Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i Country Style

To create a laid-back country-inspired dining room that exudes warmth and comfort, start by incorporating reclaimed timber for your dining table. This choice not only adds a rustic charm but also brings a sense of history and sustainability to your space with its organic knots and beautiful imperfections. To tie the room together, opt for dining chairs that share the relaxed vibe that complements the rustic table. Rattan’s natural texture introduces a lightness to a space while providing comfort and support, ultimately being the perfect pairing to a reclaimed table.…

Our February cover was captured at beautiful Rowlee Guesthouse in Nashdale, NSW. Inside the issue, you’ll find delicious recipes from Rowlee Dining and Bar, travel tips for a weekend in Bathurst, a gorgeous home garden in Trentham, and plenty of home styling inspiration. Plus, get to know the next generation of farmers, producers and advocators working in agriculture across Australia. Photography @moniquelovick.photography Styling @ainsleysullivan_ WALKING FORWARDS Thank you, Maggie MacKellar, for your description in the February issue of Country Style of our lives being marked by thresholds. At 75 and living with a cancer diagnosis, I refuse to take life seriously, nor do I waste time thinking about what’s next. I’ve lived in small city apartments, country towns and villages, and by a pristine river in the rainforest, where my…

coco-nuts for this collab Need to overhaul your bedroom? Coco Republic has teamed up with custom wardrobe company Olessio and beloved bed-linen brand Cultiver to redesign your space, transforming run-of-the-mill rooms into dreamy sanctuaries. Visit cocorepublic.com.au SWAN IN Australian homewares brand Maison Balzac’s new collection, Cadaqués, is inspired by the art-filled Spanish coastal town that was the home of Salvador Dalí. We love the sweet and surreal cello apron, $79, and swan napkins, $119 for four. Visit maisonbalzac.com it all pans out Our Place’s new Home Cook Duo, $525, consists of its popular Always Pan and Perfect Pot in a rich Espresso colourway. With Our Place’s proprietary coating, Thermakind, they’re non-toxic, durable – and very chic. Visit fromourplace.com rabbit on It’s a bunny bowl! Do I even need to say…

FOUR YEARS AGO, NATALIE AND JOEL SHAVE’S life was the exact opposite of the hectic but happy country life they lead today. Back then, they were a corporate couple working long hours and had a toddler, a baby on the way and a serious case of itchy feet. “We wanted a change from living in Brisbane and working behind a desk,” recalls Natalie, 39. “We didn’t know if it was going to be a rural change or an overseas move, but COVID highlighted that we really wanted a lifestyle shift.” Having spent much of their 20s travelling the world, Natalie and Joel, 37, are no strangers to adventure. They met in Melbourne in 2010, when Joel had arrived from Canada, then lived together in the Philippines, Spain and the Netherlands…

HAVING A MOB OF KANGAROOS living with you is exactly what photographer Emma McEvoy and landscaper Brent Wilcox wanted when they bought their bush block in Victoria’s Merricks North, on the lands of the Bunurong people. The property is adjacent to Tanglewood Estate, the home of a weddings and events business run by Emma’s family. “We’re a big kangaroo-loving bunch, so when this bush block came up next door to the estate in 2018, Brent and I bought it,” she says. “I work at the estate running weddings alongside Mum, so it was a great option to live and work here.” The couple drafted the plans with Ryan Wilcox at Western Port Building Design before their first child, Eddie, was born. “Ryan’s great,” says Emma. “I’m a creative person, so…

ON THE ADRIATIC COAST IN APULIA’S largest city, Bari, it seems as if every nonna in the town has been seconded to the myriad laneways to hand-roll the region’s specialty pasta, orecchiette. It gets its name from the word ‘orecchio’ for ear, while the ‘ette’ at the end means ‘small’. They are made in a rainbow of colours using mostly natural sources like beetroot, vegies and saffron. The nonnas go into overdrive as another bus exhales its shuffling wayfarer cargo, who are making their way along these Orecchiette Trails, which, like Ikea, are cannily designed to extract a purchase from you before you can leave. My wife Cate and I were fortunate to have spent most of 2024 traversing Italy. Now, before you all roll your eyes, we had a…

in a jam Time to get the preserving pans out! Kilner has been making jars since 1842, and patented its clever vacuum seal – still in use today – in 1900. Preserve jars, from $9.95. Visit kilnerjar.com.au at table Designed and made in Australia by Maryanne Norton and Eliza Sykes, these Holmwood cotton/ linen napkins, $55 (set of four), are the perfect addition to the table for your next long lunch. Visit atholm.com.au what a lark The Tasmanian whisky-maker that started it all, Lark Distillery, has released Dark Lark 2025, $250 (500ml). Inspired by the flaming orange lichen that glows at dusk in the Bay of Fires, it’s a single malt with papaya, almond and espresso notes. Drink after dark… Visit danmurphys.com.au tray chic Stylist Victoria Collison sources gorgeous homewares…

tote it Antler’s new Essentials Collection in Stone features a tote bag, $99, and wash bag, $39, in lightweight, ripstop fabric, with smart compartments. Visit antler.com.au step out Podiatrist-designed shoes from Frankie4 are your feet’s best friend. Our editor Kylie can’t stop wearing these chic Isla slides in Black, $149.95, made from waterproof leather. She’s worn them everywhere including the beach and office. Visit frankie4.com OH HAVANA Cuba’s capital sings with life, history, music and dance. Visit the enthralling island nation with sustainable small group tour company Simply Cuba Tours, whose founders, an Aussie traveller and a Cuban tour guide, have been running trips there for more than 35 years. From $5577* for the 13-day Simply Cuba tour. Visit simplycubatours.com TOP IT OFF Protect your head and save the reef:…

I LOVE YOU: RECIPES FROM THE HEART Pamela Anderson, Sphere, $55 Yes, that’s the Pamela Anderson, who holds the record for the number of Playboy covers and stars in the recent film The Last Showgirl. She’s now 57; in these gorgeous photographs of her in the garden and the kitchen you’d think she’s 29. The actress and activist has been unlucky in love. However, her two happy, healthy sons balance out the bad times. It was for them that she wrote out these recipes. Carefully does it with the Crispy Saffron-Spinach Rice Cake – turn it with a flipper or toss and catch. But wait. How is it that the fluffy La Vie en Rose Olive Oil Cake has no eggs? And the Crumbly Cheese Crust around the Paradise Cove…

SINCE WE MADE THE BIG MOVE to the other end of the island, we have had to relearn the way the seasons cycle through the year. Instead of our year being divided up into when the rams go out, shearing, lambing and weaning, it’s the vineyards that cover the banks of the river kanamaluka/Tamar which are the strongest markers of the change in seasons. The vines drape themselves in graceful folds following the contours of the valley. Deep green in mid-summer when the hills are blonde. And now, as the days shorten, they are turning all the golds and reds and oranges of autumn. They were bare sticks when we first arrived in winter. Our world seemed stripped back, drained of colour as we drove past paddocks of lifeless vines.…

WITHOUT AUSTRALIAN FARMERS, we don’t eat. It’s as simple as that. Thanks to their dedication and commitment to the land, we enjoy some of the best produce in the world. Growing our food is not without challenges, and these are often beyond the control of the farmers and producers. We are currently experiencing an egg shortage due to the bird flu, the latest outbreak of devastating disease in animals. There have also been fires this year in Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria, destroying homes, wildlife, native bushland, livestock and crops. The Grampians endured catastrophic fires in 2024 and early 2025, and as I write this letter I’m on a plane to visit the region famous for its World Heritage-listed national park, and world-class food and wine. I know…

On Instagram @countrystylemagBeth Macdonald (@babymacbeth)escaped Sydney for the Southern Highlands, believing the key to life is slowing down – easy to do in this lovely home! Discover her story on our Instagram and online. Newsletters homestolove.com.au/country-style Get updates straight to your inbox with Country Style newsletters. They’re filled with sneak peeks. Scan the code below to sign up. SUBSCRIBE AND DOWNLOAD OUR APP Download the Country Style app for free to read our online stories, or combine it with a digital subscription to get each new issue as soon as it’s published. Our digital issues are as beautiful as the mag, plus you can customise font sizes and listen to an audio version. On the App Store Country Style magazine PHOTOGRAPHY ABBIE MELLE…

1 Sthål Sweden pizza server in Lavender, $179, from Casa e Cucina. 2 Le Creuset egg cup in Garnet, $16, from David Jones. 3 Ecology Torte cake stand in Honey, $69.95, from David Jones. 4 Sabre Paris bamboo tart server, $65, from Emporean. 5 Lobster large oval ceramic serving platter, $360, from Alex & Trahanas. 6 Long stone servers in Cappuccino, $125, from Dinosaur Designs. 7 Waterford Crystal Lismore Essence 1.9L pitcher in Clear, $829, from David Jones. 8 Paume rattan rectangle tray in Antique Brown, $249.99 (set of two), from Living by Design. 9 Limone ceramic serving bowl, $340, from Alex & Trahanas. 10 Iris ceramic carafe & pair of tumblers in Raspberry, $179, from Rebecca Udall. 11 Ralph Lauren Home Wyatt triple nut bowl in Gold & Navy,…

country style buys MOVIE MAGIC Laura Restein’s Mornington Peninsula, Vic, renovation was inspired by the “cosy, relaxed” style of the coveted kitchens in Nancy Meyers’s films (The Holiday; It’s Complicated). Laura opened up the room, adding cabinets by The Melbourne Joiner, worktops of Calacatta marble and wire-brushed oak, and a beam salvaged from a local jetty. NATURAL HABITAT Food writer Magdalena Roze and her partner, chef Darren Robertson, spend most of their time in their beautiful kitchen in Byron Bay, NSW. So, practicality was key: “I did an inventory of every item in the kitchen – from bowls and pans to pantry items – and designed the joinery to fit,” says Magdalena. Nailed It Kitchens and Joinery built cupboards in American oak, while the spectacular stone wall is Oslo from…

ADAM, MY PARTNER OF ALMOST 30 years, looked at the plant pot in my hand and didn’t say anything. This was unusual. “It’s a wildflower,” I said. “Grows like bishop’s lace or carrot flowers.” Another long silence. “Henbane,” Adam pointed at the pot. “That’s a famous poison, right?” Ah, yes. Yes it is. Alongside the growing condition instructions for the plant there was a note outlining its toxicity, mentioning that if taken internally it can be fatally poisonous. I was still advocating for it while Adam was googling whether or not even touching the leaves could make you sick. “Can we not plant that, please?” he asked politely. I complied. There’s already a hole the size of a person in our backyard that my brother’s dog made while we were…

IF I WERE PRESSED to choose a favourite season it would, as I wrote in my last column, have to be autumn. The drop in temperature is a major factor – the slight nip in the air so welcome after the oppressive heat of summer – and aesthetically, the autumnal colour palette appeals greatly with its glorious russets, crimsons and golds. Not to mention the auditory happiness that is to be found in crunching along footpaths lined with fallen leaves. Ah, bliss! I can feel myself relaxing just at the thought of it. Perhaps my most beloved part of autumn, however, is the fruit – delicious plums, blackberries and quinces. Now, I have made no secret of my love of the heavenly trio that is meringues, fruit and cream –…

AS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER train begins to slow while approaching its final station in Jasper, Alberta, high in the Canadian Rockies, I finally hear what I’ve been waiting to hear since I first boarded: “Bear on the right! Bear on the right!” We all jump from our seats and rush to the windows on the right side of the train, and there, very close to the tracks, is a big black bear, ambling along without a care; undisturbed by the train slowly passing by. Before we disembark in Jasper, with the sun setting, we’ll see two more bears. I couldn’t be more excited. We then board a bus to take us to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. As we near the entrance to the resort, set beside Lake Mildred, the bus…

Editor KYLIE IMESON Creative director MIA DAMINATO Deputy editor HANNAH JAMES Senior designer JUDIE SIU Stylist KATE LINCOLN Senior copy editor GRETA DUMBLETON Feature writer RACHEL WHITE Queensland contributing editor CLAIRE MACTAGGART ADVERTISING AND PRODUCTION Commercial brand manager, Homes MICHELLE O’HANLON Brand executive MIKAELA LEZCANO Head of sales – NSW BLAKE WRIGHT Head of sales – Vic, SA, WA WILL JAMISON Head of sales – Qld JUDY TAYLOR Advertising production manager KATE ORSBORN Head of directories REBECCA WHITE Head of creative CLARE CATT Head of events and sponsorships CATE GAZAL Production controller KARA STEAD Advertising production controller DOMINIC ROY All advertising inquiries ADVERTISING@AREMEDIA.COM.AU MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Director of marketing CARLY BOWRA Senior brand and communications manager JENNIFER BURKE Circulation and insights manager NICOLE PEARSON Senior subscriptions marketing manager ELLIE XUEREB…

WHEN DAVID AND SAMANTHA MOVED from an inner-city warehouse conversion in Melbourne’s Fitzroy to a rambling property in Hallston, South Gippsland, they knew exactly what they were in for. Grand Ridge House, a 1920s bush hospital with several outbuildings and an overgrown garden, was in desperate need of TLC. After all, the estate had been languishing on the market for nearly a decade. “It was both exciting and a little terrifying!” says Samantha, who owns bespoke renovation and styling business Goddards Design. “There were six buildings in need of restoration, and we took them all on in one year, which was no small feat. Ultimately, we ended up rebuilding about 80 per cent due to age and neglect. It was a huge challenge, but that combination of practicality and creativity…

Food and wine have been the core of my professional life for half a century. I put food first because I once hoped to be a chef, but luckily (for kitchens are hot, hard work), I followed the vinous path into wine retailing in 1976. That said, I look at all wines for their synergy with a snack, a meal or with cheese. A cheese plate with a glass of wine in front of the TV is my favourite time of day. For many, cheese is an excuse to drink more red wine. A worthy cause, if it’s a firm cheese like a cheddar, gruyere or parmesan. However, I’m convinced that most cheeses are better paired with white wine. There’s one notable exception: blue cheese. Sure, a great Sauternes (or…

DRIVING FROM MELBOURNE TO DUNKELD at the south end of the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, in Victoria, takes three hours. It’s an easy, pleasant drive as most of it is flat, with roads that cut through paddocks bleached golden and dry by the sun, typical for this area in late February. Sheep and big rounds of hay dot the landscape on both sides. Approaching Dunkeld, Mount Sturgeon (Wurgarri) rises up seemingly from nowhere, with the rest of the mountains making up the Grampians behind it. Pulling up in front of the Royal Mail Hotel, the peak, covered in green, contrasts with the rest of the landscape. The Royal Mail Hotel sits at the edge of Dunkeld but has become the centre of this small town. Bought in the 1980s by…