Category Archives: Australia

Mintaro & Martindale

Only eleven kilometres off the Horrocks Highway that sprints through the Clare Valley, Mintaro is a tiny, rural village that has been tucked into the hills since Adelaide was a toddler. In 1984 it was declared a State Heritage site, … Continue reading

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Mid Winter Jitters

At last, the rain took a day off and we could get down to the beach this morning for some much needed fresh air. While we have been hiding away – partly the weather, partly a brief South Australian lockdown … Continue reading

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“The Wide Brown Land for Me.”

‘I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains,Of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.’ ~Dorothy McKellar, 1908 The Australian landscape may not change quickly but change it does. Growing up in South Australia, I had assumed … Continue reading

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Poemat means ‘poem’ in Polish

My mother has often said there is nothing more decadent than having someone else cook a meal in your own kitchen. We tried it out last weekend and found her theory thoroughly validated. Judyta Slupnicki is a woman who loves … Continue reading

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Roaming in the Riverland

It is dawn. The sun sits like a navel orange on the horizon, reflected in the dimpled river. The air is crisply cold, but that doesn’t seem to bother the pelicans swooping low and dipping for breakfast. Two wrens dash … Continue reading

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A Tale of Thai Dining

“Be consistent—people will come back because they like your food, they don’t want it to change. Don’t compromise on quality either. Today’s customers are knowledgeable about food. They’ve travelled and know what to expect. If you cut corners and buy … Continue reading

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A Picnic with Shakespeare

Apologies dear readers, I meant to post this piece weeks ago, but mislaid the draft. At least it is an almost current event when compared to many of my recent mediaeval travel stories! Last night (early March!) we lugged an … Continue reading

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Sea, Saki & Sashimi

It’s a modest block of flats, almost drowned out by the ostentatious and more glamorous towers that cluster along the beachfront. But from the balcony, the view over a long stretch of white sand that sinks beneath the roiling, boiling … Continue reading

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Sculptures by the Sea

Several years ago, I took a handful of young boys to walk along the coastal path from Bondi to Tamarama, to check out the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition. We were absolutely rivetted by the creativity on display and I’ve … Continue reading

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Port Elliot Treasures

We are in Port Elliot. Again. Purportedly in the height of summer. Yet we sleep snuggly under our quilts and travel with layer upon layer of clothes like Sara Lee’s Danish pastries. Whatever the weather, however, Horseshoe Bay, with its … Continue reading

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