Innehållsförteckning för September 2025 från Country Style

Our July cover features the historic Banongill Station in Skipton, Vic – plus adorable dog Nellie – owned by Jill and Dan Bingham. Inside the issue, Australians who’ve swapped the city for the country share their personal reflections. Meanwhile, our decorating story on laundries and mud rooms highlights simple ways to add style to functional spaces. We also head to Tamworth and discover why this regional city is a dining, retail and cultural hub. Photography @leonschoots Styling @bellebrightproject GIVING THANKS More than 25 years ago, a dear friend and mentor introduced me to Country Style. At the time, I was a young woman finding my feet in the world – and she, with her quiet wisdom and deep love of country life, knew exactly what would speak to my soul.…

spring delight Delicate wildflowers float on Laboratorio Paravicini’s handmade Bloom dinner plates, crafted from fine white earthenware and then handpainted ($725 for six). Florals? For spring? Yes, and they’re simply perfect. Visit emporean.com made for meals The design of this reclaimed elm table from Provincial Home Living, $1795, was inspired by refectory tables found in monasteries. It still does the job: sturdy, stylish and ready to feed the masses. Visit provincialhome living.com.au take a seat Made from solid oak and woven rush, the Matisse dining chair, $970, draws from historic craftsmanship and fits with interiors styled for any era. Visit racheldonath.com.au CHIC HIT Style up for spring in Ralph Lauren’s cropped utility jacket, $849, ralphlauren.com.au Team it with Celine’s rose-gold sunnies, $1012, Gianvito Rossi’s Vandée suede boat shoes in Navy,…

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, there’s been a subtle shift in the way the Retschlag family manage Netley, their 485-hectare property near Goovigen, about 40 kilometres north of Biloela in the Shire of Banana, Queensland. They look for nature’s signals rather than solely relying on measurements to gauge how the property is regenerating. “I love working with animals in a landscape that is rebuilding,” Dale says. “When I shift the cattle with my working dogs, I notice changes like new grass species and the germination of trees, as well as different birds and insects moving into the landscape.” The Retschlags discovered that being more attuned has a big impact, not just on the environment but on their own wellbeing. Dale and Alicia, along with their sons William, 16, Benji, 14,…

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE & SOUR CHERRY COOKIES Makes about 24 cookies 120g dried sour cherries (available at specialty stores and online) 60ml Pedro Ximénez (or strongly brewed Earl Grey tea) 150g unsalted butter, softened 220g golden caster sugar 1 tablespoon golden syrup 1 egg, lightly beaten 200g plain flour 40g Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon bicarb soda 180g milk chocolate, roughly chopped Sea salt flakes, to sprinkle (optional) A GOOD CHOCOLATE BISCUIT is rather life-affirming, don’t you think? Its ability to turn even the most mediocre day around (if just for a little while) is nothing short of miraculous. I think at least some of their charm comes from the fact that a biscuit or cookie is, by nature, rather diminutive…

THE FLINDERS RANGES ARE A WORLD unto themselves. Located about 450 kilometres north of Adelaide in South Australia, on the traditional lands of the Adnyamathanha people, the rugged mountain terrain is characterised by vibrant colour and jagged topography. By day, the region’s deep red earth, wide blue skies and unique geology captivates intrepid travellers, artists and geologists alike. By night, astrologers and stargazers flock to the remote region, where the starry expanse shines in this Dark Sky Sanctuary. “It’s one of Australia’s best-kept secrets,” says Paul Macklin, 70, co-founder of Arkaroola Art Adventure. “It’s red, mountainous and wild; it’s architectural and very painterly.” Arkaroola Art Adventure was born from a flash of inspiration in this majestic region. A qualified art teacher, Paul and his wife, Sallie-Ann Macklin, 58, worked in…

MOUNTAIN HIGH On a trip to the Dolomites last year, I was desperate to stay at Aman Rosa Alpina, a historic ski lodge. My bad luck – it was closed for renovations – is great news for travellers: after that remodel, it’s now open, with a luxe new spa blending with heritage charm. Perfect for winter skiing or summer hiking trips, Rosa Alpina is still on my must-go list. Visit aman.com/resorts/aman-rosa-alpina well heeled They were good enough for ’80s marathon runners, so they’re good enough for long travel days now. Reebok’s Aztec IIs, $160, are cloud-comfy and so cool, they’ll earn you grudging respect from your children. Promise. Visit reebok.com.au feeling rosy Trentham’s top retreat, Acre of Roses, is now a wellness destination, with seasonal rituals, nourishing food and healing…

I RECEIVE A LOT OF LETTERS AND EMAILS. Some of the letters are typed; others are handwritten – it is these that catch my attention and are opened first. Writing a letter by hand seems especially personal, as if you are giving the recipient something of yourself; your unique mark. Some are written on beautiful cards, some are written at extremely sad times, many mention happy celebrations, while others offer constructive criticism and suggestions for Country Style. I appreciate them all. Some letters, however, have no return address, which saddens me as I know this person has gone to such an effort to contact me but I have no way to reply. Recently, I received a lot of communication, including phone calls, asking if The Style Diary was no more.…

On the App Store Country Style magazine Subscribe and download our app Download the Country Style app (it’s free!) to read our online stories, or combine it with a digital subscription to get every issue. Our digital magazines are as beautiful as print, plus you can customise font sizes and listen to an audio version. On Instagram You loved The Storekeeper’s House when we posted it on Instagram. “Stunning,” says @whimsyjelly blossom. “I want to add dark colours in my cottage.” Read more at homestolove.com.au NEWSLETTERS homestolove.com.au/country-style Renovate your inbox with Country Style newsletters! Our new missive, Kylie in the Country, is full of editor-approved travel tips. Scan the code to sign up. PHOTOGRAPHY ABBIE MELLE STYLIST LEESA O’REILLY…

1 Tall bobbin candlestick in Cappuccino, $111, from Addison Ross. 2 Livie timber twist floor lamp, $970, from Bloomingdales Lighting. 3 Santos bookshelf, $3290, from En Gold. 4 Evie table lamp in Sand, $249, from Paola & Joy. 5 Luna antique mirror in Black, $829, from Life Interiors. 6 Martha demilune table, $3650, from Highgate House. 7 Bobbin ottoman in Ocean, $1490, from Home Goods Hardware. 8 Demilune bobbin stool, $330, from J&Furniture. 9 Irons Drops bench in Satin Black, $1375, from Gramercy Home. 10 Ruthie side table in Natural, $469, from Rustic Charm. 11 Victorian ebonised bobbin turned side chair, $1450, from The Vault Sydney. 12 Bobbin Hamptons armchair in Natural, $1479, from One World Collection. 13 Cleo bar stool in Oak, $359, from Fleur Studios. 14 Spanish-style bobbin…

SET BETWEEN BUSHLAND AND THE SEA, along the winding stretch of Seal Rocks Road in Bungwahl, New South Wales, stands a humble timber cottage with weathered bones and a long history. Built in 1915 on the lands of the Biripi and Worimi people, it once served as the local post office, connecting this quiet coastal community to the outside world. Now it’s called The Outpost – a name given to me by a friend, and one that felt instantly right. My husband, Paul, and I stumbled on the property in 2022, in a moment of unexpected serendipity. We were preparing to renovate our house in nearby Boomerang Beach and needed somewhere to live in the interim. A friend sent us the listing. The house was dark, a little crooked, and…

SO, AFTER WE HAD DECIDED it was a great idea to kickstart the renovation of a cottage in questionable condition, located two hours from home in a cold and misty microclimate, all while we both had full-time jobs that required international travel, we sat back, clinked our glasses and congratulated ourselves on our intrepidness. Look at us go! After all, the house was amazing. It’s on the doorstep of some of the Blue Mountains’ most gorgeous national parks and hikes, one really good pub, an excellent bookshop, and the last remaining apple orchard on the plateau – just down the road for Saturday morning apple pies. Challenges? Have at it! Obstacles? We’re ready! But when we sat down to make our first renovation to-do list, it was clear we had…

“MY ORCHID ERA” IS SOMETHING I honestly never thought I would say. And yet, here I am. Besotted. My perception of the kind of person who kept a lot of orchids was fuzzy, but was certainly not me. Until it was. I’m not even 100 per cent sure when it started. One day I was walking past all the potted orchids outside the supermarket, not actually ignoring them, just deeply uninterested. Then suddenly I was texting orchid flowering updates to my sister in Hong Kong, also a big orchid fan. She started asking orchid questions and so I started looking things up and looking at my orchids more closely until I really saw them. I cheered when her Hong Kong-based plant, which we trimmed together over WhatsApp, flowered beautifully. We…

wine o’clock Riedel’s new ultra-light Fatto a Mano Black Tie glassware includes this Burgundy Grand Cru glass, $240, with a chic black crystal base, and a Cabernet Decanter, $400, with a perfectly ergonomic handle. Visit riedel.com fruit fiend The Heward family has been tending their Riverland orchard for a century. I can recommend their gift boxes, from $87, filled with sundried fruit and nuts, some chocolate-coated. Visit singingmagpieproduce.com.au POT ON Fabled British pottery Wedgwood is celebrating its 250th anniversary with a new collection of limited-edition, handmade Jasper Icons. Yes, they cost from $5319 – but they’re a perfectly crafted piece of design history. Visit wedgwood.com olive love The NSW Southern Highlands grows great cool-climate wine grapes – and great olives, too. PepperGreen Estate makes award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $17…

SPRINGTIME IN CANOLA COUNTRY is a phenomenon that’s firmly on the sunny side of life. The Riverina, in southern NSW, is famous for its wheat, its sheep and its wine grapes – a cornucopia spilling over with fresh produce that makes every visit a gourmet delight where you can eat and drink your way through the region. But in August and September, its other key crop makes a seasonal splash. Brilliant yellow blooms line the roads, leading you around the golden triangle between the pretty towns of Junee, Coolamon and Temora. You can explore the (unofficial) trail on four wheels, on two – or even from above, in a hot-air balloon. There’s history galore, in the region’s many museums and cultural precincts, and plenty of walking and cycle trails, too.…

“TEMORA WAS ALWAYS IN MY DESTINY, even before I was born,” says The Great Australian Bake Off alumna Dimi Jayawardene. “My mum came here as an exchange student from Sri Lanka when she was 17. Even when she went back to Sri Lanka, married Dad and had us three kids, she always had in her mind that she’d move back to Temora eventually.” Seven years later, that dream became a reality when the Jayawardene family, including four-year-old Dimi, arrived in the small Riverina town in 1988. Part of the community from the beginning, Dimi says her mum’s existing relationships made adapting to a new culture unusually easy for the newly arrived family of five. “Mum had already built those connections here,” explains Dimi. “Her host family became my grandparents, so…

ONCE UPON A TIME, I drove through a decimated forest onto a barge and was taken across a remote river by a ferryman named Moondog. On the other side of the river was a lost town, a staircase leading nowhere, buried treasure, a shipwreck and a 1000-year-old tree. Had I entered some sort of magical faraway? Yes. This place was far away because we left home on a Friday morning and drove for six hours to reach it. Our son, left behind on the farm, was convinced that to drive that distance across Tasmania would send us into the ocean. But he’s never taken the wending, winding way from our east coast to Corinna in Tasmania’s far west. We were meeting friends for a long-awaited weekend away, and had received…

UNDER THE GLOW OF PAPER LANTERNS, a growing chorus of chopsticks and chatter filled Wong’s Happy Gathering. It was a busy night in the Chinese restaurant in the small South Australian town of Murray Bridge. At a large round table, its centre crowned with a lazy Susan, sat Kelly Johnson, who was sharing a meal with her family. She didn’t know it at the time, but in a perfect spin of fate, the restaurant would later become the engine room of her business, SPhiker, which turns surplus and second-grade produce, sourced from local farms, into shelf-stable snacks. The idea of reusing waste food came to Kelly in 2019 when she learned her friend was discarding one tonne of peaches each year, so she decided to dehydrate them and sell them…

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT Evening Contemplation original art by Chanel Sohier, $3200, from Greenhouse Interiors. Paint, as above. Curtains, as above. Kandos two-seater sofa in Natural, $3395, from Provincial Home Living. Tempo cushion in Mink, $79.95, from Weave Home. Ubud Light Egypt cushion, $160, from Walter G. Everyday linen cushion in Pewter, $89, from Pepperwhites. Raja nest of tables in Mangowood Sandblast Black, $399, from Oz Design. Porto vessel, $59.95, from Freedom. Tic Tac Toe game, $89.95, from Oz Design. GG Emblem medium bucket bag, $3250, from Gucci. Silky tassel in Amethyst, $36, from Love After Love. Watson coffee table in reclaimed teak, $1399, from Oz Design. ON TABLE Blair square mirror tray in Black, $109.95, from Oz Design. King of Woods Indian Sandalwood candle, $95, from Heartwood. Boites D’Allumettes vintage…

SLOW-BRAISED LAMB, GNOCCHI & ANCHOIADE Serves 6-8 1 lemon, topped and tailed 6 cloves garlic 1 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cracked pepper 3kg lamb shoulder, bone in 2 carrots, 2 onions, and 2 sticks celery, finely diced 6 cloves garlic, chopped 3 bay leaves 1 cup white wine GNOCCHI 1kg peeled potatoes 2 cups plain flour Pinch of salt Semolina, for flouring ANCHOIADE 150g salted butter 12 sage leaves 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced 4 anchovies 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 100ml olive oil ½ cup chopped parsley READERS OF THIS COLUMN will be familiar with my modus operandi of spelling out the cookery rules and cultural motifs in recipes, only to go all iconoclastic and contradict myself.…

MUCH HAS CHANGED IN AUSTRALIAN WINE over the past 50 years. I’ve been privileged to observe and be part of that reframing – of the grape varieties we grow and the regions where they’re planted. I collected the keys to a corner bottle shop in Surry Hills (now gentrified, then a downmarket Sydney suburb) back in January 1976. Beer, spirits and obscure liqueurs lined the shelves. Wine was scant and so were wine-lovers. Red wine was labelled claret, burgundy, hermitage or simply ‘dry red’. Whites were just emerging, with riesling to the fore. Chardonnay and pinot noir were whispered about, as the volumes were minuscule and curiosity high. It’s these two – now mainstream – varieties that have redefined Australia’s vinous landscape, with ‘terroirists’ planting cool-climate grapes from Champagne and…

SET ON TOP OF A RIDGE with 360-degree views of verdant rolling hills, Amaroo Bangalow is a luxury escape that is perfectly secluded yet conveniently close to bustling Byron Bay. Set on a working cattle farm, this is not your average farmstay: there are three architecturally designed cabins and one split-level, loft-style apartment, plus a shared pavilion with a full kitchen, and an open-plan living and dining area complete with wood fire. There is also a pizza oven, barbecue, fire pit and heated pool on the sprawling property. Amaroo owners Mike and Cathy Tomkins have a home on the farm, but your privacy is assured. Guests can book a single cabin or reserve all the accommodation offerings and enjoy exclusive use of the property. The only people you’ll see are…