Country Style

off, because December was too busy and we were away in January, can’t be delayed any longer. Others may have a spring clean, but I have a late-summer clean. I get rid of clothes that don’t fit the girls, and organise the kitchen cupboards, the pantry

Held biennially, the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival has been promoting the produce of the Granite Belt since 1966. The 2022 program features orchard tours, open gardens, grape-crushing, the Banchetto Italiano (Italian Long Lunch), the Au

The Loft – Sunrise at 1770 This dreamy escape is perched on the edge of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Bordered by bushland on three sides, The Loft sleeps up to eight and boasts two luxurious infinity pools, plus private access to four beaches and

SAMPLE THE BEST! Country Style’s annual Meet the Producers lunch showcases the very best ingredients available in Orange, NSW. Before we sit down to enjoy a two-course menu with a glass of wine, browse the market with a glass of bubbles in hand and e

Made to withstand kids, pets and furniture-moving, engineered hardwood flooring is one of the best decisions you can make for your home. Kustom Timber can help with design, floor preparation, installation and maintenance. Visit kustomtimber.com.au

AT DAY’S END, WHEN THE SUN SENDS its final burst of brilliance across the paddocks, Rebecca and James Starling take a stroll together to observe nature’s collective sigh. The golden hour can slip by unnoticed when you’re living in some of the world’s

I AM WRITING TO YOU, not from the cool green of my study, but from the shack, where my view is an expanse of blue. The brilliant farm season gifted us some time off, so we packed our towels and bathers (Tasmanian for swimmers), a dizzying array of fi

THERE IS SOMETHING INVIGORATING about rising at dawn, with a chill still in the air, to put in a good day’s work – but knowing you will be helping others and giving something back puts an extra spring in your step. You see, I have volunteered for Rem

THERE ARE NO SHOPS OR CAFES IN WEYMOUTH on the north coast of Tasmania. In this tiny village where the Pipers River flows into the sea, life slows down to the essentials – fishing, cooking, and absorbing nature. It’s a peaceful rhythm that Launceston

MAYBE YOU HAVE LEFT high school, finished university, had a quarter-life crisis, watched McLeod’s Daughters, or want to find yourself a dinky-di cowboy or cowgirl. So, now what? You may find yourself asking: Should I go up north? Okay, the idea of up

IN 2015, MICHAEL AND NICKI DALTON packed up their four children and moved to Stanthorpe for a year while renovations were underway at their home in Brisbane. The Daltons lived at Michael’s parents’ vineyard, just under three hours away, managing thei

MILLIE COOPER WAS VISITING HER PARTNER, Isobel Walsh, in beautiful Byron Bay, on the NSW North Coast, when the pandemic sent Sydney into its first lockdown in 2020. To avoid having to isolate when she returned to Sydney, Millie decided to extend her

Sick of featureless office spaces? Texture is the key. Bring in soft and tactile fabrics like sheepskin, driftwood and tufted rugs, and that bland spare room becomes a creative powerhouse. A good-quality wooden desk is a must, and don’t be afraid of

STYLIST AND JOURNALIST SARA SILM was living the expat life in Europe with her family when a friend suggested they buy a house in the Béarn, at the foot of the Pyrénées in south-west France. Sara’s brief to her real-estate agent was ‘unrenovated’ and

COTTAGE GARDENS ARE bountiful expressions of colour and life, woven through with nostalgia and romance. For Leisa Rossignol, the owner of this pretty patch located in the Southern Queensland town of Toowoomba, that sentiment couldn’t ring more true.

Garden designer David Musker and his partner, Philip Hunter, have spent the past 25 years transforming their West Gippsland, Vic, farm into a horticultural wonderland featuring 1.6 hectares of beautifully planted garden rooms. Visit the garden if you

WHEN I WAS LITTLE, one set of grandparents lived in Sydney in the house where my mum grew up. Under the living room window sat an enormous, flourishing gardenia, and to this day every time I smell gardenias, I am transported to Willoughby in the late

BEAUTIFUL BERRIMA in the NSW Southern Highlands is known for its historic charm and picturesque surroundings. But for decades, it has also been the country home of musician Jimmy Barnes and Jane, his wife of 40 years. In their sprawling sandstone hou

SET IN A 1920S ART DECO BUILDING, GIMLET AT CAVENDISH HOUSE, IN MELBOURNE, HAS A CHIC BAR YOU CAN SIT AT; BISTRO-STYLE TABLES; VELVET BOOTHS; OR FORMAL TABLES FOR A CHOOSE-YOUR-OWNADVENTURE STYLE OF DINING. IT’S A GLAMOROUS BUT COSY SETTING FOR A NEW

BRUNSWICK HEADS IS ONE of those authentic, small coastal villages where lasting holiday memories are made. Like so many who visit “Bruns”, Louisa Mudge quickly fell in love with the town of just over 1700 people. “The natural beauty speaks for itself

A collection of restored colonial-era cottages and rustic-chic cabins set on nearly 5000 hectares of bushland, Spicers Hidden Vale is an away-from-it-all country retreat that gives guests a true rest and reset. Private verandahs, spa baths, wood fire

ON A QUIET STREET, a block back from the main drag in Scone, New South Wales, the Phylli Designs hat-making studio and store is awash with natural light. In the window, spools of brightly coloured ribbon spill from tree trunks, propped up by old fenc

Rebecca lives on a sheep and cattle farm on the Limestone Coast, SA, with her husband, James, their retriever, Ivy, and a medley of farm dogs and cats. What do you love about living in the country? The luxury of space. The big, starry skies on a c

MULTI-TASKING BEAUTY PRODUCTS are in demand these days, and the newest mascaras deliver myriad benefits: longer lift, bold definition and long-lasting nourishment. If you haven’t updated in a while, let us catch you up quickly: mascaras ain’t the sim

The Java dining table has a sleek oak veneer tabletop with bold, black metal cross legs. Complement with grey Jade dining chairs. harveynorman.com.au Calexico is the Australian home of the best international designers. Enjoy free domestic shipping a

On that June day 19 years ago, Lara woke to the certain knowledge that her destiny had finally arrived. There would be surprises and twists and turns along the way, no doubt, but no more question marks. She had found Ben. Ben had found her. End of. S

THIS PAINTING has been in my family for many years. It is painted on glass. It was painted from the glass surface to the back, layering each facet of the picture as the artist built the image up. My grandfather (who died in 1919) and my aunt, as the

I MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT that one of the most popular shows on television was The Simpsons. Or Doctor Who. Or Game of Thrones. Or M*A*S*H. But that was before we came to park our wagon on the Central West Prairie. Here, all around us, the interiors of mo