On any given day, Simone Williams may be jetting into New York or touching down in Tokyo as part of her day job as a Qantas cabin service manager, but there’s always one place she’d much prefer to be — her sprawling Gold Coast hinterland property, Hi

If you’re new to purchasing antiques and art or if it’s been a while since you’ve dabbled in the area, getting reacquainted with the way the market works can be daunting. In a post-Covid world, we are comfortable with searching and buying online for

It’s been more than 40 years since Ingrid Hatton first cast eyes on Dareen, a homestead 54 kilometres along a mostly dirt road from Eidsvold, in the north Burnett region of central Queensland. She was a city teenager dating country boy Paul, and he’d

Good seasons. Bad droughts. Farm accidents. Good succession planning. Bad inheritances. Community as solid as bush baking. Small towns riddled with gossip. In her time as a rural journalist, Maya Linnell has seen and reported on the impact of them al

Having grown up on a wheat, sheep and cattle farm in north-eastern Victoria, Kim La Spina says she was well acquainted with the vicissitudes of life on the land and always vowed she would never marry a farmer. In her wildest dreams, she imagined owni

To celebrate warm weather living, we explore how to create an entertaining space that flows seamlessly from kitchen bench to outdoor barbecue and alfresco areas. From clever window solutions to smart use of materials, we’re discovering how to elevate

Perfect for summer lounging and al fresco entertaining alike, verandahs are among many homeowners’ favourite spaces — especially in warm climates. Here are 10 inspiring ideas for creating a secluded outdoor living area where you’ll simply love to spe

When Craig and Julie Hulbert went to inspect the block they were thinking of buying, the first thing Craig did was grab a shovel and take a big scoop of soil. After long careers in landscaping for Craig and nurseries for Julie, the couple decided the

Coomber Bros Jewellers has been designing, making and remodelling jewellery since 1919. Due to modern technology, we do not require our clients to attend our store at any time during the jewellery-making process. All consulting is done via telephone

The health benefits of spending time in our gardens are well known. But when we can’t be outdoors among the greenery, we can still enjoy some of the benefits by bringing nature into our homes. Indoor plants don’t always have to be ornamental; they ca

Affectionately known as the Green Cauldron, the northeastern corner of NSW rests within an expansive ancient volcanic crater. Winding the narrow roads toward The Channon, green it certainly is and in every possible shade. World-Heritage-listed rainfo

Step back in time to 1890s Australia and the bold era of boom-style classicism design. Extravagance, exuberance and even recklessness were the order of the day, as the nation toasted a post-Depression period full of promise. When you add love to the

Tucked away in Pete and Robyn Law’s master bedroom at their rural home, Willabah, is an extraordinary book. Big, covered in leather, it looks like the kind of book that you’d find in a European monastery library. The pages are full of skilful drawing

Strandhill on Ireland’s Atlantic Coast may not have quite the same ring to it as Hawaii’s Pipeline or Australia’s Gold Coast or even South Africa’s Jeffreys Beach, but it was the surf and sunsets that attracted cafe owners and cookbook authors Myles

Foodscaping fruiting plants into hedges is a creative way to cram more tasty organic food into a small garden — or a big one, for that matter. And, from a design perspective, there’s the colour and interest of fruit and flowers. You may even inspire

The David Roche Foundation is currently host to Fantastical Worlds, a travelling exhibition developed by the Powerhouse, Sydney, comprising playful arrangements of old and new. The Powerhouse collection holds many objects that instil a sense of wonde

Just as the rings on a tree reveal much about its past and the conditions it’s lived through, you can read much into the layers of history of a property through its garden developments and house alterations. The homestead and garden at Noojee Lea, th

Humans are drawn to fire. It’s a fact. It’s in our DNA. In America, the candle industry is worth a whopping $2 billion. So, what is it about a flickering flame that captivates our senses? According to some scientists, including anthropologist Daniel

Dear reader, One of my favourite places in the home is the bedroom. This is a place of respite from the living area, where family and noise and chaos can reign supreme, and instead is a place of peace (well, mostly. Occasionally, my children still fe

As Mary Woodward tells it, frogs and papermakers have lots in common as they both love sloshing around in water. The former school teacher and now frog expert, and her electronics technician husband, Chris, live amazingly full, creative lives in a su

Joss Chandler cheerfully confesses that in the 30-plus years she’s been developing the garden at Kyneton station, she’s shifted the fence so many times she has no idea what area her garden covers. She hazards an acre but a few days later, texts to le

When you’ve spent your whole life in a small country town where everyone knows everyone and community gatherings are more like big family reunions, pulling up stumps to start a new life elsewhere can be daunting. After growing up together in the cent

In 2019, a story about seven young Chinese women went viral on the internet. Unusually though, it wasn’t about celebrities or TikTok dances or even something with international political relevance. Rather, it was the tale of the women’s joint purchas

Some pieces of jewellery are no longer worn everyday. Whether due to reasons of sentiment or style, it’s not uncommon to have an item of precious jewellery languishing at the back of your jewellery box — but wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to

Le Forge Furniture and Decoration is also known as The Museum of Everything. It offers visitors one of the few remaining truly great in-store experiences, with an absolutely enchanting showroom brimming with curios and rarities from antiques to garde