Geelong Coast Home and Lifestyle Winter 2021

IN CONVERSATION WES PROSSER PAGES 10-11

EDUCATION LEARNING THAT MATTERS PAGE 13

MY GARAGE SCOTT PIDGON PAGES 20-21

COVER STORY AT HOME WITH

KIRSTEN

68/123 Boundary Road, Mount Duneed From $438,600

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living area which overlooks a landscaped front garden. Next, you’ll see the kitchen that’s perfectly built into the heart of the home. It of the rear garden, it’s the perfect house for entertaining! And when

Viewing by appointment only Contact Robyn Murrihy 0499 599 765 | Zoe Paul 0499 799 320 | Janene Atkins 0499 799 040

1300 50 55 60

lifestylemountduneed.com.au *Prices correct as at 19 March. Subject to change without notice.

73/123 Boundary Road, Mount Duneed From $500,000

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This home is packed full of luxurious features you’ll love.

This practical layout comes with an open-plan kitchen with plenty of useful space. The island bench is designed to be multifunctional, making it an idea space for any kind of preparation and storage. The layout is also perfect for entertaining guests, imagine all the lively parties you can host in the spacious dining area! Discover the perfect balance between practical and luxury.

Viewing by appointment only Contact Robyn Murrihy 0499 599 765 | Zoe Paul 0499 799 320 | Janene Atkins 0499 799 040

83/123 Boundary Road, Mount Duneed From $575,000

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and a master bedroom that has its own ensuite bathroom and walkin wardrobe. The open-plan layout also helps make the home feel airy and free. The kitchen is designed for comfort and comes with an island bench to help with preparation and storage. While the dining and living areas are just a stride away to help make entertaining a breeze. Or if the weather is just right, have the freedom to take the party out onto the alfresco area. Discover for yourself why this home is the perfect home for you.

Viewing by appointment only Contact Robyn Murrihy 0499 599 765 | Zoe Paul 0499 799 320 | Janene Atkins 0499 799 040

lifestylemountduneed.com.au

1300 50 55 60

*Prices correct as at 2 June 2021. Subject to change without notice.

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WINTER 2021

Content WINTER 2021

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Latest trends

All fired up

9 Luxury Living

Can we add more photos? :)

20-21 My garage

16-17

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Cocooned in colour

Lifestyle

18 10-11

Community of choice

Paw-fect floors

In Conversation

Meet a man who’s dedicated his life to the ocean.

13 Education Learning that matters

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Lifetyle

Insta appeal

Welcome to St Leonards

Bring the outside in with indoor plants

Geelong Coast Home & Lifestyle magazine is a Star News Group/Geelong Independent publication.

MANAGING EDITOR: Lisa Korycki WRITERS: Carole Levy, Justin Flynn, Luke Voogt PHOTOGRAPHY: Lousia Jones ADVERTISING: Sales Executive: Rob Saunders robert.saunders@starweekly.com.au www.homeandlifestyle.geelongindy.com.au facebook.com/gcmaggeelongcoast/ @gcmaggeelongcoast ISSN: 2200-6605 ABN: 55 006 653 336 ACN: 06 653 336

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23 Get social

Geelong Coast Home & Lifestyle Magazine is printed on environmentally friendly paper. Printed using vegetable based inks on FSC ® certified paper under ISO14001.

Environmental Management System framework. FSC ® Chain of Custody certification ensures traceability and verification of paper from well managed forests throughout the manufacturing process to the end user.

GEELONG COAST HOME & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Unit 1, 47 Pakinton Street, Geelong West 3218 (03) 5249 6700 All material appearing in Geelong Coast Home & Lifestyle magazine is subject to copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. Geelong Coast Home & Lifestyle magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at the time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or editor.

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COVER STORY

AT HOME WITH

Kirsten ■ Pictures: Louisa Jones

Award-winning artist and building designer Kirsten Walsh began making her mark in Geelong West during COVID-19 with colourful murals in restaurants and on outdoor walls. She shares her passion for art and her Jan Juc home with LUKE VOOGT.

Tell us about you…

I grew up in Perth, and moved to Jan Juc in 2010 with my husband when I was pregnant with the first of our two daughters. We had talked about moving east for a while and we both loved the rural aspect of the Surf Coast.

I was born in Dandenong and my parents live in Tasmania, so there were a lot of reasons to give it a go over here. We have family in Jan Juc and my husband loves to surf. We decided we would have a gap year and spent two months travelling across Australia in a 4WD visiting

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Port Lincoln, Robe and Mount Gambier. We were moving to a coastal area, so we hugged the coastline.

How did your love of art begin?

As a child I would often win the colour-in competitions at school. My dad was a very successful airbrush illustrator and graphic designer in the ’80s. What computers can now do, he used to do by hand with markers, pens, an airbrush machine and other equipment. I loved going to his office – it always had a certain smell – the inks and the markers. My husband

says, “you remember that kid at school who could draw the fruit bowl, that’s my wife.”

But I never really saw it that way. I was just able to draw what I saw – there was no ego attached to what I could do. Kids in class were like, “how do you do it?” and I was like, “I don’t know.”

I still feel the same way about my art: I can see something and know how to draw it. My parents allowed me to be creative and dad gave me a lot of instruction. My intention was to become a graphic designer like dad when I grew up.

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COVER STORY | AT HOME WITH KIRSTEN How did that go?

I studied graphic design for about a year and half and I loved the photography, illustration and art history. But I really didn’t enjoy the aspects around design, lettering and how to put an article layout together.

After that I worked in silver service hospitality, where I met my husband.

My mum always said, “when you meet the person you’ll know,” and I just knew. But we didn’t marry until nine years later!

We travelled to Europe when we were 25. We were trying to decide what we wanted to do – we didn’t want to work in bars our whole lives.

We decided we would get qualifications when we got back. The other aspect I was very good at in school was technical drawing, so I decided I’d have a go at building design.

I became building designer and qualified draftsperson in a home renovation company – I worked in that for way too long.

I was very successful – I was good at the drawing side – but I can’t ever say I loved it.

You had to learn everything there was to know about building a house from top to bottom – materials, permits, planning and design.

Did that come in handy when you bought a house in Jan Juc? Yes! When we bought our house, the bones were great but it needed a lot of work, so we renovated straightaway. It’s a weatherboard property and was quite eclectic back then.

I drew the plans, liaised with the builder and

managed the project. We completely gutted the upstairs area. We completely stripped down the downstairs bathroom and made into a bathroom-laundry.

There was no garden. Ten years later, we have a lush overgrown garden with fruit trees, a nice lawn, palms and, last year, we built vegie boxes.

We did what everyone did during COVID – visited Bunnings and bought vegetables.

We’ve just freshly painted the outside of the house so it’s all white. It needed a facelift and I really love that Byron Bay, Palm Springs beachy feel. It looks amazing.

It still needs a few things done but you do what you can, when you can.

What do you love about your home?

It’s deceiving from the front, how spacious it feels inside. It’s a very light-filled house.

The ground level has beautiful high ceilings and a really large square window looking out the back. The rear of the house drops by about a metre, so it’s quite elevated and we get nice breezes. The front has a veranda which we enjoy sitting on with a glass of wine, especially when the sun is out. We’ve got these really groovy 1970s chairs out there with nice cushions on them.

The upstairs area has a fourth room, which I labelled ‘art room’ on my original plans. It has a window looking out across Jan Juc. It’s an amazing view.

When I started drawing again, it became my art studio. I worked up there full-time for three years.

>>>

■ Picture: Supplied

■ Picture: Supplied

I loved the precision and realism of their beautiful Renaissance art. There’s so much inspiration everywhere around you.”

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COVER STORY | AT HOME WITH KIRSTEN

How did you get back into art?

After being a young mum, I craved some time for myself – you give everything to being a mum. In 2006 I went on a month-long holiday to Italy with my Jan Juc cousin, which completely reignited my love of art.

I loved the precision and realism of their beautiful Renaissance art. There’s so much inspiration everywhere around you.

I had been told “Kirsty, you need to start drawing again” but I didn’t see how I could make a career out of it without going back and studying, which is not something I wanted to do. I was working in a little Italian cafe when the same cousin asked me to draw her dog.

I bought a pencil set, set my table up upstairs and, based on some YouTube tutorials and podcasts I had been following, learned to use pencils again. I shared the drawing on Facebook and everyone loved it. People didn’t know that I could draw.

I just got a few messages like, “I‘d really love it if you could do a drawing of my granddaughter, or I would love you to draw my dog too – how much would it cost?”

So I would do them, and post my progress

and the finished work online. Eventually I had enough people inquiring that I thought I could earn more from drawing alone.

My husband was doing very well at work at the time and said, “why don’t you just leave the cafe, focus on the drawing requests you’ve got, and it might go somewhere.”

They were all dogs, I just sort of fell into that.

I have two staffies of my own. My oldest, Boof, is 18-years-and-two-months-old. He must have a heart like Phar Lap! How did you get into painting murals?

A couple of years into drawing I came across Ashmore Arts. I wanted to branch out and do bigger work. It was a big financial commitment taking on the bigger studio but my productivity has doubled working there – you’ve just got to jump in do it. If the space is bigger the ideas grow bigger.

in Geelong West. I don’t paint and I had never done a mural before. There was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing about that for a few months – I wasn’t sure if I could do it. I nearly turned it down.

But Belinda encouraged me and once got I over the self-criticism, I started researching. I found a heap of amazing mural artists online and thought, “I can do that”.

It was really gloomy around the world during COVID-19, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to create something happylooking.

What’s next for you and your home?

The next big plan is to do a mural on a beautiful big limestone wall on the edge of my property and the side of my neighbour’s garage.

Earlier, when I was doing the dog drawings, I would take them into Bells Fine Art to scan so I would have a digital copy.

It’s crying out for a mural. They’re stoked for me to do it. I can add to it, change it or cover it up and do another one in future. I have another mural coming up, in collaboration with a primary school out Werribee way.

But my relationship with them started to evolve and grow when studio director Belinda White approached me to do a mural at Bakers Delight

I do a lot of large graphite portraits, so I’m working on a new piece in the studio and looking towards an exhibition of my work.

IP Building Design

Ivan Pantovic | 0448 401 422 www.ipbuildingdesign.com 12496525-JW24-21

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It’s been a difficult past year for many and it’s going to be a bumpy road ahead, but there's still plenty of things to bring a smile to your face

Picture: iStock

FACE PLANT People pots, head planters, face planters - whatever you want to call them, these whimsical planters are hot right now.

Resembling a head and face from the neck or shoulders up, these small ‘bust’ statutes are adding a bit of fun to gardening, inside and out.

In a variety of styles and colours - there’s even famous heads - they come with a hollow ‘head’ for you to use your favourite plant to create ‘hair’.

Popular hair choices are succulents, ornamental grass and spider plants.

Colour co-ordinate or add a splash of colour, these pots will bring some personality to any room.

SOEL SEARCHING Local businessman James Murphy and his team have come up with a trailblazing competition to encourage schools across Greater Geelong, Bellarine and the Surf Coast to think about their environment.

A huge prize pool of $50,000 is offered by local not-for-profit Southern Ocean Environmental Link (SOEL), in partnership with award-winning business Sea All Dolphin Swims, both founded by James.

Twenty winning schools will receive an interactive incursion where students will learn about plastics and the marine environment, and create useful items from plastic waste.

James notes that marine pollution is one of the largest factors affecting the local coastline.

“A significant amount of plastics is finding its way into our oceans, causing stress to our marine animal friends,” he said.

“Scientists think that by 2050 there will be more plastics in the oceans than fish.

“This competition is as much about educating young people on the negative effects of plastics on the marine environment as it is championing their actions and fostering their enthusiasm for a major issue affecting the world today.”

Established to tackle the escalating problem of plastic pollution on the Bellarine Peninsula’s marine environment, SOEL – a registered not-for-profit organisation – works in collaboration with leading organisations to provide quality programs to educate tomorrow’s leaders about current trends,

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Picture: Supplied

future implications and how to take responsibility for the place they call home.

Winners are announced this month.

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GC HOMES | HOMEWARES

Living in luxury As we get further into winter, people will be spending more time at home than ever, and what better way to prepare than to re-decorate your space. Understanding that this process can cause some damage to the bank account, Australian online boutique furniture store Luxo Living has come up with some home styling pieces that are both affordable and comfortable.

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your space or you’re settling into a new home, Luxo Living founder Winston Tu shares his top four tips to furnishing a place from scratch: CHOOSE BIGGER FURNITURE ITEMS FIRST. It’s easy to get carried away and add a number of mismatched items to your cart at the start of your journey. I’m sure you’ve felt that pang of regret once everything arrives and it doesn’t exactly match up. To avoid this, you first need to decide on your style and vision for your home – will it be Scandinavian, Hamptons, Industrial, Art Deco, French Provincial or even a mixed style? Once you’ve finalised this, invest in the bigger furniture pieces first. Soft furnishings can be decided on later, such as a mirrors, rugs or side tables, as you will source inspiration from these bigger pieces.

RANK PIECES BY PRIORITY. In a dream world, you would buy every furniture piece that your heart desires. However, the reality is that you will have to make sacrifices

■ Find pieces that have multiple purposes like this velvet ottoman. so that every room has at least one piece that fits your style. So, rank each item in order of priority and then decide how much you could realistically spend on it. Keep this list handy as you may acquire more money down the track and you could purchase that piece of artwork or bar stool you had your eye on.

GO BOLD WITH KEY FURNITURE ITEMS. Each room typically has a key furniture piece that attracts the most attention, for example, a couch, dining table, or bedhead. If you choose bold colours, textures, shapes, curves or fabrics for these pieces, the room will feel instantly elevated.

Once you have your statement piece, you can tone the room down and add warmth

Picture: Luxo Living

through natural decor. You’ll also find that you won’t need to invest in as many styling pieces, otherwise the room will feel cluttered and ‘busy’. Let your statement piece do the heavy lifting!

FIND PIECES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE PURPOSES. If you’re short on budget or even storage space, it’s an excellent idea to find items that have more than one use. For example, this velvet ottoman will not only act as a centrepiece but you can keep your spare throws or cushions so your room doesn’t get cluttered. Or, a sideboard unit can be used as a living room credenza, bedroom storage, or hallway and entryway console table. The options are endless! ●

furniture bydesign

Locally Owned and Operated

We specialise in made to order furniture

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4 Gordon Avenue, Geelong West Phone 5229 8605 | www.geelongfurniturebydesign.com.au 9

IN CONVERSATION

■ Picture: Justin Flynn

Wes Prosser had a heart attack in 2008 and spiralled into two years of mental health problems.

He credits the ocean with saving him and is doing all he can to pay it forward. He shares his story with JUSTIN FLYNN Tell me a bit about where you grew up and what sort of kid you were.

to Leopold Primary and Newcomb Secondary College.

I grew up in Leopold. I didn’t do very much as a kid. Just read books and stayed home. Back in those days public transport was fairly sucky and Leopold didn’t have a lot of stuff going for it at the time.

What about after school? Did you do a degree? What do you do now?

I was a right little book nerd when I was young, still am in most regards.

I had a very boring childhood really. I went

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I went to Deakin University and did a degree in mathematical science. Got involved in student politics and clubs and societies.

I’m a school teacher, a CRT (casual relief teacher). I do replacement teaching. Last term

I had a four day a week contract. Before that, it might be once or twice a week, some weeks it might be nothing at all.

Covid threw the cat in amongst the pigeons in a big way because you don’t get called in to teach when there are no kids to teach.

I live in Corio with my wife Susan and my three sons Brandon, 18, Nicholas, 16, and Ethan, 14.

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IN CONVERSATION | WES PROSSER

You had a heart attack 13 years ago. How did that change your life?

It was 2008 when I had a heart attack. I had to give up full-time work.

I stuck it out and transferred schools and did another two years but ended up with anxiety disorder, a nervous breakdown and clinically depressed.

I was told not to work for a year so I quit work altogether but right at the same time my wife had enough and said ‘I can’t. Get out. I can’t cope with you any more’.

My depression was bringing her down, somebody needed to look after the kids so she said ‘get away, just go’.

I ended up spending three years down here at Barwon Heads with my parents. I had nothing to do, was surfing every day and I got better. Better in my head, better in my body. I lost 10 kilograms just by surfing every day.

Somewhere along the road I thought this is crazy, the beach has been good to me, I need to pay the beach back somehow.

And that’s when you got involved in surf lifesaving?

One day about eight years ago I became a member here at Ocean Grove. I went down to the beach, they said ‘get a uniform, stand on the beach and save people from drowning’. Go, go, go.

The only downside was all the Bronze Medallion training had already happened. I ended up helping out with Nippers but without the Bronze Medallion I was not doing the job I envisaged I was meant to do.

One Australia Day some friends said come along to Apollo Bay. Saturdays were ‘daddy days’ then, so I took my three sons and it was going gangbusters, just so busy.

We ended up swimming at Skenes Creek.

The boys jumped in the water and got sucked out by a rip.’

My mate is there and he doesn’t know how to swim. Two boys are out in the rip and the third didn’t get swept out. I got one boy on one arm and one boy on the other and I fought the rip the whole way back to shore.

I didn’t have any training yet and when I think about it, everything I did that day was wrong, but the boys were OK. The next day I came back and said ‘I need to be trained and I need to be trained now’.

I love it. I choose three or four different Sundays a season and go and visit a different club and do a patrol with them instead.

Most clubs are severely understaffed.

Torquay, Anglesea, they’re big clubs and have lots of people. Go down to Bancoora, Kennett River, Wye River, those sorts of places and they will take anybody who walks up.

If you’ve only got six people on patrol, one set of eyes makes a big difference.

You did the most volunteer patrol hours for Ocean Grove this season?

One day I turned up at Jan Juc and every person on patrol was 17 and under. Nobody had a driver’s licence and nobody could drive the IRB (inflatable rescue boat) onto the beach because nobody could drive the ATV to the beach.

Most people who come to be surf lifesavers, come for their kids or because they are a competitor.

The first thing they asked me is ‘do you have a driver’s licence?’. I’ve had an amazing reception to every club I have been to.

Surf lifesaving has a variety of sports within it and the profile of those sports is quite high.

I was never interested in the sport, I was interested in helping the community.

What else do you do?

Next thing, I get into a bronze course in Torquay eight years ago and have been a patrolling member ever since.

With so many members in the club, only a small amount of members put (helping) as their first priority. So it becomes quite easy for me to rack up the hours.

You have to do 20 hours a year to be eligible to do the sport. Some do more than the minimum but it turns out if helping is your first priority it becomes easy to rack up the hours.

The aim is to do over 100 hours a season.

That’s a benchmark I set with Life Saving Victoria.

I’m here at Ocean Grove every Sunday in season.

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That’s a big commitment. Especially coming from Corio.

I get a lot of free time. I do a lot of community projects. I do a lot of beach clean up. I’m chairperson for the Beach Patrol, which is a community clean-up group. I’m the Geelong 3320 representative.

The idea is that you go to a place, pick up some stuff, log it, it goes to a central database and they record it and gather the information and send it off to the state government or wherever.

Their big thing at the moment is plastic. It washes up on the beach, ends up on the streets and gets into the food chain and kills things.

So if we can determine exactly how much is being picked up by people, hopefully the government does something.

I do a weed management thing out in the You Yangs. Boneseed is a plague. It’s our version of the cane toad. It chokes out the native vegetation.

Nothing in Australia actually eats it, except for occasionally goats will eat the shoots, but once it becomes established nothing touches it. It seeds twice a year and just spreads. I’ve got a patch there that I try to keep weed free.

I’m also a Scout leader at 2nd Lara. It keeps me busy.

So you and Susan reconciled and you are now living as a family in Corio. Are your sons into surf lifesaving?

None of them wanted to come down and be a Nipper. I kept saying ‘come down, this is fun’.

I’m very much a loner here. There are a lot of family dynasties in surf lifesaving. I’m the walk in off the street guy. It’s very unusual.

How many people do you think you have rescued?

Dozens. I’ve been amazingly lucky I haven’t had to do a resuscitation yet. I’ve fished a heck of a lot of people out of the water.

It’s a great community of people. Lots of friends and lots of funny stories.

There’s no such thing as a safe beach, but Ocean Grove is as close as you’re going to get.

I’ve done more rescues at Eastern Beach than here.

People take Ocean Grove for granted but it throws curve balls at you petty regularly. Then you go to Point Lonsdale and there’s more rocks, more rips, much more water movement.

They’re doing rescues every weekend. ●

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EDUCATION | CHRISTIAN COLLEGE GEELONG

Learning that matters Glen McKeeman, principal of Christian College Geelong, believes that the most powerful learning moments come from authentic experiences, such as the prefects’ 2019 trip to Viqueque.

Tess O’Neill, college captain 2019 says about the trip: “On one of our last nights in Viqueque, a few of us agreed that sitting around with our new Timorese friends and singing songs with a guitar for hours was genuinely the happiest moment of our lives. It was a truly life-changing experience.”

For the past seven years, the college has been part of ‘Leading the Learning That Matters’, a multi-year collaboration between the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero team and Independent Schools Victoria (ISV).

One area of focus is examining how young people can develop capacity to understand themselves, as well as others living in contexts different to their own.

“Authentic experience is vital here. It puts the learner at the centre of the process and promotes direct engagement and rich learning,” says Mr McKeeman. “Creating authentic experiences for students to build that capacity is a crucial part of Christian College’s educational perspective.

In the early learning years, the Bush Kinder and Bush Prep programs provide access to spaces that allow children to be immersed in sensory, visual and aural opportunities in nature.

In the college’s popular languages programs, specialist language and native speakers teach Japanese from K-12 and Indonesian from years 5-12. Underpinning that are the long-standing relationships with sister schools – Naga High School in Iwade, Japan (30+ years) and SMA Negeri 2 in Mataram, Lombok (25+ years).

Students are offered short- and long-term exchanges in Indonesia and Japan, staying with local families and living their daily routines.

Reciprocal visits are made by students from Naga High, and Christian College graduates are also offered language assistant exchanges, working with students of English at Naga High and Japanese at Christian College.

Mr McKeeman said one of the unique offerings is the Transformation Program for Year 9 students, which includes a half term living and working at the college’s Back Creek Farm.

“They also spend time in our Back Creek Cafe in Meredith, where they live the ‘paddock to plate’ experience. For the other half-term, students engage themselves in a ‘passion project’ - designing and implementing a strategy to make a positive change for good.”

An extensive range of Instrumental music offerings allows students to develop and showcase their talents - solo and in ensemble.

Christian College Geelong, 18 Burdekin Road, Highton. Inquiries: 5241 1899 or visit www.christiancollege.vic.edu.au ●

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LIFESTYLE | COMMUNITIES ST LEONARDS

Life well lived As a Lifestyle St Leonards homeowner, you get the life everyone else wants, with exclusive access to opulent living every day.

This is a beachside holiday that never ends. Whether you’re familiar with the area or considering a permanent sea change, Lifestyle St Leonards will be the most comfortable lifestyle change you’ve ever made.

The Bellarine Peninsula beckons with its beautiful beaches, nature walks, rolling hills and wineries. The gorgeous Otway Ranges are in one direction, and the thriving city of Geelong is about a 30-minute drive in the other.

St Leonards successfully combines the feel of a quaint seaside town with bustling coastal community life via its cute local eateries and abundant sport and recreation facilities.

■ St Leonard’s.

Closer to home, you’ll be stepping out your own front door into carefully landscaped gardens, designed by Fiona Brockhoff and Nicky Pitkanen of Fiona Brockhoff Design.

A dramatic mix of coastal scrub and serene forest meant for contemplation means you’ll enjoy walking to meet your Lifestyle neighbours or to visit the Clubhouse for a swim in the indoor or outdoor pool, play a game of bowls or croquet, or have happy hour drinks.

High-end, low-maintenance homes are available, starting from $305,000.

Now could be the perfect time to find your new home and start living your best life.

■ The pool.

Lifestyle St Leonards display homes are opening this month. Visit the new address: 110 Thornton Avenue, St Leonards from Saturday, June 19, 10am-1pm. ●

■ The dining room.

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GC HOMES | OUTDOORS

All fired up There’s something about huddling around an outdoor fire on a cold winter’s night - the warmth on your face, the crackle of embers, the flickering flames.

The old-fashioned camp fire has been given a modern makeover and is becoming a focal point in many backyards.

Whether it’s to recapture fond memories of camping and having a place to toast marshmallows, or to extend the use of your outdoor ‘room’, there’s an abundance of fire pits that will add ambience and warmth to your deck, patio or backyard.

Backyard fire pits are legal as long as they follow the laws and regulations of your local council. Safety should be front of mind when choosing your fire pit and where to place it.

Classic fire pit bowls are still extremely popular - they’re durable, easy to move and costeffective. Traditionally they’ve been available in cast iron, these days you can also get them in stainless-steel, ceramic and concrete.

The bowls come in varying depths depending on the look you’re after - and as an added bonus you can add a grill plate and use it for cooking.

WINTER 2021

Old-fashioned chimneas bring rustic charm - place a few outdoors chairs around it and sit back and watch the night sky.

Fire pits are traditionally wood-burning but there is a growing trend toward clean burning options. Ethanol products and gels are all readily available. One Melbourne company is also making biofuel logs containing recycled coffee grounds.

Trendyfikation, which monitors design

trends, says a fire pit will bring identity to any space.

They can add light, heat and an interactive experience that enhances your time spent outdoors.

With the uncertainty surrounding travel at the moment, creating an atmosphere that lets you unwind and relax at home sounds like the perfect winter staycation. ●

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LIFESTYLE | INTERIORS

■ After Dulux Winter Forecast 2021.

Stylist: Bree Leech.

Photographer: Lisa Cohen Artwork: ‘Fast Forward’

By Liam Snootle.

Cocooning comfort We’ve all had a tough 2020 so it’s not surprising that we’re looking for a few creature comforts this winter.

worked with stylist Bree Leech to re-energise a child’s bedroom using colours from the Retreat palette.

Warm, grounded colours that speak of security and comfort are set to dominate winter decorating trends, according to Dulux trend forecasters.

“Light-filled and spacious, this bedroom ticked all the right boxes, however, the room needed some personality and tactile elements to create warmth. You want your child to love spending time in their room – it should be somewhere they can escape, relax, read and play. The quickest and easiest way to switch up the mood is with colour,” says Leech.

“The cooler months call for richer hues and cosy textures, and never more so than in a year when most people’s worlds have been turned upside down,” says Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux colour and communications manager.

“There’s a collective yearning for reassurance and a return to simpler times. We want our homes to provide comfort, a sense of safety and to remind us of better days ahead. And this will be reflected in more than just colour in 2021 – expect to see a rise in plush, comfy seating, handcrafted furniture with an artisanal feel and a greater focus on ‘purposeful decorating’ rather than just decorating to make an aesthetic statement,” she says.

The Retreat palette – one of three trend colour palettes identified in the 2021 Dulux Colour Forecast – captures the mood of this coming winter.

“These earthy tones and muted colours are

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■ Dulux Winter Forecast 2021.

Stylist: Bree Leech.

Photographer: Lisa Cohen Colours Used: Dulux Winter Sea, Vintage Linen And Five Fingers Peninsula. all drawn from nature – think oceanic blues, nourishing greens, soft greys and touches of mustard. They bring the outside in – ideal for a time when most of us are stuck indoors for long stretches – and plug into the growing movement for wellness in design.”

To give you ideas on how you can use these comforting hues in your own home, Dulux

Leech kept the big-ticket items in the room – the bed, bedhead and solid-timber bedside table, and focused on updating the room with bold colour. She chose shades that worked with the neutral tones in the foundation pieces and added in plenty of textures to dial up the cosiness.

She started by adding deep blue, Dulux Wash&Wear in Winter Sea, to the walls and a gentle neutral, Dulux Vintage Linen to the ceiling and window detailing. “We opted for pale greige rather than a classic white for the ceiling and windows to soften the contrast with the blue. A sharp colour contrast can be very effective in a space, but in a room that’s all about relaxation, you want it to be a little less pronounced.

WINTER 2021

LIFESTYLE | INTERIORS

■ Before Dulux Winter Forecast 2021.

Stylist: Bree Leech.

Photographer: Lisa Cohen Artwork: ‘Fast Forward’ By Liam Snootle.

“Inky blue works well here – it’s cosy and timeless and sits beautifully alongside the natural materials in the room, such as the timber and woven-rattan. It also draws attention to and complements the artwork above the bed.

I specified a matt paint finish to magnify the intensity of the blue.

“A woven wall hanging adds accents of rust and quirky bedside lighting creates a playful mood, adding contrast against the deep blue.

“To make the space feel more inviting, I layered the bed with cosy cushions and snuggly, fringed woollen blankets. Curvy furniture is a great addition to break the architectural angles in the room to make it feel more relaxed, while introducing pattern with a striped rug and crisp, striped bedding accentuates those added curves even more,” she says.

“For me, a rug is an essential in a bedroom; the floor is the first thing you feel when you get out of bed, so it needs to be soft.

“A rug also helps anchor the bed in the space.

This one has dusty blue and stone hues, the latter being reflected in the finish of the cupboard.

“For the main artwork above the bed, we deliberately chose a piece that will work in the space as the child grows – a geometric abstract in various shades of blue. To personalise the bedroom, we framed and hung two of the child’s illustrations along with an artist’s fun print,” she says.

Leech created a place to read in a sunny spot by the window, complete with a velvetupholstered armchair and a pair of side tables, perfect for keeping a book or two nearby.

“Don’t be afraid to bring in pieces from another

■ Dulux Winter Forecast 2021.

Stylist: Bree Leech.

Photographer: Lisa Cohen Top Artwork: ‘Long Doggie Print’

By Rachel Castle. room, like this armchair, so long as they serve a purpose and fit with your colour palette,” she says.

“If you’ve been all about white for as long as you can remember, get a taste of using stronger colours by starting with a single wall – say the wall behind the bed,” says Lucena-Orr. “It will not only make a feature of your bed, however, will create an opportunity for any artwork to pop. This can also stretch your new confidence into using colour elsewhere in your home.” ●

BREE’S KIDS’ BEDROOM STYLING TIPS •

■ Dulux Winter Forecast 2021.

Stylist: Bree Leech. Photographer: Lisa Cohen Artwork: ‘Fast Forward’ By Liam Snootle.

WINTER 2021

Invest in quality: Kids are tough on furniture, so it’s worth paying more for well-made pieces that will last. You can save money on smaller items, such as bedlinen, art prints and rugs.

•

Add an upholstered bedhead: It makes for a comfortable spot to sit up and read.

•

Size it right: As a guide, when choosing a rug for a child’s bedroom it should fit two thirds under the bed and extend at least 30 centimetres beyond the sides of

the bed – any smaller and it will look lost in the space.

•

Think multi-purpose: Children’s rooms are often small, so seek out flexible pieces that can be used in different ways, such as an ottoman that doubles as storage and seating.

•

Make storage easy: Add in baskets for toys and cupboards or shelves tohide mess away.

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LIFESTYLE | PETS

Floors for paws Pet ownership comes with numerous considerations, many of which relate to the interior and exterior upkeep of your home says Carpet Court ambassador, Darren Palmer.

From plush living rooms, restful bedrooms through to townhouse courtyards, Carpet Court’s new pet proof flooring options allow pet parents to welcome their fur-babies into every part of their home.

“In the past, the question of ‘which flooring is most suitable for pets’ would have had a limited answer,” says Darren.

“Now, there are innovative solutions such as stain resistant carpets, water and odour resistant underlay, hybrid floors and outdoor synthetic grass that give home owners the freedom to inject style into their home while allowing for life’s little mishaps caused by pets.

“If you love the look and luxurious feel underfoot of carpet, you cannot go past Carpet Court’s new UltraPet ranges comprising of ten colours and three pile types – Birman, Basenji and Akita. Created with cutting-edge technology, these ranges come with a 15-year guarantee for colourfastness, durability, and stain resistance. This can be extended to 25 years when you pair with the UltraPet Underlay.

Best of all, pet ‘potty’ mishaps can be cleaned easily using cold water given the carpets repel liquids from penetrating the fibres.”

Darren recommends that your pet’s fur colour should factor into your colour choice.

“Light fur will show up on dark floors, just as

dark hair will show on light floors. Something in the middle of the spectrum will have the best chance of disguising individual hairs, though regular vacuuming is always recommended,” says Darren.

In a robust household, using the right carpet underlay is a must. “Carpet Court’s new UltraPet Carpet Underlay has been engineered to protect against common household spills and pet stains thanks to its protective barrier, StainShield. It is also treated with a proven antimicrobial which helps to prevent lingering odours, mould, mildew and dust mites providing hygienic freshness for your home.”

For a more traditional approach to petfriendly floors Darren recommends hard flooring. “Tiles and timber can be quite unforgiving in a household with pets; tiles

absorb the cold (which no pet or human likes!), and timber, although the most natural of the bunch, requires a degree of care to maintain.

“Carpet Court’s Hybrid flooring, Stainmaster™ PetProtect, is well suited to withstand the wear and tear from furry family members. With eight contemporary colours, it is designed to resist pet stains, odours and scratching, as well as has anti-skid technology,” he says.

For pet owners that have a love of greenery but little space to build their desired garden, or have issues with their best friends burrowing, artificial grass is the ideal solution for outdoor areas.

Homeowners no longer have to sacrifice style for durability thanks to Carpet Court’s fetching new pet-friendly ranges. ●

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WINTER 2021

GC HOMES | GARDENS

■ Hoya flower

■ Snake plant is known for its air purifying qualities.

Insta appeal One of the biggest trends in the past year is bringing the outside in. Whether it’s a hanging planter draping from a bookshelf, a statement indoor tree or a collection of favourites adding a pop of colour, it seems our love and obsession for plants is here to stay.

From cactus to swiss cheese plants, we love the way they look and are becoming more familiar with the added benefits of greenery in our homes - whether you are green-fingered or not.

And it seems our obsession is transparent on social media, with more than 4 million posts for #houseplants on Instagram.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cactus plant is the most Instagrammable addition to any home interior with 23,948,259 hashtags!

Known for its striking shape, size, and colours, it is the perfect accompaniment to your living space, whether it be perched on a windowsill, or displayed on your shelves. Not to mention cactus’s only need to be watered occasionally.

Following in second place is hoya, with its distinctive waxy almond-shaped foliage and scented flowers. With more than 2 million posts on Instagram, it seems it’s one of the most popular to display.

■ False Palm In third place is monstera, also known as the swiss cheese plant. This dark green, glossy holeleaved plant is a striking addition to the home and is tagged 1,653,211 times on Instagram.

The least Instagrammable: It may be known as a sunburn soothing agent, but the aloe vera plant is an easy going/low maintenance succulent. However, despite its tropical aesthetics, it is the third least

Pictures: iStock

Instagrammable houseplant with 98,863 hashtags. Thereafter, string of pearls has 44,539 tagged posts on Instagram.

In last place is dracaena fragrans, also known as corn plants or ‘false palms’ due to their resemblance to the palm tree. And despite having been around as indoor plants since the mid-1800s, these African evergreens are tagged just 38,434 times. ●

Most Instagrammable Air Purifying Plants • Snake plant – 300,605 hashtags • Chinese evergreen – 242,599 hashtags • Spider plant – 230,078 hashtags * https://www.homehow.co.uk/

■ Cactus are the most instagrammable plant.

WINTER 2021

■ Hoya

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MY GARAGE

■ Scott Pidgon with dad Keith.

Reviving dad’s dream Motorsport runs in Scott Pidgon’s blood, which is obvious after one look at his quirky car collection.

His passion allowed dad Keith to revive a long-lost dream 39 years in the making, he tells LUKE VOOGT. With a mechanic dad, brother and cousins, and a panel beater uncle, Scott Pigdon was destined to develop a love of all things automotive.

“It was from day dot really,” he says.

“My father Keith was a mechanic at a car dealer. Rather than being taken to sporting events, I was taken to vintage car events, speedways and other car shows.”

But Scott took a different route into the world of motorsport from his kin.

“I always wanted to get into doing car magazines, so I went down the graphic design path and cars have always been my hobby,” he says.

Now the 41-year-old Geelong West resident boasts an impressive collection of cars and motorbikes in his garage, but is hard-pressed to choose his favourite.

20 GE ELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

“That’s like asking a parent if they’ve got a favourite child!” he laughs.

“There’s definitely certain ones I’ll never sell.”

His collection is a little different to the average Aussie motor enthusiast.

“The smaller and quirkier the vehicle, the more interest I have,” he says.

“It’s probably very different to people in Australia who like their V8s.”

The collection began shortly after Scott married wife Jade in 1995, with a 1991 Daihatsu Charade ex-factory rally car, which is still a work in progress.

“I’ve been restoring that for the past 15 years,” he says.

“I’ve got a very understanding wife that allows me to enjoy my passions.”

But the collection really took off when Scott began the search for a Saab 95 his father had initially hoped to race in the Geelong Speed Trials 39 years before.

His father had to sell the car and the family eventually lost track of it, according to Scott.

After Scott started work for Pace Advertising, he and Nicholas Heath restarted the trials as Geelong Revival Motoring Festival.

“I’ve been able to turn my passion into some of my employment, which has been great,” he says.

“And it’s afforded me the ability to get ahold of some racing cars.”

While Scott had no luck finding his dad’s original Saab 95, he found another for sale in Poland in 2013.

“Which was a bit scary,” he says.

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MY GARAGE | SCOTT PIDGON

“Paying a pretty substantial amount of money, waiting 12 weeks for them to ship it over and hoping that when I opened the container there would be a car in it – as described.”

Thankfully, the car inside was exactly as described and Scott is now friends with the seller.

Keith had the honour of taking the car for a spin for the first time at the Geelong Revival.

“I handed the keys to my father and let him race it,” Scott says.

“It took him 39 years to actually compete in the event – he was pretty honoured and I was super excited that I was able to do that for him.”

With a little more disposable income, Scott built his collection further and purchased a two-tonne six-wheeled Ford ute.

“It’s basically my support vehicle for my race cars,” he says.

“A lot of my collection is based on what my dad and uncle used to be involved with.”

He also joined Geelong Motorsport Club and now races at Avalon in autocross – timed laps on gravel or bitumen tracks.

Although racing is more a hobby than a competitive pursuit for Scott.

“It’s not worth destroying tens of thousands of dollars of car for a $2 plastic trophy,” he says.

One of the latest additions to his collection is a Porsche 944 with an extensive history of racing in Western Australia and South Australia, which he purchased in 2019.

“That was my 40th birthday present to myself,” he says.

“I’d always wanted a sports car and a performance car. I sold my daily driver and other projects I couldn’t get around to.

“Jade and I flew over to Adelaide and we drove it home.”

Scott now keeps the majority of his vehicles in his North Geelong garage.

“Mine’s a place where I go out and tinker on my cars – that’s my relaxation,” he says.

“Some days I just stare at them and think of ideas – I’ve been doing that ever since I got my first car.”

While COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the Geelong Revival in 2020, Scott can’t wait to bring the event back this year from November 26 to 28.

“I love showing off my hometown – we take motorsport and car culture to the people,” he says.

“I love being able to give back to the Geelong community and show people what our hobby and sport is all about.” ●

■ Pictures: Louisa Jones WINTER 2021

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GC HOMES | RCA ARMSTRONG GREEN

Make Armstrong Green home Nearly 40 residents have made Armstrong Green their community of choice, soaking up coastal life in one four luxe coastal villa designs on offer.

Armstrong Green is RCA Village’s newest fab development in Armstrong Creek, a peaceful hamlet in Greater Geelong with a population under 5000.

Village manager Sue Farrar says that, as the facilities take shape around them, the first group of residents to call Armstrong Green home is a very social bunch.

“We mightn’t have our beautiful Clubhouse just yet, but there’s still plenty to do,” she says.

“We’ve fitted out one of the double garages as a temporary clubroom, where residents enjoy Happy Hour and other activities.

“Residents have set up a bridge club and chat groups, as well as pizza nights and fish ‘n’ chips Fridays which visiting grandkids get into.”

An event will soon be held to celebrate the one year anniversary of the first residents moving in, with a lunch being held at a local venue.

ARMSTRONG GREEN’S LOCALE Just five minutes down the road, there’s the Connewarre State Wildlife Reserve, where 150 bird species fly over the largest remnant vegetation on the Bellarine Peninsula, but it’s not all about bushwalks and twitching.

Fishing, windsurfing and canoeing on Lake

Connewarre give active visiting families plenty to keep them happy. They can kick-start their days with a gorgeous brekkie at Warralily Cockatoo in the heart of Armstrong Creek, or finish their day with a dinner that ranges through gourmet pizzas, modern-Aus sharing plates and mains. Kids are made welcome and well catered for.

Closer to home, Warralily Shopping Centre is practically next door to the village, while other shops, health providers and transport links are also just minutes away.

Great coastal towns surround Armstrong Green, so ducking out for a game of golf (Barwon Heads has some of the finest in Victoria), tucking into gourmet food and sampling local wines is a breeze.

Stage three has been released, with “the kettle on” every day at the sales office.

Currently there are four villas open (including Barwon, pictured) for display and inspections are welcome. Call Karen or Linda on 1800 777 898 or just drop in.

Barwon Heads is just 10 minutes away by car, Torquay is 15, and Ocean Grove 20. Should the ‘bigger smoke’ call, Geelong is only 20 minutes away.

Particularly once the outstanding facilities promised at Armstrong Green come to fruition, this will be a mighty fine place for active, independent people to set up a mighty fine life.

Armstrong Green by RCA Villages, 722–742 Barwon Heads Road, Armstrong Creek.

Inquiries: 1800 226 020 ●

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WINTER 2021

SOCIAL NETWORK | GEELONG BUSINESS AWARDS

Geelong Business Excellence Awards Launch After COVID-19 forced last year’s awards online, there were plenty of cheers at this year’s launch at Provence Wines.

■ Pictures: Geelong City Council

WINTER 2021

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

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The finishing touches on your dream home!

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WINTER 2021