I had the pleasure of visiting beautiful Larrakia Country a few weeks ago. It was a stunning, humbling, cup-filling week spent connecting with nature and some of my nearest and dearest.
I couldn’t possibly capture everything I adored about Darwin in one post, but these are some highlights.
Fogg Dam
Litchfield National Park
Tiwi Islands
Kangaroo Island was devastated by the bushfires in 2019 and 2020. When we visited in 2022, it was mind-blowing to witness the regeneration of the national parks and wildlife. It is very humbling to see how nature can come back from almost any disaster.
The Remarkable Rocks were such a striking visualisation of the power of the ocean and the wind. Like enormous, angry waves of stone, they tower on the edge of the ocean, appearing precarious and steadfast at the same time.
I can’t wait to come back in a few years and see how things have changed once more.
“There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.”
Salvador Dali
Whirlwind weekend in Adelaide! How lucky we were to squeeze this in a few weeks ago. I’ve never visited South Australia before, and to be honest, it’s reputation hasn’t always been particularly glowing. I suppose the benefit of bad reviews (albeit completely unfair) is the joy of being pleasantly surprised to be proven VERY wrong! Bloody loved it. “Could-see-myself-living-here” vibes. Now that we have family there, I’m looking forward to exploring SA a lot more!
CRFT Wines
First stop was this gorgeous winery in the Adelaide Hills – CRFT Wines. Unlike any cellar door I’ve ever visited, it was warm, cosy, relaxed and wonderfully inviting. Comfy arm chairs, a wood fire, records and plenty of plants! Not to mention, very generous pours for a tasting! I truly could have stayed here all day.
We spoke with the owner, and found that he had previously owned one of our favourite restaurants near home in Sydney. Weird coincidence, and possibly why I took such a liking to this place.
Special mention to our chauffeur extraordinaire, Andrew! The real MVP
Botanic Gardens
An afternoon walk around the Adelaide Botanic Gardens proved to be pretty special. It was a beautiful day, and a great way to recover after too much wine the day before!
The Bicentennial Conservatory was particularly striking – from both inside and outside.
Henley Beach
We went to Henley Beach at sunset, and it did not disappoint. Coming from the East coast, it’s always a thrill to watch the sun set over the ocean.
Highlight: we made friends with a super-chill seal who was frolicking below the jetty, just enjoying the last rays of the day.
d’Arenberg
Our final stop before heading home was the d’Arenberg Cube in McLaren Vale. What an epic experience! You enter the cube on the ground floor, which is wall-to-wall whacky and interactive art installations.
Make your way up the colourful staircase to level 2, where there is currently a Salvador Dali exhibition. There were bronze sculptures and graphic artworks available to view and to buy. We decided to pass on purchasing a sculpture with the hope of buying a car instead.
Upstairs was the cellar door, where we tasted some beautiful wines with a stunning view over the vineyard.
We had the most amazing time and I know there is so much still to see. Can’t wait to come back!
don’t water down your
April Green
uniqueness
for anyone.
be like a wildflower —
passionate and
unforgettable.
(grow in places they never expected)
I spent the public holiday on a beautiful walk with a beautiful friend! I’m so grateful for any opportunity to be outside among nature. I can physically feel my shoulders drop and my jaw relax in places like this. Today, it was excruciatingly hot (like…suffocating, crushing heat), but the Riverside Walk in the Lane Cove National Park was a welcome relief, with dappled shade and greenery galore to keep us cool. We are so lucky to have places like this so close to home.
We saw enough cockatoos and lizards on our travels to last us many years. They all seemed to be out enjoying the sunshine – some more happy to share the track than others! We found a spot to park ourselves beside the river while we rehydrated. We decided that on a day like today, sitting in the shade and watching people kayak was a much better option than BEING in a kayak.
How gorgeous are these teeny-tiny daisies?! They are delicate and wild and free, and oh so pretty. One day I will have a garden full of them. Don’t they just make you believe in fairies and magic? The wonderful poetry of April Green draws a lot of inspiration from wildflowers, and since becoming acquainted with her work I have drawn many parallels myself. There’s just something about wildflowers that helps me to see the value of imperfection – rambling and stubborn, adding a unique beauty to their surroundings. We could all learn a lot from wildflowers!
We’ve been riding out COVID on the Central Coast, where we have plenty of space and we can hear the ocean all day while we work from home. As grateful as we are to have this place available to us, I don’t think anyone is as grateful as our dogs!
They’re used to spending their days in our very modest courtyard, with walks along busy roads and the occasional trip to the park. Here, they have a backyard big enough to explore all day, and they LOVE their daily visits to the dog beach. I don’t know what they’re going to do with themselves when the world goes back to work and we go back to our teeny tiny little yard in the city.
Of all the dog-friendly beaches on the Central Coast, North Shelly is our favourite. There is SO much space, so it’s been really easy to manage social distancing, and every dog we’ve come across has been beautifully behaved. They also love playing in the rock pools and racing up and down the dunes, which is a luxury that isn’t so easily accessible at other beaches. There’s a car park behind the dunes alongside a small reserve with picnic tables and some decent public toilets. It’s a great spot to take in the view of the surfers (and, more importantly, all the puppies) below.
I can never resist the opportunity for a photo shoot with my crazy canine companions in the gorgeous afternoon light. These rascals are slowly learning how to pose for my thousands of photos!
“I believe that for most of us, most of the time, it is in the everyday experience of beauty, certainly in nature and in music, that we sense a heaven half-revealed and come closest to the true meaning of reality.”
Densey Clyne
Ahhh, Our Nation’s Capital. The Bush Capital. The big city. Treat your lungs to a big gulp of that crisp, Canberra air.
While Canberra hasn’t always had the best name in Sydney, it really does have a lot to offer. The food and nightlife scene are becoming much more diverse and exciting, as more and more people flock to the city. Its most attractive feature is probably its proximity to nature. You can spend 10 minutes in the car and feel like you are in the middle of the bush. In some suburbs, kangaroos sit quietly and observe the residents going about their business. The many local parks are populated with native flora and fauna, and there are countless bush walks and nature parks within minutes of the city. There are certainly more built-up areas of the city, but you are never too far from the warm embrace of a big ol’ gum tree.
During our most recent visit, I went out to Black Mountain Peninsula and the Australian National Botanic Gardens – both perfect examples of the beautiful surrounds that will very soon be on our doorstep. Based on my previous experiences of Botanic Gardens, I would usually expect to find carefully manicured displays of flowers, bursting with colour and perfume. This particular garden was a pleasant surprise. They showcase Australian native flora and cultivate plants that are threatened in the wild. It is rambling and wild and organic, and while well presented, it doesn’t feel manufactured.
One thing I have decided – if Canberra were a shape, it would be a circle. What with the roundabouts and the iconic Canberra bus shelters, I think these fabulous minimal planters dotted throughout the gardens confirm my theory.
Towards the end of the trail, I came through Rainforest Gulley, housing plants from the rainforests of Australia’s eastern coastline. In stark contrast to the dry, muted tones of the rest of the gardens, this area felt all the more lush and refreshing. How amazing is Australia?! Even our plants are diverse – love that for us.
The sun has been doing some pretty spectacular things since my last post. I couldn’t resist!
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
WARNING: Uncharacteristically emotional content!
I’m usually fairly passive in my writing, but I’m isolated and we are in the midst of some kind of mass extinction bullshit and I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS. You’ve been warned. Read on at your own risk.
It can be pretty easy to feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety when it seems as though the world is ending. First it was the fires, then it was the floods, and now it’s the virus. We are all more isolated than we have probably ever been, spending a lot of time alone with our thoughts…and for me that’s not the ideal situation! I tend to assume the worst case scenario and over-exaggerate the possibilities ahead when left alone with my brain. Combine that with the constant stream of news and general hysteria (and, for me, a particularly high vulnerability to this disease) and you have a recipe for near-insanity.
However, amidst the chaos, I have found calm in taking time to express gratitude for all the little joys that we are lucky enough to experience every day. The birds singing in the morning, a loving paw on the knee, the smell off coffee wafting through the house, flowers blooming in the garden. Every day there is beauty to be seen.
One of the things I am most grateful for is the beautiful location we have been able to isolate in. We have plenty of space and we are close to nature, which has a welcome grounding and calming effect. I have been noticing the way the light changes throughout the day. It is a reminder that although it feels like the world as we know it has screeched to a halt, the Earth continues to turn. In fact, it is thriving in the absence of human activity! The sun rises every day and sets every night. The tides continue to rise and fall. The seasons continue to pass, as the leaves begin to turn.
In these manic and uncertain times, I have found sunlight to be such a reassuring reminder to put one foot in front of the other and try not to get caught up in the panic.
In light of this (pun very much intended), I am channelling my anxious energy into creativity, making observations on light and shadow. I hope these images can help to bring some zen your way!
We spent the long weekend with family at a beautiful home in Wallington, Victoria. The stunning polished concrete floors made my jaw drop as we walked in – they are so striking and fit the architecture of the house beautifully. Little did I know the tough lesson I was about to learn about the downfalls of polished concrete! It didn’t take long to realise the acoustics were not ideal for a house full of extremely adorable – but very vocal – young children!
Every other aspect of the house was perfect for a holiday with kids. There was a beautiful pool, an in-ground trampoline and climbing equipment; not to mention the huge block of land just waiting to be explored. The bedrooms were down one end of the house and could be closed off, so once the kids went to bed we could be as rowdy as we damn well pleased!
We were a short drive to Ocean Grove beach, where many a mermaid was made. The weather was much cooler and windier in Victoria than what we are experiencing in Sydney at the moment, so it was lucky that we had such a beautiful place to stay and keep out of the weather.
