Geelong Coast Home and Lifestyle Spring 2021

IN CONVERSATION DES AND KATE EVERY PAGES 16-17

TREND ALERT MINDFULNESS AT HOME PAGES 18-19

MY GARAGE CRAIG WATSON PAGES 20-21

COVER STORY AT HOME WITH

JOSHUA

SO LD 70 %

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SPRING 2021

Content SPRING 2021

8 Changing face of homes

9

18-19

Lifestyle Explore Mount Duneed

Relax at home

14 Kitchen revamps

20-21 My Garage

12 Spring gardening What to plant

13 Education Learning that matters

16-17 In Conversation Meet frontline healthcare workers Des and Kate Every

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

WRITERS: Justin Flynn, Luke Voogt PHOTOGRAPHY: Ivan Kemp 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

SPRING 2021

22 Get social

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

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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.

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

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COVER STORY

■ Joshua Maxwell de Hoog Picture: Ivan Kemp

AT HOME WITH

Joshua

Joshua Maxwell de Hoog’s Belmont bungalow has eight typewriters, a fridge full of film, and art, books and vinyl from “ceiling to floor”. They take LUKE VOOGT inside their slice of Bohemian bliss.

Joshua Maxwell de Hoog’s fridge is full of film, rather than food. Well, almost.

“It has two shelves of food up the top and three shelves of film at the bottom,” they say.

“There’s probably 2000 rolls of various expired film. I’ve been collecting that in bulk, for however long, and it’s grown into a pretty unhealthily large collection.”

The sensitivity to light changes with every decade after film’s expiry date, altering the contrast and colour for a

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GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

creative photographer, Joshua explains.

Their bungalow is on a Belmont property where Joshua first embraced film photography after moving with their parents from Canberra at age 14 in 2008.

“That was the very thing that birthed the art,” the 27-year-old says.

“I got given a camera from my nan.”

Joshua started out shooting fashion photography and saved money by gardening to buy rolls of film.

“I just shot friends for a long while and

there were a lot of magazines that had submission pages,” they say.

“I got about four or five submissions admitted at first, and then I was able to reach out to clothing and jewellery companies for work.

“I was covering my investments by 15-years-old, and was able to invest in more camera gear and build my portfolio.

“I slowly evolved and became more interested in the personal communication that photography can be.”

SPRING 2021

COVER STORY | AT HOME WITH JOSHUA

■ Joshua Maxwell de Hoog and Amy Chaplin looking at one of their sets of negatives.

In 2013, Joshua turned that passion into a business, co-founding Analogue Academy, a combined cafe, gallery and film-processing lab in central Geelong, with James Cox and Daniel Horvat.

A few years ago, Joshua moved back into the bungalow where it all began, renting the rear dwelling from their mum.

“My mum used to live in the front house but now she’s moved with my nan to look after her,” they say.

“It’s pretty much a converted shed. It’s not high living by any means.

“But it’s a fun little place filled with lots of memories. It’s got artwork from ceiling to floor in every room.

“As you enter, the left wall from the beginning to the very end has modular

■ Joshua Maxwell de Hoog looks through their vinyl collection.

SPRING 2021

shelving, which is full of records, cameras and books.

“Often people come and spend a good five or six hours just looking through the records.

“It’s a tiny little bungalow that a lot of creative things come out of.”

The dwelling is a starting point for Joshua’s plethora of artistic passions including painting, fashion, illustration, spoken word and playing in local ‘doom jazz’ trio vinyl vinyl.

With hundreds upon hundreds of vinyls on the wall, the saxophone player, now adding guitar to their repertoire, has plenty of inspiration for their band’s dark, bassheavy, ambient sound.

They have also published 10 books in the

Pictures: Ivan Kemp

past five years including three poetry books, works with other artists and the most recent, Chaos for Writer’s Block.

“It’s motif-driven illustrations for other artists,” they say of the book.

“I wanted to produce imagery that inspired emotions of many kinds.”

As one of 19 artists at Geelong’s Hue and Cry Collective, much of Joshua’s art is inspired by religious iconography they consumed as a child, as their late father was a church minister.

“The church is not part of my life anymore,” they say.

“Having so much of my identify caught up with something I no longer follow, art was – and still is – a good way of navigating that.”

■ Joshua Maxwell de Hoog and Amy Chaplin

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

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COVER STORY | AT HOME WITH JOSHUA

■ Amy with her framed photos.

Pictures: Ivan Kemp

Joshua even displayed art in a gallery in Utrecht while spending some time in the Netherlands in 2019 “pre-COVID and this dystopian world”.

“I just decided to take some time off from the current scene in Geelong, after a breakup, to find my footing,” they say.

Their bungalow also has eight typewriters from a joint poetry-photography installation with local poet and Egyptian expat Yasmin Mobayad.

More recently, Joshua has worked with other Geelong artists in new Instagram project, Keep Geelong Weird.

“I’ve been photographing people who I admire that are doing strange and unique artistic practices in Geelong,” they say.

“Eventually I have a dream of this becoming a catalogue for people giving grants.”

Joshua hopes the book will help guide grants into the hands of local virtuosos, rather than just those “good at writing grant applications”.

The pandemic has kept Joshua in their bungalow for lengthy stints.

“COVID has been an interesting battle, but I’ve found different ways to navigate it,” they say.

“Any illustration work I can get my hands on, I’m pretty keen to do at the moment.

“I illustrate at home, scan it, digitise it, and then send off the final product.”

Joshua has created logos for record companies, EP labels and even recently a coffee cup for a cafe in Echuca.

“Obviously, there is a line, I’m not going to do illustrations for a neo-Nazi group or anything like that,” they laugh.

“When lockdown stops, I just have to go and book as many gigs as I can in that small window I have. I think people are dying to hear live music and spoken word again.”

Joshua’s partner Amy Chaplin has also left her mark on the bungalow, with her series of photos hanging among 70-80 works, primarily by local artists, which cover every remaining square inch of its walls.

The architecture student met Joshua in January 2020 at a life-drawing class, after she moved from Cape Town, South Africa, to study at Deakin University.

They bonded over their similar Dutch-

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GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

Afrikaans heritage and – of course – their love of art.

“I was quite impressed by all their knowledge and inspired that they were running things that I was interested in,” she says.

Joshua has also inspired her to explore her passion for photography.

“I’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time,” the 23-year-old says.

“I do spend a lot of time here. We do a lot of film walks and road trips – it’s a lot of fun.”

Amy’s presence in-turn has inspired Joshua to revive their sustainable fashion line, Smiel.

“She’s interested in clothing and fashion, so we thought it could be a cool thing to bring back,” Joshua says.

Joshua came up with the name in 2013 after releasing a few items using dead stock – excess fabric from clothing companies that would otherwise go to waste.

“I liked how the letters [of Smiel] looked together,” they say.

But the discovery of Amy’s dyslexia gave the name a second meaning – smile spelt wrong.

“It’s a good ode,” Joshua says.

“Amy and I design all the stuff for Smiel in the bungalow. We do a bleaching technique.”

Together they have created a long sleeved T-shirt, a crew neck jumper and, most recently, a hoodie in remembrance of Joshua’s dad and Amy’s mum.

The hoodie features a sun-themed tribute to their late parents, who are “forever shining in our memories”.

“We just want to create garments that people wear until they’re done,” Joshua explains.

“We want them to be unique enough that people wear them for the lifespan of the garment, rather than a month. There’s enough fabric on the earth.”

Their work is set to feature in May’d Festival, celebrating some of Geelong’s quirkiest and creative makers.

Creative Geelong plans to hold the festival in December, after four postponements so far due to COVID-19.

For updates visit creativegeelong.com. au ●

I just decided to take some time off from the current scene in Geelong...

■ One of Joshua’s eight typewriters.

■ Joshua Maxwell de Hoog and Amy Chaplin with one of Joshua’s illustrated books.

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GC HOMES | NEW HOMES

■ The home office is making a comeback.

Picture: iStock

■ A SOHO Living townhouse bedroom.

Picture: Supplied

Home design rethink The COVID-19 pandemic has led to different design trends emerging as priorities for many who are buying and building a new home.

Since March last year, developers have noticed people are looking for ways to maximise amenity and comfort as they spend more time at home, particularly during traditional working and schooling hours.

Peet Limited chief executive and managing director Brendan Gore said the company was seeing requests made to its builders “to ensure homes become a workplace, an escape and a spacious family-friendly zone”.

separate areas for parents and children has grown.

master bedrooms, as opposed to the traditional single master bedroom.

“Growing families are looking for more private spaces for family connection,” he said.

“The need for a guest bedroom with an ensuite has largely stemmed from the rise of multiple generations of family members living under the same roof,” Mr Clynk said.

“The need for an indoor-outdoor connection, where the internal living areas blend seamlessly with the outdoors, has also never been more popular.”

Langdon sales manager Tamara Chan said homes with parent, child and family zones were popular.

He said the houses at Peet’s newest Victorian display village been constructed to reflect this vision.

“Older kids and teenagers often retreat to their bedrooms, so having separate space for gaming, theatre, or streaming entertainment comes in handy,” she said.

Representatives from two building companies with homes in the display village – Langdon Building and Simonds Group – said they have seen a rise in requests for more space in new residences to cater for families.

“Over the past month I’ve also seen increased inquiries for large single-storey and small lot double-storey homes, showing the need for space, and a home that has separate breakout areas.”

Simonds Homes national design manager Dave Clynk said interest in play areas and

Another noticeable trend since the pandemic began is an increase in buyers looking for two

He said many families were looking for home offices to be incorporated into their future houses.

Burbank’s head of research and design, Damjan Jeremic, said the home office “is making a comeback”.

“What we found pre-COVID, for a lot of customers with smaller homes, they did not want a dedicated study space – we could always provide study nooks as option,” Mr Jeremic said.

However, he said studies with a doorway entry were now incredibly popular.

“Definitely since the pandemic, we have found a lot of people want a study with a door that can shut.” ●

■ Families are spending more time at home than ever.

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GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

SPRING 2021

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EDUCATION | GEELONG CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

No better place for an education Two vitally important aspects of the Christian College approach to any child’s educational journey – right from their first day of Prep – are the emphasis on close relationships between school and home, and authenticity of the educational experience.

At all three campuses attended by junior students – Junior School in Belmont, Surf Coast Campus in Torquay and Bellarine Campus in Drysdale – there are broad educational offerings, providing students with outstanding learning opportunities.

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GC HOMES | KITCHENS

Breathe new life into kitchens With the kitchen believed to be one of the most important rooms in the house, the home insurance experts at money.co.uk decided to uncover the most important tips on how to add value to your kitchen.

Tip 1: Resolving with a little TLC… Typical defects can put off a huge percentage of buyers, but with a little TLC, these small defects can be a thing of the past. Keeping up-to-date with any current issues such as paint peeling, chipped and loose tiles, dripping taps, mouldy sealants and broken doors will save you time and money more than if you were to leave it to the last minute.

Tip 2: Matching to modernise!

Updating and modernising your kitchen seems to be all the range, but when you’re on a budget you are limited to what you can fork out on.

However, to modernise your kitchen without bursting the purse strings too much, try investing in new tiles and match them to your walls with a couple of coats of paint! Matching your walls to your tiles will go a long way. For colouring inspiration, the experts at money. co.uk suggest to go soft and mellow.

Tip 3: Out with the old, in with the new?

Durable and stylish worktops are a must for many buyers, from laminate, wood, granite, marble, quartz and much, much more! If your worktops are extensively damaged, it may be time for ‘out with the old, in with the new’. The experts at money.co.uk recommend choosing a surface that will last and is more durable and stylish, such as granite or quartz!

Tip 4: Less is more!

Keeping the exterior of your kitchen as simple as possible will really help buyers when they come to view your property as it gives them a chance to mentally place where they would place their appliances and what they’d like to do with your space if they choose your home!

14 GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

■ Stylish worktops are a must.

Pictures: iStock

Tip 5: Storage, storage, storage!

Having a spacious kitchen will really help add value as your kitchen is one of the busiest rooms of the house, with it constantly being used.

If space is something you lack in your home, a way to resolve this is to add display shelves, ceiling racks or even installing cupboards above or below existing wall cabinets!

Personal finance expert Salman Haqqi says: “With your kitchen believed to be the heart of the home, making these changes is guaranteed to give you the extra push when it comes to putting your house on the market.

“The kitchen is the place where you prepare meals, socialise, and even relax, so having your interiors up to date is expected from many buyers.

“However, it is important to remember with all these changes to update your home insurance valuation as if your insurance is outdated, you may not be covered for your new changes.

Usually most kitchen appliances come under ‘contents insurance’ but it is important to check the policy you have to make sure you are covered.” ●

■ Add storage, such as shelves, to your kitchen.

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Our frontline healthcare workers have been the unsung heroes of the pandemic, often working long hours and faced with the ever increasing threat of COVID-19. Ocean Grove husband and wife, nurses Des and Kate Every, share their stories with JUSTIN FLYNN. What do you do?

to know them very well and they get to know us.

Des: We’re both RNs – registered nurses. I work in the operating theatres at St John of God Healthcare in Geelong. I’m trained as an anaesthetic and recovery nurse but my current role is largely administrative.

The treatment varies according to the particular type of cancer being treated. Some days are chaotic and challenging, but the most rewarding part of my job is supporting and helping patients and their families through a very stressful time in their lives and trying to make it that little bit easier. We try to create a positive environment. COVID has certainly made it difficult for our cancer patients that haven’t been able to have their families alongside them during their treatment.

Kate: I mix it up a bit. I work in the Andrew Love Cancer Centre (ALCC) at Barwon Health as an oncology nurse which involves administering chemotherapy and I’m also a secondary school nurse with at Colac Secondary College.

Did you meet at work?

Des: We didn’t meet at work, but we met in our first year of university at Australian Catholic University in Ballarat.

What does a ‘normal’ shift look like?

Kate: I am not sure we have a ‘normal’ at the moment. I have been working in the day ward at the Andrew Love Centre for 18 years and love it. I completed a graduate diploma in cancer nursing. I am very passionate about caring for individuals faced with cancer and helping them manage the side effects as they undergo treatment.

I am a very small part of a great team in the day ward that provides treatment to cancer patients. We administer many different types of treatments from immunotherapy to chemotherapy and blood transfusions. Some patients can spend the whole day in our unit and others may only be in for a short time. So, we get

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Also, in my other role as a secondary school nurse I am lucky to work with a dedicated wellbeing team at Colac Secondary College.

This role is health promotion based and I am really enjoying working in the education system and supporting young people.

Des: Theatre is normally pretty unpredictable so there is no real normal. We have 10 theatres running most days so together with a big team of nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists and theatre technicians getting all patients through theatre as safely and efficiently as possible is the main goal each day and dealing with any challenges that presents.

Have you noticed any change to peoples’ mindsets during COVID ?

Kate: Des and I have been lucky we have been able to remain working throughout and in the beginning we enjoyed some ‘downtime’ with our family.

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16 GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

SPRING 2021

IN CONVERSATION | DES AND KATE EVERY

But it’s getting harder with each lockdown.

Our house always has someone popping in so definitely missing those connections at the moment. It’s been hard on the kids as they are missing school, sport and their friends.

But unfortunately, COVID has made life complicated and difficult for many especially for people dealing with an illness or in vulnerable situations. We feel for local business owners.

Everyone is working together to get tested when they need to and getting vaccinated.

Have you helped treat anyone with COVID? Des: Our work practices have definitely changed dramatically due to COVID but we have both been fortunate that patients in our areas have not been COVID positive.

How has your mental health been during COVID? Kate: We could never imagine we would be home schooling and only leaving the house for exercise and work.

Lockdown has become way too familiar.

Definitely not catching up with friends and family, not playing sport all drove us stir crazy, especially with teenagers, but we all got into a routine of the ‘new normal’.

Normal became Saturday night Zoom calls, lots of dog walks, exercise challenges, Netflix and PS4 and technology overload.

At times it has become very challenging to keep up the motivation. The reality is we may be dealing with lockdowns for some time.

A lot of pressure has been on healthcare professionals, do you find support from each other?

Kate: We always have been a pretty good team.

Our days are busy like most of our friends, and sometimes a bit crazy especially with shift work in the mix but we make it work.

I am really proud of our kids as we rely on them to get themselves organised in the mornings for school, most days it works. They definitely do a great job.

Des: We often don’t talk about work at home but the support is there if needed.

Tell me a bit about your kids. Do you hope they go into nursing? Are they interested?

Kate: We have three teenage boys – Charlie Jack and George. They go to St Ignatius College in Drysdale. They love their sport and the beach and hanging with their friends.

I would be happy if they choose nursing as a career, as we have found it very rewarding but not sure we will have any nurses in our crew.

What do you do away from work?

SPRING 2021

Kate: Love our weekends off, a lot of it is buzzing around between kids’ sport which we enjoy being involved in. So that the rest of the weekend usually involves catching up with friends for a drink and seeing family, try and get in a run or a beach walk with the dog. When we can, we love our camping weekends away.

Hopefully we will be enjoying some of our cancelled holidays soon.

What are the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry?

Des: A lot of our weekends are going between footy games, cricket games, drop offs and pickups around the place, but we really enjoy being involved in our local sporting clubs.

Des: The increasing demand and pressure on all health services across the board is challenging particularly in fast-growing areas like Geelong and surrounds.

We are pretty involved with the Collendina Cricket Club over the summer months. I’ve been playing there since 1999 and all the kids have played junior cricket there and hopefully continue to do so. I was also lucky enough to play some senior cricket with Charlie and Jack last season. During the winter months it’s football with all three boys playing for Ocean Grove after spending about 10 years at the Cobras which was great.

How long have you lived in Ocean Grove?

Kate: It’s hard to believe we have been here for 23 years.

What do you like about Ocean Grove?

Des: We love the community feel of Ocean Grove. We are so lucky as we have great friends and neighbours. Everyone is always looking out for each other.

What advice would you give to any young

person interested in studying nursing?

Kate: It’s a great career choice as it offers so many opportunities and pathways, friendships, travel, work flexibility and it’s very rewarding.

University is difficult at the moment as the majority of it is done online but hang it there because we need more nurses.

Des: Nursing offers a wide range of options to pursue. As a graduate I quickly found working on the wards wasn’t for me.

I spent some years as a psychiatric nurse which I enjoyed but eventually anaesthetics and recovery was where I ended up. Even in the same department over 21 years, I’ve had four very different jobs. ●

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

17

LIFESTYLE | INTERIORS

■ Bedroom oasis. Colours: OUTER CIRCLE, WALL – Dulux Porcelain Half; INNER, CIRCLE WALL – Dulux Victoriana; TRIM – Dulux Vivid White.

Mindfulness at home When you’re working from home or the kids are remote learning, it’s all too easy to spend entire days hunched over a computer – a habit that we know isn’t good for either our physical or emotional health.

Research tells us that taking time to step away from your desk to clear your mind, stretch and recharge – even if it’s only for a few minutes – makes you happier, healthier and more productive. And you don’t need to leave home to do it!

Creating a sanctuary within our homes has never been more important to support our wellbeing, and the use of colour can play a crucial role.

Dulux colour and communications manager Andrea Lucena-Orr says colour can be a powerful tool to create dedicated mindfulness zones in the home for specific activities of selfcare, like reading, writing and yoga, and can help aid self-awareness.

“Soft colours drawn from nature are known to soothe the mind and promote a sense of wellbeing – just what we need during these challenging times,” Andrea says.

“You can use these gentle tones to create quiet, mindfulness zones within your home where you or the kids can switch off and calm the mind.”

From setting up a yoga space in your living room, to creating a cosy kids’ reading corner, or giving a teenager’s bedroom a mood-enhancing colour lift, Andrea says there are plenty of options for creating mindfulness zones in your home.

“You don’t need to re-style your entire home or have a huge amount of space – any quiet area will do,” Andrea says.

“Set aside a couple of hours, grab a paint brush and away you go – you’ll be amazed at how quick and easy it is to create these spaces.”

18 GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

■ Yoga zone. Colours: WALLS – Dulux Pale Tendril; TRIM – Dulux Lexicon Half.

Pictures: Dulux Australia

Help the kids relax Concerned about your little one spending too much time on devices?

Set up a cosy chill-out zone in the corner of their bedroom or playroom where they can read a book, do a puzzle or play quietly – all it takes is a lick of paint and some comfy cushions.

“Define the area by painting a section of the wall in a serene light blue, such as Dulux Vanilla Ice, and using a cool white on the remaining walls, such as Dulux Vivid White. Pops of inky blue, such as Dulux Grid, on accessories and decor pieces and added to soft furnishings will help to finish the look and ground the space,” Andrea says.

Lastly, increase the comfort factor with a soft, textured rug and layers of generous,

squishy cushions that your little one can snuggle into.

Unwind in your yoga zone Gentle earth-based greens make us feel relaxed and connected to nature – perfect for creating a dedicated yoga zone in your living area.

Try painting the walls a soft green, such as Dulux Pale Tendril, with a crisp white like Dulux Lexicon Half on trims. Add in touches of grounding clay colours on upcycled decor pieces and carry the colour through soft furnishings for a sense of flow.

Keep the look simple and clutter-free, with pale timbers, natural textures and a medley of indoor plants. Then, roll out the yoga mat, light a candle, breathe deeply and relax.

SPRING 2021

LIFESTYLE | INTERIORS

■ Meditation retreat. Colours: BEIGE WALL - Dulux Clay Pipe Half; CHARCOAL, WALL - Dulux Teahouse; TRIM - Dulux Natural White.

■ Chill-out zone. Colours: WHITE WALLS AND TRIM - Dulux Vivid White; BLUE, TEEPEE - Dulux, Vanilla Ice Half.

Create a meditation retreat Plan meditation as part of your daily routine by creating your own little oasis at home.

Designate a spot where you’ll feel comfortable and settled, such as a nook in the living area or the corner of your bedroom.

“Decorate it with natural, earth-based colours that make you feel safe and cocooned, such as Dulux Clay Pipe Half and Dulux Teahouse on the walls, and a warm white like Dulux Natural White on the ceiling and trims,” Andrea says.

You’ll want minimal distractions in your meditation space, so take a ‘less is more’ approach to furnishings.

Opt for pared-back furniture in organic materials, positioned with plenty of breathing space around them.

Make comfort a priority; choose a curvy armchair in a tactile fabric such as boucle, layered with sheepskin or faux-fur throws and cushions, and a textured rug underfoot.

From there, dim the lights, light a candle and turn your attention inward.

Imagine and travel in your reading nook With travel off the agenda for now, books are your child’s ticket to faraway places. Help make this quiet activity a joy by carving out a dedicated reading corner.

“Set the scene with a welcoming and laidback palette of mossy green across a feature wall (try Dulux Pale Sage), with accents of forest green and clay in furniture and accessories,” Andrea says.

Arrange a daybed or spare sofa with blankets, throws and cushions of differing shapes and sizes. Add a side table to store books, magazines and indoor plants to emphasise a natural connection.

“Mindfulness is a great way to help our kids – and ourselves – build resilience, selfawareness and gratitude we need to navigate these difficult times,” Andrea says.

“Just be sure to choose the space for your mindfulness zone thoughtfully – ideally it should be away frombusy spots such as the kitchen and TV room so you can really tap into your zen.”

SPRING 2021

■ Reading nook. Colours: GREEN WALL - Dulux Pale Sage; WHITE, WALLAND TRIM - Dulux Lexicon.

Bedroom oasis Having spent so much time at home in the past year, chances are your teenager is sick of the sight of their bedroom.

Help them fall back in love with their personal space by giving it a quick and uplifting colour refresh.

Styling the room with calming pinks, soft layered textures and fresh flowers makes it feel captivating and inviting and, according to colour psychologists, will help in creating a positive outlook.

“Create a unique bedhead by painting a circle shape on the wall behind the bed in a dusty pink such as Dulux Victoriana, and remaining walls in a more subtle, tonal shade of Dulux Porcelain Half,” Andrea says.

Keep the room bright and open by painting the trims and ceiling in Dulux Natural White.

Pile the bed high with soft, tactile bedding – think natural linens, cottons, chunky woollen blankets and decadent velvet cushions – to create a chillaxing bedroom they’ll love.” ●

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

19

MY GARAGE

■ Craig on his Mini Moke.

Picture: Ivan Kemp

Still life in Mini-ature Long-time photographer Craig Watson shares four decades of adventure and his love of all things Mini with LUKE VOOGT. One look at Craig Watson’s garage and it’s obvious he has a certain type.

“Small and with a Mini engine in it,” he confirms.

The only surviving Austin Ant in Australia, according to Craig, is the most remarkable item of his collection in his Leopold garage.

BMC cancelled production of the Austin Ant in 1968 after the manufacturer became part of the British Leyland conglomerate, which considered the model too close a competitor for the Land Rover range.

“They built 25,” Craig says.

“Two came to Australia and in 1974 one was cut up and sold for scrap.”

Craig discovered the one-of-a-kind car working as a photojournalist for an auto magazine.

20 GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

“About 15 years ago I was interviewing a person who worked at the BMC factory,” he recalls.

“He said, ‘you’ve got to come out to the garage and have a look at my toy’.

“He pulled the tarp off the car and I said, ‘that’s an Austin Ant!’ “He said, ‘you are the first person ever to look at it and know exactly what it is!’ He said he was never going to sell it. He never had it running, it just sat on bricks for 30 years.”

But a decade later, the man phoned Craig out of the blue and asked: “are you still interested in the Ant?” “And I said, ‘hell yeah!’ I had to think about it for all of half a second,” he says.

“There were a couple of parts in the back that came with it. All I’ve done is worked out

what goes on the car – because a lot didn’t – and bolted it on.

“And I’ve given it a thorough clean too – it definitely needed a clean. It looks complete but it still doesn’t run.”

But Craig admits his love of all things Mini began with an imposter.

“My first car was Honda Scamp – it was Honda’s attempt at building something like a Mini,” he says.

“Not enough power to pull the string off a rice pudding – but a lot of fun.”

After leaving the Scamp at home and going for a road trip in a Mini with a good mate, he decided: “I had to have one.”

He saved up while working part-time in a camera store, which would lead into his other life’s passion, photography.

SPRING 2021

MY GARAGE | CRAIG WATSON

■ Craig on his Mini Moke.

Picture: Ivan Kemp

“Thirty-nine and a half years ago, I bought my first Mini Moke, and I still have it now,” he says.

“It cost me $1500 – even in 1982 that wasn’t much for a car.”

“The two [driving and photography] have always gone hand-in-hand because I’ve travelled all over Australia in a Moke photographing everywhere I go.

“I joined the Moke Owners Association of Victoria. We used to go away on weekend trips and day trips to the snow, the bush and the desert.”

“Once a year we had a big tour. We took five Mokes to Cape York in 1986 and it was fantastic.”

The group even floated one of their Mokes across the Jardine River, before discovering the watercourse was croc-infested.

“If they’re well prepared they’ll float under their own buoyancy,” Craig explains.

“It took us about two hours to haul the Moke across the river, due to how shallow it was, but it was floating under its own buoyancy.

“The guy at the front, pulling on the tow strap and acting as croc bait, was a much younger version of me.”

Later that evening a local bloke, who had watched the river crossing from a dinghy, approached their campsite.

“He had watched us floating the Moke across the river and we thought he was just seeing what we were up to,” Craig remembers.

“He said, ‘I was just looking out for you guys because we had a four-metre croc recently’. We

■ Craig Watson’s Mini in a rally near Kalgoorlie in 2013 Picture: Craig Watson

SPRING 2021

said, ‘we’re not doing that again!’

“But none of us were missing toes or anything.”

Two of the group took up the local man’s offer to go spotlighting in his boat for crocs.

“They came back with him white as a ghost,” Craig laughed.

Craig worked in the darkroom at The Herald and Weekly Times for six years before becoming a freelance photojournalist for automotive magazines.

In 1996 he added a 1972 Mini Van to his collection for work.

“I could put all my stuff in the back and, writing for car magazines, it was kind of neutral,” he says.

“I could go to a Ford or Holden event and not be stoned to death.”

He has driven Minis and Mokes from Cape York to Perth and everywhere in between.

“And in Tassie!” he adds.

“I actually met my wife in the Moke Owners Association. Jane has travelled with me on a lot of the trips.”

He has also done up other Minis with mates and raised more than $60,000 for organisations like Camp Quality, Cancer Council and Canteen in charity rallies across the country.

Currently, Craig owns Focal Point Darkroom and Gallery in North Geelong, and has adapted to obstacle after obstacle thrown at him by COVID-19.

“It’s just so frustrating – every time you think you’re getting ahead and things are starting to go well again, you get another lockdown,” he says.

■ The Austin Ant. But he hopes one day – once he gets through it all – to become the first person to drive a fully-functional Austin Ant in Australia in half a century.

“It’s just been waiting for me to have the time and money to start on the restoration,” he says.

“I think it will be my retirement project.” ●

■ Craig Watson in his yellow Mini, as Thunderbird 4, in the 2017 Camp Quality esCarpade.

■ Craig and his cars.

Picture: Noni Carroll

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

21

SOCIAL NETWORK | NORTH BELLARINE FILM FESTIVAL

North Bellarine Film Festival preview Locals got a taste of what is to come in November during a preview of the North Bellarine Film Festival last month.

■ Lauren Warren and Sahra Cook

■ Jenny Gray and Ria Bua

■ Erin and John Wilkinson

■ Andy Hills and Kim Doherty

■ Caroline Hay, bottom right, with Andre, Mikayla and Chelsea Cornfield

■ Norman and Jane Kennedy

■ Peter Gell, Patricia Clark, Lisa-Jane Campbell, Karen Gell and Gavin Campbell Pictures: Ivan Kemp

■ Kitty Howard, Hanna Puskarz, Zach Groves, Bryce Hanson, Zach Robertson and Anthea Lemmer

■ North Bellarine Film Festival president Bill Lussier, Jo Wealand, Scott Ireland and NBFF 2020 Emerging Filmmaker Grace Griffith

22 GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

■ Marina Alexander and Hans Lemmens

■ Ursula and Peter Lorentzen, Andrea Shimmen and David Lowe

SPRING 2021

LET’S

Dine Out Our Takeaway offers delicious food at competitive prices!

We now have a website, where you can order online - choose form our entire menu, order your favourite dishes and have them delivered straight to your door!

Hours Mon-Tues 7am - 4pm Wed-Sun 7am - Late

5222 3906

To our amazing customers

119 Moorabool Street Geelong kebabspot-ea.com.au

We cannot thank you enough for all of your support during lockdown, it’s cause of you that we are open!

We are now open for restricted sit down services and our takeaway is still kicking. See you soon. - Sticks

77 Preston St. Geelong West 3218 (03) 5261 8176 12512745-CG39-21

12510402-AV39-21

Local Geelong delivery available

Gift boxes & hampers, Over 80 varieties of chocolates Hot and cold drinks, sweet and savoury food

354 Pakington Street Newtown www.finechocolates.com.au

5229 7405

12464561-HL41-20

Complimentary chocolate with every drink

12512964-HC39-21

TAKE AWAY IS AVAILABLE AND WITH ONLINE ORDERING YOU CAN SKIP THE QUEUE! Located just walking distance to beaches, holiday parks and the shopping district, the historic Queenscliff General Store café is an icon at the gateway to Queenscliff. It’s the perfect place to catch up with family & friends for breakfast, lunch & coffee dates.

Find us @ 43 King street, Queenscliff, 3225 OPEN: 7am – 2:30pm Monday-Friday 8am – 2:30pm Saturday queenscliff_generalstore 8am – 2pm Sunday

SPRING 2021

12511132-AV39-21

Our all day breakfast & lunch menu means there is always something new to try, with a variety of delicious freshly baked goods for those looking for a treat.

GEELONG COAST HOME&LIFESTYLE

23

12508673-SN38-21

Make Armstrong Green home!

E4 G A T S NOW G IN SELL

$570K $530K

ALFRESCO BEDROOM TWO 4.2 x 3.0

ROBE

STAGE 4 FROM:

LIMITED SELECTION AVAILABLE IN STAGE 3 FROM:

DINING 3.5 x 4.6

STUDY BEDROOM THREE 2.3 x 3.9

DW

FRIDGE

LINEN

ENSUITE

BUTLERS PANTRY

KITCHEN 5.6 x 2.5

LAUNDRY 4.2 x 1.9 WM

RCA Villages is excited to announce the release of Stage 4 at Armstrong Green, our village on the doorstep of the beautiful Bellarine.

With four designs to choose from, this is a wonderful opportunity to secure your retirement lifestyle in this active and friendly community.

To discuss this exciting opportunity call our Sales Specialists today.

LOUNGE 3.5 x 4.6

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WO MW

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MASTER SUITE 4.2 x 3.6 GARAGE 5.5 x 6.1 VERANDAH

THE ARLINGTON

Freecall: 1800 777 898 armstronggreen.com.au Display suites open seven days. 10am–4pm Villa 2, 722–742 Barwon Heads Road, Armstrong Creek 3217

For more information about our range of retirement communities visit: rcavillages.com.au

24 GEELON G C OA ST HOME&LIFESTYLE

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