Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i The Australian Women's Weekly

Royal JEWELS Long live the bling Princess Catherine shone at the last state banquet of 2025, pairing her sparkling blue gown with a rarely seen tiara made for Queen Victoria. It was Catherine’s first time wearing the Oriental Circlet, which features 2600 diamonds. Women we love Bondi bronze Surfing pioneer Pauline Menczer has been officially honoured with a bronze statue at Bondi Beach, more than 30 years after her world title win in 1993. Tropfest is back Margot Robbie will be the jury president for Tropfest when the short film festival returns in 2026. “I’m incredibly excited to help celebrate and support the next wave of storytellers,” she said. Liberal leaders State Liberal parties have elevated two women to the top job. Kellie Sloane (above left) has been elected to…

I’ve come to believe that when someone hurts you, says something untrue or asserts they know about your character in a way that doesn’t feel right, they might actually be doing you a favour. Not intentionally of course – their motivations are almost always nasty and designed to make you rage-clean while muttering obscenities under your breath – but the power is yours to make their small-mindedness work in your favour. Something I read recently on a Google deep dive resonated with me: “There is no such thing as a negative experience, only opportunities to grow.” And after we’ve expressed our outrage and dissent via aforementioned rage-cleaning – I recommend a thin grout brush and VERY vigorous scrubbing – I reckon this is the energy we should be taking into…

The week that baby Sanna was conceived, Karina Natt remembers drinking “the best glass of red wine I’d ever have – and the last one for a very long time,” seeing a perfect moonrise, celebrating Pride Month and being “obsessed” – on the lookout for even the tiniest sign of pregnancy. “It was a natural conception,” she says with a grin, in that IVF was not involved, though that was their Plan B. Ovulation cycles were calculated, a dear friend, Mitch Swanson, donated sperm, an old-fashioned turkey baster was employed, “and I became a citizen scientist,” Karina adds, and can’t help giggling. Karina was also in a slightly frantic, if joyful, spin because in just nine weeks she would marry the love of her life, Whadjuk Noongar woman, newsreader and…

Clea Newman’s happiest memories of her father are set in nature – deep in the forest, in her home state of Connecticut, at a camp he created for kids living with serious illness. “We used to go there a lot,” she tells The Weekly, as a stream of memories begins to flow. “Dad built us a cabin there, and we’d go there for Thanksgiving. It was his happy place. It was a place where he could really be himself. The kids didn’t know him as an actor. They just knew him as the founder of the camp: This kooky guy who rode around on a funky painted bicycle with streamers hanging off it. He was just this kooky guy in a baseball cap, and he loved it. He was so…

When I was preparing to interview Robyn Malcolm, I mentioned the upcoming assignment to a Kiwi friend of mine. “You mean our Prime Minister?” he said excitedly. “Sorry?” I queried, wondering if I’d somehow missed a huge news event where the New Zealand actress had taken on the country’s top job. “Well, she should be, she’s amazing.” Like many Aussies –and increasingly, people from all around the world – I’ve watched my fair share of Robyn’s work. She’s done the gamut, from Kiwi hit Outrageous Fortune to Aussie classic Rake to Netflix sensation The Survivors. But what I hadn’t realised is the incredible effect that her brand of representation is having. At 60, Robyn is determined to ensure that women in midlife are depicted in all of their complexities on…

Signs of the times In 2025 we felt the earth shift under our feet, and this year’s particular synchronicity of outer planetary movements has historically accompanied critical turning points in civilisational cycles. A combustible quintet of celestial bodies in fire and air signs ignites and accelerates the speed and momentum of global change. But the standout configuration of 2026 – a grand trine between Uranus in Gemini, Neptune in Aries, and Pluto in Aquarius – is the most consequential astrological alignment of our lifetime. While this transit amplifies collective energy of all kinds, there are rare and highly harmonious aspects which stress the necessity for a worldwide transition from “me” to “we” thinking, as we share the weight and wonder of life on Earth at this pivotal time. This year…

Beauty marketers have never met a myth they couldn’t monetise (here’s looking at you, Kim Kardashian, last seen peddling nighttime shapewear for your face). It’s judicious to approach wow-factor claims with a healthy dose of scepticism. But on the other hand, sometimes science can take a moment to catch up. Take fascia massage – a rigorous pummelling and pinching that works on the white web of continuous connective tissue that supports all your muscles, organs and bones. It’s been around for eons but only recently have scientists supposed fascia was anything beyond passive tissue that keeps you together. New evidence suggests it might be a crucial sensory communication channel that affects not just your posture but also your nervous system – and your neck is the superhighway. According to fascia…

The average life expectancy in Australia is around 83 years – a marked improvement on 50 years ago when most Australians could expect to live until about 73 years of age. Innovations in medical technology, high healthcare standards, good nutrition and falling smoking rates are just a few of the reasons why many of us are reaching our eighties and beyond. But what else can we do to give ourselves the best chance of living a little longer and stronger? We asked some of Australia’s leading medical experts for their top advice. Be happy Whoever said laughter is the best medicine was right. A Norwegian study of more than 50,000 people found a link between having a sense of humour and living well beyond retirement. For women, being able to…

Pick-your-protein rice paper rolls MAKES 10 PREP TIME 20 MINUTES 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds 4 cups store bought rainbow shredded kale slaw mix 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 10 x 22cm round rice paper sheets 1 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated 1 cup loosely packed coriander sprigs 500g left over ham, pork, turkey, prawns or smoked salmon, shredded 3 green onions, julienned 1 large ripe avocado, sliced DIPPING SAUCE ¼ cup (70g) hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds 1 Combine hoisin, sesame oil, ginger, sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl in a small bowl and stir to combine. 2 Mix…

No-cook BBQ chicken san choy bau SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 15 MINUTES 250g microwave jasmine rice 1 barbecue chicken, skin and meat finely chopped 1½ tablespoons kecap manis ¼ cup (60m) oyster sauce 1½ tablespoons soy sauce 1½ tablespoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce 1 medium (130g) carrot, peeled, shredded 2 x 125g cans corn kernels, rinsed and drained 8 iceberg lettuce leaves, washed, trimmed 1 green onion, thinly sliced ½ cup coriander sprigs, to serve 1 Heat rice according to packet directions. Place in a large bowl with the chicken, kecap manis, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sweet chilli sauce, carrot and corn. Mix to combine. 2 Divide chicken mixture among lettuce cups and serve topped with…

Keep your herbs herbalicious To keep leafy green herbs fresher for longer, wrap in a damp kitchen cloth, roll up like a burrito, seal in a ziplock bag and store in the fridge (use a dry cloth for woody herbs like rosemary and thyme). For a non-toxic mosquito repellent, mix ⅓ cup coconut oil and 15 drops of peppermint essential oil in a jar. Store in the fridge so that it solidifies, and it can then be applied to the skin with your fingers. Wind up Keep all your sewing bobbins neatly wound by cutting a piece of 13mm-diameter clear vinyl tubing into 6mm rings, slitting each ring open and clipping it around a bobbin. Sponge off To remove pilling from knits, gently rub with a chiropody sponge, available from…

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20 You couldn’t wish for a more auspicious planetary power package to launch your new year than the celestial quartet of sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars in Capricorn for the first three weeks of January. While the stars are lined up for an ambitious annual start, it’s still your birthday season so factor in plenty of the fine dining, upmarket company, posh shopping, high-end pleasures and deluxe downtime Capricorns adore. And be aware that combined Saturn/Neptune energy in your base of operations could bring decisions about restructuring your living situation to a head. Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19 The first three weeks of the year strongly suggest, with astrological support, drawing up an overall plan and infrastructure for the year ahead. So far, so…

The transformation of the White House was a thing of beauty. Elegant, refined, the epitome of good taste. The year-long renovation had certainly raised eyebrows, not least because the first couple had accepted donations of antique furniture once owned by George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps the gold drapes were a little extravagant for a residence intended as the home of a president, not a king. Most of these concerns, however, were laid to rest when Jacqueline Kennedy invited in cameras from CBS News for a prime-time television special – A Tour of the White House With Mrs John F. Kennedy. Broadcast on Valentine’s Day in 1962 and watched by an audience of some 56 million, it turned the first lady into as big a political celebrity as her husband,…

A perky Californian voice chirrups at me from my phone: “I guess it depends what you’re feeling like. Are you in the mood for something healthy or something rich and satisfying? I’d suggest something spicy, perhaps sweet and sour pork, and something comforting like honey chicken, then a noodle dish to round it out. There are plenty of options, just let me know if you want more suggestions.” She’s super helpful, and she’s also a ‘robot’. She’s the voice of ChatGPT, a generative AI (artificial intelligence) program, and I’ve asked her to pick my takeaway options for dinner. The menu she’s chosen is spot on. I have signed up for ChatGPT Plus, so we can, well, chat (at the time of writing it is the best way to get the…

Here’s how to actually switch off over the summer break. The flights are booked, your bags are packed, and the out-of-office reply is on. In theory, the hard part is done. But as you sink into that first morning of holidays, coffee in hand and a free day ahead, your brain whirs into gear: Did I send that last email? Should I check in with the kids, just in case? It’s a familiar scene because switching off can feel almost Herculean. “For most of us, our work is so closely linked with our identity,” explains Paula Brough, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Director of the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing at Griffith University. “Suddenly being in a different context, losing that identity – you’re on the beach, for example,…

Your voice matters If your aged-care experience isn’t meeting your expectations, free and confidential support available at the Aged Care Advocacy Line. Simply call 1800 700 600 to be connected with an advocate in your state or territory. Not so sweet Artificial sweeteners may be easy on the waistline, but new research suggests they’re not so kind to the brain. A study tracking seven common sugar substitutes – including aspartame, xylitol and erythritol – found people who consumed the highest amounts (roughly 200-300mg, equivalent to one can of diet soft drink a day) experienced a 62 per cent faster decline in memory and attention span. While the occasional sugar-substitute sachet at around13-40mg won’t hurt, making sweeteners a daily habit could chip away at cognitive sharpness over time. Oclean W10 Water…

This is perfect for serving a crowd. Pile meringues onto a board with bowls of lemon curd, passionfruit curd or fruit coulis, summer fruit, shaved chocolate curls or crumbled Flake bars, and caramel sauce ... the sky is the limit! Choose what is abundant and fresh in your area. DIY pavlova platter MAKES 8 MINI PAVLOVAS PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ COOLING TIME) 6 egg whites ¼ teaspoon salt 1⅔ cups (370g) caster sugar 1 tablespoon cornflour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon white vinegar 600ml thickened cream, whipped kiwifruit, mixed berries, figs, pomegranate arils, passionfruit, lemon curd, caramel sauce, chocolate flake, optional, for serving 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C fan-forced. 2 Line two large rectangular baking trays with baking paper. Trace 8 x 10cm circles onto…

Colour, like spice, is a powerful tool. Some people go bold with cayenne and turmeric, others prefer a hint of cinnamon or a pinch of a subtle blend. The key is balance. Just as a great cook knows how to mix flavours to bring out the best in a dish, great interiors use colour to evoke emotion and enhance the character of a space. Colour isn’t just decorative; it speaks directly to our emotions and senses. It can shape mood, create atmosphere and make a space feel more personal. Colour often connects to personal emotions, which is why certain spaces may resonate more deeply for some people than others. A balanced palette can make a room feel cohesive, rather than chaotic, and contrasting colours can create depth and visual interest.…

Letter of the month Thank you for the community spirit article on King Island (King Island’s new season of hope, AWW, Christmas). We were fortunate to visit in January 2022, a little after COVID also decided to arrive. Locals tried to put on brave faces but there were restrictions popping up everywhere and a lot of the stores were closing. We could see fear and uncertainty in so many faces. We were very lucky to visit the Dairy, as it closed the next day. Such a beautiful part of Australia where life is relaxed and you can feel lost in time. Nothing tastes as good as King Island Beef or the Dairy’s Smoked Camembert. Glenvale, Qld. Christmas cracker For so many years The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Christmas recipes have meant…

Having grown up in a series of small country towns in South Australia, Lila knew from a young age that she wanted to be an actor. As a three-year-old she watched Baz Lurhmann’s Moulin Rouge and declared, “That’s what I want to do. I want to sing and dance and act and play for my job. “But the schools and towns we lived in were so small,” the 28-year-old recalls, “you don’t get a lot of access to theatre programs or anything like that. So the first time I did any kind of community theatre I was in Year 12.” Giving herself a gap year after graduating, Lila moved to Queensland. She stayed for five years, deciding that she needed a “grown-up job” and worked as a dental assistant and…

The carnation blush of a freshly cooked prawn. The soft rosy hue of a galah’s plumage. The strawberries-and-cream blossom of wild grevilleas. In a wide brown land, there’s something about these icons that tickles Australians pink. None more than our nation’s breathtaking and mysterious pink lakes. These vast shimmering ponds materialise all over Australia during spring and summer, attracting tourists in their droves and artists in their hundreds, each beguiled by the natural phenomenon caused when sunlight, algae and salt alchemise. “The pink lakes are Australia at its most raw, authentic and peaceful,” says photographer Georgie Mann who travels east to west to capture their beauty. “Each lake is different, from the bubblegum pink lakes in the far west to the soft, feminine glow of salt pans of the inland…

Before she could read, a young Sally Hepworth used to turn the pages of picture books and make up stories. Her mother, a history teacher, had written a non-fiction book while she was pregnant with Sally, so her love of words “may have been an in-utero thing,” Sally says. But like so many people with creative ambition, she wasn’t sure how to go about becoming a professional author. She enrolled in an arts degree at Monash University and got a job in HR “because I wanted to know how everyone was paid and who was in trouble,” she confesses with an arch smile. Life carried her from Bayside, Melbourne, to Canada, where she found herself with a year of paid maternity leave, and time to test out her dream. “I…

Sissy Austin has always loved to run. Feeling her feet and soul connect with Country has always been a pathway to calm. Sometimes, she’ll go for a run before work and see beautiful birds, black cockatoos and maybe even an eagle. “That can all happen within a 40-minute run before your day starts. I love it,” says the Peek Woorroong, Keerraay Woorroong, Djab Wurrung First Nations woman. “It just has a powerful form of spirituality, running,” Sissy continues. “Especially as an Aboriginal woman. When you’re doing the really long distances, and you feel like you haven’t got anything left to give for that run, you might see a black cockatoo, which is my totem, and think, ‘I can keep pushing myself’.” One of her favourite places to run used to…

I had just finished milking the cows at our family’s dairy farm in western Victoria and had sat down for a few minutes to catch my breath when a story popped up on social media about the plight of drought-stricken farmers in NSW. It was 2019, and much of southern Australia was bone-dry. Farmers were really struggling and this poor fellow from Dunedoo, in central-west NSW, was bravely sharing how tough things were for him. The conditions were heartbreaking, with no sign of the drought breaking any time soon, and I could see the pain in the man’s eyes as he wiped away tears. Farmers are usually the last people who will ask for help, so things must have been pretty crook, and it really hit me hard. His drawn…

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Mum’s garden salad (Salatet emmi) This garden salad evolves with the seasons and relies on what is growing in the garden. Rocket is a staple leafy green often found in Lebanese gardens and, when available, it is the hero of this salad, its peppery flavour elevated by the dill and sumac. ½ bunch of mint ½ bunch of parsley a small handful of dill 2 bunches of rocket 2 tomatoes 2 cucumbers 1 bunch of small radishes 1 small Spanish onion 1 teaspoon sumac 60ml (¼ cup) lemon juice 60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses sea salt, to taste 1 Wash and dry the herbs before picking off the leaves. Very roughly chop the mint, parsley and dill and add to a mixing bowl with…

Mini stone fruit tarte tatins MAKES 6 PREP + COOK TIME 50 MINTUES 1 cup (220g) caster sugar ¼ cup (60ml) water 40g unsalted butter, chopped 3 medium ripe firm stone fruit, halved and stoned 375g roll All Butter Puff Pastry, thawed thick cream, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). 2 Place sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase heat to medium-high, cook without stirring for 6 minutes or until a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat and immediately add butter, carefully stirring to combine. 3 Divide caramel between the holes of a 6-hole ¾-cup (180ml) greased Texas muffin pan. 4 Place the stone fruit halves, cut-side down, into each pan hole on top of the caramel. 5…

We’re loving! Gilava Pour’s Exotic Bazaar brings Middle Eastern magic to your kitchen with delicious meal bases, aromatic spice blends and baking kits. Our office couldn’t get enough of the Persian Love Cake – divine! Find these flavour-packed products at selected Coles stores and specialty food shops or order online at exoticbazaar.com.au for delivery to your door. Kitchen EDIT ADDED SPARKLE Transform your benchtop with SodaStream Ensō, $299, a beautifully designed sparkling drink maker created in collaboration with renowned Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. This sleek stainless steel appliance combines stunning aesthetics with functionality, so you can make fresh sparkling water whenever the mood strikes. Available at appliance retailers and online at sodastream.com.au Sydney seafood with a view The spectacular new Sydney Fish Market features a stunning updated seafood cooking school…

Outdoor & gardening special Read THIS! Houseplant how-to For those of us who love our houseplants but struggle to keep them happy and healthy, this is the book for you. Gardening Australia presenter Tammy Huynh has created a one-stop shop for how to best care for 50 of the most popular houseplants. With handy troubleshooting charts, you’ll have a flourishing indoor garden in no time. The Plant Book by Tammy Huynh (Murdoch Books), RRP $45. Plant power A new report* has revealed homes featuring greenery – from landscaped gardens to indoor plants – can sell for 17 per cent more. Design expert Neale Whitaker shares tips for green spaces. 1. Think beyond the obvious Add plants to unexpected spots like bathrooms, kitchens or hallways to create fresh, uplifting spaces that…

Samoa Idyllic swimming spots like Lalomanu Beach, welcoming locals and a vibrant culture make Samoa an ideal place to switch off and relax. You’ve got your nice, new, inspirational 2026 calendar, the dates are all in there, now all you have to do is fill them in, ideally with some holidays. Where would you like to go in 2026? The fun starts with the planning, and to help fill in the blanks, we’ve tapped our network of top travel writers and enthusiasts for inspiration. Enjoyment is key, so we’re not going to send you to places where resentful locals squirt tourists with water pistols, or have you sweltering in the summer heat on crowded islands. We’ve opted for places where we’ve had some of our most pleasurable and memorable moments;…

January 20, 1960 In this issue ... It was the height of summer, but this issue opened with a guide to knitting your own Winter Olympics sweater, as worn by our Australian ski team in order to cheer them on when they hit the slopes. On page 7, we reported on the retirement of 77-year-old Miss Mary Murray, Australia’s first woman tracer [sketch artist of inventions]. Having worked for patenting firm Spruson & Ferguson for 54 years, her job would now be split between several staff. “We’ll never find another Miss Murray,” said the firm’s managing partner. “No one’s succeeding her. No one can.” Over on page 24, the “amusing short story” Beauty and the Beatnik was described with the hook, “Maggie was a square and the beat generation was…