Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 27.3 i Australian Country

editor's letter

They say if you find the job you love you'll never work a day in your life and this issue is packed with people who have done just that. They begin with Carol Westmore, who has devoted many years and countless funds to restoring not one, but two historic houses in the picturesque part of north-eastern Tasmanian known as Glover Country, as it was once the home of renowned landscape artist John Glover. Anabel Dean catches up with Carol in the story beginning on page 16 Much the same could be said for Mon Bowring, who has brought her passions in life — interior styling and river boats — together with her home and the paddlewheeler she is restoring at the port town of Goolwa in South Australia. Turn to…

1 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

beacon in brick

AT HOME WITH HISTORY Not much is known about Robert Pitcairn before he arrived as an early settler in the remote settlement of Deddington, in north-eastern Tasmania, but one thing is certain. He knew how to build a handsome house. Nile Farm rises like a blazing edifice out of the plains, a red brick beacon that's spotlit by late afternoon sunlight, such a startling symbol of solitude that it prompts instant action. Stop the car. Wind down the window. Take a photograph of this lovely apparition before it vanishes. Continue further down the dirt road to a driveway curled in front of a magnificent courtyard and you might glimpse the owner, Carol Westmore, tending quince and fig trees abundant with fruit. “Lots of people stop to photograph the house,” she…

8 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

riverside reverie

AT HOME ON THE MURRAY Mon Bowring is icing a lemon drizzle cake as she chats via phone from her home in the South Australian river port of Goolwa at the mouth of the Murray River. The cake is morning tea for the 'boys' who are helping to restore her 40-foot paddlewheeler, Miralie, an ongoing project which was a dying wish of her husband, Rob, who passed away from bowel cancer three years ago. “We all need a challenge in life and Rob surely left me one,” Mon says. “He came from Mildura so had an affi nity with the river. We always had river cruisers and had just finished restoring the river launch Falcon, which had once belonged to the Ansett family. We bought Miralie on a trip to…

4 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

cactus celebration

GARDEN PROFILE Jim Hall comes from a long line of English gardeners and his grandfather developed prize-winning gardens in Victoria's Goulburn Valley. But it was Jim's father, John, who led him down a different garden path to a passion for succulents and cacti in particular. “Dad worked on dairy and pig farms all over NSW and Victoria and his hobby was growing cacti,” Jim recalls. “Whenever he moved, he took his cacti with him. I saw the genuine fascination people had for his plants so when Dad decided to sell his collection in 1979, I convinced my soon-to-be bride that we should buy it.” So, with very little gardening knowledge, but a great deal of energy, Jim and schoolteacher Julie became the proud new owners of the cactus collection, which…

6 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

new horizons

EDUCATION New friends, fresh challenges, many more opportunities and a host of other exciting prospects are foremost on the agenda for 16-year-old Caulfield Grammar School Year 11 student Maeve Sheldrick. Maeve grew up on a beef cattle and cereal crop farm near Swan Hill, close to the Murray River in north-western Victoria and, at the beginning of this year, joined the boarding community at Caulfield Grammar School's Morcom House. In doing so, Maeve is following in the footsteps of her older sisters: Scarlett, aged 18 and now a first-year occupational therapy student at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, and Greta, aged 20, who is in her final year of nutrition science at Monash University, also in Melbourne. The family also includes 22-year-old Rory, who recently graduated as an architect.…

3 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

store strolling

THE DAVID ROCHE FOUNDATION The David Roche Foundation House Museum presents the catalogue for the exhibition, Quilts: The Fabric of War 1760-1900. Priced at $49.50, this volume showcases rarely-seen quilts crafted by soldiers dating back to 1760, using fabric from their military uniforms to create intricate patterns with exceptional piecing and appliqué work. rochefoundation.com.au GLEN DIMPLEX The Nectre Bakers Oven blends warmth and cooking, harnessing real wood fire's efficiency. Its traditional stove top and spacious oven with a temperature gauge offers home-cooked delights. Radiating heat, it comforts spaces up to 120 sq m, ensuring cosy winters. Buy it from a wood-fire stockist for $3799. glendimplex.com.au THOMAS COOK Featuring Thomas Cook's original hand-drawn print, the Aurora long-sleeved shirt, $129.95, is made from stretch fabric for comfort of movement, with velvet taping…

4 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

helping out on this issue …

DON BRICE PHOTOGRAPHER Don is a life-long photographer working for media companies and books, as well as corporate, industrials, government and charitable organisations. He regards the camera as a passport, introducing him to the most amazing places and people, and allowing him to share those experiences with others. BRONTE CAMILLERI STYLIST & LOCATION SCOUT Bronte's career began in visual merchandising for major Australian retailers, including R.M.Williams, Myer and Cue. She has been a lecturer on the subject in tertiary education. She has worked as coordinator on a range of projects from small studio propping to major photo shoots for international corporations. australiancountry.com.au facebook.com/AustralianCountry @australiancountrymag zinio.com pinterest.com/auscountrymag…

1 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

set in stone

OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY AT HOME WITH HISTORY Blame the pandemic. Or perhaps a long, shared history of making drastic changes on a whim. Or just the desire to share 'an adventure'. Whatever the cause, it led theatre producer Kerry Comerford and her artist and designer husband, Mark Thompson, to up stakes and buy Battunga homestead and guest cottages near Watervale in South Australia's celebrated wine-producing Clare Valley. “After 25 years of marriage and living in the same house on Lake Macquarie on the NSW Central Coast, we decided it was time for a change,” Kerry says. “For 20-odd years I'd been living and travelling as a producer for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, so we were lucky if we managed to spend more than a night a week…

5 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

longford landmark

HERITAGE ORDERS The village of Longford in Tasmania's north-east is noted for its many historic buildings, most built with the symmetry and classic proportions of the Georgian era. Visitors to the town located 27 kilometres south of Launceston come to wander around the many colonial buildings and churches, browse in the antique shops and visit nearby Brickendon and Woolmers Estates with their famous rose gardens, both listed as UNESCO World-Heritage convict sites. If they happen to visit during the November Longford Blooms open-garden festival, they might also catch a glimpse of Longford House, a gracious residence on the outskirts of town. Longford House was built by Joseph Solomon around 1834 in the classic style with Doric columns on the portico. It's similar to the nearby National Trust-owned Franklin House and…

4 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

pedal to the metal

ESCAPE ROUTES Outback sculptor Milynda Rogers confesses she had no intention of creating the world's largest outdoor sculpture exhibition when she started planting her works along the road to her home on a station in central-western Queensland. In fact, her initial motivation was to craft a few scrap metal and barbed-wire features to alleviate boredom for her daughters and neighbours' kids when they were travelling to their nearest town of Aramac. “My girls were doing school by Distance Ed and that involved a lot of driving, so I did it to give people travelling the route something to look out for,” she says. “When I'd done about 10 sculptures, someone told me people were driving out specifi cally to see them and I thought I'd better make it worth their…

6 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

a fresh eye

PHOTO ESSAY Tetyana Malega is a professional graphic designer and amatour photographer who grew up and lived in Ukraine till the 2022 war began. After three months in the war zone, she was forced to leave her homeland and she's sincerely grateful to Australia for the hospitality and support of displaced Ukrainians. Now living in Sydney, she's rebuilding her life and career from scratch far from home. She admits that photography was not her first love. “I've always had a keen aesthetic eye, but design resonated more with my creative nature,” she says. “That's how I started my journey in graphic design 15 years ago. During all of these years I have enjoyed creating visuals that inspired people and satisfied clients.” Tetyana says she was always demanding about photos as…

2 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

off the shelf

THE ACCIDENT Fiona Lowe, HarperCollins Publishers, $32.99 In her life before becoming a novelist, Fiona Lowe was a midwife, sexual health counsellor and family support worker, so there's not much of human frailty she hasn't seen. In this novel, it's the secrets discovered after death that focus her attention. And what a tangled web Hannah experiences when her fiancé, Jamie, is killed in a car accident on the day before their wedding. As multiple deceptions unravel, best friends and family members inevitably take sides. It turns out everyone is in for surprises and could probably do with counselling from all of Fiona's former professions. ELA! ELA! Ella Mittas, Murdoch Books, $39.99 Melbourne-based chef and food writer Ella Mittas was inspired by her fascination with the traditional foods of her Greek…

3 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

stockists & contacts

AM-Boss Access Ladders, 11-13 Maida Ave, North Sunshine Vic 3020 ph: (03) 9310 8788 e: amboss@ambossaccessladder.com.au w: ambossaccessladder.com.au Baimbridge Antiques, 64 Thompson St, Hamilton Vic 3280 ph: (03) 5572 2516 e: info@baimbridge.com.au w: baimbridge.com.au Cotswold InOut Furniture 29/69 O'Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015 ph: (02) 9906 3686 e: sales@cotswoldfurniture.com.au w: cotswoldfurniture.com.au EatRite ph: (03) 9315 1000 e: eatrite@bigpond.com w: naturescuppa.com Emu Wire Industries 2/25 Encore Ave, Somerton Vic 3062 ph: (03) 9308 5599 e: sales@emuwire.com.au w: emuwire.com.au David Roche Foundation e: info@rochefoundation.com.au w: rochefoundation.org.au Jindara Wood Heaters ph: (03) 9763 2700 w: jindara.com.au Glen Dimplex Australia 8 Lakeview Dr, Scoresby Vic 3179 w: glendimplex.com.au Glenlowren Luxury Accommodation 281 Bottings Ln, Dixons Creek Vic 3775 e: tinne@glenlowren.com.au w: glenlowren.com.au Glenview Products 3 Edenholme St, West Pymble NSW 2073 ph: 0411 732 950…

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Australian Country|Issue 27.3

diary notes

JUNE 7–10 (NSW) Henry Lawson Festival Grenfell in the NSW Central West is hosting its 67th four-day celebration of Australia's celebrated bush poet who was born on the goldfields in 1867. The four-day program features a street party, market stalls, live music and performances as well as a camp-oven cookoff and Iandra Castle open day. The festival is renowned for introducing Lawson's work to generations of fans and is a showcase of Grenfell's rich heritage and culture henrylawsonfestival.com.au JUNE 29–JULY 21 (VIC) Ballarat Winter Festival Rug up in your winter woollies and escape to Ballarat across the school holidays to experience a myriad of winter-themed events and entertainment to warm hearts, souls and bellies. As part of the frosty celebrations, experience the sounds, lights and wintry delights at Sovereign Hill's…

3 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

emerging talent

Maitland school student Alizetta Dawson was three years old when her eldest (and highly creative) sister, May, became interested in photography. May started using Alizetta as her photographic model and went on to take art and photography classes. Now she is doing visual art for her HSC exam. “May's works are very different,” Alizetta says. “I like them a lot, and that's how she got me interested in art and photography. I have always liked colouring, drawing and writing stories, but now I am keen on learning more about photography.” Alizetta is in Year 5 at Macquarie College where she does art classes and is part of a wonderful art club. She hopes to do visual art and photography in high school and looks forward to mastering technique and learning…

2 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

desert dreamings

ESCAPE ROUTES ON COUNTRY CREATIVE Ruby Henderson-Leconte waves her arm across a map of Australia, taking in the vast swathe of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. The arts administrator explains these are the lands of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women's Council, sponsors of one of this country's most vibrant arts organisations, the Tjanpi Desert Weavers. The NPY lands cover about 350,000 square kilometres of remote desert country of central Australia — an area larger than the state of Victoria — and are home to more than 400 Anangu/Yarnangu women artists who live in 26 isolated communities. “Tjanpi — the word means 'grass' in Pitjantjatjara — started in 1995 in the Papulankutja (Blackstone) community of the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia,” explains Ruby, who joined Tjanpi as a…

3 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

bring a plate

RECIPE EXTRACT What do you make when asked to bring a plate? Country cook Sophie Hansen, who lives with her family on a farm near Orange in the NSW Central West, off ers seasonally delicious answers to that perennial question in this, her fi fth cookbook. Drawing inspiration from some of her favourite country cooks, friends, family and bring-a-plate traditions, here are the best recipes when you need a salad of substance, dinner for a camping trip, soup for the Thermos or a treat for the cake stall. The common thread of all Sophie's recipes and gatherings is the community and kindness that binds us. CRUNCHY BROCCOLI 'SPOON' SALAD Bright, crunchy, packed with big flavours and very healthy, this salad ticks all the boxes. Plus, it sits beautifully at room…

10 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

in the pink

YOU BEAUTY…

1 min

Australian Country|Issue 27.3

mailbag

THANKS FOR BEING IN TOUCH. WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK. LAST ISSUE GENERATED LOTS OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR READERS. WIN A PRIZE We appreciate your thoughts and in each issue, one correspondent wins a prize. Simply email Kirsty at kmckenzie@umco.com.au or write to us at Australian Country, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters before publication. Our favourite correspondent next issue will win a beautiful candle from our friends at the Lina Collection. Just send us your thoughts on the magazine and life in general to be in the running for this wonderful prize. WINNER, WINNER It was with great excitement that I picked up my prize from the WinBig competition from the Dec/Jan Australian Country magazine. Meli Axford's Joy in Repetition print…

2 min