Country Style

January passed in a blur of extra annual leave and an extended long weekend to make that summer holiday feeling last as long as possible. So, it’s only now in February, that I’ve started thinking about 2024 and the year ahead. I was thinking it shoul

SA The Atrium at Hentley Farm “The entire region is bursting with passionate farmers and growers; presenting their produce to our guests is a true privilege,” says Hentley Farm’s head chef Kyle Johns, who was drawn to the Barossa Valley’s epicurean a

Give your hallway a dash of sophistication with the Leather Hallway Set, which includes a storage basket and umbrella stand for a rustic welcome to visitors. Exquisitely handcrafted, each piece has a timeless feel and offers the option of a personali

1 Embroidered scallop linen napkin in Sky Blue, $94 (set of four), from Blue Maisonette. 2 Simple scallop hanging shade in Bronze with linen shade, $1890, from The Montauk Lighting Co. 3 Scalloped jute rug in Natural, from $799, from Tigmi. 4 White &

FOR AS LONG AS she can remember, Abigail Mickan has loved to cook. Growing up on a cattle and sheep station in Queensland’s Longreach region with her younger brothers, Jeremy and Lane, Abigail, now 30, learned how to turn a passion into a business fr

FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, Jo Runciman has had a precious sanctuary. It’s somewhere to go on weekends, or whenever life feels a bit much. “As soon as I get on the freeway, the weight lifts off my shoulders,” says Jo who splits her time between her home i

Client manager, Black Box Co A willingness to learn and give back has presented numerous opportunities for 26-year-old Georgia Dale. She works with livestock analysis system Black Box Co and contributes to the beef industry through the Beef Australi

This gracious Southern Highlands home has had a colourful, English country-inspired makeover, complete with layered art and antiques and cheerful mixed prints. PHOTOGRAPHY ABBIE MELLÉ ■

DECORATIVE TROPES of the much-loved English country interior style include a relaxed mix of charming patterns and antiques, with a ruffled hem and potted colour dotted here and there. Cushion-laden sofas beg to be plonked onto, and layers of art and

ANDREW AND CLAIRE Mactaggart’s Central Queensland house has withstood the comings and goings of busy farm and family life for the past 25 years. The couple moved in as newlyweds in 1999, raised their four daughters there and now, just as the rhythms

WHEN YOU THINK OF DENMARK, you can’t avoid the term ‘hygge’. Hygge essentially means a warm, cosy atmosphere where you enjoy the good things in life together with your loved ones. And the place in Denmark with the highest hygge factor is said to be t

BLUE WRENS DANCE on the lawn and kangaroos emerge to watch the sun rise and set at Vihara Valley, an 11.5-hectare estate in Adelaide’s wine country on the traditional lands of the Peramangk and Kaurna people. You might catch sight of a white deer or,

WHENEVER I PASS an old weatherboard hall, church or cottage on a country drive, I wonder who has trodden its boards over the years. I can’t help but imagine it restored – with fresh paint, gleaming hardware and polished floors – to once again become

FROM LEFT Explorer Blue wall paint, $149.70/4L, from Porter’s Paints. Greenwich Heritage metal/wood floor lamp, $319, from Early Settler. Pomp glass vase/lantern, $7, from Ikea. Tea cup, from Vinnies – for similar, try Cristina Re. Charlotte mug in B

Surrounded by the warmth of natural timber, this writing space is right at home in its rustic surroundings near Rockhampton. For owners Claire and Andrew Mactaggart, it’s the perfect canvas for family heirlooms. “I love mixing old and new furniture,”

Create the ultimate shared experience with picnic-friendly dishes that go the extra mile. PHOTOGRAPHY PIP FARQUHARSON ■

Take 1 garlic head and carefully peel each clove. Pop in a small saucepan and cover with 1½ cups (375ml) olive oil. Place over the lowest heat possible and infuse for 30 minutes or so. You want the garlic cloves to have turned a light golden colour b

SKEWERED: SUBJECT TO sharp criticism or critical analysis. Or: fastened together or pierced with a pin or skewer. Who doesn’t like a good skewering these days? Look around – every little local wine bar with a snacks menu has a version of some type. T

BEING THE MOTHER of small children, for me, February is synonymous with the dreaded return of the school lunch box. And this year, as my youngest joins his sister at school, it will mean not one but two lunch boxes to contend with. Now, while I like

A dairy farm in the Byron Bay hinterland is now a serene retreat blending nature and wellness. PHOTOGRAPHY ABBIE MELLÉ ■

ARRIVING IN THE DARK is not my ideal start to a holiday. I like to drive dirt roads in the daylight and not have to dodge kangaroos. I also like to see my accommodation before I go to bed. Nothing beats the excitement of it coming into view as you dr

MIRANDA BALODIS and her husband Harrison came to own Lotte’s Hjem through somewhat serendipitous circumstances. “Harrison house-sat for Lotte Erikson, who then owned the cottage, back in 2013,” explains Miranda. “He fell in love with the house and jo

FROM SUN-KISSED BEACHES to foodie haunts and a vibrant community spirit, it’s not hard to see why Byron Bay is a popular holiday spot, but venturing off the beaten path sometimes reveals the best finds. Just a 20-minute drive south-west of Byron Bay

Explore the stunning west coast aboard a True North luxury cruise. You can spot whales, sharks and stingrays, plus kayak, dive and fish – or simply relax and enjoy the world-class cuisine. Visit truenorth.com.au Sturdy and stylish, Samsonite’s durab

SPONSORSHIPS & PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR AT AUSSIE ARK, 54 Jo splits her time between Curl Curl, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where she lives with sons Tom, 20, and Jack, 19, and her Dungog farm, where she lives with mum Sue. How would you describe yo

Restructuring Nourishing Balm for Hair Lengths & Ends, $160, from Sisley, restores dry, brittle hair fibres. Arkive The Future Youth Treatment Mask, from $12, from Mecca, combines baobab oil, shea butter and coconut oil for added moisture, strength a

Australian artist Dee Jackson creates beautiful watercolour portraits of people and animals, including Bella (pictured). Preserve your memories and capture life’s special moments with a commissioned artwork. deejackson.com.au Escape to Orange, in NS

Anita Frank, HQ , $32.99 It must have been thrilling and disturbing to live in England in the 1920s. Change, both frivolous and profoundly serious, was every where. Jazz and the sudden sight of exposed knees on perfectly respectable women blew away

IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US today to imagine how strange many Australian animals must have seemed to the first Europeans to see them. Kangaroos were first drawn by Sydney Parkinson on Captain James Cook’s 1770 voyage. This drawing, and a preserved skin br

I FOUND THIS watercolour in an op shop a while ago and was excited to see the name Hans Heysen on it. Many years ago I lived in SA and enjoyed visiting his property, The Cedars in Hahndorf, on multiple occasions. Can you tell me about it? Naomi Simps

DID YOU CATCH THAT recent news item about the dividing line between city and country all but disappearing? Well, fancy that! Maybe the social scientist who reached this conclusion based it on the fact that city hospitals are now nearly as bad as coun