Innehållsförteckning för May 2023 från Country Style

MOTHER’S DAY can be a difficult time. Some may have lost their mother; some may have difficult relationships; some may be estranged. Others still may be unable to become mothers themselves, making this annual celebration a reminder of something they wished they had. I was fortunate to give birth to two healthy daughters, who are now far from babyhood. In fact, one recently became an adult, turning 18 in March. Eighteen is a significant age in my family. My mum and my nan were both 18 when they fell pregnant. It’s always been wonderful to have young parents and grandparents (my father was also 18 – high school sweethearts – and my grandfather was 22). The only downside was when Mum came on primary school excursions, some of the boys…

VICTORIA Grampians Grape Escape, May 5-7 Celebrating its 30th outing this year, the Grampians Grape Escape offers a fabulous weekend of wine, food and music at Halls Gap Recreation Reserve. The fun starts with Feel-Good Friday, as local bands Shell Yeah, 19-Twenty and Madhouse perform ’60s classics, then continues across the weekend with more than 15 bands. The markets are another highlight – choose from delicious food, wine, homewares, handcrafted goods, candles and more. Guest chefs Miguel Maestre and MasterChef favourite Khanh Ong will spice things up with cooking demonstrations, while elsewhere, bidders can try their luck at the Grampians Winemakers Barrique Auction. Expect plenty of fun activities for kids, too. Book online. grampiansgrapeescape.com.au Bright Autumn Festival, Apr 28-May 7 Be awed by the colours of Victoria’s Alpine High Country…

AND JUST LIKE THAT we are into the last month of autumn, the days are drawing in and there is a stack of jobs to finish before winter arrives. One of them is bedding down the garden plots under a thick layer of sheep manure. I’ve been busy carting wheelbarrow-loads over from the shearing shed. I have the easy job. It was Clancy who, over summer, did the backbreaking shovelling of it from under the old shed and into big bags. The work, trundling back and forth from the garden to the shed, tipping the loads into the garden beds and then digging it in, is soothing. My new book, Graft, is out this month and I’ve got the prepublication jitters. It’s based around a diary I kept during the…

IT WAS SPRING WHEN Denise and Mark Duffield-Thomas made their way down the driveway framed by poplar trees at the historic Lorn Rose Farm in Lorn, New South Wales. Cradling their newborn daughter, Denise stepped from the car. Taking in the idyllic property bordered by bucolic farmland, she had an overwhelming sense of coming home. It was as if the four-hectare property, with its early 1900s homestead, rustic barn and three-bay covered rose farm, was calling her. “I said to Mark, ‘Can’t you see it? Our kids are going to get married here,’” recalls Denise. Aptly, the couple had named their daughter Piper Rose – perhaps a sign pointing to their future role as custodians of a rose farm. Now four, the youngster has certainly lived up to her name,…

WENDING PAST A REMARKABLE dry-stone wall ahead of Susie Kotiw’s Axe Creek home, 20 minutes’ drive south-east of Bendigo, the eye is drawn upward to an elegant dormer overlooking the Central Victorian landscape. Though this colonial-style cottage could pass as a 19th-century dwelling, it was in fact designed and largely constructed by Susie and her late husband, Charlie. Over two decades, the couple meticulously hand-built their two-storey home using recycled and recovered materials to ensure every component carried a unique individual history. Sadly, Charlie passed away from cancer in February this year. “We both loved old things and that feeling of timelessness,” says Susie, who previously lived in Malmsbury, an hour north-west of Melbourne. There they had a lovely garden and ran a small antique shop out of their home,…

BIMLOW COTTAGE AND THE pretty grounds that hug the 130-year-old dwelling have evolved gently since Georgie Stuart and her partner Matt Quigley, both 39, purchased the property in 2011. The cottage sits on one hectare of land in the tiny hamlet of Edith on Gundungurra land in NSW’s Central West. Edith and its surroundings are a picture of pastoral perfection. The wide, open sky meets an undulating green expanse flecked with grazing sheep and rivulets that meander through golden grasses. At an elevation of 1080 metres, the air is sharp, and the cold season brings cloaking mists and snow. The region attracts keen trout anglers, daytrippers visiting Jenolan Caves, and hurried city folk looking to slow down. For Georgie and Matt, it was about leaving their Sydney life behind and…

FEW BUILDINGS SPEAK AS eloquently of the Australian bush as the shearing shed. Its rough and ready materials – rusting corrugated iron, slabs of timber battered from use – have come to define a certain rural aesthetic that’s grounded in the farming ethos of practicality, hard work and authenticity. These principles underpin the Shearers Hall at Wilga Station, set on 105 hectares of verdant countryside just outside Bathurst in NSW. Its exterior seems little changed since the last shearer left the building in 2020. Inside, historic details delight. The old wool table serves as the dining table, and the sheep chutes (now glassed in) have been carefully preserved. From the walls, timeworn shearing handpieces still hang. This was crucial to Mez and Hamish Keith, who own the five-bedroom Shearers Hall,…

FROM LEFT Boronia EDP, $145 (50ml), from Grandiflora, captures the complexity of this native botanical, along with freesia and cassis. With pink grapefruit, magnolia and rose, Freedom EDP, $110 (30ml), from One Seed Perfumes, is calming and meditative. The all-natural Primaveral Batch III, $120 (5ml), from Cygnet Perfumery, features lily of the valley and linden blossom. Nomad EDP, $135 (50ml), from Who Is Elijah, is complex yet versatile, with Egyptian jasmine, saffron and musk. Sweet pear combines with freesia and patchouli in Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Cologne, $114 (30ml), from Myer. Neroli, orange and bergamot add warmth to the all-natural Neon Neroli perfume, $240 (50ml), from Vahy. The wax-based Amber Haze Parfum Solide, $69.95, from Odesse, has a delicious blend of melon, pear, musk and freesia. Sienna…

AUSTRALIA HAS ONLY a few artist studios preserved as memorials: Norman Lindsay’s home and studio in the Blue Mountains; Brett Whiteley’s studio in Sydney; and Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon Homestead and Studio. All of these offer insight into the private lives of each talent. In particular, Arthur’s historic homestead dating from the 1840s, which houses his personal collection of work, makes for a fascinating visit. Many drawings and ceramics made by Arthur’s father, Merric Boyd (1888-1959), are included in the collection. One of Australia’s earliest studio potters, Merric attempted to make a living from his work. His distinctive pots often depict images of the Australian bush. The white tree trunks on this vase, crafted in 1940, evoke eucalypt forests. Some pots even feature swirling sculptural branches with koalas and kookaburras. Merric’s…

I WAS PUZZLED TO READ the other day that a record number of complaints had been received by the AHPRA. There are a record number of complaints everywhere these days, so that didn’t puzzle me, but what is the AHPRA? I skipped to the next page of the paper, where AUKUS had concerns over its trilateral pact. AUKUS? Isn’t that the small-to-medium-sized seabird with tiny wings and legs? And maybe a tiny trilateral pact. What we’re all falling victim to these days is the acronym pandemic – an ailment in which names and phrases are abbreviated into a perplexing collection of the first letters of component words… presumably to promote misunderstanding. Blame SMS, the text messaging service (which should, of course, be TMS). It was smart enough to discover that…

REBECCA HOOTON The newest member of the Country Style team, Blue Mountains-based writer Rebecca uses her love for the Australian bush to inform her words. She wrote our cover story on page 54. “I grew up in the Blue Mountains and I’m now raising my own family there. We’re surrounded by bush and share our backyard with wallabies, lizards and an array of birds,” says Rebecca, 36, of her home with husband Brendon, 38, and sons Arthur, seven, and Rory, three. “I love the friendly feel of a small town; the unique shops you stumble across. There’s nothing better than a secondhand bookstore or a one-of-a-kind find.” A writer for 15 years, Rebecca says there’s no joy quite like coming home after a day’s work. “Driving along with rolling hills…

TIME TO DREAM Immerse yourself in a world of luxury homewares and artisan decor with L&M Home. The Autumn ’23 collection features bed linen in supple, organic fabrics and soft, earthy hues that mirror the seasonal transitions. Visit lmhome.com.au made to move Discover the finest European footwear in a range of widths and sizes from Peter Sheppard. Crafted with durable leather, the Calpierre Conti boot in Asphalt teams beautifully with a winter dress and stockings, or jeans and a chic jumper. Visit petersheppard.com.au BLISS STATE A relaxing bedtime soak requires a soft towel close at hand to deliver enveloping warmth. You’ll find just that in the latest Lake House Stripe collection from Baina, which features 100 per cent organic cotton bathware inspired by the eclectic interiors of a lake house.…

WHEN HER TOWN’S PRIVATE hospital maternity unit closed, Tamworth midwife Edwina Sharrock realised the impact it would have on local women. A self-confessed Type-A personality, she threw herself into research. “I discovered 44 per cent of maternity units in Australia had closed in the last 15 years – all were in rural, regional and remote areas,” Edwina, 41, says. “Small towns thrive and survive when young families move – or return – there, and choose to grow their families there. They keep businesses alive and schools going, so we need young women to want to live in these towns. And, I thought, while I can’t build maternity units, I can help pregnant women who are feeling isolated to feel well-supported, informed and empowered going through birth.” Born and bred in…

MITTAGONG NSW “It’s very private up here and we feel like we’re tucked away among the trees.” WHEN FACED WITH THE DILEMMA of outgrowing their near-original 1930s cottage, Kate and Paul Hoye had a decision to make. “We needed more space for our growing family, so we either had to move to something bigger or extend what we had. We love our home and area, so we decided to stay and extend,” says Kate. The result is their marvellous home in Mittagong, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, which has been lovingly restored and expanded. They’ve turned it into their dream home now, but originally, they never even planned to move in. The couple was living in Sydney’s Inner West – Kate working as a lawyer and Paul…

DOWN THE GARDEN PATH IS IT WEIRD TO ENVY PEOPLE their composting systems? Are you that person at open garden days taking photos of compost? (It’s not just me, right?!) Autumn is a great time to think about compost – that black, earthy goodness. It is something we respect (and covet) here at Buena Vista Farm. We understand that compost is where life starts and ends, and the closer you look, the more it resembles the universe. Each tiny bit of compost has millions of bacteria living in it. It’s astounding stuff. Compost is never just food scraps – it’s the foundation of food, the background to great soil, and the baseline of every beautiful garden. Compost is easy to make but sometimes tricky to manage. We’ve had compost bins…

FASHION DENISE DUFFIELD-THOMAS AUTHOR, BUSINESS MENTOR FOR WOMEN, AND CO-OWNER OF LORN ROSE FARM, 43 Denise lives at Lorn Rose Farm in the charming village of Lorn, in NSW, with her husband Mark, 39, and their children Willow, nine, George, seven, and Piper Rose, four, plus cavoodles Albie and Daisy. What do you love about living in the country? Driving through our farm gates, I feel my whole body relax. It reminds me of quiet weekends at my nan’s as a kid. How would you describe your style? I’m a chameleon. As a mum, I’m in incognito mode in jeans and a T-shirt. I’ll do a Camilla kaftan with white jeans and wedges for speaking gigs, and I have colourful blazers for Zoom calls. At the farm, I wear floral…

I HAVE A PORTRAIT painting that belonged to my grandmother. The subject is Queen Elizabeth II, and the painter is Dorothy Wilding. Can you suggest how I might get the painting valued? Cheryl Schubert, via email Dorothy Wilding (1893-1976) was the official royal photographer at the coronation of King George VI in 1937, and in 1943 became the first female photographer to receive a Royal Warrant. In 1952, she was granted the first official photographic sitting for a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The images were used for banknotes, coins and stamps. Thousands of coloured reproductions, like this, were sent to British embassies around the world, and they were hung in schools throughout Australia. The blank background allows focus on the Queen, who wears a Norman Hartnell gown and the…

YOUR PAGE WINNER ART AND SOUL Each year, I look forward to the art issue of Country Style, not least because the articles are therapy to the soul and provide inspiration to pick up the brushes. As I write, I hear the sound of gentle jazz wafting down the corridor and feel the ocean breeze through the front door. My artist husband is painting in a small studio at the back of the house, in his happy space, even though he’s compromised by moving from a house with a large outdoor studio to be nearer the beach. He shows that artistic inspiration is derived from a soul-ish, creative contentment that can be found anywhere, whether it be among rolling hills like Carly Le Cerf or Lucy Vader, or on the…

12 Patuli Riviera 55cm x 55cm linen cushion, $178, from Walter G.…

MUSICIAN ISAIAH FIREBRACE’S upbringing was full of adventures, family road trips and music – all factors he believes were formative for his career. “We were always on the road,” he recalls. “For Christmas holidays, we didn’t really do the traditional thing – our present was to drive to Queensland for a holiday. We’d also travel up to northern New South Wales and around Victoria in a bus on church tours, with all the music equipment and the tent we’d set up for outreaches. I’ve been on the road with music since I was a kid.” Isaiah, 23, was born in Portland in south-west Victoria, but spent the majority of his childhood in the ‘twin’ towns of Echuca and Moama on the Vic/NSW border. He has 11 siblings – seven from…

WHEN LINDA CHRISTALL FIRST laid eyes on her home, it was standing in a removal house yard, covered in mould and dirt. To anyone else, the tired timber bungalow might have looked like too much hard work, but to Linda, it presented an exciting opportunity. A few years earlier, Linda had walked away from her marriage, her business and her comfortable life, driven by an unshakeable urge to build a future of her own making. “By the time I was 17 I had a child, so I really didn’t get to live my teenage years the way I should have,” Linda, 57, explains. “I don’t have any regrets there at all, but I just got to a point in my marriage where I wanted to do something for myself. I…

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTIQUES HAS CHANGED IMMEASURABLY – no longer seen as status symbols or for a privileged few, they have become more accessible and now appeal to people of all ages. With the notion of ‘buying less, buying better’ ever more prevalent, our choices are slowly becoming more discerning. Nowadays, less is more, quality wins over quantity, and aesthetic is favoured over perceived value. What was once an intimidating purchase has become an appreciation of craftsmanship, history and patina, and how that complements newer finds. While antiques are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, our post-pandemic, high-street retail landscape has continued to decline. In the face of adversity, growing numbers of savvy antique dealers and interior designers have changed their fortunes by selling via e-commerce and social media channels. We…

ROMANESCO, ROCKET & AVOCADO SALAD WITH FETA DRESSING Serves 6 450g romanesco broccoli, separatedinto florets125g sourdough, cut into 1cm cubes2 teaspoons smoked paprika2 teaspoons cumin seeds1 teaspoon sea salt flakes¼ cup olive oil100g baby rocket leaves, rinsed1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced3 baby avocados, quartered2 tablespoons chopped chives¼ cup natural flaked almonds, roasted DRESSING 150g tub marinated Persian feta, drained1 tablespoon lemon juice½ teaspoon smoked paprika1 tablespoon olive oil or reserved feta oil⅓ cup water, plus extra Preheat oven to 200°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper. Combine romanesco and sourdough in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, salt and oil. Add to romanesco and sourdough and toss until coated. Spread on trays. Roast for 20 minutes or until sourdough is golden and crisp. Remove…

APART FROM A pretty glaring blind spot around her kids, my mother is a fairly good judge of character. She prides herself on her ability to quickly grasp a person’s true nature and nail it to the wall. She tastes wine in much the same way. She is a study in the fluent ease of the gifted amateur and the overcomplication of the so-called pro. My mother is like that kid working weekends as a greenkeeper who strolls up to the first tee and bombs a monster drive 400 yards while the pro is still tangled up with biometrics, complex swing mechanics and trying to find a texta to mark his balls. She’ll take her first sip from a glass of wine and instantly latch onto a single defining characteristic…

THESE PHOTOS SHOW A MATCH made in heaven. “We both come from the same background of being inspired by the rural areas we live in,” says knitwear queen Penny Ashby, of her friendship with Amanda Cochran of The Grampians Goods Co. “And we both have that classic style with a modern edge.” Plus, of course, they both work with the material that built modern Australia: beautiful, comfortable merino wool. So when they discovered each other’s work, they did what women do best: they supported each other. “We were mutually fangirling on Instagram for a few years,” says Amanda, with a smile. Working together was the next step, and, says Penny, “It naturally fit.” Her brand Lady Kate’s boxy jumper had the contemporary vibe both women love, and adding elbow patches…

SWEET DREAMS Create a dreamy coastal retreat with the Hayes Slip Queen Bed in Oat. Also available in Charcoal, Grey, or Natural. harveynorman.com.au COLOUR ME HAPPY Fabulous Sock by Skein Sisters is a four-ply yarn in Australian merino and nylon – tough enough for socks, yet soft enough for shawls. skeinsisters.com.au STEP OUT IN STYLE For 50 years, Peter Sheppard has sourced the best in European footwear. View the Autumn/Winter 2023 Collection at: petersheppard.com.au STYLE REVOLUTION Eva’s Sunday creates timeless, transeasonal garments from quality linens and fabrics, with accent pieces in Liberty prints. evassunday.com.au STRONG FOUNDATION Clever Hybrid flooring features a water-resistant core, along with a scratch- and UV-resistant surface layer for long-lasting wear. andersens.com.au NATURAL TOUCH Discover Uimi’s unique range of slow fashion and textiles made from extra-fine merino…