Country Style

THE GREAT SEASONAL changeover is complete at my place. I am ready for winter, and so is my house. Floaty dresses and linen shirts are packed away in the top of my cupboard until summer. Fans are disassembled and stowed under beds, replaced by oil heaters in the corner of every room. My woolly jumpers are neatly folded in my chest of drawers. Doonas lie in wait, folded at the end of the bed so they can be pulled up in the chilly early hours of the morning. It won’t be long before I add a blanket and flannelette sheets – oh, how I love flannelette. Is there a more comforting fabric? Perhaps super-fine merino, like the throw on my sofa, perfect for nights spent with a glass of red wine…

GEORGIE MANN Based in Caramut, Vic, photographer Georgie captured beautiful images of Anna Brand, founder of The Woolly Brand, for this month’s Women on the Land feature. For more, turn to page 40. “Growing up in the country gave me a real sense of self. It has also given me a huge appreciation for the natural world,” Georgie, 45, says. “It’s been a wonderful place to raise a family – lots of animals, wide open spaces and time spent together.” Georgie now lives in Western Victoria with her husband Bobby, 53, children Dougal, 18, Olivia, 16, and Jack 13, and their Jack Russell terriers. “I have felt a love affair with country Australia for as long as I can remember. I love the space, the landscapes and lifestyle. My mind is constantly…

Cute piglets causing mischief at a picnic at Judy and Tim Croagh’s property at Mount Mercer, in Victoria, grace our June cover. For more on Tim and Judy’s work at Western Plains Pork, where they raise 4000 sows, see page 56. With thanks to Pork Australia. COVER PRODUCTS Antique French cane chair, $95, Zinc oval bucket, $249, and Antique copper pot, $195, all from Found at Hepburn. ON CHAIR Elio Amaretti cushion, $108, from L&M Home. Billabong fringed throw in Check, $119, from Creswick Wool. ON GRASS Ceres Homestead 100 per cent Australian wool blanket in Caramel Check, $349, from eCasa Daylesford. French hemp linen cushion, $299, from Found at Hepburn. Floral vintage cushion, $99, from eCasa Daylesford. Città cotton velvet round cushion in Toast, $79.95, and Città Audrey silk blend…

MEMORIES OF MUM Our dear mother passed away recently at nearly 93. She bought Country Style for as long as I can remember, and when Mum developed dementia, my sister gave her a subscription every year. Even as she slowly declined, your lovely magazine still brought Mum so much joy, as she loved animals and had always been an avid gardener. We will continue to enjoy our copies of Country Style and cherish the memories of sharing it with her. Annette Mitchell, Goolwa, SA VITAL CONNECTION I often read letters in Country Style about how important its arrival is each month – and I heartily agree. But on a recent trip through outback Queensland, seeing how far the mailboxes are from the homesteads, this city slicker realised exactly what that means. The excitement each month…

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Mullewa Muster and Rodeo, June 3 Get set for an epic day of mustering and music at the Mullewa Muster and Rodeo, held at the Mullewa Recreation Grounds, one hour’s drive north-east of Geraldton. Events include the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft and Rodeo, the Beaut Ute Competition and, of course, the Country Music Concert, which this year features The Wolfe Brothers; singer/songwriter Travis Collins; country rock’n’roll singer Monty Cotton; and Indigenous musician Fred Ryan. Buy tickets online at: mullewamuster.com.au Truffle Kerfuffle, June 23-25 Deep within the forests of Manjimup lies a prized delicacy: the black truffle. Each year, foodies and foragers descend on Fonty’s Pool Caravan Park in Manjimup to partake in a three-day festival celebrating the harvest of this sought-after “black gold”. Activities include: long table feasts featuring delicious meals crafted with…

global gathering Is there any better shopping thrill than finding the perfect piece in a far-off brocante or souk, buying it and shipping it home? Early Settler has done all that legwork with its artisan-made From Our Travels range, in strictly limited quantities. Like something? Best get clicking! Visit earlysettler.com.au JUST IN TIME Sometimes, old technology really does beat new. It’s far quicker to check the time with a glance at a kitchen wall clock than a hunt through bags and pockets for your phone, which you must then dab with a floury finger to wake from its slumber. We like this Number One timepiece; visit hardtofind.com.au AN OLD FLAME In the NSW Southern Highlands, the locals know the most comforting way to combat the winter chill: a roaring fire. Bowral-based garden company Botanex sells this…