“‘PLANNING A WEDDING IS HARD!’ they said. I say: try planning a wedding during a pandemic, in an environment of ever-changing restrictions, guidelines and risks. My now-husband Chris hails from Mundubbera, Queensland, where his parents owned the loca

ARTIST DELVENE COCKATOO-COLLINS walks through the gentle morning light that falls across the Myora Springs on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, then stops to greet a sleeping koala perched in the branches high above her head. The Quandamooka woman

AT LAST, THE NEW YEAR – and a great opportunity to start afresh, review your values and visions, and orient yourself with new personal goals. Okay, in technology terms, it’s a chance to reboot your life. A tradition in many parts of the world is for

THERE ARE FEW FINER PLACES to spend a sunny summer’s day than amid the vines, cool glass in hand, a few friends nearby. Add in fine music and even finer food, and it’s a vintage event. The Adelaide Hills play host to the weekend-long Crush Festival

BACK IN 1991, a small group of passionate foodies got together and dreamt up a food festival that would celebrate the best of local produce. In some regions, it would have remained just a beautiful dream – but thanks to the dedication of those foodie

With international travel off the cards for now, Pampelle, a ruby red grapefruit aperitif, is just like a trip to Corsica. It’s the ideal spritz for a hot day. $40, pampelle.com 2 parts Pampelle, 3 parts prosecco, 1 part soda water. Add ice to a lar

IT’S BACK! After the disappointment of cancelling last year’s event due to COVID, the Meet the Producers lunch, held during Orange F.O.O.D Week, will return in April. Join Country Style’s Kylie Imeson and organiser Cath Thompson for a glass of sparkl

Start out on the Bellarine Peninsula, with its thriving food and wine scene. Fruit, cheese, olives, mussels, honey and cider abound in this fertile region. Sample local gin and whisky at the Bellarine Distillery, or visit the cellar door at Terindah

Sea and sand dunes spread out tantalisingly before you at this three-bedroom seaside retreat just 25km from downtown Hobart. But this is no humble beach shack – it’s comfortable, 21st-century living in an architect-designed home with an airy, light-f

IN SUMMER, a south-easterly blows across the Recherche Archipelago and stirs the canopy of the giant tuart trees on the mainland near Esperance, Western Australia. Beyond the dunes, sheltered in a hollow, is a small 1910 miner’s cottage, surrounded b

The beachside town of Yamba in northern New South Wales is a popular pit-stop for travellers along the east coast, and those in the know make a beeline to Belinda’s Store. It’s a joy to approach the shop, tucked away in a quiet street behind Yamba’s

AROUND 10 YEARS AGO, Tara and Steve Larnach spent a blissful holiday in a delightful historic sandstone cottage bordering the Royal National Park on Port Hacking at Bundeena, 55 kilometres drive from Sydney. Built in the 1860s, Simpson Cottage was th

IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND a more energetic woman in Orange, NSW, than Pip Brett, and 2020 did not slow her down, despite the challenges of an often difficult year. As the owner of Jumbled, a one-stop shop for homewares, art and fashion, housed in The

I love the beach and being close to the ocean, so it’s been a real pleasure to put this issue together. I think coastal towns are a unique part of country Australia – it’s the lifestyle they offer and the creativity they seem to inspire. Having lived

• The cottage is on land (now Bonnie Vale) originally granted to George Simpson in the 1860s on Port Hacking. It remained in the Simpson family until 2003. • Tara and Steve support local tradespeople and businesses whenever possible. “All my tradies

What do you love about living in the country? I love Orange and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I’ve always lived here, except for boarding school and university. We have such a beautiful community with so many people, especially women, doing a

STANDING ON A NARROW ROAD in the Byron Bay hinterland, Julie Granger’s heart was in her throat. Half her dream home, a classic 1900s Queenslander, was on the back of a truck, precariously crossing a creek over a single lane bridge. “We were watching

• The house was bought from Graham House Removals, who also relocated the house to the Binna Burra property from their holding yard in Ballina, NSW, grahamremovalhomes.com.au • Julie and Sean used local tradespeople wherever possible. “We were able t

The bestselling must-haves from some of our favourite Aussie brands (pictured clockwise from far left): 1 A vegan, fluoride-free toothpaste with organic aloe vera, Grants of Australia Mild Mint Natural Toothpaste ($4.20 for 110g) has been a bestsel

SUMMER IS HERALDED by the arrival of the black cockatoos. They appear like clockwork in the sky, usually in pairs or small flocks, in search of ripe pine cones to feast on. Their call is one of the sounds that dominate the garden during the warmer mo