Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i Country Style

I’VE BEEN HAVING something of a spring clean – not for my house (that is next on the agenda), but for myself. I’ve rejoined the gym near my work, which I was a member of until COVID lockdown. Needless to say I was quite unfit, but I’m determined to change that. At the gym I lift weights – as a woman my age should – and I take yoga and Pilates classes. Sometimes I only have time for 20 minutes on the rowing machine, but I figure it’s better than nothing. On top of that, I’m trying to hit 10,000 steps every day. Sometimes I walk part of the way to or from work before catching public transport, instead of getting straight on the bus. I’ve also rediscovered my love…

PERCHED ON TOP of a small hill, Peppercorn House rises majestically over the quaint Hepburn Shire, on Dja Dja Wurrung land in central Victoria. With its elegant gables, meandering paths and striking tower, it’s no surprise that interior designer Fiona Davis and her husband, Chris, a chemical engineer, were instantly captivated by the home’s charm. Except, they had never set foot on the property when they purchased it in 2020. “We bought it online, basically,” Fiona explains. “So, the first time we saw the home was when we got the keys.” She and Chris had spent 18 years abroad, living in the US, the UK and Singapore, before the call of home drew them back to Victoria. “Most of our family are in Victoria and we really wanted to live…

Gippsland gourmet Melbourne’s Farmer’s Daughters restaurant, which showcases fresh Gippsland produce, has relaunched its Rooftop as a dynamic new dining space and wine bar. Visit farmersdaughters.com.au WHISKY GALORE Nearly 40 per cent of whisky drinkers are women, a number that’s more than doubled since the ’90s. Plenty are opting for local brands like South Australia’s 23rd Street Distillery. Its Australian Whisky, $80, has notes of citrus, spice and toffee. Visit 23rdstreetdistillery. com.au ICE, ICE BABY Featuring gold accents, the Polarbox Cooler Bag in Pearl, $129.95, has a six-litre capacity and comes with two food containers to make storage and temperature control a cinch. A durable leather handle makes carrying easy and stylish, or you can switch it out for a fabric handle. Visit hardtofind.com.au SUNDAY ROAST Spice up your next…

Editor KYLIE IMESON Deputy editor HANNAH JAMES Art director BERNHARD SCHMITZ Contributing art directors JACQUELINE PAGE, KELSIE WALKER Queensland contributing editor CLAIRE MACTAGGART Stylist KATE LINCOLN Feature writers REBECCA HOOTON, RACHEL WHITE Junior writer LISA EASEY Chief copy editor, Homes Group PETER GRIFFITHS Senior copy editor GRETA DUMBLETON ADVERTISING AND PRODUCTION Head of sales –NSW BLAKE WRIGHT Group Business Director Sales – Vic BEN WILES Head of direct sales – Vic, SA, WA WILL JAMISON Head of sales – Qld JUDY TAYLOR Advertising production manager KATE ORSBORN Head of directories REBECCA WHITE Head of creative CLARE CATT  Head of events and sponsorships CATE GAZAL  Production controller KARA STEAD  Advertising production controller DOMINIC ROY  All advertising inquiries ADVERTISING@AREMEDIA.COM.AU MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Director of marketing CARLY BOWRA  Head of consumer marketing LOUISE…

FOR MANY PEOPLE, their true passion lies dormant waiting to be discovered. That moment fell into Tegan Murdock’s lap six years ago when her mother brought home native grasses, sat her down and taught her how to weave a basket. “I just remember thinking, why didn’t I ever see this growing up?” Tegan, 36, says. As a proud member of the Barkindtji, Yorta Yorta and Dhudhuroa tribes, Tegan says traditional weaving knowledge had been lost from the generations before her, who feared sharing culture under settlement: “It comes down to trauma from colonisation. If anyone was seen weaving, they would’ve gotten in big trouble – so they had to stop and hide it.” Tegan’s fondest childhood memories saw her surrounded by scrub and bush on the Namatjira Mission where she…

“We love the chill vibe, the quiet, the birds flying around and the happy cows just sitting in the paddock.” TWO CITY FOLK EMBARK on a self-sufficient lifestyle on a small block of land… nope, it’s not the premise for a cute rom-com. It’s the story of how Jamie and Gabe Yates took their first steps into beef farming. The couple, who are now parents to Reuben, seven, and Angus, two, were enthusiastic but inexperienced hobbyists when they bought a plot in Samford, just north of Brisbane, in Queensland. “We actually both grew up by the beach. I’m originally from Pottsville in northern NSW and Gabe was born in Mona Vale, Sydney,” explains Jamie, 33, who worked as a law clerk at the time. “Gabe had a bit of land…

I’M NOT A PARTICULARLY orderly person. I don’t get overly excited about perfect refrigerator interiors with piles of neat containers, or tidy rows of jars and tins in a pantry. In the garden, however, I’ve always been a keen advocate of straight rows. My dad taught me to drop the handle of a rake onto tilled soil to mark out a row to plant along. Our kitchen garden is right outside our dining room window and it’s the first thing I see when I turn on the coffee machine in the morning. For years I have peered out there and quietly revered the rectangular raised beds and all my straight-row plantings. I’ve even been known to dig up and replant a bendy row of rocket or silverbeet. Until this spring.…

THEY MAY HAVE BEEN celebrating their 12th anniversary of being together, but when Matt Finn, 32, proposed to Elle Kandasamy, 32, it still came as a surprise. “I suspected nothing as Matt doesn’t feel the need to celebrate all our anniversaries,” says Elle. “We were staying in the garden loft at Poet’s Lodge, and I was getting ready for dinner – I’d showered and put on my PJs and fluffy slippers, ready to do my hair and make-up. Then Matt was down on one knee, with a ring box in his hand. I started crying before he could get a word out. He knows me too well – he said, ‘I knew you’d cry, so I didn’t want you to ruin your make-up!’” Not only was Poet’s Lodge, in Daylesford,…

TASMANIA CALLING It was so wonderful to find the August issue of Country Style dedicated to Tasmania. My sister and her husband, both in their 60s, relocated there in February for a different pace of life, sustainable living, and to enjoy the wonderful produce. They love it. I couldn’t wait to share this issue and its stories with her, and to fly down and enjoy some of your inspiring ideas that we can curate together. Tassie, here I come! Anne Gillespie, Shortland, NSW SOUTHERN APPEAL Thanks for another beautiful Tasmanian edition of Country Style. I grew up in Tasmania, but now live on the mainland. Last year, while in Tassie visiting my parents, I inspected a 100-year-old Federation cottage in Falmouth on the east coast, and a few months later…

Send your shopping news to csshopping@aremedia.com.au PAPER CRAFT Historic British wallpaper brand Sanderson has a lengthy history (it was founded in London in 1860) and a rich archive. This Chestnut Tree wallpaper in Grey/Sage, $295 per roll, features trailing horse-chestnut blossoms rendered in watercolour and pencil, for a classically elegant look. Visit nattyandpolly.com.au SPECIAL DELIVERY The Flower Bar Co. delivers beautiful blooms every day across the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. Soft bouquet in Luxe size, $265. Visit theflowerbarco.com.au OPEN AND SHUT From crockery to placemats and bed linen, store essential items in the sturdy Banque buffet, $2999. Designed with minimalist lines, handwoven rattan doors and a solid elm frame, it’s a versatile addition to any room of the home. Visit domayne.com.au MIX IT UP KitchenAid’s retro-chic Artisan stand mixer…

EACH MORNING when the sun rises, Vanessa Challacombe is up early to get a head start on the day. Together with her husband, Trent, the mum-of-four manages Marathon Downs, a 4850-hectare cattle station – owned by Trent’s uncle, John Baker – near Capella in Central Queensland. Breakfast, smoko and lunches are prepared for her brood before she tackles the morning’s jobs, be they mustering, fencing, starting pumps or feeding livestock. Once done, she ducks across to the dwelling dedicated to her clothing business, Little Spurs & Co, to fill orders, seamlessly blending her two worlds of farmer and entrepreneur. “Before Little Spurs, I led a 15-year career in the corporate world, working in logistics for Australia’s largest telecommunications network,” says Vanessa, 36. “It made me a very proactive planner, but…

SOMETIMES, STARTING FROM SCRATCH is the best way to achieve what you have in mind. This is what former professional hockey player David Jones and his wife, Kimberly Vaage Jones, decided to do when they realised they wouldn’t find the ideal property for them and their three children, Ronan, nine, Greta, six, and Hugh, four – plus their Boston terrier, Leonard. So, once they’d found the perfect block of land in North Vancouver, Canada, they set about building their own home. “We sought a level of privacy, and the home backs onto a green belt, which offers a peaceful, quiet backyard, overlooking a stream and large cedar trees,” says David. “In designing the home, we hoped for a timeless yet approachable feel, and I believe it was achieved.” With its…

HENTLEY FARM RESTAURANT’S HEAD CHEF, Kyle Johns, has a food philosophy centred around farming and foraging. Luckily for him, South Australia’s fertile Barossa Valley has plenty to offer. “The entire region is bursting with passionate farmers and growers,” says Kyle. “It is a true privilege to present their produce to our guests.” The restaurant is located at the renowned Hentley Farm vineyard and winery in Seppeltsfield, an estate bursting with inspiration for an innovative chef like Kyle. “The setting of the environment grounds me and keeps me focused,” he muses. Along with his wife Kayley (who is also a chef), Kyle was drawn to the Barossa’s plentiful natural bounty, after years of living in the city. “What my wife and I enjoy about living and raising a family here is…

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, I worked at a local cafe on the weekends. I loved that job and felt impossibly grown-up taking orders, making coffee and serving slices of cake. I loved the interaction with the customers – the old couples who came in every day for their morning coffee and cake; the university students who seemed so much more worldly and sophisticated than me; and everyone in between. Being a small country town, chances were I knew most of the customers already, or if I didn’t, one of the other staff did. Small towns are wonderful like that; not that I always saw it that way. Back then, one of the mainstays in the cafe’s cake cabinet was the friand. The flavours varied, but we always had at…

BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOGRAPHY Dear Fiore VIDEOGRAPHY Claire Hargreaves, Everwood Films BRIDE’S DRESS & For Love HAIR & MAKE-UP Kristin Brett, Bride to Be Makeup Co BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES Rachel Gilbert (yellow) Rebecca Vallance (pink) GROOM’S & GROOMSMEN’S SUITS MJ Bale BEST WOMAN’S OUTFIT Acler top, ALC pants RINGS Di Pietro Jewellery CELEBRANT Lucinda Stump FLORIST Bouquets: Jac Floral CATERER Fennel & Co WEDDING PLANNER Leisha Daniels, Chameleon Directive MUSIC Ceremony: friend Gordi. Reception: Venus Music “It was the most joy-filled experience.” YOU MIGHT EXPECT a public-relations expert, who’s planned plenty of events, to have an organised approach to creating her own wedding. True to form, Georgie Quigley had a clever trick up her sleeve to ensure her and husband-to-be Alex Shaw’s decision-making was simple and smooth. “At the start of…

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT Hyaluronate Skin Hydration Serum, $21.95, from Natio, delivers a burst of lightweight hydration to keep skin smooth and plump. Revitalise stressed skin with Herbal Recovery Bi-Phase Serum, $108, from Jurlique, which is packed with nourishing holy basil, iris root, echinacea and black elderflower. Infused with botanical extracts and aloe, Le Labo’s All-In-One Cleanser, $68, can be used from head to toe. The ideal travel-size fragrance, Acca Kappa Tilia Cordata Travel Eau de Parfum, $49.95 (15ml), from Saison, delivers an uplifting blend of citrus, magnolia, jasmine, amber and cedarwood. Celsius 1kg Rubber Hex Dumbbell, $5.49, from Rebel Sport, is a versatile weight for bicep curls, pump classes, Pilates and a home gym set-up. Towel, stylist’s own. Stay fresh post-workout with Salt & Stone Black Rose & Oud Deodorant,…

THREE WILD DOGS AND THE TRUTH Markus Zusak, Picador, $36.99 Box of tissues at the ready? Here we go. Zusak (who wrote the bestseller The Book Thief ), along with his wife Mika, daughter Kitty and son Noah, loves wild dogs. Mika has only to look online and glimpse a dog with too many euphemisms in his description and a yearning look in his eyes and common sense flies out the window. If Reuben, a patchwork of brindle, pied and ochre, sees another dog, then it’s a tussle. Twice Reuben hurls his master to the ground. Zusak needs ongoing knee therapy. And in the course of time, Reuben gets two new knees ($10,000). Zusak’s vet bill when the end is nigh is $11,897. “I’d have remortgaged the house if I’d…

SUSTAINABLE LUXURY Soul Song Life’s gorgeous Palm Towels, blockprinted by hand by artisans in India, are made from 100 per cent cotton in a classic open waffle weave. Choose from bath towels, hand towels and face washers, or sets of three. soulsonglife.com HIGH-TECH PROTECTION Australia’s first and only self-correcting awning system, the Luxaflex Evo MagnaTrack Awning reduces cooling energy costs and offers UV protection, heat reduction and light control. It’s ideal for terraces, patios and outdoor entertaining areas. luxaflex.com.au CHIC COMFORT Look good and feel great in Monari’s Italian-style activewear range from Bay Road Clothes. Team the Spliced Sweater with Yoga Tights and a reversible Stand Up Collar Vest. bayroadclothes.com.au/collections/monari SEASONAL STYLE Australian-owned company Miss Rose Sister Violet designs timeless, quality apparel that can be worn comfortably throughout the seasons.…

TODAY I AM HOME and the skylarks are out. I am so happy to hear them scattering their silvery notes all over our hillside, because it means the soft part of spring has arrived. The winter felt long and very cold this year. If I search the sky long enough, I will find the tiny male up there while his mate tends to her nest on the ground. But I don’t have time to search for him because there are bags to unpack and washing to do and things piled up on my desk. We are home from a two-week family road trip across the south-eastern corner of Australia. It was whistlestop and not particularly leisurely, bookended by inflexible flights and overscheduled by me. But it was, in the tradition…