Magazine disruption

ISSUE 

NO. 

10

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12 FURZER ST PHILLIP

ISSUE 

NO. 

10 

– 

EVERY ISSUE 

02 Editor's Letter 

04 Contributors 

06 HC Online 

CITY 

10 Save The Date 

40 Runway Reinvention 

112 After Dark 

PEOPLE 

24 Maker’s Mark 

72 Stirring The Pot 

LIFE 

06 #Bossflix 

08 Entertainment: Movies and Books 

35 Escaping The Modern Loop 

106 Daddy Disrupted 

54 The Mask Of Motherhood 

FOOD 

48 Hot Dog! 

STYLE 

13 Accessories 101 

60 Two For The Road 

80 Never Leaving Home 

TRAVEL 

90 Around the World in 30 Days 

SPORT 

98 Changing The Game 

–

HERCANBERRA.COM.AU 

EDITOR'S 

LETTER 

Disruption. It’s one of those buzzwords thrown 

around with reckless abandon…and it can be 

tempting to associate it solely with tech startups. 

But this “interruption to the normal course” 

of things is everywhere we look, and it’s what 

underpins the stories in this edition of Magazine. 

We’re talking nearly 120 pages of articles 

which will inspire you to think differently. From 

kick-arse local sportswomen showing the 

boys how it’s done, to a mum and daughter 

building a life together as they travel the 

world; fashion features celebrating freedom 

and ageless elegance, and raw reflections on 

new motherhood. 

Flip Magazine over to dip into the latest edition 

of UNVEILED—a must-read even if you’re 

not betrothed. We continue the disruption 

in this section, exploring exotic honeymoon 

destinations and historic reception venues, and 

speak to experts to discover the secrets of a 

lasting marriage. 

One common thread runs throughout this issue— 

the refusal to accept the status quo. As business 

philosopher Jim Rohn once said, “If you are not 

willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle 

for the ordinary.” 

Amanda Whitley 

Magazine Editor-in-chief 

HerCanberra Founder + Director 

TEAM HC 

Emma Macdonald 

Associate Editor 

Belinda Neame 

Events Coordinator 

Ashleigh Went 

Feature Writer 

Beatrice Smith 

Online Editor 

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR 

YOUR THOUGHTS 

Please drop us a line at 

hello@hercanberra.com.au 

with your feedback. 

Katie Radojkovic 

Graphic Designer 

Calum Stenning 

Editorial Coordinator 

@HERCANBERRA 


PAGE 2


Magazine 

WORDS 

LAURA PEPPAS 

Laura Peppas is currently on 

maternity leave from HerCanberra, 

and is enjoying spending time with 

her baby daughter, soaking up 

the sunshine and getting back into 

writing in between nappy changes. 

TIM BEAN 

A fire fighter by day (and night), 

Tim also loves being behind the 

lens to capture all things food, 

people and places. You can often 

find Tim drinking coffee at his 

local or capturing a time lapse on 

Anzac Parade! 

Roslyn Hull 


Belinda Neame 

Laura Peppas 

Odette Shenfield 

Beatrice Smith 

Ashleigh Went 


Myf Williams 

Rebecca Worth 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 


PRODU C T I O N 

MANAGEMENT 

Belinda Neame 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Tim Bean 

Lauren Campbell 

Paul Chamberlin 

Evie Farrell 


Martin Ollman 

Jenny Wu 

HAIR 

Leslie Henshaw 

Kate Leggatt 

HAYLEY O’NEILL 

Hayley O’Neill is a Sydney-based 

fashion stylist (but a Canberra girl at 

heart). She has worked alongside 

the likes of Alex Perry, Samantha 

Harris and Margaret Zhang. 

LAUREN CAMPBELL 

Lauren Campbell is a nuclear 

medicine scientist and a wedding 

and portrait photographer. You 

couldn’t dream up two more polar 

opposite professions but somehow, 

she manages to combine the two with 

unflappable flair. 

MAKEUP 

Amy Capeda 

Katie Saarikko 

STYLING 

Belinda Neame 

Hayley O'Neill 

MODELS 

Molly Folkard 

Jenni McMullan 

Nastja Zarić 

PRINTING 

CanPrint Communications 

PAGE 4


#BOSSFLIX 

BY ASHLEIGH WENT 

Sometimes we turn to Podcasts and Netflix 

to escape from the real world, other times it’s 

to tune in for a little inspiration. With a focus 

on women who are challenging the status 

quo and kicking goals, these picks are sure 

to leave you feeling motivated to start a 

disruption of your own… 

@carolmeoww 

HC ONLINE 

Visit hercanberra.com.au for your daily 

dose of all things Canberra. 

@splendourandstyle 

GLOW 

A TV series based on women’s wrestling isn’t a 

place you’d expect to find female camaraderie or 

empowerment, but that’s exactly what you get— 

with a huge side of high-cut lycra to boot. Inspired 

by the original Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, it’s 

funny, relatable and most definitely bingeworthy. 

@chareeo 

@lanternerooms 

GIRLBOSS 

This Netflix series, loosely based on the life of 

Nastygal founder Sophia Amoruso, has our 

office divided. Some of us loved the fashion 

and business inspo, others were put off by the 

narcissistic, generally unlikable portrayal of 

Sophia. Either way, it’s refreshing to see a strong 

(if flawed) female lead behind the helm of a 

business empire. 

@ds_doubleshotdeakin 

@designisyay 

GIRLBOSS RADIO 

Tune into the Girlboss Radio podcast to hear the 

real Sophia Amoruso interview inspiring and 

successful female entrepreneurs, CEOs, fashion 

designers, writers and creatives. 

@the.life.of.laura 

@emily.crabb 

THE WOMEN’S LIST 

This doco features interviews with 15 amazing 

women about the obstacles they overcame to 

reach their achievements. With a lineup that 

includes former Secretary of State Madeleine 

Albright, lawyer and activist Gloria Allred, 

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Alicia Keys, 

Betsy Johnson and more, it’s a seriously 

inspirational watch. 

#HERCANBERRA FOR THE CHANCE TO 

SEE YOUR IMAGES IN PRINT 

@HERCANBERRA #HERCANBERRA 

PAGE 6

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ENTERTAINMENT 

i s w h a t c r e a t e s 

films 

BY ROSLYN HULL 

Our world cannot be changed or 

improved without disruption. But is 

anyone else tired of being told that 

what doesn’t kill you will make you 

stronger? I am. 

However, this struggle is essential 

to storytelling of every kind. It is a 

truism to say that great art is not 

created by the happy or content, 

but it is fact that no movie exists 

without disruption and discontent. 

Without disruption there is no story. 

There are only travelogues and art 

or nature documentaries. 

To quote Orson Welles character 

(Harry Lime) in The Third Man: 

“You know what the fellow said—in 

Italy, for thirty years under the 

Borgias, they had warfare, terror, 

murder and bloodshed, but they 

produced Michelangelo, Leonardo 

da Vinci and the Renaissance. In 

Switzerland, they had brotherly 

love, they had five hundred years 

of democracy and peace—and 

what did that produce? The 

cuckoo clock.” 

Disruption is the essence of every 

story, because what would be 

the point of showing life as it is 

and as it continues to be? Even 

Meercat Manor needs the injected 

drama of family conflict to make it 

compulsive viewing. 

Where would horror movies be if 

the hero / heroine / disposable cast 

member took the advice of the rest 

of the group and did not go into the 

deserted house, pick up the creepy 

artifact or use the Ouija board? The 

Scream series, in a meta moment 

for Jamie Kennedy, even explained 

the rules for behaviour AFTER the 

disruption (after the murders start). 

Bruce Willis would have been 

without an action film career if 

Alan Rickman had not disrupted a 

Christmas party. 

However, in case readers are 

thinking that, of course, disruption 

is necessary in action, or drama, 

or horror—what about musicals? 

What about the granddaddy of 

them all —Singing in the Rain? 

The whole story hinges on the 

disruption to Hollywood of the 

coming of sound in films. Other 

musicals are even more obviously 

disruptive: gang warfare in West 

Side Story, murder in Chicago, 

racial tension in Hairspray. Do I 

need to convince you more? 

I think Rocky Horror's Brad and 

Janet were not just disrupted 

but also disturbed, Eddie was 

dissected and the servants 

displaced from their planet. 

Is there disruption in that most 

innocuous genre, the family film? 

If you cannot see it in Frozen 

you need to (ahem) let it go. 

Where would Finding Nemo be 

without him getting lost in the first 

place? Even Mary Poppins has 

the disruption of a new nanny— 

and votes for women—and big 

bad banks. 

Ultimately disruption makes the 

story, it drives the action forward 

and it changes the characters. 

And we go along for the ride. 

PAGE 8

MAGAZINE ISSUE NO.10 

BY REBECCA WORTH, 

MYF WILLIAMS AND 

ODETTE SHENFIELD, 

PAPERCHAIN BOOKSTORE 

All titles available for purchase 

instore, paperchainbookstore.com.au 

THE END WE 

START FROM 

Megan Hunter 

Amongst the rising seawaters in 

London, a woman gives birth to 

a child and names it ‘Z’. Britain 

is irrevocably thrown into a whirl 

of disorder after flood waters 

force residents of cities to flee 

their homes, causing widespread 

panic as food and shelter become 

a scarce resource. After the 

disappearance of her husband 

and the death of her in-laws, 

the unnamed narrator must 

walk the path of motherhood 

alone, keeping a chronicle of 

‘Z’s’ first year growing up in 

an increasingly chaotic world. 

Though it could be considered 

a cautionary tale told through 

the lens of motherhood, this is 

not a story of how to address 

the social and environmental 

stresses of our time, but rather an 

intimate account of motherhood 

held captive by disorder and the 

resilience that can rise from the 

love of one’s child. 

THE DESCENT OF 

MAN 

Grayson 

Perry 

What does it mean to be a man? 

Grayson Perry investigates this 

curious question, uncovering the 

complex nature of masculinity, 

often disguised as an incredibly 

simple concept. Unpacking 

his personal explorations of 

manhood through an anecdotal 

style, Perry investigates the pitfalls 

of toxic masculinity and seeks to 

reframe the traditional notion of 

'manliness'. Ultimately, it explores 

the narrow set of behavioral 

expectations that surround 

masculinity and disrupting 

long-held social expectations 

for the sake of men and women 

everywhere. 

THE POWER 

Naomi 

Alderman 

A revolution is coming, and this 

time it’s women who will rise to 

power. Akin to Atwood’s unnerving 

The Handmaids Tale, women all 

over the world slowly discover 

‘the power’ of electricity that 

pumps through their bodies, giving 

them the ability to kill anyone 

instantly. Women are truly free, 

acting without fear of retribution, 

indulging base whims, while men 

are told not to walk the streets at 

night. Alderman has constructed 

a satirical masterpiece, where 

gender roles are turned on their 

head. The well-deserved winner 

of the 2017 Bailey's Prize for 

Women's Fiction. 

BEAR AND THE 

NIGHTINGALE 

Katherine 

Arden 

Set in provincial pre-revolution 

Russia, this is the story of Lila, 

born in the depths of winter to a 

wealthy farmer and his wife, who 

dies shortly after childbirth. Lila 

has the gift of 'the sight' and it 

isn't long until it begins to cause 

unrest with the newly-arrived 

and overly-zealous clergyman. 

Incorporating traditional Russian 

and Baltic folktales along with 

the iconography of the Russian 

Orthodox Church, Arden works 

the two elements of disruption 

into a battle between cultural 

tradition and religious ideology, 

both vying for the faith and 

commitment of the community. 

THIS CHANGES 

EVERYTHING 

Naomi Klein 

Originally published in 2014, This 

Changes Everything: Capitalism 

vs the Climate is more pressing 

than ever. Naomi Klein examines 

the relationship between the 

climate crisis and capitalism, 

arguing that to truly confront and 

halt the climate crisis we must 

address global capitalism. While 

confronting, the book is hopeful, 

positing that the climate crisis 

might provide a vital wakeup 

call for society to create 

a more environmentally and 

socially-just world. 

PAGE 9


S A V E T H E 

Date 

SEPTEMBER 

OCTOBER 

NOVEMBER 

FLORIADE 

16 SEPTEMBER – 15 OCTOBER 

Commonwealth Park 

floriadeaustralia.com 

HANDMADE CANBERRA 

17-18 SEPTEMBER 

Exhibition Park in Canberra 

handmadecanberra.com.au 

FLORIADE NIGHTFEST 

22 SEPTEMBER – 1 OCTOBER 


floriadeaustralia.com/nightfest 

FASHFEST 

28 - 30 SEPTEMBER 

National Convention Centre 

fashfest.com.au 

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 

13 - 21 OCTOBER 

Canberra Theatre Centre 

canberratheatrecentre.com.au 

THE FORAGE 

21 OCTOBER 

Little National Hotel, Barton 

theforage.com.au 

WANDERLUST 108 

21 OCTOBER 

Patrick White Lawns, Parkes 

wanderlust.com/108-events/ 

canberra 

CANBERRA NARA CANDLE FESTIVAL 

28 OCTOBER 

Canberra Nara Peace Park & 

Lennox Gardens 

events.act.gov.au 

RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2017 – 

AUSTRALIA VS FRANCE 

3 NOVEMBER 

Canberra Stadium 

RLWC2017.com 

TAB MELBOURNE CUP RACE DAY 

7 NOVEMBER 

Thoroughbred Park 

thoroughbredpark.com.au 

DESIGN CANBERRA 

7-26 NOVEMBER 

Various venues 

designcanberrafestival.com.au 

SPILT MILK 

25 NOVEMBER 


spilt-milk.com.au 

MORE EVENTS AT 

HERCANBERRA.COM.AU/EVENTS 

PAGE 10

Pizza & Rosé 

...in leopard print 

02 6178 0048

BRING IT ON 

NEW SEASON. HERE NOW. 

BELCONNEN / WODEN


ACCESSORIES 

WORDS Amanda Whitley 

STYLING Hayley O'Neill 

PHOTOGRAPHY Jenny Wu 

PAGE 13


PAGE 14

G 


GET RED-DY FOR THIS 

The LBD of lipstick, a bold red lip never 

goes out of style. Take any outfit from 

ordinary to ‘ooh la la’ with a swipe of 

your favourite. 

At left: Jenni wears MAYBELLINE Color Sensational 

Lipcolor in Fatal Red ($17.95) from Priceline; top 

($49.99) by Sportscraft, Westfield Woden; Lasso 

Opera Pear Necklace by Kailis ($2,270); earrings 

from David Jones, Westfield Woden; and Furla 

eyeglasses from Eyecentric, Manuka. 

THE NEW CAT’S MEOW 

Add a pair of cat-eye sunglasses 

to your look for instant feline 

sophistication. Purr. 

Face à Face sunglasses from 

Eyecentric, Manuka. 

PAGE 15


BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG 

Do as Mr.T does and add a little sass to 

a classic ensemble with chains. Make 

them chunky and make them funky to 

elevate your off-duty staples. 

Top ($99.95) by Country Road, Westfield 

Woden; jacket ($299.99), and pants ($129.99), 

both by Sportscraft, Westfield Woden; Balinero 

Sneaker ($189.95) from Wittner, Westfield Woden; 

necklace, bracelets, and ring, all by John Hardy at 

Briolette, Manuka. 

PAGE 16


PRINTS CHARMING 

Comfortable doesn't need to equal 

boring. Give the humble sneaker 

its time in the spotlight by choosing 

attention-grabbing prints. 

Balinero Sneaker ($189.95) from Wittner, 

Westfield Woden 

PAGE 17


PAGE 18


METAL URGES 

Silver has long surpassed its 

‘poor-man’s gold’ reputation— 

this cool and classy white metal 

is the perfect foil for clean, classic 

pieces. More is more. 

At left: Sportscraft Knit ($149) from 

Westfield Woden; necklace, cuff and 

ring, all by Georg Jensen at David Jones, 

Canberra Centre. 

Bracelet, and ring, both by Georg Jensen at 

David Jones, Canberra Centre. 

PAGE 19


A REAL PEARLER 

In the words of Dorothy Parker, 

“When I’m cold I just put another 

rope of pearls on.” No longer 

reserved for tea parties and deb 

balls, these lustrous orbs can make 

the most casual outfit waltz-worthy. 

Anna Quan Shirt ($300) annaquan.com; 

Sportscraft jeans ($219) from Westfield Woden; 

Wimmera’ boots ($595) from R.M. Williams, 

Canberra Outlet Centre; earrings and pearl 

necklace, both model’s own. 

PAGE 20


BOOTED OUT 

Even if you're a city slicker these country 

staples deserve a place in your wardrobe. 

Dressed down with jeans, or up with 

exaggerated cuffs and pearls, they're a 

versatile must-have. 

'Wimmera’ boots ($595) from R.M. Williams, 

Canberra Outlet Centre 

PAGE 21


CONCEPT AMANDA WHITLEY AND HAYLEY O'NEILL 

STYLIST HAYLEY O’NEILL 

HAIR LESLIE HENSHAW, NEXT HAIR 

MAKEUP KATIE SAARIKKO 

PHOTOGRAPHER JENNY WU, STRAIGHT NO CHASER PHOTOGRAPHY 

COORDINATOR BELINDA NEAME 

MODEL JENNI MCMULLAN 

LOCATION NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY 

PAGE 22

CANBERRA’S 

CANBERRA’S 

NEW HOME OF 

NEW HOME OF 

BEAUTY 

BEAUTY 

NOW OPEN AT MONARO MALL 

GROUND LEVEL NEXT TO DAVID JONES 

NOW OPEN AT MONARO MALL 

GROUND LEVEL 

#BEAUTYREDEFINED 

NEXT TO DAVID JONES 

#BEAUTYREDEFINED

MAKER’S 

MARK

WORDS Belinda Neame and Amanda Whitley 

PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Bean 

IN A CONVENIENCE-OBSESSED WORLD WHERE 

CONSUMERS WANT THINGS ‘NOW’ AND WANT THEM 

CHEAP, WHERE MASS-PRODUCTION IS RIFE, IS THERE 

ROOM FOR ARTISTS WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE THINGS 

WITH THEIR OWN HANDS? WE MEET FOUR LOCALS WHO 

ARE MAINTAINING A CONNECTION WITH TRADITION 

AND BUCKING THE TREND.


R I C H I L D E 

FLAVELL 

Girl Nomad Ceramics 

She grew up in a New South Wales 

commune, spending her twenties 

moving around Australia, Europe and 

India. But it was discovering her love 

for Ceramics at the ANU School of Art 

and Design that prompted Richilde 

Flavell to put down roots in Canberra. 

“I’ve always admired people who can 

fix and make things with their hands, 

so I decided to train to be one of 

those people.” 

After completing a Bachelor of Visual 

Arts in 2015, Richilde worked at Craft 

ACT: Craft + Design Centre while honing 

her skills and building up her business, 

Girl Nomad Ceramics, in her studio at 

the Watson Art Centre. 

PAGE 26


It’s an accessible, inviting space. 

People can pop into her studio, meet 

her as the maker and see the process 

first-hand. Richilde feels that connection 

translates into respect for the objects 

in a way that sparks a connection with 

the handmade ethos. 

“There has been a huge surge in 

popularity for the handmade over 

the past few years and it is only 

increasing,” she says. 

“I’ve seen it in the classes I teach at the 

Canberra Potters Society, with students 

telling me their experience of making 

pottery increases their understanding 

and appreciation of the handmade 

and I’m sure this experience translates 

across mediums.” 

Richilde’s debut at Art Not Apart in 2012 

saw her exposed to new audiences, 

including the owners of hipper-thanhip 

NewActon café Mocan and Green 

Grout, who placed an order for plates. 

They’re the perfect fit for the eatery’s 

sustainable, local focus and provide a 

tactile, earthy background for Mocan’s 

edible art. 

For Richilde, though, the beauty is in 

the process. 

“Throwing on the pottery wheel makes 

me feel whole and grounded. I feel like 

I’m doing something worthwhile and 

that working with clay is an honest and 

genuine use of my time.” 

“I’ve always admired people 

who can fix and make things 

with their hands.” 

PAGE 27


PETER 

BOLLINGTON 

Curious Tales 

There’s something special about 

passing down knowledge and 

skills through generations. For Peter 

Bollington, his love of timber and 

furniture-making was inherited from 

his father and grandfathers. As a child, 

Peter would watch them—rapt—as they 

worked with different materials. 

Design remained a passion as he grew, 

and he enrolled to study Interior Design 

at Canberra Institute of Technology. 

It was a guest lecturer (a graduate 

of the fine furniture workshop at the 

ANU School of Art) who set Peter’s 

journey on a very different path, when 

he guided Peter towards this course 

of study. 

“I was always drawn to the medium of timber, 

there is a beautiful warmth found in timber 

that is not found in any other medium.” 

PAGE 28


Peter and his wife Thea travelled 

widely, moving back to Canberra in 

2015 where they established Meet 

Gather Collect, a retail space which 

celebrates Australian designer wares, 

combined with Curious Tales Furniture. 

The timing was perfect, Peter observing 

a strong shift in people appreciating 

and wanting locally-crafted, 

individually-made pieces. 

“Many customers will be searching 

for a piece that fits within their house 

and lifestyle, they come into the shop 

and see a design they like, we then 

talk about how we can tailor it to 

their needs. 

“I will often then meet them at their 

house to discuss various aspects 

and considerations in the design 

and measure the space, meaning 

they will have a product unique to 

their environment.” 

Recognising that this is a career that 

involves really hard, hands-on work, 

Peter has never been more fulfilled. 

As well as the history of art and design, 

Peter studied the properties of timber 

and traditional joinery techniques used 

in the craft of fine furniture. He says he 

feels like the craft “chose him”. 

“I was always drawn to the medium 

of timber, there is a beautiful warmth 

found in timber that is not found in any 

other medium,” says Peter. 

“As it’s a natural resource, no two 

pieces of timber are exactly alike, 

therefore each piece of furniture 

contains a uniqueness and 

individuality. Furniture also has a very 

intimate relationship with the viewer/ 

user, often directly shaping how we use 

and inhabit the spaces in our lives.” 

“It is a beautiful thing to see a design 

come to life from an early concept 

sketch into a realised piece of furniture, 

to know that single crafted piece of 

furniture encompasses a specific 

moment in time and seeing the joy and 

appreciation for the piece shown by 

the client is like nothing else.” 

Peter is optimistic about the future of 

the fine furniture industry, but urges a 

focus on both sustainable practices 

and the combination of modern 

technologies with the logic behind 

traditional techniques. 

“It will also be dependent on 

customers remaining passionate about 

supporting local businesses, knowing 

that they will not only have a piece of 

furniture that will last for generations 

but also strengthen the local economy.” 

PAGE 29


HANNAH GASON 

The art of glass stretches back to 

ancient Egypt, where the first glass 

vessels were formed around 1500BC. 

In 2017, the artform is still going strong. 

Hannah Gason’s passion for glass was 

late-blooming. Her initial focus was 

cartography, but after studying and 

working for a number of years in the 

field, Hannah’s heart began to pull her 

in another direction. 

“I found I was being led down a more 

hands-on and creative path. After a 

few years of consideration, I decided to 

pursue an artistic career.” 

Going on to study and graduate 

with a Bachelor of Visual Arts with 

Honours in 2015, Hannah is currently an 

exhibiting artist and studio tenant at the 

Canberra Glassworks. 

PAGE 30


“I am drawn to glass for its qualities 

that enable me to create the results I’m 

seeking in my work. I’m interested in 

layers, colour, line and light. I enjoy the 

materiality of glass and being able to 

work with form, depth and surface.” 

“I love exploring ideas through 

making, seeing the physical result of 

something in my mind. I love the sense 

of community and support from other 

artists and organisations in Canberra. 

I love the constant challenges and 

moments of insight that creating art 

work provides.” 

Being so new to the industry, Hannah 

is still feeling her way and says that 

balancing her art practice and work 

can be tricky. 

“Ideally I would work less to give myself 

more time to develop my work. But I 

appreciate the security my employment 

provides that allows me to support my 

practice in numerous ways.” 

unfortunately, it’s rare for art practice 

to provide the financial security that 

comes with these expenses. 

Although Hannah is very early into her 

arts career, the number of online and 

physical outlets for handmade art and 

crafts excites her and urges her on. 

“I feel encouraged to think that 

quality, individually-made pieces 

are appreciated and I think there is 

starting to be a rise in upcycling and 

environmentally considered products 

as social issues develop.” 

The life of an artist is not cheap. There 

is studio and facility hire, materials, 

courses and travel to consider, and 

PAGE 31


ALISON 

JACKSON 

Alison Jackson 

Alison Jackson has been a tinkerer 

and a maker for as long as she can 

remember. Encouraged by her father, 

she learnt to use a metal lathe and, 

together, they made little projects in 

the workshop under the house. At the 

age of 12, Alison was introduced to 

jewellery-making—the rest, as they say, 

is history. 

Jewellery-making consumed every 

Tuesday afternoon throughout Alison’s 

high school years, and she focussed 

on it as a career, studying Gold and 

Silversmithing at the ANU School of Art. 

She now works as a silversmith and 

jeweller, also teaching classes from her 

workshop space, Pocket Studio. 

“Traditional Silversmithing is diminishing,” 

says Alison. “And even if students only 

ever made one piece the traditional, 

labour intensive way, in my eyes that 

means they gain a better understanding 

of it, they talk about it and that spreads 

interest in the dying art." 

While mass-produced pieces are 

popular in contemporary society, Alison 

says she has seen a swing back to 

handmade pieces. Indeed, because 

Alison’s pieces are—well, so perfect— 

PAGE 32


one of her biggest challenges has 

been ensuring her customers realise 

that everything is actually handmade 

by her. 

“I think people are really looking to 

find out more about the back story to 

a piece—they genuinely want to know 

who made it and how they made it. 

The story of the piece really is a point 

of connection between maker, object 

and customer.” 

“There is something very 

special about making 

things by hand. A sense of 

achievement and wonder...” 

Choosing a career in the creative 

industries is not an easy path, and 

Alison says support for these creative 

industries is imperative to keeping them 

alive—starting with quality technical 

training. Sadly, however, many 

institutions are reducing hours and staff, 

which greatly impacts the quality of 

education provided. 

“There is something very special about 

making things by hand. A sense of 

achievement and wonder, and I think 

that is amplified when you’re able to 

make pieces that go out into the wide 

world for others to enjoy for many years 

to come.” 

PAGE 33


ESCAPING 

t h e m o d e r n 

LOOP 

WORDS Beatrice Smith 

PHOTOGRAPHY Evie Farrell 

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO 

THROW IN THE TOWEL AND JUST 

GO? TO QUIT YOUR JOB, BUY 

A ONE-WAY TICKET AND PACK 

YOUR SWIMMERS? 

PAGE 35


TO MOST of us, this is a 2pm workday 

fantasy that mostly involves a winning 

lottery ticket and white sandy beaches free 

of colleagues and responsibilities. Then 

reality comes crashing back down. The 

mortgage. The kids’ school year. That new 

bathroom you want. Your cousin’s wedding 

in two months time. 

‘We can’t all be Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, 

Love,’ you mutter to yourself as you refocus 

on your inbox. 

But as Evie Farrell explains, you don’t need 

to be rich, childless or even Elizabeth Gilbert 

to, just, well, go. 

In 2015, Evie and her then six-year-old 

daughter Emily (Emmie) bought a one-way 

ticket to the Philippines and didn’t look 

back—but, as Evie explains, it wasn’t a 

snap decision. 

The founder of the mumpack travel website 

was a solo-parent working full-time in 

communications and struggling to balance 

work and life. Leaving at 7am for work and 

returning at 8pm left Evie with almost no 

quality time with her daughter. 

“As Emmie got older I felt like I was 

spending less and less time with her. With 

two parents it’s hard enough, but as a solo 

parent...it wasn’t working and it was really 

heartbreaking for me because I couldn’t 

see how I could fix it.” 

Regular trips together provided the chance 

to reconnect, and inspired her to create 

mumpacktravel as an online destination 

where parents could share information 

about travelling with children. But it wasn’t 

until Evie’s close friend passed away from 

cancer, leaving two small children and her 

husband behind, that she considered a 

different way of life. 

Floored with grief, Evie couldn’t help but 

wonder what would happen to Emmie if it 

had been her. 

PAGE 36


"I felt like Emmie wouldn’t have even known 

who I was, we just didn’t spend enough 

time together,” says Evie. “It was a big wake 

up call for me.” 

Long-term travel had crossed Evie’s mind, 

but before she took the leap she booked 

a trip to Borneo to test her daughter’s 

resilience to the daily ups and downs of 

travel, budget stays and public transport. 

Emmie loved it, and as soon as they 

touched down back in Australia, Evie put 

her plan into motion. 

“We decided ‘that was it’ and that we 

would go for a year,” says Evie. “I had some 

savings and I funded it with money that 

I was saving to do a kitchen renovation.” 

Evie also enrolled Emmie in the New South 

Wales Distance Education Primary School 

so she wouldn’t miss any schooling. 

Evie and Emmie left Australia in February 

2016 and travelled for an initial 12 months, 

starting in Cebu in the Philippines, where 

a poorly-timed burst eardrum for Evie 

redirected them to Taiwan. 

From there it was Malaysia, Borneo, 

Thailand, China (“we went back three times 

– we LOVED China”), Sri Lanka, Indonesia, 

Vietnam, The Maldives, Cambodia and 

even a quick trip over to Europe to explore 

Paris, London and Cologne. 

As they explored, mumpack travel 

flourished as Evie poured her real life 

experience into her writing, inspiring 

families around the world to embrace travel 

with younger children. They’ve recently 

returned home to refill the coffers to fund 

their next adventure. 

“We didn’t want to come back after a 

year so we kept going for 17 months,” says 

Evie. “We both would have loved to stay in 

Asia but we had to come back and earn 

some money.” 

When I ask her if she has a deadline for 

returning to full-time travel, she laughs. 

“It’s the only time I have a deadline!” she 

exclaims. “I have a contract working until 

early December and as soon as Emmie is 

on school holidays we’ll go.” 

But not necessarily straight back overseas. 

“We’re figuring out whether we can afford 

to drive around Australia, and if not we will 

go back to Asia,” says Evie, who admits that 

Asia has captured their hearts. 

PAGE 37


solution”—a stint at an International School 

in Hoi An, Vietnam. 

Despite the challenges of being a solo 

parent, teacher, breadwinner and travel 

agent, Evie’s ultimate goal is to expose her 

daughter to the world outside of the loop of 

many modern lifestyles. 

“It’s so funny, we often look at people in 

developing countries and we feel sorry for 

them,” muses Evie. 

From hiking remote pockets of China 

to eating street food in Bangkok and 

swimming with sharks in the Maldives, 

Emmie has thrown herself into travel as 

much as her mum and Evie marvels at 

her resilience. 

“But in many ways I think these people 

have richer lives because they have time 

to spend with their families and to take life 

slowly. Life isn't always easy, but it's simple. 

I think many of us are trapped by the the 

material things we think we need. There is 

another way, and I reckon we've found it” 

----- 

You can follow Evie and Emmie’s travels 

at mumpacktravel.com and instagram. 

com/mumpacktravel as they plan their 

next adventure. • 

“Kids are amazing because they 

transcend every barrier. She’s made 

friends with kids from different cultures all 

over the world and I love that travel helps 

kids keep that open-mindedness with 

them as they grow.” 

However, Evie notes that it wasn’t all 

sunshine and Frequent Flyer points. A few 

months into the trip, distance schooling 

became a struggle as Emmie refused to 

cooperate with lessons. But, Evie explains, 

“as we usually do, we stumbled upon a 

PAGE 38

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Run wa y 

REINVENTION 

WORDS Emma Macdonald 

PHOTOGRAPHY Martin Ollman 

WHETHER OR NOT YOU PARTAKE OF A “FROW” 

SEAT AT FASHFEST, THERE’S NO DOUBT 

CANBERRA’S ANNUAL FASHION FESTIVAL HAS 

IMPACTED ON THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE. 

PAGE 40


"FASHFEST 2017 WILL 

SHOWCASE MORE THAN 

50 DESIGNERS." 

IT’S BEEN FIVE YEARS since 

FASHFEST founders and husband 

and wife team Clint and Andrea 

Hutchinson took the massive leap 

of faith—pledging to uncover and 

elevate the city’s nascent fashion 

scene. Canberra’s only fashion 

festival has certainly done that— 

unearthing international talents, 

kick-starting careers, igniting 

local industries and bringing 

an aesthetic edge to the city’s 

emergence as a cool capital. 

Not that it has been easy. Indeed, 

FASHFEST has passed through 

its honeymoon period of sell-out 

shows and standing-roomonly 

in its opening year, when 

audiences crammed into the 

industrial concrete bunker of a 

half-finished building in Canberra 

Airport’s Brindabella Business Park. 

A move to the larger and lessedgy 

confines of the Convention 

Centre has presented a new set of 

challenges, and fickle Canberra 

audiences are sometimes 

notoriously difficult to please. 

But with unstinting dedication 

to the cause, Clint and Andrea 

are planning a fifth FASHFEST 

that disrupts the very model of 

a conventional fashion week— 

instead seeking to bring audiences 

an immersive experience of 

fashion, culture, art and music over 

six separate shows on three nights 

between 28 and 30 September. 

FASHFEST 2017 will showcase 

more than 50 designers, dressing 

130 models who will be tended 

to by a team of more than 75 

hairstylists and 80 makeup artists. 

Meanwhile, it will all be set to live 

music—from the likes of Kirklandd, 

NeonHoney and Magnifik, to 

DJs Soul Sisters, DJ Royce and 

Mitcharelli. 

What’s different this year is that the 

designer talent is not only locallygrown 

but will feature a “takeover” 

from six up-and-coming New 

Zealand designers—and importing 

New Zealand talent to Canberra 

is not just a one-way street. Fresh 

from a visit to Wellington while 

this year’s event preparations hit 

their peak, Clinton and Andrea 

are taking the FASHFEST model 

international—hoping to replicate 

the Canberra experience in its New 

Zealand sister city. 

“We have always seen FASHFEST 

as a model we could import to 

other cities, and Wellington does 

not have its own fashion week. 

Given Singapore Airlines is a major 

PAGE 41


"CLINTON AND ANDREA ARE 

TAKING THE FASHFEST MODEL 

INTERNATIONAL—HOPING TO REPLICATE 

THE CANBERRA EXPERIENCE IN ITS NEW 

ZEALAND SISTER CITY." 

“And we hope to take a number 

of our Canberra designers to New 

Zealand as part of that expansion,” 

says Clint. 

sponsor, and we have direct flights 

from Canberra, there is a strong 

business case there already, and 

we have been really busy building 

some strong partnerships over 

there,” says Clint. 

He and Andrea say the goal is 

to get a Wellington FASHFEST up 

and running within the next couple 

of years. 

Audiences here, meanwhile, will 

be able to appreciate the “New 

Zealand High Commission Presents” 

in which designs by New Zealand 

labels Sabatini, Trelise Cooper 

and Coop and Cooper (presented 

by Momento Dezigns), Kowtow 

(presented by Assemblage Project) 

and Curate will all be shown on the 

one night. Another New Zealand 

label Nyne, will feature on closing 

night when it is presented by 

Department of the Exterior. 

Paying homage to distinctly 

home-grown creations, FASHFEST 

will also showcase for the first 

time 12 Indigenous designers 

from remote Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander communities 

and represented by the Darwin 

Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation. 

It’s the largest presentation 

of Indigenous fashion design 

in the country and the show 

promises to deliver powerful 

stories to the runway while 

embedding Indigenous textiles into 

high‐end clothing. 

Andrea and Clint have always 

aspired for their collections to fill 

a more diverse clothing footprint 

than just commercial fashion. 

And while that may raise the 

eyebrows of some purists who 

PAGE 42


want the catwalk reserved for 

conventional and aspirational 

designer garments, this year the 

diversification and democratisation 

of fashion continues. 

According to Andrea “one of 

the best things about FASHFEST 

is having the creative freedom 

to allow for non-traditional 

fashion. We are about pushing 

the boundaries in terms of the 

creativity of our designers, and 

it’s not always about presenting 

commercial collections. I like to 

think we are a broad church.” 

To that end we will see not one, 

but two, Canberra Institute of 

Technology shows, carving out 

generous space for emerging 

local designers to show among the 

established labels. 

The first show will present first-year 

students interpreting the idea of 

the body or movement, while 

the second show will explore 

more political themes developed 

through CIT’s Ideas Brewery. The 

Brewery is open to students once 

they graduate from the Diploma 

of Applied Fashion Design and 

Merchandising—it gives them 

access to the studios and facilities 

to develop their talents, and 

offers support by national and 

international trainers who are 

practising in the fashion industry 

while teaching. 

“The CIT shows have, and 

always will, get me excited,” says 

Clint. “For me such a big part of 

this has been about nurturing 

new and emerging talent and 

what we have seen come out of 

CIT has been just exceptional.” 

Meanwhile, Clint says his 

creative team has worked hard 

on designing a new seating 

structure that will elevate 

audiences—bringing them closer 

to the catwalk, creating greater 

intimacy in the amphitheatre and 

increasing the visibility of models. 

A focus on food and alcohol 

pop-ups in the main foyer as 

people enter the Convention 

Centre will also, he hopes, make 

it more of a destination. 

PAGE 43


"IN JUST FIVE YEARS MORE THAN 

10,000 PEOPLE HAVE ATTENDED 

ONE OR NUMEROUS SHOWS." 

“We have worked to set the scene the 

minute you walk through the door—a lot 

of food and drink, media, makeup and 

hair activations. That initial buzz when 

you arrive is so important.’’ 

The team’s refusal to deviate from two 

shows a night over three nights, or the 

September timing of the event—which 

falls over a long weekend—is testament 

to their long-term vision for FASHFEST. 

“We have always tried to focus on the 

bigger picture and we simply have to 

get Canberra on the calendar along 

with the other shows taking place 

around the country. We will get there,” 

says Clint. 

He describes FASHFEST as a labour 

of love rather than a money-spinning 

event. Just yet. Clint notes that in just 

five years more than 10,000 people 

have attended one or numerous 

shows—including a contingent of 

interstate visitors. 

“This year year we have been able to 

raise the bar for quality of design again." 

Meanwhile Clint’s Salvation Army 

roots—his parents were both ministers 

and his now sits on the Salvos board— 

have inspired a left-of-field show 

featuring fashion reinvention and serious 

eco chic, presented by Salvos Stores. 

Called “Revived” and curated by eco 

stylist Faye De Lanty, the show promises 

to upturn conventional perceptions of 

what constitutes trash and second-hand 

clothing. It’s a first for FASHFEST. 

But it doesn’t mean that all the beautiful 

dresses won’t be out in force. 

CHARLY THORN’S CREATIONS are 

so mind-blowing, she is squeezing in 

FASHFEST around stints at both Los 

Angeles and Vancouver Fashion Weeks. 

The invitation to head to Canada 

came in the mail just weeks after the 

18-year-old Cooma resident received a 

PAGE 44


"IT IS GREAT TO SEE HOW 

FASHFEST HAS EVOLVED AND 

BLOOMED INTO SOMETHING 

SO DISTINCTIVE." 

standing ovation at the end of her first solo 

runway show at FASHFEST 2016, when that 

other famous Cooma style icon—model 

Annaliese Seubert—modelled her striking 

and almost geometric gown. 

It was Italy that came calling for bridal 

designer Naomi Hogie, who made her 

FASHFEST debut in 2016. She will unveil her 

new Naomi Peris bridal collection—'Fairy 

Tale Princesses in the Amazon Jungle'—at 

the invitation-only Milan Fashion Week 

in late September, before returning home 

to Canberra to show at FASHFEST’s 

closing night. 

“To be featured in Europe is something I 

had only dreamed of,” says the 37-yearold 

designer. “My hope is to open up 

opportunities in Australian fashion and to 

have my creations—many of which get their 

inspiration from right here in Canberra—to 

be carried by Australian companies." 

their FASHFEST exposure with full-time retail 

presence in the city. Braddon’s Assemblage 

Project represents Karen Lee, Edition, Pure 

Pod and Stuart the Cat Jewellery. 

Karen, who is showing again at this 

year’s FASHFEST, said the annual event 

had highlighted the burgeoning fashion 

industry in a town that had previously 

struggled to shed its conservative, almost 

anti‐fashion image. 

“It has definitely helped us get recognition 

for our distinctive, and what I like to 

describe as ‘non-trending fashion’, but the 

industry is still incredibly hard work for any 

of us in it,” says Karen. 

Meanwhile, retailers such as Rebel Muse's 

Alicia Xyrakis notice a definite bump in 

sales as the FASHFEST season rolls around 

each year and ticket-holders experience 

acute wardrobe anxiety. 

“It has been embedded as a significant 

annual event and we do notice an increase 

in traffic as people search for something 

really stand-out,” says Alicia. 

She showed a collection of her boutique’s 

designers in last year’s FASHFEST but will 

just be an observer this year. 

Similarly, FASHFEST alumna, Charne 

Esterhuizen showed her ground-breaking 

3-D printed fashion at Vancouver Fashion 

Week earlier this year—earning her 

incredible designs column inches in 

Chinese Vogue along the way. Demands 

on her design work preclude her from 

taking part this year but Charne is grateful 

for the exposure and experience she 

received in Canberra before she took her 

work overseas. 

Success doesn’t always have to mean 

international runway exposure, however, 

with several local designers combining 

PAGE 45


and seen their careers took off. While 

international bookings preclude either 

model from walking this FASHFEST, 

Andrea is philosophical. 

“It’s great—both these girls are serious 

global talents now. We wish them well 

and turn our eyes to welcoming other 

new models to hopefully follow in 

their footsteps.” 

“ I was in Sydney when it started and 

when I finally got to go I was amazed 

at how big it was. Fashion is a relatively 

new idea in this city so it is great to 

see how FASHFEST has evolved and 

bloomed into something so distinctive. 

We really needed it!” 

Also benefitting from the flow-on effect 

of an enlivened fashion scene is the 

modelling industry. 

Canberra has received a new 

modelling agency in the form of Haus 

Models, run by Andrea—a former 

model herself. Haus has 70 models 

on its books, and one of the biggest 

buzzes on the FASHFEST calendar 

is the massive open model audition, 

which this year drew around 400 

aspirants— including those represented 

by other major Canberra agencies. 

The creative couple will also welcome 

“pear-shaped” models to the runway 

this year. In keeping with their 

diversity ethos, Clint and Andrea 

are also including Thunder Thighs 

among their list of fashion houses— 

going somewhere most fashion 

weeks don’t dare—into so-called 

‘plus‐sized’ territory. 

Bronwynne Jones, a self-taught 

designer, created her label last year 

specifically to celebrate the pearshaped 

body and describes her pieces 

as “sitting in the right places and 

floating over the wrong ones”. 

Andrea said she was surprised this 

year about the strong contingent of 

male models trying out and is always 

thrilled to see new talent emerge. 

“I get to see these young models sign 

up and I think, ‘wow’ where did you just 

come from?” 

She has also cast the likes of Zoe 

Barnard and Ilana Davies for the 

FASHFEST catwalk in previous years 

PAGE 46


“FOR ME IT ENDEAVOURS TO 

SHOWCASE ALL MEDIUMS OF 

THE ARTS AND ENCOMPASS ALL 

FACETS OF FASHION DESIGN." 

While Sarah has sat front-row at several 

New York Fashion Weeks, and regularly 

partakes of the Sydney and Melbourne 

events, she says she appreciates 

FASHFEST differently. 

“For me it endeavours to showcase all 

mediums of the arts and encompass 

all facets of fashion design. A fashion 

designer will be featured on the 

runway but the opportunity is there 

for that designer to be teamed with 

a jewellery designer and milliner at 

the same time. All the while being 

entertained with local DJ talent and 

performers that add more of a wow 

factor—different to just watching a 

fashion show.” 

“Yes, it is a little bit of a risk sending 

someone other than a tall skinny girl 

down the runway, if that is what your 

audience expects,” says Andrea. 

“But we have always embraced 

difference—in our clothes and in our 

models. We want the general public 

to see there is something there for 

everyone and to portray real clothes 

for real people as well as the beautiful 

dresses that you would expect at any 

fashion show. All we can ask is that 

people come with an open mind. You 

can’t please everyone all of the time.” 

Seasoned fashion observer and longterm 

FASHFEST devotee Sarah Kelly 

says Canberra has changed for the 

better since FASHFEST ignited the city’s 

sartorial imagination back in 2013. 

“The themes and content and quality 

are comparable with other cities in 

Australia, but FASHFEST is unique to 

our capital city, which is just bursting 

with talent.” 

Similarly, ACT Chief Minister Andrew 

Barr is thrilled that Clint and Andrea 

have stayed the distance. 

“Five years in, FASHFEST has matured 

into a great addition to our events 

calendar. It’s the kind of event that 

doesn’t just bring in visitors, it shows 

we’re a cool capital where interesting 

things happen.” • 

PAGE 47


D O G ! 

WORDS + STYLING Belinda Neame PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Bean 

FRANKS GET FANCY AS WE REINVENT THE 

CLASSIC HOT DOG, FOUR WAYS 

PAGE 48


tahini 

D O G 

INGREDIENTS 

4 CHICKEN SAUSAGES 

½ CUP COLESLAW – MIX OF RED 

AND WHITE CABBAGE AND CARROT 

3 TABLESPOONS RED WINE VINEGAR 

2 TABLESPOONS PLAIN YOGHURT 

2 TABLESPOONS TAHINI 

2 SPRING ONIONS, SLICED 

SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE 

4 HOT DOG ROLLS* 

METHOD 

Cook the sausages according to the 

package directions. Mix together the 

coleslaw, vinegar, salt and pepper. 

In a separate bowl mix together the 

yoghurt, tahini and two tablespoons 

of water. 

Place the cooked sausages in each 

bun and top with coleslaw and 

yoghurt mix. Finish off with a sprinkle of 

spring onion and serve. 

* We use Saigon rolls for the crunchy 

outside and soft middle. 

PAGE 49


B a h n mi 

D O G 

INGREDIENTS 

METHOD 

4 PORK SAUSAGES 

¼ CUP MAYONNAISE 

1 TABLESPOON TABASCO SAUCE 

¼ CUCUMBER, THINLY SLICED 

1 LARGE CARROT, GRATED 

¼ CUP MINT LEAVES 

2 SMALL RED CHILLIES, THINLY 

SLICED 

Cook the sausages according to 

the package directions. Place the 

mayonnaise and Tabasco in a small 

bowl and mix. Taste, and add more 

Tabasco if needed. 

Place the cooked sausages in each 

bun and top with mayonnaise mix, 

carrot, cucumber and mint. Finish with 

chilli for extra bite! 


PAGE 50


Salsa 

D O G 

INGREDIENTS 

4 X BEEF SAUSAGES 

½ CUP OF SALSA MIX – TOMATO, 

CORN, RED ONION AND 

CORIANDER 

1/3 CUP GRATED TASTY CHEESE 

¼ CUP CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE 

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE 


METHOD 

Cook the sausages according 

to the package directions. Place 

the cooked chorizo in each bun 

and top with salsa, cheese and 

mayonnaise. Finish with an extra 

topping of coriander and salt 

and pepper. 

PAGE 51


PAGE 52


Po r k d o g 

W I T H C H O R I Z O + A P P L E 

INGREDIENTS 

METHOD 

4 PORK SAUSAGES 

2 TSP OLIVE OIL 

1 CHORIZO, FINELY CHOPPED 

1 LARGE RED ONION, HALVED, 

THINLY SLICED 

1 LONG FRESH RED CHILLI, 

THINLY SLICED 

1 GRANNY SMITH APPLE, 

PEELED, CUT INTO 1CM PIECES 

2 1/2 TSP BROWN SUGAR 

250ML (1 CUP) APPLE CIDER 

BABY ROCKET, TO SERVE 

AMERICAN MUSTARD, 

TO SERVE 


Cook the sausages according to the 

package directions. 

To make the relish, heat oil over medium-low 

heat in a fry pan. Add the chorizo, stirring, for 

four minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate 

with paper towel to drain. 

Cook the onion and chilli over low heat, stirring, 

for five minutes or until soft. Add the apple and 

cook for five minutes or until soft. Stir in the 

sugar and cook until caramelised. 

Add the cider. Return the chorizo to the pan. 

Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or 

until liquid is evaporated. Season with pepper. 

Place the cooked sausages in each bun and 

top with relish and finish with rocket and a 

drizzle of mustard. 

PAGE 53


T h e m a s k o f 

MOTHERHOOD 

WORDS Laura Peppas 

HAVING A BABY IS ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS 

MOMENTS IN LIFE, BUT IT’S ALSO ONE OF THE MOST 

DIFFICULT ADJUSTMENTS. SO WHY, IN THE AGE OF 

OVERSHARING, DOES IT STILL FEEL TABOO TO SAY SO? 

PAGE 54


"I FELT LIKE I WAS BEING FORCED TO ABANDON 

EVERYTHING I WAS—A WRITER, FRIEND, WIFE, 

TRAVELLER—FOR THIS TINY, SCREAMING HUMAN." 

THERE WAS JUST ONE MOMENT, 

throughout my surprisingly enjoyable 

pregnancy, that would really give me an 

indication of what was to come. 

It wasn’t that episode of Friends where 

Rachel gives birth to a beautiful baby girl 

and a few episodes later is back at work, as 

fabulous as ever. 

It wasn’t the many Instagram mummies 

with their glossy hair and Seed-clad 

little ones tucked neatly on their hip, 

waxing poetic about the journey that 

is motherhood. 

It wasn’t my prenatal classes, which 

focussed so much on the impending labour 

rather than the aftermath. 

It wasn’t even a visit to friends who had 

babies, because that only ever offered a 

mere glimpse of what was in store. 

It was a moment at the end of my final 

prenatal check-up, when my midwife made 

the parting comment: “You know the 

women who find motherhood the hardest? 

The ones who need to have everything 

‘just so'; who always need to be in control. 

They’re the ones who struggle most in 

those first few months.” 

As a self-confessed control freak, a tiny 

alarm bell triggered. Before then, I was 

under the misguided illusion that somehow, 

my baby would magically fit into my life, 

not vice versa. This is going to be tougher than 

you think, I realised. 

Now when I look back at those first few 

weeks post-baby, I remember running to 

the mirror to put on makeup before people 

visited, hurriedly trying to clean the house 

while my baby screamed, and trying to 

squeeze my sore, engorged breasts and 

postpartum belly into my old clothes. It 

sounds terribly self-indulgent and foolish, 

but a part of me felt I needed to be like 

those smiling, shiny-haired mothers. Look 

how in control I am. I’m still me. I can do this. I 

just couldn’t embrace motherhood for what 

it really was, and the imperfections that 

undeniably came with it. 

What’s worse, I couldn’t help but think 

what I knew I should never say out 

loud—I want my old life back. I felt like I 

was being forced to abandon everything I 

was—a writer, friend, wife, traveller—for 

this tiny, screaming human. My days 

had swiftly gone from a job interviewing 

successful business people and politicians 

to feeling lucky if I had the time to drag 

my aching limbs into the shower for 

ten minutes. 

PAGE 55


"I WASN’T BRAVE ENOUGH TO 

TELL PEOPLE THE TRUTH WHEN IT 

CAME TO MOTHERHOOD: THAT I 

WAS COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED 

AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA 

WHAT I WAS DOING." 

Not even my body was mine anymore: 

my breasts were simply an alarm 

clock telling me when it was time for 

a feed, my hair was shedding from 

raging hormones and I had headaches 

from grinding my teeth in my sleep 

(a subconscious way to release stress, 

according to my dentist.) Though I was 

grateful that I could grow life and in 

awe of my baby, I struggled to accept 

my ‘new’ self. 

Yet I felt compelled to smile, to tell 

everyone what a blessing motherhood 

was. It felt taboo to say anything else, 

for fear of appearing ungrateful— 

because I knew there were thousands 

of women sitting in IVF clinics who 

would kill to be in my position, or 

single mothers battling it out alone. 

In the past, I’d never had a problem 

telling people when I was snowed 

under at work or stressed with study, 

but for some reason I wasn’t brave 

enough to tell people the truth when 

it came to motherhood: that I was 

completely overwhelmed and had 

absolutely no idea what I was doing. 

Swaddling, settling, breastfeeding? I 

was in over my head, and I’d never 

felt more isolated in my life. My 

husband tried to be supportive but 

when it was time for him to go back to 

work, resentment set in. There he was 

neatly slotting back into his old life, 

while I was stuck at home in this new, 

unfamiliar, scary territory. 

Before giving birth to her baby boy two 

years ago, Sarah Freeman* thought 

motherhood was going to be “walks 

around Lake Burley Griffin with the 

pram, wearing expensive activewear 

and drinking a cappuccino whilst 

laughing with my new mummy friends.” 

PAGE 56


“I had a constant feeling of impending 

doom and started having panic attacks. 

As soon as my little boy arrived, I 

started having very scary thoughts and 

the panic attacks increased to the point 

that they were debilitating. I found an 

amazing psychologist straight away but 

it took more than a year until I felt like 

I was on the road to recovery. 

“I did try to put a brave face on 

with some friends, because I felt 

embarrassed that I was struggling when 

it seemed so easy for other people.” 

“The reality was I was exhausted, felt 

very fat and unattractive, had no idea 

what I was doing and was in shock 

about how much things had changed,” 

Sarah says. 

“I thought after having a baby I 

would 'snap' back straight away until I 

realised the 20kg I gained wasn't just 

baby and placenta (it may have also 

been cake), and I felt that my career 

had gone to shit.” 

For the first year of her baby’s 

life, Sarah suffered from postnatal 

anxiety, which, along with postnatal 

depression, is becoming increasingly 

common among both Australian 

women and men. 

“On reflection, my struggle with 

antenatal anxiety started during my 

pregnancy,” Sarah says. 

More than ever before, we have access 

to a wildly overwhelming amount of 

information on parenting: from books, 

forums and apps, to social pages telling 

you what not to do. With one snap 

of a stranger’s camera, our parenting 

flaws are so easily exposed to the 

world. That easy exposure can in turn 

increase your level of paranoia: Am I 

holding my baby right? Should I be feeding 

them this? Are they judging me for using 

formula instead of breastfeeding? 

It could also be the reason why many 

mothers are compelled to put on a 

brave face, even when struggling—a 

recent survey by Pregnancy, Birth and 

Baby showed one in three parents are 

reluctant to seek advice due to fear of 

being judged or seen as a failure. 

Another major shift in motherhood 

today is that we are often told we 

can ‘have it all’: the booming career, 

baby, relationship and social life. It’s a 

positive thing, of course, but it could 

also be why some new mums feel extra 

pressure on their shoulders. 

“I feel the generations before us have 

had a very different experience with 

motherhood,” says mother of one 

Claire Sainsbury. 

PAGE 57


“After marrying, many women stopped 

working to focus on raising a family. 

Now women are having babies later 

in life, when we’ve established good 

careers, friendships, routines—so it 

could be one of the reasons why it feels 

like it takes longer to adjust.” 

New mum Javier Steel admits she 

set “ridiculously high standards” for 

herself before the birth of her baby 

girl, Odessa. 

“I thought that I could still ‘do it all’, 

despite having a baby,” Javier says. 

“I would work, create, socialise, 

travel—I wouldn’t use motherhood 

as an excuse for not doing things. I 

guess I thought that I’d be really good 

at motherhood and that I’d magically 

have these maternal instincts that 

would kick in and make me some kind 

of Nigella-esque domestic goddess who 

was an amazing, effortless, chic mum. 

But once Odessa was born I [felt I] 

had lost my identity. 

"I was no longer Javier, Creative 

Director, who had something to show 

for all of my hard work. I was suddenly 

a mum and at the end of each day, 

my husband would come home and 

ask me what I did. I would tell him, 

‘the same as yesterday—my life is like 

Groundhog Day.’ Our relationship 

dynamics changed: I was almost 

resentful of him because he got to leave 

the house, go to work, talk to people, 

make money—achieve things. I didn’t 

feel fulfilled or challenged, I had no 

creative outlet, I missed my friends and 

I missed the freedom of being able to 

leave the house without having to plan 

hours in advance.” 

Javier says she realised that you can 

still “have it all,” just perhaps not all 

at once. 

“I think you just need to learn that you 

can have/do all the things, but that 

you might have to wait. If nothing else, 

motherhood teaches you patience,” 

she says. 

“I guess that I wish that people would 

be more ‘real’ about what it’s like to 

become a mother. I [also] wish I knew 

that it would pass and that it would get 

better every day. Being a mother would 

no longer be a burden, it would be 

an honour.” 

Though the online world may have 

created extra anxiety for new parents, 

it is also responsible for some positive 

change—we now have access to 

more support than ever before, with 

"I THOUGHT THAT 

I’D BE REALLY GOOD 

AT MOTHERHOOD 

AND THAT I’D 

MAGICALLY HAVE 

THESE MATERNAL 

INSTINCTS THAT 

WOULD KICK IN." 

PAGE 58


a wide range of mother’s groups, playgroups, 

and online support networks which encourage 

people to “reach out” if they’re struggling. Local 

networks such as Canberra Mums and Mums 

Exercise Group Australia (MEGA) are growing 

increasingly popular while new online group 

‘No Mum Left Behind,’ is designed to combat 

the isolation and loneliness that can accompany 

mums by encouraging other mothers to connect, 

whether it be a "walking buddy, coffee date, 

playgroup pal or someone to cry into a bottle of 

wine with.” 

“I really believe that you never know the impact 

of reaching out to someone who could be having 

a tough time, even if they look like they have it 

together—you never know what someone can 

be going through,” co-founder Nikki says. 

My own “reach out” moment came from one 

of the most unlikely situations. I was walking 

home from doing the groceries, trying to 

navigate the trolley in one hand while holding 

the baby in the carrier in the other, when a 

young man passing by in a suit walking past 

called out: "You're doing an awesome job.” With 

those five words, a stranger had lifted my day, 

and I walked home feeling a little lighter. 

After that, when I started focusing on the 

simplicity of “doing an awesome job” of keeping 

my baby alive and well, something shifted. I 

knew I’d eventually be back at work, go out to 

dinner and feel like myself again. My breasts 

would stop hurting, the stretch marks would 

fade. But that could all wait. For now, my life 

was focused on raising a healthy and happy little 

girl—and like anything else, there would be 

good and bad days. And when I finally accepted 

it for what it was, the real beauty of the journey 

my daughter and I were on revealed itself. As 

the weeks turned into months, my screaming 

newborn became a giggling little girl who smiled 

whenever we tickled her knees, nuzzled her 

head into my neck when I picked her up and 

held my hand while I fed her. I realised I’d relive 

those difficult first few months again, just to see 

who she is today. But next time, I won’t be so 

afraid to tell it like it is. • 

* Name has been changed 

MACH NURSING SERVICE 

The ACT Government’s Maternal and 

Child Health (MACH) Nursing Service 

assists parents with support, information 

and health advice. 

health.act.gov.au | 02 6207 9977 

HEALTHDIRECT 

Healthdirect Australia is a telephone 

health advice and information service. 

healthdirect.gov.au | 1800 022 222 

(free call, 24 hours) 

AUSTRALIAN BREASTFEEDING 

ASSOCIATION 

Breastfeeding support and information are 

available from Australian Breastfeeding 

Association volunteers via the 

Breastfeeding Helpline. 

breastfeeding.asn.au | 1800 686 268 

(free call) 

PANDSI 

PANDSI plays a vital role in providing 

support to Canberra parents affected by 

post or ante natal depression. Services 

include a weekly daytime support group, 

one on one support and a telephone 

support program. 

pandsi.org | 02 6288 1936 

CANBERRA AND REGION 

MULTIPLE BIRTH ASSOCIATION 

CARMBA is a support network for parents 

and carers of twins, triplets, and more. 

carmba.org.au | 0430 202 894 

PREGNANCY BIRTH & BABY 

A confidential phone and online service 

providing information, advice and 

counselling about pregnancy, childbirth 

and baby's first year. 

pregnancybirthbaby.org.au | 1800 882 436 

(free call) 

PAGE 59


TWO 

f o r t h e 

ROAD 

SOMEBODY SAID ‘GET A LIFE’ 

SO THEY DID 

Nastja wears custom jacket (worn 

throughout) $49.95 from Zara; Milana scarf 

and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi sunglasses 

(worn throughout), both available at David 

Jones, Canberra Centre. 

Molly wears custom jacket (worn 

throughout) $49.95 from Zara; Nude Lucy 

top $39.95 available at David Jones 

Canberra Centre; Sportsgirl bandana (worn 

throughout) $12.95; earrings by ZARIĆ 

Jewellery, zaricjewellery.com. 

PAGE 60


PAGE 61


Denim jacket $174.30 by 

Nobody Denim and RE shirt 

$69.95, both available at David 

Jones, Canberra Centre; jeans 

$49.95 by Zara. 

At right: Silk dress with slip, 

$989, by Lee Mathews and 

jacket, $369, by Viktoria 

+ Woods, both available 

at David Jones, Canberra 

Centre; vintage cowboy boots, 

available at Zoo Emporium, 

02 9380 5990. 

PAGE 62


PAGE 63


Lee Mathews silk blouse $399 and silk 

camisole (worn underneath) $189, both 

by available at David Jones, Canberra 

Centre; skirt $39.95 by Zara; vintage hat 

and cowboy boots, both available at Zoo 

Emporium, 02 9380 5990; belt, model's own. 

PAGE 64


Jacket $199 by Zara; Levi 

jeans $69.99, available 

at David Jones, Canberra 

Centre; Brigalow hat 

$69.95, available at Route 

66, 02 9331 6686. 

PAGE 65


PAGE 66


Nastja wears Nude Lucy top $29.95 and Levi jeans 

$69.99, available at David Jones Canberra Centre; 

vintage bolo tie necklace and cowboy hat, both 

available at Zoo Emporium, 02 9380 5990; earrings 

by ZARIĆ Jewellery, zaricjewellery.com; Zara 

choker necklace. 

Molly wears C&M Camilla & Marc top $89 and 

Levi jeans $69.99, both available at David Jones 

Canberra Centre; earrings by ZARIĆ Jewellery, 

zaricjewellery.com. 

PAGE 67


Dress $1289 by Ellery at Pink Ink 

Boutique; vintage bolo tie necklace 

and cowboy hat, both available 

at Zoo Emporium, 02 9380 5990; 

Brigalow hat $69.95, available at 

Route 66, 02 9331 6686. 

At right: Jacket $980 by Maje, 

us.maje.com; Sandro Paris tee $119, 

02 9412 4886. 

PAGE 68


PAGE 69


PAGE 70


B E H I N D 

the 

S C E N E S 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR + STYLIST HAYLEY O’NEILL 

PHOTOGRAPHER LAUREN CAMPBELL 

COORDINATOR BELINDA NEAME 

MAKE UP ARTIST AMY CAPEDA 

HAIR STYLIST KATE LEGGATT, SASS HAIR DEZIGN 

MODELS MOLLY FOLKARD AND NASTJA ZARIĆ 

SPECIAL THANKS MARTY AND LEANNE O'SULLIVAN FOR HOSPITALITY, HOUSE AND CAR 

PAGE 71

Stirring 

the 

POT 


PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Bean 

WOMEN HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN CONSIGNED TO THE 

KITCHEN—OR RELEGATED TO SERVING FOOD AND DRINK— 

YET FEW HAVE TRADITIONALLY REACHED POSITIONS OF POWER, 

SELF‐DETERMINATION AND CREATIVITY IN THE MALE‐DOMINATED 

RESTAURANT AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY. HERE ARE FOUR 

CANBERRA-BASED WOMEN WHO ARE CAUSING A STIR.


Maggie Beer “to challenge these ideas 

of domination”. 

And she has, in turn, helped forge a 

path supporting other women to rise 

within the industry. 

But she is also philosophical about it, 

noting hospitality is no different to, say, 

the corporate world, academia—or 

life, really. 

“Women in hospitality would map 

the same struggle that women have 

had forever and a day for any sort 

of equality.” 

Meanwhile, Janet offers a sage 

observation on the true nature of the 

work and an indication of her deep 

commitment to the industry. 

“WOMEN IN 

HOSPITALITY WOULD 

MAP THE SAME 

STRUGGLE THAT 

WOMEN HAVE HAD 

FOREVER AND A DAY 

FOR ANY SORT OF 

EQUALITY.” 

K A T E H I B B E R S O N 

JANET JEFFS has strong opinions on 

women in professional kitchens. The 

industry stalwart, director and executive 

chef of Ginger Catering at the National 

Arboretum, has amassed six chef hats 

in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good 

Food Guide over her 40-year career. 

She could “write a treatise” on the 

gender imbalance she has witnessed 

over four decades in hospitality and 

one can only imagine how difficult 

it must have been forging a career 

when she got her first break in 1976 

as an apprentice to Cheong Liew at 

Adelaide’s famed Neddy’s Restaurant. 

Instead of dwelling on the male 

dominance she had to navigate, Janet 

has looked to great women chefs, 

cooks and food writers like Elizabeth 

David, Julia Child, Margaret Fulton and 

“There’s no romance in what we do as 

chefs, no celebrity, despite what TV will 

tell you. It’s hard professional work. I’m 

committed to my craft, and teaching my 

apprentices, and there have been very 

many. I’m committed to my suppliers, 

farmers and customers who have a 

sovereign right to good, clean, fair food, 

and I’m up for a good long fight to 

protect that.” 

“The key to manifesting a working 

environment that attracts and retains 

chefs is treating them as individuals. 

The industry needs to work on its 

representation, conditions and image 

to achieve a truly diverse workforce. 

Hopefully before too long, this point will 

no longer need to be made.” 

KATE HIBBERSON has had to confront 

not only a gender bias in being a wine 

expert, but also an age bias. 

The 32-year old is a sommelier and 

helps run Mount Majura Vineyard. 

But on any given week you may find 

her talking—or pouring—wine at the 

vineyard, The Boat House, or Pod Food, 

which she and her husband John 

Leverink have run for seven years. 

PAGE 74


J A N E T J E F F S 

PAGE 75


“I HAVE WORKED WITH AND FOR SOME GREAT 

MEN AND I DON’T THINK MY GENDER HAS EVER 

HELD ME BACK”. 

While Kate is ably experienced and 

qualified—she is currently completing her 

Wine Spirit Education Trust Level 4 Diploma 

with the Sydney Wine Academy and holds 

a Bachelor of Tourism Management from 

the University of Canberra—she has been 

challenged on her abilities. 

“I would say that when I began as an 

assistant manager at The Boat House 

(when I was younger), it was more about 

the customers not respecting me as a 

woman in my position. Often people would 

go to the male casual staff who would then 

kindly point to me.” 

Kate learned early to “over-prepare and 

brief for every event so that men in charge 

that might look past me learnt they could 

trust in my abilities. But I don’t think I would 

have had to work as hard to earn that trust 

as a male.” 

As for her colleagues, she is happy to report 

“I have worked with and for some great 

men and I don’t think my gender has ever 

held me back.” 

And if any customers need convincing, 

Kate has recently passed all her tasting 

and theory exams, including blind-tasting 

12 wines, determining their vintage and 

provenance, then writing a dissertation 

on their aromas, flavours, structure, and 

quality. She wouldn’t put such work and 

hours into her profession were it not for an 

all-consuming passion. 

“My world these days revolves around 

wine—I love that wine combines history, 

culture, geography and pleasure.” 

Kate has also witnessed a greater gender 

balance in the industry the longer she 

works in it. 

“Certainly as a sommelier it was a very 

male-dominated role in the past. But with 

my current studies, there seems to be an 

even distribution of males and females 

studying and taking on the roles.” 

YOU MIGHT ASSUME the world of beer 

would be a tough one to crack into 

for women. 

But Tracy Margrain has found her career in 

owning and running a brewery has been 

one relatively free from gender constraints. 

In fact, Tracy has taken great pleasure from 

watching other talented Canberra women 

get a foothold in the local beer scene as it 

grows in national stature. 

Tracey dipped her toe in the cider—which 

she helped crush—when she began working 

at the Wig and Pen after she finished 

college. She then spent a decade of running 

a landscaping company before returning 

to beer in 2013 when she and her partner 

Richard started up the Braddon beer 

phenomenon that is BentSpoke Brewing Co. 

Tracy has also completed a commercial 

cookery course and a diploma of 

hospitality management. 

“I have worked in every aspect of the 

business at BentSpoke since it opened. 

I have been a door person, cook, bar 

person, stock controller, cider crusher. 

Since Mitchell has opened I have become 

a canning line operator and am a trainee 

brewer at Braddon.” 

PAGE 76


T R A C E Y M A R G R A I N 

PAGE 77


Poncellamont in France. Her father’s 

passion and tutelage convinced her 

to follow in his footsteps and we can 

all be thankful for that each time we 

visit Monster Kitchen and Bar at Hotel 

Hotel to partake of her macarons, 

crème brûlée, financiers, clafoutis, and 

chocolate truffles. 

Angélique’s mastery of sugar was 

broadcast to the nation when she 

scored a perfect 30 points for her Green 

Tea, Coconut and Raspberry dessert as 

a guest chef on the ratings juggernaut 

that is MasterChef Australia. 

Things have been pretty crazy 

since then. 

A N G É L I Q U E P E R E T T O 

But the star pastry chef has something 

of a tunnel vision when it comes to her 

art and has never let anyone—male or 

female—distract her from the course. 

“I THINK THAT WHEN 

YOU ARE WILLING 

TO CARRY ON WHAT 

YOU WANT, YOU 

JUST JUMP AND DO 

IT—WHATEVER THE 

PRICE." 

In her eight years on-and-off in the 

industry, Tracy believes “there has 

definitely been a swing in women 

taking on male-dominated job 

positions. It's great to see so many 

women owning and running successful 

businesses in Canberra and I think it's 

great for younger females to see strong 

women succeeding in a diverse range 

of jobs in the industry,” she says. 

Beer, according to Tracy, is surprisingly 

democratic. 

“There is a really great community of 

people, it doesn't matter the size of your 

brewery, age, or gender, everybody is 

supportive of each other.” 

ANGÉLIQUE PERETTO first began 

her love affair with cooking working 

alongside her father at their family‐run 

hotel restaurant, L’ Auberge du 

“I never felt different in any kitchen 

where I worked because it is simply 

what I really wanted to do, male 

environment or not. Then, I never let 

there be any room for being criticised 

professionally by men—or women.” 

“I think that when you are willing to 

carry on what you want, you just jump 

and do it—whatever the price to pay.” 

She has found men in the industry have 

been supportive of her abilities and 

she has never had to question being a 

female chef. 

“I never try to get something by 

confrontation and really think that 

today one of the problems of our 

society is that everyone absolutely 

wants to stand up for something and 

to raise differences—which is great— 

but my perspective our strength is in 

the union.” • 

PAGE 78

Wine + food festival, 18 + 19 November 

Life is sweet in the King Valley 

King Valley 

Canberra 

Albury 

Beechworth 

Bright 

Bookings and information 

winesofthekingvalley.com.au 

#ladolcevita #visitkingvalley 

Melbourne


PAGE 80


WORDS Emma Macdonald PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Bean 

IT’S A FAMILIAR SCENARIO IN CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. 

YOUNG COUPLE FALLS IN LOVE AND BUYS A HOME TOGETHER. 

THEY CHOOSE SOMETHING SMALL IN AN OUTER SUBURB AND AS 

THEIR FAMILY GROWS, THEY ADD ROOMS OR MOVE TO A LARGER 

PLACE CLOSER TO THE CITY. EXCEPT WHEN YOU ARE BELINDA NEAME 

AND TIM BEAN AND YOU WANT TO STAY EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE. 

PAGE 81


THE CREATIVE couple behind 

Canberra’s thriving street food event, 

The Forage, have deliberately chosen 

a different path when it comes to 

home ownership. 

For Belinda and Tim, the tiny rundown 

home they first spotted almost 

20 years ago in Belinda’s childhood 

suburb of Fraser has become an oasis. 

While they have extensively renovated, 

they have resisted the time-honoured 

practice of adding more bedrooms 

and bathrooms. And even though their 

finances would now allow, they feel 

no need to leave the quiet cul-de-sac 

close to bushland that has allowed their 

children to grow up enjoying fresh air, 

peace and community. 

But that is not to say this home is not as 

magazine-worthy as any grand abode 

on Canberra’s dress circle. 

This is due to two factors. 

Belinda has a stylist’s eye—her day 

job involves overseeing the look and 

feel of HerCanberra’s Magazine—and 

Tim has a flair for photography which 

is increasingly seeing him shoot top 

restaurants and local creatives in and 

around his career as a firefighter. 

PAGE 82


“I AM NOT A RISK-TAKER BY 

NATURE BUT I HAVE BACKED 

MYSELF NOT TO GO WITH 

THE MAINSTREAM WHEN IT 

COMES TO MY HOUSE." 

Together the pair, who met in college, 

have combined their finely-honed 

aesthetic senses to create a home that 

oozes style yet warmth—a home that 

first and foremost is a haven for their 

two teenaged children, Fletcher and 

Tilly, and a home that fosters closeness 

and communication between a tightknit 

family. 

“We want this home to be a place 

where the four of us can relax and 

relate to each other, where we don’t 

have the kids wandering off down one 

end of the house and never talking to 

us. We have been really strategic about 

keeping it small and keeping those 

communal spaces really conducive 

to conversation.” 

This includes removing a television 

from their front room, where a large 

fireplace and charcoal grey sofas 

laden with cushions provide for a 

restful homecoming. 

“I just can’t put into words how much 

I love it and how successful it is in 

bringing us all together. Sometimes we 

just sit and talk, and I never need to 

start a conversation with the kids, they 

just start talking about their days of 

their own accord. Other times we play 

board games, or sometimes we just sit 

and watch the flames flicker.” 

Last year, after much soul-searching, 

the couple undertook a major 

renovation, having updated the kitchen 

and added a family room off the 

kitchen earlier on. 

Belinda, unashamedly a Canberra 

Winter-lover, said she had waited 

almost the entire time she had lived 

in the house to install the fireplace. 

Now it is here it has surpassed her 

every expectation. 

PAGE 83


“The floors I adore, the shutters were a 

risk because we went with something 

so dramatic but they turned out to 

be perfect.” 

While they made their existing 

bathroom much larger, the couple 

consciously decided not to add a 

second bathroom, nor add another 

bedroom with ensuite. 

“We just thought about where we are 

in life—Fletcher is 15 now, so we won’t 

have him at home for much longer. 

Do we want a house with all these 

extra rooms and bathrooms when it is 

just me and Tim? And apart from that, 

who wants to spend their spare time 

cleaning?” Belinda laughs. 

Belinda says she has always followed 

her heart when it comes to the look and 

feel of her home. 

“I am not a risk-taker by nature but 

I have backed myself not to go with 

the mainstream when it comes to my 

house. For instance, my head was 

telling me to go with white shutters 

because they go with everything but in 

the end I just had to do the opposite.” 

The decision to stay small and bespoke 

has also had follow-on advantages. 

Belinda and Tim’s dollars went much 

further, allowing them to invest in 

finishes that will stand the test of time. 

Among them a spotted-gum hardwood 

floor throughout, new double-glazed 

windows and statement black 

plantation shutters. 

PAGE 84


PAGE 85


“I trust my own taste and I layer the 

belongings I love. I say go with your 

gut. If you love it you’ll make it work.” 

Having said that, Belinda has 

also pared things back after 

the renovations. 

“I used to like a bit of clutter, but when 

we emptied the house out to start the 

work, I realised I could live without a 

lot of it. That is not to say I am a slave 

to contemporary minimalism, but I like 

the cleaner lines and the focus on really 

bespoke pieces.” 

One of the upshots of waiting this 

long to renovate is that Belinda and 

Tim have both developed a similar 

style. Or perhaps an ability to trust in 

the other’s choices. 

“We didn’t really argue about any of it, 

and Tim project-managed the whole 

thing. I don’t think that would have 

been the case 10 years ago—we must 

have both matured since then!” 

And as you tour the home, you see a 

beautiful partnership unfold. 

Belinda lists among her most treasured 

possessions a beautiful antique 

hardwood tallboy that Tim bought her 

for her 21st birthday. They also have a 

few vintage pieces, like an armchair 

in the front lounge room, vintage 

fire extinguisher and fire bucket (for 

obvious reasons!) and a few crystal 

pieces from their grandmothers. 

A Wild Horses photographic print 

by Kara Rosenlund was a surprise 

Christmas present from Tim for Belinda 

last year. “I lusted over it for a couple 

of years, and it is now a major talking 

point with everyone that walks in the 

front door.” 

Meanwhile a Dulton Ivory Drawer 

Cabinet also sits in the entry hall and 

sets the tone and mood to the home. 

“It was our first expensive piece of 

furniture after having the kids and I call 

it our 'investment piece'! I hope it is a 

piece that becomes an heirloom in our 

family one day.” 

A World Map by Telegram Paper 

Goods was ordered as the focal point 

for Fletcher’s room when he moved 

out of his ‘little boy stage’ and every 

single bed or sofa has an ample supply 

of Pony Rider cushions—a love of 

Belinda’s that borders on obsessive. 

PAGE 86


PAGE 87


"I SAY GO WITH YOUR 

GUT. IF YOU LOVE IT 

YOU’LL MAKE IT WORK." 

Black Highbay Lampshades by 

Industria X in Melbourne sit over the 

kitchen sink to add an industrial feel 

while a genuine German beer hall 

table and benches has been the setting 

for many a family dinner or informal 

dinner party. 

Meanwhile, Belinda’s passion to 

support local Canberra designers 

and makers is evident wherever you 

look: one of her favourite artworks, a 

NORTH I print by Lean Timms; ceramic 

pieces by Bison and artists such as 

Sophie Moran and Girl Nomad placed 

perfectly around the kitchen. 

A special love is the custom wreath by 

Moxom & Whitney which sits above 

their bed. 

“I absolutely love that it is a one-off, 

original piece just for us.” 

You can imagine in 10 years from now, 

Belinda and Tim will still be enjoying 

their fireplace and small-but-perfectlyformed 

home, while the kids come and 

go with their own lives. 

“If I am completely honest, I am happy 

with that. We love Fraser, we love this 

city and we have absolutely no plans 

for anything different”. • 

PAGE 88

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Enjoy the outdoors 

in style this spring 

Shop the full outdoor range in-store 

or online at www.IKEA.com.au/Canberra 

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1030 Majura Road 

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Once the weather is on your 

side the possibilities are endless.


A R O U N D 

the 

W O R L D 

in 

3 0 D A Y S 


PHOTOGRAPHY Emma Macdonald and Paul Chamberlin 

NOT CONTENT TO SPEND SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ON 

THE GOLD COAST, EMMA MACDONALD PACKS 

UP A HUSBAND AND TWO KIDS AND BEGINS 

AN ADVENTURE TRAVELLING TO BUCKET‐LIST 

COUNTRIES IN HEAD-SPINNING SUCCESSION. 

PAGE 90


Shanghai 

There is so much logic to breaking 

up that gruelling flight to Europe 

with a few days in China. 

Especially when you have young 

kids in tow. Certainly, adjusting 

to new time zones is made more 

gentle for the stay. 

Shanghai is a surprisingly 

well‐ordered city considering it’s 

the most populous in the world. It 

has a monumental skyline and a 

touch of European charm within 

its French Concession. 

"YOU MUST NOT LEAVE 

BEFORE YOU HAVE 

DUMPLINGS, ANYWHERE, 

ANYTIME, ANY PLACE." 

STAY 

Checking in at Le Royal Méridien 

we are in a hectically busy 

commercial intersection, but only 

a few minutes’ stroll from The 

Bund—a beautiful waterfront 

promenade where you and 

possibly 50,000 Chinese tourists 

can indulge in some selfies. 

LE ROYAL MÉRIDIEN 

SHANGHAI 

789 Nanjing Road East, Shanghai 

leroyalmeridienshanghai.com 

EAT 

There is no shortage of incredible 

food in this city (we sneak in a 

child‐free dinner at Barbarossa 

People's Park, 231 Nanjing Xi Lu) 

and you must not leave before 

you have dumplings, anywhere, 

anytime, any place. 

BARBAROSSA 

231 Nanjing Xi Lu 

Facebook @barbarossashanghai 

PLAY 

A word of warning, China’s 

most sophisticated city is now 

expensive. If you are keen for a 

cheap Asian stopover this is not it. 

Nanjing Road is an impressive 

shopping strip with glossy designer 

malls punctuating every second 

block. But you will be competing 

with the new uber-rich Chinese. 

The French Concession is a 

beautiful (and cheaper) stroll, and 

if you want something cheesy, 

take the train through a neon-light 

encrusted tunnel under The Bund 

to get to Pudong. 

Frankly we find it hard to convince 

our kids to leave the magnificent 

hotel pool under a glass roof on 

the 66th floor. 

Luckily the credit cards survive 

the three days before we head 

to Finland. 

PAGE 91


Helsinki 

Oh how I love this city. Even the 

Finnair flight has me smitten 

(thanks to Marimekko blankets 

and champagne served in Iittala’s 

Ultima Thule glasswear). 

While we arrive in “summer” 

there is a stiff ocean breeze that 

sends us rummaging through our 

luggage for our Canberra winter 

jackets. After all, you are flying just 

about as far north on the globe as 

you can—next stop Arctic Circle. 

The cobbled streets of Helsinki are 

pristine, and reflect the incredible 

midnight sun (yes, that’s right, in 

summer it doesn’t get dark until 

about 2am and the sun rises 

again at 4am). 

STAY 

We choose to stay in a prison. That 

may sound less than hospitable but 

the Hotel Katajanokka has been 

beautifully reconditioned since it 

started taking inmates in 1837. 

HOTEL KATAJANOKKA 

Merikasarminkatu 1, 00160 Helsinki 

hotelkatajanokka.fi/en/ 

EAT 

The season of white nights 

signals a time for Helsinki-ites 

to either get out of the city or 

eat out, so it can be difficult 

getting a table in some places. 

For health and environmentally 

conscious travellers Helsinki is a 

dream—organic, locally-grown 

and sustainable food is sold with 

passion and food and packaging 

waste is suitably frowned upon 

(you won’t see Finns wandering 

around toting takeaway coffees). 

For something really ridiculous, we 

try a Viking restaurant Ravintola 

Harald. The two meat-eaters 

among us (that would be father 

and son, not to name names) 

shock the other half of the family by 

ordering both beaver and reindeer 

in one meal. And they eat it. 

RAVINTOLA HARALD 

Citykäytävä, Aleksanterinkatu 

21, 00100 Helsinki | ravintolaharald.fi 

PLAY 

The prison—sorry, hotel—is a short 

stroll from the waterfront of the 

South Harbour. There is much to do 

at this end of the city, from catching 

the views in the massive London 

Eye-style Ferris wheel to sipping a 

coffee or cocktail by the freezing 

open-air pools (dear God, these 

Finns are made of stern stuff), and 

a large handicraft market heavy 

in reindeer products is open each 

day, drawing constant crowds. 

Of course, now would be a brilliant 

time to visit some of the numerous 

excellent galleries displaying some 

of that unspeakably cool Finnish 

design aesthetic. But our stay falls 

over a Monday and alas, every 

gallery and the Design District is 

shut. We determine to come back for 

further adventures. Just not in winter. 

Next stop Spain. 

PAGE 92


San Sebastian 

What a joy to thaw out after a 

Nordic “summer”. Spain is worth 

a visit any time of year, but San 

Sebastian is a jewel in the Spanish 

crown for fans of sparkling blue 

harbours and a pervasive culture 

of hanging out in bars stuffing 

one’s face with food and washing 

it down with sangria. 

STAY 

We settle into a furnished 

apartment, Welcome Gros Hotel, 

and I rejoice in the joys of finding a 

washing machine in the kitchen. 

WELCOME GROS HOTEL 

APARTMENTOS 

Iparragirre Kalea, 3, 20001 San 

Sebastián | welcomegros.com 

EAT 

San Sebastian is famous for its 

Pinxtos—platters of what we would 

consider to be hors d'oeuvres with 

Spanish influences—think Iberico 

ham, olives, anchovies, eggs and 

octopus. The process can be a little 

confusing for the uninitiated and it 

is very informal. You walk into the 

bar of your choice (the best ones 

are located in the old town) and 

ask for a plate. You place your 

delicacies on the plate, they count 

how many. Somehow it seems 

they manage to keep tabs on what 

everyone eats and it all works out 

in the end. 

You could eat pinxtos three times 

a day and never consume the 

same thing twice. Special mention 

goes to La Vina for hands-down 

the most insane Basque burnt 

cheesecake the world has ever 

seen. A certain Australian family 

may or may not have visited twice 

in one day. But we probably aren’t 

the first to do so. 

We also made a few repeat visits 

to Gerald’s Bar, originally starting 

in Melbourne and now being run 

by a very competent team in one 

of the most competitive markets 

in the world. It is everything a bar 

should be—intimate, understated 

and delivering the most perfectly 

curated cheese platter and 

generous Aperol spritz of all time. 

The important things. 

LA VINA 

31 de Agosto Kalea, 3, 20003 Donostia, 

Gipuzkoa | lavinarestaurante.com 

GERALD’S BAR 

Iprragirre Kalea, 13, 20001 Donostia, 

Gipuzkoa | geraldsbar.e 

PLAY 

It’s more than 100 years old and it 

seems to defy the laws of physics 

but a trip to Mont Iqueldo on the 

wooden furnicular is not only fun, 

but will give you some spinetingling 

views of the possibly the 

prettiest harbour in the world. 

There is a fun park at the top 

(Dreamworld fresh in our mind, 

we decline) and instead allow 

a sunshine-filled play on the 

large open park to the right of the 

sweeping beachfront, before you 

hit the old town. 

SAN SEBASTIAN FUNICULAR 

Plaza del Funicular, 4 20008 

monteigueldo.es 

Sadly, our short stay is over too 

soon, but we are thrilled to be 

leaving for France. 

PAGE 93


Dordogne 

While travelling with children can 

have its challenges, the advantage 

is that if you are organised, you 

can pool your resources with your 

other parent-friends plagued by 

wanderlust and book a castle in 

the Dordogne without squandering 

your offspring’s inheritance. 

We have a group of nine great 

friends, all with young kids around 

the same age, and we have 

travelled overseas on a number of 

occasions. You can’t make this sort 

of commitment without knowing 

each other well. 

STAY 

This trip takes the cake in terms of 

our accommodation, Maison des 

Sarrasins, which is right out of a 

movie (it is, actually—the French 

film Chocolat was partly filmed in 

the village of Beynac). 

Kids take bedrooms down one 

end of the villa, and apart from 

making sure an adult is always 

rostered on pool duty (the pool is 

carved into the rock cliff face and 

looks out over the Dordogne), it 

is a time where both parties can 

do their own thing, and what 

childhood memories are made of. 

MAISON DES SARRASINS 

Le Bourg, 24220 Beynac-et-Cazenac 

sarrasins.fr 

EAT 

Frankly, we never stop. From 

buying the most incredible local 

produce at the local Sarlat Market 

and cooking in our massive 

kitchen to climbing the cobbled 

path up the hill and partaking of 

steak frites at Le Donjon. 

We also fit in a quick trip to a local 

Michelin-starred bistro Le Grand 

Bleu which, while very 1990s 

in décor, serves three beautiful 

seafood-based courses and a 

peach soufflé. 

SARLAT-LA-CANEDA 

sarlat-tourisme.com/en/sarlat-market 

LE DONJON 

24220, Beynac-et-Cazenac 

LE GRAND BLEU 

43 Avenue de la Gare, 24200, Sarlat-la- 

Canéda | legrandbleu.eu 

PLAY 

There is no shortage of it with 10 kids 

on site. But the highlights include 

kayaking down the Dordogne, 

learning how to make a perfect 

goats cheese tart and chocolate 

soufflé at a cooking school Le 

Chevrefeuille, and exploring the 

exceptional gardens and castles of 

the region. Adult play was ending 

most days with champagne by the 

pool and cheese. So much cheese. 

LE CHEVREFEUILLE 

Pechboutier, St Cyprien, 24220 

lechevrefeuille.com 

It is truly a wrench to leave after 

eight days, but Mother Russia 

is calling. 

PAGE 94


St Pe t e r s b u r g 

After a tedious travel day involving 

a drive to Paris, plane to Helsinki 

and train to St Petersburg, we 

arrive safe and sound. 

STAY 

We are booked into 3MostA 

Boutique Hotel not so much for the 

quaint beauty of the hotel but for 

the beauty of what lies outside of it. 

Our street runs off a small canal 

making St Petersburg look and 

feel eerily similar to Venice. We 

turn a corner and there is the 

most magnificent gelato-coloured 

Cathedral—the Church on the 

Saviour of Spilled Blood—rising 

before us. A lone busker strums a 

haunting melody on his guitar and 

I might just burst into tears at the 

beauty of it all. 

I could write an entire feature on 

St Petersburg—how historic, majestic, 

enormous and overwhelming 

it is. But it is also surprisingly 

cosmopolitan, fashion-conscious, 

luxurious and food-centric. 

3MOSTA BOUTIQUE HOTEL 

3 Moyka Embankment (Naberezhnaya r. 

Moyki), St Petersburg 3mosta.com 

EAT 

Our first restaurant is the nearby 

fine-diner Italian, Goose Goose. 

The next day we journey to 

Korushka in the Peter and Paul 

Fortress where we experience a 

Georgian staple, khachapuri. 

More bready than pizza, 

more cheesy than bread, it is 

instantaneously addictive. 

GOOSE GOOSE 

27, Sankt-Peterburg, Leningrad Oblast 

italy-group.ru 

KORUSHKA 

Zayachiy Island, 3 Petropavlovskaya 

Krepost | en.ginza.ru 

PLAY 

You cannot visit St Petersburg 

without experiencing the 

Hermitage Museum or Peterhof 

(via a quick boat-ride) and the 

wealth of incredible art on display 

requires a day or two to digest. 

One of the best days is spent with 

friends, former Sydney journalists 

who loved Russia so much they 

moved here. You only scratch the 

surface of a culture so foreign 

when you visit as a tourist, but 

picking the brains of locals allows 

you real and lasting insights. 

HERMITAGE MUSEUM 

Palace Square, 2, Sankt-Peterburg 

hermitagemuseum.org 

PETERHOF 

Razvodnaya ulitsa, 2, St Petersburg 

saint-petersburg.com/peterhof 

It’s time for the final leg of our 

journey, and in my mind we save 

the best til last. 

PAGE 95


Ne w Y o r k C i t y 

I will never get sick of New York. 

It is its own universe. 

STAY 

We check into the achingly hip 

The Beekman which is the kind of 

place that commissions its own 

scent to be infused through its 

air-conditioned confines (Velvet by 

12.29—you’re welcome). 

THE BEEKMAN 

123 Nassau St, New York, NY 10038 

thebeekman.com 

EAT 

It is my birthday and the final 

week of our mammoth trip, so we 

throw caution and credit ratings 

to the wind, indulging in our 

bucket-list items. 

One is to eat at a three-Michelinstar 

restaurant. We have a booking 

at Thomas Keller’s Per Se and 

indulge in a 10-course degustation 

that sets our culinary expectations 

at new heights. 

We let the kids eat doughnuts for 

breakfast very day, and have pizza 

for lunch. We walk across Brooklyn 

Bridge and somehow get to be 

first in line for a table at Grimaldi’s 

world-famous (aren’t they all?) 

pizza restaurant. The queue snakes 

down the street and around the 

corner. It is, indeed, most excellent 

pizza. We order champagne at 

brunch at Boucherie in the West 

Village and eat superb Big Gay Ice 

Cream across the street. 

And we sample, in the interests 

of research, a number of 

whiskey cocktails at The Dead 

Rabbit—reportedly the best bar in 

the world. 

THOMAS KELLER’S PER SE 

The Shops at Columbus Circle 

thomaskeller.com/perseny 

GRIMALDI’S 

Front Street, Brooklyn 

grimaldis-pizza.com/home 

BOUCHERIE 

99 7th Avenue South, New York 

boucherie.nyc 

BIG GAY ICE CREAM 

61 Grove Street, New York 

biggayicecream.com 

THE DEAD RABBIT 

30 Water Street New York 

deadrabbitnyc.com 

PLAY 

We walk through the rain without 

a care in the world. We spend 

hours in the brilliantly interactive 

Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design 

Museum. We hire a tandem bike 

and cycle through Central Park. 

We hit the Bloomingdales, Century 

21 and then walk through the 

September 11 Memorial. We find 

public art to climb on and brave 

the crowds at Times Square. We 

are as energised as the city and 

cram in a succession of adventures 

(and 25k steps) a day. 

COOPER HEWITT 

SMITHSONIAN DESIGN 

Museum | 2 East 91st Street 

cooperhewitt.org 

Suddenly, we find ourselves back 

on a plane—this time headed 

for home. Is it over so soon? Our 

heads are spinning, our hearts and 

stomachs are full. • 

PAGE 96


the game 

WORDS Ashleigh Went PHOTOGRAPHY Martin Ollman 

THE SINGLE BIGGEST REASON WE’RE PASSIONATE 

ABOUT WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN SPORT IS BECAUSE IT 

IS EMPOWERING—ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE TALKING 

ABOUT TRADITIONALLY MALE-DOMINATED SPORTS. 

PAGE 98


IT DOESN’T matter whether you’re 

seven, 17 or 77, and picking up a ball 

or a barbell, building a strong and 

capable body gives you a sense of 

power. In a world where women are 

too often made to feel weak and small, 

it allows you to assert yourself and take 

up the space that you deserve. 

UN Assistant Secretary-General and 

UN Women Deputy Executive Director 

Lakshmi Puri said, “Women in sport defy 

the misconception that they are weak 

or incapable. Every time they clear a 

hurdle or kick a ball, demonstrating 

not only physical strength, but also 

leadership and strategic thinking, they 

take a step towards gender equality.” 

Female participation in sport is, 

thankfully, on the rise in many sports. 

Liz Craven is currently ranked as 

Australia’s Number One Powerlifter, 

and has noticed significant changes in 

her sport during her career. 

“When I first started and I went 

to Nationals, there were 13-girls 

and about 60 guys. It was very 

male‐dominated. Now we’re taking 

over, and our females are performing 

a lot better than our males.” 

Having recently opened powerlifting 

gym The Strength Syndicate, Liz says 

“ONCE WOMEN STARTED GETTING 

BARBELLS IN THEIR HANDS, THAT’S 

WHEN THE CHANGE STARTED 

HAPPENING. GIRLS WANTED TO BE 

STRONG INSTEAD OF SKINNY," 

L I Z C R A V E N 

her clientele are about 60 per cent 

female. She credits the surge of female 

participation to the rise in popularity of 

Crossfit among women. 

“Once women started getting barbells 

in their hands, that’s when the change 

started happening. Girls wanted to be 

strong instead of skinny, and realised 

that this is a sport where you can 

do that, and hold your own against 

the boys.” 

The rise in popularity has obviously 

been beneficial to the sport, with 

women now being treated as equal to 

men in many ways—but not all. Liz says 

that it can be hard to attract coaching 

clients, particularly men. She speaks of 

the feeling of needing to prove yourself, 

a sentiment that’s echoed by coaches 

across many sports. 

“You have to be number one, and 

continually be the best forever—and 

then people will start to realise that 

maybe you do know what you’re 

talking about, even though you’re 

female. That is the hardest bit about 

being a female in the sport.” 

PAGE 99


Kyla has endured a long-standing 

battle against discrimination in her 

sport. 

“Wrestling Australia has been very 

unsupportive of women’s wrestling over 

the last 20 years. Two years ago, I took 

them to the Human Rights Commission 

over discrimination because they still 

refuse to have a woman’s programme. 

In mediation they agreed they would 

have a women’s coach…then they just 

didn’t do it.” 

L O U I S E B U R R O W S 

WALLAROOS PLAYER LOUISE 

BURROWS says this kind of sentiment is 

prevalent in women’s rugby as well. 

This episode is the latest in nearly two 

decades of conflict between Kyla and 

the Wrestling Federation, including 

an allegation of sexual harassment 

by male team members during her 

first international trip for wrestling, 

which she says the Federation failed 

to address. Kyla says that while she 

suspects the harassment of women 

“I feel that sometimes people think, ‘oh 

she’s just a women’s rugby player’, or 

‘she just plays for the women’. They 

don’t really appreciate that what we 

do, we do pretty well.” 

It begs the question, where does this 

negative attitude come from? 

“I think its because they’re jealous and 

threatened by what we’ve done and 

achieved,” says Louise. 

Ex-Olympic wrestler and President of 

Wrestling ACT, Kyla Bremner, agrees. 

“We’re disrupting the structure of 

sports that men see as part of their 

masculine identity. When women start 

coming onto the mat and succeeding, 

and being able to beat men, it’s very 

frightening for them. It’s like we’re 

taking up their space and crushing 

their masculinity.” 

PAGE 100 

K Y L I E B R E M N E R


“WE’RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY 

SPORTS WHERE WE’RE ON A LEVEL 

PLAYING FIELD WITH THE MEN." 

K A Y L A N I S B E T 

may be slightly less prevalent today, 

she expresses concern for young 

athletes entering the sport. 

“I feel bad for girls coming through, 

because I think those attitudes are 

still there.” 

And they’re apparent in every aspect 

of the sport. 

“Why do we always have to go on the 

bottom oval?” asks Louise Burrows. 

“I’ve been there since 1995 and we’ve 

always had to play there, but why does 

it have to be that way? So much in the 

world is changing, why can’t things like 

that change?” 

In some sports—including Rugby— 

women don’t even have access 

to facilities as basic as separate 

changerooms, meaning that they’re 

forced to use the men’s changeroom or 

be denied entirely. 

And then there’s the issue that’s 

perhaps most hotly contested—that of 

equal pay. 

It’s an incredibly complicated subject, 

and one that varies between sports. 

Kayla Nisbet is a female jockey who 

is grateful for the gender equality in 

her sport. As a young athlete, she 

hasn’t experienced the sexism in the 

sport that’s been cited by other female 

jockeys including Michelle Payne. 

“It’s quite equal” she explains. “We’re 

probably one of the only sports where 

we’re on a level playing field with the 

men. We get paid exactly the same 

as them, and now that there’s a lot 

more opportunities and a lot more 

girls riding, I would say a lot of girls are 

making almost the same as men.” 

It’s starkly different to a sport like Rugby. 

“I don’t know if [equal pay] is a realistic 

expectation” says Louise. “I think 

definitely there needs to be some type 

of payment and recognition of female 

athletes. If we’re not getting paid as 

much as professional male athletes, 

we’re not able to put as much time into 

our training.” 

PAGE 101


PAGE 102


2017 marked an important step 

forward, with the inaugural AFL 

Women’s series proving that female 

athletes are capable of not only 

excelling in sport, but also captivating 

audiences and, importantly, 

filling stadiums. 

It’s a catch-22: to secure sponsorship, 

athletes need to showcase their talent. 

However, with little-to-no financial 

support to play their sport, athletes are 

short on resources to dedicate to their 

athletic development. There are costs 

including physiotherapy, remedial 

massage or individual coaching, as 

well as time constraints, given that 

many female athletes are required to 

work full-time to earn a living. 

Liz Craven has shaped her income 

to include revenue from The Strength 

Syndicate as well as her sponsorships. 

“Previously, the girls that were getting 

sponsored were the girls that showed 

a lot of flesh. I’m proud to be sponsored 

purely for what I’ve achieved in my 

sport. I’ve got a meals sponsor, I have 

a supplement sponsor, I have all my 

equipment sponsors but I still have to 

go out and be a coach and earn a 

living. My lifting helps feed that industry, 

because people come to me to learn 

how to lift, so it all works together.” 

"IF WE’RE NOT GETTING PAID AS 

MUCH AS PROFESSIONAL MALE 

ATHLETES, WE’RE NOT ABLE TO PUT 

AS MUCH TIME INTO OUR TRAINING.” 

It’s encouraging that sponsors are 

starting to see the potential of women’s 

sport, and showing that through 

funding—or in the case of Buildcorp, 

removing their funding. The company 

made waves in the Rugby community 

when they threatened to pull their 

funding if the Australian Rugby Union 

didn’t launch a women’s 15-a-side 

rugby tournament, following the 

national Sevens competition. 

“She [Josephine Sukkar, Buildcorp’s 

cofounder] stayed true to her word, and 

she pulled her funding” says Louise. 

“She recognised that Sevens is a very 

different game —it’s good for one type 

of woman, but 15s is for every woman— 

every shape and size.” 

The issue of funding is almost 

redundant when it comes to women’s 

wrestling. Kyla says that wrestling is 

one of the most poorly funded sports 

in Australia, estimating that the annual 

budget for the entire sport is around 

$100,000 a year. Development is so 

stifled that hardly any women make it 

to the elite level. 

PAGE 103


“You could show up to Nationals, 

and not every weight class there has 

competitors. Then you get the issue 

of women walking into the team 

uncontested, and it just makes a 

mockery of it. You’ll get someone sent 

to the World Championships, and it’s 

their first match ever because they 

walked onto the team unopposed.” 

Kyla says the solution, as it is for 

many sports, is increasing female 

participation and focussing on the 

development of the sport. 

Interestingly, nearly every female 

athlete I spoke to apologised 

immediately after discussing the 

challenges of being a female athlete. 

“People just think you’re a whingeing 

woman” says Louise. “We’re made to 

feel like all we do is complain, when all 

we want is to be treated as equals in 

terms of respect.” 

The result is that too many women don’t 

speak up, creating a culture where 

woman feel as though they need to 

keep quiet and ‘put up with it’ to be 

included in sport. 

The issue is multifaceted, complicated 

and highly variable between sports 

and even codes. What is clear is 

that we all have a role to play—as 

spectators, participants and sponsors, 

we have the power to harness our 

collective voice and show up—to 

play, to support and stand up for our 

female athletes. • 

“PEOPLE JUST THINK YOU’RE A 

WHINGEING WOMAN. WE’RE MADE TO 

FEEL LIKE ALL WE DO IS COMPLAIN, 

WHEN ALL WE WANT IS TO BE 

TREATED AS EQUALS.” 

PAGE 104

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PAGE 106


WORDS Emma Macdonald PHOTOGRAPHY Martin Ollman 

HAVING A BABY IS A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT FOR ANY PARENT— 

AS WELL AS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST JOBS IN THE WORLD. BUT FOR 

THOSE DADS WHO CHOOSE TO BECOME PRIMARY CAREGIVERS WHILE 

THEIR PARTNERS RETURN TO WORK, THE EXPERIENCE ALSO OFTEN FLIES 

IN THE FACE OF SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS. 

WHEN NIKOLAI JERMOLAJEW 

and his wife Kirra welcomed their 

daughter RoXi into the world 

almost three years ago, Nikolai was 

establishing his building business 

after more than a decade as a 

cement renderer. 

Kirra, an exercise physiologist, had 

built up her own business, Capital 

Hydrotherapy, and the pair thought 

they could both—somehow—work in 

and around their new baby. 

But because the birth of a baby throws 

predictability to the wind, just a few 

weeks into Kirra’s maternity leave, 

her fill-in left and she found herself 

having to return to work far sooner 

than anticipated. 

Nikolai was grateful that a big project 

due to commence around RoXi’s birth 

fell through and the couple found 

themselves gently slipping into a new 

pattern. Kirra returned to her shifts in 

and around breastfeeding RoXi, and 

Nikolai held the household together. 

“It actually turned out to be quite 

lucky that my building job fell through 

as we probably would have been in 

a bit of strife if we had both had to 

work…I suppose we settled in to a 

nice little groove of helping each other 

out, and we have more-or-less stayed 

that way.” 

Ace arrived on the scene six months 

ago, and while it is a bit of a whirlwind 

having two, Nikolai is happy being 

the homebody. While the family has 

adjusted to the situation with little fuss, 

Nikolai is far from the average dad. 

Stay-at-home-dads make up only a tiny 

proportion of Australian family life. 

PAGE 107


According to data from the Australian Institute of 

Family Studies published in May this year, Australia 

has around 75,000 families with stay-at-home fathers. 

While this figure seems significant, it represents just 

four per cent of two-parent families. In comparison, 

stay-at-home mothers comprise 31 per cent of twoparent 

families. In the remaining two-parent families, 

57 per cent have both parents working and seven per 

cent have neither. 

Australian National University Professor Lyndall 

Strazdins is an expert on families, households and 

gender. She says that it is not just stay-at-home-fathers 

who are a rare breed, but stay-at-home-mothers 

are becoming increasingly scarce as the number of 

women returning to work—or part-time work—after 

having a baby follows decades of steady increase. 

“The whole notion of having a stay-at-home parent 

has become enormously complicated in Australia. 

It now requires at least one good income to support 

the parent not working, or otherwise it involves 

financial sacrifice on behalf of the parents,” says 

Professor Strazdins. 

While it would be an important step on gender 

equity grounds, Professor Strazdins does not see 

any impending economic or cultural circuit-breaker 

which will make it easier for men to shed the shackles 

of primary wage-earning status. And while this 

continues to be the norm, men will be forced to 

sacrifice family time—and often their wellbeing— 

for long hours on the job. Meanwhile, the pressure 

remains largely on women to take on part-time 

roles in order to find the hours to fill the primary 

parenting role. 

“We are really stuck in the old way for working. It is 

difficult for both men or women to crack out of it.” 

Using Census data, the Institute of Family Studies 

tracked stay-at-home fathers over the two decades to 

2011, finding they increased off a very low base in 

1981 before plateauing in about 2001. 

Fathers who do take the leap from their day jobs, to 

one which involves 24-hour care, are not only bucking 

an entrenched Australian male breadwinner model, 

but then subjecting themselves to the same economic 

penalties that face women when they take time out of 

the workforce to have babies. 

“Just like women, men will sacrifice career 

progression and superannuation savings if they take 

time out to care for kids. So it is not something to be 

ever taken lightly,” says Professor Strazdins. 

But that’s not to say there aren’t considerable 

personal benefits attached with being a full-time dad. 

Patrick Pentony was always open to the concept of 

looking after children while supporting his wife to 

become a doctor. 

When Peta became pregnant with their first son 

William, the couple relied on an au pair to allow 

Peta to complete her specialist studies and Patrick 

to continue working at his family-owned organic 

farmer’s market, Choku Bai Jo. Patrick got his first 

real taste of being the primary care-giver when Peta 

did a four-month secondment in Sydney, leaving him 

and William in Canberra to lessen the disruption. By 

the time Angus was born, Patrick and his brothers 

had sold out of the business and the family moved to 

Coffs Harbour where Patrick became a full-time dad. 

Now the family is in Leeds in the United Kingdom, 

where Peta has just completed her specialist training 

and Patrick looks after William, now five, and 

Angus, two. 

“I always said that I would be a stay-at-home dad 

while my wife made the big bucks. Little did I know 

just how hard it can be. And I'm still waiting on the 

big bucks!” he noted wryly. 

But he also reflects in the joys of watching his two 

boys grow and his ability to “spend real quality time 

with them”. 

Both Patrick and Nikolai spend their days immersed 

in the minutiae of raising little people. It is a schedule 

of feeding, sleeping, walks, school and day care 

pick‐ups, after-school activities, housework, cooking 

and cleaning. 

PAGE 108


“JUST LIKE WOMEN, MEN 

WILL SACRIFICE CAREER 

PROGRESSION AND 

SUPERANNUATION SAVINGS 

IF THEY TAKE TIME OUT TO 

CARE FOR KIDS." 

It has its joys and its hardships. 

According to Patrick “my mates without kids are 

jealous, my mates with kids praise me”. 

Nikolai says he has never felt stigmatised by his status. 

“I have never felt any negative emotion toward Kirra 

being the ‘bread winner’… I have always wanted to 

be an involved dad,” he said. 

“My mates have a stab every now and then but it is 

all in good fun. Some have even said they hope they 

can do a similar thing when they have kids.” 

“I don’t know if I’d go so far as feeling ‘valued by the 

community’ but I definitely get favourable looks from 

strangers when I am out with the kids.” 

Not all men do, however. Professor Strazdins say 

many face social isolation as they struggle to fit into 

mother’s groups and an overwhelmingly feminised 

care-giving community. 

“The normative world of women and children can 

be hard for men to fit into. There is a layer of anxiety 

around men and children which can make dads feel 

awkward in some situations—as unwarranted as that 

may be.” 

This has certainly been the case for Americo 

Alvarenga, a Californian-born writer who has settled 

in Canberra with his public-servant wife Ruth, and is 

the full-time carer for eight-month old Clarke. 

Americo said fatherhood had turned out to be “the 

most amazing, scary, exhausting, exhilarating” thing 

he had ever experienced. 

But settling into a new city had left him a little 

isolated and he often picked up on the “exclusive” 

vibe he felt in the presence of other mums. 

“I have noticed the judgmental looks that I get from 

certain people when I’m out by myself with my 

daughter. Or the uncomfortable looks I get from 

some women when I enter a parents’ room or take 

my daughter for a check-up at the MACH nurses,” 

Americo admitted. 

“I understand these looks, for the most part. A lot 

of women are either breastfeeding, or consider these 

locations to be a safe-zone. So the double-take of a 

man walking in is understandable, but once they see I 

have a child, they could at the very least acknowledge 

that I’m not there for some nefarious reason.” 

Such judgement has kept Americo from going out to 

certain places “just so I don’t have to deal with people 

who hold onto antiquated concepts. That’s probably 

been the hardest part of being a stay-home-dad”. 

PAGE 109


“I HAVE A HUGE APPRECIATION FOR 

ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE WHO 

HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. 

I THINK IT IS WAY HARDER THAN 

THEY SEEM TO MAKE IT LOOK.” 

He also feels a lack of support from his own parents. 

“They like that I’m with my daughter, but still hold 

onto an antiquated belief that the ‘man’ should be 

the one to work while the ‘woman’ stays home with 

the child.” 

Professor Strazdin notes that in Scandinavian 

countries—where fathers have access to substantive 

paternity leave—it is far more accepted to see men in 

nurturing roles. 

Patrick said he often felt isolated at home, but some of 

this was associated with relocating cities and having 

to start over in new social groups. 

“In Canberra I had a network of family and friends, 

and my mates from school had kids so we would 

catch up.” 

Patrick also relied on the Facebook group Canberra 

Dads for information and support and similarly uses 

a medical partner's Facebook page “for all us blokes 

with doctor wives.” 

Nikolai says the bulk of his friends are not quite at 

the stage of having kids. So he saves his socialising for 

weekends or after the kids are in bed. 

He sees a lot to love about his current situation. 

“We never have to contend with the rat race. We get 

to spend lots of time with our kids which is a massive 

luxury not every parent gets—especially dads.” 

But there is a nagging ambition he holds. 

While Kirra stresses how integral Nikolai has been 

to getting Capital Hydrotherapy to where it is now, 

Nikolai wants to succeed on his own terms. 

“I don't feel I've really had a personal success yet, and 

I don't want to die wondering what could have been. 

Either way, whatever I decide will be a while away, 

most likely once the kids are in school.” 

Similarly, Patrick is aware that it will be more 

difficult for him to rejoin the workforce after a 

substantial break. 

“I have a huge appreciation for all the mothers out 

there who have been doing this for years. I think it is 

way harder than they seem to make it look.” 

Whatever the hardships, the three dads say their 

experience has been overwhelmingly positive. 

So much so that none of the families have ruled out 

more babies. • 

PAGE 110

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AFTER DARK: 

THE CHANGING 

FACE OF CANBERRA 

nightlife 

WORDS Beatrice Smith 

BROKEN GLASS ON THE FLOOR, BOUNCERS WITH 

PERSONAL GRUDGES, UNCHECKED GROPING AND VODKA 

THAT BARELY SURPASSES ETHANOL. 

This is the Canberra after dark that many remember and 

many of us loved…at the time. But now, a handful of new and 

established venues are giving Canberra’s nightlife a sense of 

positive purpose—and are thriving as a result. 

PAGE 112


"WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'D RATHER HAVE AN 

EMPTY CLUB THAN A SHIT CROWD.” 

WHILE STUMBLING INTO CUBE, 

Canberra’s longest serving GLBTIQ 

nightclub, served as a much-needed 

eye opener for some young people 

and a treasured haven for others, it’s 

hard to pinpoint an in-between—a 

space that proudly proclaims to protect 

the marginalised. 

A study by Bianca Fileborn, researcher 

from the University of Melbourne, notes 

that that there is evidence to suggest that 

GLBTIQ individuals “frequently conceal 

their sexual or gender identity in order to 

avoid harassing or violence encounters… 

in public spaces” 1 . 

This is somewhat of a given in club 

culture, where excess alcohol and dark 

rooms can become a powder keg of 

aggression. This isn’t the case, however, 

at one of Canberra’s newest venues— 

and one of the Sydney building’s 

remaining clubs—Mr Wolf. 

“At Mr Wolf, we mostly keep things 

lighthearted, however, there’s a strong 

message of tolerance and celebrating 

each others differences,” says Megan 

Bones, Entertainment and Marketing 

Manager at Mr Wolf, whose career 

as a DJ took her from Bar 32 to Trinity 

Bar in Dickson and now back to the 

Sydney Building. 

Above the bar at Mr Wolf, a sign sternly 

proclaims “NO RACISM, NO SEXISM, NO 

HOMOPHOBIA, NO TRANSPHOBIA, NO 

VIOLENCE.” 

It’s somewhat hard to think of other 

Canberra venues—past and present—so 

clearly stating their values to that extent. 

“There's been a massive shift in 

Canberra's nightlife, people have turned 

more towards the bar culture. There are 

some great bars around now, some that 

rival anything in the bigger cities; on the 

other side of things, the underground 

music scene is on the rise.” 

“I'm so lucky to work in a great 

management team with two supportive 

and forward-thinking men,” explains 

Megan. “We all strive to foster a culture 

of acceptance—the goal is to create a 

fun and safe place where anyone can 

be comfortable being themselves—we 

always say that we'd rather have an 

empty club than a shit crowd.” 

While the club culture of the noughties 

saw Civic rapidly expand with bigger, 

louder venues, looking back now it’s 

easy to see the kind of behaviour this 

culture empowered. 

“There's a real sense of community at Mr 

Wolf. It's an easy crowd to brush off as 

young kids that just want to get wasted, 

but I've gotten to know all of our regulars 

and watching them interact gives me 

hope for the Canberra nightclub scene. 

They all keep an eye on each other.” 

Around the corner from Mr Wolf there 

are practically tumbleweeds along 

the Northbourne Avenue side of the 

Sydney building, where long lines once 

1 

GLBTIQ young adults’ experiences & perceptions of unwanted sexual attention in licensed venues: 

emerging themes and issues, Bianca Fileborn, 

PAGE 113


stood impatiently for clubs like Meche, 

Northbar and ICBM. But there are two 

lone survivors—Treehouse, which has 

diversified the usual bar offerings with 

casual daytime food downstairs and high 

concept cocktails upstairs, and their more 

colourful neighbour, Reload. 

A bar that would have seemed 

perennially ‘uncool’ 10 years ago, 

Reload now stands proudly with its 

gaming nights and drinks named after 

comic book characters. Where there are 

only ghosts of jägerbombs past, Reload’s 

continued popularity is testament to 

the fact that it’s now cool to stray off 

the beaten path of Top 40 hits and 

dress codes. 

OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, 

new large-scale venue kyte has brought 

a taste of European nightlife to Canberra, 

served with a side of history and 

technical expertise. 

With a history of working in internationally 

renowned venues such as Ministry of 

Sound in London, co-owner Jerry Francis 

knows a thing or two about what gives a 

venue longevity. 

“When we set the space up, we weren’t 

going for a club vibe,” explains Jerry. 

“The priority is the music…because the 

whole idea was that [kyte] wouldn’t be a 

stereotypical club. When we set kyte up 

we wanted a community.” 

That community will endure, thanks to the 

work kyte are doing to ready Canberra’s 

next generation of music producers and 

deejays by offering master classes. 

“We have music production, event 

management, introduction to production, 

introduction to deejaying and 

introduction to copyright,” explains Jerry, 

who previously spent six years lecturing 

on music business at Canberra Institute of 

Technology (CIT). 

For Jerry, it’s about creating a culture— 

and that starts with an awareness of 

industry roots. This is reflected in his 

choice to hero artwork by scene legends 

such as Keith Herring, who “in the late 

PAGE 114


"WHAT USED TO BE COOL WAS EXCLUSIVITY, 

AND NOW WHAT’S COOL IS INCLUSIVITY.” 

60s and 70s was a core revolutionary for 

the culture of Studio 54 and the Paradise 

Garage—where dance music started.” 

“It’s an education process,” says Jerry. 

“When people come up and ask me 

about the artwork I’m able to give them 

a bit of history about how it relates back 

to music and the culture.” 

kyte aren’t alone in their commitment 

to bringing a more educated, thoughtout 

approach to Canberra’s bar scene. 

But being progressive isn’t just about 

getting serious about the music—it’s 

about making sure everyone feels 

included, too. 

Michael Liu, DJ, event manager and 

violinist, whose ethos of “classically 

trained but never contained” has been 

a mainstay of local nightlife for over 

seven years, attributes this new focus to 

Canberra’s approach to difference. 

“I think the biggest change has been a 

paradigm shift in club culture, where 

what used to be cool was exclusivity, 

and now what’s cool is inclusivity,” 

he explains. 

“It used to be about excluding people 

because they weren’t hot enough to 

get into the bar and having separate 

sections, whereas now it’s about having 

a bar which caters to everyone. You can 

have an 80-year-old dude sitting next to 

a jock, sitting next to an 18-year-old girl 

drinking a vodka lime and soda.” 

As Michael sees it, the venues that thrive 

will be the ones that embrace diversity. 

“I think [inclusive] is what bars and 

clubs should aspire to be—regardless 

of their theme or style. It’s almost a bare 

minimum [to have] a commitment to 

inclusivity if you want to succeed. There’s 

a real adaptability these days.” 

Michael cites his current residency, 

Knightsbridge Penthouse, as well as 

AKIBA and Bar Rochford, as examples 

of venues that are both adaptable 

and inclusive. 

Co owner of Bar Rochford, Nick Smith, 

agrees. In its very essence, ‘Rochford’ 

was always supposed to be everything 

to everyone—just not a thumping club. 

“I’m 30 now and my friends and I don’t 

want to get pissed, we just want to 

get some good food and wine,” he 

told HerCanberra when Rochford 

opened in early 2016. “But I do want to 

welcome everyone.” 

Owner of Braddon’s Knightsbridge 

Penthouse, Troy Sixsmith, says that it 

was always their aim to be as different 

to the “club scene” as possible, which 

was clearly a smart choice. At the ripe 

age of 13, ‘Knighty’ has outlived many of 

its peers. 

Established in 2004 by Canberra 

hospitality queen Bria Sydney, 

Knightsbridge was, from the start, a 

different bar for a different crowd. With 

exposed brick walls and murals, rather 

than strobe lights and smoke machines, 

it was the young professionals’ house 

party to Civic’s freshers’ week. 

“I think Bria’s main aim was to open one 

of Canberra’s very first cocktail bars and 

from there it evolved into this late night 

venue where you could dance and 

PAGE 115


there was good music but you could still 

sit down and have a cocktail,” explains 

Troy, who took over the bar in 2014. 

While Knightsbridge might not sport a 

declaration of freedom quite like Mr Wolf’s, 

it’s easy to see from the clientele on any 

given night that Knightsbridge welcomes 

all, which Troy sees as a progression of 

Canberra’s evolving nightlife. 

“So many other places are similar in 

what they do and what they offer—club 

beats, house music—we always wanted 

to keep it classy.” 

But one of Canberra’s industry 

heavyweights, Ashley Feraude aka 

Magnifik, doesn’t think that Canberra’s 

nightlife has changed so much after all. 

“I haven’t really seen a gigantic change [in 

music], the only thing that really changes 

is the technology people use,” he says. 

“Clubs come and go and they may 

change their style—Mr Wolf is a very good 

example of that—but I don’t know if I would 

call it disruption as much as evolution.” 

He would know, too. Across a career 

of more than 10 years, Ashley has 

deejayed almost everywhere in 

Canberra. Starting out in now-defunct 

venues like Heaven Nightclub and Lot 

33, he enjoyed a five-year residency at 

Academy—now organising the music for 

many of Canberra’s biggest nightspots. 

He does admit, however, that there has 

been a recent change in which venues 

are popular and puts down the current 

shift towards bars down to people 

having to “revaluate” what they wanted 

from a night out after the closure of many 

of Canberra’s clubs. 

“They had to ask themselves; did they 

really want to be into mad dancing, or 

whatever else, or did they want a more 

upscale experience?” he explains. In 

Ashley’s opinion, they chose the latter. 

I realise there’s something comforting in 

Ashley’s concept of circularity—the idea 

that Civic’s empty shopfronts and spaces 

might one day be filled again with 

thriving nightspots. Perhaps ones with 

positive, purposeful atmospheres. • 

PAGE 116

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WE VOW TO GUIDE + INSPIRE YOU FROM THIS DAY FORTH 

SPRING 2017

Your vision, Your event, Your way 

18 Kallaroo Road, Pialligo 

(02) 6247 6060 

sales@pialligo.estate 

pialligoestate.com.au

UNVEILED 

Spring 2017 

01 Real Wedding: Candice and Michal 

06 Exotic Honeymoons For Any Budget 

10 How To Stay Married 

16 Venue Spotlight: Timeless Charm 

20 An Old-Fashioned Romance 

37 So, you’re engaged…now what? 

41 Wedding Style, UNVEILED 

WORDS 

Emily Allen 

Courtney Carr 

Jess Dixon 



DESIGN 


PRODUCTION 

MANAGEMENT 

Belinda Neame 

MORE INSPIRATION + INFORMATION AT 

HERCANBERRA.COM.AU/WEDDINGS 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Tim Bean 

Lux & Us 

Martin Ollman 

Kelly Tunney 

Shae Waite 

Shae Estella Photography 

STYLING 

Hayley O'Neill 

HAIR 

Billie Fusimalohi 

Billie & Co 

MAKEUP 

Jacqui Scott 

assisted by 

Allaire Work 

MODELS 

Sam McGlone 

Emily Tokic, HAUS Models

laurencampbell.com.au 

lauren@laurencampbell.com.au

Candice and Michal’s 

autumn morning wedding 

WEDDING DATE 13 April 2017 

CEREMONY Pialligo Estate RECEPTION Pialligo Estate 

What started with an impromptu movie date for Candice and Michal evolved into a 

heartfelt Californian proposal and a breakfast wedding bright and early at Pialligo Estate. 

Candice relives the day in this gorgeous 'real wedding'.

UNVEILED SPRING 2017

GETTING READY 

I got my makeup and hair done at 

the The Lab in Braddon (makeup by 

the amazing Telisa and hair by the 

talented Lexi). I am fortunate that my 

sister is one of the partners and really 

went above and beyond to make my 

day relaxed and special. 

UNVEILED PAGE 3 

THE DRESS 

I really dislike shopping so the 

thought of going from wedding 

dress shop to wedding dress 

shop was very stressful for me. 

One lovely Sunday I was having 

lunch with my Mum and sisters 

in Manuka and wandered 

into Momento. I thought that I 

wanted a relaxed vintage lace 

type dress, but after trying on 

two it didn’t really have the 

impact/feel I wanted. Then the 

owner picked out a dress for me 

that I had eyed off, but didn’t 

think I would be able to pull off, 

and I tried it on. As soon as I 

stepped out of the change room 

I knew it was ‘the one’. It was an 

off-white Camilla & Marc off the 

shoulder crepe dress with a slit 

up with back. It was boho meets 

1950s understated elegance, 

which is exactly me.

WHY A MORNING 

W E D D I N G ? 

UNVEILED SPRING 2017 

I have always been a morning 

person, and somehow I 

managed to make Michal into 

one too. Going out for breakfast 

is our favourite thing to do, so 

being able to share that on such 

a special day was a dream for 

us. I also felt that a morning 

wedding would reduce the 

stress of anticipation and make 

it more casual. 

CEREMONY 

Walking down the aisle to the 

phenomenal voice of Kim Yang 

singing Michal’s and my song 

(Lana Del Ray’s Video Games) 

and having guests hand me 

flowers that built my bouquet 

was something really special (a 

superb idea given to us by the 

celebrant, Carol Moon).

RECEPTION 

Pialligo Estate is renowned for 

its beauty and amazing food. 

Michal is in the Architecture 

industry so the fact that the 

Pavilions are beautifully designed 

suited the elegant-but-casual 

aesthetic that we were going for. 

Also, the wedding coordinator 

was extremely excited to cater 

for a breakfast wedding and very 

encouraging of the idea (she 

totally got our idea of breakfast 

with cocktails). 

The cocktails, particularly 

the espresso martini, were 

phenomenal and the flowers were 

beyond my wildest dreams—I 

have no idea how Larissa styled 

it so exceptionally. The cake was 

fantastic, and we had a hilarious 

‘finally’ as the topper. The 

atmosphere was typical wedding 

– everyone with huge smiles and 

love flowing. 

THE LITTLE DETAILS 

PHOTOGRAPHER 

Lux & Us 

CELEBRANT 

Carol Moon 

BRIDE'S DRESS 

Camilla and Marc from Momento 

FLOWER CROWN 

Lady Larissa 

BRIDE’S SHOES 

Escala in Manuka 

JEWELLERY Solitaire Jewellers 

GROOM’S SUITS Aquila 

HAIR Lexi Bannister 

MAKEUP Telisa Orzelek at The Lab 

FLOWERS Lady Larissa 

VENUE Pialligo Estate 

CAKE Sweetzee creations 

SINGER Kim Yang 

STATIONERY Shenton & Thrello 

UNVEILED PAGE 5

Exotic honeymoons 

for any budget 

WORDS Courtney Carr 


YOU’VE HAD THE BIG WHITE DRESS, THE BIG CELEBRATORY 

AFFAIR, AND THE CLASSIC WEDDING TRADITIONS. 

Why not incorporate something a little more exotic into 

your honeymoon? Here are four honeymoon destinations 

that will give you a taste of exotic foreign lifestyles.

CAPPADOCIA, 

TURKEY 

Chances are you have seen 

this amazing location and its 

gorgeous balloon festival all 

over your Instagram, so it’s hard 

to beat Cappadocia in Turkey 

for the ultimate in exotic luxury. 

One of the area’s most famous 

landscapes is made up of rock 

formations known as “Fairy 

Chimneys”, which jut impressively 

into the skyline and create a 

breath-taking arena to take in 

the sight of hundreds of hot-air 

balloons rising over the canyons. 

If you’re keen to try hot‐air 

ballooning, this is the number 

THIMPHU, BHUTAN 

one place in the world to do so, 

and will create remarkable and 

romantic adventures that you will 

treasure for the whole of your 

married life. 

While this area is known for 

its hot-air ballooning, there 

are so many other things to 

see and do around Turkey— 

including dropping in on the 

capital Istanbul and doing some 

shopping for some excellent 

exotic wares in the bazaars. 

To check out some awesome 

packages to get you there visit 

Turkey Honeymoon Packages 

and find out what adventures will 

await you! 


The Kingdom of Bhutan is fairly 

new to the wide world of Western 

tourism, but it’s already sparked 

a desire in the hearts of those 

seeking exotic adventures. Set 

entirely within the Himalayan 

mountain range and bordered 

by Nepal, China and India, 

Bhutan has a wealth of history, 

spirituality and lifestyle that has 

yet to be touched by modern 

world—and if that doesn’t make it 

a must-see exotic destination then 

I don’t know what does! 

Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan 

and offers an exciting look into 

this mysterious kingdom. With 

hundreds of beautiful mountainset 

monastery’s like Paro Taktsand 

and Dechen Phodrang, there 

are so many other fortresses 

and locations to visit. The 

marketplaces are colourful and 

vibrant and the quiet reserve 

of the nation will make for the 

perfect private getaway if you 

have the cash to splash! 

For more information on 

honeymoon packages and hotels 

you can stay in, have a look at 

Mr and Mrs Smith.com, or on 

Black Tomato.

YOGYAKARTA, 

INDONESIA 


When you suggest the idea 

of a honeymoon in Indonesia, 

many people conjure up images 

of lying on the beach amongst 

other Aussie tourists in Bali, but 

the country can offer so many 

more exotic adventures. For 

those looking to get out of Kuta, 

Yogyakarta is on the culturally 

diverse island of Java and has 

such a transcendent vibe that it’s 

hard to ignore. 

ULURU, NORTHERN 

TERRITORY 

Visit the infamous giant bell 

statues at the Borobudur 

Temple—the largest Buddhist 

temple in the world walk a sunrise 

trek up Mt Merapi for generous 

views that will have you believing 

you are somewhere in an 

uncharted world, and visit some 

All Australians at some time 

in their life need to see Uluru, 

formerly known as Ayers Rock. 

It’s such a significant part of the 

Indigenous culture of Australia 

and makes up the beating 

heart of our great Southern 

land. The massive sandstone 

of the most vibrant and genuine 

countryside on offer to get a taste 

of the real Indonesia. 

If you’re keen to give another 

side of Indonesia a go, check 

out HerCanberra’s own Kim- 

Ling‘s travel blog Travel-Ling for 

more information. 

monolith is a sacred area and 

one of the most exotic and 

culturally‐admired locations in 

Australia, so if it's not on your 

bucket list already, put it on there! 

There are many beautiful 

activities that can be undertaken 

at Uluru and in Alice Springs, 

including dining and walking 

under the cloudless stars in the 

Red Centre, taking a camel 

ride along the red sand, and 

even just hanging out at some 

of the luxurious hotel pools 

like a mirage in the desert. 

Visit the glorious Rock itself, 

and enjoy something that is 

quintessentially Australian. 

For more information on how to 

book your honeymoon getaway 

to Uluru, check out Uluru Travel.

BY HOTEL REALM & BURBURY HOTEL 

The Realm Precinct is the perfect location for an unforgettably intimate and romantic wedding day. Located within 

Canberra’s beautifully planned and superbly maintained Parliamentary zone, the Precinct has everything from 

award-winning venues and 5-Star accommodation to Chef Hatted restaurants, hair salon, day spa and health club. 

Hotel Realm has been awarded the Best Meetings and Event Venue in Australia by the 

Australian Hotels Association for 2012, 2013 and 2014, and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. 

HOTEL REALM 

18 NATIONAL CIRCUIT BARTON ACT 2600 

WWW.HOTELREALM.COM.AU 

02 6163 1800 

BSM@DOMAHOTELS.COM.AU 

GUESTS UP TO 450 

BURBURY HOTEL 

1 BURBURY CLOSE BARTON ACT 2600 

WWW.BURBURYHOTEL.COM.AU


How to stay married 


THE STATISTICS ARE SOBERING. ONE IN THREE 

MARRIAGES ARE LIKELY TO END IN DIVORCE, AND THE 

AVERAGE MARRIAGE LASTS JUST OVER 12 YEARS.* 

But optimism trumps realism when couples choose an engagement ring, 

post out those expensive invitations, and hurtle towards the aisle. 

We talk to three marriage experts about beating the odds and staying 

married for—possibly—forever, and discover the formula behind one 

couple’s 69-year steadfast love.

“I BELIEVE MARRIAGE ONLY WORKS IF YOU ARE 

TOTALLY COMMITTED TO IT—YOU CAN’T COME 

TO IT HOPING TO ‘TRY’ TO MAKE A GO OF IT 

BECAUSE IT WON’T LAST.” 

the international stage, rising 

to become the first Australian 

appointed to head a United 

Nations’ body—The World 

Food Program. 

HE WAS THE dashing diplomat— 

the youngest recruit to Australia’s 

foreign service who arrived in 

Canberra in 1946 at the age 

of 18. 

She was the beautiful Parisian 

secretary at the French Embassy, 

then on Mugga Way. 

They met at a British High 

Commission party in the days 

before Canberra’s population 

barely scraped 20,000. Odette 

Koven was attracted by James 

Ingram’s shyness. 

“He was even shyer than I was 

and I liked that,” she says. 

“Yes, I was shy, but I felt an 

instant attraction—and I still feel 

it to this day,” says Jim. 

Now aged 89 and 90, Jim and 

Odette will celebrate their 67th 

wedding anniversary later this 

year—having nurtured a love 

that is as evident today as it was 

when their wedding photos were 

taken in 1950 at the Hyatt. 

Their simple secret? 

Commitment. 

Jim says “I believe marriage only 

works if you are totally committed 

to it—you can’t come to it 

hoping to ‘try’ to make a go of it 

because it won’t last.” 

High-level diplomacy skills may 

also have something to do with it. 

Jim and Odette married on a 

Monday and on the Wednesday 

they flew to their first posting 

in Israel. 

The career diplomat, Jim 

devoted more than four decades 

to representing Australia on 

Odette was by his side while they 

relocated to capitals including 

Jakarta, Washington, Brussels, 

New York and Rome—raising 

two daughters and a son along 

the way. 

Jim credits his wife with having 

the highest level of emotional 

intelligence of anyone he 

has ever met and of being 

“masterfully tactful”. 

“I could not be more grateful to 

Odette for the support she gave 

me over those years,” says Jim. 

In turn, Odette says that Jim was 

the sort of man who carved out 

time for her and their children— 

no matter the professional 

demands on him. 

“Jim is affectionate and caring. 

He always says that it is my inner 

spirit, the real me, that he loves.” 

According to Jim, “I think to be 

totally absorbed in your job is 

wrong and I have never focused 

entirely on my work to the 

exclusion of my family.” 

UNVEILED PAGE 11


It wasn’t always easy: from 

the less-than-hospitable house 

waiting for them in Indonesia 

with no lightbulbs, sheets or 

furniture; to the time they were 

robbed, and feared for their 

safety, in the dying days of the 

Sukarno regime. 

But they have maintained a love 

and mutual respect that has 

defied the years, the pressures 

of constant relocation and the 

isolation from friends and family. 

“If anything, I think it made us 

turn inwards and rely on each 

other even more,” says Jim. 

“Very rarely have we disagreed,” 

says Odette. 

“We have been fortunate to have 

had few arguments.” 

Enjoying a quiet retirement in 

a beautiful home in the inner 

south, Jim and Odette still clearly 

cherish one another. 

“When you are as old as we are 

and there is no escaping that the 

end is near, you look back on 

your life and I feel so fortunate— 

so blessed to have had Odette,” 

says Jim. 

“Perhaps that is the problem 

with marriages these days, 

that people are focused on the 

wedding and the ceremony and 

all the excitement that goes with 

that. 

“They should be considering the 

marriage into the future and how 

they can make it successful and 

how they can make it last. That’s 

probably the best place to focus 

their energies.” 

“PERHAPS THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH 

MARRIAGES THESE DAYS, THAT PEOPLE 

ARE FOCUSED ON THE WEDDING 

AND THE CEREMONY AND ALL THE 

EXCITEMENT THAT GOES WITH THAT."

“LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT BUILDS 

TRUST, IMPROVES GENERAL WELLBEING, 

PROVIDES A STABLE HOME FOR 

CHILDREN—AND IS FANTASTIC FUN." 

IT IS THE JOB of Lee and Ruth 

Walton to ensure that couples 

rushing headlong to the altar are 

as best prepared to make it to 

their 67th wedding anniversary 

as possible. 

Lee, a public servant, and Ruth, 

a retired teacher now working as 

a Deacon in an Anglican Parish, 

have been running pre-marriage 

courses for couples marrying at 

St John’s Church in Reid for more 

than three years. 

“We were grateful for the 

mentoring we were given before 

we were married and during our 

first few years of marriage by an 

older couple, and having been 

married for 30 years, we wanted 

to be part of offering a similar 

opportunity for others,” says Lee. 

Four times a year, on a Saturday, 

Lee and Ruth take a roomful of 

engaged couples and guide 

them into preparing for a 

life‐long partnership. 

The course includes the 

presentation of a specific 

relationships model, a few 

discussions and activities 

as a group and a range 

of conversations by the 

couple themselves. 

Lee and Ruth generally focus on 

the notion of “gridlock” arising 

within a marriage and, while 

acknowledging this is a really 

normal part of any relationship, 

try and present strategies to help 

couples navigate through. 

“We know that when two 

people live together, conflict is 

inevitable,” says Ruth. 

“The determination to 

communicate when things are 

difficult is the skill they need.” 

Both Lee and Ruth acknowledge 

that some betrothed couples can 

get so caught up in planning the 

details of the wedding day, they 

may not focus on “preparing 

for the life-long commitment in 

the relationship. There are also 

lots of pressures on a couple 

in the months leading up to a 

wedding—incompatible family 

expectations, costs of a wedding. 

It’s a tough, albeit exciting, time 

for all involved and it can be 

easy to forget what it is actually 

all about,” says Lee. 

But they both vehemently support 

the concept of marriage. 

“Life-long commitment builds 

trust, improves general wellbeing, 

provides a stable home 

for children—and is fantastic fun 

even if it is sometimes hard to 

navigate the various events that 

life inevitably throws at you. It is 

good to know someone will back 

you whatever,” says Ruth. 

UNVEILED PAGE 13

“THESE DAYS THERE IS MORE PRESSURE TO 

ATTEND TO EVERY EMOTIONAL NEED OF 

EACH OTHER—WHICH, OF COURSE, CAN BE 

REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET RIGHT.” 


BUT SOMETIMES, it does 

fall apart. 

Janine Moran is a relationship 

counsellor and mediator 

who has, for more than a 

decade, specialised in helping 

couples with all aspects of 

relationship wellbeing. 

She deals with the gamut of 

issues—financial woes, job 

losses, children, infertility, 

illness, infidelity and simple 

personal differences. 

She helps people navigate the 

big isolated fights to unpicking 

decades of entrenched 

behaviours which push marriages 

to the brink. 

When relationships reach that 

point, Janine is also a resource 

for mediated separations. 

She believes that in those heady 

and romantic months before tying 

the knot, few couples want to 

wreck the moment by engaging 

in serious introspection about 

how they will cope if something 

goes wrong in the relationship. 

“We have seen in recent years 

that partners expect more 

emotional support from each 

other than in the past—when 

marriages were practical 

and economic partnerships 

and perhaps there was more 

emotional support from extended 

family and the community,” 

says Janine. 

“These days there is more 

pressure to attend to every 

emotional need of each other— 

which, of course, can be really 

difficult to get right.” 

Underlying emotional needs 

revolve around feeling loved 

and safe with each other. “Do I 

count? Do you have my back? 

Am I safe with you? Do I matter 

to you? Can I trust you?” 

If couples can answer yes to 

these fundamental questions, 

the other issues can usually be 

sorted out. 

Of course, sometimes two people 

are just, well, different. 

For instance, couples often 

present to Janine where one is 

a night owl and one is an early 

bird. Or one of the couple might 

be an introvert, the other more 

extroverted. “These issues never 

seem to worry couples in the 

beginning, but start to get in 

the way as life pressures come 

along,” she says. 

Modern-day marriage stressors 

are increasingly focused on 

social media with many couples 

simply tuning each other out in 

favour of their phones. 

“A common complaint in 

counselling these days might 

also see one partner complain 

about receiving more validation 

from friends on Facebook than 

from their partner. However, 

you have to bear in mind that 

the sort of validation you get in 

Facebook can be very superficial 

and partners may be providing a 

more authentic connection than 

social media.” 

In the end, a marriage requires 

communication and the people 

that tend to keep happy 

marriages are those who can 

“tune in and respond to the 

needs of each other.” 

“It is unrealistic to think you won’t 

have issues in your marriage but 

rather than panic that it is not the 

partnership you thought it was, it 

is time to look at the strategies to 

best reach the other person.” 

*Figures from the Australian 

Bureau of Statistics’ most 

recent publication Marriages 

and Divorces Australia 2015, 

published November 2016. 

www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@. 

nsf/mf/3310.0

PHOTO: CORINNA & DYLAN PHOTOGRAPHY 

EXCLUSIVE 

OFFERS 

AVAILABLE 

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Searching for a stunning backdrop to your special day? 

Then look no further than Old Parliament House, a unique, 

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Come along to the Old Parliament House Wedding Open 

Day to discover a venue like no other and the versatility 

this building can offer couples planning their nuptials. 

Plan your dream wedding at the iconic Old Parliament 

House. Come and see what this amazing venue can 

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Appointments available with our professional wedding 

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Venue Spotlight: 

Timeless Charm 

WORDS Emily Allen 

KEEN FOR A WEDDING WHERE YOU CAN SEE, TOUCH AND 

FEEL THE HISTORY OF THE VENUE? WE'VE FOUND FIVE VENUES 

WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PASSAGE OF TIME AND STYLE YOUR 

WEDDING AROUND AN ESTABLISHED SPACE ACCORDINGLY. 


ROSEBUD AND BELL'S 

HERITAGE COTTAGES 

Rosebud and Bell’s Cottages 

are two quaint 1860s pioneer 

wooden slab cottages—authentic 

on the outside whilst having 

brand new inclusions on the 

inside. From the outside, the 

property appears to be like any 

other on the quiet residential 

street in Cook, but pulling into the 

gravel driveway you soon see it is 

far from this. 

The cottages are surrounded by 

beautiful, manicured gardens 

and the property also backs onto 

neighbouring paddocks with 

horses, easily mistaken for being 

in a quiet, rural location. 

Rosebud and Bell's is best suited 

for smaller, self-catered ceremonies 

of around 50 guests and for 

$1,500 you will have private use 

of the cottages, gardens and two 

nights accommodation. 

10 SKINNER STREET, 

COOK 

0410 513 156 

rosebud.cottage@me.com 

rosebudcottages.com

"LANYON HOMESTEAD OFFERS 

STUNNING GARDENS AND VIEWS 

IN A UNIQUE LOCATION. JUST 

30 MINUTES SOUTH OF THE CITY..." 

LANYON HOMESTEAD 

Lanyon Homestead offers stunning 

gardens and views in a unique 

location. Just 30 minutes south of the 

city, this heritage site extends along 

the Murrumbidgee River and provides 

a tranquil rural setting to celebrate 

your event with those who are special 

to you. The historic precinct features 

structures that date from the 1830s, 

and you won't be disappointed with 

photographic opportunities! 

There are number of settings 

available for wedding ceremonies 

in the grounds, featuring backdrops 

of the mountain ranges and open 

paddocks surrounding the property, 

as well as the historic homestead or 

beautiful gardens. 

Lanyon Homestead can accommodate 

intimate weddings up to 150 guests, 

and the Lanyon Café can provide 

varied styles of catering including 

canapés or formal meals, buffet, 

or even a picnic style celebration. 

They have even had some beautiful 

morning ceremonies followed by a 

high tea, and are very happy to work 

in with the style of event the bride and 

groom imagine. 

Pricing is tailored to your specific 

needs and starts from $750 for 

wedding ceremonies. 

THARWA DRIVE, THARWA 

02 6237 6500 

lanyon.homestead@act.gov.au 

historicplaces.com.au/lanyonhomestead/weddings-at-lanyon 

UNVEILED PAGE 17


THE OLD STONE HOUSE 

The Old Stone House sits on one 

acre of established gardens in 

Bungendore. The main structure 

of the garden is reminiscent of a 

traditional English cottage with 

rows of roses, an avenue of rose 

arbours and sprawling, emerald 

lawns. The boundaries are lined 

with Cyprus pines and 135-yearold 

elm trees making the property 

a private retreat. 

options are flexible and can 

be customised to suit the needs 

of each couple. Whether your 

dream wedding is a brunch for 

20, a sit down meal for 80 or 

drinks and canapés for 200 

they’ve got you covered. 

Prices start from $1,600 for 

ceremony only and from $3,700 

for ceremony and reception. 

41 MOLONGLO STREET, 

BUNGENDORE 

02 6238 1888 

bookingstheoldstonehouse.com.au 

theoldstonehouse.com.au 

The Old Stone House offers a 

unique opportunity for those 

wanting to host a relaxed 

and elegant garden wedding. 

Ceremony and reception 

"THE OLD STONE HOUSE OFFERS A UNIQUE 

OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WANTING TO HOST A 

RELAXED AND ELEGANT GARDEN WEDDING."

GARANVALE WOOLSHED 

GaranVale is a fully-licensed 

function centre that caters for 

up to 150 guests. If you love 

Italian cuisine, warm and friendly 

atmospheres and relaxed vibes, 

then this is the venue for you! 

A 15-minute walk or five-minute 

drive from Braidwood's town 

centre, the three to four-acre 

“farmlet” offers a complete 

package with the option of 

ceremonies being able to be 

held on the grounds, too. Up 

to 60 car spaces are available 

in various locations including 

accessible options. 

Prices start at $60 per head with 

alcohol packages tailored to 

your needs. 

248 LITTLE RIVER RD, 

BRAIDWOOD 

02 4842 2804 

info@garanvalewoolshed.com.au 

theoldstonehouse.com.au 


MONA FARM AND HISTORIC HOME 

Mona is a premier rural wedding 

and luxury accommodation 

venue near Braidwood. With 

immaculate, award-winning 

gardens surrounding gracious 

historic buildings, Mona offers 

the perfect backdrop for your 

special day. 

Accommodation packages for 

up to 18 guests plus the bride 

and groom start at just $3,700 

and include exclusive use of 

the grounds for photographs, 

and Mona offer a variety of 

cocktail and reception packages, 

starting from $65 per person 

for a garden cocktail party 

through to individually designed 

gourmet options in the garden or 

renovated woolshed. 

140 LITTLE RIVER ROAD, 

(MONGARLOWE RD), 

BRAIDWOOD 

0498 688 433 

info@monaevents.com.au 

monafarm.com.au


An Old-Fashioned 

Romance 

TRUE LOVE WILL NEVER 

GO OUT OF STYLE 

STYLING Hayley O’Neill 

PHOTOGRAPHY Shae Waite 

UNVEILED PAGE 21


Dress, $3,190, by Grace Loves 

Lace, graceloveslace.com.au; 

diamond ring, by Diamond 

Boutique, diamondboutique. 

com.au; pearl earrings, by 

Kailis, kailisjewellery.com.au.

Sam wears custom tweed suits (worn 

throughout), POA, by Molloy & Sons by 

designer Sarah Kennewell for Braddon 

Tailors, 02 6181 6442 

UNVEILED PAGE 23

Dress, $699.99, by 

Thurley, thurley.com.au 



Dress, $3,190, by Grace Loves Lace, 

graceloveslace.com.au; diamond ring, by 

Diamond Boutique, diamondboutique.com.au; 

pearl earrings, by Kailis, kailisjewellery.com.au.


Dress, $2,600, by 

Grace Loves Lace, 

graceloveslace.com.au


Dress, POA, by Anisa at 

Annabel's Bridal Studio, 

annabelsbridal.com.au

UNVEILED PAGE 29

Dress, $995, by Spell Bride by 

Spell & the Gypsy Collective, 

spelldesigns.com.au

UNVEILED PAGE 31



Dress, $2,500, by 

Graces Loves Lace, 

graceloveslace.com.au


CREDITS 

STYLING Hayley O’Neill 

DIRECTION + COORDINATION Belinda Neame 

PHOTOGRAPHY Shae Waite—Shae Estella Photography 

MAKEUP Jacqui Scott 

MAKEUP ASSISTANT Allaire Work 

HAIR Billie Fusimalohi—Billie&Co 

MODELS Emily Tokic—HAUS Models and Sam McGlone 

LOCATION Lanyon Homestead 

FLOWERS Moxom&Whitney

MAKING 

BEAUTIFUL 

BRIDES 

jacquiscott.com.au 

MOBILE 0423 408 343 EMAIL jacqui@jacquiscott.com.au 

jacquiscottmakeup Jacqui Scott Makeup

SO, YOU’RE ENGAGED 

Now what? 

PLANNING A WEDDING CAN BE AN EXCITING—AND 

SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING—TIME. JESS DIXON FROM 

WILLOWHOUSE WEDDINGS AND EVENTS PROVIDES YOUR 

ESSENTIAL TIMELINE FOR PLANNING THE PERFECT CELEBRATION. 

12 MONTHS + 

NINE—10 MONTHS 

• Set wedding date 

• Set wedding budget 

• Draft guest list and bridal party 

• Research and book: wedding 

planner/stylist, ceremony and 

reception venues, photographer/ 

videographer, music, florist, 

celebrant/church 

• Start looking at dresses 

“Organisation is key. A final (or close 

to final) guest list at this stage is crucial 

for future planning—especially for the 

budget-conscious bride. In the coming 

weeks you’ll need to send out your Save 

The Dates and order other stationery, 

so having your number of guests locked 

will in be handy” 


“Your priority at this stage of planning 

is picking a date, setting a budget and 

booking the venue. You can then look 

to lock in your wedding planner/stylist, 

photographer/videographer, florist, music 

and celebrant.” 

• Order wedding dress and 

organise accessories 

• Finalise guest list 

• Book hair and make up 

• Research and order 

bridesmaids’ dresses 

• Research and order groom’s 

and groomsmen’s suits 

• Order the ‘Save The Dates’ and 

invitations 

• Book hire items 

• Research and book cake—a 

great time to sample!

SIX—EIGHT MONTHS 

“Top tip: to save money, look at 

using paperless post options for 

Save The Dates or developing a 

wedding website.” 

• Send out Save The Dates 

• Book transport for the day 

• Appoint MC and advise those 

you want to give speeches 

FOUR—FIVE MONTHS 

“It’s important to have a clear style, 

theme or colour palette for the wedding. 

Stylists or wedding planners can help 

you develop this and can assist with 

sourcing and buying items you love—it’s 

never too early to start.” 


• Organise wedding rings 

• Order wedding favours 

• Book wedding night 

accommodation 

• Look at honeymoon ideas 

TWO MONTHS 

• Write vows 

• Book wedding rehearsal 

• Have hair and makeup trial with 

veil and headpiece 

• Organise hen’s night or 

bridal shower 

• Develop draft run sheet 

• Menu tasting 

• Discuss ceremony with celebrant 

or church 

• Choose readings and vows 

• Send invitations 

• Buy gifts for bridal party 

• Confirm styling and start 

buying! 

“Top tip: Don’t leave writing your vows 

to the night before. There is nothing 

worse than trying to find the words to 

describe your significant other when 

you’re flustered.”

ONE MONTH 

TWO WEEKS 

• Confirm honeymoon details 

• Collate RSVPs 

• Draft seating plan 

• Organise final fittings for 

bridesmaids 

• Confirm suits for Grooms and 

Groomsmen 

• Write your speech 

• Finalise rehearsal details 

• Finalise menu 

• Finalise run sheets 

“This is crunch time. You need to confirm 

all arrangements with vendors and 

suppliers. This is when checklists and run 

sheets will become your best friend— 

ONE WEEK 

utilise them!” 

“The perks of having a wedding 

planner—you can hand everything over 

and enjoy every minute of the lead-up to 

your wedding and have confidence that 

everything will be perfect. They can also 

be the point of contact so that you don’t 

receive calls from suppliers on the day” 

• Confirm wedding date, delivery 

time + location with: Florist, 

Cake Creator, Photographer/ 

Videographer, Celebrant/ 

Church, Car hire, Hair & 

Makeup, 

• Venue Music, Hire Equipment, 

Planner/Stylist 

• Final wedding dress fitting 

• Confirm guests numbers with 

reception venue 

• Finalise Seating Plan 

• Complete Place Cards 


• Pick up dress/suits 

• Pack for honeymoon 

• Clean engagement ring 

• Hold wedding rehearsal 

• Final meeting with planner/stylist 

“In the last week, your priorities should 

be meeting with your celebrant/church, 

having your wedding rehearsal and 

meeting with your planner or stylist.” 

DAY BEFORE 

“Don’t underestimate the power of 

relaxation. Try and book yourself into 

a massage or get your nails done with 

your bridesmaids. You don’t want to be 

stressed the day before because you’re 

going to need your beauty sleep.” 

• Talk to bridal party about tasks 

they will be assigned on the day 

• Relax!

SPECIAL 

STATIONERY 

FOR SPECIAL 

PEOPLE 

ON SPECIAL 

OCCASIONS 

0430 153 375 artforme.com.au

Wedding style, 

UNVEILED 

WORDS Amanda Whitley 

PHOTOGRAPHY Kelly Tunney, Tim Bean Photography 

and Martin Ollman 

DISCOVER YOUR DREAM 

RECEPTION, AS BROUGHT TO LIFE 

BY TALENTED LOCAL TEAMS AT 

OUR UNVEILED EVENT. 

UNVEILED PAGE 41

Classic 

Romance 

A space where romance is celebrated in the 

most feminine of styles, featuring a soft palette 

with gold accents and vintage elements. 

STYLIST Peta Rudd 


FLORIST Jamison Flowers 

STATIONERY Artforme Letterpress Studio 

CAKE Ali King – Cakes, Desserts & Events 

Stylist Peta Rudd created an elegant 

and luxurious space that was big on 

texture, with florals and greenery, walnut 

bentwood chairs, linen tablecloth, and 

gold metal bar cart all working together 

to support the theme. 

Pink accents enhanced the impact of 

Jamison Flowers’ pastel ombre floral 

display, which moved gently from mauve 

to white using roses, David Austin roses, 

sweet peas, carnations and stunning 

phalaenopsis orchids to take the 

arrangement cascading down the table. 

A mouth-watering array of sweet 

treats from Ali King took the swoonworthy 

space to the next level: a 

floral‐enhanced croquembouche, bowls 

filled with macarons, white chocolate tarts 

and more. 

Elegant letterpress stationery from 

Artforme Letterpress Studio was the 

perfect finishing touch.

CREDITS 

TÄRENDÖ table ($34), FLIMRA glass 

($1.99), DINERA dinner set ($29.99), 

INTAGANDE carafe ($7.99), INTAGANDE 

glasses ($1.99 each), SVALKA wine 

glasses ($5.99 for six), MOGNAD LED 

tealights ($4.99 for six), all from IKEA. 


Walnut Bentwood Chairs ($14.30 each), 

hired from Barlens. White Wash Console 

Table ($999) from ISHKA, Westfield 

Woden. 

Gold cup ($34.95) and 'Ritz' Drinks 

Trolley ($199.99) from Freedom, Canberra 

Outlet Centre. Gold chargers ($1.50) from 

BIG W. Gold straws ($5.95 for pack of 

25) from larkstore.com.au. Stylist's own 

vintage champagne glasses from Etsy.com, 

gold votives, and handmade table cloth 

and napkins. Drink dispenser (hired from 

Lovely Events), gold cake stand ($19.99) 

from BIG W. Cake stands and assorted 

vintage glassware, Ali King. Mr + Mrs 

Balloons from Balloon Brilliance. Rifle 

Paper Co. Herb Garden Coasters ($29.95) 

from Notemaker.com.au. 

Moet & Chandon Rosé ($77.95) and 

Hendrick's Gin, $67.90 from Dan 

Murphy's, Phillip. Chambord ($35) from 

First Choice Liquor, Braddon.

Dramatic 

A dramatic concoction of emerald 

green, midnight blue and shimmering 

silver metal. Created for the couple 

who dare to be different. 


STYLIST Barlens 

FLORIST Wren & Rabbit 

STATIONERY Poyo Studio 

CAKE Cuppalini Cakes 

The inspiration for the Dramatic atmosphere 

came from diverse quarters: a starry sky, a 

bleached cow skull, a shadowed forest floor, 

coming together into a style Wren & Rabbit 

call ‘Dramatic Galactic’. 

Abundant greenery was suspended above 

the table on a black steel arbour, mirrored by 

a carpet of moss, fern and flowers growing 

along the table. Handmade tablecloths were 

dyed to represent a starry galaxy and touches 

of silver added to the celestial feel. 

Poyo Studio’s hand-painted, silver-edged 

menus and place cards brought an earthiness 

to each setting, while Cuppalini Cakes 

added the final dramatic flourish with their 

Chocolate, Coffee and Maple cake infused 

with coffee syrup and sandwiched in soft and 

fluffy coffee meringue buttercream with a 

galaxy-inspired, painterly finish.


CREDITS 

VARDAGEN plate ($2.99), SKUREN 

24-piece cutlery set ($29.99), GULLMAJ 

napkin in lace white ($5.99 for two), all 

from IKEA. 

Breeze red and white wine glasses 

($0.99 ea), Hi-ball Tumbler ($0.88 ea), 

Denim Bowl ($3.30 ea), Stainless Steel 

Cake Stand ($9.90 ea), Chiavari Chair 

– Black ($11.00 ea), 2.4m Rectangular 

Trestle Table ($19.80 ea) and 2.4m 

Table Top Extension ($22.00 ea), all 

hired from Barlens. 

Handmade and dyed tablecloth by 

Wren & Rabbit.

Garden 

Step into the garden and delight in 

fresh pinks and greens. This whimsical 

atmosphere brings the outside in, in the 

most beautiful and feminine way. 

STYLIST Sweet Little Sunday 

FLORIST Moxom and Whitney 

STATIONERY Across the Forest 

CAKE LuLu & Sis 


Like an English tea party on a spring 

day, the Garden atmosphere was 

a whimsical and feminine feast for 

the eyes. 

Stylists Sweet Little Sunday brought 

the fresh charm of the outside in, 

using timber texture and astroturf 

to create a five-star picnic feel. 

The table’s focus was Moxom and 

Whitney’s stunning floral table runner 

of David Austin and Colombian roses, 

phalepnopsis orchids and peonies. 

It trailed the length of the table and 

spilled onto the floor, scattering rose 

petals throughout the space. 

A colour scheme of soft green, pinks 

and oranges was inspired by handpainted 

and personalised menus 

created by Across The Forest and 

was taken through every element. 

Lulu and Sis’ tiered wedding cake 

was lushly decorated in more flowers 

and fruits, with delicate rose cookies 

a sweet wedding favour for guests to 

take away.

CREDITS 

Large Kai Dining table ($2,000) from 

Domayne Fyshwick. TÄRNÖ chair 

($15), DINERA dinner set ($29.99), 

INTAGANDE tumber ($1.99), wine 

glass ($2.99) and carafe ($7.99), all 

from IKEA. Chairs also available to hire 

from Sweet Little Sunday. 

Cutlery and small bowl with gold trim 

from Target Australia. Jumbo clear 

Balloon ($16 for a pack of two) from 

The Party Cupboard. Large Terracotta 

pot ($14) from Bunnings. Topiary in pot 

($29) from Kmart. Napkins, hand sewn 

by Sweet Little Sunday from tablecloth. 

AstroTurf ($250) from Bruceworks. 

UNVEILED PAGE 47

Modern 

Luxe 


Think marble and metals with touches of 

green. This sophisticated and minimalist 

space is designed for the modern couple 

craving understated elegance. 

STYLIST Show Pony Events 

FLORIST Peony N' Pearl 

STATIONERY + SIGNAGE Allira’s Inklings 

CAKE Forty Two Cakes 

Set within Show Pony Events’ ‘Sky Room’, 

stunning Rose Gold Tolix chairs and 

cutlery teamed with a custom-made 

geometric pendant installation. 

Marble accents in the crockery, stationery 

and cake created a luxe, gender-neutral 

space, with roses, freesias and jonquils 

in a colour palette of elegant white and 

green the perfect canvas. 

Allira’s Inklings brought a modern twist 

to classic calligraphy, writing in her 

signature style in luxurious rose gold tones 

on a hand-marbled cardstock. 

Forty Two Cakes’ striking featured 

handcrafted custom white sugar roses and 

green passionfruit vine to complement the 

greenery and florals chosen by Peony N’ 

Pearl for the atmosphere.

CREDITS 

Sky Room, Geometric Installation, 

table, table cloth, charger plates/place 

mats, serviettes, silver and frosted tea 

lights, Rose Gold cutlery and marble 

crockery, Rose Gold Tolix chairs, 

cake stand and easel all by Show 

Pony Events. 

UNVEILED PAGE 49

Rustic 

Eclectic and effortless, this space combines 

organic and earthy textures to create a 

warm and inviting celebration. A refined 

twist on the traditional DIY trend. 

STYLIST Willow House Weddings 

FLORIST Lilygrace Flowers 

STATIONERY + SIGNAGE Butters Creative 

CAKE La Ombre Creations 


With the feel of a cottage garden, 

Willowhouse Events styled a perfectly 

charming space that that invited exploration 

and showcased the beauty of raw timber. 

A confection of gum, roses and ivy from 

Lilygrace flowers trailed vintage double doors, 

providing the perfect easel for Butters Creative’s 

hand-lettered welcome sign featuring the same 

floral motif that was taken through the menus. 

Timber flower boxes filled with protea, sea 

holly, dahlia, Queen Anne’s Lace, roses, 

gum and cluster roses took pride of place 

on the table, which was swathed in flowing 

fabric in soft pink and dove grey. Tapered 

candles, twine and linen napkins created 

textural interest. 

La Ombre creations’ naked cake was 

beautifully unstructured—lacework, mini 

macarons and florals making it look almost too 

good to eat. Almost.


CREDITS 

LERHAMN Table ($89), TÄRNÖ chair 

($15), DINERA plates ($1.75), IVRIG 

water glasses ($1.99), IVRIG wine 

glasses ($2.99), SVALKA champagne 

glasses ($5.99 for pack of six), 365+ 

water carafe ($4.99), DRAGON 

cutlery ($19.99 for 24-piece set), 

MARKNAD place mat ($2.99). All 

from IKEA. Chairs and champagne 

glasses also available to hire from 

Willowhouse Weddings. 

Gold candle holders ($4) and taper 

candles ($2 for pack of four), Kmart. 

Wooden flower boxes, rustic door 

backdrop, LED pillar candles and 

tablecloths from Lilygrace Flowers. 

Old suitcase and books, 

Butters Creative. Rustic ladders, 

Willowhouse Weddings.

Truth is...I’m in love 

0407 232 272 

www.kellytunney.com.au 

ACT AIPP 2017 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

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