Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i Country Style

JUST AFTER MIDDAY ON Thursday September 4, I received an email I had long been expecting but had not wanted to receive, let alone read. The subject line simply read ‘Rob’, and I instantly knew that our beloved Country Squire had passed away after a long, brave battle with cancer – which he faced with his trademark humour. Rob Ingram’s wife, Penny Stevens, gently informed me that her “dear Rob” had died the day before. I felt a wave of sadness and tears welled in my eyes. Even though I was aware of how ill Rob had been and for how long, I was still not prepared for the finality of the news. In the past, whenever I saw an email from him pop into my inbox, I would smile,…

On Instagram “One of my all-time favourite Country Style homes,” said @jolie_vie_vintage when we posted Linda Christall’s Sunshine Coast home on Instagram. It’s one of our favourites, too! On the App Store Country Style magazine Subscribe and download our app Download the Country Style app (it’s free!) to read our online stories, or combine it with a digital subscription to get every issue. Our digital magazines are as beautiful as print, plus you can customise font sizes and listen to an audio version. Newsletters homestolove.com.au/country-style Renovate your inbox with Country Style newsletters! Our new missive, Kylie in the Country, is full of editor-approved travel tips. Scan the code to sign up. PHOTOGRAPHY HANNAH PUECHMARIN STYLING CHERYL CARR…

MOST PEOPLE DON’T EXPECT to find coffee trees thriving beneath the ancient volcanic slopes of Mount Beerwah in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Qld. Fewer still expect to find a CEO in the grove at sunrise, brushing dew from a cluster of red fruit. “I’ve learned they’re called coffee cherries, not berries,” Nicole McNaughton says, smiling. Beside her, farmer Paul Ziebarth talks through the slow lead-up to their first commercial harvest – four years in the making. Nicole has been there from the start, supporting him and his partner, Lisa Palu, by connecting them with opportunities, resources, and fellow growers through the Food and Agribusiness Network (FAN). “They have such a passion for what they do,” Nicole says of Paul and Lisa, “and there’s just so much hard work that goes…

INSIDE AN UNASSUMING HOUSE in a quiet street in Millfield, New South Wales, you’ll find one of the Hunter Valley’s vital wildlife rescue operations. Animal carer Judy Hopper has a hot cuppa ready to go on this crisp morning, but, sticking with her priorities, there are some four-legged orphans to be fed first. Holding a bottle filled with special formula milk, Judy says of her first charge, a female wombat joey, “I’ve got her on four-to-five-hourly feeds: 6am, 11:30am, 4pm, then 10pm and 2am.” Within the four walls of her cosy cottage, Judy has tended to countless animals for more than 25 years, including 300 flying foxes during the Black Summer of 2019-2020, and numerous possums, gliders and microbats. Judy, a senior wildlife rehabilitator with a master’s degree in science…

WHEN I VIEW SEAFOOD on a menu, I drift toward it like a rising tide does an estuary, resolute and unyielding. I crave crustacea. Fancy fin-fish. I’m a maniac for molluscs and covet cephalopods. However, there are a few creatures on the no-go list: fugu, for obvious reasons; shark fin soup, for the appalling method of killing them solely for the fin; and sea urchin, whose intense flavour doesn’t agree with me. Of all the marine life available, I order octopus most frequently. There’s nothing quite as appetite-inducing as the waft of ockie cooking over a fire, and yet the aroma is uniquely ‘meaty’ for an aquatic animal. During Dark Mofo one year in Hobart, I was chargrilling octopus outside the cafe I worked in and spruiking for custom. Back…

THE WORD SUSTAINABILITY is on every thinking person’s lips. Especially those who have seen Ocean with David Attenborough, who (at 99) presents the case that our oceans are the lungs of our planet and we need to keep them healthy. He presents a compelling case for saving our seas from the pillage of overfishing, signalling out bottom dredging that destroys vast areas of reefs, kelp and the ecosystems that keep our planet alive. That Ocean was significantly funded by Nicola Forrest and Dr Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation brings sustainability back to our shores. Tim Winton’s doco Ningaloo again highlights sustainability and the looming presence of the fossil fuel industry. More fuel (pun intended) to the urgency to building sustainable practices. Back on dry land, the Australian wine industry has been…

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 ADVERTISING Commercial brand manager, Homes MICHELLE O’HANLON All advertising inquiries ADVERTISING@AREMEDIA.COM.AU SYNDICATION Email SYNDICATION@AREMEDIA.COM.AU Website CONTENTSHOP.COM.AU ARE MEDIA Chief executive officer JANE HUXLEY Finance director MARENA PAUL Director of sales ANNA QUINN Director of content SALLY EAGLE  Director of marketing CARLY BOWRA  General manager JOCELIN ABBEY  Editor-in-chief TANYA BUCHANAN GET IN TOUCH  Mail COUNTRY STYLE, GPO BOX 4088, SYDNEY, NSW 2001.  Telephone (02) 9282 8000  Email AUSTCOUNTRYSTYLE@AREMEDIA.COM.AU SUBSCRIPTIONS  Telephone 136 116  Website MAGSHOP.COM.AU  Email MAGSHOP@MAGSHOP.COM.AU  Post MAGSHOP, GPO BOX 5252, SYDNEY, NSW 2001, AUSTRALIA Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ACN 053 273 546), 54 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. The trademark Country…

WHAT STARTED AS A SMALL COMMISSION to refresh some soft furnishings in a heritage home evolved into the complete overhaul of Myee, an 1880s double-fronted weatherboard cottage in Bowral, in the NSW Southern Highlands. “The initial visit was to help refresh the soft furnishings, but it ended up being a full-scale design project,” says interior designer Anna-Marie Bruechert from Beautiful Home Life. “I found myself with a very expanded brief that included everything from the joinery to the bespoke trim on the lampshades, and even a spa deck in the garden.” The storied four-bedroom property is situated in the heart of Old Bowral, just a block from the town’s heritage-listed Bradman Oval, on the traditional lands of the Gundungurra and Dharawal people. It has been home to the Santo family…

THE DIVORCE DAHLIA. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Shall I tell you about it? But first, let me start closer to the beginning. My husband, Adam, was never much of a flower guy. He asked me right at the beginning, almost 30 years ago now, what my favourite flower was (gardenia) and then promptly forgot, and when flowers were occasionally called for, he bought me gerberas because he remembered it was something starting with ‘G’. I hate gerberas. I eventually gently and politely told him, after about 15 years of gerberas, and now if ever faced with flower-buying, he panics and buys ice cream instead – which, to be fair, is never a bad move. My love affair with dahlias began independently of my husband. I, like…

AS WE WELCOME NOVEMBER, with the promise of soft, warm weather and time to slow down, my thoughts inextricably turn to ‘summer things I’d like to eat’. My mind is, as you may imagine, most often occupied with food; but at this time of year it is hyper-focused on things that taste especially good eaten outdoors. And surely, nothing is as delicious to end an alfresco meal as a fresh fruit and custard tart. To me, this speaks of long, balmy evenings, doors swung wide and the lingering scent of jasmine in the air (and the occasional slap of a mozzie). This particular tart, topped with plump, juicy raspberries and silky-smooth pistachio custard-cream, has to be one of my finer ideas. Make this tart for its delightfully pleasing colour palette…

FROM ITS INCEPTION ALMOST A DECADE AGO, Mrs Baker’s Still House has been a family enterprise dedicated to the creation of artisanal spirits with distinctive local flavours. Owner Jane Baker, 59, a former science teacher, moved from inner-city Melbourne to Elmhurst, in the Pyrenees region of Victoria, over 20 years ago in search of the quintessential country lifestyle for her young family. “Our place in Fitzroy had a backyard about the size of the kitchen in our house here,” says Jane. “We thought having more space would be great for the kids – we wanted to let them go wild and enjoy the bush.” Jane and her husband, Benjamin, wanted to get their hands dirty too and were drawn to the Pyrenees region for its beautiful, craggy mountains, fertile soil…

GET UP, DRESS UP, SHOW UP: LESSONS IN LOVE AND SURMOUNTING GRIEF Petal Ashmole Winstanley, Grosvenor House, $35 “A career with a ballet company is like being in the Army; everything that comes after is a doddle” – so wrote Meredith Daneman, founding member of the Australian Ballet Company. Petal’s life puts that to the test. She’s been married to three high achievers and lost them all to terminal illness. Yet this memoir is joyous and brims with glimpses of vanished options – among them the possibility of renting a four-storey Victorian house in Central London on a dancer’s salary. In 1965, Petal was 18 and the Australian Ballet didn’t want her. She left Perth and came to London. There she met Michael Brown on Earl’s Court Road (where else?).…

The September issue of Country Style, featuring the gloriously golden canola fields in Coolamon, NSW, on the cover (plus cute border collie Louie and his pup buddy, Trouble) celebrates travel across regional Australia. Inside the issue, explore the dramatic Flinders Ranges in SA, where Arkaroola Art Adventure hosts annual art retreats, step inside three country homes, and plan a visit to the luxurious Amaroo in Bangalow, NSW. Photography @brigidarnottphotography Styling @celebratebydimi WHERE WE BELONG I have been a loyal reader of your magazine for years now. I have spent many moments daydreaming about houses in your beautiful mag. I am originally a country girl from Cowra, in the Central West of NSW. This is where I met my husband, Steve. He was a city boy who moved to Cowra to…

florals for floors If you still haven’t spruced up your outdoor space for summer (guilty), do it the easy way with Miss Amara’s washable indoor-outdoor rugs. This is the Cheska rug in Beige and Cream, from $199, which comes with a non-slip underlay. Visit missamara.com.au reimagined treats Butter fans might be surprised to learn how far plant-based baking has come in recent years. Award-winning pastry chef Philip Khoury’s new book, Beyond Baking (Quadrille, $55), collects tried-and-tested recipes (and videos) for delicious bakes. PIZZA THE ACTION Harvey Norman’s Smart Woodfire Pizza Oven with trolley, $1399, lets you feed a crowd or just whip up a summer evening treat for two. Includes a pizza paddle, cleaning brush and cover. Visit harveynorman.com.au carry cute Bethany Linz’s small tote bag in Green Hydrangea, $189,…

INSPIRED BY THE SWISS CHALETS and German farmhouses of their shared European heritage, Lena Gerber and Hendrik Brenner launched Rekindle Design Co as a protest against poor-quality, mass-produced furniture. “Essentially, we wanted to combat the whole fast-furniture trend,” says Lena, 42. “The idea behind our name is to rekindle people’s love for timeless pieces that will live on for generations. Also, when I put our two names into a word jumble, ‘rekindle’ was one of the words that came up – so it was meant to be!” Now settled in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Lena and Hendrik, 43, who are partners in work and life, met when Australian-born Lena was living in Switzerland. “My father is Swiss and Hendrik is from Germany,” explains Lena. “While I was living in Europe,…

WHEN ABSTRACT ARTIST Madi Young, owner of The Corner Store Gallery in Orange, in the Central Tablelands of NSW, decided to embark on a refresh of her delightfully arty house, she knew exactly how to begin – with a paintbrush, of course. For Madi, 39, who shares the characterful abode in the regional town with her seven-year-old son, Magnus, and black labrador-kelpie, Dotti, unrestrained colour will always play a lead role in her home. There was no trepidation, then, when it came to selecting the rosiest of backdrops – Dulux’s “perfectly pink” Gizmo – for the gallery wall in the kitchen and living domain. “It’s my personal opinion that pink goes with everything – and you heard it here first!” says Madi, laughing. But with pink options galore, how did…

ANYONE WHO HAS THE enormous privilege of caring for a country garden as spring approaches will be filled with two competing emotions. The first is a giddy anticipation of the flowers, foliage and delicate colour-wash that is about to burst wide open across paddocks and garden beds. This is closely followed by the deep sense of regret that grows in the part-time gardener, when they realise that great spring gardens are made in winter… and that time has already passed. It was partly because we couldn’t decide on the right garden vibe that we missed the whole prep thing. The Blue Mountains is tricky – there are several microclimates at play. It’s frosty, cold, windy and, because we’re at the highest point of the mountains sitting at nearly 350 metres,…

THE GLAMOROUS BLACK FACADE of Le Foyer may be a new addition to Bendigo’s food scene, but the restaurant’s executive chef has been bringing good food to the Victorian town since the 1980s. That’s when, aged 16, Le Foyer’s chef and co-owner Paul Pitcher landed an apprenticeship at Clogs, a pizzeria that’s a much-loved local institution. “That opportunity really set the foundation for my career,” he says. Not only did that apprenticeship kick off his career, but it also planted the seed for Paul’s current project: his Le Foyer co-owner is Michael Van Haandel, whose family owned and ran Clogs for 50 years. That’s how it works in country towns… After his apprenticeship, however, Paul chose the big-city life, moving to Melbourne and cooking at Café Alma, Princes, the Hyatt…

NOT MUCH ABOUT OUR lives today would be familiar to an Australian in 1915. Few of us dress in corsets and crinolines these days, and dishes like turtle soup have (thankfully) been consigned to culinary history. Something we do share with our predecessors? A taste for the sweet stuff. Australia’s quintessential chocolate brand began 110 years ago in Adelaide, when Alfred Haigh opened the doors of his first shop, in the much-loved Beehive Corner building. (The sweet connection was serendipitous rather than planned.) Happy customers laden with little bags of joy have been walking out through those same doors ever since. Often, they’re carrying the very same confections Alfred created in the early days of the brand, with Dark Apricot chocolates being the most longstanding recipe. “It’s still a firm…

$400 THIS CERAMIC BOTTLE was purchased many years ago from an antiques dealer. We’ve done some research which seems to indicate this is Prattware. Are you able to confirm the origin of this piece and provide an indication of when it might have been made? Thank you! Val Gaskell, Mordialloc, Vic This is a tea canister styled after similar ones used in China. It would originally have had a lid, perhaps also ceramic. The canister was almost certainly made by F. & R. Pratt at the Fenton Potteries in Staffordshire, UK. Founded in the early 19th century, the pottery was known for producing domestic wares, including the always amusing cow-shaped creamers. By the 1840s, the firm had become famous for producing highly coloured, transfer-printed wares featuring famous people and historic…

I’VE BEEN AWAY FROM HOME so much this year that I fear the garden’s forgotten me. I missed the arrival of the swallows and skylarks, the blooming of the horse chestnut blossom. There’s been an enthusiastic uprising of weeds. The gooseberry bush attacks me from its hiding place in the grass; a painful prickle as payback for my neglect. I’ve been across the country – walked the length of the Busselton Jetty, stood by the Big Merino in Goulburn, tackled hook turns in Melbourne, visited the Three Sisters in Katoomba, lunched in Mornington, scoped the rowing course in Penrith, frozen my face off in Canberra, strolled the coastline in Burleigh, sat by the fire in Ballarat, got lost in Subiaco, got lost in Burnie, got lost in Geelong. I’ve also…

THE OUTPOURING OF TRIBUTES from readers when Rob Ingram retired from his long-running Country Squire column painted a vivid picture of the impact he made on the Country Style community. Many fans of his work told us they turned first to his column when they picked up the magazine each month. His stories of life in a small country town, always told with his trademark wry sense of humour, were an institution in these pages for 34 years. Born in 1943 in Nelson, New Zealand, where he started his career as a newspaper journalist, Rob moved to Sydney in 1969 and wrote a daily column in The Sun newspaper. He later became the editor and publisher of the groundbreaking Pol magazine, until 1984. With his wife, Penny Stevens, he bought…