Australian Country Homes Issue 15

Dear reader, Winter is the perfect time to prioritise something we often put at the bottom of our to-do list: self-care. The cooler months can see many of us suffer from Seasonal Adjustment Disorder (SAD), which results in our spirits clouding over along with the weather. Making time to prioritise you can help stave off any winter blues that may start creeping in. This doesn’t have to look like a massage at your local day spa (although by all means, it can). This can be something as simple as taking the time to plan out the next few books you want to read and scheduling an appointment with yourself to actually read them. It can be a reminder to spend a sunny afternoon walking through your garden and stopping to smell…

DUX-BAK First registered in 1957 and acquired by Thomas Cook Boot and Clothing Company in 1984, DUX-BAK is refreshed and ready for the next generation of adventurers. This range is designed to take on the often rugged landscapes of our homeland, whether it be exploring the bush, fishing, working the farm, watching footy, relaxing at the lodge or keeping warm around the campfire. Featuring tough but comfortable fabrics, practical styling and harsh-weather protection, DUX-BAK will keep you going strong with a generous fit that allows for plenty of layers. thomascook.com.au ELDER LAI There’s something about the Elder Lai sculpture from Neon Wild Bear that leaves us feeling warm. Perhaps it’s his smile, which simply radiates happiness. Maybe it’s the solid structure of this homewares piece that offers a connection to nature. Either way,…

There are few scenes as idyllic as luxuriating in an outdoor tub in the middle of the South African bush, G&T in hand, quietly listening to the rising cacophony of birdsong and stridulating insects floating through the valley at dusk. For Samantha and William Mellor, this calming ritual is the essence of Cabine du Cap, their weekend bolt hole hidden away in the bush surrounds of the Western Cape’s Klein Karoo. Immersed among rugged tufts of indigenous plants and undulating uninhabited landscape as far as the eye can see, the bath scene resembles something out of a Sydney Pollack movie. “It all started with a dream to have an outdoor tub,” says Samantha, who carefully planned the placement of their open-air custom galvanised steel bath: just close enough to the edge…

When Prue Daly and Neisha Cass bid for the historic Lake’s Bakery in the outer Brisbane suburb of Deagon, they were charmed to meet the daughter of the original baker. “She told us stories about how she used to run to the bakery’s outside loo from the main house every morning — and how she’d run as quick as she could so the bakers wouldn’t see her in her pyjamas,” Prue says. “And how her dad sold some recipes to Tip Top when he sold the bakery in the ’60s.” The bakery was built in the 1920s with triple-brick cavity walls to protect against the possibility of fire and a full-width front door, which served as the shop entrance. The distinctive design of the building also includes external brick walls that extend…

We all know children’s minds are magical, but few things are as mysterious as their notions of where their food comes from. Their ideas of spaghetti from a tree, yoghurt as a plant product and meat that comes pre-packed in polystyrene containers are as alarming as they are cute. As for milk, well, apparently, many city kids insist that it comes in cartons. From the supermarket. Or a tap. Nothing to do with cows. Since Dave and Kay Tommerup have been opening their farm for tours and farm stays, they’ve heard multiple versions of what goes on inside children’s heads. They’ve had city parents practically drag their children away from their iPads so they can physically show their children that milk comes from a cow’s udder and that it’s always white…

Although humans have been cooking with heat since the Stone Age, our sources of heat have evolved significantly, especially in the past few decades. If you’re planning a kitchen renovation, now is the ideal time to ponder upgrading your cooktop to suit your cooking needs. When you find yourself researching the pros and cons of gas, electric and induction cooktops, don’t forget to consider your cookware as well. Though you’ll find many brands are now designing pots and pans that are suitable for all heat sources, some may only be suitable for specific types of cooktops. This means your existing cookware may not be compatible with your new choice of cooktop. Cookware options that transmit heat evenly and quickly over a flat surface are ideal for electric cooktops. This means…