Canberra’s Heritage Festival -reimagining the past

If you live in Australia, you’ve probably heard of the famed Floriade Festival in Canberra or even the rather spectacular Balloon Spectacular. But did you know the city has been hosting another festival bursting with activities for much longer than either of the first two? The Canberra and Region’s 2021 Heritage Festival has in fact

A fond farewell to a fine old friend

A few days ago was the funeral of a dear old friend. She was indeed a very old friend, with a marvellously impressive 95 years under her belt. While she’d been on this earth a long, long while and her parting was hardly before her time, it was heart wrenching all the same and still

Welcome to the world, little one

It’s been a fairly quiet couple of weeks, in terms of just hanging around town and at home, catching up with friends over coffee, living in the moment and pottering in the garden. Well, perhaps a bit more than pottering because I’ve ended up with tennis elbow from pruning. I’m sure there’s not a lot

A taste of Indigenous culture in the National Museum garden

Have you discovered the new forecourt garden at the National Museum in Canberra? It’s been gracing the entrance to the museum for about 18 months though I must admit I’ve walked past it a few times without paying much attention. It turns out it contains a whole world of discovery: a mosaic of plantings from

Canberra’s having a party and you’re all invited: Enlighten Festival

If you’ve been considering a visit to Canberra, the mild month of March might just be the perfect time to book it in when the annual Enlighten Festival lights up the city—literally. Held over 17 days from 26 February, Enlighten is one great big birthday bash with a string of major events, and my absolute

Burleigh Heads: a foodie’s paradise

The last time I visited Burleigh Heads as a teen many eons ago, it was all about the beach and working on my already ridiculously-tanned tan. The beaches are still spectacular and the same laidback vibe remains, but this time it was all about discovering the foodie delights, and it didn’t disappoint. Turns out I

Newcastle: revisiting the place of my youth

I visited Newcastle last week, the city I was born and grew up in. It’s strange that this place where I spent so many wonderful years and which is so very familiar – the geography and our shared history etched deeply into my brain – is now quite foreign as well. It’s a place I

Celebrating Australia: moving forward by recognising the past

It’s Australia Day – a day each year when we celebrate this spectacular country and nation – and when we, once again, go through a series of conversations about whether this is an appropriate day on which to celebrate it. I am privileged and grateful to live in this beautiful land I call home and

Six things not to miss in Canberra

There’s nothing like having a few interstate visitors in town to get you out and about sightseeing in your own backyard. It’s prompted me to put together a little suggested itinerary of some of Canberra’s treasures and things you shouldn’t miss if you’re heading this way. Here’s what we did. National Botanic Gardens Nestled at

The year that was – in pics

The year that’s passed was not what we expected. It brought catastrophic fires and pestilence and mayhem, it was bleak and crazy and unspeakably cruel to many, but we managed to make the most of it and find the joy. For that, I’m grateful. We squeezed in a family wedding just before Covid hit; watched