Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i The Australian Women's Weekly

I grew up in your typical suburban cul-de-sac street and was lucky enough to back onto a national park. As a kid this meant trips into our bush backyard to pick wild blackberries, search for tadpoles or collect silkworms to nurture in shoeboxes punctured with tiny holes. I have memories of running under sprinklers on stiflingly hot summer days and cicada noise that rose to the sort of decibels that made conversation impossible. I also remember a lot of wildlife. The kookaburras we fed bacon rind to on the back fence, the constant fear of spiders – we always jumped on our shoes before putting our feet in them after a ghastly huntsman-in-ugg-boot incident. And then there were the snakes – I still have a vivid image of my grandmother…

Globe trotting WOMEN DOMINATE AWARDS Olivia Colman won scores of fans when she accepted her Golden Globe with a very British “Cor blimey” but it was Glenn Close who stole the show when she called for women to follow their dreams. Glenn said playing a woman whose talent took a back seat to her husband’s taught her that women are expected to nurture others, but they need to find fulfilment. “We have to say, ‘I can do that,’ and ‘I should be allowed to do that’,” she said. ROYAL TWINS TURN EIGHT The youngest members of the Danish royal family, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, have celebrated their eighth birthday. To mark the occasion, the family released some intimate snaps that Crown Princess Mary took herself. MIRANDA’S TAPPILY EVER AFTER…

Robert Irwin, teenage son of the original wildlife warrior Steve Irwin, stands outside the entrance to a magnificent century-old timber Queenslander. One moment he is joking with his older sister Bindi’s boyfriend Chandler Powell – a good-natured rough-and-tumble, push-and-shove mateship – and the next he is running through leaf-scattered undergrowth, bending to pick up a tiny ball of fluff that has fallen from a nearby tree. “It was the sweetest thing,” recalls his sister Bindi, later. “Robert spotted a baby bird falling from its nest in the upper branches of the tree. It was struggling on the ground and the father bird was frantic and distressed. The baby bird couldn’t fly yet, so there was no way that the mother could get it back into the nest, and if it…

Standing in the backyard of her sweeping 20-hectare mountain property, in Kinglake, Victoria, Jemima Richards stares over the treestops towards Melbourne’s skyline. From this spectacular spot, an hour from the city, the smell of eucalyptus rises from forests where bellbirds sing again and where affordable house prices have brought a steady influx of new families into this pretty bush community. On the surface Kinglake is like any other close-knit rural township where neighbours run into each other at the local shops or at the footie, their daily lives intertwining in the way they always do in small country towns. Despite its apparent normality, however, Kinglake remains a town in recovery, the charred stumps of burned-out gums peering starkly from leafy bush tracks, a haunting reminder of the fateful day that…

There’s a special bond twins share, an unspoken connection, an intuition that can’t be easily put into words, a togetherness even when apart. Margaret Harrod shared that bond with her twin brother, Michael Aulsebrook. As toddlers they were inseparable, “joined at the hip” their mother would say. At primary school they sat side by side, as teenagers they shared the same friends and at 22, they gave their lives to the Catholic Church. Margaret became a nun and Michael a priest, bonded to God and one another for life. Margaret cherishes those carefree memories because today her brother is in jail. Father Michael Aulsebrook is a convicted paedophile and the unlikely whistleblower was his courageous twin sister, who has spent the last decade fighting the Church and her family to…

Hana Assafiri tosses her wild, dark mane and smiles. Her green eyes flash jubilantly as she pours coffee in shiny, dark ribbons from pot, held aloft, to cup. Just shy of her 54th birthday, the proprietor of Melbourne’s iconic Moroccan Soup Bar is happy. A self-made woman whose uncompromisingly idealistic business model has also made – and sometimes saved – the lives of other women, she can be justifiably satisfied with where her stamina, resilience and courage have brought her. Half a century ago, this was not the future anyone would have predicted for Hana, who was born in Australia but whose mother, desperately homesick, moved the family back to Tripoli, on the northern coast of Lebanon, when Hana was four. To her horror, a man connected to the extended…

Back by popular demand, the annual City of Stonnington High Tea, supported by The Australian Women’s Weekly, is the most decadent way to enjoy a delicious High Tea menu designed by Tommy Collins by Atlantic Group and admire contemporary collections on the runway. Expect the latest designs from iconic Australian designers that you can step out and shop in the streets of Stonnington right after the show, including Thurley, Rachel Gilbert, Feathers Boutique, DIIDA, MASTANI, Lisa Baron, Karen Mille, The Ark Clothing Co and Nikel + Sole. WHEN: SATURDAY 9 MARCH; 11am and 2:30pm WHERE: MALVERN TOWN HALL TICKETS: $99 MORE: For more information head to vamff.com.au…

“Beauty is how you feel inside, and in your it re eyes flects . – SOPHIA LOREN ” SPOTLIGHT ON PUMPKIN IT’S TIME TO ADD PUMPKIN TO YOUR REGIME – RESEARCH BACKS SQUASH AS A POWERFUL INGREDIENT PACKED WITH FRUIT ENZYMES, VITAMIN A AND C, ZINC AND AHAS, MAKING IT IDEAL FOR BRIGHTENING AND EXFOLIATION. 3-IN-1 CLEANSERS Tired of keeping up with a complex skincare routine? Simplify your steps with a make-up remover-cleanser-toner hybrid: micellar water.…

Many of us will notice that our youthful glow begins to fade as sun damage appears in the form of pigmentation and fine lines. “Lotions and serums have a role to play, but what you put in your mouth really does show on the outside,” says dietitian and nutritionist Lyndi Cohen. “Of course, no amount of healthy foods can balance out too much stress, not enough sleep and out-of-balance hormones or your DNA.” According to Lyndi, the first line of defence is a variety of coloured fruits and vegetables, slow-burning carbohydrates and healthy fats. She recommends oily fish such as salmon, Brazil nuts, avocados and tomatoes to help protect the skin from sun damage, produce collagen and combat skin inflammation. “The red in tomatoes is lycopene, an antioxidant,” she explains.…

Microdermabrasion During a microdermabrasion, an exfoliator machine gently removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the epidermis. This pain-free procedure improves skin texture. COST: Prices start from $89 up to $200 per treatment. SIDE EFFECTS: Mild redness and dry, flaky skin. Some patients experience skin tightness. Micro Filler While dermal fillers are gels injected into soft tissue to help fill in facial wrinkles, a Micro Filler (also known as needling) involves a device covered in tiny needles that makes puncture holes on the surface layer of the skin. “The treatment targets the top 1mm of the skin, helping to repair, rejuvenate, hydrate and protect the skin.” COST: $650 for a full face treatment. SIDE EFFECTS: Tenderness, skin irritation, swelling and sometimes bruising. Chemical peels Peels can help diminish…

• Australian research has found that the number of under-15s requiring medical attention for sporting injuries surged by almost 30 per cent between 2004 and 2010. Sport is the main cause of injury in adolescents. • The many benefits of sport for children and adolescents include general fitness, bone strength, improved co-ordination and balance, healthy weight, better sleep, greater self-confidence and social development, as well as learning about teamwork. • Alongside the health advantages, there is the ever-present potential for injury – a deflected ball, a stray bat or racquet swung too close to someone’s head, a collapsed scrum, a hard tackle, slipping and falling. Injuries can happen in all sorts of ways, depending on your sport. Some injuries are minor and do not need any special treatment, but others…

Antipasto platter Green olive dip 200g pitted Sicilian green olives, drained ½ teaspoon thyme leaves 1 teaspoon lemon zest 250ml light sour cream 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil grissini, prosciutto, baby carrots, cucumber, flat beans, grape tomatoes, for serving Place olives, thyme, lemon rind and sour cream into a small food processor; process until almost smooth but with some texture. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Marinated bocconcini 2 medium (300g) ripe Roma tomatoes 2 tablespoons dukkah 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 300g cherry bocconcini, drained Grill the whole tomatoes on all sides over a flame until blackened all over. (If you don’t have a gas cooktop you can grill the tomatoes on a preheated griddle pan). Remove…

Prep and packing tips Do-ahead hacks Consider ways to reduce work by preparing ahead of time; here are just a few. Cut a week’s worth of vegetable sticks (to eat with dips) on Sunday; they’ll keep all week, portioned in containers. Bake double batches of muffins, cakes or scones and freeze. Use your slow cooker or pressure cooker to make big batches of lunches. Use leftovers Get creative; leftover bolognese sauce, curry, home-made baked beans or a meat-based casserole can be baked in puff pastry to make easy hand pies for lunch. The freezer is your friend The extent of foods which can be frozen may surprise you. Many prepared sandwiches will freeze, including those filled with grated cheese, peanut butter, ham, salami and roast meats. Mustards, pickles, mayo and…

1 Be clear about why you’re fasting. Is it for your health? Your mood? Your weight? Write down your reasons and your goals and refer to them if you’re having a hard time getting through a fasting day. Track your moods and other physical changes because they are just as, if not more, important and ‘motivating’ than the numbers on the scales. 2 Schedule your fasting around your social engagements. Fasting shouldn’t rule your life, and being able to shuffle your fasting days around, or choosing to do full-day fasts when you don’t have anything on with friends and family, makes it much easier to stay on track. 3 Have plenty of water (tap or sparkling) and herbal teas available to sip on during your fasting period. This can help…

ROAR by Cecelia Ahern, HarperCollins Ahern – author of PS I Love You – sends powerful, roaring messages to women in 30 short stories. In The Woman Who Has Disappeared, a 58-year-old woman has been in hospital for six months as her body fades. She now has to stand in front of patterned wallpaper to be seen. A private professor, Elizabeth Montgomery, diagnoses that when the woman moved to New York to find love and a new life among the eight million inhabitants, she ceased to exist. She was lonelier than ever trying to live up to the appearances that “men are not required to”. THE BUTCHERBIRD STORIES by A.S. Patrić, Transit Lounge Miles Franklin-winning author Patrić takes on life’s big questions through the eyes of small people.…

PAPUNYA by Geoffrey Bardon and James Bardon, The Miegunyah Press The Papunya Tula artists movement began in 1971 in the central Western Desert when art teacher Geoffrey Bardon encouraged local children to record their sand patterns. It developed into an international phenomenon with elders creating paintings of huge significance. A sumptuous first-hand account of Papunya’s incredible artists.…

DAILY WAYS TO USE GAS AT HOME COOKING Once you switch to a gas cooktop, you’ll never go back. That’s the consensus from the one-third of Australians who consider their gas stove to be the most essential item in their kitchen. With natural gas, you get even heat distribution, faster cooking times, consistent results and no risk of a half-cooked dinner if the power cuts out. BARBECUING Around 65 per cent of Australian homes own a gas barbecue, and with good reason. Not only is gas a clean-burning energy source, it’s super-convenient to use – simply turn a knob and you’re good to go. HOT WATER With the average Australian showering eight times per week, installing an instantaneous gas hot water system can significantly decrease your shower times and water…

The Belmond Grand Hibernian, Ireland’s answer to the Orient Express, sits grandly at Dublin’s Heuston Station as we arrive to a champagne welcome and dancers performing Irish step-dancing, a la Riverdance. Boarding the long midnight-blue train, I can see why the Hibernian has been described as a “country house on wheels”. The elegant observation car has a cheery bar stocked with Irish whiskies and fine wines, and two spacious dining cars are set with starched tablecloths and gleaming silver. The train’s 10 carriages, named for Irish counties, accommodate up to 40 passengers in 20 cabins each with quite roomy ensuites. We step into the Waterford carriage and our cosy yet comfortable cabin, complete with original artworks, plump doonas and fresh flowers. Grand Hibernian journeys across Ireland’s scenic landscapes include two,…

READER’S PRIZE HINT Not only is micellar water (from supermarkets and chemists) great for cleansing your face, it will also remove make-up and mascara from clothing - just dab it on with a cotton ball. C. Millhouse, via email. Bug off To keep strawberries dry and bug-free as they ripen, slit a paper plate to the centre, cut away a small circle, then slip the plate beneath the plant. Garden smoothie Even if you have no room for a compost heap, you can treat your plants to a little extra nourishment – simply whiz up a banana skin, empty eggshells, some used coffee grounds and water in your blender, then dilute the mixture with water in a watering can and apply to the garden. SHARE your…

Water hoses beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks in homes and businesses account for about 22 per cent of water damage, says ICA’s Lisa Kable. Damaged cupboards and flooring contribute the most to the $320 million-plus damage bill a year. “Avoidable damage contributes to the increasing cost of household insurance premiums,” Lisa says. Check all hoses every year and have them checked by a plumber every second year. Also avoid storing harsh chemicals near hoses as this can cause them to perish faster, Lisa says.…

Journalist Nina Funnell and I are 40 minutes into a discussion about the #Metoo movement at the 2018 Festival of Ideas in Adelaide when our moderator opens the floor to questions. The venue is packed with an audience that is predominantly, but not exclusively, female. Hands fly into the air. Two or three women ask their questions and we answer. Then the moderator calls on a man in the audience. “Actually,” he says, “I have two questions … ” He gets no further. The women react vocally and spontaneously. “One question!” They shout, both together and separately. “One question!” This moment is one of my favourites from 2018. I do not believe a female audience would have reacted like this even 12 months earlier. Perhaps we would have heard a…

Back by popular demand is the annual City of Stonnington High Tea, supported by The Australian Women’s Weekly . Enjoy a high tea menu from Tommy Collins by Atlantic Group while admiring collections on the runway. Expect the latest creations from iconic Australian designers that you can shop in the streets of Stonnington right after the show. Hosted by Nicole Byers, Editor-in Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, with a special presentation by Thurley. Sittings at 11am and 2.30pm, Saturday, March 9. Tickets are $99 from vamff.com.au…

OTTER UPDATE Three tiny Asian small-clawed otter pups were born at Perth Zoo over the summer. Parents Paddy and Cerdik are reportedly “otter-ly thrilled”. ZOO TREATS ROO Most three-year-olds would be pretty annoyed if they were given a fruit and carrot birthday cake. But at Melbourne Zoo, the cake was a huge hit. BILBIES ARE BACK Six species of bilby have been released into a predator-free fenced area of NSW in a bid to reintroduce the species, which has not been seen in NSW for almost 100 years.…

The last thing on earth Vanessa Fowler wants to do is recount the awful domestic abuse that her sister, Allison Baden-Clay, suffered in the final years of her marriage – the final years of her life. But if it will save other families from the grief that hers has suffered, Vanessa is prepared to go there. Seven years since her sister was murdered, Vanessa says, in a powerful, exclusive interview with The Weekly, “we still grieve every day, but we understand what Allison was going through. We want to make sure other families get to see the signs and get to intervene.” Vanessa has been working with Griffith University on a new program to educate Australians about the signs that might indicate a friend or loved one is in an…

For Ella Holcombe, much of Black Saturday remains a blur, but she can’t forget her mother’s final, terrified words before hanging up on their last phone call: “We’re in really big trouble”. Ella, 26 at the time, was living in a Melbourne share house with her 23-year-old twin brothers, Patrick and Eugene, while her parents were at the family’s mountaintop home in Kinglake, an hour-and-a-half’s drive north-east of Melbourne. Living next to Kinglake National Park, Ella’s mum and dad had fended off bushfires before – every summer they sent the family photo albums to their daughter in the city for safekeeping – but that Saturday in February 2009 the winds were fierce and the temperatures in the mid-40s. By the afternoon, the siblings knew it was serious. When they lost…

It was Easter Sunday, 2018, and at a popular spot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast known as Happy Valley, near the mouth of the Pumicestone River, six nippers from the local Caloundra Metropolitan Club were surfing on their racing boards. Close mates, Tai Lyon, 14, Maggie Princehorn, 12, Jade Gardiner, Lily Taylor, Ryan Dunshea and Molly Webster, all 13, were proficient in the surf, and knew the area was unpatrolled and prone to strong rips. When they noticed two groups of swimmers in strife, they knew exactly what had to be done. With military precision, their nipper training swung into action. They coordinated a relay of rescues, successfully dragging all seven swimmers to safety. Jade has written a note for The Weekly readers, explaining what it means to her to be…

The goddess in the Japanese sauna is my friend. As she lowers herself into the steaming pool I’m looking at the classic fertility figure of our most ancient cultures. She is a Venus de Milo whose delicate frame billows with luminous pink flesh. Her belly and breasts are generous mounds of fat. Her arms and legs are dimpled and round. The sheer amplitude of her shape – its fecundity, its softness – glows in the dim moist air. In this primal setting, she is feminine beauty personified, worshipped for millennia. She is also blessed with low blood pressure and a steady heart rate. I am 100 kilos lighter. Four years ago, my doctor told me to lose eight kilos or go on permanent high blood pressure medication. “Are you saying…

Today we witness the House of Windsor largely through a camera lens. It’s up close and often feels awkwardly personal, and from this every minute detail is picked over to tell a story. It may not be the real story – in fact often it’s not – but we have this erroneous notion that the camera doesn’t lie. For the royal family, at their best these photographs are ‘on message’, and present an image of the monarchy at work, serving the people. But they can also offer a chink of light into the private person behind the public persona and it is this that makes them utterly intriguing and the reason the internet goes into meltdown with every new photo taken. Photographic royal portraits then up the ante with glossy…

Marks and Spencer items available at marksandspencer.com/au ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.…

1 BEST FOR LENGTHENING Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara, $41. A false lash substitute, with a thin brush for precise application and lash-building fibres to thicken, lengthen and separate. 2 BEST FOR INTENSITY L’Oréal Unlimited Mascara, $29.95. A game changer with a wand that bends at two different angles, to lengthen and define for intensity. 3 BEST FOR CURLING Eyeko London Lash Alert Mascara, $37. The curve of the brush does the heavy lifting and the formula includes lash-boosting ingredients to improve elasticity.…

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bod Buff Smoothing Scrub ’N Mask, $36. Lays the perfect base for tan application, plus it smells as good as it looks. James Read Tan H20 Illuminating Tan Mist, 200ml, $59. Creates a gradual tan and is infused with a dusting of 24 carat gold for a hint of sparkle. Kate Somerville Somerville360° Body Self Tan Towelettes (pack of 8), $70. Delivers a quick and even tan to face and body in just a few simple swipes. Store a couple in your bag for on-the-go glow. The Body Shop Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil, $33. Massage into the skin for a gorgeous honey-bronze glow. Molton Brown Jasmine & Sun Rose Body Lotion, $45. Slather this lightweight lotion on to restore any hydration lost after time spent…

Q My kids are a bit overweight and I’m trying to limit processed food but I find food labels confusing. How do I decipher food labels to find the healthiest foods. F.D., WA Focus on a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed foods including vegetables and fruit and lean protein sources. Remove soft drinks and juices from the house and offer water only for drinking. Your GP can refer you to a dietitian for coaching on how to read food labels on packaged foods. Encourage regular physical activity. Q How useful is BMI for knowing your correct weight? I feel like it doesn’t take into account differences in body shape. Is there a better way to know what a healthy weight is? K.Y., QLD Body Mass Index (BMI) is a useful…

SUMMER’S BEST Hailstorms and drought haven’t damaged Aussie stonefruit this summer; in fact, they’re sweeter than ever. A perfect lunchbox snack, nectarines, plums and apricots are low GI so they provide a sustained energy release and keep you fuller for longer. Keep your stonefruit at room temperature until it reaches the desired ripeness. To hasten the process, place unripe stonefruit in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple. Once ripe, pop them in the fridge. Tomato party Attention gardeners and cooks! The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney welcomes Costa Georgiadis to the 2019 Tomato Festival on February 16-17. There will be taste tests, a long table lunch, tomato-inspired cooking and learning hubs, growing workshops, children’s activities and live music. Start preparing your secret-recipe passata or chutney competition entry, or…

As a dietitian, I’ve been helping people lose weight and improve their health for a decade. Intermittent fasting, which involves alternating periods of eating with short periods of fasting, has been on my radar since 2012. I use a variety of intermittent fasting regimens with my patients, and it has proved to be one of the most effective and easiest tools for successful and sustained weight and health management. I’ve never encountered a more potent or user-friendly way of manipulating weight and short-term health incomes. The thing I love about intermittent fasting most is that it’s not a ‘diet’. I once heard it referred to as a ‘health strategy’, and I think that describes it perfectly. When you’re in fasting mode, it’s only for a short time and it’s over…

Are pregnant, breastfeeding, underweight (BMI under 20), under 18 years old or elderly (seek advice from your medical practitioner). Have a history of disordered eating – binge eating or restrictive eating. Have problems controlling your blood glucose. Suffer from fasting side-effects, like headaches, and are in a position (such as a truck driver or a surgeon) where you may endanger other people. Are taking or undergoing any of the following: Medication for high blood glucose and insulin levels such as Metformin; insulin for diabetes; medications that need to be taken at a particular time of the day with food, medication for blood pressure or heart conditions; chemotherapy or radiotherapy.…

The Familiars by Stacey Halls, Zaffre Historical fiction never goes out of fashion, but since The Miniaturist ignited global bestseller lists back in 2014, the audience has exploded. This partly explains why nine publishers fought over The Familiars even though it was by a debut author, but there is more to it. Stacey Halls’ magnificent tale of sorcery and demonic witchcraft conjures up a fascinating gothic world with women right at its heart. Feisty outspoken Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 and pregnant for the fourth time. She married at 13 but keeps on losing her babies and with this pregnancy is sick up to 40 times a day. “It felt like the child growing inside me was trying to escape through my throat,” she says. Fleetwood longs…

by Paul Genoni and Tanya Dalziell, MUP A riveting reminiscence of the rarefied life led by the international “writers, dreamers and drifters” on the Greek island of Hydra, from 1955 until 1964, with intimate shots originally taken for Life magazine by James Burke. The artistic community was founded by Australian literati Charmian Clift and George Johnston, who had left Melbourne in 1951, for Johnston to take up the position of editor of London’s Sun newspaper. They were the toast of the Australian expat community, but their urge to write novels gravitated them to Greece in 1954. The community sailed, rode donkeys and wined and dined together most nights. Canadian singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen was a heady talent…

To transform into Mark “Chopper” Read in the 2000 movie which launched his Hollywood career, Eric Bana gained 13 kilos and spent hours each day in the make-up chair, replicating the hitman’s extensive body tattoos. But all he needs to feel like he’s truly walking in the shoes of the man he plays in his latest role is a pair of scruffy cargo pants. “That was the key to this character,” the 50-year-old actor explains from the set of upcoming six-part Netflix series Dirty John.“The first time I put the cargo pants on was my happy place for John. That’s when I felt like I’d found him.” Those camel-coloured trousers, topped with a T-shirt and seen-better-days sneakers – along with a tatty pair of doctor’s scrubs – were the staple…

WILD AT HEART Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, regarded as one of the world’s greatest drives, stretches 2500 kilometres from County Cork to Donegal in the north. We joined this drive at Galway on the mid-western seaboard, following signs with the Wild Atlantic Way logo to Connemara, County Galway’s fabled west coast, with views of the Aran Islands and, inland, mountains looming over forests and heathlands. Navigating windy roads where you often find an Irish traffic jam – a flock of sheep – you pass cliffs, coves, Connemara ponies and charming villages and towns like Clifden. Heading north, there’s more dazzling coastal scenery on the drive from remote Erris Head, on Ireland’s Surf Coast, through Sligo’s beautiful Yeats country and north to Ireland’s most remote county, Donegal. It’s a mix of…

Many people see insurance as something they have to have but don’t really want. They figure it’s something they’ll pay a lot of money for but probably never use, so it’s hardly surprising that more than 80 per cent of homeowners and renters are underinsured when it comes to home and contents insurance. “The vast majority (81 per cent) of homeowners and renters are exposed to significant financial loss because their insurance does not cover them to resume the same standard of living in the event of a crisis,” says a research report of more than 1000 adults by Quantum Market Research for the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), published in August 2014. The research also found 10 per cent of Australian homes are insured according to an out-of-date purchase…

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LETTER of the MONTH I was thrilled to read The Milk of Human Kindness ( AWW , January). My daughters were born over 40 years ago and I was fortunate I had an abundant supply of breast milk. After leaving hospital, I would be woken during the night with excess milk. I soon found I could express my excess milk and freeze it in ice block trays. My husband would then deliver large sealed plastic bags full of frozen breast milk to the hospital’s nursery wing on his way to work! How simple life was. It’s heart-warming to think these methods are again being sought for these precious babies. R. Watson, Wynnum North, Qld BORN FIGHTER I fought back tears reading Jelena Dokic’s horrific…

SA Australian of the Year Dr Richard Harris BEFORE HE PLUNGED into the cold, dirty water that had filled the now-infamous Tham Luang cave, Australian anaesthetist Richard “Harry” Harris could think of 100 reasons why the rescue mission he was about to embark on wasn’t going to work. The kids could drown, he says, counting them off. “The mask would fill with water or they’d drown in their own saliva, or they’d die of cold. They were very thin and the wetsuits didn’t fit them property. There was nothing good about it.” Yet the Wild Boars soccer team and their devoted coach Ekkapol “Ek” Chantawong had already defied the odds, surviving for nine days on nothing but water and prayers inside a cave with dwindling oxygen. Around them flood waters…

Colin Fassnidge is no stranger to getting himself into trouble on social media. The fiery Irish chef has started infamous Twitter wars with a slew of restaurateurs, including veteran chef Tony Bilson, and disgruntled diners, notably A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw. But his latest online brouhaha was far closer to home. It came about after Colin, who dubs himself “the king of pranks” drew a moustache on his younger daughter’s face while she slept, snapped a photo and uploaded it to Facebook. “Maeve is quite private, a bit like me,” says Colin’s wife of 13 years, Jane Hyland. “We had to have an intervention with him when he put up that photograph without her permission. She said to him, ‘You’re not allowed to do that.’ He was given a…

This time last year New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was one of only a handful of people who knew just how historic 2018 was going to be for her. Her prime ministership was already a big deal – she was the second youngest world leader, and one of only 20 women at the top. So the eyes of the world were already on her. But she knew that spotlight glare was only going to get brighter. Because last Christmas, Jacinda was pregnant with her first child – and was going to be one of only two female political leaders, ever, to give birth while in office. “At that point, no one else knew,” Jacinda says of her pregnancy. Keeping the secret at such a family time of year wasn’t…

Gurjit Sondhu is clapping loudly and banging against the side of her white utility. “Hey! Come on! Move it!” She accelerates gently towards the mob of wayward sheep. There are at least 70 standing there, staring at the vehicle. Gurjit blasts the horn. She’s at home behind the wheel of the dusty ute, even in her stylish checked trousers and linen top. She’s wearing dark sunglasses, pretty red lipstick, and an air of calm. It takes a few encouraging honks and the sheep get the message, slowly turning as one and trotting towards the paddock. It’s an overcast day and thick white cloud hangs low in the sky just above the gum trees lining the fence. Gurjit loves it here on her property, just out of Harrow, in north-western Victoria.…

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LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER: Quench thirsty hair and restore its natural softness. Kevin.Murphy Un. Tangled, 150ml, $38.95. SERUM: A lightweight smoothing serum will help tame flyaways and frizz. Morrocanoil Frizz Control, 100ml, $50.95. USE THE RIGHT SHAMPOO: Keratin helps to strengthen while smoothing the cuticle. Marc Anthony Bye. Bye. Frizz Keratin Smoothing Shampoo, $16.99. HAIR MASK: Apply an intensive mask weekly to repair and strengthen dry hair. Living Proof Restore Treatment Mask, $63.…

A good skincare routine is a must, including a quality cleanser, exfoliator and moisturiser. Dr Fabrizio Spada, the Research and Development Manager at Ego Pharmaceuticals, says the best way to maintain glowing skin is to regularly remove the upper layers, which are dull and ready to be shed. “Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) help the skin to increase cell turnover, shedding the upper layers to reveal fresher skin underneath,” says Dr Spada. He also recommends looking for skincare products that contain vitamins. “They help the skin maintain proper skin barrier functions while the rejuvenating effect of AHAs takes place. Vitamin E and vitamin B3 are excellent antioxidants and support skin barrier functions,” he adds.…

10 top tips for reducing children’s sports injuries 1 CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPORT for the right child. A child may be attracted to a sport because it is a family tradition or they have friends who play. Certain body types and personalities are more suited to particular sports. The sport will quite often select the child, or guide their position in the team. For example, the bigger boys will be selected in the rugby forwards. The taller girls will be favoured for basketball. Fast runners and quick thinkers will be valued in teams that play hockey or football. Girls who choose ballet will most likely be slight. The right selection can reduce the risk of injury. 2 ARE THE TEAMS SELECTED BY SIZE, NOT AGE? With non-contact sports or minimal…

Supercharging meals is as easy as adding Australian Sweet Potatoes. This powerhouse side is packed with goodness, flavour and is incredibly versatile, too. Roasted, mashed, steamed, barbecued, baked or fried, Australian Sweet Potatoes look great on the plate and are the easy, tasty way to eat smart. Low GI sweet potatoes aren’t just a wonderful source of goodness for adults and school-age children; they’re also super-nutritious for infants under three. In fact, just 75g of baked sweet potatoes provides 100 per cent of their daily intake of vitamin C, more than 60 per cent of vitamin A, and is a good source of niacin, magnesium and folate, too. Buy firm, colourful produce and store in a cool, dark place before serving up the sweet - and smart - sensation your…

Italian f lag roast vegetables with sausages SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 50 MINUTES 1 ½ teaspoons Tuscan seasoning 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 medium (480g) zucchinis, halved lengthways 4 medium (750g) Dutch cream potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly 4 medium (180g) vine ripened tomatoes, halved crossways 12 pork and fennel sausages (about 100g each) 1 bunch rocket leaves 1 Preheat oven to 200 ° C (180 ° C fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 2 In a small bowl, combine the Tuscan seasoning with the olive oil. Season with sea salt flakes and black pepper. 3 Brush a little of the seasoned oil over the base of the tray. Arrange zucchini, cut side down on the left third of the tray. Arrange potatoes,…

• Unlike other diets, you don’t need to fast every day, or even every hour of the day. • When you’re not fasting, you can eat with no restrictions. • It can be more sustainable in the long term than a traditional low-calorie diet. • It’s flexible and can be tailored to your lifestyle. • It can help with weight loss, but the benefits go beyond weight loss. • It targets abdominal fat, which is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease. • It can help to reduce the risk of most major chronic diseases. • It can help reduce blood sugar levels, insulin, cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation. • It can help protect the brain against degenerative diseases. • You don’t have to omit any food groups. • It may help to reduce ‘junk’ food cravings. • It encourages getting…

Break ½ head of broccoli and ¼ head of cauliflower into florets. Pulse in a food processor until they resemble rice, then heat a large frying pan over medium heat and spray with olive oil. Add spring onion and fry gently for a minute, then add ‘rice’ and fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle over cumin and pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze over juice of ½ lemon. Fry 2-3 minutes or until soft and just starting to turn golden, then serve. (265 calories per serve when served with the tandoori fish)…

Journalist and debut author Stacey Halls, 29, grew up in a small mill town in Lancashire, in the north-west of England, a few miles from the Pendle witch trials that inspired The Familiars . “I was a real bookworm, and would go to the library every week to take out the maximum allowance of 10 books,” she says. “Astounded” when her story was the subject of a bidding war, Stacey says, “It was two weeks of dizzying elation.” She currently lives in London with her husband and is already writing book two. “It’s set in Georgian London and will be published in 2020.”…

Australia’s Sweetheart by Michael Adams, Hachette “The amazing story of forgotten Hollywood star Mary Maguire,” is a labour of love by Adams, resulting in a charming cameo of a true Aussie pioneer. The second daughter of boxer Mick Maguire and confectioner Bina, the couple cut genial hosts at a swag of hotels in Victoria and Queensland. “Peggy”, as Mary was known, was born (in 1919) to entertain. “Smart money” would have been on younger sister, Joan, to succeed on stage for her superior elocution, while eldest sister, Patricia, was the outer of “three Russian dolls,” who all loved to dress up in furs and jewels. Peggy won her first “Princess Carnival” at five and by 11 she was wagging school for the movies. Landing her first role in Diggers In…

by Sebastian Faulks, Penguin Tangier runaway Tariq, 19, is roughly the same age as American researcher Hannah was when she arrived in Paris at 21. Tariq’s half-French, half-Algerian mother died when he was 10, and while smoking his nightly cigarette on the rooftop of his building – from where he sees the far-off container ships sailing to Europe – he knew it was time to leave. Frustrated he is still a virgin – and tormented by beautiful “girlfriend” Laila, he spends an airless night in the cargo hold of a lorry. Fellow hitcher Sandrine teaches him survival without money: eating at soup kitchens, jumping Paris Metro barriers. When Hannah, 32, finds sick Sandrine on the street and allows Tariq to sleep in her spare room, an…

As the former editor of Victorian and Romantic Homes magazines, Erika Kotite has long been smitten with outbuildings. “If it’s small, picturesque and practical, I love it – potting sheds, lean-tos, chicken coops, you name it...” she says. “So when I was asked to explore the emerging She Shed trend as a book, I dove in body and soul.” She discovered that while the name might seem overly cute to some, She Shed is actually more than just an alliteration – the word “shed” is an extremely practical and functional term. It means shelter, even sanctuary. Put together, the words describe exactly what the space is. “While there may be spaces within the house to relax, there is never true quiet unless you step outside the house,” says Erika. “Unless…

1 Increase your excess. The “excess” is the amount of loss that you’ll need to cover from your own pocket in the event of a claim, so make sure you can afford it. This will reduce your annual premium. 2 Pay annually if you can manage it as most insurers offer discounts if you do. 3 Keep your “no claim” history intact. This may mean taking hits on smaller claims but could be worth it with many insurers offering no claim bonuses that could save you 25 to 65 per cent on your premiums. 4 Get a multi-policy discount by bundling your different insurance policies together. 5 Reduce the risks by installing and maintaining appropriate security measures, including alarms, locks, fencing and bars. Also rethink items such as trampolines and…