Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue#19.2 February 2016 i Australian Country

Here at Australian CountryHQ we have much to look forward to with trips planned to all states and hopefully even more comprehensive coverage of the parts of Australia the others overlook. As this issue went to press photographer Ken Brass and I had just returned from a long-overdue trip to Tasmania. We gained privileged access to some amazing heritage houses and truly spectacular gardens, not to mention met some really inspirational artisans and producers. Their stories will come through in the next couple of issues, but meantime meet a terrific new batch of creative and innovative Aussies from all over. We catch up with Kim Kelleher at Blair Athol, the stunning manor house she has restored at Inverell in north-western NSW, and our contributor Kathy Mexted shares tales of her…

“LET'S ALL GO TO THE COUNTRY FAIR, THERE'S BLOSSOMS AND RIBBONS AND HOPE IN THE AIR. THE HARVEST IS IN AND WE HAVE TIME TO SPARE, AND THE BEST PLACE TO BE IS THE COUNTRY FAIR” “THE COUNTRY FAIR IS THE FARMER'S DAY WITH PRIZE STEERS IN THE RINGS; THE BEST CROPS, THE FOWLS, THE PETS ... THE COUNTRY FAIR IS MANY THINGS’’ “THE COUNTRY FAIR IS A HUNDRED THINGS ALL TO SEE AND DO ... A DARING ACT, A FLOWER SHOW, IT'S FAIRY FLOSS TOO. THE COUNTRY FAIR IS A BLUE RIBBON DAY FOR EVERY CANNING MUM WHOSE JAR IS JUDGED THE BEST..’’ “THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAT I HAVE FOUND THAN HEARING MUSIC WITH A GLORIOUS SOUND AS WE RIDE ROUND AND ROUND ON THE MERRY-GO-ROUND. AND SO TO…

TABLE TOP Table lights for your reading pleasure ILLUMINATE YOUR HOME Classy designs for every room in the house SKYLIGHTS Control natural light and reduce heat with these sleek skylights…

The Barilla and Foodbank (NSW + ACT) Cooking for a cause is what the Barilla and Foodbank experience is all about. Learn, cook and eat a delicious three-course meal during this three-hour Italian food class that also benefits those in need. You will form teams with other attendees and cook either a starter, pasta or dessert and prepare an extra portion to feed the less privileged on that same day. The team-building cooking class also funds educational masterclasses for those in need and teaches them cooking techniques, recipes and nutritional information. foodbanknsw.org.au Cape Lodge (WA) Spend the day cooking and eating a three-course meal with renowned chef Michael Elfwing at the Cape Lodge cooking class. With French culinary training, Michael shows you how to create modern regional cuisine easily at…

PLANET CAKE PARIS CUTLER, MURDOCH BOOKS, $39.99 The internationally-recognised cake decorator and creator of couture cakes, Paris Cutler, brings you Planet Cake: Love and Friendship. In this book Paris shows us different techniques and tips for every special occasion. From beautiful jewelled flowers for weddings to small baby animals for a christening, this adorable and well-presented book gives you decorating ideas along with 30 impressive cake recipes for any big event. NOPI YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AND RAMAEL SCULLY, PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, $59.99 This unique collaboration by authors and chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully boasts a brand-new collection of more than 120 recipes from their celebrated Soho restaurant, Nopi. The detailed recipes are followed by beautiful food photography, and cover starters, main courses and puddings for every occasion. Whether you’re looking…

KEN BRASS PHOTOGRAPHER Ken has been on the road again this issue. From central Queensland to northern NSW and country Victoria, with a few detours along the way to shoot the rhubarb cooking feature and our sleepwear fashion pages, he’s been busy capturing clever and creative country dreams into the images you see on our pages. KAY FRANCIS FOOD EDITOR Kay grew up in rural New Zealand in a family of keen gardeners, who grew most of their own fruit and vegetables. Fresh simple food was the rule. Overseas travel stimulated a continuing interest in learning about food and cooking from other parts of the world, and she is the author of several cookbooks focusing on seasonal produce. KIM SELBY PHOTOGRAPHER Kim is a multi-award winning family, wedding and commercial…

What started as a childhood pastime has turned into a lifelong love affair for Morag Orchard. Her love of gardening was inspired by her father, who grew all the family’s vegetables. Coming from a family of seven children, Morag and her siblings were often assigned as daddy’s little helpers. Morag left school at 16 to work as a shorthand typist at the Edinburgh Dental Hospital. After 18 months, she grew restless and longed for a change. And change she achieved with a move to the Falkland Islands to work as a logistics officer’s assistant. During these two years in the south Atlantic, Morag tried a tentative hand at her first vegetable garden, producing “cauliflowers the size of golf balls”. More successfully, she met her future husband, Paul, who was in…

Rhubarb is so frequently assigned to tarts, crumbles, jams and puddings, and sometimes wines. Maligned as tart and abrasive, it is often combined with apples or strawberries and overdosed with sugar. But this amazing plant does also have a more versatile repertoire. There are records of the rhubarb rhizome being used in Asia from 2700 BC for medicinal purposes, namely its purgative properties. The stalks appeared in European culinary records mid-17th century, but even then as a pie or tart filling. By 1800 rhubarb growing had been established in America. However, as it was commonly used as a fruit, and known colloquially as pie plant, in 1947 a New York court decided to change its status there to fruit, resulting in reduced import tariffs, as fruits were subject to lower…

A love of the land is in Penny Blatchford’s DNA. She grew up on her parents’ broadacre wheat farm at Bellata in north-western NSW. Her grandparents and great grandparents were farmers before them and she too became a farmer when she married her husband, Rob, in 1998. But it wasn’t until an out-of-the-blue phone call on an early Sunday morning in 2011 that she discovered the extent of her commitment to their farm and how far she would go to protect it. There was nothing too radical in Penny’s formative years to suggest she would become an activist. She recalls her childhood growing up with her two sisters as idyllic and her uni days acquiring a Bachelor of Business in agricultural commerce as fun, but uneventful. After graduation she worked…

SHOP INSIDE The APHEX quilt cover set features bright, bold complementary segments of colour. Hold on to that summer feeling and never leave your bed with these beautiful and fun covers. shopinside.com.au JSALA SOY CANDLES With more than 45 fragrances, Jsala candles are 100 per cent soy and offer traditional as well as modern scents and designs. The company creates hampers, bonbonnieres and personalised labels. jsalasoycandles.com.au VELIERIS Elegance and style in a contemporary cut and loop construction, the Cortadeo Alpaca carpet has a subtle geometry. By using only the natural fleece colours Velieris is able to retain integrity and softness. velieris.com RUSTIC HYDE All about that Aussie lifestyle, Rustic Hyde designs skincare products for both men and women who live and work on the land and enjoy the great outdoors.…

The real deal Australian Country has done it once again. Beautiful people and stunning photography, I always feel inspired every time I read your magazine. Particularly the Seeds of Inspiration story really moved me as I found myself going back to my childhood when I used to visit my grandparents’ house and help out in the garden. Even though as a child I disliked doing those chores, I now cherish those memories every day. It’s refreshing to find a magazine that avoids the spotlight and celebrity lifestyle and focuses on the real people that make up this world. Bravo! Looking forward to next issue. Sheila Donnelly, Katanning WA Recipe for success Normally I love your publication as the stories are always interesting. Having grown up in the country I feel…

Alliance Furniture Trading 24-28 Carrington Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204. w: alliancefurniture.com.au Amalfi Homewares 87 Chifley Dr, Preston VIC 3072. ph: (03) 9474 1300 w: amalfihomewares.com.au Artisanti ph: +44 (0) 3452 5914 10, e: shop@artisanti.com, w: artisanti.com Australian Alpaca Centre e: retail@alpacaaustralia.com.au, w: alpacaaustralia.com.au Baker and Gray e: sales@bakergray.com, w: bakergray.myshopify.com Beacon Lighting ph: (03) 8561 1555, w: beaconlighting.com.au Beauty and The Bees w: beebeauty.com Briggs and Stratton 1 Moorebank Ave, Moorebank NSW 2170. ph: 1800 356 632, e: enquiries@briggsandstratton.com.au, w: briggsandstratton.com Candle Me ph: 0400 347 004, w: candleme.com.au Chateau e: mail@fashionata.com.au Classic With A Twist ph: (03) 9510 4561, e: info@classicwithatwist.com.au, w: classicwithatwist.com.au, Class is Brass Pty Ltd 10 Burwood Ave, Woodville North WA 5011. ph: (08) 8244 2545, e: sales@classisbrass.com.au, w: classisbrass.com.au Décor 1314 Ferntree Gully Road, Scoresby…

FEBRUARY (NATIONAL) Afternoon Teal Take a stand against ovarian cancer by baking your favourite cake, brewing a pot of tea and hosting your very own Afternoon Teal. February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and the annual Ovarian Cancer Australia campaign is hoping to raise $500,000 from 500 community Afternoon Teals. The campaign’s aim is to raise awareness of the symptoms, risks and impact of ovarian cancer as well as raise vital funds to support the work in awareness, support, advocacy and research. ovariancancer.net.au FEBRUARY 11–MARCH 6 (WA) Perth Festival The annual Perth Festival attracts more than 500,000 visitors and is the longest running international arts festival in Australia with its impressive track record of 63 years. The event has a worldwide reputation for excellence in its international program, the presentation…

You could be forgiven for thinking it’s a blonde Shirley Temple who answers the front door of a brick cottage in the Sydney suburb of Kyeemagh. Bold ringlets, a vintage print dress with a delicately scalloped neckline, perfectly coordinated clogs and an adorable smile greet Australian Country. Oh, and the exuberance of youth. I’m waiting for the improvised tap dance. Instead Kelly White motions us into her hallway and my eyeballs start to swivel. The show begins with a wall of vintage plates to the left, a vivid shower of retro skirts to the right and a couple of sociable chooks that keep bobbing in and out of the frame. It is captivating and we’ve only seen a snippet. Growing up surrounded by treasures, such as her great grandfather’s paintings…

DISCOVERING Jip Jip Rocks, Morambro Creek, and Mt Monster Padthaway first hit the public consciousness way back in Chardonnay-obsessed 1980s. The craze for Padthaway Chardonnay has eased off since, but the wine region, which is 300 km south of Adelaide and 500km from Melbourne, continues to produce fantastic grapes. One maker that might be flying under your radar is Morambro Creek, which also has several sub brands: Jip Jip Rocks and Mt Monster — all named after landmarks in the Padthaway region. Owned and run by the Bryson family who can claim five generations farming South Australia — you can taste love, care and pride in the wines. The whole range is very good but recent standouts are the Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2014 , $12, the Morambro Creek Chardonnay…

Sitting on the verandah of our cabin at Takarakka Bush Resort it feels as though we’ve popped up on the set of Life on Earth. A mob of kangaroos is grazing nonchalantly just metres away. One female with a joey on board ventures so close to the steps that we could practically reach out and pat her. Then in the middle of all this domestic bliss, suddenly all hell breaks loose when two large bucks start a boxing match. You can practically hear David Attenborough softly intoning about the dominant male fighting to protect his mating rights. Unlike the jovial creature in gloves depicted on the sporting flag, however, these roos seem to be engaged in a fight to the death. Using his smaller front legs to hold his opponent,…

FUTURE FARM FIELD DAY The first ever Future Farm Field Day organised by the University of Southern Queensland saw dozens of visitors from as far as Western Australia come together to assimilate future farm technologies. The event featured USQ’s work in agricultural, climate and environmental research. The aspiration behind the occasion was for visitors to gain an insight into the way humans, smart phone apps and electronics can work together to improve agricultural efficiency. “The way we can work together within and between centers is something we’re really proud of at USQ, and it’s helping us to come up with solutions to increase profitability and sustainability in industries including cotton, grains, sugar, horticulture, dairy and livestock,” explains National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture’s (NCEA) Professor Craig Baillie. Highlights of the…