERIORS

Suite 11, 37 Cedric Street, Stirling WA 6021Ph 08 9440 9000 info@modainteriors.com.au | www.modainteriors.com.au

LIFESTYLE

a black IPA (Satan’s Rainbow) to a “steam beer”, the Oxford St Common.

Nowhereman suggests the Rhapsody as an ideal spring/summer tipple.

BEER: Rhapsody

Style: Xtra Pale Ale (ABV 5%) Why you should try it: Initially brewed as a limited release, Nowhereman says customers loved it so much it is now part of the West Leederville’s full-time range. Says Nowhereman: “It’s a movement of hops with a more-ish bitterness and ultra-dry finish. Light and easy malts support the tropical fruit storm of hops; finishes with a firm bitterness and bone-dry finish."

25 Harrogate St West Leederville, nowhereman.com.au

OTHERSIDE BREWING CO. There’s a real feel-good vibe about Myaree’s Otherside Brewing Co – literally. What started as a oneoff brew for a music festival has blossomed in just two years into a 20-hectolitre outfit, producing around 300,000 litres a year, and a recently opened Brewhouse bar/ restaurant adjoining the brewing operation. Otherside currently has six beers in its line-up and has picked the Harvest Red Ale as an ideal introduction to the range.

BEER: Harvest Red Ale

Style: Red ale (ABV 5.4%) Why you should try it: Brewed under its Pilot range (a kind of public ‘test bed’ – the beers that prove popular go into commercial production), Otherside says its Harvest Red Ale is “a medium-bodied, generously hopped red ale, with vivid melon and citrus notes up front, backed with alluring raisin and plum characters of the premium caramel malts”. Which sounds jolly delicious to us.

Otherside Brewing, Brewhouse, Blaikie St, Myaree (08) 9336 2837), othersidebrewing.com.au

SHY JOHN’S BREWERY AND YUM CHA

“Forbidden Potion is deep amber in colour and infused with the floral fragrance of freshly steamed red rice. Nutty, with a hint of caramel; a meaty beer that’s best mates with wok-fried Cantonese fare.’’ MQ

The tremendous redevelopment of what was an ugly, industrial eyesore smack dab in the middle of town into the buzzing Yagan Square has really unleashed the creative beast in many “foodtrepreneurs”. One of the most inventive is the groovy Shy John’s, which dishes up cool little dim sum sets for lunch (and more substantial fare for dinners) and a “Beer Mates” share menu to complement its own craft beers.

BEER: Forbidden Potion

Style: Red Rice Ale Why you should try it: Says Shy John’s: MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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HOT SUMMER, COLD BEERS (From top left) Nowhereman's Xtra Pale Ale; Otherside Brewing Co's brewer Rhys Lopez (left) and director David Chitty have turned a one-off brew for a music festival into a full-time business with drops such as their Harvest Red Ale; below, Shy John's Brewery and Yum Cha brings a dazzling Asian-theme to the city's boutique brewery scene.

Explore Christmas Island Christmas Island Explorer Package

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Christmas Island Luxury Explorer Package

AUD 2881 pp twin share* $

Includes • Return flights from Perth • 7 nights room only at luxurious Villa Papaya • 7 days car hire • Orientation tour • Nature tour • Dolly Beach tour

Christmas Island ALL INCLUSIVE Luxury Explorer Package

AUD 5900 pp twin share* $

Includes • Return flights from Perth • 7 nights all inclusive package at Swell Lodge • Includes transfers, tours, food and drinks

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PH 1300 357 057 E reservations@broomekimberley.com W www.broomekimberley.com.au

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CHRISTMAS & COCOS KEELING ISLANDS AUTOCLASSIC.COM.AU

Often described as Australia’s Galapagos, Christmas Island is brimming with unique wildlife, tropical jungles and surrounded by a pristine reef - and it’s much closer to WA than the Galapagos Islands. So what are you waiting for - adventure awaits. By GABI MILLS.

Christmas Island LET’S GO TO ...

C

hristmas Island - the name alone is intriguing and stirs interest. Fly from WA and you'll uncover remarkable surprises on an island full of natural wonders. From the unique annual red crab migration to rare and unusual birds and glorious deserted beaches, yet it also displays a curious amalgam of cultures, history and industry, emerging as a place where all these elements create a truly unusual travel experience. Here are just a few of the things to do in this stunning destination.

ADVENTURE SEEKERS WELCOME

Christmas Island could have been designed specifically for travellers who like to be left alone to discover their own adventures. Its geology (it’s formed from an undersea volcano) and position, so remote yet easily reached from WA, makes for some pretty awesome natural vistas.

The ocean’s relentless erosion of limestone cliffs has left a honeycomb of caves at sea level, while the island itself is surrounded by a narrow coral

reef that drops away steeply into the Java Trench, the Indian Ocean’s deepest point. All this means one thing to those in the know: worldclass diving opportunities. You can dive one of the longest drop-offs in the world thanks to that deep trench, or dive and surface, James Bondstyle, in a sea cave with huge airfilled domes, stalagmites, stalactites and tiny flashlight fish blinking bioluminescent lights. There are only a small number of divers at any one time on over 60km of reef, meaning when you find yourself cheek-byjowl with a whale shark, it’s likely it’ll be just you and this monster of MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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PARADISE ON EARTH Christmas Island is blessed with some extraordinary wildlife, some of which isn't found anywhere else. Right, the wellknown migration of red crabs draws many visitors to view this incredible sight.

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ADVERTI SI NG FE AT UR E INDONESIA

the deep enjoying the experience.

There’s a WWII shipwreck to explore in addition to the 60-plus dive sites around the coastline. After all that, snorkel in the crystal clear ocean and spot 200 species of vibrant coral just metres from the shore, or chill out in a naturally occurring rock spa on a secluded beach. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot one of the residents - turtles - while you sip on a freshly spliced coconut.

NATURALLY UNFORGETTABLE

It’s not hyperbole to say that Christmas Island is a nature-lovers’ paradise. The sheer variety and numbers of birds alone that make the island their home make it a must-see destination for serious twitchers (aka birdwatchers). Striking, beautiful and easily spotted, there are 100 vagrant and migratory bird species that have

been recorded on the island, with 80,000 seabirds nesting on the island annually. Keep your binoculars handy for sightings of the endangered Christmas Island frigate bird that breeds nowhere else in the world, or the red-footed booby, which nests in trees all along the coastal shore terraces. Every September, you can join a team of dedicated researchers and natural history experts for Bird N Nature Week, a week-long immersion in Christmas Island’s wildlife; taking part in essential work to log the state of the island’s fauna and seeing these amazing creatures up close and personal. In addition to the more than 600 species of fish that have been identified, there are also over 180 species of land, shore and water crabs that call the island their home. Be prepared for a breathtaking vision in the annual red crab migration, possibly Christmas Island’s best-known natural event.

Marching en-masse from rainforest burrows to the ocean to breed from October to December, their journey is an intense wave of colour and thrilling to observe first-hand. But these little red beauties don’t just march once a year; whenever you visit you’re bound to encounter them as they are a vital part of the ecosystem. Don’t miss the chance to meet the island’s other famous crustaceans - robber crabs. The biggest land crustaceans on earth, they can live up to 70 years and are larger than a football. If views are your preferred photos, head to Hugh’s Dale Waterfall - it’s an iconic place for your Insta feed.

GO OFF GRID

Make time to explore the deserted beaches around the coast - no two are the same, and many offer the chance to get up close to amazing marine and land creatures. A few of our favourites include the insanely beautiful Dolly Beach. It’s a picturesque, palm-fringed sandy beach (via boardwalk) with coral reef, freshwater streams, a natural rock MARQUE SPRING 2018

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CHRISTMAS ISLAND Cocos (Keeling) Islands

AUSTRALIA

Fast facts

Christmas Island is an Australian territory and has been since 1958.

Named by Captain William Mynors on Christmas Day 1643, it lies 2,600 km northwest of Perth.

It’s warm all year around, with an average daily temperature of 27 degrees, with a wet season that runs from December to April.

It has a tiny population of just 1,500 but it’s a vibrant one with people of Chinese, Malay and European heritage.

The Aussie dollar is the local currency and English is the official language.

Virgin Australia flights operate from Perth International Airport twice per week.

For more information, head to christmas.net.au (For bookings, readers can contact BKB as per advertisement on p31.)

spa, robber crabs and nesting turtles.

Lily Beach is surrounded on both sides by rising cliffs, making it particularly sheltered and the perfect spot for a picnic. At low tide, explore the rock pools and enjoy a shallow dip in the azure sea. If you’re up for working a little harder for your pristine beach moment, head to West White Beach.

With its stunning coral reef offshore, you have to approach it via a moderately difficult trail and cliff descent using a ladder. To truly experience the island’s remote charms, head to Swell Lodge, nestled in the National Park’s jungle.

You'll discover a glass-fronted, solarpowered luxury eco-chalet offering guided activities and even a private chef. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to immerse yourself in Christmas Island’s beauty and tranquility. MQ

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MQ ART

OUTLAWS AND REBELS A mesmerising exhibition is paying tribute to the late Sidney Nolan and his impact on Australian art history.

Cori Delahaunty reports.

ABOVE IMAGE The Trial, 1947, from the Ned Kelly series 1946-1947, enamel paint on composition board, 90.70 x 121.20cm. Gift of Sunday Reed 1977.

National Gallery of Australia.

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or the first time ever, Sidney Nolan’s 1946-1947 Ned Kelly Series has been on display in Perth as part of the National Gallery of Australia’s touring exhibition.

After previous displays in worldrenowned galleries such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Musee National d’Art Moderne in Paris and Tate Modern in London, this series was loaned short-term to the Perth gallery as the first venue for the National Gallery of Australia’s Travelling Exhibitions tour.

The rare opportunity to view Nolan’s work is one thing, but the staging of the exhibition itself has been something special.

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fabulous,” says Art Gallery of Western Australia Curator, Melissa Harpley.

The display technique produces an almost cinematic experience for visitors to the exhibition, taking them on a journey exploring the life, death and adventures of Australia’s favourite anti-hero, Ned Kelly.

If by some chance you don’t know the story of the infamous outlaw, I’ll give you a quick history lesson. Ned Kelly was a 19th-century bushranger who led Australian law enforcement on a wild goose chase through the outback, leaving a string of high-profile robberies and shootouts behind him. He is perhaps best-known for a creating a suit of bulletproof armour, completed by a fullface, bucket-like helmet with just a slat for the eyes.

“Nolan thought of it as a strong narrative with an unfolding of key incidents through the story,” says Melissa.

“It’s like a filmic narrative, a lovely unfolding of the iconic story through the sequence of all the paintings.”

Kelly’s helmet became a defining feature in Nolan’s

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work, his stylised depiction giving a sense of identity, despite concealing his face, starkly contrasted with the Australian landscape. In short, it has become an icon in Australian art.

Inspired by his own artwork painted for a magazine of the time, Nolan stated “it made me take the risk of putting against the Australian bush an utterly strange object”. The series was a way for Nolan to paint Australian landscape in new ways, with the story giving meaning to place.

Nolan harnesses his storytelling energy through a selection of enamel on composition board pieces which paint the infamous Kelly, quite literally, in a whole new light.

Inspired by children’s art and modernist paintings of the 20th century, Nolan created the series consisting of 27 unique artworks in the 1940s. Despite their age, the images looks as fresh and vibrant today as back then.

Only 26 of the 27 paintings have been on display as part of the exhibition, as the remaining one currently holds the record as being the most expensive Australian painting ever sold.

The 27th painting, First-Class Marksman, was bought for a whopping $5.4 million in 2010 by

The Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The success of the Ned Kelly Series is owed not only to artistic talent, but the raw passion Nolanput into each brushstroke.

Identifying with Kelly in many ways, Nolan himself was a rebellious fugitive, creating false identities and engaging in forbidden relationships.

Creating the series while living with his lover and her husband, Nolan did not intend for his artwork to be an authentic depiction of Kelly’s life; rather it is a depiction of his own take on injustice, love and betrayal.

“From 1945 to 1947 there were emotional and complicated events in my own life. It is an inner history of my own emotions,” he says about the series.

In many ways, we all are able to view Australia through that narrow slit in the roughly-hewn helmet, just like Kelly. Nolan opens our eyes to the country’s landscape, and how we all find our place in that bush backdrop.

Along with Nolan’s emotionallycharged masterpieces, the Art Gallery of Western Australia has set up their own interactive experiences for those wishing to discover more

BELOW IMAGE Sidney Nolan, The defence of Aaron Sherritt 1946 from the Ned Kelly series 1946 – 1947 enamel paint on composition board 121.20 x 90.70 cm Gift of Sunday Reed 1977, National Gallery of Australia

about the talented artist and his impact on Australian art history. But be quick - the exhibition closes on November 12, moving to the Murray Art Museum in New South Wales.

Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly Series, Art Gallery of WA, until November 12, free entry. Open daily, 10am to 5pm, except Tuesdays. MQ

ABOVE Steve Hart dressed as a girl, 1947, from the Ned Kelly series 1946-1947, enamel paint on composition board (90.60 x 121.10cm), Gift of Sunday Reed, 1977. National Gallery of Australia.

LEFT Ned Kelly, 1946, from the Ned Kelly series 1946-1947.

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TRAVEL

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER

It’s not often a living person gets something named after them, let alone a state-of-the-art expedition cruise ship that will redefine polar and adventure tourism for decades to come. But that’s exactly the case for Australian mountaineering legend and Antarctic tourism pioneer Greg Mortimer.

By NORMAN BURNS. Images courtesy AURORA EXPEDITIONS

G

reg Mortimer is one of Australia’s greatest adventurers.

He was the first Australian to reach the summit of Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen.

He did the same on three more of the world’s most challenging peaks – K2, Chongtar and Annapurna II. It seems not much fazes Greg but even he was a little overcome after learning he’d had a ship named after him.

“It’s a great honour but it’s also quite embarrassing,” says Greg on being told a state-of-the-art – and luxurious – expedition ship to be launched next year will be named the

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Greg Mortimer.

The connection, though, is perfectly understandable for Greg Mortimer the mountaineer is also Greg Mortimer, co-founder of specialist Antarctic expedition cruising company Aurora Expeditions.

In the early 1990s Greg discovered scaling mountains wasn’t his only passion; a trip to Antarctica sparked a love for the frozen continent and expedition cruising, the kind where you can get off the beaten track and up close and personal with the wildlife and environment but without disturbing the fragile ecosystem.

Twenty-five years on, Aurora

ICY WASTES Opposite, the Antarctic offers adventurous travellers the chance to explore a remote landscape. Below, Greg Mortimer and the ship named after him, operated by Aurora Expeditions.

Expeditions (Greg and his wife Margaret named the company after legendary polar explorer Sir Douglas Mawson’s ship) is now a world leader in specialist expedition cruising to some of the planet’s most remote, untouched and spectacular locations, such as the Galapagos Islands, the Arctic and Antarctic Peninsula.

The new ship, which will be able to take a maximum of 120 passengers, will not only offer levels of luxury unseen in the polar cruising business but will be equipped with cutting edge, environmentally friendly technology to ensure a smoother sail and much better fuel efficiency than older vessels.

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MQ TRAVEL

“I’m humbled to share my name with a ship that marries the pioneering heritage of Aurora Expeditions with bold technology, aggressive design and innovation fit for purpose,” says Greg.

Aurora’s mantra (it is one of the signatories to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, an organisation founded in 1991 to promote safe and environmentally responsible private sector travel to Antarctica) is one of “take only memories, leave nothing but footprints” and the new ship, due for its maiden voyage in October next year, will help take this to a whole new level.

Says Aurora Expeditions managing director Robert Halfpenny: “This new ship is the first purposebuilt expedition ship we’ve had the opportunity to commission after more than 25 years’ in operation.

We’re currently using a converted Russian research ship, the Polar Pioneer but (the Greg Mortimer)

has enabled us to integrate new technology, fit out the ship to purpose and benefit from efficiencies that we haven’t had the opportunity to implement in the past.

“An example would be the X-Bow design, which is both environmentally and operationally superior to the traditional bow as it pierces ocean waves more efficiently – using less fuel, reducing sea travel time and adding stability and comfort for guests and crew.

“The ship is also equipped with some other fantastic features including four sea-level Zodiac loading docks for quick and easy embarkation/disembarkation; a custom-built activity platform allowing easy access for adventure activities such as kayaking, diving or snorkelling and custom-built hydraulic viewing platforms.”

Aurora’s voyages to Antarctica, and other destinations, are no “cookie cutter” trips either.

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LUXURY AND ADVENTURE The ship can take up to 120 passengers, travelling in unrivalled comfort.

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heart we are not your standard tour operator as we try to get amongst the ‘action’ as much as possible,’’ says Robert. “This means we have to be flexible with our itineraries to give our customers the best available experience and adapt to weather, wildlife opportunities or sea ice blocking our way.

“We’re always on the lookout for new places to explore, and we’re not afraidto adjust our schedule if we stumble upon an unexpected wildlife display, like a pod of breeching whales. We always have a Plan B, C, or D.” And while Robert says Aurora is “first and foremost” an expedition operator rather than a luxury ship operator the Greg Mortimer will offer unparalleled “creature comforts” for passengers travelling to the frozen, pristine wilds of the Antarctic.

“When designing the new ship from the foundations up we seized the opportunity to include premium features including hot tubs, a sauna

and balconies for the majority of our cabins,” he says.

Aurora is also careful to consider the needs of solo travellers.

“We’re seeing and acknowledging rapid growth in solo travel and we offer a cabin mate finding service, or if a solo customer would prefer their own cabin our surcharge is only 25% on a limited number of cabins,” says Robert, who readily admits the concept of bringing tourists into such a delicate environment is a balancing act.

“We understand and appreciate this, although we find that once you send someone to the Antarctic or the Arctic and do it responsibly, with limited impact to the environment and wildlife, they become avid environmental ambassadors.

“Our aim is to make people aware of environmental issues and what they can do to reduce their own impact and there’s nothing like visiting a pristine polar region to make you want to take better care of the planet,” he says.

“There is no greater unspoilt wilderness than Antarctica. I tend to think that ‘real’ contact with wilderness becomes increasingly important to us as the world becomes more ‘virtual’“, says Greg.

“This is reflected in Aurora’s approach to exploring this area; our small group expeditions make the people who participate feel like they’re a part of their surrounding environment.

“We like to leave as little impact as possible to ensure the preservation of this beautiful part of the world for tourists for years to come,” he says.

Says Robert: “All of Aurora Expeditions is so excited about what the Greg Mortimer offers. As it is purposely designed for global expeditions we are now able to explore other remote and aweinspiring areas of our planet which weren’t available to us previously with the Russian ships.

“The release of our new 2020 Latin America program is an excellent example of this; we

can’t wait to venture to these new destinations with our small group Aurora expedition-style.”

And it’s that approach that sees many customers come back time and time again says Robert.

“Our guests are active travellers with a thirst for knowledge. They want true wilderness, local cultural and wildlife experiences where they can better understand the world around them but want to do so making as little environmental impact as possible.

“As the majority of the destinations we visit make such an impression our guests finish a trip feeling obligated to protect and preserve them for future generations.

“They can’t help but come back time and time again to learn as much as they can, especially when they form genuine friendships with our expedition leaders and want to follow

their different itineraries and trips.

“When you’re out in the elements away from civilisation it’s natural to form strong bonds with the crew and your fellow guests and we’ve definitely seen these grow into lifelong friendships. Internally, we call them our Aurora family.”

Meanwhile, with the Greg Mortimer due to make its maiden voyage on October 31 next year, one question remains – will the man himself be on board?

“I’m tickled pink that Aurora continues to be at the forefront of exploration and would love to be there for the iconic start of Aurora Expeditions’ new chapter with Greg Mortimer’s inaugural voyage.

Nothing 100 per cent confirmed but it’s definitely a possibility – stay tuned on that,” says Greg.

I’m betting as sure as there are penguins and icebergs in the Antarctica, Greg will be there. MQ For more information, visit auroraexpeditions.com.au or call 1800 637

WE LIKE TO LEAVE AS LITTLE IMPACT AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THE PRESERVATION OF THIS BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE WORLD

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MQ TRAVEL

magic

The

CONTINUES

A

Walt Disney World has been around for nearly 50 years and still manages to entrance, whatever age you are.

ustralian Disney fans have long given up on having their own Disney theme park, so what are the options? USA, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo or Paris? Perhaps a Disney cruise or Hawaiian resort?

I confess, after living in Los Angeles for 20 years, I thought I knew my Disney - Disneyland is on our doorstep, our two daughters celebrating countless birthdays, school trips and grad nights at the veritable “happiest place on earth”.

Therefore Walt Disney World, 2,200 miles away in Orlando, Florida, was never really on the agenda, as we assumed it was roughly the same deal. Disneyland can be done in one long, exhausting but joyous day.

What more could there be?

But what did I know?

Not much, apparently.

Boasting four theme parks, two water parks, 36 resort hotels and almost 800 campsites, spread across a 40-quarter-mile expanse, it's near impossible to cover everything at Florida’s Walt Disney World in under five days. Then, of course, every evening at WDW is capped off by stunning themed firework shows across three parks, so you won’t want to leave until after 10pm.

Set in the shadows of Cinderella’s iconic castle, The Magic Kingdom remains WDW’s crown jewel.

Opened in 1971 and followed by Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom theme parks, The Magic Kingdom - with its “most magical place on earth” slogan - is officially the most visited park in the world, with more than 20 million guests annually.

By GILL PRINGLE.

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Divided into six distinctive “lands” - Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland - naturally, this is where every Disneyland prince or princess in training wants to be.

In addition, the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique salon, actually inside the castle, is not without its charms; tiny princesses treated to princess makeovers complete with gowns, tiaras, nails, hair and make-up.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the theme park and those wannabe Disney princesses are now today’s intergalactic space adventurers and universal citizens.

Nothing underlines this fact more than Pandora - The World of Avatar, a themed area inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar, the director

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

currently working on four more installments of his Oscar-winning film.

Located within WDW’s Animal Kingdom theme park, a major visual feature of Pandora is the gorgeous Valley of Mo’ara with its floating mountain ranges, night-time visitors treated to light shows created by its bioluminescent flora.

Currently the hottest ticket in WDW is the Avatar Flight of Passage and MQ was shamelessly excited to climb onto a mountain banshee and soar across Pandora on this augmented reality simulator.

Somewhat tamer but visually stunning is The Na’vi River Journey, a boat ride attraction which glides through gleaming bioluminescence utilising 3D holograms and animatronics.

Since its debut last year, Pandora

FUN AND GAMES Make sure you visit Toy Story Land (above) when you visit Walt Disney World, where everything is made from Andy's toys.

GILL STAYED AT this 972-room resort located on the perimeter of the theme park of the same name. Arriving after dark, it’s a real treat to wake in daylight to discover amazing African wildlife nonchalantly strolling, just yards from your balcony. A handy room guide allows you to keep track of sightings. Giraffe.

Check. Impala. Check. Zebra. Check.

Inspired by the traditional African kraal, the horseshoe-curved design provides spectacular views across four savannas, home to over 200 hoofed animals and

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is responsible for more than doubling the visitors to Animal Kingdom which already has a lot going for it, highlights including its terrifying Everest ride (at US$100 million, it’s the world’s most expensive roller coaster) and Kilimanjaro safari adventure through lush African savanna filled with wildlife.

It’s always a big deal when WDW opens a new attraction, and MQ was lucky enough to catch up with Buzz Lightyear himself, Tim Allen, for the opening of Toy Story Land at WDW’s Hollywood Studios.

An adorable family theme for this perennial Pixar favourite, kids get to be toys in Andy’s backyard, taking a mini roller-coaster ride on the Slinky Dog Dash or piloting Alien Swirling Saucers and enjoying snacks served in mini lunchboxes. Here, everything is made from Andy’s toys - even benches are built from Andy’s discarded popsicle sticks surrounded by giant pencils.

Just south of Toy Story Land, it’s hard not to notice construction of the hugely-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land which will enable guests to fully immerse in the Star Wars mythology with customised storylines. Costumes encouraged.

Set on the Planet Batuu, the Galaxy’s Edge resort will debut next year ahead of the actual attraction.

NB: Please contact your local travel agent to book a Disney holiday. Fast passes are available for all rides and the extra expense can save long wait times.

birds. The stunning main hall resembles a giant wooden safari lodge housing one of the largest collections of African art in the US. Exciting animal and conservation programmes are designed to inspire animal lovers of all ages.

We also loved the way our Mickey Mousetagged luggage was delivered all the way from our departure airport to the resort, leaving us merely to climb on board Disney’s Magic Express, a fleet of buses which delivers guests from Orlando Airport to all the Disney resorts. MQ

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MQ ENTREPRENEUR

HIGH SPIRITS You might think that great whisky can only be made on a craggy island in Scotland or that premium gin must be distilled at a Georgian pile in London. Well it turns out that a distilling company operating out of Margaret River and Great Southern is making spirits that are catching the attention of the world’s spirits cognoscenti. By FERGAL GLEESON

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lbany’s Great Southern Distilling Company (GSDC) has been named Australian Distiller of the Year by Whisky Magazine’s Icons of World Whisky Awards, making it the second consecutive year they have taken out the top spot.

The Icons of Whisky is organised by the UK-based magazine and recognises the very best in the global whisky business. It’s the latest in an extensive list of international awards that GSDC have accumulated over the years.

Founder Cameron Syme was inspired to enter the business as a young man by stories of his Scottish ancestors who were whisky makers.

Cameron tells the story of how there was a reward offered by the

English police for information on the location of illegal distilleries. His relatives, needing to update their boiler, ‘dobbed’ their own distillery in and used the proceeds to buy a new one. His relatives had removed the pot still before the raid and after the reward were back in business even better than before.

Cameron has been a passionate lover of his spirts since he was 18 but a career in investment banking and law kept him busy while he learnt the distilling trade in his spare time.

His epiphany to open a distillery came after completing an oil and gas deal. He said, “let’s go south!” to his wife and the Great Southern Distilling Company was founded in 2004. Over the past 14 years they MARQUE SPRING 2018

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AWARD-WINNING DRAM The Great Southern Distilling Company has been named Australian Distiller of the Year.

Opposite, hands-on founder Cameron Syne.

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have built a reputation for producing some of the best whisky and gin in the world, using premium local grain, pure Albany water and peat from the Great Southern’s Valley of the Giants.

The distillery stays true to traditional methods and uses small batch pot-still distilling equipment at its home on the edge of Princess Royal Harbour in Albany, where its flagship brand Limeburners is based.

In 2015, Margaret River Distilling Co was formed with a focus on gin.

“There are now some excellent producers in Western Australia like West Winds and Old Youngs but Giniversity was Western Australia’s first gin. Giniversity Botanicals won the trophy for Best in Class at the 2018 USA’s American Distilling Institute in the International Botanical Gin category, says Cameron.

"Gin is going through a huge revival and is much faster to bring to market than whisky (which requires years of ageing).

“The history of gin is so rich in our culture. We’ve planted our own

GINIVERSITY AT THE MARGARET RIVER DISTILLING CO IS AN INTERACTIVE CLASS ...

juniper in Porongurup. We have our own orchard in Margaret River where we grow our own botanicals. I used to say that gin is a great summer drink and whisky a winter drink but I’m less fussy now.”

What’s the experience like for visitors to Margaret River Distilling Co? “I remember being a kid coming to Margaret River in the 1980s. It was not the high-end destination that it is now. Our venue is more relaxed and more like the Margaret River of old. Ben Tassone, who is the venue manager, is focused on customer service and providing good food at a good price. It’s also somewhere where you can try our range.

“Giniversity at the Margaret River Distilling Co is an interactive class where you can expand your knowledge of distilling and get practical hands on experience,” says Cameron. “In Australia, we know more about wine and beer. There is a lack of knowledge of distilling. At the end of the class you walk away with your own gin made to your own recipe.

“We have distilleries in iconic locations. Sixteen years of research has shown that Albany is one of the best places to make whisky because of the quality of the wheat, the hard water, cool climate and peat bogs.

And Margaret River is magical.”

Limeburners currently export to six markets. There are plans to grow this to 25 markets in the next 10 years.

“The focus will be on getting more volume into barrel,” says Cameron “We are currently turning down orders because we don’t have enough whisky. We have focussed on premium MARQUE SPRING 2018

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quality first and, while we will never compete with the big players, we want to increase volume so that we can offer an everyday whisky in the future at a lower price.” MQ More at distillery.com.au

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PROPERTY

MEETING THE BRIEF Urbane Projects is a premium boutique builder in WA, specialising in designing and building luxury homes across Perth with a focus on providing every client with personalised, tailored attention.

BEAUTIFULLY FUNCTIONAL Urbane’s interior images from various projects - to find out more, visit urbane.net.au

L

ed by Steve Gliosca, Urbane Projects channel a passion not only for great architecture but also for great interior design.

The Urbane design creatives - Rob, Erika and Justin live and breathe design, understanding that

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stunning architecture needs to achieve a cohesive connection with the interiors.

Each home designed by Urbane is exclusive and inspired by the client and their lifestyle, says Steve.

“It is very important that the interiors of a home reflect the personality of the people that live there.”

“In order to achieve this, we spend countless

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A DV ERT I S I NG FE ATUR E

hours with our clients understanding their wants, needs, desires and most importantly, their way of life.”

“The team uses this information to create spaces that they can call home,” says Steve. It’s for this reason that Urbane limit the number of

homes each year that enables them to provide each client with the attention they deserve.

“Our philosophy is to bring together a small pallete of materials that resonate with the client and with this pallete. We work on developing the textures and details to create spaces that are refined and luxurious but still feel comfortable and inviting, providing our clients with a space that reflects their personality.”

The team are proud of the many awards that have recognised their MARQUE SPRING 2018

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interiors, but are especially proud when they share these spaces with their clients and their friends, seeing them truly come to life and be used for which they were designed.

“This is testament to our strong level of referral business and friendships that we have formed during the creative process through into construction and beyond,” says Steve.

“Clients are our most important source of recommendation; it’s our attention to detail, love of design and continual commitment to improvement which I believe provides us with a home that is recognisable as Urbane.” MQ Visit urbaneprojects.net.au

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BOOK MARQUE

NORMAN BURNS REVEALS THE LATEST GREAT READS. WEB MASTER: The Crouching Spider (2003, Louise Bourgeois), one of 30 outdoor works by international artists scattered across the 2.2 sq km estate of Chateau La Coste in France, is one of 500 artworks featured in Destination Art. © The Easton Foundation/DACS, London/VAFA, NY 2018

– of the rich and famous.

Movie legends, rock stars and celebrities flitted across the Atlantic at the drop of a hat (not your average Joe though – a return flight cost around $US12,000 in 1970s money).

The flight from Heathrow to New York took just 3.5 hours as the aircraft soared at 60,000 feet cruising at 2,140km/h.

Three years after a fatal crash in Paris in 2000, the airlines pulled the plug on the world’s first – and to date only – supersonic passenger plane. But the writing was already on the wall for an aircraft built out of 1960s technology which guzzled fuel at a phenomenal rate – some 25,000 litres an hour. To many – author and designer Lawrence Azerrad included – Concorde represents more than just a slice of Jetsons-like engineering; it exuded an elegant sophistication which still thrills aircraft buffs and collectors to this day. Hence this fascinating, beautifully illustrated book, crammed with details of all manner of Concorde-abilia (much from Azerrad’s extensive personal collection). It’s also an ode to the Glamour Age of jet travel, the likes of which we’re not probably never going to see again, even if a much improved, more environmentally friendly Concorde Mk II ever gets off the drawing board.

DESTINATION ART Phaidon, $49.95

Unleash your inner culture vulture with this lofty (560 pages) guide to the best 500 examples of the world’s permanently installed modern and contemporary art. Maps, GPS co-ordinates, websites and easy to follow symbols showing degree of possible access make tracking down these modern masterpieces –

everything from sculptures, to paintings, museumspecific installations and more – a cinch.

SUPERSONIC, THE DESIGN AND LIFESTYLE OF THE CONCORDE Lawrence Azerrad, Prestel Publishing, $62.99 Surely the most elegant commercial aircraft ever to fly, the supersonic Anglo-French Concorde personified the life – and flights

FLIGHT CLUB: Lawrence Azerrad’s collection of all things Concorde includes this brochure, offered to passengers on the first commercial flight in 1976.

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THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL LIBRARIES

Massimo Listri, Taschen, $350 They say never judge a book by its cover . . . but what about the library it’s in?

This sumptuous volume by Italian photographer Massimo Listri brings the reader up close and personal with an amazing array of libraries, many of which are as ornate and historic as the works they hold. From the Laurentian Library in Florence, designed by Michelangelo, to the straight-out-of-Hogwarts Strahovska Knihovna in the Czech Republic, this is a beautiful ode to the world’s finest “halls of learning”.

Taschen books are distributed by New Holland Publishing.

RUGBY LEAGUE THROUGH THE DECADES

Ian Collis/Alan Whiticker, New Holland Publishers, $46 Not even rugby league tragics might be aware the game was first introduced to Australian shores by . . . New Zealanders.

Yes, in 1907 an All Black team was invited to play in England’s “Northern Union” league.

As rugby union was a strictly amateur game (and remained that way until 1995), playing in the rival 13-man code was considered virtual heresy. So, when the NZ side agreed to play three professional matches en route to England, a furore erupted; any local rugby union players who took part were threatened with lifetime bans. All this bluster had an unintended effect, sparking a secret meeting at Bateman’s Crystal Hotel in Sydney that led to the formation of the

NSW Rugby Football League, which under the National Rugby League (NRL) banner is a multibillion-dollar business today.

This hefty, richly illustrated tome from Ian Collis and Alan Whiticker takes a year-by-year look at every aspect of rugby league in Australia – including the infamous Super League war of the 1990s which led to the demise of WA’s top-flight team, the Western Reds. However, rugby league is something of a sleeping giant in WA; NRL games held in Perth get big crowds and next year Optus Stadium will attract 60,000 for the first State of Origin match outside of the east. With the WA Pirates waiting in the wings for the NRL’s much-anticipated expansion, there are many more chapters waiting to be written for the code in this state.

FOOTY’S REVOLUTION

evolved into the multi-billiondollar national AFL juggernaut of today. The ride, as Cartledge notes, hasn’t all been plain sailing - drug scandals, financial fights, the battle for some clubs to even survive in the professional era has ensured plenty of controversy along the way. But the bottom line is AFL is booming. A record 6,894,700 fans flocked to matches in 2018, an average of 34,822 per game, making it the fourth-highest attended sport in the world.

‘overlanders’ who pushed new routes across the interior, to world-class elite athletes such as Sir Hubert Opperman and Cadel Evans, and much more. Bicycles not only provided Aussies a pathway to sporting fame on the world stage, they helped shape modern Australia – early cycling clubs, for example, gave women an ‘accepted’ way of mixing socially with men.

POWER OF THE PEDAL

Move over fellas . . . there’s hot competition for the ‘man cave’ movement. Erica Kotite offers her best tips and tricks for turning that back garden shed – or any outbuilding really – into your own private getaway with a distinctly feminine slant, and there’s nary a beer fridge, woodfired pizza oven or massive wall-hung TV in sight. Kotite

Rupert Guinness, NLA Publishing, $39.99

This is the perfect Christmas stocking filler for any ‘lycranaut’ – or cycling nut – in your house.

Award-winning sportswriter Rupert Guinness explores 200 years of the bike in Australia – from the 19th-century

SHE SHEDS STYLE

Erika Kotite, Murdoch Books, $29.99

covers all styles, from rustic, to edgy and modern, with a stepby-step guide on how to achieve personal space nirvana in your own backyard to boot.

TOMATO: KNOW, SOW, GROW, FEAST

Janice Sutton/Penny Woodward/ Karen Sutherland, $60 The tomato - it’s one of the most versatile food sources there is and in Tomato, authors, cooks and horticultural experts Janice Sutton, Penny Woodward and Karen Sutherland leave no stone unturned in exploring the many uses for the 220 tomato varieties available in Australia today. From how to grow them, preserve them and cook with them, Tomato is an indispensable guide, with more than 60 recipes supplied by the likes of Stephanie Alexander, Maggie Beer and more.

Elliot Cartledge, Hardie Grant Books, $32.99 As the old Little River Band song goes, it’s more than a game - Australian rules football that is. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the pace of change in any sport, but in Footy’s Revolution Elliot Cartledge details the truly astonishing transformation of how the semi-amateur Victorian Football League suburban competition

DESTINATION FLAVOUR Adam Liaw, SBS/Hardie Grant Books, $50

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here are more TV chefs than you can shake a soup spoon at but I’ve always had a soft spot for Adam Liaw, whose easy going nature blends in perfectly (pun intended) with his cooking prowess. Destination Flavour features more than 80 recipes from throughout the world and some of the stories behind the cooks, producers and ordinary folk who make ‘em. Don’t make the mistake, like I did, of flicking through it when you’re hungry... >> Continued over

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RIDE OUT!

| Gestalten $60

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WHERE TO DRINK BEER

Phaidon, Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso, $39.95 Are they kidding? Pretty much every guy knows where to drink beer – anywhere (and often any time).

Danish-but-New Yorkbased brewer/author Jarnit-Bjergso though has taken a much more studied approach to that question, the result being a quirky (and invaluable) guide to the hippest, coolest and most surprising destinations around the world to have a cold frothy or two. JarnitBjergo enlisted 500 of the world’s top brewers to come

LED ZEPPELIN BY LED ZEPPELIN

’ve never ridden a motorcycle but on seeing the incredible images and reading the passionate stories of riders featured in Ride Out!, I’m tempted to get lessons. From stunning Alpine routes, to rough and ready trails through California, Patagonia, New Zealand, South Africa and more, Ride Out! celebrates, above all, the sheer freedom associated with motorcycle riding. As well as detailed maps and information, Ride Out! provides an insight

up with 1,600 listings, across 70 countries, complete with maps and other information to get you to the right spot, at the right time, for the right drop.

THE WORLD’S BEST WHISKIES Dominic Roskrow, Murdoch Books, $45

into the slightly eccentric world of the long-distance bike rider – such as Londoner Dave, who just three days after getting his bike licence, set off on an epic ride to Kunming, China.

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD: The spectacular Route Des Grandes Alpes, which snakes its way from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, is a motorcyclist’s dream. Photo Motorcycle Diaries / Peter-Jan Willems & Sébastien Nunes, © Gestalten 2018.

Aimed at connoisseur and whisky novice alike, The World’s Best Whiskies takes readers on a tour of no fewer than 750 “wee drams”, from the drink’s spiritual home in Scotland to far-flung frontiers such as Sweden, Taiwan, Japan and Australia, of course, where boutique whisky distilleries are becoming ever more popular.

| Jimmy Page/Robert Plant/John Paul Jones, Reel Art Press, $90

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ROCK ROYALTY: Led Zeppelin (John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page) with the working draft of their self-titled biography.

Image: Dave Brolan/Reel Art Press

eparating the myth from reality regarding rock band Led Zeppelin’s off-stage exploits in their world-conquering heyday of the 1970s has always been difficult. Lurid tales of groupies, dead sharks in hotel rooms and drummer John Bonham’s penchant for hurling TV sets out of windows may well, of course, be sheer fantasy; but there’s no doubting Zeppelin’s history-altering effect on rock. Their thundering mix of blues, heavy rock riffs, delicate folk-tinged ballads and Middle Eastern-infused sonic still influences bands today. Zeppelin called it quits in 1980 following Bonham’s death after a drinking binge but now, 50 years after they first formed, the band – estimated to have sold 300 million records worldwide – has issued its definitive, official (and most certainly dead-shark free) pictorial biography.

The 400-page, richly illustrated chronology, produced by noted art-rock publisher Reel Art Press, is a must for all Zep heads or anyone with an interest in popular music culture, with extensive notes by singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and base player/ keyboardist John Paul Jones. For a full list of stockists, visit reelartpress.com

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Inspirational properties for an unforgettable holiday www.privateproperties.com.au

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Her campfire is much more than just a bunch of wood and a flame.

Kasey Chambers tells Ara Jansen why her latest album is so precious.

BURNING TRUTHS T

hey may not have been the biggest things in her life, but Kasey Chambers clearly remembers some of the most important moments of her life happening around a campfire.

Which is why one of the darlings of the Australian music scene let all those fireside memories, from childhood through to adulthood, guide her latest album.

Titled Campfire, the acoustic collection is a return to simplicity and a joyful nod to Chambers’ own

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MUSIC

history which included many nights around a campfire while travelling the country playing music with the family concern, the Dead Ringer Band, and then touring, traveling or hanging with her own kids and friends.

Chambers' 12th album is filled with all many of the important things in her world – family, music, favourite people and an appearance from one of her biggest influences, veteran musician Emmy Lou Harris.

In so many ways it’s a return to self and a chance to remember what really is important. It’s a bare bones confessional, a sharing of stories and a return to simplicity.

“To me a campfire connects me to the land and earth and the elements around me,” says 43-yearold Chambers from her New South Wales central coast home during a rare break in touring. “It’s also about grounding myself and reminding myself what’s important.

“I get to do amazing things and travel around the world, which I love by the way. Standing in front of a huge crowd looks amazing on Instagram and I love sharing my life with people, but that’s not what fills my heart and soul every day. It’s doing things like sitting around a campfire.

“Sitting around a campfire you have to be very present. You don’t sit around a campfire thinking you’d rather be home watching TV.” Chambers admits that after releasing the chart-topping Dragonfly at the beginning of this year – an album which included guests like Ed Sheeran and Keith Urban – maybe releasing an acoustic campfire wasn’t the best career move. But like so many other moves she’s made in her life, it came from the heart and just needed to happen.

Campfire reminds Chambers where she comes from musically and personally and she wanted to make sure there was a record of that.

The album was made with three musicians she’s dubbed the Fireside Disciples: guitarist Brandon Dodd

of Grizzly Train, her dad Bill and Yawuru elder, Broome’s Alan Pigram.

The songwriter has been friends with Pigram for a long time and her connection to him comes from literally standing around a campfire.

“He’s one of my favourite people in the world. He’s someone who reminds you of what’s important and being present in the moment.

He’s someone in my life who is such a beautiful reminder of that and spending time with him puts it all back in perspective. I really don’t think he knows how naturally he does that for people, but they are drawn to him because of it.”

Campfire is also grounded in four places on earth which literally sing to Chambers: Australia, Norfolk Island, Africa and America.

Australia because it’s her home and Norfolk Island because it was a huge part of what became her first album, The Captain. America is another touch point because most of artist’s musical influences come from there and, after numerous African visits, she feels connected there too Chambers is an ambassador to

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SONG LINES Kasey Chambers and her Fireside Disciples are heading around regional Australia on their Campfire tour.

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Our Rainbow House, which supports a community on the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia, to care for their orphaned and vulnerable children.

While it would normally take Chambers a few years to write enough songs she was happy with, Campfire literally came in a rush, like it had been sitting waiting for years and just needed the right invitation to spill out.

“I’ve never pushed this one and just let it go, knowing it would come out when it was ready. I really think I was writing it subconsciously.

“I didn’t know what it needed to teach me when I started making it but as I started working on it, it was exactly what I needed. I kinda think that about every record – they all tell me something I didn’t know about myself.” MQ Kasey Chambers and her Fireside Disciples play Geraldton’s Queens Park Theatre (15 November), Moora Performing Arts Centre (16 November), Mundaring Weir Hotel (17 November) and Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre (18 November).

Campfire is out now.

AUDIO

VIVA THE RESOLUTION

By NORMAN BURNS

Images courtesy FIIO, SONY, ASTELL & KERN, BOSE, SENNHEISER

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wo words beginning with ‘c’ sum up the digital music era – ‘convenience’ and ‘compromise’.

As someone who remembers lugging around a portable cassette player, the ability to load hundreds, possibly thousands, of songs onto an MP3 player or your phone, is incredibly convenient.

However, the ‘compromise’ comes in regarding the sound quality; these digital formats – or ‘lossy’ in the industry jargon – have scrunched the music, stripping much of the original ‘colour’ and dynamics away.

It’s enough to make an audiophile weep.

Luckily there is a way for music buffs to enjoy the best of both

worlds; have all the music you like in a pocket-sized player but in a ‘lossless’ format that retains CDquality or even greater.

All you need is to shell out on a high-resolution digital audio player (DAP), devices that have high-end audio circuitry and specialised digital-to-analog converters (DACs).

Says audio expert Dan Cross, of Leederville’s Addicted to Audio: “They are built to do the job of storing and playing music to a high quality; not to send emails or check your social media and the like. Many, unlike most phones, have expandable storage and you can import your existing music library.”

DAP’s plug into a computer

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via a USB and more sophisticated models have WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and support music streaming services such as Tidal.

With a digital ‘out’ connection, you can plug them into your hi-fi as well.

And donning a pair of noisecancelling headphones will further enhance your portable listening experience.

New models are more sophisticated, lighter and smarter than ever. Here Dan gives his pick of some excellent DAP players, plus three of the latest and greatest noise cancelling headphones.

For more information, contact Addicted to Audio, 197 Oxford St Leederville, (08) 6478 4816, addictedtoaudio.com

AUTOCLASSIC.COM.AU

SWEET SOUNDS Head to Addicted to Audio for sound advice on your next audio purchase.

DAP WRAP HEADPHONE HEAVEN

FIIO M3K | $109 The all-new Fiio is an excellent entry-level DAP player, with lossless playback up to 384kHz/32 bit. With a MicroSD card it can store up to 512GB of music and the battery provides 26 hours of playback and up to 38 days’ stand-by. An inbuilt microphone means the Fiio M3K can also be used as a voice recorder.

ASTELL & KERN A&NORMA SR15

SONY WH-1000XM3

| $499

This model shows how far noise cancelling headphones have come. An adaptive sound control automatically adjusts ambient sound to your listening and the ‘phones can even interact with Google Assistant and Siri. With 30 hours’ wireless use, you can go to town on your entire music collection and changing tracks, turning the volume up (or down), even making a call is as easy as tapping a control panel with your finger. You can also download an app to control sound settings and adjust the equaliser and the Type-C USB connector allows for a 10-minute quick charge giving five hours of use.

| $999

The A&norma has a higher price tag but the listener also gets a lot more bells and whistles for their money. The A&norma has Bluetooth and WiFi connections, supports music streaming services and has 64GB of internal memory, which you can expand via a MicroSD slot.

ASTELL & KERN A&ULTIMA SP1000M

BOSE QC35II

| $499

Bose make some of the best sound gear around, so no surprise they produce an excellent wireless noise cancelling headphone.

These phones have 20 hours of wireless use, a volume optimised equaliser, can be voice controlled via Google Assistant with Amazon Alexa (Siri is coming soon) and there’s an option of a rapid 15-minute charge allowing 2.5 hours’ use.

| $3,499

A top of the range DAP player that incorporates cuttingedge tech. There’s a 10.4cm HD screen that can display album art, music playback and player information and the A&ultima has 128GB of internal memory, plus that extra MicroSD slot for expansion.

The A&ultima supports HD Bluetooth, WiFi and music streaming and its Type-C USB connection allows ultra-fast charging and music downloads.

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| $499

Another wireless noise cancelling beauty, this time from Germany audio experts Sennheiser. The PXC550 has 30 hours’ wireless use, an intuitive voice prompt system and you can change the track, take or make calls or adjust volume settings by a swipe of the fingertip on the control panel. MQ

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FASHION

AMAZING

FACE Jessica Gomes may be genetically blessed, but the David Jones’ ambassador is still just an ordinary Perth girl at heart. By BEVERLY LIGMAN Images courtesy DAVID JONES

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meet the delightful Jessica Gomes on the rooftop of Perth’s new QT Hotel and her warmth is instantly apparent, she’s stunning (obviously) but that’s only the outer layer of this Perth girl made good.

Home to launch David Jones’ new Westfield Carousel store, a two-storey retail masterpiece which is part of Westfield’s $350 million expansion; Jessica always makes sure to take time out for her family on her visits home to WA. The model and actress grew up in the Perth hills but has lived MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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in LA for the past 13 years. She has been David Jones’ Ambassador for the past six years.

“I love being home. I remember when I was a kid growing up here there was a real sense of space and isolation about WA, and I’d think, ‘I can’t wait to see what else is out there’,” Jessica says.

“Being David Jones ambassador has meant that I’ve been able to spend lots of time here, so I feel very lucky to be able to do that.

“I love that I get to be part of such a huge institution in Australian fashion and culture. Before I started being their ambassador I knew how big and iconic they were, it’s great to be part of a brand that has so much Australian heritage attached to it.

“I’ve really got to evolve with DJ’s and have a voice in what I’m doing with them, I feel like I’m part of the business and because of my role as ambassador I feel more embraced generally by the fashion industry in Australia. It’s been wonderful.”

The daughter of a Portuguese father and Chinese mother Jessica started acting and modelling when she was just 13. She left Perth at 17 to go and live and work in New York and after a few years was spotted by Sports Illustrated. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jessica has also recently added another string to her

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talented bow; business woman, launching her own skincare brand Equal Beauty a year and a half ago.

“It’s taken me three years to develop the brand and I’m really proud of it,” she says.

“I’ve grown so much from the experience, it's been really satisfying.

All of the products are infused with active Australian ingredients and powered by Korean and Japaneseinspired technology to help protect and hydrate the skin.

“I worked hard to create something that was fragrance free, but was also simple and appealed to all women.

“The name for the brand actually came from a woman on Instagram who referred to me as the new ‘Girl Next Door’ and then used the #equalbeauty – when I saw that, I thought, ‘that’s it, that’s the name of my skincare brand!’ It means a lot to be thought of in that way when it was so tough for me to break into the Aussie fashion industry.”

With only five products in the range, Equal Beauty is aimed at timepoor women on the go; a Moisture Veil sheet mask (with inbuilt ear hooks so it won’t fall off your face) is one of the highlights of the range.

Jessica was involved in the creation of all the products and uses

them herself daily.

So beauty wise who does she admire?

“I like to see beauty from within . . . I really love Patti Smith, I admire her style and think she looks amazing for her age, also Elle Macpherson is someone I look up to in a business and modelling sense.

“I enjoy Aussie women’s take on beauty; it's natural, paired back and inspired by the beach and our great weather. And model Winnie Harlow, it’s great to see diversity in beauty these days.”

Jessica attended the new seasons Collections launches for David Jones in both Sydney and Melbourne while she was home and headed back to the States in early September to be part of New York Fashion Week.

When she’s home she likes nothing better than hanging with her family; enjoying a day down at Cottesloe; swimming, eating fish and chips on the beach, then sharing a barbecue and movie night with her nieces or a swim in the family pool.

“When I’m back in Perth I just like to live a normal life, be with my family, enjoy the weather,” she says.

“I love the heat here and that unmistakable summer vibe that Perth has . . . you just can’t beat it, it’s home and it will always hold a special place in my heart.” MQ Equal Beauty is stocked exclusively at David Jones Westfield Carousel in Perth.

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I LOVE THE HEAT HERE AND THAT UNMISTAKABLE SUMMER VIBE THAT PERTH HAS…

BEAUTY BUSINESS Jessica Gomes has launched a range - Equal Beauty - which is stocked at David Jones exclusively.

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PERFORMANCE

TUCK IN

TIM MINCHIN’S AMAZING, TECHNICOLOUR CAREER CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND SURPRISE. HE’S PLAYING FRIAR TUCK IN A NEW HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTER AND SPOKE TO TOM DE SOUZA ABOUT THIS NEW ADDITION TO HIS REPERTOIRE.

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im Minchin is a man motivated by variety. His individual approach to the performing arts has seen him work as a comedian, actor, writer, composer, lyricist, and director; and in one of his most recent forays earlier in 2018, Tim played Friar Tuck in Otto Bathhurst’s adaptation of the English folklore classic, Robin Hood.

Tim says he is attracted to stories that resonate with his ideals of ‘how to be in the world’; and over the course of development and production, he says he established a natural affinity with Friar Tuck’s broader moral dilemmas, even despite superficial differences.

“You bring yourself to whatever you do,” says Tim. “It’s impossible to, or at

least not desirable to, put yourself aside. The reason I’m hired to act in a role is because they know I’m going to bring myself to it.

“Tuck is a religious person, and I’m well known for not being religious, but that’s superficial. What matters in acting is that your ‘youness’ glows through.

“I am increasingly interested in telling stories that are about how to be in the world. It sounds incredibly insincere, but how to act ethically and do the right thing. It’s these kinds of broader philosophical questions that are there all through Robin Hood, certainly in Tuck’s ethical dilemma.”

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The film is a Hollywood blockbuster, chock-full of battle scenes and romantic sub-plots, but Friar Tuck brings heart to the film and helps retain to retain the story’s classical narrative, says Tim. “This is a blockbuster, it’s got fantastic action sequences and it’s romantic, and there were amazing sets and fantastic stunts, but it has a real heart to it, and Tuck is a fairly important part of the heart of the movie. I think he’s the sort of the uncle, the storyteller, the chorus.”

All roles, then, that Tim excels in.

“What I love about the movie is it sort of sits in this esoteric historical wonderland that’s not accurately

“I really love it. I find acting really interesting, this idea of sinking into a moment where you’re trying to honestly portray someone else . . .” ~ TIM MINCHIN

MONK-EY BUSINESS Tim Minchin's career has taken another interesting turn, as he stars as Friar Tuck in a new version of Robin Hood, out on November 22.

anything. But that’s what Otto does so well. This sort of idea that if you’re telling a myth from history, you want to uncouple it from reality enough so it feels like a history that never quite existed,” he says.

While some actors employ various approaches to get in character for a film, Tim admits he is more of the pragmatic sort, and instead worked closely with Otto to evolve the personality of his character.

“What is in the text, if it’s on the page, it’s my job to go: ‘well, this guy, judging by what the script says is feeling this’. And my job is to make sure the audience understands that.

If the director says it’s not translating

to the camera, then I’ll find another way. I really love it. I find acting really interesting, this idea of sinking into a moment where you’re trying to honestly portray someone else, but I don’t get up in my head about it beforehand,” he says.

Tim says he is highly motivated to fulfil a career of diversity, and says by not pigeon-holing himself to one particular craft, he has been able to develop his own brand of art and bring his own unique self to the forefront of every role he plays.

“My whole obsession is variety.

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know how much people on the outside understand how amazing it is to get to play a role in a blockbuster like Robin Hood, but be totally in control of your own art,” he says.

Tim has also enjoyed huge success with his musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda, which he wrote the lyrics for nine years ago. Matilda the Musical has gone on to become one of the most critically-lauded musicals of the last 20 years, winning more than 85 international awards.

Like Robin Hood, Tim says the covert messages inherent in Matilda deeply touched him, and he is proud to be able propagate those messages to the world.

“Every week, 20,000 people listen to that story about how reading and knowledge is power, and how you can’t be ethically passive. That you have to stand up to bullies and care for your friends, but more than anything, that anti-intellectualism is not the way forward. And that is something that really resonates with me.”

An avid reader, Tim is a huge fan of Dahl’s work. He says he had wanted to adapt Matilda into a musical for many years, and not only does he relate to the story of the film, but it has been the springboard that has enabled him to fulfil a life of personal and professional freedom.

“When I was offered to work on Matilda, I was asked, ‘do you know Roald Dahl?’ I went, ‘yes! I know absolutely everything he’s ever written! It changed my life, Matilda.

It was the most incredible gift. I had got known recently as a comedian and that brought me back to theatre.

Matilda opened in Korea yesterday, and it has meant I’m free, probably forever, to do what I see as artistically and ethically good work.” MQ

NEW MODELS

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD

THE NEXT THREE YEARS WILL BE DEFINING TIMES FOR BMW AND THE AUTO CLASSIC TEAM, AS 52 MODELS ARE RELEASED.

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he Auto Classic team recently returned from the 2018 BMW Sales & Marketing Conference hosted at the MCG in Melbourne.

As well as being treated to a walking tour of the grounds and motivational presentation by Paul Salmon, the biggest inspiration was the reveal of Germany’s latest innovation and engineering marvel.

The upshot? There will be 52 new models released to the public over the next three years, including a number of very important replacements or all-new vehicles, set to arrive on the showroom floor in the coming months and years.

LATEST TO HIT THE SHOWROOM

X RANGE:

M2 Competition - it’s the sports car that changes every road. The BMW M2 Competition Coupé overwhelms with an outstanding combination of performance, agility and precision.

The aggressive air inlets in the front apron signal the concentrated power of the new 302kW Twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder petrol engine.

The BMW M2 Competition Coupé is a permanent guarantee of high performance and the aspiration to set new records. A pure-bred M automobile, built for winners. MQ X5 – Book an appointment for a private viewing from November 1.

X3 – November 2017 X2 – March 2018 X4 – September 2018 X5 – November 2018 Early 2019 – New X6, New X7

MARCH MADNESS: Launches expected for March 2019 3 Series 8 Series Z4 X2 M35i X3M X4M

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THE X5 IS COMING The all new BMW X5.

Its presence is clear for all to see – upright, powerful and elegant.

The mighty one-piece double kidney grille hints at what will happen when it takes a deep breath. And the honed X-design of the headlights leaves no doubt that it will take the lead. Equipped with new technologies for more safety and maximum driving dynamics on every surface, the new BMW X5 knows where it’s going. And how to get there first.

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WINE

EA L P OF

FAITH The Burch Family Wines has been having a purple patch, with a top gong going to their sparkling wine at a ceremony celebrating the best Champagne and sparkling wines in the world.

By FERGAL GLEESON.

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omething pretty unexpected happened in London in September last year. A sparkling wine from Western Australia took out two trophies for Best Australian Sparkling wine and Best Australian Non-Vintage Brut Blend at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.

Victoria and Tasmania dominate the Australian premium sparkling wine sector, with the likes of Chandon, House of Arras and Clover Hill. Traditionally Western Australia was nowhere. So this result was quite a surprise.

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was years in the making.

Jeff Burch, the owner of Burch Family Wines, laughs that the business case for making a world-class sparkling wine was sketchy. Methode traditionelle sparkling wine is expensive and technically complicated to make. You’re competing in bottle shops and wine lists with the tradition, expertise and brand power of Champagne powerhouses such as Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Louis Roederer. It’s not a challenge that any in the West have taken up – until Jeff.

But if you’ve ever spoken to Jeff Burch, you’ll know one thing. He isn’t afraid of a challenge. Jeff and wife Amy have built Burch Family Wines into Western Australia’s largest family-owned winery with a dizzying range of wines from the super-premium to the everyday under the Howard Park, Marchand & Burch, Mon Tout and Madfish labels.

The first thing you need to make serious sparkling wine is the right site. The Champagne region is at the northern

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edge of grape growing in France. It has a cool climate where grapes ripen slowly. Jeff settled on a site high on the hillside of Mount Barrow, in the Great Southern, as the source for Howard Park sparkling wine. It’s infertile, has very little water and is exposed to cold winds coming off the Southern Ocean. It’s the sort of site that would break most farmer’s hearts. But its very stubbornness makes it a great location for premium chardonnay and pinot oir vines.

Then you need to invest heavily.

Jeff reckons that he has spent over $1 million on the specialised equipment required to make sparkling wine at Howard Park's Margaret River winery, including a specialist bottling line and riddling cages. This has given Howard Park full control of the winemaking process, from grape to bottling.

Sparkling wine also requires the accumulation of large stocks of base wines which are blended into non-vintage sparkling wines. Howard Park’s vintage sparkling wine Grand Jeté 2013 is held for five years prior to release. Neither of these factors make an accountant happy.

There is a lot of technique involved in making a premium sparkling wine. This is where the skill and inquiring mind of Howard

Park Winemaker Janice McDonald was brought to bear. First, was the fun bit. Extensive tastings ensued of large producer and grower Champagnes to refine the style that they were after.

Then the multitude of decisions that determine success or failure. When to pick the grapes to get the optimum balance of ripeness and freshness.

Decisions on malolactic and barrel fermentation. Choices on dosage (the right amount of sugar added to balance acidity).

The result is the Jeté range which takes its name from the ballet term meaning ‘to leap’. The choice of Jeté is no marketing frippery. Jeff’s brother David was a principal dancer with the Australian Ballet before becoming a vineyard manager at Howard Park. Jeff’s sister Lesley worked with the West Australian Ballet Company. Howard Park is a sponsor of the WA Ballet.

What Howard Park is doing in Great Southern, by comparison to the large Champagne houses, on a tiny scale, but as the recent success in London shows, Jeff Burch’s leap of faith on Mount Barrow sparkling wine has been validated.

The ultimate test, of course, for any method traditionelle sparkling wine is ‘would I substitute it for my next Champagne purchase?’ The answer with the Jeté range is an unequivocal yes. MQ

TO TRY HOWARD PARK PETIT JETÉ

NV RRP $32

Petit Jeté is the newest edition and entry level to the range designed to be a little softer in style. A delicious and sophisticated chardonnay-dominant sparkling wine that’s crisp and dry. The fruit flavour brought to mind is Granny Smith apples. There are toasty yeast lees flavours and a hint of sweetness to reward you on the finish.

HOWARD PARK JETÉ NV RRP $36

Last year’s release won trophies in London. Like the Petit Jeté this wine is made from predominantly chardonnay with a little pinot noir (2%). The grapes are all sourced from Mount Barrow where they are harvested early to maintain acidity and delicate fruit flavours.

This has a lightness of touch. It dances on the tongue. The quality of the underlying fruit is really apparent in this wine and it has the complexity associated with 30 months on yeast lees.

HOWARD PARK GRAND JETÉ

2013 RRP $42

Different flavours to the other two Jetés courtesy of the much larger pinot noir input (43%) which provides a strawberry lift to the citrus chardonnay flavours. The play of the chardonnay and pinot are the key to this wine which is made in an extra brut style (extra dry). It’s really refreshing with the added depth of 48 months on yeast lees.

For more information visit burchfamilywines.com.au

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SAVE 20% ON ALL MINI PARTS, ACCESSORIES AND MERCHANDISE.* ALL AVAILABLE STOCK AT AUTO CLASSIC MINI GARAGE BEFORE DECEMBER 23.

Please present this ad at Auto Classic MINI Garage or Auto Classic Parts Department to redeem discount on THE MINI LIFESTYLE COLLECTION. items in stock.

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AUTO CLASSIC MINI GARAGE

ADVENTURE

THE CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE, AN 11-MONTH, 64,375KM ODYSSEY THAT CIRCUMNAVIGATES THE GLOBE, IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST SPORTING CHALLENGES. BUT THERE’S A UNIQUE ELEMENT TO THE CLIPPER; IT’S OPEN TO ANYONE – EVEN IF YOU’VE NEVER SAILED IN YOUR LIFE.

By NORMAN BURNS Images courtesy CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD

SEA

LEGS S ome do it for the personal glory.

Some do it for the bragging rights.Some do it to tick off a ‘bucket list’ item.

But most who enter the Clipper Round The World Race are looking to challenge themselves, competing in an incredible adventure that can be a lifechanging, and affirming, experience.

Usually, only professional sailors get to experience races like this,

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MQ ADVENTURE

but the Clipper Round the World, although led by professional skippers, is unique because it offers anyone even if they have absolutely no sailing experience - the chance to take part.

The only rider is you’ll need pretty deep pockets – just under $90,000 in fact to crew on all eight legs across nearly 65,000km of ocean, making it the world’s longest yacht race (individual legs are also available).

The Clipper race is the brainchild of British sailor Sir Robin KnoxJohnston who, in 1969, became the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world.

Eight yachts set off in the first Clipper race in 1996; for the 12th

edition a dozen 70-foot vessels, designed by naval architect Tony Castro and the third generation of Clipper racer, will take to the seas.

As befits ocean going racing yachts, these high-tech beauties are pared down to the bare bones with crew comforts at the very minimum.

Clipper’s motto is “Race by People Like You” and that’s been a driving force for Sir Robin – giving people from all walks of life and abilities the chance to experience racing on the high seas.

“The beauty of the ocean is that it doesn’t care if you are a seasoned ocean racer or a nurse on your first crossing; it still serves up the same MARQUE SPRING 2018

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IN FULL SAIL Rockingham’s Trevor Taylor fulfilled a lifetime dream sailing around the globe in the Clipper Round The World race.

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challenges at the same intensity,” says Sir Robin. “People take on the Clipper Race because they have a desire that sets them apart. They want to live life to the full.”

Each of the 12 yachts will have a professional skipper but anyone can apply to be a crew member.

Clipper organisers say while sailing ability is not a pre-requisite to be considered to crew on a boat, what is crucial is “your level of desire, determination and enthusiasm, they say. You need to be a team player and someone who is tolerant, forgiving, understanding and supportive. If you have these ‘soft’ skills we can turn you into an accomplished ocean racer.”

Successful applicants aren’t just “thrown in the deep end” though – each has to undergo a 26-day race crew training program before being allowed to compete.

Around 40 per cent of Clipper competitors have no sailing experience at all but others, like Rockingham’s Trevor Taylor, have salt water running through their veins.

Trevor, 64, caught the sailing bug aged 10 when his parents bought him a dinghy as a Christmas present.

Five decades on he’s an experienced open water competitor (five Sydney to Hobarts, competing with his youngest son in the 2013

Melbourne to Osaka race) and countless hours offshore racing off Fremantle. But Trevor had long dreamed of sailing around the world.

“Initially I had hoped to sail my current yacht around the world but while I’d retired and had the time not many of my mates did so it ended up on the back-burner,” he says.

The lure of a spot of sailing – and racing – in the 2016/17 Clipper Race proved too much.

“I sailed on PSP Worldwide Logistics and sailed on all eight legs. For the race from Seattle to Panama I ended up on Great Britain as they needed a mate and I had the qualifications to allow me to fill that role for them,” says Trevor.

Sailing alongside novices didn’t faze Trevor.

“There were quite a few novice sailors and even people that hadn’t sailed at all prior to Clipper who enjoyed it as much as an old-timer like me. They soon get to learn how it all works with a bit of help from those of us that had done a bit before. The first race, for instance, was 6,500 nautical miles long and took 31 days to complete. You learn a lot in a race like that,” he says.

Apart from some “great sailing and seeing many fantastic things both on and off the water”, Trevor says a highlight was the friendships built during his 11 months at sea.

“I hadn’t met any of them before joining Clipper but the friendships I made and the camaraderie we shared – in easy times and tough – is something I will always remember.”

And the $90,000 question is, would he do it all over again?

“Yes I would. It appears I enjoy sailing across oceans. I was so glad that I decided to do the race and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

THE LOWDOWN The Clipper Round The World Race will be held from August 2019 to July 2020, starting from the United Kingdom and held across eight legs – The Atlantic Trade Winds MARQUE SPRING 2018

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CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD By the Numbers 89,300 total cost, in $Aus, of sailing all eight legs of the race* (*includes cost of compulsory 26-day pre-race crew training)

64,375 distance in kilometres of entire race 11,852 distance in kilometres of longest single leg (United Kingdom to South America)

5,000 number of crew members who have competed in the Clipper Race since its inception

40 percentage of race crews who have never

sailed before

38 longest legs (in days) – Eastern Australia to

Qingdao, China and West Coast USA to East Coast USA

30 maximum speed, in knots, race yachts will reach in big seas

29 height in metres of a Clipper 70 mast 23 length in metres of the Clipper 70 race yacht 12 number of Clipper 70 yachts taking part in the 2019-20 event

12 editions of the Clipper Race 12 professional skippers involved 11 months spent at sea if all legs sailed 8 number of legs 1 overall race winner (in 2017 Sanya Serenity

Coast, skippered by Australian Wendy Tuck)

0 lowest temperature, in Celsius, expected on Leg 5, Eastern Australia to Qingdao

(6,400 nautical miles, 35 days racing); The South Atlantic Challenge (3,600nm and 17 days racing); The Southern Ocean (4,800nm, 23 days racing); The All-Australian Leg (4,750nm, 27 days racing): The Asia-Pacific Leg 6,000nm, 38 days racing); The Mighty Pacific (5,800nm, 28 days racing): The USA Coast-to-Coast (6,200nm, 38 days racing) and The Atlantic Homecoming (4,300nm, 22 days racing). The fleet is due in Fremantle in November 2019, with the fourth leg – Fremantle to Queensland – starting in December 2019. MQ For more details and information on how to apply for a crew position, contact Crew Recruitment Director Della Parsons at dparsons@clipper-ventures.com call (02) 9363 2020 or visit clipperroundtheworld.com

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PRESS

FROM DREAMS TO REALITY

Calvin Luk grew up imagining creating the perfectly designed BMW - and now he’s turned those visions into reality with the new Z4 roadster.

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ike so many Australian boys before him, Calvin Luk grew up dreaming of sports cars, images of the beautiful vehicles he’d drive as a grown-up bouncing around his head.

But, unlike most little boys, those daydreams in the Sydney suburbs turned into reality as he used his unrivalled design skills to forge a career in the motor industry that would see him quickly rise to the vaulted position of BMW’s technical wunderkind.

And that career reached a new high this year when his latest creation, the new Z4 roadster, was introduced to an awestruck world.

The beautiful sports car, available at Auto Classic next year, attracted gasps of delight and rave reviews and was quickly heralded as another feather in the caps of both BMW

itself and their star designer.

Calvin’s love of cars was first cemented when, as a young teenager, he visited the Sydney Motor Show and knew straight away that he wanted to spend his life designing beautiful vehicles. After excelling at school, his first step on the way to his dream was to study at the Art

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Centre College of Design in California.

His achievements there did not go unnoticed and no sooner had he graduated than he was offered an internship at BMW, and finally a place in their advanced design studio in Munich.

Now 32, Luk’s portfolio was impressive even before the Z4 was unveiled in, ironically, California in August.

He has already been responsible for the design work on BMW’s current X1 and X3 SUVs, and is also secretly plugged into design work on the autonomous and electric cars that are not far down the road, an area he believes will be the future of the motoring industry.

The creation of the new Z4 marks 10 years for Calvin at BMW, an experience he describes as better even than he imagined when he was a kid with big dreams in the Sydney suburbs. And that decade has seen him become acknowledged as one of the most influential young designers in motoring.

Calvin is also not shy about admitting that he has finished up working for his favourite car manufacturer – his parents always drove BMWs of one type of another as he was growing up and his mother today can be see regularly behind the wheel of her own Z4.

“It was always a dream to come to BMW, since I was a little boy. I’m enjoying it here. There is no reason to think about anything else,” Calvin told Australian Business Traveller earlier this year.

As for the new Z4, connoisseurs of the iconic roadster will be bowled over by the classic car’s transformation. The elongated bonnet boasts arrow-shaped contour lines directed at the kidney grill and straddles the wheel arches in the “clamshell” style so characteristic of classic sports cars.

Drivers will love the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and the 2,998cc engine which drives this beautiful machine to a top speed of 250km/h with blistering acceleration capable of taking you from a standing start to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds.

It truly is the perfect sports car, but don’t take Calvin’s word for it, test drive one at Auto Classic to find out for yourself. MQ

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5000 YEARS OF CIVILISATION REBORN

19–23 FEB The Regal Theatre

ENTIRELY NEW 2019 PRODUCTION WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

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TICKETS: 1300 795 012 • Ticketek.com.au Presenter helpline: 0477 280 668

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MOTORRAD ACCESSORIES

The new BMW X5.

Arrives at Auto Classic November 2018.

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INTERVIEW

ORIENT EXPRESS A trip to Mongolia for a group of BMW motorcycle owners lived up to expectations, and then some, says Auto Classic Motorrad’s Aaron Mcdonald-King.

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he adventure started in June this year and the premise was simple, even if the destination was anything but.

We wanted to take a group of BMW motorcycle owners to experience the wild and untouched landscape of Mongolia, and to ride into Russia. It would be the first adventure of its kind that we knew of, where we shipped our own bikes out to the destination and brought them home again.

The route we had planned would involve us riding through areas that had been featured in Charlie Boreman and Ewan MacGregor’s famous Long Way Down trip, which they also undertook riding BMW bikes. There was a lot of logistics and planning involved as you can imagine, to make sure the bikes all arrived safely. They were crated and sent to China, and then sent by rail to Ulan Bator in Mongolia to start

our adventure.

My bike of choice was a 2017 BMW F800 GSAdventure, purposebuilt by BMW with a larger 21-inch front wheel, giving higher ground clearance. It also had a longer-range fuel tank designed to sit under the rider’s seat, to provide a lower centre of gravity for better balance and handling. The great thing about the BMW adventure models is nothing more is required; you simply put on some luggage and enjoy your adventure.

It was hard to anticipate what challenges we’d face, but we tried to account for them by being as prepared as possible for the adventure. Mongolia being such an exotic and untamed country you really don’t know what to expect but with the experience of fellow riders who had ridden in the country before, we all had confidence knowing that we would MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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HIGH TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY The Motorrad group of riders experienced unforgettable moments during their trip to Mongolia. Below, a rest stop riding from the Russian border to Ulan Ude.

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be well supported. The most exciting part of the ride was to expect the unexpected.

However, challenges faced by myself and some fellow riders was initially included a lack of off-road riding experience. Even with some riders having ridden with smaller

bikes off-road, there was some getting used to the terrain, riding larger, more powerful adventure touring models.

For the first few days our endurance and skills were tested to the max, but with each new challenge we managed to overcome, our confidence built more and more.

For me, the main key each day was to remain focused and keep my concentration levels up, and to ride to my own ability. I realised that we all had to find our own comfort level, and that meant in some instances not trying to keep up with others. There were plenty of opportunities to stop and ride at our own pace and the ride was planned as such in order for everyone, no matter what skill level they were at, to have a great time and get home safely.

The last week of our three-week trip took us through the Russian border country, into Ulan Ude and onto into Irkutsk, one of the largest cities in Siberia. I wouldn’t want to spoil it for someone wanting to go as this part of Russia, but all I can say is ‘wow’, what a different part of the world. The lakes looked like the ocean - Russia just needs to be experienced for its people and way of life.

A typical day would be as follows.

It began with waking up around 6 to 8am, depending on how much of a good time you had the previous night to be fuelled by an awesome cooked breakfast with plenty of choice. It was all cooked for us, and then it was time to pack up your own tent and get ready for wheels up, which varied but would usually begin around 9 to 10am. It’s hard to describe a typical day in the saddle because really there was no such thing. The country is simply amazing and changes from day to day. We definitely had some hard days while other days were just bliss, riding around, enjoying the vastness and a landscape untouched for thousands of years.

The experience of being able to walk back in time, remembering

what it was like to live life without technology, was special. Also the chance to enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow riders was unforgettable: we all had the task of taking care of each other and contributing to making it the trip of a lifetime for everybody who took part.

All credit and a really special thanks to Vic Hussey who made sure we were well cared for and provided with anything we needed. They really did go above and beyond to make it a special experience. In fact, there has been so much interest from other bike enthusiasts since our return that we are planning a similar yet different trip for 2019. Numbers will be capped at 12 so if you’re thinking of

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doing such an adventure, you’re interest needs to be confirmed by December.

If you would like to come, please feel free to come and see me anything. I’m happy to discuss where we went and information on how to experience the adventure for yourself.

TIP: Follow our Auto Classic READY, SET, GO Below, the group all ready to go on their first day from the Ulan Bator Hotel. Bottom left, the camp site at Erdenet and bottom right, the first night's camping spot in Lund.

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Motorrad Facebook page and you’ll find a Perth BMW riders group page which features short videos and extra photos. MQ

Visit Aaron at Auto Classic Motorrad or email aaron.mcdonald-king@ autoclassic.com.au

SPORT

BATTER UP! The Australian Baseball League gets underway in November but Perth Heat’s quest for a 16th Claxton Shield will be challenging – new teams from New Zealand and a Geelong-based Korean side mean the competition will be hotter than ever.

By NORMAN BURNS. Images: courtesy AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE, SMP IMAGES

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t’s probably fair to say that elitelevel baseball in Australia, despite a fine record of producing players who can compete with the world’s best, has never really struck a home run with the country’s sporting public at large.

Sure, baseball has had – and

still has – a phalanx of dedicated, hard-core fans, but despite several iterations of the Australian Baseball League (including at one stage being owned by Major League Baseball) and Australia being ranked a highly creditable eighth in the world, it is yet to really carve a substantial MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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WELL-ARMED: Perth and Team Australia pitcher Tom Bailey.

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foothold in the country’s sporting landscape.

But all that could change with the coming season, touted as the dawn of a new era for the ABL. For a start, the ownership of the six core clubs – the Heat, Brisbane Bandits, Sydney Blue Sox, Melbourne Aces, Adelaide Bite and Canberra Cavalry – has now been privatised. The Bite is now under the umbrella of AFL club Adelaide Crows.

The addition of two new sides, the Auckland Tuatara and a Korean team based in Geelong, Victoria, called simply Geeloong-Korea, opens up massive opportunities for international exposure and coverage of the games.

And in a first for top-level sport in Australia, the ABL will be introducing a “wildcard” play-off for teams to make the finals series – a move that is sure to be closely watched by other codes, particularly the AFL. Perth Heat’s new owners, businessman Rory Vassallo, broadcaster Christian Galopolous and America’s Cup winner Eileen ‘Red’ Bond, are excited about the sport’s huge potential.

Vassallo told the ABL website: “Baseball is a great summer sport played under lights in a family-fun atmosphere . . . we are confident that the revamp of the ABL competition will lead to much stronger support and greater commercial success.”

Baseball Australia CEO Cameron Vale, who’s had a wealth of elite sports management experience across several codes, believes the 2018-19 season will be a watershed moment for the ABL and baseball in Australia.

“We’re very confident this (new) model will be successful,” says Cameron. “We have had long-term commitments from a number of the new owners and have a business plan in place which will ensure the ABL is a sustainable, cost-effective and highquality league.”

The addition of the Korean side is a real ace in the pack, with a live TV audience of potentially millions.

Australian audiences won’t miss out either, with Fox Sports announcing just before MQ went to print that it will broadcast live more than 40 games, including select playoff fixtures, from November 15 to February 3.

“Each and every game GeelongKorea play this season will be broadcast live on Korean television, which will give Australian teams and players an increased profile in Asia.

The flow-on effects are large and we expect unprecedented growth in this season and beyond,” says Cameron, who is hopeful the new structure and opportunity for exposure into Asia will help attract a naming rights sponsor for the league.

The introduction of a New

Zealand side, the Auckland Tuatara, is sure to add another dimension to the legendary Australian-Kiwi sporting rivalry.

Cameron says as well as top-class sporting action, the ABL offers affordable, family-centric fun.

“Home series are played across the weekend (Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon), so there’s ample opportunity to attend games.

Another quirk of the game is if you catch a home run or foul ball you can keep the baseball. Players are easily accessible and are always willing to sign autographs and have photos taken. It’s a fantastic night out and with more interest in the league than ever before, there’s no better time to get down to the ballpark.” MQ Perth Heat takes on the Auckland Tuatara, in what will be the New

Zealand franchise’s first-ever ABL match, in a four-game home series at Harley-Davidson Ballpark, corner Nicholson/Wilfred Roads, Thornlie, from 7.05pm Friday November 16.

For more details, visit web. theabl.com.au or phone 1300 557 353.

STANDOUT SEASON: (top) Perth Heat’s Jake Frawley, named the ABL’s Most Valuable Player last season, after smashing a home run against the Adelaide Bite.

NICE HIT: (above) Heat young gun Alex Hall celebrates a home run with third base coach Craig Albernaz.

HEAT RUN HOT: (above) Perth players celebrate after a Claxton Shield triumph.

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MINI COUNTRYMAN

HEADING SOUTH Megan Anderson took the MINI Countryman on a weekend away to explore the Margaret River region.

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hunky jumper hanging loose.

Damp towel around the waist.

Beanie askew. Big grin. Flat white.

That’s the scene at the neighbouring table when we land at The White Elephant beachfront café on a crisp morning in the middle of winter. Seeing contented locals enjoy a post-dip breakfast just paces from Gnarabup Bay is all the reminder we need: this region has appeal beyond its tourist bumph.

There’ll be classy tipples and gorgeous scenery, sure. But it’s the laid back vibe – towels draped over rails, dog walkers silhouetted along the convivial curve of the beach – that has lured us here for a short break. We’re looking for a contrast to the urban grind, and we’ve found it.

Breakfast is excellent, by the way.

And the coffee. We’ve driven 300 kilometres south from Perth but there’s been no need to relinquish our soft city expectations of being well fed and watered. This is a region whose regard for gourmet sensibilities is high.

We discover this a couple of hours

into our drive down, when we’re lured in by the big red doors of the Fire Station in Busselton. Whatever tension we’re holding from the week has already burned off with thoughts of the artless landscapes and fireside cabernets to come. It seems only right to mark our official entry into the region (the bustling small city of Busselton heralds its northern edge) with some great bao and pork belly by the fire and a local drop from the tapped wine barrels at this honeyhued small bar.

Next, some sea air. We flick the MINI Countryman into Sport Mode and wind our way to the tip of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge. At the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse, a new whale watching platform affords a sense of scale. It’s 135 kilometres to the sister lighthouse at the cape’s southern end. We feel pretty tiny.

Below us, hikers make like ants along the Cape to Cape track. If they’re going the distance, it’ll take them about a week.

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HIGH AND LOW The region is well known for its picturesque vistas, including lighthouses, caves and forests.

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leg stretch along tracks lined with gnarled melaleucas and coastal heath.

The triangular protrusion that is Sugarloaf rock turns a soft peach as the sun dips into the sea. City grind?

What city? Back in Margaret River town, we toast the end of Day One at The River Hotel, a rejuvenated Tudor-style pub, timber-hewn and cosy, whose impressive wall of spirits glows warm behind the bar.

To wake up at Burnside Organic Farm is to be reminded that, no matter how good the whisky and the duck wantons in town, you really are in the country. Chickens

A DV ERT I S I NG FE ATUR E

burble. Piglets do the mud thing.

There’s a vast veggie patch, grape vines, beehives and fruit-bearing trees. Everything is done on organic and biodynamic principles here, including the Zinfandel and Vermentino wine.

Only guests in the rammed earth and limestone bungalows can access the seasonal fare, but that hasn’t stopped the occasional traveller lobbing down the dirt track to photograph themselves posing with the tractor, or chopping wood.

We suppose they’re trying to augment their Instagram feeds with

a dose of ‘down south’ authenticity.

We hear them.

For us, it’s a jaunt down Caves Road, the tree-lined, cave-dotted, vineyard-flanked tourist drive. It’s home to wildlife parks, farm gates and galleries, and more cellar doors than anyone can reasonably hope to conquer. We give it a nudge. Come late lunch time, we’re in the mood for cleansing ale.

At Caves Road Collecti ve, we get options: beer, wine and gin are all made here. We opt for a paddle of beer in the copper-clad tasting room, and crab pasta overlooking the lake.

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If not for the promise of further discoveries, we might sit with that fireplace until nightfall.

We forge south, hankering for tall trees. Deep in Boranup Forest, soft sunlight bounces off pale-trunked karris towering over gentle valleys. It looks like a fairy tale. Caves Road bends and weaves right through it – a perfect afternoon drive.

We make for the coast once more and park up at Surfer’s Point in Prevelly. Soon we’ll seek out a cheeky shiraz at Swings Taphouse and Kitchen, but first we want to check out this iconic beach – a central pillar of Margaret River’s soul.

This is where the surfing crowd has made its pilgrimage for years: before the vines went in, before the winery restaurants rated, before the world’s spotlight got switched on.

And here’s where the laidback vibe prevails. Surfers, dogs, beachcombers, onlookers; everyone has their gaze on the horizon, shoulders relaxed, smiles ready.

Who could tire of watching the sun go down over the ocean? MQ To arrange a MINI Countryman test drive, visitautoclassic.minigarage. com.au

DESIGN

THE DESIGN TEAM AT MODA INTERIORS COMPLETED A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT IN THE NORTHERN SUBURBS, CREATING A TRANSFORMATION WHICH TRULY REFLECTED THEIR CLIENT’S VISION.

DREAM HOME DELIVERED

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reating luxurious but personal living spaces was the motivation behind a stunning renovation Moda Interiors recently completed in Hillarys.

Kate Barakovska, Moda Interiors' creative director, spent four weeks in design, selections and specification, and the property was renovated over a 10-week period while the clients were overseas.

Kate listened to the clients’ needs and understood their objective, while being mindful of their budget.

“The whole home was gutted inside and out, apart from the bathrooms and laundry,” says Kate. “These rooms really didn’t require updating as I felt it

Before

would be a waste of money to initiate unnecessary changes.”

The interior and exterior were painted, and all custom cabinetry was designed by Moda.

“New flooring was installed, including wooden floors, carpet and tiles. Window treatments, furniture, plumbing and lighting features were also selected by Moda to create a house that reflects the owner’s past, present and future,” says Kate.

The redesign of the master suite has a distinct luxurious hotel feel, with a bedroom adjacent converted into a custom-designed walk-in robe.

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BEAUTIFULLY FUNCTIONAL The Moda Interiors team transformed their client's home, reflecting the cultural inspirations they held dear.

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Skylights were installed which will cleverly close when the skylights detect rain.

“The existing kitchen and scullery were demolished to make way for a more seamless and functional space with integrated appliances and a large cool room tucked away in the scullery,” says Kate.

Quality selections were used such as Silestone Eternal Calacatta Gold

by Cosentino for the benchtops and splashback, with Briggs Veneer for all the cabinetry.

Cultural influences dictated the transformation of what is now known as the Mongolian Room, drawing inspiration from a photograph of the

client’s son sitting in a traditional Mongolian Yurt.

“It is a place the owner can relax in that reminds her of home,” says Kate.

Kate and the team are passionate about interpreting a client’s vision, and they consistently deliver a reality that channels and expands on the original concept.

“Moda Interiors believes it is important to love the way you live,” says Kate. “A dream home should reflect the life stories of the people who live there.”

Visit modainteriors.com.au

SPACE AND LUXURY Above, the new walk-in robe has been completely transformed. Left, the new kitchen, and below, the Mongolian Room.

Before

Before

MODA INTERIORS COLLABORATES WITH AUTO CLASSIC BMW. A new collaboration between Moda Interiors and Auto Classic BMW during November provides the perfect match between the two brands. Visit the showrom during the month of November to see Living Movement, a celebration of design by Moda Interiors.

“The magic of the BMW is in the details, and as an interior designer, my philosophy for a successful home is also detail driven,” says Kate Barakovska of Moda Interiors.

“I have been driving a BMW for eight years, and I was attracted to the brand not only for their well engineered vehicles but for the ultimate comfort and safety they provide to my family and I. BMW have a timeless design that combines convenience, luxury and elegance, which is how I go about my job as a designer.”

Stay up to date by following Auto Classic BMW and Moda Interiors on Facebook or email rsvp@autoclassic.com.au for more information.

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INTERVIEW

Marilyn Robson is one of Baptistcare’s unsung heroes, giving back to her community and improving the lives of Indigenous people in Dryandra. By TOM DE SOUZA.

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aptistcare volunteer Marilyn Robson was born to give.

She grew up in various towns around the Wheatbelt and as one of 13 children, quickly learned the necessity of sharing and the importance of family.

These formative circumstances shaped the latter years of her life, so when she left school at 14 to help care for her younger siblings, Marilyn already had dreams of being a nurse.

Marilyn realised her dream at 19, when she landed her first job at Kunnanoppin Hospital. Today, 54 years later, she continues to give back as an aged care volunteer at Baptistcare’s Dryandra facility.

“All my life, family has been really important. It’s about being able to give back now, and share a family experience with people in aged care,” says Marilyn.

Marilyn is also a Noongar woman, and in the later years of her career she moved from nursing to work as an Aboriginal Education Officer around the South West region.

Today, she provides an important cultural connection for Baptistcare

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Kelleberrin’s Aboriginal residents, Marion Pickett and Malcolm Hayden.

Indigenous people make up around 10% of the care home's population, and Marilyn says she enjoys doing what she can for her community by continuing to help and celebrate both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of the area.

Baptistcare CEO Russell Bricknell says they rely heavily on the work of volunteers like Marilyn, who help to normalise the experience of aged care for its residents, and to create a broader community beyond the nursing home.

“Volunteers certainly make a huge difference in the life of our residents,” Russell says.

“One thing they do is provide an enriched life that’s engaged with broader community. They also provide an engagement process around particular cultural or societal aspects.

In the case of Marilyn, it’s the people she visits in Kelleberrin and provides a cultural connection for them, back to their whole culture.”

Baptistcare have over 300 volunteers around Western Australia, ranging in age from those in their early twenties to those of similar ages to the residents. Russell says many aged care residents face loneliness and social isolation, and volunteers also help to restore a sense of wellbeing and belonging.

“If you think about a residential aged care service, it’s not a normal living environment because you have staff moving in and around all the time. In the community, you have your own spaces and you are out and engaging with people in the town, you’re participating in activities with people in the town.

“Quite often the community connections for residents completely stop when they come through the door. So volunteering for us is really important, because it provides people with an engagement to the outside world, which helps people particularly with the issues of loneliness.”

Russell has worked in the aged

care sector for over 18 years, and says the sector has grown enormously in that time. Demographic change and population ageing across Australia are increasing demand for aged care services, and Russell attributes much of that growth to improvements in modern medicine.

“Our life expectancy as a society has gone up dramatically, particularly in the last 30 to 40 years.

“We sign birthday cards for people when they turn 100, and every year after that. I’m now signing birthday cards on a weekly basis. Last week I signed one for a 106-year-old.

When I first joined the industry 18 years ago, having a resident turn 100 was a rare and special event.

"We’re living a lot longer, we’re living independently a lot longer, and we’re coming into a residential environment with a much more complex care need than say 18 years ago.”

Baptistcare also utilises other initiatives to improve the agedcare experience for its residents, and for many living in retirement homes around the Wheatbelt, they often bring in therapy animals and livestock to help the residents to

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HEART OF GOLD Opposite, Marilyn Robson has been a nurse for 54 years.

Below, Baptistcare's CEO, Russell Bricknell.

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reminisce about their younger years, many of whom worked on farms.

Russell says communal and social engagement are key to a good quality of life, and help to counter the isolation and loneliness of aged care for any of Baptistcare’s residents, but volunteers, like Marilyn, are keeping the community alive.

“We provide a whole heap of support by creating opportunities for our residents to have a sense of contributing to things in the day to day activities of the residential service. But having someone come in from the community as a volunteer and spending time with them, and in this case, connect into their cultural heritage, is invaluable for residents wellbeing.” MQ

IPERFORMANCE & MINI ELECTRIC

GREEN BUT GLAM

BMW is about to welcome two fabulous new additions to its electro-hybrid stable.

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f you’re the kind of person who does actually want to save the planet, but also just really, really wants to have a good time, then BMW has some brilliant news for you.

Next year, they’ve announced, will see another smile-inducing, heart-pumping, fist-pumping pieces of green motoring to hit the road – the MINI Countryman S E A114 - joining the outstanding BMW i8 Roadster.

Yes, those clever coves in the fun department that is BMW’s MINI headquarters have built an electric

hybrid version of their iconic, muchloved revamp of the classic British 60s masterpiece they saved from the scrapheap and so successfully reinvented at the turn of the millennium.

The Countryman, and its plethora of other fun-loving stablemates, has long proved that driving can still be a hedonistic pleasure with a design built solidly around all the good things in life – laughter, smiles, power and performance.

And all these things are, of course, still there – but somehow they’ve managed to blend in the hybrid technology that has made BMW a leading light in alternative-fuel cars (check out the i3 or i8 if you want to see just how good they are at it).

So, for stat lovers and petrolheads, here’s the lowdown.

The hybrid system is composed of a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol combustion engine, which drives the front wheels, develops MARQUE SPRING 2018 ●

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BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Above, the updated version of the i8 Coupe.

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peaks of 100kW and 220Nm and drives through a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission.

A synchronous electric motor powers the rear axle, via a two-stage, single-speed transmission. This produces a 65kW power peak, with 160Nm of torque that is instantly available. Combined output is rated at 165kW, enabling a 0-100km/h time of only 6.8 seconds, while an electronically-controlled interaction between the two power units enables all four wheels to be driven when required, maximising traction.

In normal driving the Countryman S E All4 relies solely on the electric motor, at speeds of

up to 80km/h. From this point, the combustion engine is gently engaged, ensuring a continued flow of smooth, responsive power at all speeds.

Located underneath the rear seat, the lithium-ion battery pack offers 7.6kWh gross capacity.

Using the supplied charging cable – you literally just plug it in at the wall – the MINI Countryman S E All4 can be charged to 80 per cent in just three-and-a-quarter hours.

Buy a MINI Wallbox and that same recharge is done an hour quicker.

Tucked into the beautifully unique interior is a toggle switch marked eDRIVE which lets the driver switch between drive modes to get the most from their ride. In MAX eDrive mode, the Countryman S E All4 relies on pure electric power at speeds of up to 125km/h. The default AUTO eDrive harmoniously blends combustion and electrical power, erring towards maximum efficiency but always adaptable. In this mode, pure electric driving is possible at speeds of up to 80km/h.

Got all that? Well, the tl/dr version is that is every bit as much fun as you’d expect from this bubbly delight of car but it’s green as all get out so you can cruise in luxurious splendour while happily basking in the knowledge that your carbon footprint is one to be proud of.

The only downside is it’s not out till the second quarter of next year – but, it’s green as all get out so you can cruise in luxurious splendour while happily basking in the knowledge that your carbon footprint is one to be proud of.

Over in BMW’s German homeland there were celebrations earlier this year as production of the long-awaited i8 Roadster began in the company’s Leipzig plant.

It was a momentous milestone in the story of this remarkable vehicle – one which was made even more notable by the simultaneous kick-off of the production of the updated version of the i8 Coupe.

Both i8s are, of course, stunningly

beautiful cars, but there is even more to them that meets the eye.

They are also the leading lights in the blossoming world of electricpowered motoring, the final evidence needed to prove that alternative fuel sources don’t mean the end of beauty, elegance, power and passion in the world of motoring.

Plant Director Hans-Peter Kemser said: “We are proud to produce another top-notch product at our plant. An important factor for that is the know-how and long-time experience of our employees in Leipzig with the production of electric vehicles.”

BMW has, of course, lead the way in the world of electric cars, knowing for some time now that they are the future of our roads. Its groundbreaking i3, won a slew of industry awards, has proved that plugin vehicles are a practical proposition for day-to day driving.

The i8 meanwhile shows the world that electric cars can be the dream vehicles that have long held us mesmerised by what the motor industry can offer.

Right now, as the new kid on the block, it’s all eyes on the stunning i8 Roadster, a car which oozes all the

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SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED Below, the new MINI Countryman S E A114.

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freedom of open-top motoring for two.

The familiar lightweight design measures used for previous BMW i models have been meticulously adapted to the specific requirements of the i8 Roadster. It comes an electricallyoperated soft-top and newly designed frameless gullwing doors made from carbon fibre reinforced polymer with an aluminium outer shell.

Underpinning this new level of electric driving experience is an updated version of the lithium-ion battery developed for both the i8 and the sporty 2+2 seater i8 Coupe.

The high-voltage unit is located centrally in the cars’ underbody and its cell capacity is up from 20 to 34 Ah with gross energy capacity rising from 7.1 to 11.6 kWh (net: 9.4 kWh). This means the electric range of the new BMW i8 Coupe in the NEDC test cycle has increased to 55km and the new BMW i8 Roadster posts a figure of 53 km.

Since its launch in 2014 the BMW i8 has become the world’s highestselling plug-in hybrid sports car.

Whichever you choose, it's been worth the wait MQ For more information, get in touch with Auto Classic today.

LAST WORD

SEVEN DEADLY SINS

Wrath – Which news story makes you white with rage?

I cannot stand news stories about any form of social media. What really riles me is when you hear about the people who are adversely affected by it, especially young people through cyber bulling. It absolutely does me in, so I don’t participate in any form of social media.

TEDDY TAHU RHODES • OPERA SINGER

As Teddy Tahu Rhodes tackles Mozart’s monumental work Don Giovanni with WA Opera, he shares his seven deadly sins.

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he New Zealand-born operatic baritone has enjoyed a starstudded career to date. He has appeared on both the opera stage and concert platform, performing with the opera companies of San Francisco, Austin, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas, Cincinnati, Houston, New York, the Hamburg Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper/ Munich, Theatre du Chatelet/ Paris, in Vienna, Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera.

Gluttony – What is the food you

could eat over and over again?

Well, my one very simple decadence is peanut butter, lashings of peanut butter and lashings of butter on toast. I can have that for breakfast, lunch and snack. I am often accused by my local café owner of having no variety in my breakfast and they know what to order me when I come in.

Envy – Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

I kind of like my own shoes, especially Doc Martens.

Doc Martens are my go-to shoes. But truly, I am interested in my own journey. It’s nice to go along and make your mistakes and then find your successes. The great thing about waking up in your own shoes is that you never know where they are going to take you next time. It can be a whole new path.

Greed – You’re given $1m that you have to spend selfishly – what would you spend it on?

That’s not nearly enough! I’d like to look after my nieces and nephews and give them whatever they want, buy them a house each, but I need a lot more than a million bucks these days.

Pride – What is the one thing you’re secretly proud of?

Sloth – Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

Quite honestly I hate doing nothing and I’m not very good at doing nothing because my brain is too active. But if I had to, I’d like to hike into the mountainous Rhys Valley region of New Zealand, and plant myself deep into the mountain huts with no electricity and a good book and a beautiful log fire. And because so much happens in the mountains, you wouldn’t have to do anything, you can just watch it all unfold.

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I’d say I’m secretly proud of the charities that I’ve contributed to and that I’ve been patron of that noone knows about. I won’t name the charities but they are causes that I am passionate about and sit very close to my heart.

Lust – What makes your heart beat faster?

The moment before I walk on stage - that 30 seconds beforehand always makes my heart beat faster. Even if I’ve done it 100 times, there’s something incredibly automatic that your body goes into. It is an adrenaline rush that is so exciting and powerful. And it doesn’t matter if you’re performing for one person or one thousand people, that heart racing moment never changes. MQ Don Giovanni, His Majesty’s Theatre, until October 27.

Visit waopera.asn.au

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Welcome to WASO 2019.

Extraordinary music.

Exhilarating performances.

Tickets on sale 21 November.

BOOK NOW – 9326 0000 – Full season calendar at waso.com.au

Lifetime Guarantee At Peter Wilkinson & Co, we are so confident in the quality of our workmanship that we provide a lifetime guarantee on all of our repair work.

If, in the unlikely event, you are not completely satisfied with the work we have undertaken, simply contact us and we will gladly address your concerns.

Why Choose Peter Wilkinson & Co? • All work is factory-backed • Lifetime guarantee on all repair • Lifetime product guarantee on all paintwork workmanship • No risk of voiding warranty • 12-month/20,000 km guarantee on all new parts • We use only genuine parts

Accredited BMW Bodyshop | 1 Adrian St, Welshpool WA 6106 ✆ 08 9362 5622 057 AUTOCLASSIC.COM.AU info@peterwilkinson.com.au

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