SA Freelance Writing

Country Style Home: Robe, SA

Summer holidays meant catching up on a stack of magazines. The November 2014 Country Style featured my story on ever-so-stylish Robe couple Kristina Alexander and partner Christos Stoios.

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Photo by Mark Roper

Home is a row of cottages filled with gorgeous finds – reminders of a blissful life beside the ocean.

Chef Profile: Kirby Shearing

I have interviewed prominent Limestone Coast chef Kirby Shearing several times in recent months.

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Photo by Joanna Fincham

Kirby’s hunter-gatherer food philosophy is shaped by regionality and seasonality, and in a recent story I wrote for Outback magazine, he shares the thrill of the hunt; landing in fungi heaven after venturing deep into the woods:

“I was almost ready to give up after searching for about 45 minutes, but I turned a corner and came across the thickest mat of pine mushrooms, parasols and slippery jacks,” he says. “It’s true organic produce; wild mushrooms that have just popped out of the earth – there’s no one planting them, no one spraying – they have just grown at the perfect time in the right place.”

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Photo by Joanna Fincham

Here’s one of Kirby’s dishes: Native spiced kangaroo, coastal herbs and organic chickpea puree – delish! The recipe is in the October – November issue of Outback Magazine.

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What lies beneath – Kilsby’s Hole, SA

I recently discovered the secret to the success of a South Australian sheep property, and it was locked in a vast underground chamber…

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Kilsby’s Hole lies beneath the pastures of Bringewood in SA’s Limestone Coast, and in addition to being a priceless water source for owner Graham Kilsby’s successful prime-lamb operation, it’s rated among the world’s best cave diving sites due to its exceptional water clarity.

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Image supplied by SA Tourism Commission. (No – I’m not the diver!)

My article on Kilsby’s Hole appeared in the Aug / Sep 2014 issue of Outback magazine, and I’ve added a link to my Portfolio.

A day in the life…of a rock lobster fisherman

We had some fabulous audio and footage left over from a recent commission from the South Australian Rock Lobster Advisory Council, and I was able to script it into a promotional piece for industry. Fishermen from Port MacDonnell through to Coffin Bay tell the story of their day at sea…filmed and edited by Robert Tremelling.

Country Race Fashions – SA Life

Country style reigns supreme, with the Limestone Coast boasting a number of finalists in SA’s premier ‘Fashions on the Field’ competition. I recently interviewed three of the gorgeous ladies for the April 2014 edition of SA Life magazine,  discovering how a fire prevention officer, a swimming instructor and an electrician charmed the judges with their homegrown creativity. It’s not easy living in the country away from major department stores and boutiques, but these savvy girls know all about improvisation, with quick outfit changes in public toilets en route to the race track, and innovative hats sporting everything from wire trivets to chopsticks! What a transformation – love a ‘Before & After’ shot…

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Drought tolerant gardens

While everyone loves an English-style country garden, I thought a drought tolerant design featuring plants from all over southern Australia would particularly resonate with readers of Outback magazine. I have just interviewed the owners of an incredible one in SA’s upper Limestone Coast. Click here to view the article in my portfolio.

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SA Life Profile – Kim Longbottom

When I met Kim Longbottom from Padthaway’s Henry’s Drive Vignerons last year at a wine function, I knew her story would make a fabulous profile piece.

Kim_Longbottom_Henrys_Drive_LRKim owns and operates Henry’s Drive Vignerons, and she is a savvy business woman who thinks outside the square. For instance, she enlisted the help of the local country aero club to fly down a UK wine buyer with a busy schedule. They liked what they saw; the initial order was 16,000 cases.

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The cellar door is located just off the Riddoch Highway in SA’s Limestone Coast, and the business was named after Henry John Hill, the proprietor of the 19th century mail coach service that once traversed the landscape.

All of the wine brands have a strong postal theme, with labels like The Postmistress, The Scarlet Letter and Pillar Box Red.

Visitors are encouraged to rest and refresh at the cellar door, just as the mail coach once did at its various stops.

Kim’s story is in the 10th Birthday Issue of SA Life Magazine.

 

 

 

The warmest of welcomes for a refugee

After moving to Australia as a refugee late last decade, Lal Lian was lured to Mount Gambier in 2010 by the promise of work in the horticulture industry.

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Photography by Sharyn Cairns

But the opportunity that knocked was beyond even his dreams. Kalangadoo apple growers Chris and Michelle McColl offered Lal almost a hectare of highly prized fully certified organic soil to produce his own crops.

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Photography by Sharyn Cairns

My story about this kind family man who accepted a helping hand in a new farming land is in the November 2013 issue of Country Style magazine. Editor Victoria Carey writes:

The story of how a couple of apple farmers at South Australia’s Kalangadoo gave Lal a plot of land on which to grow organic market vegetables, and the way he seized the opportunity with both hands, is one of the most inspiring we’ve had in the magazine recently.

 

Outback Magazine Towns: Port MacDonnell

A recent assignment for Outback Magazine led me to a place very close to my heart, where the rising sun on a still winter’s morning is absolutely magical.

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The Southern Rock Lobster capital of Port MacDonnell is the feature town in the August-September edition.

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You won’t find many shops or cafes in this part of the world; it’s all about getting back to basics…

outback-blog2 Enjoying the outdoors and the company of loved ones…

outbackboatAnd if your timing is right, a lobster feast.

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Drawing the Line: Marine Parks

This pelican wasn’t the only one rejoicing about this week’s unseasonal blue skies.

drawing1We had filming and interviews to complete at Port MacDonnell on behalf of the South East Professional Fisherman’s Association, and fortunately there was no need to resort to the wet weather option.
drawing2I am helping to direct and produce a documentary highlighting the management and sustainability of South Australia’s rock lobster industry. It’s the state’s most valuable fishery, and a key export industry. The Drawing the Line project has inspired local fishermen to add their voice to the growing chorus campaigning against marine parks. These blokes know their industry, and I was full of admiration for their respect for their ocean ‘office’.
drawing3And what a stunning office it is…
drawing4Next week, we’re headed to Robe, and hitting the ocean for more interviews and footage. Fingers crossed for more blue skies, and, more importantly, calm seas!